On
Point
Someone asked, where do the quotes come
from? The answer is from the
people who uttered them. But, how
did you find them? Oh, that. Most are from Rev Bryan Dabney, a few
from other places, but overall mostly from Bryan. He always has a few great ones to share. So, on to the On Point quotes –
On tattooes - Ye shall not make any cuttings in your
flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:28
Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before
me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
St.
John 10:7-8
I suppose that the most popular of all the
proposals at the present moment is to have a new translation of the Bible....
The argument is that people are not reading the Bible any longer because they
do not understand its language - particularly the archaic terms... And so we
are told the one thing that is necessary is to have a translation that Tom,
Dick, and Harry will understand... It is a basic proposition laid down by the
Protestant Reformers, that we must have a Bible 'understanded of the people.'
That is common sense...we must never be obscurantists. We must never approach
the Bible in a mere antiquarian spirit... What we must do is to educate the
masses of the people up to the Bible, not bring the Bible down to their
level...we need... not... replace the Authorized Version... we need rather to
reach and train people up to the standard... the language... and the glory of
the old Authorized Version.
The
Rev. Martin Lloyd-Jones
20th century Welsh theologian
and author
from his message given at a rally in the
Royal Albert Hall in 1961
As Western Civilization is swept into the
dust-bin of history, it is crucial for us to ask: what will replace it? What
values, moral principles, economic understanding, and social practices will
prevail in the future? You will not hear these questions asked by any of the
establishment hacks... [as they] are as bankrupt as the dying culture to whose
withering tentacles of power they so desperately cling... They will not engage
in such depths of inquiry for one reason: their minds do not work in any
transcendent, principled manner. It is power, and power alone, that both
impresses and motivates them.
Butler
Shaffer
20th and 21st
century American Libertarian professor and author
`Just Shut Up or Die', 6-12-13
If we ever forget that we're one nation
under God, then we will be a nation gone under.
Ronald Wilson Reagan– 20th
century American president.
Propers
The Propers for today are found
on Page 194-195, with the Collect first:
Fourth Sunday after
Trinity.
The Collect.
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O
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GOD, the protector of all that trust in
thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply
upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through
things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O
heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Dru Arnold read the Epistle, which came from
the Eight Chapter of St. Paul‘s Letter to the Romans, beginning at the
Eighteenth Verse. Paul tells us that walking God’s path, though it may seem
hard at the time, is nothing compared to the reward we receive in heaven for
following God’s will. God gave us
free will, which if we exercise it properly, that is the will to overcome
temptation. What at first seems
like a constrained way of living, once actually lived is really perfect
freedom. If we overcome temptation
to do what we want and do what God wants, we will receive the gift of eternal
salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
For until Christ, there was no delivery from the pain of worldly
existence; through Christ there is redemption of our souls and our resulting
bodily resurrection.
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I
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RECKON that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to
be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest
expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of
him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall
be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the
children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in
pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the
firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting
for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
The Holy Gospel came from the Sixth
Chapter of the Gospel according to St. Luke, beginning at the Thirty-Sixth
Verse. This is a simple message, yet often misunderstood, with majestic
language that brings the message to a point of incredible sharpness. “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged;
condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven;
give and it shall be given unto you… …Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they
not both fall into the ditch?” “…
why beholdest thou the mote that is in the brother’s eye, but perceivest not
the beam that is in thine own eye?
…How canst thou say to thy brother, Brother let me pull out the mote
that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest no the beam that is in thine
own eye?” This is often quoted,
but the following sentence is left out, “Cast out first the beam out of thine
own eye, then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the more that is in thy
brother’s eye.”
Only when we first take care of
our own spiritual health, look to our own relationship to God and evaluate and
improve how we follow His Word, we will be able to effectively spread the Word
of His love for us.
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B
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E ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge
not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned:
forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: give, and it shall be given unto you; good
measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give
into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be
measured to you again. And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the
blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his
master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. And why beholdest
thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is
in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me
pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the
beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of
thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in
thy brother’s eye.
Sermon –
Reverend Deacon Jack Arnold - Time and Action
Today’s sermon discussed the Collect, Epistle and
Gospel. It is partially contained
in the forewords above.
Consider these words from the
Collect:
… protector of all that trust in thee,
without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply upon us
thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things
temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal…
God can only help us if we put our trust in Him, we
can never be strong, nor set aside to Him if we do not let Him be our
leader. If we will follow His
lead, we will pass through this world in good order and go on to the next in
eternal happiness. This is a very common theme within the Christian theme, do
what God asks, we will be happy. If we don’t do what God asks, we won’t be
happy. It seems simple enough in theory, but a lot harder in practice. God is the
only one who we should be concerned about, if we follow Him, than those who
really matter will like us for who we are, and how we conduct ourselves, due to
following God, and those who don’t, well, do not matter to us and as such are
of no concern. Do what is right, avoid what is wrong and you will be happy is
the basic principle of the Christian faith.
Paul builds on this, telling us
that walking God’s path, though it may seem hard at the time, is nothing
compared to the reward we receive in heaven for following God’s will. God gave us free will, which if we
exercise it properly, that is the will to overcome temptation. What at first seems like a constrained
way of living, once actually lived is really perfect freedom. If we overcome temptation to do what we
want and do what God wants, we will receive the gift of eternal salvation
through our Lord Jesus Christ. For
until Christ, there was no delivery from the pain of worldly existence; through
Christ there is redemption of our souls and our resulting bodily resurrection.
Luke presents a simple message,
yet one that is often misunderstood, with majestic language that brings the
message to a point of incredible sharpness. We are to be a guide to others to Christ, yet we cannot help
others until our own problems are on the way to “solvation”, that is being
solved through the salvation offered by Christ. We need to follow Him, before we ask others to follow
us. After all, if we are not going
in the right direction, why should others follow us? We do not want to be leading others towards the Pit, rather,
we want to be sure we are on the right path before we guide others along the
path. We should be the pathfinders, finding the correct path for us to travel
amongst the journey of life! We must be honest in our appraisal of ourselves so
that we can do what we are supposed to.
So, how do we, imperfect that we are, be honest with ourselves? The answer is easy, hard to implement,
but easy! The Holy Ghost. Let Him into your heart and do what you
are told. Simple, yet hard to
do. We want to do what we want to
do.
Speaking of doing, what we do to
others is a good measure of how we follow God’s Will and Direction. We are expected to treat others as we
would be treated. Our real earthly
fortune, as well as are eternal lives, are a reflection of our commitment to
God.
We are so ready to condemn the
performance of others when our own is even worse. As Paul tells us, “all all short.” The operative word here is ALL. If we look to condemn and repair our own spiritual lives
before condemning others, we will be better suited to help them. Our beam before their mote.
For only when we have taken care
of our own spiritual health by looking to God for help to evaluate and improve
how we follow His Word, we will be able to effectively spread the Word of His
love for us.
And that is our job, to improve ourselves to
effectively spread His Word by example; our action, not our diction, is the
measure.
Heaven is at the end of an
uphill trail. The easy downhill
trail does not lead to the summit.
The time is now, not tomorrow. The time has come, indeed. How will you ACT?
It is by our actions we are known.
Be of God - Live of God - Act of God
Bishop Ogles’ Sermon
We are oft fortunate to get
copies of Bishop Jerry’s sermon notes.
Today is one of those Sundays.
Today’s sermon starts off with the collect, and like always, it will
give you a lot to consider in your heart.
Sermon Notes
Fourth Sunday
after Trinity
Saint Andrew’s
Anglican Orthodox Church
23 June 2013,
Anno Domini
Fourth Sunday after
Trinity.
The Collect.
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O
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GOD, the protector of all that trust in
thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply
upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through
things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O
heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle
Romans
viii. 18-23
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I
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RECKON that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to
be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation
of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the
creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who
hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be
delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the
children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in
pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the
firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting
for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
The Gospel
St. Luke
vi. 36-42
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B
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E ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge
not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned:
forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: give, and it shall be given unto you; good
measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give
into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be
measured to you again. And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the
blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his
master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. And why beholdest
thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is
in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull
out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam
that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine
own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy
brother’s eye.
In a
world that places a very high premium upon achievement and performance, we are
often misled, even by our clergy, to believe that our works are the means by
which we are saved. The modern church emphasizes giving almost to the exclusion
of all other considerations. The rich man, or woman, will be rewarded with
honors and positions of responsibility even if their daily lives do not reflect
that Spirit of which Christ spoke. Perhaps the poor widow that spends all of
her available time in cooking for the sick and homeless will be forgotten in
the perishable minds of men, but shall be more highly remembered and favored in
the Infinite Mind of God. God gives us many hints of His Will to be fulfilled
in Christ in the midst of the Old Testament. The people of Israel were living
as they pleased and believing that all their sins were remitted by the
sacrifices of the wealthy. But God counseled: For I desired mercy, and
not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
(Hosea 6:6) The money-changers of the modern temple would have us persist in
believing that we can BUY God's favor while living as we please, but it was
NEVER so. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have
kissed each other. (Psalms 85:10) Mercy and truth are husband and wife
– inseparable! If we will have mercy, we must accept truth with it. As Jesus
told the Samaritan Woman at Jacob's Well, ". . . the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers
shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh
such to worship him. (John 4:23) `Spirit' is not emotionalism,
but love of God and our fellow man. But our love must be directed in truth, for
false worship is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord.
As
we read in our biblically-oriented prayer of Collect, God is the protector of
all who trust in Him. We can claim none of God's protection apart from the
measure of trust we place wholly in Him. Without God, we have no strength at
all, and our righteousness is as filthy rags. Apart from God, there is no
holiness to be had. We lean upon God for His increasing mercies in His
Sovereign Rule over us, and to Guide us through the Wilderness of Sin of this
present world. Only God can show us the safe and righteous way – we cannot find
it alone. In avoiding those things that worldly, we are amassing to ourselves
those treasures that are heavenly. These are the Godly petitions we repeated
from today's prayer of Collect.
In
our Epistle for today, taken from Romans 8, we discover that there is groaning
of the mortal soul that is inclined to the Holiness of God. Such a struggle and
groaning is forever present with us until the curtain of time is lifted and
time shall be no more. It is not a sorrowful groaning, but an intense desire to
see God's will worked out on earth as it is in Heaven according to that prayer
the Lord taught us to say. When sorrow and misery befalls the stranger to
God, hope is forlorn and there is no brilliant Light upon which he may fix his
eyes from the darkness that engulfs his wretched soul. But the child of God
embraces the Light even more earnestly as the dark circle surrounds him, or a
loved one. He knows, innately, that the Light is his destination and not the
dark fires of Hell that seem to presently surround him. ". . . . weeping
may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." (Psalms
30:5b)
Our
Gospel text calls us to a higher standard of life and Spirit than a rigid
adherence to the law can afford. If perfect obedience were possible, there
would be no need of mercy; but we can never be perfect keepers of the Law of
God, therefore, we must have mercy if we are to be accounted blameless and
righteous in entering the Kingdom of Heaven.
