Too Weak and Too Wicked [2026.04.26 Evening Sermon in Nahum 3:8–13]

We cannot count on eluding or withstanding God's judgment, but must instead turn from our sin and trust in His grace.

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From Christ, to Christ, through Christ [2026.04.26 Morning Sermon in Ephesians 1:1–2]

The triune God has devised salvation for His glory in His Son, and the giving and receiving of Scripture are part of that divine operation.

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Sacraments, New and Old [2026.04.26 Sabbath School lesson in WCF 27.4–5 — Hopewell 101]

There be only two sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord: neither of which may be dispensed by any but by a minister of the Word lawfully ordained. The sacraments of the old testament, in regard of the spiritual things thereby signified and exhibited, were, for substance, the same with those of the new. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

Truly Getting Out of Trouble [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 28:3–6]

Pastor teaches his family a selection from “the Proverb of the day.” In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that our greatest trouble is ourselves, and our true hope for deliverance is God Himself. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The devotional centers on the moral and spiritual imperative to uphold integrity, especially in times of hardship, drawing from Proverbs 28:3–6 to contrast the destructive path of the poor who exploit others with the enduring value of walking in God’s law. It warns that compromising righteousness—whether out of desperation or self-justification—aligns one with wickedness and blinds the heart to true justice, which is only understood through seeking YHWH. True integrity, is infinitely superior to wealth gained through deceit or rebellion, because it is the fruit of His transforming grace. Genuine righteousness is not self-achieved but is a gift from God, so those who walk in His ways, even in poverty, are blessed both now and eternally. Ultimately, believers must reject self-reliance and worldly solutions, trusting instead in Christ’s righteousness as the only foundation for lasting freedom and true prosperity.

Profile of an Upright Man [Family Worship lesson in Job 1:1–5

Who is Job? Job 1:1–5 prepares us for the opening portion of public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Job is a man whose life shows that God’s grace really works. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The opening verses of Job present a portrait of genuine faith rooted in reverence for God and a deep hatred of evil. Despite his prosperity, Job feared God, sanctifying his family after their feasts and offering regular burnt sacrifices, demonstrating awareness of sin’s danger. His actions reveal a profound understanding that joy and abundance are not inherently opposed to godliness, but they demand vigilant spiritual stewardship to prevent the heart from drifting from God. The passage underscores that authentic religion is not merely outward righteousness but an inward posture of worship through Christ.

2026.04.28 Hopewell @Home ▫ Job 1:1–5

Read Job 1:1–5

Questions from the Scripture text: Who was where (Job 1:1)? What sort of man was he? What did he do with God? What did he do with evil? Whom did God give him (Job 1:2)? What did he possess (Job 1:3)? What did these possessions make him? What would his sons do (Job 1:4)? When? With whom? What would Job do (Job 1:5)? When? In what manner? Why?

Who is Job? Job 1:1–5 prepares us for the opening portion of public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Job is a man whose life shows that God’s grace really works.

As we begin the book of Job, we are reminded that the gospel has been present in the world since the garden, the promise that there would be a seed of the woman who would crush the serpent's head (cf. Gen 3:15), and that we are all descended from the gospel family, not only from Adam, but also from the family of Noah at the time of the flood. Thus, there is the promise of the God who conquers Satan and death through a promised Redeemer. As we move through the book of Job, we will discover that this was Job's hope. Even in our passage today, as he offers the burnt offering, we see that he is hoping in the promised Redeemer.

An upright man. God’s grace has made Job a blameless man with unimpeachable conduct and upright character. This is genuine, both because God Himself is the One Who says it, and because it is joined to true religion. There are men who appear to others to be blameless and upright, but they are not worshipers of God from the heart. They do not fear the Lord in constant interaction with Him throughout their life, day by day. But Job feared God. He maintained a continual heart conversation of worship toward God throughout his entire life. Job 1:1 also tells us that he shunned evil. He hated evil, and thus his religion was genuine. It was genuine spiritual life, produced by God’s grace, which resulted in blamelessness and uprightness in him.

This is very important for us to remember. He will spend much of the book defending himself against those who accused his blamelessness and uprightness of being merely appearances, and who were certain that there must be some secret sin for which Job was being punished. Yet the Lord presents him, from the very beginning, as an example of what genuine heart religion looks like when expressed in life.

A wealthy man. He was a very wealthy man, not only because of the possessions and servants mentioned in Job 1:3, but especially because of his children—seven sons and three daughters (Job 1:2). And these children were also godly. Their feasting was of the sort to which they could invite their sisters (Job 1:4), and so upright that the stated purpose of the sacrifice was just in case something in their heart life was inconsistent with their outward, godly conduct (Job 1:5).

