Royally Wise [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 20:2–8]

How does wise authority bless us? Proverbs 20:2–8 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that wise authorities motivate us to be wise. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audiot: the devotional emphasizes that wise authority—whether civil, familial, or spiritual—functions as a divine instrument to turn people from folly to wisdom, exemplified by the certainty of a king’s judgment, which mirrors God’s perfect justice. Examples of this transformation are the rejection of quarrelsomeness, the cultivation of peacemaking, the avoidance of laziness, and the discernment of one’s own heart. Pastor underscores that true faithfulness and righteousness are rare, rooted in God’s grace, and that the ultimate model of wisdom is Christ, Who alone embodies perfect integrity, faithfulness, and authority. As a result, believers are called to live with humility, diligence, and peace, knowing that their lives are under the sovereign rule of the King of Kings.

2025.12.22 Hopewell @Home ▫ Proverbs 20:2–8

Read Proverbs 20:2–8

Questions from the Scripture text: Whose wrath is like what (Proverbs 20:2a)? What does who do to himself (verse 2b)? What is honorable for a man to do (Proverbs 20:3a)? Who is compared to whom (verse 3b)? Why does the lazy man claim he’s not plowing (Proverbs 20:4a)? What will he do, when (verse 4b)? What is there in a man’s heart (Proverbs 20:5a)? What is it like? Who will do what (verse 5b)? What will most men do (Proverbs 20:6a)? Who is hard to find (verse 6b)? How does the righteous man walk (Proverbs 20:7a)? Who are happy (verse 7b)? Where does a king sit (Proverbs 20:8a)? What does he scatter (verse 8b)? With what?

How does wise authority bless us? Proverbs 20:2–8 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that wise authorities motivate us to be wise.  

Solomon has been teaching us the needfulness of discipline. Now he turns, and by the bookends (Proverbs 20:2, Proverbs 20:8) of this next section, we see that the subject is the king, the needfulness and usefulness of having a good civil magistrate. We are helped against folly by the inevitability of the king's wrath (Proverbs 20:2). The king scatters all evil with his eyes (Proverbs 20:8). Between these two bookends, we have a comparison between folly and wisdom. 

The first part of that folly is being quarrelsome (Proverbs 20:3b). Those who diffuse quarrels (verse 3a) will be called sons of God (cf. Matthew 5:9). 

A second sort of folly, from which good authority turns us, is laziness (Proverbs 20:4a). Not only does the fool beg, but he still has nothing (verse 4b). He doesn’t image God, or imitate Christ (cf. John 5:17), and he is a drain upon the society of the king.

A third sort of fool is the plotter or the conniver. We need the mirror (James 1:23) and scalpel (Hebrews 4:12) of the Word to reveal the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. We need the ministry of the Holy Spirit. We must be skilled to discern our own hearts, if we are going to be able to help others (cf. Matthew 7:5), especially as authorities (Proverbs 20:8). 

Sadly, most men do not do this; they credit themselves with being as good as God (Proverbs 20:6a), when faithful men are actually very few. These faithful walk blamelessly (Proverbs 20:7a), and are blessings not only to themselves but to generations (verse 7b). Which is why, wise authority is so needful (Proverbs 20:8a), and why wise authorities weed out all evil from their domains (verse 8b).

What authorities in your life are helping you to be wise? Over whom do you have authority, or do you hope to one day? How are you pursuing wisdom for them? How does Christ’s authority motivate you to be wise? 

Sample prayer:  Lord, we pray that You would draw out of our hearts the fleshly counsel that is there, so that we may be quarrel stoppers, diligent, discerning, and humble. Give us good authorities, under Christ's ultimate authority, we ask in His Name. Amen!

Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH72A “O God, Your Judgments Give the King”

2025.12.14 Lord's Day Livestreams (live at 10:10a, 11:10a, and 3p)

To tune in for the Lord's Day streams, we recommend that you visit the livestream page.

Betrayal Prophesied [Family Worship lesson in Matthew 26:14–25]

What do we learn about Jesus’s betrayal? Matthew 26:14–25 looks forward to the morning sermon in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twelve verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we are to see treachery, sovereignty, obedience, and sinfulness, as we consider Jesus’s betrayal. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: This devotional centers on the prophesied betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot, revealing profound truths about divine sovereignty, human treachery, and Christ’s willing obedience. The betrayal is marked by deep treachery, as one of Jesus’s closest disciples, part of His household and family, conspires against Him, highlighting the gravity of apostasy within the covenant community. Yet Jesus affirms that His death is not a tragic accident but the fulfillment of Scripture, demonstrating God’s sovereign plan and Christ’s intentional obedience to the Father’s will. The scene also exposes the brazen nature of sin, as Judas, having heard Jesus’s solemn warning and even the curse upon the betrayer, still proceeds with his betrayal, revealing the deceptive and self-justifying character of unrepentant evil. Ultimately, the passage calls believers to profound self-examination, humility, and reliance on Christ’s righteousness, recognizing that only through His grace can we be cleansed from our capacity for such betrayal and made obedient like Him.

2025.12.20 Hopewell @Home ▫ Matthew 26:14–25

Read Matthew 26:14–25

Questions from the Scripture text: One of whom is acting (v14)? Which one? To whom did he go? What does he want to know about what they are willing to do (v15)? What does he propose to do? What do they weigh out to him? What does he begin to do (v16)? What day is it in v17? Who come to Whom? What do they ask Him? Where does He say to go (v18)? Whom are they to find? What are they to say to him? How does this go (v19)? What time is it in v20? What does Jesus do with whom? What are they doing in v21? About whom does Jesus speak? What will one of them do? How do they respond (v22)? What do each of them begin to do? What does Jesus now add about the betrayer (v23)? Who is going to die (v24)? According to what? But what does He say about the betrayer—what would have been better for that man? Who speaks in v25? What is he literally in the process of doing? What does he “ask”? How does Jesus answer? 

What do we learn about Jesus’s betrayal? Matthew 26:14–25 looks forward to the morning sermon in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twelve verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we are to see treachery, sovereignty, obedience, and sinfulness, as we consider Jesus’s betrayal.

Treachery. The Jews could attack Jesus, but only a disciple could betray Him. He is “one of the twelve” (v14), who should have been serving Him (v17, 19), and counted as His own household with whom He would keep the Passover (v18). He was “one of you” (v21). He was one “who dipped his hand with Me in the dish” (v23). The passage emphasizes the treachery. The closer we are to Christ, whether spiritually, or even just covenantally, the more grievous are our sins against Him. There are ways that only professing believers can sin against Him.

Sovereignty. In the midst of all of this, Jesus performs an “unnecessary” miracle with respect to the location for their Passover (v18–19). Its purpose is to emphasize His sovereignty over His own betrayal. He Himself does that by referring to the Scriptures (v24) that He has given by His Spirit (cf. 1Pet 1:11). The Jews may be conspiring, and Judas betraying, but Jesus is sovereign over it all. No one takes His life from Him; He has authority to lay it down (cf. Jn 10:18). Jesus’s death must be an intentional act of God, in order for it to atone and save.

Obedience. Even while emphasizing His sovereignty over His betrayal, with respect to His divinity, Jesus also emphasizes His obedience in His betrayal, with respect to His humanity. He “goes just as it is written of Him” (v24). He is intentionally, resolutely going to do what the Scriptures say. We must marvel at this obedience, and rejoice that it is reckoned unto our righteousness through faith in Him. 

Sinfulness. We see the deceitfulness and brazenness of sin. The disciples realize that sin is deceitful, and that Jesus knows their susceptibility to it better than they do (v22). But it is also brazen. Right after hearing Jesus’s curse upon the betrayer (v24), Judas pretends that he is just like the rest of them (v25), even while he is actively looking for his chance to betray Him (v16). His sinfulness has no fear and no shame. How deceitful, fearless, and shameless is sin!

How are your sins against Jesus more treacherous than sins of those who don’t know Him, or identify with Him? What situations do you most need to remember that Christ is sovereign over? How is Christ’s obedience important to you? For what, in your life, is it especially an example to you? How is your sin deceitful? About what sins do you most need to fear more or feel more shame?

