Covenantal Motivations to Marital Purity [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 31:1–3]

Pastor teaches his family a selection from “the Proverb of the day.” In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that a covenantal understanding of marriage will help us keep it pure, out of love both for God and for others.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Blessed in God by His Word in Our Heart, Hearing, Hand, Head, and Home [Family Worship lesson in Deuteronomy 6:1–9]

How are God’s people as a whole prospered? Deuteronomy 6:1–9 looks forward to the public reading in Scripture in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these nine verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Scripture-saturated religious habits in the heart and the home are the means by which God prospers His people as a whole. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2023.05.31 Hopewell @Home ▫ Deuteronomy 6:1–9

Deuteronomy 6:1–9

Questions from the Scripture text: What had Who commanded Moses to teach (Deuteronomy 6:1)? To whom? So that they may do what? Where? What would they do to Yahweh (Deuteronomy 6:2)? Who is He to them? What would they keep? Who would keep it? How long? With what result? And what other results (Deuteronomy 6:3)? How can they know this would happen? What is the command in Deuteronomy 6:4? To whom? What is the declaration in verse 4? What are they commanded to do in Deuteronomy 6:5? With how much of their heart? With how much of their soul? With how much of their strength? What shall be where (Deuteronomy 6:6)? What shall they do with the commandments in their heart (Deuteronomy 6:7)? In what manner? To whom? In what four situations shall they talk about them? What does that leave? What two other things are they to do with the Lord’s words (Deuteronomy 6:8)? And on what two places to write them (Deuteronomy 6:9)?

How are God’s people as a whole prospered? Deuteronomy 6:1–9 looks forward to the public reading in Scripture in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these nine verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Scripture-saturated religious habits in the heart and the home are the means by which God prospers His people as a whole. 

In this passage, the prospering of the entire nation of God’s people (Deuteronomy 6:1, Deuteronomy 6:3), and of generations of God’s people (Deuteronomy 6:2), is connected directly to the day-by-day, moment-by-moment living of each particular household among that people (Deuteronomy 6:6).

Yahweh Himself is the point of all things’ existence (Deuteronomy 6:4). And this is true, in a special way, of those to whom He has given Himself as their very own covenant God in order that they would love Him with every part and aspect of who they are and what they have (Deuteronomy 6:5). 

Surely, you who have been redeemed by Christ and His blood, you whom God has taken to Himself as His very own covenant people, you to whom God has given Himself as your very own covenant God… surely You wish to make all of your living into a loving of Him with all that you are!

But what does it look like? Is it an emotional ecstasy that you experience as you go about doing whatever you otherwise would have done? Is it a volitional exercise, in which you do those things but offer your will in them unto the Lord? Is it merely measured by doing the right things with as much effort as possible? It is all of these things, but Deuteronomy 6:6-9  teach us that He Himself has made it all about His words: His words in the heart, His words in the hearing (and speaking), His words on the hand, His words in the head, and His words on the house.

Heart. “These words shall be in your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:6). The “heart” was used of the control center for the intellect, emotions, and will. God’s word must control the basic instruction set at the center of who we are, determining everything else about us. God’s word must be the non-negotiable, inalterable architecture of our “CPU.” However accurately we think about Him, mushily we feel about who we think He is, or diligently we obey His words, it isn’t love unto Him unless these things are in control of our identity, our being, our life. So when we read on our own, or consider His Word in family worship or public worship, we ourselves must be formed and shaped by His Word. It’s not enough to have that Word direct various other things about us. It must be in our hearts.

Hearing. The fundamental command in Deuteronomy 6:4 was to “hear” … “these words which I command you today” (Deuteronomy 6:6). How can the words get to the heart unless they are first received? God’s primary method for our receiving them is hearing. Yes, there is benefit to reading God’s Word, and we are commanded to do so in Scripture (cf. 1 Timothy 4:13, Revelation 1:3). But God especially uses the hearing (cf. Romans 10:14–15). So here, the command is “hear” in Deuteronomy 6:4 and then “you shall teach them diligently” (Deuteronomy 6:7a) and “you shall talk of them” (verse 7b). God’s plan for getting His words into our hearts is that we hear His words from a preacher. And God’s plan for getting His words into our children’s hearts is that they hear His words not only from a preacher but also from their parents.

Where should our children hear the Scriptures from us? Everywhere. “When you sit in your house” (Deuteronomy 6:7c), we should not “relax” from being “on” with God’s Word. That’s specifically where we should be verbalizing it. Where we make it auditorily available to our children. And when we go out—"when you walk by the way” (verse 7d)—we are not to “tone it down” because we’re “in public.” No, that also is a specific place that we should talk of God’s words. We mustn’t deprive our children based upon location (and who knows who else might get to hear those words as they eavesdrop upon us?).

When should our children hear the Scriptures from us? All the time. But especially “when you lie down” (Deuteronomy 6:7e). Speaking to them from Scripture isn’t just something that we are to do throughout the day, but we should have a special time of it at the end of the day. And especially “when you rise up” (verse 7f). We should have a special time of speaking God’s words to our children at the beginning of the day. This habit of stated times of discussing God’s Word with them is what facilitates saturating the rest of the day with that Word. The bookends of the day determine the manner in which we live through all the time in between.

Hand. “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand” (Deuteronomy 6:8a). God’s words should determine what we are going to do and the way in which we are going to do it. But that needs to be evident to more than just ourselves. The words are to be “as a sign on your hand”—there should be a clearly evident connection that someone who hears those words and then sees what your hand does. Our children should be able to tell that the things that we are always talking about with them from the Scripture are the very things that determine what we do and how we do it. In this way, not only do you tell them the role that God’s words should have in their lives, but by observation of this “sign on your hand” they are also able to see what that looked like in your life, so that they can apply it to theirs.

Head. “They shall be as frontlets between your eyes” (Deuteronomy 6:8b). Put your finger upon the bridge of your nose. Because you have binocular vision, the way that you see anything else will be affected, shaped by the presence of your finger. God’s words should be like that to us: affecting how we see anything and everything. But again, for our children, that should be evident to them. It’s strange to see someone who has always worn glasses around you without them, or who has always had a beard with it shaved off. And our seeing things according to God’s words should be so normal to our children, that they would find us strange-looking indeed if this ever were not the case.

House. “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:9). The Scripture-saturation of our lives should be evident to all who come onto the property or enter our home. These signposts in verse 9 are like fair warning that you won’t be toning anything down for outsiders. I had friends growing up whose parents liked to say, “my house, my rules.” But the believer should be someone who could consistently say, “my house, God’s rules.”

In some circles these days, someone who lives as described above may be accused of “bibliolatry.” But here in Deuteronomy 6:1–9, we can see that this is God’s own description of what it looks like to love Him with all that we are. A divorcing of God from His Word could certainly make someone what might rightly be called a “bibliolater.” But there is no level of intensity or frequency of discussing and following that word that is too much, any more than there is any level of loving the Lord that is too much. The Scripture-saturated life is simply how we love the Lord.

What is your thought life like? What are your days like? What might those who live with you conclude about the place of God’s words in your life? Based upon an honest answer to those questions, how might you better love the Lord?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for giving us Your own words by which to love You. Forgive us for when we let something else be at the center of our heart or life, and grant that Your Spirit would make us so full of Your words, that our children would hear and see that, as also would anyone else who enters our house. For we ask this in Him Whose Name is itself the Word, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP128 “How Blessed Are All Who Fear the Lord” or TPH548 “Oh, Blest the House”

The Lord Our Home, Hope, Help, and Happiness [Family Worship lesson in Psalm 90]

How can God be the eternal dwelling place of people whose lives have justly been cut short by His rath against their sin? Psalm 90 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seventeen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that believers must be delivered from God’s divinely great wrath by God’s compassion and mercy in order to come into the divinely great joy of having God Himself as our blessedness. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2023.05.30 Hopewell @Home ▫ Psalm 90

Read Psalm 90

Questions from the Scripture text: Who wrote this Psalm? Where had the people “dwelt” by the time of Moses (Psalm 90:1)? For how long had this been their dwelling place? Who formed the earth and the world (Psalm 90:2)? For how long has Yahweh been God? Who turns man to destruction (Psalm 90:3)? What does He say when He does so? How many years are mentioned in Psalm 90:4? In whose sight are they like a day? What shorter period are they like (verse 4c)? How does Yahweh sweep away the sons of Adam (Psalm 90:5a)? What else are they like (verse 5b)? How quickly do they appear (Psalm 90:5-6a)? What else happens to them quickly (Psalm 90:6b)? What has consumed the people (Psalm 90:7a)? What has terrified them (verse 7b)? How did this come about—what has God set before Him (Psalm 90:8a)? Which sins in particular does verse 8b mention? With what light have they been exposed from the darkness (verse 8b)? What, then happens, to all men’s days (Psalm 90:9a)? To what does verse 9b compare the finishing of their years? What was an average life span in Psalm 90:10a? How long would someone live to have been thought strong (verse 10b)? But what would even the life of such a strong person seem to have amounted to (verse 10c)? Why—what soon happens to them (verse 10d)? What does Psalm 90:11a indicate is extremely powerful? How big does verse 11b say that God’s wrath is? What are we to learn to do in comparison to God’s eternity and wrath (Psalm 90:12a)? From whom can we learn to do this? What will it give us (verse 12b)? What is the second petition in this psalm (Psalm 90:13a)? What, specifically, is he asking Yahweh to return to do (verse 13c)? What is the third petition (Psalm 90:14a)? With what, specifically, does he pray that we would be satisfied? What effect would this have upon us (verse 4b, cp. Psalm 90:9)? What does he ask Yahweh to do in Psalm 90:15a? If they do receive this mercy, then what specifically would increase the measure of their new gladness (Psalm 90:15a-b)? What would Yahweh be showing them in such a case (Psalm 90:16a)? What else (verse 16b)? Of what would His people themselves become a display (Psalm 90:17a)? What will He do as a result of the given mercy and show of this display of beauty (verse 17b-c)?

