Fallen into Sinfulness and Misery [Children's Catechism 33 Simply Explained]

Pastor walks his children through Children's Catechism question 33—especially explaining the condition into which Adam and his wife fell by his sin.

Q33. What befell our first parents when they had sinned? Instead of being holy and happy, they became sinful and miserable. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) When Adam and his wife sinned, they fell from their original state of holiness and happiness into a condition of sinfulness and misery, marked by spiritual death, alienation from God, and the corruption of their nature and circumstances. They endured a fundamental transformation in their character—losing the knowledge, righteousness, and holiness with which they were created. This fall introduced ignorance, unrighteousness, and a broken relationship with God, rendering them incapable of true happiness. The catechism’s answer captures the essence of this fall: a complete reversal from divine communion to spiritual ruin, setting the stage for the gospel’s transformative grace.

2026.01.01 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ecclesiastes 10:1–3

Read Ecclesiastes 10:1–3

Questions from the Scripture text: About what does v1a begin speaking? What do these dead flies do? Even to what? What does the perfumer’s ointment then give off (v1b)? What is analogous to these dead flies (v1c)? Where is the wise man’s heart (v2a)? Where is the fool’s heart (v2b)? Where might a fool walk (v3a)? What does he still lack (v3b)? What does he show (v3c)? To whom?

What can stink up our name? Ecclesiastes 10:1–3 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 just a little bit of folly stinks up our name, and the Lord’s Name that He has put upon us. 

The preacher has already commended to us a good name as being better than precious ointment (7:1a). Now, he brings the caution that “one sinner destroys much good” (9:18a) into the realm of what we do with our reputations.

No “breaks” from wisdom. Just as one sinner destroys much good, a little folly (v1c) is like a “fly of death” that turns a good name rotten. If a man wishes to be honorable, he cannot afford to take a single moment “off” from being wise. One glaring moment of folly, and all of your wisdom will be forgotten. Your name will become like  stench (v1b).

Keep your heart ready. Therefore, the wise man’s heart must be at his right hand (v2a). Always there to help you. Always there to defend you. The fool does not meditate on what is true, righteous, and wise. His heart is not kept ready-to-hand but rather at the left hand (v2b)—which implies a lack of preparedness, readiness, and use.

Remember what gets noticed and remembered. The great “drawback” to wisdom in 9:15–16 was that it is easily forgotten. The exact opposite is true of the fool’s folly. Everything he does keeps announcing to others that he is a fool. Even the way that he walks (both literally, and figuratively, v3a) displays that he is a fool (v3b). 

When are you tempted to “take a moment off” from being wise? By what means and habits will you combat this?

Sample prayer:  Lord, forgive us for how we have been careless with our honor by acting as if we could take a break from being wise. We have despised the good gift of Your Word and Spirit by living thoughtlessly. Often, the manner of our conduct has declared our folly, and besmirched Your Name, which You have put upon us. Please forgive us, for Christ’s sake, and make us to be like Him, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH131B “Not Haughty Is My Heart”

2025.12.31 Midweek Meeting Livestream (live at 6:30p)

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2025.12.31 Hopewell @Home ▫ Deuteronomy 26:16–19

Read Deuteronomy 26:16–19

Questions from the Scripture text: To what time does Moses refer in Deuteronomy 26:16? Who commands whom to do what? Therefore, in what manner must they obey? When had the people proclaimed what about Whom in Deuteronomy 26:17? What did they proclaim that they would do? Who proclaimed what about whom in Deuteronomy 26:18? Who had promised this? What would they do as this treasured people? For what three purposes would He do what (Deuteronomy 26:19)? And for what fourth purpose?

What is it to be in covenant with God? Deuteronomy 26:16–19 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 God, and His covenant people, proclaim their treasuring one another by His giving them His law and their keeping it.  

Throughout the section covering the ten commandments, the focus has been on the future, when they come into the land that YHWH their God is giving them. Now that Moses has finished that exposition, God’s prophet demands a response from the hearers in front of him in that place, at that time: “This day” (v16), “Today” (v17), “today” (v18).

When God’s Word addresses you about what He demands of you, or promises you, for the future, it requires a response to Him and His Word right at that time.

