Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 9 September, 2018
“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
Zechariah’s Burden Upon Israel (5)
The Sword Awakening Against God’s Shepherd [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Zechariah 12:10-13:9
Text: Zechariah 13:7-9
I. The Messianic Meaning
II. The Two-Fold Result
III. The Refined Remnant
Psalms: 105:1-7; 83:1-8; 80:1-6; 66:5-12
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
The Believer’s Three-Fold Office [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Psalm 27
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 12
I. David Persecuted as a King
II. David Drawing Near as a Priest
III. David Confessing as a Prophet
Psalms: 24:1-6; 83:9-18; 119:129-136; 27:3-6
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
Quote to Consider
C. F. Keil on Zechariah 13:7: “The shepherd of Jehovah, whom Jehovah describes as a man who is His next one (neighbour), cannot of course be a bad shepherd, who is displeasing to Jehovah, and destroys the flock, or the foolish shepherd mentioned in ch. xi. 15-17, as Grotius, Umbr., Ebrard, Ewald, Hitzig, and others suppose; for the expression ‘man who is my nearest one’ implies much more than unity or community of vocation, or that he had to feed the flock like Jehovah. No owner of a flock or lord of a flock would call a hired or purchased shepherd his ‘âmith. And so God would not apply this epithet to any godly or ungodly man whom he might have appointed shepherd over a nation. The idea of nearest one (or fellow) involves not only similarity in vocation, but community of physical or spiritual descent, according to which he whom God calls His neighbour cannot be a mere man, but can only be one who participates in the divine nature, or is essentially divine. The shepherd of Jehovah, whom the sword is to smite, is therefore no other than the Messiah, who is also identified with Jehovah in ch. xii. 10; or the good shepherd, who says of Himself, ‘I and my Father are one’ (John x. 30).”
John Calvin on Zechariah 13:9: “Very useful is this doctrine; for we hence first conclude that many, not only from the world, are led into perdition, but also from the bosom of the Church: for when three hundred shall profess to worship God, one hundred only, says Zechariah, will be saved. There are always among the people many hypocrites; nay, the grains lie hid in the midst of much chaff and refuse; it is therefore necessary to devote to ruin and eternal death a larger number than those who shall be saved. Let us then not envy the ungodly, though their prosperity may disturb us and cause us to grieve (Psalm 37:2). We think them happy; for while God spares and supports them, they deride us and triumph over our miseries. But under this circumstance, the Holy Spirit exhorts us to bear patiently our afflictions; for though for a time the happiness of the ungodly may goad us, yet God himself declares that they are fattened in order to be presently slain, when they shall have gathered much fatness. This is one thing.”
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
An RFPA Update is on the back table, as is a new CPRC phone/address list. Please check your details and add a tick if they are correct or make corrections.
Brian Crossett has been nominated for a 3-year term as elder. A vote by male confessing members to approve/disapprove of this will be held after the evening service on 23 September.
Monday catechism classes:
5:00 PM – Josh & Taylor (Juniors OT)
5:45 PM – Corey & Katelyn (Beginners OT, Book 2)
6:30 PM – Bradley & Samuel (Seniors OT)
7:15 PM – Alex, Jacob & Nathan (Essentials)
Tuesday Bible Study at 11 AM will continue our discussion on the peace offering.
Belgic Confession Class meets Wednesday at 7:45 PM to study Article 34 on baptism, treating the children of believers in Ephesians and onwards.
Men’s Bible Study meets Saturday at 8 PM at the Kennedys to discuss Acts 4:23-38.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846 MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Haak is entitled “A Sinful Response to Sovereign Mercy” (Jonah 4:1-5).
Rev. & Mary Stewart will be in the U.S. from Monday, 24 September to Monday, 8 October, so that Rev. Stewart can give a lecture for the RFPA. Rev. Koole will be preaching for the CPRC on 30 September & 7 October, and taking catechism classes on 1 & 8 October. Tea is planned for 7 October (Tea Rota: Group A).
S. Wales Lecture: Rev. McGeown will speak on “The Development of God’s Covenant (3)” in Margam Community Centre on Thursday, 27 September, at 7:15 PM.
Offerings: General Fund: £635. Building Fund: £269. Donations: $100, £200 (England).
Translations: 2 Hungarian and 1 French.
