Hopewell ARP Church is a Biblical, Reformed, Presbyterian church, serving the Lord in Culleoka, TN, since 1820. Lord's Day Morning, set your gps to arrive by 11a.m. at 3886 Hopewell Road, Culleoka, TN 38451
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
How to Walk by the Word [Family Worship lesson in Psalm 119:105–112]
What is the role of the Word in the believer’s life? Psalm 119:105–112 looks forward to opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Word of God is not just a tool for the believer but a means by which God Himself is our guide, God Himself is our companion, and God Himself is our treasure and joy. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)
2024.08.20 Hopewell @Home ▫ Psalm 119:105–112
Read Psalm 119:105–112
Questions from the Scripture text: How does God’s Word function (Psalm 119:105a)? Unto what? How else (verse 105b)? Unto what? What has he done (Psalm 119:106a)? To do what (verse 106b)? What is his experience (Psalm 119:107a)? What does he ask for (verse 107b)? From Whom? According to what? What does he ask to have accepted (Psalm 119:108a)? For what response does he ask (verse 108b)? How precarious is his situation (Psalm 119:109a)? But what does he still do (verse 109b)? Who have done what (Psalm 119:110a)? But what does he still do (verse 110b)? What does he count as his inheritance (Psalm 119:111a)? Why—what are God’s testimonies to him (verse 111b)? What has he done with his heart (Psalm 119:112a)? To do what? For how long (verse 112b)?
What is the role of the Word in the believer’s life? Psalm 119:105–112 looks forward to opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Word of God is not just a tool for the believer but a means by which God Himself is our guide, God Himself is our companion, and God Himself is our treasure and joy.
Usefulness of God’s Word, Psalm 119:105. There are many things by which one might govern his course in life. Some are governed by others expectations, some by ambitions, some by a need for orderliness, some by a desire to get to some favorite comfort or pleasure. The godly man’s choices and habits are governed by Scripture.
Fellowship with God by the Word, Psalm 119:106-108. The believer ought to take God’s Word as the substance of promises, resolutions, determinations, vows, etc., unto the Lord (Psalm 119:106). He describes these as “freewill offerings of his mouth” (Psalm 119:108a), as he asks the Lord to teach him the things to which he will then vow himself (verse 108b). Even in this interaction, the believer finds that he is much pained and hindered (Psalm 119:107a); even for his offering to the Lord, he is dependent upon life from the Lord (verse 107b)!
What a sweet fellowship is offered to you, dear Christian, to be receiving the Scriptures from God, promising obedience to them unto God, for which you are depending upon life from God, that God gives according to His own promises in Scripture to you.
Temptations to take us off the Word, Psalm 119:109-110. When we feel like our life is hanging on our next move, we may be tempted just to live defensively and pragmatically to do whatever feels like it will rescue us (Psalm 119:109a). In such situations, the greatest danger is forgetfulness of God and His Word (verse 109b)! The worst kind of snare an evil man can set for us (Psalm 119:110a) is the one that would induce us to go astray (wander) from the Lord’s precepts (verse 110b).
The valuation that keeps us on the Word, Psalm 119:111-112. To stick to the Word as the psalmist does, in dependence upon the Lord, we must seek from the Lord the same heart toward His law that He gave the psalmist. The psalmist counts the testimonies his most valued treasure (Psalm 119:111a) and his most enjoyed delight (verse 111b). This is what has him determined to turn his heart toward God’s Word continually and forever (Psalm 119:112).
What tends to determine what you’re going to do, and how you’re going to do it, each day? How much does personal interaction with the Lord Himself characterize your use of His Word and response to it? How does your life reflect your treasuring of the Word and delighting in the Word?
Sample prayer: Lord, Your Word shows us what to do and how to do it. Grant that as we offer You our hearts and our voices, You Yourself would give us the spiritual life to do so. Give us to count Your Word as more of a treasure than any earthly possession, and to take more delight in Your speaking to us than we do in any other pleasure, we ask through Christ, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP119N “Your Word’s a Lamp” or TPH119N “Your Word Sheds Light upon My Path”
Monday, August 19, 2024
The Only True Theism [Westminster Shorter Catechism 46—Theology Simply Explained]
Pastor walks his children through Westminster Shorter Catechism question 46—especially explaining how the first commandment requires holding to the doctrine of the Trinity and believing in Christ.
Q46. What is required in the first commandment? The first commandment requireth us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify Him accordingly.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)
Q46. What is required in the first commandment? The first commandment requireth us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify Him accordingly.
How Jesus Taught Us to Pray [Children's Catechism 107—Theology Simply Explained]
Pastor walks his children through Children’s Catechism question 107—especially explaining how Jesus gave us a form of prayer to teach us prayer as worship of God and fellowship with Father in the Son by the Spirit.
Q107. What has Christ given us to teach us how to pray? The Lord's Prayer.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)
Q107. What has Christ given us to teach us how to pray? The Lord's Prayer.
