April 7- 13th Family Worship Guide 2024

The Guide for the Week
 April 7-13th 2024
The Second Week of Easter

Bible Passage for the Week
Proverbs 19:1-10
1 Corinthians 10
1 Samuel 17
Psalm 120

Verse to Memorize
Nehemiah 9:6

Westminster Shorter Catechism
Q. 10. How did God create man? A. God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge , righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures
People to Pray for:

Church:  Trinity Reformed Church
                 Pastor Jody Killingsworth
Ministry:  Sweetwater Research
                   David Pendergrass
                      
Civil Magistrate: Indiana Governor  
                               Eric Holcomb
                           
 
 
 
Notes for Parents:
Proverbs 19:1-10

Verse 4 Wealth adds many friends, But a poor man is separated from his friend.
Verses 6&7  Many will seek the favor of a generous man, And every man is a friend to him who gives gifts. All the brothers of a poor man hate him; How much more do his friends abandon him!

“If I were a rich man Ya ba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dum All day long, I'd biddy biddy bum”- Fiddler on the Roof
Everyone wants to be friends with those who have a lot. When someone wins the lottery, suddenly they have all kinds of buddies who can give them advice and all kinds of ladies who want to marry them. The Proverbs were written by one of the wealthiest men to ever live. He knew the fair-weather friendships and hangers-on that money brought him. This gave him great insight into the heart of men. He knew that the human heart chases after those they think can be an advantage to them and despises those who have nothing to offer. Now, as Christians, there are several things we can learn from this passage.
  • Jesus chastised His followers for not being as shrewd as some who were of the world. We can look at the truth that people are attracted to wealth and simply be angry. Or we can learn to use this for good. In other words, a Christian can be wise in his dealings. If he needs to present a hard truth to someone, he can preface it with some encouragement. I often call this an encouragement sandwich. You aren’t trying to manipulate someone but rather are recognizing the human condition and working to mitigate the sinful heart so that truth can be implanted. Likewise, if you need to visit someone to deal with important issues, bring a gift. In fact, it’s both a wise and kind practice to bring a bottle of wine or dessert or some other gift to a person's house when you are invited.
  • The Christian should be more generous than the wicked. The wicked merely use gifts as a bribe. A Christian gives gifts because he has been given so much. One of the great blessings of the gospel is that it takes selfish men and thieves and makes them generous givers. Give to others.
  • A Christian will not see people merely as stepping stones. One of the reasons the wealthy attract friends is that those friends are hoping to gain something. Our gift-giving ought not merely be for what we can gain. Rather, scripture teaches us that blessings come from showing kindness to those who can’t return the favor. Give to the poor without expecting anything in return, and you will be blessed. Don’t be those who show favoritism in the church. James reminds us that it is often the well-to-do and influential who often persecute the godly. We want to be like Moses, who would rather be identified with his slave brothers than with princes in palaces.
  • There is a rich man we should seek to be friends with. That man is Jesus Christ—the God-Man. He has infinite riches, and He is a friend who is closer than a brother. He laid down His life for His friends. Draw near to Him, and you too will be rich beyond your imagination. You will inherit the riches of His mercies and grace forever.

1 Corinthians 10
The Apostle Paul, in this chapter, concludes his discussion on eating food that was sacrificed to idols. He reminds people that while food in itself is nothing special, we should not partake in idolatry. Therefore, although the Christians in Corinth were free to eat meat they bought at the market, they must be very careful not to participate in the idol worship of the pagans nor give any credence to that idol worship. They also need to be careful that they don't lead their uninformed brothers back into that idolatry through their carelessness with the food. They were to love their brothers and love God. Food shouldn’t take priority.
In explaining this, Apostle Paul makes an important point about those living in the church. They can face the same discipline and even judgment that the Old Testament church faced. The events that happened to the church after leaving Egypt and wandering in the wilderness serve as an example to us. There were people who had all the visible markings of a Christian. They belonged to the covenant community. They had a form of baptism. They partook of the sacraments. And yet, God was displeased with them. They were part of the visible church but showed by their grumbling, immorality, and idolatry that they were not truly of God. Some may have been truly saved but were disciplined strongly. Others were simply judged. Regardless, we ought not think that God has changed. We can partake in the externals of the New Covenant and be visible members of the covenant community and yet be disciplined. We ought not grumble, act immorally, or give ourselves to idolatry.
Sin has consequences, and God still disciplines His people. He also still judges hypocrites. Therefore, we must flee from sin. Cling to Christ. Avoid idolatry. And love our brothers and sisters in Christ.

