Easter has come & gone, but continue to be grateful for your Savior's suffering. Read / Listen Read Isaiah 53:1-6 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. 4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 37 Q. What do you understand by the word “suffered”? A. That during his whole life on earth, but especially at the end, Christ sustained in body and soul the anger of God against the sin of the whole human race. This he did in order that, by his suffering as the only atoning sacrifice, he might set us free, body and soul, from eternal condemnation, Summary The book of Isaiah has many prophecies concerning the Messiah (Christ). Many of them focus on the birth of Jesus and his life. Isaiah 53 focuses on his suffering and death. There is no way to make this less extreme: Jesus suffered mightily on our behalf. Isaiah’s prophecy speaks of what Jesus would endure for us: Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed (v4-5) Through his death, Jesus bore our suffering. Through his crucifixion he took our punishment. Jesus was nailed to the cross so that all who call him Lord would not have to be. Our sin put Jesus on that cross. Why? The last part of verse five tells us, By his wounds we are healed. Dig Deeper Our only hope for salvation is through Jesus. This has been the focus of our worship, reflection and celebration, especially these last few days, and also our primary focus as we've read through the Bible this year. Today we are going to focus on Jesus’ suffering. Here is what the gospel of Matthew says Jesus went through on our behalf: Jesus was betrayed by one is his disciples, Judas and deserted by the others. Matthew 26:47-9 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. He was beaten and mocked. Matthew 26:67 Then [members of the Sanhedrin] spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?” He was flogged, mocked again, and mistreated. Matthew 27:26-30 But [Pilate] had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. [The soldiers] stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After all of that, they crucified him. Jesus went through all of that to save God’s elect. While we should feel sorrow over what Jesus went through to save us from our sins, we can also feel gratitude. Jesus was betrayed, deserted, beaten, spit on, mocked, flogged, and crucified to save God’s children. Jesus knew exactly what he had to do and he did it to save the lost. Thank you, Jesus. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Jesus, you are our Savior who suffered on our behalf; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: May I be grateful for your suffering ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Matthew 3

Thank God for Jesus’ perfect sacrifice every day! Biblia.com Hebrews 2:14–18 (ESV) 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Point 2 - Limited Atonement Articles 1-3 Article 4: Reasons For The Infinite Value of Christ’s Death This death is of such great value and worth for the reason that the person who suffered it is— as was necessary to be our Savior— not only a true and perfectly holy human, but also the only begotten Son of God, of the same eternal and infinite essence with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Another reason is that this death was accompanied by the experience of God’s wrath and curse, which we by our sins had fully deserved. Summary So far this week, we’ve taken a look at how Jesus is fully God and fully man united in one person. But the question still remains to be answered - Why is that so important? Why is it so important for our salvation that Jesus is both fully God and fully man? The author of Hebrews tells us as much in our passage today, at least the importance of why Jesus needed to be fully man. Having been talking about how Christ is not ashamed to be called our brother, believers throughout every age are reminded of the necessity for Jesus taking on our flesh, tabernacling among us. Jesus took on our flesh in order that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. Not only that, but we are told: He had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. It was necessary for Jesus to take on our flesh so that He could pay the debt of our sins. The Canons remind us of this necessity, that Jesus be a true and perfectly holy man as human nature must pay the debt of sin (which is echoed in the Heidelberg Catechism QA 16). So, it was necessary for Jesus to fully man. Then why is it also necessary for Jesus to be the only begotten Son of God? Because it’s only by Jesus being fully God that He could bear the weight of God’s just wrath on our sin (see HC Q & A 17). This is why Jesus was the perfect sacrificial lamb on your and my behalf, why His sacrifice is of infinite value! Dig Deeper As I write this, this week is preparation week for our congregation as we look forward to celebrating Communion in our congregation this upcoming Lord’s Day. It is this perfect sacrifice of infinite value that we remember, celebrate, and proclaim whenever we gather around the Lord’s Table together. But it shouldn’t be just when we celebrate Communion, nor only at Good Friday and Easter, which we celebrated not too long ago. Every Lord’s Day, as we gather as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to worship the One True God, we come together to celebrate, praise, and worship the Lord out of gratitude and love for what He’s done for us in the perfect sacrifice of Jesus! And every day, through the Lord’s grace and strength, may our lives be ones lived in gratitude for what God has done as the Gospel works its way into our daily life, thanking and praising the Lord often for His amazing grace in Jesus! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, in heaven. Hallowed be His name! ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that when temptation comes, you will remember that because Christ Himself suffered when tempted, He is able to help those being tempted; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Romans 5

Does reading or watching the news make you angry lately? Find out why! Read / Listen Read John 8:42-47 CONTEXT: This argument between Jesus and the Pharisees began back in v31: 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The Pharisees took offense that they needed to be "set free," which led to Jesus telling them that they are not children of God the Father, and that they were actually children of the devil! 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 112 Q. What is God’s will for you in the ninth commandment? A. God’s will is that I never give false testimony against anyone, twist no one’s words, not gossip or slander, nor join in condemning anyone without a hearing or without a just cause. Rather, in court and everywhere else, I should avoid lying and deceit of every kind; these are devices the devil himself uses, and they would call down on me God’s intense anger. I should love the truth, speak it candidly, and openly acknowledge it. And I should do what I can to guard and advance my neighbor’s good name. Summary This passage is the most detailed description in the Bible of who and what the devil is. Although culture often depicts him of being a cartoonish figure with a red cape & a pitchfork, Jesus paints a much darker portrait: Jesus says the devil is: A murderer from the beginning: Satan had led a rebellion in heaven and so was cast down to the earth. Certainly the devil can be thought of as murderer for introducing death to humanity, but his principle target has always been murdering Jesus Christ, the God-Man and His Church (See Revelation 12). A liar with no truth in him: Remember the first words of the devil recorded in scripture: "Did God really say... (Genesis 3:1)" Simply causing man to question the validity of what God has said was effective then, and the devil is nothing if not consistent. He knows this subtle method of planting doubt works, and he continues to use this method even today. Jesus is everything that the devil is not: Jesus gives life, the devil takes it. Jesus is the truth, the devil has no truth in him. Jesus came to restore your relationship to the Father, and the devil works tirelessly (for he knows his time is short - Rev. 12:12) to cause you to doubt the Father. Dig Deeper You don't need to scroll through the news for long for long before you come across a story that makes your blood boil because people have come to a firm conclusion that is so obviously based in lies and deceptions. You think to yourself, can't these people see just how wrong and contrary to God's truth their ideas are? The sad answer is, no, they can't. Jesus said, "Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” In other words, mankind is so corrupted by the web of deceptions the devil has spun that people will always prefer the lie rather than the truth. No matter how incredulous the idea may seem, people's primary inclination will be to reject basic truth and cling to the lie. The current ridiculousness of gender theory is a testimony to this. It's easy to let this sort of thinking make you angry, but push against that instinct. Understand that these people cannot "hear what God says," so trying to re-educate them with basic truth will never work. Rather than being angry, our hearts should be broken for all these people who separated themselves so far from God. Pray that the Holy Spirit calls them back, and be ready when He calls you to lovingly reintroduce them to their Father by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who has called you to live in all truth; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that the Holy Spirit will use you to call those whose lives are trapped in deception, and that you'll be ready when the opportunities come; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - John 8

God communicates Truth in such beautiful (and often funny) ways! Jonah 2:2–9 (NIV) CONTEXT: Jonah has been cast into the sea, but God provided a "huge fish to swallow Jonah." Chapter 2 is Jonah's prayer from inside the belly of the fish. Today we're especially focusing on the poetic style of this prayer, which is written in a chiastic style. 2 Jonah said: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. 3 You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. 4 I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ 5 The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. 6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. 7 “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. 8 “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. 9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’ ” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 4: The Canonical Books This week we'll be focusing on some of the different literary genres included in the Bible: Narrative, poetry/wisdom, the epistles, and apocalyptic. Today we'll appreciate the poetic beauty seen in so many parts of Scripture. We include in the Holy Scripture the two volumes of the Old and New Testaments. They are canonical books with which there can be no quarrel at all. In the church of God the list is as follows: In the Old Testament, the five books of Moses— Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy; the books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth; the two books of Samuel, and two of Kings; the two books of Chronicles, called Paralipomenon; the first book of Ezra; Nehemiah, Esther, Job; the Psalms of David; the three books of Solomon— Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song; the four major prophets— Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel; and then the other twelve minor prophets— Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. In the New Testament, the four gospels— Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; the Acts of the Apostles; the fourteen letters of Paul— to the Romans; the two letters to the Corinthians; to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians; the two letters to the Thessalonians; the two letters to Timothy; to Titus, Philemon, and to the Hebrews; the seven letters of the other apostles— one of James; two of Peter; three of John; one of Jude; and the Revelation of the apostle John. Summary Jonah's prayer is one of the most beautiful passages of scripture on multiple levels. In it, we see our Father's gracious compassion for His rebellious prophet. Jonah did everything he could to escape God's call in his life, including jumping into the raging sea, but even there, God provided (a key word in the book of Jonah) a "huge fish," and Jonah finally repented. The entire book of Jonah is written in a poetic format, even though it has aspects of historical narrative within it (we'll see on Friday that scripture doesn't always neatly divide itself into specific genres). The book is full of word play (which is far more apparent in the original Hebrew) and poetic irony. The story is meant to have a comedic bent to it. It's ok to sit back and laugh a bit about the predicament that Jonah finds himself in as he prays! Jonah 2 is a great example of Hebrew poetry, which is often referred to as chiastic, which is called so because it resembles the Greek letter χ (pronounced chi). Notice the telltale wedge shape to the outline: A. Jonah cries out for salvation; B. Jonah has been cast out into the deep; C. Jonah finds hope by looking towards God's temple; D. Things seem hopeless as seaweed wraps around Jonah's head and he sinks down; D'. But the LORD brought Jonah's life up from the pit; C'. Jonah's prayer rises towards God's temple; B'. Those who cling to idols turn away from God's love; A. Salvation is found in the LORD. Each line in the top half corresponds to the same letter in the bottom half. This structure is present all over the Bible - even in the New Testament. In fact, the entire book of Jonah has a chiastic structure to it. The reason this is important is because in a chiasm, the primary meaning of the passage often comes in the middle, not the end as we're accustomed to in Western poetry. While it's certainly the case that "salvation comes from the LORD" (the final line of the poem), the primary meaning of this poem came in the middle (v6): "You, LORD my God, brought my life up from the pit." Dig Deeper The book of Jonah is about much more than an individual wayward prophet. The Hebrew word play that the poem uses helps us understand that Jonah represents all of God's children. We've all turned away from God's love and cast ourselves into a bottomless pit of chaos, but God lifts us up from the pit. The more you learn about the poetic structure that comprises so much of God's Word, the more you will come to appreciate that salvation comes from the LORD! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father God, who has redeemed our lives from the pit; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for the beautiful poetry found in His Word, and along with Jonah, tell everyone that "salvation comes from the LORD!" ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Acts 7

Christians can disagree on some things. But not this... Faithlife.com Romans 3:21–26 (NIV) 21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement {propitiation}, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Canons of Dordt Point I, Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Since all people have sinned in Adam and have come under the sentence of the curse and eternal death, God would have done no one an injustice if it had been his will to leave the entire human race in sin and under the curse, and to condemn them on account of their sin. Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love But this is how God showed his love: he sent his only begotten Son into the world, so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Summary Today's passage is typically viewed as the beginning of the second section of this letter, which details God’s provision for a fallen humanity. The comfort we are reminded of in Romans is that despite our sinful rebellion against God, He continues to be gracious towards us. As Paul wrote to the Romans, the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law. It is not through the law that we are justified - that is, having been declared righteous before God. Following a set of rules might be a way to show your gratitude, but it cannot save you. Likewise, being a mostly good person does not earn you a pass into heaven. The role of the law is to make you aware of your debt of sin against God. This is not one of those that is true for some but not for others. This debt of sin is universal; all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Because we have sinned, we need God’s work of justification, which is a gift that was earned by Christ on the cross and is received by faith. Verse 25 contains one of the best words in scripture: propitiation. Propitiation is a large word used only 4 times in scripture (Romans 3:25, Hebrews 2:17, 1 John 2:2, 1 John 4:10). While it is a fun word to say, it also carried a weighty meaning. Propitiation describes how the wrath of God is turned away from us. This is what Christ saves us from, the wrath of our perfectly holy God against all sin and unrighteousness. Dig Deeper The doctrine of justification is fundamental to our faith. Martin Luther, who we know of as the father of the reformation, insisted that it was upon the doctrine of justification by faith alone that the Church ultimately stands and falls. Another theologian you might know, John Calvin, considered the doctrine of justification to be the hinge by which everything else turns. There are numerous disagreements between different denominations of Christians of a variety of topics for which it is okay to agree to disagree. This is not one of those areas. Justification comes by faith alone and in Christ alone. When you deviate from this, you deviate from the Gospel. The teaching of scripture is that we cannot rely on our own righteousness as none are righteous before God. Because of our rebellion against God, if God treated us as we deserve, we would be objects of his wrath. Yet there is good news, even though you have sinned against God, he desires to be merciful towards you. This is what Jesus did on the cross, he earned justification for all who believe in him for salvation. Do not give an ear to groups who claim alternate means of salvation or that “there are many paths that lead to God”. There is but one way to God the Father, which is to be justified by Christ. To claim otherwise is an attempt to diminish his work on the Cross. In a world where people chase what their itching ears want to hear, stand firm in your faith in Christ. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who bestows the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will stgengthen and preserve you in this most fundamental aspect of your faith; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

The more innocent you consider yourself to be, the more guilty you likely are. DailyVerses.net Romans 2:1–11 (NASB95) 1 Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. 3 But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who will render to each person according to his deeds: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God. Canons of Dordt Point I, Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel God’s anger remains on those who do not believe the gospel. But those who do accept it and embrace Jesus the Savior with a true and living faith are delivered through him from God’s anger and from destruction, and receive the gift of eternal life. Summary We tend to judge others more harshly than we judge ourselves. If an NBA player misses two free throws in a row, they might hear the displeasure of the fans, many of which could not make a free throw to save their life. There are reasons we hold NBA players to a different standard than ourselves - they are professionals after all. They have dedicated their life to the sport of basketball and have reached the pinnacle of competition. What does not make sense is trying to apply that same logic to our faith. Paul warns that by judging others you condemn yourself. This was an error of the Israelites during Paul’s day. They took notice of the sinfulness of the gentiles yet ignored the fact that they themselves were guilty of many of the exact same things. This is despite the Israelites having a covenant with God where they agreed to keep his commands. The focus of this passage is on the hypocrisy of Paul’s brethren, the Israelites. The concern is not on the calling out of sin; becoming aware of your sin is the first step on the pathway to repentance. The issue is that people were calling out the sins of others while they themselves were guilty of the same thing. These are the actions of someone who knows right from wrong yet chooses to do what is wrong anyways. As Paul rightly points out, the judgment of God falls on those who practice such things. Dig Deeper For some reason, mankind has a kind of built in blind-spot for our own shortcomings. We can easily take issue with the actions of others while ignoring the areas of concern in our own lives. One such instance dates back several decades, where a church member took issue with the youth group renting out the local pool on a Sunday evening for a youth event. Their concern was that by renting out the pool, it created a situation where the lifeguard had to work on Sunday. The hypocrisy of this objection is that this same church member went to lunch after church every Sunday, which by their own logic caused the cook and wait staff to work on Sunday. For the record, I take no issue with the youth renting out the pool; what is highlighted here is the “rules for thee but not for me” attitude of the objector. By casting judgment on another, you condemn yourself when you do the very same thing. If you see a brother or sister in Christ who is struggling with unrepentant sin, the loving thing to do is to have the awkward conversation. What we want to avoid is becoming superficial or hypocritical in our care of others. Such correction should be done for their benefit in the hope they will repent and reconcile with God. While it may be easier to find the fault in others, it is important to regularly spend time in self-reflection. By becoming aware of your sin, you will have the opportunity to repent and reconcile with God. When you see someone else struggling with sin, in addition to encouraging them in their battle, take time to access if you might struggle with the same thing. God is gracious beyond measure and that kindness is meant to lead you to repentance. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who through the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, leads us to repentance; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will expose and crush any and all hypocrisy in your life; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

The good news begins with bad news. Romans 1:18–25 (NASB95) 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 2 Q. What must you know to live and die in the joy of the comfort of knowing that you belong in life and in death to your faithful Savior Jesus Christ? A. Three things: first, how great my sin and misery are; second, how I am set free from all my sins and misery; third, how I am to thank God for such deliverance. Q&A 10 Q. Will God permit disobedience and rebellion to go unpunished? A. Certainly not. He is terribly angry about the sin we are born with as well as the sins we personally commit. As a just judge he punishes them now and in eternity. He has declared: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Q&A 11 Q. But isn’t God also merciful? A. God is certainly merciful, but he is also just. His justice demands that sin, committed against his supreme majesty, be punished with the supreme penalty— eternal punishment of body and soul. Summary In his letter to the Romans, Paul presents a thorough explanation of the Gospel. His teaching of the Gospel does not begin with grace or forgiveness, but with the problem of our sin. This is a fitting place to start because before you can appreciate the grace of Jesus, you must first understand your guilt before God. While God is loving and forgiving, you must also recognize that God is just. As Paul describes it, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Sin is more than a little mistake; it is a rebellion against God which is worthy of invoking his wrath! And not only does mankind sin against God, but we are also guilty of suppressing the truth. God has made himself known through creation. The testimony to God’s presence is everywhere; in the nature around us, in the complexities of our bodies, and written in the stars of the night sky. Despite God making himself known, mankind fails to honor him. Instead of following God, mankind tends to fall into all kinds of idolatry. In ancient times idolatry often took the form of worshipping a carved piece of wood. While this type of idol worship may have faded away over time, idolatry still runs rampant today. It may not be made of wood, but people still seek to replace God with a deity of their own creation. Dig Deeper God is just, God is good, and He is holy. For generations, ministers and theologians have been warning about a dangerous trend that has extended beyond their lifetime. Christians were, and still are, watering down the gospel. In a fool-hearted attempt to win people over; believers, preachers, and evangelists have come to heavily focus on the more favorable aspects of the gospel. God is love; this is the truth of scripture. The problem is that so much emphasis is placed on the love of God that the wrath of God against all ungodliness and unrighteousness is being forgotten. I’m sad to report that some people’s entire theology is built around the idea that God is love, leading them to conclude that what God wants for them is whatever makes them happy…. even if that thing is sinful. God is holy and rightly has wrath and righteous anger towards that which is evil. God is both loving and just. Part of God’s just nature is the punishing of wrongdoing. It is through our knowledge of how God is just and his wrath against ungodliness that we come to understand and appreciate the work of Jesus on the cross. At the crucifixion, Jesus suffered an incredible amount of torment and pain, yet this was not all that he endured. Jesus also took upon himself the full wrath of God towards our unrighteousness. When you de-emphasize the seriousness of your sin, you are also downplaying the Cross. Spend time today contemplating your sin, the price Jesus paid to provide forgiveness, and thanking God for the grace you have been given. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, whose wrath is being revealed against ungodliness and unrighteousness; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for the grace His shown to you in Christ; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Though the world rejects it, you must live life unashamed of the power of God. Romans 1:1–17 (NASB95) 1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, 10 always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.” Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 21 Q. What is true faith? A. True faith is not only a knowledge and conviction that everything God reveals in his Word is true; it is also a deep-rooted assurance, created in me by the Holy Spirit through the gospel, that, out of sheer grace earned for us by Christ, not only others, but I too, have had my sins forgiven, have been made forever right with God, and have been granted salvation. Summary I love Romans. It is very likely my favorite book of the Bible. In this letter, Paul is incredibly thorough in laying out a comprehensive presentation of the Gospel. This letter is large and thorough enough that it is often thematically broken into four parts. This week, we are spending our time in the early part of Romans, this first section of the letter where Paul dives into the problem of our sin. Yet before he touches on the topic of sin, Paul first gives us verses 16-17 which set the tone for this letter: For I am not ashamed of the gospel... These words have been an encouragement for generations of believers. Before sharing the problem of our sin and the redemption we have in Christ, Paul declares his stance on the gospel. No matter what others may say or do, he will not shy away from the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Nothing in this world can measure up to this amazing grace of God. Dig Deeper In recent years it feels as if the Gospel is under fire, especially if you spend any amount of time in the echo chamber of social media. People attack the Word of God because it differs from their own personal worldview. Instead of turning to scripture to learn about the all-powerful creator of the universe, they are upset that our infinitly wise God does not conform Himself to the way they think things ought to be. While it is easy to become disappointed with the secular resistance towards the Gospel, this opposition is nothing new. When Paul started preaching the Gospel, he suffered immensely for his faith. Paul shares of his hardships in 2 Corinthians 11:24-27: 24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Paul said that he was not ashamed of the gospel, but it was his actions that proved this to be true. Despite the resistance he faced, he never relented of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. And why would he? The gospel is the power of God for salvation. Why would anyone walk away from that? Paul is an example of someone who lived unashamed. If people were to examine your actions, what would they say about your feelings towards the gospel? Do you live as one who is embarrassed by their faith or is it clear that you are unashamed of the Good News of Jesus Christ? AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, whose power is best seen in and through the Gospel; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that like Paul, you too will live life unashamed of the Gospel; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Sanctification is an exponential process. Psalm 119:9–16 (NASB95) ב Beth. 9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. 10 With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. 11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. 12 Blessed are You, O LORD; Teach me Your statutes. 13 With my lips I have told of All the ordinances of Your mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways. 16 I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word. Canons of Dordt Point V, Article 14: God’s Use of Means in Perseverance Just as it has pleased God to begin this work of grace in us by the proclamation of the gospel, so he preserves, continues, and completes his work by the hearing and reading of the gospel, by meditation on it, by its exhortations, threats, and promises, and also by the use of the sacraments. Summary Most people just know Psalm 119 as the longest chapter in the Bible, weighing in at 176 verses. But this passage is much more than one really long poem - it's actually twenty-two separate psalms, with each of the eight lines in every strophe (section) beginning with a particular letter in the Hebrew alefbet. Hence the reason today's passage has a funny looking header: ב - indicating that each line begins with the second letter in the alefbet, beth. And though all of these twenty-two strophes in this massive psalm are all different and nothing ever gets repeated, they all center around one primary theme: the surpassing value of God's Word. Notice all of the ways Scripture gets referred to just in our passage today: commandments statutes ordinances testimonies precepts You also may have noticed - and maybe even were a bit perturbed by it - the somewhat limited demographic today's psalm targets: young men. Certainly this doesn't mean that these words are not applicable to anyone else, especially young women and ladies. But it does acknowledge a reality demonstrated over and over again throughout history: societies go where young men take them. Too many of the young men in our day and age have completely abdicated their responsibility to keep their way - and subsequently their society - pure. So this week's psalm is one that needs to be proclaimed often, because as Paul Baynes, described as a "radical puritan" who died in 1617 put it, "God's word is the glass which discovereth all spiritual deformity, and also the water and soap which washes and scours it away." Dig Deeper You're likely familiar with the famous proverb that when you train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). But you're also likely familiar with lots of children who were properly trained up, but went on to depart from the way he should go as soon as he got the chance. Of course the proverb, as Biblical proverbs often do, is speaking generally, not universally. As important as biblical training is for our children, God's Word also lays down an expectation for them to keep their way pure (remember, the humble word keep is one of the most important words in Scripure). This week's psalm lays out some of these expectations. A you must: keep your way pure according to the LORD's Word; seek the LORD with all your heart; not wander from the LORD's commandments; treasure the LORD's Word in your heart; not sin against the LORD; be taught by the LORD's statutes; tell of the LORD's ordinances with your mouth; meditate (mentally chew on / think deeply about) on the LORD's precepts; not forget the LORD's Word. Just grudgingly going through these motions will not be enough to keep your way pure. You must rejoice in the way of the LORD's testimonies and delight in His statutes. You already know you can't do this on your own. This is why you must remember what we've learned in the book of Acts these past few weeks: that you are not on your own! To borrow one of Luke's favorite descriptors, you are filled with the holy Spirit. The more you realize what you're filled with, the more you'll live into these expectations from Psalm 119 and keep your way pure. And the purer you keep your way, the more you'll realize what you're filled with! This is the how it is that your sanctification (coming to look more and more like Christ) is an exponential process. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, whose Word guides, guards and protects our way; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that as one who is filled with the Spirit, you will keep your way pure; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Remember, you're not the center of the story. And that's good news! SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... After surviving the shipwreck and getting stranded on the island of Malta, Paul and Luke finally make it to Rome. As he waits for his trial before Caesar, Paul has been placed under house arrest. Acts 28:17–31 (NASB95) 17 After three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them, “Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18 And when they had examined me, they were willing to release me because there was no ground for putting me to death. 19 But when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my nation. 20 For this reason, therefore, I requested to see you and to speak with you, for I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel.” 21 They said to him, “We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you. 22 But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.” 23 When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. 24 Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe. -- 30 And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered. Canons of Dordt Point II, Article 5: The Mandate to Proclaim the Gospel to All It is the promise of the gospel that whoever believes in Christ crucified shall not perish but have eternal life. This promise, together with the command to repent and believe, ought to be announced and declared without differentiation or discrimination to all nations and people, to whom God in his good pleasure sends the gospel. Summary Not everyone is satisfied with how the book of Acts ends. Luke gives an inordinate amount of space to the shipwreck narrative we looked at yesterday. Although it's certainly an exciting story that shows God's providential care, it really doesn't do much to advance the story of the early church, which has been the overall point of Acts. Then Paul receives a somewhat anticlimactic welcome once he finally arrives in Rome. Getting to Rome has been one of Paul's primary goals throughout his missionary journey, but when he shows up, the leading men of the Jews that Paul called together make it seem seem like they've never heard of him. It's hard to tell what Luke expects us to think of thier statement. Perhaps they're being honest, but it's probable that they knew quite well who Paul was and were just being coy to protect their own skin. Afterall, they're aware that Paul's sect is spoken against everywhere. But these leaders do make good on their promise to come back and hear what Paul's views were, and when that day arrived, people came to Paul at his lodging in large numbers. From then on, the same pattern unpacks that has been seen throughout the entire book of Acts: some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe. Dig Deeper Then the book just ends. No details are given regarding the outcome of Paul's trial. We do know from his epistles that things get worse for Paul, but our faithful historian and narrator Luke never reports on Paul's ultimate fate. We only know from extra-biblical accounts that Paul was quite likely executed in Rome not long after the events described in this final chapter of Acts. But it's in moments like this that although the Bible tells the story of so many heroes of the faith, the Bible is not really about any of them. God used these people, sometimes in mighty and miraculous ways to carry His will forward to its ultimate completion in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. So the book of Acts is no more about Paul or Peter (whose ultimate fate isn't recorded in the Bible either) any more than the Old Testament was about a particular nationality of people. It's all been about the LORD's covenant faithfulness in redeeming His people. So Luke suddenly, yet appropriately, brings Paul's story to a close with him simply continuing to preach the kingdom of God and teach concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered. Let this abrupt ending to Acts keep your own ego in check. Yes, as a chosen image bearer of God, you're special and important and your life and work matter greatly. But the overall Story isn't about you. Efforts to keep yourself at the center hinder you from fully participating in the Story that really matters. So set your story aside, and like Paul, focus on preaching and teaching the gospel however the Lord has equipped you to do so, living life for the Lord, unhindered. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who continues to work out His grand story of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you'll unhinder your participation in this story by letting go of your desire to make it all about you; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: