2019.06.12 Worship Wednesday - Gospel Worship (Burroughs), pp67-110

On these Worship Wednesdays, we are reading Gospel Worship by Jeremiah Burroughs. Over the last several weeks, we covered pp67-110, with the following scribbled notes:

and the following select quotes:

from p78 on how an unbeliever can never worship from pure motives

from p81 on how the only way to sanctify God's name in worship is by the power of the Spirit and union with Christ

from p84 on how the only right worship is worship that comes from truly regenerate affections

from p86 on how a true apprehension of God's glory is what produces true zeal in worship

from p89 on how worship must be done chiefly from a genuine desire that God would be honored, not any other reason

from p92 on how worshiping from a desire for God's honor means that we will love even that right worship from which we perceive no benefit to ourselves

from p96 on how the one who truly fears God will fear Him most when closest to Him in worship

from p97 on the greatness of the vileness of allowing ourselves to be distracted in worship

from p99 on how the best way to resist distractions in worship is to stir up fervor toward the Lord Himself

from p100 on the necessity of giving all of one's strength to God's worship

from p102 on the complete impropriety of ever being impressed with our worship

from p104 on how right worship is not only worship that is only according to God's Word in Scripture, but also only that worship that is done in and through us by God's Spirit

from p106 on how worship that is done merely out of a sense of duty cannot genuinely gladden the heart

from p108 on how right worship is only that worship that is done in union with Christ and offered by Him to God on our behalf

190605FW Judg 3:12-31 - The Lord Who Saves in the Icky Details of Life

Family Worship teaching time in Judges 3:12-31, following up upon the Old Testament reading from Lord's Day morning worship on June 2, 2019. Israel is still being Israel--wicked. And the Lord is still being the Lord--showing patience and mercy and saving them. How does He do it? Even in some of the icky little details of life. This encourages us that the Lord is working, and saving, even in such details. But, we ultimately come away longing for the Lord's deliverer who can do something about our internal filthiness. That deliverer can only be the Lord Jesus Christ!

190604FW Prov 4:14-19 - The Paths of the Wicked and the Righteous

Family Worship teaching time in the "Proverb of the Day." The wicked and righteous are on two completely different paths. To one, wickedness is as natural as eating bread and drinking wine, and it will destroy them. To the other, righteousness is a glory in the infancy of its dawning, and a guarantee that it will be completed, because that righteousness can genuinely exist only in Christ!

190604FW Heb 2:10-18 - Knowing and Experiencing Jesus's Likeness to His Brethren

Family Worship teaching time in Hebrews 2:10-18, following up upon the text that formed the first portion of the Lord's Day morning worship service. God gave His own Son to be our Trailblazer--the One who cleared a path that could and would never have to be cleared again, with a suffering of a kind that we will never have to endure. Indeed, we who follow after Him in suffering do so by His attendant help, rejoicing that we are taking the same route that He has cleared for us. God is "bringing many sons to glory," in all of our sufferings, and He gives us a weekly taste of that when we are gathered into Heaven in our Captain Who has gone before us!

2019.06.04 Timeless Tuesday - Letters of Samuel Rutherford, pp150-166

On these "Timeless Tuesdays," we are reading through the full Banner of Truth edition of Letters of Samuel Rutherford. Today, we covered pp150-166, with the following scribbled notes:

And the following choice quotes:

from p154 on the grief of failing to be weaned from this world by our trials

from p154 on how Christ is better than the rest of heaven itself

from p161 on the blessedness of the trials that fit us for glory 

from p162 on how finding Christ Himself sweeter is itself a reward of infinite value for our trials

from p163 on regret over not having made better use of opportunities to preach

2019.06.03 Ministry Monday - An Able and Faithful Ministry (Garretson), pp204-235

Notes from Samuel Garretson's An Able and Faithful Ministry: Samuel Miller and the Pastoral Office. pp204-235

And a few choice quotes...

from p207 on the attraction and power of expository preaching

from p214 on the need for Christ-compelled men preaching as messages from God

from p218 on the superiority of directness, clarity, and organization over elqouence

from p221 on the importance of weighty earnestness in preaching

from p233 on the superiority of introducing from the text/context

from p235 on the superiority of using Scripture itself for illustrations

190603FW Prov 3:1-4 - The Loving, Fatherly Gift of God's Law

Family Worship teaching time from the "Proverb of the day." God's law is as personal as it is legal. It is the loving gift of a Father who loves us in His Son, and who employs His law as He makes us like unto His Son, and gives us the blessings of His Son.

190603FW Gen 11:10-32 - Christ-Driven History and Living

Family Worship teaching time in Genesis 11:10-32, following up upon the morning sermon from the Lord's Day morning worship service. This genealogy shows how Christ-driven and gospel-driven history really is, in the providence of God. It calls for our lives to be the same--especially as we recognize that God loves to use our weakness to glorify Himself in Christ in the gospel.

190601FW Prov 1:1-7 - Who Needs Wisdom and How to Get It

Family Worship teaching time from the "Proverb of the day." The simple and the young especially need wisdom--and if we don't think we need it, then we actually need it all the more! The only true knowledge is that which fears the Lord, and the fear of the Lord is also the prerequisite for the true humility required to overcome our flesh's resistance to being instructed.

190601FW Gen 11:10-32 - Zeroing in on Jesus

Family Worship teaching time in Genesis 11:10-32, preparing for the Lord's Day morning sermon tomorrow. We all have a vested interest in this genealogy, because its focus is Christ; and, we desperately need a Redeemer who can take away our guilt and overcome death. Christ is just such a Redeemer. As God propels redemptive history forward to Jesus, He is pleased to use weakness so that all the glory will be His.