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. Mostly from Rev Bryan Dabney, a few
from other place, but mostly from Bryan.
He always has a few great ones to share. So, on to the On Point quotes -
If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am
perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. Though I were perfect, yet would I
not know my soul: I would despise my life. Job 9:20-21
O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. I will
be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy
judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? I gave thee a king in
mine anger, and took him away in my wrath. Hosea 13:9-11
And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good?
there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life,
keep the commandments. St. Matthew 19:17
And he said unto them, Render therefore unto
Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.
St. Luke 20:25
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us , who can be
against us? Romans 8:31
Let us never measure our religion by that of others, and think we are
doing enough if we have gone beyond our neighbors. This is another snare of the
devil. Let us mind our own business...At our very best we are far worse than we
ought to be. There will always be room for improvement in us. We shall be
debtors to Christ’s mercy and grace to the very last. Then let us leave off
looking at others and comparing ourselves with others. We shall find enough to
do if we look at our own hearts.
.JC Ryle
19th century Anglican bishop and
author (Holiness, p. 122).
To be satisfied with one’s lot is better than to desire something which
one is not fitted to receive.
Aesop
6th century BC Greek philosopher
and author.
The overwhelming majority of American citizens are very much like the
Colonial citizens of the 1760s and 1770s; they wish merely to be left alone to
live their lives without government interference. We have no desire to initiate
conflict, and will avoid it if at all possible. We have always been slow to
anger. Even on April 19, 1775, it took the British massacre of Parker’s
dispersing militia on Lexington Green and the British assault on the Acton
Minutemen at Concord’s North Bridge and the British forming up to launch a
third unprovoked attack on Colonials following the column before the citizenry
committed to taking the fight to General Gage’s gun-grabbing forces, triggering
the bloody war that led to our Republic. I personally do not expect the next
revolution to break out in this nation until the government itself once again
launches an unprovoked attack on the liberty of the People, but many thousands
of Americans feel that the actions of this Administration, this polimedia, are
already waging that war against the citizenry. It only takes the breaching of
the peace by either side—a present-day Waco, or perhaps a single assassination
of an anti-Liberty politician or media figure—to let slip a cascade of actions
and retaliations that will lead to a slide into anarchy.
Bob Owens
21st century American commentator (Bloody Calculus, 4-4-13).
America’s financial and social systems only function today because of
one thing— government spending. The government is ‘officially’ indebted in the
amount of $16 trillion. Unofficially, the number is closer to $120 trillion.
These massive liabilities have been accrued mainly through entitlement programs
and state welfare. These programs
are the only thing keeping the illusion of a normal economy alive. The lesson here is that no one, not even
the government, has the ability to ‘spend their way out of debt.’ And no one,
including central bankers, has the ability to cure economic collapse by
printing money out of thin air. But the bankers already know this... In the
end, the madness of debt spending is going to annihilate this country anyway.
Fiat printing and infinite QE will eventually result in the dumping of our
currency as the world reserve, causing devaluation and hyperstagflation. There
is no silver bullet solution. There will be a struggle, and there will be a
consequence. It is unavoidable. All we have to decide now is how we will
respond when the inevitable disaster comes.
Brandon Smith
21st century American commentator
(Waking
Dreams End Unpleasantly, 26 February 2013).
Propers
Each Sunday there are Propers:
special prayers and readings from the Bible. There is a Collect for the Day; that is a single thought
prayer, most written either before the re-founding of the Church of England in
the 1540s or written by Bishop Thomas Cranmer, the first Archbishop of
Canterbury after the re-founding.
The Collect for the Day is to be
read on Sunday and during Morning and Evening Prayer until the next Sunday. The
Epistle is normally a reading from one of the various Epistles, or letters, in
the New Testament. The Gospel is a
reading from one of the Holy Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Collect is said by the minister as
a prayer, the Epistle can be read by either a designated reader (as we do in
our church) or by one of the ministers and the Holy Gospel, which during the church
service is read by an ordained minister.
