2020.05.14 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ephesians 2:8–10

Read Ephesians 2:8–10

Questions from the Scripture text: By what have we been saved (Ephesians 2:8)? Through what? And not of whom? Of whom is it a gift? If it is a gift of God, what is it not of (Ephesians 2:9)? What does this prevent anyone from doing? What are we, according to Ephesians 2:10? What has been done to us in Christ Jesus? For what were we created? From where did these good works come? For what purpose did God prepare these good works beforehand? 

In Ephesians 2:1–7, the apostle wrote about our utter deadness in sin as the black velvet backdrop against which shine so brightly the diamonds of God’s rich mercy, great love, and exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness. Ephesians 2:6 took us back to Christ’s seat, from Ephesians 1:20–23—to the highest height of heaven, whereupon God has placed this dazzling trophy of His grace.

But that is not the only place where it is displayed. God displays the glory of His grace down in the nitty gritty of our lives on earth as well, both in our justification and in our sanctification.

In our justification, God is pleased to display His glory in what we do not do. We do not save ourselves; we are saved by grace. Grace supplies righteousness, because we have only guiltiness to offer. Grace absorbs wrath for us, because we have nothing worthful with which to atone. Grace supplies life for us, because we have only death in us. All of this is supplied in Christ, but we are unable even to produce from ourselves the faith that makes us Christ’s and Christ ours. So grace supplies the faith too; even that is not of ourselves.

In our sanctification, God is pleased to display the glory of what He has done through what we do. Having invalidated all boasting by saving us only through union with Christ, the Lord begins to turn that black velvet into a mirror in which the dazzling glory of Christ’s goodness is reflected.

Those who began dead in sin actually begin to do good works! Not meritorious, to be sure, but genuinely good. God beings demonstrating His workmanship (us, Ephesians 2:10) by the good works that we do. A Christian is a good-works-doing creature that did not previously exist, created in the same Christ through Whom the original creation was made.

God is displaying His workmanship when believers submit and learn under their shepherd-teachers (Ephesians 4:7–12). God is displaying His workmanship when believers study doctrine to get it right instead of “celebrating diversity of thought” (Ephesians 4:13–14). God is displaying His workmanship when no church member is dispensable, but the God-assigned role of each is understood to be used by Christ in building up all the others (Ephesians 4:15–16). God is displaying His workmanship when believers refuse to be controlled by desires and feelings, but rather control them with truth (Ephesians 4:17–24). God is displaying His workmanship when believers do good to one another and take care not to offend one another, not to be quick to be offended, and to be quick to forgive offenses (Ephesians 4:17–5:2). God is displaying His workmanship when believers refuse to live in the fleshly or careless way of this dark world, but as the children of light whom they have been re-created to be (Ephesians 5:3–21). God is displaying His workmanship when believing wives submit to their husband (Ephesians 5:22–24). God is displaying His workmanship when husbands give themselves for their wives’ sanctification (Ephesians 5:25–33). God is displaying His workmanship when children honor and obey their parents in the Lord (Ephesians 6:1–3). God is displaying His workmanship when fathers take the lead in their children’s discipline and instruction as something that belongs to the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). God is displaying His workmanship when employers and employees serve Christ first and foremost in all workplace interactions (Ephesians 6:5–9). And that is why all of these works must be supernaturally sustained by God through spiritual means that He has appointed (Ephesians 6:10–20).

Where is this great glory of God displayed? In the most mundane, everyday lives of those who began as darkness but whom He has created anew as children of light. Good works are essential, even before our needing to be holy for admittance into glory, because God has given them such a central place in displaying His glory in our sanctification. God prepared them beforehand for this!

What specific good works has God prepared beforehand for you to display the glory of His grace?

Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH433 “Amazing Grace!”

