241117 AOC Sunday Report
Worldwide Communion
Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity
Sunday Report
The Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity – October 20, 2024
Twenty-Fifth
Sunday after Trinity Propers:
The propers are special prayers and readings from the Bible. There is a Collect
for the Day; that is a single thought prayer, most written either before the
re-founding of the Church of England in the 1540’s or written by Bishop Thomas
Cranmer, the first Archbishop of Canterbury after the re-founding.
The Collect for the Day is to be read on Sunday and during Morning and Evening Prayer until the next Sunday. The Epistle is normally a reading from one of the various Epistles, or letters, in the New Testament. The Gospel is a reading from one of the Holy Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Collect is said by the minister as a prayer, the Epistle can be read by either a designated reader (as we do in our church) or by one of the ministers and the Holy Gospel, which during the service in our church is read by an ordained minister.
The propers are the same each year, except if a Red-Letter Feast, that is one with propers in the prayerbook, falls on a Sunday, then those propers are to be read instead, except in a White Season, where it is put off. Red Letter Feasts, so called because in the Altar Prayerbooks the titles are in red, are special days. Most of the Red-Letter Feasts are dedicated to early saint’s instrumental in the development of the church, others to special events. This year we have chosen to call the 25th Sunday after Trinity just that, following the rubrics on the bottom of page 224 in the BCP. However, we could just have well used this Sunday as the Second Sunday before Advent, following the suggested readings on page xl of the BCP. We will do this the next year we come across an extra Sunday in Trinity. Some days are particularly special and the Collect for that day is to be used for an octave (eight days) or an entire season, like Advent or Lent. The Propers for today are found on Page 117-118, with the Collect first:
The Collect for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity
O GOD, whose blessed Son was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil, and make us the sons of God, and heirs of eternal life; Grant us, we beseech thee, that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves, even as he is pure; that, when he shall appear again with power and great glory, we may be made like unto him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where with thee, O Father, and thee, O Holy Ghost, he liveth and reigneth ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
The Epistle for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity. 1 St. John iii. 1.
BEHOLD, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin trans-gresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth right-eousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
The Gospel for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity. St. Matthew xxiv. 23.
THEN if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
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, others from Rev.
Geordie and many from Rev Bryan Dabney
and a
few from other places.
Rev. Geordie Menzies-Grierson – England (above)
Points to Ponder:
The desire
of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
Proverbs
11:23
O LORD our
God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will
we make mention of thy name.
Isaiah
26:13
Come unto
me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
But God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through him.
Romans
5:8-9
Let us
hear the conclusion of the whole matter. The best public worship is that which
produces the best private Christianity. The best church services for the
congregation are those which make its individual members most holy at home and
alone. If we want to know whether our own public worship is doing us good, let
us try it by these tests. Does it quicken our conscience? Does it send us to
Christ? Does it add to our knowledge? Does it sanctify our life? If it does, we
may depend on it, it is worship of which we have no cause to be ashamed.
The Most
Rev. J. C. Ryle
Whatever
good work is done by us, it is owing to a good work wrought by the grace of God
in us.
The Rev.
Matthew Henry
Faith
furnishes us with armor for this life, and education for the life to come. It
enables man both to live and to die without fear; it prepares both for action
and for suffering: and hence the Lord selects it as a most convenient medium
for conveying grace to us, and thereby securing us for glory.
The Rev.
Charles H. Spurgeon
A great
aggravation of the loss of heaven will be to look upon others who have gained
the kingdom. The happiness of the godly in heaven, will be an eyesore to the
damned in hell. When the wicked shall see those whom they hated and scorned—
exalted to the Kingdom, and shine with robes of glory, and they themselves miss
the kingdom— it will be a dagger at the heart, and make them gnash their teeth
for envy!
Thomas
Watson
The Word of God is
actually an exact painting of Christ written in textual form. “In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by
him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was
life; and the life was the light of men.”
