Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
Ballymena
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 25 January, 2009
"Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help,
whose hope is in the Lord his God" (Ps. 146:5)
Morning Service - 11:00 AM
The Holy Spirit in Ephesians (8)
The Spirit and Christ’s Four-Dimensional Love (I) [download]
Ephesians 3:16-19
I. Strengthened by the Spirit
II. Indwelt by Christ
Psalms: 107:1-9; 12:1-8; 116:1-8; 103:8-15
Evening Service - 6:00 PM
The Holy Spirit in Ephesians (9)
The Spirit and Christ’s Four-Dimensional Love (II) [download]
Ephesians 3:16-19
I. Rooted in Love
II. Comprehending Christ’s Love
III. Filled with God’s Fullness
Psalms: 66:1-7; 13:1-6; 25:12-16; 16:6-11
Contact Sean Courtney (covenantreformedaudiostore@yahoo.co.uk) for CDs of the sermons.
CPRC website: www.cprc.co.uk
Quote to Consider:
Charles Hodge on Ephesians 3:18-19: "It is the love of Christ, i.e., his love to us, which passes knowledge. It is infinite; not only because it inheres in an infinite subject, but because the condescension and sufferings to which it led, and the blessings which it secures for its objects, are beyond our comprehension. This love of Christ, though it surpasses the power of our understanding to comprehend, is still a subject of experimental knowledge. We may know how excellent, how wonderful, how free, how disinterested, how long-suffering, how manifold and constant, it is, and that it is infinite. And this is the highest and most sanctifying of all knowledge. Those who thus know the love of Christ towards them, purify themselves even as he is pure."
Announcements (subject to God’s will):
The Standard Bearer is available today for subscribers.
Catechism: Tuesday, 4:30 PM - Jacob Buchanan
Tuesday, 5:30 PM - Jamie & Debbie Murray
Tuesday, 7:00 PM - Campbells at the manse
Thursday, 11:00 AM - Beginners OT Class at the manse
Midweek Bible Study meets on Wednesday, 7:45 PM at the manse. We will look at Christ’s incorruptible blood (I Peter 1:18-21).
The Reformed Witness Hour next Lord’s Day (8:30-9:00 AM, on Gospel 846MW), is "Consider the Ant and Be Wise" (Prof. 6:6-11) by Rev. Rodney Kleyn.
The Council meets next week Monday, 2 Feb., at 7:30 PM at the manse.
Ladies’ Bible Study meets next week Tuesday, 10:15 AM, at the Murrays.
Offerings: General Fund (11 Jan.) - £830.27, (18 Jan.) £455.87. Donations: £300, £50 (C.R. News).
The Limerick Reformed Fellowship Steering Committee met for the first time this past Wednesday.
Martyn McGeown will be doing his internship at First (Holland) PRC with Rev. Daniel Kleyn. His internship will start this summer and run to the end of the year.
Upcoming Lectures: Portadown, Fri., 20 Feb., 8 PM - John Calvin’s Battle for the Reformation
Limerick, Fri., 6 March, 7:30 PM - John Calvin’s Battle for the Reformation
S. Wales, Fri., 20 March, 7:15 PM - John Calvin’s Battle for the Reformation
Website Additions: Three Italian translations were added including an article in the Protestant Reformed Theological Journal by Rev. Dennis Lee (Edgerton PRC) on the covenant.
PRC News: Rev. Smit (Lacombe, Canada) accepted the call to the Philippines.
Encouraging Quotes
"Many thanks for the parcel of books and also for the extra material—magazines, tapes, and leaflets—which will be of tremendous help." - Cheshire, England
"Thank you again for the News that gives me insight and understanding about the church according to what the Scriptures teach as summarized in our confessional standards. Thank you also for the information given me about the forum and discussion about common grace and particular grace by Prof. Hanko. It’s a good issue especially now that many Reformed churches are declining from the true Reformed historic faith." - Philippines
"I listened to the debate on Calvinism by yourself and the other minister. I thought you handled it very well. Regarding the moral issue of free will, why did you not tell the people if they have a free will to stop sinning?" - Scotland
"I have just watched your debate with Rev. Ramsay ... I’m sending this e-mail to thank you for your excellent defence of the biblical truths of Reformed Christianity. I live in South Africa and I am a member of a Reformed church, but Calvinists like me in this country are fighting a difficult battle against Arminian and liberal theology that is creeping into our churches. So seeing the biblical truths defended so brilliantly was really inspiring." - S. Africa
"I think I have now read almost all of your current books and those of the RFPA. All of these and your News have been a re-education and a great blessing. What a great God we have and such a great hope we have laid up for us! May the Lord continue to bless the work of your church in NI and that of the book/audio ministries every where they reach." - Lancashire, England
"I just saw your debate on Calvinism vs. Arminianism and wanted to say what a great job you did. You were gracious, kind and very clear in stating your position even though the moderator was obviously biased. I heartily agree with everything you said ... and it’s encouraging to know that there are people like us out there, since, unfortunately, I see so few in my area." - New Jersey, USA
"I was thankful for your sermon last Lord’s Day on the sealing of the Spirit ... It is good to hear right teaching on the subject of assurance." - Warwickshire, England
"Thank you very much for your ‘Dead Faith’ series." - New Zealand
"I would like you to know that I have been enjoying studying the Triple Knowledge. As I dig deeper I am amazed of the wonderful grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Each Lord’s Day we read and study them with the church ... Also, I indeed appreciate your preaching (by downloading your audio) for it is a well of God’s graciousness to me and to our church ... I have watched the debate of Calvinism vs. Arminianism, and as I watched [I realized that] the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is really revealed to the elect while being hid to other people." - Philippines
"I listened to your debate on Revelation TV about the gifts of the spirit, which helped me to understand the truth about speaking in tongues." - London, England
"Thank you for making sermons, articles, etc., available on the internet ... Lately I have received so many blessings from the sermon ‘Prayer and the Sovereignty of God.’" - Arizona, USA
"Many thanks ... The sermons were most encouraging and I enjoyed listening to them. May God richly bless your ministry." - Co. Antrim
"I’m enjoying the books you sent to me. Hypercalvinism and the Call of the Gospel is amazing ... Now I’m reading the exposition of Psalm 73 (Prosperous Wicked and Plagued Saints) by David Engelsma and Reformed Dogmatics by Herman Hoeksema. I want to translate the book of Prof. Engelsma, but now I’m translating other books and articles, like Doctrine According to Godliness ..." - Brazil
"I finished volume 1 of Isaiah (Redeemed with Judgment) last week and the Lord has helped me much through it, so it is really lovely that the 2nd volume is now out and I look forward to it. At present I’m listening again to the sermons on ‘The Apostolic Office.’ The first one about ‘The Gospel of the Apostles’ was just what I needed to hear. How wonderful it is that the Lord leads us to just the right sermon or book at just the right time! ... I’m in a real desert here but I’m thankful to the Lord for this good food that He provides me with." - Yorkshire, England
"The book Doctrine According to Godliness is excellent! Maybe one day we can translate this book into Croatian ..." - Croatia
"There has never in my life been a period where I have grown so much in my knowledge of Scripture in such a short time as since I have begun reading PRC publications and listening to your sermons. By God’s grace, He is using this new-found knowledge to further conform me to the image of Christ." - Rep. of Ireland