For Lord’s Day, March 17, 2013

Dear Saints,

For this week’s devotion, I’d like to share one of a number of Pastor Jeff Stivason’s emails to his congregation this week preparing them for the Lord’s Supper.  His message equally prepares them for celebrating the Lord’s Day more broadly, which is the focus of our evening sermons through the Westminster Larger Catechism presently.

To the Family of God in Gibsonia,

As we continue to reflect on our adoption in Christ as we prepare to come to the communion table this Lord’s Day we ought also to think about our new family and not simply our new status.  So, today I want us to think for a few minutes about our new family.

First, like all families the family of God has a certain rhythm or pattern to it.  And perhaps one of the most basic patterns is worship on the Lord’s Day.  God provides us with one day in seven that we might come together as a family in order to worship God and encourager one another (Hebrews 10:24-25).  This family time is an important part of being in the family of God and should not be neglected by any sibling for rather obvious reasons.

Second, every family has family time.  Now, what makes this different from what I said in number one?  Well, in number one I was stressing family rhythms but here I am stressing family time.  Think about it.  Today family time is a valuable commodity.  In the face of extra activities it is fleeting.  Some families can be assured of having everyone together at breakfast and others at supper.  The Christian family has it’s time on the Lord’s Day – morning and evening.  What is more, this Lord’s Day evening we are having a family supper.

Third, every family has a Father to whom the children have free access.  We enjoy the privilege of approaching God and addressing Him as our heavenly Father with the confidence that He cares for us.  Perhaps prayer is the most important thing that we can do to nurture this understanding of God.  Tonight gather your family around.  Pray with them.  Remind them of the importance of the family into which God has placed them.

Blessings,
Pastor Jeff

Beloved, I encourage you to look at our text for this Lord’s Day evening on how to sanctify the Sabbath as children of God. Isaiah 58:13-14 challenges us not to do what we delight in on the Sabbath, but to delight in what our Heavenly Father delights in having us do on His Holy Day.  And, as we will learn, delighting in the Lord’s Day is to Delight in the Lord of the Sabbath.

Semper Reformanda,

Pastor Grant