Worship service 03/01/26.
Greetings and call to worship.
Greetings and good morning, saints and beloved brethren. Grace, mercy and peace be with you through the righteousness of God which is bestowed on us freely in the gospel of His Son Jesus Christ. We are gathered together once more on that day which is consecrated unto our eternal blessing, through the ministry of the word and the increase of grace in our hearts, even the Lord’s day. Let us come before Him in all holy reverence and worship His name, for He is holy. Psalm 105:1-5 says, “Praise the Lord, and call upon his Name: declare his works among the people. Sing unto him, sing praise unto him, and talk of all his wondrous works. Rejoice in his holy Name, let the heart of them that seek the Lord, rejoice. Seek the Lord and his strength: seek his face continually. Remember his marvelous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth…” We are called as Christians to seek the face of God through the acknowledgment of His strength and power in saving us, and that continually. Let us bear this in mind therefore, and go forth on this day confidently seeking Him through His word and gospel. A Puritan minister writes, “What special marks of honour hath God set upon this fourth commandment?
A. God hath set four peculiar marks of honour on it.
(1.) It is the largest of all the commands.
(2.) It hath a solemn memento prefixed to it.
(3.) It is delivered both positively and negatively, which the rest are not. And,
(4.) It is enforced with more arguments to strengthen the command on us, than any other.
Why will God have a Sabbath on earth?
A. God will have a Sabbath on earth, to give us therein an emblem of that eternal Sabbath in heaven, wherein his people shall be serving him, and praising him without interruption, or mixture of any other business throughout eternity; Hebrews 4:9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Prayer unto the public reading of the Holy Scripture:
Our holy and righteous Father,
Full of all glory, justice, and righteousness,
Merciful and faithful—The Covenant God who will by no means clear the guilty, taking vengeance on them that follow after other gods, 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 elected from before the creation of all worlds and purchased by the precious blood of thy Son, called out of darkness and brought into the fellowship of the gospel and the kingdom of Jesus Christ. We bow in all reverence before thy throne, 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 denied access to the covenant promises, are under the wrath and curse of God, and must be cast from thy presence as an abominable thing. Moreover, we confess that without faith in the Mediator, consent to sound doctrine and a repentant heart, endeavouring to walk evenly and zealously for thee, which is the gracious work of the Spirit, we have no evidence of fellowship with thee. For we are by nature guilty and polluted, unable of ourselves to repent or return, and altogether unfit to render thee any service that is not defiled by sin. Therefore, do we confess our utter dependence on the Father’s love for our election, the Son’s righteousness for our justification and the Spirit’s work in our hearts for our sanctification. We believe that thou art our God, and the rewarder of them that diligently seek thy face. Therefore, inasmuch as we are convinced of our sin in Adam and the redemption in Jesus Christ alone, we cry out to thee for mercy: 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 by the blood of Christ and the washing of the Spirit by the word. Sanctify us by the truth of thy word. 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 live by it; And may the same Spirit who breathed life into the church in all ages; 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 [20] (Verse 11): 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 saw previously the solid nature of godliness, and the delight that cometh by seeking the face of the Lord in His Word, and enjoying the favour of His countenance in the continual keeping of His commands and ordinances. For we must not imagine that there is any true seeking of God’s face without a firm persuasion that it is to be done in uprightness of mind and affection—that is, that we are fully convinced that what He hath spoken in His Word is true, and that we are solemnly bound to keep all that He hath spoken, even unto the end of our days.
This comes to us in the form of doctrine and command, as we see in our catechism: what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requireth of man. “I am the LORD thy God”—here is the object of belief. The LORD is our God, and therefore, as He is just, holy, wise, powerful, and true, so He will be all this for us, and exercise His attributes for our benefit and salvation. “Thou shalt love the LORD thy God”—here is matter for performance and holy activity. Love, faith, service, honour, and devotion belong to Him; and we are to busy ourselves and spend ourselves for Him, for nothing less will pass as love.
Kingdoms have their coinage and their seals, and means to detect false currency. So also the King of kings will be loved and honoured; and any work that hath not His image stamped upon it will be judged counterfeit, and the bearer of it condemned as a thief. (John 10:1)
We should observe then, in the very next verse, that David, confessing the insufficiency of his own understanding, saith, “Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.” Upon this we should note carefully:
- David desires that God would instruct him, not leaning upon his own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).
- That God would instruct him in His ways, which are judgment, uprightness, and truth according to the word.
- That this instruction be granted, not for David’s merit—for there is no merit in the works of the righteous—but because of his enemies: that God might vindicate His holy name, and glorify Himself in the frustration of their wicked devices.
For the righteous are not carried by whim, but by wisdom—that wisdom which cometh from above. They do not pursue their own course in life, even when their own name is at stake. In this we must follow David’s example: not seeking our own honour when enemies rise against us, but the honour and righteousness of God, who is offended by sin, and which righteousness we are commanded to “seek first.” And in honouring Himself against them, He will lift us up also, if so be that we are humble before Him and pray in this manner.
First: “Lead me according to thy truth and uprightness; for being afflicted, I know this is the only path to peace and safety amidst my enemies.”
Second: “Teach me, that I may walk in the right way, and that my enemies may be ashamed who seek my hurt.”
If we seek to revenge ourselves in malice and spite—which are verily the fruits of pride—it may be that the Lord will abase us, and we should fall before our enemies, as Samson did for a season. But if we humble ourselves before Him, acknowledging His truth, and beseech Him to lead us in meekness and sobriety—remembering that “the meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way”—then though our enemies gain temporal advantage, they shall not prevail in the end. He will lift His glittering sword and smite them so that they shall not rise.
Their time is short. Their doom approaches. It draws near even now, though they perceive it not. Then shall come sudden terror and destruction, weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Watch therefore unto humility and holiness. Desire the pure teaching of the Word, that you may be found walking in truth when the Lord cometh to judge those who have walked in pride, malice, and cruelty.
David Dickson,
“The second petition is for direction in a holy and wise carriage, that his enemies get no advantage against his behaviour or person. Whence learn, 1. There is danger of desertion, or of God’s leaving us to the will of our enemies, if we carry not a good cause in a lawful, holy, tender way; and therefore we had need to seek our direction from God, to be taught in His way, and led in a plain path. 2. Because the enemies of the godly are ready to calumniate their cause and their intentions, and to take advantage to calumniate them upon the least occasion of a questionable practice, we have the more need to be circumspect, and to pray to be directed in a plain path, because of our enemies.”
Matthew Poole,
“Because of mine enemies; that I may neither open their mouths against me or religion by my miscarriages, nor fall into their hands by my folly, nor give them any occasion of triumphing over me.”
John Trapp,
Because of mine enemies — Or, Because of mine observers; so it may be read ( propter insidiatores meos ); such as Saul and Doeg were, who looked upon David with an evil eye, and watched for his halting. It was the wisdom of the Lacedaemonians (Spartans) always to send two ambassadors together which disagreed among themselves; that so they might mutually eye one another’s actions (Aristot. Polit. lib. ii. cap. 7). The wicked will be eyeing and prying into the practices of good people, who must therefore watch and pray.
Opening Prayer.
Our holy and righteous Father in heaven, most wise, most powerful, most just, and thou who decreest all things that come to pass. We come before thee in worship to bow reverently before thee and learn from thy word. We see clearly in the prophets that as thou art so thou hast made thy people and messengers, zealous haters of idolatry and militant against every accursed and false way. For this is the only true way of loving the Lord Jesus Christ who is all truth, righteousness and mercy. Give us faith and strength, therefore, to resist the enemy and to do battle against the heretics of our day, for they are many, and they set up their idols all around the land so that truth has vanished, and we see not thy signs. Thy word is wrested and abused in the places of worship, and thy ordinances are forsaken. But lift us up, O Lord, give us grace to call on thy name, and worship thee according to holiness and truth, shine the light of thy love upon us and grant us to know and be conformed to thy Son, who is that true way, and everlasting life. Grant it to us through His mighty and blessed name, for the Lord is salvation.
Amen.
Lesson 73. [1.2.47.] The Contents of Holy Scripture: The Prophets. Hosea. The Prophet Against Impudence and Stubbornness in Idolatry.
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—Daniel, Hosea.
All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.
Intro. Hos. 4-10
I. Lessons from Hosea.
- 1. The means God useth to cure souls is distasteful to sinful flesh. (Hos. 7:1)
(1) To sinful pride.
(2) To sinful practice.
Doct. It is distasteful because it is contrary to it. “The flesh lusteth against the Spirit”
2. Because it is contrary, it is painful. Heb. 4:12.
Here the prophet saith, “cure”, but in another place, “hewn”, an apt illustration of the cutting down the forests of pride and wantonness. The manner in which God cureth souls is oft likened to a surgeon’s knife, or a bitter draught which must be drunk to the bottom, or a woman with child giving birth.
3. Iniquity is discovered in two ways.
(1) The cure itself is the law of righteousness, which men have revolted from.
a. Repentance. b. Godliness.
(2) The law discovers men’s sins by contrary effect. The law cometh to condemn sinners, and men harden their hearts in their sins, even through the means God useth to cure.
3. Men corrupt the cure by falsehood.
(1) Legalism and formal religion.
(2) Antimomianism and license. - 1. Though men consider it not, God remembereth all their ways. (Hos. 7:2)
Doct. In this life, men sin with impunity, hoping to escape judgment, and they consider it not.
(1) They justify themselves. Rom. 2:15, Deut. 29:19-20.
a. By inward deceit. b. By moralistic rituals. c. By the pleasures of this world.
(2) They are justified by others. Luke 16:15
a. By the false men of the world. b. By the false men of the church.
2. There is a day coming in which God will judge the secrets of men.
(1) It is a fixed day that no man knoweth. All the time God is watching, waiting for the iniquity of men to be full ripe. Manton, “Most men live as if there were no day of reckoning, no God to see and punish, no books to be opened : the careless spending their time showeth they have no deep sense of these things, no sound belief of them. But faith looketh upon these things as great, sure, and near, and so keepeth the soul awake and alive. It greateneth our apprehensions of these things ; for it is no slight matter for the creature to meet with his creator, the sinner with his judge, from whom he must now receive his final doom. Faith doth speak aloud to a sluggish soul, Thou must be judged : ‘So then every one of us must give an account of himself to God.’ And as it is sure, so it is near :’ The judge is at the door,’ James v. i).
(2) It is a day of sorrow, terror and the gnashing of teeth.
Contra. Common grace. If God remembereth all men’s sins, then the good things in this life are not a blessing but rather a curse to them. Common grace a denial of the justice and wrath of God due to sin. - It is a sure and grievous punishment for God to give men false teachers. (Hos. 9:7)
1. Insomuch that their sins are remembered unto wrath, God giveth them men who will not profit them.
2. They know it not yet, but they shall know it.
3. Those who err in doctrine and speak peace to a rebellious people are mad fools and deranged.
4. Their sins must needs be great for such a heavy punishment. - It is a singular punishment of God to deprive men of profit and longevity. (Hos. 9:14, 10:1-2)
1. God deprives men of profit by false prophets.
2. God deprives men of profit by giving them over to ignorance and deceit.
3. God deprives men of profit by not accepting their works. - An exhortation to remember the grace and mercy of God. (Hos. 10:12-15)
Conclusion.
Closing Prayer.
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 endeavors, intentions, effort, merit, works or free will, neither any creature, but by the grace of Jesus Christ alone.
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.”
Romans 3:24– “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:4-5– “But God which is rich in mercy, through his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead by sins, hath quickened us together in Christ, by whose grace ye are saved,”
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.”
Lam. 1:18– “The Lord is righteous: for I have rebelled against his commandment.”
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.”
Ephesians 2:7 – “That he might show in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
• 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?”
Romans 8:17 – “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
• Food, shelter, companionship, fruitful seasons, promotion, leisure, rest and recreation are made a curse to us apart from Jesus Christ.
Haggai 1:6 – “Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.”
Mal. 2-3 “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart…Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out such a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
• To give God thanks for the means of grace, the word and sacraments, which are denied millions of others.
Isa. 53:1– “Who will believe our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?”
Psalm 147:19-20 – “He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.”
Deut 9:4– “Speak not thou in thine heart (after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out before thee) saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in, to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations, the Lord hath cast them out before thee.”
• 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.”
Isa. 53:5, “But he was wounded for our transgressions: he was broken for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes are we healed.”
• To increase grace in us and call us to purity and virtue—the mortification of sin.
Romans 5:18–19–“Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
John 6:53–56– “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life…
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.”
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…”
• Give thanks to God for sending His Son for our salvation.
Isa. 9:6-7– “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”
Matt. 1:21– “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loveth the world, that he hath given his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Rom. 5:8-10– “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
• 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…”
Scripture verse to meditate upon:
Hosea 14,
“O israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.
I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
• 1 Cor. 11:23-32 “This is my body.
Prayer.
Benediction.
Fearless Puritan: 