250622 AOC Sunday Report
Anglican Orthodox Churchsm
Worldwide Communion
First Sunday after Trinity
June 15, 2025 - Sunday Report
First Sunday after Trinity Propers:
The propers are special prayers and readings from the Bible. There is a Collect for the Day; that is a single thought prayer, most written either before the re-founding of the Church of England in the 1540’s or written by Bishop Thomas Cranmer, the first Archbishop of Canterbury after the re-founding.
The Collect for the Day is to be read on Sunday and during Morning and Evening Prayer until the next Sunday. The Epistle is normally a reading from one of the various Epistles, or letters, in the New Testament. The Gospel is a reading from one of the Holy Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Collect is said by the minister as a prayer, the Epistle can be read by either a designated reader (as we do in our church) or by one of the ministers and the Holy Gospel, which during the service in our church is read by an ordained minister.
The propers are the same each year, except if a Red-Letter Feast, that is one with propers in the prayerbook, falls on a Sunday, then those propers are to be read instead, except in a White Season, where it is put off. Red Letter Feasts, so called because in the Altar Prayerbooks the titles are in red, are special days. Most of the Red-Letter Feasts are dedicated to early saint’s instrumental in the development of the church, others to special events. 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 188-189.
The Collect for First Sunday after Trinity
O God, the strength of all those who put their trust in thee; Mercifully accept our prayers; and because, through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle for First Sunday after Trinity. 1 John iv. 1.
BELOVED, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 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. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
The Gospel for First Sunday after Trinity. St. Luke xvi. 19.
THERE was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is com-forted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
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:
Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall
keep it unto the end.
Psalm 119:33
The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul:
but the belly of the wicked shall want.
Proverbs 13:25
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the
LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to
bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening
of the prison to them that are bound...
Isaiah 61:1
The
greatest honor God can put on a soul, is to place it in the school of
affliction.
William
Gurnall
Crosses are the ladders that lead to Heaven.
Thomas Manton
Grace grows best in winter.
Samuel Rutherford
The world is but a
great inn where we are to lodge a night, and to be gone in the morning. Oh,
that we would consider this, that we might sit loose from all things below, and
use the world as travelers use
their inns.
Thomas Brooks
It is the duty of Christians to desire, and aim at and press towards perfection in grace and holiness. The Rev. Matthew Henry
Consequently [God’s] pardon is perfectly free. He
requires no price, and established no terms, except those simple ones which are
imperatively demanded by the welfare of the beneficiary, as by the honor of him
who pardons. Does he exact faith? This is inevitable; for how can the returning
sinner be reconciled to the Father in whom he does not trust? How can the
beggar receive the benefaction, except he shall, at least, reach out his hand to
accept it when it is offered to him? And faith is no more than this trusting,
this receiving. Hence, too it follows, that it can never claim the office of a
price to purchase the gift, which it merely receives. Does God require a
penitent obedience of him whom his mercy pardons? This also is as necessary for
the sinner, as for God’s holiness. For sin is misery: and even omnipotence
cannot make that creature truly happy, who continues to love transgression.
The Rev. Robert Lewis Dabney– 19th century Presbyterian minister, Bible scholar,
and officer in the Confederate Army (excerpt taken from a sermon entitled God’s
Eminent Mercy, as published in Our Comfort in Dying , pp. 214-215 as edited by
Jonathan W. Peters, 2021).
When the Thirty-nine Articles are altered; when the
Prayer Book is revised... when the Bible is withdrawn from the reading desk;
when the pulpit is shut against the gospel... then we may arise and say with
one voice, “Let us depart, for God is not here.”
The Most Rev. J. C. Ryle
The providence of God is a tapestry of
grace, where every thread, even the darkest, contributes to the glorious
picture of our salvation. His providence is a rich treasure; He knows how to
turn our trials into triumphs, our sorrows into songs.
Thomas
Watson
[A] confirming faith [in Jesus Christ] emboldens and
makes us courageous in righteousness... [Such a faith] is magnified in the
dissolution of doubt.
