Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 24 September, 2017
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind ...” (Rom. 12:2)
Morning Service - 11:00 AM Lord’s Supper
Righteousness by Faith Alone (6)
The Abrahamic Land Promise and Justification
[download]
[youtube]
Scripture Reading: Romans 4
Text: Romans 4:13
I. What Is the Promise?
II. Who Receives the Promise?
III. How Is the Promise Received?
Psalms: 25:8-14; 51:14-19; 47:1-9; 37:6-11
Evening Service - 6:00 PM Applicatory
Reverencing God’s Name
[download]
[youtube]
Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 5
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Days 36 & 37
I. In Speech
II. In Vows
III. In Worship
Psalms: 5:1-8; 52:1-5; 66:12-20; 116:9-19
For CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services,
contact
Stephen Murray
If you desire a pastoral visit, please contact Rev. Stewart
or the elders
CPRC Website: www.cprc.co.uk • Live Webcast:
www.cprf.co.uk/live.html
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
The September C. R. News and devotionals for October are on the back table.
After a week of self-examination, confessing members in good standing are called to partake of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Your participation in the Lord’s Supper is in part a witness that you repent of your sins, believe that Jesus Christ is your righteousness, and desire to live a new and godly life. As this heavenly food can be taken to one’s judgment (I Cor. 11:28-30) and as the common reception of this food is a confession of doctrinal unity (Acts 2:42), the elders supervise the partaking of the sacrament. Visitors who are members of other denominations must have already requested and received permission from the Council.
We thank God for the privilege of coming together to worship each Lord’s Day. The council would like to remind everyone that, in order to prepare our hearts for worship and to avoid distracting others during worship, we should arrive before the service begins and remain in the pews during the service as much as possible.
Monday catechism classes begin tomorrow evening:
5:45 PM - Corey & Katelyn (Beginners OT, Book 1)
6:30 PM - Taylor, Josh, Bradley & Samuel (Juniors NT)
7:15 PM - Jacob, Alex & Nathan (Heidelberg Catechism, Book
1)
Tuesday Bible Study meets this week at 11 AM to consider the fulfilment of the Jubilee year in Jesus Christ.
Belgic Confession Class meets on Wednesday at 7:45 PM at church. Our consideration of Article 33 will include the rationale of the biblical sacraments.
S. Wales Lecture: Rev. Stewart speaks this Thursday on “Martin Luther and God’s Saving Righteousness” in Margam at 7:15 PM.
Ladies’ Bible Study meets this Friday at 10:30 AM at church to discuss the section on judging in the Proverbs study guide.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846 MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Bruinsma is “Thanks for the Church” (I Thess. 1:1-4).
CPRC Reformation Conference: Prof. Engelsma will speaking here on Saturday, 21 October, at 11 AM on “Martin Luther: Theologian of the Glory of God” and at 1 PM on “Justification in Paul and in James.” (Lunch will be served between the two lectures.) Additional lectures by Prof. Engelsma will be held at 7:30 PM on Friday, 27 October (“Martin Luther: Man of Conviction”) and Friday, 3 November (“Calvin’s Doctrine of the Covenant”). Prof. Engelsma is also to preach at both CPRC services on Lord’s Days 22 & 29 October and 5 November. Flyers with information about the conference are available on the back table.
Offerings: General Fund: £707.50.
Translation Additions: 1 Hungarian and 1 Russian.
PRC News: Rev. Smit received the call to the Philippines.
Debating the Origin of Things (2)
Brian D. Dykstra
While the events treated in the previous article were unfolding, the Scripps Survey Research Center took a phone survey of 1,005 Americans from 9–23 October, 2005. A report on this survey by Thomas Hargrove and Guido Stempel III appeared in the 10 December, 2005, Grand Rapids Press. The results were interesting. Fifty-four percent of all those surveyed agreed with the statement, “God created the universe and humans in a six-day period.” Despite the advantages evolution has in public education, especially at the college and research levels, more than half of Americans remain unconvinced. No wonder evolutionists are frustrated.
The article also reports,
Joseph Howard, director of the Catholic Medical Ethics Advisory Council and an exponent of intelligent design, said he is troubled that so many Americans take a literal view of the Bible. “Have they studied ancient Hebrew? For people to sit around and pretend they can understand the Book of Genesis is ludicrous,” Howard said.
This is the modern attempt to take the Bible from the hands of God’s people. Our kindergartners seem to understand quite clearly what the Bible says.
The efforts of Christians to have some element of religion in public education are futile and serve no positive purpose. Opinion columnist Cal Thomas expressed this in the 28 December, 2005, Grand Rapids Press:
Religious parents should exercise the opportunity that has always been theirs. They should remove their children from state schools with their “instruction manuals” for turning them into secular liberals, and place them in private schools—or home school them—where they will be taught the truth, according to their parents’ beliefs. Too many parents who would never send their children to a church on Sunday that taught doctrines they believed to be wrong, have had no problem placing them in state schools five days a week where they are taught conflicting doctrines and ideas.
Be thankful our forefathers realized this and established the schools which we enjoy today!
Evolutionists will not be able to sway public opinion in their favour. Evolution is fundamentally flawed. The natural mind of man sees this because creation itself proclaims its Creator. Rev. Herman Hoeksema wrote of this in his Reformed Dogmatics,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ... All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Hence, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Unbelief does not understand the things of the Spirit of God, and for that reason can never find the origin of things. It judges all things in the light and according to the standard of human wisdom. And according to that standard, things can be called only after they exist, and the former can never precede the latter. It must naturally proceed from the principle that things that are seen also proceed from things which do appear. But faith, that clings to God, the Creator of all things, understands that things which are seen are not made of things that do appear: for the world is framed by the Word of God, Who calls the things that are not as if they were (pp. 465-466; italics mine).
Rev. Hoeksema continues.
For God has formed all things for His own name’s sake, in order that all creatures should acknowledge Him with thanksgiving and glorify His name. In the earthly creation all things must serve man, in order that man might serve God. God does not leave Himself without witness, and calls man to His service. He does that through the things that are made. For “the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge” ... By this calling through the things that are made God gives witness of Himself, of His eternal power and Godhead, and demands that all men must glorify and serve Him (pp. 466–467).
Because creation has such a purpose, it is no wonder that the ungodly strive to mute such a call with the earplugs of evolution. Because creation has such a purpose, how can covenant parents not establish and maintain schools where creation’s call may be echoed!