Zacharias Ursinus, 1563 - Age 29 AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who sent His

Church discipline always works. Sometimes it also results in restoration. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 85 Q. How is the kingdom of heaven closed and opened by Christian discipline? A. According to the command of Christ: Those who, though called Christians, profess unchristian teachings or live unchristian lives, and after repeated and loving counsel refuse to abandon their errors and wickedness, and after being reported to the church, that is, to its officers, fail to respond also to their admonition— such persons the officers exclude from the Christian fellowship by withholding the sacraments from them, and God himself excludes them from the kingdom of Christ. Such persons, when promising and demonstrating genuine reform, are received again as members of Christ and of his church. Summary Yesterday we read about the ugly account in which a man who had been proudly sinning in a way that made the pagans blush. Paul took the Corinthian church to task for tolerating such an ugly sin and instructed them to "expel the wicked man from among you (1 Cor. 5.13)." Church discipline, while necessary, can often seem cold and callous. But when done faithfully, it always works. Sometimes it works by simply ridding the church of a cancerous sin which might infect others. But in this particular case, and many others since then, church discipline achieves its primary goal: bringing the wayward sinner into repentance. The man we read about yesterday is quite likely the same man we read about today, only this time he's characterized by overwhelming sorrow rather than sinful pride. Being put out from the church had the exact intended effect upon him, which the Holy Spirit used to open the man's eyes to see his sin and come to repentance. Paul's instructions regarding this man are quite different than what we read yesterday. Instead of "handing him over to Satan," the church must comfort him. Rather than expulsion, he must be forgiven. Dig Deeper The Belgic Confession is part of the Three Forms of Unity, which, along with the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dordt, gives expression to what Reformed churches believe the Bible says. It gives the Church three key tasks that it must perform in order to be considered a true church: Preach the pure gospel; Maintain the pure administration of the sacraments; Exercise church discipline to punish sin. In general, we're pretty good at these first two marks. But faithfully exercising church discipline is never easy. It's awkward, embarrassing, and can easily and quickly go off the rails. Besides, as upper midwesterners, we abhor confrontation, so it's way easier to just pretend we don't see the obvious. Maybe if we just work harder at the first two marks, we think to ourselves, the need for the third will vanish. But yet we've been commanded to keep the church pure. We're not interested in chasing out repentant sinners; in fact, we need to attract more of them! But those who willfully, continually, and unrepentantly put their own wants and desires ahead of the Kingdom have no business being in it. For our own good, and possibly even theirs, we must - after repeated brotherly counsel and pleading for them to repent - show them the door. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who demands perfect obedience, but welcomes all those who repent of their sin; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your church would be welcoming to repentant sinners, but hostile to those who unrepentantly cling to sin. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1 Corinthians 4

You are not your own. Do you find this comforting, or constricting? 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 Most people would classify life and death as mutually exclusive opposites. You can't be both: you're either dead or alive. Christianity breaks down this division. Certainly there's still a big distinction between being dead and alive, but what the Catechism and the Bible want you to know is that while there's much that will change after you take your last breath, there are some significant things that won't change. First of all, your core identity won't change: So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s (v8b) Just as you belong in body and soul to your faithful Savior Jesus Christ while living, you will belong to Him in death just as you do in life. Second, your primary purpose remains the same as well: if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord (v8a). In other words, you were created and given life so that you could live to/for the Lord by using the gifts and talents you've been given to glorify Him. Although sin has marred God's image and purpose in your life, the gospel proclaims that death - the ultimate result of sin - no longer can keep you from fulfilling your primary purpose. In fact, it's through death that Christians are finally set free from sin and can begin truly living for Jesus. Dig Deeper Human beings are weird. We're full of paradoxes. On one hand, our sinful natures crave independence - especially from God. But on the other, we hate to be alone. Even the most introverted of us needs other people in our lives. That's why the opening words to the Catechism are so comforting: That you are not your own, but you belong. Certainly these words bring comfort to the part of you that needs community, but they also stand as a solemn reminder to your sinful nature that yearns for independence from God's ways, reminding you that you belong to the Lord. As you begin a new year, remember to not just live to yourself (v7), but to live for Christ. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Father in heaven, you are the Lord of life and you have conquered death ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: I pray that in all things, I would live to the Lord (v8) ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Mark 1