The propers are the same each
year, except if a Red Letter Feast, that is one with propers in the prayerbook,
falls on a Sunday, then those propers are to be read instead, except in a White
Season, where it is put off. Red
Letter Feasts, so called because in the Altar Prayerbooks the titles are in
red, are special days. Most of the
Red Letter Feasts are dedicated to early saints instrumental in the development
of the church, others to special events.
Some days are particularly special and the Collect for that day is to be
used for an octave (eight days) or an entire season, like Advent or Lent.
The Propers for today are found
on Page 174-175, with the Collect first:
The
Fourth Sunday after Easter.
The
Collect.
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O
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ALMIGHTY God,
who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto
thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that
which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the
world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Dru Arnold read this morning’s Epistle, which came
from the First Chapter of the Epistle of Saint James beginning at the
Seventeenth Verse. James tells us we are the pinnacle of God’s creation,
destined to be the stewards of His world.
This position has its privileges, but even more important it has its
responsibilities. Most of the
time, we seem to concentrate on what we like, the privileges, and forget about
those responsibilities which require work, putting off instant gratification,
persistence and sometimes courage.
As Saint Paul so often tells us, we must become new people, putting
aside our old ways, considerate of what we should do and let ourselves become
open to His Word:
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E
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VERY good
gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of
lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own
will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of
firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be
swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not
the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to
save your souls.
Hap Arnold
read today’s Holy Gospel came from the Sixteenth Chapter of the Gospel
according to Saint John beginning at the Fifth Verse.
You must recognize we are imperfect creatures with
free will. For us to do God’s
Will, not ours, we need help. We
need that bit of good leaven, which will let our hearts rise to the occasion. We need the Holy Ghost in our hearts
and souls. Listen as John tells
us:
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J
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ESUS said unto his disciples, Now I go my way to him that sent me;
and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because I have said these
things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the
truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the
Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness,
and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness,
because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the
prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye
cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will
guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he
shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall
glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All
things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of
mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Sermon – Reverend Deacon Jack Arnold - Time
and Action
Today’s sermon brought the Collect, Epistle and
Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords above.
We are in the Easter Season which consists of Easter
and the following four Sundays, until we get to Rogation Sunday. This is a time we should work on
centering our lives on the central figure in our religion, Jesus Christ.
Consider these words from the
Collect:
… who
alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto thy
people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that
which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the
world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found…
The very first phrase is
critical to understanding our relationship with the world. We want to follow our own hearts and
they will lead us down the path to Donkey Island and eventually the pit. This explains the “unruly wills and
affections of sinful men.” Our
natural wills and affections are towards sinful things and not that of God.
God’s commandments to us are to re-shape our affections from things of mammon,
to things of eternity. We have one hope; that we will listen to the instruction
God freely offers us. If we will
just do what He asks we will find true joy. Our life will be better when we follow His directions and if
we will allow God to rule us and desire His help, we will be able to attain the
state of happiness we will then deserve. He knows what is right and what is
wrong for us. He does not want us to lead Puritanical lives with no fun allowed
whatsoever, but we must have fun the right way and not the wrong way. We need
God’s help (this is one of the places the Holy Ghost comes in) to be able to
want for ourselves that which He Wants for us. If we can desire what He Wants, our ability to follow His
Instructions will be much enhanced.
We are God’s creatures, first
among all His Creation with all the privileges (which we like) and all the
responsibility (which we are not so keen on) which come with that status. All good comes from God, who is always
with us; always the same; a true bearing in world in a constant state of
flux. His Word is refreshing
constant, in this world where things are changing every few years it seems, but
His Word will never change. It’s meaning never changes, as God never changes.
We need to listen to not only Him, but those around us, think before we speak,
think more before we act in haste.
We must put ourselves to good and separate ourselves from evil and
superfluity of naughtiness so we can hear His Word, which will save our souls.
So, how can we hear?
When Jesus got ready to leave
this world for His, He told the disciples that He would send them the
Comforter, the Holy Ghost, to keep them in Him and to help them understand what
they had so far been unable to truly grasp. Unless we allow the Holy Ghost to enter into our hearts, we
will never truly understand that which is from God. We must allow the Holy Ghost to enter in to our hearts and
souls so we can understand what God has for us. It is that simple.
