Two Years to Continue the Spread

Using the Larger Catechism to Grow in Christ

Good Morning!

As you can probably tell by now we did not have our normal Thursday Confession help today. The reason for that is next week (Sept. 8th) we’ll be starting a new series through the Westminster Larger Catechism. The past year as a church we have walked through the Shorter Catechism Q.1-107 (and will continue that in Sabbath School at Bethany ARP). Well, the Larger Catechism is eighty-nine questions longer, and is also more in depth in general so will require more time and space. That is why the plan will be to take two-years, September 2022-September 2024, to give the needed room to breathe and not rush about eating meat in a speed run. We’re not trying to ingest the 72 oz. steak so we don’t have to pay for it. We want to enjoy our meal.

Here is a link to the breakdown.

Our goal in doing it every week is to help each one of us grow in our faith, and see that our love for Jesus Christ only expands in every area of life as we consider again what it means to be believers and members of God’s covenant family. The Larger Catechism needs not be a fearful monster, nor a mountain too tall to climb. To use the meat illustration again, how do you eat a cow? One bite at a time.

I want to encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. Part of my purpose in being a pastor is to feed people with Jesus. When our Lord was preparing to take leave to Heaven He spoke these words to Peter:

"So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Feed My lambs.’” — John 21:13

The nurture Christ had in mind was His word, and the applications of His word to the needs of His people, as David notes, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” — Psalm 119:105. It is the food by which Christians have their strength strengthened, or as the prophet Isaiah says, “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.” — Isaiah 55:2. The Larger Catechism was written for Ministers and Elders to assist them in teaching the Shorter Catechism as well as generally speaking the faith to those under their care. As Chad Van Dixhoorn notes the Scottish Commissioners felt it was difficult to cook both milk and meat in one dish. While, we need to drink milk before we can eat meat, but the goal, as the Apostle Paul says to the Corinthians we don’t want to be in the position where we never get to the meat eating part of life. It is worth the effort, I promise.

One thing I want to assure you of is that while I do plan on “kicking it up a notch” we are not going to get so esoteric that it will be like drinking water out of a firehose. I want this time to be helpful, practical, and worth your time. If there is ever a moment where something we are going over does not make sense, or causes you to question a part of your faith, or if the answer causes consternation in your soul please don’t hesitate to let me know. Questions and pushback always welcome!

Again, the purpose of this is not to pile more on your stress levels, but to actually help you, and us, move forward in love for God and for one another in His goodness.

For more on the Larger Catechism see the below:

https://www.the-highway.com/larger-catechism_Dixhoorn.html

Blessings in Christ,

Rev. Benjamin Glaser

Pastor, Bethany ARP Church