250601 AOC Sunday Report
Anglican Orthodox Churchsm
Worldwide Communion
Sunday after Ascension
Sunday Report
June 1, 2025
Sunday after Ascension 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) or an entire season, like Advent or Lent. The Propers for today are found on page 179-180
The Collect for Sunday after Ascension
O GOD, the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven; We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us un-to the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
The Epistle for Sunday after Ascension. 1 St. Peter iv. 7.
THE end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
The Gospel for the Sunday after Ascension. St. John xv. 26, and part of Chap. xvi.
WHEN the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them.
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:
Effectual Calling
John Kent, 1766-1843
There is a
period known to God
When all His sheep, redeemed by blood,
Shall leave the hateful ways of sin,
Turn to the fold, and enter in.
At peace with
Hell, with God at war,
In sin's dark maze, they wander far,
Indulge their lust, and still go on,
As far from God, as sheep can run.
But see how
God's indulgent care
Attends their
wanderings, here and there;
Still tracking them, wherever they stray,
With piercing thorns, to hedge their way.
When wisdom
calls, they stop their ear,
And headlong seek, their mad career;
Judgments and
mercies, can never sway,
Their roving feet, to wisdom's way.
Glory to God,
they never shall rove,
Beyond the limits of His love;
Fenced with Jehovah's shalls and wills,
Firm as the
everlasting hills.
The appointed
time, rolls on apace,
To call effectually, by His grace;
To change the heart, renew the will,
And turn the feet, to Zion's hill.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to
the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover
whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
(Romans 8:29-30)
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44)
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
Names of Christ Series: The Branch
Click link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZokcmKlq09A
Devotions for Youth and the Young at Heart
Life of the Upward Way
Click link to view you tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdeUygyrgjQ
Please take the time
to listen to this wonderful devotion
From one of the Youths
of St. Andrews AOC
Miss Soomin Kim
Click link: https://youtu.be/3a-dVsE9C6Y
Bishop’s Letter – Ascension Day
29 May 2025 Anno Domini
9And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:9-11)
When I was just a very young boy, I loved to go out in the sage fields near our mountain home on sunny autumn days and just lie there looking at the high, white, puffy clouds. The only sound was the chill-autumn wind and an occasional distant droning of an aircraft. Though I have always loved planes, my curious attention was more focused on those mysterious clouds – so very high, and constantly changing. I wondered what they were made of, and how they kept from falling. I imagined some figure in every cloud. In those days, I had an unbounded imagination. I saw generals on horseback, sabers drawn, fixed in time during the charge against the enemy.
Sometimes, I thought I saw angels, or castles, and every other object that occupies the imagination of youth. I was unaware, at that age, of the majesty and glory of one particular cloud that hovered over Mount Olivet outside the gates of Jerusalem, and overlooking the village of His friends – Bethany - some two thousand years ago. It was a very special cloud, unlike any others that had ever formed. It did not appear as different from any other cloud. The thing that made it special was that which the cloud was privileged to receive – our Lord Jesus Christ. The same is true of the heart of man. We may not often tell by looks, but the difference is in whether that heart, like the cloud, has received the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord knows because He is One who looks upon the heart and not the outward appearance.
Jesus came into the world – into Time and Space – to work out His wonderful plan of redemption for us. He came from the Eternal Halls of Heaven into a world that had rejected Him and grown gross in sin and sparing of beauty. Upon the completion of His atoning sacrifice, He rose from the grave and, at the appointed time, ascended back into that Eternity into which no man can look from his platform on this sphere. I refer to that great Church Calendar event of Ascension Day. It occurs always on the 40th day past Easter Sunday (on Thursday). The Ascension of Christ is one of the five major milestones recorded in the gospels of the Life of Christ and is re-confirmed in both the Nicene and the Apostles Creeds.
Just before He was taken up in bodily form, the Lord spoke to the eleven Apostles (and to you and me): “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:46-49) All who believe have been endued with that “Power from on High – the Holy Ghost!” The leading question that should grip your heart is this: Have we, each clergy and laity, preached the Gospel of Christ, and the repentance and remission of sins, to every remunerative audience? Is the Gospel that we preach the full Gospel and not diluted with the soiled hands of translators and critics? THAT is the question, friend.
As Christ ascended from Mount Olivet, He was received into that blessed cloud – out of the sight, for a time, of all beholders – but not out of mind or Spirit. That same cloud that received Christ shall be seen again at the return of Christ. We have God’s promise on that: “. . . behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” To the weathered seaman, clouds building in the East may not be welcomed, but to those who grow and produce crops, such clouds would be a welcome harbinger of plenty. To the Christian, we should remember that cloud that received Christ when we look into the heavens. We should remember, as well, that One (King of Kings and Lord of Lords) shall receive you into that same Cloud of Glory at His return. Remember that cloud in which God appeared on Mt Sinai in the days of Moses (Ex 19:18); that Cloud (Pillar) of Fire by Night and Smoke by Day that followed Israel in the Wilderness (And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. Ex 13:21-22); and remember that cloud that covered the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration to protect their frailty from the Bright Glory of God – “While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.” (Luke 9:34-35) Here, as in the last day, the disciples were WITH Christ in the Cloud. Any clouds in YOUR forecast, friend?
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. AMEN.
In Christ Alone at Ascensiontide,
Jerry L. Ogles D. D.
+Jerry
L. Ogles, D.D.
Presiding Bishop,
Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide & Chancellor, Faith Theological
Seminary
Sermon for the Sunday after Ascension
The Collect.
O GOD, the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven; We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us unto the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. AMEN.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer. Amen.
The theme of the Sunday after Ascension is that of the Bride in Waiting. The betrothal will be sealed at the coming of the Holy Ghost. The dowery has been paid and the redeemed Church is awaiting that power from on high which will enable her to rise in weakness and defeat the powers of the earth – her weakness but the power belongs to God alone.
