2025.03.08 Hopewell @Home ▫ Matthew 16:18–20

Read Matthew 16:18–20

Questions from the Scripture text: Who is speaking to whom in Matthew 16:18? What does He name him? What does He say He is going to build? Upon what? What won’t prevail against it? What will Jesus give to him (Matthew 16:19)? What will he do on earth? What will have been done to it, already, in heaven? What else will he do on earth? What will already have been done to that in heaven? Whom does Jesus now command (Matthew 16:20)? That they not do what? 

What is the foundation of the church? Matthew 16:18–20 prepares us for the sermon in the morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus Himself, as confessed by the apostles to be Christ and God, is the only foundation of the church.  

Jesus has asked the disciples (plural, Matthew 16:15) Who they say that He is. Simon, speaking for the group, has answered that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16). 

Now, Jesus offers a play on words. He calls Simon “Peter” (Petros), but then refers to “this rock” (petra). What is the rock upon which Jesus will build His church? Ultimately, the answer is not “Peter” but “Jesus.” Even here, we can plainly see that He calls the church “My church.” 

But, the Spirit also answers this question in other places. The household of God is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (cf. Ephesians 2:19–20, 1 Corinthians 3:11, Revelation 21:14). 

Some have made the mistake of thinking that Jesus was establishing Peter himself as the foundation. But He Himself initiated this conversation about what the apostles say about Jesus. This is the foundation: the apostolic witness to Jesus’s Christhood and Godhood. Christ Himself is the chief cornerstone, and the foundation of the church is the apostolic witness to Who He is.

A foundation is necessary, because the church will be under attack. The gates were the place of public discourse and government. All of the counsels and influence of Hell itself are bent on destroying the church (cf. Genesis 3:15; Revelation 12:13–17). But the church is built upon the testimony of Who Jesus is: “Who do ye [apostles] say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). They overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and by not loving their lives to the death (cf. Revelation 12:11). 

And the foundation holds because of Who is building upon it! The Lord Jesus Himself. It’s His church. He is the One building upon it. And the foundation of it is the confession of Who He is. 

It would be a travesty to take this passage and make Peter the foundation, as if Jesus were ordaining some sort of first pope. Although Peter is privileged, both here and in Acts 2, with making an initial and remarkable confession of the Lord Jesus, he is not the leader of the church in its first general assembly in Acts 15 and has to be openly rebuked by Paul in Galatians 2:14. To take a passage (and a church) that is all about Christ, and attempt to make it about Peter is surely the spirit and pattern of antichrist.

That said, just like confessing Christ must be done individually; so, also, individual church officers must confess Christ and exercise the keys of the kingdom. What Jesus is saying about Himself and His church applies personally, individually to Peter, as he confesses Christ—just as it applies to each apostle and elder. They are to confess that which has been revealed from heaven (cf. Matthew 16:17b), because this is the first and great way in which they open and shut the kingdom to those for whom this has already been done in heaven. Matthew 16:19 more literally says “will have been bound” and “will have been loosed,” indicating that heavens determinations govern the earthly results in the ministry of those who preach Christ. This is not license for church officers to bend the church according to their will, but rather a heavenly mandate that they preach and practice only according to God’s expressed will in Scripture. 

That this is primarily what is mean by the keys is confirmed in Matthew 16:20. The kingdom is not yet open to the nations, and so the foundational confessors of Christ (the disciples) are not yet to tell people that He is Jesus the Christ. The day will come when the kingdom is open, and then the keys of the preaching of the gospel will be employed on earth to open it to those who are being brought in. Isn’t that wonderful to know, dear reader? Whenever the gospel is preached to us by Christ’s ordained officer, he is taking Jesus’s own keys, and putting them into the doors of heaven to open them for us. But, let us seek that God would reveal Jesus to us from heaven, because the sobering reality is that this same preaching shuts heaven up against those who refuse the gospel of Jesus Christ.

How is the identity of Jesus foundational to your Christian life? How is it evident that it is foundational to your church’s ministry (or, perhaps, do you need to go to a true church, instead)? What is happening when your elders or pastor are preaching the gospel of Jesus as the Chris to you? How can you come to respond rightly? What would that response look like?