How can God be the eternal dwelling place of people whose lives have justly been cut short by His rath against their sin? Psalm 90 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seventeen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that believers must be delivered from God’s divinely great wrath by God’s compassion and mercy in order to come into the divinely great joy of having God Himself as our blessedness. 

By answering the questions above, you will find that the Psalm itself walks us straightforwardly to its conclusion. We are the children of Adam (Psalm 90:3, literally translated), and therefore we die. The longest any of his children had ever lived was about a thousand years—compared in this psalm to a single night watch (Psalm 90:4). Your life is short, dear Christian! What fools we are, if we think of our nation, our community, our land or house, as our home. We will be evicted promptly from all of these at the end of our short life.

Why? Because we are sinners. We deserve wrath. Nothing can possibly be hidden from God. The infinitely brilliant light of His countenance exposes even our most secret sins (Psalm 90:8). Man already knows that he is miserable, and how much more miserable he would be, if he could see the greatness of the wrath that is behind our misery! Even for believers, if we understand why our lives are short, we will live in dread of our sin and how wicked it is.

Therefore, our only hope is His compassion (Psalm 90:13) and mercy (Psalm 90:14). When He gives us a joy that comes not by way of having our earthly desires satisfied for a handful of years, but a joy that comes by way of being delivered from the wrath that shortened our years to begin with—then, our joy is as great as the wrath and judgment that we originally deserved (Psalm 90:15)! We long for the mercy that will give God Himself to be our joy!! I wonder, dear reader, what your joy was yesterday? What has it been so far today? What will it be tomorrow. It is high time that you not settle for joys that will fail you. Yes, you may have sadness and sighing for a while, as you wait for Him to be your joy and look to Him to be your joy, but when mercy comes, you will find that He is an infinite and eternal joy.

But we don’t have to wait until eternity to begin receiving a joy that is as big as that eternity. As we begin to live in the light of God’s favor, and He becomes the firmness of our work (Psalm 90:17b–c), we begin to see that He is always the One working (Psalm 90:16a), that His aim is not to make us appear to be great but rather to have us behold His greatness (verse 16b), that when we are beautiful it will be with His beauty for all to see Him as glorious (Psalm 90:17a).

Why, ultimately, is your life going to be so short? What have you been thinking of as your home? What have you been looking to for joy in it? How long will this home and joy last? What (Who!) is the best home and joy?

Sample prayer:  Lord, as You gather us to Yourself in Christ week by week, we pray that You would display Yourself as our Home and Yourself as our Happiness. Help us, by Your Spirit, to worship You. We know that our lives are short because of our sin, and because of Your wrath against sin. But, we come to You looking for compassion and mercy that would give us infinite and eternal joy in You. Therefore, we come you through Him Whom You have given in compassion and mercy, even our Lord Jesus Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP90B “O, Teach Us How to Count Our Days” or TPH90A “Lord, You Have Been Our Dwelling Place” 

A V̶a̶i̶n̶ Significant Repetition: God's Word, Grace, and Purpose for Public Worship [2023.05.28 Evening Sermon in Exodus 36:8–38]

The public worship of God must be constructed according to the Word of the Lord, as sustained by the grace of the Lord, to fulfill the purposes of the Lord

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

How God Protects His Flock from Being Devoured [2023.05.28 Morning Sermon in Acts 20:29–38]

Dependence upon God, in the use of His ordained means, is the only safe path to blessedness.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

Ordination and Success of the Diaconate [2023.05.28 Sabbath School; Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #36]

We study the training, selection, and ordination of the first diaconate to consider the application for when deacons continue to be ordained today.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Spirit-Blessed Hearing of the Word Preached [Shorter Catechism #89 simply explained]

Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 89—especially explaining that the Spirit Who caused the words of Scripture to be written on the page also now writes that Word on our hearts, as He applies to us the salvation that the Father predestined and the Son has purchased.

Q89. How is the Word made effectual to salvation? The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching, of the Word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith, unto salvation.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Holily (& Happily) Ever After [Family Worship lesson in Romans 7:1–4]

How can a man bear fruit unto God? Romans 7:1–4 looks forward to the sermon in the midweek meeting. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that for a sinner to be free to be married to the risen Christ, free to bear fruit unto God, he must die first to be released from his slave-marriage to sin; and, this can only happen through the body of Christ.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2023.05.29 Hopewell @Home ▫ Romans 7:1–4

Read Romans 7:1–4

Questions from the Scripture text: What does Romans 7:1 ask? What is the implied answer? To whom is he speaking? How long is the law someone’s lord? What type of person does Romans 7:2 talk about? What binds her to her husband? For how long? What happens if her husband dies? What does the law call her if she marries another while her husband is alive (Romans 7:3)? What is she free from? What is she free to do? What does the apostle call them a second time in Romans 7:4 (cf. Romans 7:1)? What has happened to them? Who/what was their master by covenant, while they were under the law? Through Whose body did they become dead to this law and free from this master? To Whom are they married now? What has happened to Him? What does this mean that they are free to do?  

How can a man bear fruit unto God?  Romans 7:1–4 looks forward to the sermon in the midweek meeting. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that for a sinner to be free to be married to the risen Christ, free to bear fruit unto God, he must die first to be released from his slave-marriage to sin; and, this can only happen through the body of Christ.

We’ve just heard that the path to everlasting life must go through holiness (Romans 6:22). But here is a great problem. However he tries in himself, man cannot be holy. Ultimately, the solution is that man must come out of being in himself and be in Christ instead. Being in Christ is the only way to bear fruit unto God, because it is the only way to come out of being a slave of sin.

For worse or for worse. Adam’s children have been bound by law as slaves to sin because this is what they deserve. The wages of sin is death, and the path to death is “those things of which you are now ashamed” (Romans 6:22). So, since we “know the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death” (Romans 1:32), we know that for worse or for worse, we are married to sin precisely because the law demands our death.

Till death do us part (or join). But here, in these four verses, is an amazing reminder of something else that we know: marriage is “until death do us part.” And so is the marriage in which the law has bound us to sin. It does so because the wages of our sin is death. But what if that wage is paid? What if the obligation is fulfilled? We would be free from the law that demands that we stay bound to sin.

Happily ever after. But wouldn’t we then be dead? Not at all, for if we die to that law “through the body of Christ” (Romans 7:4), that death comes by way of a new marriage. And that new marriage is to One Who has risen from the dead. So, it is now “adultery” when we sin. And, our new marriage, in which we bear fruit to God, can never end. In fact, it is those who arrive at the judgment still bound to sin that will die the second death that keeps on going forever.

What end does the law demand for sin? To what must sinners be bound until this happens? What is the only way to die and still live? What kind of fruit does this life produce?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we thank You for killing our old self in Christ. That self was married to sin, as deserved and demanded by Your law. Now, give our new self to bear fruit for You, since we are married to Christ, Who has risen from the dead and lives forever, we ask in Jesus’s Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH466 “My Faith Looks Up to Thee”

Enjoying Our Christian Liberty by Righteous Living [2023.05.24 Midweek Sermon in Romans 6:20–23]

Christian liberty is liberty to bear fruit unto holiness as those being prepared for eternal life.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

2023.05.27 Hopewell @Home ▫ Acts 20:29–38

Read Acts 20:29–38

Questions from the Scripture text: How sure is the apostle about what he is saying (Acts 20:29)? To what time is he referring? Who will come in among whom? What won’t they do? From among whom will another problem arise (Acts 20:30)? What will these men speak? What will this do to the disciples? What two things must these elders, therefore, do (Acts 20:31)? What are they to remember him doing? For how long? How frequently? To whom? In what manner? If they heed his instruction, to Whom will they be entrusting themselves (Acts 20:32)? And to what? What is this God, by this Word, able to do to them? And to give them? Who are going to receive this inheritance? What hasn’t the apostle done (Acts 20:33)? What do they know that he did instead (Acts 20:34)? What was he trying to do in every way (Acts 20:35)? Who else must do this? What are they to remember, to encourage them in this? After his parting words, what does he do with them (Acts 20:36)? How do all of them respond (Acts 20:37)? For which words did they sorrow the most (Acts 20:38)? Then what did they do?

