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Thursday, 15 August 2019 07:53
Covenant Inclusion II
We continue with our year in the Heidelberg Catechism. If you are not familiar with the Heidelberg, it is a set of questions and answers intended to teach theology and Biblical truths to young people in the early days of the major Reformation movement in Europe. The thing is, so many people who attend church today were never taught these theological particulars. So, this has been very beneficial to do. Don't miss a single Sunday morning, because each builds on the next. However, if you step into this in the middle, it is crafted to still teach 'stand-alone'.
Due to time constraints over the past couple of Sundays, we've been dealing with Lord's Day 27 doing 1 Q&A per week. I will finish that up so we can move on to LD28. So, this Sunday, we will take on that 'fun' subject of child baptism and the theology behind it. Who of us fully understand what scripture says about child baptism - and children?
See you Sunday ... oh yeah, and we will come to the Lord's Table and hear the profession of 3 candidates for membership! What a great day!
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Friday, 02 August 2019 19:50
Blood & Spirit
We have worked our way into the Heidelberg Catchism, observing the Lord's Days divisions up until now. We began to study the Sacrament of Baptism last week and didn't get very far, but it was worth it. The message was a bit more interactive and I pray many learned through it. Anyway, we are going to pick up the study of Baptism finishing the Lord's Day #26 and beginning LD#27.
We will face questions like:
"What does it mean to be washed with Christ's blood and Spirit?"
and,
"Where does Christ promise that we are washed with his blood and Spirit as surely as we are washed with the water of baptism?"
and perhaps,
"Does this outward washing with water itself wash away sins?"
The theology in all this is so cool and likely many churchgoers are certain about it. This a great opportunity to check it out.
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Friday, 31 May 2019 18:27
Up, Up, & Not Away
We jump from LD16 over to LD18 because LD17 was covered on Easter morning ... and what a morning!
Here is what we are taking on for June 2:
Q&A 46
Q. What do you mean by saying, "He ascended to heaven"?
A. That Christ while his disciples watched, was taken up from the earth into heaven and remains there on our behalf until he comes again to judge the living and the dead.
Q&A 47
Q. But isn't Christ with us until the end of the world as he promised us?
A. Christ is true human and true God. In his human nature Christ is not now on earth; but in his divinity, majesty, grace, and Spirit he is never absent from us.
Q&A 48
Q. If his humanity is not present wherever his divinity is, then aren't the two natures of Christ separated from each other?
A. Certainly not. Since divinity is not limited and is present everywhere, it is evident that Christ's divinity is surely beyond the bounds of the humanity that has been taken on, but at the same time his divinity is in and remains personally united to his humanity.
Q&A 49
Q. How does Christ's ascension to heaven benefit us?
A. First, he is our advocate in heaven in the presence of his Father.
Second, we have our own flesh in heaven as a sure pledge that Christ our head will also take us, his members, up to himself.
Third, he sends his Spirit to us on earth as a corresponding pledge. By the Spirit's power we seek not earthly things but the things above, where Christ is, sitting at God's right hand.
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Thursday, 16 May 2019 13:28
Death Benefit
Lord's Day 16, which includes many Q&A's. Q's 40-44 are a part of this study.
The common element is death ... notice Q44, "Hell" is very much a part of death, isn't it?
Most of us understand what Life Insurance is.
We get to a certain age … we begin to think about life insurance.
A loved one dies – we think about life insurance.
The financial figure associated with a life insurance policy is the “death benefit.”
The death benefit is not paid until death occurs – one must die for one's beneficiary to receive the death benefit.
We are the beneficiary to the God-given “death benefit.”
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Saturday, 04 May 2019 08:54
Incarnate
Today, we continue in the Heidelberg Catechism series, considering:
Lord's Day 14
Q&A 35
Q. What does it mean that he "was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary"?
A. That the eternal Son of God, who is and remains true and eternal God, took to himself, through the working of the Holy Spirit, from the flesh and blood of the virgin Mary, a truly human nature so that he might also become David's true descendant, like his brothers and sisters in every way except for sin.
The central theme of this Lord's Day is the conception of Jesus.
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Saturday, 27 April 2019 16:52
Adopted!
This Sunday morning, we continue from the point before Easter Sunday, continuing at LD #13.
The Heidelberg Catechism is teaching phrase-by-phrase from the Apostle’s Creed.
Today, we consider two phrases, "his only Son" & "our Lord"
Here are the details:
Lord's Day 13
Q&A 33
Q. Why is he called God's "only begotten Son" when we also are God's children?
A. Because Christ alone is the eternal, natural Son of God. We, however, are adopted children of God—adopted by grace through Christ.
Q&A 34
Q. Why do you call him "our Lord"?
A. Because—not with gold or silver, but with his precious blood— he has set us free from sin and from the tyranny of the devil, and has bought us, body and soul, to be his very own.
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Saturday, 16 February 2019 07:56
The Mediator
It appears we will have a carry-over theme since all activities were cancelled on Feb 17.
The Mediator!
I recommend saying that with all the slowness & gusto of one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's characters.
But, this hero was not a created cybernetics humanoid. This hero was not even created, but was before the world ever existed. This hero doesn't save a person or a culture, this person saves all humanity. This human hero isn't just human, but incarnate. Fully God & fully human. Then, this hero went to suffer greatly for the redemption & reclamation of all humans who accept Him & believe in Him.
We study Q&A 16-19 today, working our way towards naming this hero.
The Meeeeeedddiiaaaaa-tor!
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Tuesday, 05 February 2019 13:22
Self-reliance
Lord's Day #5
Q&A's 12-15
Beginning the section on humanity's deliverance. As we begin this first LD in this section, still we are faced with a desire to fix it ourselves. Can I do it? Okay, if not, can I find someone else to do it? Okay, how about if I find SOMETHING else to do it? Fine! So, what do I need in a deliverer?
Not uncommon thing for we humans. God gave us the ability to reason -- so we 'reason' ourselves to death - literally.
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Saturday, 02 February 2019 19:17
Is That Fair?
Lord's Day #4 in the Heidelberg Catechism.
This is the last of the first section, refered to as "Misery" or "Guilt" or "Sin" -depending on to what section names you subscribe.
We explore some difficult questions in this Lord's Day.
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Saturday, 26 January 2019 16:34
I Need Help
A year in the Heidelberg Catechism -- for expanding our brains.
Sunday, we are already 4 Sundays into this. We have considered the 'why' of the HC and a little history. We discussed what the HC has to offer us in our modern lives. Then, we jumped in. The Heidelberg is divided into "Lord's Day" pieces. The first Lord's Day introduces the entire theme of the HC. Lord's Day (LD) #2 begins the section on "Guilt" or "Misery" and this Sunday, we are on LD # 3
The discover & acknowledgement that we (as humans) need help is critical. But, wait, so do I as an individual. I need help!
The first step in recovery is to acknowledge one needs help. So, Delivery is not far away.
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