Why does Jesus send us preachers? Matthew 23:34–39 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord's Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus sends us preachers out of loving desire to save our soul. The devotional centers on Jesus' lament over Jerusalem's persistent rejection of His messengers. By identifying Himself as the divine Sender—echoing YHWH's voice in Jeremiah—Jesus reveals that opposition to His prophets, apostles, and ordained pastors is ultimately opposition to Him, and thus to God. Jesus' heartbreak over Jerusalem—His desire to gather His people like a hen gathers her chicks—reveals a profound, enduring compassion, yet also a solemn warning. Ultimate confession of His lordship will come, either in joyful faith now or in eternal horror at His return. The call is urgent: examine whether one's response to Scripture and God's ordained preachers is one of repentant faith or hardened resistance, for the day will come when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord—either in blessedness or in horror.
What does the Bride of Christ desire? Song of Songs 1:2–7 looks forward to the evening sermon on the coming Lord's Day. In these six verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the Bride of Christ desires that His love would take the initiative in stirring up her love to Him. The devotional unfolds the Song of Songs 1:2–7 as a profound reflection on the believer's deep longing for intimate, experiential communion with Christ, Who is known as King, Shepherd, and Bridegroom. Central to the message is the bride's passionate plea for His kisses, which symbolize the living, transformative expressions of His grace. Her identity as both flawed and beloved—dark yet lovely—illustrates the condition of the church in this world as holy, but not yet glorified. The devotional emphasizes that true spiritual health is marked by single-minded devotion to Christ, a desire to be drawn by His grace, and a desire for genuine, Scriptural nourishment over-against merely human ministry. Ultimately, the believer is called to seek Christ in His Word and means of grace, where His love is made real, His name is exalted, and His people are gladdened and strengthened in Him.
What is true worship? Deuteronomy 12:1–31 looks forward to the hearing of God's Word read in the public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these thirty-one verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that only God chooses what is true worship. This passage establishes that worship must be conducted exclusively according to God's sovereign choice, not according to the church's preference or the practices of the surrounding culture. It emphasizes that true worship involves the destruction of pagan altars and idols, and the exclusive offering of only what God has provided, and only in the way that God has commanded and in the place God designates, where His name dwells. The people are called to rejoice before God in gratitude for His generous provision. This reflects the broader theological truth that God alone determines how humanity may approach Him, culminating in the ultimate provision of Jesus Christ, the true dwelling place of God's Name. Therefore, worship must always be offered in the way God has commanded, not according to human desire or cultural imitation, but in joyful obedience to His revealed will. When this is followed, the worship comes through Christ.
What is the good life? Read Ecclesiastes 6:1–7:15 looks forward to the hearing of God's Word read in the public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these twenty-seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the good life is one in which we trust God's providence and enjoy His goodness in every circumstance. The devotional draws from Ecclesiastes 6:1–7:15 to reveal that no earthly possession, prosperity, or even longevity can satisfy the human soul apart from God. It exposes the futility of seeking joy in wealth, power, or endless life when one lacks the divine gifts of both the opportunity and the ability to perceive God's goodness. True wisdom lies not in accumulating more, but in seeing God's hand in all circumstances—prosperity and adversity alike—and in cultivating a heart that finds rest in Him. Pastor emphasizes that the fear of the Lord, not material wealth, is the foundation of the good life, and that enduring value is found in a relationship with God, not in fleeting experiences or worldly achievements. Ultimately, the devotional calls believers to fix their eyes on eternal realities, to embrace sorrow as a means of spiritual refinement, and even to live with the awareness of death as a help to a life well-lived.
What is the Song of Songs about? Song of Songs 1:1 looks forward to the call to worship in public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In this verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Song of Songs is about the King of kings and His marriage of marriages in His love of loves. The Song of Songs titles itself a divine, poetic masterpiece, is not merely a human love story but an allegory pointing to Christ's eternal, sacrificial love for His church, the bride. Rooted in the rich literature of corresponding Scripture, it is a song of songs—exalted in both form and content—designed to imprint divine truth on the mind, stir deep affections, and move the will of the singer and hearer. Though attributed to Solomon, the king's flawed history underscores that the true focus is not on his marriage but on that of Christ, the King of Kings—Whose love is the love of loves. The book's poetic, dense language, together with corresponding Scripture, especially Psalm 45 and Ephesians 5, reveal that the Song is about Christ and His Bride. It is the most excellent song, the central narrative of Scripture, in which all of God's redemptive history finds its fulfillment in Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
Pastor walks his children through Children's Catechism question 22—especially explaining how a covenant joins two or more persons in a binding relationship. Q22. What is a covenant? An agreement between two or more persons. The lesson explores the biblical concept of a covenant as a sacred, binding relationship rooted in mutual commitment rather than mere contract. Drawing from Scripture, it emphasizes that God initiates, defines, and sustains the covenant through promises, obligations, and consequences for breach.
What does self-isolation do? Proverbs 18:1–12 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these twelve verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that self-isolation hurts you, and hurts others. Proverbs 18 contrasts the destructive power of the fool's tongue with the life-giving wisdom of the righteous, revealing how pride and isolation lead to ruin. In vv1–12, the fool, who seeks only his own desires and rejects wise counsel, exposes himself in ways that invite contempt, dishonor, and reproach, turning his speech into a snare for his own soul. His words, likened to deep, murky waters, obstruct truth, promote partiality, and fuel conflict, ultimately destroying both himself and the community. In contrast, the wise person, marked by humility and trust in God, builds relationships and finds safety in divine authority, reflecting how true honor flows from submission and faith. The devotional calls believers to guard their speech, resist gossip, and embrace humility as the path to lasting wisdom and blessing.
The gospel of Christ the King, and His bride, should make our hearts and lives sing!
The gospel of Christ the King, and His bride, should make our hearts and lives sing!
Unless they come into the last Adam, children of the first Adam do not escape hell by their religion, but earn it more.
How do we keep the first commandment? Deuteronomy 9:1–11:32 looks forward to the hearing of God's Word read in the public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these eighty-three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we keep the first commandment by loving Him Who first loved us, through His Word by which He communicates Himself. The central message of the devotional is that true obedience to God is rooted not in human righteousness but in divine grace, as Israel's inheritance of the Promised Land was not due to their virtue but to God's faithfulness to His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Pastor emphasizes that Israel's repeated rebellions—especially at Horeb with the golden calf—reveal their persistent sinfulness, yet God, in His mercy, repeatedly intercedes, renews the covenant, and restores His people, demonstrating that His love precedes and enables their love in return. This divine love, most fully revealed in Christ's sacrifice, is the foundation for genuine love to Him: fearing God, walking in His ways, serving Him with all the heart and soul, and keeping His commandments out of gratitude and affection. The devotional calls believers to internalize God's Word as the operating system of life—meditating on it, speaking it, and living it out in daily routines, so that love for God becomes a holistic, transformative way of life. Ultimately, obedience is not a transactional effort to earn favor but a response to God's prior love, and covenant blessings are contingent upon faithful, covenantal love, which remains relevant today in the church's corporate, covenantal blessings.
What is Micah about? Micah 7:8–20 looks forward to the hearing of God's Word read in the public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these thirteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Micah is about the praise of our incomparable, compassionate God. The devotional centers on the enduring hope and confidence of God's people amid suffering, drawing from Micah 7:8–20 to affirm that even in divine discipline, God remains faithful, merciful, and sovereign. It highlights the tension between judgment and grace, showing how God's righteous chastening is not abandonment but a means to restore His people, who are called to trust in His ultimate justice and compassion. The passage culminates in a profound doxology that exalts God as uniquely merciful—forgiving iniquity, delighting in steadfast love, and casting sins into the depths of the sea—thereby affirming His unchanging character and covenant faithfulness. This truth is both a comfort to the afflicted and a warning to the proud, as the nations will be humbled before the living God, while His remnant will be restored and exalted. The tone is deeply pastoral and worshipful, inviting believers to rest in God's goodness even during seasons of trial, knowing that His mercy is not earned but rooted in His very nature.
Pastor walks his children through Children's Catechism question 21—especially explaining how God created us happy and holy, into which He brings us back when He redeems us. Q21. In what condition did God make Adam and Eve? He made them holy and happy. God created Adam and Eve in a state of holiness and happiness, reflecting His righteous and holy nature, as revealed in Scripture such as Ecclesiastes 7:29 and Ephesians 4:24, where humanity was made upright and in God's image. Their condition was one of divine communion, with God Himself as their ultimate joy, providing all that was good and necessary for their flourishing in the Garden. This original state of grace is restored in the new man through Christ, the Last Adam, who renews believers in true righteousness and holiness, reestablishing the happiness that comes from fellowship with God. Though the first Adam fell into sin and misery, the redemptive work of Christ restores what was lost, ensuring that all things work together for good for those called according to God's purpose. God's design for humanity was that they would be happy and holy.
How do we get joy? Ecclesiastes 5:18–20 looks forward to the call to worship in public worship on the coming Lord's Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that joy is a gift that God adds to His other gifts. The devotional draws from Ecclesiastes 5:18–20 to affirm that life's joys—eating, drinking, and labor—are not meaningless but truly good and meaningful when received as gifts from God. It emphasizes that even in a short, toilsome life shaped by the fall, God's goodness in ordinary experiences is a sacred blessing. The passage teaches us to receive wealth and labor, not as achievements of human effort, but as gifts from God. True joy arises from recognizing our good things as our portions from Him, and the joy itself is its own, separate gift. This frees believers from anxiety over life's brevity, as God sustains them with joy, preventing undue dwelling on mortality. Ultimately, the message calls for a life lived in continual gratitude, where every good thing is received in worship and delight, reflecting a heart transformed by grace and anchored in eternal hope.
Why should we watch against overzealousness in discipline and instruction? Proverbs 17:26–28 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that proper response to others demands that we be sparing with our words and cool in our spirit. The devotional centers on the wisdom of restraint, emphasizing that punishing the righteous or rebuking those who act with integrity is contrary to God's design, and that true understanding is marked by a calm spirit and sparing of words. Drawing from Proverbs 17:26–28, it highlights the importance of discernment in responding to authority and virtue, urging believers to be slow to speak and quick to listen, especially when recognizing God's work in others. The passage teaches that silence is a foundational step toward wisdom, as even a fool begins to grow in understanding by holding his peace and refraining from folly. The lesson calls for a Christlike character marked by self-control, humility, and patience, inviting the hearer to cultivate a cool, thoughtful spirit that reflects the fruit of the Spirit.