What are the hope, goal, and pleasure of a faithful minister? Acts 20:29–38 looks forward to the morning sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twelve verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that a faithful minister hopes in God, aims to help the feeble with God’s help, and communicates the goodness of God to the flock. 

Two grievous dangers. Having given his final charge to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:28, the apostle gives them one final reason to keep it. He has emphasized to them the divine glory that love to God must seek to bring Him. He has emphasized to them the priceless value of those to whom they are to minister. Now, the apostle highlights two grievous dangers that repeatedly threaten the churches.

In this case, the two dangers are not merely threatening the church as they do in perennial fashion, but the apostle knows that the Ephesian congregation is about to face both dangers, after he departs.

The first danger is that savage wolves would come in among them, not sparing the flock (Acts 20:29). The apostle here uses the language of Jesus in Matthew 7:15 to describe false prophets, who themselves bear false fruit and whose followers will be condemned by the Lord in the last day (cf. Matthew 7:16–23). 

Often, people come into the church hungry for acclaim, hungry for admiration, hungry to appear to be something. They may even learn to use the language of the church, “in Your Name did we not…” But faithful shepherds and safe sheep are not identifiable by spectacular works but by obedient ones.

The second danger is like it, except for this time it is not ravenous wolves coming in from outside but misguided and misguiding elders arising from within. “From among yourselves men” in Acts 20:30 are sobering words. The word “men,” is the male-specific word and indicates that the apostle means that this second danger arises quite specifically from among the elders. 

Elders are supposed to guide straightly through the Word of truth (cf. 2 Timothy 2:16). But, they are tempted instead to word-battle (cf. 2 Timothy 2:14) or babble or speak that which is empty noise (cf. 2 Timothy 2:16). Anything that isn’t straight according to the Scriptures is a twisting away or making crooked—what NKJ translates here as “speaking perverse things.” The language specifically recalls what Paul said to Elymas in Acts 13:10, when that man spoke things to turn Sergius Paulus away from hearing the Word of God.

Sadly, there are disciples in the churches that if one of the elders begins speaking things other than the Word, these disciples are drawn away after the one man (end of Acts 20:30). Considering what Paul has said about innocence of blood, this is quite dreadful both for the elder in question and for the disciples who follow after them. 

These are not new dangers. They existed even at the time that Paul himself was ministering in Ephesus. For, he ties the reminder in Acts 20:31 to the warning in Acts 20:29-30 with the word “therefore.” It was precisely because side-track teaching is so frequent and so dangerous that Paul himself had constantly warned. And he had warned everyone. And he had done this night and day. And he had done this for three years. Most of all, he had done this with tears. Tears over the danger, and tears over the reality that some of the flock would be lost. Some of those to whom he ministered would hear from Jesus on the last day, “depart from Me; I never knew you.”

A Great Hope. The apostle had charged them to take heed to themselves and to all the flock, but he was not leaving either them in their own hands or the flock in their hands. Rather, this charge was for them to employ the Word of God has the apostle had done. For, the hope in ministering the Word of God is that the God of the Word will use it. How strengthening and gladdening it is to be able to say, “I commend you to God” (Acts 20:32)! 

Sometimes, we go away for a few days and must leave our dog with someone. How happy we are when we can leave her with someone whom we know has both the character and ability to care for her well. But how much more important is the flock of God, and how much better is His character and greater is His ability than any of ours! Am I a parent with children? Am I an elder with a congregation? Then let me be able to say, “I commend you to God.”

But those will be empty words if we are not doing this commending via God’s own means. We must be able to add, “and to the Word of His grace.” For, He uses His Word to build up His saints. He uses His Word to sanctify them. And therefore He uses His Word to bring them all the way into the inheritance of those who are sanctified. With respect to those who will be damned by straying, the minister sheds great tears. But with respect to the elect, the minister may rejoice to be commending them to God and to the Word of His grace!

Being a Gracious Help. Finally, the apostle hints again at how selfishness in the ministry poses such a threat. He didn’t want any earthly thing from them (Acts 20:33). And perhaps the rest of the congregation did not know how hard he worked, or how much he went without, or how generously he himself supported the ministry, but these elders did (Acts 20:34). “You yourselves know,” said the apostle with respect to all these things.

Why? In part, because there would be a day when he was gone, and he wanted them to remember his model for “laboring” (Acts 20:35). Indeed, the word means to wear oneself out with labor. After all, the weak need it. It simply will not do for the undershepherd to say, “it’s their responsibility; let them do more for themselves.” That’s not the example that Paul set for the Ephesian elders. Indeed, they were to count it a blessing to give their whole selves, rather than to receive anything, just as Jesus had said (end of verse 35, though not recorded in the four gospels). 

At this, their beloved apostle and pastor fell to his knees. He was commending them to God, and now they would hear him doing so, as he “prayed with them all” (Acts 20:36). It is one thing to say that you treasure God above all else. And it is another to labor in such a way that shows it. And it is a third, and important, thing to express it unto God Himself, before His face, in prayer. 

What a marvelous thing this final prayer must have been, after such a speech, concluding their final -conversation in this world! The tears and kisses then flowed freely (Acts 20:37), as they knew that this would be the last time that they would hear that voice charging them or overhear that voice addressing God in their behalf (Acts 20:48). For ministers and flocks in this life, there is always a last time coming for that, when we will see each other’s face no more and hear each other’s voice no more. Only let us seek to be such a gracious help to one another that the tears and kisses would flow freely, if we only knew that it would be the last time in this world.

What are some examples that you have known of each of the two dangers in this passage? When you use the means of grace in private, as a household, and as a congregation, what (Whom!) are you trusting to make the difference? If you don’t use them, then Whom are you not truly trusting? Who is there, for whom you have been trying to carry more, to help them in their weakness?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we are full of thanksgiving to You for giving Yourself to be our Chief Shepherd. Thank You for the Word of Your grace, by which You brought us to faith. Grant that by this same Word, You would build us up, sanctify us, and bring us into the inheritance of the holy ones. Give us the greater blessing of being those who give to others, and make us to be such a help to them as will make the tears and kisses flow, when we must say goodbye for the last time in this world. So now we commend ourselves unto You and to the Word of Your grace, in the Name of the Word Himself, even Jesus Christ, our Lord, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP23B “The Lord’s My Shepherd” or TPH406 “Jesus, with Thy Church Abide” 

Tabernacle Construction Lessons [Family Worship lesson in Exodus 36:8–38]

What does this passage show about the construction of the tabernacle? Exodus 36:8–38 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these thirty-one verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the construction of the tabernacle was according to the Word of the Lord, because it was sustained by the grace of the Lord, to fulfill the purposes of the Lord. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2023.05.26 Hopewell @Home ▫ Exodus 36:8–38

Read Exodus 36:8–38

Questions from the Scripture text: What did the artisans make in Exodus 36:8-38? How do these verses compare to Exodus 26:1–37? Why would assembly instructions like Exodus 26:9b, Exodus 26:12-13 be left out in the context of the current passage? Why would Exodus 26:33–35 be absent from this passage but in Exodus 40:20–22 instead? What point is being made by how close these passages are to the instructions in chapter 26?

What does this passage show about the construction of the tabernacle? Exodus 36:8–38 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these thirty-one verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the construction of the tabernacle was according to the Word of the Lord, because it was sustained by the grace of the Lord, to fulfill the purposes of the Lord. 

According to the Word of the Lord. This passage is a nearly word-for-word adaptation of Exodus 26:1–37, with the omission of a couple verses that had to do not with the preparation of the materials but with the actual assembly. This demonstrates that Moses was, after all, faithful to write down all the instruction that had been given to him on the mountain (cf. Exodus 34:27). More impressively, it demonstrates that the people heeded the words that Moses had written down. Much has been made of the skill that they had for artistic work, but this was a much more important skill: careful obedience.

Sustained by the grace of the Lord. Of course, careful obedience is not natural to wilderness-generation Israelites (or 21st century Americans!). If they needed the Spirit of God for wisdom and understanding for knowledge and workmanship (cf. Exodus 35:31), how much more His Spirit was needed for obedience!

We have seen the grace of the Lord to give them His Word. We have seen the grace of the Lord to give them a prophet who would teach them His Word. We have seen the grace of the Lord to keep their prophet faithful. We have seen the grace of the Lord to make their prophet’s face shine in order to instill in them reverence for the Word. We have seen the grace of the Lord to give them willingness in the giving for the materials of the tabernacle.

But more grace is needed for persistent, laborious obedience. And that is the grace that we see here (and in following, similar passages). The Lord graciously sustained the obedience of the Israelites so that their worship would be constructed exactly according to His Word.  The Lord continues to give this sort of grace to His people. As the apostle says, “let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably” (Hebrews 12:28). 

