Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 6 April, 2025
“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
The Assyrian Crisis (4)
The Covenant With Death [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 28:5-22
Text: Isaiah 28:14-18
I. The Meaning of the Covenant With Death
II. The Voiding of the Covenant With Death
III. The Antithesis of the Covenant With Death
Psalms: 105:6-12; 119:129-136; 89:1-6; 25:8-14
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 16:1-22
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 26
I. Its Great Necessity
II. Its Two-Fold Nature
III. Its Ensuing Life
Psalms: 96:8-13; 119:137-144; 48:1-2, 10-14; 34:11-18
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
Quotes to Consider
Matthew Henry on Isaiah 28:14-19: “Those that make lies their refuge build upon the sand, and the building will fall when the storm comes, and bury the builder in the ruins of it. Those that make any thing their hiding place but Christ shall find that the waters will overflow it, as every shelter but the ark was over-topped and overthrown by the waters of the deluge. Such is the hope of the hypocrite; this will come of all his confidences … Those do but delude themselves that think by any wiles to evade the judgments of God … Evil tidings are a terror and vexation to scorners, but he whose heart is fixed, trusting in God, is not afraid of them; whereas, when the overflowing scourge comes, then all the comforts and confidences of scorners fail them.”
John Calvin: “And as the twig derives substance and nourishment from the root to which it is attached, so those who receive baptism with true faith truly feel the efficacy of Christ’s death in the mortification of their flesh, and the efficacy of his resurrection in the quickening of the Spirit.”
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
Monday catechism classes:
5:00 PM: Hannah, Penelope & Xander (Seniors OT) – END OF YEAR TEST
5:45 PM: Grace, Jonas, Liam & Sammy (Beginners OT – Book 2)
6:30 PM: Eleanora, Felicity, Jorja & Sophie (Juniors OT)
7:15 PM: Jason, Kyan, Maisie & Sebastian (Heidelberg Catechism – Book 1)
The Council meet tomorrow evening at 8 PM.
Tuesday Bible study will meet this week at 11 AM to consider Paul’s interaction with Sergius Paulus and Barjesus in Paphos on Cyprus in Acts 13.
The Belgic Confession class will meet on Wednesday at 7:30 PM to discuss Revelation 17’s vision of the woman riding the beast.
Ladies Bible study meets this Thursday at 7:30 PM at church. We will be discussing Psalm 138 using 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 Rev. Haak is entitled, “The Power of the Cross” (Rom. 8:1).
Offerings: £2,040. Donation: £200 (England).
Translation Additions: 1 Polish, 1 Russian and 4 Spanish.
PRC News: Rev. Lee declined the call he received to be minister-on-loan to the PRCP. Rev. Smidstra declined the call to Cornerstone PRC. Grace PRC will call from a trio of Revs. DeBoer, Eriks and Prof. Gritters. Rev. Engelsma declined the call from Grandville PRC. Hope PRC (Redlands) called Rev. Barnhill. Southwest PRC called Rev. D. Holstege.
Striving for the Faith of the Gospel (1)
Rev. Herman Hoeksema in the Standard Bearer, vol. 23, issue 20
“Only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving for the faith of the gospel: And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God” (Phil. 1:27-28).
Only … This one thing must be emphasized now, at once, and always!
The apostle had confidence that he would abide in the flesh for their sake, and that he would continue with them all, for their furtherance and joy of faith.
He would see them again, that their rejoicing might be more abundant in Jesus Christ by His coming to them again.
Only, after all, this is not the most important matter. The question whether he would abide in the flesh and come unto them again, whether they would see him, and speak to him face to face, or never meet him again in this world, is of relative significance. O, it was not without meaning for the Philippians. That the apostle would abide in the flesh was surely more needful for them. How edifying was his instruction, how powerful his word, how encouraging his consolation, how strengthening his very presence! Yet, this was not the chief question.
Only, strive for the faith of the gospel!
