We need leaders who know God's ideal design for government. Deuteronomy 17:14-20 (NIV) 14  When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” 15  be sure to appoint over you a king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite. 16  The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” 17  He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. 18  When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. 19  It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere [fear] the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees 20  and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary It sure sounded like today's passage was written long after Israel had already experienced the painful results that came from setting a king over them like all the nations around them . But these words of warning were written even before the wandering tribes had ever reached the Promised Land. God knows of the paradoxical nature of the human heart, which even as it yearns for freedom, it desires a king / government to fight our battles for us (1 Samuel 8:20). So God lays down this advice as His people take possession of the land. The primary qualification the people should look for in their king is that he is the one the LORD your God chooses . As the descendents of these wanderers will painfully learn, God evaluates leaders on a different basis than the people do; whereas people look at the outward appearance, the LORD looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). God warns the future kings to fight against their sinful natures' desire to accumulate ever increasing power ( a great number of horses ) and large amounts of silver and gold . Our sinful nature ( sarx ) has an insatiable appetite for more money and power, but so often as these increase, our dependence upon God decreases. King David, who himself struggled mightily with these temptations, captured God's desire for the king in Psalm 20:7 - Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, God assigned future kings to write for himself a copy of God's law as his first order of business upon taking the throne. It's good to read God's Word on your own, and even better to hear it proclaimed out loud, but can you imagine how much more it would sink in if you wrote it out yourself? God knows this sort of studious dedication to His Law would be the one and only antidote to the otherwise unavoidable reality that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Dig Deeper Maybe today's passage doesn't seem relevant to our modern systems of governance. After all, we don't live either in a theocracy or a monarchy (apologies to our Canadian readers, who I guess do live in a monarchy). But nonetheless, God doesn't 'choose' our leaders in the way He did then, and any mention of government officials consulting God's Law would immediately be met with a lawsuit from those who consider themselves to be defending pluralism and tolerance. But yet God's timeless advice is very well suited for our modern situation. God may not make His choice for leaders known through the mouth of a prophet as He once did, but He's now given us the ability to choose leaders that after careful consideration and prayer we feel will best reflect Him by removing every obstacle to preaching and divine worship. And notice that these commands are just as much for the people as they are for the king: we, the people, must be vigilant in reigning in our governments' natural desire to accumulate ever increasing power and wealth, as God commands in today's passage. Furthermore, God's purpose in having the king write out the Law wasn't so much so that the king could impose that law upon the people as it was for the king to restrain his own sinful heart as he ruled. Can you imagine the increased wisdom that would result from our own leaders doing this? Our Confession longs for an ideal government that removes obstacles from the Church and that functions in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them . We'll likely never achieve such an ideal, but as God's redeemed people who've been blessed with the gift of representative government, we must also push for it. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who has made our Lord & Savior our eternal and ideal King; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for the governments He's provided us with, and pray that you will be a good advocate for the ideal government God has prescribed for us; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 2

Don't let the media get you worked up. God is laughing at them. Psalm 2 (NIV) ¹ Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? ² The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, ³ “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.” ⁴ The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. ⁵ He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, ⁶ “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” ⁷ I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father. ⁸ Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. ⁹ You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” ¹⁰ Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. ¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. ¹² Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted . Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary The second Psalm, along with the first, set the tone for all of the Psalms that follow them. Psalm 2 sets forth two competing realities, but it also makes clear that only one of these realities will ultimately prevail. You didn't need Psalm 2 to tell you about the existence of the first reality: that all of the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain... banding together against the the LORD and His anointed one (mā·šîaḥ ) . The kings of the earth rise up against the very God who established them (Romans 1). You didn't need Psalm 2 to tell you this because you see evidence of it everywhere you look, whether it's 'kings' operating at the local level or 'kings' who have tremendous geopolitical power. What you need Psalm 2 to be reminded of is what's in store for these wicked and corrupt rulers. You need to be reminded often that despite how much you worry about policies and proclamations that seem so backwards, the One enthroned in heaven laughs and scoffs at them! He's not laughing because He thinks their attempts are so funny, but because He knows their rebellious efforts are so pathetic. The One enthroned in heaven can be so confident because He knows who the true King is: the one He installed on Zion, His holy mountain , and He knows that this King - His Son - will break the rebellious nations with a rod of iron and will dash them to pieces like pottery. Dig Deeper We let the media get us so spun up and uptight. Whether you get your information from sources aligned with the political left or right, understand that both have the exact same goal: to work you up into a tizzy, because angry people consume more and more of their content. It's certainly not wrong for you to be upset about things you think your government are doing that are contrary to God's Word. In fact, you have an obligation to warn your neighbors that God's wrath can flare up in a moment against ungodly governments. You also have a duty to encourage the ' kings ' in your life to be wise, and to serve the LORD with fear and celebrate His rule with trembling. This is what our Confession means when it states that good governments completely refrain from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority , but instead function in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. But you must resist the continual anxiety the media wants you to have. Remember that your Father in heaven is laughing at the feeble efforts this world musters in rebellion. So every so often be sure to just sit back and chuckle at the silliness of it all as well, knowing that He has installed His King on Zion , and that blessing comes to all who take refuge in Him. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the One enthroned in heaven; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your faith in the LORD's anointed One will overcome your anxiety about the kings in your life; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 1

A good government paves the way for the Church. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV) 1:18  Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, 1:19  holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. -- 2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3  This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4  who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary Paul begins this second chapter with a plea for prayer as being the first instruction he gives to his young protégé. But his reason for making prayer his top request comes in the paragraphs at the end of chapter one, in which Paul describes Timothy's calling in violent terms; Timothy must fight the battle and avoid the shipwreck resulting from letting go of faith and good conscience. This same language applies to you! But notice that Paul doesn't instruct us to pray for ourselves in this passage! Rather, the petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings are to be made for all people, but especially kings and all those in authority. Of all the people Paul could instruct us to pray for - elders, deacons and pastors, missionaries, people engaged in acts of mercy like doctors and nurses - Paul first and foremost calls us to pray for the government! We don't need to look far to find out why Paul puts the government at the top of the prayer list. It's governing authorities, more than any other sector, who have the ability to create and maintain an environment in which we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. Such a tranquil community pleases God , but not just because God wants us to have a high quality of life. Peaceful and quiet communities please God because He wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of truth. Dig Deeper The role of government in forming and shaping society is arguably the most contentious issue of our time. Ironically, both those on the far right and the far left want the same exact thing: they want the government to conform society to their particular worldview. The problem, of course, is that their worldviews are often mutually exclusive and incompatible, so only one or the other can be implemented in society. Our Confession here provides an excellent tool to untie this Gordian knot. But like any powerful and precise tool, if it's not handled with skill & understanding it can quickly do damage. The task of government, according to our Confession, is to remove every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship . Read that very carefully! It is NOT the role of the government to impose the gospel or divine worship. A good and godly government must simply remove obstacles that either it or anyone else places in front of those doing the work of the Church. Christ's Church can do her evangelistic work the best in places whose kings and all those in authority govern well, subject to God's law, as it fosters communities in which all citizens can enjoy peaceful and quiet lives . The primary role of the government is to provide liberty so the Church can freely do the work God has commissioned her to do of helping people come to a knowledge of the truth. Such a gift will only be given to people who follow the Holy Spirit's command to offer petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— and especially for kings and all those in authority. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for kings and all those in authority that they may govern according to God's law; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Jude

Find out how to "silence the ignorant talk of foolish people." 1 Peter 2:11-17 (NIV) ¹¹ Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. ¹² Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. ¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴ or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. ¹⁷ Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary Peter begins here with two very good reasons that you need to actively fight - not just against sin, but even against the sinful desires that tempt you to sin. First of all, you need to remember your true identity: you're a foreigner and exile in this sinful world, and those sinful desires you have are not just passing temptations, but rather tools the enemy is using to wage war against your soul! Secondly, as an exiled foreigner , that is, a citizen of the Kingdom of God living in this fallen, broken world, you need to be reminded that the eyes of the pagans you live amongst are on you. When you live a good life , they often (but not always) will improve their conduct as well. While you live in this world, you are commanded by the Lord to submit to every human authority , nationally, regionally, and locally. Peter repeats what we learned from Paul yesterday , that our King has sent the governing authorities to punish those who do wrong and commend those who do right. Yet the ugly fact remains that our governing authorities don't always fulfill their God given mandate. In fact, their policies and procedures often seem to be the opposite of what God intended: they punish those who do right and commend those who do wrong! And worse yet, these backward actions are praised by the ignorant talk of foolish people . Dig Deeper Living as a citizen of the Kingdom of God in the midst of a world in rebellion against God can often be a lonely and frustrating experience. By God's grace, your eyes have been opened to the truth of His Word - a truth that's so compelling and refreshing, a truth that not only points to eternal life in Christ, but which also makes clear how it is that God intends people to live in peace and harmony right here and now. And yet people don't just ignore this precious truth, they insult and condemn it and instead implement policies completely contrary to it. It's so tempting to let this frustration evolve into righteous indignation against the establishment. But it's hard to stop the evolutionary process right at that point; so often it just keeps evolving into anger and resentment, which leaves both you and the people around you miserable. God's Word demonstrates a better way to push back against sinful government policies. For it is God's will , Peter writes, that by doing good you should silence the ignorant of these fools! In other words, the best way to push back against their insanity isn't with a comment bomb or meme on social media, but rather by producing tangible evidence of what a godly life looks like. Peter ends this section with a simple rubric to guide you in your exile: Respect all; love Believers; fear God (the fact that this is listed third doesn't change the fact that it's still the top priority - Ecclesiastes 12:13) Honor government. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who established governments to punish wrongdoers and commend those who do good; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will fulfill God's will to silence ignorant talkers by doing good; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 2 Peter 3

Remember who established the government you love to complain about. Romans 13:1-5 (NIV) 12:21  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2  Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3  For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4  For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5  Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary It's hard not to have a rebel mindset as a Christian. After all, Peter's rallying cry as he preached that powerful first sermon on Pentecost was to save yourself from this corrupt generation! Peter would go on to tell the corrupt establishment that he wouldn't submit to their ungodly demands because Christians were to obey God, not man . So it's somewhat natural for people like us - citizens of the Kingdom of God - to assume that the godless governments of this world are beneath us and that they ought to submit to us. Paul shatters such notions here in today's famous passage. The governing authorities , although often corrupt and godless, have been established by God. It does seem revolting that God would even associate Himself with the governments of the world, much less that He would be the One who put them in positions of power to rule over the civil affairs of His people. But take a few steps back and you'll see that this is all very consistent with our understanding of God's sovereignty. Our holy God is, of course, completely perfect and without sin. Yet, as one of my seminary professors was so fond of saying, "God uses sin sinlessly." What he meant was that God omnipotently controls all things - even people's sinful actions - as He works out all things for the good of those who love Him. The one in authority , reminds Paul, is God's servant - that's an amazing