The Wise Reprover (1)
Brian D. Dykstra
Proverbs 25:12: “As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.”
Solomon teaches us about a reprover. A reprover is someone who warns somebody else about sin. A reprover witnesses someone’s sin, is troubled by that sin because he understands what sin does to a person’s relationship with God, and then speaks to the sinner to encourage him to put away his sin and walk obediently in fellowship with the Lord. Solomon wants us to know how valuable a wise reprover is.
Solomon teaches us about reprovers by using something from every day life with which we are familiar: jewellery. Many people like jewellery. You can see it around school and these days more girls wear jewellery of some sort than those who do not. Solomon isn’t talking about the kind of jewellery we see here around school though. I doubt that the jewellery we see around here at school is really expensive. The jewellery might be special to its owner for one reason or another, but I doubt we could find examples of jewellery here which cost a few hundred dollars or more. Solomon is speaking of gold earrings and ornaments fashioned from fine gold. These items are expensive.
This jewellery has value because of what it is made. Solomon is speaking about gold jewellery. I checked the newspaper to find the price of an ounce of gold. It is not cheap. Last Friday, gold was selling for $1,127.40 an ounce. My weight in gold would be valued at $3,156,720. So, it is debatable whether or not I am worth my weight in gold. Now a goldsmith is going to take this gold, which is already costly, and spend some time using his skill and expertise to make a beautiful ornament out of that fine gold. The value of this piece of jewellery is now even greater.
Jewellery has many uses. We decorate ourselves with it. People give jewellery as a gift to those who are dear to them. Some people view gold as a good investment. In Bible times, gold and jewellery were good ways to preserve wealth. For example, there were times when enemies would attack. If the enemy won the battle, they would spoil, take away, all the valuable things they could find from the people they had just defeated. Some people’s wealth was in flocks and herds. It is a little hard to hide all these animals or escape from the enemy quickly when your wealth is in animals. However, if your wealth were in gold and jewellery, a great amount of value could be packed in a small space. The gold and jewels could be quickly gathered up, and you and your family could escape the enemy in a hurry. Once you had arrived at a safer place, the gold could be used to purchase what was needed. You would not have to start your life all over with nothing.
Solomon wants us to learn that people who warn us about sin are just as valuable as gold. Two passages from the Bible, Jeremiah 43:1-7 and Job 33:1-13, have examples of people who reproved others: Jeremiah and Elihu. One of the stories of reproof turned out poorly, and the other turned out well. We will start with the reproof which did not work out so well, Jeremiah and the Israelites of his day.
Judah had just been defeated, crushed actually, by Babylon in battle. The Babylonians took an Israelite, Gedaliah, and put him in charge of the few people left in Judah. Gedaliah told the Jews to go about their work, earn the money they needed to live and submit to the rule of the Babylonians. There was another Israelite who did not like that idea. His name was Ishmael, and he was of the royal seed. Ishmael rebelled against Gedaliah, and killed him and all the people who were with Gedaliah. Another man named Johanan heard about the evil which Ishmael had done, gathered an army, fought against Ishmael, killed many of Ishmael’s followers and forced Ishmael to flee.
The remaining Jews were now afraid of the Babylonians because the man Babylon had left in charge, Gedaliah, had been murdered. The Israelites did not know what to do. Should they stay in Judah and perhaps have an angry group of Babylonians come against them or should they flee into Egypt where they would be safe? The people went to Jeremiah to ask him to go to God to ask Him what they should do. The people said they would do whatever God told them to do.
Jeremiah went to God, and God told him what the Jews should do. They should stay in Judah. God said He would show mercy to them, build them up and plant them securely in the promised land. Do not go to Egypt, God told them. If you go to Egypt to run away from the sword of Babylon, the sword will catch up with you in Egypt anyway, and you will all die from the sword, famine and disease.
That brings us to Jeremiah 43:1-7. Johanan and the Jews accuse Jeremiah of speaking falsely. As it turns out, they had already made up their minds to go to Egypt no matter what God would tell them through Jeremiah. They would obey God, but only if He told them what they wanted to hear. Sure enough, the Jews pack up and go to Egypt. Jeremiah reproves them for their disobedience but again they do not listen. It comes as no surprise to us that God does as He says. The Israelites in Egypt are destroyed.
The golden and wise reproof of Jeremiah fell upon disobedient ears. The result was disaster.
… to be continued
