Verse of the Day

Sunday, June 30, 2013

The Fifth Sunday after Trinity


On Point
Someone asked, where do the quotes come from?  The answer is from the people who uttered them.  But, how did you find them?  Oh, that.  Most are from Rev Bryan Dabney, a few from other places, but overall mostly from Bryan.  He always has a few great ones to share.  So, on to the On Point quotes –

Vice in a nation puts disgrace upon it.
Rev. Matthew Henry
17th and 18th century English pastor and author.

We have been in many a trial, but we have never yet been cast where we could not find in our God all that we needed. Let us then be encouraged to trust in the Lord for ever, assured that his ever lasting strength will be, as it has been, our succour and stay.
Rev. Charles H. Spurgeon
19th century English pastor and author
(Morning and Evening, p. 375).

The technetronic era involves the gradual appearance of a more controlled society. Such a society would be dominated by an elite, unrestrained by traditional values. Soon it will be possible to assert almost continuous surveillance over every citizen and maintain up-to-date complete files containing even the most personal information about the citizen. These files will be subject to instantaneous retrieval by the authorities.
Zbigniew Brzezinski
20th and 21st  century American globalist
Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not.
Thomas Jefferson
American patriot and third president.

Liberty... is a political situation denoting the lawful capability of the citizen to defend himself and his near and dear without interference from the state.
Colonel Jeff Cooper
20th and 21st  century American patriot and firearms expert


Battle planes don’t trouble us, but the observation planes we hate like the plague; they put the artillery on to us. A couple of minutes after they appear, shrapnel and high-explosives begin to drop on us. We lose eleven men in one day that way, and five of them stretcher-bearers...
Erich Maria Remarque
20th  century German author
(All Quiet on the Western Front, pp. 128-129)

Propers
The Propers for today are found on Page 195-196, with the Collect first:

The Fifth Sunday after Trinity.

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The Collect.
RANT, O Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Dru Arnold read the Epistle, which came from the Third Chapter of the First Epistle of Saint Peter beginning at the Eighth Verse. Peter tells to be of one mind, have compassion and pity for each other, to be courteous, to give good to all our brethren, to return good for evil, to seek peace, to do good, not just talk good.  Peter tells us to not only talk the talk, but walk the walk.  To put ourselves in others’ places, understand when they fall short and make good things happen.

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E ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.

Today’s Holy Gospel started in the Fifth Chapter of the Gospel according to Saint Luke beginning at the First Verse. This is one of the classic  stories of Jesus in the Bible.  Jesus had gone down to Lake Gennesaret to pray and then speak to the people.  As they pressed in on him, he asked Simon Peter to use his boat as a speaking platform.  Speaking from a small boat near the beach is almost like speaking in an amphitheatre.  When he finished talking to the people, he told Simon Peter to go out and set his nets.  Simon pointed out they had fished all night with no result, but at His word, he would set his net.  The net gathered an incredible catch that Simon Peter and his friends could not board.  At that point, it was clear to Simon Peter he was in the presence of one far greater than himself.  He fell to his knees, saying, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”  Then Jesus said, “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.”  From then on Simon Peter followed Jesus.

Do not misunderstand, every day Jesus speaks to you telling you what to do.  It is your choice, you can listen like Simon Peter, or you can ignore Jesus.  He has the pony for the lottery.  He wants to give it to you, all you have to do is accept.  While He is a bit more subtle than a Drill Instructor, the question is the same, “Can you hear me?”

There are none so deaf as those who will not hear.

I
T came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, and saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: and so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

Sermon – Reverend Deacon Jack Arnold - Time and Action
Today’s sermon discussed the Collect, Epistle and Gospel.  It is partially contained in the forewords above.

Consider these words from the Collect:

the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness

In the Collect, we ask that the events of this world might follow God’s governance or will.  Why?  Because in those places where it does, we find happiness and joy.  It is that simple, it means more, reflect on that.  After all, Amazing, is it not?  Since the Garden, it has always been one of the two same choices:

1.     We follow God’s Will for us, we do what is good for us, individually and as a people or a country.  It is hard work, but easier than we imagined; we prosper when all goes well.  It was all our doing, we are happy because we were so smart.

2.     We ignore God’s instructions, doing what we want to do, not what we are supposed to do.  It turns out to be way harder than we thought possible, in the end everything turns to weasel spit.  It was not our fault, it was God’s fault, He is punishing us.

As long as we are human, imperfect creatures with free will, it will never change for humanity.  But, we can.  We can learn from the past and live for the future in Him who gave His Life that we might be free eternally. This is a very similar theme to last Sunday’s sermon, with very good reason. Doing what God Asks = Happiness, Not doing what God Asks = unhappiness, to put it into mathematical terms!

So, how do we make our little part of this world follow God’s will? Peter tells to be of one mind, have compassion and pity for each other, to be courteous, to give good to all our brethren, to return good for evil, to seek peace, to do good, not just talk good.  Peter tells us to not only talk the talk, but walk the walk.  To put ourselves in others’ places, understand when they fall short and make good things happen. The key word is “walk”, to act upon the teachings of Christ, and not just utter them and not do them. All of us, including myself struggle with this, but as long as we are DOING our best, and not just saying it, then that is all He asks of us. 

So, just how do we make good things happen?  Fairly simple, do what God asks! This is an extremely common theme again! Doing what God asks is the answer to all of our problems if you think about it! Don’t figure out ways to seem to do what He asks, while doing what you want.  Consider when Jesus told Simon Peter to go out and set his nets.  Simon was tired, he was hungry, he had fished all night with no result.  After making excuses, he decided to do what he was told!  The net gathered an incredible catch that Simon Peter and his friends could not board. 

That is what happened to Simon Peter; that is what will happen to you, if you will but listen. Listening and then acting are the key principles of this Gospel, we must listen to what He says, and then ACT upon it.

Do not misunderstand, every day Jesus speaks to you telling you what to do.  It is your choice, you can listen like Simon Peter or you can ignore Jesus.  He has the pony for the lottery.  He wants to give it to you, all you have to do is accept.  While He is a bit more subtle than a Drill Instructor, the question is the same, “Can you hear me?”

There are none so deaf as those who will not hear.

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

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
Fifth Sunday after Trinity
Saint Andrew’s Anglican Orthodox Church
30 June 2013, Anno Domini


The Fifth Sunday after Trinity.

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The Collect.
RANT, O Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. St. Matthew 19:16
  
            Saint Matthew tells us of a young man who came to Jesus seeking to know what he might DO to inherit eternal life. In the account Mark gives us of this same ruler, we are told that he “came running” to Christ. Though there is much to be said about how we approach Christ, there is far more meaning in how we are changed by the encounter.

            We are told in John 3 that Nicodemus came under cover of darkness, and left with the light of heaven burning warmly in his heart. Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, came bearing the grief of a dying young daughter, and found his daughter restored to life. Many came to Christ for healing, and received that healing of the body, but left with the same dark hearts with which they came.

            Some men come to Christ in the midst of the hell of battle, standing in the mire of a foxhole, and pleading among mournful mutter of the battlefield for salvation. Others may have come to Christ is the midst of affluence attended by an empty misery that revealed a vacant hole in their soul that only Christ can fill. Moreover, this rich ruler was young, according to the text. Jesus has just completed laying his hands of love on the little children to bless them, and then comes this young man who is, beyond doubt, quite morally good and respectable. However, though a young man has had less exposure to temptation than an old one, no one is without guilt – no one has perfectly kept the Law of God. 

            Some come to Christ out of poverty, and others out of opulence; but it is not the manner in which we come that is decisive, but the manner in which we leave. This young man probably desires the best of heaven now that he has acquired the best of the world. It has always seemed logical to his material mind that anything that is valuable must be acquired through some great labor or price. Of course, he is right – but who would be qualified to pay the price for the free grace made available in Christ. Did Jesus not pay with his last measure of blood for us?

            The divine mind of Jesus sees beyond the outward appearance into the heart. He will test this young man’s faith and desire. Let us examine the text as written:

            And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? This young man came to the right Person and for the right reason. Once we have come face to face with Christ, how should we present our petitions? Should we call Jesus a good teacher (Good Master), or should we recognize Him as our Lord? This improper address to Jesus was the first error of the young ruler. What was the second?

            “. . . . what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? I can understand the young man’s naiveté in believing that he might DO something to earn his own salvation. This had always been the approach to gain wealth in his family. When I was a child, I, too, wondered what I must give for Christ to save me. Our society is a performance driven society. There will always be a fair price for a loaf of bread produced by the Baker Hanson. But the cost of the Bread of Heaven cannot be reckoned in earthly measure. It cost the Father His only Begotten Son, and the Son His own life’s Blood. How could we ever begin to place a value on THAT? The question itself presumes that good works can gain Heaven. This also is true, but the good work must be done by the Son of God and not by you or me. There is nothing that you or I can do to earn salvation for that price has already been paid. The young man did not recognize Jesus as the Son of God which is apparent by the manner of addressing Him; however, Jesus will reveal that error promptly. Now see the Lord’s response:

            Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God? This verse has been misinterpreted time and again by men who have missed the point just as the young ruler had done. Is Jesus saying that He is not good? Heaven forbid, NO! If there is only One who is good, and that is God, then certainly Jesus is good because Jesus IS GOD! So Jesus is fathoming the depths of the young man’s understanding just as He has fathomed the depths of your understanding prior to your own salvation.

            Jesus then tests the young man’s understanding, not of Himself, but of the means of salvation: “……but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Jesus is presenting salvation in its most simplistic form. Simply keep ALL of the Commandments perfectly, and you need not worry of doing more. Of course, Jesus knows that no man can be worthy of perfect obedience to the Commandments of God. We too often try to bargain with God for His blessing: “Lord, if you will only grant this one request, I promise to faithfully attend church” or some other act of works. Jesus asks this young man this question not only for his own good, but that of those listening by.  The young man believes that he has been good and moral. And by the standards of the world, he probably has been so; but the standards of heaven are not the same as those of the world. The righteousness required to gain the gates of Heaven must be PERFECT righteousness! No man can be so.

            The man’s response exposes his sheer ignorance of the obedience required by God. He saith unto him, Which? Can we pick and choose which Commandments of God are worthy of obedience? The response of Jesus is intended to include ALL of the Commandments, but Jesus only makes direct reference to those that involve our duties and obligations to others. Jesus, for a purpose, has withheld stating the Commandments that express our duties and obligations to God.           Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. You may recall that once, when challenged by a scribe regarding the most important commandment, Jesus responded: The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:29-31) Jesus, at that time gave both parts of our obligation under the law 0 first to God, and then to our fellow man. He summarized the law according to Deuteronomy 6:4,5 and Leviticus 19:18. So why did Christ, here, only quote half the lawful duty of man? As I mentioned earlier, Jesus is leading the young man to recognize his lostness for, if we fail to recognize that we are lost and condemned by our own lack or righteousness, we can never come to terms with our need for repentance. Let us see how the matter will come to light.

            The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Though it is unlikely that this man has perfectly kept these quoted commandments, it is true that, even if he had, there is a greater one that he has omitted in obedience. Jesus felt compassion on the tortured mind of the man. He gave him one more opportunity to open his mind and heart to Christ: If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. Remember: only perfection is acceptable in God’s Heaven. Jesus, knowing the heart of the man, suggested the very Commandment which the man had so egregiously broken from his youth – the very FIRST COMMANDMENT!  I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me. (Deut 5:6-7) Jesus is attempting to show the man that he has not even kept the FIRST Commandment, much less the others. He has allowed something to come between him and his God – that something (idol) is RICHES.

            Did the man understand now, or, like many sinners, did he choose not to understand? But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. The young man could not argue with the truth that Jesus exposed, but he was inclined to his idol over the salvation that Jesus offered. The Christian is like the earth bathed in the radiance of the Sun (God). It has life and light everywhere the warm rays of the Sun appear. But, if any object (Lunar eclipse) is allowed to come between the earth and the Sun, the earth will be in darkness. That is the same darkness of any man who allows wealth, sex, or mind altering drugs to come between him and our Lord. He will remain in darkness if he holds to the idol and rejects his Maker. In the end, the young man was no different from Judas Iscariot who went out on the night of his betrayal into eternal darkness. He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. (John 13:30) So do all who forsake Christ: O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters. (Jer 17:13) Perhaps the same names that Christ may have written upon the earth before the accusers of the Woman taken in Adultery.

            Are you amazed that the young man was not accounted righteous before God? If so, you are in good company for the disciples, too, were amazed: When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? We judge books by the cover and people by the outward appearance, but God looks INSIDE the book, and INSIDE the heart to judge.

            But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. I have known some really rough and untamed men in the profession of arms over my long career with the military. They were men who used vulgar and unseemly language and who were accustomed to the vicissitudes and dangers of many battles, but, contrary to my own judgment of these men, some were changed in a heartbeat from a ruffian to a humble saint of God. That which may appear impossible with man is certainly possible with God for He is a God of impossible results!

            Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
As was usual, Peter spoke more out of emotion and ignorance than true understanding. When had Peter forsaken all? Did Peter not yet cherish his life? Did he not deny Christ three times the night of His betrayal? Peter, too, is thinking that he was deserving some special consideration for that which he felt he had done above and beyond the call of duty. In short, he believed in the false works of supererogation. It is not enough to follow Christ a certain distance and no more. The rich young ruler had done as much. But Christ expects His disciples to follow Him ALL the way. And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

            In the wise counsel of God, there are many who appear first in the eyes of man but are last in the eyes of God. The overriding point is this: We shall lose NOTHING in following God. We shall receive a hundred fold of that which we surrender for Him. But do not jockey for first place in the Kingdom of Heaven, else you will have the mirage disappear at the last moment.


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:

Christians Trust
Psalm 62, 63, Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, 18-23, Matthew 19:16
Fifth Sunday after Trinity
June 30, 2013

Our Scripture Lessons for this morning appear at first glance to cover a variety of subjects, and, indeed they do, but a common thread runs through them.  It is a thread that actually runs through all Holy Scripture, Old Testament and New, and that thread is, trust in God.  And so, the topic for this morning’s sermon is, “Christians Trust.”

Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 2 are about the untrustworthiness of the pleasures and trinkets of the world.  They are untrustworthy because they promise to give happiness, but cannot give it.  Real happiness is a condition of the soul, therefore, physical things and worldly pleasures cannot give it.  That is Solomon’s point in his book, which we call Ecclesiastes.  Solomon, the third king of ancient Israel, started his reign well, but gradually his heart was enticed away from God by the power and wealth at his command.  Solomon had the money to buy whatever he wanted and the power to command people to do his bidding.  Money and power are good things, if used well.  A person can do much good with money and power.  A person can also do much harm.  The harm comes when a person begins to value money and power and the things they can procure, more than he values people, morality, and God.  That was Solomon’s mistake.  Solomon began to think of himself as the owner of Israel and its people, rather than the servant of them.  He used the land for his own profit, and forced the people to work as his servants to build his wealth and power.  This is the constant tendency and temptation of power.  Solomon fell under that temptation, as many public servants, both civil and ecclesiastical have also fallen, and continue to fall even today.

We do not have to be as rich as Solomon to be as selfish as Solomon.  In fact, I see people at every level of the economic scale living as self-indulgently and selfishly as their means and opportunities allow.  Look at the way people have transformed the word “freedom” to mean “licentiousness.”  Claiming to stand for freedom, people have become wildly selfish, devoting themselves to the gratification of even their basest desires and lusts.

