Worship service 12/07/25.
Greetings and call to worship.
Greetings and good morning, saints and fellow Christians. Grace, mercy and peace be with you through the love of God and the gift of Jesus Christ by His Spirit. Inasmuch as He hath saved us by His glorious resurrection on the first day of the week, so we are enabled and encouraged by His own power and goodness to worship and adore Him on the same Lord’s day, to give Him our hearts and lives and offer up the thanksgiving of our lips which is pleasing to Him. Psalm 147:1 says, “Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.” It is good to sing praises with the heart and mouth on the Christian Sabbath, and praise is beautiful. Let us therefore celebrate this Sabbath with thanksgiving, for He is holy. A Puritan minister writes, “The whole Sabbath is to be dedicated to God. It is not said, Keep a part of the Sabbath holy, but the whole day must be religiously observed. If God has given us six days, and taken but one to himself, shall we grudge him any part of that day? It were a great sacrilege. The Jews kept a whole day to the Lord; and we are not to abridge or curtail the Sabbath, as Augustine says, more than the Jews did. The very heathen, by the light of nature, set apart a whole day in honour of false gods; and Scaevola, a high-priest of theirs, affirms that the wilful transgression of that day could have no expiation or pardon. If any one robs any part of the Christian Sabbath for servile work or recreation, Scaevola, the high priest of the heathenish gods, shall rise up in judgement to condemn him. Let those who say, that to keep a whole Sabbath is too Judaical, show where God has made any abatement of the time of worship; where he has said, you shall keep but a part of the Sabbath; and if they cannot show that, it robs God of his due. That a whole day be designed and set apart for his special worship, is a perpetual statute, while the church remains upon the earth, as Peter Martyr says. Of this opinion also were Theodore, Augustine, Irenaeus, and the chief of the fathers.” “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy will on mine Holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight to consecrate it, as glorious to the Lord, and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor seeking thine own will, nor speaking a vain word, Then shalt thou delight in the Lord, and I will cause thee to mount upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Isa. 58:13-14
Prayer unto the public reading of the Holy Scripture:
Our holy and righteous Father,
Eternal, immutable, and full of all glory, justice, and righteousness,
Merciful, compassionate, and faithful—The God who will by no means clear the guilty, yet showing mercy to thousands that love thee with the whole heart and keep thy commandments:
We come before thee solemnly and sincerely, as those whom thou hast redeemed and purchased by the precious blood of thy Son, called out of darkness and into the marvellous light of the gospel and the kingdom of Jesus Christ. According to thy word, we are bid and commanded to draw near to thee humbly, with a single heart and upright affections; and therefore we ask thee to grant it unto us, that it may be even so—Acknowledging that thou art incomprehensibly great, holy, and excellent, Glorious in power, fearful in praises, doing wonders. We are therefore careful to approach thy altar, knowing the severity of thy law, the holy requirements of the gospel, as well as our own vileness and unworthiness to draw so near unto thee.
We freely confess, O Lord, that apart from the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are justly denied entrance into thy glory, and must be cast from thy presence as an abominable thing. For we are guilty and polluted, unable of ourselves to repent or return, and altogether unfit to render thee any service that is not defiled by sin. Yet we believe that thou art our God, and the rewarder of them that diligently seek thy face. Therefore, we boldly cry unto thee for the free gift of thy grace: For pardoning mercy to cover our iniquities, And sanctifying mercy to make us meet for thy presence. Hear our prayers, deliver us from all trouble, cleanse us, we pray, by the blood of Christ. Assist us by the power of thy Spirit. Defend us from all evil, Strengthen our faith, subdue the lusts of the flesh that swell within us, And enable us to perform this holy service, Not in our own strength, But in the virtue which thou dost supply of thine own free goodness. And now, O Lord, as we come to the reading of thy holy word, we pray for a special blessing upon this portion of Scripture, that it may be effectual to build up thy holy church, which thou hast called thy special possession, and thy little flock. Open our hearts to receive it with meekness; Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and cause us by thy grace to worship thee by it; And may the same Spirit who spake unto the fathers, apostles and prophets, the reformers and Puritans, so guide our whole lives, That we may grow up in Him in all things, even He who is the Bridegroom and Head of the Church, Jesus Christ, our Prophet, Priest and King. All this we ask in his most worthy name,
Amen.
