Seeing and Knowing Mediatorial Mercy [2023.04.16 Evening Sermon in Exodus 33:7–11]

To sinners who know that they deserve to be abandoned, the Lord gives them have hearts that are moved by the knowledge that they have an accepted mediator.

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Keeping Back Nothing Helpful [2023.04.16 Morning Sermon in Acts 20:20]

A shepherd under Christ—whether pastors in the congregation or husbands and fathers in the home—must keep back nothing helpful. And the great help that Christ requires him to provide is the Word.

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Jesus's Teaching on Treasure [2023.04.16 Sabbath School; Biblical Theology of the Diaconate #30]

We traced through the Sermon on the Mount to find that those who have God as their treasure allow neither wealth nor worry to control their lives.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2023.04.18 Hopewell @Home ▫ Psalm 86:11–17

Read Psalm 86:11–17

Questions from the Scripture text: With what petition does the psalmist begin (Psalm 86:11a)? For what purpose does he need this lesson (verse 11b)? What one thing does he desire would characterize every motion of his heart (verse 11c)? What does such a heart especially do (Psalm 86:12a)? What does that whole person do (verse 12b)? What attribute of God makes this response an absolute certainty (Psalm 86:13a)? In what action of God is this most clearly seen (verse 13b)? What is the situation that we finally (in Psalm 86:14!) learn has occasioned this prayer/psalm? Who is more determinative of David’s condition and outcome (Psalm 86:15)? Which five of His attributes are highlighted here? Of which does it say that God is full? In which two does it say that He is abundant (verse 15)? For what four things does Psalm 86:16 ask? What two things does the psalmist call himself here? What does he ask to have made visible in Psalm 86:17a? For whom else to see (verse 17b)? So that what may happen to them? What will both the psalmist and his haters know, when God’s goodness to him is made visible (verse 17c)?

What do believers who are in trouble want most from God? Psalm 86:11–17 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that believers who are in trouble desire to know God’s counsel, so they can praise God’s character, having experienced God’s comfort. 

God’s counsel, Psalm 86:11. David wants God’s counsel for his mind (verse 11a) and his behavior (verse 11b)—his whole soul (verse 11c). The prayer that the Spirit teaches us here focuses on our own minds, our own behavior, our own life. There is a way that Yahweh’s Word teaches us to walk. 

When we’re in trouble, clear thinking is of utmost importance, biblical thinking is of utmost importance. It may be surprising for us to learn that Bible study, doctrinal study is important for believers who are in trouble. This is because we need to know how to walk, and the right way to walk isn’t the way that manipulates circumstances or people, but the way that is according to God’s truth. 

Trouble endangers our hearts of going after many things, when they should be going after just one thing: the fear of the Lord. And the way to unite our behavior and our thoughts is by His Word.

God’s character, Psalm 86:12-15. Circumstances change. People are unstable. But one thing is always true: God and His glory (Psalm 86:12b). If our whole heart is about praising Him (verse 12a), then our life and its purpose will be forever. And what a glorious character is His Whom we praise! His covenanted love is great (Psalm 86:13a). He is a God of compassion and grace (Psalm 86:15a), of patience and a multitude of covenanted love and faithfulness (verse 15b).

The murderous (Psalm 86:14b) got that way because instead of having their lives be about beholding this God (verse 14c), they are proud of themselves instead (verse 14a). What a dangerous thing is pride—that it hides the glory of God from view by the smokescreen of our own faux glory! David’s great danger in his trouble isn’t that he might suffer at the hands of the wicked, but that he might become like them.

Here is one of the great benefits of having God as Savior (Psalm 86:13b). For us, His character is not merely a conceptual truth (Psalm 86:15), but and experienced reality toward us (Psalm 86:12a). If we keep His salvation ever in mind, it will keep His character in our minds, and protect us from slipping into that life like the wicked’s where God is not always at the forefront.

God’s comfort, Psalm 86:16-17. As this prayer of David closes, it reaches a fever pitch of urgency. The plea to “Turn! Have mercy!” (Psalm 86:16a). The self-description as “servant” and “son of maidservant” (verse 16b–c). The request for an indication, any indication, of God’s goodness toward him (Psalm 86:17a). All he is asking for is to get a little help or comfort (verse 17c) that will be a reminder of that ultimate deliverance that is sure to come. This will put his attackers to shame (verse 17b). What a blessing it is, when the Lord shines a ray of His comfort into the believer’s darkness, for it reminds that behind those clouds the sun of God’s love toward him always shines at full strength!

What trouble are you in? How has this driven you to more study of Scripture and theology? What has this study done to inform how you think and act in the midst of your trouble? What comforts, even the tiniest, has the Lord given you in this trouble? How much comfort will you have when it is completed?

Sample prayer:  Lord, come now and help us to worship You according to Your Word. We desire that in all that we do, especially Your worship, we would have one heart to fear Your Name and to praise You. You are a God of compassion and grace, of patience and a multitude of covenanted love and faithfulness. Now, in Your worship, make us to know how great is Your steadfast love toward us. Help us and comfort us by Your Spirit’s showing us good today, we ask, through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP86B “Your Way, Teach Me, LORD” or TPH5 “Hear My Words, O LORD”

2023.04.17 Hopewell @Home ▫ Romans 6:8–10

Read Romans 6:8–10

Questions from the Scripture text: What happened to believers (Romans 6:8)? With Whom? How do we respond to that death? What do we believe we shall do? With Whom? Whom do we know about (Romans 6:9)? What do we know has happened to Him? What does He no longer do? What doesn’t death have, over Whom? What did Christ do (Romans 6:10)? To what? How many times? How many more times will occur? What does He do now? Unto Whom does He live?

What do Christians believe, and know, about their freedom from sin?  Romans 6:8–10 looks forward to the sermon in the midweek meeting. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Christians know that their freedom from sin is in a Christ Whose life is sure, eternal, and glorious.

Freedom from sin in union with Christ, Romans 6:8. “If we died with Christ, we believe.” Those who are dead believe. There is no way to die to sin, except in union with Jesus Christ. There is no union with Jesus Christ, except through faith. If—then. If we died, we believe. We believe into Him. And how could it ever have been that we would only die with Him but not also live with Him? 

Yes, His death frees us from sin’s guilt and even sin’s power, but what about sin’s presence? There is more to Christ than His death—everlastingly and gloriously more. And there is more to our freedom from sin in Christ than freedom from its guilt and power—everlastingly and gloriously more.

This is part of the Christian faith. We believe it. We believe more than that we have been forgiven through Him. We believe that we shall also live with Him. We believe that we will be with Him. Forever. Sinless. Do you believe this, dear reader? 

Freedom from sin, completely and forever, Romans 6:9. “knowing that.” In Romans 6:8, it was believing. Now in Romans 6:9, it is knowing. Knowing is part of faith. In Romans 6:6, we knew that our old man was crucified with Him so that we would no longer be slaves of sin: bearing our sin’s guilt, He died, to deliver us from sin’s power. In Romans 6:9, we know more about the Christ in Whom we were crucified: He has been raised, and there’s no more dying to do, because death has no claim upon Him to rule over Him. 

The believer knows that his delivery from sin’s power in our heart is as completed as Christ’s delivery from death’s power in the grave. “Christ dies no more.” There is a finality and forever-ness here that must encourage a believer in his battle with sin. Do you know this about Christ’s death, dear reader?

Freedom from sin unto a glorious new reality, Romans 6:10. “the life that He lives, He lives to God.” In Romans 6:4, we read that Christ was “raised from the dead by the glory of the Father,” and that this shapes how we walk in newness of life. Christ’s resurrection announced, “God is glorious”! Our walking in newness of life announces, “God is glorious”!

