Jesus's Teaching on Treasure [2023.04.16 Sabbath School; Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #30]

We traced through the Sermon on the Mount to find that those who have God as their treasure allow neither wealth nor worry to control their lives.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Christ's Own Ministry to Comfort Those Made Poor and Miserable by Sin [2023.04.09 Sabbath School Lesson, Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #29]

Having considered Christ's servant character, we considered a few instances in the gospels to see the compassion/service in His earthly ministry, which would be a template for the character and conduct of the church.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Messiah's Ministry to the Poor [2023.03.27 Sabbath School Lesson, Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #27]

The Lord Jesus came to care for the poor, and when we realize that spiritual poverty is the great poverty, we realize that we are ALL those poor for such as whom He came.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Faith to Forgive, Serve, Humble Ourselves, and Find All Provision in Jesus [2022.11.06 Evening sermon from Luke 17:1–10]

Jesus teaches on the faith that serves the Lord.

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

The Grace-Dependent Duty of Edifying, Forgiving Fellowship [Family Worship lesson in Luke 17:1–10]

What challenges does remaining sin pose to relationships among believers? Luke 17:1–10 looks forward to the p.m. sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these ten verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that remaining sin means that believers’ relationships take vigilance, forgiveness, faith, and humility(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2022.11.04 Hopewell @Home ▫ Luke 17:1–10

Read Luke 17:1–10

Questions from the Scripture text: To whom is Jesus speaking (Luke 17:1)? What does He say is impossible? Upon whom does He pronounce woe? What would be better than causing a little one to stumble (Luke 17:2)? What does He say to do to themselves (Luke 17:3)? What should they do if a brother sins against them? And what if the response to this rebuke is repentance? How many times might this happen in a day (Luke 17:4)? And if he returns saying “I repent”? What do the apostles ask for, from Whom, when they hear this instruction (Luke 17:5)? What size faith does the Lord talk about in response (Luke 17:6)? With that much faith, what could they tell to do what, and be obeyed? What might one of their servants be doing before coming in from the field (Luke 17:7)? What wouldn’t the say to this servant? What does Jesus say that they would say instead (Luke 17:8)? When could the servant think of himself? What wouldn’t they do to the servant (Luke 17:9)? How much of what we are commanded should we do (Luke 17:10)? What should we say when we have done this? Why—what have we done, when we have obeyed all his commands? 

What challenges does remaining sin pose to relationships among believers? Luke 17:1–10 looks forward to the p.m. sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these ten verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that remaining sin means that believers’ relationships take vigilance, forgiveness, faith, and humility.

In this section, the Lord turns from warning the Pharisees that they are missing out on the kingdom altogether (Luke 16:14–31) to instructing His disciples around some of the hazards of kingdom living. For believers, we’re reminded that even after God has done that saving work of bringing us to faith in Christ, there is a long way to go as we grow in grace.

We must take heed to our brothers’ soul, Luke 17:1-2. “Offenses” and ”offend” here translate a word that refers to when someone falls into sin, or error, or even rejects the Christianity to which they once claimed to hold. Jesus knows that, since this will inevitably happen, we might think that lets us off the hook a little bit if it was our hypocrisy or sin or loose doctrine that became the occasion by which someone else did so. But that’s a great mistake. Even if it was bound to happen, and even though they are to blame for their own stumbling (and will pay for it themselves), this doesn’t reduce our responsibility. 

Being the occasion for someone else falling into sin and error is worse than being dragged down headfirst, through more water than we can easily picture, with our helpless feet pointing toward the surface, because a several thousand pound stone keeps pulling, pulling, pulling on our neck so that struggling chokes us more, until all struggling ultimately fails and the water fills our lungs as we suffocate on the way down, buried alive in a watery grave. 

A little graphic for a warm fuzzy devotional? Sure. But Jesus meant to be graphic, and wrestling with the Word of our holy God often isn’t warm and fuzzy. We should be scared to death of helping people stumble. And Jesus sets the example, not willing to cause us to stumble by soft-peddling how dreadful such sin is.

Therefore, we must take heed to our own soul, Luke 17:3-6. “Take heed to yourselves,” Jesus says at the beginning of Luke 17:3. And we need the reminder, because we rarely obey the command, “If your brother sins against you, rebuke him.” It’s a rebuke that seeks the fruit of repentance rather than the moment of confrontation through which it comes, but while a few perverted hearts enjoy the confrontation, many more are willing to deny their brother the opportunity to repent, rather than go through the discomfort of confronting.

