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, some from Rev Geordie Menzies-Grierson,
but overall mostly from Bryan. He
always has some great ones to share.
On to the On Point quotes –
Determine never to be idle. No person will
have occasion to complain of the want of time, who never loses any. It is
wonderful how much may be done, if we are always doing. And that you may be
always doing good, my dear, is the ardent prayer of yours affectionately.
Thomas
Jefferson
letter to Martha Jefferson, 1787
Good things as well as bad, you know, are
caught by a kind of infection. If you want to get warm you must stand near the
fire: if you want to be wet you must get into the water. If you want joy,
power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, or even into, the thing that
has them. They are not a sort of prize which God could, if He chose, just hand
out to anyone. They are a great fountain of energy and beauty spurting up at
the very centre of reality. If you are close to it, the spray will wet you: if
you are not, you will remain dry. Once a man is united to God, how could he not
live forever?
Jack
Lewis
Mere Christianity
In
the End
I believe, to be sure, that any man who
reaches Heaven will find that what he abandoned (even in plucking out his right
eye) has not been lost: that the kernel of what he was really seeking even in
his most depraved wishes will be there, beyond expectation, waiting for him in
‘the High Countries’. In that sense it will be true for those who have
completed the journey (and for no others) to say that good is every- thing and
Heaven everywhere. But we, at this end of the road, must not try to anticipate
that retrospective vision. If we do, we are likely to embrace the false and
disastrous converse and fancy that everything is good and everywhere is Heaven.
But what, you ask, of earth? Earth, I think,
will not be found by anyone to be in the end a very distinct place. I think
earth, if chosen instead of Heaven, will turn out to have been, all along, only
a region in Hell: and earth, if put second to Heaven, to have been from the
beginning a part of Heaven itself.
Jack
Lewis
The Great Divorce
Light
where it can be seen
On the north coast of Cornwall and Devon is a
lighthouse, which was first placed high up upon the cliffs, where the mists and
the fogs often obscured and hid its brightness from the passing mariner. So
they took it down and built it on the rock out at sea, amid the waves of that
dangerous coast, there to shine where it was most necessary. A virtue should
shine in cities, not in solitudes. The Christian’s duty is here among men, and
the nearer he draws to his fellowmen, so that his Christianity be real and
true, the more good he is likely to do them.
Unknown
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing
the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Psalm
19:8
The wicked is snared by the transgression of
his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.
Proverbs
12:13
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall
gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
St.
Mark 8:36
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor
unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in
the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for
because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of
disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
Ephesians
5:5-7
Seeing then that we have a great high priest,
that passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our
profession.
Hebrews
4:14
The Propers for today are found
on Page 207-209, with the Collect first:
The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity.
The Collect.
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LMIGHTY and merciful God, of whose only gift it cometh that thy
faithful people do unto thee true and laudable service; Grant, we beseech thee,
that we may so faithfully serve thee in this life, that we fail not finally to
attain thy heavenly promises; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The
Epistle came from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, the Third Chapter beginning
at the Sixteenth Verse. Paul reminds us, “To Abraham and his seed were the
promises made. He saith not, And
to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” The Law, which came 430 years after
this covenant, did not supersede the covenant. The Law was “added because of transgressions, til the seed
(Jesus) should come to whom the promise was made … Is the law then against the
promises of God?” No. “… for is there had been a law given
which could have given life, … righteousness should have been by the law.” For the wages of sin are death, all sin
and only those whose sins are set aside by the sacrifice of Jesus are freed
from their debt.
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o Abraham and his seed were the
promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to
thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was
confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty
years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it
to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of
transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it
was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a
mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God?
God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life,
verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath
concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be
given to them that believe.
Today’s Holy Gospel started in
the Tenth Chapter of the Gospel according to St. Luke, beginning at the Twenty-Third
Verse. Jesus tells one of the New
Testament’s most widely spread stories, that of the Good Samaritan[1],[2].
Jesus was talking to the people,
“And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what
shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
The lawyer was about to learn the first lesson of lawyering, ‘Never ask
a question you don’t to which know the answer.’ As was often the case, Jesus let the man answer his own
question in response to a question from Him, “What is written in the law? How readest thou?”
The man answered well, “Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with
all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”
Jesus confirmed his answer, “Thou
hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.”
But, the man wanted more and
asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?”
Among the Jews, it was clear they
were to “Love thy neighbor as thy self;” but their view of their neighborhood
was not too wide. From Jesus’
story and question come a clear answer as to how big our neighborhood might be.
And Jesus answering said, A
certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which
stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half
dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw
him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the
place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain
Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had
compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and
wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of
him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them
to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest
more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest
thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?
To this question, the man
answered, “He that shewed mercy on him.”
Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and
do thou likewise.