The victory of the cross was shared by our Lord Jesus Christ with the Father for it was the Father’s great sacrifice and will for which Christ came. This is properly averred by our Prayer of Collect. The Lord came in the humble body of a little child but has risen in great glory to the Father once more and, as the Creed says, “from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.” But what of the longing Church languishing in the hateful world as she endures the waiting for the coming of her Bridegroom? Our Lord Jesus will soon send the Comforter in the Person of the Holy Spirit to guide, direct, encourage and to confirm all that which is written of Christ in the Holy Scripture for Christ is the personification of the Word itself.
Christ gave us only one new Commandment – a commandment that was implied in all the Law of God – that we love one another. By that love, the world will know that we belong to Him. Love is indivisible. If we love God we cannot help but love all those who belong to Him and for whom Christ bled and died.
Peter makes the statement in his Epistle (1 Peter 4) that the “end of all things is at hand.” He refers to the completed plan of God in the redemption of His people and the inauguration of the Gospel Age has arrived. No longer will the elect of God cower in dark expectation but walk in the Light of Christ henceforth. Those who sat in darkness have seen that Great Light! (see Isaiah 9:2) Our love must be evidenced in our consideration for the welfare of each member of His elect and the hospitality we demonstrate to down-trodden as well as the exalted. Indeed, we are told in many parts of the Word that loves covers ALL sin. The lover never harms with intent the object of his love. The child will never bring shame or contempt upon his earthly father, neither will he do so to His Heavenly Father. Just as we love and adore our mother, we will love and adore those of our brothers and sisters of the Church.
Along with the gift of power that comes with the grant of the Holy Spirit to every believer comes, as well, the power of love that compels us to share the good Gospel with all into whom we come in contact – not simply the ordained minister, but every lay person as well as “good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Peter 4:10)
Notice the closing words of Peter’s Epistle: “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:11) “Any man” means all who have been blessed by the elect Spirit of God to be part of His Kingdom in the Church.
In our Gospel text from Gospel of St John15, we who are fore-warned will be fore-armed in our tribulations that must surely come. At the Ascension of the Lord, we await in longing His return to receive us to be with Him forever beyond the toils, dangers and enmity of the world – to be on the safe shores of Jordan Waters beyond the Gates of Splendor.
He was taken up from us in a cloud which received Him, and He shall return in like manner. Every cloud is a promise of His return.
To His Apostles, and to us, our Lord informs us that we too will bear witness. Our status as witnesses will be under constant threat of the world for the world hates Light and Truth. Our witness conforms to that same witness that the Holy Spirit bears of Christ. The Holy Spirit nowhere commends Himself but points always to Christ. The power of the Holy Spirit is not one which we bear as a tool of power, but rather a power that emboldens us with the armor of truth to witness of Christ. He is not awaiting the hour of the tv evangelist to come down at the power of the call of that man, but rather whose power and voice calls us to witness.
Our witness is not only FOR Christ, but FROM Christ. It is by His power and inspiration that we witness. All our good works are His. Without Him, we can do no good thing. All our righteous works belong to Him who works in and through us. It is only our unrighteous deeds that we can claim as our own.
The early church gave strong testimony for the power of Christ through their endurance of persecution and even death in their witnessing. It gave force to our own day in which leisure often prevails over any deep-seated burden to share the Gospel. But there are also men, women, and children in our day who are experiencing martyrdom to the same extent as the ancient Church. There are young boys and girls of tender age who have recently refused to recant their faith in Christ at the threat of the sword. Some were beheaded, others crucified in the Levant, rather than deny their Lord. It calls into question the strength of our own faith (and that of the pulpit dandies) in standing so firmly on the grace and Faith of Christ.
“They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.” (John 16:2) I need not remind you of the hate-filled followers of a false god who, today, are killing Christians in the name of that so-called god.
To be honest, none of us can know that hidden strength of our conviction until called upon at the point of a sword to stand firm in the Gospel faith. A reporter once asked the great English minister, Charles Spurgeon, if he had the grace to die for Christ to which Spurgeon responded, “No, I do not have.” “What? You are considered the most notable preacher in Britain today yet you have not the grace to die for your Lord?” was the reporters response. “True” replied Spurgeon, “but if the day ever comes that I am required to give up my life for Christ, I trust He will, at that time, give me the grace and courage to do so.” I believe that summarizes the faith of all who are required to lay down their lives for the One who did so for them.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
† Jerry Ogles
Charles Morley
Bishop of Alabama
Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
We are always happy to get the instruction and devotions that Bp Morley is giving to us. We hope you enjoy the following:
Let me ask everyone who reads this blog, "What is an Anglican?" I say it is a most dangerous question simply because so many will be enraged at the answer - and yes, there Is an answer, one correct answer. I daresay there may be as many answers as there are readers of this article, as there are a variety of opinions, firmly held, by those who profess and call themselves "Anglican" today.
Let me begin by saying that the term "Anglican" has been rendered meaningless in modern times by those who have abused the adjective for false purposes. First coined in the late nineteenth century, the term reflected the international nature of those Christians who followed the beliefs and customs of the Church of England outside the geography of England and Ireland. The Episcopal Church of Scotland and the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States had their own identity based on their origins but were always considered "Anglican" and have remained under that umbrella term while not using the term internally in self-description for political reasons. E.g., the Church of Scotland is historically the Presbyterian Church in that land, and the British monarch, when he crosses the Tweed, becomes the titular head of that Church, not the Scottish Episcopal Church. At one point, not long ago, there were two separate Anglican bodies in South Africa, the Church of South Africa and the conservative Church of England in South Africa, divided by both history and churchmanship, but not - as one might imagine - by apartheid. There are also independent national Churches such as the Nippon Seiko Kai (Japan) and the Philippine Independent Catholic Church and the Polish National Catholic Church which are in Communion with the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. The Anglican Communion was a term adopted only in modern times to describe those Churches connected with the Church of England and the See of Canterbury by mutual agreement.
Most clergy are aware of this bit of historic trivia but surprisingly few lay people are. Most American Episcopalians were aware of some historic connection with the Church of England and imagined that there was some connection with the Archbishop of Canterbury but most could not name the current Archbishop. They had been taught that there was a "doctrine" known as Apostolic Succession which connected bishops and assured their validity but also believed that doctrine separated Episcopalians from all other Protestants. They were also taught - I use the term "taught" because this pious myth exists nowhere in the lexicon of historic Anglicanism - that there was an unbroken "line of succession" of bishops going back to Abp. Thomas Cranmer and ultimately back to the pope of Rome, and that "unbroken line" defined the Church.
