Verse of the Day

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Ninth 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.  On to the On Point quotes –

Lord, keep Your arm around my shoulder and Your hand over my mouth!
Lew Valkenaar
The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.
Nahum 1:7

Take the advice of a minister of Christ this very day. Seek durable riches— a treasure that cannot be taken from you— a city which hath lasting foundations. Do as the Apostle Paul did. Give yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ, and seek that incorruptible crown he is ready to bestow.
JC Ryle
19th century Anglican bishop and author
(Holiness, p. 155)

As to Abortion - Among the Carthaginians there was brazen statue of Saturn [Moloch] putting forth the palms of his hands, bending in such a manner toward the earth, as that the boy who was laid upon them, in order to be sacrificed, should slip off, and so fall down headlong into a deep burning furnace... The ancient fable likewise that is common among all Grecians, that Saturn devoured his own children, seems to be confirmed by this law among the Carthaginians.
Diodorus Siculus
1st century BC Roman historian
(as quoted by Unger in his work Biblical Demonology, p. 135)

Wars are not made by common folk, scratching for livings in the heat of the day; they are made by demagogues infesting palaces.
H. L. Mencken
20th century American journalist and essayist

They who voluntarily put themselves under the power of a tyrant deserve whatever fate they receive.
Aesop
6th century BC Greek philosopher and author

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
Thomas Jefferson
American patriot and president

Propers
The Propers for today are found on Page 200-203, with the Collect first:

The Ninth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

G
RANT to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as are right; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Dru Arnold read the Epistle, which came from Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, the Tenth Chapter beginning at the First Verse.  Paul reminds us we have a common past, regardless of our actual lineage.  Spiritually, we are descended from the Jews of the Exodus.  Their God is our God, their actions were directed by our God, the same God.  He was a Trinity then as He is today.  Their reality it our reality, whether we choose to understand or accept it. Our forefathers drank of “the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”  Those who have gone before provide examples, both good and bad.  In this letter Paul addresses the bad and suggest we should see what their ill behavior gained them before we set our course and not after.  And, let we think ourselves ever so special, he reminds us that we are subjected to no special temptations, only those “as is common to man.”  This is another example of the adage, Those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it.

B
rethern, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Hap Arnold read today’s Holy Gospel, which started in the Fifteenth Chapter of the Gospel according to St. Luke, beginning at the Eleventh Verse and recounts the story of the prodigal son.  A man has two sons, the older is a wonderful young man who strives to please his father in everything he does.  The younger son asks for his inheritance, now rather than later, and sets off to spend it wastefully in a far off land.  In dire straits, he decides to go home to his father and beg to be allowed to live as one of his servants.  He decides to tell his father, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son…”  Before he can get the words out of his mouth, his father welcomes him, gives him new clothing and calls the servants to prepare a fatted calf for a big party.  The elder son is very angry and hurt.  He asks his father what he did wrong; he followed his instructions every day to the best of his ability, worked hard, and yet his father had never even given a small party for him.  The father answered, saying, “Son, thou are ever with me, and all that I have is thine.”   It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost and is found.”  This story, like that of the workers in the vineyard has a number of meanings.  Like the father in the story, God wants us to be His faithful child, but rejoices when we return to Him.  Like the prodigal son, we should be grateful to live long enough to return to Him.  If we are like the oldest son, let us learn from his mistake and be joyful when our brothers and sisters come home to our family.  Let us join in the celebration and not begrudge the fatted calf.

J
esus said, A certain man had two sons: and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

Sermon – Reverend Deacon Jack Arnold - Time and Action
Today’s sermon tied the Epistle and Gospel together talked, as is oft the case, of the need for action, not simply diction, the general content is in forewords above.

Consider the words from the Collect, wherein we ask God to give us … the spirit to think and do always such things as are right; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will …

This is kind of a follow-on to last week’s Collect.  We are asking God to give us direction that we might know right from wrong and follow the right way.  If we listen to our hearts and minds, like the aviator, mariner or adventurer without a compass, we will soon be hopelessly lost.  With the compass that God gives us, we can find the One True Way, much like the compass always points North.

This is nothing new.  As Paul reminds us we have a common spiritual past, regardless of our actual lineage.  Spiritually, we are descended from the Jews of the Exodus.  Their God is our God; their actions were directed by our God, the same God.  He was a Trinity then as He is today.  Their reality it our reality, whether we choose to understand or accept it. Our forefathers drank of “the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”  Those who have gone before provide examples, both good and bad.  In this letter Paul addresses the bad and suggest we should see what their ill behavior gained them before we set our course and not after.  And, let we think ourselves ever so special, he reminds us that we are subjected to no special temptations, only those “as is common to man.”  This is another example of the adage, “Those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it.”  It is an old saw, but one that is as valid today as the first time it was used. 

