The Guide for the Week
February 25-March 2nd 2024 AD.
The Second Week of Lent
Bible Passage for the Week
Proverbs 17:4-10
Psalm 122:1
1 Samuel 15
Psalm 113
Verse to Memorize
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Catechism Questions
Q. 4. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
Q. 5. Are there more Gods than one?
A. There is but one only, the living and true God.
Q. 6. How many persons are there in the Godhead?
A. There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.
People to Pray for:
Church: Reformation Church of Shelbyville
Pastor Jerry Dorris
Ministry: Cal Zastrow and Chet Gallagher
Civil Magistrate: Jeffersonville City Council
Scott Anderson
Notes for Parents:
Proverbs 17:4-10
Verse 9 He who conceals a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.
If you have had children, you will know that it is not unusual for one of them to become a tattletale. A tattletale enjoys revealing secrets to get others in trouble. They don’t do this because of a genuine concern for the person. No, they like the thrill of being the one to reveal the misdeeds and mistakes of others. It could be that they like the attention or approval that they get from those they tell. They enjoy the attention they receive for sharing the juicy morsel of gossip. Sometimes, they may even want to see their siblings get in trouble. It sounds sadistic, but we all are tempted to want justice against others while wanting mercy only for ourselves. Some people have a very strong sense of right and wrong and of duty. These are good things, but then it can go awry when you have no concern or compassion for others. They can only think of the rules and not the person they are dealing with. They may pridefully forget that they, too, are sinners who need grace. It could be that they are jealous and want to tear down their sibling or peer so that people won’t see their own flaws. By tearing down someone else, they can lift themselves up.
There are all kinds of reasons people become tattletales. But in the end, Scripture teaches us a better way. Now, there is a difference between tattling and seeking to help another person. There are times when we must expose evil for the glory of God and the good of His people. There are times when, in order to protect ourselves, our loved ones, or even the person who transgressed, we must tell others about the sin. We shouldn’t hide abuse. We can’t cover up evil that brings harm. And yet, we can and should exercise compassion and love with each other.
Christians are truth-speakers, but we are not nitpickers. We recognize that each of us has flaws and weaknesses. We all make mistakes. A Christian will do what he can to cover up the flaws and weaknesses of his brothers and sisters. He will bear patiently with them. If he can make things right without bringing shame on another, he will do so.
For example, suppose you come to church and find out that someone forgot to take out the trash from the previous event. It’s an abnormal occurrence, and the person is usually on top of it. What could you do? Well, you could complain about it. Make sure to make it publicly known that this occurred. Or, you could simply take the trash out yourself and make a note to yourself to check up on the brother in charge of the trash just to see if he’s doing well. You don’t even have to mention the oversight. If it were to become a common occurrence, then you can go to him and say something.
The point is that Christian wisdom requires that we act in love. We aren’t tattletales. We are truth-speakers. But truth-speakers do their best to protect the honor and good name of their brothers. The foolish love to divide brethren and complain about the flaws of their friends.
Psalm 122:1
Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
When was the last time you invited someone to go with you to worship the Lord? When did you last ask a friend, coworker, or neighbor to attend church?
While it's understood that worship gatherings are primarily for the church, Scripture suggests that nonbelievers would be able to observe our practices. 1 Corinthians 14:23 assumes unbelievers might enter our worship gatherings: "If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter..." It's reasonable to think they might have been invited.
Often, we complicate matters unnecessarily. In the past, personal evangelism was relegated to inviting someone to church. We should resist thinking that this is all there is to evangelism. However, in our pushback, we must be careful not to dismiss a valuable evangelistic tool.
Inviting those close to us to church is beneficial. There, they have the chance to hear the Word of God proclaimed and are called to repentance. True, there are aspects of worship in which the unbeliever cannot fully engage, but God frequently employs the ordinary means of grace—preaching, the sacraments, reading Scripture, and singing—to reach the lost.
Do you know someone in need of the Gospel? Share the Good News with them and invite them to church.
1 Samuel 15
In my house, our kids have memorized the following catechism question:
Q. What is the family rule?
A. I will obey right away, all the way, without grumbling or disputing.
The obedience that God expects us to give is cheerful and complete, done in faith. However, we are often tempted to obey just enough to try to ease our consciences. That is, we are kings at half-obedience. We do just enough to look like we are obeying, but our hearts really are not in it. We portion out a part for our own desires to lead.
