Last year, we began a new Good Friday sermon series called “The Cross and the Crowd.” From 2018–2024, we looked at the seven statements of Christ on the cross. And last year, we started a new Good Friday series, where we considered the impact of the cross on the various people—individuals and groups—who stood around the cross. Or, as we will see this year, some who did not stand around the cross.

As one of the twelve, Judas Iscariot, if he had not scattered, should have been standing at the cross. For this is where John was, as well as many of the women in Jesus’s life. Yet, for reasons which made Judas become infamous, he was not at the cross. Instead, he hung himself when he discovered that his actions sentenced an innocent man to death.

Tragically, Judas saw no hope when he looked to Jesus. For reasons known and unknown, he traded the whereabouts of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. At a time before satellite tracking, Judas offered to Jesus’s enemies something they could not find on their own—the location of Jesus. And so, on the night before Christ was hung on a tree, Judas became the first cause of Jesus’s crucifixion.

Certainly, there were other parties involved—the chief priests, the Roman soldiers, Pontius Pilate, Herod, and others—but none of these figures could have brought Jesus to the cross, unless Judas brought a crowd with swords and clubs to Jesus. And for his efforts, Judas received the redemption price of a slave (Exod. 21:32)—thirty pieces of silver.

And on Good Friday, we considered what thirty pieces of silver tell us about Jesus, Judas, and our own approach to Christ. And here I want to offer a few related reflections.

What Zechariah 11 Says
You may remember, thirty pieces of silver is also what Zechariah received when the people of Israel resisted him. In Zechariah 11:12–13 we read,

12 Then I [Zechariah] said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. 13 Then the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter.

With symbolic action, this scene both addresses the problems of Zechariah’s day and previews what will transpire with Judas, the priests of Jerusalem, and Jesus—only with that preview will come some ironic reversals, too. So, let’s consider the original context and then how Zechariah 11 helps us understand Judas’s coin exchange.

In the days after the exile of Judah, the Lord called Zechariah to take up the form of a shepherd twice. First, he would be a righteous shepherd (Zech. 11:4–6), whom the people would reject (Zech. 11:7–14). Then again, he would wear the apparel of the shepherd again—whether literally or symbolically, commentators are not in agreement. Only, in this second shepherd-action (Zech. 11:15–17), he was to play the part of a wicked and foolish shepherd, whereby the people would be destroyed.

As many have noted, Zechariah 11 is perhaps the hardest chapter in a difficult book. And part of that challenge is the timing of Zechariah’s prophecy. As he takes two staffs (Favor and Union) and breaks them to show the breaking of the covenant people, it is likely that Zechariah writing around 520 BC looks back in time to the exile. Yet, as one reads all of Zechariah 9–14, it is a section that points ahead to a time when Christ will be the shepherd, the sacrifice, and the source of salvation. Truly, these six chapters are equal to Isaiah 53 for explaining the final week of Christ’s earthly life. And in Zechariah 11, one part of that story is the thirty pieces of silver.

In Zechariah 11, the prophet breaks the staffs to show the judgment coming upon the people. And for his service, he receives payment from the sheep traders, which he mockingly calls a “lordly [or handsome] price.”

In actuality, thirty pieces of silver is poor sum—as it is the price of a slave. And so, the prophet rejects the wage, when the LORD tells him to throw it back into the temple (the house of the LORD). And by means of that rejection, the downfall of the nation is sealed. And in Zechariah 11:15–17, we see Zechariah take on the form of a shepherd again, which symbolizes the rise of Gentile shepherds who will strike the flock.

As I read it, these symbolic actions which look back upon the destruction of Jerusalem foreshadow a coming reality, when the nation’s wickedness will again invite destruction and God will bring in foreign kings to destroy the flock. As history rhymes, the same situation arises in days of Jesus. And for the price of a slave, the king of the universe will be sacrificed.

What Zechariah 11 Reveals
First of all, Zechariah 11 reveals a day when Israel will be led by wicked shepherds who are looking to kill Jesus. Equally, for those in Israel who are not looking to kill Jesus, many like Judas, are looking to Jesus for illicit ends—money, power, liberation from Rome, etc. Confirming this, John 6 tells us that Jesus knew Judas was a devil in his midst. But ironically, this is revealed as many followers of Jesus leave him, because he tells them that he has come for more than providing food for their stomachs.

At the same time, Jesus, who is the true shepherd, is going to be sacrificed as a sacrificial lamb. This is a point that Zechariah 12–13 will make. Yet, in Zechariah 11 itself we learn that the people will give Zechariah a slave price of silver. This reveals their estimation of this man of God, and his rejection of the money also confirms their wickedness.

Fast forward to Judas. He is a follower of the Lord, like Zechariah, but he is not a true believer. While Judas may have followed Jesus with hopes of receiving a kingdom, his true character is found in the way he stole money from the poor (John 12:4–6). Accordingly, when Satan entered him, he was used by the devil to bring Jesus into the hands of the wicked shepherds. Yet, as God is sovereign over the wicked machinations of men, this act of betrayal was used for better purposes—namely, the forgiveness of sins that Zechariah 12–13 would describe.

Focusing on the silver pieces alone, however, we discover another important point from this coin exchange—namely, that Jesus was sold into the hands of the priests like a slave. In other words, the slave-price of the coins not only made it possible for Jesus to be captured. It also indicated the kind of crucifixion he would have. As he himself identified himself as a slave who came to serve and not to be served (Matthew 20:28), so this silver exchange confirmed that point: Jesus was the servant who would die for his people's sins.

And on Good Friday, we will consider the life and death of Judas, as it reveals the meaning of Christ’s death and resurrection. And conversely, we will see how the cross of Christ reveals our own hearts, as we consider why we follow our Lord.

So, join us tonight at 7:00pm for our Good Friday service. Then, on Sunday come at 10:00am, as we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. For Easter, we will look at 1 Corinthians 15:12–19 and the historical basis for believing in the resurrection. In short, we have a great weekend ahead. And I look forward to seeing you, as we lift our eyes to the risen Christ.

The week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday has been called Holy Week for millennia, and we invite you to set apart this week with us as we remember the events leading to Christ’s crucifixion and prepare to celebrate our Lord’s resurrection. To help guide you through this week, we are sharing a Bible reading plan below and links to a daily devotional series and Spotify playlists.

A Bible Reading Plan
We invite you to read through one or more of the gospel accounts of Holy Week listed below. I recommend that you select one or two Gospel accounts to read each day and alternate with the other gospels in following years.

1. Palm Sunday | Jesus Enters Jerusalem
Matt 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-50

2. Monday | Temple Cleansing and Bethany
Matt 21:12-17; Mark 11:12-19; Luke 19:45-48

3. Tuesday | Temple Confrontations and Olivet Discourse
Matt 21:18-26:1; Mark 11:20-13:37; Luke 20:1-37

4. Spy Wednesday | Betrayal and Anointing
Matt 26:3-16; Mark 14:1-11; Luke 21:38-22:6

5. Maundy Thursday | Passover Meal, Arrest, and Denials
Matt 26:17-75; Mark 14:12-72; Luke 22:7-65; John 13:1-18:27

6. Good Friday | Crucifixion
Matt 27:1-61; Mark 15:1-47; Luke 22:66-23:56a; John 18:28-19:42

7. Saturday | The Tomb
Matt 27:62-66; Mark 16:1; Luke 23:56b

8. Resurrection Sunday | He is Risen!
Matt 28:1-20; Mark 16:2-8; Luke 24:1-53; John 20:1-21:25

As you look through these readings, there are a few things you should notice. First, not every event is recorded in each Gospel, as some Gospels are more concise, while others are more detailed. Second, the Gospel of John has significantly more content on this week, as the second half of the book is focused on the last week leading to Christ’s death and resurrection.

Some of these texts are more action focused and quick moving as they recount specific events, while others hold longer sections of Jesus’ teachings such as the debates at the Temple followed by the Olivet Discourse on Tuesday, and then the Upper Room Discourse on Thursday.

As you read, pray that the Lord would open your eyes to behold his wonders (Ps 119:18), and that His Word would work on your heart (John 20:31; Luke 24:32).

A Daily Devotional and Spotify Playlists
We also invite you to watch or listen to this devotional series for each day of Holy Week. Accompanying each of these videos are Spotify playlists that are curated to give you a daily soundtrack of songs reflecting on Christ.

Media Library
For more content, sermons from past years on Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday are also available in our media library.

This Week
We invite you to join us for our Palm Sunday dinner, Tuesday’s Hymn Sing, our Good Friday worship service, and Resurrection Sunday morning.

We look forward to this week of remembering the work of Christ, celebrating His resurrection, and rejoicing and worshiping our Lord together.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Ben

As we have discussed over the course of our series on liturgy and as will be introduced in Sunday’s sermon, we are making some changes to our communion elements and how they will be distributed in the worship service. Starting on Easter Sunday (April 5), we will have communion wine and freshly baked bread (while still having unfermented grape juice and gluten/dairy free bread, too). The reasons for bread and wine can be seen in last week’s blog post and will be revisited in this week’s sermon. Needless to say, this change is not simply a matter of personal preference, but one of theological import.

We believe bread and wine best symbolize the Lord’s body and blood, and we believe that these elements are preferable for representing our Lord as we come to the Table. Still, with the change of elements come a change in their distribution. And that is what I want to share here, complete with a (s)eating chart.

Here are ten things you need to know as you prepare for the Lord’s Supper in just a few days:

1. The Elements. All elements will be kept in the front of the sanctuary. So there are no elements to pick up before service. These elements will be bread and wine, along with grape juice and gluten/dairy free bread.  

2. Timing. Elements will be made available after the sermon and after an introduction to the Lord’s Table. Members will then be invited forward to pick up the elements and return to their seats.

3. Fencing the Table. As before, “fencing the table” is a simple instruction for the way that communion is for church members and for guests who have also been baptized in Christ. (We do not restrict paedobaptists, worshipers who come from gospel-believing Presbyterian churches, from the Lord’s Table).

4. Confession of Faith. After the Lord’s Supper is introduced, we will confess our faith together. This confession will come by reciting the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, or some other statement of our faith. We have confessed these statements in service before, but not before the Lord’s Table.  

5. Music and Ushers. Following this confession, the musicians will begin to play instrumentally, while our ushers dismiss the rows to pick up the elements, starting with the front rows, and moving backward. As each Sunday will have different numbers and distribution of people, this will require some flexibility and patience.  If you are not sharing in the Lord’s Table, please feel free to remain seated, though you might need to get up briefly to let someone in or out of your row.

6. The Table. You will find the bread (regular or gluten/dairy free) and the cup (wine or grape juice) clearly marked on the table. Each table will be served by an elder. If any questions arise, they are there to assist. Pick up the bread and the cup and return to your seat, and we will take them together as we always have done.

7. Expected Challenges. We understand the challenges of having small children or other complicating factors. If we find repeated problems, we will address those. But we believe the best solution is for members and their families to patiently assist one another in moving to the Table and picking up the elements. In cases where someone is unable to walk to the front, we will make arrangements to bring the elements. Additionally, when someone in your row does not take communion, whether that is an unbaptized child or a visitor, we are suggesting they remain seated or simply exit the row and then return to their seat, while those getting communion walk up a center aisle to the tables.

• If you’re seated in a side row, you will walk up a center aisle (see green arrows on the floorplan below), and return to your seats by the side aisle.
• If you’re seated in a center row, you will also walk up a center aisle (see  green arrows on the floorplan below) and return to your seats by the same center aisle.

