Sunday, July 30, 2023

AOC Sunday Report – Eighth Sunday after Trinity

  

Happy Eighth Sunday after Trinity!

The AOC Sunday Report can be downloaded RIGHT HERE!

We have excellent sermons this morning from Bishops Jerry and Roy as well as Rev Jack.

Rev Bryan is still off as a result of his quadruple bypass surgery on 6 July 2023.  He is home and seems to be doing well.  He is beginning physical therapy and cardiac rehabilitation.  Please give thanks for the apparently successful surgery and pray for a full and complete recovery. Continue to comfort Brian, his wife Lisa, and son Thomas as they deal with his recovery.

Rev Jack brings the Propers together today.    His sermon is below the propers and can be viewed on videoHERE -> https://youtu.be/jsnC100D6mU

 

Today’s Collect, Epistle and Gospel all come together with one theme. That theme is that if we listen to Him in word and in deed, God will protect us from hurtful things and will lead us to profitable things. Note in deed and not just words!   In the Collect, we must understand in our hearts God does indeed “ordereth all things” here as well as in heaven. Even though it might not seem like it at times, we have to understand ultimately He is in control of all of the Universe. Paul says before receiving the Holy Spirit or the spirit of adoption, we were under Satan’s bondage. He points out that if we live as our old sinful selves, after the flesh, we will die.  In the Gospel, Jesus points out if we are of the good tree, our actions will produce good fruit. Before, we were of the bad tree and that is why we produced nothing good. He also points out that not everyone that claims to be a Christian will get into heaven.  This Gospel lets us know that unlike us, Jesus is not fooled by those who have deception in their hearts. Those false prophets might fool many but they will never fool God. Having trouble visualizing it all coming together?  Read or listen to Rev Jack’s sermon.


There are a lot of people who need your prayer.  Please start with Bryan, Mr. Kim, Mark George, Viera Djurcik, Tricia, Shamu and work out from there.


There is a lot going on right now and we often need help to deal with it. God is willing to help if you are willing to open your heart and accept his Third God Guy in the form of the Holy Ghost.


Have an Epic week.


Godspeed,


Hap

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Descanso, California

United States of America


Eighth Sunday after Trinity

 


Rev Jack brings the Propers together today.    His sermon is below the propers and can be viewed on video HERE -> https://youtu.be/jsnC100D6mU

 

Today’s Collect, Epistle and Gospel all come together with one theme. That theme is that if we listen to Him in word and in deed, God will protect us from hurtful things and will lead us to profitable things. Note in deed and not just words!   In the Collect, we must understand in our hearts God does indeed “ordereth all things” here as well as in heaven. Even though it might not seem like it at times, we have to understand ultimately He is in control of all of the Universe.  Paul says before receiving the Holy Spirit or the spirit of adoption, we were under Satan’s bondage. He points out that if we live as our old sinful selves, after the flesh, we will die.  In the Gospel, Jesus points out if we are of the good tree, our actions will produce good fruit. Before, we were of the bad tree and that is why we produced nothing good. He also points out that not everyone that claims to be a Christian will get into heaven.  This Gospel lets us know that unlike us, Jesus is not fooled by those who have deception in their hearts. Those false prophets might fool many but they will never fool God. Having trouble visualizing it all coming together?  Read or listen to Rev Jack’s sermon.


The Propers for today are found on Page 199-200, with the Collect first:

 

The Eighth Sunday after Trinity.

 

The Collect.

 

O

 GOD, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth; We humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

The Epistle came from Paul’s letter to the Romans, the Eighth Chapter, beginning at the Twelfth Verse. Paul tells us to live out our lives as Jesus instructed us to.  If we live as we want, we die and are gone.  If we live as Jesus commanded, we will live through to eternity.  Life is not about here, it is about doing well enough here so we can get there.  If we want the fruits of the heirship we have been given, we must live the part: 

 

B

RETHREN, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

 

Today’s Holy Gospel started in the Seventh Chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, beginning at the Fifteenth Verse.  Matthew records the warning that so few heed. Many leaders talk a good line, but how do they actually act, particularly in private?  For it is private when none are looking that we are revealed.  If you want to get to heaven, you have to act the part, not just talk about it.

 

B

EWARE of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.


Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold - Time and Action

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Descanso, California

Rev Jack brings the Propers together today.    His sermon can be viewed on video HERE ->https://youtu.be/jsnC100D6mU

 

Today’s sermon brought the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords above. 

 

Consider the words from the Collect, wherein we ask God who … ordereth all things both in heaven and earth; … to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which are profitable for us …

 

We must understand in our hearts God does indeed “ordereth all things” here as well as in heaven. Even though it might not seem like it at times, we have to understand ultimately He is in control of all of the Universe. This may seem hard to understand when so much evil happens in this world, but once you understand God ultimately is in control and has a plan, I find that it is not so hard to understand.  And I find that thought fairly comforting whenever I worry about all the evil that is going on. Once I tell myself that in the end all will go according to God’s plan, I feel much better about what is going on. Once we understand, then we can ask Him to keep us away from those things hurtful to us and incline our hearts towards those things that are good for us.  This issue will always be a challenge to us due to our sinful nature.  Our sinful nature inclines us towards those things which are hurtful to us. We need help to overcome our sinful nature. We alone cannot do this, thus we need the inspiration of the Holy Ghost in our hearts.  Without His Help, we cannot recognize our need for help.  We tend to think of ourselves as perfectible by our own work, without the need to depend on others (Him).  The problem is, it does not work.  The collect recognizes that on our own we could not find what is profitable for us and that we tend to stray towards those things that are hurtful for us. Therefore, we need God as our infallible guide to steer us towards those things which will help us and not harm us.

 

Today’s Collect, Epistle and Gospel all come together with one theme. That theme is that if we listen to Him in word and in deed, God will protect us from hurtful things and will lead us to profitable things. Note in deed and not just words! This means we actually have to act for Him and not just say we are for Him. We have to back up the nice words we say with actions that reflect those nice words. If we do these things, we will become profitable. Profitable not in the sense of being Bill Gates rich, but profitable in the sense that whatever God and the Holy Spirit will lead us to will be beneficial for our spiritual well being as well as our physical and mental well being. Paul mentions before receiving the Holy Spirit or the spirit of adoption, we were under Satan’s bondage. He points out that if we live as our old sinful selves, after the flesh, we will die. He says however, if we mortify our deeds, that is to cease our sinning and turn over a new leave, with the help of the Holy Ghost we shall live. He points out if we suffer for Him, along with Him, we will also receive glory for that righteous suffering together with Him.

 

 We have been released from slavery to Satan and are now free peoples under Christ’s banner. We are not called to freedom from sin just to re-enter our previous state, but to be the new men of Christ.   This means setting aside the previous things which hurt us spiritually, physically and mentally and focusing on pursuing a way of living that would honor God. We are called to be different than who we were before when we were slaves to Satan. That means examining the spiritual, physical and mental aspects of our lives, seeing what we need to do to improve it to follow His Word and to be the New Men that St. Paul talks about.. It is a continuous process that will span the rest of our lives, until we leave this life and head to meet with God. Every day we must ask ourselves what did we do right and what did we do not so right? Keep doing the things we did right and we must strive to fix the things we did not do so right. It’s gradual but over time if we follow this formula, we will become better people for it.

 

His Word brings us to another point. Which is does the Bible you use match the real Word of God?  It is not the grammar or style that counts, but the facts, the points, the real message of Scripture.  The Authorized Version comes from the Received Text and is reliable.  Make certain the version you use loses nothing in the translation. Many modern versions use corrupted manuscripts omitting a large number of verses which corrupts the New Testament message, and in the case of John 3:16 for example, dilute Jesus Christ’s status as the only begotten son of God. The newer Bibles also are copyrighted so “Man” owns it, and not the author of Scripture, God our Father. In this case, these newer Bibles are not Bibles at all, but doctrine books of men set on not following Scripture. They have lost the holiness that God’s Word is and have become mere textbooks of men. They promote false doctrine and have helped to spread heresy in the church.  This is part of the reason that there is so much heresy in the modern churches today. We must be on the look out for these and remember to only use the versions based on the Received Text, so nothing is lost in the translation.

 

So, once you let the Holy Ghost into your heart, then take the direction He Offers, read and understand Scripture, you will know what you are supposed to do.  Then, you need to actually act on that knowledge. Action, not just diction is what counts in the end.  Nice words are nice, but they do not mean as much if they are not backed by action. Action will show people who our hearts truly are for, God or Mammon. Let us choose to act for God and have our actions show likewise.

 

In the Gospel, Jesus covers similar ground.  He points out that if we are of the good tree, our actions will produce good fruit. Before, we were of the bad tree and that is why we produced nothing good. He also points out that not everyone that claims to be a Christian will get into heaven. He says only those who DO the will of God and actually ACT upon His Words will get into heaven and not just those who say they are doing the will of God. He talked about the wolves in sheep’s clothing. He talks about many that have hijacked the church of God and have turned it into a temple of thieves and followers of the Devil rather than soldiers and followers of Christ. There are way too many of these folks in the church today. The Holy Spirit will help us identify these wolves in sheep’s clothing, if we will but open our hearts to Him. This Gospel lets us know that unlike us, Jesus is not fooled by those who have deception in their hearts. Those false prophets might fool many but they will never fool God. Another reason for us to ask the Holy Ghost into our hearts that He might give us the wisdom to root out such false teachers in the Church. The whole point of all of today’s readings is we need to act in a manner in accordance with Christ’s teachings. 

 

Action counts.  For by their actions ye shall know them.  

 

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 - Eighth Sunday after Trinity - False Prophets - Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide - 30 July 2023, Anno Domini

 


 

The Eighth Sunday after Trinity.

 

The Collect.

 

O

 GOD, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth; We humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.


The Collect for today is extraordinary in its depth of meaning and its appeal to the absolute and unconditional sovereignty of God. 

