Cornerstone United Reformed Church - Hudsonville, MI

Cornerstone United Reformed Church - Hudsonville, MI Rev. The United Reformed Churches began their history in this country in 1995 and we became a part of that federation of churches in the same year.

Dr. Jared Poulton, Pastor of Counseling and Teaching
- Worship: 9:30 AM, 4:50 PM beginning with a song service, Nursery, valet parking; livestream is available on our website or on You Tube {Cornerstone United Reformed Church Hudsonville} Who We Are...
Cornerstone United Reformed Church stands firmly rooted in the biblical truths expressed and recovered by the Reformed wing of the Protestant Refo

rmation in the 16th century. As a body of like-minded churches we commonly confess that the Bible is the Word of God and the only standard of faith and life. We confess the Triune God. The Father as our Creator and Redeemer; Jesus Christ as the Son of God as our Savior and Lord; the Holy Spirit as the Third Person of the Eternal God, who unites us to God, renews our hearts and makes us children of God. This local congregation was organized in 1987 with 52 families.

Preparatory Meditation after the Lord's Supper this morningSunday noon 9. Hea...
06/14/2026

Preparatory Meditation after the Lord's Supper this morning

Sunday noon



9. Hearing God’s Word of Peace

Read: Psalm 85:1-13





“I will hear what God the LORD will speak,

For He will speak peace

To His people and to His saints;

But let them not turn back to folly.”

—Psalm 85:8



The Lord spoke to us clearly as we heard the Word and participated at the Lord’s Table. As we left we resolved to walk before the Lord in the journey ahead. After all, we were reminded of God’s great mercy and love. We have been on a spiritual mountain today. But we know that ahead there will be more struggles in our Christian journey. We know that temptations will come near, and that the tempter, himself, will be there. We know that we have not arrived at perfection, and that our resolve, so good in itself, will be difficult to keep. Only by the grace of God will we come near keeping it. True, God has given us the sacrament with great promises, but what about tomorrow?



The Psalmist says that he will listen to God who spoke and brought everything into being. He has spoken to us today. We communed with our living Lord who keeps us in His hand. We hear Him speak in His Word from week to week. Listen! God’s promises are true. We are not left alone. Do not return to folly. “Folly” means false confidence, false hopes. When trials come, don’t look to the old ways of peace. They are not peace! Don’t look at your works. Look to Jesus. Remember what He has done. This will speak to your souls.





Prayer prompts:

Ask the Lord that you may continue your resolve to praise Him in life.



Plead that the Lord will keep you from folly.



Thank the Lord that His promises are true.



Ask that you will live out of faith.

Used with the author’s permission.

Preparatory Meditations for the Lord's Supper TODAY!Sunday morning 8. Christ’s Great Love...
06/14/2026

Preparatory Meditations for the Lord's Supper TODAY!

Sunday morning



8. Christ’s Great Love for His Church

Read: Ephesians 5:22-33





“. . . Christ . . . Loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her . . , that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be Holy and without blemish.”

—Ephesians 5:25b-27



Our text is an illustration which Paul uses to explain the relationship of a husband and wife. He writes that their relationship is a reflection of the unique relationship of Jehovah and His people. These words speak to us of the reality of which the Lord’s Supper speaks so clearly.



This morning the bread will be broken and the cup poured before our eyes, and we will hear that this was for us. There is no room for us to say that we have been so good. We know differently. But Christ loved us so much. We love Him, but ever so often it seems that we love ourselves more. He loved us! This was true when we still did not desire Him. He loved the Church.



From heaven He came and sought her

To be His Holy Bride;

With His own blood He bought her

And for Her life He died.



“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). What love! But it is so humbling.



He did this “that He might present her to Himself a glorious church.” He will sanctify us and cleanse us. How precious is His blood! Again and again, at the Table we are told that Christ’s blood avails for every sin and that He gives us strength to go on.



Yet, there are times when we wonder if the greatness of our sins is beyond the greatness of His Gift of Salvation! Are not our spots and wrinkles too much for God? No! Christ loved and still loves the church. One day—of this the Table speaks—we shall be presented without blemish to God. Jesus saves from the uttermost to the uttermost!





Prayer prompts:

Seek forgiveness for our doubts.



Thank God for His infinitely great salvation.



Seek God’s blessing at the Table.

Preparatory Meditations for the Lord's Supper on SundaySaturday ...
06/13/2026

Preparatory Meditations for the Lord's Supper on Sunday

Saturday



7. Made Sin

Read: II Corinthians 5:12-21





“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the

righteousness of God in Him.” —II Corinthians 5:21



What a statement! God made His Son to be sin, for us, so we would know salvation. “For us!”



What terrible suffering He experienced on our behalf. In God’s plan all our sins of rebellion and carelessness were imputed, or charged, to Him. While He was officially guilty because of this, He remained the object of His Father’s favor. The Sinless One took our sins upon Himself. He had no personal sin, but He was sin for us. Christ’s suffering on our behalf was great. He bore God’s wrath. In this we see God’s mercy toward us.



Think of it: This was so we would be reconciled to God. Sin has estranged us from God. Even as believers we sense this estrangement. Though we know fellowship with God, our sins hinder that fellowship. Yet, our Covenant God has said, “You are My people. I have loved you with an everlasting love.”



Only with our Savior going to the cross would sin be removed from us. In this way He brings reconciliation. And though we have our consciences testifying against us, God says in these words, “Look to Jesus.” We confess our need of Him as we confess our sins.



Then, tomorrow we come to the Table and there He says that there is pardon through His shed blood. We cry out, “I trust in the work of my Savior.” How wonderful is the assurance we receive: “I have reconciled you to Me, My child.”





Prayer prompts:

Admit our spiritual weakness.



Praise God for His work for us in Jesus Christ.



Seek assurance of God’s great love.

Our worship services on Sunday, June 14 will be Dr. Jared Poulton at 9:30a.m. and Dr. Jeff Doll at 4:50 p.m. We will ce...
06/12/2026

Our worship services on Sunday, June 14 will be Dr. Jared Poulton at 9:30a.m. and Dr. Jeff Doll at 4:50 p.m. We will celebrate the Lord's Supper during the morning worship service.

9:30 a.m. Dr. Jared Poulton

Text: 1 Samuel 17

Outline: DAVID AND GOLIATH

1. The Story

2. The Application

**
**

4:50 p.m. Dr. Jeff Doll

Text: Matthew 6:33

Outline: SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM

1. The priority commanded — “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,

2. The promise attached — and all these things will be added to you.”

Preparatory Meditations for the Lord's Supper on SundayFriday 6...
06/12/2026

Preparatory Meditations for the Lord's Supper on Sunday

Friday



6. The Treatment of Our Sins

Read: Proverbs 28:9-14





“He who covers his sins will not prosper,

But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.”

—Proverbs 28:13



The Book of Proverbs is to the Old Testament what the Book of James and the Sermon on the Mount are to the New Testament. They lay before us how we shall live. Proverbs lays before us guidance on many different everyday issues. Though this is the only verse in the book showing us how we should react to our sins, it gives us an important education.



Our text says, “don’t cover your sins.” This means don’t hide, deny, justify, or excuse them. The word for “sin” here, is “transgressions,” a word that speaks of rebellion against God. It is so easy to cover our sins—and this is rather comforting for a time. When God speaks to us through His Word, do we try to excuse ourselves, lay the blame on someone else, or try to justify ourselves? We might get away with this with our friends, but we can’t with God!



Rather, we are told to confess our sins. To confess is not just to say that we are sorry. To confess means that we are “to say the same about” them as God does. That means we are to call them sin! And that means we don’t just lump them all together in a general way and move on. This word “confess” can also be translated “praise.” True confession is praising God. Do we confess so that we may praise God?



Then, you see, living this way we will prosper; or, to put it another way, we will be progressing in sanctification. This is mercy!





Prayer prompts:

Pray that we will truly confess our sins to God’s praise.



Pray that we will grow on obedience.



Pray for mercy.

Preparatory Meditations for the Lord's Supper on SundayThursday 5...
06/11/2026

Preparatory Meditations for the Lord's Supper on Sunday

Thursday



5. Forgiving Each Other

Read: Ephesians 4:17-32





“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one

another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

—Ephesians 4:32



Back in the earliest days of the Reformation, it was indicated that one item which should be considered from time to time as the Lord’s people prepare for the Lord’s Table was our relationship with our neighbor.



In his letter to Ephesus, Paul makes a point of this as he reminds the church not to grieve the Holy Spirit.



Forgiving our neighbor is a fruit of God’s grace in our lives. However, sometimes the grace of God is not seen in our lives! The word “forgive” means “to be of a large heart” towards others. Certainly, there are many times words or actions hurt us, but we must not allow these things to hurt us. We are not to sin against our neighbors. Paul makes it clear: forgive “as God in Christ forgave us.”



This very truth of God’s forgiveness is shown us at His Table. Think of it, Christ is the offering for our sins. Do we deserve it? No. Are not our sins great? In spite of the greatness of our sins and the long continuance of them, He forgives! God does not hold them against us. Nor does the Lord say, “When you are ready to confess I will forgive.” Think of Calvary.



But how do we react toward others? Is there someone who has wronged us? Are we holding a grudge? We must not go to the Lord’s Table like this. There will be no comfort or assurance for us. Life in the Body of Christ is not all about us. If we are to know and experience God’s forgiveness, we must be forgiving, “even as God in Christ forgave us.”