Now in Romans 6:10, the “once for all” punctiliar aspect of Christ’s death is set over against His living. His living isn’t just for a point of time. It is forever and ever. And every moment of this “forever” is a “living unto God.” Every moment of the resurrected Christ’s life, delivered from death, forever and ever, declares that glory of God by which He has been raised. This is also the purpose of our having been delivered from sin. Every moment that we are not under the power of sin declares that glory of God by which we have been freed.

What do you believe about your union with Christ and fellowship with Christ? When does that come up in your thought life? What do you know about Christ’s death and resurrection life? How does your life reflect a desire to display God’s glory in your deliverance from sin’s power?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for investing Your glory not only in delivering Christ from death’s power but also in delivering us from sin’s power. Forgive us for all of our selfish living, in which we aim at something less than Your glory, by which we have been delivered. Grant that by Your Spirit, we would walk in newness of life, to bring You glory, as we hope forever to do in Christ, through Whom we ask it, AMEN!

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

2023.04.15 Hopewell @Home ▫ Acts 20:20

Read Acts 20:20

Questions from the Scripture text: What didn’t the apostle keep back (Acts 20:20)? How much of it? In what two ways did he convey these helpful things? In what two places? 

Of what does the primary ministry of an elder consist? Acts 20:20 looks forward to the morning sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In this verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that biblical shepherding is primarily a ministry of the Word, which must include both preaching and teaching, and must occur both in the congregational assembly and in each particular home. 

In Acts 20:18-19, we learned that the apostle’s example to the elders was one of the lowliness of the minister, but the Lordliness of Jesus, Who is worth all effort and suffering, and Who uses lowly servants in His Lordly power. The next two verses turn the focus to the ministry by which the Lord exercises this power through His servants: the ministry of preaching and teaching.

Every help is in the Word. The apostle introduces the proclaiming and teaching of the Word by describing this ministry as “keeping back nothing helpful.” In other words, the Word has in it everything that is necessary to carry believers through their Christian walk in this world. As he would later write, the Old and New Testament Scriptures are sufficient—even abundant—to furnish the man of God for every good work (cf. 2 Timothy 3:14–16). 

There are other, ordained means of grace (namely, especially, the sacraments and prayer) by which the Lord has appointed to make effectual to the believer what His Word says. But the Word contains everything helpful. Faithful shepherding (whether of an elder in the congregation, or a husband/father at home) will be full of the Word, adding nothing to it, and certainly leaving nothing out of it (cf. Acts 20:27).

In every way. There are many New Testament words for the ministry of the Word. The two that the Spirit uses here covers the gamut. “Proclaimed and taught” is what we mean when we frequently say “preaching and teaching.” They sound similar, but there is a very important distinction. 

In preaching, the minister is a messenger, a herald, an ambassador. He addresses you directly with something personal. It demands response. Even more, the Lord Himself is addressing you through the minister. The Scriptures are always living and active, but it is especially in that proclamation from heaven that we experience them that way (cf. Hebrews 4:12 in the context of Hebrews chapters 2–4, 12). 

In teaching, the minister is an educator. He instructs and explains. He communicates doctrine and facilitates understanding of how it fits together. There is a body of knowledge that every person needs, and the Lord’s way of giving it to them is not merely (or even primarily) through personal study. Someone who does “personal study” of Acts 20:20 should come to the conclusion that Jesus has provided him with instructors, and he must seek to be instructed by them. 

Neither of these—the preaching or teaching—should be left out of any ministry of the Word. If there is preaching without teaching, then ministers are culpable if the Lord’s flock turns out to be empty-headed. If there is teaching without preaching, then ministers are culpable if the Lord’s flock turns out to be cold-hearted. Either one of these conditions is spiritually deadly. A deficient ministry of the Word will produce a body that is either cancerous (overgrowth of that which is not true) or comatose (everything in place but inactive).

In every setting. There are two great institutions that the Lord has ordained, within which His Word is ministered: the church and the household. As the apostle reminds the Ephesian elders of his own exemplary ministry, he emphasizes that his ministry neglected neither one of these institutions. He preached and taught “publicly and from house to house.” 

To the church, the apostle preached in the assembly of the people—in the gathering of the congregation. As we learn from the chapters of Hebrews referenced above, this is especially an element of the public worship of God. As they gather, believers are to hear the Lord Jesus declare God’s Name to them as His brethren (cf. Hebrews 2:12). In the public worship (cf. Psalm 95:1–7c), they are to hear His voice (cf. Psalm 95:7–11; Hebrews 2:1, Hebrews 3:7–4:15, Hebrews 12:22–29). 

But Acts 20:20 tells us that the apostle’s ministry in the assembly was also one of education and instruction. The preaching in the public worship must be doctrinal preaching. It is by hearing and believing Jesus, Whom they hear via the preacher, that members of the congregation are brought to faith (cf. Romans 10:14–15). Jesus tells them particular things about Himself that they believe from Him, in response to which they believe upon Him. And it is through the renewing of their minds that He transforms believers (cf. Romans 12:2). His Word, by which He makes His people holy, is a Word of truth (cf. John 17:17; 2 Timothy 2:15; James 1:18). 

Then, there is the ministry from house to house. In the day and time of the author, ministry in the assembly has fallen on hard times, but ministry house-to-house has fared even worse. It is nearly non-existent. Morning and evening family worship has ever been the duty of husbands and fathers in the church (cf. Deuteronomy 6:6–7; Ephesians 5:26, Ephesians 6:4). Day by day, they are to lead their family through the Word of God, with a special view toward their family’s spiritual Sabbath care (cf. Exodus 20:10). 

Now in Acts 20:20, the apostle reminds the elders of his own ministry in each house. They are to continue this house-to-house ministry in his absence. Both preaching (addressing the household in behalf of God) and teaching (seeing to the household’s assimilation of Scripture content and doctrine) are ministries that elders are to oversee and participate in. Obviously, the most frequent shepherd in the home is the father/husband, but what he does is to be facilitated and overseen by the elders.

What has God given you that is able to give every sort of help that you need in the Christian life? Which do you have a greater need to get more of and attend more to: preaching or teaching? How is the elders’ ministry in the assembly being combined with their ministry in your home? 

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for Your sufficient, effective, instructive Word. Grant that nothing helpful from Your Word would be missing from the ministry that we sit under. Thank You for calling and gifting shepherds among Your flock—and specifically for the ones that You have given our congregation. Grant that our congregational assemblies, and each of our Christian homes, would be places where Your word is proclaimed and taught—which we ask in Jesus’s Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP119W “Lord, Let My Cry before You Come” or TPH170 “God in the Gospel of His Son”

Mediating, Moving Mercy [Family Worship lesson in Exodus 33:7–11]

How can a sinful people interact with God? Exodus 33:7–11 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that for a sinful people to interact with God, they must do so through an accepted, honored mediator. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2023.04.14 Hopewell @Home ▫ Exodus 33:7–11

Read Exodus 33:7–11

Questions from the Scripture text: Who took what in Exodus 33:7? Where did he pitch it? At what distance? What did he call it? Who were seeking Whom? Where did they go? Who, specifically, went there (Exodus 33:8)? When he did, who else took what posture? Where? To do what? Until when? What would descend when Moses entered (Exodus 33:9)? Where would it stand? Who would talk with Moses? What would all the people see (Exodus 33:10)? Then what would the people do in the door? With whom did Yahweh speak (Exodus 33:11)? In what manner? Who else was there? When?

How can a sinful people interact with God? Exodus 33:7–11 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that, for a sinful people to interact with God, they must do so through an accepted, honored mediator. 