Consider the great pardon and mercy shown to us through the substitutionary
death of Christ! He suffered that we might forego the eternity of Hell. We
should rightfully be punished for our life of sin, yet Christ died in our stead
that we, accepting His Lordship, might be pardoned and forgiven. Be ye
therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. This is
a mighty admonition to us, for we can never be as merciful as God has been
toward us. But God would have us to take on the very nature of mercy in our
dealings with others. Though a child can seldom match the understanding of his
father or mother, he will nonetheless mimic the nature he sees in his parents.
That is what God desires of His children today.
37
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be
condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven So many good
Christians misunderstand this to mean that Christian judgment is forbidden.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The meaning to us is this: We should
not judge with our personal judgments, but with the righteous judgment of God
as evidenced in His Word. Jesus Christ gives us commandment that is clear: Judge not according to the appearance, but judge
righteous judgment. (John 7:24) We are not only to judge from
the heart, but also judge only by the measure of God's judgment and not our
own. If God has declared a certain behavior sin, that is not OUR judgment, but
God's. Simply declaring God's condemnation of a sin is not our PERSONAL
judgment, but HIS! Remember the debtor to the king whose great debt was
forgiven by the king and, who, after went out and took a man by the throat who
owed him a small sum, threatening to sell his wife and family into
slavery? He was forgiven a fortune, but refused to forgive his own
servant a small debt. How merciless was he! Are we not the same? The King of
Glory has forgiven us an enormous debt, and a multitude of debts, yet we refuse
to forgive those who offend us in the slightest measure.
38 Give,
and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken
together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same
measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
It is not possible to give more than God has given, for He immediately
replenishes our bottles of oil the moment we pour out our blessings to others.
There are blessings that cannot be measured in simple terms of a piece of bread
for a piece of bread. Our giving of bread to the poor is multiplied in return
value a thousand times. Our souls have rest and a good conscience thereby.
Peace of mind is a possession not enjoyed by the greedy.
Can
the blind lead the blind? Of course they can! It is happening in 90% of
America's churches today. Ministers, blind to the love and Spirit of God, are
leading their blind disciples ever nearer the gaping abyss that awaits all who
do not hear with clarity the voice of God. 39 And he spake a
parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into
the ditch? This is a parable of Jesus that has profoundly present
implications. Our seminaries have been turned from a concentrated focus on the
Word of God to an obsession with church growth, conflict resolution, seeker
friendly programs, and, yes, MONEY schemes! If the lay Christian is NOTR blind
(informed deeply by the Word of God) it is not likely that he can be led by the
nose by a blind guide.
Do
you know that there are theologians today who believe that they are better
informed of God's Will than Jesus Christ? It is true. There are those among the
despicable movement called "Higher Critics" who believe that textual
analysis and archeological digs have revealed to them information that Jesus
did not have while on his earthly ministry. They obviously discredit Christ as
the Son of the Living God, and God Himself! Their new bibles attempt to alter
the evidence to support their intentional errors. 40 The disciple
is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
I once disputed with a local minister who claimed that speaking in tongues
(nonsensical babbling) was required for salvation. We argued the issue
endlessly. Finally, I asked, "Is Jesus Christ our perfect example in all
things?" Of course, the minister answered in the affirmative to which I followed
up, "Do we have any evidence of Jesus EVER speaking in an ecstatic and
incomprehensible tongue?" The man REFUSED to answer. If we will have
perfect religion, and undefiled, let us be as much like Christ as our earthen
vessels will afford.
How
many clergymen preach against the sins of lying, stealing, adultery, etc., and
harbor those sins in the dark chambers of their own hearts? Of course these
sins are condemned by God; however, we must not judge others by a stronger
measure than we apply to our own conduct. If we criticize the housekeeping of a
neighbor, let us first sweep the trash and filth from our own floors. 41 And
why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not
the beam that is in thine own eye? 42 Either how canst thou say to
thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou
thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast
out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to
pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.
If we are to have authority as men and women of God, we must see that we follow
Christ in love and truth. We not only pronounce the truth of God's Word to
others, but we must make that truth the rule of our own lives. Owning the
Spirit of Love and Truth, we shall walk the Valleys and Mountains with our eyes
open to the presence and company of God.
Bishop
Dennis Campbell’s Sermon
Bishop Dennis is a brilliant
speaker. He is able to take
biblical precepts and make them perfectly understandable, even to me. Oft he provides the text of his sermons
and I take the utmost pleasure in passing them on:
Christians See
Psalm 91, Lamentations 3:22-33, Matthew 10:22-39
Fourth Sunday after Trinity
June 23, 2013
Christians,
believe. Christians love. Christians pray. These have been the subjects of the
sermons to this point in Trinity. Today we continue looking at what Christians
do, and the topic is, "Christians See."
Of all the
senses God gave us, one of the most valued is the sense of sight. I admit many
people do quite well without sight, and I have even heard of people who are
thankful that they have lost their sight. Being blind, they say, has enabled
them to wean themselves from much of the frivolities of life, and to focus on
those things that are important, especially relationships. They have found out
how important others are in their lives, and how they had taken them for
granted. Many have said their blindness has forced them to grow closer to God.