(John 1:1-4) It should be observed that the Word of God is Eternal having
existed from before the Foundation of the World. It might be said that there is
far more of the Word of God for us to discover beyond Jordan’s Stormy Banks
since all of the mysteries of Creation and Eternity Past comprise the fullness
of our Lord’s Personage. As St. Paul saith: “For now we see through a glass,
darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even
as also I am known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12) The written Word
supplies all of our needs for salvation and faith; however, the Personification
of that Word in Christ will be fully revealed when we awake with His likeness
and behold Him face-to-face! “As for me, I will behold thy face in
righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”
(Psalm 17:15)
Bishop Jerry
Ogles – The Five
Solas. p. 16
Jerry
Ogles
Presiding Bishop
Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
We are fortunate to get copies of Bishop Jerry’s you tube links, devotions on the Prayer of the Collect and sermon notes.
Bishop Jerry creates videos on various subjects, they last just under ten minutes and this week’s videos are listed below:
Bishop Ogles has a You Tube Channel that is free to subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuW3bgXBJFomPB5mZ4Oigxg
Video Devotion by Bishop Jerry Ogles for the Week of Trinity 5
The Names of Jesus Series: The Door
Click link below to view and listen:
Rev Stephen Cooper Church of the Redeemer Fairbanks, Alaska
From time to time we are fortunate to receive a sermon from Rev Cooper in Fairbanks Alaska. The head of our northernmost church, Stephen is a brilliant and inspiring speaker. I wish we had video of him rather than just audio; but I am confident you will enjoy this. This sermon is for last week. Please take the time to listen to it.
From the Rev. Stephen Cooper of Fairbanks, Alaska
Sermon for the 25th Sunday after Trinity –
Bishop Jerry Ogles
(NOTE: In the Lectionary for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity, the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel are taken from the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany as indicated by the Book of Common Prayer rubric:
¶ If in any year there be twenty-six Sundays after Trinity, the service for the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany shall be used on the Twenty-fifth Sunday. If there be twenty-seven, the service for the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany shall be used on the Twenty-sixth, and the service for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany on the Twenty-fifth. If there be fewer than twenty-five Sundays, the overplus shall be omitted.)
THE COLLECT: The TWENTY-FIFTH Sunday after TRINITY
O GOD, whose blessed Son was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil, and make us the sons of God, and heirs of eternal life; Grant us, we beseech thee, that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves, even as he is pure; that, when he shall appear again with power and great glory, we may be made like unto him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where with thee, O Father, and thee, O Holy Ghost, he liveth and reigneth ever, one God, world without end. Amen
There are those special Sundays on which the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel fit together so perfectly that it would seem negligent not to shine the bright light of understanding upon that union of meaning and purpose so brilliantly expressed. The Collect for today is one of the most inspiring, and inspired, of the Prayer Book; and it suites the sense and meaning of the Epistle and Gospel text of the day to an extraordinary degree.
We should acknowledge the truths of today’s Collect. The works of the devil are ancient – from even before Adam’s Fall in the Garden at Eden. He had rebelled against God and the very powers of Heaven and was cast down. Full of despoiled pride and vengeance, he set out to mar and destroy the beauty of God’s Creation, and most significantly, the man whom God had made as His crowning glory of Creation. As the Collect reminds us, our Lord Jesus Christ was foreordained to destroy the works of the devil and save His Elect from the curse of sin brought about from the temptations emanating from the Ill-Winded Tree. There is an allusion here to the sons (and daughters) of God who stand separate and distinct from the sons of mammon (the world). In this fact we must admit of only two generations of families upon God’s green earth – those of God, and those of the devil. In the purification of our souls, God refines us through the fires of tribulation and rejection of the world. The greater the fires, the purer the soul – just as silver being purified seven times in the Refiners Fire. Each refinement brings dross to the surface which is gathered by His Dipper and cast aside. After the seventh refinement, the silver is so smooth and pure as to reflect the image of the Refiner. Now we are altogether the sanctified vessels in the Household of God for service and for our soon glorification in Him. Sanctification is the process of BECOMING MORE AND MORE like Him in this mortal coil; but glorification is that transient moment in time when the scroll of our earthly life ends, and we are gathered to be with Him eternally and are LIKE HIM:
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:51-55;all scripture quoted is from the King James Bible)
THE EPISTLE:
1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 4Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:1-8)
It may escape our daily awareness that we are too often given to impersonating the devil as much as we do our Lord. Our careless actions often betray an unsettled sinfulness of which there needs to be repentance. Do you realize that careless ignorance is also sin. We are to study to show ourselves approved of God: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” (2 Timothy 2:15-16) Have we done this as zealous for understanding, or have we sat lazily to hear the Word preached but never devoutly studied? Do you recall the admonition of the Lord to Peter when that apostle attempted to dissuade Jesus (out of ignorance) from offering Himself up? “Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” (Matthew 16:22-23) In his ignorance, Peter became the voice of Satan. Pride of ignorance can get a Christian into trouble with the Lord. In this case, a man who knew Christ well completely lacked understanding in saying words that were fed him directly by the devil. When we try to speak God’s Word in ignorance, we personify that evil one.
