2019.05.09 Hopewell @Home ▫ 2 Corinthians 9

Read 2 Corinthians 9

Questions for Littles: What does the apostle say that he doesn’t even really need to write about (2 Corinthians 9:1)? About what has he boasted to the Macedonians (2 Corinthians 9:2a)? Whom has their zeal stirred up (verse 2b)? Why has he sent the brethren (2 Corinthians 9:3)? When would the apostle like for the Corinthians to have their part of the gift ready (2 Corinthians 9:4-5)? Of what Proverbs 11:24 principle does he remind them in 2 Corinthians 9:6? How much does he tell each to give (2 Corinthians 9:7a)? To which two ways of giving does he assume this will be opposite (verse 7b)? Which way of giving should be the result (verse 7c)? Who loves that kind of giver? What about what we need—who will supply that (2 Corinthians 9:8)? How often? How much sufficiency? In what situations? For what purpose? What does Psalm 112 say that god-fearing man does (2 Corinthians 9:9)? Who is the One who enables him to do this? For what kinds of people does the Lord supply and multiply what they need (2 Corinthians 9:10)? What does the apostle say is God’s reason for richly supplying the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 9:11)? What does he repeatedly say abounds back to God (verse 11, 2 Corinthians 9:12, 2 Corinthians 9:13)? And what do the recipients of the gift end up doing for the givers of it (2 Corinthians 9:14)? What gift created these connections and makes all of this giving and praying and thanking and praising possible (2 Corinthians 9:15)?

I think that most of us who profess Christ would genuinely like to be people in whose actions and lives the glory of Jesus is seen and known. However, we imagine to ourselves that it requires some heroic effort that is just out of our reach.

That’s not the picture given in our epistle passage this week. Rather, the Scripture tells us that God has already abundantly supplied us, and He will continue to abundantly supply us. We have only to be generous with whatever He has given us, and follow His law.

Now, that last part is important. The text describes this as the fruit of “righteousness”—a word and idea that can’t just be defined as what people think is right, but only as what God Himself says is right. And here, as in other places, God prioritizes the needs of the saints in the supplying of material neediness. Did they have no poor in Corinth? It was a major city, with major sin; of course they did! But it was the saints in Judea who were the aim of “every good work.” And other parts of the Scripture, such as 1 Timothy 5 and the requirement to care for one’s own house, must direct the amount and target of our sacrificial giving.

We can see the ultimate reason why this is: the purpose of this giving is “thanksgiving to God (2 Corinthians 9:11)… many thanksgivings to God (2 Corinthians 9:12)… they glorify God (2 Corinthians 9:13).”

Here is both a reason that such giving is primarily to believers (only they know the true God in Jesus Christ, so that their thanksgiving abounds readily and properly), and also a reason that giving to unbelievers must always always be drowned in gospel announcement of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done (not just a compulsory word or two—for, how else will they connect it to the indescribable gift?)!

It is actually God’s gift to us in Christ that all that we have and all that we are can genuinely belong to Jesus—that we can act in every moment as if it belongs to Jesus and use every possession as if it belongs to Jesus. We don’t deserve to live such lives of worship unto Him. And this is a glorious fellowship beyond what we deserve to have with one another. But even these are just side benefits to the great and indescribable gift—Jesus Himself.

What part does thanksgiving have in your life? Who sacrificially gives of himself for you, and how/when do you pray for him/her? What time/possessions could you really be giving?

Suggested songs: ARP112 “O Praise the Lord” or TPH187 “I Belong to Jesus”

190508FW Judges 1:1-26 - The Beginnings of Unfaithfulness

An example of a hopefully-faithful but comfortably imperfect family worship teaching time in Judges 1:1-26

2019.05.08 Hopewell @Home ▫ Judges 1:1-26

Read Judges 1:1-26

Questions for Littles: After what does this take place (Judges 1:1)? What do the Israelites ask the Lord? Whom does the Lord say shall go up (Judges 1:2a)? What has the Lord done (verse 2b)? Whom do Judah invite to go along (Judges 1:3)? What does Yahweh do (Judges 1:4)? Whom do they defeat in Judges 1:5? What do they do to their king (Judges 1:6)? Who else had done this to whom (Judges 1:7)? What other city do they take (Judges 1:8)? Where else does Judah gain victories, and whom else do they defeat (Judges 1:9-10)? Whose land is taken at this point (Judges 1:11-15)? How does he get someone to conquer it for him (Judges 1:12)? Who does it (Judges 1:13)? Who makes a special request of Caleb (Judges 1:14)? What does she ask (Judges 1:15a)? What does he give her (verse 15b)? Who goes with Judah at this point (Judges 1:16)? Who else’s region does Judah help conquer (Judges 1:17-18)? How does Judges 1:19 explain all of this success? What surprising explanation does verse 19 give for the inability to conquer the lowland? What did Benjamin fail to do, even though they had conquered Jerusalem (Judges 1:21)? Where were the Benjamites successful (Judges 1:22)? How did they do that (Judges 1:23-25)? Where did the spy that they released go, and what did he do (Judges 1:26)? 

The first 26 verses of the book of Judges sound promising, but they are part of a larger section in the first 2 chapters that introduce the theme of Israel’s failures. The Lord is making promises and keeping them, but there are small inadequacies here and there on Israel’s part that are indications of trouble to come.

Judah is specifically delegated by God, but asks Simeon to come with him. Somewhere, their dependence upon Yahweh and devotion to Yahweh breaks down. It’s not like the text believes that iron chariots are stronger than the living God (Judges 1:19).

Benjamin, too, fails to drive the Jebusites out (Judges 1:21), even though the Lord is with them (Judges 1:22). They also unilaterally repeat the sin of permitting a Canaanite to live, and he promptly establishes a new Canaanite city-state (Judges 1:26).

Whatever victory they have is from the Lord. This is reflected in the symmetrical justice upon Adoni-Bezek (cf. Judges 1:7), the fulfilled promise to Caleb, and the “presence” statements of Judges 1:19 and Judges 1:22. But there is a lot of failure here, and the text directly connects it to disobedience.

We are getting ready for an entire book of hearing that though they follow the Lord when it seems convenient, these people are basically all “doing what is right in their own eyes.” And that is a danger that faces every generation of the church: simply following the Lord about as far as seems convenient to us, but when it boils down to it, really just “doing what is right in our own eyes.” The frightening thing is what this means for us; the book of Judges will be explaining it as a consequence of the fact that “there was no king in Israel.” But, considering who is supposed to be our King, God have mercy and grant that it could not be fairly said of us that we are following only as far as seems convenient!

In what parts of life are you following Christ only as far as seems convenient?

Suggested songs: ARP119W “Lord, Let My Cry before You Come” or TPH187 “I Belong to Jesus”

190507FW Mar 4:1-20 - Good-Soil Listeners Submit and Devote Themselves to God's Word

An example of a hopefully-faithful but comfortably imperfect (complete with shushing of noisy baby!) family worship teaching time in Mark 4:1-20

2019.05.07 Hopewell @Home ▫ Mark 4:1-20

Read Mark 4:1-20

Questions for Littles: What was Jesus doing by the sea (Mark 4:1)? Why did he have to get into the boat? How did He teach them (Mark 4:2)? What is the seed (Mark 4:14)? Where did the first group of seed fall in Mark 4:4? What happened to it? What does Mark 4:15 say happens to the word in their heart immediately after they hear it? Where did the second group of seed fall in Mark 4:5? What happened at first? But then what happened to it in Mark 4:6? How do the stony ground people receive the Word (Mark 4:16)? But what happens when trouble or persecution comes (Mark 4:17)? Where did the third group of seed fall in Mark 4:7? What happened to it? What does Mark 4:19 say that the cares and pleasures of the world do to the Word? Where did the fourth seed fall in Mark 4:8? What did it produce? What does Jesus say is required for hearing in Mark 4:9? Who apparently needed to hear, since they need to ask in Mark 4:10? What does Jesus say He is giving them in Mark 4:11? What do the parables show that hearers cannot do on their own in Mark 4:12? What three things does this group do with the Word in Mark 4:20? 

This week’s Prayer for Help, Song of Adoration, and Confession of Sin came from Mark 4:1-20. Here, Jesus teaches us some things that surprise us at first, until we admit to ourselves the truth about our spiritual condition.

The point about parables in general is actually the same as the point of the parable of the soils: left to themselves, our hearts are not good soil! To a believer, parables often seem so obvious! But that’s just the point, according to Jesus in Mark 4:12. The simplicity of using basic, earthly illustrations for spiritual truth is to show just how hard our hearts are that we can see and hear, but not perceive or understand!

There aren’t any exceptions to this. Even the disciples didn’t understand the parable at first (Mark 4:10), and Jesus implies in Mark 4:13 that this is the easiest of parables. The key is in one glorious word in Mark 4:11: “given.” The disciples didn’t have it in themselves to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. It had to be given to them. For any of us to see and perceive, it has to be given to us. For any of us to hear and understand, it has to be given to us. For any of us to turn and be forgiven, it has to be given to us.

Look at all of the dangers to our hearts! Sometimes our heart is like no soil at all. The Word goes in one ear and out the other. Any distraction can make us forget immediately what we had read in devotions or heard in the sermon. At other times, our hearts are mostly stone with some soil. We love to hear the sermon or read the Scripture devotionally, and we may even think about it a bit—but it’s never really the controlling factor of our hearts or minds, and the smallest bit of trouble makes us decide to abandon biblical thinking or living.

Then there are the times when we hear the sermon, or study the Scripture, and we agree with it and go along with it for a while. But there are other things that are just as important to us too, and eventually something comes along to turn us away. Either a care of the world comes along, and worry makes us “wiser than God”—we go in for what we think will work instead of what God says to do. Or perhaps a pleasure of the world presents itself—or was already there—and in the end, we just can’t give it up to love and serve and obey Jesus with our whole life.

What’s the solution? Just give God your whole heart! Well, it may be that simple; but that’s very different from being easy. In fact, it’s impossible. It has to be given to us. Let us watch against all those weaknesses and defects of heart, but at the end of the day we must ask God to give us good ones!

Take time right now to confess the weakness of your heart, and ask the Holy Spirit to soften it.

Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH173 “Almighty God, Your Word Is Cast”

2019.05.06 Hopewell @Home ▫ Genesis 9:8-17

Read Genesis 9:8-17

Questions for Littles: Who spoke to Noah (Genesis 9:8)? Who was with Noah? What is established in Genesis 9:9? Who establishes the covenant? Whose covenant is it? With what two groups is it established in verse 9? Who else benefits from the covenant (Genesis 9:10)? What covenantal benefit does the Lord promise here (Genesis 9:11)? In Genesis 9:12, what does God say He is going to give to show His covenant? What is that sign that He uses to show the covenant (Genesis 9:13)? Who puts it there? Whose bow is it? Who brings clouds over the earth (Genesis 9:14)? What happens every single time there is a cloud? How does God respond to the bow (Genesis 9:15)? What is in the cloud (Genesis 9:16)? What does God do to the bow? How does God respond to the bow? To whom, specifically, does God now speak in Genesis 9:17? What, specifically, does God point out in this verse? 

Genesis 9:8-11 begins and ends with a statement that God is establishing (affirming/ strengthening) His covenant with Noah and his sons. A covenant binds two parties together in an agreement as strong as death. Now that God has displayed His wrath, He highlights for Noah that every moment that a flood is not occurring is a moment of grace. God binds Himself to interact with the entire creation as a God of grace. But how can He do that, when man is so wicked? The answer is, literally, in the clouds.