The mercy of God to give them a mediator. The tabernacle, whose designs Yahweh had given on the mountain, was not yet built. That one would proceed in the midst of the people. How marvelous that the glorious God would one day come down upon it in His glory cloud and inhabit it with the most intense communication of His presence, right in the midst of His people!

But here is another marvel. We can see the depth of their sin and the danger of their condition in the fact that this tent of meeting is outside the camp. This is emphasized by its placement “far from the camp” in Exodus 33:7. But even for such a people as this, the great God Whom heaven and highest heaven could not contain, or even the Tabernacle or later the Temple, comes and meets with His people in Moses’s personal tent. Moses is a sinner like they (cf. Exodus 32:32b). But his role looks forward to Christ, and the Lord meets with His people through Moses (Exodus 33:7b) at Moses’s tent.

The mercy of God to enable them to see that He has provided a mediator. When Moses arises to go there, each man arises and watches him (Exodus 33:8). Why, what do they see? When Moses enters, the glory cloud descends and stands at the door (Exodus 33:9). They do not see Yahweh talking with Moses. But they can see that Yahweh is talking with Moses (Exodus 33:10). They can even see that when Moses returns to the camp, his understudy would remain. One day, Moses the Lord’s servant will be dead, but the Lord’s presence to His people and power for His people will not die with Moses (cf. Joshua 1). Even while he lives, Moses cannot be on duty 24/7, so Joshua stands in, when necessary (Exodus 33:11b). 

But we have a Mediator Who, even in His human nature, has been so glorified as to never need sleep, to never need a break. We cannot see the Lord Jesus mediating for us on the throne of glory. But His death, resurrection, and ascension have been witnessed by men on earth. And, His Spirit enables believers to perceive by faith that He is mediating for us, always living to intercede for us by the power of His indestructible life (cf. Hebrews 7:25). 

The mercy of God to affect them by their knowledge of the ministry of the mediator. The Lord has continued that work in their hearts that we saw in Exodus 33:1-6. There, they mourned at the thought of the Lord not going with them. Here, they have hope for a resolution to their mourning. He is still present to their mediator. He is still speaking with Him face to face as with a friend (Exodus 33:11a). 

Moses is not merely receiving ideas in his mind or hearing words in his ears. The Lord is manifesting Himself before Moses’s face in the tent and communicating to him in that way. And the knowledge that this is happening in Moses’s tent causes each man to bow down in the door of his own tent. 

It is one mercy from the Lord to know what Jesus is doing for sinners in heaven. It is another mercy from the Lord for each one of us to have our own heart affected by what Jesus is doing for me. By what God is doing for me in Jesus. Indeed, Jesus Himself has called us His friends (cf. John 15:15)—first the apostles by the Spirit, and then the entire church by their Spirit-inspired Scriptures, blessed to us by the same Spirit. And His Spirit makes us to know God’s glory in the Lord Jesus’s own face (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:6), and even to grow by this personal knowing of Him (cf. 2 Peter 3:18). It is a weak, sickly sort of Christianity that is unaffected by these things, but we may look to the same Spirit to work in our hearts as He was working in the hearts of Israel here.

How often do your heart and mind go to the fact that the Lord Jesus is interceding for you in glory? How deeply does this affect your heart? Who can give you greater frequency and effect? By what means does He do so? What use are you making of the means? To Whom are you looking to bless them to you?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for giving us Your own Son to be our Mediator. Grant that Your Spirit would move our hearts with this knowledge we ask, through Christ, AMEN!

ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH73C “In Sweet Communion, Lord, with Thee”

How to Live as Sheep of a Mighty Shepherd [2023.04.12 Midweek Sermon in 1Peter 5:1–11]

We do things God's way, Christ's way, because it is His, and He is bringing us to glory.

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Counterproductive Pride [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 13:10]

Pastor teaches his family a selection from “the Proverb of the day.” In this verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that pride puts us at odds with those whom the Lord has given us for our good.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)