2020.05.19 Hopewell @Home ▫ Hebrews 10:11–18

Read Hebrews 10:11–18

Questions from the Scripture text: What kind of sacrifices does every priest repeatedly offer (Hebrews 10:11)? What can they never do? How many sacrifices did this one offer (Hebrews 10:12)? For how long is it good? Where did He sit down? What is He waiting for (Hebrews 10:13)? What has He done forever to those who are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:14)? Who witnesses to us (Hebrews 10:15)? What did He say the Lord would make with us (Hebrews 10:16)? What would He put on our hearts? What would He write on our minds? What would He not remember anymore (Hebrews 10:17)? What does our forgiveness mean will no longer happen (Hebrews 10:18)?

Next week’s Call to Worship, Prayer for Help, and Confession of Sin come from Hebrews 10:11–18 in order that we will see that we are singing God’s thoughts after Him with Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise.

As we see in Ephesians 1:19–2:7, one of the wonders of Christ’s ascension to the high throne of heaven is that this has occurred in human flesh, in His office as our Mediator, so that Jesus sits on heaven’s throne not merely as our Representative, but in mystical union with us.

No other priest’s sacrifice could ever take away sins (Hebrews 10:11), but His one sacrifice as our Priest has put away our sins forever (Hebrews 10:12a). And, it is as our Priest that He has also taken His royal seat at the right hand of God (verse 12b), and as our Priest that He rules while His enemies are made His footstool (Hebrews 10:13).

Yes, we are still sinners, because we are still being sanctified (cleansed, made holier in heart and conduct, Hebrews 10:14b). But even in this still-being-sanctified condition, we have been “perfected forever.” The word translated “perfected” is related to the word translated “it is finished” on the cross. The phrase means that Christ has completed, in a continual way that can never be interrupted, everything that is necessary for us.

And the apostle follows this amazing application of the significance of Christ’s ascension by quoting from the Old Testament to show that this ongoing sanctifying work (Hebrews 10:16, cf. Jeremiah 31:33) was prophesied in Scripture to occur during a time when our forgiveness had been completed (Hebrews 10:17, cf. Jeremiah 31:34).

Sometimes, as believers who are still being sanctified, we may feel overwhelmed by the power of our sin. At those times, we must remember that it is the ascended Christ who is sanctifying us, so it shall surely succeed.

Sometimes, as believers who are still being sanctified, we may feel overwhelmed with a sense of the guilt of our sin. At those times, we must remember that it is the ascended Christ who has completed all that is necessary for complete forgiveness of our sins.

And sometimes, as believers who are still being sanctified, we can grow lazy or careless about growing in holiness. May God grant unto us at those times a faith-glimpse at our ascended, reigning Priest and King, so that confidence and joy and gratitude and worship and submission would all combine to stir us up to the sanctifying work that is His current mission in our hearts and lives.

What sin are you currently struggling against? When you are discouraged (or have grown complacent) what might you do for help in the struggle? 

Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH371 “Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise”

2020.05.18 Hopewell Harbinger

The following is the copy of this week's Harbinger. If you'd like to get it weekly in your email, click the red link on the left.

Hopewell This Week, May 18-23, 2020

A note from the Deacons:

Please pass on our gratitude for all who came out to work this past Saturday. We made great progress on several projects! 

We realize this coming weekend is Memorial Day weekend and many may have plans but for those that don’t and would like some additional “fun fellowship” we do plan to work from 8 am to 12N with a lunch provided for all who can come out.

Here’s a list of items completed in no particular order.

·         Charlie, Russ, and crew almost got completed with the deck but have just a bit to finish up. Very impressive work with some additional needed repair on the manse!

·         Sam’s crew almost finished the screened porch framing as well but still has a bit of framing and staining before we can add the screen. If 2-3 people could stain while the trim gets finished, we could get the screen on later in the morning.

·         Ruth Anne and company got the upstairs FH room de-cluttered, primed and one coat of paint on most of the walls. Another coat needs to be applied.

·         Samuel, Thomas and Craig got the west wall of the church pressure washed with a big assist from the Roudens’ scraping the lower section. We do have cleanup to do picking up paint chips and scrapings out of the flower bed, grass and walk paths ... and maybe still in some hair or on ball caps!  This will be tedious but may be a great project for smaller hands, particularly in the cool of the morning shade on that side of the building. If anyone has a paint sprayer and knows how to use it, we could get a lift rented and prime the wall. However, that may be for another day.

·         Dawn, Liz, and team finished the Shed paint job. We have a little trim work to do on the door and it should be complete.

·         Jim and Lowry got the remainder of the property cut and groomed nicely. I think they enjoy machines that go vroom!

·         Jeremiah and Doug got the stairwell stained, one coat of finish and mounted with assistance from Mr. Wenneker. Major thinking went into getting this accomplished!  Only item left to get Occupancy permit is replacing the front door. We thought we had a solution but still looking to get it done.

·         Mr. Wenneker also got Pastor Hakim’s workout bench built.

·         General cleaning was also accomplished by many.

·         The Hakims were gracious hosts with all the activity around the manse and provided pizza for dinner. More slices kept appearing in our box after we’d already eaten it. It seemed miraculous!

Thanks to all who showed up. I know I’ve missed naming all who came and helped in a big way. Others ran “errands” for us filling in gaps of needed supplies and food.  It was a joy to see so many young men and women pitch in and support our efforts and doing so cheerfully. Everyone was needed and contributed.

Let Tim Heldman know by text or email if you will be able to make it this Saturday morning. If you can, please plan to stay for lunch! 

In grateful appreciation,

The Hopewell ARP Deacons

P.S. - Also, let us know if you have a paint sprayer. Thanks!

▫Attached is a pdf of Lord’s Day’s Worship Booklet, complete with Hopewell @Home devotionals for this week, in addition to 8.5x11's of the memory verse and catechism questions that can be used as posters to help with memory work.

▫The link is now active for audio and pdf outline of the Lord’s Day morning sermon (Genesis 26:1–11, Surprisingly Failing Saints Turned Back to God by His Surprising Mercies ), and also for the audio of the Lord’s Day p.m. exhortation (Ephesians 2:8–10, God's Grace Glorified in Our Salvation from Start to Finish)

▫Prayer Meeting, Wednesday, May 20, at 6:30p.m. The prayer meeting folder is available at https://bit.ly/harpc200520pm (prayer meeting is also live-streamed at both fb.com/hopewellarp and bit.ly/harpclive)

Congregational Workday, Saturday, May 23. (see the Diaconate’s letter above)

Lord’s Day, May 24:

▫9:50 a.m. Breakfast line. If you are getting breakfast from the line, we’d like to get that going a little earlier. If you’re not yet comfortable with that, you are welcome to bring your own breakfast

▫10 a.m. Study Class. We’re studying how Scripture teaches the doctrines that have been summarized in our church’s confession. This week, we’ll continue studying election.

▫11 a.m. Public Worship. The holy assembly on the Lord’s Day.  

▫Children’s Catechism for May 24
Q30. What is meant by "transgression"? A. Doing what God forbids.

▫Shorter Catechism for May 24
Q38. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection? A. At the resurrection, believers, being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity.

Songs for May 24 morning service: 

TPH371 “Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise”   

ARP78B “O Come, My People, to My Law” 

TPH534 “Fill Thou My Life, O Lord My God”

A.M. Sermon Text for May 24: Genesis 26:12–22

▫12:45 p.m. Catechism Class

▫12:45 p.m. Tea/Chocolate/Coffee Fellowship

▫1 p.m. Fellowship Meal

▫2:30 p.m. Psalm/hymn Sing. Even if they do not come for lunch, please invite other believers to this time of praise and sung encouragement in the Word of God.

▫3:30 p.m. Church Family Devotional. Ephesians 2:11–13.

▫Memory Verse for May 24
(Genesis 26:22) And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, because he said, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”

2020.05.17 P.M. Exhortation—Ephesians 2:8–10, "God's Grace Glorified in Our Salvation from Start to Finish"

God's grace is glorified in our salvation from start to finish—both in a justification that is not at all through anything that we do, and in sanctification where we do things that we ourselves could never have done, but are the vintage of God's new-creation workmanship in us.

2020.05.17 Morning Sermon—Genesis 26:1–11 "Surprisingly Failing Saints Turned Back to God by His Surprising Mercies"

Believers often stumble in surprising failure, but the Lord often shows them surprising mercy to turn them back to Himself.

In Genesis 26:1–11, Isaac was afraid, but God showed surprising mercy that should stir up faith to inspire confidence and goodness to inspire the worship of gratitude. It is this life of confidence in God and life of worship unto God that overcomes fear.

2020.05.18 Hopewell @Home ▫ Genesis 26:1–11

Read Genesis 26:1–11

Questions from the Scripture text: What happened in the land (Genesis 26:1)? When had this happened before? Where (to whom) did Isaac go? Who appeared to him in Genesis 26:2? What did He have to tell him not to do? What did He tell him to do (Genesis 26:3)? Whom does Yahweh say will be with Isaac? What does He say He will give to Isaac’s descendants? What does He say He will perform? What else will Yahweh do to Isaac’s descendants (Genesis 26:4)? What will He give them? What would happen in one of his seed? What reason does Yahweh give in Genesis 26:5 for making such promises? Where did Isaac dwell (Genesis 26:6)? Who ask about whom in Genesis 26:7? What does Isaac say? Why? How much time passes before his lie is exposed (Genesis 26:8)? Who sees him “Isaacing” Rebekah? What does Abimelech ask in Genesis 26:9? What reason does Isaac give? What does Abimelech say that Isaac might have done to them (Genesis 26:10)? 

How mercifully God protects us from dangers earthly and spiritual! In this passage, He graciously spares Isaac in the midst of both the famine of food and his own faithless fearfulness.

Isaac was supposed to be the one in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed, but he almost became the one who led Gerar into incurring God's curse (Genesis 26:10)!

It’s amazing how weak we can be. Yahweh has literally just appeared to Isaac and made great promises to him in Genesis 26:2-4. Yahweh has underlined to Isaac how Abraham’s grace-sustained obedience was necessary and instrumental in bringing about these promised blessings.

But Isaac’s fear of the Philistines had outweighed his fear of God. And Isaac’s confidence in his cleverness had outweighed his confidence in the promises of God. Let us be grateful to God that He has allowed us to see Isaac’s amazing weakness, for our own confidence in God and fear of God often fail us.

But more than that, let us be grateful to God that He has allowed us to see His own faithfulness even in the midst of Isaac’s failing. As the Lord had said to a previous Abimelech (cf. Genesis 20:6), it is God who keeps the Philistines from touching Rebekah.

Isaac fails to protect his own wife—he ought to have been willing to die if he must in order to protect her. But the Lord protected her. Isaac fails to protect the Philistines from sinning. But the Lord protected them.

And the Lord even protects Isaac from any revenge by the Philistines. Rather than take vengeance on the man who had brought them into such danger, Abimelech actually threatens vengeance on his own people if they should harm Isaac.

What a wonderful thing the Lord does by putting this into the heart and mouth of the Philistine king! But this underlines for us the failure of Isaac’s faith. The Philistines whom he so feared conducted themselves quite nobly with him, and this was always within the scope of God’s abilities and intentions toward him. Truly, duty is ours, and events are God’s. We have only to trust and obey this God who shows amazing grace to amazing sinners.

What situation is testing your trust in God? Whom should you fear and trust the most?

Suggested songs: ARP23B “The Lord’s My Shepherd” or TPH22B “All You That Fear Jehovah’s Name”

Worship Fulfills Christ's Perfect Desires (2020.05.16 Pastoral Letter and Hopewell Herald)

Hopewell Herald – May 16, 2020

Dear Congregation,

As I write, my heart is gladdened by the sound of fellowship wafting down the hallway to my study. What a joy it is that God’s bringing us near to Himself in Christ has also brought us near to one another.

There is a great Christian fellowship in recreation together, but I think that every time we have one of these workdays, we are reminded that there is a fellowship of a different (and in some ways superior) quality in working together. And there is a fellowship of a truly heavenly quality in worshiping together, when the worship is truly governed by God’s Word unto God’s glory.

In the Ephesians passage for this week’s Hopewell @Home (the May 24 morning service/afternoon exhortation), we are reminded that when God creates us new in Christ, He makes us part of a commonwealth of people who are joined to one another, and a covenant people who are joined to Him.

Having had some aspects of our worship curtailed a bit these last couple months has only heightened the gratitude for being able to enjoy it together. Although we are all called as Christians to think of one another, it is my actual vocation to look forward to and prepare for our times together. This is especially a blessing to me because that which I do imperfectly and finitely, our Lord does infinitely with reference to His divine nature and even perfectly with reference to His human nature.

What a wonderful thing to have reinforced to me (and which I now wish to reinforce to you)—the desire and delight of our Lord to have fellowship with us in all things, and especially as He gathers us to Himself in worship, and through Himself unto the Father!

Looking forward to this fulfillment of His perfect desires (and our grace-given, though yet imperfect desires!),

Pastor

2020.05.16 Hopewell @Home ▫ Genesis 26:1–11

Read Genesis 26:1–11

Questions from the Scripture text: What happened in the land (Genesis 26:1)? When had this happened before? Where (to whom) did Isaac go? Who appeared to him in Genesis 26:2? What did He have to tell him not to do? What did He tell him to do (Genesis 26:3)? Whom does Yahweh say will be with Isaac? What does He say He will give to Isaac’s descendants? What does He say He will perform? What else will Yahweh do to Isaac’s descendants (Genesis 26:4)? What will He give them? What would happen in one of his seed? What reason does Yahweh give in Genesis 26:5 for making such promises? Where id Isaac dwell (Genesis 26:6)? Who ask about whom in Genesis 26:7? What does Isaac say? Why? How much time passes before his lie is exposed (Genesis 26:8)? Who sees him “Isaacing” Rebekah? What does Abimelech ask in Genesis 26:9? What reason does Isaac give? What does Abimelech say that Isaac might have done to them (Genesis 26:10)?

Our growth in grace comes in fits and starts, and sometimes with surprising backslidings, but God mercifully persists with us.

Even after God has graciously grown us for a time, we sometimes show a shocking capacity for reverting. We would expect Genesis 26:1 to say, “there was a famine in the land, and Isaac prayed to Yahweh.”

This is what we have seen him doing before. We meet him in the evening, and he is in the field meditating before God. For twenty years his wife is barren, and he pleads with Yahweh for her, and Yahweh grants his plea. So, when there is a famine in the land, we expect to Isaac take his hunger and doubt and uncertainty to the King of kings—not Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar.

In fact, from Yahweh’s opening line in Genesis 26:2, it seems that Isaac was even inclined to go further, down to Egypt. And even when he stays in the land (Genesis 26:3a, Genesis 26:6a), because Yahweh mercifully accommodates him in telling him to do so (Genesis 26:2c), Isaac still operates out of fear. Perhaps he is concerned that, having fathered Jacob, his usefulness had expired. But, after the grand promises in Genesis 26:3-4, it is a deep disappointment to read in Genesis 26:6, “for he was afraid.”

Surely, Isaac knew the history of how Abraham had wound up receiving a mortifying rebuke from Pharaoh. Maybe Isaac remembered that Yahweh came to Abimelech’s ancestor in a vision and announcing, “You are a dead man.” Certainly, Abimelech seems to be concerned about having such an interview with the Lord (cf. end of Genesis 26:10).