Nor is this limited to those we would consider evil people.  The young man in our reading in Matthew was a very moral man.  When Jesus told him what he would have to do to merit or earn eternal life, Heaven, he said, “All these things have I kept from my youth up” (Mt. 19:20).  I believe the man had a few blind spots in his view of his own goodness.  He was able to conveniently overlook some things in his past conduct that did not measure up to the letter of God’s law, let alone the spirit of God’s law.  But it is true that he conducted himself well and had a great measure of moral success.  By all human standards he was an exceptionally good man.  But not by God’s standards.  And Jesus points this out in a way that grieved the young man’s heart.  Give your goods away, He demanded.  “[G]o and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor… and come and follow me” (Mt 19:21).  The man would not do it.  He loved his wealth and possessions more than he loved God.  Let me say this in more pointed language, because this is terribly important; he did not trust God to be better and more valuable than wealth and possessions.  Let me say that again; he did not trust God to be better and more valuable than his possessions.  Therefore he kept his possessions and give up God.

I want to look at Psalm 62 for a few minutes, because it elucidates this point in three short and solid points.  Its first point is; God’s people trust God.  This is the main point of the Psalm and it occupies seven of the Psalm’s twelve verses.  It is stated most clearly in verse 7, which is the culmination of the Psalm; “God is my health and my glory; the rock of my might; and in God is my trust.”  Let this be our motto as we travel this world; whether we live in riches or poverty, in worldly peace, or in persecution, “God is my health and my glory; the rock of my might; and in God is my trust.”

The second point is, Trust God.  It is made primarily in verses 8-12, and is made in such statements as; “O put your trust in Him always, ye people; pour out your hearts before Him, for God is our hope.”  I think this point is made for both believers and unbelievers.  It is possible for believers to become discouraged and even angry at God.  I even think it is possible for believers, true believers, to doubt, and to experience times when we don’t really trust God.  I actually think most believers have very little faith in God.  Most of our faith is in our feelings and opinions.  We trust God as long as we feel like He is close to us and helping us.  In reality God is there for us at all times, maybe even especially in those times when we don’t “feel” like He is.  Maybe He wants us to trust Him, not our feelings.  But know this; God will never leave or forsake you. The Author and finisher of your faith will complete the work He has begun in you.  So to you who trust God, trust God.

To the unbeliever, this point is an exhortation to give up unbelief.  God has good things for you.  In Him there is pardon for your sins, mercy for your weaknesses, and help and strength for your soul. I turn back to Matthew 19, and Christ’s promises to the disciples, who have forsaken all to follow Him (Mt. 19:27).  They have put their whole trust in Jesus, for this life and eternity.  And what does Jesus say to them?  You will sit on thrones in Heaven, and you will have eternal life, life in the presence of God, enjoying His love and richest blessings forever (Mt. 1928-30).  Why give up these riches for a few trinkets and pleasures that will fade very soon?  Trust in Christ and be saved.

The third point, in verses 3 and 4, is a warning to the wicked.  It calls them a tottering wall and a broken hedge.  “Ye shall be slain all the sort of you,” it says.  The Bible makes it very plain that the ungodly will not have any part with Him in Heaven.  Instead of eternal life, they will inherit eternal death, a living death, forever.  Why suffer that fate?  Believe in Christ and be saved.  Trust God.

Now it just so happens that the Collect for today is about trusting God.  “Order,” guide the world and its people so that we may live and serve God in peace.  That is the first part of the prayer.  The second part is more important, for it asks God to help us find our peace in Him; to “joyfully serve” Him.  In other words, it asks God to help us trust Him.




The Fifth Sunday after Trinity.

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The Collect.
RANT, O Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+Dennis Campbell

Bishop, Anglican Orthodox Church Diocese of Virginia
Rector, Holy Trinity Anglican Orthodox Church
Powhatan, Virginia
Rev Roger Jessup
Saint Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Orthodox Church in Chester, Virginia
What follows was prompted by a very heartwarming message I received from a good  friend. The message and pictures showed dogs protecting and partnering with American soldiers in combat.
                 ********************
Truly a great bond and the unconditional love and devotion of a dog is in a class all by its self. I sometimes sit with my dog (a Golden Retriever) Brinkley; and wonder how God could pack so much love in a fur coat.

On another subject: In my heart I knew that the Defense of Marriage Act was just another maneuver by the 'Elites' to buy time to allow the corruption of our society. There is probably only one real Christian and Constitutionalist on the Supreme Court - Clarence Thomas. From reading his many dissents from the majority a great moral character shines through. The others, even those with claims of morality, manage to slip and slide so that there is always a majority willing to put junk science and pop culture above the Constitution and Christian Values.

A comforting thing to note is, that although the judgment of God is certain on both the nation that allows and the wicked that empower abominations, the truth still stands at the heavenly altar and is distilled in the teachings of God through the prophets and His person Jesus the Christ.

If you are in despair please read the Minor Prophets especially Ezra and Nehemiah. After this nation has suffered divine judgments, if the faithful remnant remains both faithful and prayerful there will be a new nation either in this world or in that New World where all who mourn shall be comforted. Jesus himself will wipe all tears from our eyes.

This is a preview of my heart's burden for America and our now dead Republic. Pray that God will grant strength for the struggle and give us all courage to stand for the truth revealed in the Holy Scripture. When the present heaven and this earth shall pass away--still that Word will stand.
Rev Roger

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.


Fifth Sunday after Trinity


In the General Epistle of Saint James, Third Chapter, verses 8-10, we read, but the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be

There is a line out of a recent western movie that seems appropriate to mention. In a particular scene, one of the characters has just finished a cursed-filled diatribe to which the other character responded, “You kiss your momma with that mouth?” How often do we hear those around us “venting their spleens” with vile and bitter language? Some do such without much thought; while for others it is a conscious act of verbal violence meant to demean and degrade. In Psalm 32:9, we are instructed to be, ...not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle... which means that we ought to exercise self-control in all that we do. The fact that one can be urged to revile others with language that is not the least bit conducive to edifying reveals that person’s level of self-restraint, or as the limbo dancers are asked, “How low can you go?”

Probably the most used epithets are those which contain the name of God. The Third Commandment reads, Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain... (Exodus 20:7). This sin is now so much a part of our vocabulary that many will utter his holy name without even thinking about. God gave us that commandment to remind all humanity that he is the Almighty God, the LORD of hosts, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and all that in them is (Acts 4:24). We have been made in his image and after his likeness, but we are finite and he is infinite. God is pure. God is holy. God is perfect. We are not to call upon him if we are not ready to truly address ourselves to him. Ergo, to flippantly throw his name out to others as an exclamation is demeaning to his glory, and to use his holy name in an epithet, is blasphemy. Still, have you ever noticed how people are so quick to treat our heavenly Father with disrespect? Why can’t they use the name of some pagan deity? I remember in an old tv series from the 1950's, one of the principal characters used the exclamatory phrase of “by Jupiter” or the like to express his level of either approval or disapproval of a particular action. But in today’s world— across every field of endeavor— you will hear not only vile and vulgar language being used in ordinary conversation, but you will also hear the LORD’s name being used in such profane speaking.

How does God’s name vainly uttered aid the user? In point of fact, it doesn’t. The wicked are notoriously shortsighted and forgetful, but God is not. On that terrible day of judgment before the Great White Throne, they will be judged for every idle word that came forth from their mouths. What agony there will be on that day. There will be no escape, no appeal, and no advocate to stand beside them in their defense. God will hold them accountable for every vile jest, every filthy word, and every blasphemous remark. I have heard it said that the unregenerate excuse the use of their verbal barbs and wicked language with the offhand comment of, “Oh they’re just words.” Really? Such persons are being disingenuous at best and lying at worst. I would vote for them being liars because only the grossly unintelligent would not know that taking the LORD’s name in vain, especially when it has been hurled at another in a barrage of insults, is forbidden. These offenders know what they intend in their use of such language, and throwing God’s name into the mix adds weight and garners attention. It adds to the shock factor and is suppose to diminish the subject of the insult. How tragic that the name of God has become a tool to reduce another human being both mentally and emotionally. That is, after all, what cursing another was meant to do otherwise the speaker would not do it.

The apostle Paul reminded us that we should, ...put off all... anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth (Colossians 3:8). Yes, the unregenerate of the world will, under the influence of evil, seek to have us lose control over ourselves releasing, as it were, those things in our minds that were once part of our old nature under the regime of the world, the flesh and the devil. But we must not permit it. The apostle urged us to be in control— to have self- control— so that we do not open the door to sin. When we vilify others in ways meant to harm them, then we are acting beyond the pale of biblical authority. God did not tell us to use bad language in our Christian witness. To rebuke, to chastize, or to admonish does not give us the right to use the devil’s tools in God’s service.

