Verse of the Day

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Saints Simon & Jude, Apostles, superseding the Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity


Saints Simon and Jude
The two Apostles went to evangelize Armenia and Persia, and they were murdered in the city of Suanir in 47, Anno Domini.

Saint Simon was also called Simon the Zealot, probably because he had been a member of the nationalist party of Zealots who refused to recognize any foreign yoke over Palestine. Zealots were those who had a especial zeal for the independence of the Palestine, that is, they did not want the Holy Land to fall into the hands of any pagans whatsoever. Since the Zealot cause had some good points – commendable in some aspects – it is understandable the Lord recruited one of His Apostles from its numbers.

The mother of Saint Jude was Mary Cleophas, a sister-in-law of the Virgin Mary, stood with her  by the Cross of Jesus on Calvary. His father was Cleophas [Clopas or Alpheo in Aramaic], a brother of Saint Joseph.  Therefore, he was the legal cousin of Jesus. Jude was one of those his fellow countrymen called a “brother” of the Son of the Carpenter, because it was a custom among the Jews at that time to call cousins brothers. He wrote an epistle to combat the Gnostic heresy, which was just beginning to appear.

Propers
The Propers for today are found on Page 254-255, with the Collect first:

Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Apostles. [October 28.]

The Collect.

O
 ALMIGHTY God, who hast built thy Church upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner-stone; Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine, that we may be made an holy temple acceptable unto thee; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Collect for the Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity which is also read can be found on page 218:
Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity

The Collect.

G
 RANT, we beseech thee, merciful Lord, to thy faith- ful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve thee with a quiet
mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Dru Arnold read the Epistle for today which comes from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, the Second Chapter beginning at the Nineteenth Verse:

N
OW therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Hap Arnold read the Holy Gospel for the day which comes from the the Gospel according to Saint John, the Fifteenth Chapter beginning at the Seventeeth Verse:

T
HESE things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me be- fore it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have perse- cuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep your’s also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

Sermon – Rev Deacon Jack Arnold – Time and Action

Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Apostles. [October 28.]

The Collect.

O
 ALMIGHTY God, who hast built thy Church upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner-stone; Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine, that we may be made an holy temple acceptable unto thee; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity

The Collect.

G
 RANT, we beseech thee, merciful Lord, to thy faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve thee with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Collect says that we must have the Lord’s pardon and peace, but we have to ask for it before we have it. If we don’t ask for it, we don’t get. Like the old Cowboy saying “If You Don’t Work, You Don’t Eat.”, which the basics of is covered in another letter of Paul’s to Timothy. In this case it is “If you don’t ask, you won’t get.”, so we ask Him that we might have the willingness to ask and receive His pardon and peace.

In the Epistle, St. Paul exhorts us to act, following Christ as the “Chief Cornerstone”, or the Head Bishop of the Church, with us following under His Orders, as he is our Commanding General.  And he tells us that we must not only think like Christians, but the key word is Act. If we do not act upon our thoughts and words, then how are we any better than those who went before the Christians, like the Jews of old, who said one thing and clearly did another. And in his message, and understanding it, with the Gospel’s message also that we, no matter how tough it may be to do it sometimes, we must follow His will rather than ours, and we may not be loved or liked by the world for it.

Which brings us to the point of the Gospel, in which Christ warns the Apostles that this won’t be an easy milk-run, rather that it will turn dangerous and that they have to face the choice between the World and life on Earth, or death and Life in Christ and God eternally. He tells them that they will face many persecutions for His sake, and that they will be rewarded in time, for their trials and tribulations that the suffer in His name.

Christ also explains had he not come and talked to the evildoers, they would freely be able to deceive us, but now that He has come and revealed them for who they truly are, they will not be able to hide in their wickedness, as they persecute mercilessly His flock, which he had warned them about earlier in His Gospel.  His point is, though they may persecute you, their evilness will shine through their falsified, nice demeanor that they show the world, and yet, when they act with malice in their hearts, their evilness shall come out through their actions and deeds. In our words and deeds, our goodness must shine through our actions and deeds, to counter act our badness that also comes out through words and deeds.

The Collect’s prayer the Collect, Epistle and Gospel tie together, laying out, detailing and reinforcing the same message, ultimately.  We have to ready and willing to accept the fact we will be persecuted, and we must use the help that God provides, by asking for it, and that in the end that Good will triumph over Evil, with the wickedoers deeds of malice showing through their supposedly kind exterior. In these days of trials and tribulations, we must follow this three step process that I have at the end of my sermon, Be of God, Live of God and Act of God most especially.

Be of God - Live of God - Act of God

Bishop Ogles’ Sermon
We are oft fortunate to get copies of Bishop Jerry’s sermon notes.  Today is one of those Sundays.  Today’s sermon starts off with the collect, and like always, it will give you a lot to consider in your heart.

Sermon Notes
Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Apostles
Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity
28 October 2012, Anno Domini

Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Apostles. [October 28.]

The Collect.

O
 ALMIGHTY God, who hast built thy Church upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner-stone; Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine, that we may be made an holy temple acceptable unto thee; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity

The Collect.

