Ligonier Academy (October 2013)

"Most high, most good, most potent, most omnipotent; most merciful, yet most just; most hidden, yet most present; most beautiful, yet most strong, stable, yet incomprehensible; unchangeable, yet all-changing; never new, never old; all-renewing, and bringing age upon the proud, and they know it not; ever working, ever at rest; still gathering, yet nothing lacking; supporting, filling, and overspreading; creating, nourishing, and maturing; seeking, yet having all things." - Augustine of Hippo

"Take note of how intimately the Lord Jesus is united to His elect. They have been given to Him by the Father, in order that, as His children, He would deliver, preserve, and lead them to felicity. Would He then not exercise tender care of them, and be compassionate towards them when they are in distress? They are His bride, children and members. He has their very own nature - "for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren" (Heb. 2:11). When they are in misery and sorrow, they weep and long for Him, and cry out to Him for help and comfort. How can it be any different but that the Lord Jesus is greatly moved to compassion, especially since He is experientially acquainted with the feeling of their suffering?" - Wilhelmus a Brakel

"Pride only, the chief of all iniquities, can make us treat gifts as if they were rightful attributes of our nature, and, while receiving benefits, rob our Benefactor of His due glory." - Bernard of Clairvaux

"If we instil the characteristics of work, courage, and perseverance in our children but do not instil in them the grace of humility, they will be marked by the spirit of the Pharisee: virtuous in many ways but too proud to see their need of God. King Uzziah had perseverance and loyalty, but his empire and influence crumbled because of a lack of humility. "After Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall" (2 Chronicles 26:16)." - Alistair Begg 

Coram Deo (October 2013)

“Till the Lord opens them, the eyes of our heart are blind. Till the Spirit has become our instructor, all that we know is folly and ignorance. Till the Spirit of God has made it known to us by a secret revelation, the knowledge of our divine calling exceeds the capacity of our own minds.” —John Calvin

Coram Deo: By faith we “are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19). In the kingdom, one Christian is not “more of a citizen” than another Christian. There is not one class of believers that has access to the King in a way that another class of believers does not. In Christ, we have all that we need to be full members of the Lord’s people. Even when we feel like our faith is weak, we who trust Jesus have as many privileges in the kingdom as those whose faith is stronger.

"To venture upon the occasion of sin, and then to pray, 'Lead us not into temptation', is like one who thrusts his finger in the fire and then prays that it might not get burnt. There ordinarily is no victory over sin without also avoiding the occasion to sin." —Thomas Brooks

Coram Deo: The new Testament makes it clear that we are living in the period of restoration when God is calling His children back to Himself. Jews and Gentiles alike are hearing the gospel and running to Him in faith. Each of us who believes in Christ has an appointed inheritance—the whole earth (Matt.5:5). Each of us is being transformed so that the Lord can dwell among us permanently at His return. We now taste these blessings in part, and we look forward to their full realization in the age to come.

"God allows bad stuff to happen to His children, such as losing one’s job. The Bible doesn’t promise that we will never lose our jobs. We might. but if we are Christians, we know that the things that should really make us afraid—sin and God’s punishment—are taken care of. Our future is guaranteed." —Jonathan Leeman from "Fear of Job Loss" in this month's Tabletalk magazine

Coram Deo: We make real progress in holiness in this life as the Holy Spirit sanctifies us and conforms us to the image of Christ. However, we still await the Lord’s return in order for us to be fully perfected in righteousness. As we grow in holiness and the awareness of our own sin, we always see just how far short of His glory that we fall, and we are reminded that we need Him to set all things right. Let us pursue holiness, trusting that He will consummate His good work in us.

"The Spirit strives with the consciences of men, debating in their own hearts the case against them, and shows man his sin in all its ugly colors." —William Gurnall

"As we find our joy and treasure in Christ we are set free from debilitating worries about money and an insidious slavery to things." —Frank Cavalli

Coram Deo: In biblical categories, strength and service go hand in hand. Christian leaders do not seek out others to be their servants; rather, they serve the people who are under them, seeking to help them grow in their gifts and to assist them in doing good work for the kingdom (Mark 10:35–45). This principle applies whether you are an elder in the church, own your own business, serve as a manager, or are leading your own children in the things of God.

Q: What do you mean when you say that “preaching is a dangerous thing”?
Paul Washer: Preaching is dangerous for both the preacher and the hearer. It is dangerous for the preacher because a great stewardship has been laid upon him, and with privilege comes great responsibility. Woe to us if we do not preach the gospel, and even greater woe if we preach it in error.

Coram Deo: Even we who believe in God can sometimes be guilty of living our lives as if He did not exist. How often do we drive around town, work at the office, dig in our gardens, read a book, prepare our food, and so on without thinking that our Lord is watching and sustaining us? As you go about your business this week, endeavour to keep yourself aware of the Lord’s presence no matter what you are doing. Remember that He loves you and is working through you.

