Hallelujah! Thanks Be to God!

by | Dec 20, 2013 | Worship

What is the proper balance between the corporate and the individual in worship? How do we maintain both form and freedom in our worship of the living and true God? When the Triune God meets with his people in the assembly of the saints, how should we respond?

Joel Irvin called my attention this morning to a line from the OPC Directory for Public Worship:

“The unity and catholicity of the covenant people are to be manifest in public worship. Accordingly, the service is to be conducted in a manner that enables and expects all the members of the covenant community — male and female, old and young, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, healthy and infirm, people from every race and nation — to worship together.” (DPW 1.4)

We’ll be talking in the coming months about how to exemplify this better in our worship, in our fellowship, and in our witness.

In recent months I’ve heard a growing murmur of people saying “Thanks be to God” after the scripture readings. Some people have asked whether we should add a corporate response. My sense is that we have enough “corporate responses” where everyone is expected to say the same things together. We have sufficient “form” — but perhaps what we need is a little more explicit “freedom.”

So if you want to say “thanks be to God” after the reading of the scripture — please do! And don’t feel bashful and timid! If you are thankful to God for what he says, say so! And when I say, “the bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” you may answer, “Yes it is!” Or when the preacher (myself or anyone else) says something to which you want to say “Hallelujah!” or “Praise the Lord!” — then go ahead!

There are some who believe that the congregation should only speak together with one voice (either in prayer or song) in the worship service. But I would argue that the dialogical principle (the back and forth between God and his people) does not mean that we must sit in utter silence as the Word of God is proclaimed. You hear of people shouting and sighing and weeping and rejoicing in OT worship — and I doubt that every response was carefully planned and crafted by the priests! I have often referred to the sermons of Augustine — where the congregation was audible in its responses to his preaching.

And just so you know — if nothing changes and we still have a few mumbled “thanks be to God” here and there, that’s fine too. My point in writing this is simply to communicate clearly that our emphasis on corporate responses does not mean that we want to avoid individual responses.

 

Catechetical Preaching

by | Dec 5, 2013 | Catechesis, Preaching, Westminster Shorter Catechism

I am just in the process of finishing a catechetical sermon series, preaching through the topics of the Shorter Catechism. Since I have sometimes been asked how I do this, I figured I should put the whole outline right here!