This is what King Saul did. He was commanded to destroy the Amalekites completely. He was not to spare any of them or take any spoil. It was all to be devoted to destruction. God was using Saul to bring judgment on the evil Amalekites. Saul obeyed halfway—which is disobedience. He defeated the Amalekites in battle but captured their king. He also kept all the things that he thought were good. He destroyed that which was worthless. In other words, he wanted to make some profit on this endeavor. He had no problem getting rid of the stuff that was despised.
Saul, of course, told himself that he was going to devote part of the spoils to the Lord. He was going to make up for his half-hearted obedience with sacrifice. He would throw a little bit God's way, and that would take care of God's concern.
But God cannot be bribed. God has no need for burnt animals. Rather, God wants obedience. He wants full obedience. He wants it with a faith-filled heart. He wants it right away and all the way.
Samuel makes it clear to Saul that this sin of disobedience was as the sin of witchcraft and idolatry. That is, it was just as bad as what the Amalekites had done. It was refusing to honor God as God. It was a rejection of the word of the Lord.
And because Saul rejected God's word, God rejected Saul from being king. And Saul’s half-hearted attempt at repentance was also not going to fool God or Samuel.
God knows our heart.
Let this chapter cause us to fear God and to obey Him. Teach your children full obedience. Teach them to trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus.
Psalm 113
Psalm 113 From the rising of the sun to its setting The name of the Lord is to be praised.
We exist to glorify and delight in God. Our every breath should resound to His glory. While we are commanded to gather with the faithful on the Lord's Day for corporate worship, every aspect of our existence should serve as a continuous act of worship. When we awake, when we sleep, and everything in between is for praising God. As the Apostle Paul instructs in 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
God, in His infinite majesty, deserves all praise. He has created us, thus we belong to Him. He has saved us, and therefore we have been bought with a price—the precious blood of Jesus. God is good. Our lives, therefore, must be living sacrifices of praise. That is, all that we do should be pleasing to God. The way in which we do our jobs and the purpose for which we do them should glorify Him. The manner in which we live with our spouses or raise our children should glorify Him. What we do with our finances or with our time should be for Him.
The Psalmist outlines a profound reason for incessant praise: God's unparalleled greatness paired with His merciful concern for the downtrodden. God reigns supreme over all nations, His power surpassing the collective might of the earth, His glory exceeding the heavens. When you look up into the night sky and see the countless stars, the beauty and majesty they convey dims in comparison to their Maker. There is no one like our God. He is so far above creation that there is no one we can compare Him to. Yet, God in great humility is not a God distant and unrelatable. He looks upon the earth and raises up the humble. He makes the poor of this earth great in His kingdom. They who would be despised by the royalty of this world are made royalty in Christ. They will reign with Him forever. He also takes the barren woman, the one with such a sorrowful affliction, and in His mercy, she becomes a mother to many children in the house of God.
God's transcendence does not detach Him from the plights of His creation. Instead, His grandeur is matched by His attentiveness to the needy. Let us remember how God found us. Remember our own redemption from sin's bondage and God's unwavering presence in our lives. Let us not forget how He has never forgotten us. And therefore, let us not forget to live our lives in praise of Him. Let us worship Him all our days.
Consider this as you prepare for corporate worship: the richness of our Lord’s Day worship suffers when we neglect daily devotion. Our daily indifference to God's grandeur diminishes the sweetness of communal praise. Each day should be lived in recognition of God's significance, from the moment we awake to the moment we rest, always giving thanks for His providential care. Brothers, let us exalt the Lord, blessing His name now and forevermore.
Catechism Questions:
As part of our goal this year to work on grounding ourselves in our confession of faith, the children will be working through the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Each week during the worship gathering, they will be asked to stand in their pew and recite the catechism question. They will also learn three verses that are connected with that question. On the fourth Sunday of the month, they will be invited to come to the front of the sanctuary during the service to review the previous three weeks' questions. It is our hope that this will be a help not only to the children but also to the whole congregation in reviewing the foundations of our Christian faith.
Q. 4. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
Hebrews 13:8 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
“Yes, I know Leviticus says that God hates that sin but that was the Old Testament, man! The New Testament says God is love.” You might have run into this kind of argument before or have been the one tempted to make it. Since the early days of the church, Christians have run into people who have argued that God in the Old Testament was full of wrath and vengeance but changed in the New Testament. In the time of the early church, there was even one man who wanted to reject all of the Old Testament and keep only a select few of the New Testament books. He went as far as to say that God in the Old Testament wasn’t really the true God but that the New Testament revealed a different and true God. He was rightly rejected as a heretic and false teacher. But old heretical lies have a way of lingering around to be repeated in future generations.
