Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 18 December, 2016
“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 Life of Jacob (24)
The “Death” of Jacob’s Favourite Son [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Genesis 37:12-36
Text: Genesis 37:12-36
I. Jacob Sends Joseph to His Brothers
II. The Brothers Sell Joseph Into Slavery
III. Jacob Grieves Inconsolably for Joseph
Psalms: 1:1-6; 22:8-14; 64:1-6; 77:15-20
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
Preparatory
The Ashes of the Red Heifer [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Numbers 19
Text: Numbers 19
I. The Awful Problem and Need
II. The Careful Preparation and Application
III. The Gospel Lesson and Value
Psalms: 34:1-10; 22:15-21; 90:3-9; 51:1-7
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
Homer Hoeksema: “We must bear in mind that it is one of the greatest glories of God’s power and infinite wisdom that sin and evil, Satan and hell, are made to serve his purpose” (Unfolding Covenant History, vol. 3, p. 106).
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
A letter from Rev. Kleyn in the Philippines and Rev. Stewart’s bimonthly letter to the PRC are on the back table.
This evening’s service is preparatory for partaking of the Lord’s Supper next Sunday morning, 25 December. Rev. McGeown will be taking the services that day, while Rev. Stewart is in Limerick.
Standard Bearer subscriptions are due. Please either pay the RFPA directly (www.rfpa.org) ($36) or pay Rev. Stewart (£29) who will pay the RFPA for you.
Monday evening’s Catechism Classes: Mid-term catechism tests
5:45 PM – Taylor, Josh, Corey & Katelyn (Beginners NT)
6:30 PM – Bradley & Samuel (Juniors OT)
7:15 PM – Jacob, Alex & Nathan (Heidelberg Catechism, book 2)
The Tuesday Bible Study meets at 11 AM to study further the Old Testament holy war.
Belgic Confession Class meets this Wednesday at 7:45 PM to continue with Article 30, “The Government of and Offices in the Church.”
Men’s Bible Study meets this Friday, at 8 PM at the Kennedys to discuss James 5:4-9.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846 MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Bruinsma is “The Ruler From Bethlehem” (Micah 5:2).
S. Wales Lecture: Rev. McGeown will speak on “Christian Contentment” Thursday, January 12, in The Round Chapel, Margam, at 7:15 PM.
The church visitors, Rev. VanOverloop and Sid Miedema, and their wives, are planning to arrive on Friday, 13 January.
Keep Friday, 20 January, free for the congregational dinner at Ross Park Hotel. A sign-up sheet is on the back table.
Offerings: General Fund: £784.10. Donations: £200 (England).
New translations: 1 Hungarian, 1 Portuguese (“Was the Church Right to Condemn Montanism?”) and 3 Marathi (ecumenical creeds).
PRC News: Rev. Brummel declined the call to First Holland PRC.
Next year’s PR Young People’s Convention, hosted by First PRC of Holland, will be held 7-11 August, 2017, at Michindoh Conference Center in Hillsdale, MI. More information will follow in the months to come.
The CERC in Singapore voted to call Pastor Emmanuel Singh as missionary to Kolkata, India. Pastor Emmanuel plans to answer the call on or before 1 January.
The Lutheran World Federation, the World and Rome
Rev. Angus Stewart
published in the Belfast News Letter, 9 December, 2016
Sean McManus accurately notes the considerable (but not complete) agreement between the Roman church and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) on justification. His error, however, is in attributing this to the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ.
The LWF is a long way from the faithful doctrines of Martin Luther and historic, confessional Lutheranism. Hence sounder Lutheran churches want no part in it. Luther, the great Reformer, would have denounced the LWF compromises on justification and other doctrines in no uncertain terms!
The LWF is filled with churches, especially those in the West, that deride the verbal inspiration and infallibility of sacred Scripture, for they are riddled with higher criticism of the Bible.
They deny God the Father Almighty the Maker (and governor) of heaven and earth, by believing in evolutionism and chance.
They falsely claim that the Triune God, who sent His Son to be crucified for the sins of His people, is the same as Islam’s Allah.
They reject the gospel of God’s grace in Jesus Christ which perfectly justifies and progressively sanctifies all the elect, who are totally depraved of themselves. Instead, theirs is a politically-correct message about a god of one attribute (a weak, universal love) and his social gospel with its attendant moralisms.
Contrary to the Son of God’s teaching on marriage as a one-flesh union between one man and one woman for life (Matthew 19:4-6), they tolerate and embrace impenitent homosexuals in their membership and church offices.
In opposition to Christ’s headship over His church (I Timothy 2:12-15), they appoint women office-bearers.
They profane the Lord’s Supper by permitting people who, in their doctrine and/or lifestyle, lack a credible profession of faith.
Biblical church discipline is not practised but abhorred as “unloving.”
In short, the LWF is an unfaithful, ecumenical body that includes secularized, dying churches with a largely nominal and rapidly declining membership. These churches are conforming more and more to the world, as “synagogues of Satan” (Revelation 2:9; 3:9).
It is no wonder that, as it capitulates to the ungodly world, the LWF is also busily engaged in undoing the Reformation in order to get closer to Rome. Hence its revisionism regarding “the truth of the gospel” of justification by faith alone in Christ alone (Galatians 2:5, 14).
The Roman church and the Lutheran World Federation are two religious bodies agreeing together against, not in, the Word and Spirit of God. This is not the unity of the bride of Christ but of two harlots deciding to work together to some extent (cf. Ezekiel 16:44-59; 23:36-49). This agreement is not to be attributed to the gracious work of the Spirit of truth but to the working of “the mystery of iniquity” and “the spirit of antichrist” (II Thessalonians 2:7; I John 4:3).
