Lord’s Day 20: Q&A 53: More to Come

We’ve mentioned before that you can tell a lot about the context of a historical document like the Heidelberg Catechism by what it highlights and what it glosses over: The things that were important to the writers will get more airtime and the things that they take as granted or uncontroversial will be glossed over or omitted (generally speaking, that is). If you apply that lens to the Apostles’ Creed, once can safely assume that the writers were mostly concerned about expressing faith in Jesus Christ and that it was fairly obvious that they would believe in ‘God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth’ and ‘the Holy Spirit.’

If you’re like me (Matt), though, a fairly charismatic person by reformed standards, it can be a bit frustrating to see the Holy Spirit seemingly relegated to a scant line. However, as we will see throughout the rest of the Catechism, and indeed even the last few lines of the Creed, we’re about to dive into Holy Spirit territory (Baptism allusion unintentional).

As we get to the theology behind the sacraments and how we are to live as Christians, having been given the grace of God through Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit, we will get more pneumatology, but I digress.

Lord’s Day 20, as with some of the other succinct Lord’s Days and Q&As, is packed with theology as Ursinus and Olevianus affirm the Divinity of the Spirit, thus reinforcing Trinitarian theology, and we get a sneak preview of how the Spirit will be discussed throughout the rest of the Catechism.

Lord’s Day 20

Q&A 53

CONFESSION OF SIN (Galatians 4:6)

Father God,

Each day we rebel against you.

We take for granted your love and your grace.

Father God, we try to be in charge of our lives.

We follow our own ways and desires.

Which end up harming our neighbors, the creation, and ourselves.

It is only by your Spirit that we even know that we do wrong.

By your grace Father, that we know we have sinned.

Father God, continue to pour out your Spirit on us.

To convict us and bring us to you in confession.

Father God, forgive us and turn us back to you.

Amen. 

ASSURANCE OF PARDON (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)

Leader: You have been anointed by our Savior Jesus Christ

All: He has set his seal of ownership on us.

Leader: God put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit.

All: Guaranteeing for us our future hope in Christ.

BENEDICTION (Galatians 3:14)

May the blessings the Father poured out on Abraham

By the redemption and work of Christ Jesus

Through the promise and power of the Holy Spirit

Be with you now. Amen. 

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

God the Father,

You have revealed who you are in your word.

As we come before you, continue to speak to us.

Holy Spirit, work in our heart and minds

To show us Christ and all his benefits in God’s word.

Give us faith to help us see 

How God is comforting us or challenging us today. 

Father God, you remain with us forever,

Through the presence of your Holy Spirit.

Work in our hearts today.

In Jesus name, Amen.