Prophets that Prophecy Lies! – 7 October 2020, Anno Domini

 

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HEN the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.  (Jeremiah 14:14)

 

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EWARE of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. (Matthew 7:15-20)

 

            If you are the modern standard of ‘professing’ Christian that believes the counsel of Scripture has less meaning to us of our day than in the days it was first uttered from the Mind of God, you and I will begin this study with a serious difference in understanding the Mind of God. He is changeless – being the same yesterday, today, and forever. He changeth not, and neither do His Words. (see Matthew 5L18, Hebrews 13:8 & Malachi 3:6) The modern demons of society have sought a frontal attack on Holy Scripture for centuries. Having failed to penetrate the ramparts and defenses of faith, they now have resorted to subtle word changes here and there in order to make their new theology so much resemble the original that the inattentive mind might be deceived. This is sadly happening in the majority of pulpits today in America and in the new ‘for-profit’ Bible versions proliferating in the Christian bookstores of our land. If any point out this approach to the church, the vitriol from the modern false prophets will be fast and profound.

 

            One such salient of their offensive sorties is directed toward the very biblical definition of evil itself. 20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:20-21) How many today would erroneously view homosexual marriage as remotely Godly compared with 50 years ago. I was a young man 50 years ago and I can assure you, NO ONE would have advocated such an egregious public sin. Neither would they have believed the MURDER of innocent babies in the very womb of their mother’s would be practiced today and called, rather than MURDER, abortion! A mere sixty years ago, no one of any measurable intelligence would have believed that a renegade and ungodly panel of black-robed hypocrites on the Supreme Court would twist and contort the 1^st Amendment in the Bill of Rights to mean exactly the opposite of what it does mean by declaring prayer and Bible reading in public schools unconstitutional. Please observe the consequences among our youth today of that ruling!

 

            I realize you may be thinking, ‘My goodness, this writer is certainly callous and politically insensitive in the manner in which he describes the sins of the day.’ I am not excessive in my verbiage! Christ confronted the same wicked hypocrites of His day in like manner. He did not disarm the Church from making righteous judgment – the modern church has disarmed itself! Our Lord has given strong counsel on the judgment of sin: 24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. So, what is righteous judgment? It is the judgment of God expressed in His Holy word. If God calls murder a sin, we must also consider murder a sin. That is not OUR judgment, but His! If He calls every form of sexual perversion a sin, we must do as well – not our judgment, but His!

 

            I believe the Lord would address the US Supreme Court of the past several decades in the same tone as He addressed the Pharisees and Jewish lawyers of His day: 34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.  (Matthew 12:34-37)

 

            And just who are these false manipulators of the natural and biblical laws of God? Allow our Lord to tell you who these are: 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. Those Justices who ruled approval for Roe v. Wade (abortion case) should tremble at our Lord’s declaration.

 

            Perhaps you believe your present minister is more enlightened than our Reformers who would prefer the burning stake to the denial of a single verse of the Bible. So you sit, Sunday after Sunday, under the lukewarm, entertainment-oriented, permissive preaching of a clueless minister whose sermons are designed to satisfy the more wealthy class of tithers in the church.

 

            Do not get me wrong. I do not consider every minister of our day to be a false prophet, but I do believe the majority filling the mainline pulpits of our land are imposters and wolves. How else do you explain the blatant apostasy of churches that compromise on the issues of abortion, Godly marriage, and the defense of religious freedoms?

 

            How does our Lord warn us about false prophets? 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. (Matthew 24:11) Does our Lord warn that a false prophet shall sometimes arise here and there? NO! He warns that MANY false prophets shall arise and deceive MANY! What part of MANY do we not understand? 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (Matthew 24:24) An interesting phrase in this last text – if it were possible.  Frankly, it is not possible for the elect of God to be deceived forever, for they will love the Word of God, study the Word of God and digest the Word of God so that it will become part of their being. They will have put on the Mind that was in Christ our Lord and think with His Mind.  But there are not only false prophets, but false Christians also – men and women who congregate at the larger churches for the purposes of business, politics and prestige. 22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. (Mark 13:22-23)

 

            These false prophets and their cohorts, the false Christians, are as ravening wolves. They dress as lambs for the purpose of gaining proximity to the innocent lambs in order to devour them – not only for food, but out of a cruel intent. 1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. (2 Peter 2:1-3)

 

            There are many churches with a great deal of spirit and little truth. On the other hand, there are many churches with much truth, but lacking in the spirit of love. But our Lord declares that we must worship both in Spirit and in Truth! To the woman at the well, ourt Lord said:  . . . . the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24)

 

            An old friend of mine and teacher – and I mean very old since he passed into the presence of the Lord in 1704, Benjamin Keach, has a particular way to describe the nature of wolves: They will silently approach the sheep fold, to see whether the dogs be asleep, or the shepherd wanting; when he is careless or negligent of the flock, then comes the wolves to destroy, and suck the blood of the poor sheep. Those that have horns, the wolves attack from the tail to reduce danger to themselves; and Wolves, naturalists tell us, keep to their dens or lurking places in the day-time, and about eventide secretly come out seeking their prey. Moreover, it is said, they will learn the those tones that the shepherd uses in calling sheep and the sheep go forth to that uncertain voice to perish. The same is happening in many churches today. 1 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 4:1-3)

Hymns of the Church – God’s Great Grace it has Brought Us – 6 October 2020, Anno Domini (In the Year of our Lord)

 

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F such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.  (2 Corinthians 12:5-10)

 

            This hymn is not common to English or American hymnals – not at least insomuch as I could find it there. I discovered this hymn long ago in the standard Korean Hymnal and have loved it since. It is an old hymn once featured in the Presbyterian hymnals of two centuries ago. The hymn is written by T. Sasao and translated from Korean by John T. Underwood. The tune is NETTLETON composed by J. Wyeth in 1812.  It reflects the immutable truth that our salvation is ALL of grace and none of our own works.

 

God’s Great Grace it has Brought Us

 

God's great grace it is has brought us, All this way in faithfulness

God's unbounded love which sought us, How can tongue of man express

His strong hand is watching o'er us, Whether sleeping or awake

He makes all things pleasant for us, In the Lord for Jesus sake

 

God renews our failing powers With His might from day to day

And in mercy on us showers Grace sufficient for the way

Though the loveless streets be dreary Harsh and bleak the mountain ways

We shall walk and not be weary Clasp His hand and sing His praise

 

Daily closer comes the promise When again we see the Lord

Every burden taken from us Every joy in him restored

Back at home my room is waiting I shall walk in through that door

 Join my Father celebrating And with Him live evermore.

 

            1. God's great grace it is has brought us, All this way in faithfulness God's unbounded love which sought us, How can tongue of man express His strong hand is watching o'er us, Whether sleeping or awake He makes all things pleasant for us, In the Lord for Jesus sake In most modern churches, we hear little of grace in the context of its true meaning in Scripture. Though it is often used to represent the favor of God (which is true), it most often means in a sense of ‘deserved’ grace and not the biblical definition of ‘unmerited grace.’ There is no greater grace than that of God. In fact, apart from that of God, there is no grace. Grace is a product of sacrificial love, and all love comes from God. There is no language under the sun that can even begin to fully express the grace of God toward His people. He never slumbers nor sleeps. “My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

 

            2. God renews our failing powers With His might from day to day And in mercy on us showers Grace sufficient for the way Though the loveless streets be dreary Harsh and bleak the mountain ways We shall walk and not be weary Clasp His hand and sing His praise. If we recall the wicked days before the Great Deluge, we will know that the heart of man is nothing more than to continually imagine wickedness more and more. We see the days of Noah reflected in our own times today. The very first mention of grace, in fact, is found in regard to Noah: “8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” Genesis 6:7 The Lord Jesus Christ came to redeem us from our sins so that we suffer not the great death, but have life more abundantly without the penalty of the Law. “4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23) Under every dark circumstance, the faithful Christian is able to sing praises to our Lord.

 

            3. Daily closer comes the promise When again we see the Lord Every burden taken from us Every joy in him restored Back at home my room is waiting I shall walk in through that door Join my Father celebrating And with Him live evermore. Every passing day of our lives, we draw nearer to that moment of being face-to-face with our Creator and Lord. Though the Lord bears our heavy burdens here in this life, the day comes when every burden shall be lifted and we shall enjoy close fellowship with Him and all the saints in Heaven. We all have a room of dying in this life, but that room is only a rough foyer to the Gates of Splendor which awaits every elect of God.  You do not earn entrance – it is all of grace. You were chosen and elected from before the foundation of the world; and you were called to life, even while living a temporary existence in the world, by the soothing and penetrating voice of the Holy Ghost. Indeed, GRACE IS THE FOUNDATION of true Christianity. The New Testament reveals that God the Father’s GRACE is an ALL-ENCOMPASSING quality. 

 

               The life-giving faith of the Christian is also a gift and benefit of grace: “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:8-10) We were all dead in trespasses and sin until our souls were made alive by the Holy Ghost – totally an act of God and no act of the dead man.

 

Closing Text

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lessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” (Eph 1:3-7) 

 

            Your labors for God come AFTER your salvation – not before. When you are in Christ, your good works are His as He works through you to accomplish His certain will.

AOC Sunday Report - Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity

 Happy Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity as the seemingly Endless Green Season drones on.

The AOC Sunday Report can be downloaded RIGHT HERE or by clicking the picture above.

Today, like pretty much every Sunday, we have superb sermons from Bishops Jerry and Roy, as well as Revs Jack and Bryan.  You will enjoy each of them.  I particularly commend Bishop Jerry and Rev Jack's discussion on the Collect of the Day.

A lot of people need your prayer, nothing new.    Please start with our various countries being devastated by governments allegedly in response to Covid, Donald and Melania who are fighting Covid, Shamu who is faced with a 28th surgery and Loretta who has pneumonia, work out from there.

There is an amazing week ahead, find it with the help of that Third God Guy, the Holy Ghost.

Godspeed,

Hap

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Descanso, California

United States of America

Sermon Notes - Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity - Saint Andrew’s Anglican Orthodox Church - 4 October 2020, Anno Domini

 

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

 

The Collect.

 

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ORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always prevent[1] and follow us, and make us continually to be given to al

l good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

            Today’s Collect reminds me of a fundamental principle of learning – there are others, but this one is applicable to today’s Collect. That principle is “repetition aids retention”. It was one of those laws with which I became intimately familiar and one which I employed to great effect in my career in the training and education of military aviators. A maneuver often repeated will be remembered easily. A certain rule of meteorology, or of aerodynamics, often repeated and tested, will be retained over the lifetime of the military pilot. The Bible itself is a monument to this principle. We see the same principles of salvation, redemption, sanctification, etc., featured in multi-faceted accounts throughout the Holy Bible, and much to our profit. The same is true of the Collects which are, themselves, based on scriptural truths.

 

            I once read of an event in the ministry of the great Charles Spurgeon in England. Mr. Spurgeon had given the exact SAME sermon four Sundays in a row. Frustrated and a bit indignant, one of the congregants asked him if he was aware that he had given the same sermon four Sundays running. “Yes, I am aware of it,” responded Spurgeon. “But why the same sermon four times?” asked the congregant. “That is simple to explain,” replied Spurgeon. “When you begin to heed the sermon, I will go on to the next.”

 

            LORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us It is a mighty comfort to know that God’s grace not only follows in the wake of our service as the people of God, but even PRECEDES (another meaning of prevent) the Elect in his/her daily walk. We do not worry about walking down a darkened path upon which the Lord has set our foot, because we KNOW that He is ever both BEHIND and BEFORE us. He is our Advance Force and our Rear Guard. He is as the Pillar of Cloud by Day, and Pillar of Fire by Night, to both lead and follow His people in the Wilderness journey of this world. If God places our feet on a path, we must go the distance in faith no matter the utter desolation along the way. I am reminded of a quote by the scientist, Robert Jastrow (an agnostic at best) who ironically wrote in his book, God and the Astronomers: “For the scientist who has lived by faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries.”

 

            “…..and make us continually to be given to all good works.” How can we be “given to good works?”  It must have become a feature of our changed nature at the moment of conversion, and the sanctification that is to follow that conversion. It is the empowering genius of the Holy Spirit. Certainly, our salvation is none of our own doing, but the pure and whole work of grace; yet, the evidence of our salvation is the good works and purity of life that follows the soul’s salvation.