It’s important that we learn to enjoy the sweetness of reconciliation, because we might have to eat that cookie seven times in a day (Luke 17:4). If we’re just going through the motions, the bitterness of counting how many times we have had to do something will leave an increasingly bad taste in our mouths. The disciples immediately confirm the anticipated difficulty, asking for the increased faith that they will need to obey such instruction (Luke 17:5). Rather than suggest that it’s not as hard as it seems, Jesus proceeds to underline just how impossible it is to do what He is commanding—and that the faith that He is working in them is sufficient to the task (Luke 17:6)!

And we mustn’t be impressed with ourselves for either one, Luke 17:7-10. Because God grants us to do the impossible by His grace, our remaining sin puts us in danger of being self-impressed. God indeed will reward us for the good works that His grace produces in us, and Jesus even says that He will serve us in the kingdom (cf. Luke 12:37)! But this just underlines the astonishing generosity and grace of our Master. 

If we allow ourselves to feel like we deserve God’s notice or gratitude, we will only hinder ourselves from amazement at His grace. Jesus says to neutralize such wrongheaded spiritual pride or self-satisfaction by remembering that God gains nothing from us; the best that we ever do is only what was already our duty.

How have you been caring for others’ souls? And for your own? How do you respond to doing your duty? 

Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for taking upon Yourself the punishment for all of our offenses. Thank You for forgiving us, and for enabling us to forgive others. Give us to serve You in our relationships, and in every other way. For, it is our duty as Your servants, for the honor of Your Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP197 “Christian Unity” or TPH408 “For All the Saints” 

When Christ, or Life with Him, Doesn't Meet Your Expectations [Family Worship lesson in Luke 7:18–35]

What do we do when Jesus is different than our expectations? In these sixteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we must modify our expectations to submit to and adore Jesus in the expectation-shattering greatness of His salvation.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2022.08.08 Hopewell @Home ▫ Luke 7:18–35

Read Luke 7:18–35

Questions from the Scripture text: Whose disciples reported to him about Jesus (Luke 7:18)? To Whom did John send two disciples (Luke 7:19)? What did he send them to ask? What do the men do (Luke 7:20)? And what does Jesus do (Luke 7:21)? When? What answer does Jesus send back to John (Luke 7:22-23)? To whom does Jesus begin speaking about whom in Luke 7:24? What does He ask them? What else does He ask in Luke 7:25? To whom is Jesus comparing him? What does He ask the third time (Luke 7:26)? Which prophet does Jesus say that John is (Luke 7:27)? How great a prophet does Jesus say that John is (Luke 7:28)? Bot who is greater than he? Who justified God in Luke 7:29? Why? Who rejected the will of God in Luke 7:30? Why not? About whom does Jesus now ask in Luke 7:31? What does he call them (Luke 7:32)? What are they doing? What didn’t John the Baptist do (Luke 7:33)? And what did they say about him? Who did eat and drink (Luke 7:34)? And what did they say about Him? Who will be justified by whom (Luke 7:35)?

What do we do when Jesus is different than our expectations? In these sixteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we must modify our expectations to submit to and adore Jesus in the expectation-shattering greatness of His salvation. 

One of the hallmarks of our Lord Jesus Christ is that He doesn’t please this world. When John the Baptizer wants to know if Jesus is the Coming One (Luke 7:19-21)—the One of Whom John himself had said that he was not worthy to untie His sandal—Jesus immediately shows many miracles to those whom John sent (Luke 7:21). Yes, Jesus is not of this world. But the climax of Jesus’s response was “the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Luke 7:22). Not only Jesus’s power, but also His values, are not what we would expect from this world. He has a special care for “the least of these.” Is Jesus what the world would expect? No. But it is our duty to modify our expectations and fall down in worship (Luke 7:23).

Jesus proceeds to point out that John also hadn’t been what the world expected.. The Baptizer wasn’t the kind of wimpy (Luke 7:24) man-pleaser like the wealthy of the world (Luke 7:25). But he who was not impressive to the world was greater than all the other prophets (Luke 7:26-28). 

Again, when expectations collide, God’s must prevail. John had preached a baptism of repentance, and the sinners who had received it (Luke 7:29) praised God for the news that the one who enters the kingdom in the worthiness of Jesus (end of Luke 7:28) has a worthiness even greater than John’s! 

