Thoughts on 1 Corinthians 11:17-33 Paul, earlier in verse 2 of this chapter, encouraged the believers in the church at Corinth. “Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.” (1 Cor. 11:2 NAU) Then in verses 3-33 he proceeded to establish some points of concern, accountability and further teaching. Along with the…
Call to Worship February 22 2020
Thoughts on Deuteronomy 21: Once again this chapter in Deuteronomy considers some distresses of life and how the Israelite community is to handle those matters. “The distress concerns,” according to Raymond Brown, “a murdered man (1-9), a captured woman (10-14), a deprived son (15-17), a depraved son (18-21), and an executed criminal (22-23).” (Brown, 203) Each of these instances concerns governance, religion, family, and community in the…
Call to Worship October 6 2019
Robert Hawker, The Poor Man’s Commentary, Deuteronomy “DEUTERONOMY 5:1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them. The chapter opens with the man of GOD calling the assembly of the people, and demanding audience to his words. Reader! it is sweet…
Call to Worship August 25 2019
The Lord’s Supper by Thomas Watson “Branch 6. Has Christ provided such a blessed banquet for us? He does not nurse us abroad—but feeds us with His own breast—nay, with His own blood! Let us, then, study to respond to this great love of Christ. It is true, we can never parallel His love. Yet let us show ourselves thankful. We can do nothing satisfactory—but we may…
Call to Worship August 18, 2019
The Lord’s Supper by Thomas Watson “Branch 4. Has Christ really and truly died for us? Then when we are at this gospel ordinance, let us remember the Lord Jesus there. The Lord’s Supper is a Christ-remembering ordinance. ‘This do in remembrance of Me,’ 1 Corinthians 11:25. God has appointed this spiritual festival, to preserve the living memory of our dying Savior. A Sacrament-day is a commemoration day. Remember Christ’s passion. ‘Remembering the wormwood and…
Call to Worship August 4 2019
The Lord’s Supper by Thomas Watson “(1) Let us exercise the EYE of faith. Faith has an eagle’s eye. It pierces into things far remote from sense. Faith takes a prospect of heaven. It discerns Him who is invisible, Hebrews 11:27. It beholds a beauty and fullness in Christ. It sees His beauty shining through the lattice of the ordinance. Faith views Christ’s love, streaming in His blood. Look upon…
Call to Worship July 28 2019
The Lord’s Supper by Thomas Watson “7. We must come with hearts fired with LOVE to Christ. The spouse said, ‘I am sick with love,’ Song of Solomon 2:5. Let us give Christ the wine of our love to drink—and weep that we can love Him no more. Would we have Christ’s exhilarating presence in the supper? Let us meet Him with strong endearments of affection. Basil compares love to…
Call to Worship July 21 2019
The Lord’s Supper by Thomas Watson “4. We must come to the Lord’s Supper with LONGING hearts. Say as Christ, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover,’ Luke 22:15. If God prepares a feast—we must get an appetite. As David longed for the water of the well of Bethlehem, 2 Samuel 23:15, so should we long for Christ in the Lord’s Supper. Holy desires are the sails of the soul which are spread to receive…
Call to Worship June 30 2019
The Lord’s Supper by Thomas Watson “2. Let us prize Christ’s BLOOD in the Lord’s Supper. It is drink indeed, John 6:55. Here is the nectar and ambrosia, which God Himself delights to taste of! This is both a balsam and a perfume. That we may set the higher value upon the blood of Christ—I shall show you seven rare supernatural virtues in it: 1. It is a RECONCILING blood. ’And…
Call to Worship June 23 2019
The Lord’s Supper by Thomas Watson “Branch 1. Was Christ’s body broken for us? Let us be deeply affected with the great love of Christ. Who can tread upon these hot coals, and his heart not burn? Cry out with Ignatius, ’Christ, my love, is crucified!’ If a friend should die for us—would not our hearts be much affected with his kindness? That the God of heaven should die for us—how should this…