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for revealing to us from heaven what flesh and blood could never discover: that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Grant that by Your grace in Your ordained servants, heaven would be opened to us week by week in the preaching of the gospel. And, grant that by Your grace to us, we would enter the open door by faith in Jesus Christ, through Whom also we ask this, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP110B “The LORD Has Spoken to My Lord” or TPH332 “Songs of Thankfulness and Praise”

Trustworthy Lord and Word [Family Worship lesson in Deuteronomy 2:1–25]

What did Israel see, when they approached to enter the land? Deuteronomy 2:1–25 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty-five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Israel saw just how foolish and wicked their unbelief had been.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2025.03.07 Hopewell @Home ▫ Deuteronomy 2:1–25

Read Deuteronomy 2:1–25

Questions from the Scripture text: After the rebellion about the report of the spies, what did Israel do (Deuteronomy 2:1, cf. Deuteronomy 1:40)? What did they skirt around, for how long? Who spoke to whom in Deuteronomy 2:2? What did He say about their time going around Mt. Seir (Deuteronomy 2:3)? What did He now tell them to do? Where did He say this would take them (Deuteronomy 2:4)? How did He say Esau would respond? What did He say they should do? What did He tell them not to do (Deuteronomy 2:5)? Why not? How did He tell them to get food and drink (Deuteronomy 2:6)? What had YHWH done for them (Deuteronomy 2:7)? How much? For how long? With what results? So, what route did Israel take (Deuteronomy 2:8)? Where did this take them? What did YHWH say not to do (Deuteronomy 2:9)? Why not? To whom had He given it? Who had previously dwelt there (Deuteronomy 2:10)? What/whom were they like (Deuteronomy 2:10–11)? And who had previously dwelt in Seir (Deuteronomy 2:12)? But who had come and done what? In what fashion? What did the Lord command in Deuteronomy 2:13? And what did Israel do? How long passed between what two events (Deuteronomy 2:14)? In order for what to happen? In accord with what? How did this occur (Deuteronomy 2:15)? What occasioned a new phase (Deuteronomy 2:16)? Who spoke to whom in Deuteronomy 2:17? What did He say to do, when (Deuteronomy 2:18)? What did He say not to do (Deuteronomy 2:19)? Why not? To whom had He given it? To what sort of people had it previously belonged (Deuteronomy 2:20)? Like whom (Deuteronomy 2:21)? But Who had done what to them? Just as He had done for whom (Deuteronomy 2:22)? And to whom else (Deuteronomy 2:23)? So, where did the Lord now command Israel to go (Deuteronomy 2:24)? Whom, and what, had He given into their hand? What did He command them to do? What did He say that He would begin doing, when (Deuteronomy 2:25)? To whom? From where? How?

What did Israel see, when they approached to enter the land? Deuteronomy 2:1–25 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty-five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Israel saw just how foolish and wicked their unbelief had been.

Probably every believer has had this experience: he was anxious, or he doubted, or he disobeyed—then the Lord brought him out of it, and through it. He saw, and remembered, the greatness of God’s love and wisdom and power, and he began to realize just how ridiculous that anxiety, or doubt, or disobedience, had been.

This is Israel’s experience after thirty-eight years going around Mt. Seir (Deuteronomy 2:14). The Lord begins to direct them toward the promised land, and everywhere they go, YHWH has taken that land from a people as intimidating and numerous as the Anakim (Deuteronomy 2:11, Deuteronomy 2:20, Deuteronomy 2:23), and given it to some underpowered people from Abraham’s extended family (Deuteronomy 2:5, Deuteronomy 2:9, Deuteronomy 2:19). How silly our unbelief is! Whenever we are tempted to anxiety or doubt, let us remember that the Lord has done harder things before. Would He do that for Edom, or Moab, or Ammon, and then not do it for Israel themselves?! 

And applying the logic of the text to your own life, dear Christian reader, will He do such things throughout history, and then stop short of perfect faithfulness, deliverance, and blessing for one who is united to His beloved Son?! Indeed, the logic of even this passage is dwarfed by that in Romans 8:32. He Who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not, together with Him, freely give us all things?! His resumé and track record are such that we must give Him our full trust. And therefore follow Him with full obedience.

