Sunday, September 25, 2022

AOC Sunday Report - Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity

  



Happy Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity!

 

The AOC Sunday report is available RIGHT HERE!

 

Today we have excellent sermon from the Bishops Jerry and Roy, as well as from Rev Jack and Bryan!  

 

Rev Jack brings the Propers together in his sermon available on video RIGHT HERE.  The Collect asks God’s help to increase in us hope, faith and charity, and more importantly that we might want to keep it from hurtful things, and open our hearts to desiring things that are good for us that will help us towards our salvation.  In the Epistle, Paul warns people The Law will not help them, and that fancy gestures, act and special words will not bring them the salvation they need, that is only available through following our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us not to worry to trust in Him, and trust in God, and things will work out just fine. He warns us not to borrow trouble from tomorrow, for the evil of today is sufficient thereof.

 

We always have a lot of people who need your prayer. Today is no exception. Please start with Tricia, Shamu, Whitney, Jim and Laurie, work out from there.

 

There’s a lot coming up in this week, some good, some bad. But, things will go a lot better if you open your heart to the Holy Ghost and let him direct your life.

 

Godspeed,

 

Hap

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Just cancel Calif, United States of America

Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity - Propers with explanation – Rev Jack’s Sermon– With Video

  


Rev Jack’s sermon is below the Propers and is available on video RIGHT HERE!


Rev Jack brings the Propers together. The Collect asks God’s help to increase in us hope, faith and charity, and more importantly that we might want to keep it from hurtful things, and open our hearts to desiring things that are good for us that will help us towards our salvation. In the Epistle, Paul warns people The Law will not help them, and that fancy gestures, act and special words will not bring them the salvation they need, that is only available through following our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us not to worry to trust in Him, and trust in God, and things will work out just fine. He warns us not to borrow trouble from tomorrow, for the evil of today is sufficient thereof. 


The Propers for today are found on Page 210-211, with the Collect first:

 

The Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity.

 

The Collect.

 

K

EEP, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy Church with thy perpetual mercy; and, because the frailty of man without thee cannot but fall, keep us ever by thy help from all things hurtful, and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

The Epistle came from Saint Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, the Sixth Chapter, beginning at the Eleventh Verse. Paul continues to warn us of the conflict in our lives between the things valued here on earth and those valued by the forces of heaven (God).  Writing to the Gentiles in Galatia, using to the rite of circumcision as a symbol for all of The Law, he warns, “As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.”  Those who are every eager to have you follow “The Law” themselves fail to follow its intent.  Paul goes on to say that Jesus’ new covenant transcends The Law and The Law no longer has hold over man.  For in Jesus there is salvation, may “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”

 

Y

E see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand. As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

 

Today’s Holy Gospel was written in the Sixth Chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, beginning at the Twenty-Fourth Verse. Jesus tells us, “No man can serve two masters …Ye cannot serve God and mammon[1].”  There is only one first place, only one can be in that place.  We either place God in first place or we put something else there.  If we wish riches in this world as the most important thing in our life, we place the things of this world in first place.  If we follow our Lord Jesus and His instruction, we place God in that first place.  But, what of this world?  “Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they?”  Jesus tells us not to worry, for worry is of no positive value.  When faced with a problem, we must do our best, not merely claim to do our best, and trust in God.  For, “which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?” God knows we have need of the things of this world while we are in it, he knows we worry about, “What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?”  If we first seek “His kingdom, and His righteousness” He will take care of all our necessities.  But we must do as He asks, not merely say we are doing so.  If you follow God’s directions, you will be wealthy beyond description.  While you will never be “Bill Gates” rich, you will never lack what you need on this earth or in the world to come.

 

Jesus tells us, Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.  We are not to worry, but to our best and let the morrow come as it will.  We are to do our best, not merely say we are doing our best.  For if we truly do our best, then that is all that can be done and there is no point in worrying.

 

Using an earlier phrase, Trust in God and Dread Naught.

 

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O man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life? And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

 



[1] Mammon - a Chaldee or Syriac word meaning "wealth" or "riches" (Luke 16:9-11); also, by personification, the god of riches (Matt. 6:24; Luke 16:9-11).

1: wealth regarded as an evil influence

2: (New Testament) a personification of wealth and avarice as an evil spirit.


Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold - Time and Action

Church of the Faithful Centurion - Descanso, California

Rev Jack’s sermon is available on video RIGHT HERE!

 

Today’s sermon tied the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and talked, as is oft the case, of the need for action, not simply diction.


Consider the words of the Collect, “… Keep … thy Church with thy perpetual mercy; and … keep us ever by thy help from all things hurtful, and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation …”

 

When the Collect talks about the church, it is not talking about buildings; it is talking about us. The church is not a building, it is the army of believers following God. That is the church.  Each of us; all of us.  We need God’s Mercy and Grace to keep us from desiring those things that are bad for us and help us to see we really want those things that are good for us.

 

Speaking of things, just like the Jewish based Christians of Paul’s time, it often seems like everyone has secret rituals, handshakes or hoops they want you to jump through to be really IN.  Paul reminds us that all fall short, and special fancy diets, days or outfits do not change us. They do not make us any better than the rest of humanity. We are all the same sinful human beings regardless of what special fancy days, diets our outfits we partake in. That does not change who we are. God does not require any sort of fancy diet, days or outfits to be IN with Him. In fact, they are rather counter productive to being IN with Him. They are just a distraction from following Him. We see all the rituals that other churches have and I can only think of how much they are a distraction from truly following Him in the end. In the End, God does not care about how many of these secret handshakes we followed, all He cares about is did we believe in Him and His Son and act for Him? All He asks is that we believe on Him and His Son Jesus and do our best to follow Him.  None of these fancy rituals churches have are keys to salvation. They are not needed. For the action that led to our salvation was Jesus’s death and resurrection and has already happened one time for all time for all mankind. 

 

Our salvation comes one way, through our Lord Jesus and by the Grace of God.  He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Nobody comes to the Father but by Him. He is our salvation. He is the living embodiment of the Word of God. His faith has saved us and made us whole, not our faith. But we need to act for Him to show that we have faith in Him The whole Gospel is based upon this. This is the solid foundation, as Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of our faith. We do not identify ourselves by men whose theology we like but by the only man who was perfect, Jesus Christ.  And if we follow Him, we have the gift of life as St. Paul explains For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord(Romans 6:23 KJV)

 

The problem with folks who identify themselves as something other than Christian, is they lose sight of the simple principles of Scripture and become more like the Pharisees in finding loopholes to get around and they find themselves going down the wide smooth down hill path instead of the narrow sloping uphill path towards heaven. It is so easy to get lost in the ideas of the various theologians, that you forget that they were doing their best to be known as followers of Christ.  Paul reminds us that we are to be followers of Christ and not followers of man. These people that identifiy as followers of various theologians often times forget they are supposed to be following Christ and not man. They have gotten themselves so wrapped up in the little things that they miss the sight of the big picture. They miss the simplicity of Jesus and His Message! They insist on making following God way more complicated than it needs to be. God’s way is not complicated, it may be hard to do at times, but it is not complicated at all. Love God and Love your neighbor as thyself. That’s really pretty much it.  There is no secret handshake, no arcane or mystifying rituals involved in following God.

 

Paul points out that there are many who desire to make a show of following the law, not to follow the law but to somehow appear more righteous than you and that they do not truly want to suffer persecution for Christ.. There are way too many of these folks today both in and outside of the church. He calls us as followers of Christ not to do that, but to follow Christ and His Gospel, the new way of thinking compared to the old ways of the Jews of old and the Mosaic Laws and also not to be afraid to suffer persecution in Jesus’s name.

 

As Paul said in a later epistle, there is not much glory if we are doing something wrong and get shamed for it. However, if we are following His Word and get shamed and slandered for it, there is a lot of glory there. God will make it so in the end, if we but stay true to the course, all of the persecution and bullying we face on Earth for following Him will be worth it. We will just have to remember this anytime we are encountering an unbeliever and being persecuted or slandered.

