Sunday Schedule
10 AM Worship
Scripture: 1 Kings 21:1-16; Matthew 26:36-56
Sermon: "Man of Sorros"
Songs: PH 297, PH 6, PH 203, PH 231
6 PM Worship
Scripture: Galatians 6:1-10; Malachi 1:1-14
Sermon: "The Loving God"
Songs: PH 296, PH 46A, PH 316
Westminster Confession 26:1
WCF 26:1 All saints, that are united to Jesus Christ their Head, by His Spirit, and by faith, have fellowship with Him in His graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory:(1) and, being united to one another in love, they have communion in each other's gifts and graces,(2) and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man.(3)
(1)1 John 1:3; Eph. 3:16-19; John 1:6; Eph. 2:5,6; Phil. 3:10; Rom. 6:5,6; 2 Tim. 2:12; (2)Eph. 4:15,16; 1 Cor. 12:7; 1 Cor. 3:21-23; Col. 2:19; (3)1 Thess. 5:11,14; Rom. 1:11,12,14; 1 John 3:16-18; Gal. 6:10
This chapter of the Confession stresses an important truth: while our belief in Christ is individual, we are part of a bigger community. This is has been stressed, already, when we think about belonging to a church and believing things taht have been believed for thousands of years. It goes further, though, as we think about our day-to-day lives.
This first section focuses on our union with Christ and our union with one another. The first thing we can say is that it is a real union. A ready Biblical illustration is helpful: a body. The Apostle Paul speaks of believers as being the body of Christ, and he is the head. Just as our various body parts are united together, so we are united to one another. Paul writes, in 1 Corinthians 12:12, "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ."
As our Confession points out, then, we are united to Christ in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory. Paul will go so far as to say that the believer is seated with Christ in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6), a truth that is mind boggling for sure!
This communion with Christ extends to our communion with one another. This is why we are a church, why we make vows, and why we take these seriously. This is true of all believers all over the world. But just as our love for mankind, generally, doesn't take away our special love for our immediate family, so also. belonging to the body of Christ that is universal doesn't take away our closer responsibilities and helps to one another within our local church. This is something we've had a visible reminder of, recently, as we've received several new members.
Here the exhortation we hear each time we receive a new member: As [name] is received into full communion in the church, the whole congregation is obligated to receive (him/her), for in Christ we are members of one another. Christ claims this (brother/sister) as his own and calls you to serve (him/her) in love. Therefore, you ought to commit yourself before God to assist [name] in (his/her) Christian nurture by godly example, prayer, and encouragement in our most precious faith and in the fellowship of believers.
May God grant us to grow in our love and faithfulness to our Savior and to one another!
Dear Congregation and Friends,
I hope you are well this week. December is a quiet month at HOPC. We will continue to have our morning and evening services each Lord's Day, but all other activities are on hold until the start of the new year. It's a wonderful month for hospitality, if you are able to open your homes to one another!
This Sunday evening we will begin a new (short) sermon series through the Old Testament book of Malachi. Join us as we learn about our God who is loving, glorious, faithful, just, changeless, and promising!
Ongoing classes/events:
Our men's study will meet on Saturday, January 4th at 9 AM. We're studying William Gouge's Building a Godly Home.
Our next fellowship dinner will be Sunday, January 12th at 5 PM.