The Unfailing Word to Covenant Children [Family Worship lesson in Romans 9:6–9]

Why do some covenant children perish in their sins? Romans 9:6–9 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that covenant children perish through parents who don’t believe the promises and children who fail to believe in the promised One. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2025.11.19 Hopewell @Home ▫ Romans 9:6–9

Read Romans 9:6–9

Questions from the Scripture text: What might some say, if there are Israelites who do not end up saved (Romans 9:6a)? How does the apostle summarize the case for why this isn’t true (verse 6b)? What does not define a child of Abraham (Romans 9:7a, cf. Romans 4:11–12, John 8:39)? From what Scripture does the apostle prove this (Romans 9:7b, cf. Genesis 21:12)? Who are not the children of God (Romans 9:8a)? Who are the seed/offspring of God (verse 8b)? What child was promised to Abraham (Romans 9:9, cf. Genesis 18:10–14)? What child had not come by promise? Of what was this a parable?

Why do some covenant children perish in their sins? Romans 9:6–9 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that covenant children perish through parents who don’t believe the promises and children who fail to believe in the promised One.  

Has the Word of God failed? One of the most sensitive and difficult spiritual issues for believers is that covenant children sometimes perish. How can this be, when we have called them “saint,” and they have enjoyed the privileges and benefits of being members of the visible church? This was precisely the case with the Jews, as the apostle has made clear by his description of them in Romans 9:4. So, how could it be that so many Jews were rejecting Christ? Did the Word of God about them as a visible church fail? Or did the Word of God that was preached to them fail?

We distinguish. It is odd to the author that many will come to Romans 9–11 and insist that “Israel” must refer to the same group of people when used multiple times in nearby context to one another. “Israel” quite obviously refers to two different groups just a couple words apart in Romans 9:6! They are not all elect/saved Israel who are of covenantal/ethnic Israel. Romans 9:4 had referred to Israel as a covenant people, as a visible church. Romans 9:5 had referred to Israel as an ethnic people, related in their flesh. Now Romans 9:6 explains that being a member of Israel in the Romans 9:4/Romans 9:5 way did not ultimately make someone elect or guarantee that they would be saved. 

Parents and children who fail. The apostle’s selections of Scripture in Romans 9:7 (cf. Genesis 21:12) and Romans 9:9 (cf. Genesis 18:10, Genesis 18:14) are very impressive. In the former one, the Lord was promising the one through whom the Christ would come, and Sarah was disbelieving. In the latter quote, it is Sarah who is defending the integrity of the covenant line through whom Christ would come, and Abraham has to be rebuked/instructed by God to heed her good counsel. In both places, there is a parent who has the promises of Christ for us and for our children, but who is failing to make proper application of it. This is what fails when covenant children perish, as so many Jews were doing in Paul’s day: not the promise, but our believing and responding to the promise.

The God Who remains true. Despite Abraham’s weakness and Sarah’s weakness, God’s promise remained true. He brought them to repentance. He brought their sons to faith—not just Isaac but also Ishmael. When we are failing as parents (as we often/constantly do), our cry to God must be that He would give us repentance and faithfulness, and that He Who is perfectly faithful would yet bring our children to faith. Isaac was not saved by being the one through whom the Seed (and seed) were called. He was saved by believing in the Seed that would come through him. Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Ishmael were all saved only by believing in the promised one. For children of the flesh (Romans 9:8a) to become children of God (verse 8c) by being children of the promise (verse 8b), they must believe in the promised one.

So covenant parents must not do as so many Jews did (assume that they were being saved by being Jews and being presumptuous about themselves and their children). Believing the promises doesn’t mean presumptuously ignoring the means appointed by the faithful Word, but rather diligently using them. Believing the promises doesn’t mean neglecting to call covenant children to believe in the promised One, but constantly employing the Word of promise to plead with them to believe in Him. Never has the Word been thus employed and failed. 