Open your heart, pray for God to send Him into that open heart.
For with the Holy Ghost’s help,
you can hear, understand and act on The Word.
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
Rev Roger
Jessup – Saint Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Orthodox Church
Today we are blessed to have a
great piece by Rev Roger Jessup, of St Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Orthodox
Church, Chesterfield, VA. For
those of you who have heard Rev Roger speak and preach, you can hear his
wonderful melodious voice in this writing, for those who have not, you have
missed a treat. On the other hand,
you will read it about three times faster than Roger said it.
Antinomian[1]
Ignorance
A prayer we often pray in
agreement is to be delivered from contempt of thy Holy Word and commandments.
Many church groupings in our day
live in that sin and do not pray to be delivered.
Every sermon recorded in the New
Testament is either taken from the Old Testament or from the now partially
corrupted books found between the Old and New Testaments. Unfortunately for their eternal
destiny, many professed Christians today believe that they can remain willfully
ignorant of God's Holy Word and Commandment and not be judged of God.
Our Lord himself told us: "Verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or
one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."
{St. Matt. 5:18 & St. Luke}: "It is easier for heaven and earth to
pass, than one tittle of the law to fail."
This is not to say that certain
rites specific to Messiah did not find fulfillment in the work of Jesus. There
is no longer the need of animal sacrifice to cover our sins. Our sins are removed by a lively faith
in the shed blood of Jesus. In the
Epistle to the Hebrew Church we are warned: that failure to accept that sacrifice leads to endless loss. Our names can be removed from the Book
of Life; by not seeking and accepting that sacrifice 'once offered' {Hebrews 10:26 + 27}.
It was my privilege to know a
number of Christians who loved the word of God. They did not moan that it was
impossible to understand the only literal translation of the received text thus
far to make it into the English Language; but they invested not only in a Bible
but also in an unabridged dictionary.
Why go to such trouble?
"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I
might not sin against thee." {Psalm 119:11}. Daily they read their Bibles and then were still before
God-meditating on the scripture.
Instead of arguing with others they prayed for the Holy Ghost to change
and strengthen them that might not sin against the LORD. These people were from
many different theological back grounds; yet, they had something more in
common. They each could testify
that the Cross of Jesus the Christ was personal to them. No one had to beg them to come to
church, to dress with decorum, or to show mercy to the less fortunate.
God has been quite specific in
setting forth those things he finds acceptable; and in setting forth those
things which he hates. He invites
us to accept mercy and grace to be in fact-not in name only-the elect people of
God. Grace is not only imputed
when we believe; but through prevailing prayer Grace is imparted . This
impartation of Grace is why many Christians were blameless; never perfect as
God is perfect; but a holy people of faith manifested in works of love,
righteousness, and character.
A religion that does not seek to
transform us into the mind of Christ, might be a seemingly stress free way to
live; but will it do when you are dying?
In the article of death, will you see Jesus or will you be afraid (Heb. 10:26-27)?
Seek to know the word of God as
set forth in the Received Text (Textus Receptus), those manuscripts which agree
with each other and were translated into the King James Version. Do not be lazy for your soul may well be
at issue. Many of the Books called
Holy Bible contain grave error.
Their defenders are quick to say these are the oldest manuscripts. They
survived because they were rejected by the early undivided church; the
manuscripts of the Received Text were handled daily and worn out by use; then
hand copied over many times. Thousands of them exist and agree with each other
although many are only fragments. If God enables I hope to look at many
neglected teachings in future articles.
Rev Roger
Bishop Ogles’
Sermon
We are oft fortunate to get
copies of Bishop Jerry’s sermon notes.
Today is one of those Sundays.
Today’s sermon starts off with the collect, and like always, it will
give you a lot to consider in your heart.
Sermon Notes
Fourth Sunday
after Easter
28 April
2013, Anno Domini
The
Fourth Sunday after Easter.
The
Collect.
