250323 AOC Sunday Report
Worldwide Communion
Third Sunday in Lent
Sunday Report
March 23, 2025
Third Sunday in Lent 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. Some days are particularly special and the Collect for that day is to be used for an octave (eight days) of an entire season, like Advent or Lent. The Propers for today are found on page 128-130.
The Collect for Third Sunday in Lent
WE beseech thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires of thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty, to be our defence against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
& This Collect is to be said every day in Lent, after the Collect appointed for the day, until Palm Sunday (pg 124 BcP)
The Epistle for Third Sunday in Lent. Epshesians v. 1.
BE ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 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. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith,
Awake thou that sleepest, and arise
from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
The Gospel for Third Sunday in Lent. St. Luke xi. 14.
JESUS was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
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:
Remove from me reproach and contempt: for I have kept
thy testimonies.
Psalm 119:22
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a
stalled ox and hatred therewith.
Proverbs 15:17
Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not
see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:24
I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be
saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
St. John 10:9
For we have not followed cunningly devised fables,
when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but
were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
II St. Peter 1:16
If there be mutual enmity and strife, though there be
a whole ox for dinner... there can be no comfort in it; the leaven of malice,
of hating and being hated, is enough to sour it all.
The Rev. Matthew Henry
Lord, send Your life throughout the entire church. Visit Your church; restore sound doctrine and holy, earnest living. Take away from professing Christians their love of frivolities, their attempts to meet the world on it’s own ground, and give back the old love of the doctrines of the Cross and Christ. May
free grace and dying love again be the music that refreshes the church and makes her heart exceeding glad.
The Rev. Charles H. Spurgeon
Begon
Unbelief
~Don Fortner~
Be gone my fears, for Christ is near,
And for my soul He will appear:
His work my Savior will perform,
So let me smile at every storm.
Though dark
my way, Christ is my Guide,
(Jehovah-jireh will provide!)
Though cisterns break and creatures fail,
His promised grace shall yet prevail.
His mercy,
love and grace I know
Will never, never let me go!
The many Ebenezers past
Assure me that free grace will last.
Preserved by
grace, He watched my path,
While I rebelled and courted death,
And He will keep me through all strife
With sins and falls to endless life!
He Who taught
me to trust His Name,
Said “You shall not be put to shame.”
I’m saved, I’m saved by grace alone
In Jesus Christ, God’s darling Son!
“Joys are flowing like a river, Since the Comforter has come; He abides with us forever, Makes the trusting heart His home.” Joy has always flowed freely in the heart chambers of those who love the Lord and His impeachable Word. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had that joy; and so did David, Solomon, and Deborah, to mention only a few of the Old Testament witnesses. But the prevailing joy, as a River of Life, came to us as the flowing waters of the Holy Ghost and Comforter after the Ascension of our Lord. The joys of the Old Testament saints was based on an amazing faith in the fulfillment of the promise of God. In the New Testament age, we look, not only in faith, but in the accomplished fact of the coming of the Savior. The Comforter, being a Spirit, is capable of omnipresence that a physical body is incapable of being. The Holy Ghost abides (lives in our hearts) forever in the hearts of the faithful. Those hearts are His home, not a place of occasional repose.
Bishop Jerry Ogles (Joys are Flowing like a River-June 20, 2017)
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: all of his videos at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuW3bgXBJFomPB5mZ4Oigxg
The Articles of Religion Video Series: Article 37
Click link: https://youtu.be/Ln6ARBg702w
Chance Meetings with Christ: Emmaus – The Lonely Road
Click link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbTIWg9JTjE&t=2s
Names of Jesus Series: The Balm of Gilead
Click link: https://youtu.be/QfH95UnJOOQ?si=cQQ6yaBIiLLmYY8v
HOW WONDROUS AND GREAT THEY WORKS (#260)
a Hymn Devotion for Third Sunday after Lent
“O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” Psalms 8:9
I have mixed emotions in writing about this Lenten hymn authored by Henry Ustick Onderdonk in 1825. My reasons have nothing to do with the quality of the hymn, but with the indiscretion. Of its author. Onderdonk was named Bishop of Philadelphia in 1836 but was later dismissed for alcoholism in 1846. He was later reinstated based upon living a meritorious life after recovery from that malady. I do not doubt that the Lord can amend the character of any believer, but to fall from such a level of ministry seems somewhat amazing.
The hymn itself is a Godly hymn of praise filled with truths directly related to Scripture. The tune, LYONS, is the same tune for the great hymn, O Worship the King.
Click link to listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCaBM5MuJ3I
HOW WONDROUS AND GREAT THEY WORKS
1 How wondrous and great thy works, God of
praise!
How just, King of saints, and true are thy ways!
O who shall not fear thee, and honor thy Name?
Thou only art holy, thou only supreme.
2 To nations of earth thy light shall be
shown;
their worship and vows shall come to thy throne:
thy truth and thy judgments shall spread all abroad,
till earth's every people confess thee their
God.
1 How wondrous and great thy works, God of praise! How just, King of saints, and true are thy ways! O who shall not fear thee, and honor thy Name? Thou only art holy, thou only supreme. When we cease to view the works of God with utter amazement, we need to pause and re-examine our inner hearts. Men contribute time and money to so-called ministries of miracles but fail to witness a single true miracle. If they but opened their eyes to the circumstances of birth and the beauty of nature, they could observe miracles with farl= less effort and expense. His justice is measured in truth and love. Fear is the beginning of wisdom, but not the end. The mortal fear of the sinner is transformed into fear of bringing dishonor upon the name of a great and loving Father.
