12 noon. From 1 Samuel 12 we saw (1) that Samuel was blameless and had not done anything wrong; (2) he showed the people how they had sinned against the Lord repeatedly; (3) he showed the people how God was committed to them and was always willing to save them; and (4) Samuel was prepared to pray for the people. Samuel the prophet and teacher points us forward to our even greater prophet and teacher, the Lord Jesus: (1) the Lord was sinless so when he died he was paying for our sins and not his own in order to reconcile us to God forever; (2) the Lord Jesus came to make known that we are all sinners; (3) he came to make known that God is willing to pardon all who repent and believe in him; and (4) he lives forever to intercede for us at his Father’s right hand in heaven.
What happened previously — 13 June 2010
June 14th, 2010What happened previously — 6 June 2010
June 7th, 201012 noon. From 1 Samuel 11 we saw that: (1) the people of Jabish-Gilead were in a hopeless position because of their enemy; (2) Saul emerged as a great leader who was going to save them; (3) Saul and his men saved the people of Jabish-Gilead completely; and (4) the Israelites rejoiced because of Saul who had been appointed by God for their good. From this we learned: (1) we are naturally in a hopeless position because of sin, death and the devil; (2) God has given us his Son to be our great Saviour and King; (3) the Lord Jesus saves us completely from sin, death and the devil; and (4) we too rejoice before God when we assemble together because of the great King and Saviour he has given to us. We share in Christ’s victory by trusting in him and, having trusted in him, we make it our aim in life to obey him.
There was no evening service on this Sunday.
What happened previously — 30 May 2010
June 7th, 201012 noon. From 1 Samuel 10:17–27 we saw that (1) God’s people assembled together before the Lord to hear his word; (2) the assembly began with Samuel reminding the people of their rebellion; (3) God then revealed to the people their new leader who would save them from their enemies; and (4) some of the people committed themselves to Saul whereas others scoffed at him. From this we learned that (1) every Sunday God’s people assemble together before the Lord to hear his word in church; (2) our service of worship includes the confession of our sins; (3) during the service God reveals Jesus Christ our King and Saviour who saves us from our sins; and (4) the reaction of those who gather on Sundays can be similar to the Israelites to Saul because some will commit themselves to following Christ our King whereas others will reject him. What is your response to Christ the King?
6.30 pm. Shorter Catechism Q. 7: Before we do anything like build a house or go on holiday, we plan what we will do. God too plans what he intends to do. We learned the following about God’s plans: (1) God’s plans were drawn up in eternity before the world was made; (2) God’s plans are purposeful because he’s working out everything in accordance with the purpose of his will; (3) the end result of his plans are his own glory; and (4) his plans are completely comprehensive because the Bible tells us that he works out everything in accordance with the purpose of his will. We see these principles worked out in the story of Joseph in the Old Testament when Joseph’s brothers intended to do harm to Joseph but God was working out his plans in the background to save many people. We also see these principles worked out in the cross of Christ — the Jews and the Gentiles were planning on killing the Lord Jesus but God was also working out his plans for our complete salvation.
What happened previously — 23 May 2010
May 24th, 201012 noon. From 1 Samuel 10:1–16 we saw that (1) Saul was anointed by Samuel to be the leader of God’s people; (2) he received signs to confirm God’s promises to him; and (3) he was filled with God’s Spirit. This points us forward to the Lord Jesus: (1) he was anointed by the Holy Spirit at his baptism and appointed by God to save us from our sins; (2) his many miracles were signs to confirm that he really was the Promised Saviour; and (3) he too was filled with the Spirit. He now sends his Spirit to enable us to fight against sin and temptation and to declare the praises of God.
6.30 pm. Shorter Catechism Q. 5+6: The Bible makes clear there is only one true God, but this one God is also three. There are hints in the Old Testament that God is more than one, however it is as God unfolds his plan for our salvation in the New Testament that the Trinity is revealed more clearly. In the New Testament we see that (1) the Father set his love upon us and planned our salvation; (2) the Son became incarnate in order to live and die and rise again for our salvation; and (3) the Holy Spirit enables us to believe in Christ for our salvation.