Prayer prompts:

Teach us the greatness of forgiveness.

Give us a ”large heart” toward others.



Give us no rest until we rest in God.

Preparatory Meditations for the Lord's Supper on SundayWednesday 4....
06/10/2026

Preparatory Meditations for the Lord's Supper on Sunday

Wednesday



4. Search Me, O God

Read: Psalm 139:1-24





“Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.”

—Psalm 139:23, 24



It is a fact that the Psalms cover every experience of the believer’s soul. Sometimes they are very joyful and other times very heavy. Today’s Psalm is rather heavy, but it properly prepares us to come to the Table. As we read it, we are reminded that our Lord knows what is in our hearts and that we cannot hide from God. We are reminded we are beloved of the Lord. He loves us even though we are prone to stray because of our weakness.



Yet, loving Him because He first loved us and sent His Son for us, we grieve because of the evidence of the old man in us. Therefore, we pray, “Search me, O God . . .” We plead that He will go to the very depths of our hearts and show us our sin. This, of course, takes courage. Remember what we are praying God to do: show me; show me my anxieties that reveal my weak faith. Show me what is dampening my joy in the Lord and strangling my assurance. We are asking that there be a change in our ways—that we will be drawn nearer to God. “Break down every idol; cast out every foe.”



May we come to the Table of the Lord with the resolve to walk in the Lord’s way and to be zealous for Him who has loved us and given Himself for us.





Prayer prompts:

Ask that we may see our weakness and sin.



Ask that we may desire God’s change in our lives.



Pray that our faith may grow stronger.

Preparatory Meditations for the Lord's Supper on SundayTuesday ...
06/09/2026

Preparatory Meditations for the Lord's Supper on Sunday

Tuesday



3. Examine Yourselves

Read: II Corinthians 13:1-14





“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.

Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?

—unless you are disqualified.” — II Corinthians 13:5



Paul will soon be coming to Corinth again. He knows that there will be need to exercise discipline when he arrives. In preparation for this, he asks them to examine themselves as to whether they “are in the faith.” He is not asking, “Do you have faith? Are you believers?” As he began this epistle (1:24), he spoke of their faith, and in this text he also says this.



Rather, he is asking them to examine themselves as to whether they are living out of that unspeakable gift from God: faith. And as we think about this truth, immediately Peter and David come to mind. Both had faith and both expressed it, but then in their lives they showed that they were not living out of faith. Oh, what they both did!



As we come to the Lord’s Table we must realize that not all our deeds and thoughts come out of faith. In fact, we realize that every part of our beings need examination.



We know that we have been given faith, but painfully we see our need. We know we are perfect in Christ before God, but oh how much the remnants of the old man we see penetrating the new man in Christ. With David we cry, “God be merciful to me, on Thy grace I rest my plea.” And seeking His forgiveness we can say,



“My sin—O the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part, but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more;
. . Praise the Lord, O my soul!”





Prayer prompts:

Show us our lives as they really are in relation to God’s command.



Teach us more and more how to live out of faith.

Preparatory Meditations for the Lord's Supper on SundayMonday 2....
06/08/2026

Preparatory Meditations for the Lord's Supper on Sunday

Monday



2. Standing Before God

Read: Luke 18:9-14



“. . . everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,

and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” — Luke 18:14b



In this parable, Jesus is introducing to us two men: a Pharisee and a tax collector. As we listen to Jesus, we learn that both of these men seem to be alike. Both are religious; both go to the Temple; both present themselves before God’s face; both seem to pray. Yet, Jesus shows us their difference in an ever so clear way.



What we know about the Pharisee, he himself tells us. He is very religious. In fact, he has a certain pride in going beyond the requirements. The law demanded one day of fasting a year, and he does it twice a week! He went beyond requirement in tithing. Was he expecting God to thank him for his work? Notice what Jesus says about him: he “prayed thus with himself.”



What a tragic individual! He knows he is so good, and that he is orthodox. He is so different and so much better than everyone around him. Just ask him! Are we much different? We tend to see ourselves as doing everything correctly and being so good!



Jesus says of this Pharisee that he must be humbled because he was so proud.



On the other hand, He introduces us to the tax collector. How different he was. He would not raise his eyes to heaven but would beat his breast. “God, be merciful to me a sinner,” he would cry out. He saw himself in relation to God. He saw himself as a sinner. Jesus spoke highly of him.



At the Lord’s Table we stand before the Lord. There is only one way we can come. We must see our need; not how good we think we are.





Prayer prompts:

Ask God to show us our real selves.

Ask God to overwhelm us with His grace.

Ask that we may see our need and flee to Jesus.

Address

6442 36th Avenue
Hudsonville, MI
49426

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