Malachi 3-13-4-6---Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, 'How have we spoken against you-' You have said, 'It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts- And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.'---Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. -They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.---For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.---Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.---Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers

Luke continues our series, Observing the Lord's Day

The Synod of Dort's Rules for Observing the Sabbath or Lord's Day---1. In the fourth Commandment of the divine law, part is ceremonial and part is moral.-2. The ceremonial was the rest of the seventh day after creation, and the rigid observance of that day prescribed particularly for the Jewish people.-3. The moral truly is that a certain and appointed day should be appointed for the worship of God and so much rest as is necessary for the worship of God and for holy meditation on him.-4. Since the abrogation of the Sabbath of the Jews, the day of the Lord must be solemnly sanctified by Christians.-5. This day has always been observed since the time of the Apostles by the ancient catholic church.-6. This day must be so consecrated to divine worship that on it one ceases from all servile works, except those of love and present necessity- and also from all such refreshing activities as impede the worship of God.---Translated by W. Robert Godfrey, revised by Brian Lee-

Brian looks at the ceremonial and moral aspects of the Fourth Commandment.

Mark 10-13-34--And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, -Let the children come to me- do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.- And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.--And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, -Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life-- And Jesus said to him, -Why do you call me good- No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments- 'Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'- And he said to him, -Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.- And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, -You lack one thing- go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven- and come, follow me.- Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.--And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, -How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God-- And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, -Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God- It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.- And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, -Then who can be saved-- Jesus looked at them and said, -With man it is impossible, but not with God...-

Brian begins a new series on the different reformed views of the Sabbath.

This is the first sermon in our seven part series on the Synod of Dort's teaching on the Lord's Day.--We begin by comparing what the Heidelberg Catechism and the Westminster Standards teach on the Fourth Commandment.--HEIDELBERG CATECHISM, QUESTION AND ANSWER 103 -1563---103 Q. What is God's will for you in the fourth commandment- -A. First, that the gospel ministry and schools for it be maintained, and that, especially on the festive day of rest, I diligently attend the assembly of God's people to learn what God's Word teaches, to participate in the sacraments, to pray to the Lord publicly, and to bring Christian offerings for the poor. --Second, that every day of my life I rest from my evil ways, let the Lord work in me through his Spirit, and so begin in this life the eternal Sabbath.--Westminster Confession of Faith, 21.7--As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God- so, in his Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment binding all men in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him- which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week- and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, which, in Scripture, is called the Lord's day, and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath.

Mark 9-30 - 50--They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, -The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.- But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.--And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, -What were you discussing on the way-- But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, -If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.- And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, -Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.---John said to him, -Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.- But Jesus said, -Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.---Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire...

Luke concludes our series on the Athanasian Creed.

This week, Brian looks at the triune personality of God.