The Lord Who Provides and How He Provides [Family Worship lesson in 2Kings 6:1–7]

Why needn’t we either compromise nor despair for material provision? 2Kings 6:1–7 looks forward to the first serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord cares even for our most mundane needs in almighty power.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2022.11.09 Hopewell @Home ▫ 2 Kings 6:1–7

Read 2 Kings 6:1–7

Questions from the Scripture text: Who speak to whom in 2 Kings 6:1? What do they say? Where do they ask to go (2 Kings 6:2)? For each one to do what? In order to make what? What does the prophet answer? What further request do they make (2 Kings 6:3)? Now what does he answer? Who go where and do what in 2 Kings 6:4? What is one doing in 2 Kings 6:5? What happens? How does he respond? To whom? Why? What does Elisha ask in 2 Kings 6:6? What does he do when the man shows him the place? What happens to the iron? What does Elisha say to do (2 Kings 6:7a)? What does the son of the prophets do (verse 7b)?

Why needn’t we either compromise nor despair for material provision? 2 Kings 6:1–7 looks forward to the first serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord cares even for our most mundane needs in almighty power.

God works in almighty providence to attend to mundane things, like bunk space and being able to return borrowed axes. This is not the rise and fall of nations, and these aren’t royalty, but God works a miracle through His prophet to do it. This reminds of lessons from 2 Kings 4:38–44, now in the context of 2 Kings 5:20–27. Let us seek grace to be content with God’s marvelous provision, lest we fall into the sin of Gehazi.

God works in almighty providence through wisdom and diligence. God’s provision precludes sinning, but it includes planning and work. Part of how He provides here is observation and planning (2 Kings 6:2) together with the diligence required to borrow axes, take the trip, and chop down the trees. Trusting in almighty providence mustn’t become an excuse for failure to plan or failure to work. And planning and working must never be where we find our sense of security. They operate under God’s almighty providence.

God works in almighty providence through tiny details. It seems like a little thing in 2 Kings 6:2 when one man expresses his preference for the prophet to come with them. But then an iron axe head ends up on the bottom of the river. We never know what tiny details now are going to end up being significant. But God does. He works through tiny details.

God works in almighty providence through almighty power (cf. Genesis 30:38). The stick in the water reminds us of Jacob putting striped sticks in the water. The Israel that received Genesis (and probably Jacob himself) knew that this could not change what the baby sheep or goats would look like. And we certainly know that floating sticks don’t make floating iron. But as with several of Elisha’s miracles already, a prophetic action is added to imprint the Word more starkly in the memory. The stick is not the means of the miracle, because it doesn’t need to be. The Lord Himself provides the outcome.

We too, dear reader, live under the constant care of almighty providence. Let us see how He attends to mundane things and even tiny details so that every moment of every day will be an act of trusting. So that we might honor Him in how we live, let us see that He still expects us to plan and labor. And so that we might neither take credit nor lose heart, let us remember that He is free to work by means, beyond means, or even beside (without) means.

What difficulties do you face in everyday life? How will they ultimately be resolved? So, what should you do?

Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for attending to every detail of our lives in almighty providence. Forgive us for our lack of faith when we view our lives as unimportant to You or distant from You. Forgive us for our foolishness when we don’t plan, our laziness when we don’t work, and our blasphemy when we excuse ourselves by calling this folly and laziness “faith.” Forgive us for the sake of Christ’s sacrifice. And grant us His righteousness, that we might trust You, plan wisely, work diligently, and praise You for all of the good that You do. For, we ask it all through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH256 “God Moves in a Mysterious Way” 

Theology Simply Explained — WSC60, The Holy Day's Holy Resting

Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 60—especially explaining from Scripture that holy sort of resting unto which Christ consecrated His holy day.
WSC60: How is the sabbath to be sanctified? The sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days; and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God's worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Deliverance from Trouble unto Corporate Praise—All Life Long and Forever [Family Worship lesson in Psalm 71:14–24]

How is God’s faithfulness known in old age? Psalm 71:14–24 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eleven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that our God brings us through great and severe troubles so that we will rejoice over the certainty of resurrection unto corporate worship for the everlasting praise of God. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2022.11.08 Hopewell @Home ▫ Psalm 71:14–24

Read Psalm 71:14–24

Questions from the Scripture text: What will the psalmist do, when (Psalm 71:14a)? What else (verse 14b)? How much? Of what two things will his mouth tell (Psalm 71:15a, b)? When? Why so long (verse 15c)? In what strength will he walk (Psalm 71:16a)? Whose righteousness will he claim (verse 16b)? Whose else? What has God done to him (Psalm 71:17a)? Since when (cf. Psalm 71:6a–b)? What does the psalmist continue to do in response (Psalm 71:17b, cf. Psalm 71:6c)? What season of life is the psalmist in (Psalm 71:18a)? What does he ask (verse 18b)? Why does he want to remain (verse 18c–d, cf. Philippians 1:24–26)? What else does he want to declare (Psalm 71:19a)? In what have this righteousness and strength been displayed (verse 19b)? Showing what (verse 19c)? Who has put the psalmist through what (Psalm 71:20a)? What else will God do (verse 20b)? Even from what (verse 20c)? What two things will God add to this deliverance/reviving (Psalm 71:21)? How will the psalmist response (Psalm 71:22)? How do we know that this is specifically corporate worship (Psalm 71:22a, c; cf. 1 Chronicles 25)? How does the end of verse 22d affirm this? What part of him will participate in Psalm 71:23a? With what affection? What part of him in verse 23b? What else will he do (Psalm 71:24a)? To what specific great work (cf. Psalm 71:19b) is he responding with all this worship (Psalm 71:24b–d)?

How is God’s faithfulness known in old age? Psalm 71:14–24 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eleven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that our God brings us through great and severe troubles so that we will rejoice over the certainty of resurrection unto corporate worship for the everlasting praise of God.  

Hope in God now and forever, Psalm 71:14-16. Hope in God did not begin with this Psalm for the psalmist. If we do not learn to trust, love, and praise God from our youth, then we may reasonably expect our old age to be without hope. But the psalmist who has continually hoped in God (Psalm 71:14a) is assured that his praise of God will increase forever (verse 14b). It will take eternally increasing praise to exalt the righteousness, salvation, and strength of God (Psalm 71:15-16).

Praise trained in from youngest days, Psalm 71:17-18. God has been his teacher from his youth (Psalm 71:17a), until what end? That even now in his old age (Psalm 71:18a), the psalmist would declare his wondrous works (Psalm 71:17b). Like Paul in Philippians 1:24–26, the psalmist has a good grasp of the role of the elderly believer: to declare to young God’s strength and power—to be used by God to direct others, so that one day they will be the life-long hopers in and worshipers of God.

Useful trouble, Psalm 71:19-24. God has done great things (Psalm 71:19b) in His righteousness (v19a). Great things like what? Like putting His servant through “great and severe troubles” (Psalm 71:20a). God will save us from the grave in resurrection (verse 20c), and often He puts us through things that feel like a death in order to train us to trust that He is the God Who revives us (verse 20b). Manmade religion says that you will have less trouble, but our resurrecting God says “in this world you will have trouble” (cf. John 16:33), and “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (cf. Acts 14:22), and the Lord chastens all true sons (cf. Hebrews 12:7), and “everyone who desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (cf. 2 Timothy 3:12). Indeed, we cry with the psalmist, “O God, Who is like You?!”

Troubles bring this life into the context of eternity for us (cf. Romans 8:18, 2 Corinthians 4:17). The reminder of resurrection (Psalm 71:20) brings into view glorification (Psalm 71:21a) and perfected blessedness (verse 21b). When a saint in such circumstances comes to corporate worship (note the priestly instruments in Psalm 71:22), he has in view not only ultimate deliverance, glorification, and perfected blessing, but also perfected worship: great rejoicing in songs, with resurrected lips and tongues that belong to redeemed souls (Psalm 71:23-24a).

By bringing our future, eternal glory and worship into view, we receive one more benefit from great troubles at the hands of the wicked. Such troubles remind us that we will be praising God at the judgment. Though we take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, or in their misery now, we are sure that we will be praising God for His justness when He condemns them at the judgment. And this gives us a key to praying in trouble and praising after it: praying for and praising the righteousness of God in confounding and shaming the wicked (Psalm 71:24).

What troubles are you in? What do they remind you about God? What do they remind you about this life in light of the next? How do both your praying and praising in the midst of them reflect this Psalm?

Sample prayer:  Lord God, Your righteousness is very high! You have done great things! Who is a God like You? You have saved us from great and sever troubles, and You will save us from death to praise You forever. Make our lips to greatly rejoice as we sing. Make our souls, which You have redeemed, to greatly rejoice. Make our tongues to speak of Your righteousness. Attend us by Your almighty Spirit in every part of the worship we ask, in Christ’s Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP71C “I’ll Come to Tell the Mighty Deeds” or TPH71 “In You, LORD, I Take Refuge”

Faith to Forgive, Serve, Humble Ourselves, and Find All Provision in Jesus [2022.11.06 Evening sermon from Luke 17:1–10]

Jesus teaches on the faith that serves the Lord.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

Living after God's Heart [2022.11.06 Morning sermon from 2Samuel 5:17–25]

Don’t “live your truth.” Pause, pray, and live out of God’s revealed truth in the Bible. Many idols in our lives promise to save us but can’t even save themselves. God alone saves.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

Thankful for, Loving, Praying for, Inquiring about, and Edifying the Saints [Family Worship lesson in Colossians 1:3–9]

How do believers encourage one another? Colossians 1:3–8 looks forward to the devotional in this week’s midweek meeting. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that one of the ways that believers especially encourage one another is by thanking God with and for one another.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2022.11.07 Hopewell @Home ▫ Colossians 1:3–8

Read Colossians 1:3–8

Questions from the Scripture text: What does the apostle give to Whom (Colossians 1:3a)? When doing what (verse 3b)? For what two things is he thankful and toward whom, respectively (Colossians 1:4)? What has been the foundation of this faith and love (Colossians 1:5)? Where did they hear of this hope? Where did this gospel come, and to where has it now gone (Colossians 1:6)? What is it bringing forth? What did they hear and know, that produced this fruit? From whom, also, had they learned this grace (Colossians 1:7)? What two things does the apostle call Epaphras? What else has Epaphras declared, to whom (Colossians 1:8)?

How do believers encourage one another? Colossians 1:3–8 looks forward to the devotional in this week’s midweek meeting. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that one of the ways that believers especially encourage one another is by thanking God with and for one another.

Just as he testifies that he always does when he prays for them, so the apostle here also does as he writes to them: he gives thanksgiving to God. Let us learn to be full of thankfulness to God, so that it comes out in everything that we do!  Especially when we are going to be rebuking or warning of danger, as the apostle will be against Jewish legalisms and Greek philosophizing, we can have and communicate a right attitude if we begin with whatever thanksgiving we can give for whatever true evidences of grace we can see. 

By offering thanksgiving not only in his prayers but also here in the letter, the apostle models for us three great subjects of thankfulness in our prayers: the measure of God’s grace, the means of God’s grace, and the ministers of God’s grace.

First, we are to be thankful for the measure of God’s grace. Indeed, to measure this is to measure God Himself. As not only our Father in Christ, but Christ’s everlasting Father within the Godhead (Colossians 1:3), we see that in His Son, God has given Himself to us and for us. So when we praise God for giving them faith (Colossians 1:4a), and love (verse 4b), and hope(Colossians 1:5), we do so knowing the great cost at which these have all been purchased: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son!” Jesus is “our” Lord because His Father gave Him to be so.

Second, we are to be thankful for the means by which God’s grace is given us. This great gift of God Himself, with its great fruit in their lives of faith and love and hope, has come to them in a very simple fashion. True words entered their ears (Colossians 1:5b). What a marvelous gift God gives us, when He gives us to hear the words of the truth of the gospel! What extraordinary blessing He bestows on us and wonders He works in us through such an ordinary means as preaching! And it was like this not only in Colossae but in the whole world; it was the preaching of the gospel that bore this fruit (Colossians 1:6). How important, then, to stick to this preaching and reject the false self-advancement either of moralism like the Judaizers or humanistic philosophy like the Greeks.

Finally, we are to be thankful for the ministers by whom God’s grace came to us. Paul had not planted the church at Colossae; Epaphras had. Still, the apostle piles up the affectionate (“beloved fellow-slave”) and commendatory (“faithful servant of Christ”) language. There is no spirit of rivalry here—only joy over another’s labor and a desire that those who have benefited would also be grateful to God for him. He gladly affirms to the Colossians Epaphras’s Christ-wrought service. For his part, Epaphras had done quite similarly, telling Paul of the Colossians’ Spirit-wrought love. Let us learn to incubate thankfulness for believers’ graces when speaking to God, so that our speech to one another may be filled with mature thanksgiving for one another.

What gives God’s gifts to you their true measure? How does your thankfulness reflect the greatness of God’s gift of Christ? What place does this give preaching, prayer, and the sacraments in those things for which you are thankful? How do you practice fostering and expressing your thankfulness for other Christians? 

Sample prayer:  Our gracious God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—how glorious is Your goodness to the children of men that for us You have given God the Son! Every one of your good gifts to Your adopted children in Him come in that love—but especially that Christian faith, love, and hope that we have in heaven with Him. We bemoan before You how small our thankfulness has been—both for Your grace and for those means by which You give it to us. Help us to treasure  Your means of grace, and those believers with whom You have united us in grace, especially in the Son of Your grace, Jesus Christ, in Whose Name we ask it, AMEN! 

Suggested songs: ARP22C “I’ll Praise You in the Gathering” or TPH433 “Amazing Grace” 

God Gives a King Who Trusts, Seeks, and Obeys [Family Worship lesson in 2Samuel 5:17–25]

What attributes of God shape the actions of a man after God’s own heart? 2Samuel 5:17–25 looks forward to the morning sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these nine verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that people after God’s own heart live in response to God’s truth, power, and wisdom. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)