Scripture Reading:
#1. One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. (Psalm 27:4-5)
#2. If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)
Prayer of Praise to God: Refer to the verses above and hymn below.
Hymn: Be Thou My Vision
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; naught be all else to me, save that thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night, waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word; I ever with thee, and thou with me, Lord.
Born of thy love, thy child may I be, thou in me dwelling and I one with thee.
Be thou my battle shield, sword for the fight. Be thou my dignity, thou my delight,
thou my soul’s shelter, thou my high tow’r. Raise thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.
Riches I heed not, nor vain empty praise; thou mine inheritance, now and always.
Thou and thou only, first in my heart, Ruler of heaven, my treasure thou art.
True Light of heaven, when vict’ry is won may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my heart, whatever befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Reading of the Law: For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him (1 John 3:11-15)
Silent Confession of Sin/Confession of Sin: Most High God, we have sinned; we are alien to you; our heads are deceitful and wicked; our minds an enemy to your law. Yet in our lostness you have laid help on the mighty one, Jesus Christ, and he comes between us, our mediator, whose blood is our peace, whose righteousness is our strength, whose condemnation is our freedom, whose Spirit is our power, whose heaven is our heritage. Grant that we may feel more the strength of your grace. In his name, Amen.
Reading of the Gospel: Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. (Isaiah 44:21-22).
Heidelberg Catechism: Lord’s Day 22
Question #57
Q. How does “the resurrection of the body” comfort you?
A. Not only will my soul be taken immediately after this life to Christ its head, but also my very flesh will be raised by the power of Christ, reunited with my soul, and made like Christ’s glorious body.
Question #58
Q. How does the article concerning “life everlasting” comfort you?
A. Even as I already now experience in my heart the beginning of eternal joy, so after this life I will have perfect blessedness such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human heart has ever imagined: a blessedness in which to praise God forever.
Prayer of Thanksgiving: Thank God for all the blessings we receive because of what Jesus has done for us and for being able to worship without hindrance from our government.
Prayer of Supplication: Pray for those in need both physically and spiritually and for family and friends who don’t know Christ.
Bible reading and commentary:
Read: 1 Corinthians 13:4-13
In this chapter Paul gives a beautiful description of love, without which spiritual gifts are worthless. In its context, this chapter serves three purposes.
First, it shows the great need for redemption, warning us that sin causes us to prize dramatic, but worthless, spiritual displays (like those listed in vv. 1-3) more than our neighbor's good. In fact, the text directly counters sins addressed elsewhere in the letter. Love “does not envy” and “is not arrogant,” but the Corinthian church is full of jealousy (3:3), boasting (4:6), and arrogance (4:18-19; 5:2; 8:1). Love is “not rude,” but Corinthian worship is shameful and indecent (11:5, 22: 14:40). No church is immune to such temptation; we therefore need God’s pardoning, transforming, and sustaining grace so that we may follow the “more excellent way” of love (12:31).
Second, this chapter calls for a response of love. Those who have received the gifts of the Spirit must exercise them alongside the fruit of the Spirit, including love, patience, and kindness (Gal. 5:22). Wherever the gospel goes, it bears the fruit of faith, hope, and love (1 Cor. 13: 13; Col. 1:4-5; 1 Thess.1:3). Of these, love is the greatest, because unlike hope (which will be fulfilled at Christ’s return) and faith (which will then become “sight”; 2 Cor. 5:7), love will never pass away. For all of eternity, love will be the appropriate response to the mercy we receive in the gospel.
Finally, this chapter motivates and enables such a response by deepening our appreciation for the love of God, given to us in Christ. Patience and kindness (1 Cor. 13:4) are not only marks of human love but are a Biblical description of God’s gracious character. When love does not “insist on its own way, it mirrors the sacrifice of Christ, who did not “seek his own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved” (10:31-11:1). Similarly, love is not . . resentful” (1 Cor. 13:5; lit. does not “count evil”) but forgives the evil things others do to us, just as in Christ God does not “count” our sins against us (2 Cor. 5:19; Romans 4:8).
As we seek to grow in love, we must always keep Christ’s saving work in clear view, since Scripture consistently treats this as the ultimate demonstration of love (John 3:16; 15:12-13; Romans 5:8; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 2:4-7; 5:2, 25; 1 John 3:16; 4:9-10; Rev. 15).
John Calvin on “Does not seek its own”- From this we may infer how far love is from our human nature, for all of us are naturally disposed to love and care for ourselves, and strive for our own advantage. Indeed, to speak more accurately, we rush headlong into it [this is not Biblical love]. The remedy for such a perverse inclination is love which causes us (against our natural reason) to be concerned for our neighbors, loving them and being concerned for their welfare [this is Biblical love].
Closing Hymn: The Doxology
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise him, all creatures here below; Praise him above, ye heav’nly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Closing Scripture: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him [Jesus]. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:18-21).
The Lord’s Prayer (together): Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.