Today
was the Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday. The weather was interesting; a veiled quarter moon and a star
at sunrise with a temperature of 68°F, rising to 78°F by the end of church
under skies. Once again, the
gathering song gathered not one and we ended up with 3 people present for the
service.
Gathering Song
Jack Arnold played
Just a closer walk with Thee for the gathering song.
Just
a closer walk with Thee
I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I'll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.
Just a closer walk
with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is
my plea,
Daily walking close
to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord,
let it be.
Take my hand, Lord Jesus, take my hand;
Take my hand, Lord Jesus, take my hand;
There’s a race to be run, There’s a victory to be
won;
Every hour, give me power to go through.
Just a closer walk
with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is
my plea,
Daily walking close
to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord,
let it be.
When my feeble life is o'er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o'er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.
Just a closer walk
with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is
my plea,
Daily walking close
to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord,
let it be.
We try to pick our gathering
songs to have a wonderful message, be easy to sing and suitable for guitar
accompaniment. Just a closer walk with Thee is a parish
favorite.
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. Some from Bishop Jerry, many from Rev
Bryan Dabney, a few from other places, this time some from Rev Geordie Menzies-
Grierson, but overall mostly from Bryan.
He always has a few great ones to share. On to the On Point quotes –
I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion
of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making
them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I
travelled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public
provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and
of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the
more they did for themselves, and became richer.
Benjamin Franklin
On
the Price of Corn and Management of the Poor, 1766
The way of holiness that leads to happiness is a narrow way;
there is but just room enough for a holy God and a holy soul to walk together.
Thomas
Brooks
There smites nothing so sharp, nor smelleth so sour, as shame.
William Langland
But the safety of the
people of America against dangers from foreign force depends not only on their
forbearing to give just causes of war to other nations, but also on their
placing and continuing themselves in such a situation as not to invite
hostility or insult; for it need not be observed that there are pretended as
well as just causes of war.
John Jay
Federalist
No. 4, 1787
The prosperity of the wicked is
short and uncertain. The high places in which providence sets them are
slippery. Their destruction is sure, and sudden, and very great. They flourish
for a time and are undone forever.
Rev. Matthew Henry
17th and 18th century English pastor and author
But we are apt to look upon the
apostles as extraordinary beings, scarcely subject to the same weaknesses and
temptations as ourselves. Yet in so doing we are forgetful of this truth, that
the nearer a man lives to God the more intensely has he to mourn over his own
evil heart; and the more his Master honours him in his service, the more also
doeth the evil of the flesh vex and tease him day by day.
Rev. Charles H. Spurgeon
19th century
English Baptist minister and author
(Morning and Evening,
p. 374)
Jesus Christ has already paid the
sacrificial price for our sins. The great tragedy is that millions of people
choose not to reap the benefits of his sacrifice.
Dr. Grant Jeffrey
20th and 21st century Canadian Christian author
What are cold, wandering,
selfish, irreverent prayers, but offences against God, whom we pretend to
propitiate by services which are but a mockery of his holiness?
Rev. Charles Hodge
19th century American theologian and author
The firewall we have against
postmodernism (which is a fancy name for paganism) is an inerrant,
authoritative Bible. Our sin problem finds its remedy through the gospel that
is revealed in the Bible. We find morals and restraint from our sinful
tendencies through the law of God revealed by God through the Biblical writers.
Western Civilization used to be based on such ideas.
Bob DeWaay
20th and 21st
century American Christian commentator
If you ever look about yourself
and find that your country is a Goliath, towering over a small enemy, be
afraid. God enjoys letting giants grow, giants like Persia, or our own country,
but he always fells them, and he always fells them with something small or
petty, a stone, or a ragged bunch of impoverished Greeks with schizophrenic
gods. It is a curious thought to consider what God will use to rein in our
present predominate unrighteousness.
Douglas Wilson
20th and 21st
century American theologian and Christian Classical educator,
Never give to your friend any
power that your enemy may some day inherit.
Paul Weyrich
20th and 21st
century American Conservative and author.
Propers
The Propers for today are found
on Page 209-210, with the Collect first:
The
Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity.
The Collect.
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LMIGHTY and everlasting God, give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and
charity; and, that we may obtain that which thou dost promise, make us to love
that which thou dost command; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Dru Arnold read the Epistle, which came from
Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, the Fifth Chapter beginning at the Sixteenth
Verse. Paul tells us that Heaven
and Earth are in conflict in our lives, “For the flesh lusteth against the
Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the
other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” If we are led of the Spirit, we are not
under the law. If we are subject
to the law, which we are bound to break due to our own inability to be
ultimately good, we are also bound to the pit. But if we are with Christ, we are forgiven of our sins,
providing we are truly repentant.
We will enjoy “the fruit of the Spirit … love, joy, peace,
long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such
there is no law.”
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say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the
lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit
against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye
cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not
under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;
Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft,
hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings,
murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you
before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things
shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:
against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the
flesh with the affections and lusts.
Hap Arnold read today’s Holy Gospel which started in
the Seventeenth Chapter of the Gospel
according to St. Luke, beginning at the Eleventh Verse. Jesus comes upon ten lepers who appeal
to Him, “Jesus, Master, have mercy
on us.” He does and tells them,
“Go shew yourselves unto the priests.”
