2026.07.10 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ephesians 2:8–10

Read Ephesians 2:8–10

Questions from the Scripture text: By what have we been saved (Ephesians 2:8)? Through what? And not of whom? Of whom is it a gift? If it is a gift of God, what is it not of (Ephesians 2:9)? What does this prevent anyone from doing? What are we, according to Ephesians 2:10? What has been done to us in Christ Jesus? For what were we created? From where did these good works come? For what purpose did God prepare these good works beforehand?

How is God’s glorious grace displayed in the redeemed? Ephesians 2:8–10 prepares us for the morning sermon in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God’s glorious grace is displayed in both our justification apart from works and our sanctification unto doing good works. 

In Ephesians 2:1-7, the apostle wrote about our utter deadness in sin, as the black velvet backdrop against which shine the diamonds of God’s rich mercy, great love, and exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness. Ephesians 2:6 took us back to Christ’s seat, from Ephesians 1:20–23—to the highest height of heaven, whereupon God has placed this dazzling trophy of His grace.

But that is not the only place where it is displayed. God displays the glory of His grace down in the nitty gritty of our lives on earth as well, both in our justification and in our sanctification.

In our justification, God is pleased to display His glory in what we do not do. We do not save ourselves; we are saved by grace. Grace supplies righteousness, because we have only guiltiness to offer. Grace absorbs wrath for us, because we have nothing worthful with which to atone. Grace supplies life for us, because we have only death in us. All of this is supplied in Christ, but we are unable even to produce from ourselves the faith that makes us Christ’s and Christ ours. So grace supplies the faith too; even that is not of ourselves.

In our sanctification, God is pleased to display the glory of what He has done through what we do. Having invalidated all boasting by saving us only through union with Christ, the Lord begins to turn that black velvet into a mirror in which the dazzling glory of Christ’s goodness is reflected. 

Those who began dead in sin actually begin to do good works! Not meritorious works, to be sure, but genuinely good. God beings demonstrating His workmanship (us, Ephesians 2:10) by the good works that we do. A Christian is a good-works-doing creature that did not previously exist, created in the same Christ through Whom the original creation was made. 

God is displaying His workmanship when believers submit and learn under their shepherd-teachers (Ephesians 4:7–12). God is displaying His workmanship when believers study doctrine to get it right instead of “celebrating diversity of thought” (Ephesians 4:13–14). God is displaying His workmanship when no church member is dispensable, but the God-assigned role of each is understood to be used by Christ in building up all the others (Ephesians 4:15–16). God is displaying His workmanship when believers refuse to be controlled by desires and feelings, but rather control them with truth (Ephesians 4:17–24). God is displaying His workmanship when believers do good to one another and take care not to offend one another, not to be quick to be offended, and to be quick to forgive offenses (Ephesians 4:17–5:2). God is displaying His workmanship when believers refuse to live in the fleshly or careless way of this dark world, but as the children of light whom they have been re-created to be (Ephesians 5:3–21). God is displaying His workmanship when believing wives submit to their husband (Ephesians 5:22–24). God is displaying His workmanship when husbands give themselves for their wives’ sanctification (Ephesians 5:25–33). God is displaying His workmanship when children honor and obey their parents in the Lord (Ephesians 6:1–3). God is displaying His workmanship when fathers take the lead in their children’s discipline and instruction as something that belongs to the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). God is displaying His workmanship when employers and employees serve Christ first and foremost in all workplace interactions (Ephesians 6:5-9). And that is why all of these works must be supernaturally sustained by God through spiritual means that e has appointed (Ephesians 6:10-20).

Where is this great glory of God displayed? In the most mundane, everyday lives of those who began as darkness but whom He has created anew as children of light. Good works are essential, even before our needing to be holy for admittance into glory, because God has given them such a central place in displaying His glory in our sanctification. God prepared them beforehand for this!

How do you emphasize your not doing anything for your right standing with God? How do you emphasize the transforming power of God’s sanctifying grace in the transformed character of what you do? 