Our Epistle for today defines clearly what sin is! “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” So, do you ignorantly suppose that the Law has been done away? Perish the thought! We could not know righteousness were it not for the Law, and we could neither know sin were it not for the compelling manifestation of the Law. In fact, we were saved under the provision of the Law which Christ satisfied – but DID NOT ANNUL! Sin is still sin, and the Law condemns it. The elect are accounted righteous, not by their own works, but by the meritorious, imputed righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ! Our measure of faith will result in good works which give evidence of that faith.
THE HOLY GOSPEL
“Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25Behold, I have told you before. 26Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” )Matthew 24:23-31)
The operative word in the opening line of this text is ‘IF’. There are no if’s, and’s, or but’s about it – our Lord has declared that there will truly be false prophets among us in these latter days, not a FEW, but MANY! “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And MANY FALSE PROPHETS shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Matthew 24:4-13)
Now, my friends, which part of the Lord’s counsel above does not exist in our day? Have you noticed how Christians are viewed with almost uniform disgust around the world while those who, in the name of Allah, rape and behead little children, and these latter are viewed with greater respect? Has the world gone mad? Yes, in fact, it has always been so. The world can never comprehend the beauty of God’s Word, or even make sense of it. It is the Holy Ghost, our Guide and Counsellor, who imparts wisdom in our hearts and minds.
Here is a wonderful thought to consider in relations the above textural reference in Matt 24:27 – “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Traditionally, all Christians are buried with their graves oriented to the east. The purpose of that is to allow them the soonest opportunity to behold our Lord when He appears as the sunrise – from the east. Even the Temple at Jerusalem was so oriented that the very rays of the sun entered directly through the eastern gate to the Holy of Holies. Also consider that we shall behold Christ coming in the clouds. Do you remember that Pillar of Cloud by Day and fire by Night that both led, and followed, the Children of Israel in the Wilderness? And do you remember the Cloud that descended on the Mount of Transfiguration and revealed a glorified Christ? And, finally, do you remember the cloud that received Christ up into Heaven at His Ascension? Does this thought cause you to simply adore clouds. We never know which shall bear our Lord back to us just as He ascended.
Of course, let us not miss the point of the manner in which He returns: “and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” He will not return as He first came – as a baby born in a humble barnyard; but as a conquering Savior bringing judgment to the wicked and salvation to the elect.
Then, consider the sound of the trumpet – an instrument of military distinction. In old Israel a custom of wedding significance was the sounding of the Trumpet. Just as the trumpet was sounded (often at the unsuspected midnight hour) to signal the approach of the bridegroom for his betrothed; so, does the Trumpet sound for the gathering of our Lord’s Bride, the Church. It will be best for us if we are wearing the proper wedding apparel (Uniform) purchased by our Lord – the Robe of Righteousness purchased by His blood at Calvary. Keep your lamps burning and be sure to be found in that proper apparel. He comes in Power!
“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 25:1-13)
Don’t be left out in the cold, or HEAT!
Yves
M. Méra
Presiding Bishop – AOC France
Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide
We are fortunate to have a sermon from the Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Orthodox Church of France and the Administrative Coordinator of Europe and Africa. As you will read, he is an excellent writer. The sermon is easy to read and provides much insight.