The Most
Rev. Jerry L. Ogles -Walking with Jesus
Jerry Ogles, Presiding Bishop – Metropolitan AOC Worldwide
We are fortunate to get copies of Bishop Jerry’s you tube links, devotions on the Prayer of the Collect and sermon notes.
Bishop Jerry creates videos on various subjects, they last just under ten minutes and this week’s videos are listed below:
Bishop Ogles has a You Tube Channel that is free to subscribe: all of his videos at:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuW3bgXBJFomPB5mZ4Oigxg
From the Bible Studies for the Youth Series: The Ship and the Helm
From the Names and Titles of Jesus Christ Series: The Tree of Life
FROM THE LOST THINGS SERIES: THE PRODIGAL SON
From the Devotions for Youth Series: Remember
Sermon Summary for the First Sunday after Trinity
St. Luke: 16: 19-31.
“19There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” (Luke 16:19-31)
It is a glaringly solemn fact that there is a state of the dead and a state of the living. In fact, all will taste the one time physical death of this world. However, the state of the living in Christ is not a real death, but rather a transition from a worldly form of living to a spiritual. The scriptures describe that death of a Christian as a twinkling of the eye. When we were children, we played out doors on Sunday afternoon and Saturdays until we would literally drop to sleep at night. We slept soundly through the next eight or nine hours and awoke believing that we had only just closed our eyes momentarily. So shall it be for those who die in Christ. But the wicked suffer an entirely different state. They will suffer eternal death in the unquenchable fires of Hell. The following parable of Christ describes this state.
The Story of Two Men – one wealthy, the other poor. “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day.” The rich man’s name is not mentioned. In fact, he has no name since it is not found in the Lamb’s Book of Life. He was a wealthy man who fared sumptuously everyday. The sin was not wealth, but how he lived his life in indifference to the needy around him. Our personal identity is of no consequence in Hell.
And “There was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.” Now we see a certain beggar who does, indeed, have a name – Lazarus. He had no means of living at all but was forced to beg for every bite he ate. Even the crumbs from the rich man’s table would have sufficed this poor beggar’s need. The dogs, too, were accustomed to beg their food and felt pity for one in worse stead than themselves – “a touching act of brute pity, in the absence of human relief. It is a case of heartless indifference, amidst luxuries of every kind, to one of God's poorest and most afflicted ones, presented daily before the eye.” (JFB)
Comes now the event which awaits us all alike: “And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried.” My Lord tenderly relates the account of Lazarus, but the rich man lacks any benefit of sympathy. It always comes to pass that we die, and so it has come to pass that the beggar dies. Note what happens at the death of Lazarus: he was carried by the dignitaries of God (Angels) into the bosom of Abraham. What treatment awaits those who die in Christian faith! What an escort we shall have! Poor beggar Lazarus is no longer beggar. His name is recorded in the Book of Life! But what of the rich man? He also died, but here the destinies divide profoundly: “the rich man also died, and was buried.” Lazarus went up; the rich man went down to the grave and hell.
What privilege does a rich man have in Hell? He has the privilege of becoming, himself, a beggar. “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” He lifts UP his eyes and sees Lazarus in blissful comfort in the bosom of our father Abraham. He is in torment of hellfire. The distance between the rich man and Lazarus is a very great distance, but those in Hell can see those who live in Paradise. It must add tremendously to the awareness of their shame. He now begs Abraham to enjoin the help of Lazarus on his behalf. If Lazarus would but dip his finger in water to cool the tongue of this wealthy wretch, it would be a tremendous comfort to him. He who refused the crumbs of his table now begs for only a wet finger dipped in water from the former beggar. But Lazarus cannot see the rich man, or hear his pleading.
“But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.” Please note the kind regard Abraham pays the rich man in calling him son. But this is the only mercy Abraham can show this man. Our memories will be crisp as our burnt garments in Hell. Does the rich man remember the opulence he enjoyed while Lazarus was perishing for hunger and disease? Remember? See now how Lazarus is in comfort, but you are suffering in misery. Your deeds on earth do count and, in the rich man’s case, they count against him.