 

            Our revered and martyred Archbishop Cranmer translated this Collect from the Sacramentary of Gregory. The Latin word from which he translated the word ‘continually’ is uigiter. This Latin word means  “like an overflowing stream.” The grace granted to us to be called the sons and daughters of God is that same ceaseless grace that enables and directs our paths in righteous living. It is a sanctifying grace that continually refines our souls as the Refiners Fire. It never ceases, never becomes inadequate – but is ALWAYS profuse and wonderful in abundance. Lord, give us that grace that inspired the early church to stand against a world of ignorance and superstition. Is the world so different today from that of the first century Romans?

 

            An army in the field needs certain provision. It needs, first of all, a logistical train that follows in its path. But even more important: it needs a leader to go before. Alexander the Great has said, “I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.” The Captain of the Corps sets the standard in courage, resourcefulness, perseverance, and conduct. We have the resources of heaven upon which to call for our supply and logistical base, and we have the Lord Jesus Christ as the Captain of our souls who has already scouted out, mapped, and led the way to the field of battle. He stands as the Ensign at the extreme edge of the Battlefield urging us, not to go, but to FOLLOW Him! What a wonderful God, and magnificent Lord who both leads and follows! Have you called upon that abundant provision of God? Have you looked to the Field Commander as your inspiration and courage to advance against the enemy (Satan and his legions)?

The Gospel

(Luke 14:1-11)

 

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ND it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. 2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. 3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? 4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; 5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? 6 And they could not answer him again to these things. 7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, 8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 

 

It was the Sabbath Day. I will introduce my sermon by quoting an old minister, Rev TT Lynch:

 

We have been thinking and speaking of a miracle done on the Sabbath. It is evident that our Saviour had a preference for theSabbath as a time for working miracles. How, then, is it with respect to ourselves — we who, many of us, would be glad to have a miracle wrought on our behalf, and yet have no right whatever to expect one? It is just thus — we are waiting for the Sabbath. In other words, it was intended, no doubt, to be taught us by our Saviour’s practice, that there is a special time of rest coming, when all the various troubles that hamper and injure us will be utterly removed — our burdens unbound; our fevers cooled for ever; our weakness changed to strength; all our heaviness lightened; our blind eyes made clear; our deaf ears unstopped; our feet filled with vigorous leaping blood; and all that is within us lighted up with joy, even as the house was lighted up, and music and dancing sounded in it, when the prodigal came home. There is a Sabbath coming; and as Christ wrought His cures upon the Sabbath, when He was upon earth, we are taught to look on to a day of cure that is coming — that Sabbath, namely, of rest, into which we hope to enter hereafter. It may be needful for our perfection, and the perfection of our friends, that we should still be burdened; but we are quite sure that, after the round of the six days, there will come the seventh; we are quite sure, when the time of trial has ended, the boon of health will be granted.

 

Jesus has been invited to the house of a prominent Pharisee one of the chief of them, we are told. 

 

“And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.”

 

Many other Pharisees were doubtless there for “they watched him.” How greatly would they have benefitted if they had watched Him to learn instead of to find fault. 

 

Why was Jesus invited by one of those who hated Him and were constantly trying to destroy Him? They had invited Jesus to catch Him in an act of disobedience of the Sabbath – it was a ‘set up’ in the popular vernacular.

 

Why do you suppose Jesus accepted the invitation?  Jesus was no recluse – He came to help all who would hear Him.  He loved to be in social gatherings where men would listen – ALL men…even Pharisees.

 

“And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.”

 

The cunning mind of the Pharisee bypassed no opportunity in providing a means of entrapment for Christ. Seemingly, just by coincidence, a man with a grave and serious malady is present – a man who probably had not been invited had it not fit comfortably in the plans of the Pharisees to present Jesus with a temptation.

 

These men are ruthless. They will use even the kindness and compassion of Jesus to try and condemn Him.

 

They have seated the man with the dropsy (congestive heart failure) in a place BEFORE Jesus. They know that He loves to heal and to do good regardless the occasion, but today is the Sabbath! They will use this as an occasion to condemn Christ of violating the Sabbath by doing healing works on this day.

 

But Jesus knows the heart of men, and He knows the evil thoughts of the hearts of those who sit watching Him.

 

“And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?”

 

Jesus sets the circumstances to turn the tables on these miscreants. The question restated might read: “Is it ever unlawful to do good?” Did God provide man with the day of rest for the purpose of omitting even deeds of kindness?

 

The Pharisees and priests of Jesus day had added so many cumbersome proscriptions to the Sabbath observance and every other aspect of the law, that men could not bear them without misery – just the opposite of what God had intended.

 

Jesus was continually tempted in every way that we are tempted, but Jesus never gave into temptation except in certain cases. 

 

What were those cases? When tempted to do good, as in the present case, Christ could not resist the temptation to act out of His compassion to heal and to comfort. This was not a temptation to sin, but a temptation by sinful men of Christ to do good. He always did!

 

You and I are tempted, on the other hand, to do bad things not pleasing to God. But in every temptation to do evil is found an opportunity to, instead, do good. Jesus sets the example for us in every case.

 

Because they have set their trap, the Pharisees do not respond to the pointed question of Christ: “And they held their peace.” Men will most often speak out when they can condemn or hurt, but will less often speak out on the part of righteousness. Political correctness restrains them from speaking righteousness but tends always to wickedness and the inhibition of sincere speech.

 

So, Jesus poses the simple question which they decline to answer so as not to give away their plot. How many clergy, as well as laity, remain silent on issues of great importance?  I have observed the silence, even on discussion groups of the church, remain stony silent on matters on which they should have strong opinion. The silence of those is like a scream in the night.

 

Those who are legalist often forget the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27) 

 

The failure to accept the Sabbath in the manner and purpose for which it was given nullifies its benefits. The Christian Sabbath is not a once per week observance but a daily one. Christ has given us an Eternal Sabbath (Rest).

 

“And he took him, and healed him, and let him go.” The whole will of Christ was to heal the man and not to make a spectacle of him. So, Jesus, instead of having the man remain standing by for show, releases him to go his way. How different from the Pharisees who heartlessly brought the man to tempt Christ.

 

“And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?”

 

Had they forgotten the counsel of Proverbs 12:11 -  “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” 

 

An ox or a donkey were precious to men who depended on them to produce income. If one of the Pharisees own precious animals fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, he would certainly have rescued the animal, if not out of kindness, then out of greed.

 

He thus shuts them. Up to this startling alternative: "Not to do good, when it is in the power of our hand to do it, is to do evil; not to save life, when we can, is to kill" 

 

“And they could not answer him again to these things.   ⁷ And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,” 

 

Righteous words will shut the mouth of the wicked. 

 

Jesus is an observer of men and women. He watched as the poor widow cast her all into the Temple treasury, and He has observed here how the guests of the Pharisee came into the room and chose the best seats and provisions.  They sought to have their seating lend them honor when they should have allowed their honor to determine their seating. They lacked humility and were filled with false pride.

 

So Jesus tells them a story (Parable) to which they can relate in common life:

“When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.”

 

All of the counsels of Christ are full of spiritual and uplifting truths. This short Parable is no exception.

 

Jesus begins the story with a delicate allusion to a type of gathering that would be different from that of his present host of whom He has been invited. The venue is a wedding feast, but still a feast so that the same principle will apply.

 

When we are invited to a special event, do not exalt your importance by finding the highest place, or most visible place, to stand or sit.  We will inevitably to be embarrassed by our presumptive pride when we are told, curtly, to move and surrender your place to one having greater honor than you. The only place left at that time will be the place of least honor – the lowest room. “And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.”

 

He has given an example of how not to behave, but He does not leave us in doubt as to how we should behave: “But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.” 

 

Notice the host refers to the man who is humble and takes the very lowest place of honor as Friend. He did not refer to the man who took the highest place as Friend. Men despise false pride and arrogance in others.  If we humble ourselves, men will always elevate us in esteem. But greater is the reward in Heaven!

 

A college professor once hosted a tea for his graduating students.  When they all presented themselves at his home, the professor had all the cups, in the right number, assembled on the table. The cups were all of different kinds. One was of stone, one of crystal, one of clay, and some were shaped curiously different from any before seen.  When the professor invited the students to take a cup, the first took the crystal, the next the glass, the next the stone, the next the clay, and so forth.

 

As the professor watched them drink their tea that he had poured for them, he observed that they had each chosen the best cup at the table; but the purpose of a tea was not the kind of cup one drank from, but the tea which the cup contained. The quality of the tea is not changed by the quality of the cup which contains it. So with our worthiness before God. It is not some superficial position or appearance that is important, but what is inside. 

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[1]                Prevent is a word that has many uses, and at least one has fallen out of general usage as time has gone on.  This is one of them.  In this case the word prevent means to go before.  Before you object to archaic words, consider this is a current word, it just has a use you may not have been aware of and now you are!  What a bonus for this week!

On the Wings of the Lord – 2 October 2020, Anno Domini

 

H

E shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day.   (Psalm 91:4-5)

 

M

Y soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: 6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. 7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. 8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me. (Psalm 63:5-8)

 

Y

E have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.   (Exodus 19:4)

 

            Wings imply flight, and flight implies a higher means of transport. Wings may also related to protection as a mother hen gathers her chicklets under her wings and will suffer death in defending them. It is the security we have found in our Lord Jesus Christ that is comparable to that protection the chicklets find under their mother’s wings. We rejoice in that security. Therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. 

 

            On 18 May 1980, there was a violent volcanic eruption on Mt. St. Helens. It was one of the greatest volcanic explosions ever recorded in North America. A total of 57 people and thousands of animals were killed in the event and 200 homes destroyed for fifteen miles from the center. A forestry team ventured into the area following the event to assess extent of the damage. The earth was parched, and vegetation burned around the central summit of the mountain. Walking through the debri of ash and cinders, one of the team members spotted quail that had been burned alive in the heat. It was covered with ash and its feathers were singed. The team member casually brushed the dead creature aside and was surprised to see her little chicks scurry from beneath her wings. The mother protected these darlings of her heart with her last strength and life. That is the price the Lord has paid for our redemption.

 

            The wings of the Lord are mighty wings which bring protection, healing, and safety from the storm. In Exodus 19:4 quoted above, God carried His people out of Egypt as on eagles’ wings.  You will observe that the eagle did not carry them out by his talons because those are strong enough to kill whatever creature is carried thereby, and the eagle cannot calculate the strength required in its talons.  Unlike any other bird with which I am familiar, the eagle carries her young ON her wings.  There are at least two reasons for this:

 

1.     Because it is the least uncomfortable place for the young to be carried;

2.     If the archer aims his arrows at the eagle in flight, the mother eagle’s body will protect her young from death.

 

            The Lord will bring healing to His people by way of His wings – they are swift as an eagle! 25 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. 26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey. (Job 9:25-26) He has healed our souls and spirits by His redemption. The day cometh when He will heal the earth and vanquish every sinful inclination. 2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 4:2-3) Read carefully – He is not coming next for the reprobate and rebellious sinner, as we once were, but for those who ‘fear my name.’ In His mighty wings are the treasures of healing to all who fear Him. Fear is the beginning of knowledge, and knowledge the understanding of God’s Word and will for our lives.

 

            I shared a story a few years ago from my fifth grade reader entitled, ‘Hatteras Joe.’ It was the story of a great eagle one hundred and fifty years ago whose mate was killed by a farmers shotgun. Eagles mate for life. When Hatteras Joe swooped down to see if his mate as dead, the farmer fired at the eagle and broke its wing. At the pleading of the son, the farmer took the eagle home, put a splint on its wing and chained it by the talons to a stump in the back yard. When the eagle recovered, the farmer allowed it to fly about the area, but it always returned to roost on the old stump at night. A great storm brewed on the Atlantic and the residents of the coastal regions moved to higher ground. There was heavy winds and flood damage from the storm. On his return, the famer looked for the eagle. He knew the eagle had the ability to fly above the storm and thought it would be safe; however, when he looked in his backyard, he found the drowned eagle with its talons gripping the stump. The eagle had come to believe that there was security in that stump, but he was wrong. He placed his trust in the arm of flesh and not in his God-given strength to soar above the storm.

 

            The wings of an eagle are very similar in nature to those of the Almighty. First of all, an bald eagle can fly higher than any other bird (up to 15,000 ft). They are master aviators. They are able to do so because they have learned to ride the wind currents even without flapping their gigantic wings. We could learn a lot from the eagle if we would ride on the lifting currents of the Holy Spirit instead of trying to flap our wings until exhausted.

 

            Eagles do not know divorce. They mate for life. In this characteristic, how finer they are than their human counterparts. 

 

            Christ has made His elect to be ‘fishers of men.’ In this role, the eagle excels. Soaring high above the cold rivers, he can spot a fish from hundred or even a thousand feet. He dives at terrific speed and grabs the fish from the waters. If we pay close heed to the Word of God, we, too, will keen our eyes to discover those who need to know of the Lord Jesus Christ and His saving Gospel. We will not procrastinate in going to wherever the Lord sends us to do our fishing.

 

            Eagles are loners. They do not flock together, but fly either alone, or in pairs with their mate. The Christian will often find himself alone in the world of unbelief. He has been commanded to come out from among those who preach lies and reject the Word of God.

 

            The eagle makes his abode on the heights of the wilderness – the tallest peak, rock or tree available.

 

            The eagle is equipped to look directly at the sun without being blinded. This is so because of a gossamer membrane that can come down to cover the eyes when it looks at the sun. The archer is blinded when trying to see the eagle ascend toward the sun. 5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. (Proverbs 23:5)

 

            It is the wings of the eagle that make it the formidable sovereign of the skies. The eagle is the symbol of the born-again Christian. 31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Most great eagles go through a period in their lives called the moping time. They seem to lose interest in living and actually cease to fly. Their feathers grow oily, and their beaks corroded with calcium. They eat whatever of insects and rodents they can find. They have forgotten that they are eagles. Many who are called Christian fall into the same malaise. But one day, the eagle wakes up and becomes disgusted with himself. He begins climbing back up to higher ground. He pulls all of his feathers out and pounds his beak against a rock until all the excess calcium is removed. He grows new and glorious feathers and once again takes to his rightful flight above all other creatures. That can also happen to the discouraged and despondent Christian. If he one day awakens to his fall from grace, he can again change his nature, his appearance, and his lifestyle and soar upon the winds of the Holy Spirit.

 

            There are scores of similarities possessed by the eagle in Holy Scripture that would far exceed the scope of a single devotion; but the Bible is in your possession to conduct further research to explore what spiritual insights you could learn from the eagle and its mighty wings. Those wings are strong and efficient, but those of God far exceed anything we know on earth.

 

Remember

 

H

E bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. 10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. (Psalm 18:9-10)

 

A good hymn to recall at this time is this great classic of biblical truth and beauty – O Worship the Kingespecially the 2^nd stanza:

 

O tell of his might and sing of his grace,

whose robe is the light, whose canopy space.

His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,

and dark is his path on the wings of the storm. AMEN

A Different Cross – 1 October 2020, Anno Domini

A

ND one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. 44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.   (Luke 23:39-45)

 

            Springtime in the Holy Land is usually distinguished by sunny and placid weather. Though the terrain is somewhat arid, wild flowers deck the mountain slopes in answer to the early spring rains. If we travel back in the time-machines of our imaginations, we can get an almost physical portrait of an event that occurred on Mt. Moriah (the Temple Mount) two thousand years ago, and event that divided time and eternity into two parts – Before Christ (BC) and After the Dominion of Christ (AD) The event was so singular as to cause all modern calendars to be calculated from the date of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That date is acknowledged on every continent around the world.

 

            The day our Lord bore His Cross to Mount Calvary outside the gates of Jerusalem was likely a crisp, sunlit day. The date was Nisan 14 (the day in which Passover would begin at sundown. The Passover Lamb of Goshen in Egypt was sacrificed precise the same moment as our Lord.  3  Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. (Exodus 12:3-6) It is worth noting, again, that Christ was sacrificed on 14 Nisan – the same date, and even the same hour, as the Passover lambs being sacrificed in the Temple.

 

            There was a great multitude that demanded His crucifixion comprised of the same weak and faithless people who only five days earlier had heralded the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem: And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. (Luke 19:36-38) How fickle and changeable are the hearts and minds of men! These scoundrels preferred the crucifixion of a fully righteous man over that of a hardened criminal named Barabbas. Please do not judge Barabbas too harshly for he represents the lot and destiny of each one of us before we are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

 

            The High Priest of Israel, Caiaphas, had even unwittingly uttered a prophecy of the purpose of our Lord’s coming Passion. We are told in the Gospel of Saint John: 49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, 50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. 51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; 52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. (John 11:49-52)

 

            There happened to be two other malefactors who had been sentenced to die during the same crucifixion of our Lord. They were thieves and men of no repute in Israel. These two thieves would be crucified on either side of our Lord. These two men represent the totality of the human race – the first part either saved, or the second part condemned. These are the only two kinds of families on earth – the lost and the redeemed.

 

            These three hung upon the cross from the 3^rd hour (9 AM) until the 9^th hour (3 PM). They endured an appalling torture there. The pain of the cross of our Lord is fully described in the 22^nd Psalm – a Messianic Psalm. 

 

            The two thieves had ample time to consider the reasons for their impending death, yet one continued in the same rebellious spirit as that which led to the cross he suffered. The other, however, was touched in his spirit by the Spirit that is Holy and convinced of his meanness and justifiable punishment. He could have cursed God for his predicament, but he could not do so under the call and draw of the Holy Ghost on his heart. He had heard every word that Jesus had spoken on the cross. He knew , just as the Centurion would later proclaim, Truly this man was the Son of God. He recognized Christ as Lord not only by the physical witness of His suffering, but also by the internal operation of the Holy Spirit. 

 

            Note the response of the soon-to-be-redeemed sinner: First of all, he recognized Jesus as Lord: And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? Please remember we, too, stand in the same condemnation as the thief if we have rejected the Lord. 

 

            Secondly, the thief confesses his own guilt and unworthiness: And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds. This thief recognized that he deserved the punishment of death apart from Christ for we all dead (even while living) in trespasses and sin until quickened (made alive) by the calling of the Holy Ghost.

 

            Thirdly, the thief recognizes the righteousness of our Lord: . . . . but this man hath done nothing amiss.

 

            Fourthly, the thief utters a prayer of hope and salvation: And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Though Jesus was treated as a blasphemer and punished by a cruel crucifixion, the thief saw through all the false claims to the heart of Jesus as Lord and Savior. It is my hope and prayer that no one reading this devotion will require such an extreme test to recognize his need of a Savior. The thief recognized, as well, that the Kingdom of Heaven was separate and apart from worldly kingdoms.

 

            See with what magnanimity our Lord, even while suffering on the cross, responds to sinners: And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Wherever our Lord abides, there is the Paradise of God. It will not happen years, months, or weeks later, but the very moment one is chosen and elected in Christ. The Christian Paradise does not depend upon outward forces, but rather the inner power of the Spirit abiding in the heart.

 

            At the conclusion of this exchange between Christ and the thief, there was darkness over all the earth from the 6^thto the 9^th hour (12 noon to 3 PM – the time of the sacrificing of the Passover lambs, and the moment of Christ giving up the Ghost).

 

And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. Christ has said, The night cometh when no man can work. The last soul saved ere Christ completed His sacrifice was a hardened thief (there is hope for me!). What significance has the renting of the Temple Veil at the moment of the death of our Lord and Savior?  The Temple Veil separated the Holy place from the Holy of Holies. Behind that Veil was the Ark of the Covenant containing the Ten Commandments among other artifices. It represented the constraints of the Law and its implication of the failure of man to keep that Law. Only the High Priest was allowed in the Holy of Holies. Above the Ark was the Mercy Seat (representing Christ our Lord). When Christ had paid the price of redemption, the Temple Veil was rent to open the access to God of all who knew Jesus Christ as the true High Priest and the only Intercessor with the Father. We now may come boldly to the Throne of Grace (Mercy Seat) without the intercession of some human high priest. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. Whosoever lays claim to the title of under-priest must subordinate every word of his teaching to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

 

Remember: Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

 

You can have no other High Priest than our Lord Jesus Christ! Even from the cross, we gain our entry to Paradise.