To fulfill the purposes of the Lord. Back in chapter 26, we considered many of the things that the Lord was teaching by constructing His worship like this. The ceiling curtains and roof curtains of Exodus 36:8-19 convey mobility of a tent, with the modularity of rapid setup and takedown, the majesty of the heavenly appearance from inside, and multi-layered plan to indicate graded degrees of holiness and insulation from the elements of the outside world. The boards, hardware, and bars of Exodus 36:20-34 conveyed strength by the primary materials and construction, and glory by the use of silver and overlaying with gold. The veil and screen of Exodus 36:35-38 conveyed how sin had sealed off access to the holy God, but that He had made a way through.

But all of these pointed forward to Christ. Christ, Who leads worship wherever His people are. Christ, Who is infinitely stronger and more glorious than any material. Christ, Who is our way through the curtain and into heaven itself. All of God’s commandments for our worship have this aim: that we would come only through Christ. 

How ought we to worship? How can we be sustained in this meticulously careful obedience?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we thank You for telling us how to gather to You in worship through Christ. Sustain us by Your grace to carefully follow all of Your commands, so that we would only draw near in the way that You have said—through Christ—in Whose Name we ask it, AMEN!

ARP24 “The Earth and the Riches” or TPH152 “Safely through Another Week”

Using the Truth Helpfully, Diligently, and Rightly [Family Worship lesson in 2Timothy 2:14–16]

Why must ministers of the Word work so hard? 2Timothy 2:14–16 looks forward to the second reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that ministers of the Word must be diligent workers, so that they can guide hearers straightly through life-giving truth, rather than ruining them with empty noise.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2023.05.25 Hopewell @Home ▫ 2 Timothy 2:14–16

Read 2 Timothy 2:14–16

Questions from the Scripture text: What is Timothy to do with the faithful men (cf. 2 Timothy 2:1) whom he trains and raises up for the next generation (2 Timothy 2:14)? In addition to reminding them of the ABCs of the faith, what is he to charge them not to do? Before Whom? Because it will do what? What are they to be (2 Timothy 2:15)? At what presentation does this diligence aim? What are they to consider themselves? What are they trying to avoid as the outcome of their presentation? If they are to be unashamed, what must they do (verse 15)? In order to guide rightly/straightly through the Word of truth, what must they shun (2 Timothy 2:16)? What do these empty noises lead to? 

Why must ministers of the Word work so hard? 2 Timothy 2:14–16 looks forward to the second reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that ministers of the Word must be diligent workers, so that they can guide hearers straightly through life-giving truth, rather than ruining them with empty noise.

Remind them. By quoting from a catechism that they had used in Ephesus (2 Timothy 2:11-13), Paul equips Timothy with a powerful tool as he trains up the “faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (cf. 2 Timothy 2:2). The truth that they are to preach and teach is truth by which God Himself gives that union with Christ that the catechism describes. The ABCs of Christianity remind us of what is at stake. What a crucial ministry, that would make the difference reigning with Jesus in the last day and being renounced by Jesus in the last day!

Faithful men can grow weary. Faithful men can grow discouraged. Especially in days of widespread unfaithfulness in the church. They need reminders (2 Timothy 2:14a). They need the glory of Christ set before them, so that love for Him will refresh and strengthen them. They need the glory of union with Christ set before them, so that love for the souls under their care will drive them to aim at this glory for those souls. 

Charge them not to word-battle. The apostle uses a compound word here: word-battle. Timothy is to charge them not to wordbattle (2 Timothy 2:14b). There is a temptation to let word-battling divert us from the preaching and teaching of the truth from the Bible. People who are twisted by their own ignorance or enjoyment of word-battling will wish to commandeer the teaching ministry of the church. They must not be permitted to do so, for it will bring catastrophe to the hearers (verse 14c). 

Be diligent workers. The antidote to giving in to the desire to be approved by men is to remember the desire to be approved by God (2 Timothy 2:15). With his eye bent toward that priceless joy in the last day, when God approves of his work, the elder must be diligent. He eagerly applies himself to the work. And he is a worker, one who labors and toils, who persists in the work until the work is done. 

Be straight guides. As the elder leads the congregation through the word of God, what will he see when he looks back? Spiritual catastrophes and a tangled mess of a path? Or will it be straight guidance through the word of truth? If he has worked hard to handle the truth rightly, straightly, his work will meet with the approval of God. But if he has gotten sucked into word-battling (2 Timothy 2:14b) or babblings and empty-noise (2 Timothy 2:16a), he will be ashamed. 

Whatever else men want to teach about in church, this passage should give them pause. Everything, other than straightly guiding through the Word of truth, the Spirit calls “word-battling, babbling, and empty noise.” People often enjoy that sort of teaching. Many even enjoy participating in it. But that is not the teaching in which Timothy and the faithful men are to engage. Such teaching advances not holiness but ungodliness.

A faithful preaching and teaching ministry is a blessed thing. It brings before our eyes the glories of Christ. It brings before our eyes the glory of union with Christ. It takes Christ’s own Word as a straight and sure guide to glory. Let us seek it from the Lord unto His eternal praise and our eternal good!

What should you hear in the preaching and teaching ministry of the church? What should this set before you? What sort of effort do you expect your teachers to put forth? What sort of effort do you think this means that you should put into hearing? Where is this designed to take you, ultimately?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for the instruction that You gave to Timothy. Thank You for giving us Your Word to teach us about Christ’s glory, and to guide us straightly into union with Him as our path to glory. Forgive us for being content with word-battling, or the babbling and empty-noise of the ideas of men. Forgive us for laziness in teaching and laziness in hearing. Spare us from the catastrophe that we would otherwise bring upon ourseves, we ask in Jesus’s Name, AMEN!

ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH406 “Jesus, with Thy Church Abide”

Wrath-Provoking Sin as the Backdrop for Glorious Grace [Family Worship lesson in Isaiah 1]

What is the Lord going to do for Israel and why? Isaiah 1 looks forward to the first serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these thirty-one verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us the Lord is going to forgive and purify Israel because she has made herself guilty and filthy by sin. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2023.05.24 Hopewell @Home ▫ Isaiah 1

Read Isaiah 1

Questions from the Scripture text: Whose vision is this book (Isaiah 1:1)? Whose son is he? Concerning whom did he see it? During the reigns of what four kings? Whom does he call to witness in Isaiah 1:2a? Who has spoken (verse 2b)? How does He put his case in verse 2c–d? To what does He unfavorably compare Judah in Isaiah 1:3? What four things does he all them in Isaiah 1:4a–d? What two things have they done to Whom (verse 4e–g)? By doing what (verse 4h)? What are they bringing upon themselves (Isaiah 1:5a)? How are they proceeding (verse 5b)? How bad has it gotten (Isaiah 1:5-6)? Whom does the prophet now address in Isaiah 1:7? How severe has been their chastening (Isaiah 1:7-8)? What mercy has the Lord shown them (Isaiah 1:9a–b)? What did this keep from happening (verse 9c–d)? What does he call them in Isaiah 1:10? What does he tell them to do? Who is addressing them now in Isaiah 1:11? What is He rejecting in verse 11? What does He call their public worship in Isaiah 1:12? What does He say about what parts of their religion in Isaiah 1:13-14? How will He respond to their worship (Isaiah 1:15)? What does He tell them to do in Isaiah 1:16a? By doing what, generally (verse 16b–c)? What specific things must they do (Isaiah 1:17)? What is the Lord offering, in connection with this repentance (Isaiah 1:18)? What two outcomes are offered to them (Isaiah 1:19-20)? How do Jerusalem’s past and present compare to one another (Isaiah 1:21-23)? Therefore, what will the Lord do for Himself and His people (Isaiah 1:24-26)? How does He summarize what He is doing in Isaiah 1:27? For whom, specifically, is He doing it? How is He doing it (Isaiah 1:28)? By doing what to them (Isaiah 1:29-31)?

What is the Lord going to do for Israel and why? Isaiah 1 looks forward to the first serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these thirty-one verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us the Lord is going to forgive and purify Israel because she has made herself guilty and filthy by sin. 

The time period of Isaiah’s ministry is established in Isaiah 1:1—at least the 32 years of Jotham and Ahaz, but also stretching backward into the reign of Azariah/Uzziah and forward into the reign of Hezekiah at very least to the fifteenth year of his reign (when chapter 38 occurs). So, Isaiah prophesied for around fifty years during which Assyria’s power was reaching its height.

But one of the features of the book of Isaiah is its view of history as supremely, sovereignly ruled by God. Assyria’s rise is primarily due to Israel’s provoking of God. God will answer these provocations by a fiery chastening that burns the filth off of Israel. But, in announcing this, He also prophesies the ultimate solution to sin: atonement by a Redeemer Who Himself is perfectly righteous, Who Himself will be the great and forever King.

