Hopewell Herald – October 12, 2024
One of the most important things that we can do for our children is to bring them to public worship that is not according to the ideas of their minds or the desires of their hearts (or our minds or our hearts, for that matter).
The Lord attaches
a warning to the second commandment:
4 You
shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in
heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under
the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For
I, the Lord your God, am a jealous
God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and
fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to
thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. (Ex 20:4–6)
When we carve out our own way to worship God, rather than worshiping only in the way that He has said, He calls us “those who hate Me.” And He says that He visits “the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations” of those who worship in their own way.
This is just and appropriate. If we alter worship to cater to ourselves, or to our children, we put ourselves in the place of God. We imply that “God as He is” is not so desirable as “God as we wish Him to be.” We should not be surprised if the result of this is to have three and four generations of children that reject the true God and live (and die!) according to falsehood.
God, as He truly is, far exceeds any god we might imagine. The best part of worship is drawing near to Him Himself. The living God has provided entrance into His presence, in the fullness of His favor, through Jesus Christ. His righteousness! His sacrifice! His worthiness and right to the Father!
To have God-given worship, but desire something that feels more emotionally exciting, or religiously mysterious, or any other sort of attraction, is the sort of idolatry that trains to devalue and deny the true and living God. And this is a recipe for generations of disaster. But, praise God, the worship that He has given, He also honors. In it, He gives Himself to us, by His Son and Spirit. And thus He shows the best mercy—giving Himself—to thousands of them that love Him and keep His commandments.
Looking forward to drawing near to Him together, keeping His commandments out of love, and enjoying His mercy to us and our children,
Pastor
Audio lessons to help you prepare for the
Lord’s Day:
▪Theology
Simply Explained — CC114, The Third
Petition
▪Theology
Simply Explained — WSC53, The
Importance of Worship Demeanor and Which Is the Third Commandment?
▪Psalm 119:161–168, “Feeling Rightly about God's Word”
▪Amos 1:3–2:16, “Nations' Wrath-Deserving Sin Against God”
▪Jude v8–11, “Distorted, Deadly "Christianity"”
▪Matthew 12:9–21, “Gentle, Humble, Victorious Jesus”
▪Numbers 22:36-24:25, “Submit to God as King”
LORD'S DAY – October
13, 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 October 13. Q114 What is the third petition? Thy
will be done in earth, as it is in heaven [CC 114 Simply Explained: “The Third Petition”]
▫Shorter Catechism for October 13. Q53 Which is the third commandment? The third commandment is, Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His Name in vain. [WSC 53 Simply Explained: “The Importance of Worship Demeanor” and “The Reasons Annexed to the Second Commandment”]
Songs for October 13 morning
service:
▫ARP119V “Though Princes Hunt Me Without Cause” [mp3]
▫ARP33A “With Gladness in the Lord” [mp3]
▫TPH282 “I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art” [mp3]
Scripture Text for first portion of worship service
Psalm 119:161–168
Scripture Readings and basis for confession of sin
and petition for help
Amos 1:3–2:16
Jude v8–11
Sermon Scripture text and topic
We will be hearing the sermon from Matthew 12:9–21 about “Gentle,
Humble, Almighty Savior”
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
October 13, Matthew 12:19–21, “He will not quarrel nor cry out,
nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not
break, and smoking flax He will not quench, till He sends forth justice to
victory; and in His Name Gentiles will trust.”
3:00 p.m Evening Praise and Preaching
We will be singing at least ten Psalm
selections and hearing the sermon from Numbers 22:36–24:25
about “Kiss the Son, Blessed Are All Who Trust in Him”
Hopewell this Month
Hopewell’s
Presbytery Prayer Focus for October
White Oak ARP in Senoia, GA
October
Psalm of the Month
ARP33A
With Gladness in the Lord
• Monday, October 14, Session Meeting, 6p.m. in the Fellowship
Hall.
• Wednesday, October 16, Midweek
Prayer Meeting. 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel. We will hear a sermon from
Proverbs 4:10–27 then pray until 8:15 p.m.
• 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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