Devotional and doctrinal exposition on the Psalms:
Psalm 27 [9] (Verse 4): 1 David maketh this Psalm being delivered from great perils, as appeareth by the praises and thanksgiving annexed: 6 Wherein we may see the constant faith of David against the assaults of all his enemies. 7 And also the end wherefore he desireth to live and to be delivered, only to worship God in his Congregation.
A Psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I request; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When thou saidst, seek ye my face; my heart answered unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
9 Hide not therefore thy face from me; nor cast thy servant away in displeasure: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 Though my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.
11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a right path, because of mine enemies.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as speak cruelly.
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
Exposition:
We have formerly observed the courage, confidence, and constancy of that holy spirit which is kindled in the heart of the regenerate by the Spirit of Christ—that because the Lord is on our side and fighteth our battles, we have no cause to fear, but may resist the gates of hell and take up holy arms in the high cause of our Redeemer. For though the Christian life is full of sacred motion and daily labour, it is not of ourselves; it is by grace that we go forward, and by faith that we stand. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). He performeth the work, and we walk in it according to the wonderful gift of grace.
Therefore, we err neither with the legalists, who make man’s free will the chariot of grace, nor with the antinomians, who would turn grace into licentiousness and make Christ the minister of sin. But walking in that blessed and narrow way, wherein mercy and truth have met together, we press on toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Mark this well: the Christian is single-eyed in his purpose and conscious in his direction, and though often compassed about with many afflictions and surrounded by devils and men of the world, yet he goeth on in strength not his own. He “walketh through the valley of the shadow of death” (Ps. 23:4), and feareth no evil, for the Lord is with him, and the rod and staff of the covenant do comfort his soul.
And this walking is not mere pageantry nor outward flourish, like the painted virtue of hypocrites or the hollow ceremonies of heretical synagogues. But it begins with a divine principle wrought in the soul by the Holy Ghost, being inwardly renewed in knowledge and holiness. Thus doth he “hold fast the form of sound words” (2 Tim. 1:13), and his works follow after his doctrine. As our Lord prayed, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). Not by error, not by human traditions, not by worldly compromise, but by the truth alone the saint is sanctified.
This “way” wherein we walk is no mere custom, but the entire compass of the Christian faith, both in belief and manner of life. Therefore, the Christian’s foremost and most constant prayer is this: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done” (Matt. 6:10). Not seeking the empty husks of the earth, but the bread which cometh down from heaven; not the toys of time, but the treasures of eternity. For his belly is not bound to the dust, like the serpent, but his head is raised into the heavenly places, where Christ sitteth. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:21).
Though his feet walk upon the earth, his soul is at the throne of God. As it is written:
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him…” (Col. 3:1–4).
Let us then walk in sobriety and holiness—renewed in the image of Him that created us. Mortify, therefore, the members of the old man. Slay sin, root and branch. Cast off the filthy rags of your former life, and put on the garments of righteousness, even that white raiment washed in the blood of the Lamb.
Christ is our treasure, our pearl of great price, the door and the way and the life. “He that hath the Son hath life” (1 John 5:12). Let us therefore follow hard after Him, for the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Holy violence it is—a pressing through crowds, a breaking of the alabaster box, a tearing off of sin, a laying aside of every weight, that we may win Him and be found in Him.
Let David be our pattern, who desired nothing more than this—that he might dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple. Let us seek in prayer above all not be denied this, though we be denied all else—that we may know the Lord, and be known of Him; that we may commune with Him in His Church on earth, and at length be joined unto Him in glory above.
“For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death” (Ps. 48:14).
