Guide for the Preparation for Worship on 5 January 2020 Sunday, Dec 29 2019

5 January

Call to Worship: Psalm 105:1-3

Opening Hymn: 234 “The God of Abraham Praise”

Confession of Sin

O great and everlasting God, Who dwells in unapproachable light, Who searches and knows the thoughts and intentions of the heart; We confess that we have not loved You with all our heart, nor with all our soul, nor with all our mind, nor with all our strength; Nor our neighbors as ourselves.  We have loved what we ought not to have loved; We have coveted what is not ours; We have not been content with Your provisions for us.  We have complained in our hearts about our family, about our friends, about our health, about our occupations, about Your church, and about our trials.  We have sought our security in those things which perish, rather than in You, the Everlasting God.  Chasten, cleanse, and forgive us, through Jesus Christ, who is able for all time to save us who approach You through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for us.  Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon: Zechariah 3:1-5

Hymn of Preparation: 221 “O Light That Knew No Dawn”

Old Covenant Reading: Psalm 115:1-18

New Covenant Reading: 1 John 1:1-4

Sermon: Eyewitness Testimony

Hymn of Response: 243 “How Firm a Foundation”

Confession of Faith: Apostles Creed (p. 851)

Doxology (Hymn 568)

Closing Hymn: 157 “When Morning Gilds the Skies”

PM Worship

OT: Psalm 16:1-11

NT: Hebrews 6:13-20

Where Fullness of Joy May be Found

Shorter Catechism Q/A # 17

Q. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?
A. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery.

Suggested Preparations

Monday (12/30) Read and discuss 1 John 1:1-4. Karen Jobes writes:

It is difficult to imagine any two topics of greater relevance and importance to Christian theology and life than the authority of Scripture and the nature of Jesus Christ. The eyewitness testimony of the Twelve (with Judas replaced by the apostle Paul), whom Jesus selected to bear witness of the significance of his life, death, and resurrection, now resides in the pages of the New Testament. This is not to say that every NT book was written by an eyewitness of Jesus, for clearly not all were. Luke, for instance did not see Jesus with his eyes, but he worked closely with the apostle Paul, who encountered the risen Jesus on the Damascus road. Mark, who as a young boy may actually have seen Jesus, is said to have produced his gospel from the eyewitness testimony of Peter.

The gospel of John had its origin in the eyewitness testimony of the disciple whom Jesus loved, who was likely the apostle John. James is the half-brother of Jesus, who became the leader of the church in Jerusalem after Peter’s departure. While the authors of some books cannot be identified with certainty, this commentary operates on the premise that the NT is he repository of the reliable and authoritative witness to the significance of the person and message of Jesus Christ. Beyond its reliability as ancient and authentic human testimony to Jesus, it is the divinely inspired Word of God, whose truth is based on the character of God Himself. The NT is God’s interpretation of the significance of Jesus.

Read or sing Hymn 234 “The God of Abraham Praise” Prayer: Give thanks that you have the very words of God translated into your own language.

Tuesday (12/31) Read and discuss Luke 2:21-38. There is so much for us to glean from Simeon’s words, but one of the most practical things for us to be reminded of is also the most simple: What the Holy Spirit had promised. The Holy Spirit had fulfilled. The LORD had promised Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the LORD’s Messiah – and the Holy Spirit brought Simeon to see the baby Jesus face-to-face. This theme of God fulfilling His promises by revealing Himself in Jesus Christ will be critical for the rest of the Gospel – indeed for our lives right now in the 21^st century. How precious this truth must have been to Joseph and Mary, whose lives had been turned upside down as they clung to the promises the LORD had made personally to them. Promises so nearly unbelievable that they probably shared them with almost nobody. Yet, He who promised is faithful. He will surely fulfill them all. Prayer: Give thanks that the LORD is faithful and so He perfectly fulfills every promise that He has ever made.

Wednesday (1/1) Read and discuss Psalm 115:1-18. Commenting on verse 3a, “Our God is in heaven,” John Calvin writes:

The faithful, when they place God in heaven, do not confine him to a certain locality, nor set limits to his infinite essence, but they deny the limitation of his power, its being shut up to human instrumentality only, or its being subject to fate or fortune. In short, they put the universe under his control; and, being superior to every obstruction, he does freely everything that may seem good to him. This truth is still more plainly asserted in the subsequent clause; he does whatever pleases him. God, then, may be said to dwell in heaven, as the world is subject to his will, and nothing can prevent him from accomplishing his purpose.

That God can do whatsoever he pleases is a doctrine of great importance, provided it be truly and legitimately applied. If we would derive advantage from this doctrine, we must attend to the import of God’s doing whatsoever he pleases in heaven and on the earth. And, first, god has all power for the preservation of his Church, and for providing for her welfare; and, secondly, all creatures are under his control, and therefore nothing can prevent him from accomplishing all his purposes. However much, then, the faithful may find themselves cut off from all means of subsistence and safety, they ought nevertheless to take courage from the fact, that God is not only superior to all impediments, but that he can render them subservient to the advancement of his own designs. This, too, must also be borne in mind, that all events are the result of God’s appointment alone, and that nothing happens by chance. This much it was proper to premise respecting the use of this doctrine, that we may be prevented from forming unworthy conceptions of the glory of God, as men of wild imaginations are wont to do. Adopting this principle, we ought not to be ashamed frankly to acknowledge that God, by his eternal counsel, manages all things in such a manner, that nothing can be done but by his will and appointment.

Sing or Read 221 “O Light That Knew No Dawn” Prayer: Please pray for our local church in the year ahead, that we would put down deep roots into God’s word, that we would grow in our love for Jesus and one another, and that we would reach out to our friends and neighbors to share the good news of Jesus Christ or to simply invite them to Bible study or to Sunday worship.

Thursday (1/2) Read and discuss Hebrews 6:13-20. Peter O’Brien writes:

The author … explains how God’s people will be able to participate in his Sabbath celebration of worship, praise, and joy that has been kept open for them since creation. God’s promise of entering his resting place was a firm offer that was announced to the community when they were evangelized (vv. 1, 2). Those who enter this rest are defined as believers (v. 3); they have received the gospel, and their lives are to be marked by perseverance to the end. The resting place they are to enter is God’s own, where he celebrates His Sabbath rest. …

In the here and now, believers have not yet experienced this celebration. But since the promise of relating to it points to their future inheritance, they may now live in the light of it. Whoever enters this eschatological rest, whether at death or the parousia of Christ (Hebrews does not say which), will have completed their service on earth, just as God finished His work after creation. The parallelism between the two clauses is striking: the rest is not only God’s; it is also the believer’s since he or she rests too. Further, in a statement that is parallel to the rest after the Sabbath of Genesis 2:2, the believer rests ‘from his works’, just as God rested from His. The nature of the works themselves is not spelled out. Instead the emphasis falls on the divine rest, and since the whole expression is subordinate to v. 9, it is best to understand ‘works’ in a more general sense. Whoever enters God’s resting place at the parousia of Christ will finally participate in the great Sabbath around God’s throne and will ‘rest from the labors of a faithful life in this world.’ Note the parallel in Revelation 14:13, ‘Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the LORD from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

Read or Sing Hymn 243 “How Firm a Foundation” Prayer: Please lift up our brothers and sisters in Nigeria as they live with the awful reality that Boco Haram has executed, and is seeking to execute them, simply for being Christians.

