MEMORY VERSE(S) “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings” (Jeremiah 17:9-10 ESV).
Doctrinal Standards WSC #19: Q. What is the misery of man’s fallen condition? A. By their fall, all mankind lost fellowship with God and brought His anger and curse on themselves. They are, therefore, subject to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever.
MEMORY VERSE(S) ”For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23, ESV). “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear” (Isaiah 59:1, ESV).
Doctrinal Standards WSC #17 & 18: Q. What happened to man in the fall? A. Man fell into a condition of sin and misery. Q. What is sinful about man’s fallen condition? A. The sinfulness of that fallen condition is twofold. First, in what is commonly called original sin, there is the guilt of Adam’s first sin with its lack of original righteousness and the corruption of his whole nature. Second are all the specific acts of disobedience that come from original sin.
MEMORY VERSE(S)
“The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5, ESV).
Doctrinal Standards WSC #16: Q. Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first disobedience? A. Since the covenant was made not only for Adam but also for his natural descendants, all mankind sinned in him and fell with him in his first disobedience.
MEMORY VERSE(S)
”Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4, ESV).
Doctrinal Standards WSC #14 & 15: Q. What is sin? A. Sin is disobeying or not conforming to God’s law in any way. Q. By what sin did our first parents fall from their original condition? A. Our first parents’ sin was eating the forbidden fruit.
As Good Friday approaches, this song caught my attention as a great one to sing together as we focus on the Christ’s work on the cross. We will be singing it together this Sunday (April 13th) and also at our Good Friday service.
Please take a look at the lyrics and embedded video below to get to know the song and an idea of the melody:
The Power of the Cross by Keith & Kristyn Getty
Oh to see the dawn of the darkest day
Christ on the road to Calvary
Tried by sinful men torn and beaten then
Nailed to a cross of wood
This the pow’r of the cross
Christ became sin for us
Took the blame bore the wrath
We stand forgiven at the cross
Oh to see the pain written on Your face
Bearing the awesome weight of sin
Ev’ry bitter thought ev’ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow
Now the daylight flees now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head
Curtain torn in two dead are raised to life
Finished the vict’ry cry
Oh to see my name written in the wounds
For through Your suff’ring I am free
Death is crushed to death life is mine to live
Won through Your selfless love
This the pow’r of the cross
Son of God slain for us
What a love what a cost
We stand forgiven at the cross
“But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3, ESV).
Doctrinal Standard WSC #12:
Q. What did God’s providence specifically do for man whom He created?
A. After the creation God made a covenant with man to give him life, if he perfectly obeyed; God told him not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil or he would die.
This coming Sunday (March 23rd) we will be singing a new song called “Not in Me.” Before we sing it together on Sunday, I wanted to share the song with you so that you could get a jump start on learning it and know why I have chosen to add it to the list of songs we sing at Emmaus.
If you’ve been keeping up with Emmaus Essentials, you’ll notice how closely this song coincides with Chapter 11 of the LBC (Lesson 19 from the week of March 9th). This song is all about the fact that there is nothing that we can possibly do to earn forgiveness – our justification – but that only in Christ is our righteousness found. It is a beautiful declaration of the Gospel. Read the lyrics below and listen to the song:
No list of sins I have not done,
No list of virtues I pursue,
No list of those I am not like,
Can earn myself a place with You.
O God! Be merciful to me—
I am a sinner through and through!
My only hope of righteousness
Is not in me, but only You.
No humble dress, no fervent prayer,
No lifted hands, no tearful song,
No recitation of the truth
Can justify a single wrong.
My righteousness is Jesus’ life,
My debt was paid by Jesus’ death,
My weary load was borne by Him
And he alone can give me rest.
No separation from the world,
No work I do, no gift I give,
Can cleanse my conscience, cleanse my hands;
I cannot cause my soul to live.
But Jesus died and rose again—
The pow’r of death is overthrown!
My God is merciful to me
And merciful in Christ alone.
“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6, ESV).
Doctrinal Standards WSC #8 & 9:
Q. How does God carry out His decrees?
A. God carries out His decrees in creation and providence.
Q. What is creation?
A. Creation is God’s making everything out of nothing by His powerful word in six days – and all very good.
