2020.04.23 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ephesians 1:15–19

Read Ephesians 1:15–19

Questions from the Scripture text: What two things had the apostle heard back about the Ephesian church (Ephesians 1:15)? How did he respond to this news (Ephesians 1:16)? To Whom did he pray, and what does he call Him in Ephesians 1:17? What did he pray God would give them—what does he call the Spirit here? What does he pray that the Spirit would do to their understanding? What two things would they come to know in Ephesians 1:18 if their understanding is thus enlightened? What additional thing would they come to know in Ephesians 1:19?

Believers have lots of room for growth. Here was a church of such faith and love as to occasion apostolic thanksgiving to God—how we ought to join the Lord, and the angels, and the apostles in thanking God for whatever faith and love we hear about!

But they still had room to grow, and so the apostle who thanked God for them also prayed for them a prayer to “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory.” He addresses his prayer in such a way as to remember and remind us of the great power that He is enlisting.

By that power, the apostle seeks the working of the Spirit to help the Ephesian believers’ minds. He refers to the spirit here as “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” For what work of the Spirit does he ask? That the third Person of the Trinity would give light to they eyes of their understanding.

We learn here that for spiritual growth, there must be theological growth. Spiritual growth is more than theological growth, but it does not exist without the other. This is because there are at least these three things that we should always be growing in understanding:

The hope of His calling. There is stability and joy that comes from growing in our understanding both that it is He who called us, and what glory it is to which He has called us.

The riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. There is wonder and worship that comes from growing in our understanding of how He has valued us and taken us to be His.

The exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. There is confidence and zeal that comes from growing in our understanding of how it is by His almighty power that He worked faith in us, and by that same almighty power that He is still working in us.

Believers have lots of room for growth, which comes by growing in understanding these things.

What place does theological growth have in your prayers? And what place in your efforts?

Suggested songs: ARP19B “The Lord’s Most Perfect Law” or TPH172 “Speak, O Lord”

2020.04.22 Hopewell @Home ▫ 1 Samuel 5:6–12

Read 1 Samuel 5:6–12

Questions from the Scripture text: What did Yahweh do to whom, while His ark was in the house of Dagon (1 Samuel 5:6)? What did the people of Ashdod say in 1 Samuel 5:7? Whom did they gather in 1 Samuel 5:8, what did they ask, and what was their answer? Where did they take it? What did Yahweh do there (1 Samuel 5:9)? What did the people of Ekron say that the other Philistines had sent them the ark to do (1 Samuel 5:10)? Now, who gathered, and what did they decide (1 Samuel 5:11)? What had God done to the people of Ekron (1 Samuel 5:11-12)?

How very different Yahweh is from Dagon, and from all manmade religion (i.e., Idolatry). The true and living God simply does not need the help of man.

How foolish Israelites are, when they think that they can harness the power of the Lord through uninstructed use of the furnishings He has given them to worship Him. How foolish Philistines are, when they think that the power of the Lord can be overcome by the power of Dagon or mitigated by location in one or another Philistine city.

What 34,000 Israelites had died trying to do, the Lord accomplishes by Himself with little fanfare and no assistance, devastating Ashdod and Gath and Ekron, the three greatest of the five major Philistine cities. He is what the Philistines feared, after all, the God who singlehandedly destroyed the great Egyptian empire. And yet, Israel (and Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas in particular) had not properly feared this God, carelessly provoking Him as they had at Sinai in the incident of the calf, and as Eli’s family had a history of doing in the day that Nadab and Abihu were ordained.

And what fools we would be if we did not recognize how easily we do the same. When we have problems in our lives—or in our families, or in our churches—let us remember that the Lord can do His work all by Himself, as He did in the cities of the Philistines. He does not need our help. Rather, He has appointed means—yes, things like training and weapons and strength for armies, and other appropriate means to other situations.