1 Samuel 17
Sometimes God uses the most unlikely of people to make a big impact.   When God rescues His people and flexes his might, He likes to use the instrument that will give Him the glory.  This chapter has one of the most familiar stories in the bible.  But don’t let that keep you from reading it and studying it.  Furthermore, don’t let that stop you from telling it to your children in a big and fun way.  Make your time going through this chapter fun.  Talk about how everyone was afraid of Goliath but also how they also didn’t want to trust in David to do the job.  His brothers were upset at him even being there.  The enemies of God mocked and yet God used David to cut that giant down.   God takes the despised of the world and uses them for his purposes.  Now in truth, David wasn’t a weakling. God has been working in his life to prepare him for these moments.  He was a brave and strong young man.  He had fought lions and bears.   He had faith in God.   And God used Him to shame the strong and proud.

Psalm 120
This section of the Psalm begins a group of 15 Psalms that are called Songs of Ascent. There is not much in the text to indicate exactly why they have that title, though most commentators have thought of them as songs being sung on the way up to the temple. In particular, older Jewish commentaries suggest that they were short songs to be sung on each of the 15 steps leading from the Court of the Women to the inner court of the temple. In other words, these psalms were designed for people to sing as they entered into worship. In our modern context, we might think of them as a prelude, the song the worship leaders sing before we begin our worship service. One takeaway for us is that we should be mindful of how we enter the church. We should enter with worship already begun in our hearts. We should be singing the Lord’s praises before we get to the church gather and entering into the congregation with our minds ready to meet with God. There are some real practical things you can do to help you come to corporate worship with this attitude:
  1. Prepare yourself the night before. The Puritans were very strict on keeping the Christian Sabbath. There were laws keeping businesses closed on Sundays. In some places, these laws went into effect on Saturday evening. The point was that the Puritans wanted to ensure that their earthly cares and jobs were finished early enough on Saturday that they could be preparing for Sunday. Go ahead and take time each Saturday evening to lay out clothes, get food prepared for breakfast, and get the kids to bed early.
  2. Get up early on Sundays. Don’t be scrambling around at the last minute trying to get everything ready. If you did the prep the night before, Sunday mornings can be more peaceful. If you get up early, you can get things ready before the kids are up, get your morning coffee, and pray. I like to put on good music on Sunday mornings that sets the tone for worship.
  3. Leave early to get to church early. The Old Marine standard was that if you are not 15 minutes early, you are 15 minutes late. Set your sights on getting to church early and leave early enough to do so.
  4. On the way to church, remind yourself and your family what you are about to do. Give instructions to the children on what they are going to be doing. Do a walkthrough of the service with them.
  5. Enter the building ready to meet with the Lord and with His people. Get the bathroom trips out of the way and then get upstairs to your seats. Be praying that God would help you to pay attention and to fill you with His Spirit. We meet upstairs in our building. There isn’t anything particularly special about it (it has some drawbacks), but let the walk up the steps remind you that you are going up to join with God’s people here on earth and all of the heavenly realm which is gathered at the throne of God. You are spiritually ascending to meet with the Lord.
Now specifically regarding this Psalm. It's short—only 7 verses—but it does convey a longing to come to God and find rest from the wicked world. The Psalmist cries for deliverance from those who lie, slander, and persecute Him. He longs for peace, but his enemies won’t let him have it. Therefore, he comes to the one who can protect him and give him that peace. We know what it is to be overwhelmed by the wicked in the world. We see the constant bombardment of the devil’s lies. Many of us know what it is to be hated for the faith or to have enemies who slander us. Let this Psalm be an encouragement that when we are in distress, God hears. He protects us. He will get vengeance. We can go to God when we are under assault, and He will keep us.
 Bringing this back to the songs of ascent, the church ought to be a place of refuge for the battle-weary soul. We come together as soldiers of Christ, dealing with the battles against the world, the flesh, and the devil. In the house of God, as we worship together, we get to bring our cries to God and to be comforted with His peace.
 Let each of us do our part in making the church gathering a refuge. Not only as we prepare to come together but also as we fellowship and depart. Let us speak truth to one another. Let us share our burdens and our victories. Let us look out for each other. Let your clothing be modest and decent so that you are not a distraction or worse, a temptation. Let us clean up after ourselves. Don’t leave things in the church building for others to have to pick up. Teach your children to respect the preciousness of others. Don’t let them interrupt conversations or run around knocking people over. Let's give ourselves to creating a place where we can be strengthened for battle.  Lastly, encourage each other with the word of God.