As they left him, their leprosy disappeared. One of the ten, “when he saw that he was healed, turned
back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his
feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan[1].” Jesus marveled at the nine who turned
not saying, “Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to
give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way:
thy faith hath made thee whole.”
Once again a Samaritan, the “least” among the Jews was the only one to
recognize and offer thanks to the Power of God. Do we recognize the power of God in our lives and do we
thank Him for the good He does us?
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nd it came to pass, as Jesus went
to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as
he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers,
which stood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master,
have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves
unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud
voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks:
and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed?
but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God,
save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath
made thee whole.
Sermon – Reverend Deacon Jack Arnold - Time and Action
Today’s sermon tied the Collect, Epistle and Gospel
together and is partly contained in the forewords above.
Today we talk consider The Law and how it failed to
solve the problems of the people it was designed to help and think about how
getting around technicalities is different that doing what is right.
Consider the words of the Collect, “…give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and charity; and, that
we may obtain that which thou dost promise, make us to love that which thou
dost command …”
The Collects often are repetitive, in that we ask the
same thing, week after week in differing ways. Why is that?
Sadly, we have the same needs and the same failings week after week. We are WEAK, we need God’s
STRENGTH. Today, we ask Him to
help us, through the Holy Ghost, to increase our faith, to help us love what He
wants us to do, to make His Wishes our wishes. To make us want to follow Him that we might gain the prize
which He has promised us. That
prize has multiple aspects, first and foremost eternal life which begins when
we accept it, not when we die.
Second, as a benefit of that eternal life, we live our lives here in far
greater happiness than we would otherwise. We have peace of mind, as well as a better physical
life. If we can but just put our
hearts in His Heart. And if we can also remember the benefits of the prize of
following Him, it would be easier for us to follow the path, maybe not much
easier, but easier enough to keep our eyes on the prize. We often forget about the Holy
Ghost, that Third God Guy. Without
Him in our hearts, we are lost.
With Him, we, like John Newton, are found. We will have that vision He gives to us in our lives and we
will be able to see the way God wants us to travel.
That brings us right in to Paul’s Letter to the
Galatians, and us! We need to walk
in God’s Word and in His Spirit.
We need to put aside the things of this world which are not in accord
with the Way of God. If we are of
God, then we will act of God, then only will we be of God.
What is important is not what you were born to, for
we were all born to death. A king
is born, a king dies. We are born
into this world, our body will die in this world. Yet through the grace of the King, we live on. There is much conflict in us, look at
all those “fun” things Paul lists in the Epistle. Those “fun” things do not bring happiness, they really just
bring us closer to death. We all
struggle with fun and happiness, two words that often do not mean the same
thing.
Yet, God has the answer for us. He sent His Son to bring it to us. Who will listen?
The only people who listen are those who are in need,
hurt, pain and despair. Often it
is because they or one of their loved ones are ill or injured, perhaps near
death. Perhaps they are unemployed
or undergoing some family upheaval.
Their situation is less than perfect. They need help and they know it. In their own mind, they are the Samaritans of this
world. It was no accident that
Jesus oft cast Samaritans as the stars of his parables and stories. It is also no accident that Jesus
parables and stories center on actions, not words, thoughts and
meditations. Actions are who you
are. Without action, there is
nothing. “Those who believe on me
keep my commandments.” Actions!
Yet, those who turn to God in “need” are no different
than each of us. To quote Paul,
“None are perfect, all fall short.”
We, each and every one of us, needs God’s help. Perhaps some need it more, none need it
less.
When Luke tells us of Jesus and the ten lepers whom
He heals and only one expresses thanks, do you think he is only telling of
lepers?
In a sense are we not all lepers, outcasts with
unhealable conditions? We
are outcasts of this world so to speak, we only have God and our friends in
Christ to help us. The world cannot help us, but those in Christ, and God can.
We cannot be healed by this world, yet there is One who can heal us and will if
only we appeal to Him, “Jesus,
Master, have mercy on us.” We pray
to Him every day, He listens every day.
Through our Lord, God is there for each of us if we
will accept His help. When He
gives that help, how do we react?
Frankly most of us just think it our due. We oft fail to give thanks for all that He gives us.
Even if we get an answer we don’t expect, do we thank
Him? What if we get an answer do
we thank Him?
Like the lepers only one in ten will show thanks for
the mercy and help given them.
In the case of the lepers, it was the Samaritan[2],
showing that fancy dress and rules are not as important as doing what is right
and being grateful for what we are given.
Are you part of that 10 percent?
Remember, it is Please and Thank You that are the
magic words, not Please and I don’t have time for you.
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
Fourteenth
Sunday after Trinity
Saint Andrew’s
Anglican
Orthodox Church
1 September 2013,
Anno Domini
The
Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity.
The Collect.
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LMIGHTY and everlasting God, give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and
charity; and, that we may obtain that which thou dost promise, make us to love
that which thou dost command; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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nd it came to pass, as Jesus went
to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as
he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers,
which stood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master,
have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came
to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw
that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell
down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And
Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed?
but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God,
save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath
made thee whole. (Luke
17:11-19)
The Prayer of Collect reminds us of the biblical principle that faith and love
come from God. He is the author of both faith and love, and neither can be
self-generated by man.