But the greatest means are found more directly in our relationship with Him: repentance to turn away from the sin that despises Him, and from which He is determined to cleanse us; obedience that honors Him, and which He is pleased to honor; faith that clings to Christ, so that He is glorified in carrying us through, and glorified in what He brings out of it; prayer in which we acknowledge all of these things before Him, and He responds to us according to His character and the relationship that He has given us with Himself.

When those are the great and foundational means that we are employing in our life as a whole, we will be prepared to employ means uprightly—not innovating in worship or the church, not manipulating or depending upon men or ourselves, but trusting and obeying the God who does not need our help!

What are you concerned about? What use are you making of the “greatest” means? What other means are you employing in faith and obedience?

Suggested Songs: ARP146 “Praise the Lord” or TPH146 “Praise the Lord! My Soul, O Praise Him!”

2020.04.21 Hopewell @Home ▫ Isaiah 53:1–6

Read Isaiah 53:1–6

Questions from the Scripture text: What two questions do Isaiah 53:1 ask? With what word does Isaiah 53:2 begin? So, what is this report that is the revelation of God’s saving arm? Like what kind of plant would the Messiah grow (verse 2a)? Out of what kind of ground (verse 2b)? What does verse 2 assure us would not be true about the Messiah physically? How would men treat Him (Isaiah 53:3a)? What would He experience (verse 3b)? How would we respond to His sorrow and grief? But whose grief and sorrow is He actually carrying (Isaiah 53:4)? And who, would men think, was punishing the Messiah? But for whose transgressions was He wounded (Isaiah 53:5a)? For whose iniquities was He bruised? For whose peace was He chastised? Whom did He heal by His stripes? What had we done (Isaiah 53:6)? And who was it that laid our guilt upon the Messiah instead?

Next week’s Call to Worship, Prayer for Help, Song of Adoration, and reading of the Gospel come from Isaiah 53:1–6 in order to sing God’s thoughts after Him with Man of Sorrows! What a Name.

For a few reasons, this passage lends itself well both to crying out to God for help and for confessing our sin to Him. It is easy to see why these verses work so well for both of those purposes.

First, Isaiah 53:1 is a perfect verse for a prayer for help in worship. It reminds us that in worship, when God’s Word is announced, His strong arm of salvation is being put on display. But it also reminds us that the ability to believe the Word as it is taught and preached is not something that we automatically have. In fact, God has to supernaturally give us the ability to believe!

Then, Isaiah 53:2-6 are some Scripture verses that perhaps, of the entire Bible, lend themselves most easily to a confession of sin. Look at how great our sin is, in what it cost. Sorrow! Grief! The striking and wounding and bruising of God! Chastisement! Stripes!

But don’t just look at what our salvation from sin cost. Look at Whom it costed those things!! Here is the ugliness of our sin best seen—

And what a rich mercy that we get to see our sin most clearly, precisely in the very picture of the love and salvation of Christ for sinners. For, we may gaze at this picture without minimizing the greatness of our guilt upon the one hand, but also without despairing over that greatness on the other. The Lord has laid upon Him our iniquity!

How does the cross help you face your sin? When was the last time you consciously did this? 

Suggested songs: ARP22A “My God, My God” or TPH352 “Man of Sorrows! What a Name”

2020.04.22 Prayer Meeting Folder and Webcast

The Prayer Meeting Folder for the coming Wednesday evening is now available. There will be a webcast (audio only) of the devotional and of Pastor-led prayer, beginning around 6:30 p.m. both at the webcast page and at Hopewell's Facebook Page.

2020.04.19 Morning Sermon—Genesis 24:59–67, "God of All Comfort"

As the Lord carries out an eternal plan to give His adopted children infinite and eternal comfort, He exercises the same love and wisdom and power to fill each of their lives with a multitude of other comforts. [mp3] [PDF outline]

2020.04.20 Hopewell @Home ▫ Genesis 24:59–67

Read Genesis 24:59–67 

Questions from the Scripture text: Whom does Bethuel’s household send away in Genesis 24:59 (cf. Genesis 24:61)? Whom does Bethuel’s household bless in  Genesis 24:60? What blessing do they give her? Where was Isaac in  Genesis 24:62? What was he doing in  Genesis 24:63? What did he see? Who sees him in  Genesis 24:64, and what does she do? What had she asked in  Genesis 24:65? What did the servant say? What did she do? What does the servant tell Isaac in  Genesis 24:66? Where does Isaac bring her ( Genesis 24:67)? What does she become? What does he do for her? What does she do for him?   

God cannot change; He exists in an eternally perfect simplicity—an eternal, simple perfection. Therefore, He does nothing partially or by halves. He exerts all of who He is, all the time, in every action.

This is high theology that can bring us deep comfort, when we consider the closing portion of Genesis 24. God is bringing Isaac a wife who will comfort him in the loss of his mother. And He is doing so in the same love and wisdom and power in which He is bringing, through Isaac, Christ into the world to save sinners, that they may be the adopted children of God!

We are reminded that, with such a God as this, we don’t have to choose between eternal, gospel comforts and detailed situational comforts. What is He doing in my life right now? Whatever is necessary to produce in me the holiness that will both qualify me to enter into, and equip me to enjoy, the perfect blessedness that is mine in Christ!

But I have specific pains, specific griefs. And God is also addressing those. Giving me fellowship with Himself in them by prayer and the sympathy of Christ. Arranging events to produce good that has not even occurred to me at this point, and other good that I may never even discover. He is clothing flowers, and feeding birds—not one of whom falls to the ground apart from Him. But I am His adopted child in a way that they are not, and He has numbered the hairs on my head. He knows everything I need before I ask, but He loves to display Himself as a Father who is interested in hearing my voice, and responds with compassion and mercy. He has given me the privilege of my prayers being the occasion that “moves” (as it were) His almighty hand.

How blessed, then, are the prayers and efforts of believers! Here, we see Isaac out in the field in the evening, strolling and meditating. His prayers are joining in the work of God’s almighty love and wisdom and power. Here, we see the long, strenuous effort of Abraham’s servant coming to fruition. His efforts are joining in the work of God’s almighty love and wisdom and power to bring a wife for one of His sons and a husband for one of his daughters.

Dear Christian, are you growing weary in long-offered prayers or prolonged and strenuous work? Look at the cross in which we have the greatest display of God’s love and wisdom and power toward you! And know that in your prayers and your efforts, you are participating in a work of that same love and wisdom and power. For what are you in danger of wearying as you pray and work? What can refresh you in this? 

Suggested Songs: ARP45B “Daughter, Incline Your Ear” or TPH128 “Blessed the Man That Fears Jehovah”

Looking Forward with Joy to Our Redeemer's Fertilizing and Fruit-Provoking Work (2020.04.18 Pastoral Letter and Hopewell Herald)

Hopewell Herald – April 18, 2020

Dear Congregation,

What stock have you and your household taken of your repentance this week? 

What is being done that ought not to be? What ought to be done that isn’t? 

In your hour-to-hour living, what place belongs to the knowledge of Christ, trust in His goodness, obedience to His commands, and service unto His glory?

We heard last week from His Word that, by certain moments and seasons of His providence, He means to arrest our attention upon whether we are bearing the fruit of repentance.

Surely, He is making holy all those whom He has brought to faith in Christ, and whom He is bringing to glory (Phlp 1:6; Heb 12:14; 1Jn 3:2).

And He presses us now not only to ask the question whether we are they, but also to respond to His glorious patience and mercy with renewed love and zeal, in dependence upon His grace (1Jn 3:3; 2Pet 1:2–11).

It is especially by His Word read, and especially by His Word preached in the Lord’s Day assembly, that He works by His grace to bring us at last into His rest (Heb 3:7–4:13; 10:19–25; 12:18–29).

