MVOPC 15 November 2009 – Stephen Michaud preaching
Call to Worship: Psalm 95:1-3
Hymn of Praise: 12 “Exalt the Lord, His Praise Proclaim”
Responsive Reading: Psalm 24 (p. 791)
Hymn: 661 “As Pants the Hart for Cooling Streams”
Hymn of Preparation: 57 “Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah, O My Soul”
Old Covenant Reading: Deuteronomy 10:12-22
New Covenant Reading: Luke 15:11-32
Sermon Text: Zephaniah 3:8-20
Sermon: Sing, O Daughter of Zion!
Hymn of Response: 110 “Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah”
PM Worship: Psalm 92
Adult Sunday School: Fellowship Lunch – No Sunday School
Suggested Preparations
Monday (11/9) Read and discuss Zephaniah 3:8-20. What happens when the LORD visits His people? The central message of Zephaniah deals with just such a visitation which is known as “the Day of the LORD”. Historical Background: Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of good King Josiah (640-609 B.C.). Part of what makes Josiah’s faithfulness so exceptional is how depraved Judah had become prior to his taking the throne. Zephaniah strengthened the Josiah reformation by urging the inhabitants of Judah to repent, to seek the LORD, and to live in righteousness. Judgment: The first thing that the Day of the LORD brings is judgment. In 1:12 the LORD says: “I will search with lanterns in Jerusalem’s darkest corners to punish those who sit complacent in their sins.” With vigorous language, Zephaniah describes the devastating extent of God’s judgment. Chapter three begins by declaring: “What sorrow awaits rebellious, polluted Jerusalem, the city of violence and crime!” Deliverance: Surprisingly, as Zephaniah moves to 3:8 we see the LORD destroying Judah’s enemies and bringing about the restoration of His people. It is helpful to see the doctrine of God’s sovereign grace in this passage. As Alec Moyter puts it, “The whole promissory oracle rests on three first person singular verbs of divine action: ‘I will turn (3:9)’, ‘I will remove (3:11)’, ‘I will leave (3:12)’, with no explanation of how or why the Lord will so act.” Division: So is the Day of the LORD a day of joy for all the inhabitants of Judah? By no means! This is one of many passages that anticipate Romans 11 which teaches that only those who trust God are truly Abraham’s children and heirs according to the promise. In Zephaniah 3:11, God promises to “remove the proud and arrogant people from among (Judah)”. This judgment of God is also an act of His grace. For the covenant people will not simply be forgiven they will be purified “so that everyone can worship the LORD together (Zeph 3:9), … they “will no longer need to be ashamed (Zeph 3:11), … and, “The remnant of Israel will do no wrong; they will never tell lies or deceive one another. They will eat and sleep in safety, and no one will make them afraid (Zeph 3:13).” God’s plan is not simply to gather a forgiven people to Himself, but a holy people into His family. Zephaniah 3 tells us that God will ensure that this happens. Read or sing Hymn 12 “Exalt the Lord, His Praise Proclaim”. Prayer: Please pray for Exeter Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Exeter, NH that they would be effective in witnessing to the communities which surround their church.
Tuesday (11/10) Read and discuss Mark 6:1-6a. One of the dangers of Bible study comes from the fact that any form of study requires us to be making constant evaluations. The danger comes when we think that it is our evaluation that matters most. This passage reminds us that it is not our evaluation of Christ, but Christ’s evaluation of us, that ultimately matters most. The people who saw Jesus grow up in Nazareth knew that He was fully human. The very grace of God in the Incarnation became a stumbling block for them. They could not imagine that the man who framed a window in their house was really the one fulfilling Isaiah’s prophesies and whom they had to commit their lives to following. Christ’s neighbors evaluated Jesus from a carnal point of view. As a result they didn’t believe in Him. According to verse 5, what did Christ’s neighbors miss out on because of their unbelief? This should seem shocking to us, but it should also seem familiar. People throughout history continue to say: “I will believe in Jesus if …” – as though Jesus needed to pass our tests to have the “privilege” of our trusting Him. It is important to note that while Christ’s evaluation of us is the one that matters – it is not an evaluation of our performance. The evaluation is not of who we are and what we have done but whether we are trusting Christ for who He is and what He has done. Rather than stumbling over those things that we don’t understand about Jesus, let us fully embrace Him for what He has clearly revealed Himself to be: Creator, Merciful High Priest, King of Kings, and Savior of the World. Prayer: Give thanks for what God has done for you in Jesus Christ. Pray that the Holy Spirit would cause you to walk increasingly by faith rather than by sight.