Now, we might chide ourselves for our unbelief. And well would we do so. But let us not miss that the point of this passage is not merely that the generation that was consumed in the wilderness richly deserved it (Deuteronomy 2:15–16). Rather, the point is that the Lord keeps His Word. He kept His Word, in which He had sworn to consume them (Deuteronomy 2:14). And now He was keeping His Word to give Israel the land, and particularly to give the children of that generation the land (Deuteronomy 2:7, Deuteronomy 2:25). He was beginning to do, for the children, the very thing that the foolish and wicked parents had doubted that He could or would do.

How faithful is our God! His promises can never fall to the ground. And what marvelous patience He extends to us, in that faithfulness! If this passage has exposed your heart, behold how worthy He is of your repentance, and how entirely He welcomes it and extends to You His grace to sustain it! He has given you Christ. He will surely give you all things.

When have you had anxieties or doubts that the Lord subsequently proved were misguided? What anxieties and doubts do you have now? Into what disobedience do they threaten to lead you? What is your habit for reminding yourself of what the Lord has promised? What is your habit for reminding yourself of what the Lord has already done?

Sample prayer: Lord, we are so grateful for Your reminding us of Your wonderful works—and especially the wonderful work of Christ’s accomplishing our redemption. Now, make us to live in the confidence that the redemption that You have accomplished, Your Spirit will most assuredly apply to us. So, make us respond in faith and love that produce every good work in Christ, through Whom we ask it, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP78B “O Come, My People” or TPH433 “Amazing Grace”

Wisdom in Our Words and Work [2025.03.05 Midweek Sermon in Proverbs 12:1–14]

The wisdom that YHWH blesses shows up especially in how we use words and how we work.

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

Ready to Face the Lamb? [Family Worship lesson in Revelation 6:12–17]

How should we live, under the Lamb’s sovereign authority over history? Revelation 6:12–17 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we should live as we will wish we had on the day of the wrath of the Lamb.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2025.03.06 Hopewell @Home ▫ Revelation 6:12–17

Read Revelation 6:12–17

Questions from the Scripture text: What does John do in v12? What does the Lamb do? What six things happen in v12–14? What seven categories of men are named in v15? What do they do? Where do they hide? What do they ask the mountains and rocks to do (v16)? In order to hide them from Whose face? And Whose wrath? What day do they think has come (v17)? What rhetorical question do they ask? What is its implied answer? 

How should we live, under the sovereign authority of the Lamb over history? Revelation 6:12–17 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we should live as we will wish we had on the day of the wrath of the Lamb.

The Lamb exercises His sovereign authority of history not only in the triumphal progress of the church (v1–3), the sorts of things that Jesus calls merely the beginning of sorrows in Mt 24:7–8 (v3–8), and even the persecution of Christians (v9–11). But there is a time coming when the Lord will sovereignly shake all the powers of this world until they fall.

Sun, moon, and stars signify authority. They are created to “rule” (cf. Gen 1:16), and their falling down signifies a shakeup in rule (cf. Gen 37:8–10). In Mt 24:29–31, Jesus teaches that the coming of the Son of Man will come at the end of the age of tribulation (which age spans the entire time between His two comings). It is the same event as we see here, complete with the mourning of all of the tribes of the earth, and it immediately precedes the sounding of the last trumpet.

If the people in v15 had acknowledged or believed that the Lamb was upon the throne, they would not be in the position that they find themselves in the sixth seal. Alas, this age is full of those whose eyes are opened too late. The wrath of the Lamb is worse than the wrath of a Lion. For, they will look upon Him Whom they pierced. They will look upon the One Who died for sinners, the Lamb Who was slain, but Whom they rejected. And the wickedness of their rejecting Him will be compounded by the greatness of what He has done for those whom He redeemed.

The face of Him Who sits on the throne is a terrible prospect for them, in all His beauty and glory. They would rather be crushed by the whole of creation than bear the gaze of the Creator Whom they have denied. They would rather suffer anything else than endure the brilliance of the glory of the Lamb expressed upon them as fury, which glory had previously been offered to them as favor.