As a whole, chapters 1–5 set the context for this. In this opening chapter, the Holy Spirit is presenting us with how God’s people have provoked Him.

As a nation, Isaiah 1:2-9. Heaven and earth (Isaiah 1:2a) must heed their Creator, but there is a nation whom He has taken to Himself as His special people. This makes their rebellion unnatural (verse 2c–d), more ignorant than the beasts (Isaiah 1:3). He has stooped down to nourish and rear children (Isaiah 1:2c), but His nation and children have instead become a nation and offspring of wickedness (Isaiah 1:4a–d). So, they have provoked the Holy One Who chose them (verse 4e–h) to punish them severely (Isaiah 1:5-8). The only thing that has kept them from being utterly destroyed is the pleasure of Yahweh to spare a very small remnant (Isaiah 1:9). 

As a church, Isaiah 1:10-20. This section begins not by addressing heaven and earth (Isaiah 1:2) but by addressing Israel themselves (Isaiah 1:10). Devastatingly, He calls them according to their character, “Sodom… Gomorrah.” If those cities had shown up for worship, Israel would have found it revolting, abominable. Little did they understand that this is exactly what their worship was unto the living God. Their worship was unwanted (Isaiah 1:11c), unwelcome (verse 11e), offensive (Isaiah 1:12c), useless (Isaiah 1:13a), abominable (verse 13b), unendurable (verse 13d), hateful (verse 14b), troubling (verse 14c), wearying (verse 14d), rejected (Isaiah 1:15b), and refused (verse 15d). This, despite all of the things that they were doing being Scripture commands. We cannot assume that God likes our worship simply because we do. If we worship in the way that we wish, God calls this hating Him (cf. Exodus 20:4–5). But if we worship as those who have been rejecting His commandments in the rest of life, He still hates our worship!

God commands repentance in the life (Isaiah 1:16-17, Isaiah 1:19-20) if we hope for our worship to be acceptable. And He offers to the repentant that He will receive them as if perfectly holy and pleasing and acceptable (Isaiah 1:18). 

Much later in this book, we will learn how that can be (e.g., chapter 53). But for now, we see that even with such a filthy church whose worship is so hateful to Him, the Lord invites them to come and reason with Him. The Lord invites them to engage with Him for His verdict and promises a favorable outcome for those who do. 

As a culture, Isaiah 1:21-31. In Isaiah 1:2-9, the Lord had condemned how their conduct contradicted their identity as belonging to Him. Now, in Isaiah 1:21-23, He condemns how their conduct contradicts the character that their culture was to have. Faithfulness, justice, righteousness, silver, wine, and princes… what a glorious, godly culture this was to be! But alas, prostitution, murder, dross, wateriness, rebellion, greed, and callousness describes them now. 

Are these the people of God? They are saturated with His enemies, and He is going to rid Himself of them (Isaiah 1:24) by putting the people through whatever is necessary to purify them (Isaiah 1:25) and bring them back to what they were supposed to be (Isaiah 1:26). 

Those who will return to Him will continue under the name Zion and be redeemed with justice (Isaiah 1:27). But all others will be destroyed and consumed (Isaiah 1:28) together with the fading, worldly delights they chose over God (Isaiah 1:29-30). They and their work will burn (Isaiah 1:31).

When we read God’s unanswerable assessment of His people, we are not at all surprised that the exile is coming. But God’s ultimate plan (Isaiah 1:18, Isaiah 1:27) is a surprise indeed. The greatness of their sin is the backdrop for the greater-ness of His grace, by which the glory of His Servant-Christ will be supremely displayed. 

And, if we understand ourselves rightly from the rest of Scripture, we will see that what was true of Israel as a nation, church, and culture is also true of our own wretched hearts, apart from the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us learn to see ourselves and our sin more truly, so that we may see His grace and glory all the more clearly!

What privileges has the Lord given you? What ought you to have been to Him? What have you desired and lived for instead? What thoughts, words, and actions of yours have been most inconsistent with your privileges and callings? How can it be that God would consider you white and clean anyway? How can it be that you would be part of His glorious people in the end?

Sample prayer: Lord, how very much we identify with Isaiah’s description of Judah! You took us to be Your own children, but we often live as if You don’t even exist. We have forsaken You and provoked You to anger. In ourselves, there is nothing good, but only corruption. 

If You Yourself did not spare and redeem, we would be utterly destroyed. Apart from Christ, our best worship is offensive to You, and You would be right to reject our prayers. 

So, we have come to reason with You, to engage with You at Your own urging. Cleanse our scarlet sins, and make us white as snow. Redeem us in Your justice. Be unto us both just and Justifier, through faith in Jesus Christ, which we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP80 “Hear, O Hear Us” or TPH80B “Great Shepherd Who Leadest Thy People” 

The Lord's Generous Provision for His People's Eagerly Providing for Public Worship [2023.05.21 Evening Sermon in Exodus 35:1–36:7]

The Lord provides all that is necessary for His people to participate in His giving the gift of His favorable presence in our worship. The greater story is the generosity of God, not that of the people

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

How the Triune God Oversees and Shepherds His Church on Earth [2023.05.21 Morning Sermon in Acts 20:28]

Since it is the triune God Who is redeeming us, the church must do only and all that He says, in dependence upon Him.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

Qualifications of the First (and every) Diaconate [2023.05.21 Sabbath School; Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #35]

Deacons must be male, and full of the Holy Spirit as identified by the markers that the Scripture gives of a Spirit-filled life.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Clinging to the Christ of the Covenant When the Covenant Seems Broken [Family Worship lesson in Psalm 89:38–52]

What do believers do when their experience doesn’t seem to line up with the promises of God? Psalm 89:38–52 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these fifteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that when believers’ experience doesn’t seem to line up with God’s promises, they ask Him about it in prayer and plead with Him in prayer. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2023.05.23 Hopewell @Home ▫ Psalm 89:38–52

Read Psalm 89:38–52

Questions from the Scripture text: What has the Lord done to them (Psalm 89:38a)? And to whom in Israel, specifically (verse 38b)? What does it seem like God has done (Psalm 89:39a)? What has been done to the present anointed (verse 39b)? What else (Psalm 89:40a)? How does verse 40b restate this? So, what is happening to the king and his kingdom (Psalm 89:41a)? With what effect (verse 41b)? But what has been done to whom (Psalm 89:42)? What has been done to the present king militarily (Psalm 89:43)? Politically (Psalm 89:44)? Personally (Psalm 89:45)? So, what question does Psalm 89:46 pose, in which three ways? What does Psalm 89:47 plead? Just how weak and short-lived is he (Psalm 89:48)? What is he holding onto in prayer now in Psalm 89:49? What does he ask the Lord to remember and expect the Lord to care about (Psalm 89:50)? How does he describe the ones who have been reproached (Psalm 89:51)? But why must this reproach not be the final word (Psalm 89:52)?

What do believers do when their experience doesn’t seem to line up with the promises of God? Psalm 89:38–52 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these fifteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that when believers’ experience doesn’t seem to line up with God’s promises, they ask Him about it in prayer and plead with Him in prayer. 

Short-term chastening, Psalm 89:38-45. One of God’s commitments to the Christ, was that the Lord would chasten His seed, His sons (Psalm 89:30-32). But when the rod is laying its stripes upon us, it can feel as if the covenant itself is being taken lightly (Psalm 89:38-39). This happened often, and increasingly intense ways, during the reigns of lesser sons of David, whose crowns were defiled and tarnished (Psalm 89:39b). It seemed to be true during the exile. And even after great David’s greater Son has taken His seat in glory, chastening is often the earthly experience of those who live under lesser thrones on earth. This chastening is delighted in as an example of true sonship in Hebrews 12:1–11, but when it comes with so much pain, it provokes the question of Revelation 6:10—a question that has its earthly echo in Psalm 89:46, ff.

Often, the protections of the church seem broken down (Psalm 89:40-41). Enemies from outside, but especially false and lazy teachers from within, do her much harm. But while Christ’s enemies may rejoice at this (Psalm 89:42), He never suffers the Psalm 89:43 defeat of the kings that preceded Him. His sword comes from His mouth and has a 100% victory rate in battle. Before Jesus came, Judah’s kings suffered the results that we see in Psalm 89:44-45. But now, the king reigns in His indestructible life, just as He intercedes for us as Priest by that same indestructible life (cf. Hebrews 7:16). 

Still, when congregations are chastened and even have their lampstands removed, believers grieve over the dishonor that comes to Christ’s Name in this way. We grieve when the promises of God seem to be called into question by the very chastening that they required.  

Fixed-term chastening, Psalm 89:46-48. It is a blessing to ask the question in Psalm 89:46, “How long, Yahweh.” For He is Yahweh, existing from eternity and not subject to time like we are. And He has determined the end from the beginning, together with all moments in between. We cannot know with specificity the answer to the question, but He surely does! He works all things according to the counsel of His will. He knows how long His grace will be hidden from our view (Psalm 89:46b). He knows how long His wrath will burn (verse 46c). The shortness of our lives that is behind Psalm 89:47-48 is actually a comfort. Of ourselves, we are unable to “make our life count” for anything (Psalm 89:47b). We are unable to cheat death (Psalm 89:48). Our lives have a fixed length. This world has a fixed length. And all of this means that there is a definite answer to the question, “How long?”—even if its quantity is hidden from our eyes.

