CPRC Bulletin – April 30, 2017

Covenant Protestant Reformed Church

83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 30 April, 2017

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind …” (Rom. 12:2)

Morning Service – 11:00 AM

The Conclusion to Christ’s Farewell Discourse (6)
Praying in Christ’s Name   [youtube]
Scripture Reading: John 16:16-33
Text: John 16:23-24
I. The Historical Development
II. The Encouraging Meaning
III. The Certain Answer
Psalms: 33:1-7; 36:1-7; 143:5-11; 25:8-14

Evening Service – 6:00 PM

“I Am a Righteous Heir”  [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Romans 4
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 23
I. My Righteousness
II. My Inheritance
Psalms: 111:1-6; 36:8-12; 32:1-5; 37:29-37

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: https://cprc.co.uk/live-streaming/
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC

Quote to Consider

Charles Ross on John 16:23-24: “… the nearer we get to God in prayer, the nearer do we come to the goal of joy. Prayer is, as it were, the mighty steed that draws the chariot in which we ride to the gate of celestial joy” (The Inner Sanctuary, p. 186).

Herman Hoeksema on Lord’s Day 23: “He who receives the unspeakably blessed grace of justification does not say, ‘My conscience no longer accuses me. I have no sin.’ Nor does he declare dualistically, ‘I am guilty and righteous before God.’ He has the victory by faith and properly expresses his wonderfully blessed experience of God’s justifying grace thus: ‘Though my conscience accuses me, yet am I perfectly righteous before the judgment seat of God’ … The righteousness of justification is an imputed righteousness, a perfect righteousness, an everlasting righteousness, a wholly transcendent and victorious righteousness. For God justifies the ungodly!” (Abundant Mercy, pp. 163-164).

Announcements (subject to God’s will)

The Tuesday Bible Study will not meet this week, but will resume next week, 9 May, at 11 AM to consider the promised land in Deuteronomy and Joshua.

Ladies’ Bible Study meets this Friday, 5 May, at 10:30 AM at church to discuss the lessons on “Child Discipline” and “The Poor and Needy” from the study on Proverbs.

Men’s Bible Study will meet on Friday, 5 May, at 10:30 AM at church to discuss chapter 1 of Paul Tripp’s War of Words.

The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846 MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Haak is “To God, My Exceeding Joy, I Will Go” (Ps. 43).

Rev. McGeown will be preaching for us next Sunday (7 May), while Rev. Stewart is in the Limerick Reformed Fellowship. There will be tea after the evening service (Group C on the tea rota).

Plan now to attend a CPRC lecture by Rev. Stewart on “Are All Men in the Image of God?” on Friday, 12 May, at 7:30 PM. Flyers are available on the back table to pass out to family and friends.

Family visitation will begin in mid-May.

S. Wales Lecture: Rev. Stewart will speak on “N. T. Wright, Justification and the Reformation” in Margam Community Centre on Thursday, 8 June, at 7:15 PM.

Offerings: General Fund: £614.30. Donation: £1,500.00 (Australia).

Translations: 2 Hungarian.

PRC News: Southwest PRC called Rev. Griess (Calvary, IA). Byron Center PRC will call a domestic missionary from a trio of Revs. Haak, Key and Spronk. Zion PRC’s new trio is Revs. Decker, Eriks and R. Kleyn. First Holland PRC’s new trio is Revs. Haak, R. Kleyn and Kuiper.

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BELGIC CONFESSION, ARTICLE 26

CHRIST’S INTERCESSION

We believe that we have no access unto God but alone through the only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous,¹ who therefore became man, having united in one person the divine and human natures, that we men might have access to the divine Majesty, which access would otherwise be barred against us. But this Mediator, whom the Father hath appointed between Him and us, ought in no wise to affright us by His majesty, or cause us to seek another according to our fancy.² For there is no creature either in heaven or on earth who loveth us more than Jesus Christ;³ who, though He was in the form of God, yet made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a man and of a servant for us,⁴ and was made like unto His brethren in all things. If, then, we should seek for another mediator, who would be well affected towards us, whom could we find who loved us more than He who laid down His life for us, even when we were His enemies?⁵ And if we seek for one who hath power and majesty, who is there that hath so much of both as He who sits at the right hand of His Father, and who hath all power in heaven and on earth?⁶ And who will sooner be heard than the own well-beloved Son of God?

Therefore it was only through distrust that this practice of dishonoring, instead of honoring, the saints was introduced, doing that which they never have done not required, but have on the contrary, steadfastly rejected, according to their bounden duty, as appears by their writings.⁷ Neither must we plead here our unworthiness; for the meaning is not that we should offer our prayers to God on the ground of our own worthiness, but only on the ground of the excellency and worthiness of the Lord Jesus Christ,⁸ whose righteousness is become ours by faith.

Therefore the apostle, to remove this foolish fear, or rather mistrust, from us, justly saith that Jesus Christ was made like unto His brethren in all things, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered, being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted.⁹ And further to encourage us, he adds: Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a 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.¹⁰ The same apostle saith: Having boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, etc.¹¹ Likewise, Christ hath an unchangeable priesthood, wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.¹²

What more can be required, since Christ Himself saith: I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me?¹³ To what purpose should we then seek another advocate,¹⁴ since it hath pleased God to give us His own Son as an advocate?¹⁵ Let us not forsake Him to take another, or rather to seek after another, without ever being able to find him; for God well knew, when He gave Him to us, that we were sinners.

Therefore, according to the command of Christ, we call upon the heavenly Father through Jesus Christ our only Mediator, as we are taught in the Lord’s Prayer;¹⁶ being assured that whatever we ask of the Father in His name will be granted us.¹⁷

¹ 1 Tim. 2:5—For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1 John 2:1—My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Rom. 8:33—Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

² Hos. 13:9—O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.
Jer. 2:13—For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Jer. 2:33—Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.

³ John 10:11—I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
1 John 4:10—Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Rom. 5:8—But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Eph. 3:19—… to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
John 15:13—Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

⁴ Phil. 2:7—But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

⁵ Rom. 5:8—But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

⁶ Mark 16:19—So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Col. 3:1—If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Rom. 8:33—Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
Matt. 11:27—All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Matt. 28:18—And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

⁷ Acts 10:26—But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
Acts 14:15—And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

⁸Dan. 9:17, 18—Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake. O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
John 16:23—And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Eph. 3:12—In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
Acts 4:12—Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
1 Cor. 1:31—That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Eph. 2:18—For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

⁹ Heb. 2:17, 18—Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.

¹⁰ Heb. 4:14-16

¹¹ Heb. 10:19; Heb. 10:22

¹² Heb. 7:24, 25

¹³ John 14:6—Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

¹⁴ Ps. 44:21—Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

¹⁵ 1 Tim. 2:5—For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1 John 2:1—My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Rom. 8:33—Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

¹⁶ Luke 11:2

¹⁷ John 16:23—And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
John 14:13—And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.