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for glorifying Yourself by making us right with Yourself entirely by Your grace in what Christ has done outside of us. And, thank You for glorifying Yourself by making us to live holy lives in good works. Please make us to walk, by Your grace, in those good works that You prepared beforehand for us to do, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH433 “Amazing Grace!” 

2026.07.10 Hopewell @Home ▫ Zephaniah 3:14–20

Read Zephaniah 3:14–20

Questions from the Scripture text: What four things do v14 command? To be done with what? To be done by whom—called by what three names? Why—what has YHWH taken away (v15a)? Whom has He cast out (v15b)? Who is He (v15c)? Where is He? What will they see no more (v15d)? To what does v16a refer? What will happen on that day? To whom is it spoken? What are they not to do (v16b)? What are they called in v16c? What are they not to let happen? Who is where (v17a)? Whose is He? What will He do to them (v17b)? What will He do over them (v17c)? With what? What will He do them (v17d)? With what? What will He dover them (v17e)? With what? Whom will He gather—over what do they sorrow (v18a)? Whom are they among (v18b)? What is a burden to those who sorrow over the appointed assembly (v18c)? With what command does v19a begin? What will He do with whom in v19b? And what to whom in v19c? And what to whom in v19d? For what will He appoint the lame and driven out (v19e)? In what places (v19f)? To when do v20a, v20b refer (cf. v16, 19a)? What two things will He do to them? And what will He give them (v20c)? Among whom (v20d)? By doing what (v20e)? As assured by what (v20f)?

What will God’s remnant people do? Zephaniah 3:14–20 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God’s remnant people will rejoice over the God Who rejoices over them.  

The book began with the all-consuming blaze of God’s wrath, and chapter 3 began with woe, specifically on Jerusalem. What an amazing change has occurred, now, in v14. How can Jerusalem sing, and shout, and be glad, and rejoice? And with all her heart, at that?!

The answer, as we know from the whole of Scripture, is Christ. And we see that in some important ways.

Only Christ could atone. The rejoicing (v14) is in response to, among other things, the removal of her judgments (v15). The enemy would be brought as a judgment upon their sin against God, but when God had forgiven them, their enemy would be cast out.

Only Christ can be King. v15 says something amazing. YHWH is the King of Israel. The Davidic line is about to all but disappear in exile. But the Lord will preserve it, according to His promise (cf. 2Sam 7). More remarkably, the Son of David will also be the Son of God (cf. Rom 1:4), YHWH Himself.

Only Christ can be Priest. v15 goes on to say that YHWH is in her midst. In purifying her, He would remove from her midst those who rejoice in pride (v11), and leave in her midst a meek and humble people (v12). But now, it is YHWH Himself Who is in her midst. He humbled Himself to be found in shape as a man (cf. Php 2:6–8), so that He could be selected from among men as their Priest (cf. Heb 5:1–11). Christ Himself is the true Holy of Holies. It is by His priesthood that YHWH is in the midst of His people.

Only Christ is great enough to be the full object of the delight in v17. Here is a truly wonderful verse. YHWH, the Lord God of all, being mighty to save… out of joy, love, and delight. God, of course, is immovable. Nothing can affect Him; He affects everything. But there is, from within God, such divine love and delight as is the original after which the joy in v14 is commanded. She is to sing (v14), because YHWH rejoices over her with singing (v17). She is to be glad and rejoice (v14), because YHWH rejoices over her with gladness (v17). She is liberated for shouts of joy (v14), by the quiet from her enemies that His love has given her (v17). 

But the big question is: how can it be that a mere creature would be the object of the full joy, love, and delight of the infinite YHWH? Only because God the Son became a Man, so that we might be united to Him by faith. It is in Him that the Lord has loved and delighted in us before the world began (cf. Eph 1:3–14). 

It is in Christ that the Lord has covenanted to be gracious to His people. And this passage is dripping with covenant language. “daughter of Zion” and “Israel” are covenant names (v14). “YHWH your God” (v17) employs the possessive of the covenant bond; He is covenantally theirs, and they are covenantally His. 

What great glory there is in this passage! Jesus came, and Jesus spoke to us, so that His joy may dwell in us, and that we might have it to the full (cf. Jn 15:11). But, those who will rejoice with Christ’s joy currently grieve with Christ’s grief. Those who sorrow over the appointed assembly in v18 have had much cause for grief in the corruption of Israel’s worship assemblies, and will have more cause for grief in the interruption of those worship assemblies by the exile. This grief is turned into the greatest joy; His people, and their appointed worship assemblies, will be restored to purity and praise and fame (v19–20), not just in Israel but among all the peoples of the earth (v20). The Lord give you to be His by union with Christ, dear reader.

What has been done about the judgments that you deserve? What will happen with all of your enemies? Who is your King? How is He king? Who is your Priest? What does He do as Priest? What place does joy and singing have in your Christian life? What place does joy and singing have in your hope? What effect does it have upon you, when worship is corrupted or interrupted?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for rejoicing over us, to make us rejoice over You. Grant that trusting in Christ, and being united to Christ, we would be conformed to Christ and His joy, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP98 “O Sing a New Song” or TPH448 “Union with Thee”

2026.07.09 Hopewell @Home ▫ Mark 7:1–23

Read Mark 7:1–23

Questions from the Scripture text: Who come to Jesus in Mark 7:1? Where did they come from? With what do they find fault (Mark 7:2)? In what manner did they wash their hands (Mark 7:3)? What else did they baptize (Mark 7:4)? What did they ask (Mark 7:5)? Does Jesus answer their question? Whom does Jesus say prophesied about them (Mark 7:6)? What did Isaiah say they did with their lips? What did Isaiah say about their hearts? What did Jesus say about their worship (Mark 7:7)? Where did their worship come from, that made it vain (verse 7, Mark 7:8, Mark 7:9)? What does Mark 7:10 say God commanded? What do Mark 7:11-12 say got in the way of obeying God’s command? What did Jesus say defiles a man (makes him unclean, Mark 7:15)? When He explains this to His disciples in Mark 7:20-23, what does He describe as the manner in which what comes out of us shows us to be unclean? What does Jesus say about all foods in Mark 7:19? With whom are people disagreeing, when they try to keep the Old Testament food laws?

What are the dangers in religious traditions? Mark 7:1–23 prepares us for the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty-three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that religious traditions that don’t come from Scripture make God’s own commandments small by comparison, and keep us from paying attention to the true realities involved in our drawing near to Him. 

The religious leaders are indignant that the disciples of Jesus don’t wash hands before eating (Mark 7:2). 

“These backwards Galileans!” they must have thought—don’t they know that up in Jerusalem we have a well-established tradition that all Bible-believing Jews have followed for hundreds of years (Mark 7:3-5)?!

Of course, the disciples are more interested in listening to whatever Jesus says—even if they don’t always understand it well. Jesus had to explain to them that with His coming, all foods are now declared clean (Mark 7:19). Jesus had to explain to them that the point of the food laws was to impress us with how easily we become unclean (Mark 7:20).

Jesus had to point out that our uncleanness is far worse than the food laws ever even pictured. Every sin that comes out of us does so precisely because our hearts are cesspools of filthiness (Mark 7:21-23). As a famous late preacher summarized, “We aren’t sinners because we sin; we sin because we’re sinners!”

Well, it’s one thing to struggle to grasp what Jesus is saying because we are dull-minded. The Pharisees and Scribes had a worse problem. Their struggle was because man-made religious ideas were so big to them that the commandments of God were small by comparison (Mark 7:6-9).

So Jesus puts them on notice: Isaiah 29:13 (cf. Colossians 2:22-23) was written about you! No worship or righteousness can ever be defined by the traditions of man. Only God can define what is true worship. Only God can define what is true righteousness.

Isaiah’s words are quite sharp. All worship that comes from the ideas of man instead of the command of God is “vain.” That means it is empty, invalid, and worthless. Following such practices shows that our “hearts are far from God.” 