Brief Bible Notes: Judges 13
May 24th, 2010What does this chapter remind you of? There’s a woman who is visited by an angel with the news that she’s going to have a baby even though she was sterile (v. 3). The son she gives birth to is to be set apart to serve the Lord (v. 5). Furthermore, he will save God’s people. It reminds us of the angel who appeared to Mary to tell her she would give birth to a baby even though she was a virgin. The son Mary was going to have would also be set apart for the Lord. What’s more, he would save God’s people from their sins and give them eternal life. The story of Samson points the believer forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Brief Bible Notes: Judges 12
May 17th, 2010Jephthah was able to conquer Israel’s enemies, but he did not bring peace to Israel: the Ephraimites turned on him and on the people of Gilead (vv. 1–6). Then there was a succession of other leaders who led the people of Israel for a time until they died (vv. 8–15). What God’s people needed was a king who would conquer their enemies, and unite them together, and rule over them for ever. In the Lord Jesus we have such a king, who by his death and resurrection defeated sin, death and the Devil, and who unites believers together across the nations, and whose reign will never come to an end.
Brief Bible Notes: Psalm 009
May 10th, 2010The psalmist give thanks to the Lord with his whole heart (v. 1) because the Lord has helped him and has caused his enemies to turn back (vv. 3–4). As the one who rules forever (vv 7+8), the Lord rebukes the wicked people of the nations (vv. 5+6), but he is a stronghold for those who seek him (vv. 9+10). The Lord executes judgment against the wicked people in the nations (vv. 15–17), but he remembers the needy (v. 18). The psalmist praises God for all of this. However, in verses 13 and 14 he appeals to the Lord to see his own affliction and to lift him from the gates of death so that he might declare God’s praises and rejoice in his salvation. This speaks to us of the suffering of the Lord Jesus who cried out to his Father from the cross. Though he went through the gates of death, his Father did not abandon him but lifted him from the grave so that he triumphed over all those who sought to destroy him. United to Christ by faith, we too are lifted from spiritual death to new life in Christ so that we might declare God’s praise and rejoice in his salvation.
Brief Bible Notes: Psalm 008
May 10th, 2010The Psalm begins and ends with a declaration of God’s majesty and throughout the verses the psalmist speaks of the wonder of God’s creation and the amazing fact of God’s care for human beings. It is staggering to him that God made us a little lower than the angels and made us the ruler of the rest of his creation. The writer of the book of Hebrews in the New Testament applies this Psalm to the Son of God and to the wonder of his incarnation. It is the Son of God who was made a little lower than the angels when he came into the world as a human. He is now crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death for us and for our salvation. Furthermore, one day he will bring us into glory (Hebrews 2:5–10).
Brief Bible Notes: Judges 11
May 10th, 2010In order to win God’s favour so that God would give him victory over his enemies, Jephthah offered to sacrifice something to God. Tragically, what he ended up having to sacrifice was his only daughter. While we don’t go as far as Jephthah did, we often think along the same lines: that in order to win God’s favour, we must make some great sacrifice for him or we must do something for him. We forget, therefore, that Christ offered himself as the once-for-all, never-to-be-repeated, perfect and sufficient sacrifice to reconcile us to God forever. Having been reconciled to God through faith in Christ and his sacrifice, we don’t need to sacrifice anything more to win his favour: Christ’s sacrifice was enough.
Brief Bible Notes: Judges 10
May 10th, 2010When, in verse 10, the Israelites confessed their sins but held on to the false gods, God refused to answer them. However, when, in verse 16, they confessed their sins and got rid of their false gods, then the Lord answered. By this we are taught that we must not only confess our sins, but we must give them up. As the our church’s catechism teaches: ‘Repentance leading to life is a saving grace by which a sinner having truly realised his sin and grasped the mercy of God in Christ, *turns from his sin* with grief and hatred and turns to God *with full resolve and effort* after new obedience.’