The point of the seal seems clear: we must live under the sovereign authority of Jesus, throughout the time between His two comings, as we will wish that we had when the great day of His second-coming arrives. Most of all, we must have Him Himself. We must have the white robes from the fifth seal, and be resting in Him, or else we will not be able to bear having His face look upon us. 

There are all sorts of frightful men, and movements, and powers in this world. But they will all be shaken quite easily, like ripe figs falling in a storm, when the true Power shows Himself upon His return.

Are you dressed in the white robe of the righteousness of the Lamb? What might you change in order to live in the manner that you hope to be found upon His return?

Sample prayer:  Lord, forgive us for how easily we fear the powers and movements of this world and this age, when they shall be suddenly shaken and fall to the ground at the coming of our Lord Jesus. And forgive us for how often we do not live as we would wish to be found living upon His return. And forgive us for how much we have taken for granted the salvation that enables us to stand even in the great day of His wrath. Forgive us, and cleanse us, we ask in the Name of the Lamb, even Jesus, AMEN!

 Suggested songs: ARP98 “O Sing a New Song” or TPH389 “Great God, What Do I See and Hear” 

2025.03.05 Midweek Meeting Livestream (live at 6:30p)

Click below for the:

March 5 Prayer Meeting Folder

Proverbs 12:1–14 sermon outline

We urge you to assemble physically, if possible, with a true congregation of Christ's church. For those of our own congregation who may be providentially hindered, we are grateful to be able to provide this service.

IF you are unable to get the stream to work, or simply wish to save on data, you can listen in simply by calling 712.432.3410 and entering 70150 at the prompt.

Each week we livestream the Lord's Day (Sabbath School, Morning Public Worship, and p.m. Singing and Sermon) and Midweek Meeting (sermon and prayer). For notifications when Hopewell is streaming live, install the CHURCHONE APP on your [Apple], [Android], or [Kindle] device, and enter hopewellarp for your broadcaster.

Guilty of Not Knowing God [Family Worship lesson in Hosea 4:1–10]

What does forgetfulness of God deserve? Hosea 4:1–10 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these ten verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that forgetfulness of God deserves to be forgotten and given over our sin, but God is gracious when, rather than giving us over to our sin, He frustrates us in our pursuit of it.(click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)

2025.03.05 Hopewell @Home ▫ Hosea 4:1–10

Read Hosea 4:1-10

Questions from the Scripture text: What is commanded in Hosea 4:1a? Who is commanded (verse 1b)? What is He speaking, that they must hear (verse 1c)? What two things re missing (verse 1d)? Why—what else is missing (verse 1e)? What five habits demonstrate this (Hosea 4:2a–b)? Which is especially unchecked (verse 2c–d)? Therefore, what will mourn (Hosea 4:3a)? And who will waste away (verse 3b)? And what (verse 3c–e)? What mustn’t anyone do (Hosea 4:4a)? Why, what are they like (verse 4b)? So who stumbles, even when (Hosea 4:5a)? And even who stumbles (verse 5b)? And what will the Lord do to whom (verse 5c)? Why are the people being destroyed (Hosea 4:6a)? How have they come to the point where they do not know Him (verse 6b)? How will the Lord respond (verse 6c)? What have they forgotten (verse 6d)? Whom will He forget (verse 6e)? What had God done for them (Hosea 4:7a)? And what did they respond by doing to Him (verse 7b)? So, what will He now do to them (verse 7c)? What do they eat up (Hosea 4:8a)? Upon what do they set their heart (verse 8b)? Who will share in the same response from God (Hosea 4:9)? What will He take from them (Hosea 4:10a)? What will He frustrate (verse 10b)? Why (verse 10c)?#

What does forgetfulness of God deserve? Hosea 4:1–10 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these ten verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that forgetfulness of God deserves to be forgotten and given over our sin, but God is gracious when, rather than giving us over to our sin, He frustrates us in our pursuit of it.

The Court Calls to Order, Hosea 4:1a. The first half of the verse appears small and insignificant. This is all the more reason to draw it out on its own. Otherwise, we might miss what a grave thing is going on here. What will follow is not news-reporting. It is not even “point of view” at the end of the news cast. These are not social comments made by an appalled, upstanding citizen. This is the Word of Yahweh, and He begins by declaring that there is a formal dispute between Himself and the people.

