13th February 2025

13th February 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Psalm 32)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


What is necessary for me to know the comfort of belonging to Jesus? The Heidelberg Catechism suggests three things - guilt, grace and gratitude. On Tuesday we discussed the guilt that all sinners must know before they come to Christ. But then what? Will the Lord accept all who put their trust in Him?


Humanly speaking we believe that the guilty should be punished. No one likes to think that crime will go unpunished and quite often I hear talk about something called karma. The courts might let people go free but karma or the universe will catch up with them. I don't believe in karma or the universe but I do believe that in Christ justice has been and will be done.


How can God pardon sinners? Because Christ has taken their punishment at the cross. Why will God punish the wicked at the last day? Because they have rejected Christ. The finished work of Christ is all sufficient and if the guilty would be saved they most throw themselves upon the grace of God. What is grace? God's unmerited favour to those who deserve His wrath.


When David confessed his sin, God graciously forgave him (v5) thus enabling David to say "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit." (v1-2). It is only by the grace of God that our sins are forgiven and it is only by His grace that He no longer counts our sin against us.


The wicked do not know the grace of God and their sorrows are many and will only increase (v10a). Yet the one who in the midst of guilt sought the grace of God will know His unchanging, steadfast love by faith in Christ (v10b). Spirit worked guilt leads the sinner to the unspeakably glorious grace of God. What follows? Gratitude and of that we will speak on Saturday.  


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q6 How many persons are there in the Godhead? There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.
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