In national diplomacy, we often refer to the “Full Faith and Credit of the U.S.
Government.” The implication is that all that the American government has and
believes is behind, and supports, a certain policy. Today’s Gospel theme is
like unto that phrase, but with an added dimension – gratitude. We may have
full faith, but that faith must be backed up with gratitude for blessings
received.
Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to be crucified for us – for the people at
Jerusalem, for the very Romans who nailed Him to the cross, for the Galileans,
for the Samaritans, and for all nations, tribes and tongues who believe on Him.
It simply “came to pass” that he went through the midst of
Samaria and Galilee. It was not otherwise essential for Jesus to pass through
Samaria, but He did for a purpose – the same purpose decreed from eternity
past; and that purpose involved ten lepers whom He knew He would meet on His
way. Jesus is always going through the midst of nations for a specific purpose.
Somewhere along the extended route He always took, perhaps He met YOU along the
weary road, seemingly by happenstance! But it was not happenstance, for nothing
of God happens by happenstance. You were dying of a filthy and odorous,
blood-borne disease called sin, but He healed you and restored you, if you
called out to Him as did these poor lepers. How like sin is the disease of
leprosy. It was deadly, it was insidious, it rotted away the very being of a
person, it could not be covered or escaped, and it relentlessly ate away at the
limbs and vital organs of the body just as sin does the soul. THERE WAS NO
KNOWN CURE! What was needed for a person with leprosy was simply a miracle!
Perhaps we do not understand that our salvation – our healing from our deadly
disease of sin – came by the same miraculous Word that healed the lepers on the
way to Jerusalem. The kind of love that Jesus offers is not a sentimental or
tentative love – it is an all-consuming, miraculous kind of love. All true love
descends from God. And all that God touches is a miracle! How could One of
perfect righteousness – sinless in every respect, Holy and unable to even look
upon sin - take all of our filthy sins, and the sins of the world, upon Himself
in the shame, humiliation, and torture of the cross? Was it not a miracle? If a
bitter enemy comes near and you were to insult him with your greatest offense,
or even strike him or his only son, would it not be a miracle is he gave his life
in preserving your own?
When you were first aware of your disease of sin, did you try to conceal the
rotting tissue – the ominous and repulsive odor with perfumes? Did you cover,
as long as possible, the signs of leprosy (sin) with your best apparel as did
Naaman, the Assyrian Captain? But after a bit, it becomes impossible to cover
such a disease that slowly advances toward certain and eternal death. Sin
separates the sinner from God, and from his loved ones, just as leprosy
separates the leper from his family and friends. You will soon find that, like
Naaman, you need a miracle, and that miracle can only be had in Christ.
Jesus wittingly went to Jacob’s Well that noonday hour for a specific purpose –
to meet a woman of ill repute there who sought physical water, but left with
the Water of Life. He then used that woman to draw many more Samaritans to
Himself. It was no accident of chance, but an event of purpose and known
action. So our narrative from the Gospel text opens with Jesus passing through
Samaria and Galilee on His final earthly visit to Jerusalem. 11 “And
it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of
Samaria and Galilee.” The Samaritans were cast-offs from the Judean
religion, but Christ NEVER forgets the cast-offs. In fact, He makes special
provision for them in meeting them WHERE THEY ARE TO BE FOUND, just as He came
to you where you could be found. It may have been in a busy office, a train, a
lonely midnight street, or even a barroom, but He always comes to where you are
with His gentle prodding’s of the Holy Ghost. You looked from the place where
you stood and saw Him coming to you!
You will well know, if you are a person of faith, that sin separates us from
God. Adam and Eve hid themselves in the Garden after sinning against their
loving Creator. Cain also hid from the presence of God, or tried to do. Sin
makes a great abyss between us and God just as broad and impassable as that
which existed between the Rich Man and Lazarus. Only God can breech that abyss,
and He must come to us in doing so. 12 “And as he entered into a
certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off.”
Jesus never separated Himself from lepers. In fact, He is the only One I read
about who actually dared touch a filthy leper in Scripture. And,
behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou
canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy
was cleansed. (Matt 8:2-3) God does not make a separation between us
and Himself – WE are the ones who make the separation through our sins or
leprosy. The lepers were not allowed to approach near people. If they met on
the road, they were required to shout “Unclean, unclean!” as a warning for
others to stay clear of them. So we see these lepers were afar off from Christ
when they saw Him coming.
These ten lepers were obviously of mixed tribes for the Gospel specifically points
out that one of them was a Samaritan. It may be logically assumed that some, at
least, were Jews or Phoenicians. But sin unites across racial and national
boundaries. Being outcast from God, the sinners are united in their darkness.
The sinners travel together while their disease separates them from God and His
Church. Have you known the time in your past when you slithered beneath the
rocks at the rising of the Sun to shield your eyes from the great Light? Did
you not find fellow creatures there who loved the darkness more than the Light?
When we have wronged our best friend, how we avoid looking that friend squarely
in the eyes! Sin separates!
