Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 31 July, 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
Christ’s Words Shall Never Pass Away [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Matthew 24:1-35
Text: Matthew 24:35
I. The Meaning
II. The Manner
III. The Marvel
Psalms: 102:23-28; 2:6-12; 49:10-15; 119:89-96
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
Complete in Christ (10)
“Touch Not; Taste Not; Handle Not” [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Colossians 2
Text: Colossians 2:20-23
I. The Nature of the Error
II. The Refutation of the Error
III. The Exposure of the Error
Psalms: 122:1-9; 3:1-8; 24:1-6; 119:129-136
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
Westminster Confession 1:8: “The Old Testament in Hebrew, (which was the native language of the people of God of old,) and the New Testament in Greek, (which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the nations,) being immediately inspired by God, and by his singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical; so as in all controversies of religion, the Church is finally to appeal unto them. But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have right unto and interest in the scriptures, and are commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them, therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come, that the word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship him in an acceptable manner, and through patience and comfort of the scriptures, may have hope.”
Philo of Alexandria, a Jew and a contemporary of the apostles: “The Jews would die ten thousand times rather than to permit one single word to be altered of their Scriptures.”
Athanasius: “The Christian Church of the New Testament receives from the Hebrew Church of the Old Testament the sacred books of that Testament, because it is to the Jews, as Paul says (Rom. 3:2) that are committed ‘the oracles of God.’”
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
We welcome the visitors to our worship services today. May the Lord bless us together as we hear Him speak to us through the preaching of the Word.
A letter by Rev. McGeown regarding the Limerick Reformed Fellowship (LRF) is on the back table.
Jennifer Hanko’s grandfather (Nancy Hanko’s father), Mr. Ed Cammenga, was taken to glory this past week. Jennifer flew to the US to be with her family at the funeral. May the Lord comfort and strengthen her and her family in the loss of their loved one.
The Council meets tomorrow evening at 7 PM at the church.
The Tuesday Bible study meets this week at 11 AM to resume our discussion of leprosy in the Bible.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Haak is “The True Christian Life” (II Tim. 4:7-8).
Rev. McGeown travels to the US tomorrow to attend the Protestant Reformed Young People’s convention and to take a holiday. Rev. Michael DeVries will be preaching for the LRF in Rev. McGeown’s absence. Rev. DeVries plans to preach for the CPRC on the 14 August while Rev. Stewart preaches in Limerick.
Offerings: General Fund: £1,680.88. Donation: £10.
PRC news: Rev. Griess (Calvary, IA) was called to be a third missionary in the Philippines.
Working Hands
Brian D. Dykstra
“And establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it” (Psalm 90:17b).
At Hope Protestant Reformed Christian School’s annual society meetings a lot of time is spent singing while the ballots for the school board elections are being counted. I sometimes have wondered what would happen if there weren’t any piano players among us. The meetings would not be shorter because the ballots must still be counted, but to me it seems that the singing is a highlight for many of the men. Over the years I have shared Psalters with many different people and many different kinds of hands.
One hand I remember had scars and several new stitches because the hands laid carpet. Others still had dark grease beneath fingernails because they belonged to mechanics, not at all similar to those hands belonging to drywallers. There have been the clean hands of those who work in offices and the tanned hands of builders. All these hands are needed for doing the work of our school.
Our hands carry out our work. We speak of our hands being skilled and enforcing our will. Sometimes our labour becomes a burden, so our hands hang down under the weight of responsibility or fatigue. Then our hands are renewed with strength when we raise them (figuratively speaking) in worship and prayer with fellow saints on the Lord’s Day.
Many hands have performed work at school this year. Small hands have practised the skill of enforcing their will on pencils and crayons to print letters in the proper shape. Larger hands were used for the skill of gathering information in the library or performing assignments in the science lab. Parents’ hands have gone over homework with students. Perhaps adult white-knuckled hands have gripped paddles to remedy the improper attitudes smaller hands have held toward the work handed to them (Prov. 23:13-14).
Hands have distributed papers, typed school notes, tied shoe laces, freed stuck coat zippers, directed music, maintained the school, prepared hot lunch, worked on the playground and written cheques. For me, this year has provided memorable uses of the hand. One small hand was inserted in an orange playground cone from the bottom through the hole on the top. That hand could not be withdrawn without a helping hand. My hands became numb as they excavated a new winter boot from the muddy and frigid waters of the creek (don’t ask!).
All of this reminded me of the verse at the top of the page. Psalm 90 was written by Moses. In it he speaks of the brevity of human life and days being spent under the wrath of God. Imagine what it must have been like for that entire generation to waste away in the wilderness. Each morning when they opened their tent flaps and observed the landscape of the wilderness, they were reminded they were not living in the promised land because of their rebellion against God.
They desired that God would establish the work of their hands. They were not going to be passing nicely finished houses to their children because their children would move. There would be no well maintained orchard, vineyard or field passed to the next generation. They must have been thinking about the work they performed in the instruction of their children because that is about all their children would “inherit.”
That is also our prayer. God must make the work of this year enduring and firm. We depend upon the work of His Spirit in the hearts of His covenant children. John Calvin writes concerning verse seventeen that “establish” could have been translated “direct.” That would certainly fit. We are sinners. Even our best works are improperly done. Our work must be directed by the all wise God or the work of our hands is vain. Be thankful that the God of the cross is faithful and powerful enough to establish and direct the efforts of our hands for the instruction of His children.
