Christ’s Greatest Miracle [2024.06.02 Morning Sermon in Matthew 9:1–8]

Our greatest need (forgiveness of sins) becomes Christ's greatest miracle, by which He shows that He is God Who came into the world to save us from our sins.

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

The Spirit's Work in Assurance [2024.06.02 Sabbath School on WCF 18.2h—Hopewell 101]

We continue to study the Scriptures behind the sound and sweet doctrine of our church's Confession of Faith. This week, we come to WCF 18.2h and the Spirit's work in giving believers assurance of faith.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Learning Purity from Marriage [Children's Catechism 96—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Children’s Catechism question 96—especially explaining how God’s greatest earthly gift shows us a great need for purity, which applies to all of His gifts.

Q96. What does the seventh commandment teach us? To be pure in heart, language, and conduct.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

God's Work to Fit Us for Glory [Westminster Shorter Catechism 35—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 34—especially explaining how God works to make us more and more fit for glory.

Q35. What is sanctification? Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Encouraged about Christ's Work by Rejoicing over Christ's Work [Family Worship lesson in Romans 15:17–22]

How is the apostle’s boasting proper? Romans 15:17–22 prepares us for the sermon in the midweek prayer meeting. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that proper boasting rejoices over Christ, worships Him, and looks for more of His glorious grace. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2024.06.03 Hopewell @Home ▫ Romans 15:17–22

Read Romans 15:17–22

Questions from the Scripture text: What does the apostle have reason to do (Romans 15:17)? In Whom? In what things? What won’t he dare to do (Romans 15:18)? Of what things won’t he speak? Who has done the accomplishing? Whom has He used to do it? What has He used to do it? What has He done (cf. Romans 1:5; Romans 10:16; Romans 16:19; Romans 16:26; 2 Thessalonians 1:8)? With what has Christ attended Paul’s preaching (Romans 15:19)? By what power? What has the apostle done, in this way, and where? What has he aimed to do (Romans 15:20)? Avoiding what places? To avoid doing what work? What has he followed in this method (Romans 15:21)? Who must be told the gospel (cf. Isaiah 52:15)?What has all of this work kept him from doing so far (Romans 15:22)?

How is the apostle’s boasting proper? Romans 15:17–22 prepares us for the sermon in the midweek prayer meeting. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that proper boasting rejoices over Christ, worships Him, and looks for more of His glorious grace.

The propriety and necessity of proper boasting. As the apostle prepares to come to them (Romans 15:22) to fulfill a debt to God and to them to preach the gospel to them (cf. Romans 1:13–15), he is boasting of Christ’s work through him (Romans 15:17, NKJ “glory”). In fact, he puts it pretty strongly: “I have a boast in Christ Jesus.” Indeed, he has this boast even “in the things which are toward God”! He is full-to-bursting with the goodness of what the Lord has done through him, and he wishes to share it with the church at Rome. He desires that they would be eager for his coming there, just as he is eager to go there. If the greatness of what Christ is doing grips their hearts, they will be eager for the apostle to come (v23) and even to participate in his further mission to Spain (Romans 15:24).

The humility of proper boasting. Now, for those who desire to get others excited about what the Lord is doing through them, the apostle sets an example of exactly that wording. Note that he doesn’t even say, “what I have accomplished through Christ” but “what Christ has accomplished” (Romans 15:18). He gives Christ the credit for his words (“in word”). He gives Christ the credit for his actions (“in works, ”NKJ “deed”). And he gives Christ the credit for the outcome: “to make the Gentiles obedient.”

In the book of Romans, this has been a way of describing a right response to the gospel. It does include the obedience that proceeds from faith, but it is especially that right response of believing, when we hear the gospel preached. So it includes everything from coming to faith in the first place all the way to being perfected in faith at the conclusion of our life in this world. cf. Romans 1:5; Romans 10:16; Romans 16:19; Romans 16:26; 2 Thessalonians 1:8. It is Christ Who is using Paul in this work that Christ does, which is by faith from start to finish (cf. Romans 1:17).

This is how we know that the work will be finished! If the boasting credited the instrument at all, then “past performance would not be indicative of future results.” But because the boasting credits only and entirely Christ, that’s exactly what the apostle is doing by this boasting: stirring them up to expect, desire, and pursue “future results” when the apostle visits Rome!

The worship of proper boasting, Romans 15:19-22. Even having credited Christ already in Romans 15:18, Romans 15:19 takes it a step further: “in mighty signs and wonders.” Some of these are recorded for us in Acts. The apostolic gifts of signs and wonders authenticated him as an apostle precisely because it was “God who testified” through them (cf. Hebrews 2:4). The same Spirit Whose mighty power is the only way that we come to abound in hope (cf. Romans 15:13) is the One Who was attesting His own work in the apostle’s ministry. What sure prospects they had of coming into more of that hope, when the apostle came and ministered!

But the great glory of this was that the apostolic ministry is actually the personal ministry of Christ Himself. The apostle’s approach to his ministry plans (Romans 15:20) were built off of Isaiah 52:15 (Romans 15:21)—a text that was truly all about Christ. There, it is the One Who sprinkles many nations Who would do so by His preaching (cf. Romans 10:14; Ephesians 2:17, Ephesians 3:20–21; Hebrews 12:25)! Paul’s “boasting” is worship, not bragging. The Servant, the God-Man of Isaiah 52:15, Who shed His blood for us, is the One Who is at work in the ministry!