 

            Archbishop Cranmer re-crafted the introduction of this Collect to reflect that reformed view of the omnipotence of God Almighty in things heavenly as well as things temporal. It is also such a comfort to know that the One who “sticketh closer than a brother” shares that omnipotence in the Triune Godhead. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (Matt 28:18)

 

God is never taken by surprise either in Eden or in our own times. This Collect, like all others, is not intended for a limited application of collecting our thoughts before worship. It is a prayer that may be uttered every minute of every day with equal impact. Our mortal minds pray for those things, which in the wisdom of God are hurtful to us, to be put away from us – not merely those things which WE consider hurtful (there may be a difference). The prayer also appeals to God to grant us those things that are, in every way, profitable for our eternal souls and not simply those things that are glossy and well-decorated and that appeal to the world alone. Finally, we ask all these things be granted through Jesus Christ who loves us with such a love of whose depth we cannot comprehend. We love Him because He FIRST loved us.

 

The Epistle

Romans viii. 12.

 

B

RETHREN, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

 

            The ancient Lectionary takes us to the question of inheritance as the children of God, and also the KIND of children we should be in the production of fruit. The epistle teaches us, in no uncertain terms, that there are no people more chosen of God than those who have been adopted, through the blood of Christ, into His family as sons and daughters. Of course, in following Christ, we must not follow Him all the way to Bethany and then stop short of Calvary. We must take up our crosses daily and follow Him all of the way down the Via Dolorosa – the Way of Suffering – if necessary.

 

The Gospel

St. Matthew vii. 15.

 

B

EWARE of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

 

The Sermon 

            Our sermon text is taken from the Gospel lesson in Chapter Seven of the Gospel according to Sainjt Matthew, beginning at the Fifteenth Verse. In this passage, we discover the strong similes and metaphors of false prophets being like wolves in sheep’s clothing; and of trees that bring forth the fruits of their natures, and some that must be cut down for failure to produce fruit. And our text concludes with a dire warning to those who proliferate in the Christian community today – hypocrites!  We will address the text in three parts:

 

1.     False Prophets – who are they and how shall we recognize them;

2.     Trees of good and bad fruit – how shall we distinguish them;

3.     Hypocrites – who are they and how to know them.

 

False Prophets

In our text, we read: BEWARE of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. First of all, what is a prophet, and how shall we know them?, "And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18:21-22) So, do you believe that prophets of the Lord are similar to fortune-tellers in forecasting future events? Not at all, but a prophet of the Lord will say those things that the Lord has spoken in the Spirit. The prophet of today will not speak a word contrary to those uttered by the prophets of old, for God does not change. Any who know and believe the Word of God are prophets of sorts. How can that be? Because the Holy Word of God tells us what God’s judgment is against all kinds of sin. If we judge by God’s perfect standard of righteousness, we can conclude, as a prophet, the mode of God in dealing with such sin. A prophet speaks, preaches, and teaches the will of God as recorded in Holy Scripture – and nothing beyond what God has uttered in Holy Scripture.

 

            We are to confirm every word spoken from the pulpit by Holy Scripture to see if these things be true. I can assure you with every bone of my body that I will never intentionally teach something contrary to the Word of God INTENTIONALLY; however, I am a mortal man, and mortal men are subject to errors of judgment and understanding. Therefore, a well versed and informed Christian must test all things spoken by me, or any other clergyman, by that Plumb Line of God’s Word. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1) Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.  (1 Thess 5:21) A true Christian will study the Scriptures diligently, in fact, so well that he will be able to recognize errors and inconsistencies in doctrine being preached. He will therefore not suffer deceit. The false prophet speaks smoothly and convincingly. He ACTS like a loving Christian, and he may even use the Word of God, but wrongly to achieve some deceitful purpose. He will emphasize the offering plate far more than the cross of Jesus. He may have a wonderful smile to hide hideous and sharp teeth beneath. The false prophet is a minister of the devil and, like his mentor, is a ravening wolf. He doesn’t kill just to eat, but out of sport. America has a disproportionately large number of such scoundrels let loose in our pulpits today. BEWARE, friends.

 

Trees of good and bad fruit – how shall we distinguish them

We are told to use sight and taste. If it looks like an orange, it tastes like an orange, then it MUST be an orange. Oranges do not grow on apple trees. The kind of tree determines the fruit. The kind of heart determines the soul of a Christian, or an imposter. The fruit described relates to our works as sons and daughters of God. Are our works worthy of the title, Christian? We have misapplied grace and faith to the exclusion of good works in our day. Surely, we know that works are not the means of our salvation; but just as surely we should also know that our salvation should be evidenced by works worthy of the Name of Christ. “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance.” (Luke 3:8a)  “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. (James 2:17-18) There has been a growing error being taught over the last several decades that all a sinner needs to do is “call upon the name of the Lord” and that ends the struggle. While it is true that all who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, it is not true that a mere utterance of that phrase will suffice. The utterance must be a genuine and sincere confession of faith from the heart and not the head. It must be followed with evidence of salvation. A new man must be in evidence following the confession.

 

God gave us ‘hands’ for a reason. The head is our legislative branch, the hands our executive branch, and the heart our judicial branch to determine right and wrong. It is the hands that produce fruit. They cultivate, plant the trees, and care for the trees. At due season, they harvest the fruit. In the ancient Holy Land, trees were taxed – not the fruit of the trees; therefore, the lord of the vineyard will cut down a tree that does not produce in order to save revenue. The economy of Heaven is not unlike the same. If we produce no fruit, of what earthly good are we? The mind conceives a good project to perform. If it is in conformance to that Mind which was in Christ, the Judicial Branch – the Heart – will uphold that decision of the Legislative Branch. It is then that the Executive Branch (hands) completes the good work willed by the head.  If our hands are idle, we had best find productive labor for them in short order; else we starve or shall be cut off.  Faith is the electrical impulses that connect the three branches across the synapses of Wisdom, Love, and Action.

 

In the Museum of Amsterdam hangs a painting of several old Dutch Burgomasters who had distinguished themselves by some notable service to the people and community. In each of the paintings, there may be as many as a dozen faces and, though the canvas is a bit crowded for space, the hands are also depicted in every case. All one sees are heads and hands. In spite of a lack of space, the artist was very careful to include the hands with different gestures of each and in detail as complete as eyes and noses of the heads. I believe the point of the artist is to depict the full character of the men honored. The heads alone did not reveal complete character – what they thought, what they saw, what they felt; but the addition of hands depicted that the good works of these men followed the good thoughts that they conceived. The same is true of the Christian who has taken on the Mind that was in Christ.

 

            There is a wonderful discussion of the head-only Christian in the classical work, The Choir Invisible, by James Allen Lane:

 

Some time, wandering in a thinned wood, you may have happened upon an old vine, the seed of which had long ago been dropped and had sprouted in an open spot where there was no timber. Every May, in response to Nature's joyful bidding that it yet shall rise, the vine has loosed the thousand tendrils of its hope, those long, green, delicate fingers searching the empty air. Every December you may see these turned stiff and brown, and wound about themselves like spirals or knotted like the claw of a frozen bird. Year after year the vine has grown only at the head, remaining empty-handed ; and the head itself, not being lifted always higher by anything the hands have seized, has but moved hither and thither, back and forth, like the head of a wounded snake in a path. Thus every summer you may see the vine, fallen back and coiled upon itself, and piled up before you like a low green mound, its own tomb; in winter a black heap, its own ruins. So, it often is with the poorest, who live on at the head, remaining empty-handed ; fallen in and coiled back upon themselves, their own inescapable tombs, their own unavertible ruins.

 

            Our hands must follow the good will of the mind in finding good works upon which to light and to grasp in order to bear fruit pleasing to the Lord of the Vineyard.

 

Hypocrites – who are they and how to know them

First of all, let us get our vocabulary understood. What is the meaning of hypocrite? The word is derived from the Greek text - (hupokrinomai); an actor under an assumed character (stage-player), i.e. (figurative) a dissembler (“hypocrite”):- hypocrite. (Strong’s) Those who are constantly performing great things and seem to be very godly often harbor a vacuum for faith. All of the good works, good acting, and posing of the hypocrite will gain no favor at all in Heaven. Good works do not exist apart from faith. The hypocrite that says all of the right things and lives like the world is only an actor. By the same token, every man that shoulders a weapon and wears an impeccable uniform is not necessarily a soldier. We see churches in America supposedly ‘filled with the Holy Ghost.” They make a great show of ‘supposed’ spiritual gifts and demonstrations.  The worship is not peaceful, but exhausting. Many of the same people who were so moved by the Holy Spirit on Sunday morning are seen to be moved by the spirit of the bar on Monday.  What is wrong with this picture? First, their worship is not reverent and worthy of the Church. Secondly, their hearts were only ‘acting’ as hypocrites in being shallow on faith and big on appearances. How is your heart, friend?

 

            May we be a people wary of false prophets and so thoroughly knowledgeable of the Word of God that it will be quite difficult to deceive us.

 

            Let us be careful of wandering too far from our protecting Shepherd and into the mountain crevices where wolves lurk. Be careful that the church you attend is one that places Christ at its heart and center – a Church that is reverent in worship and true to Scripture in its teaching and doctrine.

 

            Let us be sure that the works of our hands represent the thoughts of our hearts and not become stale salt in the shaker so long it form clumps that cannot be applied properly. 

 

Are we thus?

Saturday, July 29, 2023

Be Still and Trust – 28 July 2023, Anno Domini

 

B

E still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.    (Psalm 46:10)

 

A

 TIME to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak    

(Ecclesiastes 3:7)

 

            When chaos reigns in our midst, it is difficult to sit still and do nothing, but often, the wiseman will determine if there is any human solution to the problems at hand. If not, any steps taken will be futile to calm the storm. When circumstances exceed our ability to influence an outcome the only resort is to leave the outcome up to our Lord by placing our trust in His care. I will tell you a story of one of my childhood heroes as an example:

 

            One day when Stonewall Jackson and his sister-in-law were crossing the boiling current just below the American Falls at Niagara, in a small boat manned by two oarsmen, the current so swirled the boat that the lady became terrified, believing they were surely going to the bottom. Jackson seized her by the arms and turning to one of the men said, How often have you crossed here? I have been rowing people across, sir, for years. twelve years. Did you ever meet with an accident? Never, sir. Never was capsized, never lost a life. Nothing of the kind sir! Then turning, in a somewhat peremptory tone he said to the lady, You hear what the boatman says, and unless you think you can take the oars and row better than he does, sit still and trust him as I do. Sometimes it is our duty as Christians to ‘stand still’ in faith. On the other hand, sometimes it will be time to go forward in faith.

 

            An even better example is given us in the Gospel of Saint Mark:

 

A

ND the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him(Mark 4:35-41)

 

            The disciples in the account above were seasoned seamen. They had crossed the Sea of Galilee untold numbers of times, yet, this night they faced a storm that was beyond their ability to negotiate.  The ship was literally filling with water and seemed on the point of sinking. They were at their wits end. They abandoned their own efforts to salvage the ship (and their own lives) and appealed to the only hope left them – the Lord Jesus Christ. The One who created the Seas is also the Masters of the Seas. The best place in time of trouble or danger is to be with Christ since no death can exist in Him. But placing our trust in God and letting go of our own futile efforts requires faith. Unfortunately, the disciples did not well exemplify that faith on the /sea of Galilee that night.

 

            Trust is a direct consequence of faith, and what is faith? Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear(Hebrews 11:1-2) Trust is not easy if we do not have faith in the power Unseen. We do not understand the things of God by mind alone, but by the faith imparted to our hearts by the Power of the Holy Spirit.

 

            We believe that the naked eye cannot see a tiny atom of an element, but we can indeed. We can see a gold ring which is made of millions of atoms of the element of gold. When terrors arise, we may not physically see the power of the Lord at our right hand, but it is there for us to claim in faith.

 

            The Fair Haven to which we set our sails to find is more than this temporary existence. We seek the city beyond the world’s end. It is faith that gives us the stamina and courage to sail on despite the stormy gales and billows of the sea. 

 

For Quiet Confidence.                                                            BCP 595

O

 GOD of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength; By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou art God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Friday, July 28, 2023

Too Late – 27 July 2023, Anno Domini

I

 AM the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?  

(John 11:25-26)

 

            We all may have had the experience of deep regret over some duty or consideration we should have paid a friend or close loved one before their passing from this life. In my case, I regret I did not send more pretty flowers to my mother (she loved flowers) before her passing from my reach; or did not express my admiration and fondness for an old friend who has gone to his reward; or done more to alleviate the suffering of little children who had not man to stand on their behalf. I believe these are regrets common to many of us. Additionally, there are numerous opportunities upon which we neglected to capitalize upon that would have made a difference for us, our families, or our friends and neighbors.

 

            I have a dear friend who recently underwent a routine health check-up – the first of which I am aware for many years. He is fifty-two years of age. Unfortunately, the test revealed cancerous tissue in a very vulnerable place in his intestinal tract requiring surgical removal. It will also require my friend be equipped with a colostomy bag for the rest of his life. It is good news the cancer did not spread, but unhappy news the colostomy bag would be necessary.  Had he been examined only a few years earlier, it is likely that the problem would not have developed into cancer at all, but now, he learned too late to safeguard his body against a sad disorder. Of course, God is merciful to allow him to live out a normal life-span even if troubled by the impediment of an uncomfortable attachment. 

 

            This is a sorrowful development for my friend. He failed to care for his health by having frequent routine check-ups. But how much more serious is the negligence of the well-being of one’s own soul! The body is a temporary transport through this wilderness world and it returns at death to the dust of the ground of which it is composed. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?   (Mark 8:367-37) How many perish in this world for neglect of their souls?  How many show even a faint interest in the Word of God? Some waste their young years on riotous living and wait until the shadow of death falls across their doorstep before responding to the beckoning call of the Holy spirit to life? Of course, as long as life remains, there is always time to believe and respond,  but why save only less productive years only for God? Belief must come while we still breathe and think, “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” 

 

            When the calling of the Holy Spirit is rejected over time, consider the number of valuable years of service to the Lord that fall by the wayside. How many opportunities to reach out to our youth with the soothing Balm of the Gospel are wasted? How many years of a failed marriage could have been healed by the inclusion of faith in the hearts of its members?

 

            We must respond while we yet live! Not only do we need periodic health check ups for the body, but also for the soul. “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” (John 5:39-40) A regular daily resort to the study of God’s Word is health check-up for the soul. We grow stronger in the certain faith and knowledge of God.

 

            Getting one’s life straight before repentance is never a reason for delay. We need the guidance and comfort of the Holy Ghost to face ourselves in the mirror of God’s Word to see what miserable sinners we are. We are powerless to save ourselves since we are already dead in trespasses and sins. We need to hear the beckon of the Holy Ghost to quicken and make us alive in Christ. We will seldom hear that voice in the saloons, dance halls, or gutter-lands of the world.

 

            There are many Christians, as well as lost persons, who are wounded and burdened with the retained load of sin which they have failed to place on the broad shoulders of the Lord. He can carry every burden and forgive every sin. If we, as Christians, fail in our testimony or walk, we may be called to the grave before our expected time. “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2-3)

 

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HERE is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

(Ecclesiastes 9:10)

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Hymns of the Church – Sunlight in my Heart – 25 July 2023, Anno Domini (In the Year of our Lord)

  


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OR God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ(2 Corinthians 4:6)

 

            Here is a hymn that appeals to the heart filled with the Light of Christ. Both the tune and lyrics are the work of Mrs. M.T. Haughey in 1886. The hymn precedes the publication of another beautiful hymn entitled There is Sunshine in My Soul (1887) by one year.

 

Sunlight in my Heart

 

There is sunlight on the hilltop,

There is sunlight on the sea;

And the golden beams are sleeping

On the soft and verdant lea;

But a richer light is filling

All the chambers of my heart;

For Thou dwellest there, my Savior

And ’tis sunlight where Thou art.

Refrain:

Oh, the sunlight! beautiful sunlight!

Oh, the sunlight in the heart!

Jesus’ smile can banish sadness;

It is sunlight in the heart.

 

In the dust I leave my sadness,

As the garb of other days,

For Thou robest me with gladness,

And Thou fillest me with praise;

And to that bright home of glory

Which Thy love hath won for me,

In my heart and mind ascending,

My glad spirit follows Thee.

 

Loving Savior, Thou hast bought me,

And my life, my all, is Thine;

Let the lamp Thy love hath lighted

To Thy praise and glory shine;

And to that bright home of glory

Which Thy love hath won for me,

In my heart and mind ascending,

My glad spirit follows Thee.

 

There is sunlight on the hilltop, There is sunlight on the sea; And the golden beams are sleeping On the soft and verdant lea; But a richer light is filling All the chambers of my heart; For Thou dwellest there, my Savior And ’tis sunlight where Thou art. In every venue of God’s Creation there is sunlight, but measured by the need of times of darkness to provide rest for the soul. There is an abundance of sunlight on the hills, pasturelands, seas and every place that is exposed to the heavens. But there is a more lively and vibrant Sunlight than even those physical examples cited above – the Sunlight of Christ in the heart of the believer. Christ is Light, and wherever He abides, is showered with radiant beams of Light. When we obscure that Light that is in our hearts by our ungodly thoughts or deeds, there remains only darkness. But every hidden chamber of the Christian heart emits those resplendent beams of sunlight that reflect the presence of the Lord therein.

 

In the dust I leave my sadness, As the garb of other days, For Thou robest me with gladness, And Thou fillest me with praise; And to that bright home of glory Which Thy love hath won for me, In my heart and mind ascending, My glad spirit follows Thee. Our bodies are composed of the dust of the earth to which they most certainly shall return. That body of dust is left behind at death to be buried with our tear bottles and our sorrows. But the glorified body which has been purchased for us by the Lord Jesus Christ is robed in righteous joy and ecstasy beyond the Gates of Splendor. In that room of dying appointed for us all, we shall fall asleep to the miseries of this world and suddenly be awakened to the angelic host who has been appointed to escort the saint to the place prepared for him by His Lord. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” Isaiah 61:10 “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:52) Just as the stalk of grain ascends above the soil to reach for the Light, so does the Christian soul ascend in its hunger for the Light of Christ. “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.” (Psalm 62:1-2)

 

            Loving Savior, Thou hast bought me, And my life, my all, is Thine; Let the lamp Thy love hath lighted To Thy praise and glory shine; And to that bright home of glory Which Thy love hath won for me, In my heart and mind ascending, My glad spirit follows Thee. What do you consider your gross worth to be? Is your net worth measured by the chemical elements of the soil of which your body is created? Not at all. The soul is worth far more than the physical components of which it is composed! If you are of the elect of God, your soul is valued beyond any earthly means to measure. It is purchased by the blood sacrifice of the only Begotten Son of God. “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:20) Though the body is merely the means of transportation through this life, the transport nonetheless should reflect the quality of that which is being transported – the soul of man, both of which belong to God. “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:2-3) That is our true HOME!

 

            Refrain:
Oh, the sunlight! beautiful sunlight! Oh, the sunlight in the heart! Jesus’ smile can banish sadness; It is sunlight in the heart.
 Do we have that sunlight in our hearts? Is its gleaming rays obscure or darkened by clouds of sin and base thoughts? Our righteousness is as a sweet savor to our Lord and He smiles upon us those radiant beams of sunlight. 

 

I end this little devotion with the sweet benediction of Israel pronounced at the conclusion of our worship services: 

 

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HE Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.   (Numbers 6:24-27)

Sunday, July 23, 2023

AOC Sunday Report – Seventh Sunday after Trinity

  

Happy Seventh Sunday after Trinity!

The AOC Sunday Report can be downloaded RIGHT HERE!

We have excellent sermons this morning from Bishops Jerry and Roy as well as Rev Jack.   Rev Bryan had quadruple bypass surgery on 6 July 2023.  He is home and seems to be doing well.  Please give thanks for the apparently successful surgery and pray for a full and complete recovery. Continue to comfort Brian, his wife Lisa, and son Thomas as they deal with his recovery.  Rev Jack brings the Propers together today.    His sermon is below the propers and can be viewed on video HERE -> https://youtu.be/KZYxMJMzADk

In the Collect, we acknowledge to get anywhere, we must acknowledge in our hearts all good is of and comes from God. That is the trouble with many people in the world today. They simply refuse to acknowledge in their hearts this very simple fact. Once we acknowledge this, we are in a position to ask God to put in toour hearts love of Him and all that is His.  When Paul wrote his Epistle to the people of Rome, he was writing to all of us; for truly nothing is new in the world. There is truth to Solomon’s saying there is nothing new under the sun.  In this morning’s Gospel, the clear message of the feeding of the multitude is action, and the whys and hows behind all of it does not matter as much as the simple message that He did it. It is all too easy to get wrapped around in fine details, when it is the bigger picture that matters.  Having trouble visualizing it all coming together?  Read or listen to Rev Jack’s sermon.


There are always a lot of people who need your prayer, please start with Mr. Kim, Mark George, Viera Djurcik, Tricia, Shamu and work out from there.


Having problems seeing the good in the world today or your way ahead? Open your heart to the Holy Ghost and let Him into your soul and guide you.

 

Have an Epic Week!


Godspeed,


Hap

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Descanso, California

United States of America

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

  

Rev Jack brings the Propers together today.    His sermon is below the propers and can be viewed on video HERE -> https://youtu.be/KZYxMJMzADk


In the Collect, we acknowledge to get anywhere, we must acknowledge in our hearts all good is of and comes from God. That is the trouble with many people in the world today. They simply refuse to acknowledge in their hearts this very simple fact. Once we acknowledge this, we are in a position to ask God to put in toour hearts love of Him and all that is His.  When Paul wrote his Epistle to the people of Rome, he was writing to all of us; for truly nothing is new in the world. There is truth to Solomon’s saying there is nothing new under the sun.  In this morning’s Gospel, the clear message of the feeding of the multitude is action, and the whys and hows behind all of it does not matter as much as the simple message that He did it. It is all too easy to get wrapped around in fine details, when it is the bigger picture that matters.  Having trouble visualizing it all coming together?  Read or listen to Rev Jack’s sermon.


The Propers for today are found on Page 198-199, with the Collect first:

 

The Seventh Sunday after Trinity.

 

The Collect.

 

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ORD of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things; Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

The Epistle came from the Sixth Chapter of Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans beginning at the Nineteenth Verse. Paul reminds us when we strive above all else for the things of this world, we gain nothing we can take with us to the next.  “For, when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.”  Conversely, if we will be servants of God (righteousness) we can be free from the devil sin).  “… the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  If we will follow God, we will live, not only forever in the next world, but better in this world.  We must put aside what we did and do what He would have us do.  Actions are the key to everything.  Talk is nice.  Action is what counts.

 

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 SPEAK after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Today Holy Gospel was written in the Eighth Chapter of the Gospel according to Saint Mark beginning at the First Verse. Jesus had been in the wilderness teaching a multitude, some four thousand in number.  In those pre-restaurant on every corner days, the people had been without food and were hungry.  Jesus was concerned and inventoried their supplies, seven loaves and a few small fishes.  He gave thanks to God, and commanded the food to be set out before the people.  When they had eaten their fill, the scraps gathered up from the seven loaves filled seven baskets. 

 

Many speculated over the years as to just how He did it.  The answer is simple, He did it.  He did not talk about feeding the multitude and sit down to His own meal.  He acted and they were fed.  Does this story recall the words from the Last Supper used in Holy Communion at the Consecration? “he took Bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat, this is my Body, which is given for you; Do this in remembrance of me.”  Those few words produced The Word, which has satisfied so many over millenniums. 

 

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N those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: and if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.


Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold - Time and Action

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Descanso, California

His sermon can be viewed on video HERE -> https://youtu.be/KZYxMJMzADk


Today’s sermon brought the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords above. 


 

Consider the words from the Collect,   author and giver of all good things; Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same (that is to say keep us in goodness)

 

To get anywhere, we must acknowledge in our hearts all good is of and comes from God.  That is the trouble with many people in the world today. They simply refuse to acknowledge in their hearts this very simple fact. Once we acknowledge this, we are in a position to ask God to put in to our hearts love of Him and all that is His.  We are asking Him to have His Love in our hearts so that we can do good for Him. With His Love in our hearts there is very little we cannot accomplish; without it, we can accomplish nothing good. We have to recognize this and pray continually for Gods love to enter into our hearts and stay in our hearts.

 

Because of our human nature, there will be plenty of times when we fail, but if we turn back to Him, then we shall succeed. We just have to listen to what He says and then not just listen but act on what He says. This holds true not just for myself, but all of us who follow Christs banner. This is a constant truth that is repeated through the Collects and Scriptures. Without Gods help, we are doomed to great failure, but with His help there is no limit to what we can accomplish for Him.

 

The clear message in todays collect, Epistle and Gospel is that we need to be in God and have His Love acting within us. For without His Love within us we can do no good thing and we cannot be regenerated or be born again without the help of the Holy Spirit. We need His Help if we are to follow Him and to spread the Gospel. Being a part of this world and being of God is impossible. As Jesus said, one man cannot serve two masters. We are in this world but we are not called to be of this world but of God.  It is simply not possible to be of both. We have to choose sides, and  choose whom we serve God or Satan. I know who I choose, do you? To me it is a very easy choice, to choose to serve God the ultimate form of goodness.

 

Before we are of God, we are of this world.  Our life is here, our end is here.  However, once we are transformed via the Holy Ghost, then we are merely sojourners here; our life is not really here and certainly does not end here. We are merely passing through this world as a portal to our new unending life with God. I find if I remember this whenever I am having any sort of trouble, then this thought sooths my worried mind and I think it will do for you as well.

 

The only way to be of God is through God, that is His Son, our Lord. I am the way, the truth, the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)  Jesus himself clearly says the only way to be of God is through Him. Nobody comes unto God but by Christ. What does that mean for those of other faiths? Nobody knows but Christ. We cant answer that question, only God can. So why not focus on the sure fire way to get into heaven which is to to follow Christ to the best of our ability. 

 

So, recognizing we cannot be a part of this world, we need to be holy, that is, set apart from the world in our thoughts, deeds and actions. For the world has shown that it will not willingly join forces with God, thus they have chosen the side of Satan. So we cannot hold with them. It is to God and His Banner to whom we must cling. His Banner will always remain strong and never fail. Even when we waver, Gods banner never wavers. In our moments of weakness, it is to God and His Banner to whom we must return to regain our spiritual strength. We will always be facing the same spiritual wickedness in this life as in times past. But with Gods help we can battle this spiritual wickedness. We just have to let the Holy Ghost into our hearts and let Him guide our actions.

 

Thus, when Paul wrote to the people of Rome, he was writing to all of us; for truly nothing is new in the world. There is truth to Solomons saying there is nothing new under the sun[1]. For there is no new sin in the world that has not existed since the time of Adam. It may take different forms over the eons, but all sins are still the same since the dawn of man[2]. Up until the time of Christ, we were still bound in our chains to Satan. We could not pass into the kingdom of heaven, even the Law of Moses could not redeem us, because, on our own we cannot be redeemed. It was only with the coming of Christ we could be redeemed. 

 

He redeemed us through His Death on the Cross and His Resurrection. All three components of God, The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are necessary for our salvation and four our faith. The Father as the one who created us, the Son who died for us, and the Holy Ghost who breaths Gods love and truth and the Word into our hearts.  All three elements of God are active in our ongoing salvation. It is an infinite loop of sorts. God the Father passes His Will to us through the Holy Spirit. The Son, Jesus Christ is our mediator and advocate before the Father. While we do not know exactly each of their functions, we do know all three work together and Jesus is our mediator and advocate to the Father and the Holy Ghost breathes Gods Knowledge into us and believing and acting on what God asks and by what we get from the Holy Ghost brings us to be of God. And this is enough for us to believe upon. We do not need to know the inner workings of the Trinity, only know that they work and exist. Inquiring about the inner workings is superfluous and gets into the how many angels can dance on the head of a pin territory. Which the answer to how many angels can dance on the head of the pin is simply however many God requires.

 

Moving on to todays Gospel, the clear message of the feeding of the multitude is action, and the whys and hows behind all of it does not matter as much as the simple message that He did it. It is all too easy to get wrapped around in fine details, when it is the bigger picture that matters. The clear moral of this story is that He acted, not just talked, but He actually acted and fed the people. It lines up with the collect and the epistle in that if we are to be Christians we need to follow the example that Jesus said, and act on our beliefs and not just say we believe. There are way too many people these days in the church and outside even that talk the talk but they do not walk the walk. We must open our hearts to the Holy Spirit so we can identify these people and not follow their false religion and also so that we can not only talk the talk but walk the walk as well. It is all to easy to talk the talk but not walk the walk. But the true test of our faith is can we talk the talk and walk the walk? If we allow the Holy Spirit into our hearts, souls and minds we will find that doing both is very much possible.

 

That is a model we should follow; not just talk, but act as well.  It serves as a template for our ministries here on Earth, to follow this plan of action and not just diction. Our love for God will be demonstrated through our actions, if we act for Him. Does this story recall the words from the Last Supper used in Holy Communion at the Consecration? He took Bread; and when he had given thanks, He brake it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, Take, eat, this is my Body, which is given for you; Do this in remembrance of me.  Those few words produced The Word, which has satisfied so many over millenniums.  It does not take a lot of words to satisfy us, but they have to be the right ones, which come from Our Lord.

 

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

 



[1] 9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

[2] In some respects, this is a key to the Bible. Regardless of our own self-centered thoughts, we are the same people since Adam and will be until the end of time. Thus he who writes the Romans just as well writes to us. We would like to think we are better, but we are not. We are the same. But, on the other hand, that is convenient for what worked for them will work for us.