Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 31 October, 2021
“… walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us
an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour” (Eph. 5:2)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
The Messiah [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 41:21-42:12
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 12
I. His Office
II. His Work
III. His Praise
Psalms: 24:1-2, 7-10; 4:1-8; 2:1-8; 98:1-8
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
Solomon: Israel’s Wisest King (11)
Shimei’s Confinement and Execution [youtube]
Scripture Reading: I Kings 2:28-46
Text: I Kings 2:36-46
I. The Restriction of Shimei’s Movements
II. The Justice of Shimei’s Condemnation
III. The Establishment of God’s Kingdom
Psalms: 68:1-6; 5:1-7; 101:3-8; 72:1-8
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: www.cprc.co.uk/live-streaming
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Quote to Consider
Matthew Henry on I Kings 2:36-46: “The king sends for [Shimei] and charges him with the present crime (1 Kings 2:42-43), that he had put a great contempt upon the authority and wrath both of God and the king, that he had broken the oath of the Lord and disobeyed the commandment of his prince, and by this it appeared what manner of spirit he was of, that he would not be held by the bonds of gratitude or conscience. Had he represented to Solomon the urgency of the occasion, and begged leave to go, perhaps Solomon might have given him leave; but to presume either upon his ignorance or his connivance was to affront him in the highest degree … It is a comfort, in reference to the enmity of the church’s enemies, that, how much soever they rage, it is a vain thing they imagine. Christ’s throne is established, and they cannot shake it … All judgment is committed to the Lord Jesus, and, though he be King of peace, he will be found a King of righteousness; and this will shortly be his word of command concerning all his enemies, that would not have him to reign over them: Bring them forth, and slay them before me; the reproaches of those that blasphemed him will fall on themselves, to their eternal condemnation.”
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
New Standard Bearers (15 October issue) are on the back table for subscribers.
Monday catechism classes:
5:00 PM: Jason, Maisie & Sebastian (Juniors NT)
5:45 PM: Eleanora, Felicity, Hannah, Jorja, Penelope, Sammy, Somaya, Sophie, Xander & Yossef (Beginners OT, Book 2)
6:30 PM: Angelica, Bradley, Jack, Josh, Samuel & Taylor (Heidelberg, Book 1)
7:15 PM: Alex, Jacob & Nathan (Essentials)
Tuesday Bible study at 11 AM will meet to discuss fruit in connection with the pastorate, false teachers, mission work and the second coming.
The Belgic Confession Class will meet this week Wednesday at 7:30 PM to continue our consideration of Revelation 20.
Membership Class: Thursday, 11 AM with the Goulds.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s day (Gospel 846 MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Bruinsma is entitled, “By Faith Abraham Obeys God’s Call” (Heb. 11:8-10).
The Council meets at 8 PM on Monday, 8 November.
Offerings: General Fund: £577. Donation: £300 (translations).
Translation Additions: 3 Spanish and 3 Hungarian (by a new Hungarian translator).
PRC News: Wingham PRC called Rev. D. Holstege. Covenant of Grace PRC (Spokane, WA) called Rev. Spronk.
