Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 18 February, 2024
“My covenant was with him of life and peace” (Mal. 2:5)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
The Fifth Commandment [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 6
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 39
I. The Calling
II. The Basis
III. The Motivation
Psalms: 68:1-6; 89:19-25; 75:3-10; 128:1-6
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
Jesus Heals a Paralytic (the Son’s Works and Witnesses) (11)
Search the Scriptures! [youtube]
Scripture Reading: I John 5
Text: John 5:39
I. The Meaning
II. The Reproof
III. The Doctrine
Psalms: 19:9-14; 89:26-34; 45:2-7; 73:23-28
For CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services, contact Stephen Murray
If you desire a pastoral visit, please contact Rev. Stewart or the elders
CPRC Website: www.cprc.co.uk • Live Webcast: www.cprc.co.uk/live-streaming
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Quote to Consider
J. C. Ryle on John 5:39: “The ‘Scriptures’ of which our Lord speaks are of course the Old Testament. And His words show the important truth which too many are apt to overlook,—that every part of our Bibles is meant to teach us about Christ. Christ is not merely in the Gospels and Epistles, Christ is to be found directly and indirectly in the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets. In the promises to Adam, Abraham, Moses and David,—in the types and emblems of the ceremonial law,—in the predictions of Isaiah and the other prophets,—Jesus, the Messiah, is everywhere to be found in the Old Testament. How is it that men see these things so little? The answer is plain. They do not ‘search the Scriptures’. They do not dig into that wondrous mine of wisdom and knowledge, and seek to become acquainted with its contents. Simple, regular reading of our Bibles is the grand secret of establishment in the faith. Ignorance of the Scriptures is the root of all error” (Expository Thoughts on John, vol. 1, pp. 305-306).
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
We extend our Christian sympathy to Sinead whose mother passed away this past week. Sinead will be in the Republic of Ireland until some time after the funeral. Please remember her in your prayers.
Catechism classes tomorrow:
5:00 PM: Corey, Jason, Katelyn, Maisie & Sebastian (Seniors NT)
5:45 PM: Felicity, Grace, Jonas, Keagan, Liam, Lucas, Sammy & Sophie (Beginners OT – Book 1)
6:30 PM: Eleanora, Hannah, Jorja, Penelope & Xander (Juniors NT)
7:15 PM: Angelica, Bradley, Jack, Josh, Samuel & Taylor (Essentials)
8:00 PM: Alex & Nathan (Pre-confession)
Tuesday Bible study will not meet this week because the electricity in the area in which our church is located will be off for essential maintenance.
Belgic Confession class will meet at 7:30 PM to continue with Article 37, beginning a consideration of the Great Tribulation.
Ladies Bible Study meets this Thursday night at the church at 7:30 PM. We will be discussing Psalm 71 from the book A 30-day Walk with God in the Psalms.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s day (Gospel 846 MW at 8:30 AM) by Prof. D. Kuiper is entitled, “The 4th Commandment: Keeping a Day of Rest on God’s Holy Day” (Luke 13:14-16).
Offerings: £1,158.45. Donations: £85 (Dublin).
Translation Additions: 2 Polish, 1 Russian, 1 Slovenian, 9 Spanish (the whole of the BRF book, The Five Points of Calvinism) and 2 Swahili.
PRCA News: Hope PRC (Redlands) formed a new trio of Revs. DeBoer, Decker and Brummel. Pittsburgh PRC called Rev. Spronk.
Coming to the Throne of Grace
(an excerpt from an article by Herman Hoeksema in the Standard Bearer, vol. 81, issue 17)
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:15-16).
All important exhortation! Let us come boldly, that is, with perfect confidence that we shall be received, to the throne of grace!
To this coming with boldness we are encouraged, first of all, by the very fact that the throne unto which we are exhorted to come is a throne of grace; and, secondly, by the knowledge that, in the sanctuary, where this throne of grace is established, we have a high priest that was in all points tempted as we are, and who, because of this, can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities …
The throne of grace!
It means that He purposed all things, that He created all things, that He governs all things, that He directs all things, that He judges all things, motivated by His grace over us in Christ.
It means that the revelation of His face fills us, to be sure, with awe and holy fear, because of His majesty, but now with the reverence of childlike love and confidence.
Let us come boldly to the throne of grace!
