AOC One

Sunday, October 3, 2021

Sermon Notes - Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity - The Summary of the Law - Saint Andrew’s Anglican Orthodox Church - Enterprise, Alabama (USA) - 3 October 2021, Anno Domini

The Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

ORD, we beseech thee, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil; and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This Gelasian Collect[1] was translated by Archbishop Cranmer to say "grant us thy grace to avoid the temptations of the world, etc.’" but the learned revisers of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer made the seemingly small change to read: "grant us they grace to withstand the temptations of the world, etc". Though the change of a single word may seem trivial, it is not, for we shall certainly encounter the temptations of the world. They cannot be avoided and are often allowed by the Lord for our preparation as courageous people of God.

How do we "withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil?" How do we withstand the several diseases of the physical world? First, and most desirable, is that we are inoculated to be immune from those diseases that threaten our physical health. Secondly, there are some diseases for which there is no vaccine and for which we must receive prompt attention. The temptations of the world to our souls are of a similar natu. The Devil seeks to infect us with the disease of sin. If he is successful, a diseased sinner becomes one who carries his contagion into the presence of all with whom he associates. Sin, like wild weeds, spreads across the landscape without cultivation or tillage. It is not the weeds, but the good grass, vegetables and fruits that need careful watering, fertilization, and tillage.

Is it possible to be immune to some of the Devil's temptations? By all means, it is possible! The best immunity is the avoidance of diseased environments. If we restrain from close familiarity with those who are constantly driven to lust and sinful inclinations, we shall avoid those direct temptations foisted upon those who do so associate with the friends of the world and of the Devil. But there are temptations that lie dormant deep in the heart of man that will emerge from time to time in spite of Godly love and zeal. How are these temptations confronted and defeated? By watchfulness in guarding the soul, and in constant prayerfulness, we may withstand those strong and ungodly temptations that arise in the heart of every Christian: And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. (Mark 14:37-38)

If we are strong in prayer, and watchful against that old Adversary of our souls, he will elect to bring his greater temptations to bear elsewhere. When Christ is the sole owner of our hearts, no other shall dare to invade those sacred chambers of the Temple of God. We shall be stronger than the Devil and all of his cunning traps if we have the One in our hearts who has handily defeated that old Dragon. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. (Luke 11:21-22)

Sin is dirty. It changes our countenance of purity into a grimy image of filth. It makes us sick and we lose the energy to perform good service to God and man; and we gain a greater desire to go to the saloon of Satan for more of the "hair from the dog that bit us." We track our filth everywhere we go. One little `white' lie about a friend (or even a stranger) may circulate among the multitudes until that person's character and reputation are savaged. One promiscuous encounter can ruin a marriage and the lives of children. An aged parent, dishonored, carries that testimony directly to the face of Christ when he departs this life. Sin has consequences that are often irreparable.

Satan is not omniscient, but he does have a mind and the means of observation. He has learned the weaknesses in our defenses. He has watched intently as we have prepared our lines. He knows where the walls of our souls are weak and unprotected. It is at these points that he concentrates his forces and makes his assaults. If he is able to penetrate our defenses, even at the weak points, he gains command of the battlefield in rendering even our strong defense impotent.

What one vaccine has the only effect in dispelling the sinful nature? With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psalm 119:10-11) We defeat the wiles of the Devil by seeking the Lord with our WHOLE HEART, then there remains no faculties free to contemplate sin. We hide God's Whole Counsel in our hearts which is a defense and a fortress against sin. A casual piety will not do – it is the whole being that must belong to God – the Heart, the Mind, the Soul! Is your faith a casual faith, or does God own your soul – lock, stock, and barrel, Friend?

If Christ is the SOVEREIGN of your heart, no enemy can take possession of it.

Is He?

UT when the Pharisees had heard that Jesus had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. (Matt 22:34-46)

Many Bible scholars of our day promote these two Commandments as new commandments instituted by Christ, but they are not. Christ is simply quoting the Old Testament Commandments of Moses day:

Deut 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deut 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul

Deut 13: ¹ If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, ² And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; ³ Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. ⁴ Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. ⁵ And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.

Lev 19:¹⁷ Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. ¹⁸ Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

Silences the Pharisees about the Messiah

Christ was always the master of every crisis and every challenge:

Matthew 22:15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. ¹⁶ And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. ¹⁷ Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? ¹⁸ But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? ¹⁹ Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. ²⁰ And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? ²¹ They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. ²² When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

This is one reason they literally hated Christ. He interfered with their money greed……selling in the Temple…house of prayer, but a place of thieves.

Who is my Neighbor ….Good Samaritan….etc.

Now Jesus will also present them with a dilemma they should already have known being Masters of the Pentateuch:

⁴¹ While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ⁴² Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. ⁴³ He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, ⁴⁴The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? ⁴⁵ If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

Psalm 110:1¹ The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool

David also said: Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Now these snails crawled away to plan how further they might have Him put to death.

Psalm 58:⁷ Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces. ⁸ As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun. ⁹ Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath. ¹⁰ The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. ¹¹ So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

Snails love darkness. They hate Light. They also hate salt.

Matthew 5:¹³ Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. ¹⁴ Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

⁴⁶ And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

A common enemy always unites various sects and interest together against it.

Jesus was a common enemy to the superstitions and power struggles of the Times, just as He is a common enemy of the political and economic structures of our time.

Though politics and financial interests are not found in the same common bed in normal circumstances, they both ally themselves against the True Gospel of Christ.

Text books promote evolution. News outlets say we must respect the religious faith of Moslems, Buddhist, and Hindus, yet, with one voice, they press for condemnation of Christian Faith in our society.

Those who accept the biblical authority that condemns adultery, homosexuality, drunkenness, are considered smug and made to look ridiculous in movies and news specials.

Nothing has changed in the world’s contempt for Christ since He first ministered as a boy in the Temple at Jerusalem.

Herodians, Sadducees, Pharisees, who were constantly at war with each other, made temporary peace alliances with each other in order to destroy the Man, Jesus. He was both Man and God. Instinctively, these culprits recognized this from their study of ancient biblical texts, and the testimony of His works. Yet, they found Him contemptible to their world of power and money. They all hated Him alike.

They cunningly contrived questions to entangle Him in His speech and in His knowledge, however, they always lost.

The last of the three questions put to Jesus, and the one question with which He turned the tables and silenced His questioners, are our subject. In the former, Jesus declares the essence of the law or of religion; in the latter, He brings to light the essential loftiness of the Messiah.

As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Our Love for God crowns our love nature. The underside of that love is love for our fellow man. The Pharisees remained ‘gathered together,’ and may have been preparing another question, but Jesus had been long enough interrogated. It was not fitting that He should be catechised only. His questions teach. He does not seek to ‘entangle’ the Pharisees ‘in their speech,’ nor to make them contradict themselves, but brings them full up against a difficulty, that they may open their eyes to the great truth which is its only solution. His first question, ‘What think ye of the Christ?’ is simply preparatory to the second. The answer which He anticipated was given, — as, of course, it would be, for the Davidic descent of the Messiah was a commonplace universally accepted.

One can fancy the Pharisees smiled complacently at the attempt to puzzle them with such an elementary question, but the smile vanished when the next one came.

What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. ⁴³ He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, ⁴⁴ The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? ⁴⁵ If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

Why do teachers often ask questions?

If they ask a question, and you know not the answer, why does a teacher often ask you another question?

The reason is that guided discussion to help you discover the answer which is already a part of your knowledge.

How are Snails like sinners? Salt- light, darkness, eat from labours of others.

Here is the new commandment Christ gave:

John 13:³⁴ A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. ³⁵ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

These are important words and an identifying command to us.

He gave it the night He was taken in the Garden to be crucified. It is the only new commandment.

But it is not written on tables of stone, but on the soft sinews of our hearts.

Love will release us from condemnation:

Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Do not try to argue away your sins and wickedness as the Pharisees. It is easy to love when we have compassion. And when we feed love in our hearts, hate will die of starvation, and our sins will cease.

UT this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. ³⁴And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:33)

Do you love God and His Word? Do you agree to follow Christ in all things.

Be richly blessed now and forever!

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelasian_Sacramentary - The so-called Gelasian Sacramentary (Latin: Sacramentarium Gelasianum) is a book of Christian Liturgy, containing the priest's part in celebrating the Eucharist. It is the second oldest western liturgical book that has survived: only the Verona Sacramentary is older.

Trinity 18 Collect - a Devotion for 3 October 2021, Anno Domini

The Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

How do we "withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil?" How do we withstand the several diseases of the physical world? First, and most desirable, is that we are inoculated to be immune from those diseases that threaten our physical health. Secondly, there are some diseases for which there is no vaccine and for which we must receive prompt attention. The temptations of the world to our souls are of a similar nature. The Devil seeks to infect us with the disease of sin. If he is successful, a diseased sinner becomes one who carries his contagion into the presence of all with whom he associates. Sin, like wild weeds, spreads across the landscape without cultivation or tillage. It is not the weeds, but the good grass, vegetables and fruits that need careful watering, fertilization, and tillage.

What one vaccine has the only effect in dispelling the sinful nature? With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psalm 119:10-11) We defeat the wiles of the Devil by seeking the Lord with our WHOLE HEART, then there remains no faculties free to contemplate sin. We hide God's Whole Counsel in our hearts which is a defense and a fortress against sin. A casual piety will not do – it is the whole being that must belong to God – the Heart, the Mind, the Soul! Is your faith a casual faith, or does God own your soul – lock, stock, and barrel, Friend?

If Christ is the SOVEREIGN of your heart, no enemy can take possession of it.

Is He?

The All-Sufficient Substitute – 2 October 2021, Anno Domini

ND he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. * 9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. * 10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. (Leviticus 16:7-10)

herefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:20-26)

When a toddler, my mother used to sing a hymn entitled What can Wash Away my Sins. At such an early age, I could not comprehend the meaning of the hymn. When I asked my mother, she told me how Jesus died on the cross at Calvary for me so that I could be saved. I still did not know the meaning, but believed that account since my mother believed it. Later I came to know more fully the meaning of His substitutionary death on the cross for such a one as me. He literally took my place on the cross as surely as he took the place of the murderer, Barabbas.

We find in Leviticus an early foreshadowing of the Lord Jesus Christ, and not in the scape-goat alone, but both the scape-goat as well as the sin-bearer goat. How so, you may ask. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

The sin-bearer goat was burdened by the sins of the people and sacrificed therefor. It is quite simple to see the sacrifice of our Lord on the cross with this sin-bearer goat as He bore the sins of us all on the cross at Calvary. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.

So, in what manner does the scape-goat bear the likeness of our Lord’s work of redemption and atonement? But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. I believe this scape-goat represents the risen Savior. He rose from the grave, and ascended to the Father into the misty Eternity into which we have no vision.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One in all time and eternity who is worthy to redeem us of sin because He was sinless. 14 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. 15 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. 16 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 4:15-16)

Jesus Christ redeemed us through the demands of the Law and justice. 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. (Romans 3:23-25)

There is nothing the lost sinner can do to save himself. He is condemned already ere the draw of the Holy Ghost forces him to the Throne of Grace and Mercy. His only claim of merit is by virtue of the imputed grace and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

Our Lord knew you before the worlds were made, and you were foremost in His Mind on the cross for your name was graven into the palms of His hands: 15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. * 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. (Isaiah 49:15-16)

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Friday, October 1, 2021

Follow Me – 1 October 2021, Anno Domini

ND they went to another village. 57 ¶And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. 61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:56-62)

There are many references in the Bible to the term, Follow Me. I will only reference select passages for the sake of brevity. In the calling of His disciples, Jesus most often simply told the disciple at his busy work to Follow me and that disciple immediately arose and followed. Each were chosen by our Lord – not a case of the Lord being chosen by them. Sheep that do not belong to the shepherd will never follow him. In the narrative from the text above, one came expressing a desire to follow the Lord; however, he was apparently not chosen to do so. Others were called and not chosen consistent with the Gospel. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. (Matthew 20:15-16)

Our Lord teaches in such simple terms that the most salient of His points are often missed in our understanding. The object of my devotion today is more of the meaning of the exchange in VerseS 59 & 60 above in the introductory text And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

This passage may seem somewhat arcane to those who are beginners in Bible study; however, they reveal a precise truth concerning the plight of the saved compared to the lost sinner. For example, why would Christ make such a comment as Let the dead bury their dead? Our human understanding of death immediately wonders at such a statement and may think it verges on the ridiculous since we cannot imagine the dead, in our limited understanding, burying the dead. Well, Mr. or Mrs. Bible scholar, how is that possible?

Who are the dead? Well, there are two types – the physically dead and the walking dead, or spiritually dead. Just as spiritual death occurred the moment Adam partook of the forbidden tree, so are all of his generation dead in the spiritual life until called by Name to arise from our spiritual tombs as did Lazarus from his physical tomb. Those who know not Christ as Lord and Savior are dead spiritually and will suffer the second death at His coming – they are literally the walking dead in the same sense of a zombie. It was these dead to whom our Lord made reference in His comment. This doctrinal truth is elaborated in the following:

ND you hath he quickened (literally, made ALIVE), who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 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. (Ephesians 2:1-9)

The third petitioner claims he will follow Christ after first going home to bid farewell to his family. This reveals a misplacement of priorities – the first priority of every Christian is to follow Christ now and forever. There is no excuse to delay our commitment to follow. Our focus should always be fixed on Christ and His Way, Truth, and Life. If we are drawn back to prior desires, even temporarily, our walk will not be steady nor straight. No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

When plowing, if we look back instead of forward, our row will be crooked and lean in the direction of our backward look.

First the Seed - a Devotion for 30 September 2021, Anno Domini

ND he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. (Mark 4:26-29)

The matter of the promised Seed of Abraham is vitally important for us to understand if we will not go down with our lights darkened and alone at the coming long sleep of death. I can think of no greater sorrow than to die alone and without a Friend beyond Jordan Waters upon whom we may hang our hopes as did Israel on the willows by the rivers of Babylon. (see Psalm 137:1-2)

From this text, the Seed is revealed though veiled in mysteries that only the redeemed can fully grasp. This text is preceded by the announcement that certain Greeks came down for the Passover feast inquiring of Philip to see Jesus. We are reminded in our Lord's response that the hour comes when it will be too late to seek our Lord. Just as the five virgins without oil in their lamps arrived too late to be admitted to the Marriage Banquet and found the door closed and barred; so will the day come when time will be no more and appeal can no longer be made to the Throne of Mercy. The Greeks come too late, for it is the time of the Lord's Passion.

The greater mystery revealed here is of the Seed of Promise made to Abraham and reaffirmed through the lineage of David the King - Jesus Christ. Jesus makes reference to Himself as the corn of wheat (or seed) that must fall into the earth and die if newness of Eternal Life is made available to those who are the Elect of God. The death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord has borne fruit far greater than one hundredfold. Now it is this Seed of which our devotion is written today. We too must die to self and live for Christ as He died for us and rose for us.

Remember when the Sower of Matthew 13 went forth to sow - observe what happens. In this parable, the four different types of soil represents the different kinds of heart that receive the Word of God (Seed). Remember, there is life in the kernel of the seed of any plant. It is the SEED that conveys life, not the fruit. But that life must take root in fertile soil.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24b)

Well, now, what is the Word of the Kingdom? It is none other than the Eternal Word of God pre-existent from all eternity past - that Word which was made flesh and dwelt among us. That Word is the fruitful Seed promised to Abraham. Please bear in mind that Isaac came by miraculous birth. He was placed on the altar by his father as an offering to God. Any offering placed on an altar is holy and dedicated to the Lord - thus the spiritual descendents of Isaac (you and me) who believe in the miraculous new birth in Christ.

We all know that Jesus is the lineal descendent, according to the law of descent, of King David. There are two lines of descent given in Scripture for the 'legal' descent of Christ who was the only Begotten of the Father in reality. The first lineage given in Matthew renders the legal lineage of Christ through the Royal line of David and Solomon. That given in the Gospel of Luke provides the priestly and prophetic lineage of Christ through Nathan. Interestingly, there is one harlot (Rachab) and one Moabitess (Ruth) included in the lineage of Jesus. Matthew's lineage begins at Abraham to whom the Promise of a Redeemer was given, and descends down to Joseph - the 'presumed' father of Jesus. Luke's Gospel begins with Jesus and goes all the way back up to God because He made the privileges of Heaven available to His people and ascended to the Father.

In all of this, we see the Seed of Promise being fulfilled and culminated in Christ. Please note the mathematical precision of biblical prophecy: So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. (Matt 1:17)

Are we of the modern true church the children of Abraham? I hope so for the Bible clearly tells us: 29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Gal 3:29) Does the world, and her worldly church, hate us? Yes, they may, but what a blessed hate it is! 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. (Gal 4:28-29)