Purifying Our Hearts from Dead Works [2024.08.18 Evening Sermon in Numbers 19]
Christ shed His blood to cleanse our conscience from dead works.
Christianity Worth the Cost [2024.08.18 Morning Sermon in Matthew 10:34–42]
Christ brings great cost into the Christian's life, but infinitely greater reward.
Reviving Assurance [2024.08.18 Sabbath School in WCF 18.4.q—Hopewell 101]
We continue to study the Scriptures behind the sound and sweet doctrine of our church's Confession of Faith. This week, we learned, from WCF 18.4.q, about how the shaken or lost assurance of a true believer cannot take away their faith but can be revived by the Holy Spirit.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)
How to Avoid Self-Destruction [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 1:8–19]
How can we escape self-destruction? Proverbs 1:8–19 looks forward to the sermon in the midweek prayer meeting. In these twelve verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that heeding good counsel and watching against the companionship of the worldly are means by which we may escape self-destruction. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)
2024.08.19 Hopewell @Home ▫ Proverbs 1:8–19
Read Proverbs 1:8–19
Questions from the Scripture text: Whom does Proverbs 1:8 address? Whose instruction does it say for him to hear? Whose law not to forsake? What does Proverbs 1:9 promise that these will be to them? To whom must he not listen (Proverbs 1:10)? With whom would they ask him to be (Proverbs 1:11a)? To do what (verse 11b–c)? How do they describe their success (Proverbs 1:12)? And their reward (Proverbs 1:13)? What fellowship does Proverbs 1:14 promise? What counsel does Proverbs 1:15a give? And what further precaution in verse 15b? To what are they really running (Proverbs 1:16)? And to what does Proverbs 1:17 compare this? Because whom must they really destroy (Proverbs 1:18)? What general desire will always do this (Proverbs 1:19)?
How can we escape self-destruction? Proverbs 1:8–19 looks forward to the sermon in the midweek prayer meeting. In these twelve verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that heeding good counsel and watching against the companionship of the worldly are means by which we may escape self-destruction.
Choose the right allies, Proverbs 1:8. There is a temptation to be friends with those whose desires and attitudes align with our heart’s. But the problem is that we must have a new heart, and even if we do have a new heart, there is that fleshliness that remains from before. So, we must identify who is an ally to the flesh and who is an ally to the Spirit (cf. Galatians 5:16–17). A godly father and mother are allies to the Spirit. It is the Lord’s instruction and the Lord’s discipline that they are to give (cf. Ephesians 6:4). Here, the word for “law,” “torah,” which originated in the instruction of a father, and solidified into the “house rules” of societies, is attributed to the mother. Youth will hear different attitudes and desires and instructions from different people. Everything must be measured against Scripture, but the youth with a godly parent has an excellent guide. Father and mother are not only the first ones that they listen to, but they can know whom else to listen to by whether those people think and speak similarly to their parents.
Aim for the right beauty, Proverbs 1:9. Godliness is its own adornment. Not just for women as in 1 Timothy 2:10 and 1 Peter 3:4. Here, the son is told that rather than the sort of adornment that the world sees as hallmarks of wealth and nobility, being his father’s son and his mother’s son in his public presentation will be what marks him as noble before those whose opinions he should care about.
Recognize and reject enticements to sin, Proverbs 1:10-14. “Do not consent” (Proverbs 1:10). Give that resolute “no.” Don’t slide into compliance. Watch out for how you could end up doing so: they present the sin as easy (Proverbs 1:11), successful (Proverbs 1:12), rewarding (Proverbs 1:13), and uniting (Proverbs 1:14). You must reject that sort of ease, that sort of success, that sort of reward, and that sort of unity.
Take extra precautions, Proverbs 1:15. To keep yourself from walking in that way, guard even the placement of your foot!
Remember the Lord’s providence and justice, Proverbs 1:16-18. Carelessness about others’ lives is carelessness about your own soul. God watches, and He responds personally to you not just in the ups and downs of providence in this life, but in everlasting penalty in the next.
Guard even your very heart, Proverbs 1:19. This is not merely instruction for the “how-to.” It is instruction for the desires of the heart. When greed rules the heart, it takes you in the path of self-destruction. Guard your heart!
Whom do you know who have the godliest desires and counsel? Who is most into worldly gain and “fellowship”?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for arming us against the fleshly desires of our hearts. Grant that we would listen to godly parents and other godly counselors, who would help us resist even a wrong desire, and guard the placement of our feet, to keep us out of self-destroying paths, we ask through Christ, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH508 “Jesus, Priceless Treasure”
Sunday, August 18, 2024
2024.08.18 Lord's Day Live Streams
Click below for the:
August 18 Lord's Day Worship Booklet
WCF 18.4.q–r Sabbath School outline
Matthew 10:34–42 sermon outline
song selections & Numbers 19 outline
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.
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