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lessed are the eyes which see the
things that ye see: for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired
to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those
things which ye hear, and have not heard them. And, behold, a certain lawyer
stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal
life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he
answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy
neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and
thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who
is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from
Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his
raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance
there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on
the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and
looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he
journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him
on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the
morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and
said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come
again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was
neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed
mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
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
Thirteenth
Sunday after Trinity
Saint Andrew’s
Anglican
Orthodox Church
14 September
2014, Anno Domini
The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity.
The Collect.
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LMIGHTY and merciful God, of whose only gift it cometh that thy
faithful people do unto thee true and laudable service; Grant, we beseech thee,
that we may so faithfully serve thee in this life, that we fail not finally to
attain thy heavenly promises; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Epistle
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o Abraham and his seed were the
promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to
thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was
confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty
years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it
to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of
transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it
was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a
mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God?
God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life,
verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath
concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be
given to them that believe. (Galatians 3:16-22)
23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and
said privately,
The Gospel
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lessed
are the eyes which see the things that ye see: for I tell you, that many
prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not
seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what
shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What
is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with
all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he
said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and
thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus,
And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A
certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which
stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half
dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw
him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the
place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain
Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had
compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and
wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of
him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them
to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest
more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest
thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said,
He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go,
and do thou likewise. (Luke 10:23-37)
When I read today’s account of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, it becomes my
very favorite parable – until I read the Parable of the Prodigal Son, or the
Foolish Virgins, or the Rich Man and Lazarus, etc. Whatever parable I happen to
be studying at the moment becomes my favorite.
The Gospel and Epistle text today deals with not only the acts of kindness and
charity expected of the Godly man or woman, but the terms of the law and of
grace as well. The Prayer of Collect makes reference to the 'heavenly
promises.' These are promises of grace that stand in contrast to the
condemnation under which we would all have fallen under the strict application
of the law. The law has exempted no one; however, we were justified by the
blood of Jesus Christ whose death on the cross paid our sin debt (if we have
claimed that justification and salvation). There was nothing worthy in us that
Christ should have paid our penalty, but He did so out of an uncompromising
love for those who would accept the promise of grace made available to us
through His act of sacrifice. Paul makes sound reference to the inability of
the law to save us, for we are incapable of perfect obedience. If we were
compelled to be the bloodline descendents of Abraham (as the law would require)
we could not come to God. But being children who have come to God through the
promises made possible in Christ, we are indeed the Children of Abraham. Now
let us look at the Gospel text and the opening question of the lawyer which
followed on a mysterious moment of Christ's teaching to His disciples:
In order to fully
understand the situation confronting Christ, we must observe that which the
Lectionary failed to include – the preceding two verses that reveal the setting.
In that hour Jesus rejoiced in
spirit, and said, I
thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things
from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes:
even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are
delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the
Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will
reveal him. (Luke 10:21-22) Those whose high-minded thoughts are infatuated
with the Self of the Ivory Tower will not understand the Words given by Christ
here. Those men are much too good to get a handle on such simplicity as the Gospel
represents. They must add to it their own complicated and sophisticated
interpretations and render those in words which they can barely understand
themselves and, certainly, not understood of those who are so simple as to know
only Christ. And Jesus called
a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto
you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter
into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little
child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 18:2-4) I am
not so proud of my title as to be very happy to become a simple, little child
for Christ. All of the lawyers, Scribes, and Pharisees gathered about not only
would not believe, but refused to believe, the simple Gospel that had been
given to the simple disciples of Christ. Note the grace of God evidenced in the
last verse of the quote: …and no man knoweth who the Son
is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the
Son will reveal him. Has Jesus revealed His Father to you,
Friend?
And he turned him unto
his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things
which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear,
and have not heard them. What standing and privilege we have to have come into the
knowledge of the Gospel. We have been given greater privilege than many
prophets and kings. Have we treasured the privilege above all others?
Jesus is speaking in a
public place and gathered around were those who would have enjoyed presenting a
question that would have undermined His wisdom and knowledge. I am amazed that
they continued so to do for they were constantly made fools by the attempt.
There is a “certain lawyer” present who felt able to place Christ on the spot
with a question which it was the Lord’s very specialty to answer: And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master,
what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Is this a very good question? No, it is not. The
premise of the question is wrong for there is nothing that we can DO to inherit
eternal life – it is a gift of God. Jesus, being the most able of all teachers,
gives the inquirer another question in response to fathom the depths of the
inquirer’s knowledge as well as cause for deeper thought on the matter: What is written in the law? how readest thou?
Should not all of us determine our
answers to questions of eternity on God’s Law? Should we not all have read it
and meditated thereon? How does the lawyer, very apt at deciphering law, read
the question? This is an excellent technique to determine – not the depth of
the lawyer’s knowledge, but the want of knowledge.
The lawyer answered very
ably for he knew the ‘words’ of the law, but perhaps not the spirit of it: And he answering said, Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. The
lawyer may recognize the technical qualities of a diamond, but he cannot know
the source of its beauty.
Note how respectfully Christ treats the question and
answer of the lawyer who seeks to ‘tempt’ him. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. If credit is due, you may always expect it from
Christ.