"Fear and anxiety are not necessarily sin—that Jesus was anxious before His suffering upon the cross proves this to be the case. Fear of pain or danger is quite natural. Yet in the midst of Jesus' anxiety in Gethsemane, He nevertheless trusted His Father to see Him through the horrific ordeal to come." —Kim Riddlebarger from "Fear and the Sovereignty of God" in this month's Tabletalk magazine

True repentance demands that we own our sins. Despite the world’s pressure, we must accept that we were lured and enticed by our own desire, and that desire conceived and gave birth to the sin that looms large over us (James 1:14-15). . . . As long as we are blame shifting, God knows we are not yet ready to receive pardon solely on the basis of grace." —Conrad Mbewe from his weekend devotional "Owning Our Sin" from this month's Tabletalk magazine

Consider how amazing it is that God, who will not suffer any loss of His glory (Isa. 48:11), places His honour at stake in His plan to bring redemption to the world. What love is this? He condescends to us and assures us He will certainly do all that He promises! He pledges to do all that He swears to do, because if He does not, He would not be the one, true God of creation, nor would He be the faithful Lord of Israel. Rejoice in His covenant love for all of His people today. —From a Bible study in Tabletalk magazine

Coram Deo: Most of us would likely be considered ordinary people who will never make the history books. From a human perspective, we may not seem all that “great.” Yet from God’s perspective, ordinary is what we want to be. He brings about His will through the instrumentality of ordinary people making ordinary decisions such as the best way to teach their children the Bible or how they can reach their next-door neighbour with the gospel. The Lord uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary.

"God’s love is a powerful liberator. It frees us from the trap of self-absorption and opens us to the other. Love gives us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hands to extend to our God and neighbour." —Kelly Kapic from "How Then Should We Love?" in this month's Tabletalk magazine

Coram Deo: For the most part, God's hand of providence remains hidden, and we do not know how things will turn out for us before they actually occur. At times we must trust the Lord and do the right thing even if we know it might cost us our livelihood or even our lives. On these occasions, we must remember that God is ever working for our good and His glory, and we must trust Him to vindicate us for doing what is right even if this vindication may not come until after our deaths.

"The easiest way to summarize the Bible’s teaching on sexuality is to begin with God’s blessing of sex only within the marriage covenant between a man and a woman. Then, just remember that sex outside of that covenant relationship, whatever its form or expression, is explicitly forbidden." Albert Mohler from "The Challenge of Same-Sex Unions" in the April 2012 issue of Tabletalk magazine

Coram Deo: According to His humanity, our Saviour was often sustained by the ministrations of faithful women who loved Him more than their own lives. We have an opportunity to minister to Jesus today, not directly as these women did, but indirectly by helping out His body the church. As we care for one another, especially those who minister for His sake full time, we are showing love and concern for our Saviour. May we love one another and meet the needs of God’s people (Matt. 25:31–46).

"We must preach the gospel to ourselves. This demands that we keep our noses in the Bible, listening for God's voice, founding our confidence on Him and His promises rather than on ourselves. What we will find in the Word is that though 'our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything' (1 John 3:20)." —Kris Lundgaard from "Fear of Self" in this month's Tabletalk magazine

Coram Deo: God is the sovereign Lord of history who causes kingdoms to rise and fall according to His decree. Nothing happens apart from His having ordained it in eternity past, and this is a comforting truth. It tells us that everything in history has a purpose even if we cannot now discern what that purpose happens to be. All events great and small are being used of the Lord to advance His glory and our good, and His control over all things is the only way we can be confident of that precious truth.

"The imagination is a necessary component for reading fiction books, nonfiction books, and, of course, for reading the Bible. God’s book engages our imaginations by the parables of Jesus, the poetry of the Psalms, the adages of the Proverbs, and, of course, the apocalyptic language of the prophets." —Tony Reinke from "Dragons and Holiness" in this month's Tabletalk magazine

Coram Deo: Each of us faces unique circumstances that make it hard for us at times to know how we can best witness to Christ as we live in this world. However, the example of Daniel and his friends shows us that discovering how to serve God best is not an impossible feat. While there are many things from the culture that we can accept and enjoy, there is always a line to be drawn somewhere. Let us seek to live wisely in the world according to God’s word that we might not be of the world.

"Godliness, of all man's works, is of the greatest importance, and the one thing truly necessary. Earthly business, honours, pleasures, or whatsoever, are but trifles and baubles compared to this. If it were a matter of small moment, you might be lazy and loiter about it; but it behoves you to set your heart to it." —George Swinnock

"If you are not delighting in God in his Word, you will become enthralled and thrilled by something else, some lesser thing. Remember that you are hardwired for pleasure and delight. God has made you like that because He made you for Himself. You must be feeding the life of faith to grow strong, and you feed it through the Word of God." —Tedd Tripp from his weekend devotional "Flourishing as Christians" in this month's Tabletalk magazine

How do you feel when the name of the Lord is taken in vain? Do you shudder in fear for those who do so, or has this common sacrilege become unnoticeable to you? Perhaps you are guilty of profaning His name in speech or in how you come before Him in worship? Consider how you may have taken God’s name in vain recently. Pray that you would not blaspheme Him and encourage your friends to revere His glorious name in thought, word, and deed. —From the Tabletalk magazine Bible study "The Meaning of Holiness"

Coram Deo: Our Lord and Saviour is the rock not cut by human hands, the virgin-born Saviour who delivers the crushing blow to all of God’s enemies and whose kingdom then enlarges to cover the whole earth. As we see nations rise and fall, we are not to be alarmed but to be reminded that this is how the Lord manifests Himself in history so that one day God will be recognized as all in all. Jesus has triumphed and His kingdom is expanding even now.

"Any response to distant fears that emphasizes information and preparation over trust is ungodly to its core. Information and education are not wrong, but they are not our first response. God's people turn to Him first: 'We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you' (2 Chron. 20:12)." —Edward Welch from "Fear of the Future" in this month's Tabletalk magazine

Coram Deo: We serve God not because of what He promises us in the here and now but because of what He promises us in eternity to come. Let us serve God for who He is and trust in His wisdom to deliver us no matter how He sees fit.

"To publically pray positively for our leaders, whether liberal or Mormon, is not an optional extra—it is a command from the Lord." —David Robertson from "Praying for Politicians" in the March 2013 issue of Tabletalk magazine

Coram Deo: From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture commends humility and castigates those who are arrogant and proud, who believe that they are masters of their destiny and achieve greatness solely by their own efforts. May we never think of ourselves more highly than we ought in order that we might enjoy God's eternal blessing.

Coram Deo: God so often uses the meek, the powerless, and even the subjugated to show those who think they are mighty that they are not actually mighty at all. We should keep this in mind when we see the church in our day suffer ridicule and marginalization, and pray that the Lord would move the high and mighty to seek us out to learn about our God.

"If we want a new reformation, and such we ought, we should look no further than the very first of those theses, which reads, 'When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said "Repent," He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.'" —R.C. Sproul, Jr. from "Repentance and Reformation" in the June 2010 issue of Tabletalk magazine

Hymn Story: Gentle Mary Laid Her Child

Luke 2:7

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

 

"Gentle Mary Laid Her Child," a gentle hymn of Christmas, reminds us of each element in the Christmas story through its lovely verse. It is sometimes listed in the hymnals as a children's hymn.

Mary, the manger, angels, shepherds, wise men-each is briefly mentioned in tribute to the glorious incarnation. And yet, in its short verses, the hymn speaks not only of the baby born that Christmas day, but also of the King of Glory. Because of Jesus' miraculous birth, the King is no longer a stranger to the world; Instead, the world now praises his holy name.

Listen to it here: Gentle Mary Laid Her Child

Coram Deo (September 2013)

"God knows all that is done in the most secret caverns of the heart. No place is deprived of his presence." —Stephen Charnock

Church leaders are tasked with maintaining the purity of the church in this new covenant age (1 Cor.5). This is accomplished by the careful practice of church discipline, which must lead finally to excommunication for those who remain impenitent. The ancient Israelites and Judahites did not maintain discipline and cast idolaters out of their midst, so God judged them. Our Creator will likewise hold churches accountable that fail to discipline their members appropriately.

"God's Word is permanent, unlike humanity. We are like grass, like the flower of the field. Though we try to persuade ourselves that our lives are permanent, we know that they are not. That's why we must rest our hopes and our hearts on the permanent realities found in God's Word." —Sean Michael Lucas from his weekend devotional "God's Comforting Voice" in this month's Tabletalk magazine

"A Christian's assurance of salvation is guaranteed not by a profession of faith or some momentary zeal for Jesus. . . our hope is not in who we are or what we did. Jesus is the guarantee of our salvation (Phil. 1:6)." —Chris Larson from his weekend Bible study "Federally Backed Security" in Tabletalk magazine

Jesus’ dialogue with the Samaritan woman in John 4 has inspired Christians’ willingness to meet wherever we can find space. Our Saviour's statement that His followers will not worship exclusively in Samaria or Jerusalem but “in spirit and truth” indicate that God’s presence is not limited to any place or time (vv. 21–24). That is not to say that sacred space has no place in the new covenant. Our sanctuaries’ design and architecture always influence our worship for good or for ill. However, the Lord is not limited to one place, nor does He require a specific kind of church building for us to worship Him rightly.

"I may not 'feel' the presence of God when I grieve, but because I know that He is sovereign, that He cares for me, and that He is close to the brokenhearted, I can endure whatever situation He has ordained for me." —Janet Mefferd from "The Anchor of Theology" in this month's Tabletalk magazine

Sometimes we become discouraged that so many wolves are working among the sheep. False teachers have always been a problem for God’s people, however, so we should expect to see theological error raise its ugly head time and again. The focus of our discouragement should be upon those church leaders who refuse to purge false teachers from our midst, and we should channel it in a positive direction by calling church leaders to maintain the gospel’s purity in our local congregations.

"If your Lord calls you to suffering, do not be dismayed, for he will provide you a deeper portion of Christ in your suffering. The softest pillow will be placed under your head though you must set your bare feet among thorns." —Samuel Rutherford

Dr. R.C. Sproul has said that the biblical doctrine of salvation can be summed up effectively in three words: regeneration precedes faith. Without regeneration, we cannot trust Christ and be united to Him, and if we are not united to Christ, we cannot be justified, sanctified, and glorified. We cannot deserve regeneration, which is why we must finally attribute our salvation to God alone. Let us be grateful that the Lord has not left us to ourselves but has transformed us to believe in Him.

"A genuinely integrated Christian view regarding life and work must be cognizant of both perspectives regarding the world. It must somehow correlate spiritual concerns with temporal concerns. It must coalesce heavenly hope and landed life. It must coordinate heartfelt faith and down-to-earth practice." —George Grant

Matthew Henry comments, "Those who are not fruitful to the glory of God's grace will be fuel to the fire of his wrath." We are not counted as righteous before the Lord because of our service to Him. Nevertheless, if we are not fruitful in serving Him, then we do not abide in His choice vine—the Lord Jesus Christ—whose work alone can save us. By the Spirit, we must continue to abide in Christ and bear fruit unto the Lord's glory in the form of love for God and neighbour.

"Self-centeredness, like all sin, is ultimately a matter of the heart. And the only remedy that gets to the heart of the fall and all its bitter fruit is the Saviour, Jesus Christ." —Richard Phillips from "Self-Centeredness in the Family" in the March 2012 issue of Tabletalk magazine

For those of us who know Christ, meditating on what the Lord has done for us is a good way to strengthen our love for the Father and His Son. We, too, were like an exposed infant left to die in our blood, but the Lord had pity on us and took us for His own. Thus, the entire Christian life should be motivated by gratitude. Even when we experience the greatest periods of want, we have more than enough to be thankful for. God in His grace has saved us, a wholly undeserving people.

"The trouble with too many of us today is that we have lots of acquaintances but very few real friends. There is for us no 'band of brothers.'" —David Robertson

"It is said of Atlas that 'he held up the world on his shoulders.' That may have been a famous saying in Greek mythology, but in the real world it is love that carries the world on its shoulders." —Conrad Mbewe from his weekend devotional "Love Is Worth a Thousand Words" in this month's issue of Tabletalk magazine

Many people think that God’s answer to sin is to keep people from committing it. On the contrary, His answer is often to give people over to it. When Israel wanted to commit spiritual adultery with other gods, God gave them over to those gods. His purpose, however, was restorative. He handed them over to their sin that they might learn the error of their ways. The Lord may do the same for us, but would it not be better to avoid such pain by obeying Him?

"Even if we don’t worry about what we will eat, or what we will wear, as those to whom Jesus spoke did, we do worry about what people will think, or worse—that they won’t think of us at all." —R.C. Sproul, Jr. from "When Pigs Fly" in this month's Tabletalk magazine

God does not visit the sins of our parents upon us if we repent and turn from them. That is, we only bear the wages of our parents’ sins if we make these sins our own. The Lord is pleased to show mercy to His people when they forsake their wickedness and turn to Him, so we must never think that something we or our parents have done in the past can prevent our Father from forgiving us today—if we seek Him with all of our hearts.

"When God redeems His people, He also begins to bring us back into harmony with how He originally designed us to live. The creator God is also the Re-creator." —Kelly Kapic from "The Egocentric Predicament" in the March 2012 issue of Tabletalk magazine

God in Christ met not only Jews in the wilderness but also Gentiles (Mark 5:1–20), and as the Last Adam, He identified with Gentiles as well, bearing the Father’s wrath for Gentiles who believe. Whether we are Jews or Gentiles by birth, we can take part in the blessing of the final exodus by faith in Christ alone. The new exodus has come; now we are only waiting for God to lead us into the Promised Land—the new heaven and earth where righteousness dwells. He will be faithful to that promise.

"Christ remains the measure of men, and His life of perfect integrity, as He lived before God for men and before men for God, remains our pattern and example." —Iain Campbell from "Hypocrisy in High Places" in the October 2009 issue of Tabletalk magazine

Of the titles that are used for Jesus in the New Testament, Son of Man is our Lord’s favourite designation for Himself. It appears on His lips more often than any other title, including Lord and Christ. Biblical scholars have long considered the significance of this in light of the Old Testament. The main reason Jesus used this title was to identify Himself as the one to whom the Father would deliver an everlasting kingdom, namely, the cosmic ruler revealed in Daniel 7:13–14.

"O, how much time is spent in other studies and worldly employments; but how little in the search and study of Jesus Christ? O then, separate, devote, and wholly give yourself, your time, and your strength to this most sweet, transcendent study." —John Flavel

"In a world where nothing seems to be solid or secure, when everything is constantly on the move, or dissolving, or breaking down, or morphing into something else, or even changing into its opposite, the very notion of stability ceases to have meaning or significance, and, one might add, the very concept of meaning itself ceases to have meaning." —Carl Trueman from his article in the April 2010 issue of Tabletalk magazine "A Brave New World"

Bible critics read Scripture superficially and find “errors” that do not reflect a fair reading of all the evidence. History confirms biblical prophecy, and good apologetic resources demonstrate this. Therefore, it is a good idea for us all to own solid apologetic helps so that we may be prepared when others ask about the faith.

"The greatest pleasures human beings can experience are found in knowing and obeying God. That’s the message of Psalm 16: 'You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore' (v. 11). In God’s presence, there is fullness of joy; eternal pleasures—pleasures that will never go flat or stale—that are found in God." —Tedd Tripp from his weekend devotional "Pleasures Forevermore" in this month's issue of Tabletalk magazine

The glory that surrounds God is seen as beautiful colors, a wash of amazing sounds, a perfume of wonderful smells. That God adorns Himself with beauty is a sign to us. Do not settle for paltry architecture, advertising-jingle music, or weak pop culture in your life. Christians should be at the forefront of artistic development.

Ligonier Academy (September 2013)

"Everything may look dark, and threatening, and hopeless; needs may press, and difficulties may interpose, and impossibilities may present themselves in your case; nevertheless, cling in prayer, and faith, and hope, to the "God of hope,'' and your hope in Him, through Christ, however slender and dim, shall not make you ashamed. Hope on, like Abraham, "who against hope believed in hope," and who "staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God," and you shall be brought, like him, safely and triumphantly through all your trials, difficulties, and needs." - Octavius Winslow

"So, when Christ delays to help his saints now, you think this is a great mystery — you cannot explain it; but Jesus sees the end from the beginning. Be still, and know that Christ is God." - Robert Murray M'Cheyne

"If we instil the characteristics of work, courage, and perseverance in our children but do not instil in them the grace of humility, they will be marked by the spirit of the Pharisee: virtuous in many ways but too proud to see their need of God. King Uzziah had perseverance and loyalty, but his empire and influence crumbled because of a lack of humility. "After Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall" (2 Chronicles 26:16)." - Alistair Begg

"[Charles] Hodge became known as a professor who took every opportunity to encourage his students to approach God in a spirit of awe and wonder, not a spirit of metaphysical mastery and rationalist dissection. Reminiscent of his alpine awe, Hodge believed that the immensity of God's mercy should wash over the believer, not be approached so rationally as to diminish its infinite, all-encompassing grandeur." - Paul Gutjahr

"It is terrible to find how little progress ones philosophy and charity have made when they are brought to the test of domestic life." - C.S. Lewis  

Hymn Story: Silent Night

Luke 2:16

 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

 

It was December 24, 1818, and in Oberndorf, Austria, the assistant priest went to the home of his friend, the organist of the small church. He brought the words of a poem that he had written two years earlier and asked him to write a tune to it, to use at the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass. The organist, Franz Xaver Gruber, reminded Fr. Joseph Mohr that the organ wasn’t working and so they would not be able to have music for the service. Fr. Mohr went in the other room and got a guitar. Gruber strummed a few chords, then started humming. He exclaimed, "The song, it sings itself." A few hours later, he had composed the tune, and the two men presented the carol for the first time that Christmas Eve.

 

When the organ repairman, Carl Mauracher, later heard the carol, he took a copy of it with him. He presented it to two groups of traveling singers, who then performed it in their Christmas repertoire, and thus it began its journey around the world. The Strasser and Rainer families travelled and performed all over Europe, and they sang "the Tyrolian folk carol". The Rainer family brought the carol to the United States, first performing it in German in New York City in 1839.

A publisher heard the carol sung near Innsbruck, Austria around 1832. He liked it and published it for the first time, claiming the source to be a "Tyrolian folk song." The songwriters were not known at that time, and the tune had been changed somewhat from the original. That printed version is the melody that is still widely sung. However, in 1995 a copy of "Silent Night" was found, written in Fr. Joseph Mohr’s own hand, which gives the origin of this carol, along with proof of its creators.
"Silent Night was translated into English in 1863. Who translated it is not clear, John Young is reported by some to have translated stanzas 1 and 3. Jane Campbell also could have translated it. It was first published in an American hymnal, Charles Hutchins’ Sunday School Hymnal.

"Silent Night" has been translated into nearly every language on earth. We, in the U.S. hear it early and often in the Christmas season, but the people of Austria consider it a national treasure, with an organization formed to protect it from commercialization, and to convince people to learn the original melody. A visitor to Austria can visit museums and memorials in Oberndorf and other places significant to this carol.

There are many stories of the origin of this carol, that the organ didn’t work due to mice nibbling at the bellows, or that, due to frequent flooding in the church, the organ had rust and mildew in the workings. It was even suggested that Gruber himself had something to do with the organ not working, due to strife between Fr. Mohr and a traditionalist priest recently assigned to the church. Mohr, with the previous priest, had arranged mixed German-Latin masses, which the people appreciated, as they could finally understand what was being said in church. The new priest, sent by a disapproving archiepiscopal consistory, rejected the use of German in the church and brought back the traditional mass. However, with the organ out of commission, the priest was forced to accept the alternative service with the guitar rather than not have music on Christmas Eve.

Whatever the circumstance, the world is grateful to the two friends who gave us this simple, yet beautiful picture of the night that Christ was born.

Listen to it here: Silent Night

Hymn Story: Onward, Christian Soldiers

Matthew 16:18

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

 

Sabine Baring-Gould wrote: "Whit-Monday [the day after Pentecost] is a great day for school festivals in Yorktown. One Whit-Monday, thirty years ago, it was arranged that our school should join forces with that of a neighbouring village. I wanted the children to sing when marching from one village to another, but couldn’t think of anything quite suitable; so I sat up at night, resolved that I would write something myself. ‘Onward, Christian Soldiers’ was the result." At that time, he called it "A Hymn for Procession with Cross and Banners," as the children marched with a cross held high and carried various Christian banners.

 

Baring-Gould reportedly wrote this hymn in about 15 minutes. He later apologized, "It was written in great haste, and I am afraid that some of the lines are faulty." It was due to this fact that he allowed hymn-book compilers to alter the lyrics. The Fellowship Hymn Book, with his permission, changed the phrase ‘one in hope and doctrine’ to ‘one in hope and purpose." For the 1909 edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern, he changed the fifth line of the same verse from ‘We are not divided’ to ‘Though divisions harass." However, Baring-Gould’s original words are used in most modern hymnals.

Baring-Gould originally set these words to a tune from the slow movement of Hadyn’s Symphony in D, No. 15. It was first printed the same year it was written, in an English church periodical, the Church Times, and later in several books containing new hymns. It did not receive wide acceptance, however, until Arthur S. Sullivan wrote a new tune for it. This tune, St Gertrude, is the tune that appears in Sullivan’s book, The Hymnal. Paired with the new tune, ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’ literally circled the globe within ten years.

Listen to it here: Onward, Christian Soldiers

Hymn Story: O Come All Ye Faithful

Romans 12:1-2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 

The original four verses of "O Come All Ye Faithful" were discovered in an eighteenth century Jacobean manuscript with John Francis Wade's signature. At one time historians believed that Wade had simply discovered an ancient hymn by an unknown author, possibly St. Bonaventura, a thirteenth century Italian scholar. Further examination, however, has led many to believe that Wade wrote both the words and music of this hymn himself.

Wade, a Catholic who sympathized with the Jacobite cause in England, created several masses that promoted the return of exiled Catholics to the country of England. Interestingly, the "Jacobite manuscript" including an original copy of "O Come All Ye Faithful," was one such mass. Printed in the margins of the song, Wade had called on faithful Jacobites to come together and rally against the English throne.

Though most songbooks include only four verses to this hymn, four other verses exist, three of them possibly written by Abbe' Etienne Jean Francois Borderies in 1794. One other verse has been discovered, but its origins are unknown.

As exiled Catholics returned to England, they took Wade's hymn with them. And in 1841, the words were translated into English. A copy of Wade's hymn was also sent to the Portuguese chapel in London, where the Duke of Leeds heard it and introduced it to a group of concert singers he conducted. From there it circled the globe, becoming one of our most well loved Christmas hymns.

Listen to it here: O Come All Ye Faithful

Hymn Story: Like A River Glorious

Isaiah 66:12

For thus saith the Lord,
Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream:
then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides,
and be dandled upon her knees.

 

When Frances Havergal was vacationing in the south of Wales, 1876, she caught a severe cold, accompanied by inflammation of the lungs. Hearing how ill she was, and that she might die, she replied, "If I am really going, it is too good to be true." Her friends were amazed at how peacefully she received this information. She did survive that illness, and later that year she wrote the hymn "Like a River Glorious" in which she pointed to the source of her perfect peace: "Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed, finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest."

 

Miss Havergal, a devout Bible scholar, echoed Isaiah in "Like a River Glorious" in which God promises "peace like a river." She also incorporated Isaiah 26:3, which states "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." "Like a River Glorious" paints the picture of this peace.

Miss Havergal wrote to another hymn writer who had also written about peace. In her letter, Miss Havergal quoted Romans 5:1 "We have peace with God," adding "It is yours already, purchased for you, made for you, sealed for you, pledged to you – by the word of the Father and the precious blood of Jesus."

The hymn was first published in its present form with the name "Perfect Peace," in Hymns of Consecration and Faith, 1876.

Listen to it here: Like A River Glorious

Hymn Story: The Lord's My Shepherd

Psalm 23

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

 

"The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll Not Want" first appeared in print in the Scottish Psalter of 1650. This Psalter was assembled by the Westminster Assembly, which also gave us the Westminster Confession and the Book of Common Prayer. In it, portions from various sources were combined to create the beautiful hymn we know today.

Though it was well-loved in Scotland, "The Lord's My Shepherd" did not enjoy popularity outside the Church of Scotland for nearly 300 years. It finally appeared in the Methodist Hymnal of 1876 and later the Congregational Hymnal of 1916. But it wasn't included in an Anglican hymnbook until 1965.

The hymn version of Psalm 23 remains faithful to David's psalm. Its popularity in England grew in part because of its use during the 1947 marriage ceremony between Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. Since that time, it's become a well-known hymn, often requested for weddings and funerals today.

Listen to it here: The Lord's My Shepherd

Coram Deo (August 2013)

The new covenant, the covenant of grace, was ratified by the shed blood of Christ upon the cross. At the heart of this covenant is God’s promise of redemption. God has not only promised to redeem all who put their trust in Christ, but has sealed and confirmed that promise with a most holy vow. We serve and worship a God who has pledged Himself to our full redemption. —R.C. Sproul

Walking by faith and not by sight is difficult at times. But that does not excuse us from obeying that call, especially when the Lord has recently shown Himself faithful to His Word. Johanan and other Judahites did not believe God’s Word through Jeremiah even though they had seen the Lord’s promise to devastate Jerusalem come true (Jer. 43:1–7). How much more, then, are we to be held culpable if we fail to believe God now that we have seen His promises come true in Christ Jesus?

When someone hurts or offends us, our reaction is usually to assume the worst possible motive in that person. But one application of the law of love is that we should give others the benefit of the doubt. How have you been doing in your relationships? Strive to assume the best possible motive in others.

"When we view the church as a family, we then begin to see the purpose and blessing of church discipline. Just as fathers and mothers who dearly love their children must take the time to correct and encourage them, pastors and elders who love the Lord and the Lord's people must take the time to correct and encourage them." —Fred Greco from his article "Church Discipline" in this month's Tabletalk magazine

In the midst of difficult circumstances, sometimes the only sign of hope we have is flickering and barely visible. However, we have one sign of hope that is clear and powerful—one infallible sign that our ultimate future is one of hope no matter what today looks like. Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, proves God's faithfulness to His people forever.

Loving our enemies is a most difficult command from the Lord. It is hard for us to seek justice in a manner that is not vindictive or that truly wishes for an offender to benefit as a result of his punishment. Loving sinners means that we seek justice when appropriate, but it also means that we mourn for those who have gone astray.

“Are we truly obeying the command to love our neighbor as ourselves if we're storing up money for potential future needs when our neighbor is laboring today under actual present needs?” —Randy Alcorn

John Calvin comments that the way to peace with God is "sincerely to confess that we are justly visited by his judgment, and also to lie down as it were confounded, and at the same time to venture to look up to him, and to rely on his mercy with confidence."

Our creator never fails to keep His promises. Even when the fulfillment of His Word seems slow in coming, we can nevertheless be assured that He has not forgotten it. We must also never be so prideful as to think that God only means part of what He says in Scripture and that He needs us to figure out what we should take seriously. If we pick and choose, then we will be well on our way to destruction. Let us believe all of God's Word.

“Beloved, you must know the bitterness of sin before you can know the blessedness of forgiveness! And you must have such a sight of sin as shall break your heart before you can understand the blessedness of the Divine covering, that sacred cover which hides sin effectually, blots it out, and even makes it cease to be. ‘Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.’” —Charles Spurgeon

"We live in a world that breeds discontent. We are bombarded with the message that to be happy we need more things, less wrinkles, better vacations, and fewer troubles. But, ultimately, the problem is the sinful human heart." —William Barcley from "The Secret of Contentment" in the April 2012 issue of Tabletalk magazine

"Much growth takes place by imitation. Boys learn to be men as they imitate worthy men. They see their father's love expressed in his care for the family. They see his tenderness toward mother and how he strives to save her steps, and they imitate what they see. Children grow as they pretend to be adults. That's the process of growth that we are called to in Ephesians 5." —Tedd Tripp from his weekend Bible study "Growth by Imitation" in this month's Tabletalk magazine

Matthew Henry writes, “Truth is a debt we owe to one another; and, if we love one another, we shall not deceive one another.” Christians must be known for their love of the truth and the trustworthiness of their speech. When we lie and gossip, we bear false witness to the God of truth who has transformed our hearts to love and serve Him. May we seek to tell the truth to friends, family, fellow church members, and coworkers. May we also repent when we fail to do so. —From a Tabletalk magazine Bible study titled "Speaking the Truth"

The necessary response of a holy God to sin is wrath, not love. That means that the Lord's choice to love His people is not the same as His choice to pour His wrath upon the impenitent. His choice to love us is unnecessary and based wholly in Himself. We can trust Him to love us even when we fail and know that nothing—not even ourselves—can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Prayer is a vital sign that our relationship with God is true and strong. The desire to call upon the name of the Lord can only be granted by the Lord Himself, and so when we pray to Him with sincerity, acknowledging our sins and hoping in His mercy, we demonstrate that we remain in His hand. Prayer also looks forward in hope to the future God has for us. In asking Him to be with us and meet our needs, we show our confidence that the best is yet to come. Are you discouraged this day? Pray.

"You can do more than pray, after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed." —John Bunyan

The thought that God sees everything about us is terrifying for unbelievers, so they deny God's existence or His holiness because they want to escape His justice. We who know the Father through Christ Jesus our Lord, however, should be greatly comforted by divine providence. Because God sees us at all times, He can direct our lives to positive ends. Even when we do not understand how, the Lord's providence means that He is working out all things for our good and His glory.

"Few influences affect a man’s heart for God more than his wife, for better or for worse. She will either encourage his spiritual devotion to the Lord or she will hinder it." —Steven Lawson

Our individualistic culture can make it hard for us to remember that we are accountable to more than just ourselves. Ultimately, however, we have a duty to obey the commands of our Creator. We are His creatures and must submit to His will no matter how hard it seems. Doing so requires the daily resolve to obey Him even when it is most difficult to do so. It also requires daily repentance of our failing to keep His commandments. Let us seek this day to obey our holy Creator.

"Our hearts must go along with our confessions. The hypocrite confesses sin but loves it, like a thief who confesses to stolen goods, yet loves stealing. How many confess pride and covetousness with their lips but roll them as honey under their tongue." —Thomas Watson

"Most of us take criticism and rebuke poorly. Because of our perverse pride, we are defensive and overly sensitive to criticism—even truthful, constructive criticism. But we can't change for the better or grow into Christlikeness without others correcting us." —Alexander Strauch from "Bless Those Who Admonish You" in this month's Tabletalk magazine

We see God's ordination of wickedness for a good end most clearly in the crucifixion. God used the evil plans of Christ's enemies to fulfill His good plan for His people (Acts 2:23). An evil act is still an evil act even when the Lord ordains it, but He does not sin when He ordains evil. We never want to pretend something is good when it is evil, but we also never want to forget that the evil we face in the present is not the last word. God will bring good out of it.

"Can Jesus do anything about our dying?—the Bible gives a glorious affirmative. Not only did Jesus promise that 'everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die' (v. 26), He gave a demonstration of His power by raising Lazarus from the dead. He said and showed that He is 'the resurrection and the life.'" —Sean Michael Lucas from his weekend Bible study "Resurrection and Life" in Tabletalk magazine

Ligonier Academy (August 2013)

"The absoluteness of God’s existence enthralls the mind: God’s never beginning, never ending, never becoming, never improving, simply and absolutely there—to be dealt with on his terms or not at all." - John Piper

"We mustn't allow our circumstances and disappointments to become the excuse for the choices we make in life. God is greater than all of that, and He can bring beauty out of ashes." - Alistair Begg


"Some Christians are heroes in their daydreams only. The characteristic mark of such heroism is imagining ourselves as faithful on great and public occasions and in rarefied atmospheres when others will be impressed. In stark contrast, true faithfulness in Scripture is first exercised in small things and in private. If we fail there, any faithfulness we show in public will be hypocrisy, a performance for the crowd and not an expression of loyalty to our Lord." - Sinclair Ferguson


"The Old Testament may be likened to a chamber richly furnished but dimly lighted; the introduction of light brings into it nothing which was not in it before; but it brings out into clearer view much of what is in it but was only dimly or even not at all perceived before. The mystery of the Trinity is not revealed in the Old Testament; but the mystery of the Trinity underlies the Old Testament revelation, and here and there almost comes into view." - B.B. Warfield

"Wisdom is the gospel of Christ reshaping us for royalty, as God places us on his anvil and we trust him enough to stay there until his work is done." - Ray Ortlund


"God has made clear in His Word that He is as dishonored and displeased by our anxiety, unthankfulness, frustration, selfishness, impatience, and discontentment as He is by the overt sins we’re so proud to avoid." - Jerry Bridges

     

"Brothers and sisters, we must be more vigilant. With our kids, with our families, with our Facebook accounts, with our texts, with our tweets, with our own eyes and hearts. Are we any differ­ent than the culture? Have we made a false peace with ourselves whereby we have said, we won’t do the things you do or be as sensual as you are, but we will gladly watch you do them for us? The kinds of things Paul wouldn’t even mention, the sort of sins he wouldn’t dare joke about, the behaviors too shameful to even name—we hear about them in almost every sitcom and see them on screens bigger than our homes. Here is worldliness as much as anywhere in the Christian life." - Kevin DeYoung

The Divine Exchange

VIEW SERMON HERE.

Hymn Story: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Psalm 46:1

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.

 

The one hymn that most symbolizes the Protestant Reformation is "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." In it, Martin Luther proclaims his confidence in God and rallies all Christians to war against evil. Basing his words on Psalm 46, he victoriously states "We will not fear, for God has willed His truth to triumph through us." Those persecuted and martyred for their convictions during the Reformation sang these words.

Luther understood the power of evil: After he posted his ninety-five theses on the door of Wittenberg's Castle in 1517, he faced years of trials and persecution, he was excommunicated from the Roman church, and he continually faced threats against his life and his freedom. Other reformers had been persecuted and burned at the stake.

But he also knew "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in danger" (Psalm 46:1) and so he wrote "A Mighty Fortress is our God," proclaiming boldly that "the prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him . . . one little word shall fell him."

Since he wrote it in 1529, Luther's hymn has been translated into nearly every language. There are said to be over eighty English translations alone to this hymn, but the version most used in the United States is the translation by Frederic Henry Hedge in 1852.

The first line of "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" is inscribed on the tomb of Martin Luther at Wittenberg. And its powerful words and tune continue to live. The hymn was sung at the funeral of President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the National Cathedral in Washington DC, March 1969. And it was also included in the National Service of Prayer and Remembrance, held shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks against America.

Listen to it here - A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

The Westminster Confession of Faith

VIEW CONFESSION HERE.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism

VIEW CATECHISM HERE.

A collection of hymns, for the use of people called Methodists.

VIEW HYMNS HERE.

Hymn Story: And Can It Be

Romans 5:8

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

 

Charles Wesley, founder of the movement known as Methodism with his brother, John, was ordained as a priest in the Church of England in 1735. However, three years later, the evening of May 21, 1738, reportedly after prolonged Bible reading he wrote:

"At midnight I gave myself to Christ, assured that I was safe, whether sleeping or waking. I had the continual experience of His power to overcome all temptation, and I confessed with joy and surprise that He was able to do exceedingly abundantly for me above what I can ask or think."

Another writer states that he recorded in his journal:

"I now found myself at peace with God, and rejoiced in hope of loving Christ. I saw that by faith I stood."

Two days later, his journal reported that he had begun writing a hymn. This hymn was likely "And Can It Be" because of the vivid testimony of stanza four. This hymn and "Where Shall My Wondering Soul Begin" were the first of the 6000 plus hymns that he wrote. Also, it is reported that his brother John sang a hymn to the tune CRUCIFIXION on his own conversion to "vital religion" three days later. Although it was not stated what hymn it was, the Foundery Tune Book, published by John Wesley in 1742, paired "And Can It Be" with CRUCIFIXION.

"And Can It Be" was first published in John Wesley's Psalms and Hymns in 1738, then in Hymns and Sacred Poems in 1739. From middle of the nineteenth century on, "And Can It Be" has been set to SAGINA.

 

Listen to it here: And Can It Be

Hymn Story: God of Our Fathers

Psalm 46:7

The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

 

Daniel C. Roberts, the 35 year-old rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, a small rural church in Brandon, Vermont, wanted a new hymn for his congregation to celebrate the American Centennial in 1876. He wrote "God of Our Fathers" and his congregation sang it to the tune RUSSIAN HYMN.

 

In 1892, he anonymously sent the hymn to the General Convention for consideration by the commission formed to revise the Episcopal hymnal. If approved, he promised to send his name. The commission approved it, printing it anonymously in its report. Rev. Dr. Tucker, who was the editor of the Hymnal, and George W. Warren, an organist in New York city, were commissioned to choose a hymn for the celebration of the centennial of the United States Constitution.  They chose this text and Warren wrote a new tune for it, NATIONAL HYMN, including the trumpet fanfare at the beginning of the hymn.

It was first published in Tucker’s Hymnal, 1892, with this tune, then in 1894 in the Tucker and Rosseau’s Hymnal Revised and Enlarged. These lyrics were also set to the hymn tune PRO PATRIA in Charles Hutchins’ The Church Hymnal.  But NATIONAL HYMN prevailed and it is the tune to which "God of Our Fathers" is always sung today.
 

Listen to it here: God of Our Fathers