Wednesday (11/11) Read and discuss Deuteronomy 10:12-22. One approach to business management has been compared to bowling, only with this twist: The manager hangs a curtain in front of the pins so his employees can’t see what they are aiming out. Then, after each employee attempts to hit the hidden pins, the manager shouts out how many pins he or she missed. Amazingly, many people think of God like this. They imagine that what the LORD wants us to do is a tremendous mystery and that He is eager to pounce on any of our mistakes. This passage reveals the exact opposite to be true. Moses is recounting how the LORD gave the law to Israel a second time – after they had rebelled in idolatry while Moses was receiving the first set of the Ten Commandments. According to verses 12 and 13, does God keep what He requires of His people a mystery? Looking at verses 15 and 16, which comes first – God’s gracious provision or His expectations for His people? This principle is one you should be able to say while running out of a burning house – God’s provision always precedes His stipulations! Therefore, whenever you see one of God’s commandments ask yourself this question: What promises of God’s provision do I need to trust in order to fulfill this commandment? According to this passage, why should Israel believe that all of God’s promised blessings will come true? Hint: Look at verse 22! Read or sing Hymn: 661 “As Pants the Hart for Cooling Streams”. Prayer: Please pray for Jonathan and Margaret Falk as they serve Christ in Uruguay. Ask that He would open doors for teaching and preaching that they have not even considered. Pray that clear Biblical teaching would spread throughout Uruguay to reform the existing churches and, through God’s grace, bring many new people into a vital relationship with Jesus Christ.
Thursday (11/12) Read and discuss Luke 15:11-32. God is far more gracious than we are. In verse 12, the younger son makes an astonishing request: “Give me the money now that I would inherit when you die.” According to verse 13, what does the younger son then do with the money. Jesus is drawing a picture of what unbelievers are like. They want God’s gifts but, in rebellion against their Creator, they squander those gifts in destructive ways which ultimately brings about their own ruin. Sin is so tempting when we are first approached by it, but consider how unattractive life becomes for those given over to sin. Ultimately, sin leads to death. According to verse 17-19, what does the younger son say to himself when he finally comes to His senses? These words reflect both an awareness of how wrong his own behavior had been but also a deep appreciation for how good his father/Father was. At this point Jesus has the father do something that reveals the heart of God in a way that we would never have dared imagine. “Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him”. Many sinners imagine that if they repent (that is, if they are turned back to God) that God will scold them sternly for their behavior. Jesus is saying, that isn’t the heart of God at all. Anyone who truly turns to the LORD will find the warmest possible reception. Indeed, it is God Himself who rejoices over the sinner who turns back to Him. It is impossible to know how many people our heavenly Father has called to Himself through this revelation of His loving character. Yet, that is not the end of the story. The father has another son who is dutifully working out in the fields. According to verses 28-30, how does the older son respond to his father’s generosity? This is actually the main point in the parable! Jesus is teaching those of us who are religious not to despise either the foulest sinners who return home nor the grace of our Father who rejoices in the presence of His angels when even a single sinner repents (Luke 15:10). There is also the very real danger of forgetting the amazing grace that God showers on those of us who have been Christians for many years. In verse 29, does the older son rightly recognize the character and generosity of his father? What about you? Read or sing Hymn 57 “Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah, O My Soul”. Prayer: Ask that the LORD would give us tender hearts toward the lost and toward the foulest sinners who are fleeing to Him. Ask that He would make you and our church family a people who regularly display gratitude for the grace He has showered upon us in Jesus Christ.
Friday (11/13) Read and discuss Psalm 92. This is the only Psalm whose title identifies it as a Psalm for the Sabbath. The fundamental idea of Sabbath is resting wholly in God. In Psalm 92 this resting is specifically motivated by God’s faithfulness. The LORD’s faithfulness can be seen in this psalm under three headings: (1) God is faithful in what He does for His people (v. 4); (2) God is faithful in destroying His and our enemies (v. 7, 9, 11); and (3) God is faithful in what He does in His people (v. 10, 12-14). Today let’s look at the last of these causes for rejoicing. Some Christians tend to think of God’s grace only in terms of becoming a Christian and then when the Christian dies. Psalm 92 celebrates the LORD’s faithfulness in making us fruitful throughout our Christian lives – even into old age. The image of the palm tree, in verse 12, as a simile for the Christian life is quite interesting. The palm tree in the Middle East reaches maturity at around 30 years of age. After this they tend to live another 70 years or so. In this sense, the date palm points to a good long life. Furthermore, unlike palms that you may have seen bent by hurricanes, in the Middle East they grow so straight that the Hebrew word for the date palm means “straight”. Most importantly, the date palm produces between three and four-hundred pounds of dates each year. The image is of a Christian who is remarkably fruitful throughout his whole life. Why do they flourish? Christians flourish because we are united to the life-giving vine (John 15:1-17). Therefore, according to v. 15, even in old age this life giving, fruit producing, sap continues to flow through the mature Christian. Outwardly we may be fading away, but inwardly we are being renewed. Regretfully, Christians in America have tended to conform our thinking to the secular culture. We imagine that fruitful ministry is something done by the middle aged – and that young people and elderly people are primarily to be ministered to. Let’s reform that mindset according to Scripture and realize that we are to be fruitful throughout our Christian lives. It is interesting that carvings of palm trees adorned Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 6:32, 35; 7:36). Why not commit yourself today, to being a vehicle of God’s blessing until He takes you home? Recite the Nicene Creed. Prayer: Pray for older Christians that you know that they would not “retire” from Christ’s service but abide in the Vine that Jesus would continue to bear much fruit through them. Pray that the Holy Spirit would cause you to grow up straight and tall spiritually – and that He would produce all of the fruits of the Spirit through you.
Saturday (11/14) Read and discuss Zephaniah 3:8-20. God gives us great cause to sing for joy. Zephaniah 3:14 tells us:
“Sing, O daughter of Zion;
Shout aloud, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
According to verse 15, what two acts of God should send us into these shouts of joy? The first reason, that “the LORD will remove His hand of judgment” from sinners like us is indeed great news; but Biblically, forgiveness is never an end in itself. The first goal of forgiveness is that the LORD will live with His people in an intimate personal relationship (“And the LORD himself, the King of Israel, will live among you!). Yet, there is a second and even more ultimate goal for God’s mercy than that it benefits us. This can be observed if we pay attention to the literary structure of this passage. Zephaniah is using the very common (in Hebrew) literary device called a chiasm. A chiasm is simply “a pattern of words or concepts in which the first and last are similar, the second and next to last are similar, etc., making memorization easy (Douglas Stuart).” If you look at verses 14-17 you will be able to identify this pattern:
A1 Zion rejoices over Yahweh (v. 14)
B1 Yahweh saves Zion (v. 15)
C1 Yahweh dwells in the midst of Israel (v. 15)
D Yahweh removes Zion’s fear (v. 15-16)
C2 Yahweh dwells in the midst of Israel (v. 17)
B2 Yahweh saves Zion (v. 17)
A2 Yahweh rejoices over Zion (17)
One common error (at least among pastors) to avoid is thinking that the middle of a chiasm is the main point. This is simply wrong. Often, the first and last things said in a chiasm are the most important. A chiasm is simply a convenient literary device that aids in memorization. It is always helpful to note what is different within a chiasm. In Zephaniah 3:14-17 what stands out is the change from God’s people rejoicing in the LORD to the LORD rejoicing over God’s people. This is the astonishing thing that God is achieving through His mercy. It is easy to see why we should rejoice in God, but the LORD so works in and on behalf of His people that He delights in us and glorifies Himself through our redemption. The ultimate goal of God’s mercy toward us is His own glory. Read or sing Hymn 110 “Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah”. Prayer: Pray for Pastor Stephen Michaud who will be leading us in worship tomorrow. Ask that the LORD would enable Pastor Michaud to preach with clarity and power. Ask that the LORD would continue to mold Pastor Michaud into a faithful man of God.