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A parishioner's notes on Sunday's AM sermon

Text and Reading:  Acts 8:4-25

This is another sermon in a series about the work of the Holy Spirit in Acts.  Philip—the deacon, not the apostle—came from Jerusalem and preached.  At the end of the story, people went back to Jerusalem.  That city is like bookends for the story, and between these two bookends we read amazing things about the Holy Spirit and about Simon, an evil man, and his attack on the church and the gospel.  We’ll focus on the autonomous and magnificent work of the Holy Spirit.

Theme:  The Holy Spirit, by freely giving himself to repentant people, brings about the unity of the church.  The Holy Spirit

1.       fosters ecumenical unity,

2.       refuses human forgery,

3.       demands prayerful humility.

1.Fosters ecumenical unity. Note:  this is the only chapter where people are baptized without receiving the Holy Spirit.  This is very peculiar, and we, like the churches in Jerusalem and Samaria, need to understand it.  Vs 16 says ‘not yet’.  The Spirit had not yet come upon any of them.  Those words show that normally he would have come upon them already. The Holy Spirit is free and autonomous.  We cannot put him in a box.  Sometimes baptism comes before the Holy Spirit and sometimes vice versa, but here in Samaria they are separate. 

Why did the Holy Spirit hold himself back? Not because of anything that the Samaritans or Philip did or didn’t do.  Philip’s preaching was accompanied by all sorts of miracles and many people came to faith.  Philip was a Spirit-filled preacher (Acts 6). All of that was good.  So the problem does not lie with the Samaritans or with Philip. 

The important point is that Samaria was the first decisive step out from the Jewish church.  All the pilgrims who came to Jerusalem at Pentecost were Jews, or at least proselytes, and the church started in Jerusalem.  Now Philip moved outside of Jerusalem, to Samaria, home of the despised Samaritans.  This could have caused trouble for the church, but the gospel bridges every divide.  With God no barriers exist, and here he removed them for the believers. 

When the apostles Peter and John came to Samaria from Jerusalem, then the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit. This showed that the Jerusalem and Samaritan churches were related.   The first church to be established outside Jerusalem needed to be involved with the apostles, both to end the racial animosity and prejudice between Jews and Samaritans, and to avoid schism in the church.  By coming through the apostles, the Holy Spirit created ecumenical unity between these two churches. 

2.Refuses human forgery:  Simon himself believed and was baptized. He was amazed at the miracles performed by Philip and even more so when Peter and John came.  Simon could see that the Holy Spirit came upon the Samaritans.  (We don’t know how he could see this; the text does not say.)  Then Simon asked for this power.  Simon was all about power (vs 10).  So many people think they can buy God off with what they are, do , contribute, etc.  Simon is an extreme example.  He thought the gift could be bought, but the gift is a gift.  In fact, the Holy Spirit is both giver and gift. God rejects all who come to him to manipulate the Holy Spirit.  We can only receive him by believing and receiving.  We cannot earn him in any way. 

Though the apostles are no more, we have the Bible.  When the apostolic word is proclaimed, we have access to the Holy Spirit.  So open yourself and receive the Holy Spirit.  We cannot acquire this by human endeavor.  We can neither earn nor purchase anything from God, and if we think we can, we are frauds.  Instead, we must depend on the free grace of God, the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

3.Pray for forgiveness.  Sin is doctrine or conduct against the commandments of God. We must repent and pray for forgiveness.  Peter told Simon to pray and Simon asked Peter to do it for him instead.  But we must pray.  Simon did not want to pray for forgiveness.  Often people don’t want to admit sin but rather want to affirm themselves.  They prefer arrogance to humility and refuse to repent.  But  LD 45 says that God will give his grace and the Holy Spirit only to those who ask him for these gifts.  So ask, and receive.   

Sermon by Pastor George, June 24, 2012.  Notes, errors, and omissions by NPS.

Ps. 129 set to Genevan 119

Here`s another possibility: Ps. 129 set to Genevan 119:

1.         “They have oppressed me greatly from my youth.”

Make this your song, O Israel, and repeat it:               

“They have oppressed me greatly from my youth,

but they have failed, for I am undefeated.

“They ploughed my back as if they ploughed a field;

long furrows drew those enemies who hound me.”

2.         The Lord is righteous; he, my strength and shield,

has cut the cords with which the wicked bound me.

May all those who hate Zion be brought low.

Put them to shame, Lord. Crush them by your power.

Make them like grasses that on housetops grow,

that shrivel in the sun before they flower.      

3.         No reaper gathers those to have them threshed;          

no binder such a worthless crop will rescue.   

No passers-by will shout, “May you be blessed!”

They will not say, “We in the Lord’s  name bless you!”

They have oppressed me greatly from my youth,

but they have failed, for I am undefeated.

Ps. 129 set to Genevan 2

The Genevan melody for Ps. 129 is, imo, the most difficult of the 150. Here, with a bit of tweaking, is Ps. 129 set to Genevan 2 (for midi, click here):

1.         “They have oppressed me greatly from my youth.”

Make this your song, O Israel, and repeat it:               

“They have oppressed me greatly from my youth,

but they have failed, for I am undefeated.

Long furrows drew those enemies who hound me.

They ploughed my back as if they ploughed a field.”

God cut the cords with which the wicked bound me.

The Lord is righteous; he, my strength and shield,

2.          May all those who hate Zion be brought low.

Put them to shame, Lord. Crush them by your power.

Make them like grasses that on housetops grow,

that shrivel in the sun before they flower.      

No binder such a worthless crop will rescue;  

no reaper gathers those to have them threshed.

No one will say, “We in the Lord’s  name bless you!”

No passers-by will shout, “May you be blessed!”

The metre of Genevan 129 is 10.11.10.11.

The metre of Genevan 2 is 10.11.10.11.11.10.11.10

Bill 33, Ontario

On June 19th, Bill 33, a.k.a., Toby's Act (Right to be Free from Discrimination and Harassment Because of Gender Identity or Gender Expression), received royal assent in the Province of Ontario. The effect of this ought not to be missed. This law amended the human rights code by adding “gender identity, gender expression” after “sexual orientation”. Among other things, the Bill amends the Human Rights Code to specify that “… every person has a right to equal treatment without discrimination because of gender identity or gender expression with respect to services, goods and facilities.”

This means that if a man feels like he is a woman, he now has the right to use the women’s washroom (“facilities”) and, the woman that complains can be charged under the human rights code. Women’s washrooms may well become a favourite trolling ground for paedophiles. 

Letter to NP

Friday's 75-words-or-less NP question was what to do about prostitutes. My suggestion:

The question is not what we should do about prostitutes; rather, the question is what should be done about the johns. Most will agree that prostitution is a miserable job to which few happily aspire and that society would be better without it. Arrest, fine, and jail johns as abusers of the vulnerable. Eradicate the demand and the supply will
wane. It’s economics 101. And then help the prostitutes left without their customers.

George van Popta
Ottawa

South Sudan Clarity

As published several days ago in NP, just because truth is important:

South Sudan Clarity

Re: ‘Selfish’ UN is picking on Quebec, June 19

Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, complains that the Quebec legislature’s move to rein in massive street protests and campus blockades by students is an example of human rights abuses similar to those committed by North Korea, Zimbabwe, and South Sudan.

As most people know, this is bizarre in the extreme. However, to add South Sudan to North Korea and Zimbabwe reveals an astounding ignorance of world affairs. Sadly, there are human rights abuses in South Sudan, but to say that South Sudan is a human rights violator, belonging to a triumvirate of violators, is not right.

Shortly after South Sudan seceded from Sudan, the new president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, warned the military and police that rape, torture, and other human rights violations carried out by armed personnel would be considered criminal acts and prosecuted aggressively by the Ministry of Justice. The mostly Christian and Animist South Sudan seceded from Sudan largely to escape human rights violations perpetrated by Sudan.

George van Popta
Ottawa

Linda Gibbons

Thankfully, the press is starting to speak in defence of Linda Gibbons, Canada`s political prisoner.

Chillin' with my little kids.

 

The most dangerous woman in Canada

Here is a photo of the dangerous Linda Gibbons, who for the sake of the security of Canadian society must be kept in prison, busy with her activity that poses such a dire threat to our fair land and all its citizens.

Singing the Psalms

(To be published in a future issue of Clarion)

Singing the Psalms

The church catholic has been singing the Psalms for about 3,000 years, ever since King David and others, inspired by the Holy Spirit, began composing them. The Psalms are closely identified with the worship of the Canadian Reformed Churches since we sing from the Book of Praise, which contains a complete collection of all 150 Psalms. We also sing hymns, and it is proper to do so. Some of our sister churches subscribe to exclusive Psalmody. We do not and never have. As Dr. Arjan de Visser wrote in this magazine, “A biblical understanding of the covenant will support and encourage the singing of hymns” (“They are Singing New Songs” (57:18, pp 458-460).

And yet, we are primarily a Psalm-singing people. In the preface to the Book of Praise, John Calvin is quoted who, in turn, quoted Augustine, making the point that there is nothing better to sing than the Psalms, which have been inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Although the Psalms have been sung for millennia, there seems to be, of late, a renaissance of appreciation for the Psalms. In the rest of this article I will introduce three groups of artists who are promoting the singing of Psalms. What follows are not reviews of specific albums, but simply some information and words of appreciation for the work being accomplished.

Jamie Soles

Jamie Soles, of Grande Prairie, Alberta, is known in our circles. He has produced about fifteen albums, several especially for children, which are very popular with my grandchildren … and their grandparents. Jamie accompanies his songs with an acoustic guitar and is often joined by his wife Valerie and combinations of their eight children. When he is singing words of scripture, he stays close to the text, preferring the ESV.

Inside the album cover of Pure Words, songs on the first sixteen Psalms, he writes some notable words:

It seems to me that the Church should be singing the Psalms, her ancient songbook. In a number of places in the New Testament the Psalms are spoken of or quoted as though they had been uttered by the Messiah. If this is the case, and I believe it is, and if the believer’s task in life is to grow more into the image of Jesus, then mastering the Psalms would be a wise way to learn the mind of Christ. Do you want to be like Jesus? Well, here is a treasure trove of the way that Jesus thinks and expresses himself in song. Learn to sing them well. Jesus is pleased when his people know how he thinks.

Jamie says it well here, and, as a Psalm-singing people, we can appreciate the point he makes and take it to heart.

It is difficult to classify exactly his style, but let it suffice to say that his songs are biblical, enjoyable, memorable and singable. Jamie captures well the mood of the particular Psalm, whether it is sad or joyful, instructive or a benediction.  I recommend this artist and his music to the reader. CDs can be ordered from www.solmusic.ca.

Sons of Korah

Sons of Korah is an Australian based band devoted to giving a fresh voice to the biblical psalms. They use a unique acoustic, multi-ethnic sound and have given the Book of Psalms a dynamic and emotive new musical expression. In their songs, in which the words are often taken directly from scripture, they bring out well whether the Psalm is one of lamentation, jubilant praise, battle cry, benediction, an exclamation of awe and wonder, or a reflection of tranquility and wisdom.

The reader will recognize that the name of the band comes from the group of Levitical musicians to whom at least thirteen of the Psalms are attributed. Sons of Korah is made up of seven people while Matthew Jacoby and Rod Gear co-write the music. Many string, acoustic, and other, musical instruments are used in the performance of the songs.

Sons of Korah has produced five albums that range in mood from the deeply emotive and reflective to the wildly exuberant, as the Book of Psalms itself does. I also recommend this band and their albums to the reader of Clarion. Readers can go to the Sons of Korah webpage,

www.sonsofkorah.com, to listen to samples of many songs before deciding whether to purchase.

The Psalm Project

This project will be of interest to Canadian Reformed people as it has taken the tunes of the Genevan Psalter, 1562, and put them to contemporary settings. This Dutch group has produced both a Dutch and an Engish CD. The Psalm Project is a band of six professional musicians under the leadership of Eelco Vos who had a vision to dress historical treasures in 21^st century sounds. String, wind, and percussion instruments are used to accompany the songs.

Not everyone will appreciate this contemporary interpretation of Genevan tunes, but, having an eclectic taste in music, I do, and I recommend the albums to the reader. CDs can be ordered from their webpage, www.thepsalmproject.com where one can also preview the songs.

The songs of Jamie Soles, the Sons of Korah, and the Psalm Project can all be previewed and purchased also through iTunes.*

Listen, sing, enjoy, and worship!

*(Please note that at iTunes, there is another group called the Psalm Project and one called the Psalms Project. These look interesting, but I am not familiar with them.) 

Staggering hypocrisy

In today's NP:

No justice

Re: Court Rules Against Abortion Protester, June 9.

Linda Gibbons has been in and out of prison for more than a decade for repeatedly standing within the proscribed 150-metre bubble zone around Toronto abortion clinics. The 63-year-old diminutive grandmother protests quietly holding a sign that says: “Why, mom, when I have so much love to give?” Time after time she is arrested for breaking the law though she is hurting no one. The liberal intelligentsia has labelled her dangerous and evil.

Meanwhile, Quebec students continue to strike, wreaking havoc upon society at many levels, yet Canadian unions and the United Church of Canada give them their support.

One group of protesters, creating chaos and hurting a whole province in many ways, is strongly supported by the unions and the United Church; a lone protester, inconveniencing no one, is thrown under a bus. The hypocrisy is staggering.

George van Popta, Ottawa.

Baptism

(Notes taken by parishioner of sermon preached before the baptism of an adult)

Text: Acts 2:37-39

Reading: Joel 2:28-32, Acts 2:14-41

What is baptism? It is something Jesus commanded in Matt 28: 18-20 where he told the disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to do all that I have commanded you.”  

So the disciples began to do so.  On the day of Pentecost 3000 people responded in faith and were baptized after Peter’s sermon. 

Theme:  Peter’s sermon evoked a conversation that got to the fundamental issues of life.  In this conversation we hear

1.       an anxious question,

2.       a gospel answer,

3.       a generous promise.

1.An anxious question. When you’re at the end of your rope, you ask, “What shall we do?”  These people were Jewish pilgrims who did not know much about Jesus. When the Spirit was poured out on the 120 believers, they went out to preach the gospel in many other languages –the pilgrims were from  many language groups—and caused so much commotion that some said they were drunk. 

Peter explained what was going on in his sermon.  He summarized Jesus’ life, ending with his resurrection and ascension and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  Fifty days earlier some of these pilgrims had participated in a mob event, calling for Jesus’ death.  Now it turned out that this Jesus had been made Lord and Christ by God! Naturally they were cut to the heart and filled with fear, leading to the question, “What shall we do?”

Jesus was put to death by sinners and for sin, for our sin.  Perhaps you’ve never heard much about Jesus or perhaps you’ve forgotten him.  And perhaps your reaction is the same as these pilgrims, “Wow!  What shall I do?”

2.A gospel answer.  The answer for every person alive today, is “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  Note that the order of these happenings is not rigid. 

After all, repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit.  Repentance is being sorry for sin, and it is a gift of God to those who look to Jesus Christ.  Acts 11:18 shows that God grants repentance as a proper response to the preaching of the Word.  Baptism brings one into the possession of Christ.  In Matthew it says to be baptised into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, all three persons of the Trinity at once.  The Holy Spirit is also a gift.  What do you do to get a gift?  Nothing.  You just get it. Repentance, forgiveness, and the Holy Spirit are the free gifts, and baptism is a sign of it, a sign and seal of the Holy Spirit.

3.A generous promise.  We get this three-fold gift, and the only thing we need to do is…nothing.  For whom is all this?  It is for you, your children, and all that are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God will call.  These pilgrims likely had children at home, and the disciples were sent to people who were far off. 

So the question is, how does God call people?  Through the preaching of the gospel. Thus the promise is for all who are in church right now listening to God’s call, visitors as well as members.  The gospel promise is for you.  God will grant to you freely, as a gift, that which baptism seals.  Those who are called should come to God.  He wants you to come to him to repent, believe, and accept his generous promise. 

Sermon by Pastor George.  Notes, errors, and omissions by NPS.

La niña chiquita, Naomi Dora