harvestoc.net blog, Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Rev 10 "Events Are God's" (Worship Followup, Morning Reading)
Text: Revelation 10. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: "Events Are God's." The full quote is that "duty is ours; events are God's." However, Revelation 10 is all about the events, and how God orchestrates all of history in promise-keeping faithfulness, perfectly planned purpose, and power. The audio from the reading in worship is [online here].
The rainbow in v1 tells us that whatever it is that this angel is about to do is part of God’s faithful covenant-keeping with His people. The scroll in v2 shows the certainty of God’s plan: it’s written down, etched, inscribed, engraved. History does not turn upon whims, but is exactly directed by the perfect, eternal purposes of God!
The rest of v1-v3 show forth the immense power that is about to be exerted upon all creation. The seven thunders are often overlooked in Revelation, because unlike the letters, seals, trumpets, and bowls, we don’t know what they are! vv4-7 tell us that they are for God to know and us to find out. The oath in v6 shows how absolutely certain is the timing of the fulfillment of God’s purposes.
In vv8-11 we see what a delicious thing it is to have the word of God! And yet what difficult things it often says. In this case, the scroll appears to contain the course of events that will culminate in the seven thunders. But what comfort there is in the order that the seven thunders be sealed up! We don’t need to know what is going to happen, since we know who has planned it and who will do it! Deut 29:29. Duty is ours, events are God’s!
Sample questions for more application. What do you need to know about the future in order to have confidence and comfort about it? How does the rainbow in this chapter give us comfort? How does the great power of the angel give us comfort? How does the fact that we don't get to read what the seven thunders say give us comfort?
Song: God Moves in a Mysterious Way. [tune]
Lesson: "Events Are God's." The full quote is that "duty is ours; events are God's." However, Revelation 10 is all about the events, and how God orchestrates all of history in promise-keeping faithfulness, perfectly planned purpose, and power. The audio from the reading in worship is [online here].
The rainbow in v1 tells us that whatever it is that this angel is about to do is part of God’s faithful covenant-keeping with His people. The scroll in v2 shows the certainty of God’s plan: it’s written down, etched, inscribed, engraved. History does not turn upon whims, but is exactly directed by the perfect, eternal purposes of God!
The rest of v1-v3 show forth the immense power that is about to be exerted upon all creation. The seven thunders are often overlooked in Revelation, because unlike the letters, seals, trumpets, and bowls, we don’t know what they are! vv4-7 tell us that they are for God to know and us to find out. The oath in v6 shows how absolutely certain is the timing of the fulfillment of God’s purposes.
In vv8-11 we see what a delicious thing it is to have the word of God! And yet what difficult things it often says. In this case, the scroll appears to contain the course of events that will culminate in the seven thunders. But what comfort there is in the order that the seven thunders be sealed up! We don’t need to know what is going to happen, since we know who has planned it and who will do it! Deut 29:29. Duty is ours, events are God’s!
Sample questions for more application. What do you need to know about the future in order to have confidence and comfort about it? How does the rainbow in this chapter give us comfort? How does the great power of the angel give us comfort? How does the fact that we don't get to read what the seven thunders say give us comfort?
Song: God Moves in a Mysterious Way. [tune]
God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm.
-
Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill
He treasures up his bright designs, And works his sovereign will.
-
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head.
-
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.
-
His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flow'r.
-
Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan his work in vain.
God is his own interpreter, And he will make it plain.
He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm.
-
Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill
He treasures up his bright designs, And works his sovereign will.
-
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head.
-
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.
-
His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flow'r.
-
Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan his work in vain.
God is his own interpreter, And he will make it plain.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 8:58 AM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Monday, March 30, 2009
Heb 1:10-14 'Our Eternal Worship Leader' (Worship Followup, Morning Call)
Text: Hebrews 1:10-14. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'Our Eternal Worship Leader'. Earthly things seem so big to us, don't they? Even in worship, sadly. So, how helpful is this image of Jesus rolling up the Heavens, rolling up the entire creation, rolling up all of time like a piece of clothing for which He no longer has use and just tossing it away!
When we gather in congregational worship, we gather through the One who laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning and the One who remains forever after earth and the heavens perish.
What is time for, then? Our text answers that too. It is the space in which the Father has determined to put everything under Jesus' feet and to produce a group of human joint-heirs with Christ ("those who are to inherit salvation"). That's what time exists for. The glorification of Jesus and the people who belong to Him. And angels, in time, exist to serve both.
This is the reality. And while we are still in time God invites us to enter eternity, through the eternal Son, one day each week. When we come to worship, then, we are not coming to something that is "the best thing in this world." We are coming to something that is "out of this world." We are coming to something that belongs to a different world altogether. And then, when we leave, we remember that though we will be spending these other six days in this world, we ourselves belong to that other world, not this one (cf. 1Cor 7:29-31).
Examples of questions for more application. What is "time" for? This passage mentions all of humanity in two groups: "enemies" and "heirs"... to which group do you belong? Does it seem to you, throughout the week, as if this whole creation is about to disappear? How does the Lord's Day help us remember that this whole creation is about to vanish?
Song: You Holy Angels Bright [tune]
Lesson: 'Our Eternal Worship Leader'. Earthly things seem so big to us, don't they? Even in worship, sadly. So, how helpful is this image of Jesus rolling up the Heavens, rolling up the entire creation, rolling up all of time like a piece of clothing for which He no longer has use and just tossing it away!
When we gather in congregational worship, we gather through the One who laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning and the One who remains forever after earth and the heavens perish.
What is time for, then? Our text answers that too. It is the space in which the Father has determined to put everything under Jesus' feet and to produce a group of human joint-heirs with Christ ("those who are to inherit salvation"). That's what time exists for. The glorification of Jesus and the people who belong to Him. And angels, in time, exist to serve both.
This is the reality. And while we are still in time God invites us to enter eternity, through the eternal Son, one day each week. When we come to worship, then, we are not coming to something that is "the best thing in this world." We are coming to something that is "out of this world." We are coming to something that belongs to a different world altogether. And then, when we leave, we remember that though we will be spending these other six days in this world, we ourselves belong to that other world, not this one (cf. 1Cor 7:29-31).
Examples of questions for more application. What is "time" for? This passage mentions all of humanity in two groups: "enemies" and "heirs"... to which group do you belong? Does it seem to you, throughout the week, as if this whole creation is about to disappear? How does the Lord's Day help us remember that this whole creation is about to vanish?
Song: You Holy Angels Bright [tune]
You holy angels bright, Who wait at God's right hand,
Or through the realms of light Fly at your Lord's command,
Assist our song, For else the theme
Too high doth seem For mortal tongue.
-
You blessed souls at rest, Who ran this earthly race,
And now, from sin released, Behold the Saviour's face,
God's praises sound, As in his sight
With sweet delight you do abound.
-
All nations of the earth, Extol the world's great King;
With melody and mirth His glorious praises sing;
For he still reigns, And will bring low
The proudest foe That him disdains.
-
Sing forth Jehovah's praise, you saints, that on him call!
Him magnify always His holy churches all!
In him rejoice, And there proclaim
His holy name With sounding voice.
-
My soul, bear now your part, Triumph in God above;
With a well-tuned heart Sing thou the songs of love;
You art his own, Who precious blood
Shed for your good His love made known.
-
Away, distrustful care! I have Your promise, Lord:
To banish all despair, I have Your oath and word:
And therefore I Shall see thy face
And there thy grace Shall magnify.
-
With Your triumphant flock, Then I shall numbered be;
Built on th'eternal rock, His glory we shall see.
The heavens so high With praise shall ring
And all shall sing In harmony.
Or through the realms of light Fly at your Lord's command,
Assist our song, For else the theme
Too high doth seem For mortal tongue.
-
You blessed souls at rest, Who ran this earthly race,
And now, from sin released, Behold the Saviour's face,
God's praises sound, As in his sight
With sweet delight you do abound.
-
All nations of the earth, Extol the world's great King;
With melody and mirth His glorious praises sing;
For he still reigns, And will bring low
The proudest foe That him disdains.
-
Sing forth Jehovah's praise, you saints, that on him call!
Him magnify always His holy churches all!
In him rejoice, And there proclaim
His holy name With sounding voice.
-
My soul, bear now your part, Triumph in God above;
With a well-tuned heart Sing thou the songs of love;
You art his own, Who precious blood
Shed for your good His love made known.
-
Away, distrustful care! I have Your promise, Lord:
To banish all despair, I have Your oath and word:
And therefore I Shall see thy face
And there thy grace Shall magnify.
-
With Your triumphant flock, Then I shall numbered be;
Built on th'eternal rock, His glory we shall see.
The heavens so high With praise shall ring
And all shall sing In harmony.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 12:04 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Friday, March 27, 2009
Elders Training for Everyone
I was hoping to get a summary of all the session's work this month done to have this announcement as a part of it, but that summary will have to wait until next week.
The elders have decided that we think the best elder training will be for elder trainees to lead the entire congregation in Bible study of the various passages about elders. This has several advantages:
The elders have decided that we think the best elder training will be for elder trainees to lead the entire congregation in Bible study of the various passages about elders. This has several advantages:
- Our primary training will be direct from the Bible
- The congregation will be getting more exposure to the teaching ministries of the trainees/nominees
- The entire congregation will be on the same page from the Bible regarding, what elders are, what they should do, how they should do it, and how we are going to do this at Harvest.
- Those submitting to the elders' care and authority will have an opportunity to witness those who are set over them wrestling with the texts that command them and keep them accountable
- The children will have opportunity to see the entire congregation, and specifically their own parents learning submission from the Scriptures--and they will learn by experience that the Bible is our only rule for faith and practice in the church
- Those who participate now, and are later nominated, may complete just the home reading portion of the training and be prepared (we would want them to practice their teaching ministry in the congregation in some other setting)
- other reasons too, but it's late Friday, and I don't have my notes from the meeting in front of me
A personal advantage for myself is that by the time Gary returns to teaching Christ in the Old Testament, we will have enough elders for other classes that perhaps I will get to take his class some weeks! Trainees will also be assigned home reading in the Westminster Standards, the BCO, and possibly supplemental reading for further applying the studies in which they lead us; and will be asked to report on their private reading.
What this means for immediate purposes is that we are keeping for now the inter-generational Bible class format, and that after I introduce the series on the 29th, we will have a rotation of elder nominees/trainees teaching it.
Labels: Announcements
¶ 8:23 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
29-Mar Worship Booklet Now Availalbe
[online here]
Labels: Worship Booklet
¶ 7:22 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Isa 61 'The Best Preacher Ever' (Worship Followup, Evening Reading)
Text: Isaiah 61. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'The Best Preacher Ever'. God had but one Son, and He made Him a preacher! What is the effect of the preaching of the Lord Jesus? The restoration, healing, and righteousness of everyone who hears, believes, and belongs to Him. What a God, what a Savior, and what a salvation!
Jesus' words aren't just powerful. Jesus' words are eternal-life-giving. Jesus' words are nature-changing. Jesus' words are character-transforming. Jesus' words are resurrection-body-giving and all-your-diseases-healing. Jesus' words are heart-with-joy-filling.
And the good news is that in simple, Scriptural, Christian congregational worship, Jesus is our preacher. This is what we've been learning from Hebrews, particularly in Heb 12:25. We don't get excited because our earthly preacher is so smart and so dynamic and so eloquent. We get excited because our earthly preacher is faithful to the text, which means our real preacher is Jesus.
Questions for application. When we hear preaching in worship, who are we hearing? How should/do you feel about coming to worship on the Lord's Day? How should/do you feel about the sermon? What should be more important to you: how easy a sermon is to listen to, or how faithful it is to the text? Do you trust that Jesus uses His preaching to do all these things to you, in you, and for you? What should the response of your heart be to the Savior who does all these things?
Song: O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing [tune]
Lesson: 'The Best Preacher Ever'. God had but one Son, and He made Him a preacher! What is the effect of the preaching of the Lord Jesus? The restoration, healing, and righteousness of everyone who hears, believes, and belongs to Him. What a God, what a Savior, and what a salvation!
Jesus' words aren't just powerful. Jesus' words are eternal-life-giving. Jesus' words are nature-changing. Jesus' words are character-transforming. Jesus' words are resurrection-body-giving and all-your-diseases-healing. Jesus' words are heart-with-joy-filling.
And the good news is that in simple, Scriptural, Christian congregational worship, Jesus is our preacher. This is what we've been learning from Hebrews, particularly in Heb 12:25. We don't get excited because our earthly preacher is so smart and so dynamic and so eloquent. We get excited because our earthly preacher is faithful to the text, which means our real preacher is Jesus.
