2026.08.20 Hopewell @Home ▫ Mark 9:14–29

Read Mark 9:14–29

Questions from the Scripture text: What did Jesus see, when He came to His disciples (Mark 9:14)? How did the people respond when they saw Jesus (Mark 9:15)? What did Jesus ask the scribes (Mark 9:16)? Who answers, and how (Mark 9:17-18)? What does Jesus call that entire generation in response (Mark 9:19)? What did the spirit do when they brought the boy to Jesus (Mark 9:20)? What did Jesus ask (Mark 9:21a)? What did the father answer (Mark 9:21-22)? What did he not seem sure that Jesus could do? What does Jesus tell the father in Mark 9:23? How does the father respond in Mark 9:24? Whom did Jesus rebuke in Mark 9:25? What happened in Mark 9:26? How do the people respond? But how does Jesus respond in Mark 9:27? What do the disciples ask in Mark 9:28? And what does Jesus say in Mark 9:29?

What is impressive about Jesus’s disciples? Mark 9:14–29 looks forward to 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 Himself if the only impressiveness of His disciples. 

In this passage, we run into a problem that is not so rare, even today. There are people failing to believe in Jesus because His followers don’t seem to have special powers of their own. 

While it is true that Jesus would later give them particular “signs of an apostle” by His Holy Spirit, apparently the people thought that the disciples’ inability to cast out the demon meant that Jesus was somehow gone. Notice that they are “greatly amazed” to see Him in Mark 9:15. And notice in Mark 9:18 that the man had come with full expectation that the disciples could help. Even the disciples thought they should have been able to do it (Mark 9:28).

Sometimes, we are tempted to think this way too. We look around the church, and maybe we see a bunch of unimpressive people. Sometimes, in fact, they leave exactly the wrong impression upon us. There are people still today who see that and say, “if these are His people, then Jesus must not really exist; or, at least, He must not be a Savior worth having.”

But by this time in Mark’s gospel, we’re noticing a theme. Jesus saves by going to the cross. Jesus tells us that we have to take up our own cross. Even when He says, “all things are possible to Him who believes” in Mark 9:23, He makes it plain that this “all-things-possible” is not some kind of power that He gives us, but something that goes along with a life that consists in trusting Him:

“This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” Depending upon Jesus and denying ourselves. That’s the Christian life! Notice that Jesus didn’t pray and fast; He just commanded. He is the One unto Whom we pray and fast.

In the end, there were two people in that family who were deaf and mute. The father, spiritually so, needed Jesus’s help as much as the son did. He needed Jesus’s help to open his ears with the understanding of faith, and to open his mouth with expressions of faith.

We need that too, if we’re going to live a life of depending upon Jesus and denying ourselves. Let us learn to cry out to Him, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!”

In what situation in your life, do you need Jesus to give you the faith to trust that the Lord is doing and will do something wonderful for your good and His glory?

Sample prayer:  Lord, forgive us for having lower opinions of You on account of the unimpressiveness of Your people. We believe; help our unbelief! Grant that we would not seek a life of being able to do things in ourselves, but of resting upon You in all circumstances. Make us those who pray and fast unto You, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP46 “God Is Our Refuge and Our Strength” or TPH429 “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” 

2026.08.19 Hopewell @Home ▫ 1 Chronicles 17

Read 1 Chronicles 17

Questions from the Scripture text: Where was David dwelling (1 Chronicles 17:1)? To whom did he speak? What did he note about his house? What else did he observe? How does Nathan respond to him (1 Chronicles 17:2)? But then Who speaks to Nathan (1 Chronicles 17:3)? What will David not do (1 Chronicles 17:4)? What does He note about Himself (1 Chronicles 17:5)? What hasn’t He done/said (1 Chronicles 17:6)? Who has done what for whom (1 Chronicles 17:7)? And what else has He done for him (1 Chronicles 17:8)? And what will He yet do for whom (1 Chronicles 17:9-10)? Whom will YHWH raise up, when (1 Chronicles 17:11)? What will He establish? What will the offspring build (1 Chronicles 17:12)? How long will His throne be established? Where will YHWH establish Him (1 Chronicles 17:14)? What did Nathan do (1 Chronicles 17:15)? Where did David go (1 Chronicles 17:16)? Asking what? Amazed at what (1 Chronicles 17:17)? At a loss for what words (1 Chronicles 17:18)? What does he acknowledge in 1 Chronicles 17:19? How does he praise God in 1 Chronicles 17:20? At whom else does he marvel (1 Chronicles 17:21)? On what basis? What is the greatest thing YHWH has done for them (1 Chronicles 17:22)? For what does David now ask (1 Chronicles 17:23)? Unto what end (1 Chronicles 17:24)? In response to what does David pray (1 Chronicles 17:25)? What does he see that God has done (1 Chronicles 17:26)? Of what is he certain (1 Chronicles 17:27)?

Who builds what for whom? 1 Chronicles 17 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these twenty-seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the great endeavor of all of history is God’s building a house for Christ, which is Christ’s building a house for God. 

There is a sense in which the whole of creation and providence is about God building David a house(hold). This is because it has been His intention, from all eternity, that God the Son (cf. Romans 1:4) would become the son of David, according to the flesh (cf. Romans 1:3; Hebrews 1:5–14, Hebrews 2:14; Ephesians 1:3–5). God is the original, and that what He builds into creation and providence is for our understanding and enjoyment of Him and His gospel. 

Good, but ignorant intentions. That is what both David and Nathan have at the beginning of this passage. David is grateful. He does not think that his prosperity is his own achievement. It is precisely because he knows that it is the goodness and greatness of God that has given him his throne, his victories, and his great house (1 Chronicles 17:1), that he wishes to do something out of gratitude to God. But he has difficulty grasping the greatness of God. We all do—and will, forever! A house of cedar is not somehow more appropriate to God than tent curtains! This is a lesson that Solomon will have learned from him, by the time he finishes the temple (cf. 1 Kings 8:37). But David isn’t the only one. His suggestion sounds so good to Nathan, that he apparently doesn’t even need to pray about it (1 Chronicles 17:2). 

It is always God Who does us good, not the other way around. So David wishes to build God a house (1 Chronicles 17:4), but God has never indicated that this is something that He desires (1 Chronicles 17:4-6). Has David not understood, yet, that it is always God Who is the giver (1 Chronicles 17:7-9)? This is true, not only for David, but for Israel as a whole (1 Chronicles 17:9-10a). So, it is not David who will build God a house (1 Chronicles 17:4), but God Who will build David a house (1 Chronicles 17:10b). 

The true house. David’s house of cedar, as big and sturdy and beautiful as it was, would end up on the rubbish heap of history. The true house would be the kingdom of Christ. By referring to a Seed/Offspring in 1 Chronicles 17:11, rather than a Son, God ties the promise of verse 11 to Genesis 3:15, Genesis 22:18, etc.. Amazingly, David’s house and God’s house are going to end up being the same house! David thought he already had a house (1 Chronicles 17:1), but now he learns that he really doesn’t, yet, because his true house is the one that the Lord is going to build for him (1 Chronicles 17:10b). The One Who builds the house in 1 Chronicles 17:12 cannot be Solomon, because Solomon’s throne is not forever (verse 12b, 1 Chronicles 17:14). 

So the house that God builds for David (1 Chronicles 17:10b), and the house that David’s Seed builds for God (1 Chronicles 17:12) is the same house! Solomon does enjoy some fulfillment of the promise in 1 Chronicles 17:13. 2 Samuel 7:14 refers to Solomon, specifically (Christ has no iniquity of His own!), but 1 Chronicles 17 leaves that portion out. By the time of 1 Chronicles, Solomon is long gone, so the focus here is almost exclusively and entirely upon Christ. This is just so for us. In all of His work in gathering and perfecting the church, God is fulfilling the promise made in this chapter. What seems mundane at first: the ins and outs of daily discipleship in the family, and weekly discipleship in the assembly, ought to shine to us with great gospel glory, in the light of this chapter.

Overflowing praise, gratitude, and confident prayer. Therefore, we learn from David, in 1 Chronicles 17:16-27, how we should be responding to God’s promise and fulfillment in what He does in our families, congregations, and the broader church. What are we, and our houses, in and of ourselves (1 Chronicles 17:16)? Nothing! But, in this promise and fulfillment, we see the greatness of His love and grace toward us (1 Chronicles 17:19). And, in this promise and fulfillment, we learn how to pray for better things than we would have asked otherwise (1 Chronicles 17:21-23)—let us learn to draw our prayers from His promises! And, in this promise and fulfillment, we learn God’s own pleasure, for the manner in which He would magnify His Name—magnifying Himself as our own covenant God (1 Chronicles 17:24). And, in this promise and fulfillment, we learn to pray with the confidence of those who are asking for what cannot fail.

How, in history, has God been fulfilling the promises of this chapter? How has He been doing so in your life and your family’s life? How has He been doing so in your congregation? How are you responding to this? How are you praying and laboring, in light of what He has promised?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we thank You and praise You for the house that You are still building for David. And, we thank You and praise You for the house that Christ is building for You. We confess that we have often been more impressed with our personal, earthly endeavors. And, we have often been more invested in our personal, earthly endeavors. So, we have not been sufficiently interested in the progress of Christ’s kingdom, and we have not been sufficiently invested in the progress of Christ’s kingdom. In fact, we have sometimes thought of things like “cultural influence” as the advancement of that kingdom, rather than Your gathering and perfecting Your saints. Make us to remember that it is You Who are the great giver, not we. And forgive us for all of our earthly-mindedness. Give us to do even our earthly endeavors with a heavenly mindedness that rejoices over Your building of Your house, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP96A “O Sing a New Song” or TPH100B “All People That on Earth Do Dwell” 

2026.08.18 Hopewell @Home ▫ Job 13:1–19

Read Job 13:1–19

Questions from the Scripture text: In what is Job equal to his friends (Job 13:1-2)? With Whom would he rather speak (Job 13:3)? Why (Job 13:4)? What would be the wises thing for them to say (Job 13:5)? Whom should they hear instead (Job 13:6)? What is wrong with their own speech (Job 13:7)? In what way (Job 13:8)? What should they consider (Job 13:9)? What is their status before God (Job 13:10-11)? How useful is their counsel (Job 13:12)? To whom should they listen instead (Job 13:13)? What would following their counsel be like doing (Job 13:14)? What will he do instead (Job 13:15)? Whom does this make to be his salvation (Job 13:16)? What should his friends do (Job 13:17)? So that they, also, might have what outcome (Job 13:18)? To Whom, will he now directly turn his attention (Job 13:19)?

What should legalists do? Job 13:1–19 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these nineteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that legalists should shut their mouths and listen to those whose hope is not in personal performance but in the God of grace. 

The counsel of each of Job’s three friends have struck the same chord: repent well enough, and you will be blessed. They have grounded this false idea upon the truth of God’s justice and righteousness—a truth that Job knows just as well as any of them (Job 13:1-2), but a truth which leads him to the opposite conclusion than they. 

Job’s only hope is in the God of grace Himself (Job 13:3, Job 13:15-16). The reality of God’s justice and holiness is one that should have terrified the friends for themselves (Job 13:9, Job 13:11). The idea that one could repent well enough to merit blessing from Him is a worthless lie (Job 13:4) that speaks wickedly of God (Job 13:7), as if someone could be good enough for Him (Job 13:8). Legalism makes too little of God’s law and justice, and too much of our ability. With legalism as their “wisdom,” it would have been wiser to say nothing at all (Job 13:5, Job 13:12-13a), and to listen to Job speak instead (Job 13:6, Job 13:13b, Job 13:17). 