John Calvin,
Some consider this as a prophecy of the perpetuity of David’s kingdom, on which not only his own personal happiness depended, but also the happiness of his whole people; as if he had said, I am so well contented with this singular proof of God’s favor, that I can think on nothing else night and day. In my opinion, however, it appears a simpler interpretation to view the words as meaning, that although David was banished from his country, despoiled of his wife, bereft of his kinsfolk; and, in fine, dispossessed of his substance, yet he was not so desirous for the recovery of these, as he was grieved and afflicted for his banishment from God’s sanctuary, and the loss of his sacred privileges. Under the word one, there is an implied antithesis, in which David, disregarding all other interests, displays his intense affection for the service of God; so that it was bitterer to him to be an exile from the sanctuary, than to be denied access to his own house. That David desired only one thing, therefore, namely, to dwell in the house of the Lord, must be read in one sentence. For there is no probability that he means by this some secret wish which he suppressed, seeing he distinctly proclaims what it was that chiefly troubled him. He adds, too, steadiness of purpose, declaring that he will not cease to reiterate these prayers. Many may be seen spurring on with great impetuosity at first, whose ardor, in process of time, not only languishes, but is almost immediately extinguished. By declaring, therefore, that he would persevere in this wish during his whole life, he thereby distinguishes between himself and hypocrites.
We must, however, observe by what motive David was so powerfully stimulated. “Surely,” some may say, “he could have called on God beyond the precincts of the temple. Wherever he wandered as an exile, he carried with him the precious promise of God, so that he needed not to put so great a value upon the sight of the external edifice. He appears, by some gross imagination or other, to suppose that God could be enclosed by wood and stones.” But if we examine the words more carefully, it will be easy to see, that his object was altogether different from a mere sight of the noble building and its ornaments, however costly. He speaks, indeed, of the beauty of the temple, but he places that beauty not so much in the goodliness that was to be seen by the eye, as in its being the celestial pattern which was shown to Moses, as it is written in Exodus 25:40,
“And look that thou make them after this pattern which was showed thee in the mount.”
As the fashion of the temple was not framed according to the wisdom of man, but was an image of spiritual things, the prophet directed his eyes and all his affections to this object. Their madness is, therefore, truly detestable who wrest this place in favor of pictures and images, which, instead of deserving to be numbered among temple ornaments, are rather like dung and filth, defiling all the purity of holy things. We should now consider, whether the faithful are to be like-minded under the Christian or Gospel dispensation. I own, indeed, that we are in very different circumstances from the ancient fathers; but so far as God still preserves his people under a certain external order, and draws them to him by earthly instructions, temples have still their beauty, which deservedly ought to draw the affections and desires of the faithful to them. The Word, sacraments, public prayers, and other helps of the same kind, cannot be neglected, without a wicked contempt of God, who manifests himself to us in these ordinances, as in a mirror or image.
Opening Prayer.
O Lord our God,
thou hast ever been our shield
and our exceeding great reward.
Thou hast rescued us from the ignorance and misery of this world,
and hast translated us into the kingdom of light
and into the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Therefore continue to lead and guide us according to thy strength,
for we are ever in need of thy saving mercies.
Deliver us, O Lord, from the power and might of our enemies,
for they are many and cruel,
and they seek for the very life of the soul,
to catch and ensnare it.
But be thou our Deliverer, O Lord,
and save us from the enemy.
Sanctify us by thy mercy
and prepare us for communion with thee in heaven,
for we long earnestly for thy courts.
Let not our affection be like the wavering paintings of the world,
but give us true zeal,
that is, desiring thee for thine own sake, we may seek thee where thou wilt be found—
in thy word,
in thy holy ordinances,
and in the faithful exposition of thy truth.
Sanctify us by thy truth,
for thy word is truth;
and let us be thy people indeed
when we live according to thy law,
which thou hast written on our hearts
by the Holy Spirit.
This we ask in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
our Light, our Strength, and our Salvation.
Amen.
Amen.
Lesson 61. [1.2.35.] The Contents of Holy Scripture: The Prophets. Isaiah.
Westminster Confession of Faith 1.2.
Under the name of holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments,
Genesis-Song of Songs… Isaiah.
All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.
Intro.
Introduction to the Major Prophets.
Inasmuch as God, in His infinite mercy and wisdom, hath been pleased to declare His Word unto us for our benefit and salvation, He hath from the beginning sent forth His servants the prophets as ministers of that Word, to preach, exhort, rebuke, admonish, and comfort as the case requireth. “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). Their ministry is no human invention, but a divine ordinance grounded in the very covenantal dealings of God with man.