Questions for application. When we hear preaching in worship, who are we hearing? How should/do you feel about coming to worship on the Lord's Day? How should/do you feel about the sermon? What should be more important to you: how easy a sermon is to listen to, or how faithful it is to the text? Do you trust that Jesus uses His preaching to do all these things to you, in you, and for you? What should the response of your heart be to the Savior who does all these things?
Song: O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing [tune]
O for a thousand tongues to sing My great Redeemer's praise,
The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of his grace.
-
My gracious Master and my God, Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad, The honors of thy Name.
-
Jesus, the Name that charms our fears, That bids our sorrows cease;
'Tis music in the sinner's ears, 'Tis life, and health, and peace.
-
He breaks the power of reigning sin, He sets the pris'ner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean, His blood availed for me.
-
He speaks and, listening to his voice, New life the dead receive;
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice; The humble poor believe.
The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of his grace.
-
My gracious Master and my God, Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad, The honors of thy Name.
-
Jesus, the Name that charms our fears, That bids our sorrows cease;
'Tis music in the sinner's ears, 'Tis life, and health, and peace.
-
He breaks the power of reigning sin, He sets the pris'ner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean, His blood availed for me.
-
He speaks and, listening to his voice, New life the dead receive;
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice; The humble poor believe.
-
Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb, your loosen’d tongues employ;
ye blind, behold your Savior come; and leap, ye lame, for joy.
ye blind, behold your Savior come; and leap, ye lame, for joy.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 7:10 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Thursday, March 26, 2009
Ps 118:19-24 'Our Gate of Righteousness and Cornerstone' (Worship Followup, Evening Reading)
Text. Psalm 118:19-24. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'Our Gate of Righteousness and Cornerstone'. We remember from last week that this Psalm began by calling for the praise of God's forever-enduring steadfast-love especially from those whom God has chosen (e.g. Israel), those whom God has set apart (e.g. house of Aaron), and those whom God has transformed (e.g. those who fear Yahweh).
How can such a group approach Him? Where? The picture of these verses is of the worshiper just arriving for the assembly of the redeemed. As we have been learning from Hebrews, what this means in Christian worship is the assembly in heaven in which congregational gatherings take part.
What is the way of true access? How does one come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, angels in festal gathering (Heb 12:22)? Our text has the answer: "Open the gates of righteousness!" and "This is the gate of Yahweh" are followed by "I thank YOU that You have answered me and have become my salvation" and "the Stone that the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone."
The "how" is actually a "who." Jesus is the gate of righteousness, His obedience and sacrifice making our way into the heavenly assembly. Jesus is that cornerstone! Is it any wonder then that this gathering day, this worshiping day, this last thing that He 'made' in creation through His resting--has been wrested away from creation to put on display Christ's glorious act of redemption? On the LORD'S DAY, now, we sing THIS is the day the Lord has made!
Questions for more followup. Can we ever be good enough on earth to be part of the assembly in heaven? Can our worship ever be excellent enough to be worthy of participating in the worship in heaven? Who alone can be our goodness and our access to the heavenly assembly? Who alone is the excellence of our worship? Why do we call "Sunday" the "Lord's Day"?
Song: This Is the Day the Lord Has Made [tune]
Lesson: 'Our Gate of Righteousness and Cornerstone'. We remember from last week that this Psalm began by calling for the praise of God's forever-enduring steadfast-love especially from those whom God has chosen (e.g. Israel), those whom God has set apart (e.g. house of Aaron), and those whom God has transformed (e.g. those who fear Yahweh).
How can such a group approach Him? Where? The picture of these verses is of the worshiper just arriving for the assembly of the redeemed. As we have been learning from Hebrews, what this means in Christian worship is the assembly in heaven in which congregational gatherings take part.
What is the way of true access? How does one come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, angels in festal gathering (Heb 12:22)? Our text has the answer: "Open the gates of righteousness!" and "This is the gate of Yahweh" are followed by "I thank YOU that You have answered me and have become my salvation" and "the Stone that the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone."
The "how" is actually a "who." Jesus is the gate of righteousness, His obedience and sacrifice making our way into the heavenly assembly. Jesus is that cornerstone! Is it any wonder then that this gathering day, this worshiping day, this last thing that He 'made' in creation through His resting--has been wrested away from creation to put on display Christ's glorious act of redemption? On the LORD'S DAY, now, we sing THIS is the day the Lord has made!
Questions for more followup. Can we ever be good enough on earth to be part of the assembly in heaven? Can our worship ever be excellent enough to be worthy of participating in the worship in heaven? Who alone can be our goodness and our access to the heavenly assembly? Who alone is the excellence of our worship? Why do we call "Sunday" the "Lord's Day"?
Song: This Is the Day the Lord Has Made [tune]
This is the day the Lord has made; He calls the hours his own;
Let heav'n rejoice, let earth be glad, And praise surround the throne.
-
Today he rose and left the dead, And Satan's empire fell;
Today the saints his triumphs spread, And all his wonders tell.
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Hosanna to th'anointed King, To David's holy Son!
Help us, O Lord; descend and bring Salvation from the throne.
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Blest be the Lord, who comes to men With messages of grace;
Who comes in God his Father's Name To save our sinful race.
-
Hosanna in the highest strains The church on earth can raise!
The highest heav'ns in which he reigns Shall give him nobler praise.
Let heav'n rejoice, let earth be glad, And praise surround the throne.
-
Today he rose and left the dead, And Satan's empire fell;
Today the saints his triumphs spread, And all his wonders tell.
-
Hosanna to th'anointed King, To David's holy Son!
Help us, O Lord; descend and bring Salvation from the throne.
-
Blest be the Lord, who comes to men With messages of grace;
Who comes in God his Father's Name To save our sinful race.
-
Hosanna in the highest strains The church on earth can raise!
The highest heav'ns in which he reigns Shall give him nobler praise.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 9:25 AM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Psalm 33:1-9, 33:10-22, 34:1-10 Prayer Meeting Handouts
Studying and singing the psalm at prayer meeting is how we together draw our minds away from our weeks and to the word of the Lord. The idea is to get ready to join our hearts in prayer. However, the Psalms are so rich--so full of Christ and the glory and goodness of God and what it is like to belong to Him in this world--that the lessons are always of significant benefit to us. The last two week's handouts are now online with tonight's:
March 11, Psalm 33:1-9
March 18, Psalm 33:10-22
March 25, Psalm 34:1-10
March 11, Psalm 33:1-9
March 18, Psalm 33:10-22
March 25, Psalm 34:1-10
Labels: Prayer Meetings
¶ 2:43 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Plea for Help in Fargo, ND
The following was just forwarded to me and originated with crwrc.org
This is an URGENT appeal for volunteers to help with sandbagging and other activities that will reduce flooding in and around Fargo, ND. This is NOT a request for a bulletin announcement this Sunday--that will be too late for mitigation efforts. The request is that you use your prayer chain, word of mouth, or whatever other means you have at your disposal to make potential volunteers within your community aware of this urgent need, with the hope that some will be in a position to respond.Several communities in the Dakotas are threatened by severe weather and flooding at this moment. The Red River in the Fargo area threatens to crest this Friday ABOVE levels of the great flood of 1997. Threatened communities are pleading for volunteers to help in the next 48 hours to fill and place sand bags and perform other duties that will reduce loss of property. Free accommodations are available. For the latest information about where and how to help, please call the volunteer hotline in Fargo at 701-476-4000.
Labels: Announcements, Prayer Requests
¶ 10:01 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
Rom 8:14-15 'Spirit-Led Sonship' (22-Mar Evening Sermon)
In the evening assembly this week, we heard preached Spirit-Led Sonship from Romans 8:14-15. This vital text clarifies a couple of areas in which many who call themselves Christians today are confused. What does it mean to be a son of God? What does it mean to be led by the Spirit? How do these things happen? Both the [message audio] and a [manuscript] are available.
Labels: Sermons
¶ 7:07 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
Gen 21:8-21 'God of the Children' (Worship Followup, Morning Sermon)
Text: Genesis 21:8-21. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'God of the Children'. In the morning message this week, we heard how God is God of All Children. We saw how in the very language of the text, God emphasized that He is keenly interested in and active in the lives of the children, Isaac and Ishmael; we considered some of the vocabulary of the text to see how it was focusing on the entire period between babyhood and full adulthood.
We saw that God notices children's troubles--that whether Isaac had learned to pray yet or not, still God noticed his trouble and was acting for his good in his life.
We saw that God notices children's sins--that He took note of how Ishmael was treating his little brother.
We saw that God cares for children Himself--that whether it is through Abraham in Abraham's household or without Abraham and in the wilderness, truly it is God who cares for Ishmael.
We saw that God gives some children believing parents as a gift--that God decides who your father and mother will be, and that when He gives Ishmael a believing parent, He treats Ishmael differently for Abraham's sake.
We saw that God hears children's cries--noticing how unexpected it was for God to say, "I have heard the cry of the young man," when "I have heard your weeping, Hagar," would have been more natural... God hears the cries of children!
We saw that God is with children to grow them--that God being with Ishmael in his growing up shows both the cause of Ishmael's growing up and that this was the basic reality of Ishmael's life growing up; we saw also that this is implied for Isaac in the use of the same phrase ('He became great') for his growing up.
We saw that God has a special place for every child--that Ishmael's place was the wilderness of Paran, and that this did not mean that God was less with him than with Isaac; in fact, Ishmael needed to be in Paran for God to say to Abraham in 22:2, "Take your son Isaac, your only son, whom you love," looking forward to Christ.
We saw, finally, in the solidifying of the covenant line in Isaac, and the preparing of Isaac to be a foreshadowing of Christ, that God became a child to save children--that His taking notice of children's sins is real, and that the wrath that children deserve is real, but that He Himself has provided for them the way of salvation; God sent Jesus as a child, even from conception, so that every child who hides himself in Jesus, trusts in Jesus' life and Jesus' death to be all his goodness, will not go to Hell but will enjoy eternal life with God their Father.
Questions for more followup. Do you feel unnoticed sometimes, like you don't matter? Do you feel unnoticed sometimes, like your sins aren't as big a deal as others'? Is there anyone that God does not notice? What is your only hope, since you know that God notices your sin?
Song: Once in Royal David's City [tune]
Lesson: 'God of the Children'. In the morning message this week, we heard how God is God of All Children. We saw how in the very language of the text, God emphasized that He is keenly interested in and active in the lives of the children, Isaac and Ishmael; we considered some of the vocabulary of the text to see how it was focusing on the entire period between babyhood and full adulthood.
We saw that God notices children's troubles--that whether Isaac had learned to pray yet or not, still God noticed his trouble and was acting for his good in his life.
We saw that God notices children's sins--that He took note of how Ishmael was treating his little brother.
We saw that God cares for children Himself--that whether it is through Abraham in Abraham's household or without Abraham and in the wilderness, truly it is God who cares for Ishmael.
We saw that God gives some children believing parents as a gift--that God decides who your father and mother will be, and that when He gives Ishmael a believing parent, He treats Ishmael differently for Abraham's sake.
We saw that God hears children's cries--noticing how unexpected it was for God to say, "I have heard the cry of the young man," when "I have heard your weeping, Hagar," would have been more natural... God hears the cries of children!
We saw that God is with children to grow them--that God being with Ishmael in his growing up shows both the cause of Ishmael's growing up and that this was the basic reality of Ishmael's life growing up; we saw also that this is implied for Isaac in the use of the same phrase ('He became great') for his growing up.
We saw that God has a special place for every child--that Ishmael's place was the wilderness of Paran, and that this did not mean that God was less with him than with Isaac; in fact, Ishmael needed to be in Paran for God to say to Abraham in 22:2, "Take your son Isaac, your only son, whom you love," looking forward to Christ.
We saw, finally, in the solidifying of the covenant line in Isaac, and the preparing of Isaac to be a foreshadowing of Christ, that God became a child to save children--that His taking notice of children's sins is real, and that the wrath that children deserve is real, but that He Himself has provided for them the way of salvation; God sent Jesus as a child, even from conception, so that every child who hides himself in Jesus, trusts in Jesus' life and Jesus' death to be all his goodness, will not go to Hell but will enjoy eternal life with God their Father.
Questions for more followup. Do you feel unnoticed sometimes, like you don't matter? Do you feel unnoticed sometimes, like your sins aren't as big a deal as others'? Is there anyone that God does not notice? What is your only hope, since you know that God notices your sin?
Song: Once in Royal David's City [tune]
Once in royal David's city Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby In a manger for his bed:
Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.
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He came down to earth from heaven Who is God and Lord of all,
And his shelter was a stable, And his cradle was a stall:
With the poor, and mean, and lowly, Lived on earth our Saviour holy.
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And, through all his wondrous childhood He would honor and obey,
Love and watch the lowly maiden In whose gentle arms he lay:
Christian children all must be Mild, obedient, good as he.
