You Sinned and Died in Adam [Children's Catechism 34 Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Children's Catechism question 34—especially explaining how Adam was acting for us in the Covenant of Works.

Q34. Did Adam act for himself alone in the covenant of works? No; he represented all his posterity.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) The lesson centers on the biblical doctrine of federal representation, emphasizing that Adam did not act solely for himself in the covenant of works but served as a representative head for all humanity, including his wife and all who would come from him, after him. Drawing from Romans 5:12 and 1 Corinthians 15:22, it underscores that sin and death entered the world through Adam’s disobedience and spread to all people because all sinned in him. Christ, the new Adam, born of a virgin, stands outside of Adam’s lineage and thus offers a new federal headship of a new race. The unity of humanity in Adam anticipates the hope of redemption in Christ.

OUR God's Law [Family Worship lesson in Deuteronomy 5:1–5]

How are we to receive God’s law? Deuteronomy 5:1–5 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we are to receive the law from our covenant God, through our covenant Mediator. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Covenantally Chastened Churches [Family Worship lesson in Hosea 9:1–10:2]

How did God respond to Israel’s sin? Hosea 9:1–10:2 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these nineteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God responded to Israel’s sin by removing from him all the blessings of the covenant. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Mercy of the Son of David [2025.02.09 Morning Sermon in Matthew 15:21–39]

Jesus saves those who need it most, from among all the nations, into His church.

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

The Most Important Inheritance [Family Worship lesson in Numbers 36]

Why conclude this book with regulations about inheritance? Numbers 36 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these thirteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that inheritance for Israel mattered so much because YHWH Himself is our ultimate inheritance.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Elected, Substituted, Redeemed [2024.03.03 Evening Sermon in Numbers 3]

SERMON DESCRIPTION HERE

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

Humble Faith in Christ, Our Root [Family Worship lesson in Romans 11:16–21]

What should we watch against in thinking about those who turn from the faith? Romans 11:16–21 prepares us for the sermon in the midweek prayer meeting. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that when thinking about those who turn from the faith, we should be humbled and tremble at the thought that we might do the same. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

We Sinned in Him with Whom We Fell [Westminster Shorter Catechism 16—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 16—especially explaining how federal headship is the key to understanding our own participation in the fall.

Q16. Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression? The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

An Elder, Sharing the Faith With Household, Congregation, and Neighbor [Family Worship lesson in Philemon vv1–7]

What does it look like to labor for the Lord? Philemon vv1–7 prepares us for the second serial reading in public worship on the Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that believers are prisoners, family, and coworkers of Jesus and one another. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Choosing a Mate According to the Spirit, Not the Flesh [2023.11.05 Morning Sermon in Genesis 6:1–8]

God gives, through means that He has appointed, help in choosing a godly spouse of grace, with whom we may serve Him in raising up godly seed.

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

What the Law Was Always Meant to Do [Family Worship lesson in Galatians 3:15–25]

Pastor prepares his family for the morning sermon at Covenant PCA in Panama City in Galatians 3:15–25. The revelation of the law has always been within the context of the promise made to Christ, into which we come by a faith that unites us to Him.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

God With Us to Save Us [2023.09.03 Morning Sermon in Matthew 1:18–25]

In order for Jesus to save His people from His sins, He had to be a perfectly righteous man and a divine Person.

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

Officer Qualifications 4: The Deacon's Oversight of Service in His Own Household and in Christ's Household [Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #49, 2023.09.03 Sabbath School]

A Deacon's first testing ground and ongoing chief priority in his ministry is overseeing the service of his own household, so that he may be well-equipped to oversee the service of a congregation of households that maintain the same covenantal priority.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The God Who Selects Families for His Children [2023.09.02 Pastoral Letter and Hopewell Herald]

Hopewell Herald – September 2, 2023

Dear Congregation,

By God’s help we hope to hear from Matthew 1:18–25 about the way God brought His only-begotten Son into the world. The family by which Christ came was vital to His mission in this world.

Then, as I sat down to write the weekly letter, we received the blessed news of another covenant child brought into the world. The Lord chose for him a family where he would worship the Lord day by day in the home and week by week in the assembly. A household that is part of Christ’s church, so that already he bears the title “saint.” A household where, his whole childhood long (not just until he professes faith), he will be called to repentance and faith in dependence upon the Spirit Who gives repentance and faith.

What a God-appointed blessing is a holy household! Its members are marked off by the sign of Christ’s heaven-and-earth authority to give life and godliness in Himself by His Spirit. And its weeks are marked off by a day that is a “holy convocation” (a consecrated calling together) in which we gather to the God of grace in worship that He has comprised of the means of His grace.

Whether yours is a household of one or a household of twenty, I pray that your household is such a household. And that your day tomorrow will be such a day.

Truly, worship is due to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Who is such a God as has given us such a salvation!

Looking forward to gathering to Him together,

Pastor

Audio lessons to help you prepare for the Lord’s Day:

▪Theology Simply Explained — WSC102, The Kingdom of Grace and Glory 
▪Psalm 100, “Praising Our Own God with Joy” 
▪Isaiah 19–20, “God Humbles & Heals Even Egyptians” 
▪Titus 1:8–9, “Teaching-Sanctified Teachers of the Word” 
▪Matthew 1:18–25, “God With Us to Save Us” 
▪Leviticus 8, “Filling the Priest's Hand”

LORD'S DAY – September 3, 2023 

9:50 a.m. Breakfast Line Opens

10 a.m. Sabbath School
This week, we will continue our study in the Biblical Theology of the Diaconate, the church in the post-apostolic age.

11 a.m. Public Worship

▫Children’s Catechism for September 3
Q56. What is it to repent? To be sorry for sin, and to hate and forsake it because it is displeasing to God.

▫Shorter Catechism for September 3
Q102. What do we pray for in the second petition? In the second petition, which is, Thy kingdom come, we pray that Satan’s kingdom may be destroyed; and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it; and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened.
[WSC 102 Simply Explained: “The Kingdom of Grace and Glory”]

Songs for September 3 morning service: 
▫TPH100B “All People That on Earth Do Dwell” [mp3]
▫ARP94B “Who for Me Withstands the Wicked” [mp3]
▫ARP24 “The Earth and the Riches” [mp3]

Scripture Text for first portion of worship service
Psalm 100

Scripture Readings and basis for confession of sin and petition for help
Isaiah 19–20 
Titus 1:8–9

Sermon Scripture text and topic
We will be hearing a sermon from Matthew 1:18–25 on “God With Us to Save Us”

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 3, Matthew 1:21, “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

3:00 p.m Evening Praise and Preaching
We will be hearing a sermon from Leviticus 8 on “Gratitude for the Keeping Open of the Way to God”

Jesus Christ, the Perfect Perfection—True Adam, True Abraham, and True David [2023.08.27 Morning Sermon in Matthew 1:1–17]

Jesus is the true Adam of a new, serpent-defeating humanity; the true Abraham, in Whom all the families of the earth are blessed; the true David, Who rules righteously over all the earth.

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

Water Baptism Is Only for All Members of the Visible Church [Westminster Shorter Catechism 95—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 95—especially explaining how visible (water) baptism is only for all members of the visible church, which means that it is for infants whom the Lord adds by pure providence, just as much as those whom the Lord adds by the providence of profession of faith and obedience.

Q95. To whom is baptism to be administered? Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to Him; but the infants of such as are members of the visible church are to be baptized.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Moses, the Servant Who Was Faithful in All Christ's House [2023.07.02 Evening Sermon in Exodus 40:1–33]

In the setting up of the tabernacle, Moses was a faithful servant in all of Christ’s house.

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

Moses as the Servant Who Was Faithful in All Christ's House [Family Worship lesson in Exodus 40:1–33]

What does the Lord emphasize to us in the setup of the tabernacle? Exodus 40:1–33 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these thirty-three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that in the setup of the tabernacle, Moses was a faithful servant in all Christ’s house. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Covenant Patience As an Awesome Display of God's Glory [2023.05.07 Evening Sermon in Exodus 34:8–28]

God does an awesome thing, not only saving His people among a world of sinners, but even forgiving His people's own sin, bearing patiently with their many backslidings, and bringing them into conformity with Himself instead of with the world.

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

Courageous and Covenantal Kindness [Family Worship lesson in 2Timothy 1:15–18]

What hopes can there be in times of general apostasy? 2Timothy 1:15–18 looks forward to the second reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that in times of general apostasy, one man’s faithfulness may bring mercy to his whole household.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)