Friday (1/3) Read and discuss Psalm 16:1-11. Dale Ralph Davis writes:

We sometimes speak of ‘a sheltered life’ in a derogatory sense. We use the phrase of someone who has been pampered or who is naïve or inexperienced. Some fellow never learned to wash his own clothes or cook his own food because his mamma always did it for him until he was twenty-six. He has led a sheltered life. Older folks might use it of someone who has never had to use an outdoor privy, while younger people might think of someone who has never seen a drug deal. It’s synonymous with someone who has had so much given to him or her, who has not had to struggle, who has had very few hard knocks. A sheltered life.

Psalm 16, however, speaks of the idea positively. And this doesn’t mean David had few troubles. But in Psalm 16 there isn’t quite that on-edge air of emergency as in other psalms of David. This psalm is more restful; here he ponders what anchors him, rather than what alarms him. ‘Watch over me [ESV = “Preserve me”], O God, for I have taken refuge in you.’ That is the ‘sheltered life,’ and in his meditation David commends it to you.

Read or sing Hymn 157 “When Morning Gilds the Skies” Prayer: Please pray for our brothers and sisters at the Presbyterian Church of Cape Cod.

Saturday (1/4) Read and discuss 1 John 1:1-4. Colin Kruse writes:

This letter, written to urge the readers not to be led astray by those who had seceded from the Christian community and to reassure them that they are in the truth, seeks to achieve its purpose by strengthening the readers’ commitment to what they already know, that is, the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ which they heard from the beginning. It is in line with this purpose that the author begins his letter with a reminder of the origins of the gospel, the message concerning ‘the Word of life’ (of which he is a firsthand witness) which constitutes the basis of the fellowship in which he wants them to continue.

Prayer: Please lift up tomorrow’s morning and evening worship services.

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Guide for the Preparation for Worship on 29 December 2019 Sunday, Dec 22 2019

29 December 2019

Call to Worship: Psalm 105:1-3

Opening Hymn: 216 “Praise to the LORD, the Almighty”

Confession of Sin

O great and everlasting God, Who dwells in unapproachable light, Who searches and knows the thoughts and intentions of the heart; We confess that we have not loved You with all our heart, nor with all our soul, nor with all our mind, nor with all our strength; Nor our neighbors as ourselves.  We have loved what we ought not to have loved; We have coveted what is not ours; We have not been content with Your provisions for us.  We have complained in our hearts about our family, about our friends, about our health, about our occupations, about Your church, and about our trials.  We have sought our security in those things which perish, rather than in You, the Everlasting God.  Chasten, cleanse, and forgive us, through Jesus Christ, who is able for all time to save us who approach You through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for us.  Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon: Romans 10:10-13

Hymn of Preparation: Psalm 97A “The LORD Our God is King!”

Old Covenant Reading: Psalm 102:1-28

New Covenant Reading: Luke 2:21-38

Sermon: The Child Who Brings Peace

Hymn of Response: 498 “I Will Sing of My Redeemer”

Confession of Faith: Q/A 1 Heidelberg Catechism (p. 872)

Doxology (Hymn 568)

Closing Hymn:  497 “More Love to Thee, O Christ”

PM Worship

OT: Psalm 8:1-9

NT: Ephesians 1:15-23

Far Above

Shorter Catechism Q/A # 16

Q. Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?
A. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression.

Suggested Preparations

Monday (12/23) Read and discuss Luke 2:21-38. In today’s passage we witness the continued faithfulness of Joseph and Mary who were careful to obey the word of the LORD exactly as it has been given to them. We also meet representatives of the faithful remnant in Israel who were waiting expectantly for the coming of the Christ. Nevertheless, the passage is primarily about Jesus. Let us consider the significance of Christ’s circumcision with the help of Arthur A. Just:

Jesus’ circumcision is a one-time event availing for all. The foreskin represents sin and rebellion against God (Col 2:13). While Jesus is without sin, he takes humanity’s place under the Law as the sin-bearer, as also in his baptism. The benefits of Jesus’ circumcision are received in Holy Baptism (Col 2:10-13). In Luther’s exposition of Gen 17:9-11, he includes among the benefits of circumcision for OT believers the forgiveness of sins, justification, and incorporation into the people of God. These benefits accrued to those who received the sign of circumcision through their faith in God’s promise, which is fulfilled in Christ. St. Paul speaks of Holy Baptism as a “circumcision done without hands” and as “the circumcision of Christ” (Col 2:11). There was a fierce argument in the early church about whether Gentiles needed to be circumcised. The issue is settled by a proper understanding of Jesus’ fulfillment of the entire OT on our behalf (Luke 2:21-24, 27, 39), for in the circumcision of the one who represents all [His people], all [His] people are circumcised one and for all [in Him].

Read or sing Hymn 216 “Praise to the LORD, the Almighty” Prayer: Please for our brothers and sisters who are seeking to be faithful in Iran where there is so much hostility to biblical Christianity.

Tuesday (12/24) Read and discuss Luke 2:1-20. What exactly is this “good news of great joy that shall be for all the people?” The Angel of the LORD declares:

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Jesus was born of Mary, but He wasn’t simply born for Mary. “Unto you is born this day.” Jesus was born for sinners like me and for sinners like you! Is that good news for you? It is if Jesus is the type of Savior and Lord that you desperately need. What did Jesus come to save us from? When the Angel of the LORD appeared to Joseph he said: “You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” That is the type of Savior that Jesus is. Jesus came to save us from the guilt of our sins, from the power of our sins, and ultimately – from the presence of our sins. Is that good news for you? It is if you are a sinner. Prayer: Give thanks for the amazing gift of Immanuel – God with us!