So, let us each take stock of where we need to be growing, and let us look forward with joy to our Redeemer’s fertilizing and fruit-provoking work in His worship tomorrow,

Pastor

2020.04.18 Hopewell @Home ▫ Genesis 24:59–67

Read Genesis 24:59–67

Questions from the Scripture text: Whom does Bethuel’s household send away in Genesis 24:59 (cf. Genesis 24:61)? Whom does Bethuel’s household bless in Genesis 24:60? What blessing do they give her? Where was Isaac in Genesis 24:62? What was he doing in Genesis 24:63? What did he see? Who sees him in Genesis 24:64, and what does she do? What had she asked in Genesis 24:65? What did the servant say? What did she do? What does the servant tell Isaac in Genesis 24:66? Where does Isaac bring her (Genesis 24:67)? What does she become? What does he do for her? What does she do for him?

The Lord cares for His people in things great and small. Here, He has overseen the obtaining of a bride for the son of promise. He is bringing the Christ into the world.

And we see that in the benediction. Rebekah’s family says, “Our sister, may you be thousands of rebebah [multitudes].” It’s a clever play on words, for the sending away of their dear one. But it’s also an echo of the blessing from when Isaac had been spared on Mt. Moriah, “blessing I will bless you, and multiplying [harbah] I will multiply [arbeh] your descendants […] and your descendants shall posses the gate of their enemies” (cf. Genesis 22:17). It’s as if they are saying, “May all the Messianic promises about your fiancé and you come true!”

The Lord has His eye to His great saving plan, and by that plan the great and ultimate good of all His people. But He also has His eye to the everyday care of His people. The finding of a good wife. The comforting of a man who, three years after his mother’s death, still takes a stroll with God every evening in his sorrow.

Isaac has struck out on his own, leaving Abraham back in Hebron. But, he has taken his mother’s tent with him (perhaps, living in it himself), and has not been comforted for her loss (Genesis 24:67). We (and Rebekah, her nurse, her maids, Abraham’s servant, and his men) find Isaac out in the field in the evening.

It’s likely that the text intends for us to view this time of meditation (and, perhaps, strolling) as his normal habit. Certainly, he is a man of prayer. Doing the math from Genesis 25:20 and Genesis 25:26, we discover that the “pleading” in Genesis 25:21 describes twenty years of responding to his wife’s barrenness by prayer. Isaac will soon become a cautionary tale for allowing our spiritual vigor to lapse in old age, but thus far we see the Lord providing for His servant’s comfort by stirring him up to prayer and by answering that prayer.

And what an answer to prayer! The parallel language in Genesis 24:63 and Genesis 24:64 of Isaac lifting his eyes and looking, and Rebekah lifting her eyes and seeing, implies that this occurs at the same time. Each has been some time in intense expectation of the other. She had heard the servant’s stories, he was undoubtedly sharing in the servant’s prayers, and now the expectations were being realized.

Love at first sight! Rebekah surely seems to be hoping for a particular answer in Genesis 24:65. Isaac must have been delighted with the account of Rebekah’s character given in Genesis 24:66. And the tent of the matriarch of the clan is empty no more. Rebekah takes her place as the bride of the covenant head. But the conclusion of the passage focuses on something that took place not in Isaac’s home, but in his heart: Isaac was comforted. The God who is bringing Christ into the world is the God of all comfort: both the eternal and infinite, and also the circumstantial, but just as real, to His people.

About what do you need comfort? What greatest comfort, and also small ones, has God given?

Suggested songs: ARP128 “How Blessed Are All Who Fear” or TPH128 “Blessed the Man That Fears Jehovah”

2020.04.17 Hopewell @Home ▫ Luke 4:14–30

Read Luke 4:14–30

Questions from the Scripture text: In what (Whom) did Jesus return (Luke 4:14)? To where? What went through all the surrounding region? What did He do where (Luke 4:15)? What did all do? To where does He come in Luke 4:16? What had He done there? Where did He go on what day? What did He do there? What book was handed to Him (Luke 4:17)? What text did He find when He opened the book (Luke 4:18-19)? Who was upon Him (verse 18)? What did the Spirit anoint Him to preach to whom? Whom did the Spirit send Him to heal?  What else did the Spirit send Him to proclaim (verses 18–19)? What does He do in Luke 4:20? What does He say is happening in Luke 4:21? What do they all do in Luke 4:22? What do they ask? What does He tell them they will say (Luke 4:23)? What does Jesus say will happen to no prophet (Luke 4:24)? To whom had Elijah been sent instead of whom (Luke 4:25-26)? To whom was Elisha sent instead of whom (Luke 4:27)? How did the synagogue respond (Luke 4:28)? What did they do to Him, and what did they try to do to Him (Luke 4:29)? But what did Jesus do (Luke 4:30)?

The same Spirit who had led Jesus to glorify God in the midst of suffering and temptation empowered Jesus in His preaching, as He taught in the synagogues, Sabbath by Sabbath (Luke 4:15, Luke 4:16, Luke 4:31, Luke 4:44). Let us learn to depend upon the Spirit of Christ, wherever His providence takes us. Not all of us preach, but all of us must have our hearing be with the faith that only the Spirit can give, and it is through many tribulations that we must be attended by the Spirit until we enter the kingdom of God.

How does Jesus apply Isaiah 61:1–2? By declaring Himself to be the Messiah (“anointed”) of whom it speaks, and declaring His hearers to be the poor, brokenhearted, imprisoned, and bound to whom that Messiah would speak. “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

That was the first line (“began to say to them”) of the gospel sermon that Isaiah 61:1 said He would preach. The gospel is the good news of who and what Jesus is, against the backdrop of the bad news of who and what we are, precisely because He came to undo what we became and did in Adam and since Adam.

It must have been a marvelous sermon about God’s mercy to those who are helplessly bound in sin and misery. They “marveled at the gracious words.” But it wasn’t the marveling of worship. They were more committed about whom they thought Him to be (Joseph’s son, Luke 4:22) than whom He preached that He was (the anointed One, the Messiah, Luke 4:18).

And Jesus announces to them that they will mock Him (Luke 4:23) with an insult that will get echoed even at His cross (cf. Luke 23:35). And why? Because they are not only mistaken about Him; they are mistaken about themselves. God saves the surprising (the widow from Zarephath, Naaman the Syrian), not the deserving. If we view ourselves as needy (widow or leper, Luke 4:25-27) but also perhaps partially deserving “in Israel,”), then we have mistaken ourselves.

Impressively, the congregation understood what Jesus was saying about them. But did they repent of their mistake? Did they cry out, “we were wrong about You, our Messiah! And about ourselves who are wholly undeserving!”? No, they were “filled with wrath” (Luke 4:28), and tried to kill Him. How will we respond when Jesus tells us that we are worse than we thought?

How do you respond to Scripture saying how bad you are? What’s this do to your view of Jesus?

Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH431 “And Can It Be”

2020.04.16 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ephesians 1:13–14

Read Ephesians 1:13–14

Questions from the Scripture text: Who also trusted in Christ (Ephesians 1:13)? After they heard what? What else was done to them, once they had believed? Of what is the Holy Spirit a guarantee (Ephesians 1:14)? Until what does the Holy Spirit seal/guarantee believers? Unto what?

How glorious is Christ who died for us!

How glorious is Christ who has given us His Word of truth!

How glorious is Christ, who has purchased our inheritance for us!

How glorious is Christ, who seals us with His Holy Spirit!

How glorious is Christ, whose Spirit guarantees our inheritance until its redemption!

This has been the theme of Ephesians 1:3–14. This is the theme of our salvation. How glorious is Christ!

What has Christ done for you? How often do you think of His glory? How do you respond?

Suggested songs: ARP45A “My Heart Is Greatly Stirred” or TPH375 “All Hail the Power of Jesus’s Name”