If you want to hear or read any of these sermons, go over to our sermon page…

  1. SC 1                        Is 60/Ps 45/Rev 21               What Are You Doing Here?                October 7, 2012
  2. SC 2-3                     Jer 31/Ps 40/Heb 10            How Do You Know What to Believe and Do? Oct 14, 2012
  3. SC 4-6                     Dt 6/Ps 2/1 Cor 8                Why Does the Trinity Matter?              November 4, 2012
  4. SC 7-8                     Lam 3/Ps 148/Eph 1           What Are the Decrees of God?            November 11, 2012
  5. SC 9-11                   Gen 1/Ps 104/John 1          How Does God Govern the World?  November 18, 2012
  6. SC 12                      Gen 2/Ps 8/Col 1                 The Covenant of Life                            November 25, 2012
  7. SC 13-15                 Gen 3/Ps 127/1 Jn 3/Lk 1  What Is Sin?                                          December 2, 2012
  8. SC 16-19                 Gen 6/Ps 24/Rom 5/Lk 1   Why Am I Condemned in Adam?      Dec 9, 2012
  9. SC 20                      Jer 31/Ps 131/Heb 8/Lk 1   Covenant and Election                         December 16, 2012
  10. SC 21-22                 Is 7/Ps 80/Heb 2/Lk 1        Why Was He Born of a Virgin?           Dec 23, 2012
  11. SC 23-24                 Is 61/Ps 45/Luke 4               How Is Christ Our Prophet?               December 30, 2012
  12. SC 25                      Gen 14/Ps 110/Heb 7          How Is Christ Our Priest?                    January 6, 2013
  13. SC 26                      Jer 22-23/Ps 72/Lk 17          How Is Christ Our King?                    January 13, 2013
  14. SC 27-28                 Is 53/Ps 113/Phil 2              Humiliation and Exaltation                 January 20, 2013
  15. SC 29-30                 Ezek 36/Ps 19/Rom 6         Union with Christ                                 February 3, 2013
  16. SC 31                      Ezek 37/Ps 84/Jn 3              The Call                                                  February 10, 2013
  17. SC 32-33                 Lev 16/Ps 32/Rom 3            Justified in Christ                                  February 17, 2013
  18. SC 34                      Ex 3-4/Ps 2/Gal 3-4             Adopted in Christ                                 February 24, 2013
  19. SC 35                      Jer 17/Ps 1/1 Cor 10            Sanctified in Christ                                March 3, 2013
  20. SC 36                      2K 19/Ps 102/Rom 5          The Benefits of Christ in This Life      March 17, 2013
  21. SC 37                      Dt 30/Ps 118/1 Th 15          The Benefits of Christ at Death           March 24, 2013
  22. SC 38                      Is 25/Ps 16/1 Cor 15            The Benefits of Christ: Resurrection    March 31, 2013
  23. SC 39-40                 Amos 1, Ps 119, Rom 1-2    The Moral Law                                      April 7, 2013
  24. SC 41-42                 Dt 6, Ps 110, Mt 22               The Summary of the Law                     April 14, 2013
  25. SC 43-44                 Dt 11, Ps 105, Heb 3             Grace before Law: the Preface               April 28, 2013
  26. SC 45-48                 Ez 8, Ps 44, 1 Cor 10             The Lure and Cure of Idolatry             May 5, 2013
  27. SC 49-52                 Dt 4, Ps 96, Col 1                  The Image and the Word                     May 19, 2013
  28. SC 53-56                 Dt 14, Ps 106, 2Cor 6            God’s Holy Name                                 May 26, 2013
  29. SC 57-59                 Ex 31, Ps 84, Heb 4               God’s Holy Day                                    June 2, 2013
  30. SC 60-62                 Neh 13, Ps 92, Mt 12             Our Holy Rest                                       June 9, 2013
  31. SC 63-66                 Prov 1, Ps 128, Eph 5-6        Honor Your Father and Mother          June 16, 2013
  32. SC 67-69                 Gen 4, Ps 10, Lk 11               You Shall Not Kill                                July 7, 2013
  33. SC 70-72                 Prov 5, Ps 45, Matt 5             You Shall Not Commit Adultery        July 14, 2013
  34. SC 73-75                 Dt 23-24, Ps 15, Eph 4         You Shall Not Steal                               July 21, 2013
  35. SC 76-78                 Prov 6, Ps 64, 3 John            You Shall Not Bear False Witness       August 25, 2013
  36. SC 79-81                 1 K 21, Ps 119:33-40, Lk 15 You Shall Not Covet                             September 1, 2013
  37. SC 82-84                 Gen 6, Ps 14, 2 Pet 2-3          What Does Sin Deserve?                      September 8, 2013
  38. SC 85                      Dt 29-30, Ps 40, Acts 2          The Way of Salvation                            September 15, 2013
  39. SC 86                      Numbers 21, Ps 78, Phil 3    What Is Faith?                                       September 22, 2013
  40. SC 87                      Hos 13-14, Ps 51, 1 Jn 1       What Is Repentance?                             September 29, 2013
  41. SC 88-90                 Ez 20, Ps 81, Rom 10           How Does God Use Preaching to Save You? Oct 6, 2013
  42. SC 91-93                 Ex 24, Ps 27, 1 Co 10            How Does God Use the Sacraments to Save You? Oct 13
  43. SC 94                      Gen 6 Ps 42 1 Pet 3               How Does God Use Baptism to Save You?      Oct 27, 2013
  44. SC 95                      Jon 2, Ps 29, Col 3              Why Baptize Babies?                             November 3, 2013
  45. SC 96-97                 Prov 9 Ps 104 Mk 14             How Does God Use the Lord’s Supper to Save You? Nov 10
  46. SC 98-99                 2 Chr 6, Ps 116, Mt 6             How Does God Use Prayer to Save You?           Nov 17, 2013
  47. SC 100                    Ex 4 Ps 103, Jn 1                   The Lord’s Prayer: Our Father              November 24, 2013
  48. SC 101                    Is 6, Ps 99, Lk 1                     Hallowed Be Thy Name                       December 1, 2013
  49. SC 102-103             2 Sam 7, Ps 72, Lk 1              Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done           Dec 8, 2013
  50. SC 104                    Is 55, Ps 138, Lk 1                 Give Us Our Daily Bread                      December 15, 2013
  51. SC 105-106             Is 9, Ps 130, Lk 1                   Forgive Us Our Debts                          December 22, 2013
  52. SC 107                    1 Chr 29, Ps 73, Lk 2             Thine Is the Kingdom                         December 29, 2013

 

Satanic Parenting

by | Nov 4, 2013 | Parenting

I have been convinced for quite some time of the importance of gospel-centered parenting — namely, that what my children need most is *not* a heavy dose of the law, but the regular and steady encouragement of the gospel. One of the great “ah-ha” moments came last spring when I was at my wits end with one of my children, and I was about to launch into one of those regrettable “you’re going to lose every privilege known to man” speeches — when God gave me just enough grace to ask, “So what are you thinking about all this?” (possibly even in a gracious tone!). The result was that I discovered that my child was far more disgusted with sin than I had realized — at which point it dawned on me (again) that what my children need is the gospel — the good news that Jesus has done what we could not possibly have done for ourselves.

Our tendency is to relapse towards the law — a standard that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear, yet for some strange reason we seem to think that our children can succeed where Adam and Israel and David all failed. Do we obey God the first time? Yet we expect “first-time obedience” from our children! Do we get everything done on time the way it is “supposed” to be done? Yet woe to the child who falls short of our standards!