 

The last part of this reading is the one we often have the most trouble with.   We are far too ready to borrow trouble from tomorrow.  Every day, I pray at least twice for help with this.  It is getting better; I am confident on one thoughtful level no good comes of worry, yet I have such a hard time acting on that thought. It is a very difficult thing not to worry, but it is something that needs to be done nonetheless. I find as I trust God more and act upon His will more, I worry less. There is a correlation there I believe. It is a very hard thing to do, but it must be done, to ensure our success in spreading the Gospel and being an effective minister of God. Plus, worrying less will provide other benefits as well, and help us to lead happier lives. We have to remember that worrying never helps, but it hurts us a lot physically, spiritually and mentally. If we can stop worrying, we can find that our lives will get better in the physical, spiritual and mental realms.  When we do what God asks, doing our best and not just saying it, there is not a lot to worry about. Even if there is, we can relax, knowing God has everything under control and He will always give us guidance on how to proceed.

 

God wants you to be happy; He knows what will make you happy.  God does not mind if you have fun along the way, but never pursue fun confusing it with happiness.  In the end, you won’t find either.

 

Heaven is at the end of an uphill trail.  The easy downhill trail does not lead to the summit.

 

The time is now, not tomorrow.  The time has come, indeed.  How will you ACT?

 

It is by our actions we are known.

 

Be of God - Live of God - Act of God

Sermon Notes - Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity - Two Masters? - Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide - 25 September 2022, Anno Domini

The Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity.

 

The Collect.

 

K

EEP, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy Church with thy perpetual mercy; and, because the frailty of man without thee cannot but fall, keep us ever by thy help from all things hurtful, and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

A

ND we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose(Romans 8:28)

 

What are those things that profit us and ground us firmly in the salvation of God offered in Jesus Christ? If you could name JUST ONE quality, what would it be? Do you possess those things which are profitable to your salvation? Would it be perfect obedience to the law of God, or courageousness in living, or possessing a thousand good gifts of the Spirit? What is the ONE blessing that bears fruit in all things and upon which all things depend for your salvation? Which ONE quality describes the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost most fully?



KEEP, we beseech thee O Lord, thy church with thy perpetual mercy

    If the LORD keeps us in mercy, then perhaps mercy might be that one quality, but it is NOT! It is God’s mercy  that grants us salvation, but that mercy rests upon an even greater principle. For what cause would God keep us with His perpetual mercy. May I suggest that it is LOVE whereby God is governed in His keeping, mercy, and grace! As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:9-13) Love appears no less than eight times in the four verses above. It is the essence of God’s nature to His people.

 

Herein lies a sobering question: What one thing can you carry with you when you

depart this life? Is it wealth, social status, popularity, political power, good works? None of these will accompany you beyond Jordan Waters. Then what? It is simply LOVE!

 

And this is not JUST love, but Love in Christ Jesus: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Romans 8:35-39)

 

Did you notice that LOVE will survive EVEN DEATH?

 

……because the frailty of man without thee cannot but fail.

This Collect emphasizes the need of the whole church for God’s guidance as well as the need of the individual man whose frailty and hopelessness without that guidance and help would render him doomed. The Collect was first uttered at a time when the Roman Empire was being invaded by barbarians from the north and which threatened even the Church itself. This Collect points to God as our Shepherd in guiding us in all times and circumstances.

 

…..keep us ever by thy help from all things hurtful

The Good Shepherd stands watch over His flock to protect it from the wolves, lions, and thieves. His first concern is to protect His flock from hurt or injury just as the rule of the good physician is to ‘first do no harm.’ He has given us a powerful protection in His Word itself. If we commit those words to heart, we shall never be deceived by wolves in sheep’s clothing. If we hide these in our hearts, we shall not sin against God. Man without God is in a ruined state already; therefore, man must have God to keep him and lead him where he ought to go.

 

We have petitioned for help and protection, and that is the desire of our Lord to perform. But we next ask another important consideration: ….and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation. Those ‘all things profitable’ are founded on that beautiful love chapter of the New Testament – 1 Corinthians 13. Our Shepherd will not only protect us where we are presently, but lead into greater and better pasturelands and fountains of water. As He keeps the lone sheep on the lonely mountain, so He keeps the whole flock – the Church – inviolate. He is the Good Shepherd that KEEPS and LEADS His people and Church. Just as a magnet knows only those metals of like nature to attract, so the Good Shepherd His Sheep. And just as the ore of a like metal is attracted to the magnet, so the people of God are pulled and led by the Good Shepherd whose nature they must share in Love.

 

The Gospel

Matthew 6:24-34

 

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O man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they27  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.  

 

            Our Lord, in His Sermon on the Mount, teaches us that a believer cannot be divided in his faith. He cannot travel the righteous path that is Narrow, and leads up to Heaven, and the wicked path called the Broad Way that leads down to destruction, at the same time. There remains before us, just as in the days of Noah’s Ark, an open door. It is an invitation to salvation. Whosoever will may enter in by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? There is no place in the Church of God for duplicity. If we so much desire to retain our old free will, than we shall also retain the consequences of our sins; but, if we surrender our wills to Christ, and accept His will for our lives, then shall our lives (thought, word, and deed) be directed from on high and not from the depths of Hell. 

 

            So Jesus begins today by telling us that we cannot serve two masters. Since as masters has full authority over his subject, such a prospect of having two masters is logically impossible. 24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” God is not divided in His sovereignty – He is either the sovereign of our souls, or the flesh is that sovereign. It cannot be both ways. Our flesh is constantly warring to gain the ascendancy, but a firm reliance upon the sweet blessings and leading of the Holy Spirit will give the soul victory in the righteous Way. Let our master be single, and let that Master be the sweet and loving Teacher of Galilee – the Lord Jesus Christ. It is absolutely impossible to serve two masters. Christ must be our all-in-all, or nothing. Fire is a valuable servant, but a monstrous master. Let us choose the One who is greater in our hearts than he who is in the world.

 

            Are we anxious of tomorrow? Who owns tomorrow? Is it not God Almighty? If He is your Lord, you need not worry of provisions for the day.  He has furnished our abode for our comfort and shelter, He has prepared the Bread of Heaven for our sustenance, and He has woven a white and silken Robe for our covering. What profit is in worrying? Will simple worry change any outcome in the slightest? Our Lord was driven into the Wilderness to suffer the trials and temptations of the devil. He went without food that we might be fed. He went without drink that we might have the full cup of His blessings. He vanquished the Devil in the Wilderness of this world. Why do we linger in longing looks back to that Wilderness of sin? 25 “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” Is there not bread enough, and to spare, in my Father’s House? (Prodigal Son)  We have been invited to a sumptuous dinner at the House of the King. Shall we bring with us our stale and molding bread of the earth when He has prepared the finest cuisine of Heaven? Shall we lug along our waters from the poison fountain when He has provided the pure Water of Life for our health? Perish the thought!

 

            Jesus invites our attention to the provision God has made in nature for every creature thereof. Does He not provide for them? What is the source of nourishment to the young calf, the baby lamb, the frail, newborn pony? He has provided a means in nature for each of these to prosper in health and nutrition. It is an unbroken source of plenty.26 “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” I often wonder where the sparrow goes when the clouds burst open in a deluge. They return in joy to the trees after the rain. Where did they hide from the tempest? They depended upon the protection and care of God unseen to our eyes. They do not worry about harvest and sowing, yet they prosper according to God’s perfect plan. A sparrow is of much less value to God than the crowning achievement of His Creation – Man. So why do we worry so that the provision will fail, and we shall perish for want of food, clothing, or shelter?

 

            We are created in the image of God. Why should we mar that image by tattooing our persons or, more importantly, our souls, with deviant marks and vulgar signs? Can we make ourselves larger than God has made us? Perhaps so if you consider immoderate diet and obesity to be growth. But God has made us to be like unto our Maker. Our only growth can take place when we grow more like Him by surrendering our free wills and taking upon ourselves the Mind and Will that is Christ’s. 27  “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?”  Rather than enlarge ourselves by effort, we grow smaller. Only when we allow God to grow our hearts, minds and bodies may we grow in love and grace.

 

            Our world today is filled with stress and anxiety. Men’s hearts fail them for looking for the things coming upon the earth. Reason teaches us that 95% of those things that occupy our anxious minds in worry never come to pass. So the worry was only a ruse of the devil to distract our hearts and to shorten our lives. 

