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”

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Transforming Our Own Culture [2026.04.25 Pastoral Letter and Hopewell Herald]

Hopewell Herald – April 25, 2026

Dear Congregation,

Some of you noticed that, this week, the modern state of Israel was proudly promoting its celebration of pride over the most abominable perversions. Others, immediately noted that our own nation does this. Both nations commit these abominations against much grace. What can we, as Christian citizens of our own nation, do about such things?

The Self-Harm of Litigiousness and Gossip [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 25:8–10]

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 when we feel that we have been wronged, we shouldn’t rush into judgment but make use of wise counsel, in case it is we who have been wrong. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: Proverbs 25:8–10 calls believers to exercise wisdom and humility in conflicts, warning against hasty litigation and the destructive nature of gossip. Rather than immediately pursuing legal recourse or airing grievances with others, the text urges private counseling with the godly, and seeking the grace of God. The passage emphasizes that self-justification often reveal one’s own blind spots and moral failure. Ultimately, the believer is directed to bring every conflict before God, seeking His examination of the heart and relying on Christ alone for righteousness, peace, and sanctification. This posture of humility and dependence on God’s Spirit fosters genuine repentance, protects reputation, and reflects a life rooted in Christ-centered integrity.

It's All About Christ [Family Worship lesson in Ephesians 1:1–2]

What is Ephesians all about? Ephesians 1:1–2 prepares us for the morning sermon in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Ephesians, and all of salvation, is all about the Lord Jesus Christ, and God’s glory in Him. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The opening verses of Ephesians reveal a profound theological framework centered on the person and work of Jesus Christ as the eternal foundation of all divine purpose, redemption, and Christian identity. Throughout the epistle, every theme—from justification and the church’s unity to Christian living and spiritual warfare—flows from and points back to Christ, Who is the sovereign, ascended Lord and the ultimate object of faith, love, and worship. The entire letter functions as a divine invitation to live in continual dependence on Christ, whose glory is the purpose of creation and the fulfillment of God’s eternal plan.

2026.04.25 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ephesians 1:1–2

Read Ephesians 1:1–2

Questions from the Scripture text: Who wrote this letter (Ephesians 1:1)? What is his title? Of Whom is he an apostle? How did this come about? To whom is he writing—what title does he give them? What else does he call them? In Whom are they faithful? What two-part blessing/greeting does the apostle pronounce upon them (Ephesians 1:2)? From what two Persons does the apostle pronounce these?

What is Ephesians all about? Ephesians 1:1–2 prepares us for the morning sermon in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these two verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Ephesians, and all of salvation, is all about the Lord Jesus Christ, and God’s glory in Him. 

Immediately, in the opening of Ephesians, we know that this is going to be a glorious book about Jesus Christ!

This letter has been particularly precious to the church throughout the ages:

• For its unfolding of the eternally loving and powerful plan of God to save His elect. Unto His glory in Christ. (chapter 1)
• And for its exposition of justification by grace alone through faith alone. Only in Christ. (Ephesians 2:1–10)
• And for its teaching about reconciliation of believers to God and to one another. Both in Jesus. (Ephesians 2:11–22)
• And the gathering in of the reconciled into one church. In, and accomplished by, Jesus. (chapter 3)
• And the gift to the church by the ascended Jesus of the officers of Jesus who train the members of the body of Jesus in the Word of Jesus so that they can all minister to one another. (Ephesians 4:1–16)
• And the transformation of believers into their new characters. Conforming them to Jesus. (Ephesians 4:17–5:4)
• And the great war that is waged between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of Jesus—primarily in the ordinary spheres of life. (Ephesians 5:5–6:9).
• Only by the power of Jesus and the armor of Jesus. (Ephesians 6:10–22).

Do you recognize the pattern? What is the theme of this wonderful book about salvation, justification, reconciliation, evangelism, the church, Christian living, and Christian warfare? That all of these things are only for Jesus’s glory, only by Jesus’s power, only through Jesus’s method, only by faith in Jesus, and entirely in fellowship with Jesus!

So, it is no surprise at all that Jesus is central to the blessing at the end of the book (Ephesians 6:23–24). And here in Ephesians 1:1–2, even in the “customary” greeting, Paul tells us.

• That he is an apostle. “Of Jesus Christ.” 
• And he is writing to those who are saints and faithful. “In Christ Jesus.”
• And greeting them with grace and peace. “From… our Lord Jesus Christ.”

He’s setting us up for the entire letter: that all of our salvation (like his apostleship) is “by the will of God.” That our being set apart in the church, and growth in godliness, is “in Christ Jesus.” And that both the grace by which we wage the warfare, and the peace in which we are reconciled to God (as not only His allies, but His children!), come from “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

And of course, at the very heart of all of this. Is Jesus!

In what parts of what Ephesians teaches do you most need to grow? How does it connect to Jesus?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we praise You for Your eternal grace to us in Christ. Thank You for this letter. Please bless this portion of it, and all of the rest of it, unto us, so that we would live by grace, through faith in Him, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP2 “Why Do Gentile Nations Rage” or TPH448 “Union with Thee”

Living Today with Eternal Joy [2026.04.22 Midweek Sermon in Proverbs 24:13–22]

Live as someone who has a joyful present, now, already, in Christ, because you are living in the certainty of your eternal life in Christ.

(click here to DOWNLOAD video/mp3/pdf files of this sermon) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The sermon centers on the imperative to live with eternal perspective, grounded in the fear of the Lord and the reality of divine judgment. Proverbs 24:13–22 emphasizes that true wisdom—like honey to the body—is sweet and nourishing to the soul, as a gift from God, ultimately found only in Christ. The believer is called to reject both fear and envy of the wicked, recognizing that God’s justice will prevail and that only hope and joy in Christ are eternal. With God's work focused on believers' eternal joy, they must pursue holiness, refusing even to gloat over the wicked's fall. Ultimately, the message calls for a life anchored in the gospel of Christ, Who secures eternal blessedness and enables present joy in the certainty of eternity.

True Strength, in God, Together [Family Worship lesson in Proverbs 24:5–10]

Pastor teaches his family a selection from “the Proverb of the day.” In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that true strength is in the Lord alone, but is not sought alone, because the Lord’s means for our faith include a multitude of counselors. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The devotional unfolds the profound truth that true strength in the Christian life comes not from self-reliance but from fearing the Lord. Every believer, is engaged in a spiritual warfare requiring God’s grace rather than human effort. The central message is that wisdom—the lived-out fear of the Lord—is the only source of true strength. In the church, Christ has given a vital network of counselors, where believers are built up through shared faith, Scripture, and the Spirit, fostering a life marked by praise, thanksgiving, and steadfastness. But watch out for the fool, who counsels scheming because scoffingly impressed with his own ideas.

Too Weak and Too Wicked to Escape [Family Worship lesson in Nahum 3:8–13]

Why does God call Nineveh’s attention to Thebes? Nahum 3:8–13 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we are too weak to endure God’s vengeance, and we are too wicked to avoid God’s vengeance. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: Nahum 3:8–13 confronts the illusion of security in human strength, alliances, and geographical advantage by contrasting Nineveh’s presumed power with the fall of Thebes, a city once considered invincible. Though Thebes was fortified by rivers, alliances, and a long history of greatness, it was ultimately destroyed by Assyria, demonstrating that no nation, no matter how powerful or protected, can escape God’s judgment when it opposes His holiness. The passage warns Nineveh—and by extension, Judah—that their wickedness, especially their violence against image-bearers of God and their idolatry, makes them too guilty to escape divine wrath, and too weak to endure it. The vivid imagery of drunkards, trembling fig trees, collapsing gates, and people hiding in fear foreshadows the final judgment described in Revelation, where all humanity will face the wrath of God. The devotional calls the hearer to recognize that no one can stand before God’s indignation apart from Christ, Who alone provides righteousness and atonement. Thus, the urgent call is to repent of sin and cling to Jesus, the only refuge from the coming day of wrath.