Preacher:
Pastor McGeown

Morning Service - 11:00 AM
The Proper Worship of God [mp3/YouTube]
Scripture Reading: I Kings 12:1-33
Text:  Heidelberg Catechism LD 35
I.  Authorised
II.   Edifying
III.  Spiritual
Psalms: 126:1-6; 46:8-11; 106:19-25; 97:7-12

Evening Service - 5:30 PM
Teaching Transgressors Jehovah’s Ways (4)
Pardoned Sinners Teaching Sinners [mp3/YouTube]
Scripture Reading:  Psalm 51:1-19
Text:  Psalm 32:8-9
I.  The Instruction
II.  The Example
III. The Warning
Psalms: 86:6-12; 47:1-9; 73:21-28; 32:7-11

Quotes to Consider

Spurgeon: “Consider the causes why a broken leg is incurable in a horse, and easily curable in a man. The horse is incapable of counsel to submit himself to the farrier [blacksmith]; and therefore in case his leg be set he flings, flounces and flies out, unjointing it again by his misemployed mettle, counting all binding to be shackles and fetters unto him; whereas a man willingly resigns himself to be ordered by the surgeon, preferring rather to be a prisoner for some days, than a cripple all his life!” (Treasury of David, vol. I. p. 100).

John Calvin: 'I know how difficult it is to persuade the world that God disapproves of all modes of worship not expressly sanctioned by His Word. The opposite persuasion which cleaves to them, being seated, as it were, in their very bones and marrow, is, that whatever they do has in itself a sufficient sanction, provided it exhibits some kind of zeal for the honour of God.  But since God not only regards as fruitless, but also plainly abominates, whatever we undertake from zeal to His worship, if at variance with His command, what do we gain by a contrary course? ... Since as I have observed, God in many passages forbids any new worship unsanctioned by his word; since he declares that he is grievously offended with the presumption which invents such worship, and threatens it with severe punishment; it is clear that the reformation which we have introduced was demanded by a strong necessity' (“The Necessity of Reforming the Church,” Tracts and Letters, vol. I, pp. 128, 153).

'But what about Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:19? Imagine yourself in Colosse or Ephesus (churches consisting largely of newly converted pagans) and you receive a letter from the Apostle Paul. Paul exhorts you to sing “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” What would you have understood by that? There is no evidence that the believers of that fledgling church had any hymns (in the modern sense). Where would they have got them? After all, this was a long time before Isaac Watts or Charles Wesley! What did the believers have? They had the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. That was their Bible, the Bible of the Greek-speaking world, and the version from which the apostles usually quoted. In what we call the book of Psalms there are three main words used to describe the various types of songs: psalmoi, hymnoi and odai. These are the three words Paul uses in Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:19. A striking example is Psalm 76. In the title of Psalm 76 in the Septuagint the three terms—psalmoi, hymnoi and odai—appear together. It seems reasonable to assume, then, that the Ephesians and Colossians would have understood that Paul was giving instruction concerning the full use of the Psalter in their praise. That the Psalms are what Paul meant can be seen from the context of these texts. To blindly assume that “hymns” means what we think hymns are today is to miss the point. Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” The Psalms, not modern “hymns” are the “word of Christ.” The Psalms are filled with “wisdom” and the glory and majesty of God. Some “hymns” are filled with nonsense and degrade the majesty of God. In the Psalms we “teach” one another because they are weighty and full of sound doctrine about God. In the Psalms we “admonish” one another. Many of the “hymns” are sentimental fluff, and either teach nothing substantial or teach error. Read through the Psalms. You can learn more about God in the Psalms, than in a million modern “hymns.” Ephesians 5:18b-19 says, “be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Since the Spirit authored the Psalms, the way to be filled with the Spirit and to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24) is to sing His inspired songs with faith and joy. You can hardly be filled with the Spirit by singing songs written by mere men, many of whom were heretics and many of whose songs promote errors about God in the minds of believers' (“Scriptural Praise,” http://www.cprf.co.uk/articles/scripturalpraise.htm).

Announcements (subject to God’s will).

• Bible study continues this Wednesday at 11 The Laurels at 8 PM. We begin at John 12:1.

• Catechism: Tuesday 7 PM at the Cesars (review); Wednesday 7 PM at 11 The Laurels (Chester and Dale Mansona, we will continue with Lesson 12 [“Israel Enters Canaan”]).

• Offering: 3rd July, € 422.

• PRC News:  Edgerton (MN) called  Rev. A. den Hartog (Southwest, MI). He plans to answer today.