Now, you might say, Reverend, what can I do as a newly born-again Christian to overcome my past use of such words? Well, the answer is: You have to keep watch over your own self much as a soldier keeps his watch over his encampment. You have to be watchful. You have to be vigilant. You cannot expect Satan’s minions to take a break, to go on vacation or the like in their campaign against you . You have to stand your watch over all your faculties for that is your godly duty. You cannot be an effective Christian without exercising self-restraint. If you once were person given to harsh language, strive to rid yourself of it by learning new ways to express your feelings without resorting to vulgar comments. You should also seek God’s pardon for these and other errors. Our great and loving God has promised to forgive and to forget any sin which you bring before his throne of grace through the blood of his only begotten Son. But it is not enough to ask for forgiveness, one must then live in obedience to his will and commandment ever after. For only through a life devoted to God, will you truly reflect that state of liberty from the bondage of sin, more particularly, the sin of the loose and cursing tongue. Our heavenly Father loves us and he wants us to live eternally with him in his kingdom. The reviler, the blasphemer, the mean- spirited curser, or the like, cannot enter therein. So let your words be seasoned with salt and keep your tongue under control for that is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

Let us pray,

G
Ood and gracious God, who has not cursed us, but has blessed us with the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ; grant that by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost we thy servants will reject the language and customs of this world in order that we might embrace thy wholesome language which is from above. For this we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen.

Have a blessed week, Bryan+

Praise God for our Church Effort in India under Bishop John Nakka
Greetings to you in the most precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,

We are indeed happy to announce and inform that we have declared the  erection of a new Diocese-Missionary Diocese of West Bengal for the  India Christian Mission Church and a new Bishop is going to be  Consecrated on 11 July 2013 in Calcutta. He is Rev. Dr. Sukumar  Sarkar who worked for 13 years in different capacities in the Church in West Bengal. He is a good Priest in good standing.

Kindly pray for the Consecration Service on 11 July 2013.

In Christ,

+John
The Clergy, The Officers and the Faith
India Christian Mission Church-at-large, ELURU, India

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Fourth Sunday after Trinity


On Point
Someone asked, where do the quotes come from?  The answer is from the people who uttered them.  But, how did you find them?  Oh, that.  Most are from Rev Bryan Dabney, a few from other places, but overall mostly from Bryan.  He always has a few great ones to share.  So, on to the On Point quotes –

On tattooes - Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19:28


Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

St. John 10:7-8 


I suppose that the most popular of all the proposals at the present moment is to have a new translation of the Bible.... The argument is that people are not reading the Bible any longer because they do not understand its language - particularly the archaic terms... And so we are told the one thing that is necessary is to have a translation that Tom, Dick, and Harry will understand... It is a basic proposition laid down by the Protestant Reformers, that we must have a Bible 'understanded of the people.' That is common sense...we must never be obscurantists. We must never approach the Bible in a mere antiquarian spirit... What we must do is to educate the masses of the people up to the Bible, not bring the Bible down to their level...we need... not... replace the Authorized Version... we need rather to reach and train people up to the standard... the language... and the glory of the old Authorized Version. 

The Rev. Martin Lloyd-Jones
20th century Welsh theologian and author
from his message given at a rally in the Royal Albert Hall in 1961

As Western Civilization is swept into the dust-bin of history, it is crucial for us to ask: what will replace it? What values, moral principles, economic understanding, and social practices will prevail in the future? You will not hear these questions asked by any of the establishment hacks... [as they] are as bankrupt as the dying culture to whose withering tentacles of power they so desperately cling... They will not engage in such depths of inquiry for one reason: their minds do not work in any transcendent, principled manner. It is power, and power alone, that both impresses and motivates them.

Butler Shaffer
20th and 21st century American Libertarian professor and author
`Just Shut Up or Die', 6-12-13

If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.
Ronald Wilson Reagan– 20th century American president.


Propers
The Propers for today are found on Page 194-195, with the Collect first:

Fourth Sunday after Trinity.
The Collect.

O
 GOD, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Dru Arnold read the Epistle, which came from the Eight Chapter of St. Paul‘s Letter to the Romans, beginning at the Eighteenth Verse. Paul tells us that walking God’s path, though it may seem hard at the time, is nothing compared to the reward we receive in heaven for following God’s will.  God gave us free will, which if we exercise it properly, that is the will to overcome temptation.  What at first seems like a constrained way of living, once actually lived is really perfect freedom.  If we overcome temptation to do what we want and do what God wants, we will receive the gift of eternal salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  For until Christ, there was no delivery from the pain of worldly existence; through Christ there is redemption of our souls and our resulting bodily resurrection.

I
RECKON that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

The Holy Gospel came from the Sixth Chapter of the Gospel according to St. Luke, beginning at the Thirty-Sixth Verse. This is a simple message, yet often misunderstood, with majestic language that brings the message to a point of incredible sharpness.  “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven; give and it shall be given unto you… …Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch?”  “… why beholdest thou the mote that is in the brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  …How canst thou say to thy brother, Brother let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest no the beam that is in thine own eye?”  This is often quoted, but the following sentence is left out, “Cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the more that is in thy brother’s eye.” 

Only when we first take care of our own spiritual health, look to our own relationship to God and evaluate and improve how we follow His Word, we will be able to effectively spread the Word of His love for us.

B
E ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.

Sermon – Reverend Deacon Jack Arnold - Time and Action
Today’s sermon discussed the Collect, Epistle and Gospel.  It is partially contained in the forewords above.

Consider these words from the Collect:

… protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal…

God can only help us if we put our trust in Him, we can never be strong, nor set aside to Him if we do not let Him be our leader.  If we will follow His lead, we will pass through this world in good order and go on to the next in eternal happiness. This is a very common theme within the Christian theme, do what God asks, we will be happy. If we don’t do what God asks, we won’t be happy. It seems simple enough in theory, but a lot harder in practice. God is the only one who we should be concerned about, if we follow Him, than those who really matter will like us for who we are, and how we conduct ourselves, due to following God, and those who don’t, well, do not matter to us and as such are of no concern. Do what is right, avoid what is wrong and you will be happy is the basic principle of the Christian faith.

Paul builds on this, telling us that walking God’s path, though it may seem hard at the time, is nothing compared to the reward we receive in heaven for following God’s will.  God gave us free will, which if we exercise it properly, that is the will to overcome temptation.  What at first seems like a constrained way of living, once actually lived is really perfect freedom.  If we overcome temptation to do what we want and do what God wants, we will receive the gift of eternal salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  For until Christ, there was no delivery from the pain of worldly existence; through Christ there is redemption of our souls and our resulting bodily resurrection.

Luke presents a simple message, yet one that is often misunderstood, with majestic language that brings the message to a point of incredible sharpness.  We are to be a guide to others to Christ, yet we cannot help others until our own problems are on the way to “solvation”, that is being solved through the salvation offered by Christ.  We need to follow Him, before we ask others to follow us.  After all, if we are not going in the right direction, why should others follow us?  We do not want to be leading others towards the Pit, rather, we want to be sure we are on the right path before we guide others along the path. We should be the pathfinders, finding the correct path for us to travel amongst the journey of life! We must be honest in our appraisal of ourselves so that we can do what we are supposed to.  So, how do we, imperfect that we are, be honest with ourselves?  The answer is easy, hard to implement, but easy!  The Holy Ghost.  Let Him into your heart and do what you are told.  Simple, yet hard to do.  We want to do what we want to do.

Speaking of doing, what we do to others is a good measure of how we follow God’s Will and Direction.  We are expected to treat others as we would be treated.  Our real earthly fortune, as well as are eternal lives, are a reflection of our commitment to God.

We are so ready to condemn the performance of others when our own is even worse.  As Paul tells us, “all all short.”  The operative word here is ALL.  If we look to condemn and repair our own spiritual lives before condemning others, we will be better suited to help them.  Our beam before their mote.