In our Catechism questions definition of God, we are disavowed of any notion of God being different or changed from the Old to the New Testament. God is unchangeable. He doesn’t change his mind and he doesn’t change in his character. His justice and his goodness have always been the same and always will be the same. The God who hated evil in the Old Testament is the same God who hates evil in the New.
It’s hard for us to get our heads around something that is completely unchangeable. We are used to change happening constantly. But one of the reasons why God is unchangeable is because He is perfect and complete in and of himself. John Flavel puts it this way “The Immutability (unchangeableness) of God flows from the perfection of his Nature, to which nothing can be added, and from which nothing can be taken away. If anything could be added to make him better than he is; or if anything could be taken away, to make him less good that he is, then he were not the chiefest Good, and consequently not God.” To be truly God, God must be complete in himself. For him to change would mean either that he lacks something which would mean he is not God or it would mean that he is having something taken away from him which would mean that He lost part of his completeness.
But God is complete, as the Bible teaches, and therefore there is nothing that can be added to him or taken away. He has infinite and eternal knowledge. There is nothing that can be added to his knowledge and he certainly isn’t forgetful. When God decreed something, there is no new information that can be found later that will make him change his mind. But wait a second, what about the verses that speak of God repenting? For example, what about when God doesn’t judge Nineveh but spares them. Thomas Watson is helpful. He says “Repentance is attributed to God figuratively because the Bible says 'He is not a man that he should repent' (Nu. 23:19). There may be a change in God's work, but not in his will. He may will a change, but not change his will.”
The Bible at times speaks of God in terms that help us see his work in history. It is men who change but God who orchestrates history so that men will respond to His threats of judgement so that He will show forth his mercy.
So what do we learn from learn from God's unchangeableness? That he will accomplish his promises, Micah 7:20. That we can rest in his love, Zeph. 3:17. We can trust him to finish the good work which he has begun in us, Phil. 1:6. That God will judge the wicked and he will grant eternal life to the righteous. We can also have confidence in a culture changing its moral attitudes quicker than you can bat an eye that God’s moral standard has not changed. The culture may rave and rail against his commandments. They may despise the fact that there are only two sexes. They may try to redefine marriage and defend the murder of the preborn. At the end of the day, they are coming up against an unchangeable and unmovable rock. God’s law is fixed and the world will break before it does. We can have confidence that all the efforts to thwart the will of God will never work. We can also trust that if we live by faith and according to his commands, we will be living by the standard the world was designed to work with. Things go well in the land when God’s unchangeable moral standard is followed.
How to Pray for Those we are praying for:
Reformation Church of Shelbyville
Heavenly Father,
We bring before You the Reformation Church of Shelbyville, a beacon of Your light in their community. We thank You for their faithful service and partnership in spreading the Gospel. We ask that You bless them with growth, both in spiritual maturity and in number, as they continue to stand firm in Your Word.
Grant Pastor Jerry the wisdom required to lead Your people. May his leadership be guided by Your Spirit, enabling him to shepherd the flock with strength and grace. Equip him with discernment and insight to navigate the challenges that come with ministry, always pointing others to Christ.
We pray for the children of the church, that they might come to know You deeply and intimately from a young age. Guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, that they may walk in Your ways all the days of their lives, reflecting Your love and truth to those around them.
Bless the marriages within the Reformation Church, strengthening these unions to be a testament of Your love and faithfulness. May these relationships glorify You, showcasing the unity and love that is found in Christ.
Lord, we also ask for Your hand of blessing on their efforts to preach the Gospel publicly. Make their words effective, piercing the hearts of listeners, and drawing them to salvation. Empower them to speak boldly and clearly, that Shelbyville may be won for Christ.
In Jesus' name, we pray,
Amen.
Cal Zastrow and Chet Gallagher
Heavenly Father,
We come before You today to lift up Cal Zastrow, Chet Gallagher, Heather Idoni, Coleman Boyd, Dennis Green, and Paul Vaughn. These individuals stood for the sanctity of life, facing grave consequences for their actions during a peaceful protest. They now stand before human judgement, with years of imprisonment and significant financial penalties hanging over them.
Lord, we ask for Your intervention in their situation. Strengthen them and their families during this challenging time. Provide them with peace that surpasses all understanding and the courage to continue standing firm in their convictions.
We pray for the judge who will issue sentences. Stir his heart, Lord. Convict him of his own sins and lead him towards a decision that reflects Your mercy and justice. May he see the righteousness in the actions of those who defend the innocent and act accordingly.