Infinite blessedness, Psalm 89:49-52. The former days were not just good times; they were covenanted love (Psalm 89:49a) that had come by covenantal vows in covenantal faithfulness (verse 49b). That is to say that they came not just because God was being kind to the line of David as creatures, but because God Himself had identified Himself with the line of David and bound Himself to the line of David. This is why the reproach of the servant (Psalm 89:50) and the reproach of the anointed (Psalm 89:51) is such a big deal. They are reproaches that are being heaped onto the Lord Himself. But He is the ever-blessed Lord (Psalm 89:52). These reproaches ultimately will not stand. He will be praised and honored forever. And therefore His people too will be blessed forever. Their chastening will achieve its purpose, and it will end. And they will be perfectly holy, and perfectly happy in the Lord Himself, forever!

In what ways are you suffering right now? How does Jesus joining Himself to you make this suffering a very big deal? How long will you suffer? How long will you be blessed? With what blessedness?

Sample prayer:  Lord, You have made glorious promises in the Lord Jesus Christ, but we are not yet fit to inherit them. In faithfulness, You have chastened Your church. But, when You do so, we grieve over the dishonor that comes to Christ’s Name when His church is in a low condition. Everlasting Lord, Your servants desire to honor You with our short lives in this world. So, help us now, as we gather to You. Give us to worship You in holiness and reverence that the glory of Christ’s crown will not be despised but shine brightly in Your worship, as we pray that it would shine forever, in Jesus’s Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP80 “Hear, O Hear Us” or TPH89B “My Song Forever Shall Record”

Christ’s Use of the Means of Grace [Shorter Catechism #88, Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 88—especially explaining that since Christ Himself does the work of grace, the only means by which we can hope to obtain grace are the means that He has appointed, and these means must be used always only in dependence upon Him.

Q88. What are the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption? The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption, are His ordinances, especially the Word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Our New Life of Righteousness [Family Worship lesson in Romans 6:20–23]

Why must Christians pursue righteousness? Romans 6:20–23 looks forward to the sermon in the midweek meeting. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Christians must pursue righteousness because they have a new Master (Christ), who gives them new fruit (holiness), with a glorious new end (everlasting life).(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2023.05.22 Hopewell @Home ▫ Romans 6:20–23

Read Romans 6:20–23

Questions from the Scripture text: What had we been (Romans 6:20)? Of what? And when we were slaves of sin, what was our relation to righteousness? What does Romans 6:21 ask about? What does it call the works that we had done as slaves of sin? What is their end? But what is the believer’s condition now (Romans 6:22)? Of Whom have they become slaves instead? Now what kind of fruit do they have? With what end? How does sin result in what end (Romans 6:23)? But what other end may we have? By what mechanism? Whose free gift? In Whom does the free gift come? What is He to us?

Why must Christians pursue righteousness?  Romans 6:20–23 looks forward to the sermon in the midweek meeting. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Christians must pursue righteousness because they have a new Master (Christ), who gives them new fruit (holiness), with a glorious new end (everlasting life).

New master. We used to be slaves of sin (Romans 6:20a). When we were slaves of sin, we didn’t have to do anything righteous, because “master sin” never told us to do what is righteous. Now, we have been set free from sin (Romans 6:22a). But we have a new master. We have become slaves of God (verse 22b). We are no longer free in regard to righteousness (Romans 6:20b), because Master God always commands righteousness. 

Sometimes, you may hear someone misuse the phrase “Christian liberty,” which means liberty from the mere opinions of men to serve God alone as Master. Sometimes, people use the phrase to mean that they are free to interpret the Bible however they wish, and even free to live however they wish without being confronted, rebuked, or disciplined. But such freedom is that freedom “in regard to righteousness” that is a “freedom” only of the slaves of sin. If you are a true Christian, your new Master constantly commands you to do righteously, because He has already made you to be righteous in your standing and new nature. Christian liberty is the liberty to do righteously because your Master commands it.

New fruit. Why would a Christian want to go back to his former master? That’s the gist of the question in Romans 6:21. What was the fruit of what that master had commanded? In the short term, the fruit of sin seemed desirable, but now that we have been delivered from bondage, we are ashamed of what we used to do. Its fruit was shame, humiliation, disgrace. But the new ways of our new Master have brought new fruit: holiness (Romans 6:22). Consecration to God. Transformation into a condition in which we actually find Him and His presence enjoyable.  

New end. The stench of the rotting fruit of sin transmitted where that sin was taking us: death. Death is the end of the things that master sin commanded (Romans 6:21b). But eternal life, not death, is the end of being under Master God or doing the righteousness that He commands (Romans 6:22b). And there is a difference between how each master produces the end of the slave. Sin paid out death as a wage. God gives eternal life as a free gift. How can this be? How can He give us such a gift for free? Because it has been merited and purchased by another: Christ Jesus. In union with Him, everlasting life is a free gift. Therefore, we love the life that we have in union with Him: a life of living righteously.

Who is your master? What does he want you to do? What fruit can you expect from doing these things? What end is this taking you to? How does this encourage you in doing righteousness?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we thank You for purchasing us out from under our old slavery. And we thank You all the more for taking us to Yourself as a good Master, Who have given us to live in a way that produces holiness and ends in everlasting life. We thank You most of all for doing this by way of union with Christ Jesus, Your Son, our Lord. In His Name, we ask to walk as those Who are Your slaves for righteousness, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH466 “My Faith Looks Up to Thee”

Taking Heed Under God's Grace [Family Worship lesson in Acts 20:28]

How must we respond to the Triune God’s redeeming us? Acts 20:28 looks forward to the morning sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In this verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that since the Triune God is redeeming us, we must do what He gives us to do, in the way that He says, in dependence upon Him. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2023.05.20 Hopewell @Home ▫ Acts 20:28

Read Acts 20:28

Questions from the Scripture text: What is the main command in Acts 20:28? Of whom are the elders to take heed first? Of whom  else are they to take heed? How many of them? What is the relation of the elders/overseers to the flock? Who made them overseers among them? 

How must we respond to the Triune God’s redeeming us? Acts 20:28 looks forward to the morning sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In this verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that since the Triune God is redeeming us, we must do what He gives us to do, in the way that He says, in dependence upon Him. 

Taking heed by the Word. Paul has given solemn testimony of his own innocence of the Ephesian elders’ blood. Would they be innocent of their own blood? Would they make use of the whole counsel of God that he has proclaimed to them? Now the apostle charges them, “Therefore, take heed to yourselves.”

And Paul has included, with this, solemn testimony also of his own innocence of the Ephesian congregation’s blood.  Would these elders also be innocent of that congregation’s blood? Would they continue to declare the whole counsel of God? Would they, also, keep back nothing helpful but proclaim and teach all of it in public and house to house? Now the apostle charges them, “Therefore, take heed to all the flock.”

This is the great thing in feeding and tending souls: the word of God. Do you take heed to yourself in the Word of God? Do you take heed to those entrusted to you? Do you bring yourself, and any entrusted to you, under the public and household ministries that the Lord has ordained? Take heed!

Taking heed under the Triune God. Taking heed isn’t optional. It’s an assignment of the Holy Spirit. Yes, there is a process that we can learn from 1Timothy 3 and Titus 1 for identifying and ordaining elders. But it is the same Spirit Who gave us those words that also superintends all providence, and He is the One Who has made certain members of the flock overseers. 

To the responsibility of Who made them overseers, they must add the responsibility of what sort of flock this is, and whose flock it is. This flock is a church, a people who are called out of the world. And this flock belongs to God. It is the church of “the Lord and God” He has called them. It is to Himself that He has called them. And now they are His. What a wonderful thing the church is—the church of God!

Third, there is the responsibility of how these overseers, and the rest of the flock, came to be the church of the Lord and God: He purchased them with His own blood. God (God the Son, specifically) took to Himself an additional, new nature for the purpose of dying for sinners (cf. Philippians 2:5–11, 1 Corinthians 15:3, Hebrews 9:13–22). What a precious church this is that has been purchased with such blood!

Taking heed by grace. So, as the apostle charges these elders with their ministry, he brings to bear the weightiness of the triune God to their responsibility. But this is a great encouragement as well. 

Would the Holy Spirit make them ministers and then not attend their ministry by His almighty power? Would God call them to shepherd His own church, but not make all things work together for good for that church of those called according to His purpose? And would the Son shed His blood to purchase them but not proceed to intercede for them always and to save them to the uttermost?

It is a great responsibility: “who is sufficient for these things?” But it is an even greater ability: “our sufficiency is of God!” This is our hope, when we use the means ordained by God as employed by the men ordained by God: that they will be effectual by the grace of God!

