Preparing our Hearts to Worship
In an effort to help you prepare for the September 30, 2018, Sunday morning corporate worship gathering and to aid you in your own reflections on the God’s Story of Salvation through the Scriptures. I wanted to pose a few questions and provide a few resources to prayerfully consider over the coming days. Our sermon is entitled, “Jesus, Light and Life of God.” The main Scriptures for the day are John 8:12-30 and 11:17-27.
(Pick and choose from the many resources and options, which I have tried to make available for your devotional life.)
From the Scriptures
Please read through Chapter 25 of The Story this week, this is a lightly edited selection of Scriptures from Matthew 17, 21, Mark 8-12, Luke 9, 22 and John 7-8, 11-12 that seeks to maintain the broad storyline of the Scriptures.
You can read or listen to them here.
You can listen to Chapter 25 of The Story here. (30 minutes)
From the Creeds and Confessions
Heidelberg Catechism Q 45 Q. What does the resurrection of Christ profit us? A. First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, that he might make us partakers of the righteousness which he has obtained for us by his death; second, we also are raised up by his power to a new life; and third, the resurrection of Christ is to us a sure pledge of our blessed resurrection.
Heidelberg Catechism Q 57
Belgic Confession Article 19 Article 19: Of the union and distinction of the two Natures in the person of Christ. We believe that by this conception, the person of the Son is inseparably united and connected with the human nature; so that there are not two Sons of God, nor two persons, but two natures united in one single person: yet, that each nature retains its own distinct properties. As then the divine nature hath always remained uncreated, without beginning of days or end of life, filling heaven and earth: so also hath the human nature not lost its properties, but remained a creature, having beginning of days, being a finite nature, and retaining all the properties of a real body. And though he hath by his resurrection given immortality to the same, nevertheless he hath not changed the reality of his human nature; forasmuch as our salvation and resurrection also depend on the reality of his body. But these two natures are so closely united in one person, that they were not separated even by his death. Therefore that which he, when dying, commended into the hands of his Father, was a real human spirit, departing from his body. But in the meantime the divine nature always remained united with the human, even when he lay in the grave. And the Godhead did not cease to be in him, any more than it did when he was an infant, though it did not so clearly manifest itself for a while. Wherefore we confess, that he is very God, and very Man: very God by his power to conquer death; and very man that he might die for us according to the infirmity of his flesh.
Canons of Dort, Main 3/4 Article 12 Article 12: And this is the regeneration so highly celebrated in Scripture, and denominated a new creation: a resurrection from the dead, a making alive, which God works in us without our aid. But this is in no wise effected merely by the external preaching of the gospel, by moral suasion, or such a mode of operation, that after God has performed his part, it still remains in the power of man to be regenerated or not, to be converted, or to continue unconverted; but it is evidently a supernatural work, most powerful, and at the same time most delightful, astonishing, mysterious, and ineffable; not inferior in efficacy to creation, or the resurrection from the dead, as the Scripture inspired by the author of this work declares; so that all in whose heart God works in this marvelous manner, are certainly, infallibly, and effectually regenerated, and do actually believe. – Whereupon the will thus renewed, is not only actuated and influenced by God, but in consequence of this influence, becomes itself active. Wherefore also, man is himself rightly said to believe and repent, by virtue of that grace received.
From the songs, hymns and spiritual songs of the Church
In Christ Alone (Getty): Lyrics, Video
He is the Light (Jesus Culture): Lyrics, Video
Light of the World (Redman): Lyrics, Video
For Thoughtful Reflection, Prayer, or further Study
Watch The Bible Project’s video summary of The Gospel of John.
Read and reflect upon these articles on the temple treasury: ritmeyer; entrusting faithful men.
The Sermon will be available online on September 30, 2018 at 12:30 pm.
Disclaimer: Reference to a particular article or website does not constitute endorsement or agreement with everything in that article or on that website.
0 Comments