Sunday's Hymn: God Moves in a Mysterious Way

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

—William Cowper

Other hymns, worship songs, or quotes for this Sunday:

• Glory to His Name at The Happy Wonderer
• Yesterday, today, and forever at Tried With Fire
• Lord’s Day 11, 2020 at The Thirsty Theologian

Selected Reading, March 14, 2020

Here are a few reading recommendations.

Doctrine

The Good Portion: Christ
Jenny Manley’s addition to The Good Portion series of books will be out May 8, and it’s available for preorder now. Here’s the publisher’s blurb: “Understanding the person of Christ is central to understanding the gospel. Jenny Reeves Manley unpacks Christ’s divinity and His humanity, before examining more fully Jesus’ work on earth, planned from before the beginning of time. He took our place on the cross set us free from our debt of sin. In the concluding chapters, the author explores further how Christ’s atonement enabled us to be redeemed to God and united to Christ.”

And Natalie Brand’s new book on the doctrine of salvation will follow shortly afterwards. “What does salvation mean? What does our redemption in Christ look like? How does it take hold of us? In her clear and engaging style, Natalie Brand looks at why we need rescuing, how Christ’s death and resurrection accomplishes salvation, and how this work is applied to us by the Holy Spirit.”

You can preorder it, too. 

I’ve heard they’re both excellent.

Christian History

Jeanette Li and Her Faith in God’s Promises
I’d never heard of Jeanette Li; perhaps you haven’t either. “Once, [Rev. Samuel E. Boyle, a missionary to South China] asked her if she thought the church in China would endure in spite of the anti-Christian indoctrination. Jeanette looked surprised. ‘The church of Christ is His body,’she said. ‘He purchased the church with His own blood. He has promised that the gates of hell shall never overcome the church. You ask me if the church of Christ will be destroyed? How could it be, in the light of all these great promises?’”

The Gospel 

What Is the Gospel?
Because some who think they know what it is actually don’t, and others know what it is, sort of, but are still a little confused about certain aspects of it. And also because those who know it well never grow tired of reading about it.

Old Testament

Crossing the Sea
Yes, yet another one on the story of the Red Sea crossing: “The sea is indeed a beautiful sight, especially when the waters are still and tranquil. Thanks be to our God—the God of the storm—who leads us not simply to those waters (even if they appear threatening), but also through them triumphantly in Jesus Christ.”

Theological Term of the Week: Apostle

apostle
Used technically to refer to one of the body of disciples chosen by Jesus Christ to be witnesses to his resurrection, first proclaimers of the gospel, and founders his church; also used more generally to refer to others in the early church who served as messengers of the churches.

• From scripture: 

  So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19–22, ESV) 

• From The MacArthur New Testament Commentary on 1 Corinthians 12: 

The first of the gifted men in the New Testament church were the apostles, of whom Jesus Christ Himself is foremost (Heb. 3:1). The basic meaning of apostle (apostolos) is simply that of one sent on a mission. In its primary and most technical sense apostle is used in the New Testament only of the twelve, including Matthias, who replaced Judas (Acts 1:26), and of Paul, who was uniquely set apart as apostle to the Gentiles (Gal. 1:15–17; cf. 1 Cor. 15:7–9; 2 Cor. 11:5). The qualifications for that apostleship were having been chosen directly by Christ and having witnessed the resurrected Christ (Mark 3:13; Acts 1:22–24). Paul was the last to meet those qualifications (Rom. 1:1; etc.). It is not possible therefore, as some claim, for there to be apostles in the church today. Some have observed that the apostles were like delegates to a constitutional convention. When the convention is over, the position ceases. When the New Testament was completed, the office of apostle ceased.

Learn more:

1. Bible Study Tools: Apostle
2. Got Questions.org: What is an apostle? and What are the biblical qualifications for apostleship?
3. Ligonier Ministries: What Was an Apostle?
4. Grace to You: What Is an Apostle? 

Related terms: 

• deacons
• elders
• gospel
• saints 

Filed under Ecclesiology

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