Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 12 October, 2014
“But our God is in the heavens: he hath done
whatsoever he hath pleased” (Psalm 115:3)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
Christ’s Seven Words From the Cross (7)
Christ’s Commendation of His Spirit to His Father [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Luke 23:32-56
Text: Luke 23:46
I. The Christ Who Performed This Action
II. The Communion This Action Involved
III. The Comfort of This Representative Action
Psalms: 34:1-10; 80:13-19; 31:1-6; 73:23-28
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
A Call to Prayer [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 6
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 45
I. How Must We Pray?
II. For What Must We Pray?
Psalms: 27:9-14; 81:1-7; 145:15-21; 28:1-6
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
A. W. Pink: “Prayer is not appointed for the furnishing of God with the knowledge of what we need, but it is designed as a confession to Him of our sense of the need. In this, as in everything, God’s thoughts are not as ours. God requires that His gifts should be sought for. He designs to be honoured by our asking, just as He is to be thanked by us after He has bestowed His blessing.”
John Owen: “If we would talk less and pray more about them, things would be better than they are in the world; at least, we should be better enabled to bear them.”
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
Standard Bearers are available on the back table for subscribers.
We plan to have tea more regularly after the Sunday evening worship service to encourage fellowship among our members and visitors. To make this easier to organize, a tea rota with three groups of volunteers is being drawn up. If you are willing to bring sandwiches, scones, traybakes or biscuits, please sign up on the sheet on the back table. If you have any questions, please talk with Kristin.
Rev. McGeown has moved house. His new address is 38 Abbeyvale, Corbally, Limerick. His phone number remains the same.
Monday Catechism:
Taylor, Josh, Corey, Bradley & Samuel (Beginners OT, book 1) – 5:30PM
Alex, Nathan, Jacob & Joseph (Seniors NT) – 6:15PM
Timothy & Chris (Essentials of Reformed Doctrine) – 7:00PM
The council meets tomorrow night at 7:45 PM.
The Tuesday Bible study meets at 11 AM to conclude our consideration of “Greatness in God’s Kingdom.”
The Belgic Confession Class this Wednesday at 7:45 PM will study “The Body and Sanctification” in connection with Article 24.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Bruinsma is entitled “The Marks of the Church” (Rom. 10:13-15).
Upcoming Lectures: Rev. Stewart will speak on Friday, 31 October, in the CPRC on “Gottschalk: Medieval Confessor of God’s Absolute Sovereignty.” On Thursday, 6 November, he will give the same lecture in S. Wales.
Offerings: General Fund – £723.96. Building Fund – £211.66.
Website Addition: 1 Spanish translation.
PRC News: First PRC called Rev. Huizinga (Redlands, CA). Rev. Griess is considering the call to the Philippines. Rev. Spronk (Peace, IL) received the call from Faith PRC.
Wisdom and Safety
Brian D. Dykstra
Proverbs 3:23-26: “Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.”
Solomon continues to instruct his son about the benefits of sound wisdom and discretion. Sound wisdom is the wisdom which comes from God’s Word, a standard of morality which does not change, but is firmly established by the Creator. God’s wisdom alerts us the temptations we meet each day so we can tell the difference between the way that leads to fellowship with God in Jesus Christ, and the way which leads away from Him.
We can walk in our way safely. A way is a well travelled path. It refers to our day -to-day living. Straying from the path leads to danger. David left the path marked by God’s law in his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. Peter was ashamed of the Lord and denied Him three times. We all face temptations too. Some of these temptations are common to us. We become frustrated with students’ behaviour or work. We struggle to be patient and control our tongues so we do not give vent to what is on our minds. Other temptations are more unique to us either because of our situation in life or our personalities. We are busy and have plenty of things to do. There is not the time we would like for ourselves or our family members. Yet, that lousy car needs our attention or that miserable water heater leaks. We become irked and annoyed with what is our Father’s will for us at the present. We are assured we shall not stumble when we remember the promises of God that all things work for our good and that we can trust in Him in our small frustrations as well as the large issues in our lives.
God’s wisdom will keep us in safety during the hours of the night. Perhaps today we feel safer at night than people of long ago. There was a time when it was foolish to travel alone from one city to another even during the daylight. Bands of robbers waited by the roadside. The night was the domain of thieves, drunkenness with its associated evils and a wide variety of sexual perversions. Yet, wisdom allows us not to be afraid because we will struggle to keep ourselves from such sins. Our sleep will be sweet because we will not have to listen to the accusations of a violated conscience. Though we sin and are burdened with a corrupt nature, we are assured that God’s way of salvation for His elect takes away all our shame and guilt. We can sleep, not because we rest on our own righteousness, but because Christ’s righteousness is credited to our account. Peter had to be roused from deep sleep the night before his expected execution. Jacob, fleeing from his brother and facing an uncertain future, slept soundly though he had a rock for his pillow.
Next, we are told not to be afraid of sudden fear or of the desolation of the wicked. We are no longer dealing with our day-to-day routine. Life has changed. There is sudden fear and the desolation of the wicked. Here the commentaries I have read disagree. Charles Bridges thinks this refers to God’s judgment against the wicked. When God’s judgment comes against the wicked, the elect will not be unaffected. God’s people also lose their lives and property in the floods, earthquakes and famines He sends because He is just. We need the reassurance of our heavenly Father’s love for the Church during these times. Matthew Henry says the sudden fear and desolation of the wicked refer to the persecution the wicked bring against the elect in their hatred for God’s Truth and rebellion against the rule of Christ. Persecution will not be easy to face. Will our suffering be so great we will wonder about our Father’s love for us? Will we fear we have served Him in vain? Will we lose our confidence in His promises because our suffering is so great? We enjoy our freedom and liberty in this nation. It will be hard to suffer such horrible treatment at the hands of the government which will be over us. Why should we, who only seek to do our sovereign Lord’s will, be punished more harshly than rapists, murderers and violent thieves? Why should we be viewed as a greater threat to society than the evil-doers?
Verse twenty-six tells us why we should not fear. God shall be our confidence. Jehovah is firm and stout. The word “shall” is used to express a guarantee from God. He is a sure confidence. This confidence does not mean we will preserved from all physical hurt or suffering. God is not promising a primrose path of dappled sunlight and comfortable temperatures as we merrily hike along our paths. It is not a life of ease where all of His people have the Midas touch and our success glitters for all the world to see. There will be no Christianizing of the world where we can live in peace and prosperity under the banner of God’s Truth.
When the world experiences the just judgment of God and fills its cup of iniquity by persecuting the church, God will be firm and unmovable for us. Our feet will not be taken by the evil one. He will assure us that His promises always stand and will be kept. He delivers us. Salvation is sure. We might be weak and bend, but God’s strength is stout, strong.
May God use the efforts of covenant parents through the means of our Christian schools to write His Word on our children’s hearts so they have wisdom and discretion. Then they will be safe throughout all their lives.