What use do you make of the means ordained by God? How are you availing yourself of the ministry that He has set over you? What is your hope in doing these things? Would you really be able to claim that as your hope if you weren’t making use of what He says to?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for purchasing us by Your own blood to be Your own church, Your own flock. Having paid such a price, bless unto us Your priceless Word and the priceless ministry of that Word, by the same Spirit by Whom You gave it, we ask in the Name of the Word, Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP23B “The Lord’s My Shepherd” or TPH406 “Jesus, with Thy Church Abide”

Whose Slave Are You? And Where Is That Taking You? [2023.05.17 Midweek Sermon in Romans 6:15–19]

If you walk in sin, you're a slave of sin and not of Christ. If you're a slave of righteousness, then you belong to Christ, Who started that work in you—and will finish it!

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

The Lord Provides the Privilege of Participation in His Presence [Family Worship lesson in Exodus 35:1–36:7]

How does the Lord’s provision show how intent He is upon dwelling with His people in favor? Exodus 35:1–36:7 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these forty-two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord demonstrated His favorable intent in dwelling among His people by giving generously to them in every way. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2023.05.18 Hopewell @Home ▫ Exodus 35:1–36:7

Read Exodus 35:1–36:7

Questions from the Scripture text: Whom does Moses gather (Exodus 35:1)? What does he introduce to them? What is the first great part of these commands (Exodus 35:2)? What must be done to those who disobey? What is an example of what this consecration proscribes (Exodus 35:3)? How does Exodus 35:4 re-introduce the speech? What are they to take (Exodus 35:5)? Who should bring it? What should they bring (Exodus 35:5-9)? Who else should do what (Exodus 35:10)? What, generally, are they to make? What things, specifically (Exodus 35:11-19)? Where do the people go in Exodus 35:20? Who comes in Exodus 35:21? What doubling of language makes what point here? What did they bring? What types of people (Exodus 35:22)? What language now triples the point? What types of things do they bring, generally? What specific things do they bring (Exodus 35:23-24)? Which women brought which specific things in Exodus 35:25? Which women brought which specific things in Exodus 35:26? Which type of people bring the things in Exodus 35:27-28? What, specifically do they bring? Who does Exodus 35:29 summarize the work? What are the people called? What do they bring? Which of the people especially bring? For what kinds of work do they bring? Who had commanded it? By whose hand? Whom does Moses identify whom  in Exodus 35:30? Who called him? What else has he done for him (Exodus 35:31) To make what things (Exodus 35:32-33, Exodus 35:35)? And further to do what (Exodus 35:34a)? Who is his second (verse 34b)? Who else is now mentioned with them in Exodus 36:1? Who has done what for them? What manner of work are they to do? According to what? Whom does Moses now address directly (Exodus 36:2)? What has the Lord done to all these people What do they receive from whom (Exodus 36:3)? What continues to be done after this? But who come in Exodus 36:4? What do they leave in order to come? To whom do they speak (Exodus 36:5)? What “difficulty” do they have? What does Moses give in Exodus 36:6? Where is it proclaimed? Who is prohibited? From doing what? Why (Exodus 36:7)?

How does the Lord’s provision show how intent He is upon dwelling with His people in favor? Exodus 35:1–36:7 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these forty-two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord demonstrated His favorable intent in dwelling among His people by giving generously to them in every way. 

Some time ago, in considering Genesis 6, we noted that the way of saying it was that Noah found grace, but the greater reality was that grace found Noah. In discussing the catechism question this week (WSC87), we have noted with our family that the way of saying it is that we apprehend God’s mercy in Christ, but the greater reality is that God’s grace apprehends us. Now, in this passage, our contemporary editors have referred to this section in terms of the peoples offerings and generosity, but the greater reality is the abundant generosity of God, Who Himself gives even the willing heart. Specifically, we see God giving them Word, worship, willingness, wealth, wisdom, and work.

Word. The section as a whole are “the words which Yahweh has commanded” (Exodus 35:1). The Sabbath is “the thing which Yahweh commanded” (Exodus 35:4). The artisans are to “make all that Yahweh has commanded” (Exodus 35:10). The work is “all kinds of work which Yahweh, by the hand of Moses, had commanded” (Exodus 35:29). The artisans “shall do according to all that Yahweh has commanded” (Exodus 36:1). The offerings are too much for “the work which Yahweh commanded” (Exodus 36:5). 

This all brings us back to God’s detailing the making of all of these things to Moses on the mountain. It’s a reminder that the Lord has intended to dwell with His people. It is not as if He did not know what they were going to do with the calf. He intended for them to know that His purpose of grace was going to overcome even their sin in order dwell in the midst of them in His favorable presence. 

What is true for Israel nationally/ecclesiastically in a moment of their history is true in a greater way for the elect from all eternity. By giving us His Word ahead of time, then fulfilling it over-against (even through) our sin and guilt, the Lord demonstrates the resolve of His intent to dwell favorably with us forever.

Worship. It is remarkable that the first great instruction about making the tabernacle is to spend 1/7 of the time NOT making the tabernacle (Exodus 35:2-3). But this has been the case for man with all of his work for all of his existence. The first thing that Adam and Mrs. Adam were to do in taking dominion, being fruitful, multiplying, subduing was… spend their first full day NOT doing those things (cf. Genesis 1:26–2:3).  

Worship colors all of our working. If we are to know what it is to offer our bodies as living sacrifices in the creation, it must come first by those spiritual sacrifices in the acts of worship by which we act more directly upon the Creator. Now, as they do all of the work in building the tabernacle, they are of course to do it all with a heart of worship. This aspect of the work is emphasized throughout the passage. But, even doing it with such a heart, is not permitted on the Sabbath. Whereas, six days a week, they worship by working, on the Sabbath they worship by NOT working. Indeed, anyone who does this “church business” on the Sabbath is to be executed for it! Not even a fire is to be kindled.

If we’re fleshly enough to shrink back from such a command, let us mourn that we do not understand or value the worship of the Lord, the holiness of the Lord, and the Sabbath of the Lord like we should. But let us also see the amazing mercy of God. The Israelites were much like many of we. But God has shown them a mercy that appears more readily when we erase the artificial chapter division. It is immediately upon giving them the experience of the shining face of Moses that this command comes. He prepares them for the command by literally striking the fear of His glory into their hearts. 

Willingness. The commands for collection and construction begin by highlighting a great provision from the Lord: willingness. “Whoever is of a willing heart” (Exodus 35:5). This worshipful, willing heart is a provision from God. The Lord is not saying that giving is optional, as if it’s permissible to be selfish with God. Rather, He is saying that willingness is mandatory. He is provoking willingness, and His Spirit is giving the willingness that is provoked. 

It’s like in 2 Corinthians 9:7, where the Lord isn’t saying, “give less than 10%, now, so that you don’t feel like you’re being made to.” That would be a dreadful application of that text. Rather, He is saying, take the opportunity to seek grace from God by which you resolve above that 10% to be bountiful (cf. 2 Corinthians 9:6) in giving. He is saying to look to God for the grace to be cheerful. “God is able to make all grace abound toward you” (cf. 2 Corinthians 9:8). Grace in the hand to have that which to give and grace in the heart with which to give it cheerfully.

This willingness pervades the text. In Exodus 35:21, their hearts lift them up to give. Men and women come (Exodus 35:22). All have willing hearts (verse 22). Even the spinning women’s hearts lifted them up (Exodus 35:26). It’s a freewill offering (Exodus 35:29). All the artisans’ hearts lift them up to come do the work (Exodus 36:2). The lord had given not only His Word and worship; He graciously gave great willingness.

Wealth. As we were considering in 2 Corinthians 9, the wealth for the work is another necessary gift from God. And what wealth He gives them! This nation is in the wilderness, just removed from slavery, and what they bring sounds like a treasure trove from an epic fable. 

Gold, silver, bronze (Exodus 35:5); blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats’ hair (verse 5); ram skins dyed red, dolphin (NKJ: ‘badger’) skins, acacia wood (Exodus 35:7); oil, spices (Exodus 35:8); onyx stones and all the other gems for the ephod and breastplate (Exodus 35:9); earrings, nose rings, rings, necklaces, jewelry of gold (Exodus 35:22); blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats’ hair, red skins of rams, dolphin skins (Exodus 35:23); silver, bronze, acacia wood (Exodus 35:24); skill for making more blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen (Exodus 35:25), goats’ hair yarn (Exodus 35:26); onyx stones and ephod and breastplate stones (Exodus 35:27); spices, oil (Exodus 35:28). 

Even the multiple repetitions serve to emphasize how much wealth the Lord had provided. The treasures of the world had been concentrated in Egypt in order to be carried out by Israel.  Whether from such wealth or from affliction and deep poverty (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:2), God gives believers to see everything that they have as wealth, and all of that wealth as fodder for giving.