2 To nations of earth thy light shall be shown; their worship and vows shall come to thy throne: thy truth and thy judgments shall spread all abroad, till earth's every people confess thee their God. The laws of every nation on earth observes the law of God to some extent; but their observance is often mixed with sinful shortcomings. In all cases, murder and fraud are proclaimed illegal, but in most cases, justice depends upon the influence of the offender. It may seem unlikely that the truth and judgments of God shall spread until all peoples confess God as the Lord; however, that time will not come until the last day when every knee shall bow and every mouth proclaim Him Lord. Whether motivated by faith or not, the great power of God is sovereign over all the earth.
+Jerry Ogles
The Sermon – Third Sunday in Lent
OUR DEFENSE AGAINST ALL ENEMIES;
Sermon Summary for 3rd Sunday in Lent,
“Awake thou that sleepest, and
arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” (Ephesians
5:14)
The Collect. 
WE beseech thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires of thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty, to be our defence against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
There is no greater weapon
fashioned than those two arms of Light and Love. We have the Light of the world
in our Lord Jesus Christ. The are both defensive in sheltering from the storms
of life, and offensive in propagating the Gospel. Our collect for the 3rd
Sunday in Lent emphasizes our dependence upon the Lord in our righteous desires
and petitions, while the Epistle sets forth the means of gaining the favor of
Heaven in all our ways; and that way is one of righteousness conceived in Love “.
. . walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for
us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour, (Ephesians
5:2)and illumined by the Light of Christ to show us the way.
When the heart is possessed of the sweet-smelling fragrance of the Love of Christ, and guided by the Light to direct our paths and the Lamp of the Holy Spirit to light our steps, we need not consider sinful temptations for the believer is no longer under the burden of sin. He acts out of love for Christ and his fellows, and love covers all sin (Proverbs 10:12). His desire is to do the will of God and not that of the Serpent of the Garden. “ . . . arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” (Ephesians 5:14)
We find in our Gospel the Lord Jesus Christ casting out devils. I hope we do not believe that the last devil has been cast out from among us, for the minions of the Devil inhabit the very air about us. “1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” (Ephesians 2:1-2)
The world has yet to shed itself of the unbecoming yoke of the devil and sin – and it cannot, in any wise, do so without the power of the Holy Spirit guiding and directing in the lives of His people. There are many among us today (perhaps more than at the time of Christ) of demon-possessed men, women and children who walk among us. One great demon-possession is related to perversions of sex.
There are no pleasant words that come from the mouths of those made dumb with sin; but when the Holy Spirit has drawn the possessed one to the Throne of Mercy and Grace, the righteous tongue is loosed and the one that was possessed speaks with conviction and authority in proclaiming the beauty and wonder of God.
The world refuses to acknowledge the work of the Lord in the lives of His Elect. They denounce every good fruit and prefer the cankered fruits that have lain too long in contact with the earth. The world ascribes false motives to good works. Satan will never cast out himself, but these buggers of the Jews claim that Christ casts out devils by the power of Beelzebub – Prince of the flies and Air. When the fly lands on putrid meats, there will arise maggots that the Pharisees claim is the life that Christ offers. Beelzebub is a demon, and the demon will not cast out his progenitor. No works of the devil have ever resulted in a good and righteous outcome.
The people of the time of Christ were little different from the multitudes of our day who demand a ‘sign.’ There are churches that claim to possess the power to work great signs and wonders; and these seem far more popular to the common mind that those who preach Christ alone, and Him crucified. Signs and wonders are not the fulcrum of faith. “38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:39-40) What did these words of our Lord mean? It meant that in spite of witnesses many signs, wonders and miracles (even resurrecting from the dead) most still refused to believe. It was not God that these sought, but to have their imaginations pricked by signs and wonders. Most of the mega-churches (maybe all) of our day, tickle the ears of men and women to believe a lie. Our Lord points to the essentials of the matter. Jonah was buried for three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, and the third day, the Lord delivered him from death. The same will be true of Christ. He will be crucified, dead and buried for three days and three nights, and God will raise Him up on the third Day! That is enough to know that He is the Con of God – the Messiah!
Is the rock of Faith enough for us? It must be and certainly will be. We do not need to see a smiling jackal pouncing about demanding things of God and even calling down the Holy Ghost as if He has nothing better to do than to entertain with signs and wonders. My friends, the Church needs to get serious about the deep matters of faith and grace. Our days on earth are too few to waste them on false expectations from the ninety-day wonders of the pulpit.
Jesus did cast out devils by the finger of God – the same Finger that inscribed the Ten Commandments on Tables of Stone, and wrote upon the ground twice when confronted with the woman taken in adultery. It is still our Lord Jesus Christ who must expunge our hearts of sinful desires and behaviors. We cannot do so in the least. We may seek our personal righteousness by believing we can ‘clean up our act,’ But our weakness and failure is borne out in future lapses – time after time. We end with greater sins that ever before we began the attempt. We are already dead in trespasses and sin. A dead man can do nothing to revive his dead soul and body. But the Holy Spirit must proclaim our quickening in making us alive in Christ in the same sense as Christ called forth Lazarus from the tomb at Bethany.
Rather than praise the company attending churches and doing good deeds to be seen of men, it is much more critically important to hear the Word of God and to keep it. “27And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. 28But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” (Luke 11:27-28) And so must we do likewise.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy ghost. AMEN
In Christ Alone during Lent,
† Jerry Ogles
Presiding Bishop.
Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide &
Chancellor, Faith Theological Seminary
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 Third Sunday in Lent
Ephesians 5:1-14; Luke 11:14-28
JESUS AND THE DEMONS
My dear brethren, let us not judge according to our worldly standards, but let us discern spirits according to the Word of God. The tree is judged by its fruits. “Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” (Matthew 7:17). Our Lord Jesus Christ invites us to sort out good and bad preachers (I tremble!): (Matthew 7:15-16): “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” Let us therefore produce good fruits, the fruits of repentance (Ephesians 5:1-2): “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”
The Pastors are the first to be targeted by Christ and by the crowds of believers (1 Peter 5:2-3): “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” This is what Paul asks Timothy (1 Timothy 5:22): “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.” And after the Pastors come the faithful whom Christ “… made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.” (Revelation 1:6). We have all been instructed to be holy, even as your heavenly Father is holy (1 Peter 1:13-15): “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” For Paul is indeed speaking “… to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:” (1 Corinthians 1:2). And the same Paul gives us the key to holiness (2 Corinthians 6:6): “By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned”
Charity can be imitated, when it is not sincere. This is the case when it does not come from the heart. We are then witnessing a hypocritical game that consists of pretending to love from the front, and undoing from behind, by dressing up for the winter those who have trusted us with their confidences.
The word charity is also translated as the word love. What is the difference between them both? The word Love is often overused, abused of, and reduced to desire, lust and pleasure. On the other hand, charity is a Christian specialty; it aims to satisfy the desires of God, and please the other. The difference between vulgar love and Christian charity is that love is selfish, and charity altruistic. All charitable action is therefore aimed at the good of the other, not out of duty, but out of a sincere impulse, such as that which prompted the Father to send us his only Son to die in our place on a cross (1 John 4:10-12): “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.” We see God by His works.
And what had we done, so that the Father would send us His Son? We have made God feel sorry for us. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit had mercy on us, for we were all prisoners in the clutches of Satan, unable to do anything good, fruitful or righteous. We had no merit, no good works that we could boast of: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). Christ himself repeats it to us (Luke 5:32): “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Apart from God, no one is righteous. But God declares us righteous when we are justified by faith in Christ's unique sacrifice on the cross, and washed by His Blood, which is infused into us, transfused by the Holy Spirit. Then God manifests His glory by considering us holy – but it is His holiness that is shared with us, communicated. We can in no way become holy by our good works, but only by the holiness of God within us. This is the biblical vision that the Reformers have left us, after Paul and Augustine.
God manifests His glory through us, with us, and in us—not our glory but His, as Paul explains to us (Ephesians 1:3-14): “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him 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. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” And the same Paul reveals to us the cause of our holiness (Ephesians 5:30): “For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.”
Do you now understand the reaction of the only person among the crowd of our Lord Jesus Christ's listeners who understood the loftiness of His message and had the courage to challenge Him (Luke 11:27): “And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.” And it had to be a woman to use that image of breastfeeding – she knew what she was talking about. And Christ's response was not long in coming (Luke 11:28): “But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” Through this woman, Jesus invites us to go beyond the whey stage (1 Corinthians 3:2-3): “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” Now, we are supposed to conduct ourselves in the manner of Christ (Hebrews 5:8-14): “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;0Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Solid meat is listening to God's Word and keeping it. Read the Bible. Listen to the Sunday sermon. Pray with perseverance with the Book of Common Prayer as your biblical guide. These are the marks of divine holiness in us.
Indeed, our nature as sons and daughters of Adam pursues us and wears us down to death. We are dying because of Adam's sin. That's the way it is. And Paul does not say the opposite: (1 Corinthians 15:22): “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” They will be quickened by the faith and grace that is in Christ, and not by their good intentions, nor by good works. Original sin shocks those who are not familiar with the Gospel of Christ. Having to eventually die because of the fault of someone else, and a stranger, moreover, seems unfair to them. But the good news is the countershock: God restores His righteousness by quickening us, if we belong to Christ by faith. And this life that He gives us is eternal, indestructible, because it is beyond the reach of Satan's clutches.
There is one point that remains to be clarified: How can we be strong and well enough armed to guard our house against unclean spirits? How can we prevent these evil spirits from coming back to squat our house? (Luke 11:21-22): “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.” We cannot rely on our own weapons, our self-defense, but only on the power of Christ who casts out demons (Luke 11:20): “But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.” And what is this finger of God, if not the same finger that engraved the Tablets of the Law? (Exodus 31:18): “And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.”
To remain strong in faith and well equipped to resist unclean spirits, we must return again and again to God's Word, as to the gas station, otherwise we will soon run out of gas, and we will be easy preys for Satan. “... blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” replies Jesus, our Lord and Savior. It is the Law of God that saves us, and that Holy Law is incarnate in Jesus Christ: A true law of love-charity towards God, our parents, our neighbors. For this reason, the Book of Common Prayer makes us repeat the Decalogue once a month and on the great feasts of the liturgical year, in order to help us overcome temptations and avoid the snares of the Liar and his unclean spirits.
Saint Augustine says it in his Confessions, "Love and do what you will". If we love God, then we want what God wants. And God reveals His will to us in the Bible, whose texts He inspired the prophet-writers and the Apostles. But if we do not feed daily on Sacred Scripture, the devil does not take long to come back to us: “Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” (Luke 11:26).
Let us give up pride and boastfulness there. Let us remain simple and humble, knowing that we owe everything to God our Creator and to Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. (2 Corinthians 4:1-7): “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”
Let us give thanks to the Lord for His Mercy towards us who are sinners.
Rt. Rev. Yves Méra, AOC Bishop of France
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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.
