Scripture Reading:
#1. We know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:28-29).
#2. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8).
Prayer of Praise to God: Refer to the verses above and hymn below.
Hymn: Praise Him! Praise Him!
Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Sing, O earth– His wonderful love proclaim!
Hail Him! Hail Him! highest archangels in glory;
strength and honor give to His holy name!
Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children;
in His arms He carries them all day long.
Refrain:
Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness.
Praise Him! Praise Him ever in joyful song!
Praise Him, praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
For our sins He suffered, and bled, and died.
He, our Rock, our Hope of eternal salvation—
Hail Him! Hail Him! Jesus, the Crucified!
Sound His praises! Jesus, who bore our sorrows!
Love unbounded, wonderful, deep, and strong. [Refrain]
Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Heav’nly portals loud with hosannas ring!
Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever.
Crown Him! Crown Him! Prophet, and Priest, and King!
Christ is coming, over the world victorious;
pow’r and glory unto the Lord belong! [Refrain]
Reading of the Law: Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness. (James 3:13-18)
Silent Confession of Sin/Confession of Sin: Most holy and merciful Father, we acknowledge and confess before you our sinful nature, prone to evil and lazy in good, and all our shortcomings and offenses. You alone know how often we have sinned, in wandering from your ways, in wasting our gifts, in forgetting your love. But you, O Lord, have mercy on us, who are ashamed and sorry for everything in which we have displeased you. Teach us to hate our sins; cleanse us from our secret faults; and forgive our sins, for the sake of your dear Son. And most holy and loving Father, help us, we ask you, to live in your light and walk in your ways according to the commandments of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reading of the Gospel: For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him! (Romans 5:6-9)
Heidelberg Catechism: Lord’s Day 23
Question #59
Q. What good does it do you, however, to believe all this?
A. In Christ I am righteous before God and heir to life everlasting.
Question #60
Q. How are you righteous before God?
A. Only by true faith in Jesus Christ. Even though my conscience accuses me of having grievously sinned against all God’s commandments, of never having kept any of them, and of still being inclined toward all evil, nevertheless, without any merit of my own, out of sheer grace, God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, and as if I had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me. All I need to do is accept this gift with a believing heart.
Question #61
Q. Why do you say that through faith alone you are righteous?
A. Not because I please God by the worthiness of my faith. It is because only Christ’s satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness make me righteous before God, and because I can accept this righteousness and make it mine in no other way than through faith.
Prayer of Thanksgiving: Thank God for the faith he has given us and for our local church.
Prayer of Supplication: Pray for God’s church to grow throughout the world and for His name to be hallowed.
Bible reading and commentary:
Read: 1 Corinthians 14:1-5
Given that spiritual gifts are given for the glory of God and the edification of one’s neighbor, not for self-promotion, Paul now shows the Corinthians how the gift of prophecy is more profitable than speaking in tongues for building up the church. Most Reformation commentators equate the gift of prophecy in their day with the preaching office of the Christian minister, who instructs the people of God through the exposition of Scripture. Faithful Christian preaching must be clear, plain, and simple; it is intended for the edification, encouragement, and consolation of the Christian assembly.
There are two different views of speaking in tongues in the church today. One view is Cessationism which is a Protestant doctrine that spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues, prophecy and healing ceased with the Apostolic Age. This view ties the gifts listed above to the office of Apostle. Since Apostles no longer exist, therefore the gifts are no longer given. But let’s not put God in a box and say that he can’t still give these gifts as he sees fit. My good friend John Calvin held this view. The other view is simply that these gifts still exist.
John Calvin: In Chapter 14, Paul begins to give more specific details of how the Corinthians have erred in their use of spiritual gifts. And since they placed so much value on ostentation (showiness), he teaches them that edification should be their central concern in all things. For this reason he prefers prophecy to all other gifts, because it is more useful; whereas the Corinthians were valuing tongues more highly, purely on grounds of their empty show. He also lays down the right order for doing things, and at the same time reproaches them for the fault of shouting forth in unknown tongues without fruit. For as they were doing so, they were neglecting teaching and exhortations, which always ought to have the priority.
Closing Hymn: The Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen. Amen.
Closing Scripture: For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Heb. 12:11).
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.