Prayer
LORD OF HEAVEN, Thy goodness is inexpressible and inconceivable, in the works of creation thou art almighty. In the dispensations of providence all-wise, in the gospel of grace all love. Amen.
(Excerpted from “True Christianity†page 215, The Valley of Vision, Banner of Truth Trust, 1975.)
Today’s Hymn
Words: Joseph Hart, Hymns Composed on Various Subjects, 1759, alt.; refrain anonymous.
Music: “Restoration,†from The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, by William Walker (New York: Hastings House, 1835).
COME, YE SINNERS, POOR AND NEEDY
Click here for tune.
Come, ye sinners, poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love and power.
Refrain
I will arise and go to Jesus,
He will embrace me in His arms;
In the arms of my dear Savior,
O there are ten thousand charms.
Come, ye thirsty, come, and welcome,
God’s free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Every grace that brings you nigh.
Refrain
Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Lost and ruined by the fall;
If you tarry till you’re better,
You will never come at all.
Refrain
View Him prostrate in the garden;
On the ground your Maker lies.
On the bloody tree behold Him;
Sinner, will this not suffice?
Refrain
Lo! th’incarnate God ascended,
Pleads the merit of His blood:
Venture on Him, venture wholly,
Let no other trust intrude.
Refrain
Let not conscience make you linger,
Not of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness He requireth
Is to feel your need of Him.
Refrain
Thought Provoker
For nearly 2000 years the Church has pushed for evangelism and cross-cultural missions. But, why does she? What purpose is so dear that we would risk our reputation to introduce our neighbors to the Gospel of Grace? For what reason do many leave their homes and travel to strange, often primitive and hostile lands? You might say that it is obvious; Jesus commanded it in the Great Commission recorded in Acts 1, Matthew 28, and Mark 16. You are correct, but what is the first purpose? Why did Jesus command His church to make disciples and baptize? Psalm 96 goes a long way to answering this question.
Dad’s Study
The Prince of Preachers, Charles Spurgeon, correctly calls Psalm 96 a “missionary hymn, it is a wonder that the Jews read it and remained exclusive.†We cannot do likewise as the church of Christ.
1. In verses 1-3 the psalmist commands the readers or listeners to enjoy singing unto the Lord “a new song.†This term is used in the Psalm and Prophets several times to express the renewal of worship after an encounter with God that reinforces the need for us to worship God. We are to sing of the salvation God freely gives amongst those who don’t know of His infinite goodness and sacrificing love for His people.
2. In verses 3-9 the psalmist both actively worships God and tells us why God is worthy of praise. His creation, His strength and power, His supremacy in a world of idols, and His holiness. Each of these is a characteristic of God that we try to assume by our development of technology, our efforts to subjugate our planet, His uniqueness and holiness that we rebel against. We fear Him so much that we base our lives on trying to ignore Him.
3. Verses 10-13 strongly counter our rebellion. The psalmist tells us that the God whom we rebel against will come and righteously judge us. But even more humbling is that he speaks of “the field†and “all the trees of the wood†rejoicing over God’s righteous judgment. Isn’t this characteristic of Jesus in Matthew 3:9, Luke 19:40 or Acts 17:24-28? Basically, if man does not worship God properly, inanimate objects can. It really sounds as if the only reason we matter to God is that He decided we were to matter.
Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.
Truth in Practice
We haven’t answered the question yet. What is the reason for the Great Commission? Well, I must be honest, I am only human, I cannot know “The†reason, or all the reasons God has for evangelism and missions. However, I do know a few. I believe the following, taken from the teaching of John Piper goes to the heart of “why missions?â€
Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exist because worship doesn’t. Worship is the ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.
Worship, therefore is the fuel and goal in missions. It’s the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God’s glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God. (John Piper, Let The Nations Be Glad: The Supremacy of God in Missions, p. 11, Baker Books, 1993.)
You see, we are to give witness to our geographic neighbors and to the ends of the earth ultimately because “the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all Gods.†And unless we send preachers how are they to know of the great God who cannot be served by human hands, who is worth the wholehearted praise of all the people of all the nations. We evangelize because God deserves worship.
Greg Bailey; Greer, SC
Catechism
Question 39
Q. What shall be done to the wicked at the day of judgment?
A. At the day of judgment the bodies of the wicked being raised out of their graves, shall be sentenced, together with their souls, to unspeakable torments with the devil and his angels for ever (Dan. 12:2; John 5:28, 29; 2 Thess. 1:9; Mat. 25:41).
