Worship service 07/12/26.
Greetings and call to worship.
—Greetings and good morning, saints, and fellow partakers of the cross of Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be with you and follow you through the mercy of God and the righteousness of the Son of God. We come before Him once again to worship and glorify His name for who He is and what great things He hath done for us. He hath purged us from sin and iniquity and abolished idolatry in the very soul. Therefore will we praise Him most freely and joyfully. Psalm 115:1 says, “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.” Truly God is worthy to be praised, even for His great mercy towards us, though we were yet in sin, and for His truth’s sake revealing His word unto us, and delivering us from idolatry and error in the which we once walked. Let us come before Him, therefore, and praise Him.
A Puritan minister writes,
After the public exercises of God’s worship are over the work of the Sabbath is not over; but we must retire to our families (not seek our pleasure in the fields, or in vain company), and there repeat over what we have heard; catechise and instruct children and servants, sing psalms, pray with our families, and whilst we moderately make use of any creature refreshment, we must discourse of the things of God. We ought also to take time in the evening to retire into secret, and there examine ourselves as to the carriage of our hearts before God in the day; labour in meditation to get the word wrought more thoroughly upon our hearts; we must also endeavour to pour out our hearts before God in secret prayer, humbly confessing sin, earnestly and believingly requesting pardon and further supplies of grace, and thankfully praising God for all his mercies, especially for his Son Jesus Christ, and the Gospel privileges which we have in and by him. In such variety of holy exercises we may spend the whole Sabbath, which we should make as long as we can; and when the day is at an end, we should long for the Sabbath in heaven, which will never have an end.
Prayer unto the public reading of the Holy Scripture:
Our holy and righteous Father,
full of glory, justice, mercy, and truth;
the covenant God who will by no means clear the guilty,
yet showeth mercy unto thousands that love thee and keep thy commandments:
We come before thee solemnly,
as those whom thou hast chosen in Christ,
redeemed by His precious blood,
called out of darkness,
and brought into the fellowship of the gospel
and the kingdom of thy Son.
We bow before thy throne in all reverence,
acknowledging the severity of thy law,
the holy requirements of the gospel,
and our own vileness and unworthiness
to draw near unto thee.
We confess, O Lord,
that apart from the obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ
we lie under thy wrath and curse,
without access to the covenant promises.
For we are guilty and polluted by nature,
unable of ourselves to repent, believe, or return unto thee.
Therefore we rest wholly upon thy free grace:
upon the Father’s electing love,
the Son’s righteousness for our justification,
and the Spirit’s work for our sanctification.
Pardon our iniquities,
cleanse us by the blood of Christ,
sanctify us by thy truth,
strengthen our faith,
subdue the lusts of the flesh,
and enable us to perform this holy service
in the strength which thou dost so freely supply.
And now, as we come to the reading of thy holy word,
grant a special blessing upon this portion of Scripture.
Make it effectual by thy Spirit
to build up thy Church,
and establish thy kingdom.
Open our hearts to receive the word with meekness;
give us eyes to see and ears to hear;
and cause us to live by it,
that we may grow up into Christ in all things—
Our Prophet, Priest, and King.
All this we ask in His most worthy name,
Amen.
Devotional and doctrinal exposition on the Psalms:
Psalm 26: 1 David oppressed with many injuries, finding no help in the world, calleth for aid from God: and assured of his integrity towards Saul, desireth God to be his judge, and to defend his innocence. 6 Finally he maketh mention of his sacrifice, which he will offer for his deliverance, and desireth to be in the company of the faithful in the Congregation of God, whence he was banished by Saul, promising integrity of life, and open praises and thanksgiving.
A Psalm of David.
1 Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.
2 Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
3 For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.
4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.
5 I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.
6 I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord:
7 That I may declare with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.
8 O Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.
9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:
10 In whose hands is wickedness, and their right hand is full of bribes.
11 But I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.
12 My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the Lord.
Psalm 27: 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.
Psalm 28: 1 Being in great fear and heaviness of heart to see God dishonored by the wicked, he desireth to be rid of them. 4 And crieth for vengeance against them: and at length assureth himself, that God hath heard his prayer, 9 Unto whose tuition he commendeth all the faithful.
A Psalm of David.
1 Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
2 Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.
3 Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but malice is in their hearts.
4 Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their inventions: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.
5 For they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, therefore destroy them, and build them not up.
6 Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my petitions.
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
8 The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.
9 Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and exalt them for ever.
Psalm 29: 1 The Prophet exhorteth the princes and rulers of the world (which for the most part think there is no God.) 3 At the least to fear him for the thunders and tempests, for fear whereof all creatures tremble. 11 And though thereby God threateneth sinners, yet he is always merciful to his, and moveth them thereby to praise his Name.
A Psalm of David.
1 Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength.
2 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory maketh it to thunder: the Lord is upon the great waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is mighty; the voice of the Lord is glorious.
5 The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars; yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He maketh them also to leap like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.
7 The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord maketh the wilderness to tremble; the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.
10 The Lord sitteth upon the floods; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever.
11 The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.
Exposition:
—
Opening Prayer.