Sample prayer: Father, we thank You that what You have willed to give for the life of the world is Your Son; and that He has willingly given Himself; and that Your Spirit gladly applies His salvation to us. And, we pray for the grace of Your Holy Spirit to do this to us and in us, even by making use of Your Word, and this time that we have just spent in it. For we ask it in Jesus's name. Amen.

 Suggested Songs: ARP2 “Why Do Gentile Nations Rage” or TPH98A “O Sing a New Song to the Lord”

Love that Leaps Mountains [Family Worship lesson in Song of Songs 2:8–17]

What can help a backslider? Song of Songs 2:8–17 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these ten verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord powerfully and eagerly overcomes His bride’s separation from Him. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The passage presents a portrait of Christ’s unwavering faithfulness amid the believer’s experience of spiritual distance, using the imagery of a Beloved Who, though seemingly hidden, is actively pursuing and restoring His bride. Central to the message is the assurance that Christ’s voice—revealed through Scripture, preaching, and the work of His church—is the primary means by which He overcomes every obstacle. Despite the believer’s perceived unworthiness or failure, Christ continues to call her 'My love, My fair one, My dove,' affirming her beauty and value in His eyes, not by her condition, but by His grace. The call to 'rise and come away' is both a command and a promise, rooted in Christ’s sovereign power to revive and restore, transforming the most barren season into springtime of renewal. The passage culminates in a heartfelt prayer for Christ to remain ever-present, overcoming all barriers until the final day when shadows flee and His presence is fully experienced.

2025.12.19 Hopewell @Home ▫ Song of Songs 2:8–17

Read Song of Songs 2:8–17

Questions from the Scripture text: Whose voice does she hear (v8a)? What is He doing (v8b)? In what manner (v8c–9a)? Who is able to see whom (v9b–d)? Whose speech does she recall in v10–15? What does He call her (v10, 13, 14)? What does He tell her to do (v10, 13)? What are the current conditions (v11–13)? How does He overcome her shyness (v14)? What does the Bridegroom tell others to do (v15a)? Even which ones (v15b)? What has the bride realized in v16? Whom does she ask to fulfill the truth that she has learned (v17, cf. v8–9)? 

What can help a backslider? Song of Songs 2:8–17 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these ten verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Lord powerfully and eagerly overcomes His bride’s separation from Him. 

The situation in these verses is very different from the situation in the passage immediately preceding it. The bridegroom and the bride had been in close fellowship. Here, He seems distant. And this is the experience of Christians in this world. We go through seasons of backsliding or of coldness towards Him, or where it seems that He is hidden or invisible or obscured.

Happily, the bulk of the passage is on what the Bridegroom is doing and what the Bridegroom is saying, so that we may know that, however inconsistent our behavior towards Jesus is, and however inconsistent our experience of the Lord Jesus is, the Lord Jesus's behavior towards us, and thoughts and affections towards us, are perfectly consistent and wonderful. 

Note then at the beginning of the passage, how the Lord makes himself known to us consistently, continually, especially by his voice. The way that she observes him leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills, overcoming the obstacles between him and her, between her and him, and coming to her is by means of his voice: “The voice of my beloved!” 

What this means for us is that, whereas we know that we always need to be hearing the voice of the Lord Jesus, especially we need it, when Christ seems distant, when Christ seems invisible to us. It is then that we most need to read our Bibles, and especially sit under faithful preaching.

Look at Who is the one doing all of the moving here (v8–9). The difficulty is in us and in our circumstances. But the solution is not in us. We have a responsibility (v10–13). We need to listen to Him and do what He says. But we see that the effectiveness of it is not by means of our rising and coming away. The effectiveness of overcoming the distance between us and Jesus is by His coming. “Behold, He comes!” And look at the way He comes. He has hills and mountains in the way, but it is not difficult for Him to overcome them. Look at His ability and even eagerness and delight. So the Lord Jesus is the One who overcomes especially by means of His voice.

And the next thing we see in v10–13 is the content of what he says. It is one thing for the Lord Jesus to call His bride fair and beautiful, or my love, or my dove, when things are well between her and Him. It is a much more amazing thing for the backslidden convert to hear the Lord Jesus still saying, "you are beautiful to Me with the beauty that I have given you."

Notice, also, what He tells her to do, "rise up and come" (v10, 13). His voice gave you life, made you alive from the dead, resurrected you, so that being alive for the first time, you were able to believe in Him. Now, if His voice said, "Rise and come," then, and you arose and were able to come, like Lazarus, then, mustn't it also be powerful enough to work when you're spiritually ill, asleep, or even in the spiritual equivalent of a coma? 

Furthermore, the Lord Jesus isn't just working in you and upon you. He is the sovereign Lord God over heaven and earth. And He says that He is overruling all of those things to take them from having a deadening effect like winter to the invigorating and reviving effect of spring. 

"The winter is past. The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth. The time of singing has come. The voice of the turtle dove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs. The vines with the tender grapes give a good smell." The word picture being used here is one you are familiar with. When you go outside in the spring and everything is alive and everything is warming and everything is sweet and everything is fresh, it seems like every animal, every bird, every plant, every tree is crying out to you to be alive and invigorated and refreshed.

The last thing to overcome is our shyness, our skittishness about how He might think of us. We are hiding, skittish, like a dove that, as soon as you take a step in its direction, flies away and tucks itself into a nook or a cranny to hide. He says, "Let me see your face. Let me hear your voice. Your voice is sweet. Your face is lovely." The loveliness of our praying, and the loveliness of our praising, was never dependent upon how well we were doing spiritually. The repentant believer should know that she has a beauty that is derived from Him in His own eyes. He counts her face lovely. He counts her voice sweet. He finds pleasure in her praying and her praising.

The Lord has His ministers, His elders, whom He has given charge of being under shepherds and governors in His church for her protection from those who are spiritually dangerous, especially in the church. The phrase "catch us the foxes" contains a plural masculine verb. Foxes and wolves are two images that are used for false teachers and those who are deceptive, and then also persecutors. Even the little foxes. Every theological error causes us to misunderstand God, hinders us, hinders our faith in Christ, hinders the fruitfulness of our faith in Christ.

And she, having now recounted his words, returns to speaking herself. She affirms what she had said before: "I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine; He feeds among the lilies." Now remember, "lily" here is a name for believers. Jesus has always been faithfully feeding His people. That theological truth (v16) gets turned over into prayer (v17).  We take the truth that He teaches us in the Bible and immediately turn that over into prayer: “Until the second coming, Lord, be that gazelle or young stag, and always be overcoming the mountains of division between me and You. Never let anything come between us. Overcome everything in me and everything in our circumstance. And raise me up and make me also to come to You.”

When has the Lord seemed distant or hidden from you? What was He doing at that time? How does He overcome the obstacles between you and Him? What does He tell you to do? What will make them effective?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we thank You for this song. We thank You for how it turns our attention, in times of spiritual difficulty, away from ourselves and toward You. We pray that, just as You are constantly and continuously faithful, You would make Yourself known to us by Your voice, that summons us to renewed faithfulness. We thank You and praise You that Your voice, which resurrected us into spiritual life in the first place, has the power and the life to renew us in faithfulness in our walk with You. And, we pray that You would bring us into a new springtime in our relationship with You. Grant this, we pray, to each of us, in Jesus's Name. Amen.

Suggested songs: ARP130 “Lord, From the Depths to You I Cried” or TPH425 “How Sweet and Awesome Is the Place” 

The Sin by Which We Fell [Children's Catechism 31 Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Children's Catechism question 31—especially explaining how we fell by Adam’s eating the forbidden fruit. Q31. What was the sin of our first parents? Eating the forbidden fruit. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The lesson unpacks the profound theological significance of Adam's transgression, emphasizing that their fall was a catastrophic breach of the covenant of works It highlights that Adam’s sin was more severe because he knowingly and willfully rebelled against God’s design, failing in his role as head of the family and covenant representative. All humanity was personally and legally represented in him, so that every person inherits a sinful nature and fallen estate due to his transgression. Rooted in 1 Timothy 2:14, the lesson reveals how the fall was both a personal act of rebellion and a corporate event with eternal consequences, making the need for redemption through Christ both urgent and deeply personal.

2025.12.18 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ecclesiastes 9:10–12

Read Ecclesiastes 9:10–12

Questions from the Scripture text: What might our hand find (Ecclesiastes 9:10)? In what manner should we do it? Why—what four things are not employed where? What does Solomon return and do in Ecclesiastes 9:11a? Who doesn’t necessarily win the race (verse 11b)? Who does not necessarily win the battle (verse 11c)? Who does not necessarily obtain provision (verse 11d)? Who does not necessarily accumulate wealth (verse 11e)? Who does not necessarily gain favor (verse 11f)? What two things happen to whom in verse 11g? What doesn’t a man know (Ecclesiastes 9:12a)? In what two ways (verse 12b and 12c) are who caught, at what time (verse 12d)? How does it come upon them (verse 12e)?

How must we live? Ecclesiastes 9:10–12 prepares us for the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we must live in devotion unto, and dependence upon, the Lord. 

God’s providence gives you your life (cf. Ecclesiastes 9:9), the time and place at which you live (cf. Acts 17:26), and the occupations into which you come (Ecclesiastes 9:10a). Therefore, you must do everything with diligence and zeal as unto the Lord (verse 10b; cf. 1 Corinthians 10:31, Colossians 3:17, Colossians 3:23). 

Two things, in this passage, are helps unto this diligence and zeal: what you do know, and what you do not know. You do know that you are about to go to your grave (Ecclesiastes 9:10c). There, the usefulness of your labor, technique/device, knowledge, and wisdom, will have expired. So, use them before their (and your!) expiration date. Since you do not know when that expiration date is (Ecclesiastes 9:12a), you need to use all that God gives you, diligently and zealously, now! Otherwise, you will find that, like a fish or a bird that thought you were going to get something that you desired (verse 12b–c), you will be snapped up in your falsely blissful ignorance (verse 12e) at what seems to you like an evil time (verse 12d).

To use language from later in the book, if you do not, right now, remember the Lord in everything that you do (cf. Ecclesiastes 12:1a), then the days to come will be difficult/evil for you, indeed (cf. verse 12:1b).

But not only must you be devoted to the Lord in all that you do, you must also be dependent upon the Lord in all that you do. As you use what speed He has given you, you must not trust your speed (Ecclesiastes 9:11b, cf. 2 Samuel 2:18–23). As you use what strength He has given you, you must not trust your strength (Ecclesiastes 9:11c, cf. Judges 16). As you use what wisdom, understanding, and skill He has given you, you must not trust your wisdom, understanding, or skill (Ecclesiastes 9:11d, e, f). Solomon himself is one of the greatest examples of how poor one’s behavior and outcomes may be, despite maximizing all of these. 

Ultimately, we must remember that the Lord’s sovereign providence is determining every outcome (Ecclesiastes 9:11g). So, the most effective attribute on man’s part is the fear of the Lord. It is He Who has given us all of our abilities, capacities, possessions, and opportunities. So, fearing Him translates into employing them all, zealously, for His glory. But fearing Him also necessarily means not trusting any of these, or presuming upon any particular earthly outcome. Our joy must ultimately be in Him, and only secondarily in what He enables us to do, or whatever temporal outcomes He grants us.

What have your hands found to do in the providence of God? What abilities, capacities, possessions, and opportunities has He given you? To what extent are you employing them? How can you tell, from your life, what you are trusting in as you do so?

Sample prayer:  Lord, forgive us for how we have not done all things heartily, as unto You, or for the glory of Christ. We have often wasted time, ability, possessions, or opportunity. And then, forgive us, also, for when we have used what You have given us, but with the idea that we would obtain the outcome by how well we did. Give us to live in the fear of the Lord, both in how devoted our lives are, and also in how dependent our lives are. We thank You that Christ always did this perfectly. For His sake, please both forgive us, and make us to be like unto Him, by His Spirit, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP23B “The Lord’s My Shepherd” or TPH131B “Not Haughty Is My Heart”

2025.12.17 Midweek Meeting Livestream (live at 6:30p)

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