Thus, they say, blindness has been a blessing to them. I have heard other
people say the same about serious illnesses, and other circumstances most would
consider devastating. "I learned to trust God," they say. "I
have learned to be content in Him." I have learned that "all things
work for good to those who love God."
I think this
is part of what Jesus was saying to the disciples in Matthew 10. He was getting
ready to send them on their first preaching mission, and He wanted them to know
what was ahead of them, and He wanted them to trust in God, not themselves. So
He sent them without money, without food, without a change of clothing. Nor
should they expect to be well fed and well treated by their fellow Jews. On the
contrary, He said, "they will scourge you in their synagogues,"
"And ye shall be hated of all men." Thus, today's reading in Matthew
very appropriately ended with the words of verses 38 and 39;
"And he
that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that
findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall
find it."
Christians
"see" this. We understand it. We "see" the world. Of course
I am talking about spiritual sight here, not physical sight, and with this
spiritual sight, Christians see the world as it is. We are not fooled by
romantic books, movies, and music, which picture the world in fairy tale
goodness. We see the world has much good and many opportunities for happiness,
but we also know it has its trials and troubles, and we will face them. C.S.
Lewis wrote of a friend, he was "tried by all the usual sorrows and
anxieties." We know we will be, too. We know there will be "wars and
rumours of wars," and "famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in
diverse places." Therefore, we try to be emotionally and spiritually
prepared. "See that ye be not troubled," said Christ speaking of
these things, "for all these things must come to pass" (Mt. 24:6).
Christians
see humanity as it is. We have no false, romantic notions about the natural
goodness of man, or the perfectibility of man. We do see that man is capable
of, and has accomplished, much good. We also see how much of that good has been
destroyed by wars and crime and corruption. We see the reason for locks on
doors, police, government, and armies: there are bad people in this world would
do others harm, so we organize these things for our mutual protection.
Christians
see man's natural opposition to God. Have you ever been surprised at peoples'
antipathy to the Bible? Here is the story of God's love, of Him bearing our
sins on the cross and saving people from Hell and giving them meaning and hope,
now and forever, and people don't want to hear it. They resent it. Many even
hate it. I saw a news article about a group of people, I don't know who or
where, but they were carrying signs with slogans like, "If Jesus comes
back, kill Him again." People find the Gospel offensive. They still want
to scourge us in their synagogues, and we are still hated of all
There is,
therefore, no paradise on earth. There are no Mayberrys, no Walton's Mountains,
no places where all people are friendly and kind, where you don't have to lock
your doors, or worry about your children's safety. Nor do we expect the
policies of Man to create peace on earth or alleviate our woes. We know human
solutions often cause more problems than they solve.
Christians
see our own sin. We do not claim to be better, or smarter, or morally superior
to any one else. We see that the tendencies of self-centeredness, greed, and
distain of the will of God exist in us, too. And we see that we have indulged
these tendencies in ways that have hurt others, and hurt ourselves. We see the
truth of the words of the Bible written in Romans 3:23, "all have sinned,
and come short of the glory of God." And, if we have not gone as far into
evil as some have gone, we see that it is only the grace of God that kept us
from it, not some innate goodness or wisdom in us.
But
Christians "see" something else. We are enabled to see beyond human
frailty, and even beyond the limits of physical creation. We are enabled to see
the hand of God guiding the course of history, and our own lives. We see that
He is guiding us toward the day when He will end the world as it is, and make
it new again. There won't be any wars then, or poverty, or injustice, illness,
death, or evil. Such things will be only dim memories then, for God will bring
all things together in Christ Jesus, into an everlasting era of joy and peace.
It is because
Christians "see" these things that our lives are different now. We
intentionally live in this world in a way that prepares us for the next one. We
know life is short, and the earthly treasures we work for and value now will
soon be taken from our grasp. So we lay up treasures in Heaven, treasures that
will endure forever. We want to live in such a way that "we may so pass
through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal."
"Grant this, O heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."—
+Dennis
Campbell
Bishop,
Anglican Orthodox Church Diocese of Virginia
Rector,
Holy Trinity Anglican Orthodox Church
Powhatan,
Virginia
Rev Rick Reid of
Saint Peter’s Sunday Sermon
We are happy to have a
sermon from Reverend Rick Reid, minister of Saint Peter’s, whose congregation
is right at the Worldwide Headquarters of the Anglican Orthodox Church. Rev Rick has all the resources and
challenges right at hand. This
sermon is not in the usual expository style common to the Sunday Report and the
AOC, but I think you will enjoy it.
Paul
Gained the Trust of the Saints
Good morning, my sermon today is about trust. Trust is one of the most
important issues that each of us has to deal with. It affects our lives as
Christians, it affects our lives together as families; it affects our whole
world. In this day and age, in a culture
that is politically, economically, and in countless other ways divided and
polarized, trust is not an abundant commodity.
For example, we used to
trust the financial community. If you can’t trust Wall Street, what hope is
there? Our world was designed to run on trust. Trust is essential to everything
we do. We trust the other drivers on the road to stop when the light turns red.
We trust that the bridge we are crossing is structurally sound when we cross
it. We trust the doctors to be accurate in their diagnosis, and the hospital to
provide the equipment and the sterile environment we need to survive an illness
or surgery Trust is a very big deal.
I once heard of a
journalist who decided to do a story on Happiness. He traveled the world to
discover what made some countries happier places than others to live; he found
that the essential ingredient was trust. The happiest countries are those in
which people feel they can trust their government, trust their social
institutions, and trust their neighbors.
Trust is a very big deal. It is evident that one problem the apostle
Paul had at the beginning of his ministry was that many in the early church did
not trust him. As we read in Galatians 1:21-23
21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; 22 And was
unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: 23 But they
had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the
faith which once he destroyed.
Is it any wonder that some in the church in Galatia had questions about
Paul’s credentials? They challenged his authority as a church leader and raised
doubts about the authenticity of his calling. In his letter, Paul takes great
pains to assert the validity of his place as an apostle. After all, he recognizes
that his background and his past could potentially raise reasonable questions.
The apostles chosen by Jesus before his crucifixion had the advantage of being
people who actually walked and talked with Jesus. Paul, on the other hand, had
come along and announced his apostleship well after Christ’s death and after
his own notorious past as a persecutor of Christians.
It was little wonder if
some believers wanted to know such things as “Who is this man? Where is he
coming from, and why should we trust him?
”Paul confronts these questions head on. He told them, “You have heard
of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of
God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own
age among my people, and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my
fathers.
”When you think about it, it is amazing that people in the early church
ever trusted Paul at all. Suppose we had somebody show up at our church who was
known for his religious hatred, or was even known to have participated in the
murder of a member of St. Peter’s. Would you ever trust him? Or would you say, “I’ll never trust
him.
It had to be difficult for early Christians to accept Paul, especially
since there had to be a lot of resentment in the part Paul played in Stephen’s
death. It took time for Paul to win people’s trust.
We might get the idea that once Paul was converted he was accepted
almost at once by the entire church and then he went sailing merrily off on his
missionary journeys. Not true. Listen to his words: 15 But when it pleased God,
who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, 16 To
reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I
conferred not with flesh and blood: 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them
which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto
Damascus.18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and
abode with him fifteen days.19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James
the Lord's brother.20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before
God, I lie not.
What did Paul do during his time in Arabia and those three years in
Damascus? And why did he go there rather than Jerusalem? Could it be that these
were the only places he was accepted? Maybe this is why his missionary journeys
were so extensive. Perhaps he needed to find places where people would not hold
his past against him.
That happens in the church. It has been said that the Church is the
only army that shoots its wounded. When Paul wrote these words to the church at
Galatia, it may have been twenty years after his conversion experience. Still,
there were people who did not trust him, even after twenty years of ministry.
The New Testament church had the same problem many of us have.
We accept the forgiveness that God offers us, but it’s difficult to
apply that same forgiveness to others. And, even if we do say that we forgive
those who have hurt or betrayed us, we vow never to trust them again. Paul
understood this. He was very transparent about his past.
He had done wrong in his prior life of persecuting the early church.
There was only one way he could ever win back their trust and that was to live
a Christ- like life, from that day forward. And he did. That is the only way
any of us who have done wrong can ever really make things right. That is to
make a new start with God’s help.
Andrew Jackson was the 7th president of the United States.
Some people regard him as a fine president. But he was also tough. They called
him “Old Hickory” and in some cases he was ruthless. He was the president who
ordered the infamous “Trail of Tears” for the Cherokee Indians. This led to
Jackson having many enemies. Jackson loved his wife, Rachel. They lived
together at the Hermitage near Nashville, Tennessee. Rachel was a devout
Christian. Jackson had a chapel built for her on the Hermitage grounds. Anyone
who questioned Rachel’s virtue (and evidently there were many) Jackson
challenged to a duel. When Rachel died, part of Andrew Jackson died with her.
They said that he would sit in the chapel for hours just to remember her.
One day a minister came to
visit and Jackson said: “I would like to be baptized and I would like to become
a Christian.” The minister said,
“Mr. President, there is nothing that would please me more. But in order to be
baptized, you will need to repent, seek forgiveness for your sins, and to
forgive those who have sinned against you. Are you willing to do that, Mr.
President?” Andrew Jackson said, “I can forgive my enemies in battle, I can
forgive my enemies in politics, but I will never forgive those who slandered
Rachel.”
Old Hickory was not willing to bend. And that was the way that they
left it. Sometime later there was a knock on the minister’s door. It was late
at night and it was raining. There on the doorstep, soaked from the rain, was
the former president of the United States. In a voice barely audible, Jackson
said: “I’m ready to forgive.” The minister said, “Excuse me, Mr. President, I’m
hard of hearing. What did you say?” And Old Hickory broke down in tears and
said: “I forgive them all.”
To many that pastor may have gone too far in requiring Jackson to
forgive others before he was accepted into the fellowship of the church. But, my
brothers and sister in Christ, this is the only way that a person can ever
really be trusted again, if they totally and completely repent of their sins,
and resolve with God’s help, never to make the same mistake again.
That is what St. Paul did. I love the way this story ends. He said: “Then
I went to Syria and Cilicia; I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea
that are in Christ. They only heard the report: ‘The man, who formerly
persecuted us, is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’” Then he
writes, “And they praised God because of me.”
Paul’s life was an open book. Once he had been Saul who had persecuted
the church; now he was Paul who preached the Gospel, and everyone who got to
know him could tell that he was not the same man he had been.
This is how you rebuild the bonds of trust, to forgive, and repent,
therefore becoming a new person in Christ. May we always welcome the sinner into
the family of sinners, who are now saints because of the forgiveness of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Rev Bryan Dabney
of Saint John’s Sunday Sermon
We are fortunate to
have Bryan’s Sunday Sermon. If you
want people to come to The Truth, you have to speak the truth, expouse the
truth and live the truth. This is really a good piece and I
commend it to your careful reading.
Fourth Sunday after Trinity
In Matthew 15:1-20 we read where our Lord
was scolded by the scribes and Pharisees because his disciples were not
following the tradition of the elders, to which he replied, Why do ye
also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? When we examine
the charge made by his antagonists, we find their accusation to be peevish at
best while our Lord’s response was forthright and true as he picked apart their
charge using the language of Scripture. And we should not overlook the fact
that he had the ability to read their hearts as well. He knew what was behind
their motivation in coming to him, and he knew it had nothing whatsoever to do
with the Spirit of God.
And to another group of critics he said,
Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye
are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do... and
because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not (St. John 8:43-25). It may
surprise you to learn that all who come against the gospel of truth are under
the influence of the evil one whether they realize it or not. That’s right, the
scribes and Pharisees did not realize that they were pawns of the evil one, and
neither do their modern day counterparts. The former were likely regulars at
the Temple and worshipped God much as our Lord related in parable of the
Pharisee and the publican (St. Luke 18:9-14; while the latter are likely
members in good standing within the several denominations that make up mainline
Christendom. Nevertheless, one does not have to knowingly worship Lucifer to be
his disciple. One need only follow his insinuations.
As noted, our gospel lesson dealt with
the alteration of God’s commandments. Now it ought to be clearly understood
that God’s word it is fixed and unchangeable. It has been given to us for our
eternal good by him who is perfect. Thus, for men to tamper with it in order
that they might find some exception is worse than folly. When men think that
they can edit the word of God so that it says something different than what the
Holy Ghost intended— whether they want to admit it or not— they are putting
themselves in the place of God. Was it not that old serpent, Satan, who first
amended God’s word in the Garden (see Genesis 3:4-5)? Was it not his influence
which lead our first parents into sin? And was it not also passed down to us?
There is a humorous anecdote about the notorious comic W.C. Fields who was said
to have been reading the Bible on his death bed when a friend entered his room.
The friend was startled by what he saw because Fields was an irreligious man.
When asked why he was reading the Bible, Fields responded, "Looking for
loop-holes." Such is a fit description of the tradition of the elders which
our Lord found so repugnant. His reply was simple and direct, Thus have ye
made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
The choice of being obedient to the
expressed will of God is very hard for those who are under the influence of
evil. Some will simply ignore God’s commands to their eternal detriment. But
many others will feign to follow Christ by paying lip service to him all the
while living their lives in disobedience to his word and commandment. As our
Lord reminded his critics, Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you,
saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me
with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship
me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Think on the last
portion of our Lord’s reply, But in vain they do worship me. The
superficial Christian has the same status with our Lord as an unbeliever
because such a person has never really been born again of the Holy Ghost. If
one is born again of the Spirit of God, then such a person will attempt to lead
a life of obedience to the revealed will of God in Christ Jesus. A vain
worshipper is merely a show off. He or she does not really believe in the Lord
Jesus and is only present in church to be seen of others (St. Matthew 6:5-6).
Within many denominations today, one can
witness an appallingly low level of godly faith and obedience as they have
welcomed into their midst, and without reservation, individuals who are open
and notorious in their sins. They have done this not for the purpose of
educating those misguided souls according to God’s word written. No, they want
to be thought of as tolerant, inclusive, politically correct, or what have you.
Our Anglican fathers did not have a crystal ball to look into the future, but
they had the word of God which supplied them with a specific description of
what a true body of Christ should look like. In Article XIX of our Articles
of Religion we find the following, "The visible Church of Christ is a
congregation of faithful men, in the which the pure Word of God is preached,
and the Sacraments be duly administered according to Christ’s ordinance, in all
those things that of necessity are requisite to the same." Please note
that said statement in no way describes those church bodies which have allowed
the wicked to enter their sacred precincts unrebuked and who have remained
unchanged.
The apostle Paul— who was never one to
mince words— once penned the following: I wrote unto you in an epistle not
to company with fornicators: yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world,
or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye
needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company,
if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an
idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no
not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not
ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore
put away from among yourselves that wicked person (I Corinthians 5:9-13).
The Bible tells us that we ought to, worship the LORD in the beauty of
holiness (Psalm 96:9a). We should also, come before his presence with
thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms (Psalm 95:2).
Worshipping God in the beauty of holiness does not translate into an
open acceptance of sin. God has condemned sin and if we are in agreement with
such, we will face his wrath as well.
The prophet Amos once questioned, Can
two walk together, except they be agreed? (3:3). And the apostle Paul
admonished the Corinthians in his second epistle, for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with
darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that
believeth with an infidel (6:14b-15)? If we have been born again of
the Holy Ghost, then we ought not to continue in fellowship with those who have
chosen to disregard God’s word and commandment unless and until they repent and
reject their wicked deeds and aspirations.
Just as the tradition of the elders had
brought to no effect the true meaning of God’s word written, the same applies
to those churches today which are using one the many corrupted bible
translations. Believe it or not, these new bible versions have contributed to
the furtherance of many false doctrines and grievous heresies. Is Jesus "a
son of God," or is he the only begotten Son of God? Is one
"being saved" by faith, or is one saved through faith? Are
Christians "slaves" to Christ, or are we his servants? Should
Christians deny the existence of hell, or accept it as a real place? Does a
person’s works save them, or is a person saved by the one atoning work of our
Lord on the cross? Do all persons regardless of their beliefs have a place in
God’s coming kingdom, or is his eternal kingdom reserved only for those who
believe on his only begotten Son , Jesus Christ, and have accepted his free
gift of salvation? For each of the aforementioned questions, there is a right
and a wrong answer, not because its my opinion but on account of what God has
stated in his Word. And since all Christian doctrine stems from God’s word
written, so it follows that those churches who have employed a corrupted
translation of the scriptures will find it difficult to impart a saving
understanding of orthodox Christian doctrine to their congregations. As I have
said before, the best translation of the majority of ancient bible manuscripts
into our language is the Authorized Version or King James Bible. The doctrinal
points set forth within its pages have been worded in language that is crystal
clear in its meaning. It is the epitome of a teaching text because it contains
numerous life examples for our study. You might learn a thing or two from the
new versions; but I would urge you to keep a KJV handy for a reference.
Another example of the modern church
adopting the traditions of men can be seen in the various activities they use
to promote themselves. Many churches today have become purveyors of yoga, team
sports and an assortment of youth gatherings. Some offer church-based
luncheons, dinners, musicals, and concerts. But in all these activities where
is Great Commission mentioned? You will not find it in the teaching of yoga
because it is a pagan Hindu practice. Aside from yoga classes, those other
activities— while not evil in and of themselves— are not functions which the
Church ought to promote. The Church is not supposed to be like the world. The
only mission that the Church has been given is to proclaim the gospel to a sin-darkened
world.
The early Christians broke bread
together at an "open table" which meant that it was open to all
brothers and sisters in Christ. They also sang songs that uplifted God’s holy
name. These hymns were not about the participants, neither were they a show or
a performance as they were addressed to God, and their focus was entirely upon
him and him alone. The early Church fed the hungry of the household of faith.
They did not tolerate evil in their midst, nor was their table and their
fellowship open to all without reservation. How many modern churches bother to
include a message by the pastor on the necessity for salvation during their
various social offerings to the public? The modern church has become so much
like the world that if those congregations did not possess a church building
you’d have trouble distinguishing them from any other nonprofit organization.
So then, why are so many contemporary
church bodies offering such programs to the public devoid of the Great
Commission? Church growth is all about numbers both in the pew and the
collection plate. Its goal is accomplished without any regard for sound
Christian doctrine. So what then may be said of those churches in their quest
for more members? As Pastor Ray Baumann once observed, "Church leadership
must decide who is going to grow their church. You either grow it with man or
with God. God’s way produces disciples changed for life; man’s way produces
attendees that come as they are and leave as they were."
Has this become the new paradigm for
church growth: churches filled with people who neither care for God or his
wishes? Or, Should we not bring people to a saving knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ so that regardless of where they go to church they will be
saved effectually and eternally? I would love to see our mission church grow,
but I want only God-fearing and Christ-seeking souls to attend. If we invite
the world on its terms, it will come and remain on its terms. We are looking
for those who have found as we have, that to love the world is to have enmity
with God. We want those who come to reject the world, the flesh and the devil
and who are seeking to live in obedience to God’s word written.
It is essential for Christians to keep
in mind that the traditions of men have been carefully crafted by the
evil one to have only an appearance of godliness. As St. Paul reminded the
Corinthian church concerning those who would feign to be members of the faith, For
such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the
apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an
angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be
transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to
their works (II Corinthians 11:13-15).
So judge righteously and be alert. The
Bible tells us to, Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil,
as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (I St. Peter
5:8). There are many deceptive practices which the devil would have the church
involved in, and not one of them will advance the gospel of our Lord, or seek
the salvation of any soul. If are not telling people about our Lord who was
crucified for us and died; and who was resurrected and has ascended to the
right hand of the Father; and who will come again to bring us to the Father’s
house where he has prepared a place for us; then we are wasting our time and
God’s patience. If we ever desire to hear from our Lord’s lips the words, Well
done good and faithful servant, then we had best be about his business and
that includes our keeping the world, the flesh and devil outside the doors of
our churches.
Let us pray,
|
F
|
ather keep us always in thy care, and bless us with
such an in-filling of thy most holy Spirit that we may discern what traditions
are of thee as opposed to those from our adversary; and this we beg in the name
of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Have a blessed week, Bryan+
AOC
Pakistan
NOTE: The Church of Pakistan
is doing wonderful work in evangelism under threatening and arduous labors
through the very able leadership of Bishop Jacob. The Seminary also provides a
Bible-centered forum for the training of clergy and lay leaders. Please
continue in prayer for our brothers and sisters of Pakistan. - Bishop Ogles
The AOC-Pakistan annual report follows:
THE ANGLICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
OF PAKISTAN
CHURCH REPORT
DECEMBER 2012-2013
Sunday school Silver Jubilee:
On 8th December 2012, the
Silver Jubilee of the Sunday school was celebrated in Peshawar. Bishop Ernest
Jacob was the chief guest on this occasion. The Silver Jubilee program was
conducted by Miss. Saba Shaukat a senior Sunday school teacher.
Special awards and
certificates were given to all teachers who worked in past twenty five years in
A.O.C church Sunday school ministry. About two hundred Sunday school children
attended this program and special gifts were given to them by Bishop Ernest
Jacob.
In the end Bishop Ernest
Jacob shared a message with the audience. He praised the Sunday school teachers
and children. Thanks to God that our Sunday schools are growing under the able
leadership of Bishop Ernest Jacob.
Bishop Ernest Jacob’s illness:
On 10th December 2012 Bishop
Ernest Jacob fell ill. His illness was due to a heart problem. On 15th
December, he was admitted in the hospital, where doctors did Angioplasty and
inserted one stent to open one of his artery which was 80% blocked. Now Bishop
is feeling much better. After taking 15 days rest he started working once
again.
Christmas Service 2012:
On 25th December Christmas
services were held in all centers of Anglican Orthodox Church of Pakistan. In
Peshawar Bishop Ernest Jacob led the Christmas service in United Church and
celebrated Holy Communion.
Confirmation Service in Peshawar A.O.C:
On 25th January confirmation
service for A.O.C churches in district Peshawar was held. 40 young boys and
girls were confirmed and received Holy Communion for the first time.
Lecture on human rights by Bishop Ernest Jacob:
On 19th February 2013, Bishop
Ernest Jacob was invited to Peshawar police club by an N.G.O to deliver a lecture to police officers.
The topic of the lecture was “Human Rights’’ in view of Christianity. After the
lecture Bishop Ernest answered various questions asked by police officers
regarding Christianity. Thanks to God who provided this opportunity to give
knowledge about Christianity and the Bible to non-Christian police officers.
Lecture on Christianity to Islamic Students:
On 15th February 2013, the
Department of Islamic Studies of University of Peshawar held a seminar on
Christianity. On the invitation of director of the department Dr. Daust
Mohammad, Bishop Ernest Jacob gave very profound lecture on “Christianity” to
the M.Phil. students of the Islamic Studies. Bishop Ernest Jacob’s lecture consisted of:
·
The Bible, unchanged word of God.
·
The Holy Trinity, understood by Christians.
·
Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
It was another great
opportunity given by God to evangelize Christianity among non-Christians. In
the end , Bishop answered various questions asked by students and faculty.
F.T.S Graduation Ceremony:
On 15th March graduation for
the class of 2013 was held in Gujranwala at Seminary campus. Bishop Ernest
Jacob the Principal of Faith Theological Seminary presided over the graduation
ceremony and gave the message. The ceremony was attended by students and their
parents and other guests invited by F.T.S. staff. Bishop Sharoon, the chairman
of the board of directors conducted the ceremony. The chief guest Dr.Ajmal gave
away the degrees and diplomas to the graduates. The ceremony ended with prayer
and benediction by Bishop Ernest Jacob.
Annual meeting of A.O.C in Pakistan:
On 23rd March the annual
meeting of the Anglican Orthodox Church of Pakistan was held in Peshawar.
Bishop Jacob presided over the meeting. All the priests and executive members
attended the meeting. The priests submitted their annual reports to the Bishop.
During the meeting Bishop and all the participants praised and thanked Bishop
Jerry Ogles for his moral and financial support to A.O.C ministry in Pakistan.
Lent and Easter Celebrated:
This year once again Lent
season and Easter was celebrated with religious fervor throughout Pakistan.
Special services to celebrate Easter 2013 were held in all centers of the A.O.C
in Pakistan. Bishop Ernest Jacob conducted a worship service on Easter Day in
United church in Peshawar. Holy Communion was also conducted on this occasion.
Bishop’s Annual Visit to Rawalpindi:
On 21st April 2013 Bishop
went to Rawalpindi on his annual visit to new a congregation headed by Rev.
Sarwar Masih our parish priest at Iqbal town A.O.C church. Bishop Jacob led the
service. 30 people got confirmed. Bishop gave the sermon and Holy
Communion.
Rev. Mushtaq Jamal, Rev.
Razzaq Khokhar, Rev. Saddique Masih helped Bishop in the service.
Bishop’s Annual Visit to Islamabad:
On 1st May 2013, Bishop
Ernest Jacob visited Islamabad A.O.C congregation. A very nice service was held
at St. James Church. Rev. Mushtaq Jamal is the priest-in-charge of St. James
Church. During the service 30 people were confirmed. Bishop Jacob also
conducted the Holy Communion service.
Rev Mushtaq, Rev Sarwar, Rev
Shahzad, Rev Saddique, Rev Jawed Jamal were on the altar to help in the
service. Bishop gave a wonderful message and with his prayer, the service ended
and after lunch Bishop Jacob came back to Peshawar.
Prayer Request:
Please pray for our seminary
student who has completed his first year with honour. Pray that two years will
be more fruitful for him, as he continues his studies in the seminary.
Please pray for Bishop Ernest
Jacob who travels frequently to visit A.O.C. congregation across the country.
Pray for his good health.
Please pray for our oldest
church building and parish house (80 years old) almost damaged with heavy
rains. Three rooms are already without roofs. Also pray for our local
congregation at Narrowal who wants to rebuild the house. Pray that God will
provide enough money to reconstruct the house and partially the church
building.
Please pray for all our
congregation and clergy who work so hard for the betterment of their
congregation.
Pray for two new families who
left Roman Catholic Church and now have joined A.O.C. Peshawar.
Bishop Ernest Jacob
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