Furthermore, we pray for an end to abortion in this nation. Awaken the conscience of this country to the value of every human life, created in Your image. Lead us to a future where every life is cherished and protected.
In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
Jeffersonville City Council Scott Anderson:
Heavenly Father,
We come before You today, lifting up Scott Anderson of Jeffersonville City County. In the midst of political turnover and the shifting dynamics of the council, we ask for Your guiding hand upon him. Grant Scott the wisdom and faith necessary to navigate these changes with integrity and to act according to Your will. May he be anchored in Your truth and seek to do what is right under all circumstances.
Lord, we pray earnestly for Scott's heart—that he may come to know You deeply, entering into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. In a time where the pressures to conform are immense, we ask that You fortify him with the courage to uphold godly principles, resisting the temptation to adopt policies that stray from Your righteousness.
Protect Jeffersonville, Lord, from decisions and ideologies that undermine the truth of your word. Let Scott and the council be beacons of light, advocating for what is just and true. May their leadership reflect your wisdom and justice.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Church History Spotlight
Ethelbert of Kent, King and Confessor
25 February 560
The Christian Gospel was preached in Britain before 200, and by 300 the Celtic peoples of the island were largely Christian; but in the 400's southeastern Britain (what we now call England) was invaded by tribes of pagan Anglo-Saxons (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) who subdued the Christian Celts or drove them north and west into Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. The reconversion of England was then accomplished by Celtic missionaries entering England from the north and west, and Roman missionaries entering from the south and east.
The Jute kingdom of Kent was in the southeast corner of England, and in 597 a delegation of monks arrived from Rome, headed by Augustine of Canterbury (26 May 605) (not to be confused with his more famous namesake, Augustine of Hippo (28 August 430)). Ethelbert, king of Kent, was a pagan, but his wife Bertha, a Frankish princess, was a Christian, and he welcomed the strangers, listened politely to their invitation to convert, told them that he was resolved to continue in the religion of his fathers, and gave them a plot of ground and permission to build a church and to preach to anyone who cared to listen. Four years later, after at least 10,000 of his subjects had converted, Ethelbert himself was baptized. He did not pressure his remaining pagan subjects to follow him, but gave the missionaries help and encouragement in their preaching, built the cathedral of Saint Andrew in Rochester and the monastery of Saint Peter and Saint Paul (later the cathedral of Saint Augustine) at Canterbury; and influenced the conversion of King Sabert of the East Saxons, in whose territory he built the church of Saint Paul, London. He died on 24 February 616.
A prayer of thanksgiving for Ethelbert:
O God, who called your servant Ethelbert of Kent to an earthly throne that he might advance your heavenly kingdom, and gave him zeal for your Church and love for your people: Mercifully grant that we who commemorate him this day may be fruitful in good works, and attain to the glorious crown of your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Announcements for the Week
New Video
Schedule Updates and Events:
Proverbs 17:4-10
Psalm 122:1
1 Samuel 15
Psalm 113
Verse to Memorize
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Catechism Questions
Q. 4. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
Q. 5. Are there more Gods than one?
A. There is but one only, the living and true God.
Q. 6. How many persons are there in the Godhead?
A. There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.
People to Pray for:
Church: Reformation Church of Shelbyville
Pastor Jerry Dorris
Ministry: Cal Zastrow and Chet Gallagher
Civil Magistrate: Jeffersonville City Council
Scott Anderson
Notes for Parents:
Proverbs 17:4-10
Verse 9 He who conceals a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.
If you have had children, you will know that it is not unusual for one of them to become a tattletale. A tattletale enjoys revealing secrets to get others in trouble. They don’t do this because of a genuine concern for the person. No, they like the thrill of being the one to reveal the misdeeds and mistakes of others. It could be that they like the attention or approval that they get from those they tell. They enjoy the attention they receive for sharing the juicy morsel of gossip. Sometimes, they may even want to see their siblings get in trouble. It sounds sadistic, but we all are tempted to want justice against others while wanting mercy only for ourselves. Some people have a very strong sense of right and wrong and of duty. These are good things, but then it can go awry when you have no concern or compassion for others. They can only think of the rules and not the person they are dealing with. They may pridefully forget that they, too, are sinners who need grace. It could be that they are jealous and want to tear down their sibling or peer so that people won’t see their own flaws. By tearing down someone else, they can lift themselves up.
There are all kinds of reasons people become tattletales. But in the end, Scripture teaches us a better way. Now, there is a difference between tattling and seeking to help another person. There are times when we must expose evil for the glory of God and the good of His people. There are times when, in order to protect ourselves, our loved ones, or even the person who transgressed, we must tell others about the sin. We shouldn’t hide abuse. We can’t cover up evil that brings harm. And yet, we can and should exercise compassion and love with each other.
Christians are truth-speakers, but we are not nitpickers. We recognize that each of us has flaws and weaknesses. We all make mistakes. A Christian will do what he can to cover up the flaws and weaknesses of his brothers and sisters. He will bear patiently with them. If he can make things right without bringing shame on another, he will do so.
For example, suppose you come to church and find out that someone forgot to take out the trash from the previous event. It’s an abnormal occurrence, and the person is usually on top of it. What could you do? Well, you could complain about it. Make sure to make it publicly known that this occurred. Or, you could simply take the trash out yourself and make a note to yourself to check up on the brother in charge of the trash just to see if he’s doing well. You don’t even have to mention the oversight. If it were to become a common occurrence, then you can go to him and say something.
The point is that Christian wisdom requires that we act in love. We aren’t tattletales. We are truth-speakers. But truth-speakers do their best to protect the honor and good name of their brothers. The foolish love to divide brethren and complain about the flaws of their friends.
Psalm 122:1
Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
When was the last time you invited someone to go with you to worship the Lord? When did you last ask a friend, coworker, or neighbor to attend church?
While it's understood that worship gatherings are primarily for the church, Scripture suggests that nonbelievers would be able to observe our practices. 1 Corinthians 14:23 assumes unbelievers might enter our worship gatherings: "If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter..." It's reasonable to think they might have been invited.
Often, we complicate matters unnecessarily. In the past, personal evangelism was relegated to inviting someone to church. We should resist thinking that this is all there is to evangelism. However, in our pushback, we must be careful not to dismiss a valuable evangelistic tool.
Inviting those close to us to church is beneficial. There, they have the chance to hear the Word of God proclaimed and are called to repentance. True, there are aspects of worship in which the unbeliever cannot fully engage, but God frequently employs the ordinary means of grace—preaching, the sacraments, reading Scripture, and singing—to reach the lost.
Do you know someone in need of the Gospel? Share the Good News with them and invite them to church.
1 Samuel 15
In my house, our kids have memorized the following catechism question:
Q. What is the family rule?
A. I will obey right away, all the way, without grumbling or disputing.
The obedience that God expects us to give is cheerful and complete, done in faith. However, we are often tempted to obey just enough to try to ease our consciences. That is, we are kings at half-obedience. We do just enough to look like we are obeying, but our hearts really are not in it. We portion out a part for our own desires to lead.
This is what King Saul did. He was commanded to destroy the Amalekites completely. He was not to spare any of them or take any spoil. It was all to be devoted to destruction. God was using Saul to bring judgment on the evil Amalekites. Saul obeyed halfway—which is disobedience. He defeated the Amalekites in battle but captured their king. He also kept all the things that he thought were good. He destroyed that which was worthless. In other words, he wanted to make some profit on this endeavor. He had no problem getting rid of the stuff that was despised.
Saul, of course, told himself that he was going to devote part of the spoils to the Lord. He was going to make up for his half-hearted obedience with sacrifice. He would throw a little bit God's way, and that would take care of God's concern.
But God cannot be bribed. God has no need for burnt animals. Rather, God wants obedience. He wants full obedience. He wants it with a faith-filled heart. He wants it right away and all the way.
Samuel makes it clear to Saul that this sin of disobedience was as the sin of witchcraft and idolatry. That is, it was just as bad as what the Amalekites had done. It was refusing to honor God as God. It was a rejection of the word of the Lord.
And because Saul rejected God's word, God rejected Saul from being king. And Saul’s half-hearted attempt at repentance was also not going to fool God or Samuel.
God knows our heart.
Let this chapter cause us to fear God and to obey Him. Teach your children full obedience. Teach them to trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus.
Psalm 113
Psalm 113 From the rising of the sun to its setting The name of the Lord is to be praised.
We exist to glorify and delight in God. Our every breath should resound to His glory. While we are commanded to gather with the faithful on the Lord's Day for corporate worship, every aspect of our existence should serve as a continuous act of worship. When we awake, when we sleep, and everything in between is for praising God. As the Apostle Paul instructs in 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
God, in His infinite majesty, deserves all praise. He has created us, thus we belong to Him. He has saved us, and therefore we have been bought with a price—the precious blood of Jesus. God is good. Our lives, therefore, must be living sacrifices of praise. That is, all that we do should be pleasing to God. The way in which we do our jobs and the purpose for which we do them should glorify Him. The manner in which we live with our spouses or raise our children should glorify Him. What we do with our finances or with our time should be for Him.
The Psalmist outlines a profound reason for incessant praise: God's unparalleled greatness paired with His merciful concern for the downtrodden. God reigns supreme over all nations, His power surpassing the collective might of the earth, His glory exceeding the heavens. When you look up into the night sky and see the countless stars, the beauty and majesty they convey dims in comparison to their Maker. There is no one like our God. He is so far above creation that there is no one we can compare Him to. Yet, God in great humility is not a God distant and unrelatable. He looks upon the earth and raises up the humble. He makes the poor of this earth great in His kingdom. They who would be despised by the royalty of this world are made royalty in Christ. They will reign with Him forever. He also takes the barren woman, the one with such a sorrowful affliction, and in His mercy, she becomes a mother to many children in the house of God.
God's transcendence does not detach Him from the plights of His creation. Instead, His grandeur is matched by His attentiveness to the needy. Let us remember how God found us. Remember our own redemption from sin's bondage and God's unwavering presence in our lives. Let us not forget how He has never forgotten us. And therefore, let us not forget to live our lives in praise of Him. Let us worship Him all our days.
Consider this as you prepare for corporate worship: the richness of our Lord’s Day worship suffers when we neglect daily devotion. Our daily indifference to God's grandeur diminishes the sweetness of communal praise. Each day should be lived in recognition of God's significance, from the moment we awake to the moment we rest, always giving thanks for His providential care. Brothers, let us exalt the Lord, blessing His name now and forevermore.
Catechism Questions:
As part of our goal this year to work on grounding ourselves in our confession of faith, the children will be working through the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Each week during the worship gathering, they will be asked to stand in their pew and recite the catechism question. They will also learn three verses that are connected with that question. On the fourth Sunday of the month, they will be invited to come to the front of the sanctuary during the service to review the previous three weeks' questions. It is our hope that this will be a help not only to the children but also to the whole congregation in reviewing the foundations of our Christian faith.
Q. 4. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
Hebrews 13:8 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
“Yes, I know Leviticus says that God hates that sin but that was the Old Testament, man! The New Testament says God is love.” You might have run into this kind of argument before or have been the one tempted to make it. Since the early days of the church, Christians have run into people who have argued that God in the Old Testament was full of wrath and vengeance but changed in the New Testament. In the time of the early church, there was even one man who wanted to reject all of the Old Testament and keep only a select few of the New Testament books. He went as far as to say that God in the Old Testament wasn’t really the true God but that the New Testament revealed a different and true God. He was rightly rejected as a heretic and false teacher. But old heretical lies have a way of lingering around to be repeated in future generations.
In our Catechism questions definition of God, we are disavowed of any notion of God being different or changed from the Old to the New Testament. God is unchangeable. He doesn’t change his mind and he doesn’t change in his character. His justice and his goodness have always been the same and always will be the same. The God who hated evil in the Old Testament is the same God who hates evil in the New.
It’s hard for us to get our heads around something that is completely unchangeable. We are used to change happening constantly. But one of the reasons why God is unchangeable is because He is perfect and complete in and of himself. John Flavel puts it this way “The Immutability (unchangeableness) of God flows from the perfection of his Nature, to which nothing can be added, and from which nothing can be taken away. If anything could be added to make him better than he is; or if anything could be taken away, to make him less good that he is, then he were not the chiefest Good, and consequently not God.” To be truly God, God must be complete in himself. For him to change would mean either that he lacks something which would mean he is not God or it would mean that he is having something taken away from him which would mean that He lost part of his completeness.
But God is complete, as the Bible teaches, and therefore there is nothing that can be added to him or taken away. He has infinite and eternal knowledge. There is nothing that can be added to his knowledge and he certainly isn’t forgetful. When God decreed something, there is no new information that can be found later that will make him change his mind. But wait a second, what about the verses that speak of God repenting? For example, what about when God doesn’t judge Nineveh but spares them. Thomas Watson is helpful. He says “Repentance is attributed to God figuratively because the Bible says 'He is not a man that he should repent' (Nu. 23:19). There may be a change in God's work, but not in his will. He may will a change, but not change his will.”
The Bible at times speaks of God in terms that help us see his work in history. It is men who change but God who orchestrates history so that men will respond to His threats of judgement so that He will show forth his mercy.
So what do we learn from learn from God's unchangeableness? That he will accomplish his promises, Micah 7:20. That we can rest in his love, Zeph. 3:17. We can trust him to finish the good work which he has begun in us, Phil. 1:6. That God will judge the wicked and he will grant eternal life to the righteous. We can also have confidence in a culture changing its moral attitudes quicker than you can bat an eye that God’s moral standard has not changed. The culture may rave and rail against his commandments. They may despise the fact that there are only two sexes. They may try to redefine marriage and defend the murder of the preborn. At the end of the day, they are coming up against an unchangeable and unmovable rock. God’s law is fixed and the world will break before it does. We can have confidence that all the efforts to thwart the will of God will never work. We can also trust that if we live by faith and according to his commands, we will be living by the standard the world was designed to work with. Things go well in the land when God’s unchangeable moral standard is followed.
How to Pray for Those we are praying for:
Reformation Church of Shelbyville
Heavenly Father,
We bring before You the Reformation Church of Shelbyville, a beacon of Your light in their community. We thank You for their faithful service and partnership in spreading the Gospel. We ask that You bless them with growth, both in spiritual maturity and in number, as they continue to stand firm in Your Word.
Grant Pastor Jerry the wisdom required to lead Your people. May his leadership be guided by Your Spirit, enabling him to shepherd the flock with strength and grace. Equip him with discernment and insight to navigate the challenges that come with ministry, always pointing others to Christ.
We pray for the children of the church, that they might come to know You deeply and intimately from a young age. Guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, that they may walk in Your ways all the days of their lives, reflecting Your love and truth to those around them.
Bless the marriages within the Reformation Church, strengthening these unions to be a testament of Your love and faithfulness. May these relationships glorify You, showcasing the unity and love that is found in Christ.
Lord, we also ask for Your hand of blessing on their efforts to preach the Gospel publicly. Make their words effective, piercing the hearts of listeners, and drawing them to salvation. Empower them to speak boldly and clearly, that Shelbyville may be won for Christ.
In Jesus' name, we pray,
Amen.
Cal Zastrow and Chet Gallagher
Heavenly Father,
We come before You today to lift up Cal Zastrow, Chet Gallagher, Heather Idoni, Coleman Boyd, Dennis Green, and Paul Vaughn. These individuals stood for the sanctity of life, facing grave consequences for their actions during a peaceful protest. They now stand before human judgement, with years of imprisonment and significant financial penalties hanging over them.
Lord, we ask for Your intervention in their situation. Strengthen them and their families during this challenging time. Provide them with peace that surpasses all understanding and the courage to continue standing firm in their convictions.
We pray for the judge who will issue sentences. Stir his heart, Lord. Convict him of his own sins and lead him towards a decision that reflects Your mercy and justice. May he see the righteousness in the actions of those who defend the innocent and act accordingly.
Furthermore, we pray for an end to abortion in this nation. Awaken the conscience of this country to the value of every human life, created in Your image. Lead us to a future where every life is cherished and protected.
In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
Jeffersonville City Council Scott Anderson:
Heavenly Father,
We come before You today, lifting up Scott Anderson of Jeffersonville City County. In the midst of political turnover and the shifting dynamics of the council, we ask for Your guiding hand upon him. Grant Scott the wisdom and faith necessary to navigate these changes with integrity and to act according to Your will. May he be anchored in Your truth and seek to do what is right under all circumstances.
Lord, we pray earnestly for Scott's heart—that he may come to know You deeply, entering into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. In a time where the pressures to conform are immense, we ask that You fortify him with the courage to uphold godly principles, resisting the temptation to adopt policies that stray from Your righteousness.
Protect Jeffersonville, Lord, from decisions and ideologies that undermine the truth of your word. Let Scott and the council be beacons of light, advocating for what is just and true. May their leadership reflect your wisdom and justice.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Church History Spotlight
Ethelbert of Kent, King and Confessor
25 February 560
The Christian Gospel was preached in Britain before 200, and by 300 the Celtic peoples of the island were largely Christian; but in the 400's southeastern Britain (what we now call England) was invaded by tribes of pagan Anglo-Saxons (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) who subdued the Christian Celts or drove them north and west into Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. The reconversion of England was then accomplished by Celtic missionaries entering England from the north and west, and Roman missionaries entering from the south and east.
The Jute kingdom of Kent was in the southeast corner of England, and in 597 a delegation of monks arrived from Rome, headed by Augustine of Canterbury (26 May 605) (not to be confused with his more famous namesake, Augustine of Hippo (28 August 430)). Ethelbert, king of Kent, was a pagan, but his wife Bertha, a Frankish princess, was a Christian, and he welcomed the strangers, listened politely to their invitation to convert, told them that he was resolved to continue in the religion of his fathers, and gave them a plot of ground and permission to build a church and to preach to anyone who cared to listen. Four years later, after at least 10,000 of his subjects had converted, Ethelbert himself was baptized. He did not pressure his remaining pagan subjects to follow him, but gave the missionaries help and encouragement in their preaching, built the cathedral of Saint Andrew in Rochester and the monastery of Saint Peter and Saint Paul (later the cathedral of Saint Augustine) at Canterbury; and influenced the conversion of King Sabert of the East Saxons, in whose territory he built the church of Saint Paul, London. He died on 24 February 616.
A prayer of thanksgiving for Ethelbert:
O God, who called your servant Ethelbert of Kent to an earthly throne that he might advance your heavenly kingdom, and gave him zeal for your Church and love for your people: Mercifully grant that we who commemorate him this day may be fruitful in good works, and attain to the glorious crown of your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Announcements for the Week
New Video
- When Should My Children Take the Lord’ Supper: Every Christian parent yearns for their children to embrace the Lord and find their place at His table. Determining when they are ready for this significant step, where they consult with the elders and openly declare their faith, can be perplexing. In this video, Pastor Joseph delves into the conditions for partaking in the Lord's Supper and offers guidance on identifying the marks of God's transformative work within your children's hearts. https://www.sovereignkingchurch.com/media/t9yfp9j/when-should-my-children-take-the-lord-s-supper
- Expectant Mothers: We request special prayers for Shawn Crone, Chelsea Mix, Rowina Spurgeon, and Maddie Sands.
- Prayer for Reformation Church of Shelbyville: Join in prayer for our brothers and sisters in Shelbyville. They have been a faithful friend and ally in proclaiming the gospel in our area. Pray for them to grow in maturity and number. Pray that Pastor Jerry will have wisdom in leading.
- Prayer for Cal Zastrow and Chet Gallagher: Cal Zastrow, Chet Gallagher, Heather Idoni, Coleman Boyd, Dennis Green and Paul Vaughn were in a federal court of felonies for blocking an abortion mill during a 2021 peaceful protest in Tennessee. They face up to 11 years in jail and $260,000 in fines. They will face sentencing in July. It is a gross miscarriage of justice that they will be punished for protecting the life of innocent human beings. Please pray for them and their families. Pray that the judge in the case will be convicted of his own sins and reverse the conviction or give a light sentence. Pray that abortion in this nation will end.
- Jeffersonville City County Scott Anderson: Scott Anderson is a returning GOP member on the council. This past election, there was a lot of turnover on the board. It flipped from Republican majority to democrat. Pray that God would grant Scott wisdom and faith to do what is right. Pray that he would come to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Pray that the council would not begin to adopt wicked and woke policies that harm Jeffersonville. Pray for a boldness to stand on godly principles.
Schedule Updates and Events:
- New Members Class: New Members Class will continue this Sunday 1:00 to 2:00 PM, immediately following our worship service. We encourage you to bring a packed lunch to enjoy beforehand, and rest assured, childcare will be provided during class time. Don't miss this opportunity to connect more closely with our community and learn about our faith, mission, and the ways you can be involved.
- Lent: Advent prepares us for Christmas, while Lent is the season leading to Easter. Initially, Lent was a time for new believers to learn the faith's fundamentals, involving fasting and prayer to prepare for baptism or joining the Lord's table at Easter. This observance eventually included the whole church, signifying a collective commitment to spiritual discipline. Lent starts on February 14th this year. Although the Bible doesn't mandate Lent, engaging in fasting and prayer can be benficial, helping us focus on God and the meaning of Christ's sacrifice. It's important, however, to avoid superstition and instead use Lent to concentrate on the Lord abd remembering His sacrifice for us.
- Women’s Bible Study: Why did God make women and how can you fulfill this purpose. Come join the ladies of Sovereign King on Feb 28th 6:30-8:30 for engaging bible study and fellowship.
- Nursing Home Ministry: Join us as we encourage the widow and the aged at Maple Mannor on March 4th. We will start promptly at 6 PM.
- Palm Sunday: On March 24, Celebrate Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem with worship and a fellowship meal afterward
- Good Friday: Join us as we remember the sacrifice of our savior Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins. His death paid the penalty of our sins. March 29, 6:30-8:00 PM