But those who wished not to repent at all, but to count themselves worthy without it, rejected Jesus’s message about an out-of-this-world worthiness through faith in Christ (Luke 7:30). Jesus confronts these, who have rejected both of them. 

On the one hand, John’s message of the necessity of extreme repentance was more than they could bear, so they said, “He has a demon” (Luke 7:33). But, neither could they bear Jesus’s message of free grace for sinners and a life of liberty to enjoy the good things of God in a godly way; so they attacked Him for encouraging joyous feasting and drinking wine, calling Him a friend of tax collectors and sinners (Luke 7:34, cf. Luke 5:27–32).

But what is the wisdom of God? It is the wisdom that demands a complete and perfect righteousness in God’s holiness, but, turning around in power and mercy, completely provides that perfect righteousness in Christ. And those who receive this gospel of grace praise the wisdom of God as perfect (Luke 7:35)!

Whom do you know that is unimpressed with/rejecting the Lord or His true/biblical people?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for giving us righteousness and joy that are greater than we could imagine. Make our expectations of reighteousness and joy match Yours, we ask in Your Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP51A “God, Be Merciful to Me” or TPH51C “God, Be Merciful to Me”

 

How the Heavenly Father Makes and Maintains Earthly Fathers (2022.02.06 Morning Sermon in Luke 11:1–13)

You must come to the Lord for aid because He is ever-willing to give you His aid, because He is ever-able to provide you the right sort of aid, and He is ever-offering the promise of His Holy Spirit.

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

A Master-Class in Prayer (Family Worship lesson in Luke 11:1–13)

How does Jesus teach us to pray? Pastor leads his family in today’s “Hopewell @Home” passage. Luke 11:1–13 follows up on the sermon from morning public worship on the previous Lord’s Day. In these thirteen verses, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus’s way for us to pray is as worshipers who offer prayer to God, as weaklings who come to an almighty God, and as the wicked who come to the God of forgiving and sanctifying grace.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2022.02.07 Hopewell @Home ▫ Luke 11:1–13

Read Luke 11:1–13

Questions from the Scripture text: What was Jesus doing (Luke 11:1)? What did the disciples ask when He finished? How does Jesus respond to whom (Luke 11:2)? How are they to address God? What is the first petition? The second? The third? For what manner of the doing of God’s will should they pray? What is the fourth petition (Luke 11:3)? What is the fifth (Luke 11:4)? What are the two parts of the sixth petition? About what hypothetical situation does He ask them in Luke 11:5-6? What does He challenge them that they would not do (Luke 11:7)? Why does He say that they would give the friend “as many as he needs” (Luke 11:8)? Which actions of the friend in the question does He use to describe praying in Luke 11:9? What will the Father do in response to each of these? What is the relationship of Luke 11:10 to Luke 11:9? What effect does this have, as Jesus urges them to be persistent in prayer? What new hypothetical questions does Jesus propose in Luke 11:11-12? What does He say about their character in Luke 11:13? But what does He say they know how to do? To Whom does He compare them? What good Gift will He much more surely give? 

If the Lord Jesus’s praying in Luke 11:1 is reflected in the petitions that He teaches them in Luke 11:2-4, then that gives us the content of the kind of prayer to which He is directing us in Luke 11:5-13. The teaching here is presented as a whole, bookended by “Our Father in heaven” in Luke 11:2 and “your heavenly Father” in Luke 11:13.

For what had John taught his disciples (Luke 11:1)? He was proclaiming the need for repentance (Luke 3:1–14) in light of the coming of the Christ who would pour out upon them not water but the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:15–16). And it is reasonable to conclude that he taught them to pray along similar lines.

Now Christ the King upgrades all of these things as He teaches us to pray. 

Not merely for the coming of the Christ, but for the consummation of His kingdom (Luke 11:2). 

Not merely for the requisite repentance but for sure and free forgiveness (Luke 11:4). 

Not merely for One who would pour out the Spirit, but for the instant, delighted, abundant giving of that Spirit by Him Whom we now know as Father (Luke 11:11-13).

The Lord Jesus teaches us to be ambitious and confident as we pray for spiritual things! And oh how comforting this is to us who need constant reaffirmation of God’s forgiveness, of God’s Spirit carrying us along in our repentance and service, and of the powerful and unstoppable progress of His kingdom, despite all that we might think we see in the world!

