This past Lord's Day (6 Jan '08) we began a series of sermons on what I entitled, "The Life of Gratitude." In this series we will be following the third section of the Heidelberg Catechism, which expresses the Christian's response to gratitude to the grace of God in Christ. I am very eager to preach this series since I have not preached these Q&A's for quite some time. This third section is outlined as follows:

Sanctification in General (Q&A 86–91)
Sanctification in Particular: Ten Commandments (Q&A 92–115)
Sanctification in Particular: Lord's Prayer (Q&A 116–129)

I want to encourage all the saints at OURC to get a copy of Thomas Watson's wonderful little book, The Doctrine of Repentance. It is available from Reformation Heritage Books for $6. It is a classic Reformed treatment of the grace of repentance, which our Heidelberg Catechism explains in these words:

Question 88. Of how many parts doth the true conversion of man consist?
Answer. Of two parts; of the mortification of the old, and the quickening of the new man.

Question 89. What is the mortification of the old man?
Answer. It is a sincere sorrow of heart, that we have provoked God by our sins; and
more and more to hate and flee from them.

Question 90. What is the quickening of the new man?
Answer. It is a sincere joy of heart in God, through Christ, and with love and delight to live according to the will of God in all good works.