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And our eyes at last shall see him, Through his own redeeming love;
For that Child so dear and gentle Is our Lord in heav'n above,
And he leads his children on To the place where he is gone.
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Not in that poor lowly stable, With the oxen standing by,
We shall see him, but in heaven, Set at God's right hand on high;
When like stars his children crowned All in white shall wait around.
Where a mother laid her baby In a manger for his bed:
Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.
-
He came down to earth from heaven Who is God and Lord of all,
And his shelter was a stable, And his cradle was a stall:
With the poor, and mean, and lowly, Lived on earth our Saviour holy.
-
And, through all his wondrous childhood He would honor and obey,
Love and watch the lowly maiden In whose gentle arms he lay:
Christian children all must be Mild, obedient, good as he.
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And our eyes at last shall see him, Through his own redeeming love;
For that Child so dear and gentle Is our Lord in heav'n above,
And he leads his children on To the place where he is gone.
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Not in that poor lowly stable, With the oxen standing by,
We shall see him, but in heaven, Set at God's right hand on high;
When like stars his children crowned All in white shall wait around.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 5:45 AM 2 Comments Links to this post
Gen 21:8-21 'God of Children' (22-Mar Morning Sermon)
The audio of this week's morning sermon, Gen 21:8-21 'God of Children' is now [online]. If you are an adult, remember as you listen that every one of these applies to you!
Labels: Sermons
¶ 5:20 AM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Reminders: Prayer Meeting, Reformation Society, Building Work
Tomorrow's (Weds) Prayer Meeting will be at the new building. 7p.m. We'll study and sing Psalm 34:1-10 to draw our minds away from our weeks and to God's word. And then we'll pray!
Reformation Society Meeting, Thursday at 7p.m. at the Orange City Library.
Building Work Available. A bunch of trim went up today, so in addition to the staining and varnishing jobs from before, there's now a good bit of "puttying" nail holes to do.Labels: Announcements
¶ 6:49 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Rev 9 'Real Wrath, Real Comfort' (Worship Followup, Morning Reading)
Text: Revelation 9. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: Real Wrath, Real Comfort. The wrath in the first four trumpets was more generally directed against the fallen world. Trumpets five and six now target those humans who have not found refuge from their sin and guilt in Christ. The focus of the fifth trumpet is upon how unbearable and undiminishing God's wrath is; it's the same idea as when Jesus says that in Hell the worm will not die and the fire will not be quenched. The sixth trumpet shows that even unimaginably intense wrath cannot turn the sinner toward repentance, which means of course that this will go on forever and ever. Wrath is real, and it is impossible to be "alarmist" about it, since we cannot even adequately describe how bad it is.
However, for those who are sealed in Christ, this is also a chapter of real comfort. One comfort is that we notice that the legions of demons and even Satan himself, though acting true to their wicked natures, function only to play their part in the plans of God and even the actions of angels (cf. v15 with v16). The enemies of our soul simply cannot do us true (eternal) damage if we are in Christ!
Even better, in Rev 9 we are now glimpsing that from which Jesus has saved us. We are seeing the intensity of that which He has taken in our place. Yes, dear Christian, our Savior has endured the pains of eternal Hell on the cross for us! With what a great salvation we have been saved--look at that from which we have escaped. And what power there is in Christ, who endured this, drinking every last drop, and now sits in glorious resurrection life and power at the right hand of God! And what love that He would be willing for this, and what love of the Father that He would give His Son up to this. How great beyond imagining is the power and love of God for His saints!
This is both real comfort and real motivation. As your heart enlarges with love to God in considering this, does it not also rise up in hostility toward the sin that cost our Savior so dearly?
Questions for more followup: If God's wrath is real and this severe, is it kindness not to tell people about it, or not to be urgent in our telling them? Considering what we learned from this chapter, what was the worst part of Jesus' crucifixion? Considering how our little study ended, if your heart seems to be lagging in love toward God, how does spending more time thinking about His wrath help? Is the wrath itself what is helpful--what does grasping the greatness of God's wrath do for our grasp of the greatness of the gospel?
Song: Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed [tune]
Lesson: Real Wrath, Real Comfort. The wrath in the first four trumpets was more generally directed against the fallen world. Trumpets five and six now target those humans who have not found refuge from their sin and guilt in Christ. The focus of the fifth trumpet is upon how unbearable and undiminishing God's wrath is; it's the same idea as when Jesus says that in Hell the worm will not die and the fire will not be quenched. The sixth trumpet shows that even unimaginably intense wrath cannot turn the sinner toward repentance, which means of course that this will go on forever and ever. Wrath is real, and it is impossible to be "alarmist" about it, since we cannot even adequately describe how bad it is.
However, for those who are sealed in Christ, this is also a chapter of real comfort. One comfort is that we notice that the legions of demons and even Satan himself, though acting true to their wicked natures, function only to play their part in the plans of God and even the actions of angels (cf. v15 with v16). The enemies of our soul simply cannot do us true (eternal) damage if we are in Christ!
Even better, in Rev 9 we are now glimpsing that from which Jesus has saved us. We are seeing the intensity of that which He has taken in our place. Yes, dear Christian, our Savior has endured the pains of eternal Hell on the cross for us! With what a great salvation we have been saved--look at that from which we have escaped. And what power there is in Christ, who endured this, drinking every last drop, and now sits in glorious resurrection life and power at the right hand of God! And what love that He would be willing for this, and what love of the Father that He would give His Son up to this. How great beyond imagining is the power and love of God for His saints!
This is both real comfort and real motivation. As your heart enlarges with love to God in considering this, does it not also rise up in hostility toward the sin that cost our Savior so dearly?
Questions for more followup: If God's wrath is real and this severe, is it kindness not to tell people about it, or not to be urgent in our telling them? Considering what we learned from this chapter, what was the worst part of Jesus' crucifixion? Considering how our little study ended, if your heart seems to be lagging in love toward God, how does spending more time thinking about His wrath help? Is the wrath itself what is helpful--what does grasping the greatness of God's wrath do for our grasp of the greatness of the gospel?
Song: Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed [tune]
Alas! and did my Saviour bleed, And did my Sovereign die!
Would he devote that sacred head For such a worm as I!
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Was it for crimes that I had done He groaned upon the tree!
Amazing pity! grace unknown! And love beyond degree!
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Well might the sun in darkness hide, And shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker, died For man the creature's sin.
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Thus might I hide my blushing face While his dear cross appears;
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness, And melt mine eyes in tears.
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But drops of grief can ne'er repay The debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself away, 'Tis all that I can do.
Would he devote that sacred head For such a worm as I!
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Was it for crimes that I had done He groaned upon the tree!
Amazing pity! grace unknown! And love beyond degree!
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Well might the sun in darkness hide, And shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker, died For man the creature's sin.
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Thus might I hide my blushing face While his dear cross appears;
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness, And melt mine eyes in tears.
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But drops of grief can ne'er repay The debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself away, 'Tis all that I can do.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 11:23 AM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Monday, March 23, 2009
Prayer Meeting Location and Work on the Building
Prayer Meeting is once again at the new building this week (and will be until further notice). Sorry I forgot to change it in the worship booklet!
Work Available. Speaking of the new building, there are several staining and varnishing jobs (some small, some big) available for anyone who has a little extra time to volunteer.
Work Available. Speaking of the new building, there are several staining and varnishing jobs (some small, some big) available for anyone who has a little extra time to volunteer.
Labels: Announcements
¶ 5:13 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Heb 1:7-9 'Worshiping Creator through Creator' (Worship Followup, Morning Call)
Text: Heb 1:7-9. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'Worshiping Creator through Creator'. We've been hearing in our morning calls to worship of the high-exalted glory of Jesus Christ. It's part of the case that letter makes as a whole that it is impossible to improve Christian worship by adding to it things on earth. How exalted is Jesus Christ? Last week's call pointed out that even the angels are His worshipers.
This week, the Bible takes us a step further: the angels aren't just His worshipers; they're His creatures. v7 refers back to Psalm 104 and the creation of angels. We already heard in v2 that it was through Christ that everything was created which was created. Verse 8 goes on to proclaim that Jesus is the eternally enthroned God. And verse 9 reminds us that He is also our holy and anointed Priest-King.
Taken together, then, these three verses fill our hearts with this amazing truth about Christian congregational worship: when we come to worship through Jesus, we come through the enthroned God-man, a Priest whose righteousness is the very righteousness of God, a King whose throne is the very throne of God.
Hallelujah! It makes me wish it was the Lord's Day again already. The eternal Lord's Day is coming!
Questions for more followup: How impressive are angels as winds and flames of fire? Who created them? What did He do for us, and where is He now? When you come to worship with the congregation, can you physically see Jesus leading our worship? What is a more reliable indicator of how glorious our worship is--what we see and feel in it, or what God Himself tells us about it? If God says it's that glorious, what should we see and feel when we come?
Song: Jesus Christ Is Risen Today. (you may know it to [this tune] with which I personally am more familiar; we sang it to [this tune]).
Lesson: 'Worshiping Creator through Creator'. We've been hearing in our morning calls to worship of the high-exalted glory of Jesus Christ. It's part of the case that letter makes as a whole that it is impossible to improve Christian worship by adding to it things on earth. How exalted is Jesus Christ? Last week's call pointed out that even the angels are His worshipers.
This week, the Bible takes us a step further: the angels aren't just His worshipers; they're His creatures. v7 refers back to Psalm 104 and the creation of angels. We already heard in v2 that it was through Christ that everything was created which was created. Verse 8 goes on to proclaim that Jesus is the eternally enthroned God. And verse 9 reminds us that He is also our holy and anointed Priest-King.
Taken together, then, these three verses fill our hearts with this amazing truth about Christian congregational worship: when we come to worship through Jesus, we come through the enthroned God-man, a Priest whose righteousness is the very righteousness of God, a King whose throne is the very throne of God.
Hallelujah! It makes me wish it was the Lord's Day again already. The eternal Lord's Day is coming!
Questions for more followup: How impressive are angels as winds and flames of fire? Who created them? What did He do for us, and where is He now? When you come to worship with the congregation, can you physically see Jesus leading our worship? What is a more reliable indicator of how glorious our worship is--what we see and feel in it, or what God Himself tells us about it? If God says it's that glorious, what should we see and feel when we come?
Song: Jesus Christ Is Risen Today. (you may know it to [this tune] with which I personally am more familiar; we sang it to [this tune]).
Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia! Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once, upon the cross, Alleluia! Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!
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Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia! Unto Christ our heav'nly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia! Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!
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But the pains which he endured, Alleluia! Our salvation have procured; Alleluia!
Now above the sky he's King, Alleluia! Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!
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Sing we to our God above, Alleluia! Praise eternal as his love; Alleluia!
Praise him, all ye heavenly host, Alleluia! Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!
Who did once, upon the cross, Alleluia! Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!
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Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia! Unto Christ our heav'nly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia! Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!
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But the pains which he endured, Alleluia! Our salvation have procured; Alleluia!
Now above the sky he's King, Alleluia! Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!
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Sing we to our God above, Alleluia! Praise eternal as his love; Alleluia!
Praise him, all ye heavenly host, Alleluia! Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 9:56 AM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Saturday, March 21, 2009
22-March Worship Booklet
Tomorrow's worship booklet is now [available online].
Labels: Worship Booklet, Worship Services
¶ 9:15 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
Rom 8:12-13 'Debtors to the Spirit' (Worship Followup, Evening Sermon)
Text: Romans 8:12-13. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'Debtors to the Spirit'. Sometimes, you will hear people speak as if Christians have two natures. But we only have one. We used to have one nature. And now we have a different one. You can only have one nature at a time; that's the nature of the word 'nature'!
This isn't just theological precision. It's also an indispensable weapon in the war against the remaining sin from our old nature. Part of the shield of faith and the gospel of peace is the knowledge that we aren't debtors to sin anymore. That's just not who I am now. Satan loves to make you think that sin is still your nature, that you still are a debtor to the flesh, that it's hopeless.
But there is a second way in which the enemy would tempt us to be "debtors" to the flesh: by relying upon ourselves. How foolish it would be to begin by faith, to begin by the Spirit, then depend upon ourselves as we continue. But that is exactly what the deceiver would have us try.
So, whether fighting off despair at how hard it is to pursue perfect holiness, or to fight off the crippling arrogance of depending upon ourselves in that pursuit, we need to hear the wonderful news: we are not debtors to the flesh! We are commanded to put to death the deeds of the body. This is only done by the Spirit, and surely done by the Spirit.
Questions for more followup. Do you ever feel like it's hopeless to fight your sin? For whom would this actually be true? But if you are in Christ, and you have the Spirit, who is it that would have you believe fighting sin is hopeless? Once you're a Christian, are you then able to depend upon yourself? What must all Christians do? How can they do that?
