Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 21 Q.

God built you a house through Jesus, the Son of God and the son of David. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism 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 become David’s true descendant, like his brothers in every way except for sin. Summary After David had fully established his kingdom in Israel, he expressed his desire to build a house for God, since God's presence still was within the tabernacle, a tent designed to move as Israel moved. David approached the prophet Nathan to be sure his idea of building a permanent temple was consistent with God's will. Nathan initially gave David the green light, telling David that the Lord was with him. But that night, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, revealing that David would not be the one to build Him a house, rather God would be the one who built a House - a never ending dynasty - for David. This passage is significant as it establishes the concept of the Davidic Covenant, which promises a lasting dynasty and kingdom for David's descendants, ultimately fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ as the eternal king from the line of David. Dig Deeper Yesterday we were reminded of the importance of Jesus' miraculous virgin birth. The importance of this doctrine isn't necessarily the biological uniqueness of Jesus not having an earthly father, but as we'll focus on tomorrow, the point is that Jesus is a new Adam rather than a descendent of the first Adam. But at the same time, Jesus is fully human and through his mother Mary, He does have a biological heritage, and it's one that's very important: the fact that Jesus is a descendent of David fulfills the promise that David's throne will be established forever. It's often easy to just pray that Jesus will be with us in our horizontal relationships: our jobs, families and other immediate concerns. Of course Jesus will be with us in these things, and it is important to pray for them, but passages like this one remind us that God's concerns for us are much bigger than the particular challenges we struggle with on a day to day basis. God fulfilled this amazing promise to King David years about 1,000 later on Christmas morning, and what's more, He's included you in these promises! You have been chosen by God to be included in Christ, and so to reign with Him in a kingdom that will never end. God didn't need David to build a house for Him, rather God built a house for us through David! So whatever it is that's weighing you down today, take it to the Lord in prayer for sure, but even more so, be reminded that you're included in the Kingdom of God. Know that God will "plant you so that you can have a home of your own and no longer be disturbed (v10)." AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who rules over all things with His Son, who sits on David's throne forever. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Ask God to continually remind you of your kingdom citizenship in the midst of worldly struggles. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - James 4

Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 2 Q. What must you know to live and die in the joy of this comfort? A.

The one thing separating your sin from God's wrath is the Man in the middle. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 18 Q. And who is this mediator— true God and at the same time truly human and truly righteous? A. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who was given us to set us completely free and to make us right with God. Summary Paul’s reminder that there is one God echoes the words spoken to the Israelites as they journeyed through the wilderness. This is expressed in the Shema, which comes from Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the Lord is one.” For the Israelites these words would have been a reminder that they serve the one true living God, not the idols worshiped by surrounding nations. Likewise, Paul expresses that there is one God and continues that there is also one mediator between God and men, Jesus Christ. As we know, Jesus is more than our mediator, he is also our redeemer. Jesus gave himself as a ransom, paying a price to secure our freedom from our bondage to sin. A price had to be paid as God’s punishment on sin, and Jesus paid that price on our behalf. Dig Deeper A mediator is the “middle-man” in a dispute. It is the role of the mediator to go between the various sides in a dispute and work towards reconciliation. In this case, it is humanity and God who are “in dispute” with one another. As a result of our fallen nature, humanity is at odds with God via our rebellion and refusal to obey God's law. Despite the deposition of human hearts against God, we have peace with God because of Jesus’ work of reconciliation. Jesus is not the first mediator between God and his people. Moses, for example, served as mediator between God and his people. And while there have been other mediators, Christ is superior to them all. Not only is Jesus our deliverer, but he also continues to mediate on our behalf. Jesus is the one mediator Paul refers to in 1st Timothy. You need no other mediator, no saints to pray on your behalf, or priests to hear your confession, because Jesus is already your perfect mediator, continuing to speak on your behalf even now. Take great comfort in knowing the one speaking on your behalf is the same who was willing to take the penalty that you deserved. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the Lord is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would fully trust in Christ as your mediator, and that you would submit all things to His Lordship (v8-15) ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Acts 12

Since sex causes so many problems, wouldn't it be better for Christians to avoid it altogether? Nope. CONTEXT: If you've not yet read yesterday's post, read it first to understand why today's passage makes what seem to be very unpopular claims. Remember, you are not your own but belong in body and soul to your faithful Savior. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 108 Q. What is God’s will for us in the seventh commandment? A. God condemns all unchastity. We should therefore thoroughly detest it and, married or single, live decent and chaste lives. Summary This difficult, awkward passage comes as a response to a particular question the Corinthian church had posed to Paul. Since human sexuality is so easily abused and has so much potential to drag people into sin, wondered the Corinthians, wouldn't it be better for Christians to just completely stay away from sexual activity altogether? Paul's answer - inspired by the Holy Spirit - is a definitive 'no.' Human sexuality is a physical, psychological, and emotional need that God wove into the fabric of humanity, so people who live within the proper context - a formally recognized, monogamous relationship between a man and woman - must continue to give expression to that which God has designed for them. Just as this passage must be read in the very particular context it was written to address, you must also keep in mind that this is not the Bible's - or even Paul's - only definition of what marriage ought to look like. Verse 9 makes marriage seem like it's merely an institution for those who lack sexual self control, as if total abstinence is the ideal and marriage is a compromise for those who can't resist, while the super-spiritual among us remain celibate. Yet the instruction for both husbands and wives to yield control of their own bodies to the other only makes sense in the context of what Paul wrote to the Ephesians, where he recognizes that marriage is an analogy for Christ's relationship to His bride, the Church. When wives submit to their husbands as the Church submits to Christ, and husbands love their wives as Christ loved the church, then the loving, mutual physical submission Paul instructs here is possible. Dig Deeper Most people in our society - including many Christians - have a deeply flawed understanding of what marriage is and ought to be. Some selfishly see it as a mechanism to make themselves happy, so it's easy to see how such a person could abuse the other with demands to give over their body. But the flip side of that doesn't work any better: in which the purpose of marriage is to make they other person happy. Though this certainly seems more altruistic, this goal is also doomed to failure, since what it takes to continually please other people is a moving target that's very hard to hit. This attitude can lead to sexual abuse when one partner continually gives up more bodily autonomy than the other in order to make the other partner happy. But when both partners share the Biblical goal for marriage to glorify God by living according to His design, they will not only be able to fully enjoy their sexuality as God intends, but they will also come to know their Savior in a much deeper way as they love and submit to one another. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who created all things good, including human sexuality; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that whether you're married or single, that your goal will be to glorify God by living according to His design for the context He's placed you in; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1 Peter 4

To fully enjoy the comfort & assurance of your fully accomplished salvation, you must make every effort! Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 1 Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death? A. That I am not my own, but belong— body and soul, in life and in death— to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven: in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Summary Maybe you've heard the trite little Christian saying that "Jesus + nothing = everything." Peter would have loved it! It nicely summarizes the opening statement of his second letter: Christ's power: has given us everything we need; through our knowledge of Him; since: He called us by His own glory and goodness and He has given us His promises. It's truths like this that provide you with the 'assurance of eternal life' that the Catechism mentions. Your certainty comes from the fact that Christ has fully accomplished your salvation, and there's nothing you need to add to it. Yet Peter prescribes more addition! In v5 he writes, make every effort to add... not to your salvation, because that's complete in Christ, but add to your faith. He repeats this command to make every effort again in v10, and this time he explains why: to confirm your calling and election. So certainly be assured of your salvation, but at the same time make every effort to live a godly life. The good works that result from these efforts will bolster the assurance and confidence you've already been given. Dig Deeper This famous first question and answer of the Catechism is like a warm blanket in a cold world, reminding you that your future is fully secured in Christ. But notice that even these words of comfort end with a call to action to 'wholeheartedly live for Him.' This is one of the great tensions of Christianity. Certainly rest in the thought that Christ is 'your only comfort in life and in death,' but in order to fully enjoy this rest you must continually make every effort to gratefully respond to the gift you've been given. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father who has set His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ over His eternal kingdom (v11); ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the strength to make every effort to live wholeheartedly for Christ. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Mark 4

creation in Christ; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 2

Dig Deeper Psalm 24 is a Psalm David wrote about 1,000 years before Jesus ascended into heaven that describes ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Matthew 22

Don't let the comforts in this world distract you from the true Comforter. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 53 Q. What do you believe concerning “the Holy Spirit”? A. First, he, as well as the Father and the Son, is eternal God. Second, he has been given to me personally, so that, by true faith, he makes me share in Christ and all his blessings, comforts me, and remains with me forever. Summary It might seem odd in the midst of a week in which we've been focused on the person and work of the Holy Spirit to read from a passage that doesn't seem to mention the Holy Spirit at all. Paul here certainly makes reference to God the Father, as well as the Lord Jesus Christ, but he seems to just ignore the third member of the Trinity. Earlier this week we noted that the Holy Spirit is often referred to as the 'shy' member of the Trinity, since His role is to often focus our attention on the work of the Father and the Son, and in doing so the Spirit often stays in the background. So it's not all that surprising that the Spirit seems set to the side in this passage. But we also were reminded that the Holy Spirit really isn't all that shy, since He's the member of the Godhead we hear from the most, in that every word of the Bible was breathed out by Him. In fact, the verses we read today are all about the Spirit! We read one reference to the Father, three references to the Son, and at least six references to the Holy Spirit! The reason you didn't notice Him right away is because He's camouflaged: He was never directly referred to, but He was described with the repetitive use of the Greek word paraklēsis, the word Jesus often uses to refer to the Holy Spirit, which is translated here as comfort. The Holy Spirit is the "God of all comfort (v3)." Dig Deeper You probably think of 'comfortable' as being a condition in which you have no pain or discomfort. The chair you fall asleep in is comfortable, whereas the one that hurts your back is uncomfortable. One dictionary defines comfort as 'freedom from pain or constraint." So when hearing that the Bible refers to the Holy Spirit as the Comforter, you might be tempted to think He's not really present in your life because of how many uncomfortable aspects there are. A life filled with the Comforter ought to be filled with comfort, right? But keep in mind the literal meaning of the Greek word paraklēsis: the para part means alongside (like a parapro, paralegal, and paramedic work alongside a teacher, lawyer and doctor), and klēsis means to call out. So the Holy Spirit is the one who comes alongside you in "in all your troubles" and calls out to you words of "comfort and salvation." The reason people like us don't feel like we're experiencing the Holy Spirit as often as we'd like is because we're so distracted by the comforts we have in this world that we don't feel a need for "the God of all comfort." Make a habit of pushing those distractions away, so that that you can hear the Holy Spirit coming alongside you reminding you that your only comfort in life and in death is that you belong to your faithful Savior, Jesus Christ (keep reading v8-11 to see how the Holy Spirit brought this comfort to Paul when he "despaired of life itself"). AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort (v1) ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for the physical comforts He's given you, but pray that they don't distract you from the Holy Spirit coming alongside and calling out to you. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Romans 3

know salvation; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1 John 2