Frivolous warning signs are easy to ignore, but not all warnings are frivolous. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 82 Q. Are those to be admitted to the Lord’s Supper who show by what they say and do that they are unbelieving and ungodly? A. No, that would dishonor God’s covenant and bring down God’s anger upon the entire congregation. Therefore, according to the instruction of Christ and his apostles, the Christian church is duty-bound to exclude such people, by the official use of the keys of the kingdom, until they reform their lives. Summary The celebration of the Lord's Supper in Corinth had become a farce. Earlier in this chapter, Paul writes of how some would go hungry while another would over indulge until he was drunk. After reiterating the instructions Jesus gave for participating in His body and blood, Paul lays down a stern warning: those who come to the table in an unworthy manner are guilty of sinning against the body and blood of Jesus! So serious is this sin that it may even cause the entire congregation to get sick and even die (v30)! This seems really harsh, but we're reminded that the Lord disciplines us now so that we will not be condemned with the rest of the world. The Lord's discipline, though sometimes painful, is actually an act of His grace! One important key to coming to the Lord's table in a worthy manner is given in v28: you must examine yourself beforehand. That means, as one lexicon put it, "to try to learn the genuineness" of your faith. This is why most Reformed churches announce their communion celebration well in advance, and then spend time corporately as also individually preparing, so that each member of the congregation can examine their faith, hope and love to make sure it's firmly rooted in Christ alone. Dig Deeper We get so used to warning signs being slapped on to everything due to the overabundant caution manufacturers exercise as the result of often frivolous lawsuits stemming from people who hurt themselves by abusing the company's product. We see WARNING, DANGER & CAUTION placards so often now that we rarely take the time to read them or understand the dangers they communicate. It's easy to convey that lackadaisical attitude toward scripture. Certainly there are all sorts of warnings, especially in the Old Testament but also in the New Testament, about the repercussions God's covenant people can expect if they transgress God's commands. But as Christians we're so accustomed to downplaying and flat out disregarding these warnings because we know in the end our sins have been atoned for and forgiven in Christ, and that somehow that makes us exempt from God's discipline. Don't make that mistake. Take the Bible's warnings against sin, and especially this warning regarding unworthy participation in the Supper seriously. Don't let it scare you away, but as you prepare for it, examine your life for indwelling sin and root it out as you ensure your faith is placed squarely in Christ. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who lovingly disciplines His children to save them from eternal condemnation; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you take all of the Bible's warnings against sin seriously; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Luke 22

How would you act differently if you knew a lion was seeking to devour you? Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 127 Q. What does the sixth request mean? A. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” means, By ourselves we are too weak to hold our own even for a moment. And our sworn enemies— the devil, the world, and our own flesh— never stop attacking us. And so, Lord, uphold us and make us strong with the strength of your Holy Spirit, so that we may not go down to defeat in this spiritual struggle, but may firmly resist our enemies until we finally win the complete victory. Summary Peter's tremendous benediction begins with a call to humility, to literally put yourself under God's mighty hand. You're not to do this out of a sense of groveling, as if putting yourself down low will somehow enhance the chances of God giving you what you want, rather, it's as you yield your will to His that you will be lifted up when the time comes. Verse 7 is well worth memorizing: "cast all of your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you!" But these words of comfort are followed by a stark warning: a reminder that you live in the midst of a great spiritual war, and your enemy is on the hunt. Perhaps these words seem a bit over the top here, as if Peter's getting a little carried away with his rhetoric. But he's not; if anything, Peter is using quite restrained language here, compared to the vivid war scene John reports in Revelation 12. The last thing Peter wants to do in this passage is frighten you. Yes, the devil is prowling around seeking to devour you, but you can and must resist him. What Peter wants you to know here is that although this roaring lion can hurt you - even rip off an arm or leg, so to speak, if you stand still long enough - but ultimately all the beast can do is seek to devour you. The devil can not completely devour you because of what Peter teaches us in his first four chapters, and accentuates in today's final verse: you've been called by God to belong to Him, so you can be certain that the God of all grace will Himself fully restore you and complete the work He's begun in you. Dig Deeper Certainly we'd all be much more alert if we could actually see the devil prowling around us like a lion. The distractions the world throws at us wouldn't divert our attention one bit if we could see its sharp teeth and smell its acrid breath as the hellish creature roared at us. Just remember that even though the spiritual realm is beyond what we can sense, it is no less real than the physical things you can see, touch, hear, smell and taste. So take Peter's warning/blessing here seriously! You're given three instructions you must follow to keep the devil at bay: Humble yourself and cast your anxiety upon your Father, which we've already reviewed; Be alert and of sober mind: This lion rarely relies on brute force. His most effective strategy is to lull his prey to sleep with worldly distractions and anxieties. Keep your mind sharp (sober) by reading and thinking about God's Word every day. Let go of the distractions you can't avoid by casting the anxiety that results from them onto your Father! Resist him: Ultimately you are stronger than the lion! But certainly not in your own strength; you must stand firm in the faith! Remember that it is God who makes you strong, firm and steadfast in Christ. This is what you're praying for when you pray the simple line, "Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from the evil one." AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: The God of all grace, who lifts you up in His mighty hand; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Ask God for the strength to be humble and alert, so that you can stand firm in the faith and resist the devil; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Revelation 19

You cannot receive mercy without justice, so to receive God’s grace, you have to first acknowledge your sin. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 12 Q. According to God’s righteous judgment we deserve punishment both in this world and forever after: how then can we escape this punishment and return to God’s favor? A. God requires that his justice be satisfied. Therefore the claims of his justice must be paid in full, either by ourselves or another. Summary When watching an action or adventure movie, it usually doesn't take long to figure out who the bad guy is. As the movie continues, we see their deeds, and our dislike for them grows. By the end of the movie, we are ready for them to receive their punishment. We not only want the good guy to win, we want the bad guy to lose, and lose big. There also should be some justice. It is not enough for the bad guy to lose; they also need to end up paying for their crimes. In this passage, we're reminded that in the drama of life, we're the bad guy... our sin is going to be punished. Romans 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. Romans 2:8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There is no escaping judgment. Our holy and righteous God must account for our sin; it cannot go unpunished. Dig Deeper Justice is important. Sin needs to be held accountable. Question & Answer 12 is a transition point in the Heidelberg Catechism. We are going from the section on our guilt and misery, the fact that we are sinners, to the section on God’s grace. But for you to receive God’s grace, you must understand that you are a sinner. While you may not want to think of yourself as the bad guy, you have sinned against God. And that sin requires justice. It must be held accountable. God requires that his justice be satisfied. So how do you do that? This week we are going to begin to dive into satisfying God’s justice. How do we do it? Can we do it? Is there someone else who can do it for us? The first step in fully understanding God's amazing grace is acknowledging your sinfulness, and that your sin requires justice. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Lord Almighty, you are righteous and just. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: I am a sinner who has sinned against others and against you. Please forgive me. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Acts 5

Don't wonder if you have Spiritual gifts, know what they are and how to use them. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 51 Q. How does this glory of Christ our head benefit us? A. First, through his Holy Spirit he pours out his gifts from heaven upon us his members. Second, by his power he defends us and keeps us safe from all enemies. Summary These last few weeks we've been dwelling on some of the core doctrines the Bible teaches about Jesus: that He died, was buried, and rose again. After a short while, to the surprise of His disciples, He ascended to heaven where He now sits at God's right hand as head of His Church, while God rules all things through Him. Like the disciples, we often stare longingly into the sky wondering why Jesus left us, but once again today we're reminded that this is all for our benefit. For Immanuel - that is, God With Us - is still very much right here with you, albeit not physically, but now in the person of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out on you when you believed. In our circles we're often left thinking that there are two different types of Christians: the super Spirit filled type, and then just regular, ordinary church folks like us. This is not at all the case. If you are able to meaningfully confess that "Jesus is Lord," that is evidence enough that the Holy Spirit is in you, since such a confession is completely contrary to a sinful nature. It is true, however, that the outward appearances of the Spirit differs from person to person. Some people have been gifted in ways that are easily seen and garner more attention, while others have gifts that may seem dull and boring in comparison. But the final paragraph of today's passage illustrates that there are no unnecessary Spiritual gifts, because the flashier, more outwardly visible gifts are very much dependent on the solid, well grounded but slightly less noticeable gifts. As Paul concludes in v11, "All these [gifts] are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines." Dig Deeper You've likely participated in some sort of gift exchange with friends or coworkers at Christmas time. Often some people will go home with a really awesome, useful gift, while others will end up with a meaningless lump that was traded off three times before it ended up in their lap. Or maybe you showed up at the office Christmas party but didn't realize you were supposed to bring a gift for the exchange, so you have to watch others give and receive while you sit empty handed. This is often the way Christians feel about Spiritual gifts, and given the statistics, it's probably the way you feel. If that does describe you, cling to the truth in 1 Corinthians 12. If you're a Christian - and you are if you can truly confess Jesus is Lord - then you have Spiritual gifts. Find out what they are (you'll be surprised how many there are). As much as you can, figure out why the Spirit "determined" to give you that gift, remembering that "the same God is at work" in every gift, regardless of how flashy or plain it may seem. Then find out how to use the gift you have to build up Christ's Church. Make every effort (a phrase used throughout the New Testament) to train yourself, develop your gifts and utilize them often. And remember, as the Catechism reminds you today, that while God certainly intends for you to use your gift to benefit the Church, He gave it (them?) to you for your benefit. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who is at work in this world through the Spiritual gifts He's given to His children; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Ask God to help you know what your gift(s) are and that He'll give you the strength and desire to use them to build the Church. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Matthew 24

Verse 9 makes marriage seem like it's merely an institution for those who lack sexual self control, as

You're not just a citizen of the Kingdom of God, you've been given a title: Ambassador Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 38 Q. Why did he suffer “under Pontius Pilate” as judge? A. So that he, though innocent, might be condemned by a civil judge, and so free us from the severe judgment of God that was to fall on us. Summary The focus of 2 Corinthians 5 is reconciliation. Our sin has separated us from God, but those who confess their sins are reconciled to God, they are forgiven in Jesus Christ. Once reconciled, we become ambassadors for Jesus, that is, we represent Jesus in this world that we live in as exiles. We tell the world that we were once dead in our sin, but Jesus has set us free. Jesus died on the cross so that we could live. This passage is a beautiful invitation to live into the freedom we have in Jesus. Our freedom is not for our own personal gain, but for Christ, our redeemer! After all, And Christ died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised again (v15). Dig Deeper The passage ends this way a few verses later in v21: God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Yesterday we looked intently at Jesus’ innocence. Today we turn to our own guilt. Jesus was innocent, so He is the one person who has ever lived who did not deserve to die. So why was He crucified? Jesus was crucified due to our sin. God’s plan for salvation required satisfaction, and you cannot pay the price for your sin. No offering you sacrifice can atone for your sin. Just as your sin separates you from God, it condemns you to eternal punishment. Jesus took your sin on himself so that God’s wrath could be satisfied. He was the perfect sacrifice, offered once on the cross, for your sins and salvation. Through this amazing act of love, Jesus, who was unjustly condemned, became sin so that you might become the righteousness of God. This is why you are implored to be an ambassador for Christ. You should have been punished by God, but in Jesus, you've been given new life. This gift is available to all who call on the name of the Lord. It is your duty, as a child of God, to make him known to a sin filled world. You were condemned. In Jesus, you are given freedom. Let the world know what Christ has done! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and then gave us the ministry of reconciliation ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the strength, desire and opportunities to be the ambassador of reconciliation that you've been called to be. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Matthew 6

Many want Jesus to fit their own agenda, but we can be glad He came as a King with eternal purposes. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 31 Q. Why is he called “Christ,” meaning “anointed”? A. Because he has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be: our chief prophet and teacher who perfectly reveals to us the secret counsel and will of God for our deliverance; our only high priest who has set us free by the one sacrifice of his body, and who continually pleads our cause with the Father; and our eternal king who governs us by his Word and Spirit, and who guards us and keeps us in the freedom he has won for us. Summary In ten days, you may hear this passage read or see children waving palm branches to commemorate “Palm Sunday.” The entry into Jerusalem on a donkey at the beginning of the week that would lead Jesus to the cross was another significant event showing how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament Scripture as the expected Messiah-King. The anticipation had reached a fever pitch in Jerusalem. It was abuzz with many traveling into town for the Passover, including many who had heard Jesus’s preaching and witnessed His miracles. Jesus’ earthly ministry was primarily spent in Galilee and outside of Jerusalem. Yet, Jerusalem was always where Jesus was heading in the end. In Matthew’s account, we can see how Jesus is aware of all that will occur. He knows where the disciples can fetch a proper donkey for His royal entrance. The crowd recognized the connection to what the prophet Zechariah said, and how David had also sent his son Solomon riding in on a donkey at the beginning of his reign (1 Kings 1:33). Jesus, the Christ of the tribe of Judah and line of David, was riding into Jerusalem as her prince of peace. He was being recognized as such through the reception and shouting of “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” However, many missed what Jesus had come to Jerusalem to do and what this visitation of the Lord meant. Dig Deeper Jesus failed to meet the expectations of most of His own Jewish people in His days on earth. Most of the religious leaders fiercely opposed Him and charged Him with blasphemy. Many everyday folks were weary of the years under foreign rule and longed for Israel to be a powerful and united kingdom of God’s special people as in the days of David and Solomon, and were allured by the authority of His message and power of His miracles. Those who recognized that He might be the long-awaited Messiah still missed the greater purpose of His coming. Jesus knew that before He was to be exalted as King of Glory, He must first lay down His life as the Suffering Servant. His kingdom was not earthly nor temporary but of another world and one that will never end. The catechism gets at this eternal aspect of Christ’s reign as our King. He reigns through the governing power of His Word and Spirit, and He rules and protects those He saved from His throne of grace. It could have been easy for anyone else to get caught up in the excitement of that day and try to ride that wave of popularity. But thanks be to God, Jesus had eternal salvation in His sights. The King had come to Jerusalem to suffer, die, be buried, and rise again, securing freedom for His people forever. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: The King of Glory and the Lord Who Saves ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Galatians 2