Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This Sunday, we will contemplate what is perhaps the most comforting message of the Bible – “The zeal of the Lord will accomplish this.” This is THE great cause for all thanksgiving. As it often happens in our church, the “reason for the season” is communicated providentially through the passage of scripture God has laid before us to consider on Sunday. This coming Sunday is no different. In only two days, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. I recall that during last Christmas season, we were considering Isaiah 9, “unto us a Child is born.” This thanksgiving we will be considering what is the basis for all thanksgiving – the ever kind providence of God that is fulfilled because of the “zeal of the Lord.” In Isaiah 37:21-32, Isaiah writes a letter to Hezekiah proclaiming God’s sovereignty over all things – including Sennacherib’s strength and the peoples weakness in the path of his military campaigns. How did it happen. The answer is given in the final verse of the section we will be studying, “the zeal of the Lord will accomplish this.” As we contemplate the beauty of the Lord this week and as we gather together for our Thanksgiving celebrations, let us consider what the “Zeal of the Lord” has accomplished in our lives. He has been zealous for our good. What has He done? How has he done it?

Our text also shows that often, we do not experience blessing until something is taken away. This was true of Judah in 701bc, and it is true for us today. Some of you have experienced difficulty this year. There has been hardship and failure and things have fallen apart. What can it mean? Remember the great gospel writer, J.C. Ryle. He was headed for a political career until his father’s bank collapsed. As a result he entered the ministry. He wrote, “I have not the least doubt, it was all for the best. If I had not been ruined, I should never have been a clergyman, never have preached a sermon, or written a tract or book.” Ryle was the product of his troubles. His successor said that he was, “a man of granite with the heart of a child.” We should never underestimate the good that can come from our hardships from the chastisements of the Lord. As Judah finds herself in a state of collapse in the face of a formidable enemy, God is at work to fulfill all His purpose – the zeal of the Lord will accomplish what is for her greatest good. He chastised her for her good. This is our only hope. This is the basis of thanksgiving. So as you gather together with your famiiies and friends on Nov 27, remember the zeal of the Lord. Meditate on it, share about it, savor it and seize the moment to prepare yourselves for our time together on the Sabbath day to further celebrate the zeal of the Lord as we focus on Isaiah 37:21-32.

The Lord’s Supper:
This Sunday our church will be transitioning to the use of wine in the Lord’s Supper. In Matthew 26, it is recorded that our Lord Jesus Christ offered wine to His disciples and said, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” Matthew 26:27-29. The most blessed thing for the human soul is to find its joy in following Christ. He leads to green pastures and still waters, even when our conscience might fight against His ways. When we find that our conscience is fighting against something He promotes as good, we need to realize that He is wiser than our impressions and is a healing salve for our consciences. The Lord is good. He always does what is good. He is wise and therefore, He always does what is wise, including his commanding his disciples to drink wine in the upper room. We also need to realize that switching to wine will not fix your practice of the Lord’s supper… for the heart of your practice of the Lord’s supper is not found in the elements, but in your heart toward Christ Himself. The substance is not the center of the celebration – Christ is. The various admixtures that find their ways into the cup of blessing we drink during the Lord’s supper, simply point to the perfect cup of blessing – The Lord Jesus Christ, the fountain of life.

Our singing will be composed of the following songs:

O Worship the King #104
O worship the King, all glorious above
And gratefully sing His wonderful love
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days
Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise

Thy bountiful care, what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air; it shines in the light
It streams from the hills; it descends to the plain
And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail
Thy mercies how tender, how firm till the end!
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer and Friend!

All hail to the King! In splendor enthroned
Glad praises we bring, Thy wonders make known
Returning victorious, great conqueror of sin
King Jesus, all glorious, our vict’ry will win

Psalm (based on text of Psalm 2)
(tune “Hintze” – red book)
Why do heathen nations rage?
Why do peoples folly mind?
Kings of earth in plots engage,
Rulers are in league combined;
Then against Jehovah high,
And against Messiah’s sway,
“Let us break their bands,” they cry,
“Let us cast their cords away.”

But the Lord will scorn them all;
He will laugh Who sits on high.
Then His wrath will on them fall;
Sore displeased He will reply:
“Yet according to My will
I have set My King to reign,
And on Zion’s holy hill
My Anointed I’ll maintain.”

His decree I will make known;
Unto Me the Lord did say,
“Thou art My beloved Son;
I’ve begotten Thee this day.
Ask of Me, and Thee I’ll make
Heir to earth and nations all;
Them with iron Thou shalt break,
Dashing them in pieces small.”

Therefore, kings, be wise, give ear;
Hearken, judges of the earth;
Serve the Lord with godly fear;
Mingle trembling with your mirth.
Kiss the Son, His wrath to turn,
Lest ye perish in the way,
For His anger soon will burn.
Blessed are all that on Him stay.
Amen

This Is My Father’s World #143
This is my Father’s world, and to my list’ning ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres
This is my Father’s world, I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas
His hand the wonders wrought

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise
The morning light, the lily white
Declare their Maker’s praise
This is my Father’s world, He shines in all that’s fair
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere

This is my Father’s world, O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong
God is the Ruler yet
This is my Father’s world, the battle is not done
Jesus, who died, shall be satisfied
And earth and heav’n be one

What God Ordains Is Always Good
What God ordains is always good:
His will is just and holy;
As He directs my life for me,
I follow meek and lowly.
My God indeed in every need
Knows well how He will shield me;
To Him, then, I will yield me.
To Him, then, I will yield me.

What God ordains is always good:
He is my Friend and Father;
He suffers naught to do me harm,
Though many storms may gather.
Now I may know both joy and woe,
Some day I shall see clearly
That He hath loved me dearly.
That He hath loved me dearly.

What God ordains is always good:
Though I the cup am drinking
Which savors now of bitterness,
I take it without shrinking.
For after grief God gives relief,
My heart with comfort filling,
And all my sorrows stilling.
And all my sorrows stilling.

What God ordains is always good:
This truth remains unshaken.
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
I shall not be forsaken.
I fear no harm, for with His arm
He shall embrace and shield me;
So to my God I yield me.
So to my God I yield me.

Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
He, Whose Word cannot be broken
Formed thee for His own abode:
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
Thou may’st smile at all thy foes.

See, the streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal love,
Well supply thy sons and daughters,
And all fear of want remove:
Who can faint, while such a river
Ever flows their thirst t’assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord, the Giver,
Never fails from age to age.

Round each habitation hovering,
See the cloud and fire appear
For a glory and a cov’ring,
Showing that the Lord is near:
Thus deriving from their banner
Light by night and shade by day,
Safe they feed upon the manna
Which He gives them when they pray.

Savior, if of Zion’s city
I, through grace, a member am,
Let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in Thy Name:
Fading is the worldling’s pleasure,
All his boasted pomp and show;
Solid joys and lasting treasure
None but Zion’s children know.

—

Michael Davenport