When we find ourselves failing, we must turn to Him Whose Word does not fail, asking Him to grant repentance to us, and faith to our children—that the God Who overcame Abraham’s and Sarah’s failings would overcome ours as well. Dear covenant child, who might be reading this devotional, or hearing it taught to you by your own Christian parent. God has made promises concerning you that you are identified with in “the adoption,” see in “the glory,” have signified to you in “the covenants,” have taught you in “the law,” lay claim to in “the worship of God,” and hear promised to you in “the promises” (Romans 9:4). Believe in the promised One! Believe in Jesus Christ! Don’t presume upon yourself or your status. Children of the flesh are not saved by being children of the flesh, or by their covenant status, but only by believing in Jesus Christ.

What is your hope for yourself? What things has God given you, in His church, to encourage you in that hope? What is your hope for your children? What things has God given you, in His church, to encourage you in that hope? Why must you not hope merely in their being from your flesh or in their being part of His church?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we thank You for Your many good and precious promises about the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You for announcing Him to us, and showing Him to us, in so many ways as members of Your church. And thank You for giving us promises, also, concerning our children. Grant that by Your Spirit, we would be faithful to urge them to hope in Christ as He is offered to them in the gospel. And grant that by Your Spirit, they would do so, we ask in Christ’s Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP126 “What Blessedness” or TPH405 “I Love They Kingdom, Lord” 

The Horror of Sin [Children's Catechism 27 — Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Children's Catechism question 27—especially explaining how sin is horrible because it is against God.

Q27. Did Adam keep the covenant of works? No; he sinned against God. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of th audio: The lesson centers on the profound moral and theological significance of Adam’s failure to uphold the covenant of works, emphasizing that his sin was not merely a violation of a divine rule but a personal offense against God Himself—both as Creator and covenant Lord. It underscores the gravity of sin by highlighting God’s holiness, sovereignty, and the intimate relationship established in the garden, where Adam was called to live in obedience to God’s moral and ceremonial commands. The failure to obey, particularly in the act of eating from the forbidden tree, reveals the depth of human rebellion against a holy and personal God, a pattern that resonates as the nature of all human sin. The reflection serves as a sobering reminder that all believers, having been brought into covenant relationship with God through His grace, are called to recognize the seriousness of sin against a holy and loving God. Ultimately, the lesson calls for humility, self-examination, and a deeper appreciation of God’s righteousness and the cost of disobedience.

Grieving Over Perishing Souls [Family Worship lesson in Romans 9:1–5]

If the love of God is irreversible, then what about Israel? Romans 9:1–5 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Israel are the people from whom Christ came, and therefore for whom we should agonize over each one of them that does not have Him. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2025.11.18 Hopewell @Home ▫ Romans 9:1–5

Read Romans 9:1–5

Questions from the Scripture text: What four ways does Romans 9:1 affirm what Paul is saying (verse 1)? What level of grief was so hard to believe (Romans 9:2-3a)? For what could he wish to be accursed from Christ? Which brethren? What are they called (Romans 9:4)? What six great things pertained to them? Who was from them (Romans 9:5)? And Who else came from them, according to the flesh? Over whom is Christ? Who does this make Him?

If the love of God is irreversible, then what about Israel? Romans 9:1–5 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Israel are the people from whom Christ came, and therefore for whom we should agonize over each one of them that does not have Him.

An amazing work of grace. Romans 9:1 is unusual. By four types of vow or oath statements, the apostle verifies what he is saying. This is not because his yes and no are sometimes no and yes, but simply because of how wonderful is the work of grace that God has done in his heart to give him such love for the Jews. Becoming forgiving like this is a great work of great grace. Each of us should look to God to do it in our hearts, and conform us to Christ (cf. Luke 23:34), as He has done for Stephen (cf. Acts 7:60), Paul, and other believers for two millennia.

An agonizing grief. If Romans 9:2 is what it looks like when grace has laid hold of our hearts, then many of us should be crying out for more grace. The apostle by whom the Spirit commands us to “rejoice in the Lord always” (cf. Philippians 4:4) continually grieves with great sorrow for the lost. The greatest joy and the greatest sorrow ought to dwell together continually in our hearts.

An astonishing generosity. The apostle has just finished describing how salvation is determined in eternity and invincibly carried out in time (cf. Romans 8:27–39). But now he declares his hypothetical (“I could wish,” Romans 9:3) desire to give up his own salvation (“accursed for Christ”) for his relatives according to the flesh. This is, of course, something that is impossible for us to do. But it is also exactly what Christ has done for us. He was cursed for us (cf. Galatians 3:13)!