SERMON for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity
Isaiah 66:1-2, 10-12, 18-23; 2 Thessalonians 1
TRIBULATION AND HOPE
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
"Truth hurts", says a proverb. We who are preachers and witnesses of the Truth, we do hurt the Adversary of all men, and we enrage him against us, faithful Christians to the Word of God; Hence the persecutions and criticisms which we necessarily suffer, if our testimony is true. Satan is waiting for us around the corner. He wants to discourage us and break our Hope in the Kingdom of God, in the Heaven promised to all those who believe and persevere doing so to the end (Hebrews 3:14): “For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;”
Let everyone be reassured: Our heavenly Father blesses us and loves us; He protects us in trials, so that we do not stumble over the stones of the path that ascends to Heaven, to the Gates of Eternal Splendor (Isaiah 66/2b): “to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” So many preachers have deviated from the Word of God to propagandize their Marxist, woke, and ultimately atheistic social and political ideas. They preach faith in man (humanism, human rights) instead of faith in God. Now, let us listen to what the prophet says (Isaiah 66:1-2a): “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD.” Our God and Defender is stronger than Satan, and His victory—which is also our victory—is assured: As our Lord Jesus Christ conquered death by rising on the third day, with Him we will live and reign. From the heavenly paradise we will behold the disaster of our enemies, the evil angels and those who follow them to hell, as Psalm 112, verses 6b-10 declares: “… the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD. His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies. He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.”
We therefore have every reason to rejoice with all the faithful (Isaiah 66:10): “Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her” Shortly before the end, the inhabitants of Jerusalem will be converted and saved (Romans 11:12, 26-27, 30-31): “Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? ... And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins ... For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.” Be sure that if we will go before the Jews in the Kingdom, it is thanks to their ungodliness that we are saved, for God has given us the reward that was due to them at the beginning, which they have neglected. God's power is unfathomable, and His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 66:3b): “... he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.” And the judgments of the Lord are not those we would have thought of, so high are they, and far above us. Only King Solomon had received a wisdom equal to that of God (1 Kings 3:28): “And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.” In Heaven, we will receive this same wisdom from God; And it will be our greatest legacy.
On the other hand, the unconverted will be punished, as Isaiah says (Isaiah 66:6): “A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.” No need to draw a picture for yourself: you get it perfectly well. Hell is therefore not an empty threat that God would use to convert rebellious men, but a spiritual and material reality. Hell is the other side of the coin, the opposite of the Paradise that is promised to us, if we persevere in faith in spite of tribulation (Isaiah 66:10-13): “Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” In other words, the Lord will be our heavenly Mother as much as our Father, and we do not need any other Mother, neither on earth nor in Heaven.
And God will gather around Himself His elect people, His choice flock: (Isaiah 66:18b & 23b): “… it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory ... shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.” But this does not mean universal salvation, for not all will be saved; listen to what Isaiah says in the next verse (Isaiah 66:24): “And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.” And it is with this dreadful vision that the book of Isaiah comes to its end. My friends, remember this: There is no salvation except faith in Jesus Christ, crucified for our sins, and risen to justify and glorify us in Heaven (Hebrews 11:6): “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” All we can do for those who do not have faith in Jesus Christ, the only Lord and Savior, is to preach the Gospel of the resurrection to them – for they are spiritually dead – and pray for them.
As for us who are the Church of the faithful of Jesus Christ, Paul writes to us (2 Thessalonians 1:3): “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth” We are the elect, the blessed ones of the Eternal Father, as Paul says in verse 4: “So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure” Question: Are we proud of the persecutions that God allows against us? Yes! because these persecutions are so many proofs that we are in the way of Heaven, the one that our Lord Jesus Christ walked before us. That is why He knows the way, and He can guide us there, even in the darkest night of our pains and nervous break-downs. This leads us to hope for the better time to come, even in tribulation and trials (v. 5): “Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer”
Our present sorrows are nothing compared to those we have escaped by faith (vv. 7b-9): “... the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” and in verse 6: “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you” Are there still unbelievers who accuse our Father in Heaven of injustice? To believe is to hope and to rely on divine justice. No one will challenge His decisions, when we see Him in His eternal glory. No one will dare to appeal to another court. All will recognize that the Lord is Wisdom itself and that He rewards everyone according to His merits, except the elect whom God inputs the benefit of the merits of Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, who is obedient unto death and to death on a cross.