Wednesday (12/25) Read and discuss Psalm 102:1-28. This Psalm begins with deep distress. Verses 3-11 paint a picture that could lead many of us to the brink of complete despair. Then verse 12 begins with that wonderful word “but.” No matter how bad our circumstances, the LORD is greater than our troubles and both willing and able to deliver us. Indeed, the circumstances of verses 3-11 could lead non-Christians to hopelessness but the psalm concludes with great hope. Commenting on verse 28 Willem Van Gemeren writes:

The future of the godly is tied up with God himself and with his promises. The psalmist praises the LORD in that he will be true to “the children of your servants.” They and their descendants will “dwell” and be “established” in the LORD’s presence. Such is the confidence of the covenantal care of the LORD.

The LORD magnificently showed His fidelity to His promises when He restored the people from exile under Cyrus and when He sent Jesus the Messiah to restore humanity to Himself. God the Father is able to bring “many sons to glory”; and to this end He sent Jesus, His Son, to be the author of salvation. As the Savior is perfect, so is His salvation. What the psalmist longed for has been experienced in time, as the faithful servants of God have testified. But as long as God’s servants suffer, this psalm is appropriate for all who long for the fullness of salvation, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.

Sing or Read Psalm 97A “The LORD Our God is King!” Prayer: Please lift up our brothers and sisters at Amoskeag Presbyterian Church in Manchester.

Thursday (12/26) Read and discuss Psalm 8:1-9. Commenting on verses 6-9 Calvin writes:

From the dominion over all things which God has conferred upon men, it is evident how great is the love which he has borne towards them, and how much account he has made of them. As he does not stand in need of anything himself, he has destined all the riches, both of heaven and earth, for their use.

It is certainly a singular honor and one which cannot be sufficiently estimated, that mortal man, as the representative of God, has dominion over the world, as if it pertained to him by right, and that to whatever quarter he turns his eyes, he sees nothing wanting which may contribute to the convenience and happiness of his life. Now there is no doubt, that if there is anything in heaven or on earth which is opposed to men, the beautiful order which God had established in the world at the beginning is now thrown into confusion. The consequence of this is, that mankind, after they were ruined by the fall of Adam, were not only deprived of so distinguished and honorable an estate, and dispossessed of their former dominion, but are also held captive under a degrading and ignominious bondage. Christ, it is true, is the lawful heir of heaven and earth, by whom the faithful recover what they had lost in Adam; but he has not yet actually entered upon full possession of his empire and dominion. What is here said by David will not be perfectly accomplished until death be abolished. There remains the hope of a better state than the present.

Read or Sing Hymn 498 “I Will Sing of My Redeemer” Prayer: Please lift up the young people in our congregation and ask that they may have an enjoyable and productive break from school.

Friday (12/27) Read and discuss Ephesians 1:15-23. You can tell a lot about someone’s priorities from what they pray for. The fact that so many prayer requests are about health issues reminds us what a high priority we put on good health. We should do this. After all, God commands us to pray for each other when we are sick (James 5:14). On the other hand, we should consider what we pray for and ask whether or not our priorities match God’s priorities. The truth is that few of us would naturally pray along the lines of the Lord’s Prayer except for the fact that Jesus gave this to us as a pattern to follow. We need to have the humility to recognize that we often don’t know how to pray as we should and to ask the Lord to teach us to pray. In addition to the Lord’s Prayer, the Bible is also filled with prayers from godly men like the Apostle Paul. In today’s passage we find Paul praying with these priorities:

1. Paul gives thanks for the faith and love he hears about in other believers (v. 16).
2. Paul prays that “the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him”. Specifically, that “having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, …”
   1. “… that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you,”
   2. “… what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,”
   3. “… and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe.”

Why not try making Paul’s priorities your priorities as you pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ today? Read or sing Hymn 497 “More Love to Thee, O Christ” Prayer: Ask the LORD to deepen your understanding of His astonishing plan of salvation.

Saturday (12/28) Read and discuss Luke 2:21-38. David Strain comments:

Notice that Simeon sings as he does not just because Jesus fulfills the meaning of the ceremonies of the Law, but because Jesus is God’s final Word. In Jesus, God is showing Himself to us. Notice how Simeon is characterized in verses 25 through 28. Over and over again Luke highlights the role and ministry of the Holy Spirit in Simeon’s life. Simeon is being portrayed here as an oracle, a prophet of the living God, guided by the Holy Spirit; even guided in terms of his footsteps that morning into the temple that he might meet Mary and Joseph and the infant Jesus. One wonders if he stood in astonishment and holy awe as he watched that family make their way forward to the priest, as they offered sacrifice for cleansing and for purification. And as Jesus is presented and consecrated to the Lord to be holy to God, was Simeon simply staggered as that flash of supernatural recognition stole through him as he saw, “This child is Himself the Lord’s salvation! Cleansing, pardon, redemption, freedom is bound up not in the blood of bulls and goats, not in the blood of lambs and pigeons and turtledoves, but in the blood of this child, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Prayer: Please lift up tomorrow’s morning and evening worship services.

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Guide for the Preparation for Worship on 22 December 2019 Sunday, Dec 15 2019

22 December 2019

Call to Worship: Psalm 98:1-3

Opening Hymn: 319 “O Come, All Ye Faithful”

Confession of Sin

Most holy and merciful Father; We acknowledge and confess before You; Our sinful nature prone to evil and slothful in good;  And all our shortcomings and offenses.  You alone know how often we have sinned; In wandering from Your ways; In wasting Your gifts;  In forgetting Your love.  But You, O Lord, have pity upon us; Who are ashamed and sorry for all wherein we have displeased You.  Teach us to hate our errors; Cleanse us from our secret faults; And forgive our sins for the sake of Your dear Son.  And O most holy and loving Father; Help us we beseech You; To live in Your light and walk in Your ways; According to the commandments of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon: 1 John 1:6-9

Hymn of Preparation: 324 “Thou Who Wast Rich beyond All Splendor”

Old Covenant Reading: Isaiah 55:1-7

New Covenant Reading: Luke 2:1-20

Sermon: Glory to God in the Highest

Hymn of Response: 311 “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”

Confession of Faith: Ten Commandments

Doxology (Hymn 568)

Closing Hymn: 299 “Joy to the World! The LORD is Come”

PM Worship

OT: Isaiah 52:1-10

NT: Acts 1:1-10

All the Ends of the Earth

Shorter Catechism Q/A # 15

Q. What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?
A. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created was their eating the forbidden fruit.

Suggested Preparations

Monday (12/16) Read and discuss Luke 2:1-20. In his sermon on this passage Calvin said:

We must regard ourselves as poor, helpless souls until we are comforted and made glad by the gospel. We should not look for peace anywhere else. Woe to us if we do! For if complacency were to lull us into a false sense of security, the devil would at once overwhelm us, entangling us in his snares and nets. We would be his prisoners, enslaved to him. Here, then, is a word worth remembering: We can never really rejoice until we are sure God loves us and is favourable to us, undeserving though we are. On that foundation we must build. Otherwise all our joys will turn to tears and to the gnashing of teeth.