This self-sacrificial love puts to shame our prayerlessness for the lost. Christ was accursed for us, the apostle was willing to be accursed for others’ salvation, but we find ourselves too unwilling even to be inconvenienced to pray for it. Or to be thought fanatical or impolite to speak for it.

Two categories of those whom we should especially love this way. Paul describes the Jews two ways. First, they are his relatives according to the flesh. We have a special obligation to those to whom God’s providence connects us.

Second, the Jews are Israelites (Romans 9:4). And this he means primarily covenantally. “To whom pertain the adoption” (cf. Exodus 4:22–23; Hosea 11:1; Jeremiah 31:9). “The glory” (cf. Exodus 24:9–11, Exodus 24:16–18). “The covenants.” Notice the plural here; this is not only the Sinaitic covenant, but a recognition of the progression from Genesis 3 through Genesis 9, Genesis 12, Sinai, 2 Samuel 7, even unto Christ. God’s law, worship, and promises (Romans 9:4b) at Sinai all looked forward to Christ covenantally.

The Jews are also ethnically precious because of the eminent saints at the root of their tree (“the fathers,” Romans 9:5) and the infinitely glorious Branch Who grew from the stump of their tree (“from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came.”) We ought to love Abraham as a father in the faith (cf. Romans 4:11–12, Romans 4:16), and his descendants for his sake (this works for Jews and Arabs alike!). But how much more ought we to love the earthly family of those from whom the Ever-Blessed God was born according to the flesh (cf. Romans 1:3–4; Romans 1:25b)! Indeed, though some point out that it is possible to translate the end of Romans 9:5 differently, it is impossible to do so honestly, as it follows hard upon the heels of Romans 8:35–39.

We should care for the salvation of all who are perishing. But the Lord has placed upon us a special obligation to grieve over the perishing of our near relatives and of the Jews.

For whom, among your relatives, should you be looking for more grace in the heart to grieve over them continually? If you had this grace, for whom else would you especially grieving (both covenantally and ethnically)?

Sample prayer: Lord, we thank You for Your great mercy toward us. In that mercy, make us merciful to those who are perishing. Break our hearts for their salvation—especially for our family according to the flesh and for Christ’s family according to the flesh, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP126 “What Blessedness” or TPH405 “I Love They Kingdom, Lord”

Divinely Mandated Actions, Attitude, and Even Amplitude in Public Worship [Family Worship lesson in Psalm 95]

What does God command for public worship? Psalm 95 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eleven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord commands that public worship be joyous, reverent, and submissive. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2025.11.17 Hopewell @Home ▫ Psalm 95

Read Psalm 95

Questions from the Scripture text: What do Psalm 95:1–2 call for us to do? With what attitude, amplitude, and affection? Why (Psalm 95:3-5)? What posture and attitude do Psalm 95:6 command? Why (Psalm 95:7)? What else corresponds to an attitude of reverence (Psalm 95:7-9)? What are we provoking and doing to ourselves if we don’t hear the Word preached with intent, submissive hearts (Psalm 95:10-11)? 

What does God command for public worship? Psalm 95 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eleven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord commands that public worship be joyous, reverent, and submissive.

This Psalm addresses public worship, as indicated by all of the first person plural verbs and pronouns—which is important to us, because we know that God must be worshiped the way that He says and only in that way. What we find is that this “regulative principle” directs not only the primary actions of public worship (singing, Psalm 95:1-5; praying, Psalm 95:6-7; and preaching, (Psalm 95:7-111), but also the primary attitudes of public worship (rejoicing, reverence, and submission).

Rejoicing. Psalm 95:1-5 are LOUD. This singing is loud enough to be shouting—not the noise of war but of rejoicing. Thanksgiving. When even an unbeliever comes into some providence that he considers exceptionally momentous and favorable the response of joy is intense. How much more should the believer’s response be to the “Great God” and “Great King above all gods”—YHWH, Who has made Himself the Rock of our salvation?! God tells us that the way that we worship—especially the way that we SING in worship—should reflect the glorious greatness of the God Whom we are worshiping. These may be some of the commands for worship most disobeyed by those who hold to Scriptural worship. Let us commit to singing with joy and amplitude in the public worship of God. No half- hearted, hardly audible singing for us!

Reverent. Psalm 95:6-7 are humble, adoring, confident, and intimate. The three posture words in Psalm 95:6 are words of humbling oneself, not only in humiliation but adoration of someone great. However, the greatness is magnified by nearness. He is our Creator, our covenant God, our Shepherd. These terms describe a successively closer unity and intimacy with God. But each term also indicates an increasingly providing, protecting, and caring interest on His part for us. It is this nearness and care that takes the exceeding joy of Who God is and fuels the amazed, adoring, confident reverence for Who God is to us. Lack of humility and reverence in worship is indicative of a church culture in which the great glory and holiness of God is hardly known, and in which true nearness to Him is hardly known.

What are you doing during prayer? Are you bringing yourself low before Him? Are you enjoying that He is yours, and you are His, and His banner over you is love? Are you drawing confidence from how He has joined you to Himself? Are you drawing near as one for whom He manages all things to provide for you? Are you drawing near as one for whom He also provides through direct, personal contact?

Submissive. Psalm 95:7-11 now come with the third great affection that we should have toward God in public worship: submission. This follows not only from Who God is in Himself and Whom God has made Himself to be toward us, but also what God is doing in public worship. He is addressing us. This God of glory is addressing us. This covenant God Who has taken us for His own covenant people is addressing us.

What do you do during the preaching? Are you attending to His voice? Are you softening your heart? Are you intending to walk not wandering but in the way that He commands? Are you hearing Him as the One Who is bringing you into His rest (cf. Hebrews 3:7–4:10, Hebrews 12:25–28)?

Which of the attitudes commanded in this Psalm do you most need to improve upon in public worship?

Sample prayer: Lord, You are the great and glorious God, Who have taken us to be Your very own and have gathered us unto Yourself to address us. So give us the ministry of Your Spirit now, by Whom we would worship You with loud rejoicing, humble and intimate reverence, and submissive and responsive listening, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP184 “Adoration and Submission” or TPH95A “O Come before the LORD, Our King” 

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The Praise of His Glorious Grace [Family Worship lesson in Psalm 103]

For what do our souls exist? Psalm 103 looks forward to the morning sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty-two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that our souls exist for praising the God Who makes us objects of His steadfast love and tender mercy. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: This devotional unfolds Psalm 103 as a profound meditation on God’s boundless mercy, structured as a 'praise sandwich' with worshipful declarations framing two central themes: divine forgiveness for human wickedness and steadfast compassion in human weakness. Pastor emphasizes that God’s mercy, revealed most fully in His character as 'merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love,' is not based on human merit but on His eternal nature, as vast as the heavens above the earth. It is a mercy that removes sins as far as the east is from the west, redeeming believers from destruction and crowning them with lovingkindness, even as they are frail as grass and fleeting as a field flower. The devotional underscores that this mercy is both a present reality and an eternal covenant, extending to those who fear God, keep His commandments, and are adopted as His children, prompting all of creation—angels, saints, and the redeemed—to join in perpetual praise of His salvation and sustaining grace.

2025.11.15 Hopewell @Home ▫ Psalm 103

Read Psalm 103

Questions from the Scripture text: What or whom is the Psalmist commanding to bless the Lord (Psalm 103:1)? With how much of what is within him is he to obey this command? How many times does he give himself this command (Psalm 103:2a)? What is he not to forget (verse 2b)? What is the first benefit not to forgive (Psalm 103:3a)? What is the second (verse 3b)? The third (Psalm 103:4a)? The fourth (verse 4b)? What is one of the tender mercies of God (Psalm 103:5a)? What effect does it have (verse 5b)? What does the Lord do for the oppressed (Psalm 103:6)? What has He done for His people (Psalm 103:7)? What four aspects of His character does He highlight in Psalm 103:8? Of what does this make the Psalmist confident, with respect to the Lord’s anger (Psalm 103:9)? With respect to our sins and punishment (Psalm 103:10)? What point is Psalm 103:11 making about the greatness of God’s mercy? What point is Psalm 103:12 making about the completeness of His forgiveness? How does the Lord pity those who fear Him (Psalm 103:13)? What does He remember about us (Psalm 103:14)? What is the length and effect of a man’s life like (Psalm 103:15-16)? What two things in Psalm 103:17 have exactly the opposite length and effect? What are three characteristics of those who are recipients of this mercy and righteousness (Psalm 103:17-18)? Where is the Lord’s throne (Psalm 103:19), and how does this relate to man’s composition (cf. Psalm 103:14)? Upon whom does Psalm 103:20 call to praise Him? What does Psalm 103:21 call them? What do they have in common with the people from Psalm 103:17-18? Upon whom does Psalm 103:22a-b call to praise Him? Upon whom does the last line of the Psalm call to praise Him?

For what do our souls exist? Psalm 103 looks forward to the morning sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty-two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that our souls exist for praising the God Who makes us objects of His steadfast love and tender mercy.  

The Psalm teaches us, at its beginning (Psalm 103:1, Psalm 103:2a) and end (Psalm 103:22c), to command our own souls to bless the LORD. And, to that purpose, it calls upon us to remember all of His benefits (Psalm 103:2b). These benefits include the healing of all of our diseases (Psalm 103:3b), the redeeming of our lives from destruction (Psalm 103:4a), crowning us with steadfast love and compassion (Psalm 103:4b), satisfying our mouths with good things (Psalm 103:5a), and renewing our youth (verse 5b). How the Lord has loved us! And loving Him comes in response to His loving us (cf. 1 John 4:19). 

Ultimately, however, every other blessing of His love must come to us by way of the forgiveness of our sins (Psalm 103:3a). We are unworthy of the least benefit. But this unworthiness is overcome by the fact that the Lord loves to display the greatness of His compassion, His grace, His patience, and His mercy (Psalm 103:9). Believers are prime occasions for the display of these characteristics. Weak creatures, such as we are, need deliverance (Psalm 103:6). And sinners, such as we are, have need of higher-than-heavens unthwartable love (Psalm 103:11) and geographically immeasurable guilt removal (Psalm 103:12).

Every single blessing we receive shouts that God has not dealt with us according to our sins but according to His salvation—not according to our character but according to His. And so, let us not fail to praise and thank Him for even the least blessing. Unto people such as we are, the least blessing is an extension of the greatest grace!

So, He shows His gracious character not only in the fact/reality of our forgiveness, but in accommodating our great weakness (Psalm 103:14-16), in His great patience, long-suffering, mercy, and compassion (Psalm 103:13).

But man isn’t the only creature dwarfed by the God Whose praise is their purpose. Despite their comparative strength to us (Psalm 103:20a), the angels acknowledge that God is God and they are not, for they do His Word (verse 20b), heed His Word (verse 20c), comprise armies of servants (Psalm 103:21a-b), and do His pleasure (verse 21b). Indeed, all His works, everywhere, know that God is God, that it is His dominion, and so they praise Him (Psalm 103:22a-b).

So, it is the height of arrogance and wickedness whenever man, who is but dust—and who must return to that dust for his sin!—thinks that he is something. But our merciful God is a Forgiver of sinners (Psalm 103:8-12), even to the extent that when He forgives us, He transforms us—His mercy and righteousness produce in us our fear of Him (Psalm 103:17b), our living as those who are bound to Him by covenant (Psalm 103:18a), and our focus upon both understanding and doing whatever He commands (verse 18b). 

Praise be to God, Who exercises almighty power and bottomless mercy in bringing us back to the place where we live in hearty acknowledgement of the fact that He is God and we are not! And when He has done—and is doing—that work in us, we join the chorus of all creation from the mightiest angel to the lowliest creature. Do I have an eternal soul that He has redeemed? Then let me bless Him with it!

What ‘small’ blessings of yours could be frequent reminders of infinite grace? What evidences of God’s forgiving, transforming work do you see in your life? Under what circumstances, and how often, are you admonishing your own soul to give Him His due praise? When/how do you do so?

Sample prayer:  O Lord, we bless You with our very souls. You, Who forgive all our iniquities. You, Who heal all our diseases. You, Who redeem our life from destruction. You, Who crown us with steadfast love and tender mercies. You are merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is Your mercy to us who fear You. Come, and be praised in the assembly of Your servants, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP103B “Bless the LORD, My Soul” or TPH103C “Come, My Soul, and Bless the LORD”