Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 2 July, 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 Healing of the Lame Beggar (5)
The Sanhedrin’s Response to the Two Apostles’ Defence [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Acts 4:1-22
Text: Acts 4:13-22
I. The Sanhedrin Marvels
II. The Sanhedrin Confers
III. The Sanhedrin Threatens
Psalms: 95:1-6; 42:1-5; 27:1-5; 119:97-104
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
The Lord’s Supper Versus the Roman Mass [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 10:1-25
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 30
I. The Pardon of Sin
II. The Presence of Christ
III. The Worship of God
Psalms: 122:1-9; 42:6-11; 110:1-6; 116:9-19
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
John Calvin on Acts 4: “… as soon as the truth of the gospel doth once appear, Satan setteth himself against the same on the other side, so much as he is able, and attempteth all things that he may smoulder the same in the very first beginnings … Therefore, so often as the doctrine of the gospel ariseth, and divers motions do rise on the other side, and the course thereof is letted divers ways, there is no cause why godly minds should faint or quail, as at some unwonted thing; but they ought rather to remember, that these are ordinary endeavours of Satan, so that we must think upon this well before it come to pass, that it cannot otherwise be but that Satan will spue out all his might and main, so often as Christ doth come abroad with his doctrine. And therewithal let us consider that the constancy of the apostles is set forth unto us for an example, lest, being overcome, either with any perils, or threatenings, or terrors, we leap back from that profession of faith which the Lord requireth at our hands. And, moreover, let us comfort ourselves with this, that we need not to doubt but that the Lord will give prosperous success when we have done our duty faithfully.”
John Calvin on the mass: “This perverse opinion, after it was once accepted, gave rise to many other superstitions. Firstly, it is that carnal adoration which is nothing else but idolatry. For in casting yourself before the bread of the Supper, and there to worship Jesus Christ as if He were contained in it, is to make an idol of it, instead of a sacrament. We do not have a command to worship, but to take and to eat … From the same source the other forms of superstition, like carrying the sacrament with pomp through the streets once a year, and to make a tabernacle for it on another day, and to keep it in a cupboard for a whole year long to amuse the people with, as if it is God. Because all these things were not only conceived apart from the Word of God, but are also directly contrary to the institution of the Supper, it should be rejected by all Christians.”
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
On the back table are new pamphlets by Prof. Engelsma on church membership, issues of the June Covenant Reformed News and a letter from the Philippines.
If you missed last week’s Annual General Meeting, please take copies of the financial report, and bookstore and website statistics, which are also on the back table.
The Council meets tomorrow evening at 7:30 PM.
The Tuesday Bible Study meets at 11 AM to consider Joshua 21 on the levitical cities.
S. Wales Lecture: Rev. McGeown plans to speak in Margam Community Centre at 7:15 PM on Thursday, 6 July, on “Christian Humility.”
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846 MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Haak is “Husbands, Love with Purpose” (Eph. 5:27).
Family visitation: Monday, 10 July, 8:45 PM – Jennifer Hanko (Reid/Rev. Stewart)
Offerings: General Fund: £779.50. Donation: £200 (England).
PRC News: Rev. Bleyenberg declined the call to the Philippines. Rev. Decker declined calls to Southwest PRC and Zion PRC. Immanuel (Lacombe, AB) will call from a trio of Revs. Brummel, N. Langerak and Guichelaar. The new trio for home missionary is Revs. Key, R. Kleyn and Spriensma. Rev. R. Kleyn is considering the call to First Holland PRC.
Our Invincible King
Brian D. Dykstra
“The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Ps. 110:1).
As our school begins its 59th year of parental, covenant instruction, our first song-of-the-week is based on Psalm 110. There is encouragement for us in the first verse of this Psalm. The days will come when we will need to remember this verse.
As we begin a new school year, the students are happy to see one another and renew friendships. The freshly painted halls and lockers are bright and clean, and the new carpet is unstained and still has its nap. The days will come, however, when there will be fingerprints smudging the walls. Lockers will be scratched. The carpeting will become dirty and show evidence of many footsteps.
Also our experiences here will prove to us that our schools are not havens from sin. Each of us involved in our schools will carry with him his own sinful flesh with desires against which he must struggle every day. Students will miss the mark in their duty to treat each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. The shortcomings and weaknesses of teachers will either become evident or be remembered as the weeks and months unfold. The school year brings numerous demands on our time and attention. Our schools can begin to feel more as a daily or weekly grind to endure rather than the blessings they truly are.
As we struggle with our weaknesses and sins, and witness the growth of sin in the world, our encouragement is to know that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God. This is a place of unmatched glory. Here Christ is exalted over all creation as the Lord of lords. Christ’s enemies may try to resist His will and overthrow His kingdom, but all their efforts will be in vain, because the day comes when Christ’s enemies will be placed at His footstool, a reference to the ancient tradition of victorious kings placing their feet upon the necks of the enemies whom they had defeated.
By nature, we were also among Christ’s enemies. God’s irresistible grace has subdued and humbled our haughty and rebellious hearts. The working of His grace through the preaching of His Word has made us see the foolishness of the way we chose in Adam. We confess our inability to save ourselves or change the hearts of those dear to us. We have been delivered by an almighty, gracious hand, while the reprobate will find themselves being ground beneath His feet.
We must, however, wait for that day. Yet it is encouraging to see that, while the world expresses its hatred for God and His Word, Christ is calmly seated at God’s right hand. He is not scurrying about in a panic trying to rescue a plan which has somehow gone terribly wrong. He is not pacing back and forth with an anxious look on His face as He tries to find some way to gain victory for His church. He calmly sits. His counsel is being unfolded in our troubled times. Christ has told us what must come to pass before the end comes. The world is not becoming an easier place for the true church to carry out her work. This is what is taught in our schools to the covenant children God has given us. God has turned the world over to its sin, and we must labour diligently and wait patiently for Christ’s return.
The lordship of Christ will encourage us to be faithful stewards in the work He has given us to do in our small part of His kingdom. Our noses may be bloodied from time to time as we struggle in the battle against sin, but our Lord is seated at God’s right hand where some day all the church will be gathered. John Calvin encourages believers in his commentary on Psalm 110:2 by writing about Christ, “Moreover, as he does not reign on his own account, but for our salvation, we may rest assured that we will be protected and preserved from all ills under the guardianship of this invincible King.”
Let us encourage one another and be forgiving of one another, as we work together in our covenant schools as servants of our invincible King.