Speaking of lessons, when Saint Luke recounts the story of the prodigal son we oft think ourselves at that prodigal one returning to God so late in life.  Yet there is far more to be learned than this, the titular one.

Consider the two sons.  The older is a wonderful young man who strives to please his father in everything he does.  The younger son asks for his inheritance, now rather than later, and sets off to spend it wastefully in a far off land.  In dire straits, he decides to go home to his father and beg to be allowed to live as one of his servants.  He decides to tell his father, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son…”  Before he can get the words out of his mouth, his father welcomes him, gives him new clothing and calls the servants to prepare a fatted calf for a big party.  The elder son is very angry and hurt.  He asks his father what he did wrong; he followed his instructions every day to the best of his ability, worked hard, and yet his father had never even given a small party for him.  The father answered, saying, “Son, thou are ever with me, and all that I have is thine.”   It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost and is found.” 

This story, like that of the workers in the vineyard has a number of meanings.  Like the father in the story, God wants us to be His faithful child, but rejoices when we return to Him.  Like the prodigal son, we should be grateful to live long enough to return to Him.  The moral of the younger son’s story is that God is always waiting for us, and if we are not late, we can always return to Him. He will always accept us with opening arms, but we must make sure it is not too late. Don’t wait until you die! If you feel you have erred and strayed, repent now! Do not let the sun go down on your sins and wrath, you may not live to see another day! On the other hand, consider the oldest son, let us learn from his mistake and be joyful when our brothers and sisters come home to our family.  Let us join in the celebration and not begrudge the fatted calf. Do not let you anger and pride cloud your emotions like it does so many of us. But rather see a sinner coming back into His flock and rejoice in that he is no longer headed towards the Pit!

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

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

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

It is by our actions we are known.

Be of God - Live of God - Act of God

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
Ninth Sunday after Trinity
Saint Andrew’s
Anglican Orthodox Church
28 July 2013, Anno Domini

The Ninth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

G
RANT to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as are right; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
  
     11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry 25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. (Luke 15:11-32)

     We take up today the third in a trilogy of lost things in Parables – the Prodigal Son! Due to the length and intrinsic beauty of this Parable, we shall study it in two parts, over two days. The first part involves the coming of age of a son, his rebellion to the Father, his departure and descent into debauchery, and finally his awakening and return to the Father. In the second part, we shall study the reaction of his brother to his homecoming.

          11 And he said, A certain man had two sons – not just ‘any’ man, but a ‘certain’ man. The father in this Parable is illustrative of God our Father in Heaven who has two peoples (Jews and Gentiles) to whom have been offered the most beneficent of blessing – the salvation by grace through faith in His only Begotten Son. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. Please bear in mind that the younger son, though of tender years, has come to the age of accountability. He is like a Christian who is born of God, has lived as a son of God, but finally rebels against God his Father. In this respect, he differs from the Lost Sheep who was not mature, and not well learned in the means of grace or of pasturelands. He also starkly differs from the Lost Coin which was dead – just as dead as the lost sinner is dead in trespasses and sins. The Lost Sheep, because of its lack of vision and maturity, does not intentionally leave the Good Shepherd. It gets lost because it lacks the sense to follow closely on; but, once lost, it is incapable of finding itself because it lacks the deep root of faith which typifies a well-nurtured child of God. So the Good Shepherd must seek out the Lost Sheep. The Lost coin, being inanimate of spirit, is lost wherever it is and, if found, must be found only by its rightful owner who is God, and by His Sovereign Will and Grace.

        The young son desires to be out from under the watchful, though loving, eye of his father. From the moment of his birth, he has lived according to the law of his father. He feels now that he is grown up and become the wisest of ten thousand - he believes can do better. He is a child of God by circumstance of a (new) birth and not by persistent faith. Bear in mind, too, that according to the laws of inheritance, the father is not obligated to ‘divide his living’ to the young man. In fact, the young man was impertinent to even make the request. But, even though the son desires to part company with his father, the father loves his son and realizes that the argument of logic and reason will not benefit at this early point of the young man’s maturity (or, rather, immaturity). Our Father God compels none to abide under His beneficent care. Even nations who opt to abandon God do so oblivious to the danger and peril  to which they subject themselves. God does not intrude where He is not wanted for He is a perfect gentleman, and we are left to the wiles of the Devil without His over-watching care and protection.  We see this being demonstrated across the landscape of America today.

        13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. How eager are the youth of our day to remove themselves a far distance from the watchful eye of the parent! When freedom looms bold, the child will hurry to get away and enjoy what he believes will be nothing but joy and plenty. Anytime one departs from his Father God, he will be going into a ‘Far Country’ where the famine will certainly arise for him. Being separated from God in spirit, as well as distance, will lead to depravity of conduct and a waste of the wealth God has given. Without the benefit of the Holy Ghost as our heart’s compass, it is impossible to live a life pleasing to God.

