Eyes of the Great Hunter – 16 June 2023, Anno Domini

F

OR the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.  (2 Chrinicles 16:9)

 

            Many men and women of good report would suffer damage to their reputations if their most guarded secrets were found out and published in world journals. Should we not be aware that nothing goes without the notice of Almighty God. He not only knows the secrets of our outward actions, but also the inward-most secret thoughts of our hearts. Nothing is hidden from the observance of God – “Behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23b) As Adam & Eve, we stand naked in our sins before the Throne of God.

 

            There is a classic poem titled, the Hound of Heaven, by Francis Thompson, of which the following lines are taken:

 

I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;

I fled Him, down the arches of the years;

I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways

Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears

I hid from Him, and under running laughter.

Up vistaed hopes I sped;

And shot, precipitated,

Adown Titanic glooms of chasmèd fears,

From those strong Feet that followed, followed after.

But with unhurrying chase,

And unperturbèd pace,

Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,

They beat—and a Voice beat

More instant than the Feet—

‘All things betray thee, who betrayest Me.’

 

            The eyes and pursuit of God is persistent and intense. Adam & Eve tried in vain to hide their sin from His searching eye. Their futile attempts to hide in the bushes and clothe themselves with fig leaves did not suffice. (see Genesis 3:7-9) Likewise Jonah headed west when God commanded him to go east to Nineveh. He believed he could escape the notice of his Lord on the high seas enroute to Tarshish. God sent a storm to meet him there and later heard his prayer from the depths of the ocean sea.

 

            David, normally a faithful appellant to the mercy and wisdom of God, launched out on his own carnal desires in arising from bed when he should have remained there, walked where he should not, stopped and fed his eyes on a subject he should not have seen, committed adultery with a married Bathsheba, and finally committed murder – all without a second glance to his lord and God. He tempted God to take his life, but repented in ashes and sackcloth. (see 2 Samuel 11 &12)

 

            The Prodigal Son stands an example of all of us who, at one time or another, have journeyed out of the presence of our Father and made our abode in a ‘far country’ away from the will of our Father. But He sees us there in our squalor of spirit and soul. He allows us to get our snoot full of the mud and mire of the pigsty until we come to ourselves and return to His sovereignty and immediate presence. (see Luke 15:11-32)

 

            All fugitives, such as those cited above, are arrested by God and His posse of angels sooner or later. Though God will forever forgive our errant ways, sin leaves scars. Sin is not merely a personal matter – it hurts others, especially those whom we love. In Adam's case, the result was death and suffering over every living creature. The prophet Jonah wound up on a hill outside the walls of Nineveh under a withered gourd vine in bitter contempt. 

 

            The first child of David and Bathsheba died in infancy as a result of David’s sin and murder of Uriah. The Prodigal Son returned to his Father broken and destitute as a result of his squandering the benefits of his father’s estate.

 

            We can all look back on our lives and see the trails of our sins scattered with scars and pain. But we can also look to the redeeming grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who makes all things, including our own souls, new. Our future paths are not necessarily strewn with sinful indiscretions if we stay near to Him in both spirit and truth.

The Second Adam – 15 June 2023, Anno Domini

A

ND so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. ⁴⁶ Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:45-47)

 

            Though Eve was the mother of all living, Adam was the father and federal head of the human race. We all bear his sinful nature from the moment of conception. We are joint heirs of the death sentence brought upon all humanity by Adam’s disobedience at Eden. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. (Romans 5:12)

 

Adam became spiritually dead in soul the moment he partook of the forbidden fruit of the ill-winded tree, and all of his progeny also share in that spiritual death as sinners unless made alive by the Holy Spirit of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 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: 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. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:1-6)

 

Adam was the first man of Creation. He is called the son of God in the genealogical table of the Gospel of Saint Luke: Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God. (Luke 3:38) But Adam failed in keeping the only one Commandment of the Lord. By Adam’s disobedience, the stain of death passed upon all Creation – humankind, animals, plant life, sea life, and even the birds of the air. All illness, disease, famine, pain, wars, and death are the result of Adam’s sin and not in the favor of God. We need not blame God for every hurt we experience for He is not the author of pain and death, but of life through His Son, Jesus Christ. Pain, disease and dying came by the first Adam.

 

Since death was the curse brought about by Adam, sin has reigned in the world since. But God had already, before the Creation of the worlds, had made provision for the remedy of sin whereby the sin-debt could be satisfied in the economy of God. This provision came in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ – the only Begotten Son of the Father – whereby we could become joint-heirs of God by way of adoption into His family through the sacrifice of that Lamb of God. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. (Romans 5:15)  Since death came by the first Adam, life everlasting was made possible by the second Adam: For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.  (Romans 5:17)

 

By the way, do not be deceived, God was not by any means surprised at the disobedience of Adam since He had already made that provision for the redemption of man through His Son.

 

Eve was the bride of Adam just as the Church (for whom our Lord died) is the Bride of Christ. Just as Adam was made to sleep a deep sleep, so was Christ in the deep sleep of death on the cross. Adam’s side was opened to create his bride from a rib taken from the womb. So was the side of Christ wounded in His deep sleep of death to seal the Creation of His own Bride, the Church.

 

Just as Adam was awakened from his deep sleep at the creation of Eve, so was Christ awakened from the deep sleep of death at the creation of His Bride. The awakening resurrection of our Lord opened the way for all saints who die in the faith to enjoy that same resurrection into eternal life, not the physical and temporary life of Adam, but ETERNAL life with our Lord in Heaven wherein is the Tree of Life taken from the Garden at Eden. That Tree of Life was not chosen by Adam or Eve, but it represented the Lord Jesus Christ as the Author and Giver of Life.

 

All of us are partaking of one or the other of those two Trees in the midst of the Garden – either the Tree of Life, or the Tree of the Serpent (Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil). In our day, there is quite a multitude gathered around that latter Tree. But the wise and righteous will shun the multitudes and gather before the better Tree.

A Reprobate Mind – 14 June 2023, Anno Domini

 

A

ND even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.  (Romans 1:28-32)

 

            Shortly after my consecration as bishop, a good and loyal member of our Church – a person in authority – called me aside and gave this suggestion: Bishop, we all aware that the abortion of infants is a sin, and homosexuality is an abomination before the Lord, however, could you just leave off on commenting on those sins in order to allow the Church to grow? I was a bit flabbergasted by such a comment, but answered in this way, My friend, I know the preaching against sin is an offense to the sinner, but that is the point of the Gospel. I realize the great ministers of the past such as Spurgeon and Henry did not mention such sins, but the reason is simple – they could not believe that such sins would become government-sanctioned sins in any future date, and, they believed, the mention of such sins were unutterable in polite company. They were not the sins of the day which they have become in our time. I still believe God has called His ministers forth to not only proclaim the Good News of the Gospel, but also the consequences of rejecting God and His Moral Law.

 

            The great depravity and grief of the sinner, or of nations that embrace sin, is not brought on by God but rather by the fact that God does not impose His care and protection over those who reject Him. He leaves them to their own devices, which results in the quagmire of confusion and misery that overwhelms any man or society that is left to his own devices. America became a great and formidable nation because they trusted in God and His Word from the moment of her founding as a nation among the nations of the world. But in our day, America has broken away from her moorings in God and have embraced sins that are still unmentionable among Christian men and women.

 

            Not long after the Islamic terrorists attack on the World Trade Center, Anne Graham was interviewed by Jane Clayson on national TV. In an attempt to begin the interview by putting Mrs. Graham off balance, Jane asked: Anne, How could God let something like this happen? (Referring to the 11 September 2001, Attack) When Mrs. Graham gave the following answer, it was the interviewer who was placed off balance. Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said I believe that God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman that He is, I believe that God has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand that He leave us alone?

 

            That is what happens when a sinner, or a nation, turns away from God. They are given over to a reprobate mind. Collectively, the citizens of a free country are responsible for the public policies and programs instituted by their government. It is the citizen who shares in the guilt and reprobation that results from an open rebellion to the laws of God. There are reprobate sinners, and there are reprobate nations. 

 

            We may not all personally practice the sins mentioned in Romans 1:28-32, but in remaining silent, we are taking pleasure in those who commit them. It becomes a national guilt and reprobation as well as a personal one.

 

            Allowing our children to be exposed to the unimaginably wicked practices being promulgated upon them in public education and popular media is a disgrace to our supposed faith. To stand idly by and do or say nothing is a grave sin and places us in the company of those who perform such disgraceful acts.

 

            God gives those over to a reprobate mind who become numb to sin and abysmal wickedness. They have ignored sin and its consequences to the point that it is no longer of notice to them. In olden days, one means of stopping serious bleeding from an open wound was to sear the wound with a hot iron. The bleeding would stop, but the resulting scar would have no feeling due to the absence of nerve endings in the wound. The same is true of sin. When we allow sin to magnify itself in our midst, we become dull and unfeeling to its egregious and harmful nature: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron. (1 Timothy 1-2)

 

            Brothers and sisters in Christ, it is now high time that we stand up for Christian values, or slink down to the yoke of unbearable tyranny.

Hymns of the Church – Be Still my Soul – 13 June 2023, Anno Domini

B

E strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.  (Deuteronomy 31:6)

 

This hymn of 1752, published in English in 1855, combines the strong and uplifting music of Finlandia by Jean Sibelius with the correspondingly strong and inspiring lyrics of Kathrina von Schlegel. It is an unusually strong union of music and lyrics that join to create one of the most beautiful hymns of the Lutheran Church. The power of the music takes us from the low notes of common life up to a higher plane of joy and ecstasy beyond the Celestial Gates.

 

Be Still my Soul

 

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side;

bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

leave to your God to order and provide;

in ev'ry change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul; your best, your heav’nly friend

through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

 

Be still, my soul; your God will undertake

to guide the future as he has the past;

your hope, your confidence, let nothing shake;

all now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know

his voice who ruled them while he lived below.

 

Be still, my soul; when dearest friends depart

and all is darkened in the vale of tears,

then you will better know his love, his heart,

who comes to soothe your sorrows and your fears.

Be still, my soul; your Jesus can repay

from his own fullness all he takes away.

 

Be still, my soul; the hour is hast'ning on

when we shall be forever with the Lord,

when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still my soul; when change and tears are past,

all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

 

1 Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side; bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; leave to your God to order and provide; in ev'ry change he faithful will remain. Be still, my soul; your best, your heav’nly friend through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. When we were toddlers in diapers, we cried out if our mother took two steps out of our sight. It is true of many professing Christians today who doubt the Lord’s promise to never leave nor forsake us. Regardless the hard rigors of life, Christ is always with us in both sunshine and in shadow. He presides over our daily walk as well as our nocturnal sleep. Bearing our crosses joyfully may not always seem easy, but it certainly was not ‘easy’ for our Lord who suffered shame and hurt for us thereon. If we expect a great return on our investments in life, we must make a measurable deposit. In the end, the Lord will reward handsomely our every service for Him and for others. Do not panic at the emergence of danger or sorrow. Be still and Know that He is God. He will see us through the billowing waves of a restless sea. Do you not know He is you best Friend, and not only that, but a Friend who is able to sustain and keep you in secure arms. The Narrow Road leading up requires effort and concentration, but a blue sky and smothe seas await beyond.

 

2 Be still, my soul; your God will undertake to guide the future as he has the past; your hope, your confidence, let nothing shake; all now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know his voice who ruled them while he lived below. What does it mean to Be Still My Soul? It means to shutoff the noise and murmurs of the world and get still in prayerful silence. Listen to Him through the study of His mighty Word. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. (Psalm 46:10-11) We often try heroically to solve the impossible problems of life not trusting the power of One who is able beyond all question to solve those problems. He will turn the problem to a blessing if we will be still and allow Him. The day will come when all mysteries are wiped away and we will see face-to-face the One who is a Maker and revealer of all truth.  The same voice that stilled the gales and waves of Galilee is still able to still the turbulent seas of modern life.

 

3 Be still, my soul; when dearest friends depart and all is darkened in the vale of tears, then you will better know his love, his heart, who comes to soothe your sorrows and your fears. Be still, my soul; your Jesus can repay from his own fullness all he takes away. When our Lord was betrayed in the Garden, His closest companions deserted Him. He must needs go to the cross alone for He alone was able to redeem us by the pains of the cross. The darkest nights reveal the brightest stars, and Christ is our Bright and Morning Star. Like the military trainee, life is difficult for a purpose. He causes the recruit to grow in the manly virtues of the soldier. So it is in this life that the challenges of life for the Christian are not removed, but rather he is enabled to overcome each challenge through Christ and grow stronger. The reward for the soldier comes when he stands proudly under the colors of his country at graduation day. So it is with the Christian. He will not have to cross Jordan Waters alone.

 

4 Be still, my soul; the hour is hast'ning on when we shall be forever with the Lord, when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone, sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored. Be still my soul; when change and tears are past, all safe and blessed we shall meet at last. In times past, I have had some close calls with death both as a soldier and in health crises. My greatest surprise and comfort during those times was that I discovered I really was not fearful of death. What a comfort that is to the believer! Amazingly, time drags on in our youth so that months seem to be years; but as we grow old, years seem to be months. We have reached the critical mass of age in which we are rushing headlong to our reward. To the believer, that is not a fearful thing. We will soon be in the Holy Place to which God has, from the beginning, beckoned us forth. I do not weary my heart with questions of what Heaven will be like, but I know for certain that its joys will be beyond human description for we will be with our Maker and Friend.

AOC Sunday Report – First Sunday after Trinity + Saint Barnabas

  

Happy First Sunday after Trinity, which is superseded in the lectionary by the remembrance of Saint Barnabas.

The AOC Sunday Report can be downloaded RIGHT HERE!

We have wonderful sermons this morning from Bishops Jerry and Roy, as well as Rev Bryan. Rev Jack is on travel so you get a sermon from me also.  be viewed on video HERE -> https://youtu.be/7egPayhdYL8

In the Collect, we acknowledge God gave Barnabas special talents and strengths. We ask He do likewise for us, so we might use those talents to His honor and glory.  The fact is each of us have been granted special talents and strengths. The question is will we use them to His honor and glory or to our own purposes?  The text serving as this morning’s Epistle came from The Acts of the Apostles. Luke tells us Barnabas, a Cypriot Jew, one of the prominent Christian disciples in Jerusalem, was sent to Antioch, where the term Christian was first used, then to Tarsus to join up with Saul who it was thought was now a Christian.  You can only imagine his trepidation, yet he went and found now Paul.  In this morning’s Gospel Jesus tells the disciples He will be leaving.  He tells them they are His friends, not His servants, but as His friends, they must do His will. He points out that they have not chosen Him rather He chose them. He goes on to tell them that when they pray they need to ask the Father in His name, and He will give it to them. Want and Need figure prominently in today’s sermon.  It all comes together.  Having trouble visualizing that?  Read or listen to Rev Hap’s sermon.

There are always a lot of people who need your prayer. Today is no exception. We ask in particular that you take time to pray for Rev Bryan and his family. He is going to undergo heart catheterization on Wednesday.

There's a great week ahead, if you have problems, seeing it, you might want to consider listening to God's voice in the form of the Holy Ghost. He can help a lot.

Godspeed,

Hap

Church, the Faithful Centurion

Descanso, California

United States of America

Saint Barnabas - Propers with explanation – Rev Hap Sermon – With Video

  

Rev Hap brings the Propers together today.    His sermon is below the propers and can be viewed on video HERE -> https://youtu.be/7egPayhdYL8

 

In the Collect, we acknowledge God gave Barnabas special talents and strengths. We ask He do likewise for us, so we might use those talents to His honor and glory.  The fact is each of us have been granted special talents and strengths. The question is will we use them to His honor and glory or to our own purposes?  The text serving as this morning’s Epistle came from The Acts of the Apostles. Luke tells us Barnabas, a Cypriot Jew, one of the prominent Christian disciples in Jerusalem, was sent to Antioch, where the term Christian was first used, then to Tarsus to join up with Saul who it was thought was now a Christian.  You can only imagine his trepidation, yet he went and found now Paul.  In this morning’s Gospel Jesus tells the disciples He will be leaving.  He tells them they are His friends, not His servants, but as His friends, they must do His will. He points out that they have not chosen Him rather He chose them. He goes on to tell them that when they pray they need to ask the Father in His name, and He will give it to them. Want and Need figure prominently in today’s sermon.  It all comes together.  Having trouble visualizing that?  Read or listen to Rev Hap’s sermon.

The Propers for today are found on Page 240-242, with the Collect first:

 

Saint Barnabas the Apostle. [June 11.]

The Collect.

 

O

 LORD God Almighty, who didst endue thy holy Apostle Barnabas with singular gifts of the Holy Ghost; Leave us not, we beseech thee, destitute of thy manifold gifts, nor yet of grace to use them alway to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

 

First Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

 

O

 GOD, the strength of all those who put their trust in thee; Mercifully accept our prayers; and because, through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

The text serving as today’s Epistle came from the Eleventh Chapter of The Acts of the Apostles, beginning at the Twenty-Second Verse. It tells of Barnabas being sent to seek out Saul of Tarsus who by now was Paul. You can only imagine his trepidation, yet he went.

 

T

IDINGS of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cæsar. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judæa: which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. 

 

This morning’s Gospel came from the Gospel according to John, the Fifteenth Chapter, beginning at the Twelfth Verse.  Jesus tells the disciples of His upcoming death and makes it clear He has chosen them and to whom they should pray.

 

T

HIS is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 

Sermon – Reverend Hap Arnold - Time and Action

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Descanso, California

Rev Hap’s sermon is available on video RIGHT HERE.  

https://youtu.be/7egPayhdYL8

 

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

 

Consider these words from the Collect:

 

… who didst endue thy holy Apostle Barnabas with singular gifts of the Holy Ghost; Leave us not, we beseech thee, destitute of thy manifold gifts, nor yet of grace to use them alway to thy honour and glory…

 

In the Collect, we acknowledge God gave Barnabas special talents and strengths. We ask He do likewise for us, so we might use those talents to His honor and glory.

 

The fact is each of us have been granted special talents and strengths. The question is will we use them to His honor and glory or to our own purposes?  Too often the answer is we use them to our own purposes which turn out to not be His will nor in our best interests in the long run.

 

This Collect is very much a repeat of most of them; we are asking for God to give us what we need and not what we want. The problem is that we cannot manage to differentiate between the two words, want and need.  Two four letter words used interchangeably in our vocabularies and lives that do not mean the same thing.  Let us try to remember how to use each word and concentrate of need rather than want.

 

In The Acts of the Apostles, Luke tells us Barnabas, a Cypriot Jew, one of the prominent Christian disciples in Jerusalem, was sent to Antioch, where the term Christian was first used, then to Tarsus to join up with Saul who it was thought was now a Christian.  You can only imagine his trepidation, yet he went and found now Paul.  He and Paul the Apostle undertook missionary journeys together and defended Gentile converts against the Judaizers. They traveled together making more converts (c. 46–48), and participated in the Council of Jerusalem (c. 49). Barnabas and Paul successfully evangelized among the "God-fearing" Gentiles who attended synagogues in various Hellenized cities of Anatolia.

 

In Antioch, the prophet Agabus predicted a great famine in Judea.  The Christians of Antioch worked together and sent relief there with Barnabas and Saul

 

In this morning’s Gospel Jesus tells the disciples He will be leaving.  He tells them they are His friends, not His servants, but as His friends, they must do His will. He points out that they have not chosen Him rather He chose them. He goes on to tell them that when they pray they need to ask the Father in His name, and He will give it to them.

 

That, of course, depends on knowing the difference between need and want. They are only to ask for needs.

 

It’s also very important to see Jesus is telling us we must have  personal relationship with Him.  While He is our Lord and Master, He is also our friend and guide.

 

In the short little bits of scripture, there is much to think of here. We must see and accept the gifts God has given us and USE them. We must, like Barnabas, fulfill our mission to the best of our ability regardless of our trepidation. While we have our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to act as our intermediary with God the Father, we are to ask directly for what we need.

 

Notice, there is nothing here about talking only acting.

 

There is but one way to heaven.

 

That easy to find, easy to follow, easy to hike path does not lead to the summit where eternal life in the real world awaits.  Open your heart to the Holy Ghost; use His Power to follow our Lord to God who awaits in heaven.

 

Heaven is at the end of an uphill trail.  The easy downhill trail does not lead to the summit.

 

The time is now, not tomorrow.  The time has come, indeed.  How will you ACT?

 

It is by our actions we are known.

 

Be of God - Live of God - Act of God

Sermon Notes - The Rich Man and Lazarus - First Sunday after Trinity - 11 June 2023, Anno Domini

                                                 

First Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

 

O

 GOD, the strength of all those who put their trust in thee; Mercifully accept our prayers; and because, through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Today’s text is about two men of opposite character. In actuality, it is about three men – the Rich Man, Lazarus and Abraham. Only the names of two is mentioned – Abraham and Lazarus – becuase they are the only names of eternal worth transcribed in the Lamb’s Book of Life. The Rich Man has no need of a name in Hell.

 

Though this parable (and perhaps a real event in reality) is meant for all of us, Jesus primarily aimed it at the rich and powerful preachers of His day who coveted MONEY. Do you believe any nature of man’s heart has changed from that day to this! Jesus had just told a parable about another rich steward who used his money to satisfy mammon by sharing the wealth. The Pharisees stood about and jeered Him: “¹⁴  And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.” Luke 16:14 So Jesus related this parable. How many churches can you enter today without hearing an over-abundant plea for MONEY?

 

The Holy Bible has much to say about riches, and Jesus Christ, who is the Word Incarnate, adds to the volume of commentary on riches:

 

L

AY not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: ²⁰ But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: ²¹ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  (Matthew 6:19-21)

 

R

EMOVE far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: ⁹ Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. (Proverbs 30:8-9)

 

V

ERILY I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. ²⁵ When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? ²⁶ But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.   (Matthew 19:23-26)

 

In describing another rich man, Christ refers to Zacchaeus: And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. ² And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. (Luke 19:1-2)  But a also was saved in his riches while Dives (the Rich man in today’s text) was condemned. 

 

Our Sermon text for today comes from the 19^th chapter of the Gospel of St Luke, beginning at the 19^th verse, giving us a picture of the reward of those who consider only riches of worth, and a poor beggar who places his trust in God alone; 

 

Sermon Text

 

T

HERE was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: ²⁰ And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, ²¹ And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; ²³ And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. ²⁴ And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. ²⁵ But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. ²⁶ And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. ²⁷ Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: ²⁸ For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. ²⁹ Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. ³⁰ And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. ³¹ And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. (Luke 19:16-31)

 

Christ has painted for us a reallife scene of two different lifestyles on the same canvas:

 

1)    He first sketches the contrast between Dives and Lazarus in life, a contrast the more impressive because the painter does not bring his two figures together from the opposite ends of the earth, or even from east and west of the same city only. Lazarus gasping in the shadow of the gateway, and the purple drapery of Dives moving behind the blossom and leafage of the courtyard in the hall beyond, might have been seen by the passer-by from the same point of view; so it is no outburst of eccentric idealism that leads the painter to put two such figures on one canvas.

 

2)    Christ now paints another contrast, a contrast dealing not with the things that are seen and temporal, but with the things that are unseen and eternal. The contrast is resumed beyond the grave, but the figures are transposed. The next world has its contrasts as well as this.

 

3)    A contrast of character underlies this picture. Little is told us of the beggar beyond the contrast in character implied in the name chosen to describe him; Lazarus or 'God my helper'. The rich man's life was turned away from God, and turned towards himself; the beggar's was turned away from himself and turned towards God.

 

Note the truths illustrated herein:

 

1.     A common experience awaits all – rich and poor – the experience of death!

 

2.     When death takes us from this life, we carry no riches or acclaim.

 

3.     A difference in destinies await the a) lost and  b) those who trust in God.

 

4.     Our Names (or identities) are only important in God.

 

5.     There is a difference in honor and love of those who die in Christ

 

6.     We all are aware of our conditions in the afterlife.

 

7.     Those in heaven cannot see Hell.

 

8.     Those in Hell can see Heaven

 

9.     There can be no conveyance between Heaven and Hell.

 

10.  If we believe not the full counsel of God, we cannot come to God.

 

What lesson do we learn from this Parable of our Lord?

 

a)    What seems most valuable in this life may be the least valuable, or of no value at all.

 

b)    We must love one another: 

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:39-40)

 

 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. (John 3:34-35)

 

c)     We can take no riches from this world.

 

d)    we must deposit our riches in love, obedience, and Godliness in God’s Bank.

 

e)    We must make our salvation certain while life remains. John 6:  ¹ We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. ² (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.)

 

f)     Miracles are not what convinces: “….though one return from the dead…”

 

g)    Failure to decide this day and hour, we may be lost as the rich man and find our graves in hell.

h)       

C

OME unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

 

When? NOW!

 

Why? REST!

 

What? Eternal Life!– Our Holy Communion in Art:

 

V

ERILY, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁵⁵ For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. ⁵⁶ He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. ⁵⁷ As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. ⁵⁸ This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. ⁵⁹ These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.  (John 6:53)

 

Whose bread do you eat? The Bread of Heaven?  Or the molded and decayed bread the world offers?

 

Now is the Time.