We ask God to make the Scripture fresh, encouraging, and convicting to us as we sit under its ministry.
From Psalm 34
Gracious God, as we gather around the Scriptures, we humble ourselves. Whenever we have been in trouble and have cried out to you, you have listened and answered. It is our turn to listen. As your children, we come to learn the fear of the LORD. We want to taste your goodness as we eat at your table. We want to see your goodness as we behold your glory in the face of Jesus Christ. And as we are satisfied in you, we want to turn away from unsatisfying sins. We want to do good, for you are good. Thank you for the opportunity to be your image bearers and your representatives in the world. Equip us with all we need to do it well, for the sake of Jesus, your good, true, and beautiful Word, who does all things well for our good and for your glory. Amen.
We reflect on the Psalm of the Day and use it to examine our hearts and minds, leading us to confession of our sin.
In Psalm 34, David says again and again that God hears the cries of righteous. Verse 15: The LORD’s ears are attentive to their cry. Verse 17: The righteous cry out to the LORD, and he not only hears, but answers. David is going through his own difficulties, but he’s surely also reflecting on God’s history of listening, acting, and saving Israel. And the main story of God’s hearing and responding is, of course, their Egyptian slavery, their cries for help, and God’s mighty rescue in the Exodus. God has heard, and God has saved.
But now it’s time for God’s people to do the hearing. Verse 11: David says that we’ve got to open our ears and receive instruction. Do we want to experience a good life (v. 12), even if it’s a hard life (v. 19)? Then it’s our turn to listen, and to learn the fear of the LORD. And here, one of the most important traits of someone who fears the one who saved them is (v. 13-14) to take the same mouths that we used to cry out for help, and to set them apart for the one who saved us: to (v. 13) “keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.” To make our mouths instruments of peace (v. 14).
Let’s pause for a moment and reflect on this question: do our mouths belong completely to the LORD?
We confess our sins together and ask God’s forgiveness for Jesus’ sake.
Gracious God, David is right: every time we have opened our mouths to cry out for help, you have been faithful to come near and to help us. And David is also right: every word of our mouths is meant to be reserved completely for your purposes: to echo your truth and to pursue your peace. Forgive us for not reserving our mouths for words of praise and peace, truth and mercy, justice and goodness. Set our hearts apart, so that the overflow of our hearts would come forth from our mouths, and would be pleasing to you, and a blessing to one another. For the sake of Jesus, your true Word of grace and truth, we pray. Amen.
People of God, at the end of this psalm, David declares: “No one who takes refuge in the LORD will be condemned.” Years later the Apostle Paul said the same thing: “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” In fact, the very purpose for which God has released you from condemnation in Christ is so that you will be freed to praise him, and freed to bless your neighbor–with your whole life, certainly. But particularly with your mouth. Hear the Word of God’s pardon: you are forgiven and free! Now, lift up your voice to praise our three-in-one God, and set apart your mouth for the blessing of your neighbor! Amen!
Ruth Pfister, Organ
Glory be to the Father
And to the Son
And to the Holy Ghost
As it was in the beginning,
Is now, and ever shall be
World without end. Amen! Amen!
During our current series, our New Testament lessons are selected to complement the study of the Ten Commandments.
Philippians 2:3-11
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.