Scripture Reading:
#1. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved (Eph. 1:3-6).
#2. He [Jesus] said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself (Luke 24:25-27).
Prayer of Praise to God: One Father of all (Mal 2:10), Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 1:3), Righteous Father (John 17:25).
1 My worth is not in what I own
Not in the strength of flesh and bone
But in the costly wounds of love
At the cross
2 My worth is not in skill or name
In win or lose, in pride or shame
But in the blood of Christ that flowed
At the cross
(Refrain) I rejoice in my Redeemer
Greatest Treasure
Wellspring of my soul
I will trust in Him, no other
My soul is satisfied in Him alone
3 As summer flowers we fade and die
Fame, youth and beauty hurry by
But life eternal calls to us
At the cross
4 I will not boast in wealth or might
Or human wisdom's fleeting light
But I will boast in knowing Christ
At the cross (Refrain)
5 Two wonders here that I confess
My worth and my unworthiness
My value fixed, my ransom paid At the cross
(Refrain)
Reading of the Law: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).
Silent Confession of Sin/Confession of Sin: O eternal God and merciful Father, we humble ourselves before your great majesty, against which we have frequently and grievously sinned. We acknowledge our waywardness, and are heartily sorry for all our sins. Nevertheless, O Lord God and gracious Father, we know that you do not desire the death of the sinner, but rather that he should turn to you and live. Wash us in the pure fountain of Jesus’ blood, so that we may become clean and white as snow. Inscribe your law upon the tablets of our heart. And give us the desire and strength to walk in the ways of your precepts. In Jesus’ name Amen.
Reading of the Gospel: He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (1 Peter 2:24-25).
Heidelberg Catechism: Lord’s Day 44
Question #113
Q. What is the aim of the tenth commandment?
A. That not even the slightest desire or thought contrary to any one of God’s commandments should ever arise in our hearts. Rather, with all our hearts we should always hate sin and take pleasure in whatever is right.
Question #114
Q. But can those converted to God obey these commandments perfectly?
A. No. In this life even the holiest have only a small beginning of this obedience. Nevertheless, with all seriousness of purpose, they do begin to live according to all, not only some, of God’s commandments.
Question #115
Q. Since no one in this life can obey the Ten Commandments perfectly, why does God want them preached so pointedly?
A. First, so that the longer we live the more we may come to know our sinfulness and the more eagerly look to Christ for forgiveness of sins and righteousness. Second, so that we may never stop striving, and never stop praying to God for the grace of the Holy Spirit, to be renewed more and more after God’s image, until after this life we reach our goal: perfection.
Prayer of Thanksgiving: Give thanks for the protection he gives against Satan and for the forgiveness of sins.
Prayer of Supplication: Ask God to give you strength for all the temptations you face and for a heart for the lost.
Bible reading and commentary:
Read: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
Interestingly, Paul begins this section with the fear of the Lord. Knowing that Jesus will judge all things perfectly, we should live for him. Living for him is the fear of the Lord. It is respect and honor for the one who died.
At the center of the gospel is what has been called the “great exchange” or “imputation.” The idea is that our sin is imputed (reckoned or accounted) to Christ as he has been made sin for us; his righteousness is imputed to us as we receive his righteous status (v 21). He takes our sin and he gives us his righteousness. This incredible transfer lies at the heart of the Christian faith. This imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us and the imputation of our sin to him is not some dry, cold doctrine. An individual is reconciled to God (vv 18, 20) and made a new creation in Christ (v 17) on the basis of this exchange. This power leads the Christian to become a minister of reconciliation (vv 14-15, 18), as our love for Christ compels us to speak of him despite opposition and affliction.
Christians are connected not just legally but also truly through our union with Christ because he imputed his perfect, righteous life of obedience to our account. He imputed not only innocence but also righteousness, not only pardon but also perfection. We are not counted only as sinless but also as righteous before a holy God. It is not only like we have never sinned but also that we have kept the law perfectly. Jesus not only stood condemned in our place as a punishment bearer but he also stood in our place as law keeper; Jesus not only died the death that we should have died but he also lived the life that we should have lived. All has been taken care of, our salvation is complete.
Because of this great exchange, our sin for Jesus’ righteousness, our status before God has changed. Our legal standing before God has changed from that of unrighteous to righteous. The status of our relationship with God has changed from conflict to reconciliation, ensuring peace and communion with God. Our very being is transferred from the impending death of this world to the promised life of God’s new created order, leading us to an increased appetite for that which pleases God and a growing distaste for that which does not please him. Lastly, our perspective is changed so that we no longer focus on outward appearances but on what is in the heart (vv 12, 16).
Reconciliation with God basically means that God, through Christ, no longer counts our sins against us. The opposite of counting our sins against us is his blotting out our sins (v 21). Now, being reconciled to God, we become Christ’s ambassadors to the world and are entrusted with the message of reconciliation (v 19). Of great importance is the fact that God makes his appeals to others through us (v 20). As we look back at our own conversion, we probably will recall the people who spoke to us as God’s ambassadors.
In evangelism, it is God himself who makes the appeal. Our duty is to implore men and women to be reconciled to God. We are to urge them to find their peace with him through the provision he has made for sinners in his Son’s death. As we proclaim this good news, it is God’s voice that they hear and recognize. The more we understand the gospel, the more privileged we know ourselves to be in sharing it with others. We are not all called to be evangelists and pastors and teachers (in the formal sense). However, we are called to be ready to explain the hope that is ours in our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:15). We are all called to be witnesses to the one true God (Isaiah 43:10, Acts 1:8; 22:15).
When we consider the wonder of the gospel itself, our loving fear of God, the beauty of Jesus’ love, and the certainty of the miracle of the new birth accompanying the preaching of the good news, we find every encouragement to continue, just as Paul and his fellow workers did. Because God first loved us, we now can love God and our neighbor. Along with this kind of biblical love, we can serve our triune God and our neighbor with joy, a joy that transcends our earthly pleasures.
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: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Rom. 8:35-37).
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.