 

28 “And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” 

 

            Lilies are beautiful beyond measure, yet, despite our art, the only lilies we can create are unloving ones. But God clothes them, not only with beauty, but with exuberant life! A dead body can be decorated with silken robes to no avail for it remains dead. But God clothes the Lily better than Solomon was able to clothe himself, and the life God gave the Lily is an innate characteristic of His grace to the smallest of creatures. The grass is giving raiment suitable for its living, yet, it has only a short span to run, and is trodden under foot, withers, and is blown away by the wind. Do you worry that the same God who provides for the sparrow, the Lily, and the grass of the fields cannot provide for you whose value far exceeds all these? The soul of man is eternal whether destined for Heaven or Hell, whereas sparrows, grass, and lilies exist only for the present as robes of beauty to cover the earth. Is our faith so small that we cannot acknowledge the care of God sufficient for our preservation?

 

            So what counsel does our Lord provide for our frailty and doubts? 31 “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.” If the Christian son or daughter goes about worrying, just as do those who do not know God, of what advantage is there to being a son or daughter of God. Does a prince or princess concern themselves for their basic provisions in life? Is our Father, and King of Kings, not able to supply all things according to His “riches in glory?” Do we believe that God is unable to see our need? Perhaps we see only our DESIRES, but God sees our NEED!

 

            We need not concern ourselves with any worldly concerns if we place God first in all our thoughts, words, and deeds. If our priority in all things is God and His will, we will have no time left for worry and vain pursuits. Our Lord gives solution to all our problems with His concluding counsel for today’s text:

 

33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” 

 

To those of you who timidly subordinate your duties to God to your perceived obligations to the state and society, Jesus draws a clear line in the sand: We do not seek to please governments or society in politically correct philosophies, but GOD! His will is paramount over every earthly power be it the US Government, or any other government. We observe a hierarchy of government from God above every other government. In America, we have local, state and Federal laws. Does not the ultimate power predominate in law? And even in the Federal Government, we have a separation of powers that must be observed so that not entity has absolute power even at the Federal head. But God is the ultimate Law-Giver. His law takes precedence above every law of man. Too many believers today have bought into the lie of a separation of church and state. What does that mean? Does it mean that religious morality cannot influence the state, or even be mentioned in reference to it; or that the state can dictate every detail of religious faith. If the Christian faith is not the basis of government, then the government will intrude and be the arbiter of the Christian faith…simple as that! God will provide ALL that we need as long as we acknowledge Him above and beyond every other consideration. 

 

There is great evil in our present day. We must address the enemy at hand rather than occupy ourselves with contemplated enemies that may arise tomorrow. The world is WICKED today. The only day we are assured in this life is TODAY. Go forth to battle that enemy of our souls that presents itself at the leading edge of battle and worry not of the enemy’s reinforcement for tomorrow. If we win the current battle, there will be no wickedness to reinforce. Fight today, and take in hand the new threat as it presents itself. God is with the valiant and true servant to fight his battles for him. Stand with God and no lesser power can approach. 

 

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

 

What are your priorities for today? Are your first awakening thoughts devoted to God and in seeking His will for you TODAY? Or do you give space in your heart to needless worries that steal the space in your heart that should be reserved to God? Do you seek after righteousness and let the results fall where they will? If you place your trust in the only One who can order not only your life, but your soul, you will be in good Hands for certain. Do not make your intentions of righteousness dependent upon tomorrow’s events. Do what is right, and God will see to the rest! He is the great Captain of your soul, not society, not Mammon, and not government. When you approach the White Throne at the conclusion of all time, will you concern yourself with rulings of the Supreme Court, or acts of Congress? You may trust me – they shall not present themselves at that Holy place.

Friday, September 23, 2022

Voice from the Cross (Part 1) – 23 September 2022, Anno Domini (In the Year of our Lord)

 


 

 

A

ND when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. 34 ¶Then said Jesus, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. 35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.  (Luke 23:33-35)

 

            This four-part series is not intended to fully cover the so-called ‘Seven Words from the Cross,’ but rather to focus on four profound statements by our Lord as He suffered.

 

            It is, at the outset, conspicuous that our Lord did not rail against His tormenters at the cross despite the intense and excruciating pain. (by the way, the term excruciating comes from the Latin – ex, or from; and crucis – the cross). 

 

            There was an array of people around the brow of calvary to observe this merciless event – mostly those who hated Him. But there were some of the women disciples, and one John the Beloved disciple, who were compelled by exceptional love for Christ to risk the wrath of the Jewish rulers and remain to observe our Lord’s suffering in pity and love. Love instills courage above and beyond the mundane. But the wicked men who hated Christ reviled Him, spat at Him, and uttered unbelievable ridicule upon the One who was the only guiltless among them.

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            The heart of Jesus drew His Words from a depth of pity and not vitriol for those who uttered slanderous rebukes at Him. But His every utterance from the cross was primarily directed to those who knew Him. His first words, however, were words of sympathy for His oppressors. They were directed to the Father: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.Throughout His ministry, our Lord Jesus Christ worked miracles and forgave sinners, but here He asks His Father to forgave the sins of those whose hands were bloodied by their murderous actions. Why did Christ not frankly forgive their sins instead of calling on the Father to do so?

 

            There is more than one reason for this, I believe. First of all, the sins of a sinner are not forgiven without repentance. The sinful act was in progress and its end would only be fulfilled in the final murder of the King of Glory. Such deliberate sin is not forgiven without repentance and confession.

 

            Secondly, this was one sin which our Lord was actually unable to forgive even if He so desired. Why not? Who suffered the greatest hurt at Calvary – the only Begotten Son, or the Father of our Lord? It was God who made the unreasonable sacrifice of His Son for the atonement of our sins. I say that it was unreasonable since it surely was in the mind of man – but God’s love is as expansive as the Universe. As the old hymn says

 

Could we with ink the ocean fill

And were the skies of parchment made

Were every stalk on earth a quill

And every man a scribe by trade

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry

Nor could the scroll contain the whole

Though stretched from sky to sky

 

            Our Lord could not forgive such an egregious offense against the Father – that role fell to the Father alone to forgive the crucifixion of His only Begotten Son. Though our Lord suffered unimaginable pain and humiliation, perhaps the greater pain was born by the Father who had to look away from the Cross in distress as darkness covered the land from noon until three in the afternoon at which time our Lord gave up the Ghost.

 

            All other words of our Lord were directed to those whom He loved and to the repentant sinner on the cross – none to the evil men who created this horrendous sin.

 

            His Words are still directed to those of faith and to the repentant sinner. He now speaks from the right hand of the Father through His Holy Spirit that abides with us ever and draws us, inextricably, to the Mercy Seat of God that is Christ our Lord.

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Hymns of the Church – Jesus keep me near the Cross – 21 September 2022, Anno Domini (In the Year of our Lord)

  

 

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ND when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. 40 There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; 41 (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem. “(Mark 15:39-41)

 

            There was a curious mixture of souls that surrounded the cross of our Lord at the moment of His declaring “It is finished!” Primarily the assorted crowd was represented by those who hated Him most, and those who loved Him best. The women of tender heart remained at the cross throughout, and Mary Magdalene waited till His body was removed. She then followed Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus to see where His body was entombed. John, the beloved disciple, dared to remain at the very foot of the cross with the women. Love compels fidelity! This wonderful hymn is written by the blind Fanny Crosby – a lady, being blind, who wrote more than 9,000 hymns.

 

Jesus keep me near the Cross

 

Jesus, keep me near the cross,

There a precious fountain;

Free to all, a healing stream,

Flows from Calv'ry's mountain.

Refrain:

In the cross, in the cross

Be my glory ever,

Till my ransomed soul shall find

Rest beyond the river.

 

Near the cross, a trembling soul,

Love and mercy found me;

There the Bright and Morning Star

Shed His beams around me.

 [Refrain]

 

Near the cross! O lamb of God,

Bring its scenes before me;

Help me walk from day to day

With its shadow o'er me. 

Refrain]

 

Near the cross! I'll watch and wait,

Hoping, trusting ever;

Till I reach the golden strand,

Just beyond the river. 

[Refrain]

 

            1 Jesus, keep me near the cross, There a precious fountain; Free to all, a healing stream, Flows from Calv'ry's mountainThe only power that held John and the women near the cross was the power of love for their Lord. That love was not innate to the human soul, but was a reflection of the LOVE of Him who “first loved us.” That emotion that springs from the depths of Hell is HATE . Hate, too, held the scoffers and revilers there at the foot of the cross. It is so today. The Cross of Christ is loved and revered by His followers, but despised and hated by those who are rebellious to the Sovereignty of God. The blood flowed from the Body of Christ like the waters of a wadi following a hard rain in the desert wilderness. The crown of thorns caused a blinding flow of blood down his forehead, His body was lashed to the bone on His back from the beating He experienced from a ‘cat-o-nine tails.’ He was bleeding as well from the nail punctures on His hands and His feet . . . .  and He suffered all thusly for you and me. We were the ones who deserved that death, but He conquered death and Hell in His crucifixion and resurrection. He redeemed us by His own blood that we might not suffer the death and humiliation that He experienced. 

 

2 Near the cross, a trembling soul, Love and mercy found me; There the Bright and Morning Star Shed His beams around me. [Refrain]. Christ suffered in the Wilderness of our Sin for us. It was a time of suffocating darkness, especially in the last four hundred years of silence from the words of the prophet Malachi.  Though the last word of the Old Testament in Malchi is ‘CURSE,’ Malachi held out hope for the chosen of God in promising to us that in due time the “Sun of Righteousness would arise with Healing in His Wings.” (Malachi 4:2) Thus the coming of Christ brought beaming light upon a dark world, and the Water of Life to a parched soil. He is the Bright and Morning Star (Revelations 22:1) to lead us in the dark night of this world from sunset to sunrise, but then comes the Sun of Righteousness at last with its healing rays and bright heralding.

 

3 Near the cross! O lamb of God, Bring its scenes before me; Help me walk from day to day With its shadow o'er me. [Refrain]. The shadow of the cross fell as an omen across the manger at Bethlehem. The same wood substance into which He was laid as a baby would be the same upon which He would be crucified some thirty-three years hence. He was the Lamb of God symbolized by that first Pascal Lamb in Goshen whose blood forbade the entry of the Angel of Death into the homes of Israel that that were covered by its blood on that dreadful night in Goshen of Egypt. The shadow of the cross hangs above the heads of all who follow Christ for they too must bear their crosses alone. Like Christ, the Christian must die to self and live for others. But Christ is with us always, and right beside when our fears are the most profound.

 

4 Near the cross! I'll watch and wait, Hoping, trusting ever; Till I reach the golden strand, Just beyond the river. [RefrainJordan Banks are stormy and infirm to the foot. As we approach those outer banks, we may be ill or old and weak, and our footing unsure. As we stand above the swirling waters, we feel our feeble feet falter and sink into the crumbling sands. But we are not focused on the here and now, but the sunny strand beyond the turbulent waters of Jordan. It is that Promised Land to which we are bound. We need not cry out as the ground becomes infirm beneath us for we know who holds the future, and we know who holds our hand. The strong and Almighty Hand of the Lord lifts us up, up, and away from the sinking sands of this world and bears us across the flood to Himself. It is not far. It is an open door. We are just going HOME to see our loved ones who have gone before. We shall cross over just as did the Children of Israel – on dry land.

 

Refrain

In the cross, in the cross Be my glory ever, Till my ransomed soul shall find Rest beyond the riverEvery committed Christian glories in the cross of Christ – not the instrument itself, but the sacrifice made upon it for our behalf. The cross of Christ was not a shining, gold structure, but a rough hewn timber. It was ugly and unkempt. It was much like the uncomely goat-hair covering of the Tabernacle, but look at the beauty inside the Tabernacle which was Christ! Christ established His Church and Kingdom to be one of inner beauty and not of elaborate showing to the world. The world does not appreciate true beauty, but those who are IN Christ know of the grandeur of that home. We are ransomed at the high cost of the Father’s sacrifice of His Only Begotten Son. That makes you and I of considerable value in the eyes of God. When He beholds us, He beholds His Son on the cross, and His blood covering us in a mantle of righteousness – not OUR righteousness, but HIS!

 

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

Encouragement– 20 September 2022, Anno Domini (In the Year of our Lord)

 

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HATSOEVER thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.  (Ecclesiastes 9:10) 

 

            The above text may seem an unlikely choice to begin a discussion on ENCOURAGEMENT, but bear with me. The etymology of the word derives from the French which means to instill courage. There are many ways to instill courage in others to keep going when hope may seem forlorn. I believe the most effective means of encouragement comes by way of personal example to others.

 

In my young years as a cadet, our long march with full backpacks in the mountains of New York, was physically draining. Often, I wanted to simply stumble to the wayside and give up; but, when I saw the upper-class commander carrying on with deliberate determination, I was made ashamed to surrender the march. I drew strength from his example without taking away a single breath of his own march.

 

I am blessed above all I could have imagined by having a group of fine young Christian Koreans in my Church. I take pride in them for their determination and self-discipline. They take the counsel of Solomon in the above passage seriously and act upon it. The result? They excel in every avenue of life in which they engage whether in academics, the arts, athletics, or the social graces. I love these as my own children and draw much encouragement from them.

 

Though we are the smallest Church in my city, our youth cast an inordinate light upon themselves, our Church, their school, and their parents. Their records of achievement are commendatory. We have doctors, architects, business managers, nurses, and a host of other successful pursuits to list among our small membership. Though most speak English as a second language, they read fluently from the King James Bible and are pleased to sing the biblically strong classic hymns of the Church.    

 

Success and achievement become habitual to the one who practices doing every task to the best of his or her ability. The seemingly innate courage that we witness in those who are stellar in their achievements in life are not usually drawn from the encouragement of others, though many may be, but from the deep wells of personal faith in the truth of Solomon’s axiom. Courage is born of conviction and love. That one who is convinced of the biblical prescriptions of life and example of our Lord will not fail to love His Word and to do His will. One truth that will never escape their thoughts and actions are these: I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me(Philippians 4:13)

 

As ministers, we sometimes have doubts if we are preaching the Word with power and conviction. Often we believe that we may be preaching against a brick wall since there is never any evidence in the hearers that the preaching reached the tender sinews of the heart. Even if we do not lack courage in preaching the pure Word of God, we may lack confidence that we are not failing to do that Word justice. In some cases, encouragement may come from an unlikely source. 

 

Last Sunday (14th Trinity) our Church joined with another Korean Church (The Lighthouse Church) in our community for joint worship to celebrate the thirty-first anniversary of their founding. By coincidence, our Church of St. Andrews was also founded, almost to the day, 27 years ago in that Church. After five years, we were able to acquire our own worship facility. I was invited to present a sermon of encouragement on which I worked tirelessly in preparation but did not use that prepared sermon after all. I felt as if the Holy Spirit gave me utterance. Following the sermon, no one made in comment on it, good or bad. I worried that maybe I had not done the Word of God justice especially to a congregation of mixed languages. However, on Sunday night, I received a gracious note from our high school organist that changed everything: “You did so well today. I am so proud to go to Saint Andrews. See you next Sunday.” Short, simple, but a powerful encouragement to me. It was so because I am aware of the pure sincerity of its expression. I have been commended by many in other churches, but this one word of encouragement meant all the world to me.

 

Following Christ is not a difficult undertaking if we act out of undiluted love for Him, His Word, and to others of our neighbors. But sometimes, loves requires the effort to overlook those same deficiencies of life in others that we experience in our own lives. If we feel the need for encouragement, it can come from deep within our faith in God and, sometimes, enhanced by the simple encouragement of an innocent young lady.

Sunday, September 18, 2022

AOC Sunday Report - Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity


Happy 14th Sunday after Trinity! 

The AOC Sunday report is available RIGHT HERE!

We have excellent sermons this morning from Bishops Jerry and Roy, as well as Rev Bryan.  You also get a sermon from me as Rev Jack is on travel.  My sermon is available on video RIGHT HERE and brings the Propers together.  The Collect asks God’s help to increase in us hope, faith and charity, and more importantly that we might want to things for ourselves that he wants for us, so as to gain increased hope, faith and charity.  And his Epistle to the people of Galatia, Paul tells us Heaven and Earth are in conflict in our lives. If we want to gain eternal life, we have to give up the influence of this world, and accept guidance and In the Gospel, Luke relates Jesus’ story of the 10 lepers who are healed, and only one turned back to give thanks. This is an important concept, giving thanks, being grateful for what we are given. Also, it is important to know just that when the one turned back, Jesus told him thy faith have made thee whole. He had already been healed of leprosy, but the faith in Jesus made his life whole.

There are always a lot of people who need your prayer, today is no exception.  Please start with Tricia, Whitney, Shamu, Jim, Laurie and work out from there.

There is a really epic week ahead, if you're having difficulty or even think you're having difficulty finding it, you might consider opening your heart further to the Holy Ghost and see if that might just help.

Have an epic week,

Hap
Church of the Faithful Centurion
Descanso,California
United States of America