His instruction on praying for earthly things is, by comparison, modest. Daily bread in Luke 11:3. Sometimes requiring persistence in asking for bread, or whatever it is that we need (Luke 11:5-8). Still, even these prayers are to be offered in confidence that whatever is good our wise and good Father will give us (Luke 11:9-15, cf. Matthew 7:7–10). 

And of course, one of those good things He will give us is that ministry if His Spirit that stirs up our heart more and more toward spiritual things, as we serve our heavenly Father and King in every spiritual circumstance.

God grant that our praying would not be like John’s so much, but rather reflect that Christ has come, the Spirit has been given, and the kingdom is unstoppably coming! (cf. Acts 19:1–10)

What spiritual things are major items of prayer for you? What earthly things? In what manner do you pray? 

Sample prayer:  Lord, how marvelous it is to know You as Father! We come, hardly knowing what gifts to call good. But You have not only told us what to ask for, but have indeed planned to give us everything good—and, most of all, to give us Yourself. The Baptizer’s disciples learned to pray for much, but You have taught us to pray for much more. Forgive us for when our praying only addresses the smallest things, or when our prayer for eternally weighty and glorious things comes to you in weak and wobbly unbelief. Help us, by Your Spirit, to be sure of those eternally weighty glories for which You tell us to ask, through Christ, AMEN!  

Suggested songs: ARP4 “Answer When I Call” or TPH518 “Come, My Soul, with Every Care”

2022.02.05 Hopewell @Home ▫ Luke 11:1–13

Read Luke 11:1–13

Questions from the Scripture text: What was Jesus doing (Luke 11:1)? What did the disciples ask when He finished? How does Jesus respond to whom (Luke 11:2)? How are they to address God? What is the first petition? The second? The third? For what manner of the doing of God’s will should they pray? What is the fourth petition (Luke 11:3)? What is the fifth (Luke 11:4)? What are the two parts of the sixth petition? About what hypothetical situation does He ask them in Luke 11:5-6? What does He challenge them that they would not do (Luke 11:7)? Why does He say that they would give the friend “as many as he needs” (Luke 11:8)? Which actions of the friend in the question does He use to describe praying in Luke 11:9? What will the Father do in response to each of these? What is the relationship of Luke 11:10 to Luke 11:9? What effect does this have, as Jesus urges them to be persistent in prayer? What new hypothetical questions does Jesus propose in Luke 11:11-12? What does He say about their character in Luke 11:13? But what does He say they know how to do? To Whom does He compare them? What good Gift will He much more surely give? 

If the Lord Jesus’s praying in Luke 11:1 is reflected in the petitions that He teaches them in Luke 11:2-4, then that gives us the content of the kind of prayer to which He is directing us in Luke 11:5-13. The teaching here is presented as a whole, bookended by “Our Father in heaven” in Luke 11:2 and “your heavenly Father” in Luke 11:13.

For what had John taught his disciples (Luke 11:1)? He was proclaiming the need for repentance (Luke 3:1–14) in light of the coming of the Christ who would pour out upon them not water but the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:15–16). And it is reasonable to conclude that he taught them to pray along similar lines.

Now Christ the King upgrades all of these things as He teaches us to pray. 

Not merely for the coming of the Christ, but for the consummation of His kingdom (Luke 11:2). 

Not merely for the requisite repentance but for sure and free forgiveness (Luke 11:4). 

Not merely for One who would pour out the Spirit, but for the instant, delighted, abundant giving of that Spirit by Him Whom we now know as Father (Luke 11:11-13).

The Lord Jesus teaches us to be ambitious and confident as we pray for spiritual things! And oh how comforting this is to us who need constant reaffirmation of God’s forgiveness, of God’s Spirit carrying us along in our repentance and service, and of the powerful and unstoppable progress of His kingdom, despite all that we might think we see in the world!

His instruction on praying for earthly things is, by comparison, modest. Daily bread in Luke 11:3. Sometimes requiring persistence in asking for bread, or whatever it is that we need (Luke 11:5-8). Still, even these prayers are to be offered in confidence that whatever is good our wise and good Father will give us (Luke 11:9-15, cf. Matthew 7:7–10). 

And of course, one of those good things He will give us is that ministry if His Spirit that stirs up our heart more and more toward spiritual things, as we serve our heavenly Father and King in every spiritual circumstance.

