• Give thanks to the Lord that our church building was spared from extensive damage from the fire Friday night. We’re hoping that with the use of a generator, we will have heat, lights, and sound for both services today.
• There are no Christian education classes after the service this morning.
• Men, both old and young (13 and older), are asked by the consistory to make time to attend a meeting on Saturday, May 4 from 4:30 – 8 pm. Supper is included. We will watch and discuss the Conquer Series
• There will be a Bonisa Mission presentation at Plymouth Christian High School on May 13 at 7:30 pm. Please see the posted flyer in the foyer.
• The following persons have expressed their desire to make public confession of faith. The consistory has met with each of them and are satisfied that they can make confession of faith on April 28 during the evening service.

James Peter Barnard

Leah Metje Boerkoel

Christiana Joy Heikoop

Naomi Beth Sweetman

Klazina van den Berg

Robert Arie Vander Boon

That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”—Romans 6:4.

It is a blessed thing that we should be made alive in Christ. As many of you as have believed in the Lord Jesus have been raised from among the dead. You were once without faith and without feeling. You had no sense of sin; you had no desire after holiness; you had no confidence in Christ; you had no love for the Father: but “you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” You live now even as Jesus lived when he was “declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” Why should the Lord of life have raised you from your death? Multitudes around you are still dead. You could not have made yourselves alive; for it is clear that the dead cannot rise by their own power. You were like the dry bones of Ezekiel’s valley, without even the form or the moisture of life. You were more difficult to quicken than your Savior’s body; for “he saw no corruption,” but you were corrupt of heart. Ah, how much you saw of corruption! In you hath Jehovah repeated the miracle which he performed on his beloved Son.
Remember that quickening is a needful part of the process of sanctification. Sanctification, in its operation upon our character, consists of three things. First, we die unto sin. A wondrous death! By this Jesus strikes at the heart of evil. The death of Christ makes us die to sin. After this comes burial. We are buried with Christ, and of this burial baptism is the type and token. Covered up to be forgotten, we are to sin as a dead shepherd to his flock. As the sheep pass over the dead shepherd’s grave, or even feed thereon, and yet he regards them not, so our old sins and habits come about us, but we, as dead men, know them no more. We are buried to them. To complete our actual sanctification we receive heavenly quickening. “If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.” Yea, we do live in him, and by him, for “he that believeth in him hath everlasting life.” I trust you know what this means. Have you been thus dead, thus buried with Christ? Are you now thus quickened in the likeness of his resurrection? This is your joyful privilege, if you are indeed believers in Christ, and joined unto the Lord in one spirit. C H Spurgeon

Sunday Morning Worship: 9:15am

Theme: Why seek ye the living among the dead?
1. Serving
2. Corrected
3. Encouraged
Psalter 17:1-5
Luke 24:1-12 (5-7)
Psalter 77:1-5
Psalter 29:1-3
Psalter 427:3-4

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Sunday Evening Worship: 6pm

Theme: I am He that liveth, and was dead
1. An encounter with Christ
2. Who Christ is
3. What Christ has
Psalter 317:1-4
Revelation 1:9-20 (17-18)
Psalter 420:5-6
Psalter 378:1-3
Psalter 282:1-4

Theme: He saved others, himself he cannot save
1. The suffering of mocking
2. The lie in this mocking
3. The truth in this mocking
Psalter 184:5-9
Matthew 27:33-50 (41-42)
Psalter 47:7-11
Psalter 240:1-5
Psalter 415:8-10

Sunday Morning Worship: 9:15am

Theme: Witness unto the truth
1. Christ bearing witness
2. To hear Christ’s voice
3. The question of Pilate
Psalter 64:1-3
John 18:28-40 (37-38)
Psalter 94:1-6
Psalter 140:1-4
Psalter 51:1-3
Psalter 313:1-3
Psalter 440:4-5

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Sunday Evening Worship: 6pm

Theme: Christ or Barabbas
1. The weakness of the wicked
2. The preference of the priests
3. The charity of Christ
Psalter 236:1-4
Mark 15:1-15 (15)
Psalter 92:1-3
Psalter 164:1-4
Psalter 439:3-4

Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man [that is] my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts. Zach. 13:7.

Did the disciples forsake Christ, though they had such strong persuasions and resolutions never to do it? Then we see, That self-confidence is a sin too incident to the best of men. They little thought their hearts would have proved so base and deceitful, as they found them to be when they were tried. “Though all men forsake thee (saith Peter) yet will not!” Good man, he resolved honestly, but he knew not what a feather he should be in the wind of temptation, if God once left him to his own fears.

Little reason have the best of saints to depend upon their inherent grace, let their stock be as large as it will. The angels left to themselves, quickly left their own habitations, Jude 6. Upon which, one well observes, That the best of created perfections, are of themselves defectible. Every excellency without the prop of divine preservation, is but a weight which tends to a fall. The angels in their innocence, were but frail, without God’s sustentation; even grace itself is but a creature, and therefore purely dependant. It is not from its being and nature, but from the assistance of something without it, that it is kept from annihilation. What becomes of the stream, if the fountain supply it not? What continuance has the reflection in the glass, if the man that looks into it, turn away his face? The constant supplies of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, are the food and fuel of all our graces. The best men will show themselves but men if God leave them. He who has set them up, must also keep them. It is safer to be humble with one talent, than proud with ten; yea, better to be an humble worm, than a proud angel. Adam had more advantage to maintain his station than any of you. For though he were left to the liberty of his own mutable and self-determining will; and though he was created upright, and had no inherent corruption to endanger him, yet he fell.

John Flavel

• Jo Boerkoel hopes to celebrate her 86 th birthday tomorrow. “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”Ps. 16:11.
• There are no Christian education classes after the service this morning, and there are no classes next week.
• Men, both old and young (13 and older), are asked by the consistory to make time to attend a meeting on Saturday, May 4 from 4:30 – 8 pm. Supper is included. We will watch and discuss the Conquer Series
• The Forgotten Man dinner is Thursday, May 9 at 6:30 pm at Frederik Meijer Gardens. The sign-up deadline is April 14. The sign-up sheet is on the food table in the basement.
• The following persons have expressed their desire to make public confession of faith. The consistory has met with each of them and are satisfied that they can make confession of faith on April 28 during the evening service. If there are any objections from the congregation, please notify one of the consistory members by April 20.

James Peter Barnard

Leah Metje Boerkoel

Christiana Joy Heikoop

Naomi Beth Sweetman

Klazina van den Berg

Robert Arie Vander Boon

• Dear Ladies of Providence Reformed Church,

Thank you so much for hosting the shower for me. I appreciate all your kindness, generosity and work that you put into it! It has been a blessing getting to know you.

In Christ,        K

Theme: The battle in this life
1. Depending on the Lord
2. Attacked by deception
3. Communion with God
Psalter 11:1-4
Psalm 5:1-12 (7-8)
Psalter 151:1-6
Psalter 415:5-6

He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.   Isa. 53:7.

Thirdly, And as his patience flowed from his perfect wisdom and knowledge, so also from his foreknowledge. He had a perfect prospect of all those things from eternity, which befell him afterwards. They came not upon him by way of surprise. And therefore he wondered not at them when they came, as if some strange thing had happened. He foresaw all these things long before, Mark 8:31. “And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed.” Yea, he had compacted and agreed with his Father to endure all this for our sake, before he assumed our flesh. Hence, Isa. 1:6. “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting.”

Now look as Christ in John 16:4. obviates all future offences his disciples might take at suffering for his sake, by telling them beforehand what they must expect. “These things (saith he) I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them:” So he, foreknowing what himself must suffer, and having agreed so to do, bare those sufferings with singular patience. “Jesus therefore knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, whom seek ye?” John 18:4.

Fourthly, As his patience sprang from his fore-knowledge of his sufferings; so from his faith which he exercised under all that he suffered in this world. His faith looked through all those black and dismal clouds, to the joy proposed. He knew that though Pilate condemned, God would justify him. And he set one over-against the other: he balanced the glory, into which he was to enter, with the sufferings, through which he was to enter into it. He acted faith upon God for divine support and assistance under suffering, as well as for glory, the fruit and reward of them, Psal. 16:7-11. I have set (or as the apostle varies it) “I foresaw the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth.” There is faith acted by Christ, for strength to carry him through. And then it follows, “My flesh also shall rest in hope; for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life. In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right-hand there are pleasures for evermore.” There is his faith expecting the glory into which he was to enter, after he had suffered these things: this filled him with peace. John Flavel

• The nursery worker schedule has been re-arranged to accommodate more children in the nursery, especially in the evening. We now have an added person, if needed, in the evening. Please talk to Paula Rozeboom if you have questions or would like to be a nursery worker.
• The offerings for March 2019 are as follows:

General  $11,912.00

Benevolent   $ 2,159.00

CEF    $ 1,697.00

Building      $ 2,205.00

Titus 2 Women   $ 1,418.00

Plymouth ESSP   $ 1,782.00

Nigeria Youth (Concert)     $ 2,952.00

• The Forgotten Man dinner is Thursday, May 9 at 6:30 pm at Frederik Meijer Gardens. The sign-up deadline is April 14. The sign-up sheet is on the food table in the basement.