Would you like for God to call your worship to Him worthless? Would you like for His assessment of you to be that your heart is far from Him? Then, simply take something that man made up, and treat it as if it is spiritually meaningful!

Worse, it will be a distraction from following what Jesus says to think and do. And we already have enough difficulty with that, don’t we?

What “Christian” ideas or practices were invented by men and not God? How can we squash the idea or feeling that such ideas or practices are spiritually meaningful? What religious traditions have you had to give up, in order to worship God only in the way that He has said? What religious traditions might you still need to let go of in your heart? How are you clinging to God Himself instead?

Sample prayer:  Lord, please forgive us, and help us, for there are so many ways in which we have treated the ideas and traditions of men as if they are spiritually meaningful. We are tempted to take spiritual comfort, or even spiritual pride, in things that are actually offensive to You. We have neglected how from out of our hearts proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile us. So, forgive us by Christ’s blood, we ask, and make us alive unto You for righteousness by His ressurection power, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP119M “O How I Love Your Law” or TPH101A “Of Steadfast Love and Justice, LORD”

2026.07.08 Midweek Meeting Livestream (live at 6:30p)

To tune in for the Prayer Meeting, we recommend that you visit the livestream page.

2026.07.08 Hopewell @Home ▫ 1 Chronicles 11:10–12:40

Read 1 Chronicles 11:10–12:40

Questions from the Scripture text: Whom does 1 Chronicles 11:10 introduce? Whom did they strengthen? To what end? According to what? Which ones do 1 Chronicles 11:11-14 cover? What did they achieve? What event showed both their courage and their love to David (1 Chronicles 11:15-18)? How does David use the water for something more glorious than slaking thirst (1 Chronicles 11:18-19)? Whom do 1 Chronicles 11:20-25 cover? What were their achievements? Finally, whom do 1 Chronicles 11:26-47 list? What is unique about listing the men from locations outside of Judah (1 Chronicles 11:41-47, cf. 2 Samuel 23:24–39)? Whom else does 1 Chronicles 12:1 begin to list? What were their skills (1 Chronicles 12:2)? What was their tribe? How many are listed in 1 Chronicles 12:3-7? Which of them was mighty enough to be associated with the 30? Whom else are listed in 1 Chronicles 12:8-15? From what tribe? With what traits? What event does 1 Chronicles 12:16 begin to retell? How does David greet them (1 Chronicles 12:17)? Who answers (1 Chronicles 12:18)? How is he enabled to give this answer? What does he answer? With what concluding statement? How does David respond to this? From what tribe do the men in 1 Chronicles 12:19-22 come? Against whom do they help him? What effect does all of this accumulation have (1 Chronicles 12:22)? What does 1 Chronicles 12:23 begin to number? For what were these divisions equipped? To whom did they come? Where? To do what? According to what? How many from which tribe (1 Chronicles 12:24)? And how many from which other (1 Chronicles 12:25)? And how many from which other (1 Chronicles 12:26), with what divisions and leaders (1 Chronicles 12:27-28)? And how many from which tribe (1 Chronicles 12:29)? Noting what change, at this point? And how many from which tribe (1 Chronicles 12:30)? Of what quality? And how many of which tribe (1 Chronicles 12:31)? Chosen how? To do what? And how many of which tribe (1 Chronicles 12:32)? Of what quality? And how many of what tribe (1 Chronicles 12:33)? Of what quality? And how many of what tribe (1 Chronicles 12:34)? And how many of which tribe (1 Chronicles 12:35)? And how many of which tribe (1 Chronicles 12:36)? And how many of which other tribes, from where (1 Chronicles 12:37)? How does 1 Chronicles 12:38 summarize them? To where did they come? With what sort of heart? To do what? How long were they with him (1 Chronicles 12:39)? Doing what? How was this possible? Who were bringing, what provisions, from where (1 Chronicles 12:40)? Why were they doing this—what was in Israel?

What is it like to be gathered to God’s anointed King? 1 Chronicles 11:10–12:40 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seventy-six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God gives His people head, heart, and hand for service to, and joy in, His anointed King.  

“For there was joy in Israel” (1 Chronicles 12:40). It was the Word of YHWH for the sake of His people that brought about the reign of His anointed king. 

“According to the Word of YHWH concerning Israel” (1 Chronicles 11:10) is the controlling text for 1 Chronicles 11:10-37. All of these mighty men and divisions of soldiers. From all of these different places. Coming to David, even while he was at Ziklag in exile. Coming to David when the throne was vacant, and he was at Hebron, with the same thing noted: “according to the Word of YHWH” (1 Chronicles 12:23). Coming to David with Spirit-inspired words of prophecy, “Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers! For your God helps you” (1 Chronicles 11:18). 

Paying attention to the extra comments throughout the passage drives home what the Lord was doing for His Anointed and for His people. 

Consider how the Lord prepared the men themselves with both a heart of courage, and a heart of loyalty and love, for His Anointed. The drink of water from the well of Bethlehem (1 Chronicles 11:15-19) most exemplifies this. Because of what the Lord had done in their hearts, and through their hands for His Anointed, David sees the water as too holy to drink, and offers it instead as worship unto God (1 Chronicles 11:19). The exploits of the mighty men (1 Chronicles 11:11-25) are matched by a longer list in 1 Chronicles 11:26-47 than that in 2 Samuel 23:24–39. There, Samuel’s conclusion with Uriah the Hittite (Bathsheba’s husband) portended the doom of the exile. Here, Ezra’s reminding them that David is a type of Christ leads to the further inclusion of men from outside the area of Judah—showing that the Lord was gathering to David all of His people from all of the places throughout Israel. It was the Lord Who prepared them for His Anointed as “mighty men” and “helpers in the war” (1 Chronicles 12:1), capable with many weapons and ambidextrous (1 Chronicles 12:2),  “mighty men of valor, men trained for battle, who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as gazelles on the mountains” (1 Chronicles 12:8), “mighty men of valor” (1 Chronicles 12:21), “mighty men of valor fit for war” (1 Chronicles 12:25), “mighty men of valor” 1 Chronicles 12:30, “expert  in war with all weapons of war, stouthearted men who could keep ranks” (1 Chronicles 12:33), “who could keep battle formation” (1 Chronicles 12:35), “those who could go out to war, able to keep battle formation” (1 Chronicles 12:36). 

There were, among them, many who could lead, who had been captains already, and most importantly, men who could follow “men of war, who could keep ranks” (1 Chronicles 12:38). The word translated “loyal” in verse 38, is actually from “shalom.” Their wholeheartedness toward David was an expression of the peace of God toward His Anointed, prophesied in 1 Chronicles 12:18. Indeed the Lord had prepared the hearts of His people—all His people from all of the land and all of the tribes. It wasn’t just the mighty men. It took the effort of the whole of the people to bring together the flour and figs and raisin cakes and wine and oil and oxen and sheep, bringing food on donkeys and camels and mules and oxen (1 Chronicles 12:40). When “all Israel came together” (cf. 11:1) to covenant with David before YHWH (cf. 1 Chronicles 11:3), according to the Word of YHWH (cf. 1 Chronicles 11:2–3), it was a cumulative effort of the entire nation together, with the cumulative rejoicing over the entire nation in 1 Chronicles 12:40.

The sins of David had led, ultimately, to the sorrow of the nation in the exile. But now they were returned. And the principle behind David: that YHWH is gathering all of His people to His Anointed, and blessing their hearts and their hands unto Him and His service… that continued. This was the principle that Ezra was setting before the returned exiles as the Chronicler. And this principle the Lord continues to set before you. All of His training of your heart, head, and hands is unto the gathering of His people unto the Anointed, the Christ. It is for the good and glory of His people, unto the glory of His Anointed, His Christ. All according to His Word.

It can be easy to bog down in the details of life. As it must have been for them, in the daily discipline of training with weapons, or manually plowing fields, or weeding, or protecting crops, or all of the things necessary, for all of the time spent, to produce all of the things that would ultimately come into use as the Lord gathered His people to His king. And now, in rebuilding from the exile, there would be many such details of life. Your own life is full of details, perhaps few of them military or agrarian, but all of them, ultimately for the earthly and eternal good of Christ’s people, as a service onto Christ the King. We must look to the Lord to give us hearts toward Christ that move hands in daily training and service. Whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all of it in union with Christ, as service unto the Lord (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:31), Who is gathering His people, unto His King, for their peace in His glory (cf. Psalm 72).

Who is the Lord’s Anointed now? Whom is God gathering to Him, for what purpose? What daily and weekly tasks seem tedious to you? How does the description of His work in the people’s hearts and hands encourage you about your own heart and hands?

Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for gathering Your people to Your Anointed, and equipping them for their good and His glory. Forgive us for being forgetful that all that we do with our heads, hearts, and hands is for the service of Christ. We bog down in weariness and discouragement. We go astray in self-indulgence, and self-glory. We often live as if we were king, or had no king, rather than living entirely for Christ, our King. Thus, we have fallen short in both service and joy. Please forgive us by His blood, and help us by His life, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP72C “May Waving Grain on Hilltops Thrive” or TPH406 “Jesus, with Thy Church Abide”

2026.07.07 Hopewell @Home ▫ Job 9:1–26

Read Job 9:1–26

Questions from the Scripture text: Who answers in Job 9:1? What does he know (Job 9:2a)? What does he ask (verse 2b)? In what could a man never succeed (Job 9:3, Job 9:4b)? What attributes of God ensure this (verse 4a)? What are some ways in which He has shown the greatness of His wisdom and strength (Job 9:5-9)? How many more of these are there (Job 9:10)? What can’t Job do (Job 9:11)? What can’t anyone do (Job 9:12)? What won’t God do (Job 9:13)? What, then, is pointless (Job 9:14-15a)? What is a better strategy (Job 9:15b)? Without mercy, what can’t a sinner hope for (Job 9:16)? How does this seem to correspond to Job’s current condition (Job 9:17-18)? What couldn’t a man succeed against (Job 9:19)? If he tries to make a case to God’s justice, how would that go (Job 9:20)? 

Why won’t Bildad’s suggestion work? Job 9:1–26 prepares us for the opening part of public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty-six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Bildad’s suggestion that Job can get better treatment by doing better can’t work, because man can never be righteous enough to overcome God.  

Bildad’s gospel-less approach to Job’s situation isn’t even done as well as it could be. Job can do, and now does, better. Job can do better at declaring the greatness of God’s righteousness.

Job knows that God renders justly (Job 9:2a), but the question then is how anyone can be made right with God (verse 2b). Bildad’s “do better, and He’ll do you better” idea is actually impossible (Job 9:3)—meriting something from God is like overcoming God (Job 9:4), Who is incomprehensible in wisdom and power (Job 9:5-10). It’s not just that we aren’t able to overcome Him (Job 9:12); we’re not even able to engage Him (Job 9:11).  This is a problem because His justice is absolute and unyielding (Job 9:13). 

So, instead of Bildad’s idea that Job could somehow do well enough to change his circumstances (Job 9:14-15a), Job seeks for mercy instead (Job 9:15b). The problem, for Job, is that he had been hoping in mercy, but he can’t see how mercy corresponds at all to his current misery (Job 9:17-18). 

So Job is alarmed that God may be relating to him on a principle of exact justice, in which case there is absolutely no hope (Job 9:19-20). Even if he is blameless as far as he knows, that would not be far enough, because God knows him better (Job 9:21). The “blameless” and “innocent” among men are subject to the same punishments as the wicked, as shown by the calamity and death that come to all at God’s hand (Job 9:22-24). 

So the solution can never be, “just do better, and God will do better to you.” We will see in the next section that what is needed is for God’s mercy to provide a Mediator, so that Job can be forgiven. But Job feels that his life is too short, and that he’s running out of time and out of hope (Job 9:25-26).

How do you slip into functioning upon a merit principle with God, as if you could get better from Him by doing better yourself? To what can you cling, when experience does not seem to show that God is dealing with you according to mercy?

Sample prayer:  Lord, You are beyond the perception of our senses. We cannot see or perceive You, except that You make Yourself known to our faith. How great are Your wisdom and power! You remove and overturn mountains. You shake the earth. You command the sun and the stars. You spread out the heavens and walk upon the heights of the sea. You have made all of the distant, and great things that we see in the sky. 

So, we could never be wise enough or strong enough to get blessing from You by merit or by works. And even if we did not know of anything against ourselves, even what came out of our mouth would convict us of sin. 

We would beg mercy of our Judge. Give us that mercy now, by Your Spirit, so that we may draw near to You, in and through Jesus Christ, by His grace. Grant that our worship would be acceptable, because He is our worthiness and our worship’s worthiness, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP51B “From My Sins, O Hide Your Face” or TPH130A “LORD, from the Depths to You I Cry” 

2026.07.06 Hopewell @Home ▫ Proverbs 26:1–12

Read Proverbs 26:1–12

Questions from the Scripture text: What are not fitting at what times (Proverbs 26:1a)? What else is not fitting for whom (verse 1b)? What do not land long (Proverbs 26:2a)? What else does not land (verse 2b)? What are designed/destined for which particular objects (Proverbs 26:3)? What mustn’t be done to a fool (Proverbs 26:4a)? Why not (verse 4b)? What must be done to a fool (Proverbs 26:5a)? Why (verse 5b)? What does the person in Proverbs 26:6a do? What is he essentially doing to himself (verse 6b)? What are ineffective in Proverbs 26:7a? What else is ineffective (verse 7b)? What is rendered pointless in Proverbs 26:8a? What else is pointless (verse 8b)? What mishandling causes pain in Proverbs 26:9a? Who else painfully mishandles what (verse 9b)? Who is the One Who makes sure that fools and transgressors get what’s coming to them (Proverbs 26:10)? To what does a dog return (Proverbs 26:11a)? Who is like this, in repeating what (verse 11b)? Who is even more hopeless than a fool (Proverbs 26:12)?

What should be done for the fool? Proverbs 26:1–12 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these twelve verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the fool must not be treated as if he were as wise as others, but rather warned and answered wisely.

Fools make many things ineffective or pointless. It is very out of place to honor a fool (Proverbs 26:1). And one hallmark of foolishness is to be careless with cursing (Proverbs 26:2); it is God Who executes the curse (Proverbs 26:10), so a causeless one does not land. What does land is the rod upon the fool’s own back. 

Another hallmark of the fool is that he projects himself as wise. Others even treat a fool as wise, when there are proverbs in his mouth. But both come to no effect. Those who speak by a fool do great harm to themselves (Proverbs 26:6). Wise sayings have no leg to stand upon in the mouth a fool (Proverbs 26:7). Giving weight to a fool is self-crippling (Proverbs 26:8). Fools handle proverbs in the way that drunks handle a thorned stick—to their own harm (Proverbs 26:9). And they lack the sense not to repeat this (Proverbs 26:11). 

Ultimately, there is one very advanced case of folly: the man who is wise in his own eyes. After all of this caution that a wise proverb may end up, useless and harmfully, in the mouth of a fool, the section concludes with a zinger: as hopeless as the fool is, there is more hope for him than one who is wise in his own eyes.

This is why one ought to answer the fool’s foolish content (Proverbs 26:4), without getting dragged into the fool’s own manner of speech (Proverbs 26:3). It is a mercy at least to lay the truth before his eyes.

What are you doing, in dependence upon grace, to keep from being foolish, or even wise in your own eyes? To what fools have you been assigned to give a wise answer? What honors are you tempted to give them?

Sample prayer: Lord, have mercy upon us, because we are so easily foolish, or even wise in our own eyes. Give us to be quick to listen and slow to speak. And, when You assign us to the help of fools, grant that we would be careful not to honor them, or entrust them with messaging. Please help us in this thorny area of life, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP15 “Within Your Tent, Who Will Reside?” or TPH400 “Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me”

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2026.06.29 Hopewell @Home ▫ Proverbs 25:23–28

Read Proverbs 25:23–28

Questions from the Scripture text: What surely brings what (Proverbs 25:23a)? And what else surely brings what else (verse 23b)? What is better (Proverbs 25:24a)? Than what (verse 24b)? What is refreshing to whom (Proverbs 25:25a)? What else is refreshing to whom else (verse 25b)? Who (Proverbs 25:26a) is like what (verse 26b)? What is not good (Proverbs 25:27a)? What else is not good (verse 27b)? Who (Proverbs 25:28a) is what (verse 28b)?

What must we watch against, as a friend? Proverbs 25:23–28 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we must watch against being a “friend” who is harmful rather than a blessing.

Don’t be a gossip. For them, the north wind (Proverbs 25:23a) was a welcome indicator that they would finally get the rain that they needed. And there is something much less welcome, but just as certain: gossip destroys relationships, changing the face from a smile to scowl (verse 23b). Our friend’s name must be safe in our mouth.

Don’t be contentious. There is no greater blessing than a good wife. But one who is always arguing, always nagging, always complaining, always criticizing… she performs a wonder: she transforms the corner of the housetop into a desirable place to dwell (Proverbs 25:24a). Ordinarily, the roof was pleasant to visit when the sun had gone down, to take advantage of a breeze. It was not a good place to be at all times, particularly in the heat and sun of the day. But, better to dwell there, than with contentiousness (verse 24b)!

Don’t be negative. Others’ souls are weary (Proverbs 25:25a). They need the cool water (verse 25a) of good news (verse 25b). There is an obvious and easy way to be one whose speech is like this: speak often of the Lord Himself, His character, His work, the gospel of His salvation, His promises. We have all known the one who always has a new bit of bad news. That just parches the weary soul all the more! 

Don’t be spineless. The righteous man is a blessing to those around him, but this blessing becomes all the more urgent in the face of wickedness. The metaphor of a refreshing drink carries into Proverbs 25:26. If, when his righteousness is needed most, he falters instead (verse 26a), the “help” of his righteousness is corrupted. Can you imagine, going to take a sip from your water bottle and getting a mouthful of pond scum instead (verse 26b)? This is what it’s like when the righteous are spineless.

Don’t be self-promoting. Honey is a blessing. In many places, Scripture identifies it as both sweet and nourishing. But this is the second time in the space of 12 verses (Proverbs 25:27a, cf. Proverbs 25:16) that there is a caution against overindulging in it. Similarly, it is a blessing for those around us that we would have a good reputation. But a good reputation is that of a man who seeks God’s glory, rather than his own. Seeking one’s own glory brings not glory but shame (Proverbs 25:27b). 

Don’t be self-indulgent. Finally, self-control is as necessary as a city wall for protection from a most dangerous enemy: the sinful inclinations of our own spirit. Cities are good for mutual defense, as long as the city wall is intact. But without it, the city goes from being a protection to a hazard, as all those people are now gathered into something of a kill-box. So also, friendships with the godly can be a help in defense against our own sin. But, if we are self-indulgent, instead of self-controlled, we increase one-another’s danger, rather than decreasing it.

We have focused on the sort of friend that we ought to be, but the passage is also very instructive for what sorts of friends to choose and to spend time with. And it is a reminder of what a great blessing it is that Jesus Christ has become, for us, the Friend Who sticks closer than a brother. Not only is He the perfect example of every virtue, and not only has His righteousness been counted for us, but He is genuinely our best Friend, and living in fellowship with Him is the way that, by His grace, we may be genuinely good friends to others.

Who are your friends? What sort of friend are you to them, by these standards? What sort of friends are they to you?

Sample prayer: Our gracious God and our heavenly Father, thank You for giving to us Your own Son, our Lord Jesus, to be the Friend Who sticks closer than a brother. Please grant that we would be friends such as He is, and that we would have friends such as He is, by His own grace in each of us, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP15 “Within Your Tent, Who Will Reside?” or TPH73B “Yes, God Is Good to Israel”