Climax of Blessedness in Christ [Family Worship lesson in Psalm 134]

How does the worship of the church climax? Psalm 134 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the worship of the church climaxes in the evening worship, in heaven itself, and especially in the Lord Jesus Christ. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Greatest Greeting of All

Honoring others increases the encouragement that we may have from them—especially honoring Christ, Who is God, but has given Himself both for us and to us.

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

Fellowship-Facing Favor from Father [Family Worship lesson in Numbers 7:89–8:4]

How does arranging a lamp connect to 12 days of offering collection? Numbers 7:89–8:4 prepares us for the evening sermon on the Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that every one of the Lord’s people ultimately enjoy the shining of His favor and the sharing of His fellowship in Christ.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

God’s Name upon God’s People [2024.03.31 Evening Sermon in Numbers 6:22–27]

The Lord's appointed worship leader pronounces God's Name upon His gathered people, because God Himself comes to them and blesses them.

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

The God Who Comes to Us and Blesses Us [Family Worship lesson in Numbers 6:22–27]

What is the priest commanded to do to the people in the worship? Numbers 6:22–27 prepares us for the evening sermon on the Lord’s Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord’s appointed worship leader must pronounce the Name of God upon His gathered people, because He Himself will come to them and bless them. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Enjoying the Shining of God's Face and the Sharing of God's Fellowship [2024.01.17 Evening Sermon in Leviticus 24:1–9]

The end of all that God is doing in all of history is to bring to Himself a people in Christ, upon whom He shines His favor in Christ, and whom He brings into the enjoyment of His fellowship in Christ.

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

How We May Be Sure that God's Infinite Glory Blesses Us [2023.09.10 Evening Sermon in Leviticus 9]

The Lord assures us that His consuming-fire glory is a blessing to us through the Word, resurrection, ascension, and Spirit of Jesus Christ.

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

Beholding the Glory of the Lord as Those Blessed by It through the Grace of the Lord [Family Worship lesson in Leviticus 9]

How do God’s people know that they are accepted with Him? Leviticus 9 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty-four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God shows His people that they are accepted with Him by receiving their sacrifices, pronouncing His blessing, and displaying His glory. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

How Does the Triune God Bless Us? [2023.02.05 Evening Sermon in 2Corinthians 13:14—Theology Conference Session 5]

The nature of benedictions. Churches often replace them or they omit them entirely. State why the Trinitarian blessing is vital and relevant as a closing chapter. The Triune God himself is the highest blessing of His people.

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

Blessing One Another in and by the Blessedness of the Triune God [Family Worship lesson in 2Corinthians 13:11–14]

Where do believers learn to bless one another? 2Corinthians 13:11–14 looks forward to the p.m. sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In this verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the people of God learn to bless one another from the God Who blesses them with the blessing that is in Himself. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Holy Place Portrays Christ as the Fellowship of God and Light of God unto Us [2022.11.13 Evening sermon in Exodus 25:23–40]

The benefits of God's presence in Christ and atonement in Christ flow to us in His fellowship in Christ and the light of His blessing in Christ.

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

Supplemental Hopewell @Home ▫ 2Corinthians 13:11–14

The following was written for the Hopewell @Home devotionals before I realized that the congregation probably didn't know the tune to TPH563. However, it dovetails nicely with what we've been learning about God the Holy Spirit, so I thought putting it here might be of some use.

Read 2Corinthians 13:11–14

Questions from the Scripture text: How does v11 begin? What does the apostle call them? What is the first command (in the English)? What is the second? The third? The fourth? What does he call God? What will this God do? What command does v12 give? Who does what in v13? And what comes from Whom in v14a? And what from Whom in v14b? and what from Whom in v14c? How does this compare to the last part of v11? How many of them have these things from Him? How does the apostle conclude his letter?

Next week’s Call to Worship, Prayer for Help, and first song all come from 2Corinthians 13:11–14 so that we will see that we are singing God’s thoughts after Him with May the Grace of Christ My Savior.

Rather than jump immediately into the benediction itself in v14, we start back in v11 where the apostle begins by firing off five commands. Our English translation says “farewell” for the first one, which is actually the command, “rejoice!” The closest we have in our (un)common usage would be if someone said goodbye by saying, “cheers!”