The Lord has initiated this covenant relationship, this special bond, that He has forged, joining Israel to Himself. Their part is “to observe these statutes and judgments” (v16)—not merely as terms and conditions of a contract, but as an expression of their identity as the people who are devoted to Him: “with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Dear Christian, don’t listen to those who tell you that the Old Testament was a religion of works, and the New Testament is a religion of the heart. There is no such distinction in the Bible. True religion has always been a religion of divinely redeemed hearts that show forth in works. Let all of your obedience be “with all your heart and with all your soul,” because those ways are His, and those statutes are His, and those commandments are His, and those judgments are His, coming to you in a voice that is His (v17)—note that although it was Moses’s voice that sounded in their ears, he affirms that it was God’s voice that they were to hear, and to which they were to respond.

We proclaim YHWH our God (v17), when we obey His voice (v17) with all our heart and all our soul (v16).

And when He does give us to hear His voice, in the preaching of His Word, let us not miss what an expression this is of His love. Just as they had proclaimed YHWH to be their God (v17), so also He was proclaiming them to be His treasured people (v18) by giving them His commandments.

Having His Word sets His people high above all nations (v19) for praise, for name, and for honor (v19, cf. Jer 13:11, 33:9). What a marvelous privilege, that the Lord would consecrate them as the holy people by whom He would glorify Himself!

This is exactly what the Lord continues to say about His church, having grafted in saints from all the nations: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1Pet 2:9–10).

We proclaim Him to be our God by obeying Him with all our heart and soul, and He declares us to be His treasured people by giving us His Word to keep. 

In what circumstances does God give you His Word to keep? To what extent are you keeping it with all your heart and all your soul? How much thought do you give to His treasuring you, and what difference does this make for you?

Sample prayer:  Lord, forgive us for failing to proclaim that You are our God. We have obeyed half-heartedly, and sometimes, we have disobeyed altogether. Forgive us for failing to receive Your Word as an expression of Your love to us. Forgive us, and help us, so that our lives will proclaim Your praises, Who have called us out of darkness and into Your marvelous light, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP73C “Yet Constantly I Am with You” or TPH174 “The Ten Commandments”

Love that Will Not Let Him Go [Family Worship lesson in Song of Songs 3:1–5]

What must Christians always seek and cling to? Song of Songs 3:1–5 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Christians must be continually active in seeking and clinging to Christ and the experiential knowledge of His love. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio. This passage portrays the soul’s journey from spiritual dormancy to active pursuit and intimate restoration with Christ, using the bride’s night-time search as a metaphor for the believer’s experience of divine absence. The imagery of night and the solitary bed signifies a season of spiritual lethargy, where passive longing fails to yield connection; only when the soul resolves to rise and actively engage the means of grace—through the church, its watchmen, and the Word—is seeking effective. Though initial efforts may not bring immediate relief, the Holy Spirit uses the preaching of the Word to confront and awaken the heart, leading to recovering personal experience of Christ's love. The believer is then called, not only to cling to Christ, but to bring others into that restored fellowship, warning against anything that might disrupt the intimacy of divine communion. Ultimately, the passage calls for continual spiritual vigilance, active faith, and a heart committed to pursuing the nearness of God through faithful practice and repentant humility.

2025.12.30 Hopewell @Home ▫ Song of Songs 3:1–5

Read Song of Songs 3:1–5

Questions from the Scripture text: What time was it (Song of Songs 3:1a)? Where was she? What was she doing? With what results (verse 1b)? What does she resolve and do (Song of Songs 3:2a–d)? With what result (verse 2e)? Who finds whom (Song of Songs 3:3a)? What does she ask them (verse 3c)? When does she finally find Him (Song of Songs 3:4a–b)? What does she do then (verse 4c)? To where/whom does she bring Him (verse 4d–e)? Whom does she address (Song of Songs 3:5a)? By what (verse 5b)? Not to do what (verse 5c–d)? 

What must Christians always seek and cling to? Song of Songs 3:1–5 prepares us for the opening portion of the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Christians must be continually active in seeking and clinging to Christ and the experiential knowledge of His love. 