        The good father watched the darling of his heart depart on that long, dusty road. He watched every move his son made until, at last, his visage disappeared on the distant horizon. How often would the father sit for days, months, and perhaps years,  through the warm summers, amber autumns, dreary winter months, and through the promises of spring, watching that same road for any sign of his son’s return. How often would he inquire and receive word back that his son was wasting all – not only his wealth, but his health and humanity as well. Yet, the father never sent for his son or begged him to return. Why not? Because any amount of reasoning with a rebellious son will yield no victory until that son has learned (often the hard way) for himself the cruelty of a world without his Father’s loving care. Have we learned that lesson, reader?

        14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. A Christian who departs from the presence of God will lose all in the process of riotous living. His life, begun in pleasures of lust, will come to mighty famine of spirit, body, and soul. The Dark Angel will take all that you have, and then some more. The time will always, and with great certainty,  arise when you will begin to be in want. With some, this is the moment of awakening for the need of your Father; but with others, more suffering and desperate want is necessary. So it is with our Prodigal – too proud to return to his father, and too desperate to even remember the abundance which he has left behind at the end of that dusty road, he lingers on in peril of his soul forestalling the inevitable.

        15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. If we are not joined with God our Father, we shall surely be joined to a stranger who gives not a whit for the well being of our souls. If our companions are not citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, they shall be citizens of that Far Country. The stranger to whom we are joined when apart from God will only use us and destroy us. He will place us in unsavory circumstances and filthy habitations.  If we labor not in our Father’s Fields, we shall labor for the Destroyer of Souls. Imagine the hurt in the soul of a young Hebrew lad who was raised in plenty in his father’s house now having to feed swine.

        16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. When you are out of the company of God, no man will care for you. You end up eating food for the soul that is like unto the food of pigs. Of course, he remembered that his father still loved him regardless of how far away he drifted, but his tortured mind had lost the ability to see and understand clearly in this Far Country.  He was lingering in a state of reprobation.

        17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! It should be noted that any Christian who departs from the Presence of their Lord is not in his right mind, and this poor youth is no exception. He has travelled a great distance from the love of his father, but his father’s love knows no distance. His tortured brain had undergone a process of gradual deprivation and debauchery during this time of licentious living. It was necessary for him to suffer much, long and hard, in separation from the benefits of his father in order to penetrate his stubborn heart and spark his calloused spirit. But, he DID come to himself. He finally was forced to admit that all his dreams and fantasies were in ruins. He came to view, as we all must do apart from God, what a deplorable condition he had arrived at in his rebellion. Even the smallest little soul in our Father’s House has plenty of daily bread, and more; yet, we who believed we could do better in a Far Country, are perishing without that Bread of Heaven common in our Father’s House.

        18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. Once we have come to the reality of our loss, we must resolve to return to our Father and confess our sinful disposition and living. We must face the reality that we are the most unworthy of all under God’s Heaven. We are certainly not worthy, nor have we ever been, of being a son or daughter of the Most High God. Sins against our earthly fathers are also reckoned as sins against heaven. We will then be happy to be accepted as only hired servants in the great house we deserted. But God has no “hired servants.”

        20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. It is not enough to KNOW to do right – we must follow that realization with ACTION! We cannot make amends for our faithlessness in a Far Country – we must RETURN to the presence of our Father and confess our sins. The good father has felt the hurt of his son’s absence deep in his heart as he has watched, day after day, that same dusty road upon which his son departed.  Once, perhaps as evening shadows begin to fall, he spots a lonely fellow coming on that road. Though his eyes have grown dim with age, he unmistakably recognizes that this fellow is his dear son! He knows his gait and carriage even though the fellow is not riding a charger or dressed in the silken blouse he wore when he departed. He is rather dressed in rags and is filthy in his person. Even from a great distance away, he recognizes his son. God always recognizes those of us who wander from Him when He sees us on the road of return. Is that not a blessing of great joy? God will always have compassion on us when we return no matter how long our delay. Even though we are filthy in our sins and exude the terrible stench of the pigpen, He will embrace us and greet us with a Holy Kiss. Only a Father could love such a child, and He has done so for you and me.

        21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. Here, the prodigal satisfies the demands of love and conscience. He confesses, not only his sinfulness, but his complete unworthiness. None are worthy to be the son or daughter of God, but we shall certainly be if we have received that saving Grace of Jesus Christ. We see that there has taken place a four-fold undertaking in the prodigal’s return: 1) he came to himself and recognized his depravity; 2) He resolved to return to his father; 3) he arose and returned to his father in answer to his resolution; and 4) he confessed his dreadful behavior and worthlessness to his father. So must we do when we have separated ourselves from our loving Father!

