Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
Ballymena
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 25 May, 2008
“Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help,
whose hope is in the Lord his God” (Ps. 146:5)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
Numbers 6
I. Three Obligations
II. Three Individuals
Psalms: 48:1-9; 122:1-9; 65:1-5; 119:1-8
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
Numbers 6
I. The Idea of a Nazarite in Israel
II. The Vow of a Nazarite in Israel
Psalms: 66:1-7; 123:1-4; 116:9-19; 99:4-9
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
Quotes to Consider:
C. F. Kiel on Numbers 6:1-21: “… the Nazarite brought to light the priestly character of the covenant nation in a peculiar form, which had necessarily to be incorporated into the spiritual organization of the community, so that it might become a means of furthering the sanctification of the people in covenant with the Lord.”
Announcements (subject to God’s will):
The Standard Bearers and the May edition of the Covenant Reformed News are available on the back table. Letter from Spokane and Pittsburgh missions are also available.
Gareth & Leona Halliday have been received as members in the CPRC. Gareth has been a member of Brooklands Gospel Hall and Leona was a former member of the CPRC. With joy and gratitude to God, we welcome them officially into our midst and pray that the Lord will make them a blessing to us and we to them.
The plans for our church building have been passed. Thus we are now able to get quotes from contractors. The plans now go to the Ballymena council and building control for final ratification. Next Lord’s Day morning, the second offering will be for the building fund.
The faculty of the Protestant Reformed Seminary has licensed seminarians Daniel Holstege and Martyn McGeown to speak a word of edification in the churches. Thus Martyn will be able to lead CPRC services this summer (DV).
Have you booked your place at the BRF Conference? Booking forms and full payment should be turned in ASAP.
Offering: General Fund – £417.90.
The Reformed Witness Hour next Lord’s Day (8:30-9:00 AM, on Gospel 846MW), is “Set Me as a Seal Upon Your Heart” (Song 8:6-7).
Upcoming Lectures: Friday, 6 June, in Ballymena, on “The Antichrist.” Friday, 20 June, in Limerick, on “Prayer & the Sovereignty of God” Friday, 4 July, in S. Wales, on “Prayer & the Sovereignty of God”
Website Additions: 1 Afrikaans, 1 Portuguese, and 5 Italian (articles from the new CR News and the Reformed Forms) translations were added, as well as the Apostles’ Creed in Guarani (a native S. American language). An article by Martyn McGeown entitled, “Preterist Gangrene: It’s Diagnosis, Prognosis and Cure” was also put on our website.
PRC News: Rev. D. Kuiper (Randolph, WI) declined the call to Calvary PRC in Hull, Iowa. Tonight Martyn McGeown will introduce several Psalms from the Scottish Metrical Version at Hudsonville PRC before their evening service.
Family Visitation Schedule
Esteeming Others Better Than Ourselves
Scripture Text: Philippians 2:1-16
Sunday, 25 May
after PM service Janet Napier (Crossett/Rev. Stewart)
Monday, 26 May
7 PM Raineys (Crossett/Rev. Stewart)
8 PM Grahams (Crossett/Rev. Stewart)
Tuesday, 27 May
7 PM Jennifer Hanko (Rainey/Rev. Stewart)
8 PM Francesco De Lucia (Rainey/Rev. Stewart)
Thursday, 29 May
7 PM Buchanans (Crossett/Rev. Stewart)
8 PM Reids (Crossett/Rev. Stewart)
Friday, 30 May
7 PM Crossetts (Rainey/Rev. Stewart)
Monday, 2 June
7 PM Douglas Stewart (Crossett/Rev. Stewart)
8 PM Stewarts (Crossett/Rainey)
Tuesday, 3 June
7 PM Sinead Hanna (Crossett/Rev. Stewart)
8 PM Hamills (Crossett/Rev. Stewart)
VanDellen and Monsma: “What is the specific purpose of home [i.e., family] visitation according to Article 23 [of the Church Order]? In the first place ‘the edification of the Churches’ is mentioned. The Churches must be edified, that is builded, strengthened, increased. To edify simply means to build up. The cause of God represented by our Churches must grow and increase. His Kingdom must come. This end may be accomplished, under God’s blessing, through the preaching of the Word, the teaching of the youth, but also through periodic visits on the part of the office-bearers with the Church members in their homes.
Secondly Article 23 stipulates under this point ‘in order particularly to comfort and instruct the members.’ Comfort and instruction were greatly needed during the youth period of the Reformed Churches. But we still need comfort and instruction. But this comfort and instruction which God’s Word offers so abundantly for every need and circumstance of life must be individualized through personal contact and conversation.
The present reading of this article is the redaction of 1586 and constitutes an abbreviation or summary of what the Wezelian Convention had formulated on this score, and which in part reads as follows: ‘They (the Elders) shall faithfully investigate whether they (the Church members) manifest themselves uprightly in walk and conduct, in the duties of godliness, in the faithful instruction of their households in the matter of family prayers, (morning and evening prayers) and such like matters; they shall admonish them to these duties with consideration, but also in all seriousness and according to conditions and circumstances; they shall admonish them to steadfastness, or strengthen them to patience, or spur them on to a serious minded fear of God; such as need comfort and admonition they shall comfort and admonish, and if need be they shall report a matter to their fellow Elders, who together with them are appointed to exercise discipline; and besides these matters they shall correct that which can be corrected according to the gravity of the sin committed; nor shall they neglect, each one in his own district, to encourage them to send their children to catechism’” (The Church Order Commentary, pp. 109-110).