In the late 1970s, the Episcopal Church, formerly the Protestant Episcopal Church (dropped the 'Protestant' in 1974) slipped into apostasy over matters such as abortion, women's ordination, homosexuality, and communism, so much so as to earn the criticism of fellow Christians and possible ostracism from what came to be known as "the Anglican Communion." Conservatives considering leaving TEC sought another identity because any association with the word "Episcopal" had a negative connotation.
For several decades prior, small groups had disassociated with TEC and called themselves "Anglican" in one form or another, seeking to remain identified with Canterbury in some fashion but stressing a separate "conservative" persona. They met with little success as most Americans had no idea what an "Anglican" was. It was not uncommon to hear the term mispronounced as "AN- GEL- ICAN."
Problem is, "Anglican" had no theological definition, as the passage of history had altered the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the associated Churches that they were a mixed bag of Anglo-Catholics, Charismatics, and Evangelicals with some Eastern Rite jurisdictions thrown in for good measure. They all attempted to make the term Anglican synonymous with conservative, with most adopting varying degrees of Anglo-Catholicism. None of these groups shared the same doctrine, discipline, or worship as the PECUSA or the Church of England for that matter.
Most failed to realize that the name "Anglican" was no guarantee of conservative theology and it soon became synonymous with Anglo-Catholicism. Meanwhile the Church of England, the Abp. of Canterbury, and many national Anglican Churches had become so liberal as to make the new adjective meaningless. In Canada, the term was especially confusing since ALL Canadian churchmen, liberal AND conservative, are known as Anglicans - and always have been.
In 2009, a group of American Episcopalians, upset over the ordination of another openly gay bishop by TEC organized a new "Anglican" denomination called the Anglican Church in North America. In 1980, the first ACNA was formed in Denver Colorado but had gone defunct by 1998. The new group did not even choose a new name - was largely charismatic in practice, used six different Prayer Books and ordained women to the priesthood but not the episcopate. Originally, they claimed to be in communion with Canterbury through their apostolic succession but dropped that connection when association with Canterbury became problematic. Their one uniting factor seems to be opposition to homosexual marriage and ordination, and they claim they have no gay clergy.
And so, we must still face the question in light of all of this, "what is an Anglican?" No more inerrant authoritative Bible; no more Articles of Religion, with subscription required of all church leaders; no more Common Prayer, as we have multiple Prayer Books teaching very disparate things on Sunday mornings. Nevertheless, it is clear what Anglicanism WAS and what it must be, and it is clear that the Lord has given the AOC the ministry of restoring and maintaining true Anglicanism as a pure witness to the glory that is the Church of Jesus Christ. Soli Deo Gloria. (Ephesians 5:30)
+CEM
Jack Arnold
Bishop of the Diocese of the West – AOC USA
Education
and Training
Church of the Faithful Centurion
Anglican
Orthodox Church Worldwide
Bp Jack brings the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together because as is always the case there is a unifying message in the Scripture for this Sunday.
Good morning! I hope you are all doing well. In today’s sermon we will be looking at the unifying message of the Collect, Epistle and Gospel and examine how they share a common message of action as we continue to celebrate Jesus’ delivery of the promise of life eternal with Him in our life to come. Easter, perhaps better referred to as the Day of the Resurrection is when the promise of eternal life is delivered.
Once again the propers for this week come together very well, their focus is narrow, thus powerful.
Let’s start by reading the Collect for today:
The Sunday after Ascension Day.
The Collect.
O GOD, the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven; We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us un-to the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
Consider these words from the Collect:
… leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us unto the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before …
In some ways, today is no different than the very First Sunday after the Ascension. Jesus is in heaven, we are alone and physically separated from God who gives us the strength we need to do His Will. Like Peter and the other apostles, the further we are from God, the weaker we are. Thus, we are looking towards Pentecost and the arrival of the Holy Ghost who will strengthen our connection to God.
This Sunday after Ascension Day I in particular am very aware of how the apostles must have felt when Jesus ascended to heaven, because on Ascension Day last year, we lost Bishop Hap. I felt that same keen sense of loss that the apostles did, but I know, just like our Lord, Bishop Hap ascended back to heaven to be able to assist from above however he is required to by our Lord. So I can only imagine how sad and empty the apostles must have felt until they could have the missing connection with Jesus filled by the Holy Spirit. But we are fortunate at this time that we do indeed have the Holy Spirit who has comforted us greatly since Bishop Hap’s departure and also the knowledge that we will eventually in due time be reunited with him.
We ask for God’s help we might have the true belief, courage, knowledge and strength to follow Jesus to heaven for all eternity. That help is on the way in the form of the Holy Ghost. It is quite clear that we cannot succeed in this endeavor without His Help. On the other hand, it is different today than two thousand years ago. We actually have the real presence of the Holy Ghost, here and now. He does not ebb and flow with the liturgical year; where would we be if He did? He is a constant presence within our lives. We just have to acknowledge Him and follow the advice that He gives and all will be well with our souls. The key word is that we have to follow the advice He gives and not just acknowledge it and go off and do our own thing. What good would that do us? In order for the Holy Ghost to be able to effect positive change in our lives, we need to listen and then act upon His Guidance.
The end of the earth and this world may come at any time, indeed for 313,000 people each day, their time here is up. Thus, in a very real sense as Saint Peter put it, The end of all things is at hand… He is not just talking about the final end of this planet, but each and every one of us is here only temporarily, passing through as it were. Eventually we will end our travels here and if we have done our best to follow Him here, we will journey to our eternal home in heaven. He counsels us to live each day as if it were going to be our last. Thus, we should act as if it was our last day on earth and do our jobs with smiles on our faces knowing our eternal destination is secure as long as we do our best to follow Him. This puts things into perspective for us and should make us more mindful of what we need to do to follow Him.
