Fourth Sunday in Advent

The Propers are found on Page 95-96, with the Collect first:

The Fourth Sunday in Advent

The Collect.

O

 LORD, raise up, we pray thee, thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory, world without end.  Amen.

The Collect for the First Sunday in Advent is on Page 90:

The First Sunday in Advent

The Collect.

A

LMIGHTY God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.

¶ This Collect is to be repeated every day, after the other Collects in Advent, until Christmas Day.

Ryan Hopkins read the Epistle for today, which came from Paul’s first letter to the Philippians, starting at the Fourth Verse of the Fourth Chapter.

Paul calls on us to “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”  We are to lead the world to Christ by example, to “Let (y)our moderation be known unto all men.”  In this Advent season, as always, “The Lord is at hand.”  We are to worry about nothing, “but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”  Be joyful in all things, not for all things.  And in the words we find at the end of the Holy Communion Service, may “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  Or to quote another, “Trust in God and Dread Naught.”

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ejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Deacon Striker Jack Arnold read today’s Holy Gospel which came from the Gospel according to Saint John, the First Chapter, beginning at the Nineteenth Verse.  When they heard rumor of John the Baptist, Jews wondering if this might be the Messiah, sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who art thou?”  John told them, “I am not the Christ.”  Then, they cast about for who he might be, ”Art thou Elias?”

Confounded, they asked, “Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?”  He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.”  The Pharisees people were somewhat confused and asked, “Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?”  John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; he it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.”

Interestingly, the same theme is found over and over, as is oft the case with truth.  There are those among us who just plain will not see.  For, there are none so deaf as those who will not hear and none so blind as those who will not see.

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his is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; he it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Sermon – Time and Action

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

As is oft the case, today’s propers are all tied together.  The Collect asks for God’s help for us to accept His Help and do it His Way.  That is a thought that permeates or at least should permeate our entire lives.  It is oft supposed Christians are dour souls, with no sense of happiness or humor.  Perhaps this thought comes from those who have heard what the Bible says, filtered through some odd prism, but have never actually read it.  After all, the one said to be the most dour of all, Paul, tells us to be happy.  Not just happy, but to REJOICE.  REJOICE in the Lord ALWAYS and AGAIN I say REJOICE!  How much more fun can you have?  We are also to be moderate in everything we do, no excesses, an even keel.  Work hard, but maintain a time and space for our family, honor our country, and above all honor God.  He goes on to tell us if we think we need something, simply ask God for it!  Speaking of God, John recounts John the Baptist’s role in preparing the way for Jesus.  The Pharisees just had trouble with the simplicity of his message.  They were looking for something more complex, less straightforward, something more like themselves.

Jesus also tells us to put our trust in the Lord, then not to worry.  He knows how counterproductive, indeed how destructive worry can be in our lives.  We know it will  do no good, we know it will only hurt our cause; yet we do it.  Is this not a proof positive of how much we need His Help?  How hard is it to Trust in God and Dread Naught?  Very, yet to make progress this we must do.

The world is extremely complex; it is full of problems, temptations and difficulties.  It is full of obstacles for us, yet all Christianity offers is a few simple solutions.  We often hear that there are no simple answers to complex questions.  Actually, that is not true.  There are simple answers to complex problems, they are the only ones that work.  The problem is they are not the answers people want.  Most people do not want to know what they are supposed to do, lest they have to do it.  They want to be told that what they want to do is at least okay, even though it is clearly not okay.

Once again, when you think about being a Christian, think a bit about these quotes from GK Chesterton:

·      “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.”

·      “The word "good" has many meanings. For example, if a man were to shoot his grandmother at a range of five hundred yards, I should call him a good shot, but not necessarily a good man.”

·      “The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because generally they are the same people.”

·      “Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.”

·      “A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.”

 G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936)

We are called to a new and different life, we ask the Lord to lead us and follow us, to keep us always.  Our goal is to do the Lord’s will, not to avoid 613 laws.  To do what is right and be humble.

Bishop Ogles’ Sermon

Bishop Jerry provided his sermon notes for today.  I thought them incredibly interesting, I always enjoy them, but there was something about this one that was more than usual.  I am certain you will find them very enjoyable.  As always, I cannot commend it to you enough.