Whatever he remembered or didn’t, Isaac had come to the wrong conclusion. Not only was he wrongly afraid of Abimelech, but he failed to fear Yahweh. He seems to have been wrong on both counts. Abimelech cares about being guilty before God (verse 10), and charges his people to treat them properly (Genesis 26:11). And, whether the Lord prevented the Philistines by fear or mere providence (cf. Genesis 20:6), after they had been there “a long time” (Genesis 26:8), and still no one had taken Rebekah.

Eventually, Isaac is himself with his wife; verse 8 literally says that Isaac was “Isaacing” Rebekah his wife. Because his name means laughter, some translations say he was “laughing” with her. The jig is up, and his lie is exposed. But by God’s mercy, even Abimelech is merciful, and Isaac is spared. May the Lord grant that fear of Him would drive out from us fear of man, and that even if we do backslide, He would be merciful to us and grant that others too would be merciful to us.

What are you currently tempted to fear? How might you sin, if that fear overcomes fear of God?

Suggested songs: ARP56B “You Have Recorded All My Ways” or TPH2B “Why Do Heathen Nations Rage?”

In Luke 5:17–26, many came for teaching, but needed forgiveness more. A few came for healing, but needed forgiveness more. We need both teaching and healing from Jesus, but we need forgiveness from Him more, and He has power and authority to give it!

2020.05.15 Hopewell @Home ▫ Luke 5:17–26

Read Luke 5:17–26

Questions from the Scripture text: What was Jesus doing in Luke 5:17? Who were there from where? What was present, to what to them? Who brought whom in Luke 5:18? What problem did they navigate in what way in Luke 5:19? What did Jesus see in Luke 5:20? And what did He say to whom? Who had a problem with this and why (Luke 5:21)? What did Jesus perceive in Luke 5:22? What did He confront them for doing? What comparative question does He ask in Luke 5:23? Why does He say that He is going to heal the man (Luke 5:24)? How does the man respond in Luke 5:25 to his being both forgiven and healed? Who else respond similarly (Luke 5:26)? What do they say?

Through this evangelist, the Holy Spirit gives us a unique bit of information: the crowd who had so filled this house that the men with the paralytic could not get him inside was mostly (entirely?) “Pharisees and teachers of the law.”

These Pharisees and teachers of the law have come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. That’s a pretty big conference of religious leaders—it’s no wonder that there was no room in the house.

We wonder if they knew that they needed healing. We wonder if they knew that they needed forgiving. Jesus was teaching, but did they know that they needed the “power of the Lord to heal them”?

The paralytic knew. The men with him knew. When Jesus saw their faith, He told them what they most needed to hear—what we each most need to hear, “your sins are forgiven you.”

Often, people come to Jesus for teaching, who need forgiveness and healing first. These Pharisees didn’t think that forgiveness could come from Jesus, from listening to Him, or believing in Him—Luke 5:21 makes it clear that this is not something that they were there for.

But Jesus mercifully redirects their attention and ours. He says, “your sins are forgiven you.” And He explicitly tells us the reason for healing the man: “that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins.” The fact of the matter is that this man who took up his mat and went home that day would be paralyzed again. One day, his legs would cease to function altogether, and he would lie down not on a mat but in a grave. Jesus was not “undoing the fall” in healing him. That ultimately comes to our bodies in the resurrection.

For Christ, it was actually easier to say, “rise up, and walk.” For Pharisees who thought that they could achieve forgiveness through their efforts, a paralytic walking was a “strange thing” that would amaze them, make them glorify God, and fill them with fear (Luke 5:26). This was something beyond human ability. But Christ spoke sinlessly and truthfully. He knew that this forgiveness would come at the cost of His suffering under the wrath of God and dying. It was the hardest thing that was ever said, when Jesus said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

But He has said it to all whose faith He sees—to whom He has given that faith by His Spirit, because He has died for them. “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” And it is when we come to Him with full confidence in His blood-bought forgiveness and resurrection that we are properly ready to hear Him teach us, not merely as an expert but our Savior, our Lord, and our God.

For what do you need forgiveness today? Healing? Who is Christ to you, as He teaches you?

Suggested songs: ARP119W “Lord, Let My Cry before You Come” or TPH382 “Speak, O Lord”