Jesus left us so the Holy Ghost could come down and dwell amongst us and in us to provide us with the guidance we need to follow God. Without Jesus leaving, the Holy Ghost could not come down and dwell amongst us. On Jesus’s departure, the Holy Ghost was free to descend and enter into our hearts, souls and minds upon invitation.
In order to get the guidance from the Holy Ghost, we have to wait and hear what He has to say before we act. Then once that Holy Spirit has given the answer, we must act upon the answer. This is a continuous cycle and we must always prioritize our lives to put God, our Country, Family, friends and co-workers first and in that order and things will fall in line. Along these lines, we must strive to work hard, take care of those who cannot and be good stewards of the considerable grace God has given us. This does not just refer to spending MONEY, but rather to giving of our time and effort to bring the Gifts of God to others. We are called not to hoard love, but to spread it throughout our travels. For as love is of God, then it follows there is an infinite supply of love. In fact, love multiplies with use, so there is more than infinite amount of love out there.
For as Saint Peter says in his Epistle this morning, charity (love) truly does cover a multitude of sins. So, when we do things for others, the driving force behind our actions should be that of charity, or love, for our fellow human beings and not any self-seeking motivation. Charity will cover for our multitude of sins, but we need to be thinking how we can help others. It is the greatest of gifts God and the Holy Ghost gives to us; a gift we find ourselves needing to use more often. The Holy Ghost is key in giving us the desirable thoughts and attributes that we need to carry out His Plan on Earth. He also helps us deal with our less desirable thoughts and attributes and helps us deal with very difficult people and situations. Turning to the Holy Spirit in those very stressful times will reduce the burden on your heart and shift it from you to God, giving you the clarity you need to act for Him, to be able to act in an effective and Christ like manner.
The Gospel’s take away is without the Holy Ghost’s presence in our hearts, the needed action on our part is impossible. This explains why those who do not follow Christ cannot comprehend the strength and value of the Good News and Jesus’s death and resurrection. They do not have the wisdom to understand because they refuse to let the Holy Ghost into our hearts. As Jesus said that there are some that will be even so deluded as to think by killing us they are serving God when they are not serving God but the devil. The Holy Ghost is that portion of God who can enter our hearts bringing the needed spiritual resources to help us win the spiritual battle here on Earth. Those who will not have Him in their hearts can never understand God and His Will. That is why they cannot understand or fathom the plan He has for us. They cannot understand why we follow God and Christ. They do not believe; therefore, they cannot have Him in their hearts, and therefore they will not understand. For, there are none so blind as those who will not see, nor as deaf as those who will not hear.
The current world climate, even in this country, is less hospitable than in many centuries to Christians. There is a reason for this which only God understands and not us. God has a plan for all of this. We do not need to understand God’s plan, we just need to follow His Directions to the best our ability. And in the end God’s plans always work out, even if we do not understand it at the time. In time, we will realize what the plan is. But for now, we are unaware of His plan in the greater scheme of things. But what it is doing is solidifying the faith of true believers around the globe, forming the Army of Light together, ready to battle against the malicious forces of Satan. We cannot make this journey alone. We must have the close and continuous presence of God. That presence is the Holy Ghost. That is why He is here.
Pray for His continual presence in your heart.
Heaven is at the end of an uphill trail. The easy downhill trail does not lead to the summit.
The time is now, not tomorrow. The time has come, indeed. How will you ACT?
It is by our actions we are known.
Be of God - Live of God - Act of God
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 Sunday after Ascension Day
Acts 1:1-11; Luke 24:49-53
CHRIST WILL RETURN
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Why so many tears, when a loved one leaves us? Don’t we have any hope in the return of Christ, as He has promised us? Don’t we then have faith in the Resurrection and the Promises of Christ? In ascending to Heaven, in returning to where He came from, our Lord Jesus Christ did not forsake us, for He left us His Word of Life—the Bible—and instituted His Church upon that same Word of Life. And to animate His Church and spread His Word of Life, Christ chose, called, and sent His Apostles ("Apostle" means "sent") to be His witnesses in the world.
The famous dialogue between Jesus and Simon Peter reported by Matthew is enlightening, provided that we avoid certain biased interpretations (Matthew 16:18): “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Christ does not say to Peter, "You shall build my church," much less "You shall build your church," but rather “I will build my church.” This means several things (from 1 to 6):
1. That no one is the head of the Church, except Christ alone, and no one else, be he bishop or pope. For Christ did not remain in the grave, in death. But He rose again on the third day, and ascended into heaven, where He sits at the right hand of the Father on His throne in the Kingdom of heaven. And it is He who directs His Church from the height of Heaven, invisibly, but very concretely in spite of everything. And if our human weakness prevents us from seeing him, His action in the world is evident, if we worry and think on events in the light of the Bible (Psalm 119:105): “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” And Paul considers that Christ, risen and alive, is the sole head of the body of Christians (Ephesians 1:22-23): “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
2. That Christ is alive and works every day to build His Church. These cannot be particular denominations, much less heretical or schismatic sects, but the spiritual Church of Christ, which is intended to gather into Heaven all the Father's elect, predestined to salvation even before the foundation of the world. These elected representatives are currently scattered in various Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox denominations. Through the Holy Spirit present in their hearts, they resist erroneous and sectarian teachings that contradict the Word of Christ, and constantly refer to the Bible, as did the Jews of Berea: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11).
3. That hell will not prevail against this Church: this is logic, for God is almighty and can snatch from hell whomever He wills, how He wills, when He wills. He can just as easily send away anyone He does not want into His Kingdom of Justice and Holiness. It is even the Lord who created hell for the devil and the reprobates who follow him, whether they are demons or men (Revelation 20:10…14-15): “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever ... And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
4. That death itself, as we imagine it, does not exist. All souls created by God are immaterial, spiritual, indestructible. We will all live forever. All of them, that is to say, the good as well as the bad men, but they will be separated and divided into two different places: Heaven or Hell. Let no one think himself authorized to imagine other places, such as purgatory or limbo, or even nothingness, for these are so many diabolical inventions from ancient paganism, very clearly opposed to the Word of God revealed, inspired, without error, the only source of faith and morals. We will live after our death, this is a certainty revealed by the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, more than two thousand years ago. St. Augustine declared that when someone dies, his soul is immediately raised to Paradise or thrown into hell. And even the second death has nothing to do with nothingness (Revelation 20/14b): "The lake of fire. This is the second death." The fire of hell will be fed by the souls and bodies of the unrepentant, those who died in their sin, without repenting or washing their robes in the Blood of the Lamb: Jesus Christ crucified and dead because of our sins, to deliver us from hell, precisely. Let no proud man imagine that he can escape the wrath of God against every transgression of His Law, if he does not believe and repent of his sins, by humbling himself under sackcloth and ashes. In order to perform this, it is enough to love Jesus Christ more than ourselves, renouncing our ego in order to unite ourselves to Christ.