Sermon Notes for 4^th Sunday in Advent 18 December 2011 Anno Domini

St. Luke 3:1-17

"Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages. And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable."

     Evil men of that day rule in the Holy Place of Jerusalem just as the abomination that maketh desolate is now standing in the Holy Place of America's churches. That abomination has been severely censored by God in both the Old and New Testament. We have ordained and consecrated men (and women) who are openly homosexual to the ministry in the churches in America. These wicked people now stand in pulpits and even in episcopal authority over those pulpits. How long do we feel God will withhold His wrath for this willful disregard for His Word? "…..and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all." (Daniel 11:31, 37) and "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)" (Matt 24:15) This has direct reference to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus of Romans in 70 A.D., but it also has a parallel meaning for us today who disregard the Word of God and allow unholy men to serve in ministry. Christ fulfilled the law of sacrifice so, regardless of what is done on an altar has no relevance, but what happens in the pulpits of the Church have a gravity that we had best begin to deal with or suffer the wrath to come.

     God establishes a definite chronology for the Coming of His only Begotten Son so that the Scriptures will all agree as to the words spoken of the prophets centuries past. He sets the stage for our understanding.  The Scripture cannot be broken regardless the futile attempts of higher critics and textual `engineers' to the contrary. "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene."

     The stage is set for the arraignment of all of those despots who would, not only preside over the land throughout the ministry of Christ, but also at its closing through their direct complicity in His trial and crucifixion. It was to Tiberius Caesar that the land must pay obeisance, and to a local Pro-Consul named Pontius Pilate that would preside over the enforcement of that obeisance. Annas and Caiaphas sat in the seat of High Priest. Little did they realize that their own wickedness would be consummated in the de-thronement of their role as High Priests and the One whom they wish to destroy would take that title in Eternity future. "Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests.."

     "…..the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness." It is amazing how clearly and often the Word of God comes to His people in the Wilderness. Perhaps, in the providence of God, only one man has been determined to receive that particular Word, therefore, the Wilderness is the appropriate place for its being revealed to him. Our prayers are better heard when we pray, not for the recognition of men, but in our closets alone with God. The Word of God is such an all-potent and valuable sound! FRIENDS, if there is one great thing in this world, it is the Word of God; `great in origin, great in thought, great in promise, great in beauty, great in purpose, great in power, great in its results ! It hangs as by a golden cord from the throne of the Highest, and all heaven's light, life, love, and sweetness come down into it for us. It hangs there like a celestial harp ; the daughters of sorrow tune it, and awake a strain of consolation. The hand of joy strikes it, and feels a diviner note of gladness. The sinner comes to it, and it discourses to him of repentance and salvation. The saint bends an ear to it, and then it talks to him of an intercessor and immortal kingdom. The dying man lays his trembling hand on it, and there steals thence into his soul the promise, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." "When thou passest through the waters, they shall not overflow thee, and through the fires, thou shalt not be burned." "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world!" "The last enemy that shall "be destroyed is death." "This mortal shall put on immortality, and this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and death shall be swallowed up in victory." Where is promise, where is song like this ? Magnify the Word of God! E.E. Adams (The Reformed manner of preaching is the expositional approach.) If we wish to preach with authority, we must preach the Word of God and not the word of the man delivering the sermon.

     "And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." Has this approach in preaching been disannulled? Should we, too, not be as fervent as George Whitfield, John Wesley, and Charles Spurgeon in preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins? But, alas, I must be dreaming – SIN is no longer fashionable to be condemned – not in our very modern and broad-minded world! He came into the country about Jordan, the same waters in which our Lord was baptized by John, and whose sweet waters never fail the wilderness traveler. Luke does not even mention the apparel of John, but goes directly to the heart of his mission as a bolt of lightning to the lightning rod – "….preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins."