Catechism Questions
Here are some Additional Question from the Sovereign King Family Catechism.  These can help you in teaching the Westminster Question.  The Westminster Question is the one they will need to memorize for the last Sunday of the Month.

Q. 171. How are man and woman alike?   A.  Both Man and Woman are created in the image of God and therefore are equal before God in dignity and value as humans.  They are coheirs together in Christ Jesus for salvation.

Q. 172. How are man and woman different? A.  God made man and woman with differences in their bodies, temperaments, strengths and weaknesses and he has ordained them to different roles and responsibilities.

Q.  173. What are some of the responsibilities God has given men to do? A. Men should build the kingdom, fight the devil, protect others, provide for their families, lead their families, churches, and societies to obey God, and proclaim the gospel.

Q.  174.  What are some of the responsibilities God has given women to do? A. Women serve God by loving and submitting to their husbands, giving life, nurturing their families, caring for the home, adorning themselves with humility, and striving to have a gentle and quite spirit.

Example Prayers for Weekly Prayer Concerns
Trinity Reformed Church

Heavenly Father, we bring before You Trinity Reformed Church and its shepherd, Pastor Jody Killingworth. As they work at expanding their physical church building while also growing their hearts by your Spirit, we seek Your guidance and strength for them. Grant Pastor Jody the wisdom to lead with discernment, the faith to trust in Your providence, and the vigor necessary for the tasks at hand. May the Holy Spirit be a constant presence, directing his decisions and actions for the glory of Your kingdom.
For the elders and fellow pastors alongside Pastor Jody, we ask for a fortitude that only comes from You. In a world of distractions and challenges, keep them faithful and focused on the mission You have laid before them. Empower the session to be examples of Your steadfast love and grace, influencing both their congregation and the wider community. Let their collective efforts be a testament to Your enduring faithfulness, nurturing a church that stands firm in the Gospel and shines Your light into the world. We ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen.


Sweetwater Research
Father in Heaven,
we pray for Sweetwater Research and its leader, David Pendergrass. Their mission—to bring clean water to developing nations and share the gospel of Jesus—is important. We ask You to provide the necessary funds for their work and open doors for gospel opportunities in every community they touch. Strengthen and guide the scientists being mentored, equipping them for the challenges ahead. Let Your hand be evident in their success, for the glory of Your name. Amen.


Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb  
Lord Almighty,
we come before You to pray for Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, heeding the instruction of the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul to lift up those in authority. We pray earnestly that Governor Holcomb's final year in office is marked by courage and righteousness. Implore him, Lord, to champion the sanctity of life, ensuring that the unborn, the most vulnerable among us, are protected and valued. May he take a firm stand against the tragedy of abortion, working tirelessly to safeguard the lives of little ones yet to breathe their first breath. Let his leadership reflect Your principles, enabling all under his jurisdiction to live in peace, godliness, and dignity. Equip him with wisdom, strength, and compassion to enact policies that honor You and the precious gift of life.  We pray that you do this for the glory of and in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.