—Our gracious and glorious Father in heaven,
thou who art from eternity—our King, our Counselor, and our Deliverer—
we give thee thanks, O God, we give thee thanks,
for thy mercy and for thy truth;
for the forgiveness of sins
and the free imputation of righteousness by grace,
which is bestowed so freely
and applied unto us by the blessed Spirit.
We thank thee for the whole work of redemption:
for the giving of the law,
and for the precious ordinances delivered unto Israel,
whereby thou didst make thyself known
to a people in ignorance and darkness.
Thou hast ever been patient with us, O Lord,
for we are slow to hear and slow to understand;
but thou art long-suffering,
and dost lead us gently with tender mercies.
Continue to lead and guide us by thy hand, O Lord,
for we are prone to go astray,
and cannot know the way
except thou direct us by thy rod and thy staff.
Lead us by thy word
that we may walk in peace and holiness,
and at last enjoy everlasting felicity with thee in heaven;
for that is our end,
and that is our expectation in Christ.
Do this for thine own name’s sake,
for we trust in thee—
thou who art our Captain, our Savior, and our Governor.
We pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
our blessed Redeemer.
Amen.
Lesson 91. [1.2.65.] The Contents of Holy Scripture: The Prophets. Zechariah. The Prophet of the Zeal of the Lord. Part 2.
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—Haggai, Zechariah.
All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.
Intro.
John Calvin Zech. 13:2
“Here the Prophet mentions another effect, which would follow the repentance of the people, and which the Lord also would thereby produce. There was to be a cleansing from all the defilements of superstitions; for the pure and lawful worship of God cannot be set up without these filthy things being wiped away; inasmuch as to blend sacred with profane things, is the same thing as though one sought to take away the difference between heaven and earth. No religion then can be approved by God, except what is pure and free from all such pollution. We hence see why the Prophet adds, that there would be an end to falsehoods and all errors, and to the delusions of Satan, when God restored his Church; for the simplicity of true doctrine would prevail, and thus abolished would be whatever Satan had previously invented to corrupt religion.
We hence learn what I have just stated — that God cannot be rightly worshipped, except all corruptions, inconsistent with his sincere and pure worship, be taken away. But we must at the same time observe, that this effect is ascribed to God’s word; for it is that which can drive away and banish all the abominations of falsehood, and whatever is uncongenial to true religion. As then by the rising of the sun darkness is put to flight, and all things appear distinctly to the view, so also when God comes forth with the teaching of his word, all the deceptions of Satan must necessarily be dissipated.
Now these two things ought especially to be known; for we see that many, who are not indeed ungodly, but foolish and inconsiderate, think that they give to God his due honor, while they are entangled in many errors, and refrain not from superstitions. Others, more politic, devise this way of peace — that they who think rightly are to concede something to tyrants and false Prophets; and thus they seek to form at this day a new religion for us, made up of Popery and of the simple doctrine of the gospel, and in this manner as it were to transform God. As then we see that men are so disposed to mix all sorts of things together, that the pure simplicity of the gospel may be contaminated by various inventions, we ought to bear in mind this truth, — that the Church cannot be rightly formed, until all superstitions be rejected and banished. This is one thing.
We may also deduce hence another principle — that the word of God not only shows the way to us, but also discovers all the delusions of Satan; for hardly one in a hundred follows what is right, except he is reminded of what he ought to avoid. It is then not enough to declare that there is but one true God, and that we ought to put our trust in Christ, except another thing be added, that is, except we warn men of those intrigues by which Satan has from the beginning deceived miserable mortals: even at this day with what various artifices has he withdrawn the simple and unwary from the true God, and entangled them in a labyrinth of superstitions. Except therefore men be thus warned, the word of God is made known to them only in part. Whosoever then desires to perform all the duties of a good and faithful pastor, ought firmly to resolve, not only to abstain from all impure doctrines, and simply to assert what is true, but also to detect all corruptions which are injurious to religion, to recover men from the deceptions of Satan, and in short, avowedly to carry on war with all superstitions.
This was what Zechariah had in view when he said, In that day, that is, when God would restore his Church, perish shall the names of idols, so that they shall be remembered no more. By this last expression he sets forth more clearly what I have just stated, that the pure worship of God is then established as it ought to be, and that religion has then its own honor, when all errors and impostures cease, so that even the memory of them does not remain. It is indeed true, that superstitions can never be so abolished, so that no mention of them should be made; nay, the recollection of them is useful —
“Thou shalt remember thy ways,” says Ezekiel, “and be ashamed,” (Ezekiel 16:6.)
But by this form of speaking Zechariah means, that such would be the detestation of superstitions, that the people would dread the very mention of them. And hence we may learn how much purity of doctrine is approved by God, since he would have us to feel a horror as at something monstrous, whenever the name of an idol is mentioned.
He then refers to false teachers, I will exterminate, he says, the Prophets and the unclean Spirit from the land. The connection here is worthy of being noticed; for it hence appears how all errors arise, even when a loose rein is given to false teachers. It is indeed true I allow, that the seed of all errors is implanted in each of us, so that every one is a teacher to deceive himself; for we are not only disposed to what is false, but rush headlong into it: it is the corruption of our nature. But at the same time when liberty is taken to teach anything that may please men, the whole of religion must necessarily be corrupted, and all things become mixed together, so that there is no difference between light and darkness. God then here reminds us, that the Church cannot stand, except false teachers be prevented from turning truth into falsehood, and from pealing at their pleasure against the word of God.
And this is what ought to be carefully observed; for we see at this day how some unprincipled men adopt this sentiment — that the Church is not free, except every one is allowed with impunity to promulgate whatever he pleases, and that it is the greatest cruelty to punish a heretic; for they would have all liberty to be given to blasphemies. But the Prophet shows here, that the Church cannot be preserved in a pure state, and, in a word, that it cannot exist as a healthy and sound body, except the rashness and audacity of those who pervert sound and true doctrine be restrained.
We now then understand the import of this verse — that in order that God may be alone and indeed be rightly worshipped, he will take away and banish all idols and all superstitions, and also, that he will exterminate all ungodly teachers who pervert sound doctrine.
He calls them first Prophets, and then unclean spirits. The name of Prophets is conceded to them, though they were wholly unworthy of so honorable a title. As ungodly men ever boast themselves in an audacious manner and hesitate not to pretend God’s name, that they may more boldly proceed in deceiving: hence it is, that Scripture sometimes concedes to them a name which they falsely claim. So also the word spirit is sometimes applied to them —
“Prove the spirits, whether they are of God: every spirit that denies that Christ has come in the flesh, he is a liar.”
(1 John 4:1.)
John doubtless adopted this mode of speaking according to common usage; for all false teachers claimed this title with great confidence, and maintained that all the errors they spread abroad were revealed to them by the Spirit.” Be it so then, but ye are lying spirits.”
Now then as to this title, there is no obscurity in what the Prophet means: and by way of explanation he adds the unclean spirit, that he might distinguish those vile men from the faithful ministers of God; as though he had said, “They indeed declare that they have drawn down the Spirit from heaven; but it is the spirit of the devil, it is an unclean spirit.” Now as Zechariah declares, that this would be in the Church of God, we learn how foolish the Papists are, who are content with the mere title of honor, and claim to themselves the greatest power, and will have themselves heard without dispute, as though they were the organs of the Spirit. What right indeed do they pretend? that they have been called by the Lord. The same reason might have been assigned by these unprincipled men, whom it was necessary to drive away, in order that the Church might rise again. It then follows that we are not to consider only what name a person has, or with what title he is distinguished, but how rightly he conducts himself, and how faithfully he performs his duties and discharges the office of a pastor.”
Zechariah 8-14.
Lessons from Zechariah.
- When the LORD dwells in Zion she shall be called a city of truth.
Zechariah 8:3— “Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.”
Zechariah 8:16-17— “These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord.”
Psalm 15:1-2— “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.”
Psalm 51:6— “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.”
Isaiah 26:2— “Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.”
The Church and Nation will not prosper so long as they submit themselves to lies neither can a man be saved while clinging to them.
a. The lies of White House religion. The prosperity gospel.
b. The lies of Papist ceremonial idolatry.
c. The lies of Arminian synergism.
d. The lies of dispensational rapture.
e. The lies of Baptist autonomy.
f. The lies of pseudo-orthodoxy.
g. The lies of cultism. JW, Mormons, Adventists.
h. The lies of neo-orthodoxy and liberal theology.
i. The lies of evangelical ecumenism.
- The LORD is jealous over His people with great jealousy and he will purge them from sin and idolatry.
Zech. 1:12-17, 8:2-3a
Exodus 20:5— “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;”
Deuteronomy 4:24— “For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”
Deuteronomy 32:21— “They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.”
- The LORD will judge the heathen, overthrow the kingdom of pride and rebellion, and all men will fear before Him.
Zech. 9:4-5, Rev. 18.
Jeremiah 10:10— “But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.”
- The LORD promised His coming would be in meekness and humility and the Jews believed not.
Zech. 9:9,
John 1:10-11— “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and theworld knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”
Isaiah 53:2-3— “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”
Philippians 2:5-8— “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
- There is no salvation without sorrow for sin.
Zech. 12:10,
Matthew 26:75— “And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.”
Psalm 51:3-4— “For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.”
Psalm 51:17— “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
Isaiah 57:15— “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
- We are forgiven through sincere repentance and the abolition of idolatry and false teaching.
Zech. 13:1-2, Gal. 1:8-10, Deut. 7.
Jeremiah 23:16— “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.”
Ezekiel 13:6— “They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.”
- The LORD deals hardly with those who are weak and young, yet patiently, as a shepherd to gather them who are scattered and a refiner to purify them through trial. Zech. 13:7-9
Psalm 66:10-12— “For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.”
Psalm 119:67— “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.”
Psalm 119:71— “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”
Psalm 119:75— “I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.”
- The LORD will not allow any corruption or putrefaction in His holy temple.
Zech. 14:21.
Revelation 21:27— “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
1 Corinthians 15:50— “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”
Conclusion.
Closing Prayer.