Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 31 May, 2015
“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
Listen and Wake Up! (9)
Good Tidings for Zion [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 52
Text: Isaiah 52:7-10
I. The Old Testament Imagery
II. The New Testament Reality
Psalms: 93:1-5; 106:1-6; 97:1-8; 99:1-7
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
The Lordship of Christ [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Philippians 2
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 13
I. Its Height
II. Its Breadth
III. Its Depth
Psalms: 148:1-10; 106:7-10; 139:1-10; 12:1-8
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 13: “That Jesus is our Lord means that He rules over us, not by force and compulsion, but by grace and the impelling power of His love. It signifies that His mind is our mind, that His will is our will, that His Word is our law, and that His law is our delight. It is He alone that determines, not only what we shall do, but also what we shall think, and feel, and desire, and by what motives we shall be governed. It means that He has dominion over the life of our body and of our soul, and over all our relationships in the midst of this present world, in the home and in the shop, in labor and industry, in the school and on the street, in the Church and in the State, in peace and in war, in prosperity and in adversity. And the confession that He is our Lord implies that we gladly and willingly acknowledge His lordship, and that it is our earnest desire and endeavor to know His will, and to obey no other Word than His in any department of our life in the world, no matter what may be the cost, yea, though we should lose our very life in his service. For, let us make no mistake, the confession that Jesus is Lord is limited to the Church. It does not mean that you can gain the world for Christ, or that you can crown Him King in every domain of this present world. He alone exercises His lordship of grace; and He limits it to His elect Church. And the world hates His lordship, and hates those that consistently confess it. Hence, if you represent the cause of the Son of God in the world, you must expect tribulation. Only by compromising the strictly intolerant lordship of Jesus Christ can you escape this. We must suffer with Him. But even so, we are of good cheer. For we know that He is responsible for us, and that He has overcome the world. And if we suffer with Him, we shall also be glorified together!” (The Triple Knowledge, vol. 1, pp. 600-601).
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
Thanks to all who helped out at the stall at the Ballymena Agricultural Show this past Friday and Saturday, especially Julian Kennedy who organized it and spent much of his time there. Please pray that the Lord will use this witness to draw His elect.
Philip & Susan Hall and children leave this Thursday for the US, where Philip will be representing the CPRC at the PR Synod. David Crossett will be leaving Tuesday for the US to join Kristin who is already there. We pray for travelling mercies for these families and a blessed time of fellowship with saints in our sister churches.
The Council meets tomorrow night at 7:30 PM at the church.
The Tuesday Bible study will meet at 11 AM to study Hosea on children.
Family visitation concludes this week. The schedule is as follows:
Wed., 3 June 7 PM Douglas Stewart (Reid/Rev. Stewart)
8 PM Stewarts (Crossett/Reid)
Based on the weather forecast available at this time, we have decided not to have a barbecue at the manse this Friday. Instead, it is scheduled for Friday, 19 June.
Men’s Bible Study meets this Saturday at 8 PM at the Kennedy’s to study the chapter “The Joy of Holiness” in the book, The Pursuit of Holiness.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Haak is entitled “In the Beginning God Created Marriage” (Gen. 2:18-25).
Upcoming Lectures:
Thursday, 11 June, “What Is a Protestant?” The Round Chapel, S. Wales, at 7:15 PM.
Friday, 26 June, “What Is a Protestant?” Portadown Town Hall at 7:30 PM.
Offerings: General Fund – £579.26.
Website Additions: 1 Portuguese and 3 Indonesian translations.
Homosexuality and the Old Testament Ceremonial Laws
Rev. Angus Stewart
(published in the Belfast News Letter on 29 May, 2015)
In his letter on homosexuality, Thomas from Belfast (News Letter 25 May) cites three ceremonial and civil laws from Leviticus for Old Testament Israel in the Mosaic age, asking about their role in guidance today.
First, Leviticus 25:44-46 is a law regulating slaves from the pagan nations around the land of Canaan which God gave Israel (for a time). These slaves were excluded from release at the jubilee (fiftieth) year. Jesus Christ fulfilled prophecy regarding the jubilee as the One anointed “to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” to bring spiritual “liberty” from sin through faith in Him (Luke 4:18-19; Isa. 61:1-2). This is guidance for our generation!
Second, cutting one’s body and certain parts of one’s hair was forbidden ancient Israelites because of its association with idolatrous pagan funeral rites “for the dead” (Lev. 19:27-28). This does not prohibit shaving or surgery today!
Third, the Mosaic food laws forbade Old Testament Jews to eat pork (Lev. 11:7) and other foods in order to help keep God’s one holy nation at that time separate from the Gentiles even in their dining (Deut. 33:28). After the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost when God started saving a universal church, He told Peter that eating (formerly) unclean foods was now fine (Acts 10-11), as the Jerusalem council soon decreed (Acts 15), for, as Christ said, “whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him” (Mark 7:18). By His sacrificial death, the Messiah abolished the temporary, local, Jewish ceremonial and civil laws, thus uniting believing Jews and Gentiles (Eph. 2:14-16; Col. 2:14-17).
The many Mosaic laws provide guidance (in various ways) by showing us our sins, leading us to the cross and calling us to live out of gratitude for God’s gracious salvation. Passages in the Bible are to be understood in their place in the history of redemption, with Scripture interpreting Scripture and especially the new covenant/testament interpreting the old.
Thomas rightly notes that “Leviticus 18:22 does say that no man is to have sexual relations with another man.” This law is easily proved to be moral, permanent and universal because it is based upon God’s creation ordinance of marriage as a one-flesh union between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24), in which relationship alone sexual intercourse is to be enjoyed. This truth about marriage is reiterated by Christ Himself (Matt. 19:4-6) and His apostles (Eph. 5:23-33; I Peter 3:1-7), and guarded by the seventh commandment (Ex. 20:14). Moreover, the New Testament also speaks of homosexuality as a sin (e.g., Rom. 1:26-27; I Cor. 6:9-11; I Tim. 1:10; Jude 7).
If Thomas would like a box set of 8 CDs of recent classes in our church on “The Abolishing of the Ceremonial Law” for free, he should send me his postal address.
