Solidarity with What Is of God [Family Worship lesson in 1John 5:18–19]

What is the great battle? 1John 5:18–19 prepares us for the second serial reading in public worship on the Lord’s Day. In these two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that, whether in our heart or the whole world, the great battle is between what is from God and what is under the sway of the devil.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Loving Father and What He Loves [Family Worship lesson in 1John 2:15–17]

What mustn’t a Christian love? 1John 2:15–17 prepares us for the second serial reading in public worship on the Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that a Christian must not love the world.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

God, Our Heart-Shaping Treasure [2024.03.31 Morning Sermon in Matthew 6:19–24]

Christians must count God Himself as their treasure, which means not living for anything else.

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What Strife and Spiritual Adultery Have to Do with One Another [Family Worship lesson in James 4:1–5]

Why is strife so bad? James 4:1–5 prepares us for the second serial reading in public worship on the Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that strife exposes that we have placed desires not only above other people but above God.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Establishing a Roll (and Payroll!) of Full-Time, Praying Widows [Family Worship lesson in 1Timothy 5:5–10]

How does one who has “learned to show piety at home” show that piety when she becomes a widow? 1 Timothy 5:5–8 looks forward to the second reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that a true widow is left only with God, but has learned a fellowship with Him that gives her more than enough to do with her time/life. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Consideration That Moves from Coveting to Contentment [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 23:1–8]

Pastor teaches his family a selection from “the Proverb of the day.” In these eight verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us to guard against materialistic covetousness in ourselves and others.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

God's Grace through Our Fellowship—and Sometimes Despite It [2023.06.25 Morning Sermon in Acts 21:15–30]

As believers share their lives, they share in service, in worship, and in dependence on God to keep them from harming one another spiritually.

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Christ Himself Is the Treasure Which He Laid Hold of Us to Give to Us [Family Worship lesson in Philippians 3:7–4:1]

What is the most valuable treasure?Philippians 3:7–4:1 looks forward to the public reading of Scripture in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these sixteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the most valuable treasure is that for which Christ has laid hold of us: that we would be His own and have Him as our own. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

God's Man, Doing God's Work, God's Way, in God's Strength [Family Worship lesson in 2Timothy 2:1–7]

What must ministers do, when almost the entire rest of the church is turning away from the truth? 2Timothy 2:1–7 looks forward to the second reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that in times of general apostasy a faithful minister must entrust the truth to faithful men for future generations, doing God’s work, God’s way, in God’s strength, by God’s grace.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

God's Gracious, Humbling Work [Family Worship lesson in Exodus 33:1–6]

How should people respond to material prosperity without spiritual prosperity? Exodus 33:1–6 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that material prosperity without spiritual prosperity is such a pitiable condition that the one who is in it ought to mourn. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Biblical Theology of the Diaconate (24): Worldly Self-Indulgence and Selfishness are Symptoms of Hearts that Hate God and Whose Worship God Hates [2023.03.05 Sabbath School lesson]

God hates the worship of those who despise the poor and lowly, and who love luxury and display of themselves. These show that they love the world and hate Him, and He finds their worship disgusting and offensive.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Establishing a Roll (and Payroll!) of Full-Time, Praying Widows [Family Worship lesson in 1Timothy 5:5–10]

How does one who has “learned to show piety at home” show that piety when she becomes a widow? 1 Timothy 5:5–8 looks forward to the second reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that a true widow is left only with God, but has learned a fellowship with Him that gives her more than enough to do with her time/life. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Many and Great Benefits of a Life Governed Entirely by the Word of God [Family Worship lesson in 2Kings 3]

What difference does it make to live by the Word of God? 2Kings 3 looks forward to the first serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty-seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that living by the Word of God gives us peace and patience, provision, protection, and purity. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Realizing that We're in a Battle, and Who Wins it, and with What Weapon [Family Worship lesson in 2Thessalonians 3:1–5]

What is the main issue in Christian life and ministry? 2Thessalonians 3:1–5 looks forward to the second serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God glorifies His Word in our lives and ministries by using it to direct our hearts in that persistent love that keeps obeying Him, despite all efforts of men and demons to dissuade us.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

How Redemption and Eternity Expose the Folly Finding Our Purpose or Joy in This World (2022.05.02 Family Worship lesson in Psalm 49)

What can keep us from fearing those who seem to have great or lasting influence in this world (or for becoming those who exult in their own)? Pastor leads his family in today’s “Hopewell @Home” passage. Psalm 49 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that it is utter folly to think that wealth or influence in this world makes an enduring difference. But God exposes this folly by the need for and human impossibility of redemption. He alone can redeem, and those who have Him as Redeemer have nothing to fear.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

The Opposite Characters and Destinies of the Wicked and the Righteous (2022.01.26 Prayer Meeting sermon in Psalm 37:12–26)

The contrast in character between the wicked and the righteous genuinely corresponds to the contrast in destiny between the wicked and the righteous. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

A Praise-Filled Life (Family Worship lesson in Genesis 26:12–25)

What showed that the Lord was with Isaac? Pastor leads his family in today’s “Hopewell @Home” passage. Genesis 26:12–25 prepares us for the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these fourteen verses, the Holy Spirit teaches us that much more even than Isaac’s earthly prosperity, the Lord’s being with Isaac was seen in his diligence, peaceability, and humble praise—and that all of these together formed a life filled with praise.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

When Christ the Sunrise Has Risen upon You and Transformed You into Light (2021.12.23 Family Worship lesson in Ephesians 5:8–14)

How should believers respond, when their new life in Christ makes an uncomfortable contrast with those around them? Pastor leads his family in today’s “Hopewell @Home” passage. Ephesians 5:8–14 prepares us for the second reading in Morning Public Worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the LORD hasn’t just brought us from darkness into light but transformed us from being darkness into being light. This makes for tension with those who are still darkness, so let us seek what is acceptable to the Lord Who is our Life, and find increasingly comfortable our increasing fellowship with Him. Then we will not be distressed by the tension that exposes the darkness around us and will increasingly hope that He uses us to increase His light in the world.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Walking as Citizens Who Have a Savior, Hope, and Joy (2021.07.04 Evening Sermon in Philippians 3:20–4:1)

That we might walk not as enemies of the cross whose end is destruction, but rather as friends of the cross whose end is salvation, the Lord calls us to walk according to our Citizenship, Savior, Hope, and Joy.

A Citizenship, Savior, Hope, and Joy to Live By (Family Worship lesson in Philippians 3:20–4:1)

How ought a Christian walk that he may not end in destruction? Pastor leads his family in today's "Hopewell @Home" passage. Philippians 3:20–4:1 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord's Day. In these three verses of holy Scripture, we learn that the Lord has given us a heavenly citizenship, a returning savior, a resurrection hope, and a familial joy by which to walk in this life.