2020.05.13 Hopewell @Home ▫ 1 Samuel 7:2–17

Read 1 Samuel 7:2–17

Questions from the Scripture text: Where did the ark remain, for how long (1 Samuel 7:2)? How did the house of Israel respond to this? Who spoke to them in 1 Samuel 7:3? With what did he say to return to Yahweh? What did he tell them to put away? What did he tell them to prepare? Whom did he tell them to serve? What did he say that Yahweh would then do? How did Israel respond (1 Samuel 7:4)? What does Samuel say for them to do in 1 Samuel 7:5? What does he say that he will do? What do the people do when they gather in 1 Samuel 7:6? What do they say? How does the end of verse 6 summarize Samuel’s ministry? Who heard about this gathering (1 Samuel 7:7)? What did they do? How did Israel feel about this? What do the Israelites do in their fear (1 Samuel 7:8)? What did Samuel offer in 1 Samuel 7:9 as the basis for this crying out? What was happening when the Philistines drew near to attack (1 Samuel 7:10)? How did their attack go (1 Samuel 7:10-11)? What does Samuel set up in 1 Samuel 7:12? What does he call it and why?  What do the Philistines stop doing in 1 Samuel 7:13? What was Yahweh’s response, and for how long, to Samuel’s crying (1 Samuel 7:13-14)? How long did Samuel judge Israel (1 Samuel 7:15)? What was his routine for judging them (1 Samuel 7:16-17)? Where was home base, and what did he do there?

There is this terrible myth in the churches that the New Testament tells about heart religion, and that the Old Testament tells about behavior religion. Today’s passage is clear: “turn to Yahweh with all your heart” and “prepare your hearts for Yahweh.” The Lord has always been after His people’s hearts.

This is one reason why 1 Samuel 7:4 is so amazing. If we’ve grown accustomed to Israel in the wilderness and in the period of the Judges, we aren’t expecting much in the way of repentance, but it comes quickly and completely. They put away the foreign gods and served Yahweh only (verse 4).

1 Samuel 7:6, 1 Samuel 7:15, 1 Samuel 7:16, and 1 Samuel 7:17 all emphasize that this is the story of Samuel being the last great judge of Israel. But how does he do so? Preaching repentance, 1 Samuel 7:3. Praying, 1 Samuel 7:5.  Interceding for Israel by crying out to God for them, 1 Samuel 7:8, 1 Samuel 7:9b. Offering up burnt offerings, verse 9a. When Ramah is named as added to the circuit of cities where he judges, he builds an altar there (1 Samuel 7:17).

This is novel among the judges, who were “saviors” of Israel ever since the generation after Joshua. But they had all been military types. Samuel’s method of judging depends upon the fact that the most dangerous threat is to offend the Lord, and the strongest defense is to be reconciled with the Lord.

He just “thunders” at the Philistines in 1 Samuel 7:10, and they suffer a defeat that is the first of an entire generation’s worth of defeats. And 1 Samuel 7:14 ends with over-simple statement, “Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.”

Yahweh is Israel’s great defense from Philistines and Amorites, but who keeps Israel safe from Yahweh? That’s where the whole burnt offering comes in. It doesn’t appear very impressive or valuable—a suckling lamb. And the truth is that it isn’t. Hebrews makes it clear that they always knew that the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin (cf. Hebrews 10:1–4).

But that’s just it; it’s not that suckling to which the Lord is responding. It’s His Son to Whom the Lord is responding: the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Otherwise, we would all be under His judgment and wrath. But Jesus has taken all the wrath for those who come to God through Him. To us belongs the repentant grief of 1 Samuel 7:6. To God belongs forgiveness and redemption in Christ!

From what do you need deliverance in your life? What deliverance do you ultimately need?

Suggested Songs: ARP51AB “God, Be Merciful to Me” or TPH354 “Not All the Blood of Beasts”

2020.05.12 Hopewell @Home ▫ 1 Corinthians 15:50–58

Read 1 Corinthians 15:50–58

Questions from the Scripture text: What does Paul call them in 1 Corinthians 15:50? What cannot inherit the kingdom of God? What kind of flesh cannot inherit an incorruptible creation? What hidden truth does the apostle now reveal (1 Corinthians 15:51)? What shall we not all do? But what shall we all do? How long does this change take (1 Corinthians 15:52)? When? What must corruptible flesh put on instead (1 Corinthians 15:53)? What must mortal flesh put on instead? What will this transformation bring to pass (1 Corinthians 15:54)? What does death no longer have (1 Corinthians 15:55)? What does Hades, the grave, no longer have? What is the sting of death (1 Corinthians 15:56)? What especially empowers sin to hurt us in death? Who has done something about this (1 Corinthians 15:57)? What does God give us? Through whom? What work is a display of this victory in our lives (1 Corinthians 15:58)? What does the apostle call them now? What does he command them to be? What do we know that our labor is not? In Whom is our labor not vain?