We certainly deserved the disastrous fate of the reprobate, but God has given us grace by handing us over the gift of faith. We are mad, yes, mad with gratitude to the One who elected us even before the foundation of the world. None of us can fully visualize the glory that is promised to us and that we hope for. But we know that that blessed day will come, and that all things will be restored to the time of Creation, and that every person will be treated as they ought to: “When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” (v. 10).
And Paul continues in verses 11-12: “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Here, Paul warns us of several things:
1. Together with his fellow servants, he prays for us. The Church prays for us. The communion of saints pray for us. The whole Heaven resounds with the prayer of the elect on our behalf, so that we may persevere in faith and hope. Note by the way that the true Church prays for the living, not for the dead, following King David who stopped praying for the son of Bathsheba as soon as he heard that the child was dead (2 Samuel 12:21-23): “Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”
2. We must behave like Paul and his companions, doing “and the work of faith with power”, that is, practicing charity. And this charity is twofold, for it puts its money where its mouth is. By word, we preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and all of God's Counsel (the Bible); and by gesture we put this same Gospel into practice, loving one another as Christ first loved us. This is how we bear concrete witness to the grace that the Lord has bestowed us.
3. Then we will be and live as mirrors reflecting the heavenly glory of Jesus Christ: “the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him.” We will not only be accepted into His Kingdom, but we will be honored by receiving a glory that comes not from us, nor from our merits, but from God alone, in Christ Jesus, through the Holy Spirit. This glory will be imputed to us, as a visa is affixed onto a passport, or as a title of nobility is granted by the King of England: he alone can decide on a nobility in his kingdom.
The Church of Jesus Christ is the place where the three theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity are valued, taught, respected, loved and practiced. It is a school of holiness where our souls are purified, rebuke and renounce sin, and turn to the Lord to praise Him, glorify Him, giving Him thanks and obeying Him according to His Word, which truly is a Word of Life: The Word of eternal life (John 6:68): “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.”
My friends, let us take heed to this Word of Life. Let's read the Bible, book by book. Let us immerse ourselves in the knowledge of this Word that is addressed personally to each and every one of us. It comes to us in the form of a "paving stone" of more than a thousand pages, and this paving stone is a stumbling block, a stone on which those who have no faith stumble; but it is for us a cornerstone, the rock from which the water of Life flows, the foundation on which the elect erect their house and build their lives (Matthew 7:24-25): “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”
And this rock of the parable is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ, while the weather represents the trials and tribulations that we will not fail to suffer if we are faithful to Him. But Christ gives us His Holy Spirit to guide us and lead us safely to the heavenly shores of the eternal Kingdom. We have this hope, and nothing can tear it out from our hearts (Romans 8:39): “Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Amen.
Rt. Rev. Yves Méra, AOC Bishop of France.
Rev Bryan Dabney of Saint John’s AOC Vicksburg, Mississippi - 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, espouse the truth and live the truth. This is really a good piece and I commend it to your careful reading.
Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity
Returning to our gospel lesson, our Lord explained that, …24The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30Let them both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Afterward, he supplied the interpretation: …37He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that which do iniquity; 42and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (St. Matthew 13:37-43)
The wicked of this world are referred to as tares. Their product feeds no one. They live mainly to serve themselves, yet in so doing they often interfere with the spiritual growth of the good seed. The good seed, on the other hand, produces usable fruit for sustenance and for increased production. While it is desirable to remove the tares, great care must be exercised so as not to uproot the plants of the good seed. Our Lord’s admonishment of Let both grow together until the harvest makes it clear that only at an appointed time in the future will the wheat be harvested and taken into his barn, while the tares will then be uprooted and cast into the everlasting fires of perdition.
Now a caveat is in order at this point: are we wheat, or are we tares? If we are to qualify as being fruitful grain to be preserved in our Lord’s store, we must be properly fed and nurtured in the truth God’s word written. And therein lies the problem for many Christians today as they have not prepared themselves for the Lord’s service. They might be content to read this parable and say to themselves, “Oh I know I am saved” and “I read my Bible.” They may be able to rattle off one or more of the Ten Commandments and even a few gospel verses; yet when it comes to knowing their particular calling to serve, they waffle back and forth because they are not well versed in the very work which God has given us to improve our understanding and assist us in becoming mature Christians.
