Scripture: Exodus 26:1-27:21

Speaker: Mike Law Jr.

Series: Exodus

Location: Grace Baptist Church of Arlington

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As we prepare to celebrate the Lord’s Supper this coming Sunday, let me encourage you to reflect on J.C. Ryle’s comments regarding approaching the Lord’s Table:

“Right reception of the Lord’s Supper has a ‘humbling’ effect on the soul. The sight of the bread and wine as emblems of Christ’s body and blood, reminds us how sinful sin must be, if nothing less than the death of God’s own Son could make satisfaction for it, or redeem us from its guilt. Never should we be so ‘clothed with humility,’ as when we receive the Lord’s Supper.” (J.C. Ryle, Practical Religion, “Going to the Table”, 152.)

HT: Erik

From J.C. Ryle’s Five English Reformers:

The second leading Reformer who died for Christ’s truth in Mary’s reign was John Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester. He was burned at Gloucester on Saturday, the 9th of February, 1555.

Hooper was a Somersetshire man by birth. In many respects he was, perhaps, the noblest martyr of them all. Of all Edward the Sixth’s bishops, none has left behind him a higher reputation for personal holiness, and diligent preaching and working in his diocese. None, judging from his literary remains, had clearer and more Scriptural views on all points in theology. Some might say that Edward the Sixth’s Bishop of Gloucester was too Calvinistic; but he was not more so than the Thirty-nine Articles. Hooper was a farsighted man, and saw the danger of leaving nest-eggs for Romanism in the Church of England. In his famous dispute with Cranmer and the other bishops about wearing Romish vestments at his consecration, it has been, I know, the fashion to condemn him as too stiff and unbending. I say boldly that the subsequent history of our Church makes it doubtful whether we ought not to reverse our verdict. The plain truth is, that in principle Hooper was right, and his opponents were wrong.

A man like Hooper, firm, stern, not naturally genial, unbending and unsparing in his denunciation of sin, was sure to have many enemies. He was one of the first marked for destruction as soon as Popery was restored. He was summoned to London at a very early stage of the Marian persecution, and, after lingering eighteen months in prison, and going through the form of examination by Bonner, Gardiner, Tunstall, and Day, was degraded from his office, and sentenced to be burned as a heretic. At first it was fully expected that he would suffer in Smithfield with Rogers. This plan, for some unknown reason, was given up, and to his great satisfaction Hooper was sent down to Gloucester, and burnt in his own diocese, and in sight of his own cathedral. On his arrival there, he was received with every sign of sorrow and respect by a vast multitude, who went out on the Cirencester Road to meet him, and was lodged for the night in the house of a Mr. Ingram, which is still standing, and probably not much altered. There Sir Anthony Kingston, whom the good Bishop had been the means of converting from a sinful life, entreated him, with many tears, to spare himself, and urged him to remember that “Life was sweet, and death was bitter.” To this the noble martyr returned this memorable reply, that “Eternal life was more sweet, and eternal death was more bitter.”

On the morning of his martyrdom he was led forth, walking, to the place of execution, where an immense crowd awaited him. It was market-day; and it was reckoned that nearly 7000 people were present. The stake was planted directly in front of the western gate of the Cathedral-close, and within 100 yards of the deanery and the east front of the Cathedral. The exact spot is marked now by a beautiful memorial at the east end of the churchyard of St. Mary-de-Lode. The window over the gate, where Popish friars watched the Bishop’s dying agonies, stands unaltered to this day.

When Hooper arrived at this spot, he was allowed to pray, though strictly forbidden to speak to the people. And there he knelt down, and prayed a prayer which has been preserved and recorded by Foxe, and is of exquisitely touching character. Even then a box was put before him containing a full pardon, if he would only recant. His only answer was, “Away with it; if you love my soul, away with it I” He was then fastened to the stake by an iron round his waist, and fought his last fight with the king of terrors. Of all the martyrs, none perhaps, except Ridley, suffered more than Hooper did. Three times the faggots had to be lighted, because they would not burn properly. Three quarters of an hour the noble sufferer endured the mortal agony, as Foxe says, “neither moving backward, forward, nor to any side,” but only praying, “Lord Jesus, have mercy on me; Lord Jesus, receive my spirit;” and beating his breast with one hand till it was burned to a stump. And so the good Bishop of Gloucester passed away.

The third leading Reformer who suffered in Mary’s reign was Rowland Taylor, Rector of Hadleigh, in Suffolk. He was burned on Aldham Common, close to his own parish, the same day that Hooper died at Gloucester, on Saturday, the 9th February, 1555. Rowland Taylor is one of whom we know little, except that he was a great friend of Cranmer, and a doctor of divinity and canon law. But that he was a man of high standing among the Reformers is evident, from his being ranked by his enemies with Hooper, Rogers, and Bradford; and that he was an exceedingly able and ready divine is clear from his examination, recorded by Foxe. Indeed, there is hardly any of the sufferers about whom the old Martyrologist has gathered together so many touching and striking things. One might think he was a personal friend.

Striking was the reply which he made to his friends at Hadleigh, who urged him to flee, as he might have done, when he was first summoned to appear in London before Gardiner: -What will ye have me to do?. I am old, and have already lived too long to see these terrible and most wicked days. Fly you, and do as your conscience leadeth you. I am fully determined, with God’s grace, to go to this Bishop and tell him to his beard that he doth naught. I believe before God that I shall never be able to do for my God such good service as I may do now.’ ‘Foxe’s“Acts and Monuments,” vol. iii. p.138.

Striking were the replies which he made to Gardiner and his other examiners. None spoke more pithily, weightily, and powerfully than did this Suffolk incumbent.

Striking and deeply affecting was his last testament and legacy of advice to his wife, his family, and parishioners, though far too long to be inserted here, excepting the last sentence : -”For God’s sake beware of Popery: for though it appear to have in it unity, yet the same is vanity and Antichristianity, and not in Christ’s faith and verity.”-Foxe’s“Acts and Monuments,” vol. iii.p.144.

He was sent down from London to Hadleigh, to his great delight, to be burned before the eyes of his parishioners. When he got within two miles of Hadleigh, the Sheriff of Suffolk asked him how he felt. “God be praised, Master Sheriff,” was his reply, “never better. For now I am almost at home. I lack but just two stiles to go over, and I am even at my Father’s house.”

As he rode through the streets of the little town of Hadleigh, he found them lined with crowds of his parishioners, who had heard of his approach, and came out of their houses to greet him with many tears and lamentations. To them he only made one constant address, “I have preached to you God’s Word and truth, t and am come this day to seal it with my blood.”

On coming to Aldham Common, where he was to suffer, they told him where he was. Then he said,-” Thank God, I am even at home.”

When he was stripped to his shirt and ready for the stake, he said, with a loud voice,-” Good people, I have taught you nothing but God’s Holy Word, and those lessons that I have taken out of the Bible; and I am come hither to seal it with my blood.” He would probably have said more, but, like all the other martyrs, he was strictly forbidden to speak, and even now was struck vio- lently on the head for saying these few words. He then knelt down and prayed, a poor woman of the parish insisting, in spite of every effort to prevent her, in kneeling down with him. After this, he was chained to the stake, and repeating the 51st Psalm, and crying to God, “Merciful Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake, receive my soul into Thy hands,” stood quietly amidst the flames without crying or moving, till one of the guards dashed out his brains with a halberd. And so this good old Suffolk incumbent passed away.

(J.C. Ryle, Five English Reformers, p.11-14)

I don’t know about you, but from time to time I’m anxious about one thing or another.  I need to be reminded of Christ’s Lordship over all things. I need to be reminded of Christ’s trustworthiness.  Justin Taylor has helpfully pulled together 8 Biblical arguments against anxiety:

1. God is near me to help me.
2. God cares for me.
3. My Father in heaven  knows all my needs and will supply all my needs.
4. God values me more than birds and grass, which he richly provides for and adorns; how much more will he provide for all my needs!
5. What can man do to me?
6. Anxiety is pointless.
7. Anxiety is worldly.
8. Tomorrow doesn’t need my anxiety.

I found these arguments/reminders helpful, and I’d encourage you to check out Justin’s full post where he uses Scripture to support these arguments.  You may want to check out his follow-up post as well.

From J.C. Ryle’s Five English Reformers:

The first leading English Reformer who broke the ice and crossed the river, as a martyr in Mary’s reign, was John Rogers, a London Minister, Vicar of St. Sepulchre’s, and Prebendary and Reader of Divinity at St. Paul’s. He was burned in Smithfield on Monday, the 4th of February, 1555. Rogers was born at Deritend, in the parish of Aston, near Birmingham. He was a man who, in one respect, had done more for the cause of Protestantism than any of his fellow-sufferers. In saying this I refer to the fact that he had assisted Tyndale and Coverdale in bringing out a most important version of the English Bible, a version commonly known as Matthew’s Bible. Indeed, he was condemned as “Rogers, aliasMatthew.” This circumstance, in all human probability, made him a marked man, and was one cause why he was the first who was brought to the stake.

Rogers’ examination before Gardiner gives us the idea of his being a bold, thorough Protestant, who had fully made up his mind on all points of the Romish controversy, and was able to give a reason for his opinions. At any rate, he seems to have silenced and abashed his examiners even more than most of the martyrs did. But argument, of course, went for nothing. “Woe to the conquered!” If he had the word, his enemies had the sword.

Rogers’ prophetic words in prison, addressed to Day, printer of Foxe’s “Acts and Monuments,” are well worth quoting: “Thou shalt live to see the alteration of this religion, and the Gospel freely preached again. Therefore, have me commended to my brethren, as well in exile as here, and bid them be circumspect in displacing the Papist” and putting good ministers into Churches, or else their end will be worse than ours.’ ‘-Foxe, iii. p.300 (1684 edition).

On the morning of his martyrdom he was roused hastily in his cell in Newgate, and hardly allowed time to dress himself. He was then led forth to Smithfield on foot, within sight of the Church of St. Sepulchre, where he had preached, and through the streets of the parish where he had done the work of a pastor. By the wayside stood his wife and ten children (one a baby) whom Bishop Bonner, in his diabolical cruelty, had flatly refused him leave to see in prison.

He just saw them, but was hardly allowed to stop, and then walked on calmly to the stake, repeating the 51st Psalm. An immense crowd lined the street, and filled every avail-able spot in Smithfield. Up to that day men could not tell how English Reformers Would behave in the face of death, and could hardly believe that Prebendaries and Dignitaries Would actually give their bodies to be burned for their religion. But when they saw John Rogers, the first martyr, walking steadily and unflinchingly into a fiery grave, the enthusiasm of the crowd knew no bounds. They rent the air with thunders of applause. Even Noailles, the French Ambassador, wrote home a description of the scene, and said that Rogers went to death “as if he was walking to his wedding.” By God’s great mercy he died with comparative ease. And so the first Marian martyr passed away.  (J.C. Ryle, Five English Reformers, p.10-11)

This past Sunday we studied Exodus 25.  In our study we reflected on the giving of the people of Israel.  The Lord invited the people of Israel to voluntarily give up their own possessions in order that a tabernacle (a dwelling place) for the Lord might be built.  We also spent some time reflecting how this giving is similar and dissimilar to Christian giving.

It’s dissimilar in that Christians have not been invited to build a tabernacle here on earth (we are the tabernacle — the dwelling place of God the Holy Spirit), so we’re not bringing ram’s skins, goat’s skins, and planks of wood.  On the other hand there are, I think, similarities — just as the giving of Exodus 25 was voluntary, so is Christian giving in the New Testament.

The New Testament presumes Christians will give to gospel work because they want to give.  They know what the gospel has accomplished in their own hearts.  Christians give in view the great redemption that God has accomplished in freeing them from slavery to sin.  Christians give because they want to see redemption and freedom come to others who are still bound in the chains of sin.  The New Testament also presumes that Christians will give generously, and it presumes that they will give generously because they know how generous God in has been toward them in Christ.  Consider what the apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 8:9:

“⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

The first month of a new year has gone by.  Have you evaluated and planned your giving for this year?  I would encourage you to make an initial plan of your giving for the coming year each January.  Ligon Duncan has written an article called “Ten Principles for Christian Giving.”  It is an excellent article that can help you to think and plan and pray about your giving.

Here are just a few questions from that article:  “Are you giving?  Are you giving for God’s praise or man’s?  Do you try to get by with giving as little as possible to the Lord, or do you give in view of the Lord’s costly sacrifice?  Are you really giving in proportion to the material blessing that the Lord has given you?  Is your giving to the Church something you do wholeheartedly, or indifferently, or grudgingly?  Is there joy in your heart as you give?  Can you truly be characterized as a ‘cheerful giver?”

One of the reasons we don’t give is because we don’t think about our giving (financial or otherwise), so take some time to think about the ways in which you are joyfully giving to the glory of God.

Scripture: Exodus 25:1-40

Speaker: Mike Law Jr.

Series: Exodus

Location: Grace Baptist Church of Arlington

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I’ve had conversations with friends who find blogs and news sites very helpful.  They like reading them in order to stay up to date on various things, such as what’s going on at Grace Baptist Church of Arlington.  But while they like reading the news and some sports or political blogs, they often find that there are less than helpful advertisements on the side bars of those sites.  I’ve suggested several times to friends that they should start using a “reader,” as it will often cut out  many (if not all) of the undesirable advertisements, all the while making your reading more efficient.

When I mention the use of a reader my friends will often look at me as though I have two heads.  Below you’ll find a really simple instructional video on Really Simple Syndication.  It will explain how to use and implement RSS by using a reader.  Using a reader won’t get to matters of the heart, those still need to be worked at, but it could help to cut out some unnecessary temptation that you may face.  I hope that this is helpful!

In this brief video clip Dr. David Powlison of CCEF describes how God met him in weakness.  Watch and be encouraged to trust God’s providence.

HT: Ray Ortlund

Scripture: Exodus 24:1-18

Speaker: Mike Law Jr.

Series: Exodus

Location: Grace Baptist Church of Arlington

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