     "As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God." Here again God inexorably joins His prophetic utterances of the prophet to the events unfolding before us. (Isaiah 40:3-5) If you are preaching sound doctrine, sound truth, sin, repentance, and grace, you will also be today as a "Voice crying in the wilderness." You shall not find yourself flocked about with souls of men and women starving and thirsting for the pure Water of Life and Bread of Heaven. They have their own synthetic bread and impure, polluted waters to drink, and they desire none other. But, to their detriment, like Herod, Annas, Caiaphas, and Pilot, men do not seek refuge in the City of God because they feel a false security already in their world-favoring sin. In the Old Testament Law, the children of Israel were commanded to establish cities of refuge throughout the land to which men guilty of serious crimes could flee for refuge. Now comes to Jordan Waters the perfect likeness of that City of Refuge in Jesus Christ. We are guilty beyond doubt. We are murderers and sinners yet, God has provided a Refuge and an Ark for our salvation! Flee to Christ, and He will receive you. In those ancient cities of refuge, the gates were never shut – night or day, but always welcoming to the refugee from justice who we all are. If we are granted justice, we shall be condemned; but, if granted grace, we shall be accounted righteous and forgiven.

      "Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? "Generation of Vipers!" Careful John, you are going to hurt someone's feelings by being so `judgmental.' Or perhaps you recognize them for what God's Word has called them? Political correctness is the furthest thought from John. Here John refers not only to the men who unworthily occupy the seat of Moses and of David, but to the people at large. Israel has rejected God as a nation. Christ tells the Jewish leaders that the Kingdom shall be taken from them and given to a people bearing the fruits thereof." (Matthew 21:43) So do we long to see the stone temple rebuilt and the daily sacrifices begun anew in rejection of that once-and-for-all sacrifice made by our Lord? Has America become a generation of vipers? Though there remain many devoted Christians among us, have we given our powers over to evil forces in propagating every immoral concept through our vast control of media? Have we used our national resources to impose values on Third World countries that they would otherwise righteously abhor? Yes, we have done, and we continue to escalate that policy through the IMF and World Bank. Our national voice has often spewed poison from our mouths (media).

     "Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." Fruits worthy of repentance have their birth in a "broken and contrite heart." (Psalms 51:17). Before repentance can come nationally, it must come personally, for every nation is comprised of ever so many hearts. The sum total of hearts measure the righteousness of the nation.  We cannot forever count upon the favor of God based on the Godliness of the Founding Fathers, and neither can Israel count on their bloodline in Abraham to merit salvation. Only those who possess the likeness of Abraham shall be the children of Abraham – in thought, word, deed, and faith. The Seed of Promise was only foreshadowed in his son, Isaac, born out of time of child-bearing. Christ is the ultimate Seed of Promise and we cannot count Abraham to be our father if we have not accepted the promise of forgiveness and salvation in Christ. If the natural seed fail, God is able even to raise up children from the stones. The promise is made available to all for the acceptance or rejection of it.

     "And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." Here is the dire warning which we would prefer to avoid! We are all as trees of either righteousness or unrighteousness. The axe has already been brought to our place of standing. The Woodsmen sizes us up to determine if our fruits are worthy of justifying our remaining in the forest, or has our hearts rotted away and rendered us a waste of forest space. The axe is already about to swing at our root – our character and testimony in Christ. If we have not been fruitful trees, we shall be cut down and burned – and so has the moment of decision come for this old Israel. Instead of works mete for repentance and mercy, their fruit is bitter and condemning. Perhaps that axe hangs over the prairies and alabaster mountains of American today as well.

     Is there no remedy for our national and personal sins? There IS an answer! "And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?" What shall you do to regain the favor of God? What can the nation do to re-establish that favor? "He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." A greedy man cannot abide this counsel, neither a man of fashion and sophistication. We covet our fine suits and robes. We are fond of our full and elaborate pantries stocked with every dainty food and cuisine. But even a greedy man (as Scrooge in Charles Dickens' story) can be rendered not greedy by one single quality – LOVE! This was lacking in Israel, and it may be becoming scarce in our nation which mislabels Love as SEX and value of persons by fame and money. I recently read of an occasion of more than seventy years ago when an elderly missionary couple were returning from the harsh mission fields of Africa. They had deprived themselves of a luxurious home, fine food, and the benefits of society for the straw-covered hut, the rough diet, and the inconvenience of living in a wild land for all of their adult lives. They had given all they had of resources, health, and vigor to the service of God's less fortunate people. Now, broken and tired, their continuance on the mission field had been deemed `unproductive' by their church and they were called home to be "put out to pasture" as an old work horse in its waning years. As they began to disembark from the ship at the port of New York, they struggled to drag their few belongings with them, but the crowds were overwhelming and cheering. The old couple was prevented from leaving the ship until a famous Hollywood celebrity, returning from a European cruise, had received the adoration of the gathered crowd and had been met by his chauffeur-driven limousine. When the crowd thinned, the old couple continued down from the ship and awaited the next taxi. They waited alone because no one took notice of their years of sacrifice. Is that LOVE? These two had given, not of their extra coat, but their ONLY coat. They had given their meats and received gruel for the sake of their service to God and man. Of what value was the fruit of the Hollywood celebrity's vanity?

     Every man and woman has a calling in Christ. It may not be as an active missionary on the foreign field, but it shall always be a missionary in the place where you are placed whether as a doctor, a lawyer, a butcher, a teacher, or a carpenter. Whatever our calling, we must reflect the nature of a virtuous and loving heart. "Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages." We do not often think of `publicans' (tax collectors) and soldiers as serving God directly, but we have the words of John to suggest otherwise! If we deal in money, do so with honesty. If we are serving our country as soldiers, we are to do no violence to any man (unwarranted force or mean-spirited action). We must not take from the enemy land that which does not belong to us, but we must be satisfied, as good soldiers, with our pay allowance.

     The people began to wonder about John because of the beauty of his words. Remember, his words have been entreating them to repent; and he has been warning them of the destruction to come if they fail to repent. Today, most people would walk away, but these people had enough presence of mind to know that he spoke truth in beauty.  Many today lack that discretion. "And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not." When a minister or a layperson speaks the truth of God, his words will have the force and power of God behind them.

     "John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose." John did not suffer that same vanity of many ministers. He discerned the thoughts of the multitude and answered humbly. Here we see the greatest of all prophets confessing his own inadequacy before the One whose Way he was preparing. He's not even worthy, as a household servant's role, to unloose the shoe latchets of Christ. Do we stop to reflect that we have no merit whatsoever apart from that imparted to us by Christ Himself?

     "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable." He is the REFINER of Gold and Silver. His instrument of purification is fire. The Fire of the Holy Ghost will purity those who are called and chosen of God. They are made more and more pure through the refining process (sanctification).  Fire and Wind will be the choice tools of Christ at purging the wheat from the chaff. He will fan the wheat as it falls to earth (from the Tribulatum) and the chaff will be blown aside while the pure wheat falls to earth. The chaff will then be burned as death and Hell are cast into the Lake of Fire. (Rev 20:14)

     We will celebrate Christmas at our next Sunday Worship. Of course, Advent is our early celebration of Christmas as well. Let us remember that our beautifully lighted and ornamented trees represent that beautiful Tree of Life that came down to us a Christmas. The candles will remind us of that Light which led the Wise Men and, later, burst out in the brilliance of the Day Star and the Sun of Righteousness. Let us not forget to wish all we meet a very Merry Christmas (not holiday)! There is no reason that we must abandon the joys and love of Christmas on December 26^th. We should clasp those to our bosoms every waking moment of the coming year.

Bishop Dennis Campbell’s Sermon

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

Making Straight

John 1:19-28

Fourth Sunday of Advent

18 December 2011

At this time of year our minds turn to the preparations for Christmas.  Most of us have our trees decorated, and are makings plans for guests to visit, or for our visits to family and friends, and our kitchens are filled with smells that make us wonder if we can wait till Christmas to eat the goodies.  We are grateful for these things, grateful to celebrate Christmas, and, if done in the right frame of mind, the decorations, and pies, and gifts, and cookies, and visits, and cakes are good things and legitimate ways to celebrate the birth of our Saviour.

Other things also occupy our minds, things like a young couple making their way to Bethlehem, a baby in a manger, angels, and shepherds, the daily readings from Isaiah and Revelation, and the Collect for the First Sunday of Advent, which we pray daily in Morning and Evening Prayer.  These are enduring traditions of Advent, which have been treasured by generations of God's people.

Today we come to another Advent tradition, the reading from the first chapter of the Gospel according to John, which tells us about John the Baptist.  In this passage, the Baptizer was preaching and baptizing on the east side of the Jordan when the delegation from Jerusalem came to him.  It was an era when hope of the Messiah's advent ran high, and the religious authorities wanted to know more about this man who was making such an impact on the people.  It seems to me that they were ready to receive John as the Messiah and take him into Jerusalem in glory, for they gave him every chance to claim that position.   Yet every time, he refused their honour.  "I am not the Christ," not "the prophet," not even Elijah, he said.  I am just a "voice... crying in the wilderness."  He claimed no glory for himself and asked nothing for himself.  He had one purpose, to point people to Christ.  "Make straight the way of the Lord."  Thus he said to the priests from Jerusalem, "there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; he it is whose coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose."

"Make straight" is a quote from the book of the prophet Isaiah and refers to making a road by removing rocks and trees and obstacles so people can travel to their destinations.  John is saying he has come to call people to build a highway on which the Messiah can come to them.  This highway is, of course, a spiritual highway, a highway of the heart.  Building this kind of highway consists of removing spiritual obstacles, such as the sins of the flesh and the pride of the mind, attitudes of indifference and self-sufficiency, replacing them with Godliness of mind and dependence on God.  John is really calling Israel back to her original purpose in the plan of God.  He is calling Israel to love God and to walk together in unity and holiness as the people of God.

The call to make straight the way of the Lord is not for Israel only.  It continuously sounds forth through the centuries, and addresses us as fully as it did the Jews.  How do we make straight the way of the Lord?

We make His way straight by continuing in the faith once for all delivered to the saints.  This is the faith God gave through the prophets and Apostles, and through His own Son, Jesus Christ.  It consists of the doctrines and ethics recorded and preserved for us in the Holy Bible.  The faith tells us God created the world in righteousness, but, we, through our own sin have turned it into the seething cauldron of strife and sin it is today.  And we, through our own personal sins, have become the enemies of God, fully worthy of His righteous anger.  The faith tells us that to save us from the penalty of sin, God Himself became a Man and suffered death on the cross, bearing in Himself the wrath and death our sins deserved.  That sinners who call upon Him and trust His sacrifice to forgive all their sin for all time will be saved from God's wrath and reconciled to Him in peace and love forever; and that one day He will end the reign of sin and evil in this world, by coming back and putting all enemies under His feet and establishing His reign of righteousness forever.  This is "the Faith."

We make His way straight through a continuous, life-long act of trusting God to forgive our sins and to welcome us into His fellowship and love through what He accomplished in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.  This means to confess your own sin and worthiness of punishment, and also to believe God has forgiven you.  This is what it means to "have faith."

We make His way straight by living life according to His will and in His love.  Scripture uses many words to describe this life.  Holiness, righteousness, and faithfulness express its essence, and each of them means to turn away from sins and distractions and to return to God's original purpose and calling.  This call goes out to the Church as a whole, and to the individual Christian.

Once in a while I think about what it would be like if we really got serious about loving God and walking together as His people.  I can see us ordering all of life under the Lordship of Christ as we joyfully serve Him in our work, and home life, in our recreation, and, of course, in our Church life as we fellowship in Christian love and hold the faith in "unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life."  I can see us acting like a community, more than that, like a family, like a body, like new creatures in Christ.  I can see us working together without envy or discord.  Every word we speak is a word of encouragement and edification, every action is helpful, and all is done to build up the body in love.  Once in a while I can imagine that.  I hope you can too.  I hope you see it as the goal of this parish, and as your own personal goal, and I invite you to dedicate yourself to making it more and more of a reality, as Paul wrote, excel still more, in it in the coming days and years.

There is one more thing I have to mention today; that we make straight the way of the Lord, by announcing, or, proclaiming the faith.  This invites hearers to come into the faith.

As soon as we hear the command to make straight the way of the Lord, we become aware of our own weakness and inabilities, and we may be tempted to not even attempt the task to which we are called.  It would be hopeless indeed if we were not promised the help of God in every aspect of it.  Truly "we are sore let and hindered" by the lingering wickedness that still abides in even the most saintly of people, and which leads us into the sins we commit.  But with God's help, we can do better, and better, and better, and He is willing to help.  He is working within you now to form you and renew you according to His will.  He promises to help you in everything to which He calls you. This is why we pray as the Collect for the Fourth Sunday of Advent directs us, that God will come among us in His great power to speedily help and deliver us.

Let us pray.

O

 LORD, raise up, we pray thee, thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory, world without end.  Amen.