Song: Gracious Spirit Dwell with Me.
Gracious Spirit, dwell with me! I myself would gracious be;
And with words that help and heal Would Thy life in mine reveal;
And with actions bold and meek Would for Christ my Savior speak.
And with words that help and heal Would Thy life in mine reveal;
And with actions bold and meek Would for Christ my Savior speak.
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Truthful Spirit, dwell with me! I myself would truthful be;
And with wisdom kind and clear Let Thy life in mine appear;
And with actions brotherly Speak my Lord’s sincerity.
And with wisdom kind and clear Let Thy life in mine appear;
And with actions brotherly Speak my Lord’s sincerity.
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Mighty Spirit, dwell with me! I myself would mighty be;
Mighty so as to prevail, Where unaided man must fail;
Ever, by a mighty hope, Pressing on and bearing up.
Mighty so as to prevail, Where unaided man must fail;
Ever, by a mighty hope, Pressing on and bearing up.
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Holy Spirit, dwell with me! I myself would holy be;
Separate from sin, I would Choose and cherish all things good,
And whatever I can be Give to Him Who gave me Thee!
Separate from sin, I would Choose and cherish all things good,
And whatever I can be Give to Him Who gave me Thee!
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 9:05 AM 0 Comments Links to this post
Is 60 'The Light of the World Is Jesus' (Worship Followup, Evening Reading)
Text: Isaiah 60. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'The Light of the World Is Jesus'. This chapter teaches us that in a world of darkness, God puts the light of His own glory into the church, and so uses the church to draw to Himself His people from all the earth. We behold the radiance of His glory in Jesus (Jn 1:14, Heb 1:3) . Christ’s life is the light of men (Jn 1:4), and He shines it through us to add others to His praising people (Mt 5:16).
Indeed, Yahweh is speeding along the day when this ingathering will be complete, and the sun will be made obsolete as He Himself is the Light of an eternally and perfectly joyous and righteous people (vv19-22)!
Dear Christians, one of the great themes of this chapter is surprise. Surprise at whom God brings to Himself. Surprise at how quickly God restores the fortunes of His people. Surprise at how much better God's salvation blessings turn out to be even than we had expected.
And who is the light who brings such amazing surprises? Jesus!
Questions for more followup. What is the source of the light in this chapter? How does this compare with messages like "find the good within you" and "each of you has something that is valuable to God"? Who makes believers beautiful? Who is the light of heaven?
Song: The Light of the World Is Jesus
Lesson: 'The Light of the World Is Jesus'. This chapter teaches us that in a world of darkness, God puts the light of His own glory into the church, and so uses the church to draw to Himself His people from all the earth. We behold the radiance of His glory in Jesus (Jn 1:14, Heb 1:3) . Christ’s life is the light of men (Jn 1:4), and He shines it through us to add others to His praising people (Mt 5:16).
Indeed, Yahweh is speeding along the day when this ingathering will be complete, and the sun will be made obsolete as He Himself is the Light of an eternally and perfectly joyous and righteous people (vv19-22)!
Dear Christians, one of the great themes of this chapter is surprise. Surprise at whom God brings to Himself. Surprise at how quickly God restores the fortunes of His people. Surprise at how much better God's salvation blessings turn out to be even than we had expected.
And who is the light who brings such amazing surprises? Jesus!
Questions for more followup. What is the source of the light in this chapter? How does this compare with messages like "find the good within you" and "each of you has something that is valuable to God"? Who makes believers beautiful? Who is the light of heaven?
Song: The Light of the World Is Jesus
The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin; The Light of the world is Jesus;
Like sunshine at noonday his glory shone in, The Light of the world is Jesus.
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Come to the Light, 'tis shining for thee; Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see; The Light of the world is Jesus.
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No darkness have we who in Jesus abide, The Light of the world is Jesus;
We walk in the Light when we follow our Guide, The Light of the world is Jesus.
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Come to the Light, 'tis shining for thee; Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see; The Light of the world is Jesus.
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Ye dwellers in darkness with sin-blinded eyes, The Light of the world is Jesus;
Go, wash at his bidding, and light will arise, The Light of the world is Jesus.
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Come to the Light, 'tis shining for thee; Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see; The Light of the world is Jesus.
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No need of the sunlight in heaven, we're told, The Light of the world is Jesus;
The Lamb is the Light in the City of Gold, The Light of the world is Jesus.
Like sunshine at noonday his glory shone in, The Light of the world is Jesus.
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Come to the Light, 'tis shining for thee; Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see; The Light of the world is Jesus.
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No darkness have we who in Jesus abide, The Light of the world is Jesus;
We walk in the Light when we follow our Guide, The Light of the world is Jesus.
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Come to the Light, 'tis shining for thee; Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see; The Light of the world is Jesus.
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Ye dwellers in darkness with sin-blinded eyes, The Light of the world is Jesus;
Go, wash at his bidding, and light will arise, The Light of the world is Jesus.
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Come to the Light, 'tis shining for thee; Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see; The Light of the world is Jesus.
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No need of the sunlight in heaven, we're told, The Light of the world is Jesus;
The Lamb is the Light in the City of Gold, The Light of the world is Jesus.
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Come to the Light, 'tis shining for thee; Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see; The Light of the world is Jesus.
Come to the Light, 'tis shining for thee; Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me;
Once I was blind, but now I can see; The Light of the world is Jesus.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 8:30 AM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Thursday, March 19, 2009
Welcome Levi John Van Essendelft!
Rebecca and Levi are doing great. Praise the Lord! Matt has provided [this link] to details.
Labels: Announcements
¶ 4:21 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Ps 118:1-4 'Who Like Me His Praise Should Sing?' (Worship Followup, Evening Call)
Text: Psalm 118:1-4. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'Who Like Me His Praise Should Sing?'. That's actually a line from the first verse of the song with which we responded to the morning call, joining the worship of the angels. But it describes exactly the idea of Psalm 118:1-4, as flowing out of Psalm 117. Psalm 117 had said that all nations and all peoples should praise God for His covenant love and faithfulness.
But if that's the case, how about those whom God has chosen? That's Israel. And how about those whom He has made clean and set apart? That's the house of Aaron. And how about those whom He has transformed? That's those who fear Yahweh. How much more should such recipients of covenant love and recipients of God's gracious faithfulness praise Him!
So, that's exactly whom these four verses call upon to worship. Congregational worship is about ascribing to God the glory due His name, announcing and publishing and declaring and proclaiming the truth about Him. In the company of the redeemed, this public display is made. Dear Christian, this is your duty, but is it not your greatest delight--to participate in the assembly that He designed for this? Let Israel, the house of Aaron, and those who fear Yahweh say: "His steadfast love endures forever!"
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, who like me His praise should sing?
Questions for more follow-up: Who should praise God for His love and faithfulness? If God is the one who chooses, cleanses, sets apart, and transforms, then what do we need to do before we come to Him? What is happening when the congregation of God's saved people gathers? Do we come to give or to receive? If we come to declare that God's steadfast love endures forever, and we are part of a gathering of others who are doing the same, do we end up only giving? What is something we can do, as individuals and families, every Lord's Day morning before worship, so that we come with this purpose to declare that the steadfast love of Yahweh endures forever?
Song: Loved with Everlasting Love (if you need the tune, listen [at nethymnal], or it's #703 in our hymnal)
Lesson: 'Who Like Me His Praise Should Sing?'. That's actually a line from the first verse of the song with which we responded to the morning call, joining the worship of the angels. But it describes exactly the idea of Psalm 118:1-4, as flowing out of Psalm 117. Psalm 117 had said that all nations and all peoples should praise God for His covenant love and faithfulness.
But if that's the case, how about those whom God has chosen? That's Israel. And how about those whom He has made clean and set apart? That's the house of Aaron. And how about those whom He has transformed? That's those who fear Yahweh. How much more should such recipients of covenant love and recipients of God's gracious faithfulness praise Him!
So, that's exactly whom these four verses call upon to worship. Congregational worship is about ascribing to God the glory due His name, announcing and publishing and declaring and proclaiming the truth about Him. In the company of the redeemed, this public display is made. Dear Christian, this is your duty, but is it not your greatest delight--to participate in the assembly that He designed for this? Let Israel, the house of Aaron, and those who fear Yahweh say: "His steadfast love endures forever!"
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, who like me His praise should sing?
Questions for more follow-up: Who should praise God for His love and faithfulness? If God is the one who chooses, cleanses, sets apart, and transforms, then what do we need to do before we come to Him? What is happening when the congregation of God's saved people gathers? Do we come to give or to receive? If we come to declare that God's steadfast love endures forever, and we are part of a gathering of others who are doing the same, do we end up only giving? What is something we can do, as individuals and families, every Lord's Day morning before worship, so that we come with this purpose to declare that the steadfast love of Yahweh endures forever?
Song: Loved with Everlasting Love (if you need the tune, listen [at nethymnal], or it's #703 in our hymnal)
Loved with everlasting love, drawn by grace that love to know;
Spirit sent from Christ above, Thou dost witness it is so.
O, this full and precious peace from His presence all divine;
In a love which cannot cease, I am His and He is mine. (x2)
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Heav’n above is deeper blue, earth around is sweeter green,
that which glows in ev’ry hue Christless eyes have never seen.
Birds in song His glories show, flow’rs with richer beauties shine-
Since I know, as now I know, I am His and He is mine. (x2)
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Taste the goodness of the Lord: welcomed home to His embrace,
all His love as blood outpoured seals the pardon of His grace.
Can I doubt His love for me, when I trace that love’s design?
By the cross of Calvary I am His and He is mine. (x2)
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His forever, only His – who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss Christ can fill the loving heart.
Heav’n and earth may fade and flee, firstborn light in gloom decline,
But while God and I shall be, I am His and He is mine. (x2)
Spirit sent from Christ above, Thou dost witness it is so.
O, this full and precious peace from His presence all divine;
In a love which cannot cease, I am His and He is mine. (x2)
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Heav’n above is deeper blue, earth around is sweeter green,
that which glows in ev’ry hue Christless eyes have never seen.
Birds in song His glories show, flow’rs with richer beauties shine-
Since I know, as now I know, I am His and He is mine. (x2)
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Taste the goodness of the Lord: welcomed home to His embrace,
all His love as blood outpoured seals the pardon of His grace.
Can I doubt His love for me, when I trace that love’s design?
By the cross of Calvary I am His and He is mine. (x2)
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His forever, only His – who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss Christ can fill the loving heart.
Heav’n and earth may fade and flee, firstborn light in gloom decline,
But while God and I shall be, I am His and He is mine. (x2)
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 11:56 AM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Gen 21:1-7 'His Story, My Story' (Worship Followup, Morning Sermon)
Text: Genesis 21:1-7. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'His Story, My Story'. In the morning assembly this week, we heard from Genesis 21:1-7 the message of a 'Fulfilling Fulfillment.' We saw where this mountaintop passage fits in the story of the Bible, the story of the World, the story of God's bringing life out of death, always by His Word. And then we saw that in this grand story, God also sees to fulfilling Sarah personally, just as He does everyone who belongs to Him in His sovereign love, redeeming grace, and covenant faithfulness.
Your story is a sub-plot in God's great story, and so you and your life exist to glorify the One who brings life out of death! If you have death at work in you, you are "qualified"--it's the only prerequisite. But for believers, your story isn't just a sub-plot that glorifies Him, but a microcosm of the whole: He delights to weave into His fulfillments of His Word the fulfilling of each and every believer. And so we know that not only does everything work to His glory, but also to every believers' good. What a Savior! What a story!
Song: Amazing Grace (Newton's original six verses)
Lesson: 'His Story, My Story'. In the morning assembly this week, we heard from Genesis 21:1-7 the message of a 'Fulfilling Fulfillment.' We saw where this mountaintop passage fits in the story of the Bible, the story of the World, the story of God's bringing life out of death, always by His Word. And then we saw that in this grand story, God also sees to fulfilling Sarah personally, just as He does everyone who belongs to Him in His sovereign love, redeeming grace, and covenant faithfulness.
Your story is a sub-plot in God's great story, and so you and your life exist to glorify the One who brings life out of death! If you have death at work in you, you are "qualified"--it's the only prerequisite. But for believers, your story isn't just a sub-plot that glorifies Him, but a microcosm of the whole: He delights to weave into His fulfillments of His Word the fulfilling of each and every believer. And so we know that not only does everything work to His glory, but also to every believers' good. What a Savior! What a story!
Song: Amazing Grace (Newton's original six verses)
Amazing grace!—how sweet the sound—that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.
I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.
-
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed!
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed!
-
Thro’ many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come;
‘tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.
Thro’ many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come;
‘tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.
-
The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures.
The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures.
-
And when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil a life of joy and peace
And when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil a life of joy and peace
-
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, the sun forbear to shine;
but God, who called me here below, will be forever mine.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, the sun forbear to shine;
but God, who called me here below, will be forever mine.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 1:30 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Prayer Meeting and Elders' Meeting Location Changes
You've probably heard of people being forced out of house and home. Now you've heard about a group being forced into house and home. Due to Iowa State Bank's garage sale thing (I've forgotten what it's called) in the large room the next few days, prayer meeting tomorrow, the 18th, will be in the new building.
Also, the elders meeting for tonight, the 17th, is being held at Bob Hilbelink's home, not the Vander Harts' as originally scheduled.
Also, the elders meeting for tonight, the 17th, is being held at Bob Hilbelink's home, not the Vander Harts' as originally scheduled.
Labels: Announcements
¶ 3:10 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Rom 8:12-13 'By the Spirit, Who I Am' (15-Mar, Evening Sermon)
In the Lord's Day evening assembly this week, we heard from Rom 8:12-13 the message "By the Spirit, Who I Am" [audio - manuscript]. Let us be neither self-defeated, nor self-sufficient, but by the Spirit fight sin to the death!
Labels: Sermons
¶ 2:54 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Gen 21:1-7 'Fulfilling Fulfillment' (15-Mar Morning Sermon)
In the Lord's Day morning gathering this week, we heard from Gen 21:1-7 the message of "Fulfilling Fulfillment." The story of the Bible, the world, of all time, and of every Christian is the story of how God brings life out of death! In the midst of this grand story, every individual believer's experience is one of (a)Sovereign Love, (b)Redeeming Grace, and (c)Covenant Faithfulness. [audio - manuscript]
Labels: Sermons
¶ 2:43 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Elders and Promises (15-Mar Bible Class)
The final class in the mini-series on a Biblical theology of church was called "Elders and Promises: how God keeps us from running away from our Romans 12 commitments." [audio - handout]. Catechism students will want to be refreshing questions 1-11 (depending upon what the elders decide tonight, we may be back at catechism again next week, in which case we will have review for the first class).
Labels: Bible Class, Catechism
¶ 2:38 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Rev 8 'Wreal Wrath' (Worship Followup, Morning Reading)
Text: Revelation 8. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'Wreal Wrath'. Notice how the first three trumpets include some fiery, falling object to show that the trumpets are the effects on earth of the fire that is flung from the altar of heaven in the seventh seal. This chapter is about the reality of God's wrath.
And that reality is a big one. Can you imagine the suspense built by a half hour of silence after all the noise in the book to this point? And the devastation is catastrophic. And yet, the fact that so far it is only affecting things in thirds gives it a "slow-motion" effect. Finally, the point of v13 is that if you thought the first four trumpets were bad, you haven't seen anything yet!
So, this is a gracious warning to unbelievers before it's too late. God's wrath is real, and it's really big. But for believers, as we look back to from where the wrath comes, this chapter is a great comfort. Because there we see the prayers of God's people. All those prayers of pain, cries for justice, pleadings for vindication that it sometimes feels like no one hears? They are heard, and they are acted upon! In 6:9-10, the response had been to "wait a little while." The point of chapter 8 is that indeed the while IS "little," and the wait is worth it. Dear Christian, God hears your prayers!
Questions for more follow-up: How have you been sinned against this week? Have you told God about it, releasing it to Him so that you can do good to those who hurt you? -- How have you sinned this week? Have you considered that because God is righteous, He must have wrath upon those sins? How can you hope to be saved, since God must pour out His wrath? -- Do you sometimes feel like your prayers aren't heard? Which is more reliable: your feelings of whether or not a prayer is heard, or God's testimony about it?
Song: Lord of the Sabbath, Hear Us Pray(same tune as 'Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness')
Lesson: 'Wreal Wrath'. Notice how the first three trumpets include some fiery, falling object to show that the trumpets are the effects on earth of the fire that is flung from the altar of heaven in the seventh seal. This chapter is about the reality of God's wrath.
And that reality is a big one. Can you imagine the suspense built by a half hour of silence after all the noise in the book to this point? And the devastation is catastrophic. And yet, the fact that so far it is only affecting things in thirds gives it a "slow-motion" effect. Finally, the point of v13 is that if you thought the first four trumpets were bad, you haven't seen anything yet!
So, this is a gracious warning to unbelievers before it's too late. God's wrath is real, and it's really big. But for believers, as we look back to from where the wrath comes, this chapter is a great comfort. Because there we see the prayers of God's people. All those prayers of pain, cries for justice, pleadings for vindication that it sometimes feels like no one hears? They are heard, and they are acted upon! In 6:9-10, the response had been to "wait a little while." The point of chapter 8 is that indeed the while IS "little," and the wait is worth it. Dear Christian, God hears your prayers!
Questions for more follow-up: How have you been sinned against this week? Have you told God about it, releasing it to Him so that you can do good to those who hurt you? -- How have you sinned this week? Have you considered that because God is righteous, He must have wrath upon those sins? How can you hope to be saved, since God must pour out His wrath? -- Do you sometimes feel like your prayers aren't heard? Which is more reliable: your feelings of whether or not a prayer is heard, or God's testimony about it?
Song: Lord of the Sabbath, Hear Us Pray(same tune as 'Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness')
Lord of the Sabbath, hear us pray, In this thy house, on this thy day;
And own, as grateful sacrifice, The songs which from thy temple rise.
-
Now met to pray and bless thy Name, Whose mercies flow each day the same,
Whose kind compassions never cease, We seek instruction, pardon, peace.
-
Thine earthly Sabbaths, Lord, we love, But there's a nobler rest above;
To that our lab'ring souls aspire With ardent hope and strong desire.
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In thy blest kingdom we shall be From ev'ry mortal trouble free;
No sighs shall mingle with the songs Resounding from immortal tongues;
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No rude alarms of raging foes; No cares to break the long repose;
No midnight shade, no waning moon, But sacred, high, eternal noon.
-
O long-expected day, begin, Dawn on these realms of woe and sin!
Break, morn of God, upon our eyes; And let the world's true Sun arise!
And own, as grateful sacrifice, The songs which from thy temple rise.
-
Now met to pray and bless thy Name, Whose mercies flow each day the same,
Whose kind compassions never cease, We seek instruction, pardon, peace.
-
Thine earthly Sabbaths, Lord, we love, But there's a nobler rest above;
To that our lab'ring souls aspire With ardent hope and strong desire.
-
In thy blest kingdom we shall be From ev'ry mortal trouble free;
No sighs shall mingle with the songs Resounding from immortal tongues;
-
No rude alarms of raging foes; No cares to break the long repose;
No midnight shade, no waning moon, But sacred, high, eternal noon.
-
O long-expected day, begin, Dawn on these realms of woe and sin!
Break, morn of God, upon our eyes; And let the world's true Sun arise!
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 7:38 AM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Monday, March 16, 2009
Heb 1:5-6 'Worship Good Enough for Angels' (Worship Followup, Morning Call)
Text: Hebrews 1:5-6. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'Worship Good Enough for Angels'. As we've been hearing, the believers to whom Hebrews was written were being tempted to try to improve upon the simplicity of Christian worship. And one of these "improvements" was worship that focused more on angels. Today's verses answer this idea by declaring how much more glorious Jesus is than even the highest angel.
Jesus is the Son of God, of the nature of God, equal in power and glory too God. v6 is perhaps even more marvelous: when the Son of God comes into the world, God says, "let all God's angels worship Him." The highest of all God's creatures are to fall on their faces before Jesus Christ, the God-man.
You see the force of what God is saying here: why would you want more angelic worship, when the angels themselves bow down as part of Christian worship?! Why would my soul praise the slaves of heaven? Let us instead, as fellow-slaves, worship the KING of heaven! When we gather on the Lord's Day, we are entering into the worship of heaven itself.
Song: Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven
Lesson: 'Worship Good Enough for Angels'. As we've been hearing, the believers to whom Hebrews was written were being tempted to try to improve upon the simplicity of Christian worship. And one of these "improvements" was worship that focused more on angels. Today's verses answer this idea by declaring how much more glorious Jesus is than even the highest angel.
Jesus is the Son of God, of the nature of God, equal in power and glory too God. v6 is perhaps even more marvelous: when the Son of God comes into the world, God says, "let all God's angels worship Him." The highest of all God's creatures are to fall on their faces before Jesus Christ, the God-man.
You see the force of what God is saying here: why would you want more angelic worship, when the angels themselves bow down as part of Christian worship?! Why would my soul praise the slaves of heaven? Let us instead, as fellow-slaves, worship the KING of heaven! When we gather on the Lord's Day, we are entering into the worship of heaven itself.
Song: Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven, To his feet thy tribute bring;
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, Who like me, his praise should sing?
Praise him, praise him, Praise him, praise him, Praise the everlasting King.
-
Praise him for his grace and favor To our fathers in distress;
Praise him still the same for ever, Slow to chide, and swift to bless;
Praise him, praise him, Praise him, praise him, Glorious in his faithfulness.
-
Father-like, he tends and spares us; Well our feeble frame he knows;
In his hands he gently bears us, Rescues us from all our foes;
Praise him, praise him, Praise him, praise him, Widely as his mercy goes.
-
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, Who like me, his praise should sing?
Praise him, praise him, Praise him, praise him, Praise the everlasting King.
-
Praise him for his grace and favor To our fathers in distress;
Praise him still the same for ever, Slow to chide, and swift to bless;
Praise him, praise him, Praise him, praise him, Glorious in his faithfulness.
-
Father-like, he tends and spares us; Well our feeble frame he knows;
In his hands he gently bears us, Rescues us from all our foes;
Praise him, praise him, Praise him, praise him, Widely as his mercy goes.
-
Frail as summer's flow'r we flourish, blows the wind and it is gone;
But while mortals rise and perish, God endures unchaging on.
Praise Him, praise Him; Praise Him, praise Him; Praise the High Eternal One.
-
Angels, help us to adore him; Ye behold him face to face;
Angels, help us to adore him; Ye behold him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before him, Dwellers all in time and space.
Praise him, praise him, Praise him, praise him, Praise with us the God of grace.
Praise him, praise him, Praise him, praise him, Praise with us the God of grace.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 3:51 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Friday, March 13, 2009
CaringBridge Website for Alethea's Brother
CaringBridge is a website that helps you follow the progress of and interact with someone receiving treatment for a serious illness or injury. Many of you know that Alethea's brother, Brad, was miraculously spared in a car wreck last week. Now you can [follow his recovery at the CaringBridge website] (the link will take you directly to his page).
Labels: Announcements, Prayer Requests
¶ 3:15 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
March 15 Worship Booklet
Do you prepare yourself and your family for camping trips? Vacations? Major sports events? Significant efforts like recitals and plays? The worship of the living God in the heaven-entering Lord's Day assemblies?
The worship booklet for the day after tomorrow [is online].
The worship booklet for the day after tomorrow [is online].
Labels: Worship Booklet, Worship Services
¶ 3:08 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Isaiah 59 'There Is a Redeemer' (Worship Followup, Evening Reading)
Text: Isaiah 59. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'There Is a Redeemer'. (vv1-8) Why does every effort from our side fail to reach to God? Why can’t we reach to God? Is it because His arm is too short to reach, or because He is hard of hearing? No! It is because of the greatness of our sin!
(vv9-15a) Well, maybe someone can help us. Let’s see. Gurus? Blind. Leaders? Crippled. Moral examples? Wicked. There is no help, no possible help for us!
(vv15b-19) And that’s just the situation into which God designs His salvation to come. His wisdom alone. His power alone. His righteousness alone. Our absolute helplessness means His absolute glory in our salvation. Our absolute wickedness means His absolute grace.
(vv20-21) And this glory and grace find their ultimate expression in Jesus the Redeemer, whose salvation is perfect, and sure, and everlasting!
Oh, God grant that we would see our sin as the source of all our guilt, all our troubles, all our separation from God. And God grant for us to see His mighty, powerful grace in which He saves us sinners precisely because there is absolutely no hope whatsoever except for Him. May He magnify Christ in our eyes and our hearts, filling us with confidence and joy in our sure, eternal Redeemer!
Song: Jesus Paid It All
Lesson: 'There Is a Redeemer'. (vv1-8) Why does every effort from our side fail to reach to God? Why can’t we reach to God? Is it because His arm is too short to reach, or because He is hard of hearing? No! It is because of the greatness of our sin!
(vv9-15a) Well, maybe someone can help us. Let’s see. Gurus? Blind. Leaders? Crippled. Moral examples? Wicked. There is no help, no possible help for us!
(vv15b-19) And that’s just the situation into which God designs His salvation to come. His wisdom alone. His power alone. His righteousness alone. Our absolute helplessness means His absolute glory in our salvation. Our absolute wickedness means His absolute grace.