Attitudes (1)
Herman Hoeksema (an excerpt from the Standard Bearer, vol. 17, issue 1)
Principally there are but two possible attitudes. In actual life, one meets with various attitudes. We must strive to cultivate the proper attitude … and that especially with regard to the things of the kingdom of God …
Now, I stated that principally there are only two possible attitudes. We are either for or against. Another attitude is fundamentally impossible. This is often emphasized in Scripture. The Lord Jesus declares: “He that is not for me is against me.” You cannot serve God and mammon, for either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will cleave to the one and despise the other. The apostle writes to the Corinthians, “What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?” (II Cor. 6:14-16). The tree is either good or evil, and accordingly its fruit is good or bad. And he that is friend of the world is an enemy of God. It is either/or. It is for or against. Neutrality with respect to the truth and the things of the kingdom of God is impossible. Here one must choose …
The question might be asked: why is it that with respect to the things of the kingdom of God there are only two attitudes possible fundamentally? And why is it, that man must necessarily assume either of these two attitudes? Why is it that an attitude of neutrality is impossible, so that one may be neither for nor against? …
The answer to these questions is objectively in God. God is God! He is the sole sovereign of heaven and earth, who is the Creator of all things, and who made all things for His own Name’s sake. And He is One. There is no God beside Him, next to Him, under Him. The Lord our God is one Lord! And He is a light. There is no darkness in Him at all. He is good, not merely in the supreme sense of that word, but as the only Good, the implication of all infinite perfections, the Holy One of Israel. There is no division in God. There is no compromise in the sole Sovereign of heaven and earth. From this it follows that the end of your existence is in Him only. To serve and glorify Him is your sole purpose, that is, it is the end for which you are made. And He will have your all. There is no Lord you can serve beside Him. To Him belongs your body and your soul, your mind and your will, your talents and your strength, all that you are and have. Hence, it follows that your attitude to Him is either/or: you are wholly “for” Him, or you are wholly “against” Him; you love Him or you hate Him with all your heart and mind and soul and strength …
Fact is, however, that in actual life one does not meet very often with this sharp antithesis of “for” and “against.” Life seems to be different …
The reason for this must not be sought in the “world.” It is always in the world. The natural man is always “against,” even though there may be different degrees of manifestation of this attitude. He is never for Christ and the truth. But the Christian individually and the Church collectively are not always clearly and uncompromisingly “for.” This is true, not only of the Christian and of the Church of today, but equally holds for the people of God as they are pictured to us in Scripture. The reason for this is in the flesh, the old nature in the Christian, and the carnal element in the Church. The Christian is a new man, a new creature, but he is such only in principle. He has only a small beginning of this new obedience that causes him to walk in a new and holy life. His heart is radically changed, and, therefore, he is principally “for.” But his old nature is a powerful factor still in his life. That old nature is inclined to seek sin and the world. And to the inclination of that old nature the Christian often yields. And the same is true of the Church. Not all are Israel that are of Israel. Not only is there always a carnal element that arises from the Church itself, carnal children of the covenant, but a carnal element also joins itself to the Church for various reasons, and their entrance into the Church cannot always be barred …
One of the most striking and frequently assumed is the utilitarian attitude. This is a big word, but the meaning of it may be very simply and concretely expressed in the question: does it pay? They that take this attitude always ask themselves the question: how does the application of the truth affect my life in the world, my natural well-being, my name and position, my wealth and influence? They are people who are “for” Christ and the truth, for the Protestant Reformed faith and cause, as long as this attitude does not come into conflict with their earthly position and carnal desires. They are practical people, not men of principle at all. They certainly dare not lose their life in the world. Rather than lose the world they would lose their own soul, though it is their deliberate attempt to save both. If the cause of the truth requires sacrifice, they forsake the cause. And if their carnal interests conflict with their calling in the cause of Christ, they deny the latter and pursue the former. A fine illustration of this attitude you have in the men of Succoth and Penuel at the time of Gideon …
Then there is the attitude of selfish pride and ambition. They that assume this attitude would let the things of the kingdom of God revolve around the glory of their own ego. They want to be the greatest, and do not understand that the greatest in the kingdom of heaven is he who can humble himself as a little child. You may find this class of people very active sometimes in the affairs of the Church and the kingdom of God in the world. They are zealous. They usually have capacity for work, too. They are able and willing to take the lead. But their zeal is largely motivated by the desire to realize their personal ambition. They are in it for their own glory. We find this type of attitude illustrated in the pride of Ephraim in Gideon’s time once more … A very dangerous attitude this! People that take this attitude in the Church, in society, in respect to any activity in the kingdom of God, are always a menace. In this frame of mind, one is ready to sacrifice the cause of God to his personal ambition and pride!
There is, in the third place, the attitude we might describe by the French phrase: “laissez-faire,” the “let it run” attitude … They are, perhaps, among the most regular members of the church. Faithfully they attend public worship and contribute to the needs of the church. They never cause trouble. But they are inclined to avoid trouble and strife at all cost. They see and admit that the church is apostatizing, departing from the truth and becoming worldly minded in life and walk. But they “care for none of those things.” At all events they will do nothing about it. They do not like trouble. They love peace. The truth of the matter is really that they love their own leisure and tranquillity more than the things of the kingdom of God. If it were left to them you would never have a secession in the church on earth, a reformation would never be started, the church would be permitted to go to destruction in the way of apostasy …