G
 RANT, we beseech thee, merciful Lord, to thy faith- ful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve thee with a quiet
mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.  18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. 24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. 26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. (John 15:16-27)
            The world, if you listen to its claims, is full of love. Men love sensual beauty, comfort, food, drink, a good time, money, etc, but is this real love? What happens to the love professed for money when there is no more time, or money? Even the love a wicked man has for his child perishes with the fires of Hell. So what is the essence of real love?
            Real love is directed outward, not inward. It does not base itself on lust, on pride, or upon the temporary values. Real love, as defined in Holy Writ, is eternal. Real love is bounteous for, the more given, the greater the reservoir thereof. So Christ gives us a direct order, or commandment - These things I command you, that ye love one another.  LOVE ONE ANOTHER, as I have loved you, Jesus commands in another place. That is more love than we are capable of either giving or comprehending, so how can the Christian obey this Commandment? He obeys by, first loving God with all his heart, with all his mind, and with all his strength. If he does so, the second part will be easy. He will love his neighbor, as does Christ, as himself. The love of God among Christian people should be very much like a bicycle wheel. The Church is the outer rim. The spokes are the love we profess, and the center (or axle) is Christ who is the center of all of our Love. Those spokes, too, draw ever nearer to one another as they draw nearer to Christ.
            An example of Christian love is given by Dr. J. Hamilton:  When a rose bud is formed, if the soil is soft, and the sky is genial, it is not long before it bursts; for the life within is so abundant, that it can no longer contain it all, but in blossomed brightness and swimming fragrance it must needs let forth its joy, and gladden all the air. And if, when thus ripe, it refused to expand, it would quickly rot at heart, and die. And Christian love is just piety with its petals fully spread, developing itself, and making it a happier world. The religion which fancies that it loves God, when it never evinces love to its brother, is not piety, but a poor mildewed theology, a dogma with a worm in the heart.
            18.If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Can the whole world hate you? Believe it or not, the world can, and does, hate you. It hates you because you are not one of its own. Christians, remember, are not of this world. It is the same thing as hating all of the people of China simply because their government is Communist except, in our case, we are hated because our Sovereign is righteous. The world does not like to surrender its elusive and doubtful treasures; but neither does it wish to come into a kingdom whose judiciary is based on love. The world prefers to keep its power to crush the weak, and elevate the wicked.
            20.Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also If our King is viewed as the greatest enemy of the world, why would the world love His subjects. In the ancient annals of wars and government, when the King's Palace was taken by the enemy, all who occupied the Palace were alike tormented and slain. The vulgar and reprobate of the world literally hate righteousness and justice. Because you belong to the Righteous Christ, they hate you and seek your annihilation.
           21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. Had these of the world known God, they would have at least feared to do such evil; but they do not know God, nor do they desire to know Him. Had God's Word not clearly been proclaimed to the world through the Gospel of Christ, these wicked ones would have at least the excuse of ignorance. But they are now devoid of any covering for their sins since they have rejected the Redeemer and Savior. The Prodigal's Robe have they not taken to cover their filthy sins.
            23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also. Remember that historic feud between the Hatfields and McCoys. The father of both clans was hated by the other, they therefore sought to kill his children.
            24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. Had Christ not proven with many wonderful words and works His Person, the world would yet have excuse for their lack of faith. But He did come and healed the lame and diseased. Restore sight to the blind. Raised the dead again.
            25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. This is the most hurtful realization of all concerning the world's hate. It is groundless and without a cause. Christ came onlyu to comfort, save, enlighten…yet, they hated Him for it. And they will hate you and me as well.
            26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: The Comforter does not come toi turn the world's hate for us into Love, but to give us comfort in spite of the world's hate. He encourages, fortifies, inspires, and helps us to carry on despite the many obstacles and pitfalls along the way. You will recall that the Angels comforted Christ in the Garden before His Passion, yet, His great mission remained as a Sacrifice, written in Red, upon the portals of Heaven itself.
            27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. From the beginning at which we came to know Christ, we shall bear witness of Him – not out of compulsion, but out of Love and Duty.
            Today we honor and remember St Stephen, the first martyr, and St Simon. St Stephen died proclaiming the Gospel of His Lord. At the moment of his death, he asked forgiveness upon those ignorant men – one being Saul (later Saint Paul) – who were stoning his life from him. Can you sacrifice only your pride and self-dignity today for Christ? You are not asked, today, to submit to stoning, but you can at least stand together with the people of God and boldly proclaim righteousness to the four quarters of the world. They may not heed you, but at least they will have no excuse in ignorance of the Truth.

Bishop Dennis Campbell’s Sermon
Bishop Dennis is a brilliant speaker.  He is able to take biblical precepts and make them perfectly understandable, even to me.  Oft he provides the text of his sermons and I take the utmost pleasure in passing them on:

God and a Quiet Mind
Psalm 76, Ephesians 6:10-20, John 4:46-54
Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity
October 28, 2012
                                                  
People who worship with us immediately notice the difference between our worship and the worship in other churches.  If they will make the effort, they may learn why we are different.  We are not trying to organize exciting worship events based on current trends in music and theology.  We are not trying to entertain people or make them feel good about being here because that is not the purpose of worship.  Our worship is quiet, reflective, contemplative and meditative.  We believe it is more important to speak the truth than to get people excited.  We believe it is the Holy Spirit, rather than a rock and roll beat in the music or the intensity in the speaker's voice, that moves souls, and we are more concerned about moving souls than moving emotions.

We do not worship this way because it suits our taste.  We believe worship is far too important to be shaped by our personal preferences.  We worship this way because we believe it is the way God wants to be worshiped, the way the Bible teaches us to worship.  Likewise, I do not say these things to belittle anyone else.  I say them because we need to be reminded of them often, lest we begin to desire the sensuality and excitement of other worship styles, or attempt to pattern our worship after them.

We believe there is a time and place for exuberance.  We also believe the Sunday worship of God should be characterized by reverence, and a kind of holy quietness before God.  Therefore let us quiet our hearts and minds, and be still in God's presence as we worship the Living God.

The very thought of quietness is counter to the hectic activity and constant stimulation which characterize our media saturated culture.  So to pray, as we do in the Collect for the Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity, that God would enable us to serve Him with a quiet mind, may seem odd to people today.  A quiet mind is a mind free of hectic activities and distractions.  A quiet mind is possessed by a sense of holy stillness before God, a stillness that is encouraged in us by passages like Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God."  Rather than rushing from one hectic activity to another, or one amusement or stimulation to another, the quiet mind can take time to be still and listen for the still small voice of God.

