The Propers are found on Page
92-93, with the Collect first:
The Second Sunday in Advent
The
Collect.
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LESSED
Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant
that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest
them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever
hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
The propers for the First Sunday
in Advent can be found on Page 90-92:
The
First Sunday in Advent
The Collect.
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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 letter to the Romans, starting at the Fourth Verse of the Fifteenth
Chapter.
Paul tells us the scriptures up to that time were
written that we might have hope.
He now reminds us to treat each other the way Jesus treated those about
him, to open our hearts to each other as Jesus opened His. The promise of Jesus was not to Jews
only, but to all people (Gentiles).
Paul tells us Jesus Christ was a minister of … the truth of God, to
confirm the promises made unto the fathers: and that the Gentiles might glorify
God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee
among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye
Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and
laud him, all ye people.”
He reminds us of the writing of Esaias, “There shall
be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him
shall the Gentiles trust.” Paul
leaves with the blessing, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace
in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
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hatsoever things were written aforetime were written
for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might
have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded
one toward another according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one
mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive
ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Now I say that
Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to
confirm the promises made unto the fathers: and that the Gentiles might glorify
God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee
among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye
Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and
laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of
Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the
Gentiles trust. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in
believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Deacon Striker Jack Arnold read the Gospel for today which
came from the Gospel according to Saint Luke, the Twenty-First Chapter,
beginning at the Twenty-Fifth Verse.
In preparation for our recollection of the First Coming, the Nativity,
we read St. Luke’s description of the Second Coming, “and there shall be signs
in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of
nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts fail-ing
them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the
earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the
Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things
begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your
redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,
and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own
selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these
things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.”
As clear as the Second Coming will be, so was the
First Coming to those who would see and hear it. Once again, we are reminded that there are none so blind as
those who will not see and none so deaf as those who will not hear.
Can you see Him? Will you hear Him?
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nd there shall be signs in the
sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations,
with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for
fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the
powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming
in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to
pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; when
they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now
nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye
that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation
shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away:
but my words shall not pass away.
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. Rather than the usual
call for action external to us, they call us to act in our selves for our
selves. The Collect asks God to
give us Grace or motivation, if you will, to study Scripture and be guided by
it. For, as the Epistle tells us,
in Scripture there is hope, there is guidance, there is comfort. Above all in Scripture is the Word of
our Lord, the giver of our Life eternal.
If we are to form a single body of Christ, it must
vbe from a single set of rules, a common background and a common heritage. That common ground is Scripture. Look to Scripture for guidance, look to
Scripture for rules to live by. If
we are to make common cause, it must be from common ground. It is nice and convenient to have
preachers, but that does not substitute for the study and understanding of
Scripture. As we remember the
First Coming, we find in Scripture is the instruction on what to look for when
we look for His second coming, as is very clear in the Gospel.
Scripture, the Bible, the Word. You need to understand it. It is the only true guidance we
have. My writings, Bishops Jerry
and Dennis and so many others are nice, they can be interesting, enlightening,
even entertaining, but they are only our writings. They may help you understand Scripture, but you must never
let them replace Scripture. Read a
bit every day.
Which translation? There is but one Authorized Version, that is the King James
Version, the KJV. Some would tell
you it is antiquated, others that it is too hard to read, others that it is old
fashioned. Frankly it is none of
those. It is the easiest of all
versions to read and the most accurate.
There are words in it that have been long out of use. Probably two hundred or so. Get a dictionary! A specialized dictionary such as The Bible Word Book, available
for free for your iPad or Kindle and not all that much more in paper from
Amazon. If you still want to know
why the KJV, email Deacon Striker Jack Arnold at jack@faithfulcenturion.org. He will be happy to discuss it further with you.
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 2nd Sunday in Advent 4 December 2011 Anno Domini
"30
I can of mine own self do
nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine
own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.31 If I bear witness of myself, my
witness is not true. 32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know
that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare
witness unto the truth. 34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I
say, that ye might be saved. 35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing
for a season to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the
works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear
witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. 37 And the Father himself, which
hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any
time, nor seen his shape. 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath
sent, him ye believe not. 39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have
eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me,
that ye might have life.