There is only one requirement for the church of Christ in the world. She has only one calling, and all other things are secondary and subservient to it: that they so walk that they realize the manifestation of the glory of Christ, that their conversation is worthy of the gospel, that they strive for the faith of the gospel. This is the main thought of this whole passage. For the faith of the gospel the church, must strive. That is her only concern. She need be concerned about nothing else. And to realize this sole and unique calling she must walk as becometh the gospel which they profess, must be united in unity of spirit and of mind, and must not be afraid of those that oppose.
Only … Whether I am present or absent. Let me hear of your affairs, that ye are so united, and so strive for the faith of the gospel. For, in fulfilling this calling, the church is not dependent upon a man, not even upon the presence of an apostle, but on Christ only.
Stand, therefore, and realize your calling! In the midst of a hostile world. Without fear! Striving for the faith. For the faith of the gospel.
The gospel is the promise, and the promise is Christ, and the faith of the gospel is the truth concerning Christ, as it is believed by the church and confessed by her in the midst of the world that lieth in darkness.
Christ as the revelation of the God of our salvation—that is the gospel. Christ, the anointed, who is ordained from before the foundation of the world to be Lord of all; the firstborn of every creature, unto whom and for whom, and through whom, all things were made; and the first begotten of the dead, the head of the church; Lord in His own rights because He is the only begotten Son of God and Lord of all things by divine ordination, because He fought the battle and overcame, He suffered and was obedient even unto death—that is the gospel. Christ for us, who assumed human flesh and appeared in the form of a servant, who revealed unto us the Father in word and work, who shed His lifeblood for His own on the accursed tree, making atonement for our sin, and who was raised to glory, exalted at the right hand of God, the Lord of lords, and King of kings—that is the gospel. Christ in us, who received the promise of the Holy Ghost, and in the Spirit returned unto us, that He may dwell in us, make us partaker of His own life, and of all the blessings of salvation—that is the gospel. And Christ through us, who is the vine while we are the branches, who bears fruit in us, and we through Him, that we may walk in all the good works God prepared for us …
Christ, the whole Christ, in all His riches, as the revelation of the God of our salvation. … Christ as the sole Lord, ruling by His Word and Spirit in and over His own, and ruling over the world by His power … Christ, unto whom every knee must bow, in heaven, earth, and hell, and whom every tongue must confess to be the Lord, to the glory of God the Father … Christ, in whom alone I trust for my salvation, excluding and rejecting every other; in whom I have redemption, even the forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. Christ, to whom I belong with body and soul, for time and eternity, Whom I acknowledge as Lord over my existence and life in this world, over my body and over my soul, over my thoughts and all my desires, over my talents and powers, my wealth and my possessions, my wife and my children, my position in the world, in the church, in the state, in shop and office, over all my walk and conversation …
That is the gospel!
And the faith of the gospel is not the same as our faith in the gospel; the expression is not to be understood in the subjective sense of the word: it rather denotes the truth of the gospel as it is appropriated by the faith of the church, expressed and confessed by her in the midst of a hostile world, and maintained by her over against all opposition. Just as we speak of the Reformed churches, so the text speaks of the gospel faith; meaning its truth as, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, it is known and believed, appropriated and confessed by the church. Hence, to strive for the faith of the gospel, is to contend for all the fullness of the truth of Christ, the Son of God, the Lord of all, the Redeemer of His people, the heir of all things!
For that faith, the church must strive! Such is her high, her chief calling.
The faith of the gospel she must preserve in all its purity, for unto her it has been entrusted. The riches of that faith she must display. That faith she is called to proclaim, in her own midst, preaching the gospel of Christ, and instructing the generations to come in its glorious mysteries of salvation. The banner of that faith she must unfurl in the midst of the world, and that, too, among all nations, even unto the ends of the earth. That faith she is called to confess in word and deed, everywhere, and in all relationships of life. And all this must needs assume the form of strife. For the faith of the gospel she must contend, for the world hates and opposes it. It will gainsay it, attempt to corrupt it, to silence the voice of the church. False teachers will ever attempt to creep in unawares and to destroy the faith of the gospel by their pernicious lies. Shame and reproach will be heaped upon the defenders of that faith. A place will be denied them in the world. Hence, in proclaiming and confessing the faith of the gospel the church must expect opposition. (to be continued …)
