Sermon - 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 Living in Idleness

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches

Sermon - 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 Living in Idleness

November 17, 2013

This is Stewardship Commitment Sunday, the Sunday each year when we remind ourselves that the entire world was created by God and is still owned by him. We have been given the right by God to have dominion over creation, but we also have the responsibility to care for it. This care is called stewardship. As good stewards we take care of what God has given us. Today we will take a look at a part of God's creation over which we have specific responsibility to care. This part of creation is called the church. And God's wants us to take care of it. We will get to this, but first let's pray.

“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)

2 Thessalonians 3.6-15 6Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. 7For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, 8and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. 9This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. 10For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right. 14Take note of those who do not obey what we say in this letter; have nothing to do with them, so that they may be ashamed. 15Do not regard them as enemies, but warn them as believers.

As we heard last week the church at Thessalonica was under the mistaken idea that Christ was just about to return. And as a result they were not doing the things they needed to do. Paul accused them of idleness. They know what work they should be doing, but they are avoiding it, going around it, and so the work of the church is being disrupted. They are not inviting their friends to church. They are not proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are not coming around the communion table or passing through the waters of baptism. They are not greeting visitors with hospitality. They are not gathering for fellowship activities, Bible studies and prayer. They are not caring for their buildings and grounds. They are not paying their bills. And they are not tithing to support the work of the church. They are not doing anything the church needs to continue operating because they think Jesus will soon return, and make all things new. So why bother?

Paul wants none of this. He has told them that we just don't know when Christ will return so they must keep doing what he taught them to do. They are to do the work of evangelizing, and preaching, and teaching, and administering sacraments, and having coffee hours and Sunday school classes for all ages. They are to maintain their buildings, balance their books, and practice music for Sunday. And they are to tithe so that the church has the resources it needs to do what God wants.

Paul also talks, briefly, about compensation for pastors. Paul's practice was whenever he was starting a church he would not accept any pay. Instead he would find a job. In Corinth he worked with leather. But once the church was established it was required to pay someone who because of his education in the faith, under Paul, was qualified to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and properly administer the sacraments. And so the church at Thessalonica, which had the benefit of having Paul himself start it, must now support their pastor.

As we have already seen, the problem in Thessalonica, was that people thought that because Jesus was to return soon and there was no need to support the ministry of the church and its pastor. Today churches also have difficulty doing these things. But I think the reason for our problems today is not that we think Christ's coming in immanent. No. The reason we have trouble supporting the church today is idolatry. Let me explain.

Whenever the nominating committee is at work recruiting people for boards, whenever we are looking for Sunday school teachers for kids, the response we hear over and over again is, “I'm too busy.” I'm too busy to lead the youth group. I'm too busy to clean up Sunday school rooms. I'm too busy to come to church every Sunday. I'm too busy to pray every day. I'm too busy to attend Bible studies. I'm too busy doing other things. And that's the problem. We value other things more than we value the God's church. And whenever we value something more than we value God that thing becomes our idol. So let's ask ourselves, “What keeps us from actively supporting the church”? What makes us so busy that we don't have time for church any more. Whatever it is, that is your idol. That is what you worship.

Let's take a closed look at (Pitts Creek) (Beaver Dam) church to see how well we are caring for God's church right here. According to public information on the PCUSA.ORG web site as submitted by the clerk of session for last year we have (51) (46) members. The average Presbyterian church has 180 members. So we are well below average. Part of this is due to the fact that we are in a small town with not much population. But other churches in this town are much bigger than us. And we were much bigger at one time. So this must indicate that we are not doing a good enough job telling our friends about all the blessings we have received from God. We have not done a good enough job inviting people to join us in worship. We have not done a good enough job welcoming visitors to the church with hospitality. We have not done a good enough job making this an attractive place for families to come for worship. And so we are far below average in the denomination and in this town in membership and attendance. We must be doing something else with our time rather than using it to build up the church.

Let's turn to how we use our money. We are to give to the church sufficient resources to allow it to accomplish what God is calling it to do. At minimum we have to pay the bills and maintain the building. The pastor also needs to be paid. According to PCUSA.ORG (Pitts Creek) (Beaver Dam) church gave a total of ($73,439) ($63,085) in gifts, tithes and offerings in 2012. The average church in the denomination gives $246,031. We are significantly below average in giving. Part of this is due to our low membership. So lets look at the giving per member and see how we compare. The average member at (Pitts Creek) (Beaver Dam) gives to the church ($1,440) ($1,370) last year. The average member of a Presbyterian church gave $1,366 last year. So we are about average in giving.

So we are below average in membership and about average in giving. As a result we struggle to maintain our building and pay a pastor for ½ of his time. Our problem, I think is we suffer from a lack of spiritual growth. We are just not praying every day. We are not studying scripture. We are not in worship every Sunday. And because we are not doing these things we have a very hard time talking about Jesus with our neighbors and inviting them to church. We also have a hard time committing our money for the work of God in our community through the church. We can clearly see the lack of spiritual growth in the congregation from attendance in Christian Education. In the average Presbyterian church 103 people attend Bible studies. 57% of the average congregation is in regular Bible study. But at (Pitts Creek) (Beaver Dam) we have only (19) (23) people attending Bible studies. We only have (37%) (50%) of our members in Christian Education. This too is below average.

So we are below average in evangelism and Christian education, and about average when it comes to giving. As a result of this we struggle to do what God is calling us to do in the community. We need to develop our gifts of evangelism and tithing. We do this by engaging in a program of spiritual development. This means we must pray and meditate on scripture every day. We must study the Bible in groups on a regular basis. And we must be in worship every Sunday praying for the gift of evangelism and responding to God's blessings with our own gifts, tithes and offerings. Let's pray.

Farther in heaven we are sorry that we do not tell others about the good news of Jesus Christ. We do not invite people to church. And so our church is too small to do all the things you want us to do. We are sorry that we do not attend Bible studies and daily prayers. As a result we have not grown very much. We are sorry for being only average in our sharing of all the resources you have given us. So we ask for forgiveness and promise to do better. This we pray in the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.

Sermon - 2 Thessalonians 2 - Stand Firm to the Traditions

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches

Sermon - 2 Thessalonians 2 - Stand Firm to the Traditions

November 10, 2013

I am beginning today with a look at the second letter Paul sent to the church at Thessalonica. This church had been established by Paul, Silas and Timothy around 50AD. Paul had been speaking in the synagogue explaining to the Jews how their scripture, our Old Testament, was fulfilled by Jesus, the Messiah. Some of the Jews were very receptive to this message, while others did not believe it. The synagogue threw Paul and his companions out. Whereupon they started a church. Many Jews attended this new church along with some gentiles. This infuriated the synagogue leadership so they whipped up a mob, started a riot, and had the leaders of the church arrested. The church leaders posted bond, and that night Paul, Timothy and Silas snuck out of town.

Sometime later Paul and his companions wondered what had happened to the Thessalonian church. Young Timothy was assigned the job to sneak back into town and find out. He returned with an amazing story that the church was flourishing. But they had some questions. What will happen to Christians, who are promised eternal life, when they die? When is Jesus returning? The book of First Thessalonians addresses these issues. But with the persecution of the Jews by the Roman government the Thessalonians begin to think that the end times, and Jesus' return was already happening. Paul needed to respond to this, and so he, Silas and Timothy wrote another letter to the Thessalonians. We will get to this letter, but first let's pray.

“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)

The scripture we are looking at today has been interpreted in many ways over the last 2000 years. People look at current events, see evil at work in the world, and conclude that Jesus will return very soon. He may do that. But let's look carefully at what Paul tells the Thessalonians.

^{2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 NIV 2 Thessalonians 2:1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.}

^{The first thing Paul wants us to know is that Christ will return and all believers, including those who have died, will live forever in his presence. This is good news. We should not worry about the end times. Rather we should be comforted by the promises of God. But we should also realize that evil is at work in the world as it always has been. And the presence of evil in the world is not a sign of Christ's immanent return. But there are signs we should look for. Let's go back to Paul and this letter.}

^{3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.}

^{This is the sign that Jesus is about to return. The “man of lawlessness”, the Antichrist, will take over the church, exalting himself over Jesus for worship and controlling the church. This means that Satan will have full control of the church through him. There will be no proclamation of the gospel bringing people to faith. There will be no sacraments sealing God's promises on his people. There will be no one holding you accountable as the Holy Spirit makes you more and more holy. There will be no organization to do good works in the community. The devil will be in charge of the church and the church will cease to exist. This is the sign that Jesus is about to return. Let's get back to Paul.}

^{5 Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.}

^{According to Paul the devil is already trying to control the church, but he is being restrained. This is what is giving us the opportunity to proclaim the gospel, administer the sacraments, help each other to become holy, and do good things for our community. While we have this opportunity we should do these things to the best of our abilities bringing as many people to Christ as we possibly can before the day comes and we lose the church to Satan. But there is hope. Let's go back to Paul.}

^{8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.}

^{So the good news is that Jesus will not tolerate Satan controlling the church. The lawless man will be cast out. Satan will be permanently chained. And Christ will come, with all the saints who have died, to lead the church. Then the proclamation of the gospel will be restored. The sacraments will be sealed on believers. The Holy Spirit will make us more holy. And the church will do good works throughout the world in gratitude. But how will we know when all this is to take place? Let's go back to Paul.}

^{9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.}

^{And so when we see evil coming into the church, and when satanic lies replace the truth of the gospel, when this happens, sadly, there will be some who believe the lies and will perish with Satan. But the good news is that we will not perish. Let's go back to Paul.}

^{13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.}

^{And there we have our hope. We have been chosen by God for salvation. Even if the church no longer proclaims the gospel to bring people to faith, even if the church fails to administer the sacraments, even if the church does not encourage us to lead holy lives, even if the church does no good work, even if all of these thing happen, and they will, our salvation does not depend on the church. Our salvation depends only on the choice God made, decreeing before creation, that we would be saved. Hear then these words from Paul.}

^{15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.}

^{So what are we to do? We are to keep doing what the church has done for 2000 years. Keep proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. Keep sealing the promises of God through baptism and communion on believers. Keep participating in the work of the Holy Spirit to make us holy. And keep organizing ourselves to do good works in gratitude for all that God has done for us. Keep doing these things until the day Christ returns. Let us pray.}

^{Lord Jesus, we wait for your coming. We thank you for our salvation which comes from God's gracious choice. Prepare us for the day of evil by filling us with hope of a glorious future. We pledge to carry on the work of the church. This we pray in your name. Amen.}

Sermon 1 Corinthians 11:23-29 The Heidelberg Catechism

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches

Sermon 1 Corinthians 11:23-29 The Heidelberg Catechism¹

November 3, 2013

Prelude

Pitts Creek Choral Introit / Beaver Dam Praise Song

Welcome and Announcements – Pastor Jeff Howard

Call to Worship

1 Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?

A. That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.

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

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.

*Hymn Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates Blue8,Red152

Call to Confession

3 Q. How do you come to know your misery?

A. The law of God tells me.

4 Q. What does God’s law require of us?

A. Christ teaches us this ... “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’This is the greatest and first commandment. “And a second is like it:‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

5 Q. Can you live up to all this perfectly?

A. No. I have a natural tendency to hate God and my neighbor.

Prayer of Confession

Father in heaven, Christ has taught us to love you with all our heart and all our soul and all our mind. He also taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves. But we have a natural tendency to hate you and our neighbors. We know that you did not create us this way. You wanted us to live in true righteousness and holiness and to know you as our God living in perfect happiness and praising you. But the fall of Adam and Eve has so poisoned our nature that we are all conceived and born in a sinful condition unable to do good and inclined toward all evil. We humbly pray for forgiveness. Amen.

Silent Prayer

Assurance of Pardon

60 Q. How are you righteous before God?

A. Only by true faith in Jesus Christ. Even though my conscience accuses me of having grievously sinned against all God’s commandments, of never having kept any of them, and of still being inclined toward all evil, nevertheless, without any merit of my own, out of sheer grace, God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, and as if I had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me. All I need to do is accept this gift with a believing heart.

*Hymn Glory Be to the Father Blue579,Red546

Teaching from the Heidelberg Catechism

12 Q. According to God’s righteous judgment we deserve punishment both now and in eternity: how then can we escape this punishment and return to God’s favor?

A. God requires that his justice be satisfied. Therefore the claims of this justice must be paid in full, either by ourselves or by another.

13 Q. Can we make this payment ourselves?

A. Certainly not. Actually, we increase our debt every day.

15 Q. What kind of mediator and deliverer should we look for then?

A. One who is a true and righteous human, yet more powerful than all creatures, that is, one who is also true God.

18 Q. Then who is this mediator— true God and at the same time a true and righteous human?

A. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who was given to us to completely deliver us and make us right with God.

Hymn I Greet Thee who My Sure Redeemer Art Blue457, Red144

Prayer of Illumination from Q22

Holy Spirit, help us to believe what all Christians must believe, all that is promised to us in the gospel. Amen.

First Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-29

1 Corinthians 11:23-29 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. ²⁷ Therefore, 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 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. ²⁹ For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.

The Word of God for the People of God

Thanks be to God!

Pitts Creek Special Music

Beaver Dam Hymn A Mighty Fortress is Our God Red 91

Worship for Children and Youth and Everyone

Hymn – Yes, Jesus Loves Me (Children go to Sunday School)

Sermon The Heidelberg Catechism Jeffrey T. Howard, Teaching Elder

Today we are celebrating the Protestant Reformation. This was a time in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries when faithful believers risked their own lives to protest heretical beliefs and practices that had come into the church. They turned to scripture and prayer to reform our worship practices and understanding of the sacraments. Today we will look at one of the most influential documents of the Protestant Reformation which was written 450 years ago. We will get to this, but first let's pray.

“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)

In 1566 Frederick III, Elector of the Palatinate (governor of the area around Heidelberg Germany) was summoned by Emperor Maximilian II to Augsburg. Frederick had been charged with heresy for using a catechism, a teaching tool of questions and answers, that differed significantly from the one used in Lutheran churches. Maximilian feared that religious disagreements could lead to political turmoil. So he wanted Frederick and his catechism gone. As Frederick stood in the great Council Hall surrounded by the other electors he began to explain what he had done.

This is the story of the writing of the Heidelberg Catechism.

In 1559 Otto Henry died childless and his kingdom around Heidelberg passed to his nephew Frederick. Frederick had grown up in the court of Emperor Charles V. Charles was catholic, but you wouldn't know it. His court was filled with drinking and prostitution. Frederick was disgusted by all of this. In 1537 Frederick converted to Protestantism and married a Lutheran woman. She asked him to pray and read his Bible every day which Frederick did. And he became a very educated and pious man.

Upon arriving in Heidelberg Frederick and Maria found themselves in the middle of a massive controversy. The instigators of this controversy were Tilemann Hesshus, pastor of the Holy Ghost Church and principal of the College of Wisdom, and Wilhelm Klebitz, the assistant pastor. While Hesshus was traveling out of the country the faculty of the College of Wisdom granted Klebitz a degree, something Hesshus would never have permitted. Upon returning to the Holy Ghost church Hesshus preached a scathing sermon calling Klebitz a Zwinglian Devil.

In 1529 there was a disagreement between two protestant reformers, Martin Luther and Huldrych Zwingli, about what happens in communion. Luther emphasized what Jesus said at the Last Supper after he broke the bread, 1 Corinthians 11:24 "This is my body, which is for you;” According to Luther, the physical body of Jesus Christ must be present with the bread and wine of communion for this to be true. Zwingli said that was ridiculous because we know where Jesus' body is. It is in heaven at the right hand of God, not here at the communion table. Zwingli pointed out that Jesus finished that sentence by saying, 1 

Corinthians 11:24 “do this in remembrance of me”. According to Zwingli, whenever we come around this table we remember what Jesus did for us on the cross to save us from sin. Luther and Zwingli never came to an agreement.

The next Sunday Hesshus and Klebitz were both at the Holy Ghost church. When the time came for communion Klebitz picked up the cup of wine and Hesshus grabbed it from him. A scuffle broke out in front of a stunned congregation. The next day Frederick fired Hesshus, but gave Klebitz a letter of recommendation so that he could find another church.

Frederick knew that he had to do something to prevent his kingdom and the Protestant Reformation from splitting into Lutheran and Zwinglian groups. And so he hired Kaspar Olevianus, a Reformed pastor, for the Holy Ghost church, and Zacharias Ursinus, a Reformed scholar as a professor of the College of Wisdom. He asked Ursinus to write a catechism which would bring together the ideas of Luther and Zwingli uniting the protestant churches.

Ursinus finished work on the Heidelberg Catechism in 1563. It was divided into three sections. The first, deals with the misery we experience because of sin and guilt. The second talks about our release from this misery by the act of our savior, Jesus Christ, dying on a cross. The third section is about the gratitude we owe because Jesus has released us from our misery. The catechism was approved by the pastors of churches around Heidelberg and then went to the printer where it became an instant best seller. Three editions were published in the first year.

Copies and translations of the Heidelberg Catechism spread all over Europe, and it became one of the most influential documents of the Protestant Reformation. Dutch settlers coming to New Amsterdam brought the catechism with them to Manhattan island making it the first Reformed catechism in America long before Presbyterians with their Westminster Shorter Catechism settled along the Pocomoke River.

So how did they reconcile the Lutheran and Zwinglian views of communion? Ursinus had come from Geneva where he had been taught by John Calvin. Calvin said that Luther was certainly right. We must be able to perceive our risen Lord when we come around this table. Jesus said this is my body, so Jesus' body must be with us. But Zwingli was right too. Jesus certainly is in heaven sitting at the right hand of God. And the only way that both of these things are possible is if we are lifted up into heaven, spiritually, into the presence of Jesus Christ every time we come around this table. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. And this is why I say whenever we come around this table, “Lift up your hearts”, and you respond, “we lift them up to the Lord.” We lift up our hearts to commune with Jesus Christ in heaven.

Frederick appeared before Maximilian and the Lutheran electors to defend his new catechism. And he remembered these words:

1 Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?

A. That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.

The Lutheran electors did not find Frederick guilt of heresy because of his kindness and gentleness. Maximilian called him Frederick the Pious.

This is the 450^th anniversary of the publishing of the Heidelberg Catechism. A new translation into English has been approved by the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. for inclusion in our Book of Confession. We are using this new translation today in worship.

Let me conclude today with these words from Frederick III.

“In as we are bound by the admonition of the Divine Word to administer our office and government … above all to constantly admonish and lead our subjects to devout knowledge and fear of the Almighty and His work of salvation … we have secured the presentation of a summary course or catechism of our Christian religion, according to the Word of God.”

Father in heaven, we thank you for scholars who study your Word and provide for us simple ways of learning about our faith. We especially thank you for the the scholars of the Protestant Reformation would risked their lives to reform the beliefs and practices of the church. Help us to reform the church today when it is in error. Bless us with your truth. Amen.

*21 Q. What is true faith?

A. True faith is not only a sure knowledge by which I hold as true all that God has revealed to us in Scripture; it is also a wholehearted trust, which the Holy Spirit creates in me by the gospel, that God has freely granted, not only to others but to me also, forgiveness of sins, eternal righteousness, and salvation. These are gifts of sheer grace, granted solely by Christ’s merit.

The Holy Supper of Jesus Christ

75 Q. How does the holy supper remind and assure you that you share in

Christ’s one sacrifice on the cross and in all his benefits?

A. In this way: Christ has commanded me and all believers to eat this broken bread and to drink this cup in remembrance of him. With this command come these promises: First,as surely as I see with my eyes the bread of the Lord broken for me and the cup shared with me, so surely his body was offered and broken for me and his blood poured out for me on the cross. Second, as surely as I receive from the hand of the one who serves, and taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the Lord, given me as sure signs of Christ’s body and blood, so surely he nourishes and refreshes my soul for eternal life with his crucified body and poured-out blood.

76 Q. What does it mean to eat the crucified body of Christ and to drink his poured-out blood?

A. It means to accept with a believing heart the entire suffering and death of Christ and thereby to receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life. But it means more. Through the Holy Spirit, who lives both in Christ and in us, we are united more and more to Christ’s blessed body. And so, although he is in heaven and we are on earth, we are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone. and we forever live on and are governed by one Spirit, as the members of our body are by one soul.

77 Q. Where does Christ promise to nourish and refresh believers with his body and blood as surely as they eat this broken bread and drink this cup?

A. In the institution of the Lord’s Supper: “The Lord Jesus, on the night when he was betrayed, took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is broken for you.’ In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” This promise is repeated by Paul in these words: “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.”

78 Q. Do the bread and wine become the real body and blood of Christ?

A. No. Just as the water of baptism is not changed into Christ’s blood and does not itself wash away sins but is simply a divine sign and assurance of these things, so too the holy bread of the Lord’s Supper does not become the actual body of Christ, even though it is called the body of Christ in keeping with the nature and language of sacraments.

79 Q. Why then does Christ call the bread his body and the cup his blood, or the new covenant in his blood, and Paul use the words, a participation in Christ’s body and blood?

A. Christ has good reason for these words. He wants to teach us that just as bread and wine nourish the temporal life, so too his crucified body and poured-out blood are the true food and drink of our souls for eternal life. But more important, he wants to assure us, by this visible sign and pledge, that we, through the Holy Spirit’s work, share in his true body and blood as surely as our mouths receive these holy signs in his remembrance, and that all of his suffering and obedience are as definitely ours as if we personally had suffered and made satisfaction for our sins.

80 Q. How does the Lord’s Supper differ from the Roman Catholic Mass?

A. The Lord’s Supper declares to us that all our sins are completely forgiven through the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which he himself accomplished on the cross once for all. It also declares to us that the Holy Spirit grafts us into Christ, who with his true body is now in heaven at the right hand of the Father where he wants us to worship him.

81 Q. Who should come to the Lord’s table?

A. Those who are displeased with themselves because of their sins, but who nevertheless trust that their sins are pardoned and that their remaining weakness is covered by the suffering and death of Christ, and who also desire more and more to strengthen their faith and to lead a better life. Hypocrites and those who are unrepentant, however,eat and drink judgment on themselves.

82 Q. Should those be admitted to the Lord’s Supper who show by what they profess and how they live that they are unbelieving and ungodly?

A. No, that would dishonor God’s covenant and bring down God’s wrath upon the entire congregation. Therefore, according to the instruction of Christ and his apostles, the Christian church is duty-bound to exclude such people, by the official use of the keys of the kingdom, until they reform their lives.

Distribution of Bread and Juice

Prayers of the People

The Lord’s Prayer

Presentation of Tithes and Offerings from Q64

It is impossible for those grafted into Christ through true faith not to produce fruits of gratitude.

*Doxology Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow Blue592, Red544

*Prayer of Dedication from Q86

Father in heaven we thank you for delivering us from our misery by grace though Christ. We have received this without any merit of own. Since Christ has redeemed us by his blood we show with our whole lives that we are thankful for the benefits we have received so that you may receive praise through us. We ask that through our Godly living our neighbors will be won over to Christ. Amen.

*Hymn Now Thank We All Our God Blue555,Red9

*Charge and Benediction - Responsive

65 Q. It is through faith alone that we share in Christ and all his benefits: where then does that faith come from?

A. The Holy Spirit produces it in our hearts by the preaching of the holy gospel, and confirms it by the use of the holy sacraments. Amen.

Pitts Creek Choral Benediction

Postlude

1Jack Rogers, Presbyterian Creeds: a Guide to the Book of Confessions (Philadelphia: Westminster John Knox Press, 1985), page 96-115.

Sermon 2 Timothy 4:6-18 The Lord Stood at My Side

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches

Sermon 2 Timothy 4:6-18 The Lord Stood at My Side

October 27, 2013

I am concluding today with our look at the two letters Paul sent to Timothy. So far we have listened as Paul told Timothy how to minister to his church. Prayers for everyone, worship, and Bible study with faithful teachers are all crucial both for spiritual growth and for discerning true from false teachings. Today we will see something very different. The Apostle Paul is facing his own problems and he needs help. He needs partners to help him in his ministry. And he has physical needs for a warm cloak to survive prison in the coming winter. Paul wants Timothy to come to Rome at once. We will get to this, but first let's pray.

Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)

1 Timothy 4 6-18 6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 9 Do your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message. 16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Paul knows that his ministry is coming to an end. Just as we remember Jesus' death on the cross when we gather at the communion table so too will Paul's blood be spilled. He is sustained though all of this by his faith in Jesus Christ knowing that his sins will be forgiven and his relationship with God has been restored. So he can look forward with confidence that the Lord Jesus will be at his side through his trials, imprisonment, and execution. And he is assured that he will live in the presence of God forever.

This is the great Christian hope that we all have as believers. We are mortal, and like Paul will face our own end. But we too can be assured that the righteousness of Jesus Christ will be given to us. We will be clothed in his righteousness so that we will not face judgment when we approach the throne of God.

But as Paul approaches his own death his concern is not for himself, but for the church he has established. So he has sent his inner circle to continue his ministry. Crescens has been sent into northern Italy and France to start churches. Titus has been sent to the Adriatic and into modern day Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tychicus has been sent to Ephesus with this letter from Paul to pastor that church allowing Timothy to come to Rome. Sadly, Demas has left the faith and returned to Thessalonica.

This is all in fulfillment of Jesus' command to the church. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8) We are the result of the work of Crescens, Titus, Tychicus and others who have continued Paul's work of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who need to hear it. And this is our mission as well. We, the church of Jesus Christ, are to continue Paul's work by inviting people in our community to come to worship, pray and study scripture with us. And we can assured that our Lord Jesus Christ will stand with us as we do these things.

Paul has sent out most of his inner circle to churches. But there are some things and some people he still needs with him in Rome. There are two young men he wants nearby, Luke and Mark. Church tradition tells us that these two wrote the second and third gospels. Paul also needs his own scrolls and books. And since this work, and Paul's imprisonment will probably last through the winter months Paul needs his winter cloak, a heavy woolen garment with a hole in the center for his head. With his library and these two writers Paul is ready to begin work on the New Testament, which along with the Old Testament forms the Christian Bible and is the foundation of our faith.

Timothy is to get Mark and proceed to Troas to pickup Paul's winter coat and library. But Paul has warned him to avoid a blacksmith named Alexander. We don't know exactly what Alexander has done, but he may have been the reason for Paul's arrest in Troas. And so Timothy must stay away from him.

Ministry always has opponents. The devil has many ways to keep a church from growing. Yesterday, Donna Bowers was ordained as a Teaching Elder, Pastor, of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. serving Crossroad International Fellowship in Princess Anne. A week before, her husband, Kevin, the pastor of the church in Milford had a stroke. I believe that this was the work of the devil trying to stop Donna's ministry before it even starts. We have to be on guard for whatever Satan is doing to prevent us from spreading the gospel and growing our church. But we can be confident that our Lord Jesus Christ is standing at our side.

We also need prayer for Wilson and Cora Ladringan who visited us last month. They are back in the Philippines, and I received this letter from them this week.

“Dear friends at ANM,

The Lord is my light and my salvation, so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? Psalm 27:1.

Calamities are happening left and right here in our country. Many people were injured and died. Many homes and properties were destroyed and wiped out. We have seen on TV the big boulders and stones coming down from the mountain and killed many people unaware in their houses. This was the very strong earthquake that happened in Bohol at the southern Philippines. It is a terrible sight to see children crying looking for their parents, and parents in panic looking for their children. Because of too much trauma, many people were depressed, their faces blank and staring far away. Some lost their minds. What are happening? For us Christian believers we know what are happening. We are not surprised to hear all these calamities as they were all foretold in the Holy Scriptures. The big question is that - Are we ready for the coming of the Lord?

We are very thankful to the Lord that no one was hurt here at the Aeta Children's Home during the floods and landslides brought by the recent typhoon. We have witnessed the horrible landslide that happened just near the ACH killing 5 members of a family instantly. They just woke up in the morning and preparing for their breakfast when suddenly, the mountain near them collapsed and buried them alive. Two of those who died are scheduled to be married. Their wedding was the coming Friday, but sadly they did not reach the most awaited day.

We just do not know what will happen next. But we know one thing...that we have Christ Jesus in our hearts. We have His promise that He will be with us until the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20). We entrust to Him our lives, our future, our destiny. We praise, adore, worship Him in good times and in bad times, in peace and in calamities. We declare our unwavering faith to Him. To Him be all the honor, glory and praise!

In response to the situation, we went to the Aeta villages and ministered to the spiritual and physical needs of the Aeta people. We distributed foods, fed the children and adults, provided medicines to the sick, and most of all, share the Word of God to them. Praise God that no one of them was hurt in the recent typhoon. Landslides happened but God has protected them. Praise the Lord …

Please continue to pray for us. There are still lot of needs and work to do but we look, depend and fully trust the Lord for everything. This is His work and vision not our work and vision and so, we believed that He will provide and help us pursue the vision. Praise the Lord! Thank you so very much for your faithful partnership. As we always tell you, you are God's wonderful blessings to us and His work here. Moses prayer on Deut. 1:11 is always our prayers for you. God bless.

Pressing on toward the mark,

Wilson and Cora Ladringan"

And so the church of Jesus Christ, started by the Apostle Paul stills needs our prayers, our good works, and our financial support. Please keep Donna and Kevin, and Wilson and Cora in your prayers. And be assured that Our Lord Jesus Christ is standing with them.

Father in heaven, we ask your blessings upon Donna and Kevin and their ministries in Milford and Princess Anne. Bless them with good health and bless their churches as their pastors go though this. We also ask for blessings on Cora and Wilson and on their ministry in the Philippines. Bless them in their recovery efforts. We ask that the Lord Jesus stand at their sides. Amen.