God grant that our praying would not be like John’s so much, but rather reflect that Christ has come, the Spirit has been given, and the kingdom is unstoppably coming! (cf. Acts 19:1–10)

What spiritual things are major items of prayer for you? What earthly things? In what manner do you pray? 

Sample prayer:  Lord, how marvelous it is to know You as Father! We come, hardly knowing what gifts to call good. But You have not only told us what to ask for, but have indeed planned to give us everything good—and, most of all, to give us Yourself. The Baptizer’s disciples learned to pray for much, but You have taught us to pray for much more. Forgive us for when our praying only addresses the smallest things, or when our prayer for eternally weighty and glorious things comes to you in weak and wobbly unbelief. Help us, by Your Spirit, to be sure of those eternally weighty glories for which You tell us to ask, through Christ, AMEN!  

Suggested songs: ARP4 “Answer When I Call” or TPH518 “Come, My Soul, with Every Care”

2021.12.27 Hopewell @Home ▫ Luke 1:67–79

Read Luke 1:67–79

Questions from the Scripture text: Who was singing this song (Luke 1:67) to whom (Luke 1:63)? What was the Lord God of Israel doing at this time (Luke 1:68)? What was He raising up (Luke 1:69)? How long has God been speaking through His prophets (Luke 1:70)? What has God been promising since the world began (Luke 1:71)? What was promised to the fathers (Luke 1:72)? According to His promise, why was He saving us from our enemies (Luke 1:74? What does Luke 1:75 present as the two main parts of serving God? What did Zacharias tell his baby son that he would be called, in Luke 1:76? Before whom would John go (verse 76b)? What would he be preaching that Jesus will do when He comes (Luke 1:77)? What would the sunrise from God (Luke 1:78) do for those who are in darkness and death (Luke 1:79)? 

The amazing statements of this passage are made to John the Baptizer by his daddy when he is just eight days old and being circumcised.

From the beginning of creation, God has been a speaking, promising, saving God. The promise of salvation from the hand of that great enemy who hates us first came in Genesis 3:15, and this passage tells us that there were no ages before that. Throughout the ages, God has been this covenant-making, covenant-keeping God!

And His purpose for us is to respond to Him in love and gratitude. The salvation that Luke 1:71 promises has a purpose, about which Luke 1:74 tells us: that we might serve the Lord God without fear. That we might know that He is for us, that He has loved us, that He has saved us… and therefore we would not be afraid of anything else, but live our entire lives as service to Him!

What does that service look like? What great feats of spiritual strength, or mission field victories, or mind-boggling sacrifices make up this service?! Simply this: to live a holy and righteous life before Him, day in and day out (Luke 1:75). That’s not particularly glamorous before the eyes of men, but it is glorious before the eyes of God!

First things first, though. We don’t even deserve to be able to live such holy lives! That’s John’s big announcement, later in his public ministry: “I baptize you with water that says that you need cleansing from sin, but Jesus is going to come and baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is going to give you real spiritual life to believe in Him, and He is going to suffer the fire of Hell on the cross so that when you believe into Him, you will know that your sins were cleansed there! At the cross! (cf. Matthew 3:1–12)”

The cross is where the sunrise of life bursts through our darkness and death: God, in His tender mercy, has given Himself to be punished for our sin and to be our life. Hallelujah!

What are your daily activities? What does it look like for that to be done “in service to God”? Why don’t you deserve to be able to do that? What has Jesus done about what you deserve? 

Sample prayer:  Lord, we praise You for making Your light and life to rise upon us in the Lord Jesus Christ. Forgive us for when we backslide into the darkness of living for ourselves, and grant that Your Spirit would keep making us like Jesus, so that we would shine with His own light, which we ask in His Name, AMEN!

How We Praise God Matters (2021.12.26 Morning Sermon in Luke 1:67–79)

The main point of our praise unto God ought to be His promised and fulfilled salvation through Christ.

Marveling at God's Faithful, Powerful, Loving Salvation in Christ (Family Worship lesson in Luke 1:57–80)

At what do the neighbors marvel, and at what does Spirit-filled Zacharias marvel? Pastor leads his family in today’s “Hopewell @Home” passage. Luke 1:57–80 prepares us for the sermon in Morning Public Worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty-four verses, the Holy Spirit teaches us to marvel at our God’s faithfulness in making and keeping promises of salvation, power in reversing all of the work of the enemy, and tender love in saving us by coming Himself and taking us for Himself.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2021.12.25 Hopewell @Home ▫ Luke 1:57–80

Read Luke 1:57–80

Questions from the Scripture text: What time came in Luke 1:57? How did her neighbors and family respond (Luke 1:58)? What day does Luke 1:59 describe, and what was happening? What were they going to call him? What did Elizabeth call him instead (Luke 1:60)? Why was this strange to the guests (Luke 1:61)? Whom did they expect to overrule (Luke 1:62)? What name did he choose (Luke 1:63)? What happened to him at that point (Luke 1:64)? What was the response of not just the guests but the surrounding region (Luke 1:65-66)? What happens to Zacharias to shape his words for his first speech since having his voice restored (Luke 1:67)? For what event is Zacharias praising God (Luke 1:68-71)? What does he say that God is fulfilling (Luke 1:72-73)? What is God’s purpose in this salvation (Luke 1:74-75)? What part will Zacharias’s child have (Luke 1:76)? What would the Lord do, for Whom John would prepare the way, for His people (Luke 1:77-79)? What did God do for child John—and where (Luke 1:80)?

We tend to be amazed by unusual things. It’s the spectacular that impresses us. So, baby John’s family and neighbors were abuzz with the news of his strange name (Luke 1:61) and his dad’s muteness and prophecy (Luke 1:64).

That actual prophecy, though, focuses upon Someone Else altogether. Baby John’s significance is as a go-before (Luke 1:76b). It’s a great honor to be His herald, to give knowledge of what He does (verse 76a, Luke 1:77). But it is not John who does it. Jesus is the great One, and someone who responds to John rightly will be impressed rather little with John and rather much with the One whom John proclaims.

John is still teaching this some 30 years later, when his disciples wish people would be more impressed with him, and he is teaching all of us, “[Christ] must increase, and [we] must decrease” (John 3:22-36). 

But it is Jesus who saves us from those great enemies who keep us from “serving Him boldly in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life” (Luke 1:74-75). Jesus atones for our sin, negates death’s and Hell’s claims upon us, and turns all the attacks of the devil upon themselves.

It is Jesus who visits us, in the tender mercy of God, and drives away our darkness and death by His light and life (Luke 1:78-79). 

Like John, we too must desire that it would be Jesus who gets all the glory of our life. And, especially when we desire for others to be guided into the way of peace, it must be Jesus Whom we present and Jesus Whom we praise. Yes, what He has done for us or how He has used us are interesting and notable mercies. But the good news is not news about us. It’s news about Jesus!

What spiritual people/circumstances most easily catch your attention? How can you redirect this attention back to Jesus Himself and what He has done? Whom have you been telling about Christianity? How much has that telling focused upon Jesus? 

Sample prayer:  O Lord, we thank You for giving us the privilege and honor of bringing glory to Christ. Truly, His salvation is marvelous. So forgive us when the change in us is small, or when we fail to give Him all the praise for it. Glorify Christ by continuing to conform us to His perfect light, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP45A “My Heart Is Greatly Stirred” or TPH438 “I Love to Tell the Story” 

2021.12.20 Hopewell @Home ▫ Luke 24:44–53

Read Luke 24:44–53

Questions from the Scripture text: What had Jesus spoken to them, and when (Luke 24:44)? Where were there words concerning Him? How many of them had to be fulfilled? What did He do to them (Luke 24:45a)? For what purpose (verse 45b)? What was written and necessary (Luke 24:46)? What must be preached (Luke 24:47)? In what? To whom? Beginning where? What role do the disciples have in this (Luke 24:48)? Who sends the Spirit (Luke 24:49)? What is the Spirit called in verse 49? What are they to do? Until when? Where does He lead them (Luke 24:50)? What does He do there? What happened while He was still blessing them (Luke 24:51)? What did they do (Luke 24:52a)? Where did they go (verse 52b)? With what attitude? Where were they (Luke 24:53)? When? Doing what?

It may be surprising to us that the Lord Jesus apparently doesn’t teach the apostles anything new at this point. Rather, He reminds them of what He had said before (Luke 24:44a) and leaves them to those words, the words of the Old Testament Scriptures (verse 44b), and the coming ministry of the Spirit (Luke 24:49a).

What they needed wasn’t more information but rather more understanding of the information that they had. And this the Lord Jesus gave them in a marvelous gift: “He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” What a glorious gift! Here is the thing to ask for the Lord. As helpful as commentaries and devotionals can be, they are not ultimately what we need. For, it is the Bible itself that the Lord has given us by which to work in us. And it is especially the Word preached by which He gives faith and grows faith. 

