10 July 2022
Call to Worship: Psalm 100:1-5
Opening Hymn: 227 “How Great Thou Art”
Confession of Sin
Almighty God, Who are rich in mercy to all those who call upon You; Hear us as we humbly come to You confessing our sins; And imploring Your mercy and forgiveness. We have broken Your holy laws by our deeds and by our words; And by the sinful affections of our hearts. We confess before You our disobedience and ingratitude, our pride and willfulness; And all our failures and shortcomings toward You and toward fellow men. Have mercy upon us, Most merciful Father; And of Your great goodness grant that we may hereafter serve and please You in newness of life; Through the merit and mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: Exodus 34:5-7
Psalm of Preparation: Psalm 15B “Who, O LORD, with Thee Abiding”
Old Covenant Reading: Proverbs 16:20-32
New Covenant Reading: James 4:11-17
Sermon: Faithful Speech
Psalm of Response: Psalm 24B “The Earth and Its Riches”
Confession of Faith: Nicene Creed (p. 852)
Doxology (Hymn 568)
Closing Hymn: 501 “LORD, Speak to Me, That I May Speak”
Evening Service
Hymns: 19A (stanzas 1-5), 439, 457
OT: Genesis 50:15-21
NT: Philemon 14-16
Sermon: Christian love leads to Gospel living: Part II
Suggested Preparation
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Monday (7/4) read and discuss James 4:11-17
James 4:11–17 (ESV)
11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Craig Blomberg and Mariam Kamell write:
The transience of life is a commonplace in Jewish wisdom literature. The entire book of Ecclesiastes highlights the fleeting and unsatisfying vanities of earthly pleasure. Pr 27:1; Hos 6:4, 13:3; and Wis 2:1–5 are just a few of the texts that make this point, including by means of the metaphors of mist or smoke. Vv. 14–15 effectively counter the presumption that we can plan our lives out meticulously for months on end, by reminding us of our ignorance of the future, our frailty as fallen human beings, and our utter dependence on God’s will.
The last of these points harks back most immediately to the Lord’s Prayer (Mt 6:9–13; Lk 11:1–4), with its central role for petitioning God that his will be done on earth, as it is already being done in heaven. But that requires us to leave enough time to listen to God on a regular basis so that his plans can overrule ours when necessary, so that we can distinguish a divine from a diabolical interruption to our daily schedule, and so that we can make “the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Eph 5:16, TNIV).
MEMORY WORK
Q. 59. Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly sabbath?
A. From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly sabbath; and the first day of the week ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian sabbath.
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Tuesday (7/5) read and discuss James 4:1-10
James 4:1–10 (ESV)
1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
John Calvin writes:
Resist the devil. He shews what that contention is which we ought to engage in, as Paul says, that our contest is not with flesh and blood, but he stimulates us to a spiritual fight. Then, after having taught us meekness towards men, and submission towards God, he brings before us Satan as our enemy, whom it behoves us to fight against.
However, the promise which he adds, respecting the fleeing of Satan, seems to be refuted by daily experience; for it is certain, that the more strenuously any one resists, the more fiercely he is urged. For Satan, in a manner, acts playfully, when he is not in earnest repelled; but against those who really resist him, he employs all the strength he possesses. And further, he is never wearied with fighting; but when conquered in one battle, he immediately engages in another. To this I reply, that fleeing is to be taken here for putting to flight, or routing. And, doubtless, though he repeats his attacks continually, he yet always departs vanquished.
MEMORY WORK
Q. 60. How is the sabbath to be sanctified?
A. The sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days; and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God’s worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy.
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Wednesday (7/6) read and discuss Proverbs 16:20-32
Proverbs 16:20–32 (ESV)
20 Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. 21 The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. 22 Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it, but the instruction of fools is folly. 23 The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips. 24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. 25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. 26 A worker’s appetite works for him; his mouth urges him on. 27 A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. 28 A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. 29 A man of violence entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good. 30 Whoever winks his eyes plans dishonest things; he who purses his lips brings evil to pass. 31 Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life. 32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
We always face the temptation to trust in ourselves. After all many of us in the United States enjoy good educations, well-paying jobs, comfortable homes. We often unconsciously fall into thinking that we did all this for ourselves. We get used to the idea that our hard work brings home the regular paycheck that allows us to pay the mortgage and save for retirement. And while the wise person is diligent in their work, the wise person also understands that every good thing comes from the hand of the Lord. It is the Lord that gives us our daily bread. It is the Lord that gives and the Lord that takes away. Everything we have worked and planned and saved for can be taken away from us in a moment. Our confidence is not in ourselves or in the things of this life. Our confidence is in our Creator and Redeemer. “Blessed is he who trusts in the Lord” (verse 20).