Whether the Lord has given you much or given you little, dear reader, He has given you wealth. And that wealth is the companion gift to willingness to give it to Him. In the spirit of worship. According to His Word.

Wisdom. Gifted artisans are needed (Exodus 35:19). How can they be obtained?  Exodus 31:1–6 has already made it clear that this will not be a search for candidates. Yahweh “called by name” (Exodus 35:30) those whom He Himself would give the wisdom for their calling (Exodus 35:31). This was true of every gifted artisan (Exodus 36:1, Exodus 36:2). And it is true of all of your knowledge, understanding, and ability. We often focus upon things like ability as if they are innate, and education and training as if they operate mechanically, but God reminds us how personally He is involved in every providence. His Spirit, Who from the beginning of creation has superintended and sustained all the creatures, is the One Who gives each of us any knowledge or skill that we have. Yours, too. All wisdom is a gift from Him. 

Work. The work itself is a provision of God. Every bit of each thing that must be given or made offers the privilege of participation in God giving His people His favorable presence. The whole operation is summarized as work even with reference to the fourth commandment (Exodus 35:2). They are to come and work (NKJ: ‘make’) all Yahweh commanded (Exodus 35:10). The offering is for the work (Exodus 35:2). The service was a work (Exodus 35:24). It was all kinds of work that Yahweh used Moses to command (Exodus 35:29). The artisans were to work works (Exodus 35:32). Engravers, designers, and weavers were to work works (Exodus 35:35). All of this was work for the service of the sanctuary (Exodus 36:1). All the artisans came to work the work (Exodus 35:2), the work of the service (Exodus 35:3), the work of the sanctuary (Exodus 35:4), the work which Yahweh commanded (Exodus 35:5), supplied by the work for the offering (Exodus 35:6), which was sufficient for all the work to be done (Exodus 35:7). 

The Lord can do everything. And with respect to all of this facilitating of worship, we bow to the fact that Christ Himself is tabernacle, priesthood, sacrifice, supply. How much the Lord has done for the pubic worship of His people now under the gospel and into all eternity. What work has He given us to do? To come (too much for many, sadly). To listen. To join voices in song. To join hearts in prayer. To trust in Christ, and lift up our souls in dependence upon Him.  

And there is work during the week too: ordering our lives in a way that facilitates all of this. Keeping short accounts with God—tender hearts and quickened minds in the Word by which we will worship. And then all of the earthly and temporal things too, clearing all the other work the Lord has given us to do with diligence and wisdom, taking care of our physical health, preparing logistically to be able to give ourselves entirely to worship on the Lord’s Day. What a privilege the Lord has given us to participate in His dwelling favorably in our midst in the Lord Jesus Christ! May He give us the grace to participate in it with willing hearts!

What work has God given you to do throughout the week? What work has He given you to do on the Lord’s Day? How cheerfully have you been giving yourself and all you have to this? Where can you get more cheerfulness?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we thank You for planning from before the world began to dwell favorably among a people whom You had redeemed and adopted! Now, grant that by Your Spirit, we would do all that You have given us to do in participation in this marvelous and merciful plan, we ask through Jesus Christ, AMEN!

ARP24 “The Earth and the Riches” or TPH152 “Safely through Another Week”

Enduring Hardship through Union with Christ [Family Worship lesson in 2Timothy 2:11–13]

Why can, ought, and must Christians endure hardship for Christ? 2Timothy 2:11–13 looks forward to the second reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the reality and necessity of union with Christ drives Christian endurance.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2023.05.18 Hopewell @Home ▫ 2 Timothy 2:11–13

Read 2 Timothy 2:11–13

Questions from the Scripture text: What does 2 Timothy 2:11a call these verses? What is the first “if” statement (verse 11b)? What will also be true, if we died with Christ (verse 11c)? What is the second “if” statement (2 Timothy 2:12a)? What will also be true, if we endure with Christ (verse 12b)? What is the third “if” statement (verse 12c)? What will also happen, if we deny Christ (verse 12d)? What is the third “if” statement (2 Timothy 2:13a)? What will still be true of Christ in this case (verse 13b)? Why (verse 13c)?

Why can, ought, and must Christians endure hardship for Christ? 2 Timothy 2:11–13 looks forward to the second reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the reality and necessity of union with Christ drives Christian endurance.

We can endure hardship for Christ, because we are united to Him, 2 Timothy 2:11. We are familiar with this language from Romans 6:3–8. There, the conclusion was that the only way that we can come to faith in Jesus is if the Spirit, Whom He poured out on us in baptism from heaven, as united us to Christ Himself. So we died with Him, so we rose with Him, so we live with Him, and so we are and must be sin’s mortal enemies now, not willing servants.

Similarly, if the life that we are now living is lived by faith in Christ, in union with Christ, by the grace of Christ, then we have everything necessary to endure whatever hardship comes. The apostle has charged Timothy to endure hardship (2 Timothy 2:3) and given his own example as willing to endure all things (2 Timothy 2:10). Now, he reminds Timothy of the “how” of that: union with Christ. We died with Him, we will live with Him, and by His life we endure.

This is such an important concept in the Christian life that the apostle refers Timothy to a “faithful saying.” This is the fourth of five of these in Paul’s letters to him. In the last couple centuries, commentators have begun to speculate that these were from hymns written by the apostolic church. But there is no evidence of this in Scripture or history, and 2 Timothy 1:13 gives us the Spirit’s own description of such passages. It is a pattern of sound words. In other words, it is a selection from a catechism with which Timothy was familiar. Perhaps the same catechism in which Theophilus had been catechized (a more literal translation than “instructed” in Luke 1:4). 

There is nothing more essential to the daily Christian experience than the reality of our union with Christ and therefore the perception of our communion (fellowship) with Him. This is the A, B, Cs of Christian living. It is foundational to the battle against sin in Romans 6. And here, we see it is foundational to the believer’s endurance of hardship.

We ought to endure hardship, because it is worth it, 2 Timothy 2:12a–b. The path to glory runs through suffering. This is a common teaching through all of Scripture, and preachers who do not remind Christ’s sheep of this sin against them and their Shepherd. For the believer, suffering is light and momentary by comparison to the eternal weight of the glory to which it is bringing us (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:17; Romans 8:18). If we endure, we shall also reign! 

But there is something else that is worth enduring hardship: not only where it takes us, but with Whom we get to do it. We have fellowship with Christ in our sufferings (cf. Romans 8:17, 2 Corinthians 1:5, Philippians 3:10, 1 Peter 4:13). Surely, our suffering is not so great as His, and what it accomplishes is not so great as what His accomplished. But, there is a great privilege in suffering analogously to Him and a great sweetness in getting to do so in union with Him.

We must endure hardship for Christ, because if we do not, we will be cast in the lake of fire, 2 Timothy 2:12-13. One of the great encouragements for the struggling believer is that all of his love and obedience and service and patience have come by Christ’s grace in him. We grieve over how poor all of these are in us, but their presence at all is a great encouragement, for whatever grace we have has come from One Who will persist until we are perfected. The resources of that grace never run out.

But this means something dreadful for those who do not endure. It means that whatever good had appeared to be in them was fool’s gold. It was from themselves, not from Christ. There are many who indeed seem to be quite upright and decent but have not Christ. Whatever God’s common grace has permitted them to achieve, the fact that it is by achievement rather than from union with Christ means that the resources must run out. And the surest way to be exposed as a false Christian is to come to the place where one denies Christ. Alas, many who had seemed to be something in the church have ended up this way.

But we cannot be in doubt about what happens to such. As Jesus made clear in Matthew 10:33, those who deny Jesus before men, He will deny before His Father—and this on the last and great Day (cf. Luke 9:26)! Why will Jesus deny those who deny Him? Because it is impossible for Him to lie (cf. Titus 1:2) or sin in any other way. He simply cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13c). This is great news for those who are His. He must save us, because we are His, and He cannot deny Himself. 

But for those who deny Christ, who show themselves “faithless,” His faithfulness means that He must deny them. Their changing opinion of Christ doesn’t change anything about Christ Himself. To put it bluntly, when we are tempted to shrink back from enduring hardship of Christ, what faces us is a choice between heaven and hell. And if we are of grace, it is His grace. He is faithful, and by His grace, we will choose heaven.

What hardship are you facing? From where do the resources to endure it come? Why is it worth it to endure the hardship? Why is it such a dangerous temptation to consider giving up on enduring the hardship for His sake?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for giving to us to die with Christ, to live with Christ, and one day to reign with Christ. Thank You for the faithful saying by which Paul reminded Timothy of this wonderful reality of union with Christ. Thank You even for the sweetness that fellowship with Christ brings to our sufferings. Forgive us for shrinking back from enduring suffering. Please, do not let us deny Him, which would damn ourselves. Instead, forgive us, and restore us, and comfort us, and strengthen us in Jesus Christ, through Whom we ask it, AMEN!

ARP46 “God Is Our Refuge and Our Strength” or TPH244 “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”