Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 7 July, 2024
“My covenant was with him of life and peace” (Mal. 2:5)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
Administration of the Lord’s Supper
The Truth Shall Make You Free [youtube]
Scripture Reading: John 8:21-47
Text: John 8:32
I. The Misunderstandings of Freedom
II. The Meaning of Freedom
III. The Means of Freedom
Psalms: 71:1-8; 104:22-29; 106:41-48; 119:41-48
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
Applicatory
Total Depravity [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Romans 3:9-26
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 2
I. The Meaning
II. The Implications
Psalms: 26:1-8; 104:30-35; 10:2-7; 14:1-7
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: www.cprc.co.uk/live-streaming
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Quote to Consider
John Calvin on John 8:32: “Wherefore, whatever progress any of us have made in the Gospel, let him know that he needs new additions. This is the reward which Christ bestows on their perseverance, that he admits them to greater familiarity with him; though in this way he does nothing more than add another gift to the former, so that no man ought to think that he is entitled to any reward. For it is he who impresses his word on our hearts by his Spirit, and it is he who daily chases away from our minds the clouds of ignorance which obscure the brightness of the Gospel. In order that the truth may be fully revealed to us, we ought sincerely and earnestly to endeavour to attain it.”
Fulgentius of Ruspe (c.467–c.532): “‘The one who commits sin is a slave of sin’ [John 8:34] and ‘by whatever someone has been overcome, by that also he has been made a slave’ [II Pet. 2:19]. As sin reigns a man does indeed have free choice, but this is freedom without God, not freedom under God. That is, he is free of righteousness [Rom. 6:20], not free under grace, and therefore he is free in the worst and most servile way … Our Liberator himself, however, explains how one may become such by saying: ‘If the Son sets you free, you will be truly free’ [John 8:36]” (First Letter to the Scythian Monks 19.38).
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
After a week of self-examination, CPRC confessing members in good standing are called to partake of the Lord’s Supper. Your participation in the sacrament of Christ’s body and blood is in part a witness that you repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ as your only righteousness, and desire to live a new and godly life. As this heavenly food can be taken to one’s judgment (I Cor. 11:28-30) and as the common reception of the Lord’s Supper is a confession of doctrinal unity (Acts 2:42), the elders supervise the partaking of the sacrament. Visitors who are members of other denominations must already have presented to the Council an attestation from their church that they are confessing members in good standing and have received permission from the Council to partake of the Lord’s Supper.
The May and June issues of the Covenant Reformed News are on the back table.
Tuesday Bible study at 11 AM will critique the health and wealth gospel’s view of faith itself.
The Men’s Bible study is this Saturday, 13 July, at 7:30 PM on-line, to discuss Amos 3.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s day (Gospel 846 MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Bruinsma is entitled, “Mary Foresees Christ’s Death” (John 12:1-8).
Offerings: £1,449.50. Donation: £200 (England).
Translation Additions: 3 German, 2 Hungarian, 2 Portuguese and 1 Russian.
The Protestant Reformed Seminary is holding a conference on the PRC’s 100th anniversary. Did you know that ministers in the Christian Reformed Church, our mother church, in 1924 viewed common grace as the middle way between being liberal and fleeing the world? And that our denomination’s Protestant Reformed fathers rejected common grace as compromising the antithesis? The Seminary conference will give a fresh perspective on the doctrine that gave rise to our denomination. The theme is “‘By Grace I Am What I Am:’ The PRCA’s Rejection of Common Grace” (Thursday, 30 October through Saturday, 1 November) at Grace PRC in Standale, Michigan.
The Still Small Voice
Brian D. Dykstra
I Kings 19
When our expectations are not met, we can grow very discouraged. This can be especially true when our expectations do not have a firm, scriptural foundation. Elijah had the expectation, and hope, that the events on Mount Carmel would lead to a mass conversion of Israel. Elijah had a lesson to learn about how God changes the hearts of men. Proverbs 13:12 applies to Elijah, “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick …” Elijah couldn’t imagine that after such a mighty display of God’s strength, he still didn’t see his hope for Israel’s conversion come true. He was heartsick when he saw no positive fruit of his labour.
Ahab reports to Jezebel on the events on Mount Carmel. He doesn’t mention what God had done but only what Elijah had done. Ahab dwelt particularly on the killing of her prophets. Ahab’s goal was not to explain to Jezebel how the royal household must repent and turn to the true God. His desire was to inflame Jezebel to do what he wouldn’t dare to do. The unregenerated heart is not softened but rather hardened by the wondrous acts of God.
Such was Jezebel’s response. She sent a message not to thank Elijah for showing Israel the light of God’s truth but she threatens him with death. Notice how tolerant she is. When nations fall into idolatry, people do not serve just one idol. They serve several. Jezebel tolerated the worship of other idols than Baal. The one prophet she seeks to destroy is the prophet of the one true God. One wonders why she didn’t send an executioner, instead of a messenger, for it is evident she knew where to find Elijah. The best explanation is that Jezebel knows the people, though not converted by the events they had witnessed or heard about, would still object to the killing of a prophet who had put on such an impressive display. We see a similar event in the New Testament when the rulers knew they couldn’t punish the apostles because it was evident a mighty miracle had been done by them. She would have to content herself with scaring Elijah away.
If such was Jezebel’s intent, she was successful. Elijah fled. He went to Beersheba, as far away from Israel as he could while remaining in Judah. According to Jewish tradition, the servant Elijah left behind, while he continued his journey for another day, was the son of the widow of Zarephath whom he had raised from the dead.
We see again the nature of our faith as it is held in these weak, earthen vessels. Elijah, standing alone, could face, unafraid, hundreds of false prophets and the king and whatever members of the royal household attended him. Yet, when he doesn’t see the results he expected, he flees in discouragement because of the threat of a woman. A life lived in faith is not a steady, gradual ascent. We experience many hills and valleys on our way.
Elijah requests death. He ran away to save his life, only to make death his request. He could not endure the thought of falling before Jezebel but he would request God to take his life. He had had enough. Perhaps Elijah thought he would die of starvation in the wilderness. He doesn’t seem to have taken any provisions with him. Anyone planning to take a long hike in the wilderness has the foresight to pack provisions. Elijah’s desire for death was not as Paul’s good example for he expressed a desire to be in heaven with Christ. This desire is similar to Job’s bitter request for death when his life was so bleak.
He did, however, seek shade, indicating he took some thought for caring for himself. The Authorized Version mentions a juniper tree. A commentator states the tree was actually a broom shrub, a tall plant with spreading branches with white leaves. He also states that Horeb is a wide expanse of sand hills with limited vegetation so the shade was welcome.
Although Elijah was negligent or lacking in foresight, God took care of him. An angel appears with bread and water which would provide Elijah with strength for the next forty days. God knows when He will call His servants to difficult work. God gives spiritual food not only because He knows we have the usual hunger, but He supplies our spiritual bread because He knows our future needs in times of greater and extraordinary trial, trials which we do not know. He will supply us with our necessary Bread and Water of Life, the gospel of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
God rebukes Elijah with a question, “What doest thou here, Elijah?” God is gentle. God does not say, “Well, Elijah, if you want death, I can do that for you. I can call another man.” God doesn’t forsake Elijah, but He reminds Elijah that he was not told to flee and that he still had his work in Israel.
Before Elijah’s return, however, God has an important lesson for Elijah. Elijah took residence in a cave on Mount Horeb. There is speculation that this cave is the place where God revealed his glory to Moses. While there, Elijah witnessed a strong wind, an earthquake and a fire. God was not in any of those great displays of might. When Elijah heard the “still, small voice,” a whisper, that is when Elijah covered his face in reverence for he knew he was in the presence of God.
God does not change the hearts of men through mighty wonders such a wind, earthquakes or fire. He changes hearts by the preaching of the Gospel. God doesn’t change hearts by sending fire from heaven to consume a sacrifice. Jehovah uses the still, small, voice of His Spirit. The Canons of Dordt recognize this: “What therefor neither the light of nature, nor the law could do, that God performs by the operation of the Holy Spirit through the word or ministry of reconciliation: which is the glad tidings concerning the Messiah, by means whereof, it hath pleased God to save such as believe …” (III/IV:6).
Finally in this chapter, God sends Elijah back to work with some encouragement. The encouragement is that God still has 7,000 who have not served Baal and these servants of God need a prophet.
We now meet Elisha, the man who will replace Elijah when his work is done. Elisha was not in the school of the prophets, though a commentator thinks he could have been previously. He was not reading whatever books of the Bible he managed to own. He was ploughing in the field. Elisha did not delegate the work to servants (the fact Elisha’s family still had oxen shows his family had some means) but he was out there labouring alongside of them. Were the fields already starting to be verdant since God had sent rain? If so, this must have been a very happy time. Elisha was of Abelmeholah, which means “the meadow of the dance.” These people knew how to rejoice during the harvest!
Before taking up his new calling, Elisha (meaning, my God is Salvation) wishes to say farewell to his family. This request was not hesitancy, as the young man in Luke 9. He wanted to respect his parents. Elisha’s family held a sacrifice and a feast. The call of Elisha was an event he and his family celebrated. Matthew reacted the same way after Christ called him. We see that God’s call is always effectual. God not only calls His servants but He works in their hearts so they come willingly.
Let’s finish with a quotation from the 1 November, 1970 issue of the Standard Bearer. Rev. M. Schipper wrote a meditation on the first eight verses of this chapter titled, “Reformation, and More Reformations!” He stated, “Presently we shall see the end of all the struggles for the truth, and the fruit of all the reformatory work, when we shall behold the church that is gathered out of all ages receiving the crown of life that fadeth not away.”