8. Singing. As our congregation processes to get the elements, the musicians will lead us in a communion hymn. As the congregation comes back to their seats and the song finishes, we will take the meal together.

9. The Communion. The pastor officiating the communion meal will pray and give instructions for the congregation to take the bread and then the cup.

10. The Overall Effect. While we expect that these changes will take a little more time in service, we seek to glorify the Lord in this and we believe it is worthwhile. For not only do we honor our Lord by taking bread and wine/juice, but the slower communion meal gives us time to offer prayers of thanksgiving to God for his Son and for the body of Christ who has been assembled by his finished work on the cross.

Finally, for those who might have any remaining questions, we will run through this together on Sunday evening, March 29, when we come together for our members meeting. On that night, we will enjoy a fellowship meal downstairs and then we will take communion together in the sanctuary with the new communion elements and distribution. Additionally, we will troubleshoot any logistical challenges or questions that arise. Until then, if you have further questions, please share them with your community group (who will be discussing the Lord’s Supper this week) or with any elder.

We are delighted to be able to look for ways to better apply God’s Word, and we truly believe that taking the communion elements in this way affords us the opportunity to do that.

For His Glory and your joy,

Pastor David

In John’s Gospel, the first of seven signs is found at a wedding feast in Cana. Accompanied by his family, Jesus is called upon to address the shortage of wine. In response, Jesus says to his mother, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). In this brief exchange, John sets his Gospel on a collision course for the moment when the hour does come and Jesus addresses his mother again as “woman.” John 19:26–27 records these words from the cross, “Woman, behold, your son,” which is immediately followed with a word to John, himself, “Behold, your mother!”

Clearly, the Gospel of John is directed toward the cross of Christ, as is everything else in the Bible. From the promise of the woman’s seed crushing the serpent’s seed (Gen. 3:15), to the ram provided as a substitute for Isaac (Gen. 22:13–14), to the myriad of sacrifices in Leviticus, to the poetic description of the crucifixion (Psalm 22), the Bible has been looking forward to the day when the Son of God would die for the sins of this people.

In fact, for those reading John’s Gospel, the promise of pardon had already been disclosed in John 1:29, when John the Baptist looked to Jesus and declared, “Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Accordingly, when we come to Jesus’s first sign, we have an inkling of what John is trying to show us—namely, that Jesus, who is the Son of God, has come to bring salvation to sinners like us. And if this is the message of John, as well as the whole Bible, it is also the good news (read: gospel) that repeats in our worship services too.

As we have seen throughout our series on liturgy, the proclamation of the gospel comes each week in the assurance of pardon, where in response to our confession of sin, we are reminded of Christ’s person and work, and why our sins which are red like crimson, can be made white like snow (Isa. 1:18). Still, this time of consecration in our service is not the only places we hear the gospel. The gospel (and the law) will be a regular staple as we hear from the counsel of God, the moment in our service when we hear the Scriptures read and explained.

By comparison, however, the place where the gospel is made most visible is in the Lord’s Table, where the bread and the cup provide a visible, tangible, and ingestible declaration of God’s good news for us in Christ. And as our church begins to make a few changes to the way we celebrate this communion, I want to offer a brief theology of the Lord’s Supper (this week), followed by some practical guidelines for our new practice of receiving the elements (next week).

A Sevenfold Theology of the Lord’s Supper
To fully understand the symbolism that is baked (and fermented) into the Lord’s Supper would require a full biblical theology, something like T. K. Dunn’s Take and Eat: From Fall to Feast. Short of that, I can say the Lord’s Supper takes up themes of creation and cultivation, work and rest, Passover and covenant meals (think: Melchizedek), priests and kings, and much more. In the New Testament, the Lord’s Supper is one of two ordinances given by Jesus—baptism being the other. The Lord’s Supper is explained in each of the Synoptic Gospels, as well as 1 Corinthians 11. And for those with eyes to see it, Hebrews, Revelation, and John all contribute to our understanding of the Lord’s Supper, too.

So long story short, eating food in the presence of God is no small topic in the Bible. In fact, eating food wrongly in God’s Garden is what brought sin into the world (Genesis 3:1–6). And if we are reading Scripture rightly, only those who eat food rightly today have assurance of enjoying the communion with God in eternity. And so, while a collection of essays, or sermons, or both, is needed for this subject, I want to highlight seven key points of doctrine that may help you take up and eat, when you come to the Lord’s Table.

1. Take and Eat

The first thing to say about the Lord’s Supper is that when Jesus gave the meal to his disciples, he was reversing the curse brought about the Serpent. That is to say, when Satan led Adam and Eve to rebel, he did so by means of saying, “Take and eat.” As Genesis 3:1–6 records, the Serpent offered good food to the first couple. And instead of keeping God’s Word and waiting for the Lord (cf. Gen. 2:17), they ate the fruit in violation of God’s command and brought judgment upon themselves and all creation, too (Gen. 3:14–19). In other words, Adam and Eve ate without God’s permission or God’s presence. And as a result, a food that was intended to bless Adam and Eve with the knowledge of good and evil, became the source of sin and death.

Truly, every time man eats without giving thanks to God, he abides in that curse (cf. Rom 1:21; 1 Tim. 4:1–5). Just the same, when a man or woman attempts to feed themselves, by trusting in themselves, their works, and their works-righteousness, they are continuing to miss the bread that is offered to us in Christ (cf. Isa. 55:1–3). Yet, when someone is redeemed by the grace of God, and his heart is turned to Christ, and the Spirit gives him repentance and thanksgiving, then he is prepared to sit at the Lord’s Table, where God invites his people to come and enjoy the food he provides. In this way, the food we eat during communion calls us away from our works and reminds us of Christ’s finished work.

“Take and eat” is not just a word of choreography that ensures the congregation eats together. It is a divine word of grace, written down in Scripture, that tells the redeemed that they have received favor from the Lord and can rest in his presence. Truly, eating the communion meal at church has deep theological meaning. And it is worth our effort to understand all that is there.

2. Work and Rest

Following from this command to eat, we can say that the Lord’s Supper is received when the church celebrates the Sabbath. Just as the people of Israel ate the manna when God fed them in the wilderness (Exod. 16:1–36), and just as Moses put one jar of manna in the ark of the covenant (Exod. 16:33–34; Heb. 9:4), to commemorate God’s provision for Israel, so those who approach the mercy seat of God on the Lord’s Day, are to remember the finished work of Christ. Indeed, in John’s Gospel Jesus is presented as the bread of life and the one that we must consume by faith, in order to have life (John 6:35–40). Strange is may sound (at first), Jesus teaches us to feed on him (John 6:52–59), and when we take the Lord’s Supper we are doing just that. By Christ’s finished work, we are taught to leave our works behind and to rest in him.

Indeed, under the new covenant, weekly Sabbath observance is not so much a command to physically cease working, although there is something about that. We are embodied souls, after all. But every Lord’s Day, when the church gathers and partakes of the bread and the cup, our faith is renewed because we are ceasing to work for our daily bread—something we must do on the other six days (2 Thess. 3:7–10). Rather, we are proclaiming the finished work of Christ to one another, and we are remembering what God has done for us in Christ.

3. Remembering and Reminding

If we are remembering what Christ has done, we are also reminding the Lord of his promises to us in Christ. Now, the idea of reminding the omniscient God of his promises may sound odd, or even blasphemous. Are we implying that God has forgotten us? No, not at all. Rather, we are saying that as we come to the table, we are coming in prayer and supplication, needful for God to remember all that he has promised us in Christ.

When we pray, we are bringing before God his promises and we are asking him to honor his Word. Indeed, prayer does not change God’s mind or twist God’s arm. But according to the way God’s work in the world, prayer is necessary. That is to say, the Holy Spirit leads in our prayers and when he does, he brings us into God’s work. In God’s economy, all three persons—Father, Son, and Spirit—work without any separation or independence. And accordingly, when God works for our good, he leads his people to pray and to ask God to pour out his blessings. The same can be said of the Lord’s Table. When we come to the Lord’s Table, it is not only a word of remembrance for us, it is a prayerful reminder to God.

Now, to see this more fully, we need to consider how covenant signs worked in the Old Testament. For instance, the sign of the rainbow was not just given to remind humanity of God’s covenant; it was also given to remind God of his promise to never destroy the world with a universal flood. Genesis 9:13–15 read, “I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh.”

I could be mistaken, but I suspect that our memory remembers this passage differently. But clearly, this covenant sign is designed to remind God, even as the testimony of Scripture reminds us of how the rainbow reminds God.

Similarly, the sign of circumcision (Gen. 17:11) and the sign of the Sabbath (Exod. 31:13) spoke to both God and man. That is to say, these created signs recalled God’s promises to his covenant people, even as circumcision and Sabbath passed on the covenant from one generation to the next. Finally, Psalm 89 compares David’s covenant sign, the throne, to the sun and the moon, which bear testimony to both God and man. Long story short, the covenants that God made with his people in the Old Testament were given signs so that both parties would remember the arrangement. In fact, when the people broke covenant with God in the case of the golden calf, Moses himself stood before God and pleaded for them on the basis of God’s covenant promises (see Exodus 32–34).

To complete the picture, the chief priest in Israel functioned as the designated mediator who stood before God to remind him of his covenant. In fact, this is made plain in Exodus 28, where the priestly garments included the “stones of remembrance” (v. 12). These stones had the names of the twelve tribes written on them, and when Aaron wore his priestly garments in the Holy Place he brought the tribes “to regular remembrance before the Lord” (v. 29). Said differently, by means of this priest and his holy garments, the people of God were blessed by the Lord who remembered them (cf. Psalm 133). But also, if and when the priest failed to bring the people before God, the people suffered (Mal. 2:1–9). Indeed, the work of bringing to remembrance the promises of the covenant before God is vital for the blessing of the people. And this is what the priests who served at the altar were supposed to do—but often didn’t!

Thankfully, today our great high priest lives to intercede for us. And that means that as he reigns in heaven, he makes effectual prayer for all of his people (Heb. 7:25). Nevertheless, when the Lord calls us to worship and commands us to take and eat, he is not simply calling us to remember his finished work. He is also bringing to mind the promises that God to his people. And so, we can say that just like the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants reminded both parties of the covenant, so too, the Lord’s Supper remembers and reminds God and man of the promises of grace found in the new covenant. And lest we think that coming the Lord’s Table is optional, it is in this meal—which signifies the finished work of Christ—that we are bringing to remembrance all the blessings of the new covenant.

4. Passover and Covenant

The Lord’s Table is more than a covenant meal, however. It is also a promise of the redemption that came through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As the Lord instituted the supper on the night before he was crucified, and as he associated the bread with his body and the cup with his blood, so also he connected this meal with the Passover.
Remember, Christ was crucified during the week of Passover. And the time and place where Jesus instituted this meal was during the Passover Celebration. In this way, he took the bread and blessed it and gave it to his disciples. Yet, if we look carefully, we discover that Jesus did not take the cup. As he states in Luke 22:18, “I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Thus, while he gave the cup to his disciples, he waited for the cross to drink his wine, which he did when he tasted the sour wine on the cross (Luke 22:36).

In this way, we can see how the Passover meal anticipated Christ’s own Passover sacrifice, where his flesh was torn for us. Likewise, on the cross, he drank the wine, indicating the way that he drank the bitter cup in his death. Thus, in ways that go beyond symbolism, Jesus became the communion elements on the cross. He was the bread of life torn for us. And his blood was poured out for the forgiveness of our sins. And in these two ways, he became the fulfillment of the Passover, while at the same time he also became the substance to which the Lord’s Supper now points.

Indeed, when we partake of the bread and cup today, we are remembering the king who was crucified in our place and the priest who made himself the sacrifice for our sins. We are not re-presenting the death of Christ, or suggesting that the elements become the body and blood, as in the Catholic mass. Rather, our elements tell the story of how Jesus fulfilled all of the Old Testament sacrifices on the cross. In this way, Jesus became the sacrificial lamb who took the place of God’s firstborn, and now all those who are promised a shared inheritance with Christ in his kingdom celebrate Christ’s death and resurrection whenever we gather.

5. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

Staying in the Old Testament, we can also make an important observation for who eats the Lord’s Supper. In Israel, those who ate the Passover were the ones circumcised and brought into the covenant. In other words, those outside the covenant did not eat of the Passover meal. As Exodus 12:48–49 explains, those from outside of Israel could enter into the covenant by circumcision, but uncircumcised males could not eat.

Likewise, when Israel entered the Promised Land, they celebrated Passover. As Joshua 1–5 records it, this came after they passed through the Jordan River. And by way of typology, it gives us a pattern that those who eat the Passover are the same as those who pass through the waters of baptism. Remember, 1 Corinthians 10 identifies the Red Sea as the baptismal waters for Moses. Those who passed through the sea with Moses were, according to Paul, baptized into their redeemer. Similarly, when Joshua took the place of Moses, we might say that the second generation of Israel was baptized into Joshua, when they passed through the flood waters of the Jordan River (Joshua 3–4) and entered into the blessed rest of the land (see Josh. 21:43–45).

In all, we can see that those who were given the Passover meal in the land were, typologically-speaking, baptized, circumcised believers. That is to say, while the first generation died in the wilderness because they failed to believe God, the second generation proved to be genuinely faithful to the Lord, through the superior mediation of Joshua. In this way, we have a pattern of baptism and Passover in Joshua that would eventually be fulfilled in the greater Joshua, whose baptism and Passover meal superseded anything found in the Old Testament.

Now, there’s a lot more we could do to shore up these connections, but don’t miss the order and connection between baptism and Passover. Just as it would be impossible to eat the Passover without passing through the flood waters, so too it is impossible to (rightly!) eat the Lord’s Table without baptism. Water baptism for the believer is the initiating rite for the new covenant; the Lord’s Table is the ongoing rite. And the former should always precede the latter and make it obvious who should partake of the table.

For fathers and mothers leading their children to the table, the simplest answer to who should eat and who should abstain is this: Are they baptized? The question is not—Do they have faith?— as determined by the child, the parent, or the pastor. The question is, what has the church said? Has the church exercised its royal authority (the keys of the kingdom) to baptize them and invite them to priestly service in God’s house and royal access to the bread and the wine? That is the question, and by keeping the church’s relationship with the child in view, it helps everyone keep our minds on the lines of Scripture. And this is especially true, when we see how eating at the table signifies royal priesthood.

6. Priest and King

Returning to the patterns of eating and drinking in the Bible, it is vital to see how priests and kings eat and drink. For by their food, you will know them. To say it differently, if Christ is the royal priest who invites us to eat at his table, we need to see how his table also makes us royal priests—not priests alone or kings alone, but royal priests.

For starters, in Leviticus we learn that the priests are able to eat at the altar of God. Likewise, the nation of Israel that was chosen by God to be a kingdom of priests is given access to eat at the tabernacle when they enjoyed the peace offering. Still, for all the ways that priests could eat meat from the altar (Lev. 6:26, 29; 7:6, 31–34) and bread in the presence of the Lord (Lev. 24:5–9), priests were directly forbidden from drinking wine.

Leviticus 10 says that priests ought not to drink wine. In context, it seems that a failure of judgment led the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, to offer strange fire on the altar. Likewise, Nazirites when they committed themselves to act like priests and serve the Lord entirely, they were forbidden from drinking wine (Numbers 6). Furthermore, when making judicial decisions, which is a priestly task (Lev. 17:8–13), kings were instructed to abstain from wine too (Proverbs 31:4–5). Put together, there seems to be a pattern that those serving, working, or judging before the Lord were to abstain from wine. Wine was reserved for periods of peace and rest. And so, when men were called to work, to war, or to weigh matters of legal importance wine was forbidden.

Nevertheless, fermented grape juice was the proper drink for a wedding feast (John 2), or when kings returned from war (Gen. 14), or when work was done (Eccl. 9:7), or when kings rested on their throne (Esther 1:7; 5:6; 7:2). To say it differently, wine was inappropriate for those working and serving (i.e., doing priestly tasks), but it was entirely appropriate for celebrating peace, prosperity, and rest. As Psalm 104:14–15 puts it, God gave wine to gladden the heart (cf. Judg. 9:13; Eccl. 10:19). And thus, there is a place in the Bible for wine. And at the Lord’s Table, this goes double.

For not only does sweet wine tell us that Christ’s work has been completed and all bitterness removed, but it also reminds us that the king who would not drink wine on the night before his crucifixion has now entered his kingdom. And how do we know? He serves wine to his people, as he gathers the children of his kingdom to worship God. Indeed, when we sit down at the Lord’s Table, we are not simply coming as priests eating the bread of the presence. We are also kings who have been given wine. Again, the wine symbolizes the peace and blessing that Christ achieved on the cross, and it tells us that we are not simply servants in the household of God, but also friends (John 15:14).

Under the old covenant, the priests could not drink wine, because their work was never complete. And just the same, the kings could never eat the bread of the presence, unless like David they were doing priestly things (1 Samuel 22; Mark 2:23–28). But now, as Christ has been exalted as the true and final royal priest (Psalm 110), this king of peace and whose priestly sacrifice made us all righteous, invites us to sit down and to enjoy the bread of his presence and the fruit of his vine—just like Melchizedek did with Abraham when he returned from war (Gen. 14:18).

In his own day, Jesus said that he would not drink of the vine until he entered his kingdom. But now he has entered his kingdom, and every Sunday, we gather to partake of the food he prepares for us. And while, we do not physically see Jesus, as he reigns in heaven and we abide on the earth, the physicality of this meal nourishes our bodies and our souls. And more, it reminds us that while the reign of Christ is mediated by his Spirit today, his kingdom is not wholly immaterial either. Rather, it is a spiritual kingdom we can taste and touch, which is why we want the elements of our communion to properly reflect his glory, which brings us back to John 2.

7. Bread and Wine

In Jesus’s first sign, he comes to a wedding feast where the wine has run out, and to resolve the problem he takes water from six stone water jars—stone jars used for ceremonial cleansing—and he makes new wine. In this way, he brings peace and joy back to the wedding. Yet, as John makes clear, this wine miracle is a sign, and one that points to the significance of wine flowing afresh in Israel.

In Amos 9, a passage that promises the reconstruction of David’s tent, we read these words, “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit’” (Amos 9:13–14).
Without making all the connections, it is worth noting how this prophet looked to a day when a new David would restore joy to the house of Israel. And one sign of that new day would be the mountains dripping wine and the people rejoicing in the fruit of that vine. As noted before, wine symbolizes joy, rest, peace, and prosperity. Wine is most appropriate at a wedding, because the guests are celebrating the love of the lover and the beloved (read Song of Songs). And it is not by accident that Jesus begins his new covenant ministry with such a sign.

It is also not accidental that Jesus calls himself the true vine and his people the branches (John 15). In their lives, God’s people are to abide with him and to bear fruit, as the joy of the Spirit gives them life. And one way, God’s people abide in God’s love is by means of weekly communion that eats the bread of God’s presence and drinks of the vine.

Now in our day, many churches (especially Baptist, Bible, and Independent churches) use grape juice. This goes back the temperance movement of the nineteenth century and a Methodist by the name of Thomas Welch, of Welch’s Grape Juice fame. Holding a view that went beyond the bounds of Scripture, he believed that consuming alcohol, in all forms, was sinful. Yet, a careful reading of Scripture reveals something else. Drunkenness is sin (Gal. 5:19–21; Eph. 5:18) and any form of addiction to any material substance violates God’s commands (cf. Prov. 23:29–35). But clearly, Jesus drank wine (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:33–34), Paul urged its medicinal use (1 Tim. 5:23), and the participants of the Lord’s Table in Corinth were undeniably drinking wine, not juice.

And how do we know? Because Paul says not to get drunk at the Lord’s Table (1 Cor. 11:21). This both indicates that the cup they served was fermented and that the portions were more than a thimble. It also means that someone can misuse the good elements of communion, too. So, by all means, the church must use wisdom with the bread and the wine. And for those who are morally opposed or physically unable to drink wine, they can and should drink juice at the table. Yet, for those have read the Scriptures and believe that wine is the biblical element, we will soon be offering wine in our communion meal.

To speak personally, I can count on one hand the number of times I have tasted wine. I am by all definitions a teetotaler. Yet, in studying the Scriptures, I have come to a conviction that wine is what God ordained his saints to enjoy when they are called to take and eat and drink. Wine warms the body (and the soul), in a way that juice does not. It’s fermentation symbolizes the maturation that comes with the wisdom that kings need to rule. And its sweetness recalls the joy that is ours, knowing that Christ took the bitter cup. In all of these ways, wine includes important symbols that point to the substance of Christ.

Similarly, the leavened bread symbolizes the risen Christ. Whereas the Jewish Passover ate unleavened bread to remember the hasty departure from Egypt, the loaf we share will be leavened to remember Christ’s resurrection. Next week, I will share a number of logistics for receiving elements in service that do not come packaged in plastic. But for today, I close with the value of knowing what you are tasting and seeing.  How easily we can forget the meaning of the bread and the cup. And in this meditation and in the March 22 sermon, we are answering the question: What are we eating? We do this not to get sidetracked with unnecessary nuances, but because Jesus said: “Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 11:24). Yet, “do this” requires some careful reflections.

The Lord’s Supper is not an ordinance we can eat or not eat as we see fit. Rather, it is plays a central role in our worship service and our personal and corporate experience with our Lord. And so, as I offer these seven reflections to you, I urge you to consider them, search the scriptures to examine them, and then eat and drink with faith as you come to the Lord’s Table this Sunday and on every Lord’s Day. There are so many glorious facets to the Lord’s Supper, and every time we commune with God we should bring them to mind. For now, I offer these seven reflections, and I pray they may spur others as you continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, especially as we come to the Lord’s Table.

The Hope Desk: A Podcast of Occoquan Bible Church

We are glad to announce the launch of a new podcast for the encouragement and discipleship of the saints at Occoquan Bible Church!

Pastor David, Pastor Ben, and Matt Wood will discuss various aspects of church life and fellowship in each episode. It is our prayer that this podcast will be edifying and encouraging to our church family.

God-willing, new episodes will drop each Monday. We plan for each episode to be short and something that you can easily listen to during your commute or a trip across town.
This podcast is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the OBC Media Library.

Pray with us that the Lord would be glorified through this effort, and that the body of Christ at OBC would be built up and encouraged.

Have you ever noticed how the Psalms are divided into five books? If you pull out a modern English translation of the Bible, nearly all of them place “Book 1” in front of Psalm 1. “Book 2” shows up in front of Psalm 42. “Book 3” precedes Psalm 73. While “Book 4” and “Book 5” stand at the top of Psalm 90 and Psalm 107, respectively.

Why is that? The answer to that question relates to the order of the Psalms, in general and the way that Ezra, or some inspired prophet like Ezra, arranged the Psalter so that it would tell the story of David’s suffering and glory (Book 1), David’s kingdom (Book 2), the sons of David’s demise (Book 3), the return of the Divine King (Book 4), and the installation of a new and greater David (Book 5). Indeed, the arrangement of the Psalter is not accidental, and it plays a vital role in understanding the book, the history of Israel, and God’s plans of salvation for the world.

A few years ago, we looked at the outline of the Psalms and you can find a plethora of resources on reading the psalms “canonically” (according to their arrangement) here. But suffice it to say, the five hymn-books of David are meant to extend and exceed the five books of Moses (Genesis–Deuteronomy). And for reasons that we will see this Sunday, this extension has everything to do with singing.

Indeed, as we have recently considered where, and who, and how we worship, we have not given any time to the subject of songs, hymns, and spiritual songs. Matt Wood taught a series by that title, and if you were not in Sunday School, you should go listen to it. But in this sermon series on liturgy, we have focused on the location, participants, and forms of worship. But this Sunday, that changes as we look to the Bible’s songbook, the 150-song collection that we know as Psalms. And to prepare for Sunday, there are two things you need to see—(1) the shape of the Psalter and (2) the place of singing in the Bible.

Seeing the Psalter
First, if you treat the Psalms as a random collection of Israel’s greatest temple hits, you will miss the message of the Psalter. As I hinted above, the Psalms have a discernible storyline from David, to David’s sons, to David’s greater Son, Jesus Christ. In fact, as I have tried to show in a more technical article, Psalm 2 is the promise of great son of David who will sit enthroned on Mount Zion. And Psalm 110 is the fulfillment of that promise in the Psalter itself. And not surprisingly, when the Apostles saw the son exalted on high, in his ascension, they wrote their Gospels and and Epistles with the exalted Christ in view—even conjoining Psalm 2 and Psalm 110 in places like Hebrews 5:5–6.

Now, if we had more time, we could look further at the whole Psalter—and if you’d like to know more, catch me Sunday and I’ll point you in the right direction. But for now, I want you to consider how Book 5 proceeds when the Lord is seated on the throne. And the best way to do that is with an outline of Psalms 107–50 and an open Bible.

Psalms	Storyline
107	Song of Thanksgiving for God’s Deliverance – Melodic Line for Book 5
108–09	Songs of Petition for God to Save – Summons God’s “Right Hand”
110	The Enthronement of the Royal Priest – This psalm celebrates Christ’s enthronement in heaven and his salvation and judgment on earth
111–17	7 Hallelujah Songs – These psalms celebrate Christ’s coronation (Ps 110)
118	Song of Praise for the Day of the Lord – This psalm pairs with Psalm 110 to tell of Christ’s death and resurrection (v. 24, “This is the day . . .”)
119	22 Stanzas of the Law – This psalm evidences the joy of the New Covenant saint who delights in the Word of God
120–34	15 Songs of Ascent – These psalms bring worshipers into God’s presence
135–37	3 Songs of Praise (135), Thanksgiving (136), and Lamentation (137)
138–45	8 Songs of David – These psalms narrate the new covenant realities of spiritual warfare
146–50	5 Songs of Praise – These psalms conclude the whole Psalter

In these 44 psalms, we have storyline of Jesus Christ after he has been seated at God’s right hand in heaven. Remember, Psalm 110 is the most cited psalm in the New Testament (see, e.g., Matt. 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42, 43; Acts 2:34, 35; Heb. 5:6; 7:17, 21). And as such, it tells us that when Christ ascended to heaven, he made a way of worship for his people and he made a way of spiritual warfare on the earth. Lest we think that Christ is inactive on his throne. Psalms 111–145  tell us how Christ is bringing his kingdom from heaven to the earth, so that all creation might redound in his praise (Psalms 146–50).

As you have time, read Book 5 with consideration for the ways that Christ has fulfilled Psalm 110 and is now creating worshipers from every nation; he is writing his law on their hearts; he is leading them to sing praises to him in heaven; and he is commissioning them to go into the world with the gospel message of salvation and judgment. Indeed, while the entire Psalms functions as prophesy; Book 5 is the most prophetic part of the book, as it points directly to new covenant realities.

Knowing this, take time to review this outline as you read Psalms 107–150. On Sunday, we will see how these psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs lead us in worship, and how they both inform our order of service and prepare us for descending the hill of the Lord, where we will meet a host of difficulties and dangers, until when return to the Lord’s Mountain.

Singing in Service
Second, and this will be mercifully shorter, the Psalter teaches God’s worshipers how to sing, what to sing, and (in some ways) in what order. Big picture first, the Psalms move from lamentation to praise. If you were to count them all up, you would find that the lamentations are frontloaded in the psalter, and the hymns of thanksgiving and praise are stacked in the back. Indeed, in Book 5, we begin with two psalms of lamentation and petition (Psalms 108–09), and then we have only one other notable imprecatory psalm (Psalm 137), which calls for the downfall of God’s enemies. Technically, there are others doleful parts of Psalms 138–45, but this is set in the context of spiritual warfare—as the new David leads the battle against persisting enemies (cf. Ps. 110:4–7).

Aside from this big picture, the order of Book 5 also helps us to see how singing is part and parcel of the whole order of service. Now, it wasn’t always this way. As Peter Leithart, in his book From Silence to Song, helped me to see, the worship of Moses largely lacked music. Yes, there were some silver trumpets to be played when the people marched (Num. 10:1–9) and when they offered sacrifices (Num. 10:10), but if you look throughout the five books of Moses, aside from Exodus 15, you will be hard pressed to find music.

By contrast, David’s five books are nothing but song. And not only do they range over the whole human experience—joy and sorrow, guilt and forgiveness, petition and praise, etc and etc—but they tell the story of salvation. And, as we see in Book 5, we anticipate a coming savior who will be praised by people from every nation. Notably, this is why Psalm 107 begins the book. It tells of salvation from all people and all places. And knowing that the throne of David died in the dust of Psalm 89, we have good reason to see how this final book anticipates the coming salvation of Jew and Gentile alike in the finished work of Christ. And in that future hope, now fulfilled in Christ, we can see how the people of God sing praises for the law written on their heart (Psalm 118), how they praise God for bringing them into his heavenly temple as new covenant priests (Psalms 120–134), and how when they return to the earth, they do so with praise (Psalm 135), thanksgiving (Psalm 136), and lamentation (Psalm 137).

This is the reality of new covenant worship today. We are invited into the presence of God, but not all things are seen as submitting to Christ today (Heb. 2:5–8). Christ is the one who leads us in worship (Heb. 2:11–12), but that worship is intermittent, so long as we live on the earth. Unlike the spirits of the righteous made perfect who now live on the mountain of the Lord, praising God without tiring, we who walk through the valleys of this world, must go to battle Monday through Saturday (Psalms 138–45), so that we might return to worship on the Lord’s Day (Psalm 118:24), always anticipating the day when all things will be made new and the praise of the Lord will be universal. This is how the Psalter ends in Psalms 146–50. And every time we gather for worship and sing praises to our exalted priest-king (Psalm 110), this is the universal reign of Christ that we are proclaiming the nations.

Putting All The Pieces Together
Thus, it behooves us to continue to refine our liturgy by the revelation of God in the Psalter. And this Sunday, that is where will be, as we look at the place of song, and how Psalms 107–50 teach us to sing—both when we gather and when we depart.
As the Lord allows, I look forward to seeing you on Sunday. Until then read some or all of Psalms 107–150 and pray for our time to be profitable and filled with praise.

Finding Middle C(s): Another Step Toward Liturgy

On a piano, Middle C is the key that organizes all the others. For beginners, therefore,  Middle C plays a critical role in locating all the other keys, notes, and scales.

By comparison, when we look at our 5 C’s of liturgy (Call to Worship, Consecration, Counsel of God, Communion, and Commission), we discover that God’s Word is at the center. As noted from Exodus 19–24, the centrality and volume of God’s speech on Sinai gives his word pride of place. Equally, everything in the service builds up to that moment when God’s Word is expounded. And then, everything else in the service flows from God’s speech, as communion responds to God’s Word and the commission impels the saints to go into the world with the Word on their lips.

Such is the pattern of worship that is found at Sinai, and one that we will continue to think about this weekend.

Yet, before going too far in Sinai’s liturgy, let me offer an important caution that protects us from over-reading the Bible. The caution is this: God did not inspire a section of liturgies to be put in the back of the Bible. Thus, while various traditions have written books that order all their services, the Bible itself does not have one mandated order of service. Instead, in places like Hebrews 12, Revelation 1, and Exodus 19–24, we find a series of parallel worship services. And this means that in our sermon series, we are attempting to learn that choreography and apply it wisely to our own service. This is how we have arrived at the Five C’s.

Effectively, these Five C’s help us remember what we are doing in the service and why. And more importantly, they help us teach the liturgy to our children and those who are new to the faith. Therefore, it would be sheer folly to claim that this order of service is the only way to worship God. Yet, it would be equally foolhardy to ignore the importance of liturgy, and the many places in Scripture that teach us how to worship God, including Leviticus.

In Leviticus, the Lord speaks to Moses on Mount Sinai and he gives him instructions for ascending the mountain. In fact, the whole book is shaped like a mountain, or at least a chiasm.


The Five Sacrifices (chs. 1–7)

                  Priests Ordination (chs. 8–10)

                                         Ritual Holiness (chs. 11–15)

                                               The Day of Atonement (chs. 16–17)

                                         Moral Holiness (chs. 18–20)

                  Priests Qualifications (chs. 21–22)

The Blessings of the Sacrificial Calendar (chs. 23–27)


From this point of view, we can see how Leviticus is an instruction manual for priests who will serve at God’s altar. And today, knowing that Christ has fulfilled the ceremonial laws of Leviticus, we can learn much about worship by studying this book. And this Sunday that is what we will do as we turn to Leviticus 9 and the offerings found therein.

These three sacrifices—the sin offering ,the ascension offering, and the peace offering— are the ones that offer confession, bring consecration, and lead to communion. With a variation on our five-fold liturgy, these sacrifices help us to see what happens at the center of the worship service and what it means to be made living sacrifices before our living God.

Indeed, consider how the New Testament uses imagery from the altar (see Rom. 12:2; 15:14–16; 1 Cor. 9:13; Phil. 2:17; 2 Tim. 4:2; Heb. 13:10) to explain our new covenant service before the Lord. This priestly language proves our worship is not disconnected from the Old Testament; it has simply moved to a higher key. We’ve gone from the Middle C of Leviticus to the Higher C of Jesus. Still, to sing on key with Christ, we must attend to the sacrifices that prepared the priests for service at the altar. And so, this Sunday that is our goal, as we consider confession, consecration, and communion, as revealed in Leviticus 9.

To prepare for Sunday, therefore, read Leviticus 9 and Hebrews 13. Also, pray for the service, that our worship would be pleasing and acceptable to God, even as we continue to refine our liturgy at OBC. As the Lord allows, I look forward to worshiping with you on Sunday.

For His Glory and your joy in Christ,
Pastor David

What Is Church For?

What are we doing when we go to church?

This is the question that has animated our current sermon series. In the first sermon, we answered the question by looking at where we are when we come to church. In the second sermon, we did the same by observing who was present at the hill of the Lord. But this week, as we take another step toward understanding the business of Sunday, we will consider what it means to participate in new covenant worship.

Renewing the covenant is the reason why we gather for worship; it why we ascend the hill of the Lord; and it is why all eyes are on Jesus, our mediator of the new covenant, when we gather for worship. For truly, the covenant sealed with Christ’s blood is what makes worship possible. And yet, in our day, participating in the blessings of the new covenant is often not what churches do—or at least, it is not the centerpiece on which churches focus.

Instead, as Jeffrey Meyers observes in his book The Lord’s Service, too many churches prioritize evangelism for the unbeliever, or education for the erudite, or a spiritual experience for the more charismatic. There are good and biblical reasons for each of these emphases. Yet, as we will see this Sunday, Scripture has another priority for our worship gathering—namely, participating in the blessings of the covenant.

Now, what does it mean to participate in new covenant worship? In a word, participating in covenant worship is a pattern of worship found throughout the Bible. For instance, at Sinai, Moses led the people of Israel to assemble at God’s mountain, hear God’s Word, and make a covenant with God. Then, Leviticus gave further details for the way a priestly people would worship God. And Psalms also shows evidence of this pattern, which came to fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

But what is that pattern? On Sunday, we will consider this pattern of worship from Exodus 19–24. But let me preview what we will see on Sunday. Citing The Lord’s Service again, Jeffrey Meyers shows how the Old Testament saints follow a similar outline for worship. And when it is boiled down, it looks like this (p. 51).

1. Call to worship: God comes near and calls His people out of the world to gather in His presence. He graciously takes hold of us and brings us near to Himself.
2. Confession and Forgiveness: God reminds us what He has done for us in Christ and declares His interest in restoring us again to his favor in Christ. We confess our sins and God absolves us of guilt. God graciously reminds us that we bear the name Christian and are members of His family in Christ. He tears us from our old sinful ways and renews His love for us in Christ.
3. Scripture Readings and Sermon: God speaks to us through his Word. His people respond by giving themselves and their gifts as a fitting offering.
4. The Lord's Supper: God invites us to commune with Him at his covenant meal, and we respond by memorializing His covenant and enjoying His faithful provisions at the family feast.
5. The Benediction and Commissioning: God blesses us and charges us to extend His kingdom into the future and into the world, making disciples of all nations. We are dismissed from God's special presence, renewed and equipped for this task.

If you look at the bulletin, you will see these five elements under five C’s: Call to Worship, Consecration, Canon, Communion, and Commissioning. In ways that mirror the pattern identified in Scripture by Jeffrey Meyers, our own service will begin to take greater care to think about what we are doing in service. And that will be the focus of the sermon on Sunday, as we look at Exodus 19–24.

Not surprisingly, Sinai is the clearest expression of worship in the Old Testament. And, as we saw in Hebrews 12, our approach to God on Mount Zion is based on a comparison with Israel’s encounter with God at Mount Sinai. Yet, as we know from Hebrews, all that happened under the old covenant foreshadowed the real events that came in Jesus Christ and that continue by way of his Holy Spirit.

Said differently, what we do when we go to church today is better than anything that Israel experienced at Sinai or latter at Jerusalem. Indeed, all of those historical events were written down as examples for us, so that we would understand how to worship God today in Spirit and Truth. Thus, we need to learn from the Old Testament how to worship God, but then we need to let the New Testament teach us to sing our praises at a higher key.

On Sunday ,that is what we will do as we look at Exodus 19–24. So, take time to read those chapters and consider what it means to come and worship the Lord together. On Sunday, as the Lord allows, I look forward to seeing you as we ascend the hill of the Lord together and as we take another step toward delighting in the liturgy of the Lord’s Day.

This is a bulletin.

When football legend Vince Lombardi arrived in Green Bay to coach the Packers, he started with a simple statement: “This is football.” For reasons that go beyond our interest today, we can appreciate Lombardi’s back-to-basics approach, and how it forged the foundation of a football dynasty that would lead to multiple champions and countless hall-of-famers. And all of this, because Lombardi dared to restore the fundamentals.

So too, as we think about liturgy in our sermon series, we are bringing back the church bulletin. Until COVID told us personal contact was to be avoided at all costs, our church like so many others, had a weekly bulletin. And as we seek to better understand what we are doing on the Lord’s Day and better communicate what we are doing in between the Sundays, we are putting out a new bulletin—beginning this Sunday.

Today, I want to tell you where you can pick up the bulletin, what you will find in the bulletin, and how you can make the best use of the bulletin. Yes, a bulletin is generally self-explanatory. But so is football. And lest you miss out on the aims of this bulletin, bear with me for a few basics as I share what this bulletin is all about.

The Where
For starters, we will have ushers handing out bulletins before the worship service. So, if you are unable to make Sunday School, you will be greeted with a smile and bulletin. At the same time, as so many members and guests come for Sunday School (or earlier), you will find the bulletins on the tables in the back of the sanctuary. You can pick one up there at any time.

The What
In the bulletin itself, we have eight half-sheets with a specific flow of thought to serve you.

For starters, the title page (page 1) has our church logo, church mission, and the date. As you pick up a bulletin, take a moment to breath a prayer for the church as you prepare for worship. Equally, be sure you have the right date. While we will do our best to always have the current bulletin out, you never know. Tares have a way of growing with the wheat. So, just take note of the date.

Next, pages 2–3 will include a devotional page. This devotional will either fit with the sermon or provide a reflection for something going on in the life of the church. This devotional will also be found on the church website. Sometimes this devotional will be shorter than the website, so you can always check on that resource with the QR code on page 3. On page 3, you may also find up-to-date information about our church’s discipleship ministry, Christ Over All. So, as you prepare for service (or after), take time to read this devotional to be encouraged and to stay apprised of things like how to read the bulletin.
 
Next, page 4 has the most important part of the bulletin for seeing the order of service. As you read it, it will have a familiar arrangement. But, as I will explain in the weeks ahead, the 5 C’s (Call to Worship, Confession, Consecration, Communion, Commission) provide a flow of thought for what we are doing as we ascend the hill of the Lord. Understanding this arrangement helps us to worship with the knowledge that comes from Scripture. And as this series goes, I will explain more.

Assisting our liturgy, pages 5–6 will include the confession of sin, the pardon, and any creed we recite together. All of these words will also appear on the screen, just like they always have. But by having them written in your bulletin, you can read them before service to prepare for worship. And you can also take them with you to use at home in your personal or family worship.

Finally, on the last two pages, we will include details about our ministries (page 7) and upcoming events (page 8). These two pages are critical for knowing what’s going on and what you can do to be involved at OBC. These two pages will also enable us to streamline the close of service, which will function more like a genuine commissioning, and less like a laundry list of announcements. That’s on page 8. So be sure to look at that every week.

The Why
That’s the bulletin as it is currently conceived. If you think of other ideas that would serve the whole congregation, please let one of the elders know. While there are certainly more things that could be added (notes pages, sheet music, etc.), we believe these eight half-sheets will provide a helpful resource for you. And that is why we are returning to the bulletin.

For the twin purposes of aiding our Lord’s Day liturgy and amplifying our week-to-week communication, we are handing bulletins this Sunday. So, be sure to pick one up.

For His Glory and your joy in Christ,
Pastor David

Every Fall our church hosts the Simeon Trust Workshop. In that workshop, we study the principles of interpreting the Bible from different genres and types of text (narrative, poetry, and didactic). And somewhere in the workshop, the leaders will bring out this pyramid.

                                                      

They call it the pyramid of competence, and it can be found online with various origin stories. Applied to teaching, it goes like this:

1. There are some who don’t know what they are doing when they read the Bible. And don’t know that what they don’t know. This is where almost every Bible reader begins, and they might be called the “unconsciously incompetent.”
   
   
2. There are also those who have not arrived at a level of competence, but importantly, they know they are lacking in competence. To varying degrees, they know that they need to grow, learn, improve, and become competent. These are the “consciously incompetent.” And for all students of the Bible, this is a phase they must traverse—and often, they must traverse it multiple times. (Personally, I have often felt this way as I begin to study a new part of Scripture).
   
   
3. Then there are the ones who have worked up the pyramid to arrive at a level of “conscious competence.” They know what they are doing with Scripture and they know why. This is the optimal position on the pyramid, even though it is not the top.
   
   
4. For at the top level, which is the most rare group, is the type of person who is “unconsciously competent.” That is to say, they read Scripture clearly and arrive at the right conclusions, but they do not know why. 

To focus on this last group for a moment, this person is uniquely blessed by good instincts, but they are almost always the worst type of teacher, because they don’t know how to help those who do not intuitively understand the Bible. And this is due, in part, to the fact that this unconsciously competent individual is likely forgetful of the influences that have helped him or her understand the Bible well.

If we could peal back the layers, however, we would find that this savant was assuredly raised in church or taught Scripture in school or at home. In other words, when it comes to the revealed religion of Jesus Christ, no one stumbles into without the influence of others. And when it comes to the way we worship, the same is true. No one rightly worships God without being taught how to worship. And even for those who have proper sense of true worship, there are reasons for that intuitive understanding.

This ordering of worship is known as liturgy, and for the next few weeks, our church is going to examine the Bible to see what it says about worship and how to order our services according to God’s revealed will.

Introducing Liturgy

When it comes to the idea of liturgy, you may find yourself thinking that this is something High Church Anglicans or Roman Catholics do, but not Bible Church evangelicals. Equally, the word itself may be new or unfamiliar, even though leitourgeō is used throughout the New Testament.[1] If asked to explain what liturgy is, most who have come to faith in modern evangelical churches might not have an immediate answer. But I guarantee you, if you have been in church for any length of time, you are not incompetent either.

Over the last number of years, our church has added a host of liturgical elements to our order of service. Every Sunday, you are called to worship with Scripture, and on many Sunday’s you have confessed your faith as we have recited the Apostles or the Nicene Creed. Likewise, we have corporately confessed our sins and heard the good words of pardon. And if you are baptized member of our church, you have also partaken of the bread and the cup. So, whether you know it or not, you already have a certain competence to the liturgy.

Even more, going beyond the liturgical elements just mentioned, OBC’s Sunday worship has matured too. This has included our song selection, our single-service, and our weekly communion. All of these have changed (for the better) over the last decade.

Put all that together and you have a good foundation for understanding liturgy, even if you weren’t thinking about it. But now, it is time to think about it and to go from doing the right thing (unconscious competence) to knowing why we are doing the right thing (conscious competence). And more than that, we also need to see some aspects of worship that need improvement and change—things like the elements we use for the Lord’s Supper.

On Earth As It Is In Heaven: Delighting in the Liturgy of the Lord’s Day

For these reasons and more, we are beginning a new sermon series entitled, On Earth as it is in Heaven. This sermon title comes from the center of the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:10). But more than that, it is the aim of every Sunday gathering. When we gather on the Lord’s Day, we are not simply coming to enjoy heavenly thoughts while we remain on earth. Rather, as we will see most explicitly this Sunday, we are actually ascending the hill of the Lord to meet with God who comes to meet with us. Truly, if only spiritually, gathered worship is a time where heaven touches earth and God’s saints commune with their Father in heaven.
 Still, to see that invisible reality, we need to consider what Scripture says about worship. So, for the next eight Sundays (as the Lord allows), we will focus our time on answering questions like these:

 1. Where are we when we worship?

 2. Who is present when we worship?

 3. What are we doing when we worship?

 4. When are we commanded to worship?

These questions and more will animate our time. And it is my hope and prayer that by means of this sermon series, it will not only purify our worship, but it will mature all of us in our communion with God. For in fact, how we worship is determinative for everything else about us—just read Psalm 115.

So, take time to pray for this sermon series and for your own heart to grow in understanding of what it means to come and worship God. My prayer is that we will all delight more in the liturgy of the Lord’s Day and that over the next eight Sundays, the Lord will purify our praise and glorify his Son in our midst. For this Sunday, take time to read Hebrews 12:18–29. That is where we will begin our time, as we think about where we are when come to church on Sunday.

 As the Lord allows, I look forward to seeing you on the Lord’s Day.

 For His Glory and your joy in Christ,

 Pastor David
 

   ^{[1] The word leitourgeō is often translated ‘minister,’ ‘service,’ or ‘offering.’ It can be found in Luke 1:23; Acts 13:2 Romans 13:6; 15:16, 27; 2 Corinthians 9:12; Philippians 2:17, 25, 30; Hebrews 1:14; 8:2, 6; 9:21.}

If your week has been like mine, many of your plans were interrupted by last week’s storm and you’ve spent a fair amount of time shoveling. In Psalm 147:16-17, the psalmist writes “He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before this cold?” Weather events like this are humbling as we see the power of God and all plans are brought to a halt. I don’t remember seeing this much ice in Northern Virginia, but I’m looking forward to what the psalmist describes in verse 18, "He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow."

As we regather for worship this Sunday, we will be turning to Psalm 119 for one week before we begin our next sermon series. In preparation for worship, I invite you to read Psalm 119:33-40, and I encourage you to take time to meditate on this stanza of the psalm. Consider the psalmist’s prayer as he prays about what he knows, what he loves, what he fears, and what he needs.

How does this psalm speak to what you know, love, and fear? When we look in the mirror of God’s Word (James 1:22-25), it exposes our hearts (Heb 4:12). When confronted by the Word of God, it is right that we turn to the Lord in prayer, and this is what we see in this stanza (Ps 119:33-40). May the prayer of the psalmist become our prayer, and may the Lord graciously turn our hearts to Himself.

As we continue to deal with icy conditions, please use extra caution in the OBC parking lot. Snow plowing has shortened many of our parking spaces, which allows less room when pulling out. We will keep our regular morning schedule with Sunday School and Great Commission Prayer at 9:00am, and we will gather for worship at 10:00am. Please note that we are rescheduling our Members’ Meeting to Sunday, February 15.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as the Lord allows.

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Ben

Several of our members have been attending the Founders’ Conference in Cape Coral, FL this week and we invite you to watch the conference livestream here. The conference will end at noon on Saturday.

In contrast to sunny Florida, our forecast at home in Virginia calls for significant snow beginning on Saturday evening and continuing through Sunday. The same Lord who calls us to assemble regularly to worship Him (Hebrews 10:25) is Lord over the snowfall, and as this storm approaches, I encourage you to read Job 37:5-13 and consider how winter weather displays God's glory.

If the forecast holds true, we anticipate that road conditions will require our building to be closed and we will be unable to gather for worship this Sunday. Should things be better than expected, we will let you know. We will continue to share inclement weather announcements by email, on obc.org, and in the Occoquan Bible Church app.

If we are snowbound and unable to gather for worship at OBC this Sunday, we invite you to watch the livestream of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, FL. Pastor David Schrock will be the guest preacher at Tom Ascol’s church this Sunday, and the livestream of that worship service begins at 10:20am. 

We are re-forming our Snow Removal Team. If you’re interested in serving, we will be helping those in our congregation who are physically unable to dig themselves out, as well as clearing and salting sidewalks at OBC. We invite you to sign-up to join our snow removal team here. 

Storms like these are an opportunity to love and care for one another. We encourage you to check-in on members who live close to you, and as you’re able, take advantage of this snowstorm to share the love of Christ with your neighborhood.

As this weather approaches, we pray for you all, and we look forward to regathering for worship as the Lord allows.

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Ben

“Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter” (Proverbs 24:11). This proverb is 3,000 years old, but it is a timely word for today.

This Sunday is marked as Sanctity of Life Sunday as it is close to the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. While we are thankful that this Supreme Court decision was overturned in 2022, it is a grievous reality that abortion continues to increase in Virginia. There is much work to be done, and it is right that we take this Sunday to pray for the end of abortion in our nation.

I strongly encourage you to come for our Sunday School hour this week. Life First, our local pro-life ministry partner, will be giving a ministry report this Sunday at 9:00am in the sanctuary. Becky Sheetz, the CEO of Life First will be sharing with us for the first part of that hour, and we look forward to hearing what God is doing through this ministry in our community. We will conclude that hour with a time of prayer for Life First and for the end of abortion.

As we look at the upcoming legislative docket in Richmond for 2026, this will be a consequential year. To stay up-to-date with what’s unfolding, I recommend that you follow the work of the Family Foundation. Much has happened this past week. Scroll down their homepage page to their “Resources” section, and you will see key issues for this year, including multiple constitutional amendments that will enshrine unlimited abortion, redefine marriage, and insert gender ideology into the Virginia Constitution.

There is great wisdom in the Word of God for times like these, and we will be turning to Proverbs 24 this Sunday to consider what it looks like to build our homes and oppose evil. As we think about all these things, let us give ourselves to prayer. I invite you to read Proverbs 24 in preparation for Sunday and come gather with us to worship the Lord. May He give us wisdom and help us to walk in His ways.

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Ben

Dear OBC Family,

Grace restores nature.

This is a simple principle that Christian theologians have employed throughout the history of the church. Along the way, some (mostly in the Roman Catholic Church) have misused these terms and argued for some type of super-added grace in the beginning with Adam. But on the whole, Christians have affirmed the goodness of creation (nature), the badness of sin (the Fall), and the need for redemption and a new creation (grace).

Importantly, when the new creation comes, however, it does not destroy nature (the way God made humanity, for instance). Rather, it restores nature. Until all things are made new, this restoration is gradual, until Christ finally consummates the kingdom and completes the new heavens and the new earth.

Now, why should we who are simply trying to honor Christ with our daily living spend time on terms that are mildly esoteric? The answer will be found this Sunday, as we consider the Great Omission in the Great Commission.

As we considered last week, the Great Commission is possible because Christ is Lord over all. But equally, Christ is Lord over redemption and creation, grace and nature. Yet, as some have stressed the evangelistic calling of the Great Commission—to make disciples of all nations—they have unintentionally ignored the call to make a living, to make babies, or to make homes in which disciples are raised.

When we read the whole Bible, however, we learn that the spiritual calling of evangelism is not at odds with the cultural mandate to subdue and rule and to be fruitful and multiply. Indeed, grace restores nature; it does not destroy it. And so, as we are committed to the Great Commission, we must lean into the church’s mission to disciple the nations, all the while affirming, commending, and encouraging the place of children who grow up in our midst to get married and have their own children.

While that may seem obvious, it’s not. As Josh Holler has shown in his recent Christ Over All article, many today are opting for fewer babies and later babies. And as I will attempt to show Sunday, this comes from a view of the world that is anything but child-friendly. Rather, for a host of cultural reasons, demographic trends are moving away from marriage and children. And thus, as Christians who affirm the good news of the new birth and the good news of the first birth, we want to see disciples made, as well as babies.

And to help us think about that, we will look at a few stories from the time of the Judges. Most specifically, we will look at Judges 17–21 and Ruth 1–4. Now that’s a lot of Scripture and we won’t examine all the details of those chapters, but we will see how rampant sexual chaos collapsed the family in the days of the Judges. We will also see in that same time how the birth of one child to one unexpected family led to the kingdom of David and his greater son, Jesus Christ.

From that history then, we will see what God’s Word has to say to us today. And how the Great Commission calls all Christians to share the good news of Christ, even as we are called to encourage the formation of families—in our own day and in the days to come.

To prepare for Sunday, take time to read or listen to as much of Judges 17–21 and Ruth 1–4 as you can. These will be the places we reference on Sunday, as we look at the ways God worked in the chaotic days of the Judges and how he can work in our day, too.

As the Lord allows, I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

For His Glory and your joy in Christ,
Pastor David

The more things change, the more they stay the same. And as we begin the new year, with the promise (or threat) of ongoing changes in the world around us, it is good to remember one thing that remains the same: Jesus Christ is Lord and all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him.

In Matthew 28 we hear Jesus say to his disciples, “All authority in heaven and earth have been given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations . . .” Typically, when we read this Great Commission, which concludes the Gospel of Matthew, we think immediately of the church’s mission to evangelize, disciple, baptize, and teach the saints to obey all that Christ has commanded.

But if we only think about what we are to do with Jesus’s words in these verses, then we move too quickly. For, the command to disciple the nations is a new commandment. Earlier in Matthew, Jesus told his disciples *not* to go to the Gentile nations, but only to the lost sheep of Israel (see Matthew 10:5). Now however, the command is universal and this is due to a new authority that Jesus has received.

But this new authority raises a host of questions: Who gave Jesus this authority? And why now? Did Jesus not have authority over heaven and earth before Matthew 28? And if not, who did? Equally, what kind of authority does Jesus have in heaven and on earth? And how can we know? And then practically, what does this mean for us now? And how should Christ’s authority impact our day to day life and our calling to make disciples?

These are questions that emerge from considering the all important reality that the risen Christ has all authority. And in a world where authority is constantly changing and often corrupted, knowing the one who has all authority is vital for walking faithfully before the Lord. And this Sunday, that is how we will start the year by looking at Matthew 28:18, and what the Lordship of Christ means for us today.

Just the same, this sermon kicks off a series of messages in January that will help us consider what it means to be on mission for Christ. This sermon will being that series. Next week we will look at the mission that churches and families have to raise children and give them a vision for having children for the generations to come. The week after, we will consider the mission of rescuing the unborn. And in the final Sunday of the month, we will consider the mission of bringing the good news to the nations. In all, these four Sundays will put us on a path to walking faithfully before the Lord, as we carry out the mission he’s given to us.

For this Sunday, as we prepare to consider Christ’s authority in the Great Commission, take time to read Matthew 10 and Matthew 28. You can also look up the word “authority” in a concordance and see where it is found in Matthew’s Gospel. Finding its ten uses will be a key to answering the questions above.

As we begin a new year, I’m excited to think about the mission God has given to us, and to recall that Christ has invited us to invite others to know him. Indeed, if you know someone who needs to know Christ, take time to call, text, or personally invite them to come this Sunday. Equally, take a moment to invite them to read the Bible with you in 2026.  

On the Lord’s Day, I look forward to seeing you, as the Lord allows. May the Lord be praised as we gather to worship him together this Sunday.

For His Glory and your joy in Christ,
Pastor David

Dear OBC Family,

The sands of time are winding down for 2025, and Sunday marks the last day we will gather for worship this year. That being the case, Sunday’s sermon will direct our attention to what we will be doing in the beginning of 2026.
 
While January will include a sampling of different messages that touch on Christ’s Lordship, his designs for the family, the Word of God, and missions, February will begin a sermon series on something called Liturgy. Liturgy is a word that often evokes images of clerical robes, candle-lit services, and high church customs. But really, we shouldn’t associate that word with anything but what we do when we gather for worship.
 
In truth, every church has a liturgy. And as we will consider in February, we will aim to answer this question: Why do we do what we do when we gather for worship? Why do we gather on Sunday? And where are we going and what are we building when we gather in the name of Christ?
 
Thankfully, Christians who worship the risen Christ are not left to guess. God’s Word is wonderfully sufficient to explain what worship should look like. And more, when we read the Bible carefully, we even learn that gathered worship takes place not only on earth, but in heaven too. When the redeemed of the Lord gather for worship, we approach the throne of God in heaven. Hebrews 12 says we come to Mount Zion where the assembly of the saints and angels are worshiping God.
 
Indeed, while the saints in the Old Testament, after settling in the Promised Land, had to go to Jerusalem to worship, today when we worship, we have to go to heaven. One of the great changes that happened when Christ entered heaven was that his Spirit-born people can now approach heaven from every corner of the earth. No longer is there one temple that sits in Jerusalem. Now the temple of God is filling the earth, and when we gather together to bring sacrifices of praise,  God is “enthroned on the praises” of his people (Psalm 22:3).
 
More completely, we know that God sits in heaven, receiving the praise of his elect angels and the redeemed from all nations. And when we gather for worship, we add our chorus to the ceaseless praise of heaven, even as Jesus promises to walk in our midst by means of his Spirit. These are just a few of the things that happen when we worship.
 
Yet, I wonder if we really know what these things are, or what they mean. I suspect it is possible that we might be blind to the things of heaven because our eyes can only see are the visible world around us. Yet, when we look through the eyes of faith at what God’s Word says about heaven and earth, and what it means to gather for worship, we quickly discover that when we pull up to 3700 Old Bridge Road, we are not simply changing locations on earth, but we are ascending the hill of the Lord, as we approach the God of heaven. And accordingly, how we conduct ourselves before the face of the Lord matters!

In February, we will dedicate a number of weeks to seeing what Scripture says about such worship, and how our liturgy (our order of worship) can and should be shaped by God's Word. So, that is where we are going in the new year. And on this Sunday, the last of 2025, I will be offering a preview of where we are going, as we will look at the assembled worship of Israel in Deuteronomy 4.
 
To be prepared for Sunday, take time to read that chapter and also Hebrews 12:18–29. Both of these chapters will be considered on Sunday. Additionally, take time to pray—that we might experience the living God when we gather to worship his Son by the leading of his Spirit. Indeed, it is no so small thing to approach the Lord in worship, and I pray that we might grow in our reverence and joy as we come to worship this Sunday, and for many Sundays thereafter in 2026 and beyond.
 
One more thing: If you missed the Christmas Eve Service, you can find it here. And stay tuned for Bible reading plans in next week’s Grace and Growth email. If you don’t have a plan for reading the Bible in 2026, now is a great time to find a reading plan that will feed your soul.
 
For His Glory and your joy,

Pastor David

Dear OBC Family,

For the last few Sundays we have considered the birth of Moab and Ben-ammi, Isaac, and the sons of Nahor. In short, we’ve been watching the slow moving train of history some 1800 years before Christ. But this week we will hit warp speed to arrive at the birth of Christ.

In Matthew 1, the tax collector turned evangelist begins with a list of 41–42 names depending on how you count. And one of them is the birth of Isaac. Yet, between the first promised son and the last promised son, we have a line of promise that shows how the kingdom of God is going to come to the earth in the birth of a baby in Bethlehem.

Indeed, Bethlehem is the place where Jesus will be born, not simply because Micah 5:2 says that Bethlehem is the place, but because this village is the city of David. Before him Bethlehem was the city of Jesse, Obed, and Boaz, too. In short, it is the place where righteous sons of Israel are born and where the promised king of Israel would be born.

Yet, his arrival could only come after Israel was exiled for the sins of David’s sons. As the history of Israel tells the story, which is in keeping with God’s covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7, if the sons of David failed to obey the law they would be disciplined with a rod of men. And in time that meant the Babylonians deporting Judah and her kings, which Matthew reports in the third section of his genealogy.

In Matthew 1:1–17, Jesus’s birth is identified first with Abraham’s promise, then David’s kingdom, and finally Israel’s exile. Together, this takes us across 18 centuries of history and an untold number of births. Yet, for as long as God kept a remnant of his people alive, he kept the hope alive too—that one day the Son of God would come and be born of a virgin. That was the promise given to Isaiah, and in Matthew 1:18–25, we find the fulfillment of that prophecy.

This is where we will spend our time on Sunday. Moving from the important births of the past which evidence God’s work in the world, we now come to a birth story unlike any other, where God himself will come and be with us. Indeed, Jesus is Immanuel (God with us), and on Sunday we will consider all that this means.

To prepare for Sunday, take time to read Matthew 1 and Isaiah 7. These are the two key chapters we will consider this Lord’s Day, as we gather for the last Sunday before Christmas Day. Additionally, don’t forget to join us at 6:00pm on Christmas Eve for a special evening service. Pray that God would be glorified and please invite family and friends to join us.

As the Lord allows, I look forward to seeing you on Sunday morning and Wednesday night.

For His Glory and your joy in Christ,
Pastor David

Take a moment to read Genesis 22:20–24.

Now after these things it was told to Abraham, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23 (Bethuel fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
What do you see? A list of names? Yes. Anything else? Maybe a list of names you don’t know? Probably. Did you find one name that stands out? Rebekah, maybe. What about the number of names? Did you count them?

Indeed, when you read Genesis 22:20–24, it is likely you have more questions than answers. And if you are like me, you have to be forced to slow down and make sense of this ostensibly senseless genealogy.

If any of these sentiments resonate, be encouraged. That is how I started the week, too. After looking at Genesis 22:1–19, I turned to the next passage anticipating that we’d look briefly at this transitional genealogy in Genesis 22 and then move on the the story of Sarah’s death in Genesis 23. But, after staring at and studying these five verses, I’m convinced we need to spend a Sunday marveling at the Lord’s work in the birth stories of Milcah and Reumah.

Sure, we may not know these two women, nor the names of their children. And we probably won’t honor them by naming any of our offspring Uz, But, Tebah, or Gaham. Yet, we should do more than just skip over this genealogy—especially at Christmas!

For what is Christmas but a celebration of childbirth. Yes, it is the birth of one child in particular. But as Matthew begins his Gospel with a genealogy and Luke adds his too (Luke 3:23–38), we are primed think more carefully about all the genealogies in Scripture. And in fact, there are many. Genesis has ten of them. Exodus 6 has another. So does Ruth 4. And when you read 1 Chronicles, you have to wade through nine chapters of genealogies before getting to the story of David, Solomon, and the kings of Judah.

In short, genealogies are not parts of Scripture to skip over, for in fact they reveal much about our God and his purposes for salvation in the world. And on Sunday, that is what we will see as we string Christmas lights from Genesis 22 to the birth of Christ. For in fact, there are many ways this passage relates to the coming of our Lord. It just takes little time to see them.

So, as you prepare for Sunday take time read the genealogies of Jesus in Matthew 1 and Luke 3. And pray that that God would open our eyes to see more of Christ this Sunday. As the Lord allows, I look forward to seeing you then, as we gather to worship our risen Lord.

For His Glory and your joy in Christ,
Pastor David

Discussion and Response Questions for Genesis 22:20–24

1. When you read genealogies in the Bible, what do you think? Be honest.
2. What role do they play in Genesis? In the Bible?
3. How does Genesis 22:20–24 relate to Genesis 12–22? Look at Genesis 11:27–32, specifically.
4. How does Genesis 22:20–24 relate to Abraham? Isaac? And Jacob?
5. Read Genesis 22:20–24, 35:9–20, 48:4–7? Did you catch the repeated elements (promise, journey, birth, death)? What does observing this repeated pattern teach you about Genesis?
6. How might seeing these patterns inform your Bible reading? How closely do you read the Bible?
7. How does the Lord use mothers and children to bring salvation into the world? Read Genesis 3:15; 12:1–3; Galatians 4:4–6.
8. How does this genealogy invite us to marvel at Christ’s advent?
9. What does this genealogy say to every childbirth? How do we connect God’s sovereignty over all children to the one child born in Bethlehem?
10. What else do you see in Genesis that helps to marvel at Christ and his work in your life?

Dear OBC Family,

If you want to play a fun game — is game the right word? — with your children or friends, take time to read Genesis 22:1–19 verse by verse. In each verse, ask yourself a question: What does this passage say about Christ in type or shadow?

In the Bible, types are historical persons, places, events, or institutions that point forward to Jesus Christ as the goal of God’s plan of salvation. For instance, Adam is called a type of Christ in Romans 5:14. And the connection is due to the fact that Adam and Christ (the Last Adam) both served as the head of humanity. Tragically, the first Adam led humanity to sin and death by his sin at the first tree. But gloriously, the last Adam led a new humanity to a new righteousness and life by his obedience at another tree.

For those who have read the Bible for a long time, you can probably think of other connections like this one. And for those who are just starting out, you should know that everything written in the Old Testament was given to prepare the way for Christ (see Jesus's words in Luke 24:27 and John 5:39). Jesus taught his apostles (and all Christians, by extension) to read the Old Testament with one eye on the original context and another on the horizon.

The point of the Old Testament is Jesus. And few chapters in Scripture are more multi-layered than Genesis 22 for seeing types, shadows, allusions, and actions that point forward to Christ. Therefore, as you read the passage, take time to lead your friends or children to see all that is there. (Hint: By my count, I can see at least seven connections between Genesis 22 and Jesus)

On Sunday, we will dig into all of these connections as we celebrate the birth of Christ and the way Genesis 22 prepared the way for God’s beloved son (that’s one type). Indeed, as Matthew 1 tells us, Jesus was born to save his people from their sins. And thus, when we celebrate Christmas, we cannot be blind to the way Christ’s miraculous birth relates to his messianic obedience on the tree.

For those who gather to worship this Sunday, that is what we will be considering. So, to prepare for Sunday read Genesis 22 and pray for our time, as we ascend the hill of the Lord. If you want to read a few other passages, you will find help in Matthew 1 and Hebrews 11, as both trace the story of Abraham to Jesus Christ.

As the Lord allows, I will look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

For His Glory and your joy,
Pastor David


Discussion & Response Questions for Genesis 22:1-19

1. How does Genesis 22 relate to the rest of the Abraham story (Genesis 11-24)?
2. What is the test? Why does God test Abraham?
3. What do we learn about Abraham, Isaac, and the Lord in this test?
4. How does Hebrews 11:8–22 inform the way we read this test?
5. What do we learn about Christ in this drama? And what are the types that are embedded in this story?
6. How does the story of Isaac’s sacrifice and the Lord’s provision relate to the birth of Christ?
7. Why was Christ born? What happens if we celebrate Christmas without thinking about the cross?
8. In what ways do we need to apply this passage to our own lives? Our own tests?
9. What else do we learn about the Lord and his purposes in the world?

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse,  and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 12:3

In Genesis 21, we have three stories in one. Verses 1–7 tell the long-awaited birth story of Isaac, then verses 8–21 recount how Ishmael, the son of an Egyptian slave, is cast out because he laughed at Isaac, while verses 22–34 finish the chapter by describing the covenant that Abimelech made with Abraham after some of his men ran afoul of Abraham’s servants.In all, these three stories repeat the patterns established in Genesis 9. If you remember, when the three sons of Noah stepped out of the ark, one of them brought a curse upon his father by seeing his nakedness. But the other two refused to partake in Ham’s wickedness, and instead honored their father by covering his nakedness. Suffice it to say, the result of their divergent actions led to differing kinds of blessing and curses.
First, Ham’s son Canaan was cursed because he sinned against his father. By contrast, Shem was chosen as the firstborn for Noah's blessing, while Japheth was blessed in the tents of of Shem. As I explained in the sermon on this passage, these three men provide a pattern for blessing and cursing in the Bible. In Scripture there are (1) those who are blessed and (2) those who are cursed, depending on how they treat (3) the firstborn son. Confirming this, God said to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 that he would bless all those who blessed his chosen seed, while those who cursed the seed would be cursed. And of course, this reinforces the three types of people—the seed of promise, those who are blessed by the seed, and those who are cursed by the seed.

Now, in the fulness of time, we know who the seed of Abraham is—it is Jesus Christ, as Paul identifies in Galatians 3:16. And that means those who are blessed by the seed are the ones who trust in Christ. And those who are cursed are the ones who reject Christ. It is simple as that.

Yet, that pattern does not just show up in the beginning and the end, but it is found all the way through the Bible, including Genesis 21. As mentioned above, Genesis 21 is divided into three sections that follow the pattern of Genesis 9 and Genesis 12. There is the promised seed; there is the one who curses the seed; and there is one who blesses the seed.

Now, there is more to see in Genesis 21 than these three types of people, but this is the start. And so, to prepare for Sunday, take time to read this chapter with this pattern in place. And then pray for further insight into the Word and into your own heart, as you come to Sunday.

If you were with us on Wednesday, you heard an introduction to this chapter as we considered the way that laughter tests and trains our hearts. And if you are driving back from Thanksgiving Dinner this weekend, you can listen to that sermon here. But even if you missed that homily (= a shorter sermon), we will look at the whole chapter this Sunday. So, plan to join us this Sunday, as we gather to give thanks to God for all the blessings he has given to us in Christ. As the Lord allows, I look forward to seeing you there.

For His Glory and your joy in Christ,
Pastor David

Dear OBC,
At the start of the Fall, we returned to Sunday School with a series on Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. This series spoke more to what we sing in our time together corporately as a congregation. And as we enter into the season of Advent, we will return to the theme of music, albeit through a different route. If the phrase "All of Christ for All of Life" is true, then that means everything is under Christ's lordship, including music that is outside the church. Enter: our next Sunday School Series on George Frideric Handel's Messiah.

Just as it is good to read biographies of saints who've gone before us, or to sing their hymns, it also good to listen to the musical works of saints such as Haydn, Bach, or in this case Handel, who gave all glory to God in what they wrote (each of these three composers wrote SDG [Soli Deo Gloria, All Glory to God] in the corner of their manuscripts), even as their music was used for dances, the nobility, the sacred realm, and for entertainment.

Many know Handel's Hallelujah Chorus, and the tradition that many stand to sing it when it is performed each year (supposedly this goes back to 1743!), but there is so much more to this composition, as we will see. Through this series we will explore music, history, and theology. We will deal with the music and life of Handel, and the theology of the Scriptures found in his most iconic work. Pastor David, Pastor Ben, and I (Matt), look forward to our time teaching on this subject. And while you're at it, take a listen to Handel's Messiah in preparation. One popular recording is by the Robert Shaw Chorale and Orchestra or if you want the tempos just a bit more upbeat, John Eliot Gardener & the Monteverdi Choir & English Baroque Soloists' recording is one I've been appreciating more as of late.

You can also find a wealth of resources at Christ Over All, where in December 2024 we dedicated a whole month to the oratorio. There you can find articles and podcasts to get even more background knowledge on this masterpiece.

I hope this series fills you with great anticipation and joy as we celebrate this Advent season together, so that, whether we listen to, or sing Handel's Messiah, we can give glory to God for what He has done in and through Jesus Christ: "Glory to God in the Highest!"

At the end of July, we finished our study of Genesis with an explosive look at Sodom and Gomorrah. If you recall, we looked at the wickedness of those cities and the Lord’s nuclear destruction of Sodom. If you don’t recall, or were not with us in July, we considered the archaeological discovery of the city and the presence of Trinitite (a glassy substance created by a nuclear blast) at the archaeological location.

If you’d like to read more, check out this report. Or you can listen to the sermon which explains how the holy wrath of God was perfectly mixed with his undeniable grace. Grace that will come to the forefront in this Sunday’s sermon, too. Only to see God’s grace in Genesis 19:30–38, we will have to walk through the cave of Lot and his two daughters, which is perhaps one of the vilest stores in the Bible.

Parental Warning Advised. If you have young children, be sure to read Genesis 19 before Sunday, so that you can be ready to answer questions, if your children are of age to understand the sexual sin present in Genesis 19.

As a parent I am committed to reading the Bible to my children and to discussing whatever we find there. And if you read the first book of the Bible, as you should, you will find polygamy (Genesis 4 and also later), surrogacy (Genesis 16), sodomy (Genesis 19), incest (Genesis 19), rape (Genesis 34), prostitution (Genesis 38), and sexual temptation and purity (Genesis 37). In other words, you cannot read the text of the Bible without finding gross examples of sin, but also greater examples of grace.

Indeed, when we come across the stories of men and women messing up royally in the Bible we should be warned and encouraged. We should be warned because these men and women, who share our same human natures, are examples to us of what sin can do, when it is left unchecked. Indeed, their sexual immorality and its dire consequences proves the point that the law of God is good, holy, and true. It is a grace of God that he tells us to deny ourselves and flee sexual sin. For if you deviate from God’s law, it will have consequences. God will not be mocked. And the stories of sin in the Bible help us properly value the goodness of obeying God’s law.

At the same time, these stories of sin also provide channels of hope and promises of grace. For in fact, when sin increases, grace (or at least the promise of grace) increases too (see Romans 5:20). And in the case of Lot and his two daughtes, we will find a pathway from the Ammonites and the Moabites to Jesus Christ himself. For in fact, Jesus has Moabite blood! And if that does not offer encouragement to you, then you need to think twice.

When we sin against God in ways that appear to destroy the future. When our sin fractures our family, breaks relationships, costs tens of thousands of dollars, or worse, physically harms someone we love, we might conclude that there is no hope and no grace. But this is what the stories of Genesis argue against. Where sin increases, the promise of grace does too, for those who trust in the promises of God and the gift of grace found in Christ.

Truly, we serve a God who can raise the dead. And figurally speaking that is what we will see this Sunday. In Scripture, caves are places of death. And that is certainly how Genesis 19 will end—with Lot silent in the cave. But as we will also see, this is not the final word about Lot or about his offspring. Indeed, the final word will not be found until we come to the New Testament.

And so to prepare for Sunday, take time to read Genesis 19 and also Matthew 1:1–17. If you have extra time, take a look at Ruth, too. And come expecting to see the grossness of sin and greatness of God’s grace.

As the Lord allows, I look forward to seeing you Sunday, as we ascend the hill of the Lord in worship.

For His Glory and your joy,
Pastor David

Dear OBC,

When the Fall season hits, it usually signifies a season of change. The leaves may change colors, and temperatures starts to cool, but we can take hope in the fact that some things will not change like... singing. From the beginning of creation where the angels sang at the creation of the world (Job 38:7), to eternity where we will join in the song of the New Creation (Revelation 5, 14, & 21) the moral command to sing is constant throughout history, and more particularly a constant duty to uphold in the Christian life.

So what do we sing? In the New Testament, Paul gives us two texts that show what we are to sing in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16, which are psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
Indeed, all three are needed for a healthy diet of singing in the church, and so we are going to take a week to study each of them: 

1. What scripture says about all three, 
2. How each have been used in the church throughout the ages, and
3. Why each are good for the corporate gathering 

(In case there was any wonder, no i don't believe in exclusive Psalmody!).

We can see throughout history that each of these forms of music, in their own way, helped form and shape different Christian communities, with each of them helping to bring a more united identity in Christ. Though there have been "worship wars" throughout church history that have caused division in congregations, my hope for this series is actually the opposite; that we as a church can let song (in whatever form it is; psalm, hymn or spiritual song) unite our hearts together in Christ, and that it leads us to rejoice in the "new song" (the song of salvation) that we have in Christ our Savior.

I look forward to seeing you each Sunday in September for Sunday School!

Hello brothers,

We’re relaunching our Men’s Bible Reading Groups, and we invite you to read through the books of Ephesians and Philippians with us during the final quarter of 2025. If you are interested, please RSVP here with this availability survey by September 20.

Small Groups for Bible Discussion and Prayer

Instead of a teacher/student format, our aim is that these groups would be places for mutual discussion and prayer, and we would keep the size of these groups relatively small (capped at five people). The general framework for these groups is based on David Helm’s short book One to One Bible Reading: A Simple Guide for Every Christian (Matthias Media, 2011). If you would like to participate in one of these groups, we encourage you to get a copy of this book and read it this September.

Connecting with Your Group

We will be reaching out to those who have completed the survey to put you in touch with the others who have shared similar availability. Once you connect, establish a regular meeting time/place that will work for you all, and you can begin meeting. We recommend each group meets for the first time on the first week of October to share your testimonies and get to know one another.

Our Reading Schedule

It is our intent by design for our Men’s Bible Reading Groups that we will walk through the same books of the Bible together. For October–December, we will read and discuss the books of Ephesians and Philippians. We will provide a reading schedule so you know what to read before each week’s meeting.

Next Steps

In conclusion, here’s next steps for you:

1. Please complete the availability survey here.
2. Get a copy of David Helm’s One to One Bible Reading and read it by the end of September.

Once you receive an email connecting you with other guys, reach out to them and get together on the first week of October to have your first meeting and to get to know one another. You will begin Ephesians the following week.

Finally, please pray with us for the Lord’s blessing, that these groups would bring OBC’s men into fellowship together in God’s Word for the sake of mutual edification and encouragement, and that the Lord would be glorified in this.

I look forward to fellowship in the Word with you all.

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Ben

Dear OBC Family,
 
This week is full of ministry activity as we’re restarting Discipleship Night, College & Career, Women’s Book Club, our monthly Men’s Breakfast, and Sunday School. As this Sunday is the first Sunday of the month, our high school and adult classes will meet together in the sanctuary for our time of Great Commission Prayer, and we look forward to a visit and report from missionaries who will be sharing with us about their ministry in Southeast Asia.
 
This Sunday we will also begin a new sermon series in 1 Thessalonians. Though Paul’s other letters (Romans, 1 Corinthians, Galatians, etc.) are better known, this short letter deserves our attention and it is brimming with gospel truth and encouragement. Like Paul, it is right that we would give thanks to the Lord for the Thessalonians’ example of faithfulness. Not only are they known for their imitation of Christ, but they have followed the example of other faithful churches. And as they are walking in the gospel and loving one another, Paul encourages them “to do so more and more.” As we spend the next two months in Thessalonians, we will consider how the gospel changes us, shapes our fellowship, and moves us to walk in holiness as we wait for our Lord’s return.
 
I encourage you to read the entire book (five chapters) before we gather for worship this Sunday. To learn more about the Thessalonians and get some helpful historical context for this letter, you can read Luke’s account of Paul’s second missionary journey in Acts 17:1-15.
 
I pray that the Lord would strengthen us by his grace as we walk through 1 Thessalonians. May we grow in our love for the Lord and for one another as we walk together in faith, hope, and love while we await the return of our Lord.
 
Blessings in Christ,
 
Pastor Ben
 
Discussion & Response Questions for 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

1. As you look back at this Sunday’s sermon and Scripture text, what were some of the takeaways? What did you find helpful or encouraging? What questions do you have?
2. Sometimes we can gloss over the opening verses of the epistles. What truths should we be noticing in verse 1?
3. How does Acts 17:1-15 help us to understand the background to this letter?
4. Consider Paul’s prayerful thanksgiving for the church. What is he thankful for? What are some practical ways to grow in praying for the church?
5. What does this text reveal to us about the character and work of our Triune God?
6. What is the relationship between faith, hope, and love? Where do we see faith, hope, and love in this this morning’s text?
7. What is evidence of God’s choosing (or “election”)? What does true reception of the gospel look like?
8. How has the gospel changed the Thessalonians? What does transformation look like?
9. In what ways should we aspire to imitate the faith, hope, and love of the Thessalonians?
10. How should we respond to this text?