(vv20-21) And this glory and grace find their ultimate expression in Jesus the Redeemer, whose salvation is perfect, and sure, and everlasting!
Oh, God grant that we would see our sin as the source of all our guilt, all our troubles, all our separation from God. And God grant for us to see His mighty, powerful grace in which He saves us sinners precisely because there is absolutely no hope whatsoever except for Him. May He magnify Christ in our eyes and our hearts, filling us with confidence and joy in our sure, eternal Redeemer!
Song: Jesus Paid It All
I hear the Saviour say, "Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in me thine all in all."
-
Chorus: Jesus paid it all, All to him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.
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Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in me thine all in all."
-
Chorus: Jesus paid it all, All to him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.
-
Lord, now indeed I find Thy power, and thine alone,
Can change the leper's spots, And melt the heart of stone.
Can change the leper's spots, And melt the heart of stone.
- Chorus -
For nothing good have I Whereby thy grace to claim—
I will wash my garments white In the blood of Calvary's lamb.
For nothing good have I Whereby thy grace to claim—
I will wash my garments white In the blood of Calvary's lamb.
- Chorus -
And when, before the throne, I stand in him complete,
"Jesus died my soul to save," My lips shall still repeat.
"Jesus died my soul to save," My lips shall still repeat.
Chorus
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 3:02 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Thursday, March 12, 2009
Ps 117 'If You Could Worship God for One Thing' (Worship Followup, Evening Call)
Text: Psalm 117. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'If You Could Worship God for One Thing'. The shortest Psalm in the Bible is universal in scope: praise Yahweh ALL nations, and extol Him ALL peoples. What characteristics or works of God are the reason for such worldwide worship? Is it His power? His creativity? His wisdom? His holiness? All of these are glorious beyond imagining, but when this Psalm makes its best argument for the whole world to worship God, it focuses on His covenanted love and faithfulness to His people.
God's praiseworthiness is most clearly seen in how He sets unthwartable love upon an undeserving people and remains immovably faithful to them. Oh the many and majestic glories of our God! And yet, here is the jewel of them all: steadfast love and faithfulness. As we think of these, and of Jesus Christ as their ultimate expression, let us indeed praise Yahweh!
Song: From All That Dwell Below the Skies
Lesson: 'If You Could Worship God for One Thing'. The shortest Psalm in the Bible is universal in scope: praise Yahweh ALL nations, and extol Him ALL peoples. What characteristics or works of God are the reason for such worldwide worship? Is it His power? His creativity? His wisdom? His holiness? All of these are glorious beyond imagining, but when this Psalm makes its best argument for the whole world to worship God, it focuses on His covenanted love and faithfulness to His people.
God's praiseworthiness is most clearly seen in how He sets unthwartable love upon an undeserving people and remains immovably faithful to them. Oh the many and majestic glories of our God! And yet, here is the jewel of them all: steadfast love and faithfulness. As we think of these, and of Jesus Christ as their ultimate expression, let us indeed praise Yahweh!
Song: From All That Dwell Below the Skies
From all that dwell below the skies Let the Creator's praise arise:
Let the Redeemer's name be sung Through every land, by every tongue.
-
Eternal are thy mercies, Lord; Eternal truth attends thy Word:
Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore Till suns shall rise and set no more.
Let the Redeemer's name be sung Through every land, by every tongue.
-
Eternal are thy mercies, Lord; Eternal truth attends thy Word:
Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore Till suns shall rise and set no more.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 9:57 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Gen 20 'Undeserving of God' (Worship Followup, Morning Message)
Text: Genesis 20. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'Undeserving of God'. As we heard in the morning sermon, the star of Genesis 20 is really God Himself, the great and gracious God of an undeserving people. Hopefully, the link to the outline and the audio will help bring most of the sermon back to you; but, I would like in the follow-up to return to the point of our 'undeservingness'.
Unbelievers need to hear that He is God of the undeserving, because Satan loves to tell them that they just need to do better in this or that area before they are presentable to God. In other words, one of the great lies from the pit of Hell to keep people away from Jesus is that God is really God of the deserving. Satan will even use believers' holy living to scare unbelievers away--he will take the true difference that Jesus makes in our lives, and say, "see, you have to be like that before you can come to Jesus." Since most of our unbelievers are children, we especially applied to how in our NW Iowa context, our children wrongly get the message that they can't really belong to or come to God through Jesus until they're older, or smarter, or better behaved. These are all different forms of Satan's lie.
Believers need to hear that He is the God of the undeserving, because we often fall into the lie as we seek to walk with Him. We begin to think or act as if the rate of our growth or our standing with God must be maintained by stuff that we do. It is freeing to remember that it is God Himself, His wisdom and grace, that determines the rate of our growth and our standing with Him. And so, we press on, not under the pressure of performance, but out of delight in our duty to our Savior, our Father, our Joy.
Finally, believers need to tell this to unbelievers. God is God of the undeserving. We are not waiting to attain to a level where we might become evangelists or intercessors. Simply by belonging to God through Jesus, we are called to be evangelists and intercessors. We are called to tell people about the God of the undeserving and to pray to Him on their behalf.
Song: Psalm 32. Tune, Vox Dilecti.
Lesson: 'Undeserving of God'. As we heard in the morning sermon, the star of Genesis 20 is really God Himself, the great and gracious God of an undeserving people. Hopefully, the link to the outline and the audio will help bring most of the sermon back to you; but, I would like in the follow-up to return to the point of our 'undeservingness'.
Unbelievers need to hear that He is God of the undeserving, because Satan loves to tell them that they just need to do better in this or that area before they are presentable to God. In other words, one of the great lies from the pit of Hell to keep people away from Jesus is that God is really God of the deserving. Satan will even use believers' holy living to scare unbelievers away--he will take the true difference that Jesus makes in our lives, and say, "see, you have to be like that before you can come to Jesus." Since most of our unbelievers are children, we especially applied to how in our NW Iowa context, our children wrongly get the message that they can't really belong to or come to God through Jesus until they're older, or smarter, or better behaved. These are all different forms of Satan's lie.
Believers need to hear that He is the God of the undeserving, because we often fall into the lie as we seek to walk with Him. We begin to think or act as if the rate of our growth or our standing with God must be maintained by stuff that we do. It is freeing to remember that it is God Himself, His wisdom and grace, that determines the rate of our growth and our standing with Him. And so, we press on, not under the pressure of performance, but out of delight in our duty to our Savior, our Father, our Joy.
Finally, believers need to tell this to unbelievers. God is God of the undeserving. We are not waiting to attain to a level where we might become evangelists or intercessors. Simply by belonging to God through Jesus, we are called to be evangelists and intercessors. We are called to tell people about the God of the undeserving and to pray to Him on their behalf.
Song: Psalm 32. Tune, Vox Dilecti.
What blessedness for him whose guilt has all forgiven been!
When his transgressions pardoned are, and covered is his sin.
O blessed the man ‘gainst whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is not deceit or treachery.
When his transgressions pardoned are, and covered is his sin.
O blessed the man ‘gainst whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is not deceit or treachery.
-
When I kept silent, my bones aged; my groaning filled each day.
Your hand oppressed me day and night; my moisture dried away.
Then I to You admitted sin, hid not my guiltiness;
I said, “I will before the Lord transgressions now confess.”
I said, “I will before the Lord transgressions now confess.”
-
Then You did all my sin forgive and take my guilt away.
Then You did all my sin forgive and take my guilt away.
For this when You are near at hand let all the godly pray.
The rising floods will harm him not. You are my hiding place.
And You will comfort me with songs of victory and grace
The rising floods will harm him not. You are my hiding place.
And You will comfort me with songs of victory and grace
-
Instruction I will give to you and teach you as you go.
My watchful eye will guide your steps; my counsel you will know.
My watchful eye will guide your steps; my counsel you will know.
Be not like senseless horse or mule which if you would subdue
you must with bit and bridle hold to bring him close to you.
you must with bit and bridle hold to bring him close to you.
-
The wicked many pangs endure, but steadfast cov’nant love
encircles ev’ry man whose trust is in the Lord above.
Be glad and shout, you righteous ones, and in the Lord rejoice!
encircles ev’ry man whose trust is in the Lord above.
Be glad and shout, you righteous ones, and in the Lord rejoice!
And all whose hearts are just and true sing out with joyful voice.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 12:07 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Rev 7 'Absolutely Certain to Be Absolutely Safe' (Worship Followup, Morning Reading)
Text: Revelation 7. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'Absolutely Certain to Be Absolutely Safe'. The message of Revelation 7 is that every single one of those upon whom God has set His saving love will certainly reach the absolute joy of glory, no matter what trouble they find themselves in now.
So, if you're a believer, take a peek at the end of the story and rejoice that it is the power and purpose of your God that ensures that this is the end of your story. And if you're not, abandon living for or hoping in anything else, and trust only in the crucified, risen Jesus.
No one ever becomes a believer because he knows that he is elect; but, everyone who ever believes discovers that God's electing love has made him absolutely certain to be absolutely safe.
Song: Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
Lesson: 'Absolutely Certain to Be Absolutely Safe'. The message of Revelation 7 is that every single one of those upon whom God has set His saving love will certainly reach the absolute joy of glory, no matter what trouble they find themselves in now.
So, if you're a believer, take a peek at the end of the story and rejoice that it is the power and purpose of your God that ensures that this is the end of your story. And if you're not, abandon living for or hoping in anything else, and trust only in the crucified, risen Jesus.
No one ever becomes a believer because he knows that he is elect; but, everyone who ever believes discovers that God's electing love has made him absolutely certain to be absolutely safe.
Song: Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God;
He whose word cannot be broken formed thee for His own abode:
on the Rock of Ages founded what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded, thou may'st smile at all thy foes.
-
See, the streams of living waters, springing from eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters, and all fear of want remove:
who can faint, while such a river ever flows their thirst t'assuage?--
safe they feed upon the manna which he gives them when they pray.
-
Round each habitation hov'ring, see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a cov'ring, showing that the Lord is near:
thus deriving from their banner light by night and shade by day,
safe they feed upon the manna which He gives them when they pray.
-
Savior, if of Zion's city I, through grace, a member am,
let the world deride or pity, I will glory in Thy name:
fading is the worldling's pleasure, all his boasted pomp and show:
solid joys and lasting treasure none but Zion's children know.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 3:35 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Rom 8:9-11 'Broken Mirrors' (8-Mar Evening Exhortation)
The exhortation in the evening assembly was "Broken Mirrors" from Romans 8:9-11. The [audio] and a [manuscript] are available.
Labels: Sermons
¶ 3:08 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Gen 20 'God of the Undeserving' (8-Mar Morning Exhortation)
The exhortation in the morning assembly this week was "God of the Undeserving" from Genesis 20. The [audio] and an [outline] are available.
Labels: Sermons
¶ 2:47 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Heb 1:1-4 'CHRISTian Worship' (Worship Followup, Morning Call)
Text: Hebrews 1:14. [click here] to read it online via the ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: CHRISTian Worship is all about Jesus. One of the main reasons Hebrews was written was because people wanted more than just Jesus in worship. They wanted interaction with angels, or the continuing of Old Testament rituals, or whatever new or secret spirituality was “inspiring” the Greco-Roman world. Simple, Christian worship was despised. But simple, Christian worship is all about Jesus.
That is why Hebrews begins with one of the most exalted descriptions of Jesus is the Bible. Who is Jesus? The heir of all things, the one for whose glory and pleasure everything exists. The one through whom all things were created. He is the radiance of God's glory. He is the exact imprint of God's nature. He upholds the universe by the word of His power.
Jesus is unimaginably glorious, and that is why we must reject any and every attempt to "improve" worship by our imagination. Morally, it's idolatry. Practically, there's nowhere to go from true Christian worship but down.
THIS glorious One is the One who became a man to live, suffer, bleed, and die for our sins. THIS glorious One is the One who now sits enthroned in glory. And THIS glorious One is the One through whom and in whom and to whom we now enter that glory in the congregational assembly!
Song: Worship Christ, the Risen King!
Lesson: CHRISTian Worship is all about Jesus. One of the main reasons Hebrews was written was because people wanted more than just Jesus in worship. They wanted interaction with angels, or the continuing of Old Testament rituals, or whatever new or secret spirituality was “inspiring” the Greco-Roman world. Simple, Christian worship was despised. But simple, Christian worship is all about Jesus.
That is why Hebrews begins with one of the most exalted descriptions of Jesus is the Bible. Who is Jesus? The heir of all things, the one for whose glory and pleasure everything exists. The one through whom all things were created. He is the radiance of God's glory. He is the exact imprint of God's nature. He upholds the universe by the word of His power.
Jesus is unimaginably glorious, and that is why we must reject any and every attempt to "improve" worship by our imagination. Morally, it's idolatry. Practically, there's nowhere to go from true Christian worship but down.
THIS glorious One is the One who became a man to live, suffer, bleed, and die for our sins. THIS glorious One is the One who now sits enthroned in glory. And THIS glorious One is the One through whom and in whom and to whom we now enter that glory in the congregational assembly!
Song: Worship Christ, the Risen King!
Rise, O church, and lift your voices, Christ has conquered death and hell.
Sing as all the earth rejoices; Resurrection anthems swell.
Come and worship, come and worship, Worship Christ, the Risen King!
-
See the tomb where death had laid Him, Empty now, its mouth declares;
"Death and I could not contain Him, For the Throne of Life He shares."
Come and worship, come and worship, Worship Christ, the Risen King!
-
Hear the earth protest and tremble, See the stone removed with pow'r;
All hell's minions may assemble But cannot withstand His hour.
He has conquered, He has conquered, Christ the Lord, the Risen King!
-
Doubt may lift its head to murmur, Scoffers mock and sinners jeer;
But the truth proclaims a wonder Thoughtful hearts receive with cheer.
He is risen, He is risen, Now receive the Risen King!
-
We acclaim Your life, O Jesus, Now we sing Your victory;
Sin or hell may seek to seize us But Your conquest keeps us free.
Stand in triumph, stand in triumph, Worship Christ, the Risen King!
Sing as all the earth rejoices; Resurrection anthems swell.
Come and worship, come and worship, Worship Christ, the Risen King!
-
See the tomb where death had laid Him, Empty now, its mouth declares;
"Death and I could not contain Him, For the Throne of Life He shares."
Come and worship, come and worship, Worship Christ, the Risen King!
-
Hear the earth protest and tremble, See the stone removed with pow'r;
All hell's minions may assemble But cannot withstand His hour.
He has conquered, He has conquered, Christ the Lord, the Risen King!
-
Doubt may lift its head to murmur, Scoffers mock and sinners jeer;
But the truth proclaims a wonder Thoughtful hearts receive with cheer.
He is risen, He is risen, Now receive the Risen King!
-
We acclaim Your life, O Jesus, Now we sing Your victory;
Sin or hell may seek to seize us But Your conquest keeps us free.
Stand in triumph, stand in triumph, Worship Christ, the Risen King!
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 2:25 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Rom 12:14-21 'When Relationships in the Church Break' (8-Mar Bible Class)
In the class hour Lord's Day morning, we had our penultimate (second-to-last) class in Biblical Theology of church. What we've been doing is not an exhaustive study, but a basic answering of questions from the Bible about where the church came from, and what we're supposed to do in it. We've spent a few weeks in Romans 12, seeing that
- vv1-5, the gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone is what drives, demands, and sustains the kind of church dynamics that we see in the rest of the chapter
- vv6-8, God intentionally designs our personalities, skills, and even circumstances to be used in the context of a body of believers; in the life of the body as a whole (as we have seen in other studies is also true of worship) we come not to be served but to serve. Every part of who we are is for everyone else, and ultimately for God. [An important part of this discussion was noting that gifts here are not revelatory as in 1Cor 12, and the context in Rom 12 is not congregational worship services. This is why the idea of 'gifting' is much broader in Rom 12 and body life than it is in what 1Cor 12 calls 'manifestations of the Spirit'].
- vv9-13, God doesn't just shape every believer's life with a different set of "gifts" for the church; He begins to shape every believer's character with the same set of "graces," among which love is chief. We employed 1Cor 13 to examine how to identify "genuine" love, and we discussed how--very specifically and practically--to foster and increase it in our hearts and actions, in obedience to the command here.
- v14, how to conduct our speech about them
- v15, how to incline our hearts toward them and condition ourselves to genuine love of enemies
- v16, which sin (specifically, pride) to watch against in our hearts as an obstacle to peaceful relationships in the church
- v17, how to identify a standard for our conduct and determine a course of action (not just doing what our friends think best, but acting in such a way that even if our enemies found out they would be forced to admit that it is honorable, and especially considering that our thoughts and attitudes and speech are always completely naked before God)
- v18, keeping the realistic expectation that because there is another sinful party involved this will not always "work" in our contexts (we remembered Jesus' suffering and death as the ultimate example of this)
- vv19-21, that a thorough, active grasp of the reality of God's vengeance and wrath frees us to have genuinely loving hearts toward our enemies, because the burden of vindicating ourselves and punishing others is completely off of our shoulders; we can be absolutely certain that in diligently doing good to our enemies, we are either increasing the heinousness of their sin and the measure of their Hell, or serving one whom Christ has ransomed with His own blood, thereby doing it for Jesus Himself.
Labels: Bible Class, Catechism
¶ 12:51 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Saturday, March 7, 2009
Daylight Savings - Reformed Resource Savings
Please remember to set your clocks ahead an hour this evening for daylight savings.
Also, you may want to know that Monergism Books (one of the least expensive online stores of the best Reformed books) is having a sale with an additional 10% off of everything in the store. For instance, this would make the hardcover ESVSB $27.
Also, you may want to know that Monergism Books (one of the least expensive online stores of the best Reformed books) is having a sale with an additional 10% off of everything in the store. For instance, this would make the hardcover ESVSB $27.
Instructions for 10% Discount
Offer good everywhere and ends Sunday March 8th, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. and does not apply to any previous orders (no exceptions). Enter Store.1) Sign in to your customer account. You must be a registered customer for your coupon to work. If you are not already registered, simply register with username and password before you place your order.2) Select at least $35.00 worth of books3) At "Check Out" type the text "weekendspecial" in the "Coupon or Promotional Code" box. Click "APPLY"4) 10% of your total will automatically be removed from your order.5) Select a shipping method
Labels: Announcements, Best of the Web
¶ 3:03 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Gen 19 'Stubborn Grace' (Worship Followup, Evening Message)
Text: Genesis 19. [click here] to read it via the online ESV Study Bible.
Lesson: 'Stubborn Grace'. As we finished up Genesis 19 in the evening exhortation, we considered the sadness of Lot's worldliness--its effects upon himself and others, especially his own daughters and in the life and history of Israel. But then we went on to examine the heart of the passage, its reason for existence: to show us the amazing, stubborn grace of God.
We saw in the text how stubbornly God insisted upon being gracious with Lot, even as many of us have known Him to be in our own lives: warning us, urging us, dragging us, persisting with us, hearing us, and preserving us.
And then we asked the question: why? Our immediate passage's answer was "Abraham," and we saw in the very first verse of the New Testament why this mattered. The way in which Abraham was to be a blessing to all the families of the earth was in Jesus coming from him.
Jesus is why God's grace is so stubborn with us. No one in Christ can ever perish, because God absolutely refuses to let them. And so we concluded that ultimately, here is a passage that calls us to hope in Jesus, to thank Him for how stubbornly He has gone after us, and to be like Him in stubbornly urging others to know His grace in Christ.
Song: Amazing Grace
Lesson: 'Stubborn Grace'. As we finished up Genesis 19 in the evening exhortation, we considered the sadness of Lot's worldliness--its effects upon himself and others, especially his own daughters and in the life and history of Israel. But then we went on to examine the heart of the passage, its reason for existence: to show us the amazing, stubborn grace of God.
We saw in the text how stubbornly God insisted upon being gracious with Lot, even as many of us have known Him to be in our own lives: warning us, urging us, dragging us, persisting with us, hearing us, and preserving us.
And then we asked the question: why? Our immediate passage's answer was "Abraham," and we saw in the very first verse of the New Testament why this mattered. The way in which Abraham was to be a blessing to all the families of the earth was in Jesus coming from him.
Jesus is why God's grace is so stubborn with us. No one in Christ can ever perish, because God absolutely refuses to let them. And so we concluded that ultimately, here is a passage that calls us to hope in Jesus, to thank Him for how stubbornly He has gone after us, and to be like Him in stubbornly urging others to know His grace in Christ.
Song: Amazing Grace
Amazing grace—how sweet the sound— That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found—Was blind, but now I see.
-
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed!
-
Thro' many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.
-
And when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil A life of joy and peace.
-
When we've been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise Than when we've first begun.
I once was lost, but now am found—Was blind, but now I see.
-
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed!
-
Thro' many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.
-
And when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil A life of joy and peace.
-
When we've been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise Than when we've first begun.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 2:52 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Friday, March 6, 2009
March 8 Worship Booklet
is now [online].
Labels: Worship Booklet, Worship Services
¶ 7:58 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Isaiah 58 'Manipulating God or Serving Him?' (Worship Followup - Evening Reading)
Text: Isaiah 58 (ESV). [click here] to read it via the online ESVSB.
Lesson: Manipulating God or Serving Him? As we saw in this chapter, God is responding to worship that people thought was sincere and good. They loved drawing near to God, and they were very religious, and yet God rejected their religion as mere attempts to get stuff from Him.
How can we tell if He is truly our delight? If our worship is manipulation or service? The end of the chapter gives us one way: if we love the Sabbath because it's a day for things that are especially His as opposed to ours.
Oh, may our God give us hearts that treasure Him for Himself, that call Him a delight far above anything He ever does for us, that rejoice in the Sabbath because it is the day when He eclipses the joys with which He fills our other days.
Song: O Day of Rest and Gladness
O day of rest and gladness, O day of joy and light,
O balm of care and sadness, Most beautiful, most bright;
On thee the high and lowly, Through ages joined in tune,
Sing Holy, Holy, Holy, To the great God Triune,
-
On thee, at the creation, The light first had its birth;
On thee, for our salvation, Christ rose from depths of earth;
On thee our Lord, victorious, The Spirit sent from heav'n;
And thus on thee, most glorious, A triple light was giv'n.
-
Thou art a port protected From storms that round us rise;
A garden intersected With streams of Paradise;
Thou art a cooling fountain In life's dry, dreary sand;
From thee, like Pisgah's mountain, We view the promised land.
-
Today on weary nations The heav'nly manna falls;
To holy convocations The silver trumpet calls,
Where gospel light is glowing With pure and radiant beams,
And living water flowing With soul-refreshing streams.
-
New graces ever gaining From this our day of rest,
We reach the rest remaining To spirits of the blest.
To Holy Ghost be praises, To Father and to Son;
The church her voice upraises To thee, blest Three in One.
O balm of care and sadness, Most beautiful, most bright;
On thee the high and lowly, Through ages joined in tune,
Sing Holy, Holy, Holy, To the great God Triune,
-
On thee, at the creation, The light first had its birth;
On thee, for our salvation, Christ rose from depths of earth;
On thee our Lord, victorious, The Spirit sent from heav'n;
And thus on thee, most glorious, A triple light was giv'n.
-
Thou art a port protected From storms that round us rise;
A garden intersected With streams of Paradise;
Thou art a cooling fountain In life's dry, dreary sand;
From thee, like Pisgah's mountain, We view the promised land.
-
Today on weary nations The heav'nly manna falls;
To holy convocations The silver trumpet calls,
Where gospel light is glowing With pure and radiant beams,
And living water flowing With soul-refreshing streams.
-
New graces ever gaining From this our day of rest,
We reach the rest remaining To spirits of the blest.
To Holy Ghost be praises, To Father and to Son;
The church her voice upraises To thee, blest Three in One.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 7:41 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Thursday, March 5, 2009
Ps 116:15-19 'The Praise of the Precious' (Evening Call, Worship Follow-Up)
Text: Psalm 116:15-19. Click here to read the text via the online ESVSB.
Lesson: The Praise of the Precious. That's what's going on when we gather Lord's Day morning and evening. In the assembly, the people of God are, in part, a visual feast to each other of His love and grace. As we gather with those whose death He has counted precious (v15), we declare ourselves to belong wholly to Him(v16). And what do people do when they are joyfully owned by God? They offer sacrifices of thanksgiving (v17), which belong specifically to congregational worship (v18-19). (note that this Psalm and Psalm 50 provide the OT background for this week's morning call to worship).
Song: What Shall I Render to My God? (Ps 116:12-19)
What shall I render to my God for all His kindness shown?
My feet shall visit Thine abode, my songs address Thy throne.
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How much is mercy Thy delight, Thou ever-bless-ed God!
How dear Thy servants in Thy sight! How precious is their blood!
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How happy all Thy servants are! How great Thy grace to me!
My life, which Thou hast made Thy care, Lord, I devote to Thee.
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Now I am Thine, forever Thine, nor shall my purpose move;
Thy hand hath loosed my bonds of pain, and bound me with Thy love.
-
Here in Thy courts I leave my vow, and Thy rich grace record;
witness, ye saints who hear me now, if I forsake the Lord.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 4:40 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Psalm 32 'Oh the Happiness!' (Prayer Meeting Devotional)
Last night's prayer meeting devotional was from one of the most exhilarating passages in the whole Bible, Psalm 32. The available [handout] contains an outline of the content.