The Charges Read, Hosea 4:1b. The words translated “truth” and “mercy” have a much broader meaning. Most importantly, they are two singular attributes of YHWH. The “knowing” here has at least three aspects. We are quite familiar with objective knowledge, knowing about something. There is also personal, intimate knowledge, seen in its most intense example when the word is used to describe marital intimacy—a use made frequently in Scripture and not to be ignored in this context, where YHWH is Israel’s husband. Thirdly, the verse gives a sense that knowledge of YHWH (or the lack of it) may be equated to imaging His own character.

The Evidence Brought Forth, Hosea 4:2. Here we see what the evidence of not knowing YHWH looks like. When we speak of “just wanting to know” Him, let us remember that such knowledge involves not so much mystical, sentimental experience, but rather eradication of sin.

The Judgment Pronounced, Hosea 4:3. The penalty for lack of knowledge, and rampant violence (Hosea 4:2c–d, cf. Genesis 6:11) is complete and utter destruction. The intentional highlighting of the destruction of fish may be meant to declare that this destruction will be greater even than that in the time of Noah, when the fish were preserved. There is no greater sin, and no greater judgment, than to fail to know the Lord (cf. Romans 1:21, 2 Thessalonians 1:8).

A Reminder of Man’s Place, Hosea 4:4-5. People are not in a place to argue with God (cf. Romans 9:20-21). Yet, the people are like a priest who instead argues with Yahweh. He should be a mediator between others and YHWH, but he contends with the Lord instead. How instinctively our flesh bristles against providence, or God’s Word, or sound doctrine. We are so easily contentions. May the Lord give us sweet, gentle humility toward Himself.

A Reminder of the Covenant, Hosea 4:6-7. In Hosea 4:6, all the “you”s are singular. YHWH is speaking to Israel as if they were a priest (continuing the metaphor begun in Hosea 4:4). We have two explicit covenant references. First, Israel was to be the mediator of God’s grace for all nations by virtue of the Abrahamic covenant (Hosea 4:6c, cf. Genesis 12:3). Second, remembering the Law (Hosea 4:6d) was an explicit, covenant command, and the blessing of descendants the most basic covenant blessing (Hosea 4:6e). The command is transgressed, and the blessing is revoked. Finally, grievously, Deuteronomy 8:18-19 has come to pass. It is a great privilege and blessing to be God’s covenant people, who draw near to Him as priests. Let us not take it for granted or squander it.

Grace in Judgment, Hosea 4:8-10. The image of v8a is of a people who sustain themselves with evil, desiring it like food, and then are even gluttonous for it. The same verdicts declared against the priest in Hosea 4:4-7 are now declared to apply to the people in Hosea 4:9, making clear that Israel as a whole was that priest. Yet, Hosea 4:10 is really a word of grace. YHWH will frustrate their desires, which is chastening, but not judgment! Instead of giving them over to their sin (which would be judgment indeed), YHWH declares that He will frustrate their sin.  What is the reason for this grace? That it was Himself Whom they had forsaken. This seems like strange logic to us, but His relationship with them is so important to Him, that rather than give them over to sin, He will frustrate their efforts. May the Lord so do to you, with your sins, dear reader.

In what times and ways are you most prone to forgetfulness of God? What use do you make of your privilege of drawing near to Him and interceding for others? How has He frustrated your sin? (or, more alarmingly, how has He permitted you to persist in it?)

Sample prayer: Lord, forgive us, for we have been like Israel in Hosea’s day, failing to image Your faithfulness and steadfast love. Rather than knowing You in all our ways, we have often been forgetful of You. We ought to draw near to You in sweet submission, but instead we have stiffened our necks against Your Word and providence. We have deserved to be forgotten, together with our children. Do not give us over to our sin, we pray, but frustrate all our sinful pursuits. Forgive us, and restore us to repentance, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

 Suggested Songs: ARP51AB “God, Be Merciful to Me” or TPH433 “Amazing Grace”

The Love That Causes All Things [Family Worship lesson in Psalm 136]

How does God exercise His steadfast love? Psalm 136 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty-six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that everything that God does is done in steadfast love toward His people. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson)