Lord's Day #1 Our Only Comfort in Life and Death

As part of our morning worship service we read and I make a few comments about the Lord's Day of the Heidelberg Catechism that corresponds to the week of the year.

Our hope for preserving these is they can provide some instruction for those who are learning the catechism and or wanting to understand them better. As I (Pastor Randy) listen to them...the first minute or two are often contextual for visitors and not always directly related.

Lord’s Day 1

1. What is your only comfort in life and in death?

That I, with body and soul, both in life and in death,1 am not my own,2 but belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ,3 who with His precious blood4 has fully satisfied for all my sins,5 and redeemed me from all the power of the devil;6 and so preserves me7 that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head;8 indeed, that all things must work together for my salvation.9 Wherefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life,10 and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live unto Him.11

[1] Rom. 14:7–8. [2] 1 Cor. 6:19. [3] 1 Cor. 3:23. [4] 1 Pet. 1:18–19. [5] 1 Jn. 1:7; 2:2. [6] 1 Jn. 3:8. [7] Jn. 6:39. [8] Matt. 10:29–30; Lk. 21:18. [9] Rom. 8:28. [10] 2 Cor. 1:21–22; Eph. 1:13–14; Rom. 8:16. [11] Rom. 8:1.

2. How many things are necessary for you to know, that in this comfort you may live and die happily?

Three things:1 First, the greatness of my sin and misery.2 Second, how I am redeemed from all my sins and misery.3 Third, how I am to be thankful to God for such redemption.4

[1] Lk. 24:46–47; 1 Cor. 6:11; Tit. 3:3–7. [2] Jn. 9:41; 15:22. [3] Jn. 17:3. [4] Eph. 5:8–11; 1 Pet. 2:9–12; Rom. 6:11–14