What we need, then, is Him Himself. We need Him to open our understanding. And this is what He would send the disciples to do: preach repentance and forgiveness in the Name of Christ (Luke 24:47a) as the witnesses (Luke 24:48) of all that the Scriptures teach about Christ’s death and resurrection (Luke 24:46). 

We see how completely this depends upon the work of God Himself by the command for them to tarry in the city of Jerusalem (Luke 24:49b). Tarry? Wait?! Didn’t He just finish saying that this preaching must go to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:47b)?! But it isn’t just preaching that people need. It is the power of God attending that preaching. The power of the Holy Spirit, “the Promise of My Father,” was absolutely necessary. There would be no point in preaching without it.

But He had just exercised that power upon them. They had come to understand about His death and resurrection from all the Old Testament. So, when He has blessed them and departed (Luke 24:50-51), they immediately begin acting upon what they have come to know. He is gone from their sight, but still they worship Him, for they know that He is God the Son, Who is rightly to be worshiped (Luke 24:52a). They return to Jerusalem with great joy (verse 52b), knowing both that they have been redeemed and that this was exactly where He had commanded them to wait. And they go continually to the temple, praising and blessing God (Luke 24:53); it is no longer the dangerous home turf of their enemies, but that structure that God had designed to point to Christ!

How do you recognize your need for God’s powerful working in your Bible-reading and sermon-hearing? How are you responding to the fact that Jesus is God and that His redemptive work has been accomplished?

Sample prayer:  Lord Jesus, we worship You Who are very God of very God. Forgive us for our dullness toward You, even in Your Word. Open our understanding, so that we would comprehend the Scriptures, so that our lives would be full of worshiping You and rejoicing in You, which we ask in Your Name, AMEN!

 Suggested songs: ARP99A “Let the Nations Tremble” or TPH356 “Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain”

 

The Sure Spread of the Gospel (2021.12.19 Morning Sermon in Luke 24:44–53)

The Lord Jesus is invincibly applying His redemption to all for whom He died.

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

2021.12.18 Hopewell @Home ▫ Luke 24:44–53

Read Luke 24:44–53

Questions from the Scripture text: What had Jesus spoken to them, and when (Luke 24:44)? Where were there words concerning Him? How many of them had to be fulfilled? What did He do to them (Luke 24:45a)? For what purpose (verse 45b)? What was written and necessary (Luke 24:46)? What must be preached (Luke 24:47)? In what? To whom? Beginning where? What role do the disciples have in this (Luke 24:48)? Who sends the Spirit (Luke 24:49)? What is the Spirit called in verse 49? What are they to do? Until when? Where does He lead them (Luke 24:50)? What does He do there? What happened while He was still blessing them (Luke 24:51)? What did they do (Luke 24:52a)? Where did they go (verse 52b)? With what attitude? Where were they (Luke 24:53)? When? Doing what? 

It may be surprising to us that the Lord Jesus apparently doesn’t teach the apostles anything new at this point. Rather, He reminds them of what He had said before (Luke 24:44a) and leaves them to those words, the words of the Old Testament Scriptures (verse 44b), and the coming ministry of the Spirit (Luke 24:49a).

What they needed wasn’t more information but rather more understanding of the information that they had. And this the Lord Jesus gave them in a marvelous gift: “He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.”

What a glorious gift! Here is the thing to ask for the Lord. As helpful as commentaries and devotionals can be, they are not ultimately what we need. For, it is the Bible itself that the Lord has given us by which to work in us. And it is especially the Word preached by which He gives faith and grows faith. 

What we need, then, is Him Himself. We need Him to open our understanding.

And this is what He would send the disciples to do: preach repentance and forgiveness in the Name of Christ (Luke 24:47a) as the witnesses (Luke 24:48) of all that the Scriptures teach about Christ’s death and resurrection (Luke 24:46). 

We see how completely this depends upon the work of God Himself by the command for them to tarry in the city of Jerusalem (Luke 24:49b). Tarry? Wait?! Didn’t He just finish saying that this preaching must go to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:47b)?!

But it isn’t just preaching that people need. It is the power of God attending that preaching. The power of the Holy Spirit, “the Promise of My Father,” was absolutely necessary. There would be no point in preaching without it.

But He had just exercised that power upon them. They had come to understand about His death and resurrection from all the Old Testament. So, when He has blessed them and departed (Luke 24:50-51), they immediately begin acting upon what they have com to know. He is gone from their sight, but still they worship Him, for they know that He is God the Son, Who is rightly to be worshiped (Luke 24:52a). They return to Jerusalem with great joy (verse 52b), knowing both that they have been redeemed and that this was exactly where He had commanded them to wait. And they go continually to the temple, praising and blessing God (Luke 24:53); it is no longer the dangerous home turf of their enemies, but that structure that God had designed to point to Christ!

How do you recognize/express your need for God’s powerful working in your Bible-reading and sermon-hearing? How are you responding to the fact that Jesus is God and that His redemptive work has been accomplished?

Sample prayer:  Lord Jesus, we worship You Who are very God of very God. Forgive us for our dullness toward You, even in Your Word. Open our understanding, so that we would comprehend the Scriptures, so that our lives would be full of worshiping You and rejoicing in You, which we ask in Your Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP99A “Let the Nations Tremble” or TPH356 “Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain”

2021.12.06 Hopewell @Home ▫ Luke 24:44–53

Read Luke 24:44–53 

Questions from the Scripture text: What had Jesus spoken to them, and when (Luke 24:44)? Where were there words concerning Him? How many of them had to be fulfilled? What did He do to them (Luke 24:45a)? For what purpose (verse 45b)? What was written and necessary (Luke 24:46)? What must be preached (Luke 24:47)? In what? To whom? Beginning where? What role do the disciples have in this (Luke 24:48)? Who sends the Spirit (Luke 24:49)? What is the Spirit called in verse 49? What are they to do? Until when? Where does He lead them (Luke 24:50)? What does He do there? What happened while He was still blessing them (Luke 24:51)? What did they do (Luke 24:52a)? Where did they go (verse 52b)? With what attitude? Where were they (Luke 24:53)?When? Doing what? 

It may be surprising to us that the Lord Jesus apparently doesn’t teach the apostles anything new at this point. Rather, He reminds them of what He had said before (Luke 24:44a) and leaves them to those words, the words of the Old Testament Scriptures (verse 44b), and the coming ministry of the Spirit (Luke 24:49a). 

What they needed wasn’t more information but rather more understanding of the information that they had. And this the Lord Jesus gave them in a marvelous gift: “He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” 

What a glorious gift! Here is the thing to ask for the Lord. As helpful as commentaries and devotionals can be, they are not ultimately what we need. For, it is the Bible itself that the Lord has given us by which to work in us. And it is especially the Word preached by which He gives faith and grows faith. 

What we need, then, is Him Himself. We need Him to open our understanding. 

And this is what He would send the disciples to do: preach repentance and forgiveness in the Name of Christ (Luke 24:47a) as the witnesses (Luke 24:48) of all that the Scriptures teach about Christ’s death and resurrection (Luke 24:46). 

We see how completely this depends upon the work of God Himself by the command for them to tarry in the city of Jerusalem (Luke 24:49b). Tarry? Wait?! Didn’t He just finish saying that this preaching must go to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:47b)?! 

But it isn’t just preaching that people need. It is the power of God attending that preaching. The power of the Holy Spirit, “the Promise of My Father,” was absolutely necessary. There would be no point in preaching without it. 

But He had just exercised that power upon them. They had come to understand about His death and resurrection from all the Old Testament. So, when He has blessed them and departed (Luke 24:50-51), they immediately begin acting upon what they have come to know. He is gone from their sight, but still they worship Him, for they know that He is God the Son, Who is rightly to be worshiped (Luke 24:52a). They return to Jerusalem with great joy (verse 52b), knowing both that they have been redeemed and that this was exactly where He had commanded them to wait. And they go continually to the temple, praising and blessing God (Luke 24:53); it is no longer the dangerous home turf of their enemies, but that structure that God had designed to point to Christ! 

How do you recognize/express your need for God’s powerful working in your Bible-reading and sermon-hearing? How are you responding to the fact that Jesus is God and that His redemptive work has been accomplished? 

Sample prayer: Lord Jesus, we worship You Who are very God of very God. Forgive us for our dullness toward You, even in Your Word. Open our understanding, so that we would comprehend the Scriptures, so that our lives would be full of worshiping You and rejoicing in You, which we ask in Your Name, AMEN! 

Suggested songs: ARP99A “Let the Nations Tremble” or TPH356 “Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain"