AOC One

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Sanctified – 23 August 2023, Anno Domini

CCORDING 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; 8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: (Ephesians 1:4-9)

A newly converted Christian is yet a child of the faith until he grows and matures to the full measure of spiritual discernment and biblical living. This maturation can be called sanctification. The term means a setting apart, or separation; but a separation from what? From the:

1. World of sin and vice;

2. Flesh and the lust thereof;

3. Devil and His law of sin and fatherhood.

The newly converted Christian is not yet fully aware of what it means to take upon himself the Mind that was in Christ. The growing process engenders a closer walk with God and a greater distance, or separation, from the desires of the world.

We are set apart in Christ to reflect His likeness and image. This is a grave responsibility for we are, in fact, princesses and princes. Our Lord is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. With such a royal station, should we not safeguard and uphold the one who is our Father and Lord? We are considered to be without blemish though our sanctification continues until we close our eyes in that final sleep. Just as we love our children and find them faultless in their behaviors over others, the Lord views us as His own and knows our actions, though not commendable at times, yet, our motivation is one of love. Love cannot harm or foster hateful actions.

Our sanctification is the work of the Triune Godhead – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Our natures grow more in accord with that of God as we grow over time in our walk.

God the Father: Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: 2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. (Jude 1,2) Them that are sanctified are all who have been redeemed and live a life dedicated to God. God has given over His elect to His Son who fulfilled that imperative for sanctification.

God the Son: 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. (Hebrews 13:12) Not only were we justified by the atoning blood of our Lord at Calvary, we are thereby sanctified and daily washed with the His Word dwelling in us. We are given over to Christ by the Father, and He has sealed our redemption and sanctification by a continual remembrance of His sacrifice. Just as He died without the gate as a transgressor – we, too, must be separated without the gate and die daily to self and live for Christ.

The Holy Ghost of God: 16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. The Fatherhood of God is an issue established at our calling and election. The sacrifice of our Lord was also an event that split eternity in two – before and after. It is a completed fact. The Holy spirit, however, continually works to draw those who God has foreknown and chosen to the Throne of Grace purchased by that blood of Christ.

The word of God is another consideration in our sanctification, but what is the Word of God other than the Incarnate Word visibly demonstrated by that of Christ Himself.

There is no room for misunderstanding Gods Will for our lives. We have the completed canon of Scripture to be our Light and Compass. The Word is the Operator’s Manual for Holy living. It is Holy itself and immutable. It is both old and new, ancient but fully up-to-date. It is unchanging just like its Author – Jesus Christ. It is old fashioned, but just as current as the day it descended from the Mind of God to the scribe.

One measure of our Love for Christ is how studiously we study His Word and live it out in our lives. As a former military pilot, I know the importance of knowing every chapter and paragraph of the operator’s manual for the aircraft. One portion I learned by heart was the section outlining emergency procedures for it was those procedures determined whether I lived or died when things went badly. The Bible is like that manual. It tells us how to respond to every challenge in life, how to be safe and confident in our lives, and where to flee when the enemy attacks. In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? (Psalm 11:1) The Mountain of the Lord is the safe place for us to be at all times, and He is always there as our Rock and our Fortress.

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Hymns of the Church – From the depths of woe – 22 August 2023, Anno Domini

UT of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. 2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. 3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? 4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. 7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. 8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. (Psalm 130)

This is more of a paraphrase of the 130^th Psalm than it is a classical hymn. In the early churches of the Reformation, many reformed churches sang only psalms or paraphrases thereof set to music. This is one of Martin Luther’s most beloved selections from the Psaltery. There are two terms that are central to the whole – ‘Woe,’ and ‘Lamentations.’ Woe is synonymous to grief, and lamentations is merely the open expression of that grief. King David had ample reason to express grief in the wilderness, and so did Martin Luther whose life hung in the balance during the early years of the continental Reformation. This psalm/hymn was written in 1524 as a Reformation Hymn expressing salvation by grace alone and none by personal merit. Though not popularly known today, it is just as powerful and inspiring as another of his hymns, A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD – published in 1529.

From depths of woe

From depths of woe I raise to thee

the voice of lamentation;

Lord, turn a gracious ear to me

and hear my supplication:

if thou iniquities dost mark,

our secret sins and misdeeds dark,

O who shall stand before thee?

To wash away the crimson stain,

grace, grace alone, availeth;

our works, alas! are all in vain;

in much the best life faileth:

no man can glory in thy sight,

all must alike confess thy might,

and live alone by mercy.

Therefore my trust is in the Lord,

and not in mine own merit;

on him my soul shall rest, his Word

upholds my fainting spirit:

his promised mercy is my fort,

my comfort, and my sweet support;

I wait for it with patience.

What though I wait the live-long night,

and 'til the dawn appeareth,

my heart still trusteth in his might;

it doubteth not nor feareth:

do thus, O ye of Israel's seed,

ye of the Spirit born indeed;

and wait 'til God appeareth.

Though great our sins and sore our woes,

his grace much more aboundeth;

his helping love no limit knows,

our utmost need it soundeth.

Our Shepherd good and true is he,

who will at last his Israel free

from all their sin and sorrow.

1 From depths of woe I raise to thee the voice of lamentation; Lord, turn a gracious ear to me and hear my supplication: if thou iniquities dost mark, our secret sins and misdeeds dark, O who shall stand before thee? There is no ocean-sea that is deeper than the uttermost depths of despair that we are often driven by the woes and danger of the Christian life. Such woes often arise from our own weakness, but most often from the bitter animosity of the world toward the Lord and Savior whom we worship. It is clear that there is no righteousness in us apart from that granted by the Lord God. If we are denied the effulgent grace of God, how shall we have hope in this life, or in the life to come? We would melt before the Throne on Judgment Day.

2 To wash away the crimson stain, grace, grace alone, availeth; our works, alas! are all in vain; in much the best life faileth: no man can glory in thy sight, all must alike confess thy might, and live alone by mercy. It was for only one sin that Adam fell from grace. How many would justify our own falling therefrom? The seemingly most righteous man or woman that ever lived would not gain the prize apart from the grace of God. It is not our frail works of righteousness (which are considered filthy rags before God) that will count when the curtain falls, but God’s grace. If we have any righteous works at all, they would not be ours to claim, but those of Christ working in and through us. The first cry of the lepers was not to be healed, but for the Lord Jesus to have mercy on them. When we have God’s mercy, we have all else needful for our souls.

3 Therefore my trust is in the Lord, and not in mine own merit; on him my soul shall rest, his Word upholds my fainting spirit: his promised mercy is my fort, my comfort, and my sweet support; I wait for it with patience. The biblical principle of ‘justification by faith’ was a central tenet of the great Reformation. It represented a return to biblical principles of grace which had been hidden by the dust of the traditions of men since the early church fathers had proclaimed it. If we placed all our good works, done before our approach to the Throne of grace, on the scales, they would be completely outweighed by even one sin. We are saved – not BY good works – but by grace UNTO good works. Our lives must reflect that same image of our Savior in whose image we were conceived at Eden. We have a place of secret security in Christ – our Rock, our Fortress, our Haven of Rest. Why wallow in the slime-pits of sin when such a great blessing has been offered. God knew His chosen before the foundation of the world, and His call goes forth to draw them to His Throne of Mercy and Grace.

That is the Mercy Seat which rest above the Law in the Ark. That Mercy Seat is Christ!

4 What though I wait the live-long night, and 'til the dawn appeareth, my heart still trusteth in his might; it doubteth not nor feareth: do thus, O ye of Israel's seed, ye of the Spirit born indeed; and wait 'til God appeareth.God giveth His elect songs in the night to obscure the doubts and worries of the inhospitable world. Though the darkness of night obscures the great orb of light that has marked our day, we may rest assured of the coming dawn when the brilliance of the Sun of Righteousness (our Day Star, 2 Peter 1:19) shall arise with healing in His wings. (Malachi 4:2) By the way, if you have believed in that promise of a Redeemer made to Abraham, then are you Abraham’s child indeed and part of the Holy Realm of Israel.