The lawyer realizes that
he has failed to reveal any indiscretion in the answer of Christ and seeks to
justify his inquiry and standing by pressing further. By asking this next
question, he hopes to weaken the credibility of Christ in whatever He claims as
a neighbor. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my
neighbour? We can clearly see by the motive and attitude that
the lawyer is less in earnest to understand truth, than to place his witness
off balance. His interest is not truth, but justification of himself
which he is incapable of doing.
These next beautiful lines
of a Parable of Christ are among the most beloved and noteworthy of the Gospels
and repeated almost daily in general conversation: “Come on, be a good
Samaritan and loan me some money!” or “The life of a
victim of an automobile accident this morning was saved by a good Samaritan who
just happen on the scene of the accident shortly after it happened.” Do we
not hear such accounts daily?
And Jesus answering said, A certain man went
down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of
his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance
there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on
the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and
looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he
was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound
up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and
brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he
departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him,
Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will
repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour
unto him that fell among the thieves?
Here we see unsurpassing
grace and a full figure of our Lord Himself described. In what way, you ask?
Because we were that man who went DOWN the road of life and were
beaten by the devil and his friends. We were left to die until a good Samaritan
(Christ) came along – going UP to the Holy City – and treated our hurts
and sores with His own riches and Being. He did so after even those who were
considered ‘holy’ passed us by. He cared for our wounds, and placed us on His
own beast, and took us to a place of security, and continued to treat our
hurts, and purchased our continued treatment and security until He returns for
us. This is part of the spiritual meaning, but there is also a general
application that presents in our own lives and those of other Christians.
This ‘certain man’ that
went down (the wrong direction) the road from Jerusalem, the Holy City, to
Jericho, a worldly city, was a Jew. He it was who, it was suspected, would have
a bag of money hidden on his person for commerce. Being a Jew, he had every
right to expect help from his religious leaders of the same race. He would have
found the gentile Samaritans (half-blooded Jews) to have been unworthy of his
friendship and beneath his class. He would never have lifted a finger to
help the ‘unclean’ Samaritans.
Alas, he falls among
thieves who are waiting along the path in ambush. The devil sets many ambushes
for us to destroy both our faith and our persons. The thieves took all that the
man had, even including his raiment (clothes) and left him half-dead. Do you
know that all who know not Christ have been left half-dead along life’s road?
Satan would prefer to leave us half-dead than fully dead so that we may cause
others to follow our folly. This is true of combat. The enemy would prefer to
seriously wound our soldier than to kill him. Why? Because many support
personnel are required to treat a wounded warrior, but far less to bury one
such soldier.
Note that a priest and a
Levite comes along, going DOWN (the wrong direction) as well, to Jericho. It
may be presumed that they had just completed Temple duties and were cleansed.
But these two had yet to learn the meaning of the Lord’s words: “For I
desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt
offerings.” (Hosea 6:6) Temple worship, or indeed any worship, will not
suffice apart from a love of God and our fellow men. The priest clearly sees
the man, we are told, but decides not to help the man or to touch blood which
would have made him ‘unclean.’ The Levite sees the man and, at least comes to
where he is and looks on him. But then goes the way of the priest. Both are
guilty of lack of mercy and compassion – ingredients of character that cannot
coexist in evil hearts.
Now
comes a Samaritan UP the Road to Jerusalem. Unlike the priest, the Jew, and the
Levite, this man is traveling in the RIGHT direction. (Psalms 1) Note the actions of the
Good Samaritan:
1) came where he was As
Christians, we must GO to where the need is greatest, not relax in opulence in
our parlors.
2) he saw him How many needs go unseen every
day though our eyes cannot avoid the observance of that need?
3) he had compassion on him Just as our
Savior, Christ, this Samaritan, though hated by this Jew, felt the man’s hurt
so keenly that he took measures to help the man of his hurt (just as Christ has
done for those of us who have come to Him).
4) And went to him His
first coming to where the man was at the time was, to us, happenstance, but
surely to God, our steps were ordered. After coming to a person in need we do
not simply stand and watch. We GO to the victim so that we may render
assistance.
5) and bound up his wounds Just as Jesus practice
the triage of treating the most critical need first, so does this Samaritan by
binding up the man’s wounds to stop the bleeding. Has Christ not found us with
our own blood flowing from our souls and given us life?
And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood,
I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when
thou wast in thy blood, Live.’ (Ezek 16:6) When we
see our neighbor strangers perishing for grave want, have we forgotten the
great mercies granted to us?
6) pouring in oil and wine. The only resources the Samaritan had to treat the man was
the expensive oil and wine which he not only ‘applied’ but ‘poured’ into the
man’s wounds. He spared no personal treasures in helping his charge. Do you not
love this Good Samaritan?
7) set him on his own beast The Samaritan would rather walk in order that
the wounded man might ride. This is ‘mercy’ combined with ‘sacrifice’ – the
kind of combination that the Lord loves.
8) and brought him to an inn The Samaritan is
not concerned about his tight schedule. He takes time to take the best care of
the wounded man. This is an expense as well, but he does not even consider it
an expense. It is an obligation before God.
9)
and took care of him I wish I had
many friends as kind as this Samaritan Stranger. Actually, I do have ONE, and
perhaps others of my friends who love that ONE. He continued, even at the end,
to take time and trouble to treat the man.
10) And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two
pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him
Apparently being convinced that the man would be well after rest and gentle
treatment, the Samaritan departs to care for his pressing business in
Jerusalem. But he does not forget the responsibility he has shouldered for the
Jew. He PAYs even the innkeeper to continue caring for the Jew. He doeth
all things well!
11) and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou
spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Had you
ever considered ALL that the Good Samaritan did for this wounded Jew, or for
that wounded soul that resides in your own heart? Even if it costs me more, I
will pay. I will pay to the uttermost. Says the Good Samaritan.
Jesus has told the story
which will fully answer the question of the lawyer, but the lawyer remains
stiff-necked in his pride. Jesus asks: Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour
unto him that fell among the thieves? Three
men were involved. Two were not only religious leaders from whom one might
expect greater degrees of compassion, but also men of the same blood. They, of
all people, should have considered a fellow Jew a neighbor. They passed by
without lifting a finger to help the poor wounded fellow. The third, a lowly
Samaritan, spent his own wealth, took his own time, and delayed his own
business to help a man whose race hated him. Which one of these three would any
sane person believe was neighbor to the wounded man? You, or I, would answer
the Samaritan; but the lawyer, being a Jew who loathed even the name of a
Samaritan, answered only: He that
shewed mercy on him. The lawyer would prefer a pronoun to a real
name. Even so, he answered correctly even if in the wrong spirit.
Jesus responded to the lawyer in
the same way He responds to you and me: Go,
and do thou likewise.
What have you been this week: a
priest, a Levite, or a Good Samaritan?
Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold - Time and
Action
Church of the Faithful Centurion - Descanso, California
Today’s sermon tied the Collect, Epistle and Gospel
together and talked, as is oft the case, of the need for action, not simply
diction.
Today we 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 than doing what is right. To comply with the
Law is a different matter than finding loopholes in the Law. The Pharisees did
the latter, and we should do the former.
In California, we have this law called the Basic
Speed Law. It says that you should drive no faster then is safe. If there is a
bend of road that is posted at 40 miles per hour, but it is really safer to go
25 mph, which is complying with the intent of the law more?
The Pharisees would have you find a loop hole in a 25
miles per hour zone for example, by just going 25 miles per hour. But, what if
the area it is in is not safe for 25 mph, more like 15 miles per hour. Could
you honesty think going 25 miles per hour in what is actually a 15 miles per
hour zone is within the intent of the law? No! It is the same with trying to go
around the intent of the Law. We cannot honestly say that we are doing
something within the spirit of the Law, but only doing lip service to it. We
must be within the intent or spirit of the Law, rather than trying to find ways
around the Law.
Consider the words of the Collect, “…whose only gift
it cometh that thy faithful people do unto thee true and laudable service;
Grant, we beseech thee, that we may so faithfully serve thee in this life, that
we fail not finally to attain thy heavenly promises …”
In our prayer to God, we acknowledge that His only or
greatest gift is that we are, through Him, able to give Him true service. For, it must be understood the only way
we can really be happy is when we align our being with His Being. Truly align, not get around
restrictions. There is a big
difference. We are not trying to
avoid being caught in a rule, but trying to live by the Big Picture and not worry
about little things. If we do what
we should do, we will follow the little rules as a matter of course. If we get the important things the
little things will follow soon after. The only rules that are important really
come from, 1. Love thy God with all thy heart and soul and mind, and 2. Love
they neighbor as thyself. As Jesus says “On these two commandments hang all the
law and the prophets.” He means that all of the moral laws and preaching of the
prophets past could be traced back to these laws, which comprise the basis for
all of the laws that would follow thereafter, especially the Ten Commandments.
These two commandments are where from the 613 laws all could be trace back to.
These two basic commandments are the “Basic Speed Law” of the Christian faith.
There is no way to get around these two and be within the spirit or intent of the
Law.
In the Epistle, we are reminded God chose Abraham not
because of he complied with The Law, for the Law was far into the future. God chose Abraham because he had faith
and put his trust in God. The Law
was an aid to man to help him be better when he had difficulty following God’s
Will.
Pharisees were religious lawyers who specialized in the
613 Mosaic Laws, which brought them death not life. Their job was to help people not break The Law without
unduly interfering with their lives by forcing them to embrace the intent of
The Law.
When the Pharisee of the Gospel asked Jesus what he
should do to gain eternal life, the Pharisee correctly summarized The Law: Love
God; Love your neighbor. He would
have been fine had he stopped there.
But, he had to show the Son how smart he was. In doing so, the lawyer was about to learn the first lesson
of lawyering, ‘Never ask a question to which you don’t know the answer.’ So he asked, ‘Who is my neighbor?’ The answer, of course, is everyone but
you; the rest of humanity. But, as
was often the case, Jesus presented the story of the injured man helped by the
Samaritan, then asked who was neighbor to the injured man?
The priest and the Levite would not see the injured
man; there are none so blind as those who will not see.
You will also note the Samaritan, one of those
separated from the chosen mass of Judaism, did his duty. When he left the injured man at the
inn, having given the innkeeper roughly two days wages, he said, Do what need
be done, if I owe more I will pay when I pass by next. You will note, he put no limit on his
duty, he just committed to doing what needed to be done, regardless of
cost.
The lawyer to his credit answered honestly, “He that
shewed mercy on him.” Jesus told
him, “Go, and do thou likewise.”
Right is not a matter of quantum; it is not a matter
of majority rules or public opinion; actions speak louder than words.
Action counts.
For by their actions ye shall know them.
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
Roy Morales-Kuhn,
Bishop and Pastor - St. Paul's Anglican Church - Anglican Orthodox Church
Bishop Roy is pastor of the biggest AOC
parish West of the Mississippi and is in charge of the Diocese of the
Epiphany.
Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity
Psalm 104
Hab. 1:12-2:4,14 •
Mark 3:20-21,31-35
I will be glad in the Lord.
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less the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very
great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest
out the heavens like a curtain:
3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the
clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:
4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed
for ever.
6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood
above the mountains.
7 At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted
away.
8 They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the
place which thou hast founded for them.
9 Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn
not again to cover the earth.
10 He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.
11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench
their thirst.
12 By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which
sing among the branches.
13 He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied
with the fruit of thy works.
14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the
service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his
face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.
16 The trees of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which
he hath planted;
17 Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees
are her house.
18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for
the conies.
19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.
20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of
the forest do creep forth.
21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from
God.
22 The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down
in their dens.
23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.
24 O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them
all: the earth is full of thy riches.
25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping
innumerable, both small and great beasts.
26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to
play therein.
27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in
due season.
28 That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they
are filled with good.
29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their
breath, they die, and return to their dust.
30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest
the face of the earth.
31 The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice
in his works.
32 He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills,
and they smoke.
33 I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to
my God while I have my being.
34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.
35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be
no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord.
This psalm begins and ends with
the phrase ‘bless the Lord O my soul’. Bracketed in that phrase is a great hymn
or song praising God for the grand creation of the world. The psalmist points
to the heavens, the moon and sun, to the hills, trees and shrubs, to the sea
and all the creatures that inhabit that hidden realm. He is extolling the
wonders of God’s creation. He is brining to our mind’s eye the very wonderment
of this world we live in.
Notice the descriptive language
the psalmist uses; ‘...thou are clothed with honor and majesty...light covers
the majesty of the Lord as a garment.
Where do we hear this description of the heavens...the heavens are
stretched out like a curtain? If
you watch the Weather Channel or Nat.Geo or Discovery Channel, you will see
video and still photos of cloud formations that look like curtains. The auroras
that are visible both above the North and South pole areas also look like
curtains...and they move like curtains.
Look at some other descriptions
of the splendor of God’s majesty. ‘...who maketh the clouds his chariot:’ Watch the sky before or after a
storm, notice the clouds scudding across the sky, they look like ...well
air-chariots. How about walking on
the wings of the wind ? What a
wonderful description of majesty and power. Think about a breeze, a wind or a gale, each in its own way
can signify the majesty of the Creator. The wind blows where it will, we cannot
stop its path, maybe divert it, but never stop it. He walks upon the wings of the wind.
The next four verses address the
creation of the sea and the dry land. (5-9)
The psalmist asks the question
about the foundation of the earth. It is a similar question that was asked of
Job by God. This foundation is
sure, it can not be moved. The areas covered by the sea are described as ‘being
garment covered’. Then the next
few verses discuss the Great Flood of Noah, with the boundary of the sea now
set; ‘...that they turn not again to cover the earth...’
Again this theme of the boundary
and limits placed on the sea are found in the book of Job, chapter 38 and in
other parts of that account.
In a number of following verses
the psalmist describes the provision God makes for his creatures, each
according to its nature. Grass and
herbs for the herbivore,(14) meat for the carnivore,(27,28) bread, oil and wine
for man,(15) trees for homes for the fowl of the air(12,17) and high rocky
places for the wild goats and rock conies.(18)(a type of rodent that was good
to eat). Springs of water are
brought to mind ,to give water to the animals, to water the grasses and trees;
all to the good or blessing of the earth. ‘...the earth is satisfied with the
fruit of thy works.’ The Lord provides for his creation, he maintains them and
feeds them. There is also the
description of the sea, the ‘great and wide sea’ where innumerable creatures
live, all sizes and shapes, a place for ships to go on their journeys of
commerce and pleasure.
Now the psalmist concentrates on
the sovereign power of God over ALL the creatures. God is in control. He provides for the beast of the field, the sea; he can take
their life away or he can create anew.
At the same time he renews the face of the earth. He can make the hills
smoke by his very touch, the earth quakes at his look (32). Again we are reminded of the
Sovereignty of the Lord. “The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord
shall rejoice in his works.”
We now come to the end of the 104th
Psalm. Here we see a joyful and firm resolution to continue praising God. Let us once again reflect on the
reading of these last three verses.
33 I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to
my God while I have my being.
34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.
35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be
no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord.
Let us pray:
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LORD Jesus Christ, who
saidst unto thine Apostles, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you;
Regard not our sins, but the faith of thy Church; and grant to it that peace
and unity which is according to thy will, who livest and reignest with the
Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
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SSIST us mercifully, O Lord, in these our supplications and
prayers, and dispose the way of thy servants towards the attainment of
everlasting salvation; that, among all the changes and chances of this mortal
life, they may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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RANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the words which we have
heard this day with our outward ears, may, through thy grace, be so grafted
inwardly in our hearts, that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good
living, to the honour and praise of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
✟
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:
Christ in the Psalms
God The Good
Psalm 118
Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity
September 14, 2014
Influential
people are often given nicknames, or sobriquets. The man who wrote the prayer
that closes Morning and Evening Prayer is an example. His name was John but he is known as John Chrysostom,
meaning John of the Golden Mouth, because of his powerful sermons. Some
people’s sobriquets are better known than their names, like Stonewall Jackson
or Caesar Augustus. Psalm 118
opens and closes with what could be a sobriquet for God. It sounds rather stilted in English;
“God, For He Is Good,” though I think we could shorten it to “God The Good.”
But in Hebrew it is very flowing and poetic; “Yahweh Qi-Tov.” There are many such names we could give
to God. God the Great, God the
Magnificent, Father of All Mercies, God of Glory, God of Grace, and all of
these are applied to God in many places in Scripture. But I like the way Psalm 118 pictures Him as God The Good.
Good here means more than just well behaved or beneficial. It means absolute perfection in every
aspect, but especially in morality.
Such perfection belongs to God alone. That’s why Christ told the rich young ruler, “there is none
good but one, that is, God” (Mt. 19:17).
Christ’s point is that to call Him good is to call Him God, which He
is. Thankfully, God’s perfect
goodness is paramount in His dealings with us. That’s why the Coverdale translation of the Psalms, which is
the one in our Prayer Book, says, “O Give thanks unto the Lord, for He is
gracious.” “Gracious” is also a
correct way to translate the Hebrew, for Yahweh Qi-Tov means both to possess
moral perfection and to express that moral perfection in goodness towards us. We call God’s goodness towards us,
“grace.”
Most of Psalm 118 is given to recounting
the ways God has been gracious to Israel by saving her from her enemies. In
verses 10-13, we see Israel “compassed round about.” The nations in verse 10 are nations of unbelievers who hated
Israel and wanted to destroy her.
Philistia, Moab, Midian, and other nations in Canaan made frequent
invasions into Israel, causing much suffering and death. In later times the rising empires of
western Asia fought and conquered the Jews. In verse 11 the nations “kept me in on every side.” They had Israel surrounded and
confined, as though in a prison.
In verse 12 “they came about me like bees.” Anyone who has been attacked
by a hive of angry bees knows exactly what this verse means. They have thrust at Israel, as with the
sword and spear. The picture is of
attack and war.
Yet verse 14 says God “is become my Saviour,” and each description of
the enemies’ attacks is followed by a picture of God’s deliverance. Enemies compassed her round about, but
I will destroy them. They kept me
in on every side, but I will destroy them. They came at me like bees, but I will destroy them. They thrust sore at me, that I might
fall, “but the Lord was my help.”
God made Israel strong, and God delivered her. He was her salvation, her Saviour.
The Psalm starts, then, by showing Israel in all her oppression and
suffering. But in verse 24 it
moves into a day of rejoicing.
“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad
in it.” God has given Israel a time of peace and a time of happiness. The day is the day of
salvation, of peace, of joy in God.
His people rejoice because He has opened the gate of righteousness in
verse 19. He has answered prayer
in verse 21. Israel is like a
stone rejected by the builders of worldly empires, but which God has chosen as
the corner stone and foundation of His Kingdom of Grace (Vs. 22).
We easily see how the Psalm relates to our own relationship with
God. We also have enemies who want
to destroy us and our faith.
Sometimes the enemies are outside of us, like the world, and the
devil. Often they are within us,
the flesh, meaning our human frailties and our fleshly desires. James 1:14 and 15 show how our desires
lead us astray from God.: “every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his
own lust and enticed. Then when
lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished,
bringeth forth death.” We place
the fulfillment of our natural desires
ahead of our desire to do the will of God. This can be done through the “big” sins, like theft and
adultery, or it can be done through the “little” sins, like just being too lazy
to get up and go to Church on the Lord’s day. But in this way our “flesh” becomes our enemy, leading us
astry from God. Being a Christian
often requires us to choose against our own desires in order to comply with the
desire of God, and we need God to save us from ourselves as much as we need Him
to save us from the world, and the devil.
And He does. Why have you
not left the flock? Why have you
not fallen back into unbelief?
Because God holds you in His omnipotent hand and nothing is able to
pluck you out of it. His victory
over our enemies was accomplished by His perfect life, sacrificial death, and
resurrection. In these things God
forgives your sins and makes your peace with Him.
The Psalm also applies to the Church. Surrounded by enemies, persecuted and slandered,
misunderstood and misrepresented by the world, the Church survives only because
God is her salvation. The Church
may say with ancient Israel, “The Lord is on my side.” “The Lord was my help. The Lord is my strength and my song;
and is become my salvation.”
As we have been looking at the Psalms, one of my goals has been to show
Christ in the Psalms, and He certainly fills Psalm 118. He became our salvation by giving
Himself on the cross for our sins.
He is the sacrifice in verse 27 bound to the “horns” of the cross, which
became the Altar of Sacrifice for us. Every time you read that verse you should
see Christ on the cross suffering for you. He is the stone which the builders refused, which became the
head-stone in the corner in verse 22.
It is worth noting that Jesus Himself applied this verse to Himself in
Matthew 21:42. Having learned it
from Christ, Peter also applied it to Christ, saying, “This is the stone which
was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any
other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we
must be saved” (Acts 4:11-12).
Peter again applies this verse to Christ in 1 Peter 2:7, saying that, to
the disobedient, Christ is “the stone which the builders disallowed, the same
is made the head of the corner.”
He is the day of rejoicing.
The Day of the Lord is the day He has made, the day in which we rejoice
and are glad. It is correct to
wake up every morning and say, “This is the day which the Lord has made; we
will rejoice and be glad in it.” Every day is a gift from God to be enjoyed and for which to
be grateful. But the real “day
which the Lord hath made” is the day of salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the Day in which His people are
gathered to Him in peace through the blood of His cross. It is also that everlasting Day of the
Lord, when time as we know it ends and the earth is restored to its original
glory, and we will dwell in it with no more sickness, sorrow, or death. And we will walk with God face to
face. All our questions will be
answered. All our fears will be
erased. All our best hopes will be
fulfilled. And thus shall we be
with the Lord, forever.
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.
Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity
In St. Mark 3:31-35:
31 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing
without, sent unto him, calling him.
32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him,
Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.
33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my
brethren?
34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and
said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
35 For whosoever shall do
the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
our Lord was informed his mother and siblings had come to see him. His
answer was, Who is my mother and my brethren (St. Mark 3:33)? Far too many Christians have overlooked our Lord’s response for it is
the key to any true understanding of the gospel message. The gospel speaks of
the saved and the unsaved (St. John 3:16- 18). It
speaks of safe sheep and lost sheep (St. Matthew 10:6; St. John 10:27). The gospel speaks of those who have
fellowship with God through Jesus Christ, and those who have no fellowship with
him because they are participants in the unfruitful works of darkness (II Corinthians 6:14-18;
Ephesians 5:11; Philippians 1:3-7).
The totality of the gospel message is this: As all have been called of
God to salvation in the name of his only begotten Son, if any accepts that
calling by faith, then such a one will be saved from eternal death and
damnation and will be received of God the Father as a child by adoption and a
co-heir with Christ in his eternal kingdom. Our adoption and co-heirship then
has made us brethren of Christ in agreement with his response to his disciples:
And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my
mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my
brother, and my sister, and mother (St. Mark 3:34-35).
In his epistle to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul wrote that God, hath
chosen us in [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be
holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the
adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure
of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us
accepted in the beloved (1:4-6). God has made known to us according to the good
pleasure of his will—which is a mystery (v. 9)— that from the moment we came to
Christ, we were saved from our sins. We have been bought with a price (I Corinthians 6:20), and on that account, we are subject to the
will of God in Christ. And so when our Lord said, For whosoever shall do the
will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother (St. Mark 3:35) he was speaking of those who would come to
accept his free gift. He was speaking of those whom he would purchase with his
own blood at Calvary’s cross. He was speaking of those so purchased as his
kinsmen in a way similar to that of his mother and siblings.
Returning to our gospel, we find another issue about which much time,
ink and blood has been expended over the centuries: that being the nature of
his mother. Mary’s standing as our Lord’s mother is without question. But did
that sacred choosing of God bring with it the near-deification of her person?
Our Lord’s comments do not support such an interpretation of Scripture. Dr.
Loraine Boettner once observed (Roman Catholicism pp.132-135) that, “The New Testament has surprisingly little to say about
Mary...The apostles never prayed to Mary, nor... did they show her any special
honor. Peter, Paul, John and James do not mention her name even once in the
epistles which they wrote to the churches. John took care of her until she
died, but he does not mention her in any of his [letters and the Book of
Revelation]... Surely this silence is a rebuke to those who would build a
system of salvation around her. God has given us all the record we need
concerning Mary, and that record does not indicate that worship or veneration
in any form is to be given her.”