Third Sunday in Lent Sermon
Now the self-improvement folks tend to view the world without considering the dark forces that are beyond their field of vision. And in that light they might offer in response to our lesson for today the following excusatory comment, “Well, we’re interested in treating the whole person and as such that will require a different approach even if it may be construed as ‘non-biblical’.” Hmm. While one might experience some initial success with a few of their prescriptions, especially if that subject possesses character traits that would permit them to make positive changes in their lives. Nevertheless, such changes will require constant attention on their part in order to keep things going in the right direction. And, as we have seen time and again in history, mortals do not have the will and wherewithal to maintain their efforts in this regard. So then it stands to reason that based on our scripture lesson, all their works will be for nought if they do not make those changes with God’s help because only he can bring about a lasting reformation in their lives.
And the same holds true for any system that is of man’s creation. How about political reformation? For instance, in 494 B.C. the common people of Rome— or plebeians— marched out of the city en mass leaving the patricians— or nobles— to “do their own heavy lifting”. In response, as the story goes, the patricians sent a delegation to the plebeians to get them to return. One of the factors that led to their return permitted the plebeians to make some changes in Roman law which they thought would be favorable to them. In particular they got to appoint two tribunes to the Senate with the power to “veto” any proposed law they did not like. How do you suppose that worked out? Well, history tells us that once the plebeians had returned, the senators managed to thwart the plebeians’ efforts by not seating their tribunes inside the Senate chamber. They were forced to sit outside the door and listen to all proceedings and then shout “Veto” or “I forbid” through the partially open door of the senate chamber. Not exactly what the plebeians had in mind. And even after being eventually allowed to enter the Senate proper, the tribunes were subject to all manner of corrupting influences to which many succumbed without much fanfare. So much for self-improvement in the political realm.
Now some may ask, “What of our world today?” Consider for example Woodrow Wilson’s presidential campaign of 1916. At that time, the First World War was in its second year and Wilson wanted to sell his appearance as a candidate for peace since the bulk of the American people did not want to participate in that conflict. So he and his campaign managers came up with the following slogan, “He kept us out of war” which paid off for him on election day. Nevertheless, once re-elected Wilson then used every occasion to bring about America’s entry into that conflict which one U.S. senator called, “a war of the crowned heads of Europe” and which served the interests of only a tiny minority who stood to benefit financially from our participation. Not exactly the outcome that most folks who voted for Wilson had in mind. And it is fair to say that the list of such examples is, shall we say, voluminous. The Bible also supplies us with the actions of the Israelite kings who were faithful to God as well as those who were not. From it pages we are informed that most if not all of the works of those good men were often set aside by their successors who did not follow the commandments of God. And while indeed some may have started well, they ended their lives in anguish because they did not remain faithful to the LORD. And so our lesson for today holds true: for all who will not seek and receive the LORD their God, who will not turn unto him and be saved, who will not maintain fellowship with him, such will be judged and their good deeds will be of no consequence for them or their people.
And that is where the evil spirits mentioned by the apostles come into play. Oh, they are ever present, but if they are cast out by people who are not filled with the Holy Ghost— unregenerated men using their own efforts and abilities— then the evil spirits will return as our Lord has said. And they won’t come back alone. They will return with seven worse than themselves. Therefore, their propensity for mayhem will be amplified seven-fold. How fitting are the words of the apostle Paul’s second epistle to St. Timothy in chapter 3 wherein he warned, But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived (v. 13). Consider also St. John’s first epistle warning about the unregenerate being used to corrupt and deceive: Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world (4:1).
Still there is hope for as the apostle Peter once observed: The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished (II St. Peter 2:9). Ergo, with Christ there is deliverance, but without Christ, there can be no protection against the return of the hosts of evil. Consider St. Luke’s gospel (8:26-39). In this lesson, our Lord was travelling through the country of the Gadarenes near the Sea of Galilee when he met a demon-possessed man of that locality. The man had been possessed for a long time and he wandered about naked with no home except a grave yard. It is said that when he saw our Lord, he cried out to him and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not (vv. 27-28). The evil presence had put this poor man through a literal hell on earth and our Lord spoke to the evil presence saying, What is thy name? (v. 30) to which the demon replied, Legion on account of the large number of devils with which the man was possessed. Our Lord cast the evil spirits out of the man and told the man, Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee (v. 39) and the man went away telling everyone what Jesus had done for him which led to further miracles of healing as detailed in verses 41-56.
Contrast the above with an example of simply holding a pretended faith in Jesus Christ as found in the Book of Acts (19:13-18). The details are these: that several Jewish exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth... And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. The demonic spirit attacked those who came with their lack of faith and who were hiding behind the name of our Lord. Their arrogance and their lies were quite visible to that wicked presence who then beat and stripped them naked for all to see. As a result, the whole community became aware of what had happened and many came forward and confessed their sins and were saved.
It should be clear to all that real preaching has real power to influence souls to seek salvation in that name which is above every name and that is Jesus Christ our Lord. It does not mean that every soul exposed to such preaching will be saved, but it does mean however that there is a greater likelihood of success if those so moved will choose to believe. For only those who are sincere and truly seek after Christ will find him ready to receive their calls for forgiveness and will pardon them. As the apostle Paul so noted in Romans 10:9, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. That’s a promise.