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O
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ALMIGHTY God,
who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto
thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that
which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the
world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
44
Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me,
believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. 45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
46 I am come a light into the world, that
whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge
him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my
words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall
judge him in the last day. 49 For I
have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a
commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting:
whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. (John 12:44-50)
We have often referred to Christ as the Light of the World and all that the
Light means. A Light reveals the true path of security and righteousness. That
is what Christ did for us, and He made it possible for us to have the scales
removed from our eyes and hearts that we might be benefitted by that Light
which He is. The Way itself is a Way laid out by God the Father. All that
Christ did or said was in conformity to that commandment given Him by His
Father in Heaven. His death and resurrection made the path available to us, as
well.
It would be impossible to believe on Christ and omit the Father. That which the
Father is, so is Christ; and that which Christ is, so is the Father. The Triune
God of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are truly One in Mind and Purpose. It would
not be possible for Christ to act in a manner, or speak in a style, that was
not in complete agreement with the Mind of God the Father. We believe in God
the Father because we have believed on His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ – “…
like Father, like Son!” He that believeth on
me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. There is no
line of separation, either in Power or Majesty, between God the Father and God
the Son. Of no other man could this be said without blasphemy.
We are called Christians because we are, presumably, the children of God in
Christ. Just as there are many who are not Israel who are of Israel, so it is
true that there is a very large percentage who call themselves Christians but
do not approach the qualifications to be so called. 45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
Do you KNOW God the Father? If so, are you bound to His Will by those iron-bars
of love that compel obedience to His Commandments and reverence for His only
Begotten Son? Jesus was so closely bound in love to the Father that He was
precisely like the Father. There could not be daylight between His Will and
that of the Father. When folks saw Christ, whether they knew it or not, they
were seeing the selfsame likeness of the Father. This presents to us a great
question: When people see us, are we so close in Mind and Purpose with that of
Christ that they see Jesus? I read a touching illustration of a poor little boy
who was standing before a storefront window admiring a pair of shoes. It was
winter, and the boy had only wrappings for shoes. A kind lady saw the boy and
invited him into the store. She bought him a new pair of shoes along with socks
and gloves (it was winter time). When she bade the boy Godspeed and began to
leave, he called out behind her: “Say, Ma’am, are you the wife of Jesus?”
Should we not all behave in such a way that innocent little minds will think
that we are very much like Jesus?
The Way is already laid out from Eternity Past. But who shall be blessed to
find that Way in a sin-darkened world? 13 Enter
ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that
leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matt 7:13-14)
Forgive me if I quote these verses too often, but the meaning is so crucial to
our understanding that they must be emblazoned in blood on our hearts and
minds. That Road that leads DOWN to destruction owes its ease and comfort to
its downward plane. It is wide and filled with far greater numbers than the Narrow
Way that leads up life eternal. Why would anyone desire to belong to a small
and struggling conglomeration of churches called the AOC? They travel a
difficult incline, and the Way they travel is considered, by the more
sophisticated of the churches, as Narrow-Minded. Yes, we are Narrow Minded, and
I pray that we can keep that Narrow focus on our Lord and savior and not
opulent buildings, salaries, and prestige. Those are reserved for the Broad Way
that leads down.
But the world is dark and gloomy. How can we find the Way that leads to life
eternal? 46 I am come a light into the
world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
Jesus came to us in love, and only to those in whom His love is finally
reciprocated. He comes as a Light to SHOW us the Way. Those who reject the
Light need no judge, for the darkness itself is an overwhelming judgment and
relegates their eternity to the fires of Hell. Oh, sorry, Mr. Episcopalian and
Mr. Joel Osteen follower – I forgot that the word Hell is a no-no. It makes
people unhappy (Osteen). If we are lost in sin, no one can do us a better favor
than to teach us of our depravity before God that leads to a remorseful
unhappiness that can only be resolved by a direct fleeing to the Throne of
Grace. If we have the Light of Christ to illumine our dark souls, then we will
see the Way and will follow it.