5. That Christ builds His Church upon a rock. It is necessary to immediately dispel the bad play on words on which false interpretations are based, especially by Rome. Matthew's original Greek text says exactly this:
6. "su ei Petros kai' epi tauth th petra oikodomhsw mou thn ekklhsian" This literally translates as “You are Peter (male) and on this rock (female) I will build my Church.” Would Jesus be "woke" to speak of the Apostle Peter in the feminine? That would be a bit hasty. The Authorized King James Version translates as “thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church” pointing to another biblical truth: Christ is the immovable Rock upon which His Church is built—on the rock of God's Word—Jesus Christ in person (1 Corinthians 10:1-4): “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” This sheds light on the dialogue between Peter and Christ! And from this Rock of Christ, God caused gushing water to flow: the water of eternal life (Exodus 17:5-6): “And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.” And this water that Jesus gives reappears in John 4:14: “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” Who is this rock from which the water of eternal life gushes? Jesus Christ or Peter? It is clearly our Lord, who is also the Lord of Peter. Let's not reverse roles!
7. That Christ alone has the power to build His Church. Peter is not the architect of it who is Christ, but he only is His Master’ worker. Peter does not even have the ability to believe in Christ on his own: in the previous verses, Jesus reveals an interesting fact about Peter (Matthew 16:16-17): “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” Certainly, Simon Peter can receive revelations from the Lord, but he can also deny Him three times! The Rock of Christ is more stable, and so it is in Christ alone that we must trust and have faith. Moreover, if you read John 1:42, you will have confirmation of this, because it is written: “… And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.” Cephas derives from an Aramaic word meaning Rock. Now, in Matthew 16:18, Christ does not call Peter "Cephas", but "Petros"; the nuance forbids the confusion between the stone (Cephas) and the Rock of the Word of God who is Christ and Him alone.
As we ascend to Heaven, Christ leaves us His Word – the Bible. The Anglican Church's Confession of Faith (Articles of Religion no. 6) says: “Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation…” And what does the Bible tell us? That Christ has ascended into heaven and will return (Acts 1:10-11): “And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” And while we wait for His return, we have work to do: to spread the Good News of the Gospel around us, as we can, with the strength that God gives us, thus Paul (2 Timothy 4:17-18): “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Christ blesses us, as He blessed His disciples when He ascended to Heaven (Luke 24:50-51): “And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.” And at Pentecost, ten days later, they will receive the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:48-49): “And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” And the same Luke specifies in Acts 1:8 what this Power will be: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
This is in fact the program that our Lord imposes on us: to bear witness, but without adding or subtracting anything from what the Apostles saw and heard and then dictated or recorded in writing, for our benefit. This testimony is crucial. It appears in Jesus' nightly conversation with Nicodemus (John 3:11-15): “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” This elevation of Christ has already taken place, in two stages: first on the cross, and then on the day of the Ascension. And since that day, more than two thousand years ago, Christ blesses us and guides us in His will, which is the will of the Father (John 6:38): “For I came down from heaven to do not my own will, but the will of him that sent me.” And we know what this will is (John 6:39): “And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.”
And why does God want to raise us up on the last day? It is because of WHO He is (Mark 12:27a): “He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living...” The Eternal God wants us alive, for eternity. And this vital power of resurrection is in Jesus Christ, and in no one else (John 1:1-2... 4): “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 ... In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” No other religion offers us so much. All the founders of pagan religions are dead. Their philosophies lead to the graveyard of lost illusions, where their corpses lie, eaten away by worms and rot. Only Christ wants and can raise us up (John 14:6): “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
But God is the opposite of the culture of death that is invading the world. He is only interested in our corpses to revive them, to resuscitate them. And that's what Christ did by taking His body back with Him when He rose again, and He ascended to heaven in His body. Let us believe that it will be the same for us, since He has promised us (John 14:2-3): “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” Let us therefore prepare ourselves for this glorious event in prayer, and wait for that blessed day when we will join Him in the air, following the same heavenly path as Him, if we have walked with Him and for Him on our earthly paths. Amen.
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.
Sunday after Ascension Day Sermon
In St. Luke's gospel and the opening chapter of the Book of Acts we find the final words of our Lord before he ascended into heaven. In St. Luke 24:50- 51, we are told that he had led the disciples out from Jerusalem toward Bethany where ...he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And in Acts 1:9-11, we learn that ...while [the disciples] beheld, he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Afterwards, according to St. Luke (24:52-53), the disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God.
Now, some contend that the events of the resurrection and the ascension were merely attractive stories used to support and comfort Christian believers then and now. Unfortunately, there are far too many of that mindset who are currently serving in leadership positions within the various denominations. No doubt, the apostle Paul’s admonition in Acts 20:29-30 has come to pass: For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. And St. Peter also acknowledged the same when he observed in his second epistle (2:1): But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
The Bible makes it quite plain that doubting divine veracity is sinful; but to teach others to doubt is beyond the pale. There is no innocence in ignorance especially when the one who is in doubt is teaching about that which he is doubtful. If bishops, ministers and seminary doctors are not convinced of the truth of God’s word written, then they should forthwith depart from their current duties and seek employment elsewhere. At least, they would imperil only themselves and not contribute to the spiritual demise of others. Sadly, they will not do so because their master uses these hirelings to deceive those who are unlearned and unsuspecting within the body of Christ. But this is an old story for it has been the devil’s forte to cast doubt concerning God’s word and no tenet of the Christian faith is immune.