5 Though great our sins and sore our woes, his grace much more aboundeth; his helping love no limit knows, our utmost need it soundeth. Our Shepherd good and true is he, who will at last his Israel free from all their sin and sorrow. Are our sins too egregious for the Lord to forgive? Was King David’s sin of adultery and murder forgiven? Was Saul of Tarsus (Paul) forgiven for the murder of Stephen and others of the faith? Was Peter forgiven for his thrice denial of His Lord and Savior? Yes, they were forgiven. God’s judgment is not based on our righteousness, or even unrighteousness, but by the Temple of our Hearts made clean and inhabitable for the Holy Spirit of God at the Father’s calling. God is full of Love and Love covers all sin – “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)and “ . . . . love covereth all sins.” (Proverbs 10:12) These promises you may put in your pipe and smoke.

Martin Luther was a far greater man of God than I can ever hope to be, but God accepts even my frailty – and yours – when our hearts have responded to His call of Grace. It is Christ in our hearts that is the Lamp to our feet and a Light to our path. (see Psalm 119:105)

Sunday, August 20, 2023

AOC Sunday Report – Eleventh Sunday after Trinity

Happy Eleventh Sunday after Trinity!

The AOC Sunday Report can be downloaded RIGHT HERE!

We have excellent sermons today from Bishops Jerry and Roy, as well as Revs Jack and Bryan. Bishop Jerry's is particularly good today. Rev Jack brings the Propers together today. His sermon is below the propers and can be viewed on video HERE -> https://youtu.be/-G8_Q_zixG0

There are always a lot of people who desire your prayer. Please start with Mr. Kim, Tricia, Shamu, Zachary and Laurie, work out from there.

There is really an amazing week ahead, if you're having difficulty seeing it, asked for help. God always has the Third God Guy, the Holy Ghost, available to help your heart and soul.

Godspeed,

Hap

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Descanso, California

United States of America

Eleventh Sunday after Trinity

Rev Jack brings the Propers together today. His sermon is below the propers and can be viewed on video HERE -> https://youtu.be/-G8_Q_zixG0

The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

GOD, who declarest thy almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity; Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of thy grace, that we, running the way of thy commandments, may obtain thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle came from Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, the Fifteenth Chapter beginning at the First Verse. Paul tells us he is delivering the message he received, the Good News of the Saving Grace of God through Jesus. He recounts the death and resurrection of Jesus; noting the various witnesses to the resurrection, including himself. He goes on to say, if he, who he categorizes as the least of the apostles, not even meet to be called an apostle due to his persecution of the Church of God, can be forgiven and work the Work of God, who cannot? It also explains the willingness of the apostles and those around them to follow Jesus unto death. He was real, not a historical imaginary figure, but a real man, the real God, whose Word was truth and light.

RETHERN, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.”

Today’s Holy Gospel started in the Eighteenth Chapter of the Gospel according to St. Luke, beginning at the Ninth Verse. Jesus tells a parable to an audience which apparently consisted of some self-righteous people, which likely fits each of us. The parable is that of a Pharisee[1] and a publican[2] both of whom pray in the temple. While the Pharisee might well have been a “better” man than the publican, he clearly was not the man he thought he was, for he “prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” Quite the holy fellow. The publican, quite aware of how much he fell shot of God’s perfection stood “afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” Jesus told his audience, “this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” None of us is truly good, we can only strive to be better and look to our Lord to help us. Only through Christ will we be accounted as just before God.

ESUS spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

[1] Pharisee - One of a sect or party among the Jews, noted for a strict and formal observance of rites and ceremonies and of the traditions of the elders, and whose pretensions to superior sanctity led them to separate themselves from the other Jews.

[2] Publican 1. (Rom. Antiq.) A farmer of the taxes and public revenues; hence, a collector of toll or tribute. The inferior officers of this class were often oppressive in their exactions, and were regarded with great detestation.

Literally a Publican is one who farmed the taxes (e. g., Zacchaeus, Luke 19: 2) to be levied from a town or district, and thus undertook to pay to the supreme government a certain amount. In order to collect the taxes, the publicans employed subordinates (5: 27; 15: 1; 18: 10), who, for their own ends, were often guilty of extortion and peculation (defrauding the public by appropriating to one's own use the money or goods intrusted to one's care for management or disbursement; embezzlement). In New Te
stament times these taxes were paid to the Romans, and hence were regarded by the Jews as a very heavy burden, and hence also the collectors of taxes, who were frequently Jews, were hated, and were usually spoken of in very opprobrious terms. Jesus was accused of being a "friend of publicans and sinners" (Luke 7: 34).

Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold - Time and Action

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Descanso, California

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

Today’s sermon tied the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together. Consider the words from the Collect, wherein we ask God … who declarest thy almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity; Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of thy grace, that we, running the way of thy commandments, may obtain thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure; …

Once again, this Collect is kind of a follow-on to the last few weeks’ Collects. First, we acknowledge God’s power which is manifested not in terror, but in mercy and pity on our failures. We should note God has chosen to grant kindness and mercy to us; not the punishment we truly deserve. In this mercy, He shows His Almighty Power. It is important to note; with all the power in and of the universe, God manifests His Power by showing infinite mercy and kindness to us, not in causing us more tears. He does not act like an imperfect human would in his position. Most humans are not capable of showing such mercy and kindness to others, not without the help of God and the Holy Ghost. He is far kinder to us than we could ever possibly deserve. He provides the ultimate example of how we should act when great power and responsibility is given to us to handle. Like the servant of Matthew 18:23, we too often we act irresponsibly with said power and responsibility. Given our fallen nature we choose to cause misery rather than kindness. We must resist this choice and choose to show kindness to others rather than misery. However, if we truly are following God’s will then we must choose to be kind rather than evil, and do good deeds with the help of the Holy Ghost, and resist our fallen nature. This leads into the Collect.

Thus, the Collect goes on to ask His Help in following His Commandments so we might gain the good which comes from following His Will. This is a unifying theme found throughout all of the collects for a good reason. In order to get the good which comes from following Him, we first need to follow Him. We cannot achieve good results if we do not follow Him. Following requires active action as opposed to passive action. Action, not just diction as the tag line to many of my sermons go. We should recognize the good which comes from acting and choose to continue to act for Him as opposed to our natural tendency to go astray. Following His Commandments is a sure way to stay on the course set for us, if we follow the Scriptures and His Commandments and take them to heart.

We have to not just talk the talk, but actually walk the walk. It can be extremely difficult; but this is what God has called us to do. He calls us to perform actions in alignment with His Word, in order to spread His Word. We cannot effectively spread His Word if we are not in alignment with His Word. The reason we have trouble with this is that we are imperfect creatures with not just free will, but manifold, perhaps rampant free will, the norm is to choose what we want, not what we need, then we come to calamity. We are each grievous sinners, some worse than others, none better. Yet, we all come before God equal in our sinful state. In equally big trouble, some more, none less. We are all equal by virtue of the fact we are hopeless sinners without the saving grace and faith of Christ. It is only through His Faith we are saved. Not our faith, but the faith of Christ who dwells within us.

This is the point Saint Paul is making when he says that first he gave unto us[1] that understanding he got directly from God as to the role of Jesus Christ. He recounts some of the factual information about Jesus’ time here on earth after the crucifixion, the descent into hell and the resurrection. He confirms the story of the Gospel as told to him. He notes the various witnesses, still alive or recently passed away. He makes the point we must propagate the Gospel so others might believe. In order to truly spread the Gospel, he infers our actions must be congruent with Scripture. He tells us we are saved by faith alone. The point is that we need to make sure that our actions lead people towards God and Jesus and not away from them.

Our faith? Partly, but not chiefly and not first. Then, by whose faith are we saved?

We are saved by the perfect faith of Christ, our only mediator and advocate before the Father. It is not by our faith, but the faith of Him who dwells within us, that of Christ. Without Christ, we could not have any faith to begin with. The perfect faith of Christ allowed a single sacrifice to be made one time, to cook the books and account for the sins of all mankind for all time. His is the faith which saves us and our faith in Him allows Him to operate in us.

Because of their refusal to allow Him in, those who do not have the Holy Ghost in them do not believe in Him. The Holy Ghost will not enter into those who disavow Him. God will not force His Way in. We have to first ask Him to enter, then only then will He enter. God does not force His Way on people and neither should we. If people refuse, then we should to paraphrase Jesus, shake the dust off our shoes and let them be. We are not called to force our beliefs on those who do not want to hear them. That would be contrary to His Message.

Another thing to consider is Jesus is real, He is Who He says He IS. He is not a fictional character, he is not a great teacher. He is THE SON OF GOD and He came to save us: body, heart, mind and soul. There is no other way to view Him that makes as perfect sense as this[2].

If that is not enough to turn your heart, consider the parable of the publican and the Pharisee related by Saint Luke. The man who was proud of his performance was not the example Jesus chose for the one justified, rather the one who acknowledged his failures and asked God for forgiveness and help. This is to point us as an example of who we should be like. It can be said with confidence it is not the Pharisee. Think of these examples and who would we rather be like, the publican, or the Pharisee? Remember, the Pharisee’s job consisted of finding clever ways around the 613 Mosaic Laws. The publican was looking for help in actually following two:

Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ saith.

HOU 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. BCP Page 69

And, just as importantly, he was not looking for ways around those two laws, he was looking for help to follow God and forgiveness when he fell short. In our day to day lives, let us strive to be more like the publican and less like the Pharisee. Let us follow the publican’s example and look for help to follow God and ask for His Forgiveness when we inevitably fall short.

Let us ask God for the help we need to follow His Will. For we must have His Help to act as we must here on earth!

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

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

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

It is by our actions we are known.

Be of God - Live of God - Act of God

[1] Though Paul was writing to the people of Corinth, the information is just as applicable to us, perhaps more so now than ever before.

[2] This is the Trilemma of Jack Lewis in Mere Christianity - I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.

Sermon Notes - Eleventh Sunday after Trinity - TWO MEN, both way less than perfect, one knows it. - Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide - 20 August 2023, Anno Domini

The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

The Collect

As revealed in our Prayer of Collect today, God's greater virtue and power is demonstrated in His miraculous power to forgive our sins of rebellion and omission. Whatever grace we have is an endowment of grace from God that enables us to keep His Commandments and be accounted righteous by the blood of Jesus Christ. It is thus that we may, with Abraham, attain to the promises made available through the Lord Jesus Christ, and to share, with Him, in the blessed treasures of Heaven. This Collect is unique in specific aspects as are each of the Collects. I wrote a series of devotions a few years back on that uniqueness of each of the daily Collects - their origins and relevance to the Church Calendar, and to our lives. They are gifts to us of the early church fathers, many of whom gave their lives in fidelity to the Word of God.

The Epistle

1 Corinthians 15

The Epistle

Paul lays out the means and way of salvation through Christ alone. He, too, had been a Pharisee as we see in the Gospel account today whom Jesus addressed “certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others." (Luke 18:9) In fact, Paul (as Saul) had been a tool of the Pharisees by which many Christian worshippers had been persecuted and murdered. This will be our context for the Words of Christ today from the Gospel of St. Luke 18:

The Gospel

St. Luke xviii. 9.

ND he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:9-14)

The Sermon

First of all, we note that Jesus was addressing His remarks to certain men present. Who were these men? Some are in church today. His words were addressed to certain men and women who believed in their OWN righteousness - even to the extent of condemning others and looking down on them. We would call that self-righteousness (and there is no such thing under Heaven). Such would be wise to heed the counsel of Paul to Timothy: "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. (1 Tim 6:17-19)

Secondly, our Lord is speaking of two DIFFERENT kinds of people (a Pharisee and a Publican) - BOTH went up for the seemingly same purpose (to pray). BOTH went t to the right place for prayer - the House of the Lord. But the similarities end with those two facts. Let us examine, now, wherein the characteristics of these two men diverge, and examine our own hearts to learn if we are like unto one or the other of the two:

The PHARISEE

The Pharisee's ATTITUDE of Prayer

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. Intimated herein is that the Pharisee stood proudly, and he prayed out of a false perspective. He did not humbly pray to God, but prayed "thus with himself." His words were not directed to God, truly, but for his own personal purposes which are explained further in the text. He trusted that he was righteous just as millions of Christians do every Sunday at worship. Smug and arrogantly they sit in the pew thinking of those others when the word 'sinner' is mentioned. They trust too much in their OWN religion and not upon the imputed righteousness of Christ.

They trust too much in a particular denomination and not the sole grace of God and the sacrifice of His Son.

They feel like they are not "like those others."

We read of how proudly the Pharisee prayed “with himself” – not to God. He prayed that others might hear his boastful words. The contrary is true of the publican who felt himself unworthy to come so near the Temple. He did not lay claim to ANY GOODNESS, or righteous deeds, in his life but only sought mercy upon himself as a sinner.

The Pharisee's PRESUMPTION in Prayer

He did not begin by glorifying God, or showing a spirit of repentance for sins he, like us, had surely committed. But, if taken alone, his prayer would have been more fitting than it became when he added his reason for gratitude to God. " God, I thank thee." The Pharisee would have been better off to stop right there with that salutation! But he did not!

The Pharisee's ARROGANCE of Prayer

For what was the Pharisee thankful?

The Pharisee boasts of being thankful for what he is not!

a. "I AM NOT as other men are" In other words, "I am better than all others. I am good in, and of, myself."

b. I am not an "extortioner" "I have never been guilty of such a sin" (but probably was stained badly thereby)

c. I am not "unjust" He is being unjust on the face of his proclamation and his indictment of the publican!

d. I am not an "adulterer" He may have been one of those guilty Pharisees who brought the Woman taken in Adultery to Christ who left early because of his guilt.

e. I am not "even as this publican." In other words, "I am not a COMMON sinner as is this publican!"

The Pharisee boasts of being thankful for what he DOES!

a. "I fast twice in the week"

b. "I give tithes of all that I possess"

In TRUTH, the Pharisee was none of what he claimed as his own:

1. In truth: He was a liar! Though he claimed otherwise, he was precisely as other men are – a sinner. (Romans 3:23)

2. He was an extortioner. (Matthew 23:14, Mark 12:40)

3. He was unjust. His very attitude and self-opinion of himself proved this.

4. He was a worse man than the publican for the publican realized his need to which the Pharisee was blinded of his own.

5. He did not fast to satisfy a Godly purpose but only for the purpose of show and boasting.

6. He did not tithe of all he had for he kept his heart from God by not surrendering it to Him. (Luke 20:25)

7. He had a religious zeal, but not according to the Bible. “….they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. (Romans 10:2-3)

The PUBLICAN

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner."

1) The publican knew who he was – a lost sinner and condemned.

2) The publican knew his place with God without mercy – at a distance!

3) The publican knew how he felt – guilty, ashamed and needing mercy.

4) He knew WHAT he needed – MERCY.

5) He knew how to attain mercy – repent, confess, and call upon the Lord.

6) He knew of his salvation – went down to his house justified.

There is a great secret revealed, too, in this Parable – sin causes a great separation from man and God. The only means to bridge that separation is repentance and confession of sins. When we have betrayed or hurt a close friend, do we not avoid looking them in the eye until we have reconciled ourselves to that friend? We may not speak to that friend for months due to our guilt. The friend may not even be aware of our guilt, BUT WE ARE! When we forget God, we live according to our own prerogatives. This free will always leads to sin. That sin raises a wall between us and God. Suddenly, we are ashamed as was Adam in the Garden. We cannot tear down that wall with our good deeds, but only by our tearful cries for mercy!

Do we mark our offering envelopes at church with large letters to show our great tithing? Do we embellish our prayers with beautiful words that do not come from the heart, but from a proud mind? Do we attempt to seem so close to God that publicans cannot approach Him? Do we admit our unworthiness apart from God’s grace? Have we known that the very moment we feel that we are “good enough” is the very moment that we are NOT? Do not be a pharisaical hypocrite, but be a humble sinner who lays claim to grace and mercy in God. Which of the two are we most alike - the Pharisee, or the Publican?

Better be a lowly Publican than a proud Pharisee! AMEN!

Friday, August 18, 2023

The Unexpected Call – 18 August 2023, Anno Domini

Y faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (Hebrews 11:7)

The call of God is not always a call to service or salvation. It is often a call to condemnation as in the case of Adam and Eve at the Eden, or of Cain after the murder of his brother. However, the Calling of which this devotion is about is that to salvation and Holy service. The Lord has known our hearts from before the foundation of the world, and knows our going out and coming in more intimately than we ourselves know. For 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. (2 Chronicles 16:9a)

There was a time our friend, Noah, was going about his daily chores when, suddenly, he heard a voice commanding Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. (Genesis 6:14) Noah, by no merit of his own, found grace in the eyes of the Lord. There is always grace in the Lord’s eyes, but many do not find it by faith as did Noah. No further explanation is needed.

Samuel, at a tender age, was aforetime called of God for a purpose: And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever. (1 Samuel 2:35) That faithful priest would be Samuel. Notice that Samuel did not do what was right in his own eyes, but did according to what the Lord willed and assumed the Mind of God in doing those things. Eli was a long-standing priest of the Lord, but his ears were not sensitive to the voice of the Lord either physically or spiritually. Late in the night the Lord called Samuel thrice and, though Eli did not hear that voice, he informed Samuel on the third call that it was the Lord who called. This must have been an awe-inspiring moment for the young servant of the Lord. God calls at unexpected times and usually during the mundane hours of rest or labor.

The boy-farmer, Gideon, was called by the Lord as he was threshing wheat. The Angel of the Lord referred to this youth as a man of valor. Of course, no mature man would have feared this youth, however, God needs no manly strength to achieve His purposes, so, He calls Gideon to defeat a huge army (the host of Midian) with what would finally be only 300 warriors. I believe the reason for this illogically lop-sided victory was intended to show that the victory always belongs to God and to no man. The call of God to men is not without mystery to both the called and those who hear of it.

Speaking of the mysterious call, Jacob was confronted with the Angel of the Lord with whom he wrestled all night. This was a peculiar but profound call. The Angel said to Jacob: Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. (Genesis 32:28) Jacob was a persevering son of Isaac and, owing to that persevering faith, his name was changed by the Lord to the name, Israel. The blessing given by his father was confirmed in the decree of the Angel. Our God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

There are other unexpected calls from God in the Testaments, but the last is the most dramatic in my thinking – that of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. The last thing Saul expected was a confrontation from the Lord Jesus Christ Church he was actively persecuting. This was not a call based on any meritorious record of the life of Saul thus far. He was guilty of the stoning of Stephen and was intending to further such persecution against every Christian he encountered. His soul was dead in trespasses and sin but would soon be shocked to the core at what was about to happen on that road to Damascus. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. (Acts 9:3-6) God draws some to Himself kicking and screaming, but they come nonetheless. If you are a Christian, you, too, have been privileged to experience the call of God to the throne of grace and mercy motivated by the blessing faith. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (Romans 8:29-30)

Enough said!