Rev Hap brings the Propers together today. His sermon is below the propers and can be viewed on video HERE -> https://youtu.be/7egPayhdYL8
In the Collect, we acknowledge God gave Barnabas special talents and strengths. We ask He do likewise for us, so we might use those talents to His honor and glory. The fact is each of us have been granted special talents and strengths. The question is will we use them to His honor and glory or to our own purposes? The text serving as this morning’s Epistle came from The Acts of the Apostles. Luke tells us Barnabas, a Cypriot Jew, one of the prominent Christian disciples in Jerusalem, was sent to Antioch, where the term Christian was first used, then to Tarsus to join up with Saul who it was thought was now a Christian. You can only imagine his trepidation, yet he went and found now Paul. In this morning’s Gospel Jesus tells the disciples He will be leaving. He tells them they are His friends, not His servants, but as His friends, they must do His will. He points out that they have not chosen Him rather He chose them. He goes on to tell them that when they pray they need to ask the Father in His name, and He will give it to them. Want and Need figure prominently in today’s sermon. It all comes together. Having trouble visualizing that? Read or listen to Rev Hap’s sermon.
The Propers for today are found on Page 240-242, with the Collect first:
Saint Barnabas the Apostle. [June 11.]
The Collect.
O |
LORD God Almighty, who didst endue thy holy Apostle Barnabas with singular gifts of the Holy Ghost; Leave us not, we beseech thee, destitute of thy manifold gifts, nor yet of grace to use them alway to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Sunday after Trinity.
The Collect.
O |
GOD, the strength of all those who put their trust in thee; Mercifully accept our prayers; and because, through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The text serving as today’s Epistle came from the Eleventh Chapter of The Acts of the Apostles, beginning at the Twenty-Second Verse. It tells of Barnabas being sent to seek out Saul of Tarsus who by now was Paul. You can only imagine his trepidation, yet he went.
T |
IDINGS of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cæsar. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judæa: which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
This morning’s Gospel came from the Gospel according to John, the Fifteenth Chapter, beginning at the Twelfth Verse. Jesus tells the disciples of His upcoming death and makes it clear He has chosen them and to whom they should pray.
T |
HIS 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. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Sermon – Reverend Hap Arnold - Time and Action
Church of the Faithful Centurion
Descanso, California
Rev Hap’s sermon is available on video RIGHT HERE.
Today’s sermon brought the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords above.
Consider these words from the Collect:
… who didst endue thy holy Apostle Barnabas with singular gifts of the Holy Ghost; Leave us not, we beseech thee, destitute of thy manifold gifts, nor yet of grace to use them alway to thy honour and glory…
In the Collect, we acknowledge God gave Barnabas special talents and strengths. We ask He do likewise for us, so we might use those talents to His honor and glory.
The fact is each of us have been granted special talents and strengths. The question is will we use them to His honor and glory or to our own purposes? Too often the answer is we use them to our own purposes which turn out to not be His will nor in our best interests in the long run.
This Collect is very much a repeat of most of them; we are asking for God to give us what we need and not what we want. The problem is that we cannot manage to differentiate between the two words, want and need. Two four letter words used interchangeably in our vocabularies and lives that do not mean the same thing. Let us try to remember how to use each word and concentrate of need rather than want.
In The Acts of the Apostles, Luke tells us Barnabas, a Cypriot Jew, one of the prominent Christian disciples in Jerusalem, was sent to Antioch, where the term Christian was first used, then to Tarsus to join up with Saul who it was thought was now a Christian. You can only imagine his trepidation, yet he went and found now Paul. He and Paul the Apostle undertook missionary journeys together and defended Gentile converts against the Judaizers. They traveled together making more converts (c. 46–48), and participated in the Council of Jerusalem (c. 49). Barnabas and Paul successfully evangelized among the "God-fearing" Gentiles who attended synagogues in various Hellenized cities of Anatolia.
In Antioch, the prophet Agabus predicted a great famine in Judea. The Christians of Antioch worked together and sent relief there with Barnabas and Saul
In this morning’s Gospel Jesus tells the disciples He will be leaving. He tells them they are His friends, not His servants, but as His friends, they must do His will. He points out that they have not chosen Him rather He chose them. He goes on to tell them that when they pray they need to ask the Father in His name, and He will give it to them.
That, of course, depends on knowing the difference between need and want. They are only to ask for needs.
It’s also very important to see Jesus is telling us we must have personal relationship with Him. While He is our Lord and Master, He is also our friend and guide.
In the short little bits of scripture, there is much to think of here. We must see and accept the gifts God has given us and USE them. We must, like Barnabas, fulfill our mission to the best of our ability regardless of our trepidation. While we have our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to act as our intermediary with God the Father, we are to ask directly for what we need.
Notice, there is nothing here about talking only acting.
There is but one way to heaven.
That easy to find, easy to follow, easy to hike path does not lead to the summit where eternal life in the real world awaits. Open your heart to the Holy Ghost; use His Power to follow our Lord to God who awaits in heaven.
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
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