Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 26 March, 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
Administration of the Lord’s Supper
The Passover [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Exodus 12:1-14, 21-36
Text: Exodus 11-12
I. The Tenth Plague
II. The Passover Meal
III. The Spiritual Significance
Psalms: 105:26-37; 33:1-7; 78:46-52; 27:3-6
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
Applicatory
Christ, the Quickening Spirit [youtube]
Scripture Reading: I Corinthians 15:35-58
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 17
I. The Meaning
II. The Significance
Psalms: 118:19-26; 33:8-14; 104:30-35; 143:6-1110
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
Herman Hoeksema on Lord’s Day 17: “Again, let us beware of presenting this matter as if Christ, in the moment of regeneration, bestows this life on us and raises us from our spiritual death, and now we possess that life apart from him. Not for one moment do we have life in separation from the living Lord. We live only because he lives. He lives in us. We are raised in fellowship with him only. By virtue of our fellowship with him, we live. By his Spirit and through his word he calls us out of death into life, and by his Spirit and through his word he continues to dwell in us and to make us partakers of his resurrection life” (The Lord of Glory, p. 40).
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
After a week of self-examination, confessing members in good standing are called to partake of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Your participation in the Lord’s Supper is in part a witness that you repent of your sins, believe that Jesus Christ is your 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 this food 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 request permission from the Council.
The March issue of the Covenant Reformed News is on the back table.
Monday evening’s Catechism Classes (end of season 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 consider the idea of the land in Genesis.
The Belgic Confession Class meets on Wednesday at 7:45 PM to begin our study of article 32 on “The Order and Discipline of the Church.”
Ladies’ Bible Study meets this Friday at 10:30 AM at church to discuss the lessons from Proverbs on lying and “Arguing and Strife and Teasing.”
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846 MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. R. Kleyn is “Christian Stewardship” (Ex. 20:15).
The next S. Wales Lecture by Rev. McGeown on “Why the Trinity?” is planned for Thursday, 6 April, at 7:15 PM in the Round Chapel, Margam.
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.
Offerings: General Fund: £571.84.
Translations: 2 Czech.
PRC News: Rev. Huizinga received the call to be third missionary to the Philippines. Rev. Key is considering calls to Southwest PRC and First Holland PRC. Rev. W. Langerak has the call to be home missionary. Zion PRC called Rev. Haak.
Watching the Mainstream Rush By
Brian D. Dykstra
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat” (Matt. 7:13).
Members of the Protestant Reformed Churches are accustomed to having various labels attached to them. We have been called Anabaptists and hyper-Calvinists. I recently came across another label which others would apply to us. We are “pseudo-scientists.” Because we are creationists and deny evolution, we are false (“pseudo”) scientists. Mainstream scientists place creationists in the same category as those who believe that the Apollo moon landings were faked, and in astrology, alien abductions and UFOs.
Philip C. Plait, who works for NASA, wrote an article in the May 2004 issue of Sky and Telescope magazine titled, “A Commonsense Guide to Cosmic Nonsense.” Plait devotes most of his article to giving advice to amateur astronomers in how to deal with the “cranks” who sometimes attend star parties hosted by amateur astronomy associations. While special attention is given to astrology, the Apollo moon landings, alien abductions and UFOs, what caught my attention was a table at the end of the article. The table is titled, “Web Sites Defending the Truth.” One of the topics listed in the table is “Creationism.” Plait offers this commentary, “Where to go when someone insists that the Earth is only 6,000 years old.”
The web site listed is www.talkorigins.org. This is a valuable web site. Its value is not that it is a place where the truths of God’s Word are carefully explained by fellow believers. Rather, its value is that we can prepare our young people for what they are to face if they continue their education past our own high schools. High school teachers and parents of college bound students might find it useful.
The web site contains scores of articles in many areas of study. Each article follows the same outline. Articles begin with a “false” claim and its source, which is then followed by a response and references.
Going to the heart of the matter but omitting two responses in the interest of space, Talk Origins says,
Claim CH100: God’s Word, the Bible, must be our ultimate authority. The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it.
Response:
1.1 This claim is dogmatism. It suggests no reason for its conclusion. The views of others, that the Bible is not God’s word or is not an ultimate authority, have just as much validity.
3.1 In practice, this claim really means, “My view of the Bible is the ultimate authority.” (Since there are so very many different interpretations of the Bible, not to mention other religions, the claim would be meaningless otherwise.) In practice, then, this claim displays a great deal of arrogance, hubris, and close-mindedness. It says that the final word on how the universe operates depends on your personal decision of what to believe.
5.1 The Bible says several things that you probably don’t believe.
Slavery is acceptable.
You should kill your child if he strikes you [Ex. 21:15].
If you work on Sunday, you should be put to death [Ex. 35:2-3].
If you curse, you should be stoned to death [Lev. 24:14-15].
Happiness is smashing children upon the rocks [Ps. 137:9].
Women should be subjugated by their husbands [I Pet. 3:1-7]
What a tirade, consisting of anti-Christian philosophy and caricatures of biblical teaching, including ignoring the abrogation of the Old Testament and Mosaic civil law through the cross of Jesus Christ!
The visitor to the web site who wishes to participate in discussions is first encouraged to read an article which explains the basics of evolution. This will ensure an understanding of basic scientific terminology during discussions because, if the basics of evolution are not understood, your contributions will be met “with scorn.” It is interesting that evolutionists will first define God and His Word out of the debate!
We know, of course, that any debate which does not first understand that the Bible is the revealed Truth of the one, only God, will be futile. “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Heb. 11:3). Faith is not, as is claimed by many, “I cannot prove it but I believe it anyway.” Faith is a living bond between the believer and the Lord. Faith is God’s gift to His adopted children in Jesus Christ. This living bond is the proof that God’s Word is truth.
In articles concerning evolution, and on this web site as well, I am struck by how often the “mainstream” is mentioned. It is as though the river of evolutionists is broad, mighty and irrefutable. The river of creationists, on the other hand, is but a shallow and inconsequential trickle. Is truth determined by popular vote? If so, would the evolutionists ever concede that the votes of the mainstream scientific world are infinitely outweighed by God’s one vote?
We know that in stepping into the mainstream of evolution, we would be swept away to destruction. We, by God’s grace, will stay in our insignificant trickle and watch the mainstream rush by.
