Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
Ballymena
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 19 September, 2010
"One generation shall praise thy works to another,
and shall declare thy mighty acts" (Ps. 145:4)
Morning Service - 11:00 AM
Jerusalem and Antioch (4)
Antioch Sends Out Missionaries [download] [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Acts 12:24-13:16
Text: Acts 13:1-3
I. The Missionaries Antioch Sent
II. The Sending of the Missionaries
Psalms: 147:1-8; 75:5-10; 96:1-7; 65:1-5
Evening Service - 6:00 PM
Preparatory
The Heritage of God’s Servants [download] [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 54
Text: Isaiah 54:17
I. A Defence From Every Satanic Weapon
II. The Condemnation of Every Judging Tongue
Psalms: 63:1-8; 76:1-6; 48:1-9; 46:1-7
Contact Stephen Murray for CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services.
CPRC website: www.cprc.co.uk
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Ballymena-United-Kingdom/Covenant-Protestant-Reformed-Church-N-Ireland/337347932331
Quote to Consider:
Don Doezema: "This marked for the church the beginning of a new and important phase in its carrying out of the mandate given by Christ before His ascension, namely, that the gospel be preached to the ends of the earth. It is true that Christianity, especially as a result of the persecution that scattered the Christians from Jerusalem, had already spread beyond the limits of Palestine; but, as Jamieson wrote, ‘still the Church continued a stranger to formal missionary effort .... It was from Antioch that teachers were first sent forth with the definite purpose of spreading Christianity, and organizing churches’" (Upon This Rock, vol. 3, p. 174).
Announcements (subject to God’s will):
We welcome Matthew Kortus from Loveland PRC in Colorado, USA, to our worship services today. He will be with us until Thursday morning.
The September Covenant Reformed News and a new CPRC address/phone/e-mail list are available on the back table today.
Since Mr. Callender has been unable to worship with us in our new building, there is a card for him on the back table for everyone to sign.
This evening we will have a preparatory service with the view to celebrating the Lord’s Supper on next Lord’s Day, 26 September.
Catechism classes start tomorrow evening: 6:00 PM - Joseph, Jacob, Nathan & Alex (Beginners NT History) 6:45 PM - Zoe, Amy & Lea (Seniors NT History)
Tuesday morning Bible study starts this week, 21 September, at 11 AM at church. We will study II Thessalonians. A crèche will be provided. All are welcome.
An organizational meeting for a Ladies Coffee Morning/Discussion will be at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, 22 September, at church. Ask Susan for more information.
Wednesday Belgic Confession Class will start this Wednesday, 22 September at 7:45 PM at church. All are welcome.
Membership class (Anga, Jamie & Debbie) will start this Thursday, 23 September at 7:30 PM at church.
The Reformed Witness Hour next Lord’s Day (8:30-9:00 AM, on Gospel 846MW) is entitled "Lawlessness in Society" (Matthew 24:12-13) by Rev. Bruinsma.
Check out the new, improved BRF website by Manuel Kuhs.
S. Wales Lectures: Friday, 15 October, on "Charismaticism" by Rev. Stewart, 3 December by Rev. McGeown and 21 January by Rev. Stewart.
PRC News: Candidate Holstege accepted the call to Holland and declined the call to Edgerton PRC.
PCI Moderator Betrays Confession at Westminster
The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
(PCI), Dr. Norman Hamilton of Ballysillan PCI in Belfast, stated that
he is "glad
to change [his] travel plans" to accept an invitation to attend a
religious service at which the Pope, as an honoured guest, will
deliver a speech (Friday 17 September, 2010).
The venue for this ecumenical service with the Bishop of Rome (on his
papal tour of the UK) is striking: Westminster Abbey in London, where
the Westminster Confession of Faith, the creed of
Presbyterianism worldwide and of Dr. Hamilton and the denomination he
represents and (to some extent) leads.
The dogmas
of the Pope and the Church of Rome are clearly opposed by the
Westminster Confession, especially its chapters on Scripture (ch.
1), God's eternal decree (3), divine providence (5), man's original
sin and total depravity (6), the bondage of fallen man's will (9),
effectual calling (10), justification by faith alone (11), good works
(16), the perseverance of the saints (17), liberty of conscience (20),
religious worship and the Lord's Day (21), oaths and vows (22), the
church (25), the sacraments (27), baptism (28), the Lord's Supper
(29), church discipline (30) and church synods and councils (31).
Indeed, it is highly doubtful if there is even one of the 33 chapters
of the creed formulated at Westminster Abbey with which the Pope could
honestly agree.
Rome's theistic evolution (4:1), prayers to saints or for the dead
(21:2, 4) and purgatory (32:1) are condemned by the Westminster
Confession. "Popish monastical vows of perpetual single life,
professed poverty, and regular obedience ... are superstitious and
sinful snares" (22:7). The "Pope [has not] any power or jurisdiction
over [the state] or over any of [the] people," including in the UK,
and "ecclesiastical persons [e.g., paedophile priests] are not
exempted" from civil authority and punishment (23:4). Indeed, the
Westminster Confession states that the pope is "antichrist" (25:6)
and the mass is "most abominably injurious to Christ's one only
sacrifice, the alone propitiation for all the sins of the elect"
(29:2).
No doubt the Pope will rejoice at being received and revered in the
historic building in which the Westminster Confession was
written. Dr. Hamilton may even cast a guilty glance towards
Westminster Abbey's Jerusalem Chamber where the Westminster divines
drafted their great Reformed confession—a confession he signed.
Members of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland will look on with dismay
or in denial at yet another public mark of their moderator's and
denomination's betrayal of the truth of Jesus Christ set forth in
their church's confession. The Westminster divines would be appalled
and even the stones of Westminster Abbey would cry out if they could.