Next week’s Call to Worship, Prayer for Help, and Confession of Sin come from 1 Corinthians 15:50–58, in order that we will see that we are singing God’s thoughts after Him with Thine Be the Glory.

In this passage, we see a strong connection between our hope at being raised bodily from the dead and our daily lives now in this world.

First, this hope is for every believer. It is something that we are so united in that not only will each of us surely be raised physically from the dead, but we will all be transformed at the same time. And we will all be raised and transformed in the very same moment, in the very same twinkle of an eye!

Second, this hope is a great hope. It robs death of its sting. It robs Hades of its victory.

Third, this hope is a merciful hope. The entire reason that death is so horrible, and that sin is so culpable, is that we deserve death for having broken God’s law.

Fourth, this hope is righteous hope. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, God has given us victory over sin, without violating but rather by keeping the righteous requirement of the law (that we be punished for breaking it!)

Fifth, this hope is an effective hope. Sin can longer have us. Death can no longer keep us. Now, we belong to the Lord. And, so, the point of the work that we do now is not so much that it lasts forever, but rather that it is in the Lord Himself, that it is a display of His victory. Your labor is not in vain in the Lord!

Whatever it is that we do as believers, let us do it always as those who do not belong to ourselves, those over whom sin is no longer master, those who no longer operate in fear of death—let us live every moment as those who belong to the Lord!

What part of your life feels most “in vain”? How does this passage give it purpose?

Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH365 “Thine Be the Glory”

2020.05.10 P.M. Exhortation—Ephesians 2:1–7, "Risen, Ascended, and Seated with Christ as Trophies of Grace"

We have death in sin. God has mercy, love, grace, and kindness. And He unites us to the risen, ascended, seated Christ as displays of that mercy, love, grace, and kindness.

2020.05.10 Morning Sermon—Genesis 25:27–34, "Valuing Our Birthright by Clinging to Christ: Overcoming Worldly Nature and Nurture"

The eternal perspective of hoping in Christ to solve the death problem enables us to live for something more than the pleasure of the moment. Since all have had natures of worldliness, we must love by refusing to nurture others' worldliness. [PDF] [MP3]

2020.05.11 Hopewell @Home ▫ Genesis 25:27–34

Read Genesis 25:27–34

Questions from the Scripture text: How does Genesis 25:27 summarily describe Esau? How does it summarily describe Jacob? Whom does Isaac love and why (Genesis 25:28)? Who loves Jacob? What has Jacob done in Genesis 25:29? What does Esau do? And what condition is he in? What does Esau ask (Genesis 25:30)? What changes as a result of this? What does Jacob demand (Genesis 25:31)? How does Esau respond to that (Genesis 25:32)? What does Jacob insist in Genesis 25:33? What four actions does Genesis 25:34 say happened? How does verse 34 summarize it? 

Sadly, the struggle between Esau and Jacob continues after they are born, and Genesis 25:28 implicates their parents in this rivalry as well. Isaac and Rebekah take sides, and it intensifies the rift between the brothers. Genesis 25:27, with the general description of the brothers, sets us up for Genesis 25:29 with the specific circumstances that are a specific example of the general characteristics.

Almost certainly, Jacob has seen Esau come in from hunting many times before. Certainly, he knew what to make, when to have it ready, where to do it. Esau comes in on cue and is desperate for some red stuff. Esau seems irritated by the entire interaction; all he wants is to get to the eating part, and it really doesn’t matter to him what he loses from the future. Just satisfy those taste buds and that tummy.

The rhetorical question in Genesis 25:32 is stunning. Esau basically declares himself not to have the resurrection hope or perspective that Abraham had obtained in chapter 15. With no regard for Christ or eternity, all that mattered was that next moment of earthly pleasure. And it really was just a moment. Genesis 25:34 is so staccato, so quick. He ate. Drank. Arose. Left. How easily and quickly a man may lose so much, when he lacks the resurrection hope of Christ!

What are you doing, daily and weekly, to fortify your heart with resurrection hope in Christ?

Suggested songs: ARP73C “Yet Constantly, I Am with You” or TPH73C “In Sweet Communion, Lord, with Thee”

Seated with Christ in Heaven (2020.05.09 Pastoral Letter and Hopewell Herald)

Hopewell Herald – May 9, 2020

Dear Congregation,

What a joy it will be to have the afternoon exhortation together again. We’ve been missing out on some glorious passages in Ephesians.

In the tomorrow’s passage (2:1–7), we learn of God’s seating us in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus in order to make the highest and greatest possible display of His love, mercy, grace, and kindness.

When Jesus sat down, enthroned in the highest heaven, He did so in union with us, as our risen and ascended Mediator.

This is a truth and reality so high that we have difficulty apprehending it. But, every week in the public worship, if we don’t forsake our assembling ourselves together as a congregation, we participate in the assembly in glory from our worship on earth (Heb 10:25; 12:18–24), and the Lord Jesus addresses our assembly on earth from His place in glory (Heb 2:8–4:13; 12:25–29).

O that the Lord would stir up and strengthen our faith to perceive heavenly things, that as we grow in perceiving His mercy toward us, we would be unto the praise of His glorious grace!

The Lord so bless us and glorify Himself in us tomorrow, morning and evening,

Pastor

2020.05.09 Hopewell @Home ▫ Genesis 25:27–34

Read Genesis 25:27–34

Questions from the Scripture text: How does Genesis 25:27 summarily describe Esau? How does it summarily describe Jacob? Whom does Isaac love and why (Genesis 25:28)? Who loves Jacob? What has Jacob done in Genesis 25:29? What does Esau do? And what condition is he in? What does Esau ask (Genesis 25:30)? What changes as a result of this? What does Jacob demand (Genesis 25:31)? How does Esau respond to that (Genesis 25:32)? What does Jacob insist in Genesis 25:33? What four actions does Genesis 25:34 say happened? How does verse 34 summarize it? 

The Scripture has given us an admirable picture of Isaac and Rebekah so far, but we have just the beginning hints of trouble in this passage. Isaac is going to fall soon into one of the famous sins of his father, and by the time they are done, Isaac will be a self-indulgent old man who attempts to overturn the declared will of God, and Rebekah will be running a spy network to oppose her husband’s plans by force of cunning.

Even worse, Isaac’s fleshly priorities find a sad reflection in his eldest son. Hebrews 12:14–16 warns that if we do not pursue peace and that holiness which we must have to see the Lord, a root of bitterness will spring up, and people will become defiled and “profane (worldly/godless) like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.”

We must never grow complacent in our walk with the Lord. Rather, “let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

And what is it to walk with God? Well, it is very much like it sounds. That every step we take, we would take in fellowship with Him. We would not turn aside to the right or to the left in breaking His commandments. We would not lag behind Him, shrinking from any duty. We would not run ahead of Him, either trusting in our own strength or pursuing our own fleshly interests. Just. Walk. With. Him. Obeying His commandments, serving Him in all things, trusting Him, and denying ourselves. He has shown thee, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of thee: to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God (Micah 6:8).

If Esau walks with God, then he doesn’t exaggerate his present distress or desires. But there is One who was hungry, not having eaten for 40 days or nights. How did He resist temptation? Because He was dependent upon, devoted to, delighting in the God with Whom He walked, “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

If Jacob walks with God, then he would trust God with his inheritance and show mercy to his brother. But there is One who is moved with compassion for five thousand hungry ones who, by the end of the next day, will have turned on Him entirely (John 6:1–66). He feeds them, and when it comes time to die for them, He opens not His mouth but entrusts Himself to God who judges justly (1 Peter 2:21–25).