St. Paul’s admonition to Timothy (II St. Timothy 3:16-17) that, 16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works makes it clear that in order to be thoroughly furnished as a servant of God, we must read and follow those doctrines and tenets as found within the pages of Scripture. We have been called to witness to a sin-darkened world and that means letting our lives be as lighted candles placed upon lampstands. Only by being well-versed in his word written can we be those bright and shining lights which God would have us be in his service, properly radiating the truth which he would have us proclaim in our daily walk and witness.
Every truly regenerated soul in Christ understands that we are engaged in a great spiritual conflict with the forces of darkness which includes not only the Devil and his angels but his human agents as well. And we understand that they will do their level best to undermine our efforts in God’s service. One of the tactics they will use is to play upon our poor understanding of who is or is not a Christian. So in order to carry out our duties we must be able to identify our enemies as well as our brothers and sisters in Christ. As our Lord advised, Ye shall know them by their fruits (St. Matthew 7:16). But in order to recognize friend from foe, we must possess a proper understanding of the Holy Scriptures. We must
learn to do things in God’s way thinking and not our own. Human wisdom which does not correspond to Scripture must be rejected. Only by following those prescriptions which are found within the Holy Bible, will we ever truly be the victorious saints of the Most High God.
As I have preached many times before, it bears repeating that whether we like it or not, we are participants in a great spiritual war with an adversary who gives no quarter and who is intent on taking as many captive as he can. If we are to prevail in this struggle, we must be filled with the Holy Ghost and live that victory which our Lord purchased for us with his most precious blood. Letting your light shine before men is the best way to reveal the faith that is within you. But in order to be successful in this quest, we must live our faith not just tell others of it. Our actions speak louder than our words. Therefore avoid hypocrisy. Keep to the strait gate and the narrow way. Wear continually the whole armor of God and stand fast, occupying till our Lord returns. For if you will do these things, you will prove to all that you are wheat and not tares. And finally, on every occasion, give God the glory for the victory which he has wrought for us in Jesus Christ and then live that victory!
Let us pray,
O heavenly Father, grant us wisdom and courage to stand and shine forth as children of righteousness bearing the light of the gospel to this sin-darkened world; that others might come to accept our Lord as their Saviour, Redeemer and Friend; and these things we ask in Christ’s holy name. Amen.
Have a blessed week,
Bryan+
Roy Morales-Kuhn, Bishop and Pastor
Saint Paul's Anglican
Church
Diocese of the Midwest
Anglican Orthodox Church Suffragan Bishop of the AOC
Sermon on the Gospel Lesson for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity
Psalms 75 First lesson. Isaiah 2:6-9 Second lesson. Colossians 3:5-11
STIR up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
hymns #450, 553, 375
6Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers. 7Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots: 8Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made: 9And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not. (Isaiah 2:6-9)
(1-9) The awful punishment of unbelievers.
1-9 The calling of the Gentiles, the spread of the gospel, and that far more extensive preaching of it yet to come, are foretold. Let Christians strengthen one another, and support one another. It is God who teaches his people, by his word and Spirit. Christ promotes peace, as well as holiness. If all men were real Christians, there could be no war; but nothing answering to these expressions has yet taken place on the earth. Whatever others do, let us walk in the light of this peace. Let us remember that when true religion flourishes, men delight in going up to the house of the Lord, and in urging others to accompany them. Those are in danger who please themselves with strangers to God; for we soon learn to follow the ways of persons whose company we keep. It is not having silver and gold, horses and chariots, that displeases God, but depending upon them, as if we could not be safe, and easy, and happy without them, and could not but be so with them. Sin is a disgrace to the poorest and the lowest. And though lands called Christian are not full of idols, in the literal sense, are they not full of idolized riches? and are not men so busy about their gains and indulgences, that the Lord, his truths, and precepts, are forgotten or despised?
It is our duty to mortify our members which incline to the things of the world. Mortify them, kill them, suppress them, as weeds or vermin which spread and destroy all about them. 5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: Continual opposition must be made to all corrupt workings, and no provision made for carnal indulgences. 6For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. (Colossians 3:5…6-7)
Occasions of sin must be avoided: the lusts of the flesh, and the love of the world; and covetousness, which is idolatry; love of present good, and of outward enjoyments. It is necessary to mortify sins, because if we do not kill them, they will kill us. 8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; (Colossians 3:8-9)
The gospel changes the higher as well as the lower powers of the soul, and supports the rule of right reason and conscience, over appetite and passion. 10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (Colossians 3:10)
There is now no difference from country, or conditions and circumstances of life. It is the duty of every one to be holy, because Christ is a Christian's All, his only Lord and Saviour, and all his hope and happiness. 11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. (Colossians 3:11)
You will notice that our first and second lesson for today deal with various types of idolatry and offense towards God. These examples are pointed out in the verses from Isaiah and Colossians, in both cases the world, flesh, and the devil are pushing chaos and confusion. As both the prophet Isaiah and Paul point out, these behaviors and lifestyles lead to perdition and death, not only of the soul, but the body.
The commentary of Matthew Henry puts these companion passages into a fairly easy concept to understand. Our daily lives are to be filled with a walking away from evil and walking towards the Light, that being the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.
As a matter of interest, as we approach the beginning of the new church year, the season of Advent, we are reminded of the duty we have to live our lives as faithful followers of Christ our Savior. As James wrote in his letter, “...But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves...” James 1:22
And so we should be doing the work that God has set out for us to do, continuing unto good works until that day.
Are we doing that in our daily lives and at our vocations?
Let us pray:
O Almighty God, who hast bidden us seek that we may find, and who pourest out on all who desire it, the spirit of grace and of supplication; Deliver us, when we draw nigh to Thee, from coldness of heart and wandering of mind, that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections we may worship thee in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O God, our heavenly Father, who didst manifest Thy love by sending Thine only begotten Son into the world that all may live through Him: Pour Thy Spirit upon Thy Church that it may fulfil His command to preach the Gospel to every creature; send forth, we beseech Thee, laborers into Thy harvest; defend them in all dangers and temptations and hasten the time when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be gathered in, and all Israel shall be saved; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us. The Lord lift up his countenance upon us, and give us peace, for the remainder of this day and evermore. Amen.
Bishop Roy Morales-Kuhn
AOC Worldwide Prayer List –
I have received updates from a few and those will be the first added to the list. Please send all prayer requests and updates to aocworldwide@gmail.com for future reports. If you would like to be removed from list just respond with remove in the subject line.
Keep Praying for the following:
Shamu, Tom, Craig, Jim, Dotty, Jan Jessup, Steve, Josh Morley, Jennifer, AOC USA,
AOC Missions, Zach, Jess, Luke, Jacquie, Harper, Bishop Zephaniah, Jim Sevier, Linda, Donald Roesch
Prayer Needed:
Mike Gettinger– heart related difficulties
Tate Maag – infant with recently implanted
feeding tube
Alicia – Struggling caring for parents at home
Mauri Turner – stomach cancer
Anne Lee – Lung Cancer – recent diagnosis
Colin Beall and daughter Lowery – each has a different type of cancer
Bishop Zephaniah – Kidney stones
Rev. Dr. Robert Weldy – various health issues
Extended Issues need continued prayer;
Laurie with long Covid Symptoms - Extreme exhaustion, heart palpitations, breathing problems and unstable blood pressures are constant worries causing depression to settle in.
Malcom Allred – Cancer Treatment
Jim Kniffen – off the IV today but continues with oral antibiotics
Katie Pope – Just beginning treatment for Stage 4 Pulmonary Carcinoma “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14)
THANKSGIVING
Donna – surgery was successful and she has been discharged home
James Cavanah – has recovered from Stroke and hospitalization
Anne Lee – recently told she is cancer free
Hurricane Helen Recovery
Please keep praying for all the people and towns affected by Hurricane Helene
All Those in Recovery from Hurricane MILTON
All Those in Recovery from Typhoon Pepita – Philippine Islands
Pray for all those affected by Wildfires around the United States
Pray for the People of Spain affected by the flash floods in Valencia
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