MEMORY WORK
Q. 61. What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment forbiddeth the omission or careless performance of the duties required, and the profaning the day by idleness, or doing that which is in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thoughts, words or works, about our worldly employments or recreations.
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Thursday (7/7) read and discuss Genesis 50:15-21
Genesis 50:15–21 (ESV)
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Ian Duguid writes::
There is much for us to reflect on, as those who are both sinners and sinned against. First, Joseph shows us what it means to be forgiven. There is no shallow denial of wrongdoing or pretending that evil has not been done. The brothers didn’t blame Jacob’s favoritism or Joseph’s obnoxiousness for their actions. Nor did Joseph say, “I know that you didn’t mean to hurt me. What you did doesn’t really matter.” On the contrary, the brothers said, “We did evil,” and Joseph added, “You meant evil.” The brothers actually confessed their sins, and Joseph acknowledged their confession. They all recognized that truly evil things had been done by truly evil men; real people were genuinely hurt. Years were spent in slavery and bondage; hearts were shattered, and lives were torn apart.
What is more, they all acknowledged that that evil deserves to be judged. When Joseph said, “Am I in the place of God?” (Gen. 50:19), he acknowledged that it is God’s place to judge evil. The Lord is holy and righteous, and he has declared evil to be under a curse. Joseph chose not to judge them, not because their evil wasn’t really so bad, but because there is an ultimate judge who will judge all things righteously. Joseph also reminds us that, even though these things were truly evil and evil truly deserves to be judged, God can also turn evil to good and forgive sinners instead of judging them.
MEMORY WORK
Q. 62. What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment?
A. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment are, God’s allowing us six days of the week for our own employments, his challenging a special propriety in the seventh, his own example, and his blessing the sabbath day.
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Friday (7/8) read and discuss Philemon 14-16 (read 8-16 for the broader context)
Philemon 8–16 (ESV)
8 Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9 yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. 15 For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
One commentator writes:
Paul therefore couches his appeal in language which exerts no external, belittling compulsion. It creates, instead, a new context within which Philemon can understand the situation from God’s point of view (see v. 6 once more) and so can begin to desire the good for himself. To assist someone in reaching what must remain his own decision is not to enslave him, but to set him free. This is the nature of Paul’s authority ‘in Christ’: it is a healing, creative responsibility which, by setting out the facts of the case, theologically, practically and pastorally, invites Christians to work out the proper conclusions in belief and practice.
MEMORY WORK
Q. 63. Which is the fifth commandment?
A. The fifth commandment is, Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
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Saturday (7/9) read and discuss James 4:11-17
James 4:11–17 (ESV)
11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Commenting on verses 16-17 Craig Blomberg and Mariam Kamell write:
Here James removes all doubt that it is not planning per se to which he objects, but the role that arrogance can play. The “proverb” of v. 17 gives another generalizing thrust to the passage. While for these merchants, not to leave room for the Lord’s will would be the key sin of omission to avoid in the future, for other believers quite different things that they know they should do but fail to perform may constitute their sins of omission. James may have Jesus’ teaching later recorded in Lk 12:47–48 in the back of his mind here—“from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded” (TNIV).43 Pr 3:27–28 and Mt 25:42–43 also contain crucial background teaching on sins of omission. And even if we stay with James’s illustration of wealth for our contemporary applications of this passage, we need only consider how often the poor and middle groups, in James’s day and in ours, have the same desires to become rich, in order to realize how close to home James drives his points.
MEMORY WORK
Q. 64. What is required in the fifth commandment?
A. The fifth commandment requireth the preserving the honor, and performing the duties, belonging to every one in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors or equals.