statement in and of itself, but Paul's not yet done blowing our minds! These servants of God are put in place for your good. So don't just submit to them because it will hurt if you don't but because in doing so you are honoring God's good provision for your life. Dig Deeper It's tragic that the very sword that God gave to the governing authorities would take the life of the man who wrote these words that God inspired. All throughout history this sword has been used to slaughter millions of innocent people. This is why, that one of the things we'll learn about God's design for government this week is that although God grants them the sword, He also commands that its size and scope be very limited. We live in an age that's very skeptical of governing authorities . In reality, nearly every generation has shared this skepticism. Psalm 20 reminds us not to trust in horses or chariots , referring to the might of government, which is one of the easier Biblical exhortations to follow since it so closely aligns with our skeptical instincts. But one of the ways we can instead trust in the name of the LORD our God, as the Psalm goes on to command, is to submit ourselves to the governments He's placed in authority. We often gripe about our governments, especially during election cycles, but take time this week to notice and give thanks for all the blessings you enjoy that God provides through our governing authorities that God has instituted. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who governs all things, and who has established our governing authorities; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for our government and pray for the wisdom and patience to submit to them, knowing that in doing so you're ultimately submitting to our Father; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 2 Peter 2

Make people ask about your life "Is it live, or is it Memorex?" Ephesians 5:1-2 ( NET ) Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children 2  and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   35: The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (Part 2) This banquet is a spiritual table at which Christ communicates himself to us with all his benefits. At that table he makes us enjoy himself as much as the merits of his suffering and death, as he nourishes, strengthens, and comforts our poor, desolate souls by the eating of his flesh, and relieves and renews them by the drinking of his blood. Moreover, though the sacraments and thing signified are joined together, not all receive both of them. The wicked person certainly takes the sacrament, to his condemnation, but does not receive the truth of the sacrament, just as Judas and Simon the Sorcerer both indeed received the sacrament, but not Christ, who was signified by it. He is communicated only to believers. Finally, with humility and reverence we receive the holy sacrament in the gathering of God’s people, as we engage together, with thanksgiving, in a holy remembrance of the death of Christ our Savior, and as we thus confess our faith and Christian religion. Therefore no one should come to this table without examining himself carefully, lest “by eating this bread and drinking this cup he eat and drink to his own judgment.” In short, by the use of this holy sacrament we are moved to a fervent love of God and our neighbors. Therefore we reject as desecrations of the sacraments all the muddled ideas and damnable inventions that men have added and mixed in with them. And we say that we should be content with the procedure that Christ and the apostles have taught us and speak of these things as they have spoken of them. Summary If you're as old as I am you might remember the old ads with the tagline "Is it live, or is it Memorex?" Back in the day when the only way to record sound was on cassette tapes, Memorex branded itself as being the best at reducing the audio flaws common to tapes. I always think of those ads when I read the opening line to Ephesians 5 commanding us to be imitators . The word is mimētēs in Greek, so you can see where Memorex got its name. The point is that our lives must flawlessly reflect God's character since we're His dearly loved children . This means you must live in love , which is a nice sounding but somewhat abstract instruction; after all, love is an emotion, isn't it? What does it really look like to live in love? Since this is the way we're commanded to live , we need a concrete example of what living in love looks like. Thankfully you don't need to go searching to get such an example. You are to live in love just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us! Christ's love is far more than just a feeling of affection. His love was self sacrificial and its sole purpose was to restore us back into a right relationship with His Father. This is what it means for you to live in love. Be willing to sacrifice yourself by putting others first, with your primary goal being to help them understand how it is they too can be restored to a right relationship with God. Dig Deeper Thankfully we don't need to rely on a faded, fuzzy cassette tapes to see Christ's love live in action. Certainly the words recording it come to life by His Spirit each time we read them, and especially when we hear them preached, but we've been given even more than that. Remember how we began this study of our sacraments a few weeks ago, being reminded that God knows our crudeness and weakness; He knows that your memory and even imagination fades over time, so He ordained sacraments so that all of your senses would be involved in experiencing Christ's love so that you could imitate it in our lives. This is especially true of the Lord's Supper, and it's why why we've been commanded to do this in remembrance on a regular basis until the Lord returns. In short, our Confession says, by the use of this holy sacrament we are moved to a fervent love of God and our neighbors. In other words, as you participate in the Supper, you become an imitator of God , fulfilling the very purpose you were created for. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who created us as His image bearers to imitate Him. A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that as you participate at the Lord's table, you'll be moved to a fervent love of God and our neighbors. A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 2 Peter 1

God's grace comes even to those who doze off. Acts 20:7-12 (NIV) 7  On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8  There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9  Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10  Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” 11  Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12  The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   35: The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (Part 2) This banquet is a spiritual table at which Christ communicates himself to us with all his benefits. At that table he makes us enjoy himself as much as the merits of his suffering and death, as he nourishes, strengthens, and comforts our poor, desolate souls by the eating of his flesh, and relieves and renews them by the drinking of his blood . Moreover, though the sacraments and thing signified are joined together, not all receive both of them. The wicked person certainly takes the sacrament, to his condemnation, but does not receive the truth of the sacrament, just as Judas and Simon the Sorcerer both indeed received the sacrament, but not Christ, who was signified by it. He is communicated only to believers. Finally, with humility and reverence we receive the holy sacrament in the gathering of God’s people, as we engage together, with thanksgiving, in a holy remembrance of the death of Christ our Savior, and as we thus confess our faith and Christian religion. Therefore no one should come to this table without examining himself carefully, lest “by eating this bread and drinking this cup he eat and drink to his own judgment.” In short, by the use of this holy sacrament we are moved to a fervent love of God and our neighbors. Therefore we reject as desecrations of the sacraments all the muddled ideas and damnable inventions that men have added and mixed in with them. And we say that we should be content with the procedure that Christ and the apostles have taught us and speak of these things as they have spoken of them. Summary Poor Eutychus. On one hand, what an honor to have your name memorialized for all ages on the pages of scripture. On the other hand, this passage wouldn't be included in Luke's account of the early church if he hadn't dozed off. Once again, we read the story through the lens of Luke's dry, subtle sense of humor: there were many lamps in the upstairs room , and Paul talked on and on . As midnight came and went, and Paul kept on preaching, poor Eutychus, like the disciples in the garden the night Jesus was arrested, submitted himself to slumber. But instead of being roused by Jesus, Eutychus took a three story stumble to his death. But, by God's grace, Paul, just like the prophets Elijah and Elisha of old, laid down on the boy and brought him back to life. The long winded preacher in me might like to focus on the fact that after a quick late night snack, the congregation once again eagerly listened as Paul resumed preaching until daylight. But as awesome as their hunger to hear God's Word was, it's not what grabs our attention today. Rather, it's the opening line: On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Two things stand out: From the earliest of times, Christians have gathered together on the first day of the week. But secondly, in addition to spending the bulk of their time - the entire night, in this case - listening to God's Word preached, they also came together to celebrate the sacrament the Lord ordained for us. Dig Deeper Communion in this early congregation looked far different than it does for us. They didn't use cubed bites of white bread followed by tiny shot glasses of wine, as is common in our cultures. But even now, the communion experience looks different across the broad church spectrum. In some churches, the people remain seated while the elders serve, and in others, the congregation comes forward. Many like ours get their wine from a tiny cup, while others share a common cup. Our confession gives us four aspects that a faithful communion experience will include, no matter how different the particulars may be: We engage together - We're not just communing with Christ, but with His body as well, which is the church; With thanksgiving - Thanksgiving for what Christ has done for us is a key aspect of communion, which is why it's often referred to as the eucharist (the Greek word for thanksgiving); In a holy remembrance of the death of Christ our Savior - Adhering to Jesus' command to do this in remembrance of me is the most fundamental reason we gather together to participate; We confess our faith and Christian religion - Participating in this sacred sacrament is the most reverent way you can confess your allegiance to the faith once delivered. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, whose Word and sacrament nurses us back to life even after we doze off; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the humility and reverence required to properly respond to God's gracious invitation to commune with Him and His Church; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 2 Thessalonians 3

The Lord's Supper comes with a warning! 1 Corinthians 11:26-32 (NIV) 26  For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27  So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28  Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29  For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30  That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31  But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32  Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   35: The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (Part 2) This banquet is a spiritual table at which Christ communicates himself to us with all his benefits. At that table he makes us enjoy himself as much as the merits of his suffering and death, as he nourishes, strengthens, and comforts our poor, desolate souls by the eating of his flesh, and relieves and renews them by the drinking of his blood . Moreover, though the sacraments and thing signified are joined together, not all receive both of them. The wicked person certainly takes the sacrament, to his condemnation, but does not receive the truth of the sacrament, just as Judas and Simon the Sorcerer both indeed received the sacrament, but not Christ, who was signified by it. He is communicated only to believers. Finally, with humility and reverence we receive the holy sacrament in the gathering of God’s people, as we engage together, with thanksgiving, in a holy remembrance of the death of Christ our Savior, and as we thus confess our faith and Christian religion. Therefore no one should come to this table without examining himself carefully, lest “by eating this bread and drinking this cup he eat and drink to his own judgment.” In short, by the use of this holy sacrament we are moved to a fervent love of God and our neighbors. Therefore we reject as desecrations of the sacraments all the muddled ideas and damnable inventions that men have added and mixed in with them. And we say that we should be content with the procedure that Christ and the apostles have taught us and speak of these things as they have spoken of them. Summary We get lots of solicitations here at the church from companies dedicated to helping ministries thrive, and one of the most common bits of advice regarding church facilities is that they be welcoming in every way - bright lighting, clean restrooms, well stocked nurseries, etc. Certainly that's good advice, but it's clear that Paul didn't work for one of these companies when he wrote this letter to the Corinthians. If Paul had his way, churches would have giant warning signs both indoors and out reminding parishioners to discern the body of Christ before participating at the Lord's Table. Failure to do so might result in weakness, sickness, and even a risk of falling asleep (and not just dozing off during the sermon, but a more long term nap you don't wake up from here on earth). Paul's intention here isn't to scare ordinary Christians away from the Table (sadly, some Christians understand it this way), but rather to underscore the importance of discerning the body prior to joining yourself to it. The word Paul uses in v29 and 31 literally means to judge through , as if you picked up an object and carefully looked it over from every angle. You're commanded to discern the body . This has a twofold meaning. First, you must fully understand who you're being joined to as you eat the bread and wine: the very body of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose body was broken and blood poured out for our sins. Secondly, you need to understand who you're being joined with : the body of Christ also refers to all those who comprise His Church. This is why disputes must be resolved prior to joining with your brothers and sisters at the Lord's Table Dig Deeper Our Confession reminds us here that not all who take the sacrament receives the truth of the sacrament. Although the sacraments and thing signified are joined together , that is, the bread and wine really are, in a spiritual sense, the body and blood of Christ, they're not magic pills that suddenly make a person a Christian. Out Confession cites two examples from the New Testament of men who ate the bread and wine, but didn't receive the spiritual benefit attached to those elements. Judas participated in the Last Supper before excusing himself to betray Jesus, and in Acts, a man named Simon the Sorcerer tried to add Christianity to his bag of superstitious tricks. Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw (Acts 8:13). Yet even though he most certainly would have joined other Christians at the table, it quickly becomes apparent that his profession wasn't sincere. In the case of both of these men, they ate and drank the physical elements, but Christ was not communicated to them in the way that He is to believers. So heed this warning. Come to the table in fear - for one of our primary objectives in life is to fear God in all things (Ecclesiastes 12:13). But as you discern the body, you will gain the comfort that comes from truly knowing Christ and belonging to His people, the Church. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who disciplines us so that we will not be finally condemned with the world; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God helps you truly discern the body the next time you come to His Table; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 2 Thessalonians 2

This is a participation trophy you want to win! 1 Corinthians 10:13-17 (NIV) 13  No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 14  Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15  I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16  Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17  Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. -- 21  You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22  Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he? Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   35: The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (Part 2) This banquet is a spiritual table at which Christ communicates himself to us with all his benefits. At that table he makes us enjoy himself as much as the merits of his suffering and death, as he nourishes, strengthens, and comforts our poor, desolate souls by the eating of his flesh, and relieves and renews them by the drinking of his blood . Moreover, though the sacraments and thing signified are joined together, not all receive both of them. The wicked person certainly takes the sacrament, to his condemnation, but does not receive the truth of the sacrament, just as Judas and Simon the Sorcerer both indeed received the sacrament, but not Christ, who was signified by it. He is communicated only to believers. Finally, with humility and reverence we receive the holy sacrament in the gathering of God’s people, as we engage together, with thanksgiving, in a holy remembrance of the death of Christ our Savior, and as we thus confess our faith and Christian religion. Therefore no one should come to this table without examining himself carefully, lest “by eating this bread and drinking this cup he eat and drink to his own judgment.” In short, by the use of this holy sacrament we are moved to a fervent love of God and our neighbors. Therefore we reject as desecrations of the sacraments all the muddled ideas and damnable inventions that men have added and mixed in with them. And we say that we should be content with the procedure that Christ and the apostles have taught us and speak of these things as they have spoken of them. Summary You didn't need to read today's passage to understand that even though you're a Christian, you remain subject to temptations. As Paul reminds us, temptations are common to mankind. But you did need to read today's passage to be reminded of God's faithfulness to you when you're in the midst of temptation. His faithfulness is such that He will provide a way out so that you can endure every temptation without falling victim to it. Since your primary defense against temptation is God's faithfulness, it makes sense that that Paul implores you to flee from idolatry . An idol is anything that gets in between you and God, so an idol keeps God's faithfulness hidden from you, and you're left to try and endure temptations with nothing but your own feeble strength. But Paul didn't write this passage just to make you feel warm and fuzzy in regards to God's faithfulness. This passage is a very serious warning. It's a reminder that when you fall into temptation, you're not just dragging yourself into sin. As one who's come to the Lord's Table, you've joined yourself to Christ; you've participated with Him, as Paul puts it here. That means that as you sin, Jesus is very much right there with you. At the end of this passage, Paul puts it quite bluntly. For a person like you, who has participated in the body and blood of Christ , you can't simultaneously sample the food the demons offer you from their table. Rely on the strength the Lord has given you, which comes in no small part from the spiritual nutrition you've gained while participating at the Lord's table, to flee temptation. Dig Deeper Maybe at some point you or your children have taken home a participation trophy. That's the consolation prize handed out to those who came to the tournament but didn't win enough games to nab a real trophy. Unfortunately that's the attitude that far too many Christians take to their experience at the Lord's table: they simply participated . They were there in the sanctuary, they ate the bread and drank the wine, but the experience was empty and hollow. They don't go home with the 'real' trophy. You might know the Greek word Paul uses here that's been translated as participation . It's koinōnia. One dictionary defines this as "an association involving close mutual relations and involvement—‘close association, fellowship.’" Notice here that actual koinōnia requires mutual effort. Eating bread and drinking wine do not bestow some sort of magical power upon anybody who happens to consume them. Rather, the elements are simply an external picture of the internal bond present in those who are in koinōnia with Jesus. This is the kind of deep participation that you're invited to as you come to the table. The Holy Spirit enables and equips you for this as you diligently prepare yourself for the meal as you come to understand the theology of communion and recognize how dependent you are on the body and blood of Christ for the forgiveness of all your sins. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who is faithful and will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for a deeper understanding of communion so that through it you might better appreciate the koinōnia you have with Christ; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 2 Thessalonians 1

Christianity's thorniest mystery is trying to define 'is.' 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NIV) 23  For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24  and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25  In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26  For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   35: The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (Part 2) Now it is certain that Jesus Christ did not prescribe his sacraments for us in vain, since he works in us all he represents by these holy signs, although the manner in which he does it goes beyond our understanding and is incomprehensible to us, just as the operation of God’s Spirit is hidden and incomprehensible. Yet we do not go wrong when we say that what is eaten is Christ’s own natural body and what is drunk is his own blood— but the manner in which we eat it is not by the mouth but by the Spirit, through faith. In that way Jesus Christ remains always seated at the right hand of God the Father in heaven— but he never refrains on that account to communicate himself to us through faith. This banquet is a spiritual table at which Christ communicates himself to us with all his benefits. At that table he makes us enjoy himself as much as the merits of his suffering and death, as he nourishes, strengthens, and comforts our poor, desolate souls by the eating of his flesh, and relieves and renews them by the drinking of his blood. Moreover, though the sacraments and thing signified are joined together, not all receive both of them. The wicked person certainly takes the sacrament, to his condemnation, but does not receive the truth of the sacrament, just as Judas and Simon the Sorcerer both indeed received the sacrament, but not Christ, who was signified by it. He is communicated only to believers. Finally, with humility and reverence we receive the holy sacrament in the gathering of God’s people, as we engage together, with thanksgiving, in a holy remembrance of the death of Christ our Savior, and as we thus confess our faith and Christian religion. Therefore no one should come to this table without examining himself carefully, lest “by eating this bread and drinking this cup he eat and drink to his own judgment.” In short, by the use of this holy sacrament we are moved to a fervent love of God and our neighbors. Therefore we reject as desecrations of the sacraments all the muddled ideas and damnable inventions that men have added and mixed in with them. And we say that we should be content with the procedure that Christ and the apostles have taught us and speak of these things as they have spoken of them. Summary We're going to be coming back to this chapter often this week as we work to understand the mysterious reality of this ongoing sacrament that Jesus ordained for us. Once again, our hapless Corinthian predecessors created the need for Paul to correct them, and we benefit from it because now we have these written instructions. Of course all of Paul's writing is inspired by the Holy Spirit - although we hear Paul's voice come through the words, we can honestly say that they are God's Words. But Paul wants to emphasize the authority of his words here, reminding us that he received these words directly from the Lord and now passes them on to us. Paul goes on to repeat the gospel accounts of Jesus in the upper room with His disciples on the night He was arrested, quoting Jesus' words verbatim: This is my body, which is for you; Do this in remembrance of me. In this eloquently simple statement, Jesus tells us what we're being given to eat, who it's for (us!), and instructions to remember Him by continually doing this. This passage also demonstrates why we consider communion as an aspect of what we call the ordinary means of grace (the tools with which God most often conveys saving grace upon us). Paul writes that whenever we eat and drink this, we're proclaiming the Lord's death until He comes . In other words, although preaching is the most ordinary of the ordinary means of grace, coming to the Lord's Table is just as much a proclamation as preaching! Dig Deeper Want to start a fight between two solid Christians who agree on nearly every other aspect of Biblical doctrine? Ask them what the little word is means in Jesus' communion formula and then get out of the way! Does it mean that the physical bread & wine somehow are Christ's physical body, or does Jesus simply use the word is in a metaphorical sense? Each major branch of Christianity answers this question differently: Roman Catholics understand that the elements transubstantiate . There "takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood" ( CCC 1376 ). Martin Luther famously pounded the table and shouted out Christ's words "This IS my body" as the early reformers tried to sort things out. Lutherans reject the idea that the elements physically change substance, but still advocate that Christ's physical body is in, under and around the bread and wine. They don't like the term consubstantiation , but it's how the rest of us describe their understanding ( Book of Concord ). The later Reformers had differing approaches to this mystery. Zwingli understood the 'is' completely metaphorically and focused on the memorial aspect of the Supper, but Calvin wasn't ready to let go of the literal presence. He emphasizes that Christ's presence is real and substantial, though apprehended through faith by the work of the Holy Spirit ( Institutes IV.17.10-12, 19, 32-33 ). It's Calvin's view that's reflected in our Confession: Yet we do not go wrong when we say that what is eaten is Christ’s own natural body and what is drunk is his own blood— but the manner in which we eat it is not by the mouth but by the Spirit, through faith. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who gave His Son not just to forgive our sins, but to nourish our faith through His presence in our lives; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the wisdom and insight to understand the mystery of Christ's presence in the elements as clearly as you can; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Thessalonians 5