Hopewell ARP Church is a Biblical, Reformed, Presbyterian church, serving the Lord in Culleoka, TN, since 1820. Lord's Day Morning, set your gps to arrive by 11a.m. at 3886 Hopewell Road, Culleoka, TN 38451
Read Psalm 149
Questions from the Scripture text: Whom shall we praise (Psalm 149:1)? What shall we sing? Where? In whom is Israel to rejoice (Psalm 149:2)? In whom must the children of Zion be joyful? What aspects of the worship led by Levitical priests are named in Psalm 149:3? In whom does the Lord take pleasure (Psalm 149:4)? With what does He beautify the humble (verse 4)? In what should saints be joyful (Psalm 149:5)? What should they do on their beds? What should be in their mouths (Psalm 149:6)? And what should be in their hands? For what purpose (Psalm 149:7-9a)? Which of the Lord’s saints have this honor?
What does the assembly of praising saints enjoy? Psalm 149 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these nine verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the assembly of praising saints enjoys the pleasure of the Lord and the power of the Lord.
This is a Psalm about corporate worship—the praise of the Lord in the assembly of the saints.
Yes, it’s a praise that continues to resound in their hearts and mouths even when they are at home on their beds (Psalm 149:5).
But it is something that distinctly belongs to the assembly (Psalm 149:1), as evidenced by the reference to the specifically Levite-led activities of Psalm 149:3.
We, of course, are no longer led by Levites in a temple on earth, but we ourselves are the temple, and we are led by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the Great High Priest over the congregation in glory! Therefore, the joy of the song is not diminished, but rather increased—as the saints are joyful in glory.
In particular, we now know how it can even be that YHWH Himself takes pleasure in us in Psalm 149:4 (!!).
It is because we come to Him through His beloved Son, with Whom He is well pleased.
He delights in His Son, and He delights in us who are in His Son!
But not only do we have the privilege of a great reception on High, week by week in this life. We also have the privilege of a great power on earth.
Which of the Lord’s saints wield this great sword to which Psalm 149:6-9 refer?
All His saints. Psalm 149:9 says, “This honor have ALL His saints.”
Now, we know that not all His saints carry physical swords by which they subjugate rulers.
But, just as our worship must come from God and not be merely the worship of men, so also our weapons are the weapons of God.
As we believe the Scripture together, and confess it in worship, and admonish one another with it, and teach it to our children, we are participating in the subjugation of all the nations, which shall surely be accomplished by God’s mighty Word.
And, we have the privilege, as we depart worship each week, of carrying His high praise in our mouths, and His sword in our hands. Hallelujah!
How do you know that God takes pleasure in You in the public worship? What power do you have?
Sample prayer: Lord, we praise You, Who have made us. We rejoice in You, our King. We marvel that You take pleasure in us, as in Your beloved Son, with Whom You are well pleased. Grant that we would take Your praise into the rest of our lives, especially as You give us to conquer the world through ordinary, faithful Christianity. Thank You for giving this honor to all of Your saints. Grant it to us, we ask, through Christ, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP149B “O Praise the Lord, O Sing Aloud” or TPH149B “O Praise Ye the Lord”
Read Proverbs 15:13–19
Questions from the Scripture text: What sort of heart has what effect in Proverbs 15:13a? But what sort of heart has what other effect in verse 13b? Whose heart seeks what in Proverbs 15:14a? But what do fools employ instead of the heart (verse 14b)? Upon what does it feed? How many of the afflicted’s days are evil (Proverbs 15:15a)? What is the condition of the heart in verse 15b? How often does it feast? What are the two combinations in Proverbs 15:16? Which is better? What are the wo combinations in Proverbs 15:17? Which is better? What two types of men does Proverbs 15:18 describe? What differing effects do they produce? What two types of men does Proverbs 15:19 describe? How does their character determine their experiences?
What can make someone happy in his circumstances? Proverbs 15:13–19 looks forward to the sermon in the midweek meeting this week. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that happiness is gained not by improved circumstances but by godliness with contentment, the fear of the Lord.
The thread that ties this section together is how one’s character actually shapes his circumstances or his experience of them.
In Proverbs 15:13-15, it’s not differing circumstances, but different dispositions of the heart that make someone either glad or miserable. The merry heart is the understanding heart. It has a continual fest in the knowledge that it seeks, and it is glad in every circumstance. The sorrowful/afflicted heart lets its mouth run out ahead of it. Because it feeds on foolishness, it does not enjoy the sumptuous fare of a feast. Instead, its spirit is broken, and it finds every day evil.
In Proverbs 15:16, the fear of the Lord makes what little one might have into a blessing. But is absence makes any amount that one might have into a problem. The more that the godless has, the worse. What is true vertically, with the first table of the law and the first great commandment in verse 16, has its counterpart horizontally, with the second table of the law and the second great commandment in Proverbs 15:17. This verse is not praising vegetarianism; it says that when there is love in the place, even being vegetarian can be overcome! But there is no quality or quantity of food that can be a blessing in the midst of hating and being hated.
In Proverbs 15:18, strife does not come from the circumstances but from the type of man that is involved—either wrathful or slow to anger. And in Proverbs 15:19, one finds his path painful, or safe and secure, not because of the features in the path itself but due to his own constitution: whether he is lazy or upright.
In all of these ways, we see the difference that the fear of the Lord makes in one’s life. It is more of a blessing than if one’s circumstances could be dramatically altered. For, the chief thing in every situation is to know Him and to receive the good from His hand, in whatever particulars His love and wisdom agree together to give to us.
This is not only the effect of a right attitude, but also because of differences that the fear of the Lord make in one’s character, such as his seeking knowledge, being slow to anger, and being diligent. Such character qualities change the actual circumstances, which is a blessing compounded by the contentment of the heart that fears the Lord.
Dear reader, you may be tempted to think that if this or that thing in your circumstances changed, you would be happier. But the truth is that if you, yourself, were changed, to fear the Lord more, then you would be happier.
What changes to your circumstances are you tempted to think would make you happier? But what are some specific things, mentioned in this passage, that actually need to change, for you to be happier?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for giving to us to fear You and to know Your goodness to us. Grant that we would be content with You, and that as You conform us by Your Spirit to the character of Christ, You would make us to find ourselves filled with the joy of Christ, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH128B “Blest the Man Who Fears Jehovah”
Read Matthew 20:1–16
Questions from the Scripture text: With what word does v1 begin? What is this passage explaining (cf. 19:30)? What is being compared? To whom? Where did this landowner go? When? To do what? What agreement did he reach (v2)? Where did he send them? When did he go out in v3? What did he see? What did he tell them to do (v4)? What does he say that he will give them? What do they do? At what other times does he do this (v5)? And even at what time (v6)? What does he find at that time? What does he ask him? What do they answer (v7)? What does he tell them to do? Again, what does he promise to give them? What comes in v8? Who tells whom to do what? With whom does he say to begin? Who come in v9? What do they receive? Who come in v10? What do they expect? What do they receive? What do they do, when they have received it (v11)? What do they complain about the other men (v12)? What do they complain about their own service? What does the landowner call one of them (v13)? What does he say that he has not done them? According to what standard? What does he tell them to take (v14)? Where does he tell them to go? What does he say about himself? What two rhetorical questions does he ask in v15? What is the implied answer to each? Who knew themselves to have the least to offer (“the last,” v16)? What do they end up receiving, in their understanding of the landowner himself? Who thought they had the most to offer (the “first”)? What do they end up receiving, in their understanding and rejection of him?
What is the nature of the rewards of the kingdom? Matthew 20:1–16 prepares us for the sermon in the morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these sixteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the rewards of the kingdom are given not by merit, but by grace.
The workers who were first invited had the most information. They knew exactly what they were promised. But they responded to the agreement that was offered them by presuming that they were earning what they were being given. Those who went out later had a less precise knowledge of what was agreed upon, but they go out trusting Him to do what is right (v4). They are encouraged to do so by the character of the landowner, who had sought them in compassion, to give them a reward. They are glad to work for Him, but they do not think they are worthy of what they receive. They expect that it will be of grace.
None of them are receiving what they deserve. By implication, not even the first group that works the twelve hours. The pattern of the rest of the day makes it plain that even they are receiving, not upon the basis of what they deserve, but upon the basis of what he generously wishes to give. The theme in the passage as a whole comes in v15: that all of the giving is coming based upon the goodness of God (“because I am good”).
When it comes time to pay them, starting with the last is not a “gotcha.” It’s a lesson in how to perceive/understand the reward that is given. As they see men being paid obviously more than they deserve, it should become apparent that this is always the case. Reward is not merited but dispensed from the good pleasure of the landowner’s generosity.