For only when we have taken care of our own spiritual health by looking to God for help to evaluate and improve how we follow His Word, we will be able to effectively spread the Word of His love for us.

And that is our job, to improve ourselves to effectively spread His Word by example; our action, not our diction, is the measure.

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

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
Fourth Sunday after Trinity
Saint Andrew’s Anglican Orthodox Church
23 June 2013, Anno Domini


Fourth Sunday after Trinity.
The Collect.

O
 GOD, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle 
Romans viii. 18-23
I
RECKON that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

The Gospel 
St. Luke vi. 36-42
B
E ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.

            In a world that places a very high premium upon achievement and performance, we are often misled, even by our clergy, to believe that our works are the means by which we are saved. The modern church emphasizes giving almost to the exclusion of all other considerations. The rich man, or woman, will be rewarded with honors and positions of responsibility even if their daily lives do not reflect that Spirit of which Christ spoke. Perhaps the poor widow that spends all of her available time in cooking for the sick and homeless will be forgotten in the perishable minds of men, but shall be more highly remembered and favored in the Infinite Mind of God. God gives us many hints of His Will to be fulfilled in Christ in the midst of the Old Testament. The people of Israel were living as they pleased and believing that all their sins were remitted by the sacrifices of the wealthy. But God counseled: For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6) The money-changers of the modern temple would have us persist in believing that we can BUY God's favor while living as we please, but it was NEVER so. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (Psalms 85:10) Mercy and truth are husband and wife – inseparable! If we will have mercy, we must accept truth with it. As Jesus told the Samaritan Woman at Jacob's Well, ". . . the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:23) `Spirit' is not emotionalism, but love of God and our fellow man. But our love must be directed in truth, for false worship is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord.
            As we read in our biblically-oriented prayer of Collect, God is the protector of all who trust in Him. We can claim none of God's protection apart from the measure of trust we place wholly in Him. Without God, we have no strength at all, and our righteousness is as filthy rags. Apart from God, there is no holiness to be had. We lean upon God for His increasing mercies in His Sovereign Rule over us, and to Guide us through the Wilderness of Sin of this present world. Only God can show us the safe and righteous way – we cannot find it alone. In avoiding those things that worldly, we are amassing to ourselves those treasures that are heavenly. These are the Godly petitions we repeated from today's prayer of Collect.
            In our Epistle for today, taken from Romans 8, we discover that there is groaning of the mortal soul that is inclined to the Holiness of God. Such a struggle and groaning is forever present with us until the curtain of time is lifted and time shall be no more. It is not a sorrowful groaning, but an intense desire to see God's will worked out on earth as it is in Heaven according to that prayer the Lord taught us to say.  When sorrow and misery befalls the stranger to God, hope is forlorn and there is no brilliant Light upon which he may fix his eyes from the darkness that engulfs his wretched soul. But the child of God embraces the Light even more earnestly as the dark circle surrounds him, or a loved one. He knows, innately, that the Light is his destination and not the dark fires of Hell that seem to presently surround him. ". . . . weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." (Psalms 30:5b)
            Our Gospel text calls us to a higher standard of life and Spirit than a rigid adherence to the law can afford. If perfect obedience were possible, there would be no need of mercy; but we can never be perfect keepers of the Law of God, therefore, we must have mercy if we are to be accounted blameless and righteous in entering the Kingdom of Heaven.
            Consider the great pardon and mercy shown to us through the substitutionary death of Christ! He suffered that we might forego the eternity of Hell. We should rightfully be punished for our life of sin, yet Christ died in our stead that we, accepting His Lordship, might be pardoned and forgiven. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. This is a mighty admonition to us, for we can never be as merciful as God has been toward us. But God would have us to take on the very nature of mercy in our dealings with others. Though a child can seldom match the understanding of his father or mother, he will nonetheless mimic the nature he sees in his parents. That is what God desires of His children today.
            37  Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven So many good Christians misunderstand this to mean that Christian judgment is forbidden. Nothing could be further from the truth. The meaning to us is this: We should not judge with our personal judgments, but with the righteous judgment of God as evidenced in His Word. Jesus Christ gives us commandment that is clear: Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. (John 7:24) We are not only to judge from the heart, but also judge only by the measure of God's judgment and not our own. If God has declared a certain behavior sin, that is not OUR judgment, but God's. Simply declaring God's condemnation of a sin is not our PERSONAL judgment, but HIS! Remember the debtor to the king whose great debt was forgiven by the king and, who, after went out and took a man by the throat who owed him a small sum, threatening to sell his wife and family into slavery?  He was forgiven a fortune, but refused to forgive his own servant a small debt. How merciless was he! Are we not the same? The King of Glory has forgiven us an enormous debt, and a multitude of debts, yet we refuse to forgive those who offend us in the slightest measure.  
            38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. It is not possible to give more than God has given, for He immediately replenishes our bottles of oil the moment we pour out our blessings to others. There are blessings that cannot be measured in simple terms of a piece of bread for a piece of bread. Our giving of bread to the poor is multiplied in return value a thousand times. Our souls have rest and a good conscience thereby. Peace of mind is a possession not enjoyed by the greedy.
            Can the blind lead the blind? Of course they can! It is happening in 90% of America's churches today. Ministers, blind to the love and Spirit of God, are leading their blind disciples ever nearer the gaping abyss that awaits all who do not hear with clarity the voice of God. 39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? This is a parable of Jesus that has profoundly present implications. Our seminaries have been turned from a concentrated focus on the Word of God to an obsession with church growth, conflict resolution, seeker friendly programs, and, yes, MONEY schemes! If the lay Christian is NOTR blind (informed deeply by the Word of God) it is not likely that he can be led by the nose by a blind guide.
            Do you know that there are theologians today who believe that they are better informed of God's Will than Jesus Christ? It is true. There are those among the despicable movement called "Higher Critics" who believe that textual analysis and archeological digs have revealed to them information that Jesus did not have while on his earthly ministry. They obviously discredit Christ as the Son of the Living God, and God Himself! Their new bibles attempt to alter the evidence to support their intentional errors. 40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. I once disputed with a local minister who claimed that speaking in tongues (nonsensical babbling) was required for salvation. We argued the issue endlessly. Finally, I asked, "Is Jesus Christ our perfect example in all things?" Of course, the minister answered in the affirmative to which I followed up, "Do we have any evidence of Jesus EVER speaking in an ecstatic and incomprehensible tongue?" The man REFUSED to answer. If we will have perfect religion, and undefiled, let us be as much like Christ as our earthen vessels will afford.
            How many clergymen preach against the sins of lying, stealing, adultery, etc., and harbor those sins in the dark chambers of their own hearts? Of course these sins are condemned by God; however, we must not judge others by a stronger measure than we apply to our own conduct. If we criticize the housekeeping of a neighbor, let us first sweep the trash and filth from our own floors. 41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.
            If we are to have authority as men and women of God, we must see that we follow Christ in love and truth. We not only pronounce the truth of God's Word to others, but we must make that truth the rule of our own lives. Owning the Spirit of Love and Truth, we shall walk the Valleys and Mountains with our eyes open to the presence and company of God.

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:

Christians See
Psalm 91, Lamentations 3:22-33, Matthew 10:22-39
Fourth Sunday after Trinity
June 23, 2013

Christians, believe. Christians love. Christians pray. These have been the subjects of the sermons to this point in Trinity. Today we continue looking at what Christians do, and the topic is, "Christians See."

Of all the senses God gave us, one of the most valued is the sense of sight. I admit many people do quite well without sight, and I have even heard of people who are thankful that they have lost their sight. Being blind, they say, has enabled them to wean themselves from much of the frivolities of life, and to focus on those things that are important, especially relationships. They have found out how important others are in their lives, and how they had taken them for granted. Many have said their blindness has forced them to grow closer to God. Thus, they say, blindness has been a blessing to them. I have heard other people say the same about serious illnesses, and other circumstances most would consider devastating. "I learned to trust God," they say. "I have learned to be content in Him." I have learned that "all things work for good to those who love God."

