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
Hopewell Herald – October 5, 2024
When we worship together, are you offering yourself unto the Lord, body and soul? If you have children, would they know by experience that this is what you are doing, and are they thus learning from you that this is what they should be doing?
I have intended that, at some point, I would do a little series in these pastoral letters on “how to get the most out of biblical worship.” Many are not accustomed to offering themselves, body and soul, unto God in every part of the worship.
So much of the “worship” in the churches is consumed as a spectator or participated in primarily outwardly through ritualistic forms. So, there’s a learning curve when it comes to offering oneself body and soul in those worship actions that God Himself has commanded, and which Christ Himself leads from glory.
Perhaps we will begin that series next week, but yesterday Reformation Scotland posted a selection from a Hugh Binning sermon that will help you begin thinking in that stream. Mr. Binning was a faithful covenanter preacher who died young. His preaching was full of the greatness of God’s love to us and how we ought to be full of love to Him Who has so loved us. This was what animated his views on worship, following the Lord Himself, Who defines man-devised worship as hating Him and God-devised worship as loving Him (Ex 20:5–6).
The entire excerpt is worth your consideration. But, here’s a shorter excerpt to whet your appetite and stir you up unto the Lord in our worship tomorrow:
“O consider, my beloved, what a one you have to do
with! It is not other people, but the Father of spirits, who will not be
pleased with what pleases others of your own flesh, but who must have a spirit
to serve Him!
Alas! what are we doing with such empty names and
shows in religion? Busied in the outside of worship only, as if we had no one
to do with but others who have eyes of flesh, all that we do in this way is
lost labour, and will never be reckoned as true worship!”
Looking forward to offering ourselves wholeheartedly to Him together, soul and body,
Pastor
Read Matthew 12:1–8
Questions from the Scripture text: When does Matthew 12:1 occur? Where was Jesus going? On what day? Who were with him? What was their condition? What did they begin to do? Who saw it (Matthew 12:2)? To Whom did they speak? What did they say? To whom did He speak (Matthew 12:3)? What does He ask if they have done? About whom did He ask them? And what other people? Where did he enter (Matthew 12:4)? What did he eat? Who else ate with him? For whom was it unlawful or lawful to eat? What else does He ask if they have done (Matthew 12:5)? What does Jesus now add to what they have read (Matthew 12:6)? About which place does He talk? Who/what does He say is there? About what third Scripture does He now ask them (Matthew 12:7, cf. Hosea 6:6)? What have they done, which could have been prevented by understanding this? What does He call Himself (Matthew 12:8)? And what does this make Him? Even of what?
What is the point of the Sabbath? Matthew 12:1–8 looks forward to the morning sermon in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus, and resting in Him, is the point of the Sabbath.
Israel had been misunderstanding and abusing the divine rest and covenantal rest of the Sabbath for hundreds of years (cf. Isaiah 58). So, it is no wonder that the Pharisees would be so twisted in their understanding of the Lord of Rest and the rest that He gives (Matthew 12:2). Being with Jesus didn’t matter to them because they didn’t understand how David (Matthew 12:3-4) and the temple (Matthew 12:5-6) both looked forward to Him. They treated God as if He was indebted to them for sacrifices, rather than sinners being indebted to God for drawing us near to Himself in forgiveness and working mercy in us by His grace (Matthew 12:7a). So, they judge the guiltless (Matthew 12:2, Matthew 12:7b), because they are ignorant of the Forever-King, the LORD, in Whom rest was always to be found, and unto Whom rest was always to be enjoyed (Matthew 12:8).
Who is Jesus? How do you draw near to God? When, especially? How does your resting in Him need to improve?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for giving Yourself to be our rest, especially in Your Son. Grant to us that we would treasure being with Him, drawing near to You through Him, and knowing You Yourself in Him, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP92 “It’s Good to Thank the Lord” or TPH153 “O Day of Rest and Gladness”