What has Christ done in you? Whom else is Christ using for your good? How are you responding to Him?

Sample prayer: Lord Jesus, we glory in You. Thank You for what You have accomplished through us, and what You accomplish for us through others. Thank You for giving Your almighty Spirit to do the work of making us obedient to the faith and abounding with hope. As You continue Your work in the church, bring to Yourself the glory that is Yours for sprinkling many nations, we ask in Your own Name, Lord Jesus, Amen!

Suggested songs: ARP117B“O, All You Nations of the Earth” or TPH424“All Authority and Power”

2024.06.02 Lord's Day Live Streams (live at 10:10a, 11a, 3p)

Click below for the:

June 2 Lord's Day Worship Booklet

Sabbath School Lesson Outline

Matthew 9:1–8 Sermon Outline

p.m. Song selections & Numbers 12 Sermon

We urge you to assemble physically, if possible, with a true congregation of Christ's church. For those of our own congregation who may be providentially hindered, we are grateful to be able to provide this service.

Each week we LIVESTREAM the Lord's Day (Sabbath School, Morning Public Worship, and p.m. Singing and Sermon) and Midweek Meeting (sermon and prayer). For notifications when Hopewell is streaming live, install the CHURCHONE APP on your [Apple], [Android], or [Kindle] device, and enter hopewellarp for your broadcaster

Humility to Depend Upon the God of Grace [2024.06.01 Pastoral Letter and Hopewell Herald]

Hopewell Herald – June 1, 2024

Dear Congregation,

Humility, by its nature, is underrated. Even those who think of humility usually think of it in terms of humility before men. But one of the great keys to all of life, and especially Christian living, is humility before God.

The God-Man's Glory in Our Greatest Need [Family Worship lesson in Matthew 9:1–8]

What deliverance did Jesus come to give us? Matthew 9:1–8 prepares us for the morning sermon on the Lord’s Day. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus came to give us the deliverance of the forgiveness of sins.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2024.06.01 Hopewell @Home ▫ Matthew 9:1–8

Read Matthew 9:1–8

Questions from the Scripture text: What does Jesus do in Matthew 9:1? To where does He come? Whom do they bring to Him (Matthew 9:2)? What did Jesus see? To whom does He speak? What does He initially command him to do? Upon what grounds? Who are there? Where do they speak (Matthew 9:3)? What do they say? What does Jesus know (Matthew 9:4)? What does He ask about themselves? What does He ask more generally (Matthew 9:5)? What does He say is going to be the reason for the next statement (Matthew 9:6)? What does He now command the paralytic to do? What does the paralytic do in Matthew 9:7? Who saw it (Matthew 9:8)? What do they do? Whom do they glorify? Thinking that God had done what?

What deliverance did Jesus come to give us? Matthew 9:1–8 prepares us for the morning sermon on the Lord’s Day. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus came to give us the deliverance of the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus sees our faith, Matthew 9:1-2. Unlike Mark and Luke, Matthew doesn’t tell us about the effort required to get the man to Jesus. He simply tells us that Jesus saw their faith. It is interesting that Jesus tells the paralytic to take courage from having his sins forgiven. Surely he can see that the man is paralyzed! But Jesus sees better than we see. We think that we need to be delivered from various burdens in this life. We might especially think so, if we were paralyzed. But Jesus sees something that we need more: forgiveness of our sins. Dear Christian, does not the Lord Jesus command us to take courage because our sins are forgiven through faith in Him. Take courage!

Jesus sees our wicked thoughts, Matthew 9:3-4. Jesus knew their thoughts. Mark tells us that He perceived their thoughts in His Spirit. How seriously we ought to take our thought life! This is one place that we are especially before our Lord Jesus. No other man can enter then. It is a secret room, where only we and the Lord Jesus are. When we question Him in our hearts, He is the Witness to our evil thoughts. How glad we ought to be that He has authority to forgive—that He Himself has purchased that forgiveness by His own cross, in the same compassion with which He looked upon the paralytic sinner.

Jesus wants us to know His authority to forgive, Matthew 9:5-8. The reader should already have concluded that Jesus is God, Who has authority to forgive. And this passage surely confirms that. But, we see something more in Matthew 9:6. We see that Jesus wants us to know that He has this authority. He even wanted these scribes to know. How great is the saving compassion of our Lord!

Ultimately, it is much more difficult to say “Your sins are forgiven you.” It is less immediately falsifiable. But for our Savior, Who can say both, the forgiveness comes at the cost of going to the cross for us. But He did go to that cross. He did suffer the wrath of God in our place. He was displayed as a propitiation. And He does forgive sin as both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Him. 

Even without drawing the full conclusion, that Jesus Himself is God in the flesh, the multitude glorified God. Is it possible that the forgiveness of sins has grown so commonplace with us that we no longer marvel or glorify God for it? May it never be!

What are you tempted to think of as your greatest need from the Lord Jesus? But what is it actually? For what situations do you need to take courage? How does the forgiveness of your sins give you that courage? What are some opportunities in your life especially to remember the forgiveness of your sins, and to marvel and glorify God for it? What use have you been making of those opportunities?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we are so thankful to You for giving Your Son to become a Man Who can forgive sins. Thank You for His love in which He both secured that forgiveness and desires us to know, and take courage from, that forgiveness. Grant that we would marvel and glorify You for this always, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP51A “God, Be Merciful to Me” or TPH130A “LORD, from the Depths to You I Cry!”