So then where did the Medieval Christians come up with the doctrine of
“Mary, the Mother of God”? Actually, it had its origins in the work of the
Council of Ephesus in 431 AD, which recognized Mary as the “God-bearer” or
“Mother of God”. The Chalcedon Creed from 451 AD expressed it in this way that
Jesus Christ was, “...born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God according to
the manhood...” This meant that Mary was the mother of the incarnate Lord not
the literal “Mother of God” because God had no mother or father.
Dr. Boettner further noted, “The purpose of the expression as used by
the Council of Ephesus was not to glorify Mary, but to emphasize the deity of
Christ over against those who denied his equality with the Father and the Holy
Spirit... It was therefore only to emphasize the fact that the ‘person’ born to
Mary was truly divine [for which] she was called ‘the Mother of God.’ Hence the
term today has come to have a far different meaning from that intended by the
early church. It no longer has reference to the orthodox doctrine concerning
the person of Christ, but instead is used to exalt Mary to a supernatural
status as Queen of Heaven... so that... she is able to approach her Son effectively
and to secure for her followers whatever favors they ask through her... the
Bible calls Mary the mother of Jesus, but gives her no other title.”
The apostle Peter stated plainly the crux of the matter concerning the
name of our Lord that, Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is
none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Our Lord gave us his expressed methodology
for praying when he said to his disciples, And whatsoever ye shall ask in my
name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son (St. John 14:13). And St. John tells us in his first epistle,
...if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but
also the sins of the whole world ( 2:1-2). The Lord’s Prayer is the template
for all our prayers wherein we pray, Our Father, who art in heaven... (St. Matthew 6:6-13). In no case are we to seek conversation with
those who have departed this life as that would be a form of necromancy which
the Word of God clearly prohibits.
Dr. Merrill Unger once observed, “Necromancy is not a demonological
phenomenon distinct in itself, but merely a particular aspect and mode of
divination... Divination embraces all attempts to obtain clandestine
information from the denizens of the spiritual world, so that necromancy is to
be classified under it and as a phase of it. Its distinguishing mark is that
the knowledge desired is sought from the spirits of deceased persons. The word
itself is very expressive of the sphere it embraces, and denotes literally
divination (manteia) by consulting the dead (nekros) (Biblical Demonology,
p. 143).”
Attempting to contact departed souls is, and ever has been, a forbidden
and fruitless activity. King Saul’s attempted conjuring up of the prophet
Samuel in (I Samuel 28) should be an apt example. While Saul was permitted of
God to have Samuel rise out of his rest before him, the message he brought was
not what the king had in mind. No matter how righteous, no matter how pure
another mortal was in this life, we are forbidden to converse with, pray to, or
otherwise contact those who have passed on. A true kinsmen of our Lord will
follow God’s word written which will preclude them making any such prayer or
petition to those who have departed from the precincts of this life.
Our Lord has made plain his will for all who have been received as
members of his family through his atoning work of redemption. He has commanded
us to worship God in spirit and in truth. He has called on his own to ask of
the Father for those things they think requisite in his name. We are expected
to go no further by appealing to God through fellow mortals— either those who
are now in the flesh— such as through clergy— or through those who have passed
on— such as Mary, the apostles and the host of named and unnamed saints.
Asking a fellow mortal to make an intercessory prayer is acceptable.
But that is different from seeking conversation with those who have departed
into God’s peace. That was not sanctioned under the Old Testament regime and
neither is it permissible under the New. Remember the parable of the rich man
and Lazarus (St. Luke 16:19-31)? Did not the rich man ask that Lazarus be sent
back to inform his brethren so that they would not come into perdition? Did not
father Abraham tell the rich man, They have Moses and the prophets let them
hear them?
Let us then, as kinsmen of our Lord, keep ourselves solely to the
things of Scripture and not fall into the devil’s trap of human traditions long
held and without biblical precedent. That is the challenge for every true and
faithful Christian; and for many, it is a huge ordeal. Historical precedent can
be a rather large anchor that keeps us from moving from where we are to where
we ought to be in godly understanding. Take a stand today to keep God’s word
and commandment and not be fooled by the ancient and accepted falsehoods of the
past. Trust in God’s word written against all else, and you will find that God
will bless your life. What’s more, you will be guaranteed a hearty welcome into
God’s kingdom as a kinsmen of him who is our Saviour, Redeemer and Friend, even
Jesus Christ.
Let us pray,
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ather, keep us from all false doctrine, heresy and
schism; and assist us as we communicate the same to those around us, that they
too might follow our lead and be made right with you in all things; for this we
ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Have a blessed week, Bryan+
[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]
Good Samaritan n : a
person who voluntarily offers help or sympathy in times of trouble [syn:
{Samaritan}]
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