Throughout the history of Israel, many prophets arose by the call and grace of God to declare the idolatry of the nations, the judgment of God against sin, His protection over His people, the wrath to come, and the promise of a Redeemer who should bring in a better covenant. “I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets” (Hos. 12:10).
Chief among these prophetic witnesses—by reason of the magnitude and fullness of their writings—are those commonly styled the Major Prophets. These men wrote extensively on the sins and apostasies of the people, the righteousness and holiness of God, and the unsearchable riches of divine grace in Christ. Their writings contain the most solemn warnings, the most tender consolations, and the clearest prefigurations of the Messiah that the Old Testament affords.
These prophets were raised up in seasons of national crisis and ecclesiastical corruption, that judgment might be proclaimed before it fell, that wrath might be averted through repentance, and that the people might be restored to fellowship with their God. “The LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways” (2 Kings 17:13).
Unlike the modern church leaders of this decadent age, the prophets did not flatter the rulers nor consent to popular sin. They confronted the idolatry, injustice, and political wickedness of the nation with fearless authority. “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression” (Isa. 58:1). They stood alone when necessary, for fidelity to God mattered more than the applause of kings or multitudes.
Their message is two-fold:
- God’s law hath been broken—first through Adam’s original breach of the covenant, and thereafter through every moral transgression of leaders and people alike, which is the evidence of sin corrupting the soul. “They have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant” (Isa. 24:5).
- Man is both unable and unwilling to repent without divine grace, so that salvation must come from God alone. Thus the Lord says, “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in Me is thine help” (Hos. 13:9).
This is the marrow of the Major Prophets: the condemnation of sin, the impossibility of human self-recovery, the certainty of judgment, and the unmerited promise of redemption through Christ, the true Prophet of His Church.
Chief among the political and ecclesiastical heresies and idolatries today, which every living soul doth understand to be a great threat to true religion:
Political:
1. American pride. (The Constitution can’t be wrong because it’s American.)
2. Multiculturalism. (Influx of every low-born urchin and accursed false religion)
3. Economic manipulation. (Global elitists with an agenda against the economic security of the common people/middle class.)
Social:
4. Social Media. (The disintegration of intellectual integrity through the brain wiping of the young. Art and entertainment serve to push an agenda, rather than stimulate the imagination.)
5. Love of the world. (Consumerism, materialism, send your kids to college so they can be successful according to worldly standards.)
Ecclesiastical:
6. Roman Catholicism.
7. Arminianism.
8. Baptist theology.
9. Modern neo-Calvinism. (free offer, common grace)
Because these sins of the people are never mentioned, the church today is complicit, and hath no prophetic witness against them. Their churches are those of the false prophets who flatter and pamper to gain advantage at the loss of their souls and that of their hearers. “If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”
Introduction to Isaiah.
Inasmuch as God in His rich and abundant mercy hath been pleased to reveal the mystery of redemption more clearly with the passing of ages, the prophecy of Isaiah stands foremost among the sacred writings as the most definitively evangelical and Reformed in language of all the prophets. For in this book the majesty of God, the sinfulness of man, the vanity of earthly trust, the necessity of repentance, and the glory of the Messiah are set forth with such radiant fullness and vivid splendour that the fathers of the Church not without cause named it “the Gospel according to Isaiah.”
Isaiah the son of Amoz was called to the prophetic ministry in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah (Isa. 1:1). His ministry therefore spans a period of moral declension, political tumult, foreign invasion, and divine chastisement—yet also of gracious promises concerning the preservation of a remnant and the coming of the Redeemer. His office was to expose the sins of Judah and Jerusalem, to warn them of the approaching judgments, to comfort the faithful with promises of restoration, and above all to testify beforehand of Christ’s person, offices, sufferings, kingdom, and everlasting triumph.