13 “And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master,
have mercy on us.” When sin has choked out your last breath and
paralyzed your heart, you then know that your condition is hopeless. But then
you look up and see the Giver of Life and the Healer of the nations on the road
coming your way. What will you do? Will you avail yourself of the Healing Balm,
or will you say, “I don’t need it! I shall die in my sin?” There are three
circumstances common to these ten lepers: 1) they ALL have leprosy and are
dying of the disease; 2) they are together in their demise; and 3) they all have
faith to call upon Jesus for healing. Their faith was not all equal, for nine
only sought healing from the deadly physical disease that afflicted them, but
one had faith sufficient to plead for the spiritual healing of Christ as well.
Do you pray for healing of the body to the neglect of the soul? We are in a
constant war against sin and evil. Our full faculties must be mobilized to
watch out for the intrigues of the enemy, but also for the arrival of the
Captain of our souls along the weary road to Jerusalem!
These ten lepers pled for mercy! If they could receive mercy from the Lord of
Life, that would certainly suffice for their healing of leprosy. It is
interesting to note Jesus’ response: “14 And when he saw them, he
said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests.”
They sought healing, and they believed that they would have it if they followed
the surprising Word of Jesus. Jesus does not always respond in the same way. He
could have simply healed these lepers on the spot as He had done others, but He
had a point to make to His disciples, so He told the lepers to show themselves
to the priests so that they might be declared clean and able to return to their
families and friends. Have you, too, received a counsel of God that simply does
not seem to fit your prayer? Has Christ told you to obey some counsel that did
not, at the time, make sense? If so, what did you do? Did you follow His Word,
or disobey?
Sometimes, in order to answer our prayers, Christ sends us on an errand that
may not make sense to us. These poor lepers all OBEYED though they were not
immediately healed. Is this not an amazing miracle in itself, I mean, that they
did obey without question? What was the result? “And it came to pass,
that, as they went, they were cleansed.” The faith they
demonstrated in both calling out to Christ, and promptly obeying His command,
was an elemental faith that would result in the healing of one deadly disease,
but not another more serious affliction (sin) for nine of them. As they went to
see the priest, they realized that they had been healed. By now, they have made
some distance from the One who healed them – it is probable that they were not
‘out of sight’ of Jesus. How do they respond? Perhaps they reckoned, “Well, we
have that for which we came. Let us not trouble the Master by returning and
giving thanks. He will know that we were healed?” Their immediate joy perhaps
overwhelmed their sense of gratitude so that their gratitude was diminished by
their senseless joy. Now they could return to their families. Now life would
again be normal for these suffering men. But what about the One who gave them
such a wonderful gift? Not worth their time to return to express their humble
gratitude? Do not children often grow up to resent the very parents who made
their lives possible?
When we pray to God, we must accept whatever answer is forthcoming even if we
do not understand it at the moment. We must be thankful enough to express that
gratitude on bended knee. But do we? Do you remember the great national appeal
to God through prayer that happened all across America on the Eve of the Desert
Storm Operation in January 0f 1991? Churches and communities turned out for
prayer vigil unlike anything sense the Second World War. Our troops were
heralded by well-wishers from the bridge overpasses as their convoys wheeled
toward the points of disembarkation. It was a most encouraging and inspiring
moment. There seemed to be hope for the moral decline of America at last. It
was expected that the allied Forces might sustain a casualty rate as high as
60,000 in the first four hours of battle. God moved in the Heavens and His
Angels of War soared above the heads of our battle elements in a manner not
unlike that wonderful Pillar of fire that followed the Children of Israel out
of Egypt. The causalities were quite minimal – sixteen fatalities and only a
few injured. What was the result? Did the nation’s churches again turn out in
droves to return thanks and gratitude to the God of Battles who sustained our
forces in the field? No, not appreciably. Instead, we were treated to
debriefings and continual news flashes of our good General, “Stormin’ Norman”
Schwartzkoff, outlining how our brilliant technology and strategic planning had
“won the day.” God was, sadly, not mentioned.
God always has His one faithful soul in every mixture of ingrates. He had Abel
who stood against the growing evil of the first generation of men. He had His
Samuel who stood against all of Israel in their desire for a king to rule over
them – other than the King of Heaven. He has had his Ruth’s and Naomi’s, His
Paul’s and His Stephen’s – and He now has one out of ten healed lepers whose
heart, more than his body, has been touched and healed, all the way through, by
Christ. “15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned
back, and with a loud voice glorified God.” All quickly went on their
way to the priest at Christ commands. All were healed on the way; however, one,
just as promptly as recognizing his healing, immediately turned back to the
Source of his healing to glorify God. This is wise for two reasons: 1) it is
always wise to be grateful for gifts received. A heart of gratitude is reward
unto itself for health and joy; and, 2) when we fail to express gratitude for
blessings granted either by God, or by friends, we shut off the flowing
Fountain of Living Waters for future blessings. This one leper was not timid to
glorify God with a “loud voice.” He cared not who heard his glorifying. He, in
fact, wanted every living creature in earshot to hear his praises of the One
who had healed his leprosy, and his heart.
How uncharacteristic, in the eyes of the disciples, for this particular leper
to be the only one to return thanks for he was a disgusting Samaritan! What
were you before you came to Christ, friend? Were you better than this leper?
Were you better than the other nine? How the modern church disdains a poor and
itinerant sinner who wonders into their marbled palaces in disarray!
“16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving
him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.” He did better than all the
other nine who were comprised of at least some of the better race – Jews. Do
you not yet see that God cares not for color of skin, or national origins? He
looks upon the heart only! This humble Samaritan knew how Jewish society
regarded lepers, but he also knew how it perceived Samaritans as well. He was
BOTH, yet this loving Savior took pity upon him despite his shortcomings and
condition. He was not ashamed to fall at the feet of such a beneficent Savior.
Are you ashamed after all He has done for you?
Jesus’ following question was rhetorical: “17 And Jesus
answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but
where are the nine?” Of course, He knew where the others were –
they were still hurrying to the priest to settle pressing personal
consideration, not having time to return and thank their Benefactor. Even when
we depart from Him to cherish our sins, He yet knows where we are. Jesus is
asking this question to draw a vivid impression in the minds of His disciples.
When we read the Word of God, and hear it preached from the pulpit, we may not
at first understand fully, but the Holy Ghost will, in time, bring all such
things to our recollection and understanding. These same disciples, though they
could not grasp the full gravity of Jesus’ inquiry at the moment, later proved
their apostolic understanding in the lives that they lived, and died, for
Christ!
This stranger? This stranger was once Jerry Ogles! We
were all strangers to God before we came to Him in faith and gratitude. “18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God,
save this stranger.” When we seek the favors of God, we do not
go half way, but ALL the way. We must not simply “eat the fish and leave the
bone.” We feed on every Word that comes from the mouth of God whether every
Word is personally pleasing or not. Our modern society has decided that it can
edit out certain egregious sins from the Holy Bible – sins such as the murder
of innocent babies in their mother’s womb, or abominable sins such as
homosexuality giving, it rather, a place of dignity among society and even the
church. How apostate can we become! But only ‘this stranger’ returned out of
ten to give thanks. They were all in the same congregation. All sought the same
Lord. All heard His healing Words. All obeyed His command (to a certain point).
But after that point of healing, nine failed of gratitude and grace expected of
a Christian. Is not the same thing happening in congregations all across
America today? Have we not labeled that which is good, ‘bad;’ and that which is
bad, ‘good?’ Have we not sat and listened to the sermon with closed minds and
ears – or, else, has the minister himself not compromised away the Word and will
of our Holy Father to the detriment of millions of souls? Are we so much in a
hurry to get back to the things of the world after our prayers, that we neglect
gratitude for the mercies of God?
It was faith in Jesus that brought the leper to the point afar off to
call upon Him to have mercy. It was a stronger faith that compelled him to
return to the Source of his blessing of answered prayer. And it was faith that
drew him to Christ. Though it was Christ who healed and forgave, it was faith
that was the agency whereby he was drawn in the first place. His faith was a
surpassing faith that went beyond simple belief, but went on to a loving
gratitude that welded his soul to that of Christ. “19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy
faith hath made thee whole.”
Only when we come to Christ on bended knee can we ‘arise’ from our paltry
predicaments and face a new life of salvation and righteousness. Christ does
not heal halfway, but All the way if our faith enforces gratitude. Have you
thanked God today for your next breath, your next heartbeat, and all of the
more obvious ways He has blessed and healed you? If not, what are your
intentions?
Rev Rick Reid of
Saint Peter’s Sunday Sermon
We are happy
to have a sermon from Reverend Rick Reid, minister of Saint Peter’s, whose
congregation is right at the Worldwide Headquarters of the Anglican Orthodox
Church. Rev Rick has all the
resources and challenges right at hand.
I think you will enjoy his sermon.
The Grateful Leper Luke
17:11-19
Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem traveling
along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village,
ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a
loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" When he saw them, he
said, "Go, and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went,
they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising
God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him …and he
was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the
other nine? Was no one found to
return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him,
"Rise and go; your faith has made you well."St. Luke recorded
this message for us, so we might learn some important things about following
Christ.
Jesus and his disciples are moving closer and
closer to Jerusalem. Here Jesus is traveling in the border area in the province
of Galilee, and at the north end of the area where the Samaritans lived.
Luke reminds us that this took place in a
racially-mixed area, so we will be ready for the surprise at the end of the
story: "….. and he was a Samaritan."
Leprosy in Biblical times was a terrible
thing. Those diagnosed with leprosy were banned from society, after a visit to
the priest who deemed them to be unclean.
To touch a leper defiled a Jew almost as much as touching a dead person.
They looked at leprosy as a sign of God's disfavor.
To rabbis, the cure of a leper was as
difficult as raising a person from the dead. In all Biblical history only two
people had been cured of leprosy. Miriam, who had leprosy for seven days as a
punishment for speaking against Moses' leadership (Numbers 12:9-15), and
Naaman, General of the Army of Aram, from Damascus. (2
Kings 5).
When he obeyed Elijah's instruction to wash
seven times in the Jordan River he was healed. Healing a leper had not been
done in Israel for over seven hundred years."
The Lepers stood at a distance and called out
in a loud voice, 'Jesus, Master, have pity on us!' (17:12b-13) When Jesus and
his disciples drew near; the lepers immediately recognize him and call out his
name. The word “Master" translates to a term used in secular Greek for
various officials, teachers, and leaders.
The lepers ask for pity, and when Jesus saw
them, he said, 'Go, and show yourselves to the priests.' And as they went, they
were cleansed." (17:14). Remember those words": And as they
went, they were cleansed.
Even though we talk about someone who
"believes, “we know that faith is exhibited in what we actually do.
Because the lepers believe, they begin to obey and they went to the village
where the priests live.
As Jesus' brother James says, "In the
same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by works or action, is
dead" (James 2:17).
"One of them, when he saw he was healed
came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and
thanked him ….and he was a Samaritan." (17:15-16). All ten lepers realize they are healed, but
only one comes all the way back to Jesus, praising God for his mercy in healing
him.
Notice the thankful leper's response. He
throws himself at Jesus' feet as a sign of utter humility. The leper gives
glory to God and thanks Jesus. The thankful leper may not know Jesus is the
Messiah, the Son of God, but he knows who healed him and he knows that thanks
are due.
"Jesus asked, 'Were not all ten
cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise
to God, except this foreigner?' “(17:17-18) Ten were healed but the only one who knew
thanks were due and followed through was the Samaritan. Samaritans were at the bottom of the
Jewish hierarchy. They did not
have all the rules, but somehow they appear to know what is right each time
they come up in the Bible.
This observation agrees with several other
indictments of the Jews living in Jesus' day. Jesus points out in the Parable
of the Tenants (20:9-19) that, by and large, God's people have
rejected his appointed Son. John's Gospel begins with the sad observation,
"He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet
to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right
to become,children of God" (John
1:11-12).
The account concludes with Jesus' departing
blessing:"Then he said to him, 'Rise and go; your faith has made you
well.' “(17:19) This passage hints at the fact that Jesus
offers this leper more than others. They received healing, but this Samaritan
receives a deeper salvation in addition.
His faith has prompted him to return to the feet
of Jesus in thanks, and that personal contact, that personal submission
signifies a healing of the soul, far greater than just the skin.
What are we as followers of Christ supposed
to learn from all this? Perhaps most obvious is that outsiders are sometimes
more responsive than God's own people. One central lesson of this story is that
the faith that healed the lepers was by acting on Jesus' words. Jesus
said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests," implying that they were
healed. If they had done a quick physical check to see if they were healed
before they headed off to the priests' village…. they never would have started.
The healing didn't take place until after they obeyed.
We sometimes want instantaneous healing
before we'll believe that Jesus has healed us. But the faith here is shown in
the going. "My point here is that we as followers of Christ we need
to know that Jesus expects us to show gratitude. In the account of the Thankful
Leper, Jesus is clearly angry and disappointed at the ingratitude of the
nine lepers who didn't return.
Gratitude is an important component in our
salvation. Were all ten lepers healed? Physically - yes. Were they all
saved? No – Nine of them took the
surface gift of physical healing and turned their backs literally on
Jesus. One drew close to God in
thankfulness and dependence.
The nine were saved physically but not
spiritually. "Where are the other nine?" Jesus asks. Healing that
doesn't bring a person to Jesus is incomplete and without spiritual growth.Sad
to say, but being a believer can sometimes result in spiritual deafness.
One is not a "believer", but rather only one who claims to
believe, when they do not ACT on those beliefs. Remember, the second half
of the Book of Luke is The ACTS of the Apostles, not the beliefs, thoughts,
contemplations or other non-ACTIONS.
If you ACT on your beliefs, you will not
find yourself deaf. We must train ourselves to show thanks, to give
thanks, to be filled with thanksgiving. Without being thankful disciples,
we won't be pleasing to Him.
Actually, if we are not thankful for all He does for us, we are not His.
Be thankful in all things, not for all
things. God offers more that we ask for.
The question is - Do we accept, or just take
what we asked for.
The lepers wanted clean skin, God gave a
clean soul. Only one took it.
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.
Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity
Acts
17:16-34
King James
Version (KJV)
16 Now
while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he
saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
17 Therefore
disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in
the market daily with them that met with him.
18 Then
certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him.
And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a
setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the
resurrection.
19 And
they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this
new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
20 For
thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what
these things mean.
21 (For
all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing
else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
22 Then
Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive
that in all things ye are too superstitious.
23 For
as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this
inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him
declare I unto you.
24 God
that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven
and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 Neither
is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth
to all life, and breath, and all things;
26 And
hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the
earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their
habitation;
27 That
they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him,
though he be not far from every one of us:
28 For
in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets
have said, For we are also his offspring.
29 Forasmuch
then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is
like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
30 And
the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every
where to repent:
31 Because
he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness
by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all
men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
32 And
when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said,
We will hear thee again of this matter.
33 So
Paul departed from among them.
34 Howbeit certain men
clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and
a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
In Acts 17:16-34, we were presented with St. Paul’s message to the people of Athens on the Areopagus, or
Mars’ Hill. As he made his way through that great city, the apostle viewed the
statues of those deities which the Athenians worshipped. But among those stone
impressions of their gods and goddesses was an altar bearing the inscription,
To the Unknown God. Later, when he delivered his sermon, the apostle remarked
about how superstitious the Athenians were in their acknowledgment of even that
one deity with whom they were unaware and who might cause them grief. In the
simple parlance of today he was saying that they were “covering the bases.”
Now the Athenians were hardly dissimilar from the other people of the
ancient world whose worship of false deities was done without any real
devotion, but rather out of fear. The Greeks and Romans regarded their gods as
merely immortal versions of themselves. Their gods and goddesses were
capricious, hateful, and prone to vengeance should any mortal cross them. The
myths and legends concerning those deities contain accounts of numerous
aggressive acts against mortals such as murder, mutilation, seduction,
deception, revenge, and war.
And St. Paul noted in his first epistle to the Corinthians, What say I
then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to
idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice,
they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should
fellowship with devils (10:19-20). Thus we may safely conclude that the
Athenians — along with every other idolater — worshiped demonic spirits. Dr.
Merrill Unger once noted that, “The subtle allurement of idolatry and fanatical
zeal of its devotees can be explained only on the scriptural basis — I Cor.
10:19-22 — that ‘behind the idol there are terrible spiritual presences —
demons (E. Langton, Essentials of Demonology, p. 185).’” And should we be
surprised?
Long ago, God stated in his word written that, I am the LORD, and there
is none else, there is no God beside me ... I am the LORD, and there is none
else (Isaiah 45:5-6). But to the Athenians and others he was, the Unknown God:
that one among many gods whose name was yet to be revealed. The apostle Paul
reminded us in his epistle to the Romans that those of the unregenerate, hold
the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is
manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of
him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the
things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are
without excuse (1:18- 20). And the apostle also noted that because of their
lack of any consideration for the person of God, he darkened their hearts and
gave them up to uncleanness in their bodies (1:21-25).
It should be understood that God is from everlasting to everlasting.
His handiwork is visible to all who would open their eyes to the complex world
around them. The Greeks and the others of the ancient world used their religion
to explain the nature of the things they observed. Nevertheless, they erred in
their thinking which the apostle attributed to their ignorance. They had
crafted the image of God into multiple personages which they tailored to fit
their worldview. Now a worldview is set of beliefs and assumptions that governs
how one views the things of this sphere, and includes in some fashion those
things that ought and ought not be done in a person’s daily life. Base humanity
possesses a system of morality, but it is hardly a God-centered one. While
unregenerated man can come up with law codes, rules and ordinances to govern
conduct, he will not follow them. And such is problematic for unregenerated man
on that account. For if he will not follow his own rules, then what do you
suppose unregenerated man will do with regard to keeping the laws of God? He
will not because he cannot. Original sin prevents the unregenerated person from
doing anything that can please God. Satan understands man’s nature all too well
and that is why he pioneered paganism and idolatry with their worthless worship
practices as a way to give humanity something to fear and reverence while at
the same time keeping them away from the true worship of the living God.
The pagans made offerings of various kinds to their gods. Some of the
nastier deities were said to require human sacrifice, while others were thought
to be sated with food or drink offerings. Some encouraged sexual promiscuity,
while a few called for their members to disfigure themselves. The tragic lesson
here is that if one followed the commandments of the one true God, the
offerings and sacrifices which he called for were — and remain — quite
different.
Orthodox Christianity teaches that our God requires obedience. He calls
on all to accept his only begotten Son as Saviour and Lord. God desires
fellowship with mankind and through that fellowship he wants to give us life in
abundance.
He does not charge a fee as the pagan religions did. He does not demand
that we give to our detriment in our offerings and gifts. Our God is love in
the most truest and purest sense. No other religion can allege that their deity
is as pure and holy as the LORD Almighty.
Still, there are those today who will try and “cover the bases” with
their verbal acceptance of God. But their motives are the same as the pagans of
ancient Athens. The pagans placated their gods and goddesses, while we
Christians, on the other hand, humble ourselves before our LORD and seek his
forgiveness for our sins and trespasses. The pagans were not interested so much
in forgiveness from their deities, only a pass to prevent them from being
harmed by them. They sought to use their litany of magical incantations to
manipulate the immortals as if anything that a mortal could come up with would
be proof against the powers of the eternal.
Faithful Christians know that the Bible is not a collection of sayings
designed to appease God and have him act, as it were, on cue. Our worship is
about giving praise to him for his blessings and includes our confession of sin
to the Father in the name of his beloved Son. Further, it includes a
presentation of God’s word written, and a sermon concerning its meaning. God’s
word is timeless as it bears an enduring message that will never pass away. Our
worship also includes a memorial to his death and sacrifice in our celebration
of the Lord’s Supper, as well as our symbolic death to this life and rising to
life anew via our participation in the sacrament of Holy Baptism. There are
occasions where we celebrate the union of a man and woman via the Solemnization
of Matrimony. At other times, and when the need arises, we pray over and
minister to those who are ill with our Order of Visitation of the Sick. And we
also comfort one another over the passing of a brother or sister in Christ via
our Order for the Burial of the Dead. We do these things as a church because we
are called to be witnesses to this sin- filled world and because our Lord has
called us to look after one another. There is much comfort in being a member of
a true Christian body and we should rejoice that our God has given such to us.
Sadly, there are folks today who are just as lost as those Athenians
who refused to accept the apostle’s teaching. While they are largely found
outside the church, they also can be found within the various denominations of
apostate Christianity because the wayward church is much more tolerant of
sinful behaviors than those churches which adhere to an orthodox understanding
of the faith. They will feign an appearance of being in Christ by attending the
weekly worship service, singing hymns, listening to sermons, and contributing
at collection time. They might return home from Sunday worship feeling
justified because they read from the scriptures to the congregation, or that
they taught a Sunday school class, or that they participated in some sort of
musical exposition. But, folks, do these things save a person? Where is the
blood of Christ on them? Where is their heart- felt confession to the Father?
Where is their obedience to him who said, If you love me, keep my commandments
(St. John 14:15)?
The worldly Christian is so choked by cares of this life that he has no
will to focus on the things of God. He is likely too self-absorbed. He may even
come with an attitude that God does not see his evil deeds. Ergo, he does not
seek God’s forgiveness, and if he asks at all, it is only to “clean the slate”
so that when he leaves the precincts of the church, he can then go forth and
sin anew. Doubtless he will possess the same mindset about his sins the next
time he shows up for church. So you see, the worldly, self-satisfied Christian
is really no different from the pagans in ancient times. He is not saved, but
is doubly damned for his lack of faith. Christ is not inside of his heart, but
is outside knocking to come in (Revelation 3:20). If anything, he would be
afraid of our Lord’s return. The Bible tells us that such people will say, to
the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth
on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of his wrath
is come; and who shall be able to stand (Revelation 6:16-17)?
Dearly beloved in Christ, we do not worship the Godhead because we are
afraid of him, but because we love him. The Bible tells us that, The fear of
the LORD is the beginning of wisdom . . . (Psalm 111:10). In our understanding
of who God is — in our knowledge of him — we fear — or respect — his mighty
power and his awesome majesty. But then we learn that, There is no fear in
love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that
feareth is not made perfect in love (I St. John 4:18). In the beginning when we
came to know who God is, we did indeed fear his power and might. But when we
came to know of his condescending love for us through Christ, then that fear
was cast out and we reverenced God via our love for him. As the apostle John
noted, Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of
judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world (I St. John 4:17).
The apostle Paul brought the knowledge of the one true God to the
people of Athens. He preached to them Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected.
He put a name to that which they had worshipped in ignorance. God gave St. Paul
the earnest desire to preach to both Jew and Gentile the truth of his word so
that they might turn unto him and be saved. Today, God is calling out to every
person in the world to do likewise. Whether you understand who God is or not,
you are being called upon to know him. You are being called to recognize him,
and in that recognition he will no longer be unknown to you in this life. But
to pass the precincts of this mortal life having never known him in a saving
sense will be to gain such knowledge for an eternity in separation from him.
Choose this day to seek after him and his Christ and be freed from the power of
sin and death.
Let us pray,
|
F
|
Ather give us the grace to so present the gospel
of thy Son to others that they too might know him as their Saviour and that
they might be freed from their sins to live a life dedicated to thee; and this
we ask in thy Son’s most precious name, even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Have a blessed week, Bryan+
Chain
of Command – by Henry M. Morris, PhD
sent by Jerry Ogles, Presiding Bishop – AOC Worldwide
"Have not I commanded
thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed:
for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Then Joshua
commanded the officers of the people, saying, Pass through the host, and
command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye
shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your
God giveth you to possess it." (Joshua 1:9-11)
In the army of the Lord,
typified here by the Israelites as they prepared for the conquest of Canaan,
there must be order rather than irresponsibility. This is evidently the first
reference in the Bible to a chain of command in these armies. God commanded
Joshua, who had previously been appointed by God, through Moses, to be their
human commander-in-chief. "Then Joshua commanded the officers of the
people," who were thereafter to "command the people."
Similarly, there must be a
system of orderly responsibility, with loyalty to the Lord exercised through a
recognized chain of command, in any church or other Christian organization
before any kind of victory for our supreme Commander can ever be won. When
"every man |does| that which |is| right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25), the
organization will fail.
Jesus Christ is the
"captain of |our| salvation" (Hebrews 2:10), the Greek word for "captain" meaning,
literally, "chief leader," and it is He who calls and commissions
those who are to serve as leaders under Him. Leadership, however, does not
imply dictatorship. They must not act as "lords over God's heritage"
but as "|examples| to the flock" (1 Peter 5:3).
Whether we are called to be
leaders or followers in God's spiritual army, each of us must also be willing
to "endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that
warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life" (2 Timothy 2:3-4).
[1] Samaritan - Of or
pertaining to Samaria, in Palestine. -- n. A native or inhabitant of Samaria;
also, the language of Samaria. [1913 Webster]
Samaritans were descendants of those who had stayed behind during the
Captivity and had been separated for many years from the body of Judaism. They had not developed, nor did they
subscribe to them, all the rules the Jews managed to invent during their
separation. The main body of Jews
viewed them as lesser peoples, not really Jews.
[2] Samaritan - Of or
pertaining to Samaria, in Palestine. -- n. A native or inhabitant of Samaria;
also, the language of Samaria. [1913 Webster]
Samaritans were descendants of those who had stayed behind during the
Captivity and had been separated for many years from the body of Judaism. They had not developed, nor did they
subscribe to them, all the rules the Jews managed to invent during their
separation. The main body of Jews
viewed them as lesser peoples, not really Jews.
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