The Second Sunday in Advent
The Collect.
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LESSED Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Hear, Read, Mark, Learn and Inwardly Digest
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LL scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
The Prayer of Collect for the 2nd Sunday in Advent provides the very strong view of Holy Scripture and its infallibility held by the Continental and English Reformers. We are made certain by faith of the Hope that Christ has given the believer through the reading of Holy Scripture. There is no other source of knowledge of the Will of God. It is the Word of God that the Holy Spirit brings to our recollection in His counsel. “26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26 The Holy Ghost will never put any extra-biblical teaching to your ears or any other than that which conforms to Holy Writ.
The Collect emphatically points to the Holy Bible as our source of hope, doctrine, faith, and worship.
There are three topics which I wish to point out in our devotion of the Holy Bible as reflected in the Collect, the
1. Nature of the Bible
2. Right use of the Bible
3. Blessings of spiritual study in the life of the believer
Nature of the Bible
It is both human and Divine because it was “written by Holy men of old,” and Divine because they wrote as “moved by the Holy Ghost.” It is infallible because it conveys the will of God for mankind and the manner in which we must live as believers. The English Reformers recognized both elements in the Collect phrase, “Who hast caused all Holy Scripture to be written.”
The Bible is the chart and compass by which we navigate the seas of life. It is written for the learning and enlightenment of every age. Whether its words are spoken by a child or an ancient elder, it carries the same authority because it is not man’s words but God’s.
Right use of the Bible
The Bible must be read prayerfully and with deep conviction. It is not enough to simply hear it read from the lectern, or from the pulpit – it must be read by the one who hungers for knowledge of the Lord and His Love. Incidentally, every follower of Christ must, by definition, hunger for understanding and enlightenment of His Word. It must not only be read, but read with intensity and studied with greater spiritual and scholarly focus than any textbook written. “15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (1 Timothy 2:15) I can say with complete sincerity that in the days of my childhood immediately following the Second World War, must farmers in America had a far greater grasp of the Scriptures and their meaning than most of the popular evangelists of our day.
Blessings of spiritual study in the life of the believer
The study of Scripture develops strong character in many diverse areas – Patience to endure trials and resist temptations, Comfort even when under the persecution of the world and its demons, Hope that transcends every fear and worldy rejection, and it is a means of preparation for the Soldier of Christ to take upon him his complete Armor of God to withstand the slings and arrows of a hateful and godless society in which we live. Our spiritual study and understanding yields hope for the everlasting life to those who persevere to the end according to the elect calling in Christ.
When we often repeat the Lord’s Prayer, the Prayer of Collect, and, indeed, all others of the Common Prayer Book, let us do so with an attentive realization of the meaning, and not simply with vain repetition. To pray the Lord’s Prayer, for example, without considering its depth of meaning, is to use the Lord’s name in vain.
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