Genesis 9:12-17 makes up the second portion of our passage, and it begins and ends not this time with the covenant itself, but more specifically with the sign of the covenant. In this case the sign is a bow, bent part toward heaven, string toward the ground, lethal weapon aimed at God Himself.

This is how God can be a God of grace toward us. Because at some point, He is going to satisfy His wrath upon Himself. He will have to become a man to do it. He will have to unite Himself to sinners to do it. But He will punish their sins upon Himself. So, He chooses the bow as a sign to respond to. There will never again be a bow-less cloud. Until the last day, God will continually respond to the reminder of His Son’s sacrifice by holding back His wrath.

But He doesn’t just remind Himself. He is reminding us that He remembers. This is why the Word is always attached to a covenant sign. God tells Noah what He is doing so that Noah will rejoice at the sign. Whenever he sees the sign, Noah can rejoice that God absorbs His own wrath in order to show us grace. Whenever he sees the sign, Noah can rejoice that God is determined not only to act graciously but that Noah would be assured of God’s grace.

What signs has God given the church? What do they display about how He shows us grace? How do they help us be sure of God’s salvation? Why is faith in Jesus necessary for this?

Suggested Songs: ARP111A “O Praise the Lord” or TPH111A “Praise to the Lord! I Will Extol Him”

2019.05.04 Hopewell @Home ▫ Genesis 9:8-17

Read Genesis 9:8-17

Questions for Littles: Who spoke to Noah (Read Genesis 9:8)? Who was with Noah? What is established in Genesis 9:9? Who establishes the covenant? Whose covenant is it? With what two groups is it established in verse 9? Who else benefits from the covenant (Genesis 9:10)? What covenantal benefit does the Lord promise here (Genesis 9:11)? In Genesis 9:12, what does God say He is going to give to show His covenant? What is that sign that He uses to show the covenant (Genesis 9:13)? Who puts it there? Whose bow is it? Who brings clouds over the earth (Genesis 9:14)? What happens every single time there is a cloud? How does God respond to the bow (Genesis 9:15)? What is in the cloud (Genesis 9:16)? What does God do to the bow? How does God respond to the bow? To whom, specifically, does God now speak in Genesis 9:17? What, specifically, does God point out in this verse?

In our sermon passage for tomorrow, we get introduced to the idea of a covenant and a covenant sign. God is going to bind Himself to Noah (and his sons with him), in an agreement in which each commits himself to the other.

God has already given a number of commands, repeating the creation mandate as we saw before: fill the earth with people who hate their sin, hope in Christ’s sacrifice, enjoy Christ as the display of God’s glory, and imitate Christ (by Christ’s power) as a display of Christ’s glory.

Now, in Genesis 9:8-17, Noah understands that these are covenant-requirements. And they’re not optional. It’s not just Noah’s sons who are brought into this agreement without their consent, just because they are with him. Noah himself is brought into this covenant without his consent.

What does the Lord commit Himself to do? To not destroy the whole earth. That might not sound like a big deal, but we have already learned in Genesis 8:20-22, that—because of man’s totally sinful nature—it literally costs the life and death of Jesus Christ to keep this promise. Only because of the completeness of His Son’s sacrifice and obedience to come, as one of us, can God keep that promise.

And God puts a display of that in the sky. The word almost always means “bow” and a few times, it means “archer.” This was a weapon of lethal power, and the bow is bent such that the string is pulled back toward the earth and aimed at God Himself. Until the earth itself comes under the fire of His wrath, the Lord will preserve it for the sake of His own future coming to bear His own wrath. Sinners will be saved from God, by God, for God.

God doesn’t need a bow in the clouds. But He chooses it as a sign that He gives, and to which He will respond, so that it will be a great help to Noah’s faith. The rainbow is a help to faith. Without faith, a rainbow is just evidence that in the providence of God, different wavelengths of light bend different amounts as they refract through water. But with faith in God’s words about God’s covenant of grace, a rainbow is a display that God is keeping His commitment to do everlasting good to all sinners who belong to Jesus Christ--the one who was pierced for us.

What signs has God given us of His commitment to forgive us and give us life? What had to be done for our forgiveness? From what flood does this protect us? What kind of life do we get? For the signs to work this way for us, what must we have in Whom?

Suggested Songs: ARP110B “The Lord Has Spoken to My Lord” or TPH270 “At the Name of”

2019.05.03 Hopewell @Home ▫ John 12:17-23

John 12:17-23 

Questions for Littles: Who bore witness to Christ in John 12:17? What did this cause people to do in John 12:18? Who are speaking in John 12:19? To whom? What do they say about themselves? Whom do they say have gone after Christ? About whom does John 12:20 tell us? What had they come to the feast to do? To whom did they come in John 12:21? What did they ask him? Whom did Philip tell (John 12:22)? Whom did the two of them tell together? Who answered in John 12:23? What did He say had come?

Isn’t it interesting how quickly things can change? Our Lord knew this—especially of His own situation. Undoubtedly, He had seen this in the Psalms and learned it from Job and other parts of Scripture. Most of all, He knew that He had come to die.  He has just finished saying that Mary was anointing Him for His burial.

So, while the crowds swelled in number, and buzzed with the story of his raising Lazarus from the dead; and, while even Greeks now were wanting to see Him; and, while the Pharisees seemed to think they were losing any chance of putting Him to death; Jesus Himself is still focused upon His death.

It must have been shocking to Philip and Andrew. I know that it would have been to me. Finally, things seem to be looking up, and Jesus insists that He is about to die.

But the words with which He insists upon it are interesting, aren’t they? “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.” There are other places where something like this is said using the term “lifted up.” That makes sense to talk about His death—lifted up on the cross.

But the term here is doxazo, related to our word, “doxology.” It means “to make or honor as gloriously great.” The buzzing of the crowds, and amazement at Him and popularity were nothing.

What would be truly glorious is when He is raised up on the cross, between Heaven and Earth, and displayed as the Son of God—equal in His sacrifice to all of the sins of all of His people against the glory of God.

What would be truly glorious is when He rose again from the dead, ascended into Heaven, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, and poured out His Holy Spirit upon His people. What would be truly glorious is when He began to draw all peoples to Himself.

The glory of Jesus is not a glory of what He can do for you in this life or how popular He can be. The glory of Jesus is the glory of God Himself who successfully redeems His people from the eternal Hell that they deserve, and into the eternal blessedness that belongs to Him.

How have you honored Jesus as God Himself? How have you recognized and responded to His glorious death, resurrection, ascension, session, and soon return?

Suggested songs: ARP24 “The Earth and the Riches” or TPH325 “All Glory, Laud, and Honor”

2019.05.02 Hopewell @Home ▫ 2 Corinthians 8:16-24

Read 2 Corinthians 8:16-24

Questions for Littles: Who earnestly cares for the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 8:16)? Who put this care into his heart? Who commanded him to go to them (2 Corinthians 8:17)? In what is the other brother’s praise, from 2 Corinthians 8:18, famous? Who chose him to travel with the gift (2 Corinthians 8:19)? Who is glorified by this? What are they trying to avoid (2 Corinthians 8:20)? Before whom does the apostle hope that the gift will be honorable (2 Corinthians 8:21)? What has the brother mentioned in 2 Corinthians 8:22 demonstrated about himself in many things? What recommendation does the apostle give about Titus (2 Corinthians 8:23)? What does he call the other brothers in verse 23? What does he call the churches? Whom else does he hope will be honorable before the Lord and men, and show forth the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 8:24)? 

This passage has not one, but two unidentified characters. First, in 2 Corinthians 8:18, there is the one whose “praise is in the gospel, throughout all the churches.” Many (perhaps most) think that this is Luke. He has traveled with Paul, and is now of course famous for having written his gospel. In fact, Paul quotes Luke’s gospel as Scripture in 1 Timothy 5:18.

And we don’t know who the man in 2 Corinthians 8:22 is. Some think that this is another way of talking about Titus, but then 2 Corinthians 8:23 refers to at least two more brothers in addition to Titus. Commentators think perhaps Timothy or Silas.

But, I think that the point is actually the fact that we don’t know. It doesn’t matter. Christ produces faithful gospel preaching. Christ produces diligent service. And Christ gets the glory.

This is a good lesson for us. I think that sometimes we hope that others will see how much glory we are bringing to Jesus. But is this really bringing glory to Jesus? Can it really be for His glory, if what we are most hoping is that others will notice that it was we who did so? May God spare us. Better to remain nameless.

There is a lesson here for the Corinthians. Yes, the apostle is urging them to show that his recounting of Christ’s work in them is true. But, the focus is especially upon the recounting of the fact that it is Christ’s work.

This is also behind his desire to make sure that the money is handled in a blameless manner. Since the administration of the gift is to the glory of the Lord Himself, it is very important that it be honorable not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of men. How dreadful it would be to be careless with the reputation of Christ, when it was in our power to guard it instead! How important it is in the public ministry of the church that all things be done blamelessly and above reproach!

What service are you part of in the church? Are you hoping that others will know that it is you? How are you being careful to be blameless in it? Whom do you praise for others’ service?

Suggested songs: ARP112 “O Praise the Lord” or TPH538 “Take My Life, and Let It Be”

2019.05.01 Hopewell @Home ▫ Joshua 24:29-33

Read Joshua 24:29-33

Questions for Littles: What title is Joshua given in Joshua 24:29? What happened to him? How old was he? Within the border of what place did they bury him (Joshua 24:30)? What did Israel do for all of the days of Joshua (Joshua 24:31)? For whom else’s days did Israel do this? What had all of these people known? Whose bones does Joshua 24:32 talk about? From where had they brought them up? To where did they bring them? Who died in Joshua 24:33? Where was he buried?

The theme of the book of Joshua has been how not one of God’s good words to His people have fallen to the ground. Every single one of His promises has been kept. So, it might seem odd at first that the book closes with four funerals.

But these funerals each indicate the promises that have been kept. Joshua is buried in his inheritance. Joseph is buried in the inheritance of his children. Eleazar is buried in the his son Phinehas’s inheritance. Joshua and Eleazar had been born slaves in Egypt. Joseph had been sold as a slave into Egypt. Here they are, buried in the land of promise—not by families that are strangers in the land, as Abraham was unto his death, but by families that possess their land.

But there is more here. There is the spiritual salvation of a people who “served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and the elders who outlived Joshua.” Think about what Israel was under Moses. Think about what Israel was under the Judges, and through just about the entire kingdom period. This could very well be the longest period of faithfulness among the people of God in the Old Testament! If not the longest, then it is certainly one of them. That is also a glorious display of the faithfulness and mercy of God. If I had to choose between inheritance and godliness, then may the Lord grant unto me godliness, for He is our inheritance!

So, there’s inheritance. And there’s godliness. Finally, there is also resurrection. Genesis and Joshua both close with a little bit of a fuss over Joseph’s bones. What’s the big deal? Why is he so insistent upon what happens with his used endoskeleton? Because he’s not done with it yet! Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph looked forward to a better country that they would not inherit without us (cf. Hebrews 11). The best is yet to come. Jesus is worthy of everlasting blessings, both heavenly and earthly, and we shall receive them all—together with Him Himself!

Of inheritance, godliness, and resurrection, to which do you most need to be reminded to look forward? How will you remind yourself? 

Suggested songs: ARP73C “Yet Constantly, I Am with You” or TPH446 “Be Thou My Vision”