So, let us rejoice that it is in our behalf that Christ has been the opposite of both Esau and Jacob here. Let us marvel that it was through such a family that Christ was coming into the world to obey in our place and die in our place. And, let us also learn from their example and His that we must walk with God because it please Christ, and because the work that He is doing in us is a work in which He is making us to be like Himself!

When do you tend to indulge your flesh? Upon whom do you find it hardest to have compassion?

Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH525 “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us”

2020.05.08 Hopewell @Home ▫ Luke 5:12–15

Read Luke 5:12–15

Questions from the Scripture text: What kind of man sees Jesus in Luke 5:12? How does he respond to Him? What does he say? How does Jesus respond (Luke 5:13)? What is the result? What does Jesus tell him not to do (Luke 5:14)? What does He tell him to do? Just as what? But what happens anyway (Luke 5:15)? For what two things did the multitudes come together?  

In a few, short verses here, we see many glorious characteristics of our Lord Jesus. And to these we may rightly respond with the leper by falling upon our faces before Him (Luke 5:12), and rightly respond with the great multitudes by coming to Him to hear Him and coming to Him to be healed of our infirmities (Luke 5:15).

First, we see Christ’s saving ability. Of this the leper was sure, “You can make me clean.” His expectation is well-grounded. The Lord who rebukes fevers and directs fish into nets commands, “be cleansed,” and “immediately the leprosy left him.” There is nothing in our lives that cannot be immediately resolved by the word or even the whim of our Redeemer. How great is His saving power!

Second, we see Christ’s compassionate willingness. Of this the leper was less sure, “Lord, if you are willing.” In Mark, the Holy Spirit tells us that this willingness was moved by Jesus’s compassion. We too have need of that compassion, because we too are more likely to balk at Christ’s willingness. Often, our doubting in prayer comes from too-small a view of the compassionate willingness of our Redeemer. How differently our hearts would approach, if we were absolutely confident that He always operates out of a willingness to do and give every possible good and perfect thing for us!

Third, we see Christ’s perfect righteousness. He came to keep the law in our place, which we could never have done. Even in His instruction in Luke 5:14, Jesus honors the commandments of God. He prioritizes the display of God’s glory unto the priests in this “testimony to them,” while not looking for immediate praise for Himself in charging the healed man “to tell no one.” Behold, Christ our righteousness, as He keeps both the letter and the spirit of the law of God in our place! How perfect is that obedience of His that is counted for us before God!

Fourth, we see Christ’s literally self-sacrificial love. Part of the reason for His charging the healed leper to tell no one is that He has not come at this time to enter into the fullness of His glory. When Peter spoke against Christ dying, Jesus called him “Satan” and told him that he had in mind the things of men rather than the things of God. By contrast, Jesus “came to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10), for which purpose He had “set His face toward Jerusalem” (cf. Luke 9:51–53). Behold, the Redeemer who had a right to glory, but charged the cleansed leper not to give it, because He came to give Himself to die on the cross for our sins (cf. Philippians 2:5–11).

The saving ability of Christ, the compassionate willingness of Christ, the perfect righteousness of Christ, and the atoning/self-sacrificial love of Christ are all on display here. Shall we not rightly respond with the leper by falling upon our faces before Him (Luke 5:12), and rightly respond with the great multitudes by coming to Him to hear Him and coming to Him to be healed of our infirmities (Luke 5:15)?

Which attributes of Christ do you seem to forget the most? How/when will you remind yourself?

Suggested songs: ARP45A “My Heart Is Greatly Stirred” or TPH280 “Wondrous King, All Glorious”

Prayer through Jesus in Boldness, Effectiveness, Holiness, Sincerity, and Assurance (2020.05.06 Prayer Meeting Devotional)

Hebrews 10:19–22. When we come to God through Christ for prayer, we should come with boldness, expectation of effectiveness, mindful consecration unto His holiness, gospel-liberated sincerity, and baptism-sealed assurance.