Labels: Prayer Meetings
¶ 2:14 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
1Cor 7:8-40 'Fight Sin, Not Singleness (or Marriage)!' (4-Mar-09 Elders' Devotional)
At last night's elders' meeting, we considered 1Corinthians 7:8-40, in which we found that what we are watching out for as believers is not a specific set of circumstances; rather, we are watching against sinning in whatever circumstances we are! So, changing circumstances isn't an end in itself, but a tool for fighting sin.
The core of this passage is v19, "For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God." This is very different from Gal 5:6 and 6:15, because the Galatians verses look at power, and the 1Cor 7:19 looks at product. Only faith energized by love, only new creation, can power the product of law-keeping. But, in fact, law-keeping ought to be the goal of every believer in every circumstance.
How does that affect elders' work? It means that our job is not to produce or avoid a certain set of circumstances (most temptingly, increased headcount, increased giving, etc.). Rather, our job is to be faithful to Jesus, to do His work in His way (which is what 'scary' words like "obedience" and "law-keeping" mean). Let Him do what He will with the circumstances; we will focus on following orders!
Labels: Session Devotionals
¶ 2:08 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Rom 12:9-13 'A More Excellent Way' (1-Mar Bible Class)
Just as in 1Corinthians and Ephesians, in Romans 12 the discussion of gifts and service in the worship and life of the church leads directly into a discussion of love as the premier was in which body-parts relate to each other. The [audio] and [worksheet] for our March 1 discussion of brotherly love are online.
On March 8, we'll be looking at vv14-21 and how this love is to be demonstrated with difficult people and when relationships are broken. The [worksheet] for that is online, and your going through it ahead of time will help our discussion.
Finally, on March 15, we'll be looking at how God places us under the authority of local elders and under implied (in our case verbalized) promises to local congregations in order to constrain us from escaping His design for how we are to relate in His church.
Labels: Bible Class, Catechism
¶ 1:55 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Gen 19 'Weapons against Worldliness' (Worship Follow-Up, Morning Message)
Text: Genesis 19 (ESV). Click here to read the text online via the ESVSB.
Lesson: Weapons against Worldliness. Since the audio and manuscript [are available online], I wanted to add a little more follow-up for how to combat the three types of worldliness that we identified Lord's Day morning. There is actually one, primary weapon, and that is the Word of God, wielded in three different ways.
The first kind of worldliness to combat is wickedness--those things that are wrong in themselves. This was the primary wickedness of Sodom itself. And God's Word fights this kind of worldliness with commands. God's moral law sets up freeing, invigorating boundaries to give us confidence against this kind of worldliness. So, we must desire to know, and seek out, and learn the commands of God so that we can obey them.
The second kind of worldliness to combat is foolishness--those things that are not by themselves transgressions of commands, but that are unwise depending upon circumstances, or because of our own weakness, etc. This was a large part of Lot's own worldliness--unwise disregard of consequences. And God's Word fights this kind of worldliness with instruction.
The Bible is full not only of commands but of the wisdom and examples and guidance that redeemed sinners need to live well before the face of God in a fallen world. So, we must be constantly in the word, constantly submitted to it. This latter occurs especially in being discipled by others vertically (elder, teacher, husband, mother, etc.) and horizontally (wife, friend, etc.).
The third kind of worldliness to combat is the most difficult. These things are not wrong. They are not even unwise. In fact, failing to enjoy them is wrong and unwise! The problem in this kind of worldliness is if our hearts rest their hope in these good things, or enjoy them as if they themselves, and not God Himself, are the true joy. To combat this kind of worldliness, God gives us worship according to and full of His word.
The 2nd and 4th commandments are not just laws to define boundaries against wickedness. They are also faith-and-joy-in-God-Himself boosters to keep us from finding hope and joy in God's good gifts instead of in God Himself. The second commandment requires that we worship God only as He has commanded. It keeps us from saying "now THIS is how I REALLY enjoy God"--a subtle way in which our hearts attempt to declare independence, while giving lipservice to enjoying God Himself.
And what the 2nd commandment does with a worship service, the 4th commandment does with an entire day. The 4th commandment is a weekly "hope-and-joy-check." By stripping away many of the other gifts, and presenting us with a day of activities in which God Himself is more nakedly the gift, our attitude on the Lord's Day presents a chance to learn whether it is really Him I am enjoying in all those other tasks and recreations Monday through Saturday. If I long to bring the other days' tasks and recreations into the Lord's Day, I should admit to myself that my zeal for and pleasure in them is not very much directed toward God after all.
God has made distinct, separate worship of His own definition to hold Himself before us as the ultimate blessing to whom all other blessings must be subordinate, or else they too are worldliness. Do you love Scriptural worship? Do you love the Lord's Day? Your response also answers this question: are you enjoying even God's good gifts in a godly manner? Or are you turning even them into a form of worldliness.
Song: As With Gladness Men of Old
As with gladness men of old did the guiding star behold;
as with joy they hailed its light, leading onward, beaming bright;
so, most gracious God, may we evermore be led to Thee.
-
As with joyful steps they sped to that lowly cradle-bed,
there to bend the knee before Him whom heav'n and earth adore;
so may we with willing feet ever seek Thy mercy seat.
-
As they offered gifts most rare at that cradle rude and bare;
so may we with holy joy, pre, and free from sin's alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to Thee, our heav'nly King.
-
Holy Jesus, ev'ry day keep us in the narrow way;
and when earthly things are past, bring our ransomed souls at last
where they need no star to guide, where no clouds Thy glory hide.
-
In the heav'nly country bright need they no created light;
Thou its light, its joy, its crown, Thou its sun which goes not down;
there forever may we sing alleluias to our King
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 2:48 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
4-Mar-09 Best of the Web
- A reminder of how important it is that Christ's righteousness alone establishes [and, I would add, sustains] our identity.
- CJ Mahaney has picked up again the thread of his series on Christian productivity. Today's post on translating our roles and goals into our schedule is particularly helpful. If they don't do something like it already, every husband should probably steal and/or modify the list of areas in which to serve and surprise our wives.
- One thing we've seen as we've gone through Job is that even quite excellent understanding of the Bible's teaching about God, man, and salvation does not give us leave to assume that we know what is in someone's heart. Jay Adams gives us an excellent Scriptural analysis of that point.
- While it truly hurts to see much suffering as a pastor, it has at times been a place of uncommon joy for me. This Currid quote of Dallimore on Wesley illustrates once again the Scriptural truth that living faith never so clearly distinguishes itself as under great troubles. (it also reminds us that great religious and evangelistic zeal is not at all a reliable indicator of living faith!)
Labels: Best of the Web
¶ 6:15 AM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Rev 6 'Lord of History' (Worship Follow-up, Morning Reading)
Text: Revelation 6 (ESV). Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, "Come!" And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that men should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!"
When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"
Lesson: God plans and rules history for the sake of His people. That's the primary lesson of Revelation 6 (you can read more about this in the worship booklet). Oppressive regimes, violence, famine, and plague are all under His sovereign rule. And He plans the time of the age of suffering according to the in-gathering of His people. When that is complete, He will make right everything that has ever been done against Him and them.
But He absolutely refuses to lose track of even one of His own. After all, He has planned history around them. Does that not comfort you who belong to Him through Christ? The Lord of the universe plans the course of history around you. Those painful things that you don't understand? They, like you, are in His able hands.
Song: Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God;
He whose word cannot be broken formed thee for His own abode:
on the Rock of Ages founded what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded, thou may'st smile at all thy foes.
-
See, the streams of living waters, springing from eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters, and all fear of want remove:
who can faint, while such a river ever flows their thirst t'assuage?--
safe they feed upon the manna which he gives them when they pray.
-
Round each habitation hov'ring, see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a cov'ring, showing that the Lord is near:
thus deriving from their banner light by night and shade by day,
safe they feed upon the manna which He gives them when they pray.
-
Savior, if of Zion's city I, through grace, a member am,
let the world deride or pity, I will glory in Thy name:
fading is the worldling's pleasure, all his boasted pomp and show:
solid joys and lasting treasure none but Zion's children know.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 3:46 PM 0 Comments Links to this postharvestoc.net blog, Monday, March 2, 2009
'Best of the Web' - March 2, 2009
- For the month of March, even if you do not own a physical copy of the ESV Study Bible, you can have free online access to the entire text, including notes and helps.
- If you're into good, free stuff you either already know or would want to know that many of John Piper's books can be downloaded online for free.
- Know any single ladies who are looking for their place in the life of God's people? This isn't the first place I've heard of what a blessing this kind of ministry is
- Hebrews asks, "Is Jesus enough?
Labels: Best of the Web
¶ 5:09 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Gen 19 'Stubborn Grace' pt 2 (1-Mar Evening)
This week, we heard about God's Stubborn Grace from Genesis 19 (half the message in the morning gathering and half in the evening). Audio [evening audio] and a [full manuscript] are available.
Labels: Sermons
¶ 5:05 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Gen 19 'Stubborn Grace' pt 1 (1-Mar Morning)
This week, we heard about God's Stubborn Grace from Genesis 19 (half the message in the morning gathering and half in the evening). Audio [morning audio] and a [full manuscript] are available.
Labels: Sermons
¶ 5:04 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
Heb 13:12-15 'Is Jesus Enough?' (Worship Follow-Up)
Scripture - Hebrews 13:12-15 (ESV). "So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name."
Lesson - In the morning call to worship, we heard that Christian worship is all about Jesus. The big problem that the sermon of Hebrews (it was a sermon first, cf. 13:22) was answering was that people were leaving Christianity to move on to other things. Greco-Roman worship was a lot more entertaining. Jewish worship was a lot more tangible. Angel-worship cults seemed a lot more spiritual or mystical.
The Bible's answer to these complaints is that Jesus Himself is the center of Christian worship--it doesn't need anything but Him! So Hebrews begins with a long, exalted description of who Jesus is (ch1).
It then teaches that Jesus Himself is the Priest who leads our worship (ch2), and that Jesus Himself is the Prophet who speaks His Word in our worship (ch3-4), and that Jesus Himself is the Sacrifice through whom our worship is accepted (ch5-6), and Jesus Himself is the Priest through whom we give in worship (ch 7).
And since in Christian worship, Jesus Himself replaces other things that humans usually want, we have better and surer promises (ch8); and, we worship in heaven itself (ch9); and, we have absolute confidence in the effectiveness of our worship (ch10).
So, we enjoy worship by faith more than by senses (ch11). And though it--like so much suffering in Christian life--may be difficult to trust more in what you cannot sense than what you can, when our worship is like this, our gatherings participate in the eternal, heavenly worship of all who truly worship by their senses in heaven, the humans of whom arrived there through faith (ch11-12).
Although chapter 12 climaxes the flow of Hebrews on worship, even in the additional applications of chapter 13, we get one more injection of the sufficiency of Jesus Christ--that no matter how despised a thing it is to have simple, heavenly worship through Jesus it is more worth it than all other earthly worship put together.
There is more that Hebrews teaches, of course, but that is the main outline. So, all of our worship questions come down to this: how does this relate to the sufficiency of Jesus? In the Old Testament, the Second Commandment and its applications (sometimes called the "Scripture Principle" or "Reformation Principle" or "Regulative Principle" of worship) was all about the character and sufficiency of God. God has been pleased to focus New Testament worship more [IN]visibly (and, more visibly, in the sacraments of chapter 10) upon the character and sufficiency of Jesus in particular.
And this is why we must not, cannot, dare not add anything to Scriptural, Christian worship. Word (read, preached, prayed, sung) and Sacrament are all the "stuff" of Christian worship, because Jesus is all the "stuff" of Christians' worship of the Triune God! This is why worship was as big a deal in the Reformation as the doctrine of salvation: because both are really issues of, "Is Jesus enough?"
That's a question that you can ask your two year old in family worship, even if they haven't understood much or any of the rest of this lesson. Is Jesus enough for salvation? Is Jesus enough for worship? IS JESUS ENOUGH?!
Song: What Shall I Render to My God? (Ps 116:12-19)
What shall I render to my God for all His kindness shown?
My feet shall visit Thine abode, my songs address Thy throne.
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How much is mercy Thy delight, Thou ever-bless-ed God!
How dear Thy servants in Thy sight! How precious is their blood!
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How happy all Thy servants are! How great Thy grace to me!
My life, which Thou hast made Thy care, Lord, I devote to Thee.
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Now I am Thine, forever Thine, nor shall my purpose move;
Thy hand hath loosed my bonds of pain, and bound me with Thy love.
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Here in Thy courts I leave my vow, and Thy rich grace record;
witness, ye saints who hear me now, if I forsake the Lord.
Labels: Worship Follow-Up
¶ 3:57 PM 0 Comments Links to this post