I think this is part of what Jesus was saying to the disciples in Matthew 10. He was getting ready to send them on their first preaching mission, and He wanted them to know what was ahead of them, and He wanted them to trust in God, not themselves. So He sent them without money, without food, without a change of clothing. Nor should they expect to be well fed and well treated by their fellow Jews. On the contrary, He said, "they will scourge you in their synagogues," "And ye shall be hated of all men." Thus, today's reading in Matthew very appropriately ended with the words of verses 38 and 39;

"And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."

Christians "see" this. We understand it. We "see" the world. Of course I am talking about spiritual sight here, not physical sight, and with this spiritual sight, Christians see the world as it is. We are not fooled by romantic books, movies, and music, which picture the world in fairy tale goodness. We see the world has much good and many opportunities for happiness, but we also know it has its trials and troubles, and we will face them. C.S. Lewis wrote of a friend, he was "tried by all the usual sorrows and anxieties." We know we will be, too. We know there will be "wars and rumours of wars," and "famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in diverse places." Therefore, we try to be emotionally and spiritually prepared. "See that ye be not troubled," said Christ speaking of these things, "for all these things must come to pass" (Mt. 24:6).

Christians see humanity as it is. We have no false, romantic notions about the natural goodness of man, or the perfectibility of man. We do see that man is capable of, and has accomplished, much good. We also see how much of that good has been destroyed by wars and crime and corruption. We see the reason for locks on doors, police, government, and armies: there are bad people in this world would do others harm, so we organize these things for our mutual protection.

Christians see man's natural opposition to God. Have you ever been surprised at peoples' antipathy to the Bible? Here is the story of God's love, of Him bearing our sins on the cross and saving people from Hell and giving them meaning and hope, now and forever, and people don't want to hear it. They resent it. Many even hate it. I saw a news article about a group of people, I don't know who or where, but they were carrying signs with slogans like, "If Jesus comes back, kill Him again." People find the Gospel offensive. They still want to scourge us in their synagogues, and we are still hated of all

There is, therefore, no paradise on earth. There are no Mayberrys, no Walton's Mountains, no places where all people are friendly and kind, where you don't have to lock your doors, or worry about your children's safety. Nor do we expect the policies of Man to create peace on earth or alleviate our woes. We know human solutions often cause more problems than they solve.

Christians see our own sin. We do not claim to be better, or smarter, or morally superior to any one else. We see that the tendencies of self-centeredness, greed, and distain of the will of God exist in us, too. And we see that we have indulged these tendencies in ways that have hurt others, and hurt ourselves. We see the truth of the words of the Bible written in Romans 3:23, "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." And, if we have not gone as far into evil as some have gone, we see that it is only the grace of God that kept us from it, not some innate goodness or wisdom in us.

But Christians "see" something else. We are enabled to see beyond human frailty, and even beyond the limits of physical creation. We are enabled to see the hand of God guiding the course of history, and our own lives. We see that He is guiding us toward the day when He will end the world as it is, and make it new again. There won't be any wars then, or poverty, or injustice, illness, death, or evil. Such things will be only dim memories then, for God will bring all things together in Christ Jesus, into an everlasting era of joy and peace.

It is because Christians "see" these things that our lives are different now. We intentionally live in this world in a way that prepares us for the next one. We know life is short, and the earthly treasures we work for and value now will soon be taken from our grasp. So we lay up treasures in Heaven, treasures that will endure forever. We want to live in such a way that "we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal." "Grant this, O heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."—

+Dennis Campbell

Bishop, Anglican Orthodox Church Diocese of Virginia
Rector, Holy Trinity Anglican Orthodox Church
Powhatan, Virginia


Rev Rick Reid of Saint Peter’s Sunday Sermon
We are happy to have a sermon from Reverend Rick Reid, minister of Saint Peter’s, whose congregation is right at the Worldwide Headquarters of the Anglican Orthodox Church.  Rev Rick has all the resources and challenges right at hand.  This sermon is not in the usual expository style common to the Sunday Report and the AOC, but I think you will enjoy it.

Paul Gained the Trust of the Saints

Good morning, my sermon today is about trust. Trust is one of the most important issues that each of us has to deal with. It affects our lives as Christians, it affects our lives together as families; it affects our whole world.  In this day and age, in a culture that is politically, economically, and in countless other ways divided and polarized, trust is not an abundant commodity.

 For example, we used to trust the financial community. If you can’t trust Wall Street, what hope is there? Our world was designed to run on trust. Trust is essential to everything we do. We trust the other drivers on the road to stop when the light turns red. We trust that the bridge we are crossing is structurally sound when we cross it. We trust the doctors to be accurate in their diagnosis, and the hospital to provide the equipment and the sterile environment we need to survive an illness or surgery Trust is a very big deal.

 I once heard of a journalist who decided to do a story on Happiness. He traveled the world to discover what made some countries happier places than others to live; he found that the essential ingredient was trust. The happiest countries are those in which people feel they can trust their government, trust their social institutions, and trust their neighbors.

Trust is a very big deal. It is evident that one problem the apostle Paul had at the beginning of his ministry was that many in the early church did not trust him. As we read in Galatians 1:21-23

21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; 22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: 23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

Is it any wonder that some in the church in Galatia had questions about Paul’s credentials? They challenged his authority as a church leader and raised doubts about the authenticity of his calling. In his letter, Paul takes great pains to assert the validity of his place as an apostle. After all, he recognizes that his background and his past could potentially raise reasonable questions. The apostles chosen by Jesus before his crucifixion had the advantage of being people who actually walked and talked with Jesus. Paul, on the other hand, had come along and announced his apostleship well after Christ’s death and after his own notorious past as a persecutor of Christians.

 It was little wonder if some believers wanted to know such things as “Who is this man? Where is he coming from, and why should we trust him?  ”Paul confronts these questions head on. He told them, “You have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

”When you think about it, it is amazing that people in the early church ever trusted Paul at all. Suppose we had somebody show up at our church who was known for his religious hatred, or was even known to have participated in the murder of a member of St. Peter’s. Would you ever trust him?  Or would you say, “I’ll never trust him.

It had to be difficult for early Christians to accept Paul, especially since there had to be a lot of resentment in the part Paul played in Stephen’s death. It took time for Paul to win people’s trust.

We might get the idea that once Paul was converted he was accepted almost at once by the entire church and then he went sailing merrily off on his missionary journeys. Not true. Listen to his words: 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

What did Paul do during his time in Arabia and those three years in Damascus? And why did he go there rather than Jerusalem? Could it be that these were the only places he was accepted? Maybe this is why his missionary journeys were so extensive. Perhaps he needed to find places where people would not hold his past against him.

That happens in the church. It has been said that the Church is the only army that shoots its wounded. When Paul wrote these words to the church at Galatia, it may have been twenty years after his conversion experience. Still, there were people who did not trust him, even after twenty years of ministry. The New Testament church had the same problem many of us have.

We accept the forgiveness that God offers us, but it’s difficult to apply that same forgiveness to others. And, even if we do say that we forgive those who have hurt or betrayed us, we vow never to trust them again. Paul understood this. He was very transparent about his past.

He had done wrong in his prior life of persecuting the early church. There was only one way he could ever win back their trust and that was to live a Christ- like life, from that day forward. And he did. That is the only way any of us who have done wrong can ever really make things right. That is to make a new start with God’s help.

Andrew Jackson was the 7th president of the United States. Some people regard him as a fine president. But he was also tough. They called him “Old Hickory” and in some cases he was ruthless. He was the president who ordered the infamous “Trail of Tears” for the Cherokee Indians. This led to Jackson having many enemies. Jackson loved his wife, Rachel. They lived together at the Hermitage near Nashville, Tennessee. Rachel was a devout Christian. Jackson had a chapel built for her on the Hermitage grounds. Anyone who questioned Rachel’s virtue (and evidently there were many) Jackson challenged to a duel. When Rachel died, part of Andrew Jackson died with her. They said that he would sit in the chapel for hours just to remember her.