St. Paul faced the same sort of attack from those who were resurrection deniers. In his first epistle to the Corinthians (15:14-19), the apostle admonished his hearers that, if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain. Yea, and are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ...For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain and ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. Ergo, without the resurrection and ascension of the Lord, there is no reason to be a Christian. Christianity is not a philosophy like Buddhism. Our Lord stated plainly that he is the Son of God in affirmation of the St. Peter’s profession: Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God (St. Matthew 16:16-20) and he offers to all who would believe on him the promise of eternal life in his heavenly kingdom (St. John 6:39-40, 47).
In First Thessalonians, St. Paul affirmed the importance of the resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ when he penned the following: But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words (4:13-18).
Such hope as this is found nowhere else in the history of humanity. It is a beautiful example of the love which God has for us. We are presented with an empty tomb. We are presented with our resurrected Lord who came and stood among the disciples and walked with them for forty days thereafter. And we are presented with the promise of not only resurrection but an ascension to join with our Lord at his coming for his own. To doubt these events is the same as doubting the word of God which affirms them! No minister of the gospel should ever do that, nor should any Christian congregation suffer such an unbeliever to remain in their midst.
Unfortunately, too many Christians have permitted their churches to be superintended by Satan’s accomplices. They have done so for many reasons, none of which are biblical. On that great and terrible day of Judgment, such persons will not be able to offer any defense for their acceptance of false teachers and wolves in sheep’s clothing because the written word of God clearly says otherwise. Can you hear them now: “But Rev. Ms. or Father, or Pastor So-in-So was so nice— I knew his or her family— and he or she meant well. I did not agree with his or her sermons, but he or she was appointed to that position— he or she was approved by our bishop— I mean, he or she is a part of our denomination.” How does such gel with the words of St. Paul in II Corinthians 6:14-18? Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
The resurrection and ascension of our Lord really happened. Those who teach otherwise are not true believers and those who are of the faith are forbidden to have fellowship with them as members of the Body of Christ. The call to, come out from among them, and be ye separate is not an idle warning. The Greek word for church is ekklesia and means “the called out ones.” True Christians are “called out” for God’s purpose. You cannot maintain your stand in the camp of the enemy and remain acceptable to God. You must choose now in this life whom you will serve. If you will serve the Lord our God, you must follow his teachings and obey his commandments.
It is our duty as Christians to contend for the faith (St. Jude, 3) and that means defending it before others. We ought to be ever ready to give an answer for the faith that is within us because we know to whom we are answerable and before whom we will one day give an account. Let us pray that we may be found worthy in our worship and work in this life. As the collect for Ascension Day so states: “Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe thy only begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.”
Let us pray,
Father, grant us the courage to go forth in thy name and proclaim the truth of thy word written to those around us; that others would come to believe and accept that message of hope which is found in the atoning death, resurrection and ascension of thine only begotten Son, even Jesus Christ our Lord. 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 the Sunday after Ascension Day
Holy Communion
The Epistle. 1 Peter 4:7-11 The Gospel. John 15:26-16:4
Hymns # 157, 527, 549
“And so begins a great adventure...”
Let us look at the Gospel selection first.
Jesus disciples were told to go wait in Jerusalem. They were to wait for the Comforter, (the Holy Spirit). Jesus taught the disciples this lesson several times during his earthly ministry. He told them several times that He would not leave them alone, that there would be a comforter who would come and be with them to the end.
What we need to think about is God’s timing, not ours. So many times we want to schedule the work of the Lord by our “busy” timetable. If you want to be frustrated, try to push forward the Lord’s work on your time schedule and see what happens.
If you look at the time and place of the first Advent of Christ we can see God’s timing is perfect. We’d want to push things along, try to get things done before everything was prepared. So many things needed to be in place before Christ’s advent on earth.
When Christ came to earth as a little baby there were several historic concepts and events in place by then:
1. A mostly unified empire (Rome),
2. a common language, koine Greek,
3. a road system and fairly safe maritime trading system in place,
4. trading systems including standard weights and measures,
5. a common coinage.
All this would contribute to the fairly rapid distribution of the Christian faith across the majority of the Western part of civilization .
In a hundred years after Christ’s ascension, Christianity is known and being practiced in all corners of the Roman Empire. That is a pretty significant phenomena.
Now back to Jerusalem, in the days before the Comforter comes to testify of Jesus, the disciples are waiting. They are communing together, they are most likely discussing the next move that they should take.
The older men were likely counseling patience, the younger disciples were probably wanting to do something. 26But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 27And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
They were told to wait. Great and terrifying things are about to happen, life changing to say the least. The disciples will be fully qualified to preach the truth because as Christ said: 27And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. They could bear witness because they had been with Christ from the beginning of His ministry, some three and a half years in the making.
As we continue our contemplate these two passages of scripture today try to think of a group of people preparing for a great journey. Now the disciples didn’t have a complete idea of what this journey would be, they didn’t realize the sacrifices, the hardships, the depredations they would suffer on this life-changing journey; but they went back to Jerusalem to wait and prepare. Christ revealed what was going to happen in the future, for this group of believers:
1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye
should not be offended.
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that
whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
3 And these things will they do unto
you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4 But these things have I told you, that
when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these
things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
In this spirit of preparation we can look at St. Peter’s first epistle for some advice. In the first letter of St. Peter he reminds the believers to be charitable. Be prayerful, be watchful, be hospitable to each other. 7But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 9Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
The second concept Peter writes of is the use of gifts. As everyone has been given gifts, we are to use them to minister to each other. Why? Because we are to be good stewards of grace that God has given us. We tend to focus on self, we don’t generally want to do good by others. It is a human condition. But because we are God’s own, he expects us to use these gifts to glorify him.
10As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
You might look at this period of time between Christ’s Ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit as the “calm before the storm”. We have the disciples staying in Jerusalem, the others who followed Jesus possibly taking stock as what to do next. And yet all were most likely waiting with anticipation, not knowing exactly what was to come.
Some Bible commentators and theologians liken this time as the pre-church age. That with the coming of the Holy Spirit in a few days, the church, that group of believers, would be certified as the ongoing instrument of mission that Jesus instituted during his earthly ministry.
Suffice it to say, there would be a great change in the nature, attitude and mission thrust of the disciples and those who they trained in the coming years. The events that Jesus foretold in our Gospel passage would come to be.
Not only would the disciple be thrown out of the synagogue, they would be persecuted, many would face death at the hands of Jewish and Roman legal systems. There were great changes that would be manifest in the life of the early church. The persecution of Christ’s church will begin in earnest. Many will be put to death, many will be driven from their homes, many will lose everything, family, possessions, societal connections, forever, at least here on earth.
Do you think you would be up to the task? It is hard to say, in our relative comfort of the mostly calm United States. It isn’t so with our brethren overseas.
Our AOC parishes in Pakistan, India, parts of Africa, the South Sea Isles and the Philippines all face daily challenges and even death. It is getting more intense for believers especially on the Sub-Continent, as more and more militant groups gain power, not only the Islamist elements, but even militant Hindu and Buddhist groups too. All seemingly hell-bent on attacking their common enemy: Christians and the Cross which is “foolishness to them that perish”.
Let us pray for our fellow believers and those of the worldwide communion of the Anglican Orthodox Church.
Let us pray:
O GOD, merciful Father, who despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart, nor the desire of such as are sorrowful; Mercifully assist our prayers which 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 subtlety of the devil or man worketh against us, may, by thy good providence, be brought to nought; 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.
O GOD, the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven; We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us un-to the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
O God, merciful and compassionate, who art ever ready to hear the prayers of those who put their trust in thee; Graciously hearken to us who call upon thee, and grant us thy help in this our need; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
+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.
Sunday after Ascension Day Sermon
Sermon John 15: 26-27 and 16:1-4
One of the most astounding historical aspects of early Christianity is the pivotal role that the Disciples played. Within their lifetimes, they had taken the teachings of Jesus to the four corners of the world and converted, at least tens of thousands of souls to Christianity. This is an amazing when you consider that these men were neither well educated nor possessed great oratorical powers. These were just ordinary men. Some of them (Peter, Andrew, James, and John) were simple fishermen; one a despised tax collector (Matthew).
It is also incredible when we acknowledge just how confused and truly cowardly they were before Jesus’ departure to ascend back to the heavenly Father. What was responsible for their transformation and success? Surely, their first-hand knowledge of the teachings and works of Jesus helped them gain better understanding of the Gospel. They had spent over three years traveling with Jesus during his Ministry here on earth. Also, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus most likely emboldened them. However, the change can primarily be traced to the working of the Holy Ghost in their lives and ministries.
Some people think the Holy Ghost is Jesus. Other people think He is the same Person as the Father and the Son. But the scriptures clearly teach a distinction between the Persons of the Trinity.
For example, again and again in John chapters 14-16 including this morning’s passage, Jesus referred to a Comforter that He would send when He went back to the Father. This Comforter would guide the disciples and teach them. If Jesus and the Holy Ghost were one and the same Person, Jesus’ reference to the Holy Ghost as another Comforter would not make sense. Jesus must have been referring to another Person distinct from Himself.
Let’s look at the account of Jesus’s baptism in Mark 1:10-11. Here the Son is baptized; “And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending on him: 11And a voice from Heaven saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” All of this occurs simultaneously. All three of the members of the Trinity are seen or heard here at the same time, distinct from one another. As a distinct person, the Holy Ghost has lived in a loving relationship with the Father and the Son from all eternity. He was involved in the creation, Genesis 1:2 tells us “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
He also inspired the Holy Scriptures. St. Peter says in 1:21 “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
So when Jesus speaks of sending the Comforter (Holy Ghost) in this morning’s passage, we must take care that we do not misunderstand His meaning. We must remember that the Holy Ghost has always existed and was in all believers in the Old Testament days, from the very beginning. No man was ever saved from the power of sin, and made a saint without the renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Abraham, Isaac, Samuel, David, and the Prophets were made what they were by the operation of the Holy Ghost. However, after the ascension of Christ, the Holy Ghost was poured down on men, as individuals, with far greater energy, and on the nations of the world with far wider influence than He was ever poured out before. He would become the disciples’ new teacher and advocate.
Jesus tells his disciples in verse 26 the “Spirit of Truth” (Holy Ghost) would “testify" about Jesus. The world was hostile to Jesus. It remains hostile to Him and His cause today. The Spirit of Truth will counter this hostility by testifying about the teachings, and deeds of Christ Jesus who is the Truth. This would be accomplished by “the Spirit” in two ways-both utilizing the Disciples. Thus, the Disciples also would be witness about Christ to the world. (John 15:27)
The first manner by which Christ would be witnessed to is that “the Spirit of Truth” would give the Disciples the ability to grant infallible, inspired verbal, and later, written Testimony. Let’s take a look at the Day of Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the Disciples.
All of the Disciples were gathered together in the upper room of a house to celebrate this traditional Jewish Festival. Pentecost is actually the Greek name for a festival known in the Old Testament as the Feast of Weeks. The Greek word means fifty days that have elapsed since Passover. The Feast of Weeks celebrated the end of the grain harvest. It was a very popular festival attended by Jews from many different nations who spoke different languages.
We are told In Acts 2: 1-4: “1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
The Holy Ghost that Christ had promised to his disciples came on the day of Pentecost ten days after the ascension of Christ. The Disciples were all baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost just as Jesus promised in Acts 2:1. On this day, the Disciples received “the power from on High” as Jesus tells us in Acts 1:8: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
The Disciples began to preach and bear witness for Jesus as the risen Christ, the King and the Lord. Jewish people from various language groups understood the message of the Disciples. In addition, Peter’s preaching was bold and incisive to a Jewish audience. According to Acts 2: 41, about three thousand souls were baptized and were converted to Christianity on this day. After this day, the Disciples were all elevated to Apostles (messengers of God) from being just learners or students of Christ.
The second manner by which Christ would be witnessed to is that the “Holy Ghost” would give the Disciples the ability to work miracles in association with their preaching testimony.
Let’s look at Jesus words to his Disciples prior to his Ascension in Mark 16: 15-18 “…Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. 16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned, 17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.”
There were many miracles performed by the Disciples in the name of Christ. In Acts, Chapter 3, verses 2-13 we read about Peter healing a lame person. The man couldn’t walk and had to be carried due to some defect in his limbs from birth. He would sit at the entrance of the Temple asking for alms. When He asked Peter for Alms, “Peter said that he had no silver or gold “…but such as I have I give thee: “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6)
Peter took the lame man by the right hand and lifted him up and he was able to walk. We are told that the lame man walked into the Temple with John and Peter, leaping and praising God. And all of the people saw him walking and praising God and were filled with wonder and amazement. They all flocked to Peter who told them it was the power of God through his Son Jesus Christ that made this miracle happen and not himself and he was able to witness to them about Christ.
In Acts chapter 9, verses 32-34, we are told about Peter healing a man by the name of Aeneas who was sick of the Palsy and bedridden for eight years. This occurred in an area called Lydda. We are told in verse 35 that all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron that saw him that was cured, turned to the Lord.
Also in Acts chapter 9, verses 39-41, we are told about Peter raising Tabitha from the dead in Joppa. We read in verse 42 that this miracle was known throughout all Joppa and many began to believe in the Lord.
In Acts 8:7, we read about Philip casting out Demons and healing the Lame. These miracles gave confirmation that the Disciples message was from God and not from themselves. They proved that the Disciples were directly commissioned by Christ to deliver His Divine Word.
Did the Disciples encounter difficult times in their Ministry as Jesus forewarned them in today’s passage. (See John 16:2-3) Yes, they did, they were exiled from the synagogues, arrested several times, thrown into prison and beaten. The only Disciple to live out a natural death was John who died in isolation on the island of Patmos. All the other disciples were killed.
But by the power of the Holy Ghost, the Disciples and other Apostles laid the foundation of the early Christian Church and religion just as Christ instructed them to do in the great commission (Mark 16: 15-18).
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen
The Rev. Don Fultz+
Rev. David McMillan
AOC Minister at Large
Alabama
We are Fortunate today to have a sermon from Rev. David McMillian
The Sunday after Ascension Day
Hebrews 4:14-5:10 (Evening Prayer 1928 BCP)
Ascensiontide
Hebrews 4:14-5:10 (Ev.Prayer 1928 BCP)
Fit in between the end of Easter celebration and Pentecost June 8 is the dramatic festival of the Ascension of our Lord into heaven after His Resurrection, seen by many for 40 days. (last Thursday May 29)
“14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
1. All of the Jewish sacraments and ordinances are now fulfilled in Christ, our High Priest. His High Priesthood is eternal as shown in Heb 5, after Melchizedek, the high Priest in Genesis.
In other words, there is no need for any other sacrifices. His eternal sacrifice presented to God is His blood applied to our hearts by faith when we trust in Him for eternal life. He as the High Priest too entered the Holy of Holies, but He presents His own blood which is an eternal sacrifice. Therefore no other sacrifices are necessary. This is a great thing and encouraging to all believers that Christ's ascension into heaven through His Resurrection shows His great love and power to help all who come to Him in faith.
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.” (Hebrews 4:14)
2. What I noted this Ascension is some of the other things associated with His glorious Ascension. Because of this, “let us hold firmly our confession” (say the same thing in original language ...we say the same thing about God that He says about Himself) Hebrews 4:15 encourages us because He sympathizes with our weaknesses as He has also been tempted in all points as we are yet He is without sin.
Sympathetic people are not always around, are they? Instead, we find the world to be critical, blaming and unable to be in our shoes. This is the ultimate appeal of Christianity. We do not have to worry as He has gone through these things in the world, yet He triumphed over them on our behalf.
3. Because we have such a High Priest we should come boldly unto the throne of grace to receive mercy and grace in our time of need. This is not a gospel of works and earning our way into His presence at all. Our inability is His grace and mercy applied to our lives and needs when we feel all is lost. Hebrews 4:16: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
This is the good news and encouragement that lifts up our hearts. Most religions show a path. Christ shows us His mercy, compassion and sympathy and opens a door for us. We do not have to open it. It is opened by Him, and He is the way, the Truth and the Life.
The prayers of the Season of the Ascension encourage us and cause us to rejoice in our Risen, Ascended and gracious Christ.
“GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.”
This Collect is to be said daily throughout the Octave (till next Thursday in June), as it should be! Today’s prayer is comforting and forward-looking to next week when we celebrate Pentecost, the giving of the Holy Spirit to His Church on earth.
“O GOD, the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven; We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us unto the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.”
And all of God's people said Amen!
Rev. David McMillan+
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:
Wayne McMaster – hospice care
Jeff Maraman - at the fire academy in Arkansas.
Bobby Bryan, - suffering with cancer and is on chemo-therapy.
Patty Faye and Marie Shipe – traveling around Italy – return May 23 – for safety
Missy Koestler Arnold - mourning the passing of her mother, Joan Koestler.
Lydia Collins - rectal cancer.
Marilee – Mastectomy Update – pathology report stage three, spread to lymph nodes, more surgery
James Cavanah – health issues, new medication tolerance
Sophie – Sever bipolar issues, drug use and difficulty with parents, pray for her parents, Gary & Betsy
Colin and daughter, Lori Beall – cancer
Toni- Breast Cancer- Surgery went well, keep praying for successful recovery treatment-praise god
Donna – Breast Cancer- Surgery Successful onto Radiation treatment and Chemotherapy
Malou – Cancer
For the government and people of South Korea that God will protect them from the forces of Communism.
45th Anniversary of the AOC in the Philippine Islands – Bishop Anthony Pangsiw
Keep Praying for the following:
Shamu-health issues, Mike, Jim, Dotty, Jan Jessup-neuro dementia, Josh Morley-seizures,
Jennifer, AOC USA, AOC Missions, Zach, Jess, Luke, Jacquie, Harper-IBS , Jim Sevier- God’s
Peace, Linda –
multiple myeloma, Colin, Lowery, Robert, Donna-chemotherapy,
Eddie, Aleyda-heart and bp issues, Leslie, Daniel, Jim-TBI issues, Alicia-caregiver
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