The angel, however, announces not merely news of joy, but of great joy which will be for all the people. We should weigh these last words carefully. For if they were not there, we might think that what Luke records was only for the shepherds’ benefit. Instead, joy is something which will be poured out on all the people. The angel means of course the Jews, the chosen people. Now, however, as Paul says, the partition has been broken down, and Christ through the preaching of the gospel proclaims peace to those who were once far off, and peace to those who were near. the Jews were linked by covenant to God, who adopted them in the person of Abraham and who confirmed their adoption by giving them the Law. But now God has drawn near to us who were once far from him, and has determined to make the message of reconciliation universal.

Since the angel invites us to rejoice at the coming of Christ, not in any ordinary way but with unbounded delight, let us make the most of the message. What can we say about this joy? If we involve ourselves in worldly pleasures and are wholly absorbed by our own wants, we will never rejoice in the grace of Christ. Let the shepherds instead be our example. Their earthly lot did not change, despite the fact that they had heard the angel’s word and had witnessed the birth of God’s Son. They went back to their flocks exactly as before; they continued to live as poor men, guarding their herds. In terms of the flesh and of this passing world they gained nothing form the privilege which we read about here. For all that, they were full of joy. Theirs is a lead we should follow. For although the gospel might earn us neither wealth nor fame, and although it might not bring us gratification or amusement, nevertheless we should be glad that we are the objects of God’s favour. That is where true blessing and happiness lie, and where real rest is found.

Read or sing Hymn 319 “O Come, All Ye Faithful” Prayer: Ask the LORD to lead you to increased joy in Him.

Tuesday (12/17) Read and discuss Luke 1:39-55. In verse 46, Mary says:

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

Mary’s song is about making much of God. But what does it mean to “magnify the LORD”? We use that term magnify in at least two different ways. We magnify something through a microscope to make something small look big. And we magnify something through a telescope, to bring into focus something that is genuinely enormous – but which had appeared small because we were not close to it.

Mary’s soul and spirit are not acting like microscopes. Instead, when Mary focuses on the LORD she is just overwhelmed by His majesty, His power, and particularly by His grace so that she simply must declare her experience of God’s majesty and grace. Look closely at the way the two clauses in these verses fit together: “My soul magnifies the LORD, and my spirt rejoices in God my Savior.” There is a direct connection between being overwhelmed by the grandeur and majesty of God and true joy. Put simply: The bigger your God, the deeper your joy. Prayer: Give thanks for the amazing gift of Immanuel – God with us!

Wednesday (12/18) Read and discuss Isaiah 55:1-7. R. Reed Lessing writes:

Where is God to be found? Those who “seek” Yahweh can rest assured that they will find Him where He promises to be. The Jerusalem Temple was the place where He caused His name to dwell. However, after it was destroyed, where was He located? In light of Yahweh’s advent as Shepherd (Isaiah 40:11) and His return to Zion (52:8), He invites people to seek Him where He dwells forever: in Jesus, the Servant, the Son and Heir of David. He is present in His enduring and efficacious Word. Those who search the Scriptures will find that they testify to Christ. He is the Word incarnate and the new temple. Those who seek Him in Scripture, Holy Baptism, and His Supper do find Him. The opposite is to lust after idols. He alone gives life, while false gods bring only death.

When can God be found? The writer to the Hebrews emphasizes that “the day of salvation” is “today”, so do not procrastinate. Gregory of Nyssa asks: “Do you want to know the opportune time to seek the LORD? The simple answer is: all your life.”

Sing or Read 324 “Thou Who Wast Rich beyond All Splendor” Prayer: Ask the LORD to bring visitors to our congregation who would be blessed by uniting with our church family.

Thursday (12/19) Read and discuss Acts 1:1-10. It is difficult to answer questions that are based on wrong presuppositions. If someone were to ask you: “Have you stopped cheating on your taxes?” You probably wouldn’t simply answer “yes” or “no”, you would take the time to explain that you have never cheated on your taxes. The question that the disciples ask Jesus in verse 6 is based upon a complex mix of misunderstandings and this prevents Jesus from simply giving them a yes or no answer. Right up until Christ’s crucifixion they had thought that the coming of kingdom would primarily be about God powerfully crushing Israel’s enemies. Now that Christ had dramatically risen from the dead and had told His disciples that they were about to be baptized with the Holy Spirit they turned once again to imagining that the consummation of history must be at hand. “Is it now?” they ask. Jesus reorients them by declaring that their responsibility is not to figure out the prophesy charts, their (and our!) responsibility is to be faithful as witnesses. As R.C. Sproul points out:

The mission of the church, the reason we exist, is to bear witness to the present reign and rule of Christ, who is at the right hand of God. If we try to do it in our own power, we will fail. The reason for the outpouring of the Spirit is not to make us feel spiritual. It is not to give us a spiritual high. It is so that we can do the job that Jesus gave the church to do.

There is also a helpful reorientation for the Apostles in Christ’s response. Apparently, they continued to think of the earthly Jerusalem as being the center of the Kingdom of God. Yet, the headquarters for the Kingdom would not be in Jerusalem nor in the Vatican but in heaven where Jesus would be enthroned at the right hand of His Father. Furthermore, echoing the Great Commission, Jesus reminds the Apostles that He is sending them out. The news about the person and work of Christ would not only be declared in Jerusalem and nearby Samaria – but even to the ends of the earth. This truth is an important point of introduction for the book of Acts as a whole. To use the title of a book by F.F. Bruce, Acts is the story of “The Spreading Flame”. Read or Sing Hymn 311 “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” Prayer: Give thanks that Jesus is ruling all things and that He is doing so for the good of His Church and the advance of the Kingdom of God.

Friday (12/20) Read and discuss Isaiah 52:1-10. On the Fourth of July Americans celebrate Independence Day to commemorate when our nation first declared itself to be a sovereign power. Yet, even a cursory familiarity with history makes it difficult to paint the British Empire as tyrannical oppressors. Israel could only have wished that they had been “oppressed” in this way. Isaiah had lived through the assaults of the Assyrians, who were among the most brutal people who had ever lived. Then he prophesied of Judah being taken into the Babylonian captivity. While the Babylonians were more civilized than the Assyrians, they did force the majority of the Jewish people to move more than five hundred miles away to a strange land where they would have to do whatever the king of Babylon told them to do. Yet, Isaiah 52 is promising a freedom from this bondage. More than mere freedom, Israel would be lifted up and exalted. Isaiah was promising a second Exodus where the people would be delivered not only to freedom and security but to being the LORD’s true people:

Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here am I.”

When would this glorious event take place? If we stopped reading here we could easily imagine that this might take place in the fifth century B.C. when the LORD would bring Israel back into their land. But if we keep reading through Isaiah 52 and 53 we see that this freedom, security, and joy is intimately tied up with the substitutionary death of the Suffering Servant. It is only with Christ’s victory over Satan, sin, and death that the Second Exodus is truly accomplished. Living on this side of redemption accomplished, let us lift our voices to sing of Christ’s victory and let us rejoice in the Good News that He brings. Read or sing Hymn 299 “Joy to the World! The LORD is Come” Prayer: Please lift up our brothers and sisters at Amoskeag Presbyterian Church in Manchester, NH.

Saturday (12/21) Read and discuss Luke 2:1-20. David Garland writes:

The sentimental Christmas may be popular as a religious holiday for some because it can come off as celebrating the birth of a helpless baby. Jesus lies in a manger to be gazed upon and adored, but not to be heard and heeded. A speechless babe wrapped tightly in swaddling cloths seems more obliging in allowing people to tailor their religious beliefs however they see fit. …

True, many hear only the Christmas bells of cash registers ringing, accompanied by mawkish seasonal, secular music. Churches do not always help by competing for the entertainment spotlight. One church I know of boasts of their Christmas program’s “pageantry, marvel, magic, and awe,” and emphasizes that they have been “entertaining and inspiring audiences … for more than 25 years.”

The story of Christmas celebrates the fulfillment of God’s promises and the incarnation of God in human flesh. That meaning is memorably captured by John 3:16. God loves, and God gives in order to save. Luke’s birth narrative portrays the nature of divine power that gives itself to save. God does not appear as an all-powerful despot but as a vulnerable child. Paul blazons this profound paradox in Phil 2:6-8. For Christ, equality with God meant emptying himself, taking the form of a slave, who had no rights and owed obedience, humbling himself and dying a slave’s death on the cross. It meant giving rather than getting, and Christ gave until he was empty; but his obedience led to an empty tomb and ultimate vindication that will culminate when throngs in heaven and on earth and under the earth, not just a host of angels, will bow down and sing glory in the highest to the One whose name is above every name.

Prayer: Please lift up tomorrow’s morning and evening worship services.

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Guide for the Preparation for Worship on 15 December 2019 Sunday, Dec 8 2019

15 December 2019

Call to Worship: Psalm 96:1-3

Opening Hymn: 293 “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”

Confession of Sin      

Almighty God, Who are rich in mercy to all those who call upon You; Hear us as we humbly come to You confessing our sins; And imploring Your mercy and forgiveness.  We have broken Your holy laws by our deeds and by our words; And by the sinful affections of our hearts.  We confess before You our disobedience and ingratitude, our pride and willfulness; And all our failures and shortcomings toward You and toward fellow men.  Have mercy upon us, Most merciful Father; And of Your great goodness grant that we may hereafter serve and please You in newness of life; Through the merit and mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon: Hebrews 4:14-16

Hymn of Preparation: 292 “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”

Old Covenant Reading: Isaiah 7:1-14

New Covenant Reading: Luke 1:39-55

Sermon: God My Savior

Hymn of Response: 301 “Song of Mary”

Confession of Faith: Nicene Creed (p. 852)

Doxology (Hymn 568)

Diaconal Offering                  

Closing Hymn: Psalm 98C “Sing a New Song to Jehovah”

PM Worship

OT: Micah 5:1-5a

NT: Matthew 2:1-12

He is Our Peace

Shorter Catechism Q/A # 14

Q. What is sin?
A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.

Suggested Preparations

Monday (12/9) Read and discuss Luke 1:39-55. In his sermon on this passage Calvin said:

We must regard ourselves as poor, helpless souls until we are comforted and made glad by the gospel. We should not look for peace anywhere else. Woe to us if we do! For if complacency were to lull us into a false sense of security, the devil would at once overwhelm us, entangling us in his snares and nets. We would be his prisoners, enslaved to him. Here, then, is a word worth remembering: We can never really rejoice until we are sure God loves us and is favourable to us, undeserving though we are. On that foundation we must build. Otherwise all our joys will turn to tears and to the gnashing of teeth.

The angel, however, announces not merely news of joy, but of great joy which will be for all the people. We should weigh these last words carefully. For if they were not there, we might think that what Luke records was only for the shepherds’ benefit. Instead, joy is something which will be poured out on all the people. The angel means of course the Jews, the chosen people. Now, however, as Paul says, the partition has been broken down, and Christ through the preaching of the gospel proclaims peace to those who were once far off, and peace to those who were near. the Jews were linked by covenant to God, who adopted them in the person of Abraham and who confirmed their adoption by giving them the Law. But now God has drawn near to us who were once far from him, and has determined to make the message of reconciliation universal.

Since the angel invites us to rejoice at the coming of Christ, not in any ordinary way but with unbounded delight, let us make the most of the message. What can we say about this joy? If we involve ourselves in worldly pleasures and are wholly absorbed by our own wants, we will never rejoice in the grace of Christ. Let the shepherds instead be our example. Their earthly lot did not change, despite the fact that they had heard the angel’s word and had witnessed the birth of God’s Son. They went back to their flocks exactly as before; they continued to live as poor men, guarding their herds. In terms of the flesh and of this passing world they gained nothing form the privilege which we read about here. For all that, they were full of joy. Theirs is a lead we should follow. For although the gospel might earn us neither wealth nor fame, and although it might not bring us gratification or amusement, nevertheless we should be glad that we are the objects of God’s favor. That is where true blessing and happiness lie, and where real rest is found.

Read or sing Hymn 293 “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” Prayer: Ask the LORD to grant you greater joy in your salvation this Christmas season.

Tuesday (12/10) Read and discuss Romans 16:21-27. In verses 3 through 16, Paul greeted a large number of people who were in Rome. In verses 21 through 23, eight people who were with Paul in Corinth also send their greetings to the tiny church in the capitol city of the Empire. What do we do with all of these greetings? I want to remind you of something that most of you have confessed for many years … “I believe in the communion of the saints.” What is a “communion”? The Greek word behind “communion” means “shared life.” Christians share a common life, a common mission, and a common destiny. Think for a moment about just how short the Apostles Creed actually is. It contains only a handful of the most important biblical truths that the Church around the world has believed and confessed for more than sixteen centuries – and one of those truths – is that “I believe in the communion of the saints.” Here is the simple, but rather pointed question: “Is that just something that we say, or is this a truth that we live out within this church family, with our brothers and sisters in Manchester, Jaffrey, and Cape Cod, and even with our fellow believers in Beijing, Eritrea, and MBale, Uganda? As in all things, we are not yet fully what the LORD has called us to become. So, let us, by His grace, press on to lay hold of the high calling that is ours in Jesus Christ our Lord. Read or Sing Hymn 292 “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” Prayer: Give thanks that the LORD has made you a member of His family and ask that He would make you more open to be embraced by your brothers and sisters in Christ even as you seek to invest your life in them.