And what would they hear Job say? That it is folly to wager his life upon his own repentance (Job 13:14). That, regardless of what he might receive from God’s hand, the only defense that he has before God (Job 13:15b) is God Himself (verse 15a). That he refuses to pretend to be good enough for God (Job 13:16b), as his friends purport to be, but that God Himself is his salvation (verse 16a). With God as his hope, Job is confident of being vindicated (Job 13:18), so he hastens now to address God Himself (Job 13:19).

When you consider the eternal outcome of your soul, what is your hope? In what circumstances, where you have been the one talking, would it have been wiser for you to be silent? 

Sample prayer:  Lord, You are God Almighty, Whose divine nature is on display in the things that You have made. We praise You for Your wisdom, power, justice and holiness! And we thank You have announced to us what we could not have known from the creation: Your gospel of grace. You alone are our trust! You alone are our salvation! So, receive us now, in Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. And grant unto us to worship You, not from what is from within us, but from that which is in us from Him, by His grace, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

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

2026.08.17 Hopewell @Home ▫ Psalm 63

Read Psalm 63

Questions from the Scripture text: Who penned this Psalm (superscript)? When? Whom does David address in Psalm 63:1a? Whose is He? What will David do (verse 1b)? When? What does his soul do? What does his flesh do? In what sort of land? For what (Whom!) has David looked (Psalm 63:2)? Where? To see what? What is better than what else in Psalm 63:3? How will David respond? How long will he do this (Psalm 63:4a)? What else will he do (verse 4b)? What will be the result for his soul (Psalm 63:5)? How will his mouth respond to this satisfaction? When else will he remember God (Psalm 63:6)? By doing what for how long? What has God been (Psalm 63:7)? Where then will David go? What will he do there? How does Psalm 63:8 describe going through life in this way? What will the result be? About whom do we hear for the first time in this Psalm in Psalm 63:9? What three things will happen to them (Psalm 63:9-10)? What will the king be doing at that time (Psalm 63:11a)? And who else will be doing what (verse 11b)? What about others’ mouths (verse 11c)?

What does it look like to have God as your own, covenant God? Psalm 63 looks forward to the opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eleven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that having God as our very own covenant God means praising Him as our Priority (Psalm 63:1-4), Pleasure (Psalm 63:5-6), and Protection (Psalm 63:7-10), all unto His Praise (Psalm 63:11).

Praising God as Our Priority, Psalm 63:1-4. The Psalm begins, literally, early in the day. The land may be dry and thirsty (Psalm 63:1e–f), but David is thirstier for something (Someone!) else. The thirst of his soul for the Lord (verse 1c) is so intense that he feels the longing as if it is physical (verse 1d). Why? Because God’s covenanted love (Psalm 63:3a) is better than life itself, and praising Him for it is the point of that life (Psalm 63:4). So this seeking is not just praying, but especially praising, as thrice repeated in the last three lines of this section.

Praising God as Our Pleasure, Psalm 63:5-6. The phrase “marrow and fatness” joins two words that usually indicate the richest portion and the choicest portion. Together, they communicate extreme delight and satisfaction. But what can satisfy a soul like this? Only the Lord Himself.

So for true pleasure, rather than filling his mouth with royal food, David fills his mouth with divine praise (Psalm 63:5b)! Psalm 63:6 finds him still licking his lips, as it were. Now, he’s sleepless through the night watches. Hour after hour passes, but by meditating upon (verse 6b)—reminding himself of (verse v6a)—the Lord, he finds himself not hungry upon his bed but well-satisfied. 

Praising God as Our Protection, Psalm 63:7-10. God has been not only loving (Psalm 63:3a) but help (Psalm 63:7a), not only pleasure but protection. The images here are as tender as they are strong: nestling under the shadow of God’s wings (verse 7), following closely behind (Psalm 63:8a), being held up by His right hand (verse 8b). There’s not just safety here, but singing (Psalm 63:7b). By contrast, the wicked are not only killed but brought low (Psalm 63:9b), as the humiliation of becoming jackal-food emphasizes (Psalm 63:10b).

Praising God through Eternity, Psalm 63:11. The demise of the wicked introduces another contrast. In the grave, their mouths will be shut (verse 11c, cf. ). But the mouths that have been full of praise (Psalm 63:5b) will continue forever. The king, and everyone who swears by Him, will rejoice and glory forever. But Who is the Him—the King or God? Yes! For Christ is the perfect King-singer of this Psalm, and it is He through Whom we belong to the Lord, delight in the Lord, are protected by the Lord, and praise the Lord—Forever!

In Christ, from early in the morning, through all the watches of the night, may praising God be our priority, pleasure, and protection!

What time of day are you more forgetful of God? How/upon what can you meditate to remedy this?

Sample prayer:  Lord, from early in the morning through the watches of the night, we are well-satisfied with Your power, Your glory, Your covenanted love, Your help… indeed You Yourself are our desire, delight, and defense! Be praised now, as You will be forever, filling Your people’s hearts with joy in Christ the King, through Whom we ask it, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP63 “O God, You Are My God” or TP63 “God, Thee, My God, I’ll Early Seek”

2026.08.16 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.

Stewards of the Mystery [Family Worship lesson in Ephesians 3:7–9]

Why does God use the weak and unworthy? Ephesians 3:7–9 prepares us for the morning sermon in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God uses the weak and unworthy to steward the gospel of the riches of the glory of God in Christ. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The devotional expounds on Ephesians 3:7-9, revealing that God chose the most unworthy individual to demonstrate that the power of the gospel originates entirely from Him rather than human merit. It defines the 'mystery' as the eternal plan where God redeems a people for Himself and gives Himself to them, a truth hidden for ages but now revealed through Jesus Christ. The text emphasizes that spiritual gifts are not personal possessions but entrusted responsibilities given by God for the benefit of the church from all the nations. By highlighting Paul's transformation from persecutor to apostle, the message illustrates that believers are stewards of this infinite treasure, called to pass it on to others with humility and responsibility. The central intent is to comfort the faithful with God's sovereign grace while convicting them to faithfully dispense the gospel to their communities.

2026.08.15 Hopewell @Home ▫ Ephesians 3:7–9

Read Ephesians 3:7–9

Questions from the Scripture text: Who had become a minister of the gospel (Ephesians 3:7)? According to what (cf. Ephesians 3:2)? By what? What does the apostle call himself in Ephesians 3:8? For what duty was this grace given him? How does he summarize the content of what he preaches among the nations? What stewardship (lit.) does this make all the elect to see (Ephesians 3:9)? Where was this mystery hidden, from when? Through Whom had God created all things in the first place?

Why does God use the weak and unworthy? Ephesians 3:7–9 prepares us for the morning sermon in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God uses the weak and unworthy to steward the gospel of the riches of the glory of God in Christ. 

Ministry in the gospel is an assignment by grace to show bottomless depths of an eternal goodness.

First, ministry in the gospel is an assignment by grace. The apostle, who calls himself literally “the lesser least of all the saints,” says that he became a minister “according to the gift of the grace of God” (Ephesians 3:7), when “grace was given” (Ephesians 3:8) him.

Believers often think that if they tell others about Jesus, it will fall flat because of how unimpressive they are in the history of their character and conduct so far. They are correct about themselves, but that is part of the point. Ministry, as with Christ’s own righteousness which is our only standing before God, is a gift of the grace of God.

Believers also often think that they are “not up to” showing Jesus to others. But even the apostle could only proclaim Christ to others “by the effective working of [God’s] power” (Ephesians 3:7). We are not all called to be ministers of the gospel in the official (office) sense, but surely it is true that in all of your living for Christ in whatever part you do have, your part also is only by the gracious and “effective working of His power.”

Second, ministry in the gospel is an assignment to show bottomless depths. One wonders if we sometimes tune the apostle, because he always seems to be engaging in hyperbole. Our fault in that is that this apostle, even by the Holy Spirit, finds it quite impossible to exaggerate the riches of Christ to us. 

Other things that have been described to us in glowing terms have always fallen short and disappointed. But here, it is the terms that must fall short. The apostle summarizes his job as to “preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” It is something that we may dive into, and explore—one unfolding world of wonder after another—but never reach (or even see!) the bottom. On the receiving end of such a ministry, we repeatedly and continually find ourselves saying, “Amazing! Wonderful! Our God, and His gospel of His Son is still more glorious than I had ever imagined!”

Finally, ministry in the gospel proclaims an eternal goodness. As the apostle shows to all “the stewardship of the mystery” (Ephesians 3:9), he traces back the chain of custody of this glorious news. Previously, he had said that “in other ages it was not made known to the sons of men” (Ephesians 3:5). Now, he goes back beyond “the beginning of the ages” and finds that this plan of salvation goes back into God Himself.

The picture is a glorious one, and we strain to consider it. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, sharing divine delight in a plan to save unto the Father, in the Son, by the Spirit—which will come of necessity through one people, but will be out of generosity unto all the people. 

And it was this eternal plan to glorify God by grace that initiated creation itself, in which God “created all things through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 3:9). Everything that happens (including the full) from creation until now is so that redeemed sinners may see the glory of God in the unsearchable riches of the glory of Christ!

What gives meaning to our life, and significance to every role in which we find ourselves, is its participation in the plan and purpose of God in all of creation and history!

When do you ordinarily experience wonder at the riches of Christ? By what means has God appointed for you to experience that wonder, and to grow in your wonder at Christ? How will you be availing yourself of these opportunities to do so?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we thank You and praise You for making known to us the riches of Jesus Christ. Truly, by our weakness and unworthiness, we are well-suited to show that the glory and power all belong to You in Christ. Make us good stewards of the gospel, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP40A “I Waited for the LORD” or TPH377 “Join All the Glorious Names”

2026.08.14 Hopewell @Home ▫ Habakkuk 1:12–2:1

Read Habakkuk 1:12–2:1

Questions from the Scripture text: Whom does Habakkuk now address (Habakkuk 1:12)? What does he ask (verse 12a)? What does he call Him (verse 12b)? What does he conclude about God’s people (verse 12c)? What does he conclude about the purpose of the Chaldeans (verse 12d–e)? What does he know about God’s character (Habakkuk 1:13a–b)? What difficulty does he have with God’s use of the Chaldeans (verse 13c–e)? What does he ask about men (Habakkuk 1:14)? What do the Chaldeans do that reduces the Judeans to that (Habakkuk 1:15)? But how will these Chaldeans respond to their success (Habakkuk 1:16)? What difficulty does Habakkuk express in his question (Habakkuk 1:17)? What will Habakkuk do, having asked that question (Habakkuk 2:1a–c)? What does he assume that he will need (verse 1d)?

What should perplexed Christians do? Habakkuk 1:12–2:1 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that perplexed Christians should cling to the Lord, sure of His character, and expecting to be corrected by Him.  

Habakkuk has one significant advantage over Job. From the start, God is talking to him. But this advantage has not fully resolved his problem. He knows the character of God. He has heard the plan of God. He understands the explanation of God. But he is having difficulty putting all of these together. God is sovereign, faithful, wise, just, good, and holy. It is the last of these that now gives him difficulty.

God is sovereign. “Are You not from everlasting?” Habakkuk acknowledges the difference between his perspective and God’s perspective. It is not only that God knows, and can see, infinitely more than Habakkuk can. It is that, from all eternity, God has planned what He will do. He is sovereign. 

God is also faithful. Notice how Habakkuk addresses Him. By the covenant Name, YHWH. By His covenant identity: “Holy One” is an abbreviation of “Holy One of Israel,” used of the Lord dozens of times in the Old Testament, especially in Isaiah. And Habakkuk especially addresses the Lord as his own: note how he uses the possessive “my” twice. God has affirmed that He has not abandoned His covenant with Israel, but rather is keeping it, and Habakkuk responds by holding onto God’s faithfulness to His covenant and to His people. When you are perplexed by what the Lord is doing in your life, or in the church, it is transformative to come to terms with the fact that He is the One Who is doing it (sovereign), and that it is in faithfulness to His people (you!) that He is doing it!

God is wise. “We shall not die.” God knows what He is doing. If He is the One Who is in control, and if He is acting in faithfulness to His people, faithfulness to His covenant, and faithfulness to His promises, then that means that the people of God cannot be eliminated. Surely, Habakkuk is still perplexed about some things, but one thing that he is sure about is that Israel will not die.

God is just. Habakkuk’s initial complaint was that the Lord was not doing anything about the violence in Judah (cf. Habakkuk 1:2–4). The Lord’s description of the Chaldeans has been terrifying, but it is justified. So now Habakkuk answers “O YHWH, You have appointed them for judgment.” He has learned something. He doesn’t completely understand how it all fits together, but he acknowledges that the Lord is righteous and just in whatever He does. It is part of our Christian growth to assimilate the fact that everything the Lord does, He does in faithfulness, wisdom, and justice.

God is good. He gives us the correction that we need. “O Rock, You have marked them for correction.” The noun in Habakkuk 1:12e is the root of the verb in Habakkuk 2:1d. When Judah needs rebuke/correction, the Lord gives it. When Habakkuk needs rebuke/correction, the Lord gives it. He is giving what is good for His people.

God is holy. In Habakkuk 1:13, we begin to see Habakkuk’s difficulty. How can the holy God, Whose “eyes” are too pure to tolerate evil, patiently endure for the even-more-wicked Chaldeans to be an instrument of correction upon Judah? How can He let His people be treated like fish (Habakkuk 1:14), by this ruthless nation (Habakkuk 1:15), who continuously empty and refill their net (Habakkuk 1:17), while worshiping the idol of their ruthlessness for the worldly goods that it obtains for them (Habakkuk 1:16)? 

It is important to see that, as Habakkuk, wrestles with these things, He does not do so as one who is judging God or contending with God. He does so as one who just doesn’t get it—and who hopes to receive the correction that he needs. In fact, he is eager for God’s reply, eager for God’s correction. He stands watch for it (Habakkuk 2:1a). He positions himself to see it as soon as possible (verse 1b). He watches for what the Lord will say to him (verse 1c). He even anticipates modifying his own responses based upon the correction that he expects to receive (verse 1d). What a way to describe how we all ought to incline toward God’s Word, and even to submit to it in prospect, as we look forward to it!

Due to our creatureliness, and especially our ongoing sinfulness, there is much that will confound us in the providence of God. But we may cling to Him, sure of His character, and awaiting the correction of the Word.

What current situations in your life, or in Christ’s church, are perplexing you? What aspects of God’s character are you more sure of, than you are of anything that you think about these situations? In what actions and activities are you waiting upon God’s Word for correction? With what attitude are you waiting for that correction?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we praise You for Your perfect sovereignty, faithfulness, wisdom, justice, goodness, and holiness. We confess that, when we cannot make sense of things, it is because we need correction. Please give to us the correction that we need. And please give us humility and zeal as we wait for it, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP131 “My Heart Is Not Exalted, LORD” or TPH256 “God Moves in a Mysterious Way”

Hear Him! [Family Worship lesson in Mark 9:1–13]

Whom must we hear? Mark 9:1–13 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these thirteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we must hear Christ, telling us that God the Son became a man to suffer abuse and die, and that His people must expect similar experience. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) Summary of the transcript of the audio: The devotional examines the Transfiguration narrative to reveal Jesus's divine glory and authority as the beloved Son of God. It contrasts the radiant revelation on the mountain with the subsequent necessity of Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection. Pastor highlights how Peter's misunderstanding serves to correct any notion of equality between Jesus and the Old Testament prophets. This event confirms that the kingdom of God arrives through the Son's sacrificial work rather than earthly power. The message calls believers to worship Jesus alone and trust in the redemptive power of His cross.

2026.08.13 Hopewell @Home ▫ Mark 9:1–13

Read Mark 9:1–13

Questions from the Scripture text: Some of whom, did Jesus say, would not taste death until they saw the kingdom of God having come with power (Mark 9:1)? How many days later does Mark 9:2 occur? Who takes disciples up the mountain? Whom does He take? Who is transfigured before them? What happens to His clothes in Mark 9:3? Who appear in Mark 9:4? With whom are they talking? Who jumps into the conversation in Mark 9:5? What does He suggest they do? Why did he say this (Mark 9:6)? What comes and overshadows them (Mark 9:7)? What comes out of the cloud? What does the voice say? What suddenly happens (Mark 9:8)? Until when does Jesus command that they should tell no one the things they had seen (Mark 9:9)? What did they question (Mark 9:10)? What do they ask Him (Mark 9:11)? And what does He ask them in response (Mark 9:12)? What does He say happened when the Elijah prophet came (Mark 9:13)?

Whom must we hear? Mark 9:1–13 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these thirteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we must hear Christ, telling us that God the Son became a man to suffer abuse and die, and that His people must expect similar experience. 

In this reading, the Lord is still dealing with us about our false expectations of what it will be like to be His disciples. The passage is closely connected to the preceding one in chapter 8, where Peter takes it upon himself to pull Jesus aside and correct Him (!) for saying that He had to suffer and die.

On this particular occasion, Jesus’s glory is revealed in a physical way, and Moses and Elijah appear to them, and they are talking with Jesus. What does Peter do? He says the first thing he can think of: “We should have a campout!”

The Scripture even emphasizes that he said this precisely because he didn’t know what to say. Here’s an idea: if you don’t know what to say, then don’t say anything at all! God takes over the conversation and corrects Peter: if the beloved Son of God is in the conversation, you just shut your mouth and listen. “Hear Him!”

When they hear Him, what does He say? “I’m going to rise from the dead.” They are so resistant to the idea of His death that they don’t understand what He means by “risen from the dead”!

So, they ask Him a Bible question. The scholar theologians of the day interpreted Scripture to say that Elijah would come before the Christ (cf. Malachi 4:5-6). So the disciples, now convinced that Jesus is the Christ, wonder why Elijah hadn’t come. 

Notice how Jesus points out their inconsistency before He answers. It’s like He’s saying, “So, you’ll take the Scripture seriously when it says that Elijah comes first, but you’re determined not to take it seriously when it says that the Messiah must suffer?”

I’m afraid we are often like Peter and the others: very intrigued by some fine question in the Scripture, while neglecting other things that are most plain and necessary. This most of all: this glorious Lord Jesus suffered and died for sinners!

How have you suffered for Christ, for the gospel, or for righteousness? Whom do you follow in this? How does one listen to Jesus? How have you, specifically, been listening to Jesus? What are some examples of things that you have recently heard Him say in His Word?

Sample prayer:  Lord, we thank You and praise You that You have given us so many ways, on so many occasions, to behold the glory of Christ. But still, we have often been more interested in expressing ourselves than hearing Him, or in theological curiosities rather than what He Himself has emphasized in His Word. And, when He has told us that we must expect to suffer many things, we have bristled against His Word. Forgive us and grant us tender hearts that receive His Word by faith in Him, we ask in His Name, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP22A “My God, My God” or TPH131A “Not Haughty Is My Heart”