In a Low, Miserable Condition [Children's Catechism 53—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Children's Catechism question 53—especially explaining how Jesus was born in a low condition, and underwent the miseries of this life.

Q53. What kind of life did Christ live on earth? A life of poverty and suffering. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The lesson presents Christ's earthly life as a profound expression of divine obedience and intimate delight in God, rooted in Scripture such as Isaiah 53 and Philippians 2. While acknowledging His profound poverty and suffering—evidenced by His humble birth, lack of permanent dwelling, dependence on others, and constant persecution—the central emphasis is on His perfect conformity to the Father's will. The narrative underscores that His suffering was not incidental but intentional, fulfilling God’s redemptive plan through self-emptying humility. The tone is both reverent and instructive, inviting listeners to see Christ’s life not merely as a record of hardship but as a model of faithful surrender. Ultimately, His life reveals the depth of God’s love and the cost of salvation.

How to Be a Good King [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 25:1–5]

What must a king do? Proverbs 25:1–5 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that a king must be under God, over the people, and surrounded by the godly. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The devotional centers on Proverbs 25:1–5, emphasizing that true royal glory lies in the humble pursuit of God’s revealed truth, reflecting the divine pattern where God conceals mysteries while kings are called to diligently seek what He has made known. It underscores the king’s duty to govern according to Scripture, rejecting secular or natural law frameworks that marginalize divine revelation, while also calling for the people to honor and pray for their leaders, recognizing the depth of their burdens and the limits of human understanding. The metaphor of refining silver illustrates the necessity of removing wickedness from a king’s inner circle, highlighting that trusted counselors must be spiritually pure and godly, as their influence shapes the integrity of leadership. This principle extends beyond political rulers to all believers, who are called to examine their own hearts and surround themselves with faithful, Christ-honoring companions. Ultimately, the passage calls for humility, discernment, and spiritual vigilance in both governance and personal relationships, rooted in submission to God’s revealed will and trust in His sovereign counsel.

2026.05.18 Hopewell @Home ▫ Proverbs 25:1–5

Read Proverbs 25:1–5

Questions from the Scripture text: Whose Proverbs are these (Proverbs 25:1)? Whose glory is it to do what (Proverbs 25:2a)? And who else’s glory to do what (verse 2b)? What created things are unsearchable (Proverbs 25:3a)? What else in the creation is unsearchable (verse 3b)? What does who take out of what, in order to make what for himself (Proverbs 25:4)? What must whom else take away from where (Proverbs 25:5a), in order to do what for himself (verse 5b)?

What must a king do? Proverbs 25:1–5 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that a king must be under God, over the people, and surrounded by the godly.

Chapters 25–29 are another section of Solomon’s proverbs (Proverbs 25:1). The Spirit carried men along to select, from his 3000 (cf. 1 Kings 4:32), those which were inspired by God as holy Scripture. These, being originally prepared for his son, and then selected by godly Hezekiah for his, it is not surprising that it begins with instruction for how to be a good king.

The first rule for being a good king is that you are not God. The secret things belong to God, and the king cannot know them (Proverbs 25:2a). But God has also revealed things, and these things, it is the duty of the king to search out (verse 2b). He must reign according to the revealed will of God.

The second rule for being a good king is that you are not the subjects. As a king gathers information about the circumstances, and mines the depths of Scripture with the help of his council, he must not expect the people to understand all of his decisions. It will simply be beyond them (Proverbs 25:3). He must not live and reign for their approval. Also, subjects ought to be humble and honor those in authority, who have information that the subjects simply don’t, and whose hearts are not known to the subjects. The judgment of charity (a.k.a. “benefit of the doubt”) is due to all, how much more to kings.

The third rule for being a good king is to be selective about your council. When the silversmith makes the jewelry for himself, he is extra careful to purify it fully (Proverbs 25:4). For a king, there is no finer “jewelry” than for his reign to be righteous (Proverbs 25:5b). By this, he is adorned in a way that no crown could ever do. So, he must be even more careful than the silversmith to surround himself with no men who are as “dross”—none who bring any impurity at all into the equation. He must surround himself with like-minded lovers of God and His Word. 

Though few of us will be kings, many will be in authority of some kind. Even if we are not, for all of us, there are principles here for humility, diligent study, rejection of man-fear, judgment of charity, and availing ourselves of good counsel. Best of all, we have not only God as our King in His triune glory, but also our Lord Jesus, our Mediator, our Christ, as King over heaven and earth. And we shall share in His reign forever, perfectly conformed to His character in all of these ways.

In what situation are you especially trusting the secret things to God? What use are you making of special revelation, and the ways that He brings it to you? For whose approval are you tempted to live, even though they cannot possibly know all that you must consider before the Lord? To whom do you owe more charity, rejecting the temptation to judge decisions that you do not fully comprehend? With what counselors (“councilors”) have you surrounded yourself?

Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for giving us Jesus Christ to be our King of kings. Grant that we, and our lesser authorities, would be governed by His Word. Give us neither to live for the approval of men, nor to be quick to judge those whom You have set over us. Grant us good counselors, and receptiveness to their good counsel—all of which we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH73B “Yes, God Is Good to Israel” 

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Determined to Adoption [Family Worship lesson Ephesians 1:5–6]

What is predestination? Ephesians 1:5–6 prepares us for the morning sermon in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that predestination is God’s good pleasure to adopt children by His glorious grace. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The devotional unfolds the doctrine of predestination as a profound expression of God’s eternal love, rooted not in human merit but in the good pleasure of His will. From Ephesians 1:5–6, it emphasizes that the substance of predestination is adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, not merely forgiveness or justification, highlighting God’s desire to expand His family. The source, standard, and success of this divine plan are all grounded in God’s grace—His unearned, self-giving love that culminates in believers being accepted in the Beloved, already pleasing to God through union with Christ. The ultimate purpose is the praise of God’s glorious grace, calling for a response of worship, deep comfort, and joy.

2026.05.16 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ephesians 1:5–6

Read Ephesians 1:5–6

Questions from the Scripture text: Who predestined whom (Ephesians 1:5a)? To what? By Whom? As sons to Whom? According to what? Unto what end (Ephesians 1:6a)? What had He done by that grace? In Whom?

What is predestination? Ephesians 1:5–6 prepares us for the morning sermon in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that predestination is God’s good pleasure to adopt children by His glorious grace. 

The gospel is about God expanding His family. Though it sounds almost blasphemous to talk that way, Romans 8:29 tells us that, from before time began, God foreknew (meaning “loved in advance”) certain people, whom He determined that He would make into the likeness of His Son and into a multitude of siblings for His Son.

In this week’s Ephesians passage, we read of that determination in relation to the Father: if someone is a believer, it is because before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), God determined to adopt him as a son to Himself (Ephesians 1:5a), as well as a sibling to the Son (cf. Romans 8:29). Of course, there is only one way that this adoption could be conceived from all eternity—by His loving us (end of Ephesians 1:4) in the eternally Beloved (Ephesians 1:6b) His, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5a).

And lest we have any ideas that this could happen by some version of divine foresight in which our own choices determine God’s (which would have the ludicrous effect of making us sovereign instead of God), the Scripture tells us exactly the criteria of this choice (“according to the good pleasure of His will,” Ephesians 1:5b) and the ultimate purpose of this choice (“to the praise of the glory of His grace,” Ephesians 1:6a). The only cause of the choice is His own glorious grace.

This destiny, to which He has predestined us, requires that, in time, His grace would bring us to faith (cf. Ephesians 2:8-9). It is this faith through which the Spirit unites us to the Beloved One, in order that in Him (and only in Him) would we be made accepted (Ephesians 1:6b). We don’t “believe into” predestination. We believe in Jesus, as God has predestined us to do. And God has indeed given that grace. He graciously gave His Son for us. And He graciously gave His Spirit, Who graciously gives us faith to believe in His Son and be joined to His Son. Thus, over and over again, our salvation is “to the praise of the glory of His grace.”

Our justification (being given righteous standing with God) and adoption (being made children of the Father and siblings of the Son) happen at the same time. But the justification is a means unto the adoption—which is the great occasion of the praise of God’s glorious grace.

This is what predestination is all about—not nit-picking over doctrinal logic, but everlasting love that has a 100% success rate of bearing fruit, as sinners have this adoption bestowed upon them, and God’s grace is gloriously displayed, in order to be eternally praised. Hallelujah! Literally.

How ought you to respond to Jesus? How ought you to respond to predestination?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we praise You for the glorious grace in which You were well pleased to adopt us, in Your love, to Yourself, by Jesus Christ. Grant the ministry of Your Spirit, that we would not only be accepted in Him, but that we would be made like Him, to live acceptably forever.

Suggested songs: ARP65A “Praise Awaits You, God” or TPH425 “How Sweet and Awesome Is the Place”

Judgment Begins at God's House [Family Worship lesson in Zephaniah 1:4–7]

Upon whom does the wrath of YHWH focus? Zephaniah 1:4–7 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the wrath of YHWH focuses especially upon the false worshipers among His own people. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: [transcription not available at time of publication].

2026.05.15 Hopewell @Home ▫ Zephaniah 1:4–7

Read Zephaniah 1:4–7

Questions from the Scripture text: What will YHWH do (Zephaniah 1:4a)? Against whom (verse 4a–b)? To cut off what (verse 4c–d)? And who do what (Zephaniah 1:5)? And who do not do what (Zephaniah 1:6)? What must the people do (Zephaniah 1:7a)? In Whose presence? Why—what has arrived (verse 7b)? Who has prepared what (verse 7c)? Whom has He invited (verse 7d)? 

Upon whom does the wrath of YHWH focus? Zephaniah 1:4–7 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the wrath of YHWH focuses especially upon the false worshipers among His own people.  

Judgment begins at the household of God. In Zephaniah 1:1-3, we heard God’s judgment that echoes the flood (Zephaniah 1:2) and undoes the creation (Zephaniah 1:3). Now he zeroes in on Judah—those who have been given YHWH’s Name by which to swear their oaths (Zephaniah 1:5b, cf. Deuteronomy 6:13, Deuteronomy 10:20), but who have combined the divine worship with many idolatries (Zephaniah 1:4-5). Greater spiritual privileges increase our responsibility. God will clean the place where He has put His Name (Zephaniah 1:4). The description is very vivid: “I will stretch out my hand, and I will cut them.” Judgment begins with the household of God (cf. 1 Peter 4:17). How great is our danger, if we think that we can combine drawing near to God in His own worship, while resting upon and delighting in the same things as the worldlings. 

Syncretism is apostasy. Syncretism is the idea that we can combine worshiping the Lord with other worship practices that are not from Him. But this is simply an impossibility: one cannot combine the worship of the Lord with the religious practices of men, because God defines such people as “those who have turned back from YHWH, and have not sought YHWH, nor inquired of Him” (Zephaniah 1:6). This would have been news to the people of Jerusalem; after all, Zephaniah 1:5 says they “worship and swear by YHWH.”  But the prepositions in verse 5b and verse 5c are slightly different, implying that they only swear to YHWH (outward expression of worship), whereas they swear by their king (“Milcom” means “their king,” and the preposition implies that this swearing is the “real” one in their heart). No one can serve two masters, and those who try become functional atheists (cf. Zephaniah 1:12). So God says, of those who attempt to combine His religion with their own, that they don’t worship Him at all. They have turned away from Him.

Better just to be silent. The “noise” that they were making in the presence of the Lord YHWH (Zephaniah 1:7a) was their worship and vows (Zephaniah 1:5b). But the Lord doesn’t want any of it. Whatever they were seeking of Him, He rejects it by saying that they were not seeking of Him at all (Zephaniah 1:6b). But this does not mean that they will get nothing from Him. The reality is much worse than that. They will get wrath from Him! 

The meeting to which they are coming now is not one that they can fake their way through. In this “day of YHWH” (Zephaniah 1:7b), YHWH engages in a solemn ceremony (“prepared a sacrifice,” verse 7c), for which He prepares/consecrates/sets-apart His guests (verse 7d). Idolaters, and other wicked ones, are bold to sin because they have no true sense of the majesty of Him against Whom they sin. But they will! And their mouths will be stopped in His presence (verse 7a, cf. Romans 3:19, Psalm 46:10, Psalm 106:40–42, Habakkuk 2:20). This language of “sacrifice” is frequently used of YHWH cutting off His enemies (cf. Isaiah 34:5–8; Ezekiel 39:17–20; Revelation 19:17–18). It is a slaughter that glorifies God by vindicating His righteousness. Have Judah failed to hold a proper sacrifice to YHWH? Then He will hold one for Himself!

How might you be tempted to feel safe on account of your church membership or worship attendance? What manmade things are you tempted to wish for, or do, in the worship of God? Whom do you think of as being the focus of God’s wrath, and how does this passage inform that? In what ways are you too quick to speak, and too slow to listen, when you are in the majestic presence of the Lord?

Sample prayer:  Lord, help us to remember that judgment begins in the household of God. Don’t let us think of ourselves as the ones who are safe to sin, but as the ones for whom sin is most dangerous. Forgive us those sins, for the sake of Christ, and give us to come to You only through Him, and only in the ways that You have said. So, give us to know the greatness of the majesty of what it is to draw near to You, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP2 “Why Do Gentile Nations Rage” or TPH177 “Before Thee, God, Who Knowest All” 

Shine, and Trust God with the Fruit [Family Worship lesson in Mark 4:21–34]