Now, it is true that God expects obedience of us — and we should expect obedience of our children. God’s standard has never changed. God never says “Oh, it’s okay to sin — I don’t mind if you mess up here and there!” No!! God says that sin is repugnant to him and he calls us to be holy as he is holy. Sin is not okay. But when we fall short, God does not say, “you’re going to lose every privilege known to man!” Rather, when we fell short, God sent his Son to die for us — to “lose every privilege known to man” — so that we might be restored to God’s favor.

So who says, “You’re going to lose every privilege known to man?” That would be the accuser — the adversary. Adversarial parenting — law-centered parenting — is fundamentally Satanic. Satan is the one who accuses us of falling short — who says that we are not good enough — who constantly reminds us of how we fail. And when we as parents take an adversarial approach to our children, we are imitating him.

Gospel-centered parenting (like gospel-centered marriage and gospel-centered life!) does not say that sin is okay. Far from it! Gospel-centered parenting says that sin is so awful that God had to send his Son to pay the penalty for sin. And so therefore my children and I both need Jesus — and so we repent, and we forgive, and we rejoice that we are no longer slaves to sin and death, and then we try again to love God and love one another and grow together in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

20th Anniversary/Building Dedication

by | Oct 29, 2013 | Building

Last Sunday evening (October 27) we welcomed folks from several sister churches around the area — as well as representatives from the Great Lakes Presbytery and some of our original charter members for a 20th anniversary / building dedication / Reformation Day service. With seven ministers participating in leading the service, and a great dinner afterwards, it was a delightful evening.

 

DSC_5517

With 50 guests and visitors from sister churches, we had around 140 in attendance (a number which the old sanctuary could never have seated!)

 

 

DSC_5518

The singing was amazing!

 

DSC_5522

Okay, so I picked some long Psalms (can you blame me for wanting to hear them sung by a congregation of 140?!):

Psalm 102 to Jerusalem, Psalm 68 to the old Genevan tune, Psalm 132 to Blaenwern (a lovely Welsh tune), and Psalm 90 to Suilven (a new Scottish tune) — along with Andy Deliyannides’ setting of “Hail, O Daystar” (a medieval advent hymn).

 

DSC_5523-680x1024-3

The sermon (on Numbers 10) will be on sermon audio soon:

http://www.sermonaudio.com/source_detail.asp?sourceid=michianacovenant

Unintentional Sins?

by | Oct 17, 2013 | Numbers, Westminster Shorter Catechism

The men’s discipleship study had an interesting conversation this week (prompted by the Didache — a second century pastoral manual) on the topic of “unintentional sins.”

In 1 Corinthians 10:13 Paul says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Properly understood, this states that you will never face a situation where you have to sin. When you are tempted, God promises that he will always provide a way of escape.

Paul is dealing with the question of temptation. It is true — you will never face a temptation where you are “powerless” to do the right thing. Those who are in Christ now share in his Holy Spirit, and so we can never say, “I couldn’t help it — the temptation was too strong!”

But that does not mean that there is no such thing as “unintentional sin.”

Think about our catechism’s definition of sin:
“Sin is any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God.”

The example I used with the men was the case of the stolen book. Sometimes, when you buy a used book, the “used” book was actually stolen from a library. You may have purchased the book innocently enough — but if you have purchased stolen property, then you are unjustly possessing the book of another.

It’s easy enough to remedy this if you know the truth — but if you never realize that it was stolen, then you may remain in possession of the stolen book, and thus you have perpetuated the injustice. You are (unwittingly) out of conformity with the law of God.

Of course, there are lots of situations like this. We frequently find ourselves (unwittingly) participating in injustice. If you are a stockholder in a company/organization that practices injustice, then you are investing in (and making money from) their injustice. If you work for a company/organization that practices injustice, then even if you are striving to conduct yourself justly, you are still participating in the corruption.

This shouldn’t surprise us. After all, if we believe what Genesis 6 says about us — that the inclinations of our hearts are only evil continually — that corruption has reached every part of us — we should not be surprised that there are “unintentional sins” where we are not even aware of what we have done wrong.

In other words, our problem is not just that we sin against God. Our problem is also that all creation and all human institutions have become corrupt. Corruption has spread to everyone and everything.

This is a problem that the Old Testament rituals were designed to correct. The sin and guilt offerings were designed to deal with “unintentional sins” — and then once a year on the Day of Atonement the “scapegoat” (Lev 16) was designed to deal with all these unintentional sins. Hebrews 9:7 says that the high priest went into the Holy of Holies “once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.”

And Hebrews goes on to say that Jesus deals with this problem more effectively: “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (9:14)

Notice that our problem is not just “guilt” due to our conscious sins. Our problem is also that we have become impure/blemished — we have become corrupt. And the blood of Jesus deals both with the guilt of our sin, and with the corruption of our nature.

Incidentally (pointing forward to our sermon in two weeks), this is why Peter speaks of baptism “for the forgiveness of sins” and the “gift of the Holy Spirit.” In Christ our legal problem is solved (we are forgiven for our sins) and our corruption problem is solved (we are washed/cleansed from our uncleanness).

Numbers 15 (which we will reach in early December) says more about unintentional sins — so stay tuned…