        22 But the father said to his servants (as if he did not hear his son’s comments), Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: That ‘best robe’ represents the White Robe of Righteousness offered by Christ to all who come to Him. He will cover our sins and nakedness with that Robe which He has purchased with His own precious Blood. That ‘ring’ which the father gives the son is the same as that Signet Ring of Authority that a Sovereign gives to a subject to act in His Name and on His own Behalf. The Christian has great authority granted in the power of the Holy Scriptures themselves. What of the shoes? In ancient times, the first thing taken from prisoners captured on the battlefield was their shoes. Their shoes were taken to prevent their escape. Shoes represent liberty and freedom. In Christ, we have perfect Liberty. “…..where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Cor 3:17) God our Father has covered our sins with that White Robe of Righteousness offered in Christ,  given us Authority as believers to act on His behalf (having that same mind and will of the Father in our hearts), and given us perfect Liberty in Christ. The children of the Father have the complete free run of the home He offers.  23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry There will always be a feast of celebration in heaven at the return of a prodigal. There was joy in heaven at the recovery of the little Lost Sheep; there was joy in heaven over the recovery of the Lost Coin; and there was exceeding joy in heaven over the return of the Lost Son. How great worth we are as children of God. He will never forget us, nor will He give up watching and waiting when we depart from Him in rebellion.

        24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry It is in the nature of a heart to lament the loss of a thing once owned far more than the failure to acquire something much desired. It is sorrowful for a woman to desire a child but remain barren of children; but it is of far greater anguish to have a child and lose it. In a Far Country, away from God, we are dead as much as before we were ever born in Christ. But God is joyful at our return. He cannot bring us home in our state of sin and rebellion – that is a decision that the heart of the wanderer must make  - to come home to God, to confess our sinfulness, and be restored. He will not own us in a Far Country, but He will never disown us when we have come home to Him.
        The question that this Parable raises is too apparent to deny: have you wandered from your Father’s home? Have you spent all of your resources in riotous living? Have you sunk to the level of the pigs in the sty? Have you come to the realization of your grievous apostasy? Have you resolved to return to you Father and confess your faults? Have you followed through with your resolution? Have you?

THE ELDER SON:

            Today’s text covers the last half of the rich and memorable Parable of the Prodigal Son. There have been mixed and varied interpretations of its meaning and my own interpretation will not satisfy every facet of its meaning – for, like a well cut diamond, there are many facets to this portion of the Parable and each may be as true as the next.  The hands and minds of men are vulgar and insensible when compared to the infallible and Holy Word of God, so we each will benefit in taking no man’s word for meaning or measure without resorting to the Crystal Stream that flows from the Fountain of Living Waters – the Holy Bible itself, and with the Holy Ghost as an interpreter thereof.

     At the outset, we might agree that the principles that rule in the Kingdom of Heaven are not worldly. There is no seniority of time and labors in that Kingdom. God is more concerned about the DIRECTION we are going and the PRESENT condition of our hearts than in the tireless amounts of labors performed by men’s hands.

       25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. Can you sympathize with this faithful son who has remained at his father’s side while his younger brother fritted away half the wealth of his father in consorting with harlots and false religion (for harlotry is compared in God’s Word to Idolatry)? He has not even heard that his younger brother has returned, so he is astonished at the sound of music and revelry coming from his father’s house. No one even showed him the courtesy of sending for him to partake in the celebration. Examine your own heart at this moment and answer: “Would you, too, not be offended?” He has labored throughout the heat of the day (and years). He has sacrificed much of his young years on his father’s behalf. He is tired and weary, but now he hears the sound of celebration and party! 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. At the present, he is only curious, but soon he will be outraged. Would we not be as well?

     27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. As we have stated often before, love is not divisible. It is whole cloth and cannot be divided between siblings. A mother loves the eldest just as dearly as the youngest and will never make a choice between the two. Her love is increased in exact amounts, and never diminished, to cover each child equally in showers of blessing. The same is true of fathers. The father has not killed the fatted calf in honor of his prodigal son, but in expression his own joy at the son’s recovery. Please recollect the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin and the joy in heaven over their recovery. But here is revealed the joy of a father at the recovery of a LOST SON as if restored from death. Can you even imagine the great joy in the heart of the old man? Can you even imagine the joy in Heaven at the recovery of a son or daughter of God, who has wandered afar, yet returns in sorrowful contrition and repentance?

     28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. I am afraid that I would have responded PRECISELY as this elder son. We are constantly mindful of unfair treatment, especially from those we cherish the most.  Our hearts can never be as large as that of our Maker and Redeemer who bore all for miserable sinners. The marvelous thing is that God understands, and makes allowances for our weak spirits and faltering love. I find one salient and inexcusable fault with the elder son: he should also have been able to subdue feelings of jealousy and unfairness for the moment of reunion with a lost brother whom he has not seen for many, many days. The event of greatest importance (more importance than personal jealousy if familial love is the concerned) is that a lost BROTHER has returned. When I was a lad,  I certainly resented the partial treatment extended to my younger brother for his tender years but, if he had gotten lost for ANY reason, I would have had at least as much joy at his being found as my mother and father would have had. Just as my father often explained to me of the reason the younger son must be treated with a special affection because of his youth, so the father here comes to the elder son with that same love that prompted the celebration to explain to him his feelings and reasons for joy. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 4 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. (Psalms 103:13-14)  It is such a comfort that God understands even our weaknesses and cares for us nonetheless.

     29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. It is altogether reasonable that the elder son, in view of worldly principles, would be taken aback by this expression of attention given an unfaithful son. It is not so much the love showered on the prodigal that bothers the elder son, but the seeming slight of love shown to one who has been, beyond doubt, the more faithful of the two in times past.  The feeling of slighted treatment was comparable to that which the early Jewish believers felt when the gates of mercy and grace were thrown open to the Gentile nations. The Hebrews had been first to take up the Word of God – not by virtue of their own goodness, but by the foreordination and will of God in establishing His people upon the earth. The Hebrew people had been privileged to maintain the oracles of God, to field prophets called by God, to build the Temple in Jerusalem. They could easily see their present blessing, but were blind to the greater plan of God in not limiting the promises of Israel to a single race of people. His plan was decided long before there was a Canaan, an Abraham, or even a Garden eastward in Eden.

     The elder son is hurt to the core. His father has killed the fatted calf, the choice of his stock, for his prodigal son who has returned home. But the father has not so much as killed a kid goat for his elder son who has remained faithful.  Please look beyond the limits of our selfish concerns and see the great generosity and grace of God in forgiving, always and fully, our past transgressions and rejoicing at the present contrition of a heart that returns to Him. We always look at the outward evidence, but God ALWAYS looks at the inward motive. “………the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. (1 Sam 16:7) Is it not possible that the One who made the heart can also repair the heart that is broken? It is a strangely wonderful truth that God loves the broken heart more than the whole: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. (Psalms 51:17) 

     We all enter in this life with a heart full of imperfections. If we fail to confess those imperfections, we shall bear them to our graves, but only that which is broken needs fixing. This, the Pharisees failed miserably to grasp and placed themselves, for the most part, beyond the bonds of mercy. Have you known of your heart needing fixing? Have you taken it to the Master Heart Maker who only can restore that heart? My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. (Psalms 57:7) Please remember the depth of sin into which David, a man after God’s own heart, sank; yet see what David can say after a trip to the Master. A heart, sure of itself and unaware of hidden imperfections cannot be ‘FIXED.’ Only a heart that is BROKEN can be FIXED! Do you have a broken heart that has been FIXED by God, our Maker?

     31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. The good father, who loves his elder son every bit as much as the younger, acknowledges the elder son’s faithfulness and devotion.  I can imagine that he spoke with deep regard and affection as he placed his arm over the shoulder of the despondent one, just as God our Father comforts us when we believe we have been wronged. The elder son has lost NOTHING by remaining faithful to the father. In fact, all that the father has remaining belongs to the elder son. Not only has he retained his original inheritance from his father, but much has been added by years of labor and improvement. The younger, on the contrary, is destitute of any inheritance. He has squandered it away in a Far Country separated from his father. There is a stark lesson here for us. Even though we are pardoned by God and warmly received back into His loving care, our sins and disobedience have consequences of eternal impact. We are often unable to restore the loss and pain we have caused by our sins. Though forgiven, sin leaves scars. Look at the terrible scars of the whip, nails, and lance that our sins caused on the body of our dear Lord and Redeemer – and these were only the outward evidences of a terrible anguish He felt in His Spirit for us.

     32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. It is always right and meet that we should rejoice in the reunion of one separated from his loved ones of the One who loves more than heart can know. The elder son has done that which is expected and proper in serving his father these many years, yet, the son, who was lost, has come home. THIS is a true cause of  rejoicing! We do not make a fuss over a friend who is continually by our side through hard times and good, but we DO make a fuss over a friend who has returned after a separation during which we believed him to be dead.  Do we realize that we are all in a state of death and dying when apart from our Father God? Do you?           

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.  I think you will enjoy this sermon.
Lost and Found
"Your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found"

In our Gospel reading this morning (Luke’s Chapter 15 verses: 11-32, Jesus tells the parable of the lost son, also known as the prodigal son (prodigal means recklessly wasteful), and it is one of His most well-known, and sometimes most resented teachings."To recap the parable:, "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me my share of  my inheritance that belongs to me. So the father did so."


"Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered everything in reckless living. After he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to suffer for something to eat. So he went and found work with one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods or stalks that the swine ate; but no one gave him anything."

"But when he thought about his situation for a while, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against God and  you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants."' And he arose and went to his father."

"But while he was still far off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against God and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate." Sounds like a very familiar hymn…Amazing Grace.

"Now his older son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.'" "But the older son was angry and refused to go in. His father came out to get him, but he answered his father, 'Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your commands; yet you never gave me a kid that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has squandered the good living that we all have worked hard to make, you kill for him the fatted calf!'"

"And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to happy and celebrate your brother’s return, for your brother was dead, and is alive; ….he was lost, but now is found.'" (Luke 15:11-32)

Now, just like the lost son, many more prodigal sons, and daughters, are going to "return home to be forgiven of their sins by a loving and righteous Father. 

It’s called grace, and is why Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, so that we could have eternal life

It seems, to some people, to be "unfair" to the always-righteous firstborn son who stayed at home and was steadfastly faithful and obedient to his father, while the younger son who ran off and squandered everything received a "second chance" and obtained his father's blessings, just like the firstborn son who never faltered. Firstborn is an important factor in both the parable, and the salvation of humanity.

The resentment in the minds of many seems to be that the father gave a sinner a "second chance," but what he really did was to forgive a sinner who truly repented after he learned his lessons the hard way.

Damnation is God’s decision, not man’s and is reserved for the incorrigible sinners who absolutely refuse to repent after correction, not for those in whom hope is yet alive, even though they are presently dead. As we shall see, the parable of the lost son has a far greater meaning.

The bible tells us that while his son was still a long ways off, the father saw him coming. What was the father doing? Waiting, hopefully and anxiously.

You have a vision of the father waking every morning and looking out the window just to see, “Is my son coming home?”

And then, one day, he sees a figure way down the road. And he wonders, “Is that my boy?”

 As his son gets closer, he can tell from his build and the way he walks, because every father knows who his children are, we observe them all the time, “That’s him! My son is back!”So what does the father do? He runs, something you don’t do in an eastern culture. Grown men don’t run. Older men were to be respected and they carried themselves with dignity, but this father cannot wait another second to be reconciled to his son.And he looks up, there’s his father, running with a smile on his face, yelling at the top of his lungs, “Welcome home! Welcome home!  His arms are stretched out as he approaches and the father grabs his son and gives him a big hug. And the Bible says that he kissed him, in the Greek, it states “he kept kissing him.” This is not a parable about honor, justice or merit. It’s about a father’s love, forgiveness, and it’s never too late to come to the Father.

Many of you knew that God is the father in the story, and we at times are like this prodigal son. We sin, and rebel, and turn away from God. When we repent and turn away from our sin, and turn back to the Father, he runs to meet us. He’s compassionate, he embraces us, he blesses us, he kisses us, and he celebrates with us. What a great Father we have. If God embraces a repentant sinner, we need to embrace them as well. If God welcomes them, we need to welcome them. If God has thrown his arms around them, we need to do the same.

Now some may say, “He doesn’t deserve that!” But that’s amazing grace. Grace is unmerited. Grace is undeserved. Paul’s letter to the Romans tells us that it’s the kindness of God that leads to repentance. This father is going to be kind and gracious to his son, and that kind of grace is going to continue to change him. It’s the same kind grace that caused him to come home. It will compel him to continue with his father.

This boy didn’t ask for anything, the father just gave it. The father just gave it, and that’s how God works with us. He gives things to people who don’t deserve it. He’s a God of grace. Grace is this amazing gift to a bunch of ill-deserving rebellious children who don’t deserve it. And that’s what the father does. Jesus said in: Luke’s Gospel (15:7 7)…..I say unto you, that likewise, joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth,more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. We need to always remember that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins…. and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

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.


Ninth Sunday after Trinity

In II Corinthians 9:6-8, the apostle Paul noted that, ...he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (as it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

Many Christians will find those verses at odds with what they have been taught about giving to the church. They might ask, “Aren’t we suppose to give a certain amount?” In the recent past, I was part of discussion on this subject with several devout believers who strongly insisted that Christians are supposed to give a tithe or ten percent of their earnings to the church. When asked how they arrived at that amount, they pointed to several Old Testament passages ranging from Genesis to Malachi.

It has been my experience that pastors will take one of the following positions regarding the subject of tithing. First, there are those who will approach the issue of godly giving with good intentions via their use of expressions such as, “Look at all the good we could do if everyone would only tithe the correct amount”, or “God desires us to keep this or that program going so we need everyone to put in their proper share.” The second position involves browbeating the congregation with accusations such as, “You are keeping back in selfishness, or “You are denying the Lord his due”, and probably the worst, “You are stealing from God.” In either case, there is the question of the amount apart from the percentage previously noted. Should the tither give a certain percentage of his “gross” pay or his “net” pay? Many congregants will simply comply with the wishes of their pastor because they want to avoid feelings of guilt. There is, however, a third position which a pastor can take and that involves following the prescription for giving as supplied in our epistle lesson.

To understand the biblical nature of giving, let us start with the tithe. There are two Hebrew words that have been translated as tithe or tithing. The first is maaser or “a tenth”, and the second is asar or “to take or give a tenth.” A popular passage that has been offered as an affirmation of tithing is that of Genesis 14:20 wherein we learn that Abram gave Melchizedek tithes of all the goods he had recovered from his defeat of Chedorlaomer. Notice that Abram did not supply Melchizedek with an annual gift of all that he had, neither was such a requirement placed upon him by the LORD. So this passage is not useful in defending the concept of tithing annually to your local church.
“But didn’t the LORD command the Israelites to tithe?” Clearly the answer is yes, for in Leviticus 27:30 we are told that, ...all of the tithe of the land whether of seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’s: it is holy unto the LORD. God later clarified the purpose for the tithe in Numbers 18:24-32 as it was used to support the Levites who had no separate inheritance in the land of promise and were thus given a portion of all the tithes and offerings for their services as the priests of God.

Dr. Russell Kelly noted in a rebuttal to Pastor Paul de Jong on the subject of the tithe and tithing that, “...True biblical tithes were always only food from the farms and herds of only Israelites who only lived inside God’s Holy Land... The increase was gathered from what God increased and not man’s craft or ability.” Dr. Kelly also noted that, “God did not command tithes from that which man produced, built... or earned through his own wisdom. Money from crafts and trade always existed in the Bible, but it was never included in the basic definition of ‘tithe of food.’” And because God has placed no requirement for money as a tithe, so the aforementioned verses are not useful in defending the payment of such to the church.

Those who have taken the position that a Christian ought to engage in the Old Testament practice of tithing should examine the message of the apostle Paul in his epistle to the Galatians wherein he wrote, ... that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ... for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified (2:16). Tithing was a work under the law. It was a civil obligation— a requirement— for Jews to perform if they owned herds or farmed crops. The apostle warned the Galatians against the reasoning of the Judaizers when he wrote, O FOOLISH Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn from you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith (3:1-2)?... For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith... Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. . . (3:10-13).

As Anglican Orthodox Christians we know from Article VII of our Articles of Religion that, “... Although the Law given from God by Moses, as touching ceremonies and Rites, do not bind Christian men, nor the Civil precepts thereof ought of necessity to be received in any commonwealth; yet notwithstanding, no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the Commandments which are called Moral.” And Article XXXVIII says, “... every man ought, of such things as he possesseth, liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability.” The early twentieth century theologian and author, W. H. Griffith Thomas wrote concerning this article that, “The New Testament has three great principles of giving, and these call for careful attention and constant emphasis on the part of all who are required to teach. A man is to give according as God hath prospered him (I Corinthians 16:2); he is to give according to his ability (Acts 11:29); he is to give according to his heart’s purpose (II Corinthians 9:7)... The New Testament is thus true to its genius in avoiding all references to a specific proportion like the Old Testament rule of the tithe. In harmony with the essential feature of Christianity as a religion of principle, not of rule, it lays the burden upon the enlightened spiritual mind to give “according to” what is possessed, pointing out that giving is one of the most definite and searching proofs of the reality of the Christian life (I John 4:20-21; 3:17-18).”

Consider once more the words of St. Paul in our epistle lesson for today in II Corinthians 9:6-8. Did you see within the text a command that Christians give out of necessity a tenth of their earnings? Those who endorse the tithe requirement might be surprised to learn that, like St. Paul, none of the other apostles wrote about tithing not because it was an accepted and obligatory practice, but precisely because it was not considered a requirement for membership in the Christian faith. Christ’s free gift of salvation is open to all without cost. You do not have to pay an annual fee to be a Christian. St. Peter’s response to Simon the sorcerer is applicable: ... Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money (Acts 8:20).

Given the preceding facts, why then do so many pastors preach on tithing when the New Testament is devoid of any passages requiring a church member to give a mandatory tenth or tithe to their local church? This question has multiple valid responses that range from simple ignorance of Scripture to down right greed for gain on the part of those within the hierarchy of the church. As to those who are operating in ignorance, I would admonish them to consult the scriptures. But for those who are in the latter range, I would rebuke in the strongest terms because those pastors are not right with God.

I remember in college overhearing a young ministerial student state in part that he couldn’t wait to graduate from seminary so that he could pastor a large church and draw a large salary. I do not know if he ever changed his mind, but it was clear in mine that he regarded the Christian ministry as just another way to make a “fine” living. Sadly, I believe that young man’s point of view has become more apparent in today’s world.

Just look about us at the ever-increasing number of mega-sanctinasiums which are as prevalent as Johnson grass down here in the South. They are full of bright lights; with pastors who are garbed in the trappings of the modern world, who receive immodest sums for their services, and who reside in near-palatial opulence that would rival the grandest potentate from ages past. Said churches have music which mirrors that of any modern concert hall. All these things are the lures by which the carnal and the unsuspecting are drawn within their synagogues of Satan (Revelation 3:9) to have their ears scratched and their desires sated (II St. Timothy 4:3-4). Naturally, all this entertainment and sensation costs money. So in order to fund their pastors, programs and endeavors, those churches have uniformly employed the tithe as an effective fund-raising technique.

We Christians should understand that the most legitimate and up-front way for a church to raise money is to solicit such from its members who have in times past given from their hearts, and not out of necessity or compulsion. Our Christian faith teaches us that God is our provider, and we must lean on him rather than on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). And so pastors and congregations ought to pray for the needs of their churches. God answers prayers including those regarding the provisioning of his church. But when he doesn’t supply such provisions in the amounts that a particular board or pastor had in mind, then the leadership within the church will have to take another course of action.

Nobody likes the word “austerity.” Shortages happen. Budgets must be trimmed. Sometimes God strips us of those things that we think are important so that we can then do the things he would have us do. Maybe it is time to put an end to those church-sponsored gatherings that do not further the gospel message. Maybe it is time for the church to heed the call of God and return to a purer faith, and a simple and more reverent form of worship where the congregation’s focus is on him rather than on themselves and how they feel. Our Lord said, But 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 (St. John 4:23).

Some may ask how a church can survive without a steady stream of funds? What about the light bill, the water bill, the insurance bill, the pastor’s salary, as well as those of the church secretary, the music director, etc.? What about teaching and outreach materials? What about extra-ministerial activities? It should be understood that every church must address these points particularly if they have a building and pay their minister a living wage. That is why in these difficult economic times, the annual budget meeting can be a harrowing experience for clergy and vestries. Nevertheless, church boards and ministers, as well as congregants are all subject to the laws of economics. If the congregation has less income as a whole, then it follows that the church will have less. That is not a sin, or a case of greedy withholding; that’s reality.

One of the gifts with which God has endowed mankind is the capacity for creativity. History tells us that human beings have crafted some really interesting methods for doing things, and that includes raising money. But when it comes to the church, it would be wise to follow God’s dictates rather than turning a set- aside practice from the Old Covenant into a new and binding requirement upon those who are under the New Covenant, and all because it might accomplish a desirable financial end.

Folks, “the end does not justify the means.” For example, Johann Tetzel took advantage of the pain and anguish which Medieval Christians felt for their deceased loved ones who were believed to be in purgatory. He preyed upon their feelings by selling those hapless souls indulgences which were supposed to permit their loved ones to pass on to glory. Through these sales, he raised a lot of money for the Medieval Church mostly from the poor who were the least able to afford even the small amounts they offered up in the hope that what Tetzel had told them was true. I ask you, When a pastor attempts to press upon a believer the notion that not tithing is sinful, or that the believer is “stealing from God,” isn’t he acting much as Tetzel did?

God loves a cheerful, not a fearful giver, and there is little doubt that such tactics were created to engender fear. The fruits of such fearful giving may prop up a church budget, but at what cost? What about the twisting of God’s word to mean something he did not intend? What about the effect upon the giver especially when he realizes that he has been deceived? Dear fellows in Christ, we are under grace and not the Law. We have been freed from the requirements of the Law apart from those things specified by our Lord Jesus Christ, and the apostles in their writings.

Godly folk understand the necessity for giving to support their churches. If we love God, then we will give cheerfully regardless of the amount. But whatever a person vows to give, that is between that individual and the Lord. If God has put it upon your heart to give a particular amount, then who is to say otherwise? And remember that whatever you decide to give— whatever you purpose before God— then give it with joy. You cannot out-give God, so trust in him to provide as he will, ... make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work.

Let us pray,

F
ather, we come before thy throne of grace in thanksgiving for all that you have given us; and we ask that you put upon our hearts to cheerfully give in such a manner, that those things which are necessary for our worship of thee, and our service to thee may continue unabated; for this we ask in the name of thine only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

Have a blessed week, Bryan+