As they see that reward is not of merit, but of grace, they ought to be more grateful to be participating in such a wonderful thing, rather than less grateful because the quantity that they receive is the same as others. The proper response is to rejoice to be called to do this work, in this place, because it belongs to this person. The person himself is the best gift in the situation.
There are two complaints that legalists make, which are communicated in v12. The first complaint is that they are not treated better than the others to whom they consider themselves superior. The second complaint is that they are mistreated by God, by being rewarded less than they deserve.
Many are offered this gospel of grace. This is the external call of the gospel. But only those who conclude that it is all of grace, with reward infinitely greater than could ever be earned, are those who had been chosen by grace.
To what service have you been called in the Lord’s kingdom? What is your greatest reward in the kingdom? What other reward might you receive? Upon what principle (merit or grace) do you receive these rewards? How should this impact your view of the giver and of your rewards?
Sample prayer: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank You for coming to us in compassion and calling us into Your household to labor and be rewarded. We are worthy of no good thing, but we praise the generosity of Your grace that You reward us anyway. Give us humble, thankful hearts always, we ask through Christ, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP73C “Yet Constantly, I Am With You” or TPH73C “In Sweet Communion, Lord, with Thee”
Read Deuteronomy 5:16
Questions from the Scripture text: What one-word command begins Deuteronomy 5:16? Whom does it command to honor? Who had previously commanded this (cf. Exodus 20:12)? What was His covenant relation to them? That what may be long? And that what else may happen? Where? Who was giving it to them? What was His covenant relation to them?
What are we to do with authority and why? Deuteronomy 5:16 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In this verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord starts us out with the best of authorities, so that we will learn to honor authorities as part of His means of bringing us into the blessings that He has promised us.
There is no authority except that it comes from God (cf. Romans 13:1). Sometimes, this is harder to see than others, so the Lord has designed to give us a good start in honoring and obeying authority. The first authorities He gives us to deal with are father and mother. Those from whose flesh we have come, and who, by natural affection, would sacrifice themselves for us. Sadly, there are those parents who lack natural affection for their children and thus do violence to this commandment. And there are parents who lack wisdom to see the needfulness of the authority over their children, and thus deprive them of the designed benefits.
Just as with the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 10th commandments, the 5th focuses especially upon the heart. The Lord Jesus would plainly teach that all of God’s law was to be obeyed first and foremost from the heart. Indeed, all of Scripture teaches that.
Here, it is important to see that this is much more than a commandment to obey. It is a commandment to honor. To treat father and mother as weighty. Worthy of respect. It’s the word that is even most commonly used to convey the idea of “glory.”
When parents and children fulfill their God-given roles, they enjoy a provision that helps turn our hearts to the Lord from the youngest age. And when the church and society are full of such life-long-trained appreciators of authority, then those who come into other seats of authority do so with fatherly affection and service unto those entrusted to their care.
When sin is resisted, so that abuse of authority is restrained, and the heeding of this good authority is maintained with respect and affection, the result in the state or church is the benefit of all.
The LORD had given them to have Him as their covenant God.
The LORD was giving them the land to which they were coming.
And the LORD had given them authority structure, beginning in the household, beginning from birth, by which to prosper them in that land.
The provision of the commandment itself is highlighted here, in Deuteronomy 5, by the addition of “as YHWH Your God has commanded you.” The commandment itself is a gracious gift.
Resisting authority and abusing authority were two core components of the curse upon fallen humanity (cf. Genesis 3:16). Now the Lord assures His people that part of His gracious covenant with them was that as they depended upon Him to conform their hearts to His law, He would bless the keeping of that law unto their good in home, church, and state. If we hope to see His blessing upon us, we must recognize that resistance to authority is ingrained in the fleshliness of the old man, and watch against it by fostering not only obedience but grace-sustained honoring.
What authorities do you have the most difficulty honoring? What would honoring them more look like? What authority roles, if any, do you have? In them, how are you aiming at the good of those under you?
Sample prayer: Lord, we thank You for taking us to Yourself as Your very own people, and for promising to give us every good thing along with You. Forgive us when we forget that You are behind every authority. Many of them are evil, but they are not a terror to us, since You rule and overrule them for our good. Help us to honor them as lesser authorities under You, so that all our obedience comes from obeying You, and all our disobedience to them also comes from obeying You. So, give us grace to maintain humble spirits, wisdom to discern, and integrity to live consistently, in Jesus’s Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP73C “Yet Constantly I Am With You” or TPH550 “Let Children Hear the Mighty Deeds”