Wednesday (12/11) Read and discuss Isaiah 7:1-14.  One time, C.S. Lewis was talking with a colleague in his study at Oxford when a group of students began singing Christmas carols outside his window. His colleague condescendingly said something like, “These are Oxford University students. Don’t they realize that virgins don’t give birth?” To which Lewis dryly replied, “Don’t you think they already know that?” Odd, isn’t it, that, having heard the Christmas story so often, people sometimes forget what a spectacular miracle the virgin conception was? Indeed, it was nothing less than a new creation of the Second Adam. Over the past two centuries many have attempted to strip the miraculous from Scripture. One place where such “scholars” seem to have gained traction is with respect to Isaiah 7:14. At first this may seem odd. Since Matthew and Luke clearly and repeatedly declare that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was conceived in her womb, what is the point of arguing that Isaiah 7:14 merely speaks of a young woman giving birth and not a virgin? The answer is that it is extremely embarrassing to liberals that God would promise the virgin concept seven centuries before it happened. Oddly, many conservatives have tended to take the liberals at their word and have become very tentative at suggesting that Isaiah 7:14 speaks of the virgin conception of Christ. Nevertheless, there are really strong (even compelling) reasons for holding to the traditional understanding:

1. Although liberals have repeatedly asserted that the Hebrew word ‘alma simply means “young woman” no one has ever produced a single example in either biblical or extra-biblical Hebrew where the person referred to was not a virgin. As the Old Testament scholar J. Alec Motyer observes: “Wherever the context allows a judgment, ‘alma is not a general term meaning ‘young woman’ but a specific one meaning ‘virgin’.”
2. The Septuagint translation of the Old Testament into Greek (done in the two centuries prior to Christ) translates ‘alma with the Greek term parthenon which everyone recognizes means virgin. This is the same term used by Matthew and Luke in the New Testament to record Christ’s virgin conception.
3. Matthew 1:23 quotes Isaiah 7:14 as being about the birth of Jesus.
4. Consider how dramatic a sign the LORD promises to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” As Homer Hailey put it, what is in view is “a sign so momentous that only Jehovah could give it.” Then ask yourself this question: “How dramatic a sign is it that a young woman would bear a son?” The fact is, not only would a young woman bearing a son not be a particularly dramatic sign – it wouldn’t be a sign at all. Young woman have children the natural way all the time.
5. If we keep reading from Isaiah 7 through chapter 9 we can trace some interesting details about the child that will be born to this woman: (1) He will be called Immanuel – meaning “God with us” (7:14); (2) In 8:8 he is called Immanuel again and the Land is described as His (3) It is impossible to separate this child from the description in Isaiah 9:6-7 where the child is also described Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. There simply is no way that an ordinary child in Isaiah’s time could have fulfilled all of this – even as a type of the Christ who was to come.

“Following these pointers, we have a sign that lives up to its promise. Heaven and earth will be truly moved. Isaiah foresaw the birth of the divine son of David and also laid the foundation for understanding the unique nature of his birth (Motyer).” Prayer: Give thanks for the amazing gift of Immanuel – God with us!

Thursday (12/12) Read and discuss Matthew 2:1-12. How excited these religious experts must have been to hear the news! They couldn’t be sure that the Magi were right that the Messiah had been born, but they knew where He would be born – in Bethlehem. Thankfully, Bethlehem was just six miles south of Jerusalem. Because Jerusalem is elevated, you can actually see Bethlehem from there. The religious leaders could walk to Bethlehem in less than 90 minutes … and if the story the Magi told were false … they could be home by dinner. And what if the Magi were right? Four centuries of silence from God would end with the Messiah coming into the world right in their own back yard. Surely, everyone there who could still walk would walk, or better run, all the way to Bethlehem to see if the Messiah had come. Well, at least some of the religious leaders would go and check it out – wouldn’t they?  Not at all! It turns out that not a single one of the religious leaders made this six mile trip. The Magi who had already traveled nearly 900 miles to worship the new born king would travel the last six miles alone. When Herod asked the religious leaders where the Messiah would be born they knew the right answer. It rolled right off of their tongues. They were experts in the law. But they were more concerned about being right than about being righteous. Regretfully, religious leaders are frequently like that. What about you? The question we need to answer this isn’t “What about them?” It is “What about us?” Almighty God is moving heaven and earth so that Jesus Christ will be worshipped among every tribe, tongue, and people; yet some of those with the greatest spiritual privilege are failing to do so. Will you respond with anger like Herod, with indifference like the religious leaders, or will you by faith come and worship Him? Read or Sing Hymn 301 “Song of Mary” Prayer: Please pray for the world-wide-mission of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church as we seek to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth.

Friday (12/13) Read and discuss Micah 5:1-5a. Micah is a contemporary of the prophet Isaiah. “Both Isaiah and Micah lived through the traumatic days of the devastation of the northern kingdom and its exile at the brutal hands of the king of Assyria in 722 BC.” Although God had graciously protected Judah from Assyria, both Isaiah and Micah focus on the judgment God will bring through Babylon because His people are not returning to Him in faith.  Quite simply they are promising that God will fulfill His promises by giving the people of Judah what they deserve.  But then a remarkable thing happens.  God promises to take the initiative to deliver His chosen people even though they have forsaken Him and gone after idols.  This deliverance unfolds in two stages.  First God promises to deliver His people physically from Babylon.  We have been looking at the fulfillment of this in the post-exilic book of Zechariah on Sunday evenings.  Second He promises to fully deliver His people by sending the Messiah.  It is therefore not surprising that God would choose the incredibly insignificant town of Bethlehem.  The LORD is drawing attention to the fact that this deliverance would be entirely of His grace.  There is, perhaps, another reason why God orchestrated the birth of both David and Jesus in Bethlehem.  The name Bethlehem literally means house of bread – or house of food.  Therefore, there is a remarkable appropriateness that the Bread from Heaven, our true provision, would become man in Bethlehem. Verse 5a tells us something of great importance: Jesus will not only give His people peace – He will be our peace.  May you find complete peace in Him today. Read or sing Hymn Psalm 98C “Sing a New Song to Jehovah” Prayer: Ask the LORD to bring visitors to our congregation who would be blessed by uniting with our church family.

Saturday (12/14) Read and discuss Luke 1:39-55. David Garland writes:

The sentimental Christmas may be popular as a religious holiday for some because it can come off as celebrating the birth of a helpless baby. Jesus lies in a manger to be gazed upon and adored, but not to be heard and heeded. A speechless babe wrapped tightly in swaddling cloths seems more obliging in allowing people to tailor their religious beliefs however they see fit. …

True, many hear only the Christmas bells of cash registers ringing, accompanied by mawkish seasonal, secular music. Churches do not always help by competing for the entertainment spotlight. One church I know of boasts of their Christmas program’s “pageantry, marvel, magic, and awe,” and emphasizes that they have been “entertaining and inspiring audiences … for more than 25 years.”

The story of Christmas celebrates the fulfillment of God’s promises and the incarnation of God in human flesh. That meaning is memorably captured by John 3:16. God loves, and God gives in order to save. Luke’s birth narrative portrays the nature of divine power that gives itself to save. God does not appear as an all-powerful despot but as a vulnerable child. Paul blazons this profound paradox in Phil 2:6-8. For Christ, equality with God meant emptying himself, taking the form of a slave, who had no rights and owed obedience, humbling himself and dying a slave’s death on the cross. It meant giving rather than getting, and Christ gave until he was empty; but his obedience led to an empty tomb and ultimate vindication that will culminate when throngs in heaven and on earth and under the earth, not just a host of angels, will bow down and sing glory in the highest to the One whose name is above every name.

Prayer: Please lift up tomorrow’s morning and evening worship services.

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Guide for the Preparation for Worship on 8 December 2019 Sunday, Dec 1 2019

8 December 2019

Call to Worship: Psalm 100:1-5

Opening Hymn: 222 “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”

Confession of Sin      

Almighty God, Who are rich in mercy to all those who call upon You; Hear us as we humbly come to You confessing our sins; And imploring Your mercy and forgiveness.  We have broken Your holy laws by our deeds and by our words; And by the sinful affections of our hearts.  We confess before You our disobedience and ingratitude, our pride and willfulness; And all our failures and shortcomings toward You and toward fellow men.  Have mercy upon us, Most merciful Father; And of Your great goodness grant that we may hereafter serve and please You in newness of life; Through the merit and mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon: Psalm 103:1-3

Hymn of Preparation: 224 “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”

Old Covenant Reading: Job 12:13-25

New Covenant Reading: Romans 16:21-27

Sermon: The LORD our Strength

Hymn of Response: 500 “Father, I Know That All My Life”

Confession of Faith: Apostles Creed (p. 851)

Doxology (Hymn 568)          

Closing Hymn: 511 “Take Up Your Cross”

PM Worship

OT: Joshua 1:1-9

NT: Ephesians 1:7-14

In Him

Shorter Catechism Q/A # 13

Q. Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?
A. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sinning against God.

Suggested Preparations

Monday (12/2) Read and discuss Romans 16:21-27.  John Murray writes:

At the beginning of the epistle Paul had stated his desire to visit Rome and impart some spiritual gift to the end that believers there might be established. There is an appropriate connection with that aim and the opening words of this doxology. It is God who is able to establish and confirm the saints and of this Paul reminds himself and the readers. But there is a more proximate connection showing the relevance of the introductory words. In verses 17-20 he had warned against the seduction of deceivers and the paramount need is that believers be so established that they would not be the victims of Satan’s craft. On God alone must reliance be placed. The confirmation which God gives will be, he says, “according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ.” … The gospel is essentially the preaching which has Christ as its subject; Paul preached Christ. Thus, the establishing is to be in accordance with the gospel of Jesus Christ whom Paul preached and there is no dissonance between Paul’s gospel and the preaching of Christ.

Read or sing Hymn 222 “O God, Our Help in Ages Past” Prayer: Please lift up our brothers and sisters in Hong Kong, as this great city lives between the hope of greater freedom and the threat of further communist repression.

Tuesday (12/3) Read and discuss Acts 1:1-11.  It is difficult to answer questions that are based on wrong presuppositions. If someone were to ask you: “Have you stopped cheating on your taxes?” You probably wouldn’t simply answer “yes” or “no”, you would take the time to explain that you have never cheated on your taxes. The question that the disciples ask Jesus in verse 6 is based upon a complex mix of misunderstandings and this prevents Jesus from simply giving them a yes or no answer. Right up until Christ’s crucifixion they had thought that the coming of kingdom would primarily be about God powerfully crushing Israel’s enemies. Now that Christ had dramatically risen from the dead and had told His disciples that they were about to be baptized with the Holy Spirit they turned once again to imagining that the consummation of history must be at hand. “Is it now?” they ask. Jesus reorients them by declaring that their responsibility is not to figure out the prophesy charts, their (and our!) responsibility is to be faithful as witnesses. As R.C. Sproul points out:

The mission of the church, the reason we exist, is to bear witness to the present reign and rule of Christ, who is at the right hand of God. If we try to do it in our own power, we will fail. The reason for the outpouring of the Spirit is not to make us feel spiritual. It is not to give us a spiritual high. It is so that we can do the job that Jesus gave the church to do.

There is also a helpful reorientation for the Apostles in Christ’s response. Apparently, they continued to think of the earthly Jerusalem as being the center of the Kingdom of God. Yet, the headquarters for the Kingdom would not be in Jerusalem nor in the Vatican but in heaven where Jesus would be enthroned at the right hand of His Father. Furthermore, echoing the Great Commission, Jesus reminds the Apostles that He is sending them out. The news about the person and work of Christ would not only be declared in Jerusalem and nearby Samaria – but even to the ends of the earth. This truth is an important point of introduction for the book of Acts as a whole. To use the title of a book by F.F. Bruce, Acts is the story of “The Spreading Flame”. Read or Sing Hymn 224 “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” Prayer: Ask the LORD to give you a sharper vision for your place in the worldwide spread of the gospel.

Wednesday (12/4) Read and discuss Job 12:13-25.  Christopher Ash writes:

One of the most significant features of the book of Job is that from beginning to end we, the readers, know something that Job, the main human character, does not know. Twice in chapters 1, 2 we are given a divine prophetic insight into what has happened in Heaven. We know what God has said to Satan, what the Satan has said to God, and what God has decreed for Job. We know that Job’s sufferings are not because he is an impenitent sinner but precisely because he is a real and faithful believer. We know that the sufferings of Job are in some strange and deep way necessary for the glory of God and the well-being of the universe. But Job knows none of these things.