The second command is to be complete. Be perfect. Be mended/fixed. All those problems that the apostle has addressed in the two canonical letters (and probably others)? Overcome them. It’s quite a command. Sometimes, we deludedly think that there are commands of God that we can more easily obey. The Spirit teaches us to know better: that no commands can be kept in the flesh, and that all of them shall at last be kept by those who are in Christ by Spirit-given faith. But here is a command that would be right up there as the “hardest” if there was such a thing. Be perfect.

The third command, “be of good comfort,” is that word by which the Lord calls His Spirit “another Helper.” The verb form can be translated comfort, rebuke, exhort, help, etc. In this context, it means something along the lines of, “receive everything that you need along the way.” Another impossible command.

The final two commands are to think the same and to peace (“live in peace” translates one word that more strongly emphasizes the peace that he is commanding them to have). It doesn’t just mean peace with one another but also with God. The two commands taken together mean that they are to have right attitudes and emotions.

What a series of commands! How can they hope to obey? The answer echoes 12:9. The God of peace and love will be with them (v11)!

Therefore, the ultimate greeting of the letter is the greeting of God Himself. He does command them to greet one another as saints (v12). The holiness belongs not to a particular style of kissing, but to the people who are giving one another the kiss of greeting. Their kiss is to come out of genuine recognition of one another as saints, “holy ones,” who are treasured for the sake of God having set them apart to Himself. And the other saints greet them too (v13).

But our fellowship is not just with one another but with God Himself. And that’s the great greeting with which the letter concludes. The grace of God is His blessing in place of our curse, His strength in place of our weakness (cf. 12:9), really it is all that God Himself is to compensate for and overcome all that we would be in ourselves. It is the grace of the Father and the grace of the Spirit too; these things cannot be separated in God. But “all that God is for all that we need Him to be” is especially associated with the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (v14a). What a benediction this would be by itself, “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ”!

The love of God is the love not only that is from God, but the love that is in God Himself. As the Person Who eternally begets the Son, and from Whom (with the Son) the Spirit eternally proceeds, we might associate this love especially with the Father. And certainly, the naming of the other two Persons implies this to some extent. But it is probably significant that the apostle says “the love of God” not “the love of the Father.” It is especially in the giving of the Son and of the Spirit that the Father has made known His love to us. Each of the Persons loves us with the love that exists among the triune Godhead! What a benediction this would be by itself, “the love of God”!

Finally, and most rarely experienced and perceived, the Lord commands here the blessing, “the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.” The Lord Jesus has not left us like orphans (Jn 14:17–18). The Father and the Son have come and made their home with us (Jn 14:23). And it is especially in the companionship of the third Person of the Godhead that they have done so. We have no life in ourselves. We have no love in ourselves. But our receiving the life of Jesus Christ by grace has happened by the companionship of the Holy Spirit. And our knowing God as our Abba and the giving of Himself in His Son has happened by the companionship of the Holy Spirit. The more we grow in this life of God and this knowledge of the love of God, the more we realize and rejoice over the Spirit’s companionship with us. Oh how the Spirit has loved us! And is always with us! And even in us (Jn 14:17)! And communicates God Himself to us! We ought to love Him and rejoice over Him. What a benediction this would be by itself, “the communion of the Holy Spirit”!

But we do not have merely one of these benedictions by themselves, much in the same way that it is impossible to have any one Person of the Trinity by Himself. We receive a Triune blessing, because we live in a Triune blessedness from a Triune God!

How can you obey God’s “impossible” commands? How is this sweeter than if He had just given you power? At the end of worship how does God prompt that sweetness?

Sample prayer:  Our glorious, triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—make us to know You Yourself as all of our life and goodness and blessedness. Make us to know Your love, by the fellowship of Your Spirit, in the grace of Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP23B “The Lord’s My Shepherd” or TPH563 “May the Grace of Christ Our Savior”

Blessed in the LORD's Blessedness (Family Worship lesson in 1Kings 8:54–66)

What great benediction does Solomon pronounce, and what blessing do the people enjoy? Pastor leads his family in today’s “Hopewell @Home” passage. 1Kings 8:54–66 prepares us for the first serial reading in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these thirteen verses, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord’s people find their blessing in His infinite blessedness, which will require a new, eternal heaven and earth in which to enjoy Him.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)