What should believers do? Mark 4:21–34 prepares us for the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these fourteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that believers should show the fruit of the gospel in their lives and tell the gospel with their lips. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The kingdom of God is revealed by means of the transformative power of divine truth, which must not be hidden but lived out visibly in the believer’s life and shared boldly with others. Central to this message is the call to heed God’s Word faithfully, for those who truly receive it will be given more, while neglect leads to loss—highlighting both the responsibility and the promise of spiritual growth. The parables of the lamp, the growing seed, and the mustard seed illustrate that God sovereignly works in unseen ways, producing fruit beyond human comprehension, from small beginnings to great expansion. These images encourage faithful stewardship of the Word, trusting that God will bring forth harvest in His time, while also calling believers to live with integrity and witness. Ultimately, the devotional affirms that God’s grace is both the source and the sustainer of spiritual life, inviting believers to depend on Him with confidence and obedience.

2026.05.14 Hopewell @Home ▫ Mark 4:21–34

Read Mark 4:21–34

Questions from the Scripture text: Where is a lamp to be set (Mark 4:21)? What will happen to hidden and secret things (Mark 4:22)? What should believers do with what they hear, according to Mark 4:24-25? What doesn’t a person who scatters seed know (Mark 4:27)? Who makes the things in Mark 4:28 happen? Who enjoys the result in Mark 4:29? How big is a mustard seed? How big is a mustard tree? For how much of Jesus’ public teaching did He use parables? When and to whom did He explain them?

What should believers do? Mark 4:21–34 prepares us for the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these fourteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that believers should show the fruit of the gospel in their lives and tell the gospel with their lips. 

We continue to hear about those to whom Jesus has “given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God” (Mark 4:10) by giving them “ears to hear” (Mark 4:9, Mark 4:23). The first question for us, of course, is whether that describes me?

Have I responded to the Scriptures as a divine rescue mission to bring me to faith in Jesus Christ, freeing me from slavery to sin and Satan (cf. Mark 3:22–30)? Have I rejected worry to have Christ as my confidence, and rejected worldliness to have Christ as my joy (Mark 4:19)? Do I take His Word, day by day and week by week, as the operating system of my heart—directing how to think about, feel about, and respond to everything and everyone in my life (Mark 4:20)? 

Note that this isn’t the same as doing so perfectly, or even particularly well—but it is a habit of heart and mind in our life of clinging to Christ. Indeed, the Word to which we cling tells us that we will fail often, but it gives us a prescription for renewed faith and reinvigorated repentance whenever we do: coming again and again to Him to whom we eternally belong by His blood.

The next question is: what now? The answer: testify to this gospel by our lives and our lips; be light in a dark world (Mark 4:21). They won’t be in the dark forever. One day, they will know plainly about Jesus—and they will know that you knew, and could have shown them and told them (Mark 4:22). If you had light and hid it, they will find out. That’s the convicting message of Mark 4:22-23. So, Mark 4:24 tells us, remember what to do with what you heard, because in addition to their finding out (Mark 4:22), the Lord Himself responds with reward. Tell others about Christ!

Perhaps you don’t think it will have much effect. This is one reason that we often shrink away from telling others. But Mark 4:26-29 rebuke us in this. Simply put: you do your part, and let the Lord be the Lord. You have no idea when He is going to make that word you speak bear an abundant crop in those who hear. You just scatter the seed, and when the Lord produces the harvest, you rejoice!

In fact, it is the Lord’s pleasure to take even the smallest evangelistic moments to produce the biggest results (Mark 4:30-32). So, let us be generous in our scattering, and see what He might do. What are we waiting for? What good reason could we possibly have for keeping the gospel to ourselves?

After all, since it glorifies God to be the One who opens the eyes, ears, and hearts, we should not be surprised when He takes what we thought would be nothing and makes it great—that way, it is all the more obvious to everyone that God alone has done this!

How many conversations with unbelievers have you had this week? Where and how could you have more? What are some ways of bringing into those conversations what Jesus has done for sinners?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for giving us ears to hear. We confess that, apart from Your grace, we would refuse even the blessed gospel of Christ. And thank You for giving to us to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. Forgive us for how little we show the fruit of Your gospel in our lives. And, forgive us for how we have missed opportunities to tell the gospel to those who will one day see the hidden truth about Christ, and even about us. Give us to love our neighbor, and to love Christ’s glory, enough to be unashamed tellers of the truth about Jesus. We confess that one reason that we haven’t done so is that we have unbelievingly expected that it would do no good. But make us to learn the lesson of the scattered seed, that God is the One Who makes it grow. And make us to learn the lesson of the mustard seed, and expect great things from God, out of the small things that we do. Forgive us, and help us, by Christ, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP180 “Christ Shall Have Dominion” or TPH291 “O, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing”