When God Calls Us to Worship [2025.02.26 Sabbath School in Westminster Confession of Faith 21.6—Hopewell 101]

We continued studying through the Scriptural doctrine that our congregation confesses. This week, we continued Westminster Confession chapter 21—finishing Article 6 with how God calls us to public worship times both by His Word and His providence.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Lord of the Lord’s Day, His Weekly Super-Feast [2024.12.15 Evening Sermon in Numbers 28:11–29:40]

Just as Israel had an annual calendar that pointed them to their God, so the church's lack of an annual calendar points us to Jesus being this very God.

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

The Calendar that the Lord's Day Replaced [Family Worship lesson in Numbers 28:11–29:40]

What was the annual Israelite calendar? Numbers 28:11–29:40 looks forward to the afternoon sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these sixty-one verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the annual Israelite calendar was a series of feasts that reminded them of the faithfulness, salvation, provision, and atonement of their God.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Reasoning for the Sabbath [Westminster Shorter Catechism 62 — Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 62—especially explaining how the phrasing of the Sabbath commandment implies that we are to be thoughtful and reverent about it.

Q62. What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment? The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment are, God’s allowing us six days of the week for our own employments, His challenging a special propriety in the seventh, His own example, and His blessing the sabbath day. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Creational Church Calendar [Family Worship lesson in Numbers 28:1–10]

What does a new age in redemptive history call for? Numbers 28:1–10 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these ten verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we must keep worshiping morning and evening every day, and Sabbath by Sabbath, until redemption has been fulfilled, and the new creation comes.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

What the Law and Nature of the Sabbath Forbid [Westminster Shorter Catechism 61—Theology Simply Expalined]

Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 61—especially explaining from Scripture what God forbids by the way He words the fourth commandment.

WSC61: What is forbidden in the fourth commandment? The fourth commandment forbiddeth the omission or careless performance of the duties required, and the profaning the day by idleness, or doing that which is in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thoughts, words or works, about our worldly employments or recreations.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Holy Refreshment in God Alone [Westminster Shorter Catechism 60—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 60—especially explaining how Sabbath refreshment via worship is different in kind from the most pious refreshment one can have in anything but worship.

Q60. How is the sabbath to be sanctified? The sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days; and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God’s worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Christian Sabbath [Westminster Shorter Catechism 59—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 59—especially explaining how the nature and role of the Sabbath has progressed through the history of redemption.

Q59. Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly sabbath? From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly sabbath; and the first day of the week ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian sabbath.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Only the Holy God Can Make Holy Days [Westminster Shorter Catechism 58—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 58—especially explaining how we keep God’s day as holy, which also means not treating common days as holy.

Q58. What is required in the fourth commandment? The fourth commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set times as He hath appointed in His Word; expressly one whole day in seven, to be a holy sabbath to Himself.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Disobeying the Gospel [2024.10.20 Morning Sermon in Matthew 12:22-32]

As the Holy Spirit presents Christ to you in the gospel, harden not your heart, but come to Him and find the rest of forgiveness for your soul.

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

Jesus the LORD of Rest [2024.10.06 Morning Sermon in Matthew 12:1–8]

The Sabbath has always been about finding rest with Jesus and in Jesus, because Jesus is YHWH, Who draws us near to Himself and conforms us to Himself.

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

True Sabbath and Its True Lord [Family Worship lesson in Matthew 12:1–8]

What is the point of the Sabbath? Matthew 12:1–8 looks forward to the morning sermon in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus, and resting in Him, is the point of the Sabbath. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Recovering Biblical Fasting [2024 Reformation Conference Session #3 in Matthew 6:16–18]

Fake Christianity is plagued by harboring an attitude of treating religion as a burden and by playing to an audience of man's esteem. A God-given solution for both of these is a well-kept Sabbath, the Lord's Day.

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

Holiness vs High-Handed Sin [2024.06.30 Evening Sermon in Numbers 15:32–41]

God's holy day is especially for His holy people to rejoice in the holiness of their God.

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

Be Holy, Not High-Handed [Family Worship lesson in Numbers 15:32–41]

Why is Sabbath breaking so bad? Numbers 15:32–41 prepares us for the evening sermon on the Lord’s Day. In these ten verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we must be holy because we belong to our Creator and Redeemer.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

How the Lord Trains Us to Find Pleasure in Him [Family Worship lesson in Isaiah 58]

What peace does a true prophet proclaim? Isaiah 58 prepares us for the first serial reading in public worship on the Lord’s Day. In these fourteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that a true prophet proclaims the peace of true religion, finding God in Christ to be the great good and the great delight, Who has given us a day to train us in delighting in Him. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Lord's Day for the Lord's Family to Delight to Be Gathered Together to the Lord [Family Worship lesson in Isaiah 56:1–8]

What do those looking forward to salvation do? Isaiah 56:1–8 prepares us for the first serial reading in public worship on the Lord’s Day. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that those who look forward to salvation do righteousness, especially that of not defiling the Sabbath, but keeping it with God’s people. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

A Day for Worship [Children's Catechism 90—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Children’s Catechism question 90—especially explaining how the whole Lord’s Day is to be spent in the acts of God’s worship.

Q90. How should the Sabbath be spent? In prayer and praise, in hearing and reading God's Word, and in doing good to our fellow men.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Calling God's Day What God Calls It [Children's Catechism 89—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Children’s Catechism question 89—especially explaining how it is from the Lord Himself that we learn to call the first-day-Sabbath “The Lord’s Day.”

Q89. Why is it called the Lord's Day? Because on that day Christ rose from the dead.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Why the Sabbath Is the Lord's Day [Children's Catechism 88—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Children’s Catechism question 88—especially explaining how the Sabbath became the first day of the week by God’s self-revelation in Christ.

Q88. What day of the week is the Christian Sabbath? The first day of the week, called the Lord's Day.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)