" (John 5:30-40)
Let
the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be always acceptable in
thy sight, O lord my Strength and my Redeemer. Amen.
Our
Gospel text today directs our attention to more than a single truth.
First, we learn that the only just judgment is that judgment that
issues form the will of God. And how do we know that will? By reading the Word
of God and making that Word the judge of all things in our purview. Christ
Himself is that Word Incarnate. (John 1). He is the ensign and plumb line in
our midst for it was Christ who came down and dwelt among us suffering every
temptation as we, yet being pure and sinless throughout. If we judge with
righteous judgment, our judgment will be based on the Word of God and
proceeding from love. "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my
judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father
which hath sent me."
The
Godhead, comprised of Three Persons in One, has no nature to operate
independent of one another. By its very nature, these Three Persons are
completely of One Mind and One Purpose. Every thought of God is mutually held
and mutually advocated. Christ came not to establish His Church on His own
behalf and apart from the oversight of His Father, but He came in the whole
will of the Father and executes all that the Father wills. Christ was with the
Father in the beginning – He was the Word, and He was God. (John 1:1)
Second, we learn that Christ bears not His witness and testimony in
isolation. In fact, that would be impossible for there can be no division
between the testimony of the Father, Son, or Holy Ghost. It would, as well, be
impossible for either to hold a will that in any way is contrary to that of the
whole. How is God, realized in Three Persons, One God? It is only possible
because the Godhead is a union of One in purpose and will. If we are IN Christ,
we, too, are one with Him the Father, and the Holy Ghost. The only means by
which our Nation can be One Nation, under God, is that our national will is in
subordination to the perfect Will of God. Then, though we be many citizens, we
may also be One Nation, under God. But is this true of modern America? I think
not. The moral decadence and spiritual depravity of our country does not issue
from the influences of an alien enemy, but from within the hearts of our
people, and ultimately the laxity of America's churches in nurturing the love
of God and His Holy Word. "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true." America today is by
no means one in purpose. We do not have a perfect union. Our population is
comprised of those few who fervently love the Lord and try by all means to obey
Him. A larger group are those nominal Christians whose patchwork garments are
mixed with the fabric of the law and also of grace. Grace cannot exist with the
curse of the law. Others simply reject God outright and attempt to remove every
vestige of His presence from their own, and our, daily conversation.
No
single citizen, acting on his own behalf, can bear the full power and authority
of the National government. We cannot be a one-man army of the United States.
It is the collective will of the people that will reflect the legitimate
boundaries of authority and purpose so that we are a Union of citizens, of
counties, of states, and finally realized at the head as a federal government
in one united nation. But governments can never fully reflect the Oneness of
God for His Triune nature is a perfect One and bound without seam to one Will
and Purpose. Human government may emulate, but can never achieve, such perfect
union. Even as individuals, our Oneness with Christ, the Father, and the Holy
Ghost is not a perfect one from the standpoint of deeds and works of the law, but
made spiritually possible by that loving characteristic of God called unmerited
Grace.
The
witness of Christ is not His alone, for whatsoever the Son does or says is
equivalent to the same action and Word of the father and Holy Ghost. Christ
never speaks independently of the father, nor can He do so. "There is another that beareth
witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true." The Word
of God stands immutable and without need of support. It stands alone, but
is witnessed in every rose, every green leaf, every creature's heart, and in
the miracle of birth of a child. If you doubt miracles are ongoing for our day,
look into the pure eyes of a little child whose spirit has so recently been
imparted by God while yet in the mother's womb! The tides are given limits of
progress, and the seasons still hear and obey His beckon. How can you doubt?
We
do need ministers and pastors who will teach us from a better knowledge of
God's Word, but God needs no teacher. If a priest, bishop, or deacon has been
given responsibility in the Kingdom of Heaven, he must exercise that
responsibility under the authority of the great Bishop of our Souls, the Lord
Jesus Christ else his authority is of no force. "Ye sent unto John, and he bare
witness unto the truth."
Well did John know that it was only the truth that has force and not the
imaginations and devices of any man! When we hear a biblical exposition,
delivered with earnestness and faith, we recognize a strong authority in its
delivery. From whence cometh this authority? Since it is God's Word, it comes
from God and not the source of delivery.
It
is true that John inquired, in his moment of doubt, to know from Christ; but
Christ never inquired of John. Christ, possessing all truth, needs no man's
testimony to support His claim. The Sun needs no lesser light to testify of its
life-giving energy. As Confucius has said, "Does God exist? Does one light
a candle to see the Sun?" Is the Sun itself blind to its own light. I
doubt it! Does Christ need a man's witness of His divine will and purpose?
"But I
receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved." We may live in such
oppressive darkness that we need some man to come to us bearing the precious
Word of God, but that man is only messenger. The Message belongs to God. Christ
owns the Message. What a privilege if He allows us the opportunity to be a
messenger for Him!
"He was a burning and a shining
light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light." The Light John bore
was not truly his own light, but it was the Light of Christ. John was a mirror
only to reflect the Light and was not the generator of it. The moon is merely
the reflector of that great light of the Sun and is not the generator thereof for
it cannot be. You and I, too, may be those lower lights referred to in that old
hymn, Brightly Beams our Father's Mercy. God Himself is the great
Searchlight sent out from the Lighthouse across the stormy waves and shoals.
Men, at their wits end in fighting the sails and helm, look with salty eyes
into the gloom and, "Look! A Lighthouse" beams its hope from secure
harbor to their frightful and foundering vessel. They bear toward it for it is
their only hope. Coming near to harbor, there remains to be navigated among the
salient bars and hidden rocks of the harbor. But God has provided Lower Lights
(His people) to guide the vessel to safe port and anchorage beneath that great
Light that saved them. Have you lately been a Lower Light for Christ? If so, your
light is not your own, but the reflected Light of the Light of the World. Like
the Moon in eclipse, if the world gets between you and that great Light, your
light will be darkness.
We
know God because we have seen Christ! All that Christ did reflected a perfect
likeness of the Father. And all that we do as Christians, though imperfect as
we are reflects the will of our father in heaven. "But I have greater witness than
that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same
works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me." The Father is witness
of His son and His Son is witness of the Father. The very works of Christ in
restoring life to the dead and healing every diverse disease is witness of that
nature only of God. God is Life! "And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne
witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape." Christ, dwelling
always from eternity past with the Father, beheld His face every day in
Paradise. He has heard every Word ever uttered by the Father, and He is like
Him in every respect just as the child is the image and likeness of the parent
though Christ is perfectly like His Father. "And ye have not his word
abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not." Christ is castigating
the false professors and ministers of the Jews. They may know the Law of Moses
but they do not have the Living Word of God abiding in their breasts else they
would be able of salvation in Christ.
"Search the scriptures; for in
them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." These words would
seem to be directed toward the Pharisees who believed in the resurrection, but
not the One by whom resurrection was made possible. They had a head-knowledge
of the scriptures, but there was no evidence of it in their hearts. They were
bent on murder of the very instrument by which they might have that hoped for
resurrection. Christ, being the Word Incarnate, is the completeness of the
whole Counsel of God. How can men accept apostate and `doctored bible versions
that cast doubts on the divinity of Christ and omit whole passages of
scripture? If they love Christ, how could they allow, or even be participants,
in the wounding of His Holiness, and do so with assumed impunity?
"And ye will not come to me,
that ye might have life." It is noteworthy that Christ already knew the hearts
of these brigands. In His omniscient foreknowledge, He knew they would not now,
nor ever, come to Him. He saw their snarled faces before the cross at Golgotha,
there insults and treason against God Almighty, and He knew no amount of
persuasion would move them. These so-called ministers of the Jews were more
reprobate than the people whom they deceived. Let no man preach to you out of
his own opinion or imagination, but Scripture truth only!
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:
For Our Learning
Romans 15:4
Second Sunday of Advent
4 December 2011
"Whatsoever things were written aforetime were
written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the
scriptures might have hope."
Romans 15:4
What do we learn from the Scriptures? We learn about
ourselves. We learn who we are. We learn our place and purpose in this world
and cosmos. We were created for great things. We were created to rule the earth.
God Himself gave us dominion over it, including the animals; not to consume it
upon our own lusts, but to honour Him in the way we keep it and enjoy it. We
learn that we are created to know Him and to enjoy and bask in His love
forever. We learn that we were created for goodness, for righteousness, and
that it is only as we follow Him in the paths of righteousness that we find
happiness in this life.
But we also learn what we have always known, that we
have fallen far short of the purpose for which we were created. We learn that
we have erred and strayed from His ways like lost sheep. We learn that we have
offended against His holy laws, done what we should not have done, and left
undone what we ought to have done. In short, we learn that we are sinners.
I fear that we usually take this knowledge far too
lightly. We think of it only in terms of finding forgiveness in Christ. And it
is true that such knowledge should drive us to our knees before the God of
holiness in fear and trembling to beg forgiveness. Yet there is more, for such
knowledge should also drive us to change. It should cause us to seek to be
different; not just in what we do, but in who we are. It is this part of the
Gospel, the transformed and holy person, that we seem to forget, or just overlook.
In the Bible we learn about God. It tells us of One
who holds the universe in His hand, yet knows the hairs on each of our heads.
And it tells of One who is good. His nature is goodness in perfection. There is
no variation in His goodness. He is light without darkness. As bright as the
sun appears to us, there are dark spots on it, and whatever chemical reactions
are taking place on it are not happening with equal intensity in all areas of
it. But the righteousness of God is brighter than an infinite number of suns,
and there is no variation in His righteousness, ever.
In the Bible we learn that this Great Righteous Being
loved sinners so much He came to earth as a Man to reconcile us to Himself by
way of the cross. And in the Bible we learn the way home. More than simply
showing us, more than simply pointing the way, in the Scriptures our Lord
Christ Himself comes to us as the Great Shepherd, and carries us back to the
fold, carries us back to God.
This is the message of the Bible. There is more, of
course, for I have only looked at the message from man's perspective, which
makes it appear that God has done all of this for us. In reality He has created
us, endured our sin, and even saved us for His own purpose, His own glory, to
bring together all things under Christ. That is the ultimate goal of God. As
St. Paul states in Ephesians 1:12, we are to exist, or, to "be to the
praise of His glory."
This is the teaching of Scripture. This is what the
things written aforetime tell us. This is what we learn from them. But this
knowledge is given for a purpose. It is not given to add to our store of facts;
it is given to make us wise unto salvation. It is given that we might have
hope, hope that we can be better, can overcome at least some of our sin, can be
more humble, more holy, more forgiving, more forbearing. And, most of all hope
that we can be forgiven by God, hope that we will one day dwell in a place
where there is no more sin, or doubt, or fear, or suffering or death. Hope that
we will dwell forever in perfect peace and harmony with man and God, and all
the petty little things we let divide us will be behind us forever.
And this is the way we gain this hope; embrace and
ever hold fast to the promises of God declared unto mankind in Jesus Christ our
Lord. I'm not talking about walking an aisle and making an intellectual
decision to believe in Jesus. I'm not talking about having an emotional
experience and calling it "conversion." I'm talking about coming to
Him in such a way that He becomes the foundation of who you are. I'm talking
about embracing Him in such a way that He dwells in you, and you dwell in Him.
I am talking about the very thing expressed so well in the Collect for the
Second Sunday in Advent:
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LESSED
Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant
that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest
them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever
hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
--
+R. Dennis Campbell
Bishop of Diocese of Virginia
Rector, Holy Trinity Anglican Orthodox Church
Powhatan, Virginia
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