The self-help, do-it-yourself crowd apart from Christ are following the Devil’s pied piper. They may have a temporary respite from their difficulties— as per our gospel lesson— but without the Lord Jesus they will be subjected to a far worse state than they had to begin with. And so with that in mind, I urge each of you to embrace Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. He alone can lift the burdens from you that the Devil and his minions have saddled you with. He can and will do it if you will seek his will and follow him in a life of Christian service. God wants us to come to him and be saved. He desires to hear your troubles and to help you with them. If you truly wish to be freed from the ill effects of a life of sin,
then come to Christ today. Some may offer the excuse for not coming to our Lord because they claim that they are, “so mired in sin that they cannot turn”. My reply is “Nonsense!” As the Rev. Matthew Henry once noted concerning St. Paul epistle to Hebrews (10:16-18), that “their sins and iniquities he will remember no more, which alone will show the riches of divine grace and the sufficiency of Christ’s satisfaction, that it needs not be repeated. There shall be no more remembrance of sin against true believers, either to shame them now or to condemn them hereafter.” The sufficiency of our Lord is that true freedom found in him for us. And in that light, if you have not already done so, I implore each of you to accept our Lord’s finished work on our behalf. Confess your sins to God in his name. It is as simple as bowing your head and privately communicating the same to him. You don’t have to make a big show before others. You don’t need any so-called mediator other than our Lord. Remember, it is just between you and the Godhead. Only through a heart-felt confession to God in Christ can we have hope of redemption and reformation as a child of God and inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. And after you have confessed and accepted Christ, then live the life our Lord has extended to you and be thankful for it.
Let us pray,
Holy Father, assist us as we witness to others and impress upon them with thy most holy Spirit the sincere desire to be healed of their sins and trespasses; and these things we ask in the name of him who is our Lord and Savior even Jesus Christ. 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 for Third Sunday in Lent
Psalm 27; First lesson. Proverbs 4:7-18; Second lesson. Luke 11:29-36
HYMNS # 563,145,553
WE beseech thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires of thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty, to be our defence against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
“It’s about Light”
Please take note of our three scripture selections for this third Sunday in Lent. They are all about light. Shining paths of light and righteousness, light and salvation, the light in the eye of a righteous person. What is so fascinating about light? It can penetrate all manner of spiritual darkness, it can bring a greater understanding of events during strange and perilous times. Light is what reveals the truth.
During this very confusing time of what appears to be cataclysmic events and chaos, the Light of the Gospel can and will dispel the darkness and evil that is being peddled as truth.
This message will be dated by the remarks and references made through out these words. There is a certain level of background hype and hysteria that is being pushed by the twenty-four hour news cycle.
Every cable outlet, every major and for that matter minor news syndicate has only a certain amount of time to make money on the “bad” news that seems to ooze out of every possible “scientific” and “health” related source. The truth is somewhere out there, we are just not getting all the facts about the truth.
1. Let us look at the truth in the Word of God.
1The Lord is my light and salvation; whom shall I fear? As we re-read this 27th psalm we see over and over again where the Lord, the LORD, protects us against evil. Notice that it is both spiritual and physical. Yes, there are issues of people being harmed and even dying from the cancer, heart issues, and other debilitating diseases; but if you are in the house of the Lord, what does it matter?
This world is not our home. Get it? This world is not our home, we are just passing through. Now mind you, that doesn’t mean we don’t reach out and help someone in need or distress, but we are not to pin all our hopes on this temporal world.
Do you not see that this is one of the main tenets of communism and socialism? “This is all there is, there is no heaven or hell, all is here, all that you get and will get is here.” It is this mantra that is used to stir up the ignorant and the faithless. They are told that there is no future, there is no life after death, that this is all you get....so you better rise up and get it. The way the Marxist can justify destructive revolution is to stir the masses into total anarchy and take down the system in place. So stop putting your hope in this temporal world. It is doomed. One day it will be wiped away, replaced with a new heaven and earth, one that is perfect just like the Garden was before sin entered it through Adam and Eve.
2. We are to seek the face of the Lord.
As David wrote so many generations ago, we are to seek the face of the Lord. We are to call unto, in fact cry unto Him for mercy and help. Are we? He will not leave or forsake us. It is promised. Seek God while He may be found. Do we turn off the news and constant babbling on tv, internet, or how ever we receive that news and see the Lord? It is time to turn from the world’s idea of peace and security and look to the Lord.
Now, as we have heard or read in one of Bishop Jerry’s letter to the churches, we don’t throw caution to the wind, but we also exercise some common sense. Remember, these are the same news sources that tell us every year we are going to experience the worse winter weather in modern memory. What is said when that doesn’t happen? Crickets.
Hype gets ratings, hype sells copy, hype keeps people coming back for more bad news, every minute, every day. 5For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. (Ps. 27:5) So shouldn’t this be our response? Turn the darkness away with the Light. 1The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Ps 27:1)
And because He is our light...6And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. (Ps 27:6) Let us sing praises unto the LORD.
3.When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. (Ps. 27:10)
Even when it seems the whole world is against us and has what appears to be the answers to the chaos please remember the words of David: 10When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. 11Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
12Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. Do not be troubled: …3Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. (Ps. 27:10-12…3) And most importantly during this time of induced chaos and confusion remember these words: 14Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. (Ps. 27:14)
And now a final word about light as it dispels darkness. Let us turn to the Gospel reading today from St. Luke11:29-36: 33No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. 34The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. 35Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. 36If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
In these words from Luke’s Gospel we find the most important message for today. We are to be the Light for the world. We are to reflect and shine the light of truth, the light that has no dealing with darkness, the light that the world so desperately needs at this time, with a crisis or without a crisis, the world is going to hell because it doesn’t have the Light. Are we being that Light? Let us ask the Lord to make us a light unto the world during this very confusing time. Let the peace of the Lord and the Light of the Word be a part of our life and that it would be revealed to this dying world today.
Let us pray:
O GOD, merciful Father, that despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart, nor the desire of such as be sorrowful; Mercifully assist our prayers that we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities, whensoever they oppress us; and graciously hear us, that those evils, which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man worketh against us, be brought to nought; and by the providence of thy good ness they may be dispersed; that we thy servants, being hurt by no persecutions, may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, in whom we live and move and have our being; We, thy needy creatures, render thee our humble praises, for thy preservation of us from the beginning of our lives to this day, and especially for having delivered us from the dangers of the past night. For these thy mercies, we bless and magnify thy glorious Name; humbly beseeching thee to accept this our morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; for his sake who lay down in the grave, and rose again for us, thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Bishop Roy Morales-Kuhn
The Rev. Don
Fultz
Rector of St. Peter’s AOC located in the AOC National Office
We are grateful to have this sermon
of the today from Rev. Don Fultz from St. Peter’s AOC, Statesville, NC.
Sermon for the Third Sunday in Lent
Luke 11: 29-36
Signs, signs, and more signs Jesus had given the unbelieving Jews many signs during his ministry that he was the Messiah. He had performed many miracles including healing the blind and the afflicted, casting our demons, and even raising people from the dead. However, many of them, especially the Jewish religious leadership had still rejected Him. Jesus just did not seem to fit the mold that they were looking for in a Messiah. They were looking for this glorious Conquering King who was to come out of the seed of David and rescue them from their Roman bondage. Instead, they get this plain, humble and compassionate Messiah who calls for them to repent their sins and be baptized. So many of the Jews were still looking for this sign from heaven that Jesus was the true Messiah. They wanted something so remarkable, so outstanding, that there would be no question that He was the Messiah, the son of God. As Christians, we walk by faith not by sight. Sadly, seeing is not always believing! Thousands saw Christ continually while he was on earth, and yet clung to their sins. Even Jesus own siblings at one time “did not believe in Him (see John 7:5).
The desperate unbelief of the Jews in our Lord’s time is quite evident in our text this morning. We are told in Luke11:29, that though they “gathered thick together” to hear Christ preach, some still professed to be waiting for a sign. Even after in their presence, Jesus had performed a miraculous healing of a blind and dumb person who was possessed with a devil and couldn’t speak. After Jesus casted out the devil, the dumb person spoke. (Luke 11:14).
But in still of believing in Jesus, some in the crowd, “said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub, the chief of the devils.” (Luke 11:15) The name “Beelzebub” comes from a Hebrew term that means “Lord of the flies” and was often associated with Satan. By alleging that Jesus worked through Beelzebub, the detractors of Jesus attempted to delegitimize His miracles and portray Him as an agent of darkness. But others in the crowd, tempting Him, sought of Him a sign from heaven. (Luke 11:16) They pretended to want more evidence before they believed. But Jesus tells them, ‘29This is an evil generation”, they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the Prophet.” And “30For as Jonas was a sign into the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of Man be to this generation.” (Luke 11:29-30)
Jesus tells the crowd that there will be no other signs forthcoming that He wasn’t already exhibiting in his daily ministry. The last big sign would be the sign of Jonah. The account of Jonah is a great story about disobedience, repentance, redemption and conversion. It is a story of a Hebrew prophet who is called by God to preach repentance to Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria. The Assyrians were Gentiles and arch enemies of Israel. The Assyrians had destroyed and brutalized wherever they had gone during Jonah’s era.
Now God commands Jonah to go and preach to these enemies. But instead of going east towards Nineveh (present day Iraq on the Tigris River, about 220 miles northwest of Baghdad), Jonah pays for passage on a ship bound west to Tarshish about as far as you can travel away from Nineveh. He was not only disobeying God’s calling but was even trying to flee from God’s presence! But God causes a great storm and all of the crew on the ship were fearful for their lives.
After casting lots and being confronted by the crew, Jonah admits to them it is he that God is angry at, so he agrees to be thrown overboard and is swallowed by a big fish (Whale). He is in the whale’s belly for three days and three nights. While in the belly of the fish, Jonah cries out “Salvation is from the Lord.” (Jonah 2:9) and continues to pray to God for mercy. God hears his prayers and gives him another chance. Then the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land, somewhere on the shores of Assyria.
After God asks him a second time, Jonah goes to Nineveh, but he is still filled with anger and bitterness towards its people. In his mind, he was hoping that the Ninevites would not repent. Yet out of obedience to God he goes to the central of the city and preaches that if everyone doesn’t repent, the city will be totally destroyed in 40 days.
We are told in Jonah 3:5-6:“5So the people of Nineveh believed God and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them 6For word came into the King of Nineveh and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes…. 8But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and the violence that is in their hands.” Their change in heart and turning away from evil demonstrates the power of God’s grace. The result was a total repentance of over 120,000 persons (Jonah 4:11) and God turns his anger from Nineveh ---much to Jonah’s displeasure. The story reminds us that God desires repentance and offers redemption to all, regardless of their past actions.
The story of Jonah foreshadows the redemptive work of Jesus. Both men preached and people turned to God for repentance. Both were willing to sacrifice their lives for the salvation of others---Jonah his shipmates---Jesus for the salvation of the world. But both of these were probably not big enough signs to convince the hard-hearted Jews.
The big sign that Jesus was referring to was the comparison of Jonah’s three days in the belly of the whale and Jesus death and burial in the tomb, to be raised to life on the third day. Jesus spells this out in much clarity in Matthew 12:40: “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whales belly; so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” The sign that Jesus was referring to was the sign of his death and Resurrection. This was the last big sign He was giving to the Pharisees and other non-believing Jews.
Then Jesus told the crowd in Luke:, “31The queen of the South shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came for the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 32The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.” (Luke 11:32-23)
Jesus tells the Jews that the Queen of Sheba, a foreigner came from a far off (present day Yemen) to visit Solomon and acknowledged his wisdom and his God (1 Kings, Chapter 10). She was a foreigner but she still believed. The residents of Nineveh were foreigners and yet they believed and repented. The point Jesus was making that if foreigners can believe and acknowledge God, what excuse do the Jews have who can see the Son of God preaching in their midst, and yet rebuke him rather than repent.
Jesus tells them that his ministry is even greater than Jonah’s was and yet his people did not repent. He also tells them one is here that is greater and wiser than Solomon, but his people still did not believe and repent. St. John 1: 10-12 tells us of this rejection: “10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11He came into his own, and his own received Him not.” (John 1:10-11)
Then He tells them that one day, those Jews who have rejected Christ will be judged by these same foreigners -–Queen of Sheba and the Ninevites who were made believers. Here he gives us a glimpse of the future resurrection of all people and the final Day of Judgment. As St. Paul tells us in 2nd Corinthians, chapter 5:10: “10For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” And in Hebrew 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement”
Now Jesus turns from his demonstrations of the wickedness of his generation to a discussion of light and darkness. He says Luke 11:33 “No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.” What Jesus is telling us is that the lighted Candle represents the spiritual light of the Gospel of Christ. Jesus in his sermon on the mount used this comparison in the context of the disciples as witnesses: In Matthew 5: 14-16 which he says “13Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid….” 15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
The Pharisees and other religious leaders had the light of the Gospel presented to them with all of the advantage they could desire but chose not to receive it. God didn’t put the lighted candle of the gospel in a secret place, or under a bushel. Christ did not preach in hidden corners. The Apostles were ordered to preach the gospel to every creature-Jews and Gentiles.
Then Jesus says in Luke 11:34-36 “34The light of the body is the eye; therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. 35Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. 36If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.”
Jesus is using the image of eyesight to convey an important spiritual principal. He is telling us the eye is like a window that sheds a spiritual light unto our hearts, mind, and inner being (our soul). If the window is clouded, dirty, or marred in any manner, the light will be deflected and diminished. The same is true with the “inner being” of a person. The spiritual health of our eyes affects our heart, and soul.
If our eye is singular, it will be fixed on spiritual good things which are honest, lovely, and pure as St. Paul tells us in Phil: 4:8. Then this spiritual light will shine throughout our whole body. Our hearts and soul will then be able to discern between good and evil, truth and falsehood. If our whole body is full of light, our hearts will be open to receive and entertain the Gospel, which will bring along with it both knowledge and joy. This is the same thing Jesus had illustrated in his parable of the sower regarding having good ground in receiving God’s word and understanding it.
However, if our eye is evil, then our whole body will be full of darkness rather than light. Then we will not be able to discern between good and evil, truth and falsehood and our hearts will not be open or receptive to the Gospel. So what causes this evil eye? Certainly, pride, prejudice, jealousy, and self-conceit can distort our vision and cause us to have an evil eye. This causes us to focus on material things of the world rather than the Glory of God and his kingdom. The Pharisees saw Jesus preach and men and women respond in faith. They saw his many miracles but they discerned them through their evil, self-protecting self-righteous spiritual eyes, and saw Jesus as their enemy rather than their friend and Savior.
In closing, as believers we should always keep our singular eye on Christ. Everything we do should be for the praise and glory of Him. We should always put our trust in Him. Then we can say as Psalm 27:1 tells us “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost Amen
Don Fultz+
Rev. David
McMillan
AOC Minister at Large
Alabama
We are Fortunate today to have a sermon from Rev. David McMillian
THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT
Sun, Mar 23, 2025 The Third Sunday in Lent Ex 3:1-15 Ps 103 or 103:1-12 1 Cor 10:1-13 Luke 13:1-9(10-17) " YBH-Yes But How?..."
"A man borrowed a book from an acquaintance. As he read through it, he was intrigued to find parts of the book underlined with the letters YBH written in the margin. When he returned the book to the owner, he asked what the YBH meant. The owner replied that the underlined paragraphs were sections of the book that he basically agreed with. They gave him hints on how to improve himself and pointed out truths that he wished to incorporate into his life. However, the letters YBH stood for "Yes, but how?"
Those three letters could be writ on the margins of ours souls: "I ought to know how to take better care of myself, but how?" "I know I ought to spend more time in scripture reading and prayer, but how?" "I know I ought to be more sensitive to others, more loving of my spouse, more understanding of the weaknesses of others, but how?" These are all good qualities and we know that, but how can we acquire them? As Christian people we know the kind of life we ought to live, and most of us have the best of intentions to do so, but how? We are afraid because we know where the road paved with only good intentions leads!
This morning we hear Jesus' parable of the fig tree, telling us to repent and bear good fruit. We know what the Christian life requires of us and yet, if we are honest with ourselves, we also know how far short we fall. So the question that confronts us this morning is: "Yes, but how?"
It's a dilemma that has confronted God's people throughout the ages. Even Saint Paul found himself trapped. In Romans 7 Paul writes: It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love to do God's will so far as my new (redeemed Christian) nature is concerned; but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind, I want to be God's willing servant, but instead I find myself enslaved to sin.... "from sermons@sermons.com
Lent. (Morning Prayer bids us to do this too....repent.)
Rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Joel ii. 13.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalm li. 17.
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. St. Luke xv. 18, 19.
The Gospel for today talks about repentance and fig trees.
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree-Luke 13
"6He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down"
Jesus told this parable to teach that without fruit the Christian is playing, and not believing with faith. Repentance is necessary to enter the kingdom of God. Luke 13:5- " I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
What is repentance? Μετανοέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: metanoeó
Pronunciation:
meh-tah-no-EH-oh
Phonetic Spelling:
(met-an-o-eh'-o)
Definition: Repent
Meaning: I repent, change my mind,
change the inner man (particularly with reference to acceptance of the will of
God), repent.
Word Origin: From the Greek words
"meta" (meaning "after" or "beyond") and
"noeo" (meaning "to think" or "to perceive"),
thus implying a change of mind or heart. (from biblehub.com)
1. The parable of the fig tree shows the need for repentance, and the "slowness of God to punish." Luke by Leon Morris.
I have a tree in my front yard that has no leaves, but last year it did on the bottom half.I have sprayed it for a certain bug that may be causing the problem, but the top half of the tree did not produce leaves all last year. Now I am not cutting it down even though the neighbor who has a similar tree across the road said I should.
I am waiting for some leaves this year on the tree. The last phrase of this parable may be better thought of as, "you can cut it down." ( in the original language). I had not seen that before, and it shows that God is longsuffering and has patience with us. This is from Leon Morris' Luke. ( a well known evangelical in the Church of England)
2. The word for repentance should be thought of not just as change of mind, but change of heart.
Another well known Bishop in the American Episcopal church Bishop Allison of South Carolina brings out a deeper point as well in his discussion on what the original word for repentance means in the greek language, " the word for repentance means in the greek change of mind, but it actually should read change of heart as the Greeks had no word for that." in The Anglican Way, Easter 2003.
"To truly repent we need to know what needs changing and it is not simply our minds. Mark Twain said that giving up smoking was the easiest thing in the world, ' I've done it a thousand times."
Changing our hearts is God's work in changing our hearts through His grace. "The Heidelberg Catechism gives a good biblical definition of true faith:
Question 21. What is true faith?
Answer: True faith is not only a certain knowledge, whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in his word, but also an assured confidence, which the Holy Ghost works by the gospel in my heart; that not only to others, but to me also, remission of sin, everlasting righteousness and salvation, are freely given by God, merely of grace, only for the sake of Christ’s merits."
I quote more here of the Catechism and a comment on it as it is so helpful at this point, " Repentance is turning from sin to obedience. Internally, it is a hatred of sin and a motivation to live in gratitude and love by obeying God’s commands. Externally it is changed conduct. Saving faith is a gift of God in our hearts leading us to trust him alone for our forgiveness, righteousness, and salvation, only because of what Christ has done for us.
So, which comes first—faith or repentance? The answer is faith precedes repentance; it is a fruit of saving faith—not the other way around. A person is reconciled to God (justified) by faith alone, not by faith plus works. Yet, faith without repentance is not saving faith....
Daniel Rowlands | “Faith or Repentance—Which Comes First? | May 10, 2022"
3. Lastly in conclusion. YBH. Yes, but how? JC Ryle said it this way, " When you finally realize it isn't about cutting off sin, it's about loving God so much your desires to sin no longer exists."
Rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Joel ii. 13.
And Amen.
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.
Third Sunday in Lent
Click link to listen and watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfDAHWCFUYo
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.
Prayer Needed:
We
humbly seek thy face in the words of our prayers, beseeching thee, O God, to
acknowledge our petitions and bring comfort and an end to suffering of the
following of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and we thank thee for answered
prayer,
Ursula- mental darkness
Thomas and Patricia Broom – hospitalizations – car accident & fall-broken back
Robin, Craig & Anita – Mom Robin in hospice care – cancer – son and daughter for suppport
Colin and daughter, Lori Beall – cancer
Toni- Breast Cancer- Surgery went well, keep praying for successful recovery treatment-praise god
Donna – Breast Cancer- Surgery March 24th
Malou – Cancer
Jim Kniffen – AFIB – -AFIB converted – surgery on hold temporarily- pray he stays out of AFIB
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
Katie Pope –treatment for Stage 4 Pulmonary Carcinoma “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14)
Mauri Turner – Stomach cancer
For the government and people of South Korea that God will protect them
from the forces of Communism.
The Thanksgiving.
TO our prayers, O Lord, we join our unfeigned thanks for all thy mercies; for our being, our reason, and all other endowments and faculties of soul and body; for our health, friends, food, and raiment, and all the other comforts and conveniences of life. Above all, we adore thy mercy in sending thy only Son into the world, to redeem us from sin and eternal death, and in giving us the knowledge and sense of our duty towards thee. We bless thee for thy patience with us, notwithstanding our many and great provocations; for all the directions, assistances, and comforts of thy Holy Spirit; for thy continual care and watchful providence over us through the whole course of our lives; and particularly for the mercies and benefits of this day; beseeching thee to continue these thy blessings to us, and to give us grace to show our thankfulness in a sincere obedience to his laws, through whose merits and intercession we received them all, thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Keep Praying for the following:
Shamu, Mauri Turner, Mike, Dotty, Jan Jessup, Steve, Josh Morley, Jennifer,
AOC USA, AOC Missions, Zach, Jess, Luke, Jacquie, Harper,
Jim Sevier, Linda,
Colin, Lowery, Robert, Donna, Eddie, Tate, Alicia, Leslie
Amen
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