Let us come, that is, not merely in prayer—not, at least, if by prayer is meant an occasional approach to that throne of grace, in order then to return again and draw back into the night of our own existence, into the darkness and gloom and hopelessness of our death—though all our coming to this throne of grace, to this Fount of all life and blessing, is essentially an act of prayer. But rather, let us come, that is, let us enter into His fellowship; let us approach to the God of our salvation with our whole being, with all our mind and heart and soul and strength to worship and adore, to praise and to serve Him that sitteth upon the throne. Let us come to Him as the overflowing Fount of all good, to drink from that Fount to the satisfaction of our souls, to taste His marvellous mercy and grace, and to know that the Lord is good. Let us come, not to depart again, never to withdraw again into our own night, but to abide in His tabernacle all the days of our life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.
Let us come!
That spiritual act of coming to the throne of grace implies, first of all, a profound consciousness and acknowledgment of our own emptiness, of our sin and death, of our need of grace and mercy.
It implies, secondly, the spiritual apprehension of His fullness, of the riches of righteousness and life, of blessedness and glory that are in Him as He stands revealed to us in all the beauty of His grace in the face of Christ Jesus.
It signifies, thirdly, a deep longing for His fellowship, a thirsting after God as the hart, escaped from the chase, thirsts after streams of living water.
And it means, finally, that with confidence of faith we appropriate all the spiritual blessings revealed unto us, promised us, by the symbol of that throne of grace.
Let us come boldly! Not, indeed, with a boldness that is devoid of holy fear, for the throne of grace is still a throne, and that, too, the throne of the most high Majesty in the heavens; nor with a carnal confidence that is based on our own worthiness, for God resisteth the proud, while He giveth grace to the lowly; but solely with a confidence that is inspired only by that throne of grace.
The boldness of faith. The confidence that, for Christ’s sake, He that sitteth upon the throne will not cast me off, but receive me, even though all things testify against me. Blessed throne of grace!
Seek, and ye shall find! Ask, and it shall be given you; knock, and it shall be opened unto you!
Come boldly to the throne of grace, pray without ceasing, let your whole life be an approach to that marvellous throne, that you may obtain mercy, and grace to help in time of need, and mercy and grace you shall surely find and receive.
For him that comes to Him He will in no wise cast out. Mercy and grace you will find …
Mercy and grace are not gifts that are once bestowed upon you, say in the moment of your regeneration, and that ever after you possess in yourselves, apart from the God of your salvation. They are a constant stream that flows into your soul from its source, the throne of grace. They are rather to be compared to the golden glory of light that radiates from the sun, and in whose brightness you may rejoice as long as you remain in the sphere of its radiation, but which you cannot take with you into the darkness of a mountain cave. Not for a moment can you withdraw yourselves from the throne of grace without forfeiting the blessings of mercy and grace as far as your consciousness of them is concerned.
Hence, the time of need is now. It is an ever-present time.
Mercy and grace you need today and tomorrow, and forevermore.
Besides, you need grace to help, to help in time of need that is now and constantly. Help you need that you may daily enter into God’s rest, that you may put off the old, and put on the new man, that you may put on the whole armour of God, fight the good fight of faith, and be able to stand in the evil day; help to hold fast your profession, not to be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, nor to be seduced by the pleasures and treasures of Egypt, nor to be intimidated by the fury of the powers of darkness. And your only help is in God’s grace. Without Him you can do nothing. Now is the time of need; now you must obtain grace.
Come, then, always come, to the throne of grace. That you may obtain mercy, and grace to help. In time of need.
Be not afraid! Approach with confidence, and let not even your infirmities induce you to stay far from that throne of grace.
For, as you approach that throne, you are met, in the sanctuary of God, by a High Priest that is over the whole house of God, that intercedes with Him that sitteth upon the throne, and that is able to sympathize with all your infirmities.
O, they are many, but He knows them. They include all our present sufferings and death, of soul and body, of mind and spirit; they are our trials and temptations in the world, our tribulations which we suffer for Christ’s sake, as we hold fast our profession; they include our temptations from within, through the sinfulness of our flesh, and from without, through the seducing influence of the world; they are our weaknesses, our sins, our inclination to stumble in the way.
He, our High Priest, who intercedes for us with the Father, is able to sympathize with them all.
He is acquainted with the weakness of our flesh, for He came in the likeness of sinful flesh, though without sin. He knows all our suffering and all our temptations, for He was tempted in all things even as we are, though in all His temptations He never once stumbled. He knows what it is to be utterly amazed at the justice and wrath of God against sin, and at the presence of His holiness, for He bore it all upon the tree, and entered into our death and hell. He knows by experience what it means to be tempted by the wicked machinations of evil men, for He endured all the contradictions of sinners against Himself. Never is your path of suffering and temptation so deep that you do not find there the imprint of His feet …
Fear not! Look upon your sympathizing High Priest! And come to the throne of grace, boldly! Your reception is assured!