 One day a minister came to visit and Jackson said: “I would like to be baptized and I would like to become a Christian.”  The minister said, “Mr. President, there is nothing that would please me more. But in order to be baptized, you will need to repent, seek forgiveness for your sins, and to forgive those who have sinned against you. Are you willing to do that, Mr. President?” Andrew Jackson said, “I can forgive my enemies in battle, I can forgive my enemies in politics, but I will never forgive those who slandered Rachel.”

Old Hickory was not willing to bend. And that was the way that they left it. Sometime later there was a knock on the minister’s door. It was late at night and it was raining. There on the doorstep, soaked from the rain, was the former president of the United States. In a voice barely audible, Jackson said: “I’m ready to forgive.” The minister said, “Excuse me, Mr. President, I’m hard of hearing. What did you say?” And Old Hickory broke down in tears and said: “I forgive them all.”

To many that pastor may have gone too far in requiring Jackson to forgive others before he was accepted into the fellowship of the church. But, my brothers and sister in Christ, this is the only way that a person can ever really be trusted again, if they totally and completely repent of their sins, and resolve with God’s help, never to make the same mistake again.

That is what St. Paul did. I love the way this story ends. He said: “Then I went to Syria and Cilicia; I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: ‘The man, who formerly persecuted us, is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’” Then he writes, “And they praised God because of me.”

Paul’s life was an open book. Once he had been Saul who had persecuted the church; now he was Paul who preached the Gospel, and everyone who got to know him could tell that he was not the same man he had been.

This is how you rebuild the bonds of trust, to forgive, and repent, therefore becoming a new person in Christ. May we always welcome the sinner into the family of sinners, who are now saints because of the forgiveness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

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.


Fourth Sunday after Trinity


In Matthew 15:1-20 we read where our Lord was scolded by the scribes and Pharisees because his disciples were not following the tradition of the elders, to which he replied, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? When we examine the charge made by his antagonists, we find their accusation to be peevish at best while our Lord’s response was forthright and true as he picked apart their charge using the language of Scripture. And we should not overlook the fact that he had the ability to read their hearts as well. He knew what was behind their motivation in coming to him, and he knew it had nothing whatsoever to do with the Spirit of God.
And to another group of critics he said, Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do... and because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not (St. John 8:43-25). It may surprise you to learn that all who come against the gospel of truth are under the influence of the evil one whether they realize it or not. That’s right, the scribes and Pharisees did not realize that they were pawns of the evil one, and neither do their modern day counterparts. The former were likely regulars at the Temple and worshipped God much as our Lord related in parable of the Pharisee and the publican (St. Luke 18:9-14; while the latter are likely members in good standing within the several denominations that make up mainline Christendom. Nevertheless, one does not have to knowingly worship Lucifer to be his disciple. One need only follow his insinuations.
As noted, our gospel lesson dealt with the alteration of God’s commandments. Now it ought to be clearly understood that God’s word it is fixed and unchangeable. It has been given to us for our eternal good by him who is perfect. Thus, for men to tamper with it in order that they might find some exception is worse than folly. When men think that they can edit the word of God so that it says something different than what the Holy Ghost intended— whether they want to admit it or not— they are putting themselves in the place of God. Was it not that old serpent, Satan, who first amended God’s word in the Garden (see Genesis 3:4-5)? Was it not his influence which lead our first parents into sin? And was it not also passed down to us? There is a humorous anecdote about the notorious comic W.C. Fields who was said to have been reading the Bible on his death bed when a friend entered his room. The friend was startled by what he saw because Fields was an irreligious man. When asked why he was reading the Bible, Fields responded, "Looking for loop-holes." Such is a fit description of the tradition of the elders which our Lord found so repugnant. His reply was simple and direct, Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
The choice of being obedient to the expressed will of God is very hard for those who are under the influence of evil. Some will simply ignore God’s commands to their eternal detriment. But many others will feign to follow Christ by paying lip service to him all the while living their lives in disobedience to his word and commandment. As our Lord reminded his critics, Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Think on the last portion of our Lord’s reply, But in vain they do worship me. The superficial Christian has the same status with our Lord as an unbeliever because such a person has never really been born again of the Holy Ghost. If one is born again of the Spirit of God, then such a person will attempt to lead a life of obedience to the revealed will of God in Christ Jesus. A vain worshipper is merely a show off. He or she does not really believe in the Lord Jesus and is only present in church to be seen of others (St. Matthew 6:5-6).
Within many denominations today, one can witness an appallingly low level of godly faith and obedience as they have welcomed into their midst, and without reservation, individuals who are open and notorious in their sins. They have done this not for the purpose of educating those misguided souls according to God’s word written. No, they want to be thought of as tolerant, inclusive, politically correct, or what have you. Our Anglican fathers did not have a crystal ball to look into the future, but they had the word of God which supplied them with a specific description of what a true body of Christ should look like. In Article XIX of our Articles of Religion we find the following, "The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in the which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly administered according to Christ’s ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same." Please note that said statement in no way describes those church bodies which have allowed the wicked to enter their sacred precincts unrebuked and who have remained unchanged.
The apostle Paul— who was never one to mince words— once penned the following: I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person (I Corinthians 5:9-13). The Bible tells us that we ought to, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness (Psalm 96:9a). We should also, come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms (Psalm 95:2). Worshipping God in the beauty of holiness does not translate into an open acceptance of sin. God has condemned sin and if we are in agreement with such, we will face his wrath as well.
The prophet Amos once questioned, Can two walk together, except they be agreed? (3:3). And the apostle Paul admonished the Corinthians in his second epistle, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel (6:14b-15)? If we have been born again of the Holy Ghost, then we ought not to continue in fellowship with those who have chosen to disregard God’s word and commandment unless and until they repent and reject their wicked deeds and aspirations.
Just as the tradition of the elders had brought to no effect the true meaning of God’s word written, the same applies to those churches today which are using one the many corrupted bible translations. Believe it or not, these new bible versions have contributed to the furtherance of many false doctrines and grievous heresies. Is Jesus "a son of God," or is he the only begotten Son of God? Is one "being saved" by faith, or is one saved through faith? Are Christians "slaves" to Christ, or are we his servants? Should Christians deny the existence of hell, or accept it as a real place? Does a person’s works save them, or is a person saved by the one atoning work of our Lord on the cross? Do all persons regardless of their beliefs have a place in God’s coming kingdom, or is his eternal kingdom reserved only for those who believe on his only begotten Son , Jesus Christ, and have accepted his free gift of salvation? For each of the aforementioned questions, there is a right and a wrong answer, not because its my opinion but on account of what God has stated in his Word. And since all Christian doctrine stems from God’s word written, so it follows that those churches who have employed a corrupted translation of the scriptures will find it difficult to impart a saving understanding of orthodox Christian doctrine to their congregations. As I have said before, the best translation of the majority of ancient bible manuscripts into our language is the Authorized Version or King James Bible. The doctrinal points set forth within its pages have been worded in language that is crystal clear in its meaning. It is the epitome of a teaching text because it contains numerous life examples for our study. You might learn a thing or two from the new versions; but I would urge you to keep a KJV handy for a reference.
Another example of the modern church adopting the traditions of men can be seen in the various activities they use to promote themselves. Many churches today have become purveyors of yoga, team sports and an assortment of youth gatherings. Some offer church-based luncheons, dinners, musicals, and concerts. But in all these activities where is Great Commission mentioned? You will not find it in the teaching of yoga because it is a pagan Hindu practice. Aside from yoga classes, those other activities— while not evil in and of themselves— are not functions which the Church ought to promote. The Church is not supposed to be like the world. The only mission that the Church has been given is to proclaim the gospel to a sin-darkened world.
The early Christians broke bread together at an "open table" which meant that it was open to all brothers and sisters in Christ. They also sang songs that uplifted God’s holy name. These hymns were not about the participants, neither were they a show or a performance as they were addressed to God, and their focus was entirely upon him and him alone. The early Church fed the hungry of the household of faith. They did not tolerate evil in their midst, nor was their table and their fellowship open to all without reservation. How many modern churches bother to include a message by the pastor on the necessity for salvation during their various social offerings to the public? The modern church has become so much like the world that if those congregations did not possess a church building you’d have trouble distinguishing them from any other nonprofit organization.
So then, why are so many contemporary church bodies offering such programs to the public devoid of the Great Commission? Church growth is all about numbers both in the pew and the collection plate. Its goal is accomplished without any regard for sound Christian doctrine. So what then may be said of those churches in their quest for more members? As Pastor Ray Baumann once observed, "Church leadership must decide who is going to grow their church. You either grow it with man or with God. God’s way produces disciples changed for life; man’s way produces attendees that come as they are and leave as they were."
Has this become the new paradigm for church growth: churches filled with people who neither care for God or his wishes? Or, Should we not bring people to a saving knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ so that regardless of where they go to church they will be saved effectually and eternally? I would love to see our mission church grow, but I want only God-fearing and Christ-seeking souls to attend. If we invite the world on its terms, it will come and remain on its terms. We are looking for those who have found as we have, that to love the world is to have enmity with God. We want those who come to reject the world, the flesh and the devil and who are seeking to live in obedience to God’s word written.
It is essential for Christians to keep in mind that the traditions of men have been carefully crafted by the evil one to have only an appearance of godliness. As St. Paul reminded the Corinthian church concerning those who would feign to be members of the faith, For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works (II Corinthians 11:13-15).
So judge righteously and be alert. The Bible tells us to, Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (I St. Peter 5:8). There are many deceptive practices which the devil would have the church involved in, and not one of them will advance the gospel of our Lord, or seek the salvation of any soul. If are not telling people about our Lord who was crucified for us and died; and who was resurrected and has ascended to the right hand of the Father; and who will come again to bring us to the Father’s house where he has prepared a place for us; then we are wasting our time and God’s patience. If we ever desire to hear from our Lord’s lips the words, Well done good and faithful servant, then we had best be about his business and that includes our keeping the world, the flesh and devil outside the doors of our churches.
Let us pray,
F
ather keep us always in thy care, and bless us with such an in-filling of thy most holy Spirit that we may discern what traditions are of thee as opposed to those from our adversary; and this we beg in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Have a blessed week, Bryan+

AOC Pakistan
NOTE: The Church of Pakistan is doing wonderful work in evangelism under threatening and arduous labors through the very able leadership of Bishop Jacob. The Seminary also provides a Bible-centered forum for the training of clergy and lay leaders. Please continue in prayer for our brothers and sisters of Pakistan. - Bishop Ogles

 The AOC-Pakistan annual report follows:

THE ANGLICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF PAKISTAN
CHURCH REPORT
DECEMBER 2012-2013

Sunday school Silver Jubilee:
On 8th December 2012, the Silver Jubilee of the Sunday school was celebrated in Peshawar. Bishop Ernest Jacob was the chief guest on this occasion. The Silver Jubilee program was conducted by Miss. Saba Shaukat a senior Sunday school teacher.
Special awards and certificates were given to all teachers who worked in past twenty five years in A.O.C church Sunday school ministry. About two hundred Sunday school children attended this program and special gifts were given to them by Bishop Ernest Jacob.

In the end Bishop Ernest Jacob shared a message with the audience. He praised the Sunday school teachers and children. Thanks to God that our Sunday schools are growing under the able leadership of Bishop Ernest Jacob.

Bishop Ernest Jacob’s illness:
On 10th December 2012 Bishop Ernest Jacob fell ill. His illness was due to a heart problem. On 15th December, he was admitted in the hospital, where doctors did Angioplasty and inserted one stent to open one of his artery which was 80% blocked. Now Bishop is feeling much better. After taking 15 days rest he started working once again.

Christmas Service 2012:
On 25th December Christmas services were held in all centers of Anglican Orthodox Church of Pakistan. In Peshawar Bishop Ernest Jacob led the Christmas service in United Church and celebrated Holy Communion.

Confirmation Service in Peshawar A.O.C:    
On 25th January confirmation service for A.O.C churches in district Peshawar was held. 40 young boys and girls were confirmed and received Holy Communion for the first time.

Lecture on human rights by Bishop Ernest Jacob:
On 19th February 2013, Bishop Ernest Jacob was invited to Peshawar police club by an N.G.O to  deliver a lecture to police officers. The topic of the lecture was “Human Rights’’ in view of Christianity. After the lecture Bishop Ernest answered various questions asked by police officers regarding Christianity. Thanks to God who provided this opportunity to give knowledge about Christianity and the Bible to non-Christian police officers.

Lecture on Christianity to Islamic Students:
On 15th February 2013, the Department of Islamic Studies of University of Peshawar held a seminar on Christianity. On the invitation of director of the department Dr. Daust Mohammad, Bishop Ernest Jacob gave very profound lecture on “Christianity” to the M.Phil. students of the Islamic Studies.  Bishop Ernest Jacob’s lecture consisted of:

·      The Bible, unchanged word of God.
·      The Holy Trinity, understood by Christians.
·      Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

It was another great opportunity given by God to evangelize Christianity among non-Christians. In the end , Bishop answered various questions asked by students and faculty.

F.T.S Graduation Ceremony:
On 15th March graduation for the class of 2013 was held in Gujranwala at Seminary campus. Bishop Ernest Jacob the Principal of Faith Theological Seminary presided over the graduation ceremony and gave the message. The ceremony was attended by students and their parents and other guests invited by F.T.S. staff. Bishop Sharoon, the chairman of the board of directors conducted the ceremony. The chief guest Dr.Ajmal gave away the degrees and diplomas to the graduates. The ceremony ended with prayer and benediction by Bishop Ernest Jacob.

Annual meeting of A.O.C in Pakistan:
On 23rd March the annual meeting of the Anglican Orthodox Church of Pakistan was held in Peshawar. Bishop Jacob presided over the meeting. All the priests and executive members attended the meeting. The priests submitted their annual reports to the Bishop. During the meeting Bishop and all the participants praised and thanked Bishop Jerry Ogles for his moral and financial support to A.O.C ministry in Pakistan.

Lent and Easter Celebrated:
This year once again Lent season and Easter was celebrated with religious fervor throughout Pakistan. Special services to celebrate Easter 2013 were held in all centers of the A.O.C in Pakistan. Bishop Ernest Jacob conducted a worship service on Easter Day in United church in Peshawar. Holy Communion was also conducted on this occasion.

Bishop’s Annual Visit to Rawalpindi:
On 21st April 2013 Bishop went to Rawalpindi on his annual visit to new a congregation headed by Rev. Sarwar Masih our parish priest at Iqbal town A.O.C church. Bishop Jacob led the service. 30 people got confirmed. Bishop gave the sermon and Holy Communion.       

Rev. Mushtaq Jamal, Rev. Razzaq Khokhar, Rev. Saddique Masih helped Bishop in the service.

Bishop’s Annual Visit to Islamabad:
On 1st May 2013, Bishop Ernest Jacob visited Islamabad A.O.C congregation. A very nice service was held at St. James Church. Rev. Mushtaq Jamal is the priest-in-charge of St. James Church. During the service 30 people were confirmed. Bishop Jacob also conducted the Holy Communion service.

Rev Mushtaq, Rev Sarwar, Rev Shahzad, Rev Saddique, Rev Jawed Jamal were on the altar to help in the service. Bishop gave a wonderful message and with his prayer, the service ended and after lunch Bishop Jacob came back to Peshawar.

Prayer Request:
Please pray for our seminary student who has completed his first year with honour. Pray that two years will be more fruitful for him, as he continues his studies in the seminary.

Please pray for Bishop Ernest Jacob who travels frequently to visit A.O.C. congregation across the country. Pray for his good health.

Please pray for our oldest church building and parish house (80 years old) almost damaged with heavy rains. Three rooms are already without roofs. Also pray for our local congregation at Narrowal who wants to rebuild the house. Pray that God will provide enough money to reconstruct the house and partially the church building.

Please pray for all our congregation and clergy who work so hard for the betterment of their congregation.

Pray for two new families who left Roman Catholic Church and now have joined A.O.C. Peshawar.
Bishop Ernest Jacob