Hopewell Herald – September 28, 2024
Every once in a while, God’s providence reminds us how small we are, how vulnerable, how completely dependent upon divine mercy in a creation that continues to be bound to corruption and decay.
Events like hurricane Helene are an opportunity for the diaconal ministry of the church: first an opportunity for others to learn that members of the church have extended family and support networks that have been supplied by Christ in His office as Mediator—Prophet, Priest, and King. And then an opportunity to discover that, having attended to the household of faith, the genuinely Christian neighbor is also the best sort of neighbor for the unbeliever to have (cf. Gal 6:10).
They are also an opportunity for the church, and especially her preachers, to proclaim that unless we repent, we will all perish (cf. Lk 13:1–9). Not everyone will have a tyrant execute them, or a tower fall on them, or a hurricane flood them. But these are not the great calamity.
For those to whom such things occur, apart from faith in Christ, what comes immediately upon death is infinitely worse than the manner in which they died. But for those to whom such things occur, along with faith in Christ, death can do nothing but perfect their holiness and happiness.
It is important that we take the opportunity to be moved with compassion for the masses who endure earthly suffering in such signal calamities. It is also a reminder that the masses are continually subject to spiritual calamity. If we are not mindful of it, and sensitive to it, then we should welcome the opportunity to have our consciences pricked for our lack of love and our unmindfulness of spiritual things.
It is a shame to us if we are not continually moved with compassion for the masses who are enduring eternal suffering. First, let us take heed to our own souls. Every trouble, or unusual providence, in our own lives is an opportunity for self-examination under God’s possible chastening. Similarly, such occurrences on a broader scale call us to Luke 13:1–5 self-examination.
Our Creator and Redeemer has had compassion upon us, body and soul. He calls us to Himself in redemption to find our rest in Him. And He gives us a taste of that in public worship, gathering us to Himself in Christ, through divinely appointed worship, to find our rest in Him this week.
Looking forward to gathering to Him together for that rest,
Pastor
Audio lessons to help you prepare for the
Lord’s Day:
▪Theology
Simply Explained — CC112, How God
Has Been Pleased to Hallow His Name
▪Theology
Simply Explained — WSC51, Guarding
Against Idolatry and Superstition and What the Second Commandment Forbids
▪Psalm 119:145–152, “The Urgency of Drawing Near to God Via His Means”
▪Isaiah 66:18–24, “How It All Ends”
▪Jude v1–4, “Contending for Christ's Lordship”
(Helene has
knocked out power at Sermonaudio, so that file processing has not been
available the last couple days)
LORD'S DAY – September
29, 2024
9:50 a.m. Breakfast Line Opens
10 a.m. Sabbath School
We are preparing our minds and hearts for
public worship by studying our Confession of Faith from Scripture, affirming
that Scripture is our only ultimate authority, but also discovering that what
we confess is thoroughly Scriptural.
11 a.m. Public Worship
▫Children’s Catechism for September
29. Q112 What is
the second petition? “Thy kingdom come.” [CC 112 Simply
Explained: “How God Has Been
Pleased to Hallow His Name”]
▫Shorter Catechism for September 29. Q51 What is forbidden in the second commandment? The second commandment forbiddeth the worshiping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in His Word. [WSC 51 Simply Explained: “Guarding Against Idolatry and Superstition” and “What the Second Commandment Forbids”]
Songs for September 29 morning service:
▫ARP119T “I Cry With My Whole Heart” [mp3]
▫ARP59B “I Wait for You” [mp3]
▫ARP23B “The Lord’s My Shepherd” [mp3]
Scripture Text for first portion of worship service
Psalm 119:145–152
Scripture Readings and basis for confession of sin
and petition for help
Isaiah 66:18–24
Jude v1–4
Sermon Scripture text and topic
We will be hearing the sermon from Matthew 11:28–30 about “Come
to Jesus”
Lord’s Supper! (Please see the section at the end of the Worship Booklet on how rightly to prepare for and take it).
1 p.m. Coffee Fellowship and Catechism Class
1:30 p.m. Fellowship Lunch
▫Memory
Verse for September 29, Matthew 11:28–30,
Come to Me,
all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke
upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will
find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
3:00 p.m Evening Praise and Preaching
We will be singing at least ten Psalm
selections and hearing the sermon from Numbers 22:1–12
about “Sovereign Grace, Gracious Sovereignty”
Hopewell this Month
Hopewell’s
Presbytery Prayer Focus for September
the fruit of the Fall Presbytery Meeting
September
Psalm of the Month
ARP59B
I Wait for You
• Wednesday, October 2, Midweek Prayer Meeting.
6:30 p.m. in the Chapel. We will hear a sermon from Proverbs 3:19–35 then
pray until 8:15 p.m.
• Thursday, October 10, Session Meeting,
6p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.
• Friday–Saturday, October 18–19, School
Campout/Fall Family Fellowship.
• Saturday, October 26, Men’s (and future men)
breakfast, 7a in the Fellowship Hall
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