Church History Spotlight
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Pastor and Theologian
10 April 1945

" Bonhoeffer was born in 1906, son of a professor of psychiatry and neurology at the University of Berlin. He was an outstanding student, and at the age of 25 became a lecturer in systematic theology at the same University. When Hitler came to power in 1933, Bonhoeffer became a leading spokesman for the Confessing Church, the center of Protestant resistance to the Nazis. He organized and for a time led the underground seminary of the Confessing Church. His book Life Together describes the life of the Christian community in that seminary, and his book The Cost Of Discipleship attacks what he calls "cheap grace," meaning grace used as an excuse for moral laxity. Bonhoeffer had been taught not to "resist the powers that be," but he came to believe that to do so was sometimes the right choice. In 1939 his brother-in-law introduced him to a group planning the overthrow of Hitler, and he made significant contributions to their work. (He was at this time an employee of the Military Intelligence Department.) He was arrested in April 1943 and imprisoned in Berlin. After the failure of the attempt on Hitler's life in April 1944, he was sent first to Buchenwald and then to Schoenberg Prison. His life was spared, because he had a relative who stood high in the government; but then this relative was himself implicated in anti-Nazi plots. On Sunday 8 April 1945, he had just finished conducting a service of worship at Schoenberg, when two soldiers came in, saying, "Prisoner Bonhoeffer, make ready and come with us," the standard summons to a condemned prisoner. As he left, he said to another prisoner, "This is the end -- but for me, the beginning -- of life." He was hanged the next day, less than a week before the Allies reached the camp.

 A prayer of thanksgiving for Dietrich Bonhoeffer:
O God our Father, the source of strength to all your saints, who brought your servant Dietrich Bonhoeffer through imprisonment and death to the joys of life eternal: Grant that we, being encouraged by their examples, may hold fast the faith that we profess, and that we may seek to know, and acccording to our knowledge to do, your will, even unto death; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
 
 
Announcements for the Week

New Blog Post:
The women’s ministry blog has a new post up called Good Kid’s Aren’t the Result of Luck.   It is a good reminder to be faithful even with the littlest children.   https://www.sovereignkingchurch.com/blog/2024/03/27/good-kids-aren-t-the-result-of-luck
Prayer Concerns:
  • Expectant Mothers: We request special prayers for Shawn Crone, Rowina Spurgeon, Gabby Fluhr and Maddie Sands.
  • Trinity Reformed Church: Trinity Reformed Church is the largest church in our presbytery.  They have a school similar to the one we are hoping to start.  They are also in the middle of a building project.   Pray for Pastor Jody Killingworth as he leads this church.  Pray for wisdom, renewed faith and strength for the work, and the power of the Holy Spirit to guide him.  Pray for the other pastors and elders as well that they will be faithful. 
  • Sweetwater Research:  David Pendergrass leads this research institute whose mission is to help developing nations to research ways to provide clean drinking water to the people who live there.  In addition, this group shares the gospel of Jesus to those they are working with.  Pray that God would provide the finances for this non-profit group as well as open doors to share the gospel wherever they go.  Pray for the other scientists they are mentoring for this work.  
  • Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb: The Holy Spirit speaking through the Apostle Paul teaches us to pray for those in authority. Specifically scripture says “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”  Pray for Governor Eric Holcomb that his final year in office would be one in which he stands for what is right. Pray that he will be willing to work to make sure little babies in the womb can live a tranquil and quiet life without being slaughtered by abortion doctors.    
Announcements:
  • Growing Kids God’s Way:  We are launching a brand new ministry to help parents raise up godly children in a godless time.  Every Sunday evening (except the third Sunday which is Genevan Pub) from 5-7 PM we invite parents of all ages to come and learn principles from God’s word along with some practical wisdom on raising children.  If you are unable to procure baby sitters, we will have child care available.  Our first and introductory class will be April 7th.  https://subspla.sh/4jkkrcb/ 
  • Women’s Bible Study: April 10th 6:30- 8:30 PM
  • Spring Dance:  April 12 at the Cox’s Home.  Come join us for a barn/line dancing night! Don’t know how to dance? Don’t worry about it! there will be a lesson, The lesson will consist of two or three dances. Be there @6:45pm and the lesson will start @7:00, after the lesson it’s all fellowship and dancing. All Adults and young teens 12 and older are invited!!  Water will be provided but feel  free to bring snacks to share. We will be finishing @9:00pm.
  • Thunder Over Louisville: April 20
  • Genevan Pub:  April 21
  • Men’s Kayaking and Camping: May 17-18 For men and teenage boys who can swim, we will be kayaking and then camping along side the river. Register here. https://subsplash.com/sovereignkingchurch-jeff/lb/ev/+3bwv4ns
For more information and updates, please visit our website
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