But more than mere stillness, a quiet mind is a mind at peace through trust in God.  This is what we are trying to emphasize in our Bible readings this morning.  The quiet mind does not tremble in fear before the battles of temptation, the opposition of the world, the natural and figurative storms of life, or even the supernatural minions of evil.  True, we wrestle against the powers and rulers of darkness, and against spiritual wickedness in high places, but our minds are at peace because we know we are able to withstand in the evil day.  We are dressed in the full armour of God.  We stand on the Gospel of peace.  We wear the helmet of salvation and the breastplate of the righteousness of Christ.  We carry the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit.  We stand watch in prayer, so we are not taken by a surprise attack.  Our minds are at peace because we are strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, and nothing can defeat Him or separate us from His everlasting love.

The nobleman in John 4 received a quiet mind.  He apparently traveled for at least two days to find Jesus, and his mind was not quiet then.  His mind was in anguish.  His son was dying.  A part of his life was dying.  A person he loved more than he loved himself was dying, and his mind was frantic with fear and despair, so he went to Jesus.  When will we learn to go to Jesus with our troubles?  When will we learn to seek peace in Him rather than trinkets and distractions?  When will we learn to trust and believe that God works all things work together for our good, if we love Him and are called, according to His purpose?  This man came to Jesus in despair, but left in peace, because He trusted the word of the Lord.

Psalm 76 is about a collective quiet mind in the people of God.  He is known in Judah and Israel. His Tabernacle is in the City of Peace, Jeru Shalom.  We know Jerusalem has not always been a place of peace.  It has been, and continues to be a battleground.  But at the time of the writing of Psalm 76 it dwells in peace, why? Because God has broken the arrow, the shield, the sword, and the battle.  It dwells in peace because God has defeated its enemies and established it in peace.  At His rebuke that the chariot and the horse, the dreaded war machines of invading armies, are fallen.  God protects the city, therefore His people dwell in peace and serve Him with a quiet mind.

Psalm 76. Notus in Judæa.

I
N Judah is God known; * his Name is great in Israel.
2 At Salem is his tabernacle, * and his dwelling in Sion. 3 There brake he the arrows of the bow, * the shield, the sword, and the battle.
4 Thou art glorious in might, * when thou comest from the hills of the robbers.
5 The proud are robbed, they have slept their sleep; * and all the men whose hands were mighty have found nothing.
6 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, * both the chariot and horse are fallen.
7 Thou, even thou art to be feared; * and who may stand in thy sight when thou art angry?
8 Thou didst cause thy judgment to be heard from heaven; * the earth trembled, and was still,
9 When God arose to judgment, * and to help all the meek upon earth.
10 The fierceness of man shall turn to thy praise; * and the fierceness of them shalt thou refrain.
11 Promise unto the Lord your God, and keep it, all ye that are round about him; * bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.
12 He shall refrain the spirit of princes, * and is wonderful among the kings of the earth.

The focal point of the Psalm is verse 11.  It is the conclusion.  The first ten verses recount the gracious actions of God, but verse 11 shows the natural response of those who receive and recognize God's grace: "Promise unto the Lord your God, and keep it."  When you became a Christian you made vows and promises to God, just as He made vows and promises to you.  He promised to forgive your sins, and fill you with His Spirit, to guide you with His Holy Bible, to watch over you, love you, and bring you at last to His home of everlasting peace.  You promised to turn from sin and begin a life-long process of living more and more according to His law of love, and less and less for the things of sin and self.  It is not easy to keep your promise.  Living for Christ is the, most difficult, most trying, most exasperating, most humiliating thing you can do.  At the same time it is the most fulfilling, the happiest, most exalting, most noble thing to which a human being can aspire.  It only is the way of life.  Therefore, in spite of the challenges and opposition of the world, the flesh, and the devil, there is a peace in our hearts that the world cannot give nor take away.  We can serve God with a quiet mind.

From the Jerusalem of about 900 BC, when this Psalm may have been written, let us look ahead to the city in about the year 33 AD.  The city is in turmoil.  A vast, angry mob is torturing a Man to death on a cross.  It is not a peaceful scene, yet it is the way our peace with God is secured forever.  On the cross the Lamb of God is taking away our sins and making our peace with God.  By His grace "The fierceness of man" is turned to God's praise (vs.10).  Everything His enemies do is used by Him to His own glory and our salvation.  Christianity did not die on the cross; it was born there.  It is because of what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross that we can serve God with a quiet mind.  We have no need to fear life, or death, or even hell itself. He gave His life for our souls.  We can serve Him with a quiet mind.

Therefore, let your mind be at ease.  Let you mind be at rest.  Let a holy quiet descend upon you and let it dwell in you forever.  God has overcome the world.  He has given you the armour of God that you may stand in Him in this life.  He has given you the promise of life in paradise with Him forever.  He has accomplished the forgiveness of your sins and your peace with God. Serve Him with a quiet mind.

+Dennis Campbell

Bishop, Anglican Orthodox Church Diocese of Virginia
Rector, Holy Trinity Anglican Orthodox Church
Powhatan, Virginia
www.HolyTrinityAnglicanOrthodoxChurch.org
www.lifeinthescriptures.blogspot.com

Rev Bryan Dabney of Saint John’s Sunday Sermon
We are fortunate to have Bryan’s Sunday Sermon.  If you want people to come to The Truth, you have to speak the truth, expouse the truth and live the truth.    This is really a good piece and I commend it to your careful reading.

The Sermon – The Saints of God

This Thursday will be the feast of All Saints wherein we honor the memory of those whose works advanced the gospel message throughout the world. Now some may ask,”Who can be rightly called a saint?” Our answer should be clear and straightforward: “Anyone who loves the Godhead and is obedient to his will is a saint.” In light of that response, it should be apparent that the saints of God also come in a variety of packages— young and old, rich and poor— and can be found in every corner of the world where the light of the gospel has been proclaimed and accepted.

With that in mind, let us turn in our bibles to chapter 7 of Revelation where the apostle John saw a multitude standing before the throne of God dressed in white robes and bearing palm branches. While the apostle was informed that such were those who had come out of the great tribulation, we know from our reading of Scripture that all who are born-again by means of his most holy Spirit will likewise be vested in the same before God (7:9-17). Ergo, all so described are saints of the most high God (Daniel 7:18, 27).

Now one might assume that the simple bible way of explaining the specifics of this issue would suffice. But such would be a mistake because there are churches that have a longstanding set of rubrics governing the topic of sainthood. In spite of human tradition, it would behoove us to examine the basic biblical characteristics for being called a saint. For only by letting God speak for himself can we properly discern the facts of the matter.

To begin with, fervent praying is a mark of a godly saint. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave us some specific instructions about praying (see St. Matthew 6:5-15). The Rev. E. M. Bounds pointed out that faith and prayer are supremely important to the believing Christian. He associated true faith with an active prayer life. The author emphasized the need to pray daily for daily needs of the present. “When we pray, give us this day our daily bread, we are...shutting tomorrow out of our prayer. We do not live in tomorrow but in today. We do not seek tomorrow’s grace or tomorrow’s bread. They thrive best, and get the most out of life, who live in the living present...Victory today is the assurance of victory tomorrow. Our prayers need to be focused on today.” Bounds identified the two principal foes of our faith as being doubt and fear because they will interrupt our prayer life and limit the power of God to work therein owing to our lack of faith. According to Bounds, “A simple, confiding faith, living day by day and casting its burden on the Lord each hour of the day will dissipate fear, drive away misgiving and deliver from doubt... Faith grows by reading and meditating upon the Word of God. Most, and best of all, faith thrives in an atmosphere of prayer.”

Now consider what the Rev. Bounds urged Christians to do in God’s service. They ought to: 1) trust in God for his provision; 2) earnestly desire of him that he provide for a particular need or want which is within his will for us; 3) show fervency or strength in praying; 4) be persistent in our praying; 5) understand that our praying affects our conduct and character; 6) be obedient to the will of God; 7) be vigilant in prayer; and 8) read the Scriptures because in them we have a record of the prayer life and successes of those notable mentioned personalities whom God called as his followers. As he noted in his famous book on Prayer, “The Word of God is made effectual and operative by the process and practice of prayer;” for, “When prayer is a stranger [in God’s house], then it ceases to be God’s house at all.”

Secondly, it should apparent to all that a saint is a person who trusts in the atoning work of our Lord Jesus Christ. A faithful and true Christian has accepted without equivocation the sacrifice of our Lord on the cross, and has confessed his or her sins to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. That acceptance of his undeserved favor, or grace, sets such a person apart from those who believe that they have to earn their salvation through works (see Ephesians 2:1-22).

Thirdly, a saint is one who is sealed of God. Consider the following passages:

Now he which stablished us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. II Corinthians 1:21, 22

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world... In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.  Ephesians 1:3, 4, 13

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.  Ephesians 4:30

God has sealed all who are his via the workings of the Holy Spirit. As a result, these believers have been set apart as his saints and are co-heirs with Christ in his kingdom. In the future, the Antichrist will mark those who come into his fold, but there will be a terrible penalty for those who accept such. For to receive the mark of the Beast is to receive an everlasting sentence of damnation which cannot be undone. Therefore a godly saint will avoid all marks of the world, the flesh and the devil, keeping himself, or herself, solely unto the Lord who bought him (see I Corinthians 6:19, 20; I Thessalonians 5:22).

Fourthly, a saint will minister to others as part of his or her Christian witness (see Hebrews 6:10) via his keeping of God’s word (see St. Jude 3) and seeking God’s perfect will for himself (see Romans 12:2). He must be prepared to judge righteously those around him within the body of Christ: which requires godly discernment (see I Corinthians 6:1, 2). He will seek the whole counsel of God by reading the Scriptures just as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11). In these and other ways, a godly saint will be able to effectively minister to those around him.

Finally, a saint will trust in God’s provision as he has promised not to forsake us in this life (see Psalm 37:28). In providing for his own, God will gather us and keep us because he counts us as precious to him (see Psalm 50:5; I Samuel 2:9; Psalm 116:15). Our Lord Jesus Christ will continue to intercede for us (Romans 8:27-30) until that day when he comes to bring us to our eternal home in the kingdom which he has prepared for all his saints (St. Matthew 25:34).

And so there can be little doubt that every person who has been so called and so empowered by God may safely be called a saint. You do not need a certificate from some earthly body to affirm your bona fides with the Lord for such would be merely a confirmation of an already known fact. God inscribed the names of his saints in his Book of Life the moment they were regenerated by the power of the Holy Ghost. The Bible tells us that he knew us before the foundations of the world were laid, and has endowed each of us with gifts and duties on his behalf. And because God’s love for us has been manifested to us in the atoning work of Jesus Christ, let us therefore live in obedience to his will, and purpose in our hearts to daily keep our eyes fixed upon him, awaiting his appearing when our citizenship in his kingdom will be made manifest. And so, in answer to our initial question regarding who is a saint? we should understand that every regenerated person in Christ Jesus today is just as much a saint as any from antiquity, and you have God’s word written which confirms it (Ephesians 1:3-14).

Let us pray,
F
ather, we beseech thee to bless us, thy saints, in this mortal life; that through our witness, those who are as yet unsaved might come to a saving knowledge of thy dear Son, Jesus Christ; for this we ask in his most precious name of him. Amen.

Have a blessed week, Bryan+

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity


The Propers for today are found on Page 217-218, with the Collect first:

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity

The Collect.

O
 ALMIGHTY and most merciful God, of thy bountiful goodness keep us, we beseech thee, from all things that may hurt us; that we, being ready both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things which thou commandest; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Dru Arnold read the Epistle for today, which came from Saint Paul’s letter to the Ephesians beginning at the Fifteenth Verse of the Fifth Chapter.  “… the days are evil.  … understand… what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; …” God wants us to be happy, to be good and to enjoy life.  The key to happiness is to do what God asks of you.  No more (you can’t), no less.  Though you fall short, keep trying, that is all God asks.   If you find this no other place, listen to the words of St. Paul.

S
ee then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Hap Arnold read today’s Holy Gospel, which came from the Twenty-Second Chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew beginning at the First Verse.  Talking to the priests and scribes, Jesus told one of the wedding parables, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.  Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: and the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then” he sent “his servants … into the highways” to “gather… together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding-garment: and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding-garment?[1] And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.

J
esus said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: and the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding-garment: and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.

Sermon – Rev Deacon Jack Arnold – Time and Action

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity

The Collect.

O
 ALMIGHTY and most merciful God, of thy bountiful goodness keep us, we beseech thee, from all things that may hurt us; that we, being ready both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things which thou commandest; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

The Collect’s prayer that God might keep us from the things that are bad for us so we can do the things He wants us to do ties perfectly with the Epistle and Gospel.

One word that intrigues me from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is “circumspectly”, which when I looked it up meant “wary and unwilling to take risks.”  I believe Paul meant in these troubled days, we should not be taking risks with our faith, but walking in that which has been tried and true for over two thousands years. We cannot risk comprising the integrity of the faith, with new fangled modernistic New Age spirituality, as some of the more liberal, mega churches are wont to do.

Paul warns us against the dangers of drunkenness, but he does not mean never to drink wine, as some, (the Puritans) would take, but rather have “moderation in all things”, which is a similar idea to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:12 “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” Rather than turn to the excesses of this world, Paul says that we must turn to God and be filled with His Grace of the Holy Spirit. Making joyful noises to the Lord, be it in prayer or in song, and giving thanks always for all things to God.

In our lives, we should be grateful to God more than we are.  At least, I know I am often not thankful to Him, when I should be. That is the troublesome aspect of having free will, we so often exercise it, not to the Glory of God, but for our own means.  We have to turn away from that temptation, and let the Holy Spirit in and guide us, to thanking God for what He has done for us in our lives.

The Gospel’s story has troubled me for many years now, wondering why the King cast out a man, whose only error appeared to be that of the wrong clothes. When I thought about it more, and in many discussions, I came to realize that the wrong clothes, was Jesus metaphor for one that is not prepared for heaven, not walking in God, not filled with the Holy Spirit, and that is why he was cast out of the wedding (which is implied to be heaven. And the King stands in for God in the tale.)

The Collect, Epistle and Gospel tie together, laying out, detailing and reinforcing the same message, ultimately.  We have to ready and willing to listen to God, and walk in God, and act with the Holy Spirit in us, in order to have the right “clothes” to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Be of God - Live of God - Act of God

Bishop Ogles’ Sermon
We are oft fortunate to get copies of Bishop Jerry’s sermon notes.  Today is one of those Sundays.  Today’s sermon starts off with the collect, and like always, it will give you a lot to consider in your heart.

Sermon Notes
Saint Bede Anglican Episcopal Church
Tucson, Arizona
Twentieth Sunday after Trinity
21 October 2012, Anno Domini

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity

The Collect.

O
 ALMIGHTY and most merciful God, of thy bountiful goodness keep us, we beseech thee, from all things that may hurt us; that we, being ready both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things which thou commandest; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Saint Matthew 22:1-14
1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Jesus so often spoke in Parables that those whose hearts are open and humble might understand where those whose hearts were arrogant, proud and hardened would not so understand.  Jesus relates this parable of marriage that has a double application. It relates to the first institution of God in the Garden at Eden, as well as the relationship between Christ and His Bride. Marriage is viewed with such profound meaning that the very first commandment God gave man involved this sacred institution that exists only between ONE man and ONE woman.

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Gen 1:28)

Marriage is so important to Christ that He performed His first miracle at Cana of Galilee (which just happened to be a marriage feast.)

Since being the first institution of God in the Garden at Eden, marriage has been sacred and Holy to God – and it must be to us as well. It is an earthly model for the Kingdom of God and the great marriage between Christ and His Bride, the Church.

"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,"

This certain king is God the Father. Do I need tell you who the son represents? None other than Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God.

"And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come." The great prophets were these servants who called those who were bidden to come, but Israel would not hear them and did not come. They even stoned many of these prophet messengers, and others they sawed in half.

"Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage." The Great King leaves nothing to chance. He prepares ALL we need for our comfort and nourishment and joy. The sacrifice has been made for us – all we must do is come. He desires to honor us by allowing us to honor His Beloved Son.

"But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:"  Here we see the dreadful preoccupation of the world, and even the church, with our own devices – money, trade and barter, etc. The service to God seems a light thing to them. We today are sorrowfully no different. We `do our duty' in attending service once on Sunday, go back to our troughs and mud, and live as if God were not watching.

"And the remnant took his servants, and entreated themspitefully, and slew them."You will recall how wrongly they treated Samuel, Moses, Jeremiah and all the prophets. Even Abel was slain by his brother for living and teaching righteousness. The Apostles, most of whom died brutal deaths, were no less dishonored by those who knew no honor.

"But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city." If you have been living under the delusion that God will always show mercy and kindness, you are wrong. Christ Himself shall return to claim His own, and the remainder shall be put to the sword and cast into Hell without mercy! They will have sealed their own fate through the neglect of the things of God. If you have not loved God in this life, you cannot love Him in the next. The tares (unbelievers) shall be gathered by the Holy Angels and burned. Even the details of this prophecy were fulfilled when the armies of Rome came and destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Many of those same doubtful hearers suffered in that destruction!

"Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage." Most of the people of Israel depended upon their pedigree as sons of Abraham; however, they did not rightfully belong to the Old Testament Church of Abraham who looked to the coming of Christ.

The noble Stephen proclaimed:
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham
(Gal 3:8-9)

This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us  (Acts 7:38)

Abraham was a Christian: Jesus said - Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. (John 8:56)

And we are the Children of Abraham through faith.

Now back to those who refuse to attend the things of God: These being rejected through their own complacency, God turns to all who will come. All who love Christ are adopted into that great Church and are Israel indeed. None are to go without invitation!

"So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests." This is like the great dragnet of souls mentioned in Matthew 13:47-48. It drew every kind of fish, both good and bad, and the fisherman (angels) sat down and separated them. Or the fields of wheat and tares growing together picture this same truth.

"And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast himinto outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Do we desire to be properly attired at this great and distinguished feast? If so, we must take on the White Robe of Righteousness which Christ offers to cover our rags and filth. The prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) received that Robe from His Father on his return from feeding the pigs in a far country. He was covered with the filth of his disobedience, but His Father covered His unsightly sins with love and His Robe of Righteousness.

There is an interesting prophecy in Isaiah 4:1. When women are referred to in prophecy, they represent a religious power.

Isaiah 4:1 – "And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach." To me, these may represent the seven churches, I humbly believe, who wish to be nominal Christians only. They will eat their own bread, and not the Bread of Heaven He offers, and will wear their own filthy rags of sin instead of His Robe of Righteousness. But they desire the dignity of being called, only, by His name.

In the end of all things, Christ concludes His message to the seven churches in Revelations 3:20, and particularly to the Church at Laodicea - Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Does Christ stand in the midst of us at Saint Bede's this morning, or does He stand without the door and knock? I believe He stands in the midst of all faithful worshippers, but we must insure that we carry our faith home with us today as well.

"For many are called, but few are chosen." Friend, it is quite possible that you have been called and invited, but never accepted the invitation. A gift may be offered, but it is not fully a gift until it has been received. Have you accepted, with serious heart and intent, the Redemption made available through the blood of Christ?
Bishop Dennis Campbell’s Sermon
Bishop Dennis is a brilliant speaker.  He is able to take biblical precepts and make them perfectly understandable, even to me.  Oft he provides the text of his sermons and I take the utmost pleasure in passing them on:

God Served with a Cheerful Heart
Psalm 11, Ephesians 5:15-21, Matthew 22:1-14
Twentieth Sunday after Trinity
October 21, 2012

I love the liturgy of Morning Prayer.  I love that it includes the ancient practice of giving thanks for the Bible by singing a Canticle after each Scripture reading.  One of the favourite Canticles has always been Psalm 100, the Jubilate Deo.  Morning Prayer begins in private prayer, and moves into a common prayer seeking God's blessings upon us, committing our cares and needs unto Him, asking Him to fill us with the spirit of prayer and beseeching Him to enable us to worship Him in Spirit and in truth.  The prayer is followed by a hymn, which is a prayer or exhortation set to music, and the hymn is followed by a Scriptural statement of the grace and mercy of God, such as, "Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ."  Giving our attention to the grace and majesty of God naturally moves us to consider our own unworthiness, and to confess our sins. After the confession we hear the joyful declaration that God "pardoneth and absolveth all those who truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospel."  Next we pray the prayer that has comforted God's people in times of joy and times of sorrow for more than two thousand years.  Prayed in everyplace from death beds to baptisms, we know it as "The Lord's Prayer."

Having confessed our sins and joyfully entrusted ourselves into the merciful heart of God, we move to the Venite exultemus Domino, "O Come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation."  This is what others might term a Call to Worship.  Based upon the mercy of God, who forgives our sins and calls us to live in His love, the Venite invites us to enter more deeply into the worship of God.  This is especially appropriate as we prepare for the most important part of Morning Prayer, the reading and hearing of the Word of God.

In a sense, everything so far has been done in preparation to hear God's Word.  The prayers and hymns have brought us together as one body, ready to humbly and reverently stand before God as He addresses and ministers to us through the words of Holy Scripture.  Then, having heard with faith the Word of God, we rejoice in His mercy, singing:

Psalm 100. Jubilate Deo.

O
 BE joyful in the Lord, all ye lands; serve the Lord with gladness, and come before His presence with a song.
   Be ye sure that the Lord he is God; it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
   O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and speak good of his Name.
   For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth from generation to generation.

Psalm 100 rings with words like "gladness, "song," "thanksgiving," "mercy," and "truth." It tells us that the right response to the grace of God towards us is to "serve the Lord with gladness."  It encourages us to do as the Collect for the Twentieth Sunday after  Trinity also teaches, "cheerfully accomplish" the things God commands. What does the Lord command? "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and and with all thy mind."  Present your body as a "living sacrifice," which is your "reasonable service." "Serve the Lord with gladness."

Cheerfully serving God is one of the common themes in the Scripture readings for this morning.  The Epistle to the Ephesians speaks of living wisely and understanding the will of the Lord.  It also speaks of life filled with thanksgiving and melody because it is lived in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.  We Christians are not controlled by our circumstances.  We are not defined by the troubles or conditions we encounter in our journey through this world.  Nor are we surprised by them.  We expect problems "because the days are evil."  They are part of life in a fallen world filled with fallen people.  But we are not overcome by the evil days.  Instead we "redeem the time."  We are controlled by the Holy Spirit.  He is the One who sets our attitudes and habits and outlook on life.  As we are controlled by the Holy Spirit, we speak to ourselves in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, "singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord," and "giving thanks always for all things unto God."  We do not dwell on our problems.  We do not allow the situation of the world, the evil times, to make us angry or depressed or bitter.  We fill our minds with the goodness and grace of God by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.  We live in thanksgiving for the unnumbered blessings we enjoy through God's grace.  Especially do we give thanks that all things work together for our good if we love God, and that we are bound for an eternal home so wonderful it will enable us to realise that all the trials of this life are as nothing in comparison.  Such a life leads to a cheerful heart.  It leads naturally to a condition of wholeness, a life of spiritual wellness and harmony.  It leads to what our Lord called "peace."

The Gospel of Matthew speaks of the joy of those who come to the wedding feast, and the sorrows of those who do not.  Those who come are the poor.  Their meager food consists primarily of hard bread supplemented with a few vegetables, fruits, and, fish.  Their clothes are rough, woolen work clothes that itch and smell like barns and fish and soil and sweat.  Suddenly, they don't know why, they are called to freely partake of a sumptuous banquet.  They are fed the finest meats and delicacies.  They are dressed in fine robes, that are clean and comfortable and sweet with the fragrance of expensive perfume.  Everything is of the best quality and served in abundance. And all is the free gift of the king.  Those who did not come receive none of it.  They have only their farms and their merchandise, which is nothing in comparison.

Obviously, the King is God and the wedding is the forgiveness and eternal peace given to us through the sacrifice of Christ.  The farms and merchandise are the trinkets of the world, and those who refuse to come to the wedding receive nothing more from the King than their trinkets.  Those who come to Christ receive joy and peace in abundance, now and forever.

Psalm 11 is written in the form of a dialogue.  The congregation was probably divided into two groups, with the first singing verse 1, and the second group singing verses 2 and 3.  Group one takes up the song again in verse 4, and continues singing to the end.  You will notice, then, that the Psalm consists of three sections.  The first, in verse one,  as though speaking to a person who is fearful and doubtful in the face of the world's problems, asks why someone would tell people who trust in God to "flee as a bird unto the hill?"

Psalm 11. In Domino confido.

I
N the Lord put I my trust; * how say ye then to my soul, that she should flee as a bird unto the hill?
2 For lo, the ungodly bend their bow, and make ready their arrows within the quiver, * that they may privily shoot at them which are true of heart.
3 If the foundations be destroyed, * what can the right- eous do?
4 The Lord is in his holy temple; * the Lord’s seat is in heaven.
5 His eyes consider the poor, * and his eyelids try the children of men.
6 The Lord approveth the righteous: * but the ungodly, and him that delighteth in wickedness, doth his soul abhor.
7 Upon the ungodly he shall rain snares, fire and brim- stone, storm and tempest: * this shall be their portion to drink.
8 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; * his countenance will behold the thing that is just.

The answer is given in verses 2 and 3, "the ungodly bend their bow;" "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?"  There is danger in this world.  There are evil people who desire to destroy us.  And we are powerless before them.  They have shaken the foundations of our lives, and we can't stop them.  That is the answer of those of wavering faith.

Their answer is partially correct.  There are enemies out there, who want to destroy us.  They want to silence our voices in the public square.  There are also enemies that tempt us to turn away from Christ, to give up the faith and flee to the hills.  And there are enemies that come to us in the form of problems and troubles and sorrows.  And, sometimes, as Martin Luther wrote, this world with devils filled threatens to undo us. But it is wrong to think we have no recourse but to flee to the hills.  It is wrong to think we cannot withstand their attacks.  It is wrong to think there is no defense against their attacks.  Why?  Because  "The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord's seat is in heaven."  It is as though the Psalm is saying, "Look around you, Christian.  God is not moved by evil men or worldly troubles.  He is seated on His royal throne in Heaven.  They cannot reach Him or hurt him, nor can they move or disturb Him.  He is far beyond their reach."

We may say, "but I'm not God.  I'm not in Heaven, and I'm not strong like God.  These enemies trouble and hurt me."  That is true, but God is with you.  God is on your side.  Verse 7 says, "Upon the ungodly he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, storm and tempest: this shall be their portion to drink."  The Day will come when all of our troubles are cast down and put behind us forever.  Verse 6 tells us God approves of the righteous.  He has placed His stamp of approval on you.  He has sealed and marked you as His own.  And He will preserve you, whole and safe, to the shores of eternal bliss.  In verse 8, God's eyes behold the thing that is just.  That's you.  If you are in Christ, in Biblical faith, you are just because the righteousness of Christ has been given to you.  And God's countenance beholds you.  This means He is watching you. But He is not just seeing you, He is watching over you.  He holds you in His protection.  He upholds you with His hand.  He will not allow evil to triumph over you.  It may look like evil is winning now  but it looked the same way 2,000 years ago when a sinless Man was nailed to a cross and tortured to death.  Evil must have rejoiced at His death, like the Witch and her minions at the death of Aslan in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. But their joy soon became sorrow, for that Man walked out of that grave.  He passed right through the stone and the seals and the guards.  What seemed a sure victory to His enemies, was actually the stroke that assured their defeat.  And so it is now.  The troubles we experience teach us to trust in God alone, not the amusements of earth or our own puny strength.

Therefore, we cling to God.  We boldly say with David, "In the Lord put I my trust."  And, as we trust in Him alone to overcome our enemies and deliver us to Heaven, we now cheerfully accomplish those things which He has commanded.
--
tDennis Campbell

Bishop, Anglican Orthodox Church Diocese of Virginia
Rector, Holy Trinity Anglican Orthodox Church
Powhatan, Virginia
www.HolyTrinityAnglicanOrthodoxChurch.org
www.lifeinthescriptures.blogspot.com most merciful God, of thy bountiful goodness keep us, we beseech thee, from all things that may hurt us; that we, being ready both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things which thou commandest; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Rev Bryan Dabney of Saint John’s Sunday Sermon
We are fortunate to have Bryan’s Sunday Sermon.  If you want people to come to The Truth, you have to speak the truth, expouse the truth and live the truth.    This is really a good piece and I commend it to your careful reading.

The Sermon - God’s gift to Mankind

I have often seen the depressing statistic that half of all marriages today will end in divorce. It used to be that the newer marriages were coming unglued within five or so years; but the trend now extends to those marriages that have been around for decades. We live in a society that values very little except for what gratifies the fleshly lusts of the masses. But what does God have to say about this matter? In our gospel lesson, we have his unambiguous view on the subject: What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder (St. Matthew 19:6b). To look at the divorce rate, you’d get the impression that people really do not care for the institution of marriage. But then consider this: those who divorce their spouses today will, in most cases, marry again in the near future. So what is the problem? Like every other difficulty that humanity faces, it stems from a lack of God’s presence within the homes of those who are contemplating divorce. If God is honored by both parties, then no divorce will take place because the grounds for such will not exist. You cannot honor God by cheating on your spouse, by abusing your other half, or alienating yourself from them so that they regard you as a stranger and not the person they married.

The importance of marriage as an institution is set forth in Genesis chapter 2 (21-25) wherein it was written that the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. This is one of the most beautiful passages found in Scripture. It sets forth the purity and the spirituality of the institution of marriage. That is why our Lord spoke as he did in defense of marriage because he was there at its beginning. He also spoke of the origins of divorce because in the Law of Moses such was permissible on account of the sinful natures of men and women who would not abide in God’s rules for life.

Marriage is, after all, about life and its orderly continuance upon this earth. God ordained marriage to join a man and a woman together that they might provide each other comfort and companionship. Under the rubrics of godly marriage, the two became one flesh in his eyes and the blessings of children would come out of the marriage bond and these were to be reared up in the knowledge of God. Thus it would follow that after they had matured these same godly children would marry and the process would begin anew. God’s expectation was and remains that those who would choose to marry ought to enter into that institution with thoughtfulness, solemnity and with loving acceptance of their new estate.

Consider the words of the BCP on the Solemnization of Matrimony (pp. 300-304). The parties to matrimony are reminded of the need to examine their motives for joining together. They are then given the charge that God will judge them both if they are in error in their seeking to be married. Afterward, both make a public profession of their agreement to wed in taking the other as their spouse. This is followed by the giving of the marriage ring to the wife. And after a series of short prayers, the minister will repeat the words of our Lord, Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder.

Enter now Satan and his cadre of wicked spirits. They have sought to make mankind’s life as miserable as they can, as well as to turn as many as they are able from following God’s rules for life. Satan hates everything God has made and that includes the institution of marriage. Where God has ordained a state of loving faithfulness, the devil creates unfaithfulness. Where God has created a union, the devil fosters disunion. Where there is supposed to be peace and harmony, the devil stirs up strife. Where the family home is supposed to be a place of refuge from the world, the devil brings the world right inside to confound and depress. Where children are supposed to have a haven in which to grow in the love and admonition of the LORD, the devil brings his spiritual chainsaw to cut away the bonds of unity within the family. In so doing, he divides spouses one from the other, and parents from their children. He engenders bitterness and wrath so that the children will hardly hear a kind word between their parents, much less be taught the intentions of God. Afterwards, God hears the weeping of those dejected spouses and the tearful cries of their children whose lives have been turned upside down by the antics of one or both of their parents. So imagine, if you will, when those so-called learned men of the Law tempted our Lord with their foolish questions about marriage and divorce, it would be safe to say that he was revolted not only by their question, but by their hardheartedness as well. An omniscient God had clearly seen way beyond their time and even ours. He knows all too well the consequences of divorce— the lives ruined and homes wrecked.

Then there are those who live outside the bounds of God’s institution of marriage in fornication and corruption. Sadly, very many so-to-speak Christians are doing just that. They do not give any thought to how God sees them as simply living in sin, and they may even believe that God’s prohibition against their behavior is just a matter of interpretation. They have conveniently forgotten that if one claims to be in Christ Jesus then one must be obedient to Christ Jesus (St. John 14:15). In St. Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians, the apostle advised them concerning marriage when he penned, Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency... for it is better to marry than to burn (7:2-5, 9b).

Scripturally speaking, those that co-habit apart from the institution of matrimony are saying rather straightforwardly that their living arrangements with one another do not involve asking God anything. And so, when one or the other party leaves, they just walk away without any obligation, or for that matter, without any valid reason. They believe that they are free to then go and form any number of new live-in relationships without any consequence. Can there be any stability in this sort of relationship? Where is the bonding that God intended for both the man and woman? What about the possible inclusion of any child or plural being born out of such a tenuous relationship? What about the effects on any child or plural who became part of a previous relationship? So when a live-in couple breaks up, one can blame it all on “bad karma,” or “a lapse of judgment” but not on the very malefactor who chose to end the relationship. The message here is plain and simple: those who refuse to marry present the devil with any number of golden opportunities for mischief and mayhem in their lives. The message here is plain and simple: those who refuse to marry have opened the door to demonic spoliation. To paraphrase a notorious political figure of our day, The devil and his minions will “never let a good opportunity for theft, murder and destruction go to waste.”

Nevertheless, in spite of everything the devil has done to destroy this institution, marriage still remains a gift of God to mankind. The solid foundation of Christ makes for longevity in Christian marriage. What a bulwark it is against the wiles of the devil. What a joy is found therein. This is not to say that Christian marriage will not have its rocky moments for even the best of marriages will face turbulent times. But I should think that a couple who are committed to each other— who have the love of God in their hearts— and seek to maintain their fellowship with each other, and with the Godhead, will survive the storms which the devil will send their way. Marriage is a life-long commitment. It is not a life- sentence as if one were somehow imprisoned. It is a life-enriching union which ought to have our Lord Jesus Christ at its center. Think about it in this manner, if Jesus Christ is ruler of all of your life then you will have a happy and secure marriage. That is why the man and woman who are contemplating marriage ought to be believing Christians. Marriage is not “a bed of roses,” it is not “a piece of cake,” but it has the potential to be one of the most fulfilling aspects of this life or God would not have established it.

Our task as Christians is to encourage others to seek God’s will for them. While we may not be able to keep bad marriages from ultimately failing, we can assist those who are struggling to keep their marriages together through our prayers, and with God’s permission, to appeal to the parties as we are given leave to do. God is sovereign and his power preempts all others. Ergo, we should bring before him our prayers and petitions on behalf of those who are trying to maintain their marriage vows, as well as for their children. We should make it part of our daily prayer life to seek God’s assistance for those who are troubled in mind, body or estate and that includes the fractured households in our church and in our communities. We should also be in prayerful thanksgiving that if we are married and our home life is good, that God would give us grace to continue in such until he calls us home. Being thankful for the good things which God has given us is just as important as bringing him our petitions for his assistance regarding those things which trouble us. May it please our Lord to bless each of you in your respective homes and that you will not give Satan an open door to enter and wreck the good that God has given you.

Let us pray,
F
ATHER, make of us effective witnesses via our homes and marriages as a people who revel in thy blessings and desire that others might experience the same; and this we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Have a blessed week, Bryan+


[1] In that day, the giver of such a feast would have provided wedding garments for those who traveled far and were unable to bring one.  In our case, Jesus provides the appropriate garb to those who will wear it, not just accept it and put it to one side.