So the question is, why are we told what we are told, and what are we to learn from the drama? For what purpose are we, the readers, privileged as Job was not? Presumably the book is not just told for us to enjoy as spectators, watching from the comfort of our armchairs. I think there are at least two answers to these questions. First, we gain from the sufferings of Job a deep insight into the sufferings of Jesus Christ. The Gospels are quite sparing in what they tell us of the inner workings of Jesus’ heart and soul. We know that His soul was sometimes troubled (e.g., John 12:27), that He shrank from the darkness of the cross in horror (e.g., Luke 22:39-46), and that He felt the pain of living in a godless world. We know from the Psalms of lament (perhaps especially Psalms 22 and 69) something of the horror of the wrath of God. But the speeches of Job give us a unique insight into what it feels like for a believer to experience God-forsakenness. And therefore they help us to understand and feel the darkness of the cross.

But I think there is a second reason. We are naturally prone to keep slipping into not knowing what we know. We know, because God has told us, that there is such a thinkg as undeserved and redemptive suffering, and that as believers walk in the footsteps of Jesus and the shadow of the cross we too are called upon to suffer. We know that as forgiven sinners none of our sufferings are God’s punishment for our sins, for that has already been paid. We know that some of our sufferings are God’s loving fatherly discipline for those He loves. But we also know that some of our sufferings … [are] undeserved with no disciplinary purpose. We know these things because God has told us.

But because our hearts shrink from this darkness, we naturally forget that we know these things and behave as if we do not know them. We slip into a practical not knowing what we know. The System of the comforters is the default assumption of all of us if we are morally serious. An immersion in the speeches of Job will help us really and deeply to know what we know. To remember our default system is not true, and so to prepare us for the realities of discipleship.

Prayer: Please pray for those you love, who are living in quiet desperation, that they might find true comfort in Jesus Christ.

Thursday (12/5) Read and discuss Joshua 1:1-9. Adolf L. Harstad writes:

The first words of the LORD to Joshua, “Moses my servant is dead,” focus on the transition of leadership for Israel. The LORD here speaks to Joshua as he spoke to the former leader, Moses (though not “mouth to mouth” and visibly as with Moses), implying that Joshua, whom Moses had commissioned at the LORD’s command, is now in charge. The LORD’s words begin to reveal to Joshua that while Moses’ body lies in the ground, no promise lies buried with him. Joshua will be his new agent of fulfillment. The death of a leader does not mean that the LORD has abandoned his pledges to Israel – or to the church. That is true even at the death of Moses, the incomparable mediator of the Sinai covenant, the model for all prophets and a type of Christ. God’s entire Word is “living and active.” His promises are longstanding and still standing! Even at the passing of the only national leader Israel had even known, no pledge falls to the ground dead.

Read or Sing Hymn 500 “Father, I Know That All My Life” Prayer: Pray for those in positions of authority over you that they would be faithful to LORD as they work for the good of the people they lead.

Friday (12/6) Read and discuss Ephesians 1:7-14. James Montgomery Boice writes:

The final work of the Spirit mention here is His work of sealing God’s people. The text says, “Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession” (vv. 13-14).

In his commentary, Charles Hodge points out rightly that there are three purposes for which a seal is used and that each illustrates the Spirit’s work: (1) a seal is used to confirm an object or document as being true or genuine, (2) a seal is used to mark a thing as one’s property, and (3) a seal us used to make something fast or secure. The first may be illustrated by the seal of the United States which appears on paper currency or by the seal affixed to a passport. The second is like a nameplate on the flyleaf of a book. The third is illustrated by the seal of the Sanhedrin placed upon the tomb of Christ.

Each of these illustrates something important about the Spirit’s work. The Holy Spirit verifies that the one receiving Him really is God’s child, as Paul says in Romans 8:16 (“the Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children”). D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones thinks that this is the chief point of Paul’s reference in Ephesians 1:14 and spends five chapters on it.

The Holy Spirit is also God’s claim on us that we are truly His possession. The phrase “God’s possession” is used explicitly in verse 14.

Finally, the Holy Spirit makes the Christian secure in his new faith and relationship. This comes through the idea of the Spirit being “a deposit [or down payment] guaranteeing our inheritance” until our full redemption. Like a down payment on the purchase of a property, He is proof of God’s good faith and an earnest of the full amount to come.

Read or sing Hymn 511 “Take Up Your Cross” Prayer: Give thanks that the Holy Spirit, the LORD and giver of life, has sealed us unto eternal life with His own presence in our lives.

Saturday (12/7) Read and discuss Romans 16:21-27. N.T. Wright comments:

Throughout this letter we have seen that the living God has revealed Himself in, as, and through Jesus. Jesus dies as the personal expression of God’s love; Paul draws on the messianic language of ‘son of God’ as a way of expressing this close identity while still allowing for what later theologians would speak of as differentiation within the persons of the Trinity. Jesus is both Israel’s Messiah according the flesh and also ‘God over all, blessed forever.’ Paul takes Old Testament passages which clearly refer to ‘the LORD,’ meaning YHWH, the God of Israel, and transfers them so that they now refer to Jesus. What theologians call a ‘high Christology’ – a view of Jesus which sees Him as fully and completely divine as well as fully and completely human – doesn’t have to wait for later centuries and writers. It is already fully present in Paul, not least in this, his greatest letter.

In particular, we note that Paul refers in the closing phrases to God as ‘the only wise God.’ There were many other claims to wisdom in the ancient world. There were many other gods who offered insight, of a sort and at a cost. There were plenty of teachings about how to live, how to think, what to believe, how to pray. But Paul believes – and the powerful gospel of Jesus bears him out – that there is only one God who is truly wise. He is the creator. He understands how the whole world works, what humans are and how they think, were they go wrong and how they can be put to rights, and how, when that happens, the whole of creation will dance for joy at its new-found freedom. This is the hidden wisdom which formed the secret plan, the plan now unveiled in the gospel, the gospel which now evokes as its proper response ‘the obedience of faith’ (as in 1:5), the faith which is open to the whole world. When you see the end from the beginning in this way; when you understand Romans in its grand sweep of thought as well as its smaller, dense and deliciously chewy arguments; when you glimpse even a little of what Paul has glimpsed of the wisdom, love, grace, power, and glory fo the eternal God revealed in Jesus the Messiah – then you, too, will want to join him in piling up all the glory and praise and love and adoration you can muster. And you won’t care how big a splash you make as you do so.

Prayer: Please lift up tomorrow’s morning and evening worship services.

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