Does God judge a man and condemn him to Hell? God’s judgment is His Word. It is
the Word that will judge us. God has very fairly and openly taught us of His
Will in His Word. If we reject that counsel, we have chosen to make our beds in
Hell. It was OUR decision! 47 And if any
man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge
the world, but to save the world. The
world was already lost when Christ came. He simply came bearing the fruits and
wisdom of salvation. He came teaching us of the Way, and the Truth and the
Life. If we choose to ignore that truth, we simply remain in our lost and
damned condition. Even if the world, in its fallen state, were allowed to enter
Heaven, it would be the most miserable of all conditions. The world could not
obey and reverence the Lord who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. They would
still love their sins, and there would again follow war in Heaven. That
war has already been fought and Satan was cast down along with his errant
angels.
Isn’t it a sad state of affairs when you decide to invest in an enterprise
against the anguished pleadings of your friends, and then lose all in the
gamble? Your friends would have every right to say, “I told you so!” Jesus has,
indeed, told us so. 48 He that rejecteth
me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have
spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. When we label
an openly homosexual practitioner as a profligate sinner, whose judgment is
that? It is the judgment of the Word of God and not our own judgment. God’s
Word is a two edged sword to either convict of sin for the purpose of
salvation, or to condemn of sin for the purpose of legal damnation.
Jesus came as an Emissary of Heaven. There were moments when He was so tired He
could hardly lift another foot, yet He kept going from before sunrise until
after sunset in teaching and preaching – souls were at stake! He was often
thirsty and hungry, wet and cold, yet He kept going for us – all the way to
Calvary’s crown. As an Emissary and Likeness of the Father, He came with all of
the Authority of Heaven. Emissaries do not make treaties and agreements out of
their own imaginations, but in accordance with the Will of the governing
authority. In Christ’s case, that governing Authority was God the Father. 49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which
sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
What commandment did God give to His Son that seemed different from the Ten
given at Sinai? A new commandment I give unto
you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one
another (John 13:34) What function does this valuable essence of
love offer? It writes all of the other Commandments upon our hearts in the red
blood of love so that it is love that compels our obedience and not fear.
2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ
ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God;
not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. (2 Cor
3:2-3) Did you catch that brilliant ray of streaming truth, friends? When the
world looks at us, they should see the Word of God written upon our hearts. We
are the letters (epistles) of God written. No longer written with an iron pen
on Tables of Stone, but God’s Law is written with the ink of Love on the fleshy
Tables of our Hearts. I love God’s Word, don’t you?
50 And I know that his commandment is
life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto
me, so I speak. Which single commandment leads to life
everlasting? It is the same Commandment called ‘NEW’ given by Christ in John
13:34 above. Love is the one essence that survives death and is victor over
ever hateful thing. Christ Himself is LOVE personified. He is our Ark against
the coming calamity just as the Ark of Noah was for those eight souls spared
from the ravages of the Deluge. Look with me, in conclusion of
today’s sermon, at these beautiful truths given in Romans:
36 As
it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as
sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than
conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any
other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:36-39) This tells us that the Holy LOVE of which Christ spoke
survives every challenge – even death!
Bishop
Dennis Campbell’s Sermon
Bishop Dennis is a brilliant
speaker. He is able to take
biblical precepts and make them perfectly understandable, even to me. Oft he provides the text of his sermons
and I take the utmost pleasure in passing them on:
The Resurrection of You
Psalm 116, Job 19:21-27, John 12:44-50
Fourth Sunday after Easter
April 28, 2013
The
future is a dim and shadowy thing to us.
Even Biblical references to it are often given in symbolism that is hard
to understand. But some of the
major future events are given in plain and bold language. One, for example, is the Return of
Christ. It is stated in our
reading from John this morning, for when Christ refers to "the last
day," He means the time after His Second Coming, when all shall stand
before God to give an account of our lives. Other verses are clearer. "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into
heaven, shall so come again,"
says Acts 1:11. He is
"the Lord, which is, and was, and which is to come, says Revelation
1:8." "Behold, I
come" says Christ Himself in Revelation 21:12. The Return of Christ is so clearly stated in Scripture it is
one of the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith. Thus we affirm it every Sunday, in the
Nicene Creed, "He shall come again with glory, to judge both the quick and
the dead," or in the Apostles' Creed, "From thence He shall come to
judge the quick and the dead."
A second future event, stated with equal clarity and boldness, is the
resurrection of the dead. Not only
is Christ raised from the dead, but you and I, and all people will also be
raised. It is in that resurrected
state that our Lord says in John 12:48 people will be judged on the last
day. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 tells us
"the dead in Christ shall rise first." Job 19:26 says, though worms destroy my body "yet in my
flesh shall I see God." Here
again is such a foundational element of Biblical faith that God's Church has
felt constrained to affirm it every Sunday for two thousand years. "I
believe... in the resurrection of the body," "I look for the
resurrection of the dead: And the life of the world to come." So, as we near the end of the Easter
season, I want to speak this morning about your resurrection.
Those
who belong to Christ actually have two resurrections. The first is a resurrection of the spirit within us. Romans 6:23 tells us "the wages of
sin is death." This death is
twofold. First it is the lake of
fire found in Revelation 21:8, which is to live forever in the condition of
dying a horrible death. Second, it
is a spiritual separation from God here and now in this life. Thus Ephesians 2:1, telling Christians
about our spiritual condition before we were rescued by Christ, says we were
"dead in trespasses and sins."
Ephesians 2:12 explains this death in terrifying terms. It is to be "without Christ...
strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the
world." This is the natural
condition of all sinners, and, Romans 3:23 states what we all know to be true,
"all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
So, the
Christian's first resurrection is to be raised from the condition of spiritual
death to a condition of spiritual life.
Ephesians 2:1 calls this being quickened, meaning, made alive: "you
hath He quickened, who were dead in your trespasses and sins." In other places the Bible calls it
being "born again" as in John. 3:3, or "regeneration" as in
Titus 3:5; "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according
to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the
Holy Ghost." One of my
favourite passages on this subject is Romans 6:4: "Therefore we are buried
with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead
by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of
life." So your first
resurrection, if you are a Christian, is that resurrection from the grave and
death of sin, to life in Jesus Christ.
We actually prayed for this today in the Collect for the Fourth Sunday
after Easter; "Grant unto thy people, that ... our hearts may surely there
be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen."
The
second resurrection is the physical resurrection of our bodies. This is somewhat puzzling to many. How can a physical body that has long
since been destroyed be put back together and raised again? It becomes especially complicated when
we think that, over the millennia of time, the elements and chemicals of earth
may actually become parts of many human bodies. How can God raise up two bodies of the same material? My answer is, that's God's problem, and
I'm sure the One who could be in Heaven, and, at the same time, living on earth
in a human body, can raise us up and put us back together again if He wants
to. I am confident, therefore,
that as Job said, "though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I
see God" (Job 19:26).
When
does this physical resurrection occur?
Martha gives the answer in John 11:24. Speaking to Christ about Lazarus, she says, " I know
that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Revelation
20:12 confirms this. After the
defeat of Satan, after the millennial reign, at the last day the dead are
raised to stand before God. And
when is the last day? It is the
day Christ returns. On that day
"the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice
of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise
first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them
in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the
Lord" (1 Thess. 4:16-17).
What
will the resurrected body be like?
The Bible give us some clues.
Philippians 4:20-21 says it will "be fashioned like unto his
glorious body." Our
resurrected body will be like Christ's resurrected body. So it will be a real body as Christ's
is. It will be recognisable. We will recognise each other as the
disciples were able to recognise Christ.
It will not be susceptible to age, disease, or death. Finally, it will be able to stand in
the presence of God. God told
Moses no man could see Him and live.
That was in our Friday morning reading in Exodus 33. But our glorified, resurrected bodies
will be made to be in the immediate presence of God. "So shall we ever be
with the Lord."
The
physical resurrection of our bodies is part of that blessed hope that belongs
to every Christian. There is much
more to life than what we see with our physical eyes now. There is a world beyond this world
which we can only see with the eyes of faith. But one day our physical eyes will see it. One day our feet will walk on its
streets. One day our knees will
bow in the immediate presence of God.
One day, in our flesh, shall we see God.
--
+Dennis
Campbell
Bishop,
Anglican Orthodox Church Diocese of Virginia
Rector, Holy
Trinity Anglican Orthodox Church
Powhatan,
Virginia
Rev
Bryan Dabney of Saint John’s Sunday Sermon
We are fortunate to
have Bryan’s Sunday Sermon. If you
want people to come to The Truth, you have to speak the truth, expouse the
truth and live the truth. This is really a good piece and I
commend it to your careful reading.
Fourth Sunday after Easter
Some years back, I was involved in a discussion group on matters of
faith where one of the participants espoused the false notions that there was
no true religion, and that there were many ways to God. While it is quite
understandable to hear such pronouncements from various pagan practitioners; it
is rather disheartening to hear such from those who profess to be Christians.
These souls actually believe that they, as well as the vast host of the
unregenerated, will one day gain admission through “the Pearly Gates” simply
because, as an Episcopal deacon once pronounced in a sermon, “We're all
covered”. In truth, they are delusional. You will not gain admission into God’s
kingdom simply because you said the right prayers or the right creed. And you
most certainly will not gain access to God’s heavenly precincts on your own
merits and deservings. The only way for anyone to gain salvation from death,
hell and the grave is through a true and lively faith in Jesus Christ as one’s
personal Saviour and Lord, and by living one’s life in obedience to his will.
In our gospel lesson (St. John 16:5-14), our Lord promised the
disciples that he would send the Holy Ghost the Comforter to reprove the world
of sin (v.8). To reprove a thing means to call attention to it in the form of a
rebuke. It means identifying sin as anything— thought, word, or deed— as
objectionable to God. Sin cannot hide from the light of God’s Spirit as he will
make it manifest and open— shed of its disguise— for all to see.
The Holy Ghost also directs us in the use of God's word written. For
within its sacred pages, we have been supplied with examples for our
edification (v.13). Consider the following passages for they reveal both the
error as well as the consequence for sin:
In Numbers 25:1-9, the Hebrews turned away from the Lord God to worship
the Moabite gods at Peor and were punished with a plague.
In Judges 2:11-15, it is noted that following the death of Joshua, the
Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the gods of the
Canaanites, Ammonites and Moabites. Because of this, God gave them over to
those people to punish them until such time as they repented and called again
upon his name.
In I Kings 16:28-33 and 17:1, we find Ahab, king of Israel, worshiping
and serving Baal and Astarte which resulted in a curse on his kingdom as well
as upon himself and his entire dynasty.
In II Kings 21:13, 15, Manasseh, king of Judah, rebuilt the high places
where foreign deities were worshiped and built altars for all the hosts of
heaven in the house of the LORD. Because of this, the Lord God promised: I will
wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it and turning it upside
down...because they have done that which was evil in my sight and have provoked
me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto
this day.
Several of the prophets spoke against the idolatry of the children of
Israel. In Isaiah 44:9-20, the prophet penned a scathing piece concerning the
utter futility of idol worship. He detailed how a man fashioned a deity from
the trunk of a tree. The prophet— in a clearly mocking tone— observed how an idolater
used part of the wood to warm his home and cook his food, while with the other
portion he made a god to bow before. Isaiah saw, first hand, how the people of
Judah had been redeemed from the hand of the Assyrians by the LORD under King
Hezekiah, as well has how quickly they turned their backs on him. He called the
people to return to a proper worship of the LORD, but his pronouncements fell
on deaf ears— just as the LORD had told him (Isaiah 6:9-13).
The prophet Jeremiah also saw the evil of the children of Israel.
Speaking under the influence of the Holy Ghost he said, I will utter my
judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and
have burned incense unto other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands
(1:16).
These are, of course, only a few of the numerous examples found within
the pages of Scripture. But lest you think “that was then, this is now”,
beware! The Christian Church also has a checkered past of heresies and
intermural squabbles. Within the New Testament we find the following:
St. Paul (in Acts 20:28-31), warned the Ephesians elders to: Take heed
therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath
made you overseers...for I know this, that after my departing, shall grievous
wolves enter among you...also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking
perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Again in Galatians (1:6-9), the apostle warned: I marvel that ye are so
soon removed from him who called you into the grace of Christ unto another
gospel, which is not another; but there be some that trouble you and would
pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach
any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed... if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have
received, let him be accursed.
He also advised the Colossians (2:8), Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments
of the world, and not after Christ.
And to the youthful Timothy (II St. Timothy 4:2-4) he wrote:Preach the
word! Be instant in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
St. Peter noted in his second epistle (2:1): But there were false
prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among
you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that
bought them.
Several years ago, I read a position paper by one benighted soul who
wrote, “God is like an ocean who washes up on different shores in different
forms.” If that were even remotely true, then God would have not commanded the
children of Israel to avoid the religious practices of the various nations
surrounding them. Remember, the Holy Ghost guides us into all truth, so such an
idea did not come from on high, but from our adversary who had succeeded in
leading that poor soul away from God.
God’s works are apparent to all who would but open their eyes to behold
them. Some are easily understood while others are amazingly complex and
mysterious. As he informed Isaiah (55:8), his ways are not like ours, neither
are his thoughts like our thoughts. Yet, God would not have us ignorant as he
has given us his word written to serve as a light unto our path and a lamp unto
our feet. Within its pages, the truth about God and ourselves is clearly set
forth. Ergo, all who are of his elect and beloved, as St. John noted in his
first epistle (2:3), will heed the words of Scripture.
God revealed himself to the Hebrews in the wilderness via the works of
Moses and Joshua. He gave his promise of redemption through the prophets, and
he confirmed said promises through the miracles and teachings of his only
begotten Son. Needless to say, the world was not satisfied. Truth be known, the
world will never be satisfied because its master will not permit such, and
therein lies the rub. Consider the following questions: Are you a child of God,
or are you a child of the god of this world? Do you hear and heed the gospel
message, or do you turn to pagan teachings and practices for relief? Do you
believe God has sent the Comforter into the world to reprove the world of sin,
and of righteousness, and of judgment? or, Do you deny the judgment of God in
favor of a more inclusive approach to salvation?
All who are of God will heed the urging of Holy Ghost and will turn
from their wickedness and live. God’s Spirit is not to be taken lightly, nor
his work and standing as a principal figure in the Godhead diminished. We
should bear in mind that true Christians are Trinitarian in their belief. A
true Christian accepts the mystery of the triune nature of God. True Christians
understand that the workings of the Holy Ghost are for their edification. They
will not quench the Spirit of God but keep their vessels— their bodies— as
clean and swept as they can for they know who resides within them.
We have been called of God to embrace the Saviour. We have been
summoned to the marriage feast of the Lamb. Our attendance at that long-called
for gathering of the saints can only be realized through our acceptance of him
who is our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. He has called us to obedience, and in
that obedience we have come to worship the Godhead looking for and praying for
the coming of that day when he returns. May God grant you his peace and
blessing in believing on his only begotten Son.
Let us pray,
|
F
|
ather, help us at all times to love those things
which thou lovest and to seek those things which are above where you sit; for
this we ask in the name of him who now sits at your right hand interceding for
us, even our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Have a blessed week, Bryan+
[1]
Antinomianism in Christianity
is the belief that under the gospel dispensation of grace, moral law is of no
use or obligation because faith alone is necessary to salvation. Antinomianism
and one protestant doctrine of sola fide (justification through faith alone)
are historically related. Commonly seen as the theological opposite to
antinomianism is the notion that obedience to a code of religious law earns
salvation, such as Legalism or Works righteousness or Judaizing.
The term "antinomianism" emerged
soon after the Protestant Reformation (c.1517) and has historically been used
mainly as a pejorative against Christian thinkers or sects who carried their
belief in justification by faith further than was customary. Examples are Martin Luther's critique
of antinomianism and the Antinomian Controversy of the 17th century
Massachusetts Bay Colony. Although the term is 16th century, the
topic has its roots in Christian views on the old covenant extending back to
the 1st century. It can also be extended to any individual who rejects
a socially established morality.
However, few groups, outside of anarchism such as Christian anarchism or
Jewish anarchism, explicitly call themselves "antinomian".
Methodist commentator Adam Clarke said, "The
Gospel proclaims liberty from the ceremonial law: but binds you still faster
under the moral law. To be freed from the ceremonial law is the Gospel liberty;
to pretend freedom from the moral law is Antinomianism."