The prophecy is remarkable for its grandeur of style, its breadth of doctrine, and its unity of message. Though containing both judgments and consolations, woes and promises, it is through all a single proclamation: “The Holy One of Israel” reigneth, and salvation belongeth unto Him alone. All nations are as grass before Him; all the devices of kings perish; but the word of our God shall stand forever (Isa. 40:8). The Messiah shall come, shall bear the iniquity of His people, shall establish righteousness, and shall gather Gentiles into the everlasting covenant.
Thus Isaiah is indispensable to Christian doctrine. It declares the total depravity of man (Isa. 1:4–6), the efficacy of grace (Isa. 10:20–22), the person and natures of Christ (Isa. 7:14; 9:6–7), His atoning work (Isa. 53), His kingdom (Isa. 2:2–4; 11:1–10), His prophetic office (Isa. 61:1–3), His priestly work (Isa. 53:10–12), and His kingly dominion (Isa. 32:1; 49:6–7). Here the covenant is expounded, the only way of salvation opened, and the future glory of the church plainly set forth.
Outline of the Book of Isaiah:
Structure, Contents, and Covenantal Message
The prophecy is not a random collection of oracles, but a divinely ordered witness consisting of three great movements:
(1) Judgment on Judah, (2) Judgment on the Nations, and (3) Consolation is found in the Messiah.
Each part is doctrinally rich and covenantally grounded.
I. Isaiah 1–39 — The Book of Judgment and Trust in the Holy One of Israel
A. Chapters 1–12 — The Sin of Judah and the Promise of Immanuel
- Isaiah’s Indictment of Judah — moral corruption, empty worship, covenant breach (1:2–20).
- Visions of the Latter Days — Zion exalted; nations streaming to God’s house (2:1–4).
- The Day of the LORD — humbling of the proud (2:10–22).
- Judgment on Judah’s leaders — vineyard parable; woes on wickedness (5:1–30).
- Isaiah’s Call — vision of the thrice-holy God; judicial hardening (6:1–13).
- Immanuel Prophecies — virgin conception; divine child; government of Christ (7:14; 9:6–7).
- Assyrian Threat — rod in God’s hand; remnant shall return (10:5–27).
Messianic Kingdom — Branch from the root of Jesse; peace among nations (11:1–10).
Songs of Praise — salvation hymns; God’s comfort to His people (12:1–6).
B. Chapters 13–27 — Oracles Against the Nations
- Babylon’s downfall — pride judged (13–14).
- Assyria, Philistia, Moab, Damascus, Egypt — universal dominion of God (15–20).
- Judgment on the earth — apocalypse of nations (24).
- Songs of deliverance — salvation in Zion (25–27).
C. Chapters 28–35 — Woes Against Unbelieving Judah
- Woe to drunkards, mockers, false confidence (28–29).
- Egypt rejected as a refuge — trust only in God (30–31).
The Righteous King — Messianic justice and the peaceable reign (32). - Final judgments and future glory (33–35).
D. Chapters 36–39 — Historical Interlude
- Sennacherib’s invasion — faith versus blasphemous pride (36–37).
- Hezekiah’s sickness and recovery — prayer answered (38).
Babylonian envoys — judgment foretold (39).
II. Isaiah 40–55 — The Book of Consolation and the Servant of the LORD
A. Theme of Comfort
- “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people… the glory of the LORD shall be revealed” (40:1–5).
- The majesty and sovereignty of God contrasted with idols (40:12–31).
B. The Servant Songs
- First Servant Song — God’s chosen Servant brings justice (42:1–9).
- Second — Light to the Gentiles; restoration of Israel (49:1–7).
- Third — The obedient Servant suffers rejection (50:4–11).
- Fourth — The atoning work of Christ in unparalleled clarity (52:13–53:12).
C. Redemption Promised
- Everlasting covenant — mercy to David’s house (55:1–3).
- Free grace offered to sinners (55:6–7).
- The triumph of God’s word (55:10–11).
III. Isaiah 56–66 — The Book of Everlasting Righteousness and the Glory of Zion
A. The Holy Community
- Acceptance of Gentiles; blessing of Sabbath-keepers (56:1–8).
- Rebuke of false shepherds and hypocrites (56–58).
- True fasting — justice, mercy, holiness (58).
B. Sin Confessed; Salvation Revealed
- Iniquities separated the people from God (59:1–15).
- The Redeemer shall come to Zion (59:16–21).
C. The Glory of the Church
- Arise, shine, for thy light is come (60).
- The Messiah’s anointing — “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me” (61).
- Watchmen on Zion’s walls; salvation set as a lamp (62).
D. Final Judgment and New Creation
- The day of vengeance; recompense to enemies (63–65).
- The new heavens and new earth (65:17–25).
Final separation of the righteous and wicked (66).
Summary: The Doctrine of Isaiah
In Isaiah we behold:
- The holiness of God (Isa. 6).
- The depravity of man (Isa. 1:4–6).
- The efficacy of divine grace (Isa. 10:20–22).
- The person of Christ (Isa. 7:14; 9:6).
- The atonement (Isa. 53). “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”
- The calling of the Gentiles (Isa. 49:6).
- The perseverance of the saints (Isa. 40:28–31).
- The new creation (Isa. 65–66).
Thus Isaiah is the clearest evangelical voice in the Old Testament and the capstone of prophetic revelation before Christ’s advent in the flesh.
Conclusion.
Closing Prayer.
O Lord our God,
thou who art from everlasting to everlasting,
and hast ever been the hope, the peace, and the strength of thy people,
we give thee exceeding thanks, O God,
and praise thy name for the revelation of thy truth to us in Jesus Christ.
For there is no other way of salvation,
and many deceivers and false christs have risen up in the world;
therefore we magnify thee for thy wisdom and thy truth,
and for teaching us the right way of knowing thee.
The world continues in error,
and men do not fear thy name.
We see not a public witness against the madness of the heathen and hypocrites;
the godly man ceaseth,
and the faithful fail among the children of men.
How long, O Lord, shall thy servants lie in obscurity?
How long shall the wicked rule,
and the unrighteous bear influence in state and religion?
Raise up, we pray thee, a generation of the righteous—
men who will do thy will,
keep thy Sabbath,
be zealous for thy name,
meditate upon thy holy word,
and obey thy commandments with the whole heart.
But come swiftly in judgment upon the world,
and show them thy right hand.
Punish the nations for their sin
and the false church for her error.
Arise, O Lord,
and deliver us from this present evil world,
for we hope in thee,
and trust in thee,
the salvation of Israel,
our Lord and our Savior.
Amen.
Administration of the Supper.
Exhortation and explanation of the use of the Holy Sacrament.
• To profess the faith and declare openly that salvation is found only in Jesus Christ. Not by merit or works or free will.
Psalm 115:1 – “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.”
• Not by any other creature, man or angel, but Christ alone.
Acts 4:12 – “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
• Acknowledgment of our sin and guilt—original and actual.
Psalm 51:5 – “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
• To give God thanks for the blessed work of redemption.
Ephesians 1:7 – “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”
• To give God thanks that through the work of redemption, all other enterprises are blessed thereby and only thereby.
Romans 8:32 – “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”
• Food, shelter, companionship, fruitful seasons, promotion, leisure, rest and recreation are made a curse to us apart from Jesus Christ.
Proverbs 15:17 – “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.”
Haggai 1:6 – “Ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink… and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.”
• To give God thanks for the means of grace, the word and sacraments, which are denied millions of others.
Psalm 147:19-20 – “He sheweth his word unto Jacob… He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.”
• To bring fresh into our memory the suffering of Christ.
1 Corinthians 11:26 – “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.”
• To increase grace in us and call us to purity and virtue—the mortification of sin.
Romans 6:11 – “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
• To express unity with the saints and love for the brethren who partake with us.
1 Corinthians 10:17 – “For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.”
• To remind us of the evil of sin, that God spared not His own Son in punishing it.
Isaiah 53:10 – “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief…”
• Warning to those who would partake in ignorance or scandalous sin.
1 Corinthians 11:27–29 – “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord… For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself…”
• Give thanks to God for sending His Son for us.
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son…”
Scripture verse to meditate upon:
Isaiah 52:13-15
• 1 Cor. 11:23-32 “This is my body.
Prayer.
Benediction.
Fearless Puritan: 