A spiritually wise man. Job knew—and we too should know, if we wish to fear God and shun evil as this blameless and upright man did—that there is a particular danger of forgetting God precisely when we are wealthy, when we are feasting, and when we are celebrating. It is not that feasting is wrong, but that feasting can become an occasion for indulging in worldliness and neglecting the Lord.

Job waited for each son’s feast to end. Apparently, they followed a regular sequence, with each son hosting in turn. First, Job would send and sanctify them. He was a man who had trained his extended family well in spiritual matters, ensuring they did not approach the worship of God without thought or preparation—by meditating on what God has revealed of Himself, by putting their affairs in order so that they might not be distracted during worship, by reflection: on what they need to repent of, on God’s grace, on the promised salvation, and on how love, obedience, and service to God should appear in their lives. We did not grow up in Job’s house, but we would do well to learn from him to sanctify ourselves for worship.

With the family consecrated, he would rise early in the morning and offer the ascension (“burnt offering”) according to the number of them all. He would lead them all in worship to God, teaching them that whenever we come to God through sacrifice, and especially we who come not through the blood of bulls and goats, but through the promised sacrifice of the serpent-crusher (what would be the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ!). This sobering reality reminds us of the seriousness of sin and reveals God’s goodness, kindness, and grace. His goodness to us in Christ is the great incentive to love, obedience, and righteousness in our lives. Genuine worship, coming through Christ, is the best means of helping us live in the fear of the Lord.

This spiritual provision was much more of an inheritance and a heritage for his children than 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 oxen, and so on. The children are about to lose all of these things, and their very lives, but they will still have the Redeemer.

Job himself is a testimony that God's grace to sinful man has been effective and successful. This will be the great theme, not just of the contest with Satan that we are going to hear about in the following passages, but of the whole book as Job agonizes. Is God's grace real? Am I really forgiven? Am I really redeemed? Or is God treating me as an enemy? And what we discover in the book as a whole is that this is how God treats His friends in this world—with a view to the next.

How do you watch against the spiritual dangers of prosperity? How do you consecrate yourself for worship?

Sample prayer: Lord, we see here how great Your grace was to this very rich man, and we ask that You would be gracious to us too. Make us spiritually genuine, fearing You and hating evil. Make us spiritually wise, aware of those occasions and circumstances that are a danger to our soul. And make us quick to come to You through Christ, preparing ourselves for Your worship and worshiping You through Him, we ask in His name. Amen!

Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH405 “I Love Thy Kingdom Lord”

Safely Content and Diligent in Our Place [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 27:8]

Pastor teaches his family a selection from “the Proverb of the day.” In this verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the best place to be is to be content and diligent in the place God has assigned to us. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The devotional centers on the biblical warning from Proverbs 27:8 that a person who wanders from their appointed place is like a bird forsaking its nest—endangered by his misalignment with divine design. Departing from God-given assignments through discontentment, pride, or covetousness leads to spiritual peril. Rather than viewing these roles as burdens, the message calls for contentment and joy in faithful service, recognizing that true safety and fulfillment are found not in shifting roles but in abiding in God Himself. The ultimate 'place' is not a location, but a relationship with God, Who is our refuge and dwelling. The devotional concludes with a prayer for grace to remain steadfast in the life and calling God has provided, rejecting all temptations to wander.

Right with God through Christ's Redemption [Children's Catechism 50—Theology Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Children's Catechism question 50—especially explaining how God makes sinners right with Himself.

Q50. What is justification? It is God's forgiving sinners, and treating them as if they had never sinned. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: Justification is God's act of declaring sinners righteous solely by His grace, through faith in Christ, not by any works of the law. It arises from the recognition that all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory, making a divine payment necessary for the offense against His infinite worth. Christ, as the propitiation through His blood, fully bore God's wrath and satisfied divine justice, enabling God to forgive sins and treat believers not merely as if they had never sinned, but according to the perfect righteousness of Christ. Even in final glorification, believers remain justified not by their own righteousness, but solely by Christ's, Who is their own by faith.

The Wise Will Judge and Rebuke [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 24:23–25]

How must wickedness be answered? Proverbs 24:23–25 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that wickedness must be judged by authorities and rejected by all. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: This passage calls for impartiality in judgment, emphasizing that favoritism—especially toward the wicked—is fundamentally contrary to divine justice. It contrasts the condemnation of those who falsely declare the wicked righteous with the blessing promised to those who faithfully rebuke evil. Ultimately, the passage points to the necessity of the Gospel, as only through divine regeneration can individuals and communities be transformed to delight in righteousness and oppose evil with courage and unity. The call is to live before God’s face, judging with His justice, which is only possible through faith in Christ and the power of His Spirit.

2026.04.27 Hopewell @Home ▫ Proverbs 24:23–25

 Read Proverbs 24:23–25

Questions from the Scripture text: How does Proverbs 24:23a introduce this next section (Proverbs 24:23–34)? What is not good to in judgment (Proverbs 24:23b)? What might someone say to whom (Proverbs 24:24a)? And what will the people do to him (Proverbs 24:24b)? And what will the nations do (Proverbs 24:24c)? What else might people do to the wicked (Proverbs 24:25a)? What will these have? What will come upon them (Proverbs 24:25b)?

How must wickedness be answered? Proverbs 24:23–25 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that wickedness must be judged by authorities and rejected by all.

This is a new section, after the thirty sayings. These, too, “belong to the wise” —especially those who are in authority. The first subsection (Proverbs 24:23–25) is about how to act in judgment, concerning the wicked. Will the wicked be falsely told, “You are righteous,” (Proverbs 24:24)? Or will the wicked be rebuked (Proverbs 24:25)? The passage takes us from the former, which is not good (Proverbs 24:23b, showing partiality in judgment), to the latter, which is good (Proverbs 24:25b, the blessing that will come upon the rebuker).

First, then, it is not good to “recognize faces” (literally) in judgment. Judgment should be according to truth, not favoritism toward either great or small. To the wicked you should say, “you are wicked,” and punish them for their wickedness. To the righteous you should say, “you are righteous,” and vindicate them for their righteousness. Notice how much depends on the judge. If justice is corrupted, the entire community is harmed: the people curse him (Proverbs 24:24b), and even nations abhor him (Proverbs 24:24c).

For his wicked deeds, a man must be declared guilty and punished. But there is hope that, before he reaches judgment, the wicked may be corrected through rebuke. Those (plural!) who rebuke will have delight. Judgment belongs to the authority (singular in Proverbs 24:24), but the opportunity to rebuke falls to many (Proverbs 24:25).

Wickedness will not be overcome in a household by the head of the household alone opposing it. Wickedness will not be overcome in a community or a nation by only the judges opposing it. Everyone must oppose wickedness. Godliness must be honored and given a good reputation by the whole community. Wickedness must be frowned upon, rejected, and rebuked by all, if there is to be the delight and the good blessing described in Proverbs 24:25. A whole culture of godliness is needed for the enjoyment of this favor. And even one biased or corrupted authority can cause great harm, as seen in Proverbs 24:24.

Therefore, we see how greatly we need the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. For it takes a miracle of God to change a person. Although, in God’s common grace, some of the blessings of just judgment can be seen, and such justice may be upheld for a time, we now live in a society where genuine Christianity has become a minority—even in the professing church. As a result, we have lost the cultural momentum of being a people who love righteousness. We have lost much of the Proverbs 24:25 blessing of good that comes upon such a nation.

So there is good instruction here for how to operate our own household or our own community—to the extent that we have authority in it.

But there is also great cause for us to cry out to God for His Spirit to come and bless the preaching of His Word, for the Lord to send gospel preachers—and by the preaching of the gospel to give the faith that comes by hearing.

It is by His saving a multitude of those whom He brings into faith in Jesus Christ, that we may hope for Him to make us a people who rebuke wickedness and take delight in righteousness. Otherwise, we will be a people who are wicked, not only doing those things, but as the end of Romans 1 says, approving of those who do wickedness, and bring a curse upon ourselves.

Ultimately, when the people curse in Proverbs 24:24, it is implied that the Lord will be the one who executes the curse. And if a good blessing is to come, as stated in Proverbs 24:25, it too must be from the Lord. We ought to live as those who are before His face. We ought to judge as those who are before His face. And we can only do that well and correctly by the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, as those who are right with God in Him and who are being made to be like Him.

Over whom has God made you judge? What wickedness could you be rebuking or refusing, instead of tolerating?

Sample prayer: Father, we ask that You would give us those who sit in judgment and are not recognizers of faces or respecters of persons, but who judge with righteous judgment. And we pray that whenever we are in authority, You would give us the ability to judge righteously. And we pray that You would do a great saving work in our land and our time, by which we would become again a people who favor godliness and uprightness as Your Word describes it. Grant this by Your saving power, through the preaching and believing of the gospel of Christ, we ask in His name. Amen!

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