Song of Songs 3:1–5 a similar situation to Song of Songs 2:8–17. In this case, the distance between her and the Bridegroom, is described especially according to her experience, rather than what Christ is like, and what He is doing when He seems distant.

“By night” (Song of Songs 3:1) signifies spiritual darkness, a nighttime of the soul. Then she says, “on my bed,” instead of “our bed” (cf. Song of Songs 1:16). She is alone. And in this case, the bed does not indicate rest, but inactivity. There is a spiritually dull, spiritually lazy manner of seeking: “By night, on my bed, I sought the One I love. I sought Him, but I did not find Him.” One may still be a Christian—His identity to her is “the One Whom I love”—but get spiritually lazy, not actually making use of His means, not actually exercising his soul. There is a sort of “seeking” that is just a kind of wishing that we would know and feel the closeness of Christ, but not doing any of the things which have the promise of His blessing and His drawing near to us.

The Christian life must be more than wishful thinking. There is a passiveness and laziness that Christians fall into, that is being identified here, and that the Lord is going to take her out of.

She proceeds to say, “I will rise now, and go about the city” (Song of Songs 3:2). We learn in Song of Songs 3:3 that the city is the church (a common image and theme—Jerusalem, Zion—throughout the Bible), since it is patrolled by the watchmen. The watchmen are the ones who, in the more agrarian countryside imagery of the previous passage, have been charged with catching the little foxes (cf. Song of Songs 2:15). 

So, it is with respect to the church that she says, "I will rise now and go about the city." She does not just rise and go about the city. She purposes to do so first. She resolves to do so first. This is something that we need: the grace of the Holy Spirit to work in us when we have been spiritually lazy, to remind us again from His Word, what He has given us in His church—and to give us the force of will to do something about that. The streets and the squares, here, are His own ways in His church, His own ordinances. And we need the Holy Spirit to bring us to a decision that we will immediately and resolutely avail ourselves of the ministry, the preaching, the sacraments, the praying, the discipline, the fellowship of the church. From His side, He had said “rise, and come away” (Song of Songs 1:10, Song of Songs 1:13). Now, in her experience, the Holy Spirit gives her the resolve, “I will rise now” (Song of Songs 3:2a) “and go” (verse 2b). 

But there is need not only resolve, but perseverance. She does not find Him immediately (Song of Songs 3:2e). Spiritual darkness and illness may not dissipate quickly for the backslider. He may have to persevere in Christ’s means before he finds Him, before things are well with him spiritually, and he regains his assurance. 

She has risen from her bed; she has started to participate in the worship of the church and the discipleship of the church, the fellowship of the church, the means of grace, the ordinances of Christ; and yet, she has not immediately found spiritual relief. Her heart has not been relieved of the guilt she has felt. Christ does not seem near to her. She is struggling to know the smile of God in the Lord Jesus again. Her assurance remains shaken, intermitted. 

Even her resolve to seek is by His grace, but note what makes the ultimate difference: “The watchmen who go about the city found me” (Song of Songs 3:3). The Lord may use any of His means, or even none of them, but it is especially His preached Word which He has honored as the means by which it is He Who finds us. What a mercy from Him it is, when His preachers find us. And, He gives us to have shepherds as preachers, so that we may engage privately, when found by the Word, as she does “Have you seen the one I love?” (verse 3c). 

Still, it is a little after her interaction with the watchmen (Song of Songs 3:4a) that she actually finds Him (verse 4b). We must not be satisfied merely to be back in the practice of Christianity, until we are back in lived fellowship with Christ. And, once things are well with us spiritually, we must continue to receive grace to cling to Him (verse 4c). The Christian life is never to be passive or complacent; there ought always only be seeking Christ or clinging to Christ. This is something that the genuine believer wishes to share with the whole church, the mother within whom the Lord gives us spiritual birth (verse 4d–e; cf. Psalm 87:4–6, Revelation 12:14–17). 

Finally, in addition to the resolve and the perseverance, the seeking and the clinging, there is the necessity of watching against those things that would drive Christ from us again (Song of Songs 3:5, cf. Revelation 2–3). Spiritual wellness is recovered with difficulty and laboriously maintained. The knowing of the love of Christ is precious. It is not worth stirring it up or awakening it, and seeing it run off like a startled gazelle or doe. 

