2026.04.30 Hopewell @Home ▫ Mark 3:20–35

Read Mark 3:20–35

Questions from the Scripture text: Why couldn’t they eat bread in Mark 3:20? Who go out to get Jesus in Mark 3:21? Why did they? In Mark 3:22, what do the Jerusalem scribes say is the reason Jesus can cast out demons? Whom does Jesus call to Himself in Mark 3:23? What does He ask them? In Mark 3:27, what does Jesus say that He is doing to Satan and Satan’s kingdom? According to Mark 3:28, what sins can be forgiven? But according to Mark 3:29, what can never be had by someone while he is blaspheming against the Holy Spirit? What does Mark 3:30 explain is an example of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? Who finally arrive in Mark 3:31? And what does the crowd tell Jesus in Mark 3:32? But what does Jesus ask them in Mark 3:33? And what answer does Jesus give in Mark 3:34? How does Jesus say we can identify His family in Mark 3:35?

What is Jesus doing? Mark 3:20–35 prepares us for the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these sixteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus is destroying the works of the devil, forgiving sin, and gathering a family. 

Jesus, delivering people in crazy love. It doesn't make sense that God himself, the glorious One and the holy One, would take the form of the bond slave and be found in appearance as a man, in order to die an accursed death for sinners (cf. Philippians 2:5–8). There’s a smaller picture of this crazy love in Mark 3:20-21:  such a multitude that they can’t even eat, and still Jesus patiently teaches and heals everyone. “His own people” think this is insane (Mark 3:21)!

The scribes (who, ironically, do a better job of connecting insanity to the demonic than many in the professing church today) latch onto the opportunity and attempt to spin this into an explanation of how Jesus delivers people from demons (Mark 3:22). Those jealous of the true work of God find it convenient to explain it away as crazy or demonic (“unbalanced,” they might politely say). 

Jesus, binding the devil. By suggesting that Jesus is the master demon (or, perhaps, serving him), the scribes broach a subject that exalts Christ all the more in our eyes. In Mark 3:23-27, He demonstrates that the only real explanation for what is happening is that the “strong man” has been bound. Jesus isn’t just casting out a demon here and there. He has bound Satan and is destroying the works of the devil (cf. cf. 1 John 3:8, Hebrews 2:14, Genesis 3:15). 

Jesus, forgiving sin. It’s amazing how people tend to focus on Mark 3:29, and forget Mark 3:28. The Holy Spirit’s great testimony is that Jesus is God the Son, Who came into this world to save sinners. No one can have forgiveness if they come up with a competing explanation (Mark 3:29, cf. John 3:36). But behold the glory of Mark 3:28: ANYONE who believes in Christ, will be forgiven of ALL sins—even the worst of blasphemies!

Jesus, gathering a family. Finally, Jesus’s brothers and mother seem to have come to the same conclusion (Mark 3:31) as “His own people” from Mark 3:21. But Jesus has come to earth for much more than to become part of a biological family. He has come to earth to gather, from the family of Adam, new members of the family of God. The only-begotten Son can be identified, in part, by His doing “the will of God” (Mark 3:35). He bears the family resemblance! And Jesus has come, not only that we might be forgiven of our sins, but that we might be transformed after His own image—that we, too, might bear the family resemblance. The people at the door in Mark 3:31-32 looked, physically, like Jesus. But the Christian comes to look, spiritually, like Jesus. This is how you can identify His brother and His sister and mother (Mark 3:33-35). 

How are you responding to the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge (cf. Ephesians 3:19)?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for coming into this world to destroy the works of the devil, atone for our sins, and gather to Yourself a family. Forgive us for how we have responded to the gospel with empty speculations that overestimate the power of the devil, or obsess about genealogies, or some other such nonsense. Make us, instead, to be astonished at Your love, Your power, Your forgiveness, and the opportunity that You give us to become part of Your own family. So, make us to be those who do the will of God, as Your family on earth and in heaven, we ask in Your Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH461 “Blessed Are the Sons of God”

2026.04.29 Midweek Meeting Livestream (live at 6:30p)

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Harming Nation, Neighbor, and Self [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 29:4–6]

Pastor teaches his family a selection from “the Proverb of the day.” In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that manipulation by money or flattery is a way to harm a nation, a neighbor, or oneself. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: This devotional draws from Proverbs 29:4–6 to reveal a threefold call to righteous living: establishing justice in society, speaking truthfully to others, and cultivating a joyful relationship with God. It warns against the corruption of power through bribery and the moral danger of flattery, which manipulates others through deceptive words, likened to setting traps. The passage emphasizes that self-advancement through ingratiation or manipulation leads to spiritual entrapment, while true freedom and joy come only through faith in Christ, who justifies and sanctifies the believer. Pastor calls his family to integrity in public life, honesty in relationships, and personal reliance on Christ, framing faith as the only foundation for a life that is both righteous and joyful. Ultimately, the message is a pastoral exhortation to live with moral clarity, spiritual vigilance, and deep contentment in God’s grace.

People of Unfailing Promises [Family Worship lesson in 1Chronicles 4:24–43]

What might be happening, when it looks like all is lost for the church? 1Chronicles 4:24–43 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that, even when we see nothing promising in the church, the Lord may yet be doing much gracious work. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2026.04.29 Hopewell @Home ▫ 1 Chronicles 4:24–43

Read 1 Chronicles 4:24–43

Questions from the Scripture text: Whose genealogy do 1 Chronicles 4:24-27 trace? What do 1 Chronicles 4:28-33 record about them? What types of people (1 Chronicles 4:38) do 1 Chronicles 4:34-37 list? What have they enjoyed (1 Chronicles 4:39-40)? How did they come into possession of it (1 Chronicles 4:41-43)? What does the end of 1 Chronicles 4:43 note about this?

What might be happening, when it looks like all is lost for the church? 1 Chronicles 4:24–43 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that, even when we see nothing promising in the church, the Lord may yet be doing much gracious work.  

It didn’t take long for Simeon to dissolve into the tribe of Judah (not even mentioned in Deuteronomy 33). They had become an example of what might happen with unfaithful branches of the visible church (cf. Genesis 49:5–7). But now, all of Judah and Israel had been unfaithful, and they are returning from exile in great weakness. What hope is there for God’s people when the church has so declined? By recounting God’s mercy to Simeon, this passage encourages the church in all ages.

Genealogy in 1 Chronicles 4:24-27. The inclusion of Ishmaelites Mibsam and Mishma (1 Chronicles 4:25, vs. Numbers 26:12–14) is significant. Not only does Simeon still exist, but the Lord has used them to bring people from the nations into the people of God.

Geography in 1 Chronicles 4:28-33. These cities, from Joshua 15:26–32, had been lost to Judah. But their inclusion here means that the Lord may be restoring to Simeon their inheritance. He frequently reveals Himself as the God Who restores the years that the locus has eaten (cf. Joel 2:25). Who knows what the Lord might yet do in the reformation, revival, and restoration of parts of His church?

Leaders in 1 Chronicles 4:34-38. Even the forgotten tribe had leaders. This may be a significant encouragement for men in troubled times for the church. What the Lord might do for her in the future may bring future significance to what, otherwise, would seem like wasted generations of leadership. Making a lasting difference, ourselves, is an illusion. But, good leadership in the service of God, is never wasted in the economy of what He Himself is doing (cf. Ecclesiastes 11:1–6). 

Triumphs in 1 Chronicles 4:39-43 Although Simeon’s allotted cities had been absorbed into Judah, they had gone on to defeat some Amalekites (1 Chronicles 4:43) and Edomites (1 Chronicles 4:42) as late as the reign of Hezekiah (1 Chronicles 4:41). These lands had previously been cultivated by Hamites (1 Chronicles 4:40), making them ideal for their flocks (1 Chronicles 4:39-40). In God’s amazing mercy to Simeon, these particular families had not been subject to the exile. The conclusion to the section hints at this hidden blessing: “they have dwelt there to this day” (1 Chronicles 4:43). Do not underestimate the small triumphs that the Lord might give the “invisible” among His people. Small triumphs may come as a providence of great grace!

When things have gone ill with the visible church, we ought rightly to be grieved. Even the Lord Jesus was (cf. )! But, let us not be discouraged. Though parts of the church may be at a low ebb for generations, God’s gracious work is never interrupted.

How and why might you be tempted to be discouraged about what is happening in the church? What might the Lord yet do? How are you praying for this? How are you laboring unto this? How are you pursuing your calling, especially if it includes leadership, in a way that you hope God will employ in His great work in history? What seemingly small triumphs has His grace given you to enjoy?

Sample prayer: Lord, forgive us for how we have allowed grief over the church’s weakness or waywardness to turn to discouragement. We see how much you were still doing in Simeon, even when they seemed to have disappeared from the map of the visible church. Grant that we might joyfully fill the roles that you have given us in our homes and Christ’s church. And be pleased to use us in Your great work in the world, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP87 “The Lord’s Foundation” or TPH404 “The Church’s One Foundation”

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.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

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.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon)

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.