Hopewell Herald – March 13, 2026
The Lord has blessed us with a new covenant child (pun intended!) in the congregation, and we look forward to her baptism soon in the public worship of God.
Last week, in
the course of the M’Cheyne reading plan, we had the following passage:
Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when
the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said,
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the
kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom
of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”
Luke 18:15–17
Jesus gives a two-fold rationale command to bring the children to Him:
First, children are members of the kingdom already. "Of such is the kingdom" means that the kingdom is comprised of such as these children.
Second, everyone in the kingdom of God must receive it as a little child. This applies to children and adults, both. Those who have the first birth must have the second in order to see the kingdom (cf. Jn3:3–8). So, "kingdom" is being used with reference to the visible church in v16, and the invisible/elect/eternal church in v17.
One of the reasons that Jesus insists that children are members of His church, and be brought to Him in all of the privileges of that membership (i.e. the means of grace!), is so that they can learn to receive the kingdom as little children. And one of the reasons that Jesus brings adults into the visible church is so that they can learn to receive the kingdom as little children.
So, dear reader, how have you received the kingdom as a little child? Or, haven't you? God grant unto us all to be true children.
When describing
Christ’s leadership of our public worship, Hebrews 2 puts these precious words
on His lips:
“Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”
Hebrews 2:13
Looking forward to coming to God together in the public worship, through His only-begotten Son, as His true children,
Pastor
Audio lessons to help you prepare for the
Lord’s Day:
▪Theology
Simply Explained — CC43, Covenanted to God in Christ
▪Theology
Simply Explained — WSC20, The God Who Is Pleased to Save
▪Song of Songs 6:4–13, “Blessed RE-Assurance”
▪Deuteronomy 31:9–13, “Means of Generational Grace”
▪Mark 1:1–11, “Why the Gospel Is Good News”
▪Nahum 1:2–6, “Wrestling with the Reality of Wrath”
▪Song of Songs 7:1–9a, “The Bride's Crowning Beauties”
LORD'S DAY – March
15, 2026
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 March 15. Q43 With Whom did God the Father
make the covenant of grace? With Christ, His eternal Son.
[CC 43 Simply Explained: “Covenanted to God in Christ”]
▫Shorter Catechism for March 15. Q20. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? God having, out of His mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer. [WSC 20 Simply Explained: “The God Who Is Pleased to Save”]
▫Songs for public worship on March 15: ARP45B [mp3], ARP108A [mp3], ARP94A [mp3]
Scripture Text for first portion of worship service
Song of Songs 6:4–13
Scripture Readings and basis for confession of sin
and petition for help
Deuteronomy 31:9–13
Nahum 1:2–6
Sermon Scripture text and topic
We will be hearing the sermon from Nahum 1:2–6
about “Faith in the God of Vengeance”
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 March 15, Nahum 1:3, YHWH is slow to anger
and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked. YHWH has His way in
the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.
3:00 p.m. Evening Praise and
Preaching
We will be singing at least ten Psalm
selections and hearing the sermon from Song of Songs 7:1–9a
about “The Heavenly Glories of the Bride ”
Hopewell this Month
Hopewell’s Presbytery
Prayer Focus for March
New Days ARP in
Duluth, GA
March Psalm of the
Month
ARP108A God,
My Heart Is Steadfast
• Saturday, March 14, Shower for Lowry and Abby, 10:30a in the
Fellowship Hall
• Wednesday, March 18, Midweek
Prayer Meeting. 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel. We will hear a sermon from
Proverbs 22:17–21 then pray until 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 18, Session Meeting, 8
p.m. in the Pastor’s Study
• Saturday, March 21, Memorial Service for Susan
Dobbins, 4p in the Chapel
• Saturday, March 28, Men’s (and future men)
breakfast, 7a in the Fellowship Hall
• Saturday, March 28, Church Workday, 8:30a
• Thursday, April 2, Diaconate Meeting, 8
p.m.
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