Resolve. Seek. Persevere. Find. Cling. Corporately. Watching against all sin.

What is your current experience of Christ’s love? How are you responding to that? Where do you get the resolve to?

Sample prayer:  Father, we pray that You would give us repentance of sin, renewal in faithfulness, and consistency in spiritual practice and Christian habits of the heart and mind, in Jesus's Name, Amen!

Suggested songs: ARP42A “As Pants the Deer” or TPH425 “How Sweet and Awesome Is the Place”

Why We Must Have Grace [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 20:9–11]

Why do we need the King’s grace so badly? Proverbs 20:9–11 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that, in ourselves, we are hopelessly sinful. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The devotional confronts the human condition with sobering truth: no one can purify his own heart, and all violate God’s perfect standard. Even the smallest sins are abominations to Yahweh. Our condition, evident even in children whose actions reflect their sinful hearts, demands divine grace, not self-effort. Yet, God’s grace is not only available but actively at work, even in children, transforming hearts and producing what is pure and right. Thus, the urgent need is for the imputed and imparted righteousness of Christ, through which believers are justified and sanctified, prepared to stand before the King of Kings whose wrath is inevitable and just.

2025.12.29 Hopewell @Home ▫ Proverbs 20:9–11

Read Proverbs 20:9–11

Questions from the Scripture text: What hypothetical question does Proverbs 20:9 ask? What is the implied answer—how many have clean hearts or are pure from sin? What two things does Proverbs 20:10 talk about? How are they alike—what are they unto the Lord? Who is known by what (Proverbs 20:11a)? What about those deeds (verse 11b)?

Why do we need the King’s grace so badly? Proverbs 20:9–11 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that, in ourselves, we are hopelessly sinful.  

We’ve just heard that a good/godly king scatters all evil with his eyes. This should turn us against our own evil, especially when we remember that the King of kings does this ultimately and eternally.

But this must turn us to God’s grace. Because no one can cleanse his own heart (Proverbs 20:9a). You cannot, by your own resolve or efforts, become that righteous man who walks in blamelessness (Proverbs 20:7a). That will not achieve purity (Proverbs 20:9b) in the only eyes that ultimately matter (Proverbs 20:10b). 

We must remember how rigorous and exacting is God’s purity and justice. He hates even the slightest variance in weights and measures (Proverbs 20:10a). Men might take for granted that a little creative bookkeeping is to be expected, but there are no small sins to YHWH—only abominations. So the standard is too high for us.

And we are too corrupt for it. The word translated “deeds” in Proverbs 20:11a implies wickedness. When we see our children acting in ways that are deceitful, quarrelsome, obstinate, rebellious, or selfish, we are seeing that they came into this world dead in sin, because they are ours. We long to see them loving and doing what is pure because it is pure, and what is right because it is right, because we know that when this comes about, it was not we or they that did this. 

Oh, dear reader, your and my bad behavior show what we are in ourselves. But God, by His grace, is a King Who doesn’t just reward the man that is a diligent (Proverbs 20:4), discerning (Proverbs 20:5) peacemaker (Proverbs 20:3), but makes such men. In the gospel, God offers you not just the atonement of Christ, but likeness to Christ, and all in union with Christ. That which you desperately need, God abundantly provides in His Son, by His Spirit. So, let this passage drive you to that desperation, and therefore that provision.

Who can’t clean your heart? Who can? Why is this so needful for you? How will the fruit of grace show?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we cannot cleanse our hearts, but even sins that seem small to men are abominations to You. We have been like this from our youth, so we look to You for grace to make us new altogether, to count us perfectly righteous in Christ, and to produce purity and righteousness in us.

Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH433 “Amazing Grace”

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2025.12.27 Hopewell @Home ▫ Matthew 26:26–29

Read Matthew 26:26–29

Questions from the Scripture text: What were they doing (v26)? Who took what? What three things did He do with it? To whom does He give it? What two things does He tell them to do with it? Why? What does He take in v27? What two things does He do? Whom does He tell to do what? What does He call the cup (v28)? What does His blood seal? For whom is it shed? To do what? What does He say that He will not do (v29)? Until when? How will He drink it? With whom? Where?

What was Jesus doing at the end of the last Passover? Matthew 26:26–29 looks forward to the morning sermon in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these four verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus was establishing a meal in which He feeds us by faith, and (by faith!) confirms us in covenant with God and forgiveness of sins.

A new meal. Toward the end of the Passover meal, after the ritual portion is over, and they are eating freely, the Lord Jesus establishes a new ceremony. This is implied in v29, where He speaks of a new way of kingdom-drinking. Luke records that He explicitly said “do this in remembrance of Me,” while serving the bread. And 1Cor records that He said this with both elements. 

Christ’s actions with the bread. First, “Jesus took bread” (v26). He selected it. He prepared it. He took to Himself a body in Mary’s womb. And He appoints for His church a sacramental meal. There is intention and initiative here. Jesus prepares for our provision.

“Jesus… blessed” it (v26). Luke and Paul use the language of giving thanks, here. He does both with the bread, and likewise both with the cup. To that which Christ has provided, Christ Himself adds His blessing. This is the case with all His means, and especially so with the Supper that He has provided for His disciples, since He emphasizes it as an example of His blessing attending His provision.

“Jesus… broke and gave” it (v26). Jesus Himself distributes that which He has provided and blessed. This is very personal; each disciple’s piece is specifically broken for him by Christ. The believer’s particular portion is intended for him by Christ. Just as with preaching, this is not diminished when He makes use of His servant to break and give. This is one of the reasons why it is important to be scrupulous about having only His ordained servants break and give the bread, just as only His ordained servants preaching.

What Christ says to do with the bread. The supper is both, a provision of Christ, and a command of Christ. He commands His disciples to take, to receive. This includes recognition of Christ’s provision, receptiveness to Christ’s provision, and appropriation of Christ’s provision. And, He tells them that in doing so, they receive His body. There are two demonstrative pronouns that might have been used here—one indicating especially the bread, the other indicating the action of receiving. This is the latter. It is especially in receiving the bread, and eating it, that they receive Christ (obviously, Christ Himself, being there in the flesh, was not telling them that the bread was becoming His flesh). He is telling them that, as they receive the bread and eat it, they are receiving and feeding upon His body—receiving the benefits of Christ, and His true and full humanity.

Christ’s actions with the cup. Jesus takes the cup, indicating the same preparation and provision. Jesus gives thanks for the cup, the same action as the blessing and giving thanks with the bread. And Jesus gave it to them. The manner is implied by the word behind “shed” (v28), which more literally means “poured.” Lk 22:17 also implies this with the language of “divide” (distribute/separate). As with the bread, each disciple’s portion is specifically intended unto Him by Christ.

What Christ says to do with the cup. “Drink from it, all of you” (v27). The believer’s own portion/participation in Christ’s blood is emphasized by His adding “all of you.” Again, the wine is not becoming blood, and the blood of Christ was not even spilled until the next day. But, the Lord Jesus was already communicating to each disciple, even as they all (“all of you”!) took together, that each one has his own, personal participation in the new covenant. This blood both consecrates the church unto God in the new covenant (v28a) and remits the sins of those who receive Christ Himself by faith (v28b). When you take the Lord’s Supper, as a member of His church, the Lord Jesus drives home both to you: you are bound to God in covenant now, in your part in His church; and, His blood was poured out for the forgiveness of your sins.

Looking forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Jesus presented the disciples’ drinking of the cup as something they were to do without Him, in anticipation of once again doing so with Him. 1Cor 11:26 emphasizes the same thing by the phrase “till He comes.” The supper looks backward to the death in which His blood was poured out, and upward to glory, where He is all of our life, and the One in Whom we are bound to God and consecrated unto Him. But it also looks forward joyously to the day when Christ once again joins us at the table to partake with us. We each have our portion from Him, but ultimately, we partake with Him in His portion. 

Do you take the supper? Why or why not? What has Jesus done for you? What does He want you to do at the table?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for Your provision in Your Supper. For, You have provided Yourself for us and to us. So, make us to receive by faith, we ask in Your Name, AMEN!

 Suggested Songs: ARP116B “I Still Believed” or TPH201 “Twas on That Night”