“And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.” This great gulf cannot be bridged unlike the claims we have of men going to heaven for some ninety minutes, or to Hell for nineteen minutes and returning. There is no crossing between earth and Heaven, or Heaven and Hell, except that provided in God’s Word. The benefit of the heavenly dweller lies in the fact that he cannot observe the suffering of those he may have known and cared for in earth.
“Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.” Familial love and sympathies even prevail in Hell. The rich man has five brothers who are on the same expedited road to Hell that he was on. He believes if Lazarus returns from the dead to give testimony to his brothers, they will amend their ways and seek the face of God. How sad that those in Hell will know and see their loved ones that they have misled in life suffer such pains and torment! He does not want his brothers to suffer this terrible faith. Are we so concerned about our own loved ones?
“Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.” Yes, indeed. It was Moses to whom they may have given lip service in life, but they did not search further into the One whom Moses looked forward to in faith. The excuse is always that nobody ever warned me. Had they believed Moses in faith, they would have known of the Coming Christ. But they were not even faithful in the small intelligence they had of Scripture. Another point to consider is this: The prophets clearly foretold the Coming Christ, yet even the Pharisees rejected their teaching when it was abundantly fulfilled in their faces.
“And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.” The unbelieving always seek after some fantastic sign or miracle. Even when they observed the miracles of Jesus, many remained in unbelief. When the Mighty Outstretched Arm of the Lord separated the waters of the Red Sea, and descended in a fog on Mt Sinai, or made its presence known in a cloud by day and a fire by night, the grumblers and murmurers were not hushed. “A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.” (Matt 16:4) Christ means to express that we look at the miracle of Jonah whereas Jonah was three days and three nights in the heart of the earth and Christ was likewise three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Christ rose from the Tomb in three days after dying for our sins. That is enough for us to believe unto salvation without further acts or miracles.
Father Abraham tells the rich man that if the people do not believe the prophets, neither will they believe if one is resurrected from the dead. “And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Christ did, in fact, rise from the dead. This is one of the fundamental of our Apostles’ Creed and Scripture itself that unites us in Christian faith. Lack of faith in the Old Testament prophecies will blind the eye to the truth of the Gospel of Christ. I pray that no reader to whom these words come is blinded to these glorious truths.
The salient point of this text is this: If we sow the wind, we shall inherit the whirlwind, or, if we sow our riches in the earth, the earth shall be our reward. If we sow our treasures in Heaven by the grace of God, then Heaven shall be our reward.
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:
Churches these days come in two very different varieties: those with altars and those with stages. Very divergent theologies are represented by these different furnishings, not just different "worship styles."
Generally speaking, it will be the churches with stages that boast membership in the thousands. They will boast tremendous sound systems, multifarious programs in addition to Sunday services. Traditional hymnody will be replaced by "contemporary worship songs" led by a "worship leader" or worship team" and not the actual "senior" pastor or preacher of the day. No need for hymnals in the padded theater seats - words to songs will be posted on a large screen, and digitally coordinated to follow the twelve piece band/orchestra - and always accompanied by a large drum section always prominent on the stage near the pulpit. The minister will usually appear in casual dress, never in clerical attire or vestments of any persuasion, usually sporting an earpiece microphone and contemporary haircut. The preacher may or may not have a pulpit or lectern placed in the middle of the stage so that he is the focus of the congregation for the entire service. However, he will more like move about back and forth on the stage and not remain behind the pulpit, all the while gesturing with his hands and body for emphasis on his "message."
There is usually no mention of the Sacrament or of any liturgical season apart from Christmas and Easter. Denominational identity or connection with other congregations will rarely be mentioned or downplayed. Even the name of the church on the marquis will rarely reflect any denominational relation or theological distinctive. One such church nearby calls itself "The Church of His Presence" and another "New Promise" and yet another simply "Jubilation." They require the assistance of the local police to direct traffic in and out of their parking lot on Sunday mornings - and evenings!
Churches with altars tend to be much smaller, even tiny by comparison, in size and in scope. Music tends to be traditional and modest in expression. Churches without stages may or may have choirs and tend to have only an organ or piano for accompaniment. They may or may not have sound systems but these are generally present to assist the minister as he preaches.
No drum sets are visible or required. The congregation will generally participate in some part of the liturgy with common prayers, the Apostle's Creed and the Lord's Prayer, the recitation of a Psalm, or other intercessory prayers said by rote. The frequency and nature of the Holy Communion may vary but is generally observed on specially designated days or weekly. Churches with altars generally have pew seating or chairs set in order in designated areas, and pulpits are generally stationary and prominent, apart from the altar. Churches with altars will generally offer a single "traditional" service but may of late also offer a "contemporary" service to rival the "mega churches" and stem the loss of the young people, with whom they are in competition. The clergyman or "preacher" will generally don vestiture of some sort, distinctive to the church's denominational affiliation, in recognition of his ordination and authority to preach. As Wesley put it, speaking of vestments, a gown doth hide a multitude of bad tailoring."
One thing both of these types of churches have in common, one thing they are both missing - middle aged married couples with children. This is true ubiquitously in the United States. I am essentially speaking of Protestant churches, and there are many exceptions as well, but we have driven a generation out of the Church with the insistence that young children attend what used to be called Sunday School or "childrens' church." Young people were shepherded away from their elders in the middle of a worship service to another "service" not led by a pastor or even a clergyman, because we thought their young minds would be better served by a watered down lecture on the Scriptures, or some other activity designed to hold their minimal attention span. Often, they did not return to the congregational service until Confirmation age - and were subsequently lost to the church by their late teens.
Those kids of the "nuclear family" era never came back. They wound up sending their own kids to Sunday School or to the "Youth Group" where the "youth pastor" - himself barely an adult and newly ordained - attempted to lead a band of mixed, hormonally challenged teens in contemplating the deep things of God, generally accompanied by pizza, guitars, "lock-ins" and trips to Disney World. Those same kids who grew up apart from the worshipping body of the Church now have little loyalty to the denomination of their Sunday School days and have experienced firsthand the hypocrisy of their parents and elders. They are now part of the thousands attending "non-denominational" events at "worship centers" with gourmet coffee and "singles nites," - that is, if they go to church at all.
None of this is true of the Roman Catholic Church. For generations, children have been welcome at Mass, even if they never received Holy Communion or understood a word of the service, even when the Mass was entirely in Latin! Today, Catholic Churches are full of young people who grew up in the formality of the Mass, with respect for the traditions and the clergy, and reverence for purpose and place. The altar was HOLY, the pulpit was HOLY, the font was HOLY, indeed, the church itself was a holy place not to be desecrated with coffee cups and pizza boxes. Oh yes, there was instruction for the young. Christian/ Catholic education was REQUIRED for young Catholics, even if they went to public schools. The uniqueness and history of Catholicism was something to be proud of, not diluted with false ecumenism or "kumbaya - we're all God's children" emotionalism. NOT being a Catholic was considered a bad thing. There was a time not long ago when the Episcopal Church taught children the same thing. Imagine that!
We gave up our children by not praying with them, day and night. We gave up our children by SENDING them to church, not BRINGING them. We gave up our children by telling them all religions were the same, and that God loved all the children of the world, good and bad. We gave up our children by sending them to colleges and universities where they were told God is DEAD, all denominational distinctives are evil and should be done away with. We never told them how wonderful their own Church was and that they should in turn raise their children in the Episcopal/Anglican tradition.
So today, churches with altars are emptying and auditoriums with stages are filled to overflowing. It would be crass to state a problem without offering a solution, to cluck my tongue in despair and not provide hope. That's why I thank God for the Anglican Orthodox Church and that's why I beg Almighty God to allow me to do what I am doing for His Church, to serve at His altar, until He calls me out of service.
+cem
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 First Sunday after Trinity
1 John 4:7-21; Luke 16:19-30.
LOVE THE BROTHERS
My dear brothers and sisters. It's easy to say, "I love you." And it's much less easy to act on it, because we all are imperfect people. We have our small and big faults, we have our unbearable tics and our exasperating hobbies, and it is difficult to perfectly love imperfect people.
Our first duty to love – and the easiest for us – is to love God. Indeed, only God is perfect. As a result, we can love Him perfectly, without any fear of being disappointed. God will never reproach us for loving Him, or even for loving Him too much. (1 John 4/19): “We love him because he first loved us.” Curiously, the Greek text does not say “we love Him”, but “we love”: “hmeis agapwmen”; we cherish, we value those who are dear to us, all our brothers and sisters in faith, for sure, but above all our Father in Heaven, the One who created us and gave birth to us again, we who believe in His Name through the spiritual illumination conferred on us by His Holy Spirit who dwells in each one of us.
When we love our Christian brothers, we not only love their little selves, but above all else we love the Holy Spirit who dwells in them. We appreciate all that comes from the Holy Spirit, present in the hearts of true Christians, and we close our eyes to the imperfections of human nature, always marked by Adam's sin. This dwelling of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of believers makes them different from infidels, from those who do not know God and therefore cannot love Him, for we love only what we know and can recognize.
Let us therefore have no qualms about marking - even publicly - a difference between Christian brothers and sisters, on the one hand, and the rest of humanity, on the other, for whom we feel pity, because we only too well know what fate they themselves deserve after their own choice. Like the rich man in the parable, they will also die, they will be buried. Like the selfish rich man, they will be “in torments” (Luke 16:23). Like the rich man, insensitive to the misery of Lazarus, his Jewish Israelite brother, they will suffer cruelly “in this flame” (verse 24), for they will “also come in this place of torment” (verse 28).
You have noted that Lazarus is a Jew, and that the rich man is also a Jew. They are therefore brothers in religion, but they practice external rites in a legalistic way, with no heart, that is to say, without having the Holy Spirit in their hearts, the true Spirit of Love. Both of them lack only one thing: the love that Jesus Christ taught and practiced by giving himself up to death on a cross, to save His elect. (Luke 16:29): “They have Moses and the prophets” but they do not listen to them. They don't read their Bible. They practice a minimal religion, short-sighted, without the loftiness of vision that only hope of eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven gives.
It is no discrimination to consider everyone according to what they are, because before God, men are not all equal. (Romans 13:7-8) “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Here, the Law is the Law of Moses - the Ten Commandments. Paul continues (Romans 13:9-10): “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Love does not exempt from the fulfillment of the Law. On the contrary, love is manifested by a right fulfillment of the Law, but with biblical discernment.
Did Lazarus love the selfish rich man? The Gospel does not say this. Lazarus had eyes only for the crumbs that fell from the table of the wicked rich man. Both were frozen in a materialism closed to any authentic spirituality. They kept the Commandments of God to be free from God and the people. That was enough for them. Now, our wealth as Christians is not of this world; we have a treasure in heaven, as Jesus Christ says to God's beloved rich young man (Mark 10:20-21): “… Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.” With these words, Christ teaches us that the riches of this world will pass away, but that the riches of eternal life are priceless. The grace that God gives cannot be bought with silver, gold, or anything material. Do not cling to these passing values, and “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33).
The Gospel of Luke makes a subtle distinction between Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:22-23): “And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments...” If both characters die, only one is buried and relegated to hell. Lazarus is exempted from this, and is lifted up to heaven by angels, just as Jesus ascended to heaven, in the presence of the angels of God (Acts 1:9-10): “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel.” This similarity reveals to us that the Lazarus of the parable is a type of Christ who became poor by leaving Heaven to incarnate Himself in Jesus. And this same Jesus Christ recovered beyond all that He possessed in Heaven by ascending back to it, like Job - another type of Christ - after his trial (Job 42:10): “And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” In the same way, Our Lord is restored to his reign (Revelation 19/6): “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”; and also this: (Revelation 12:10a): “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ..." What an incomparable treasure! Can we hope any better than to believe in Jesus Christ the Messiah, our Lord and Savior, and to be eventually part of His royal retinue in Heaven, for eternity?
Jesus concludes His parable with these words (Luke 16:31b): “And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” My friends, you know what you have to do: listen to Moses and the prophets - Read the Bible! The Holy Scripture is the key to the faith that opens the door to Heaven. (Article N°6 of Anglican Religion): “Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation...” Do not look for things in Gnosis or esotericism that are not biblical. And the same Article 6 specifies: “… so that whatso-ever 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.” Do not listen to the so-called particular (especially late!) revelations that claim to add anything to the Bible. They are at best paraphrases of what you already have in the Bible, and at worst lies, if not outright blasphemies.
The Bible does not claim to inculcate in us a superior science that would make us supermen. On the contrary, the Bible reveals to us that we are mere creatures drawn from the dust of the earth, and will return to dust. (Hebrews 2:6): “But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Psalm 8, David, verse 5). If we rise through pride, we will never reach Heaven. On the other hand, if we are united to Christ through faith in Him, we will ascend with Him into His Kingdom, as He did on the day of Ascension. And no one will be able to dislodge us from it (John 10:27-29): “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.”
And it is out of love that God saves us; our salvation is even the proof that God loves us (1 John 4:9-10): “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” No man can save himself by his own merits. For our salvation to be perfect, a perfect Savior Himself is needed, and there is no other besides Jesus Christ alone (Hebrews 5:9): “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” Christ sacrificed Himself out of love for us, and He puts us to the benefit of His one Sacrifice, offered once and for all (Hebrews 10:14 ... 19): " For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified ... Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus” And not only are we declared Saints if we believe in Jesus Christ, but we are invited to love one another in a perfect way (Hebrews 10:22-24): “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” John says the same thing (1 John 4:11): “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” We can also say with the same John whom faith saves (1 John 4:15): “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” Again, it's very clear.
Lazarus and the rich man both feared God. Now “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18). How could we be afraid of the One who loves us the most in the world? Those who are afraid of God take refuge in the arms of Mary, because who is afraid of a mother? This is an error resulting from a lack of or erroneous teaching about God, and ignorance of God's Word. (1 John 4:16 “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” There is no question nor influence of Mary in our salvation.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, we receive so much love that it has implications for us. It is not a question of conditions, because God loves us unconditionally, but of simple consistency. “Indeed, If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.” (1 John 4:20-5/1). It cannot be more plainly said that we love our Christian brethren with a special love, for they are truly our brothers or sisters in Christ, and we have the same adoptive Father, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords. On the other hand, we love with another kind of love those who do not belong to Christ, we respect them as God's creatures, but we do not approve of the sin that sticks to their skin, and we pity them for not having washed their robes in the blood of the Passover Lamb. We are not from the same world!
But as John tells us, love does not exempt us from obedience to God's commandments, quite the contrary (1 John 5:2-3a): “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” With Salvation by faith, and by His grace, God even gives us to love His Commandments! Amen.
Rt. Rev. Yves Méra, AOC Bishop of France.
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Rev Bryan Dabney of Saint John’s AOC Vicksburg, Mississippi
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.
First Sunday after Trinity Sermon
Moses also commanded the people to Love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply : and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it (v.16). It is our duty as Christians to be obedient to the word of God and remain on the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23). For if we will do those things which he commands, then we will be blessed in ways too numerous to list here. If you want to know how God has blessed you, just look at your life. Were you provided for— a place to live; a supply of food; etc.? In short, did you count your blessings today? God is the author of every good thing that has happened to you, and so in turn should you not thank him? In all the hustle and bustle of this life, it is very easy to focus on ourselves and not give God the credit he deserves. And Moses warned the people about not properly recognizing God in their lives when he said, But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shall be drawn away , and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passeth over Jordan to go to possess it (Deuteronomy 30:17-18).
Much of humanity possesses no real understanding of who God is. If there is any reference to deity, it usually comes in a form that is basically pagan and profane. The New Age Movement as well as the other man-centered belief systems which are in vogue are the only ones cited and/or highlighted by the media because their god is not the great I AM— the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. No, theirs is the god of this world (II Corinthians 4:3). And on that account, Satan has appointed his minions to positions of power inside of the numerous spheres of community life. They are in the media, academia, and government. Their influence and control has had a deleterious effect upon the masses who have been exposed to their poisonous programs. And because they have been so influenced, they will embrace every sort of anti-biblical belief system that is put before them. Now the careful Bible Christian knows well that the Devil’s systems and doctrines have been with us in some form since the fall of man in Garden of Eden.In Genesis 3, Satan tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit with the catch line, ye shall be as gods... (v.5). That particular phrase has motivated a myriad of souls since the fall of mankind to proclaim themselves to be absolute either over themselves as individuals, or over others as a result of their success in the spheres of politics, or in economics, or even in the sphere of religion. In the future, the Antichrist will claim mastery in all three and a great portion of humanity will follow after him and his associate, the false prophet (see Revelation 13). They will worship this disciple of Satan and his image and they will take his mark. The Bible warns that to take the mark of the beast or the number of his name is an unforgivable blasphemy against the Godhead (Revelation 14:9-11).
But for us who are born again of the Holy Spirit, God has called us to follow his word and to live in accordance with it. Our LORD has set before us life and death. He has set before us both blessing and cursing. He has called on us to choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live. But with that ability to choose comes the decision to act— to make that selection from our understanding of things. This can be done in two ways: either from a mindset dedicated to God, or one dedicated to the evil one. The godless and profane will choose to reject God’s calling to holy and righteous living. Conversely, the motivations of the godly will seek, via the Holy Ghost, to follow God’s path. One cannot dwell in both the camp of the LORD, or the camp of the evil one. And those who choose to reject God’s ways will end up, by default, in Satan’s camp even if they did not consciously choose to do so. Our Lord as much as said so in his “Sermon on the Mount” with these words: No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (St. Matthew 6:24).
Today, there are people who believe that they are the sole authority over themselves. They believe that no one, be it man or government, or even God, has the right to govern or restrict their motivations and/or their actions. Such persons believe they have the moral authority to exercise their “liberties” as they see fit within the context of a “cooperative association” or simply as sovereign individuals. Such persons follow a philosophy known as Anarchism which can be defined in several ways. But for the most part, these folks are patently as anti-God as they are anti-government. Listen to the words of Mikhail Bakunin, a 19th century Russian Anarchist who said, “...the idea of God implies the abdication of human reason and justice; it is the most decisive negation of human liberty, and necessarily ends in the enslavement of mankind, in theory and practice... if God really existed, it would be necessary to abolish Him.” He also regarded Satan as “...the eternal rebel, the first freethinker and the emancipator of worlds. He makes man ashamed of his bestial ignorance and obedience; he emancipates him, stamps upon his brow the seal of liberty and humanity, in urging him to disobey and eat of the fruit of knowledge.” Bakunin was not alone in his beliefs, for even today the vast majority of humanity— whether they be Communists, Socialists, or Anarchists— are godless humanists interested only in their perceived notions of independence. They persist in their delusions in spite of the fact that the world they live in is and has been dominated by a notoriously malevolent force who strictly orders his troops and insists on obedience to his will in opposition to the very God who created all things. As William Penn— who founded the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania— once warned, “Men must be governed by God, or they will be ruled by tyrants.”
Our good and loving God has provided mankind with the means of obtaining true liberty and happiness. He has even paid the price for our sins and trespasses with the blood of his only begotten Son. God desires our good not our enslavement. God’s care for us is evident every day for he, according to his purposeful will, keeps us from the ravages of the evil one who comes only to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (St. John 10:10). Those who believe that they are sovereign in and of themselves are going to find their way leads to enslavement in this life and perdition in the next. Satan has no interest in an independent humanity. He has given no gifts to mortals that would be to their benefit because he wants to alienate them from the source of all good and perfect gifts which is God alone. And so every false doctrine, every vain philosophy, and all errant religion are stratagems which Satan has developed to draw away as many souls as he can from God’s plan of salvation in Christ. Aside from those errant charismatics who think they can “bind the devil”, we really have no power in and of our selves to stop the evil one from continuing his campaign against humanity. And our resistance will be futile if we do not have God’s Spirit within us. We also cannot keep people from falling into perdition if that is their choice. But we can witness to such persons both through our lives lived and by our words which match them. And we can, where ever possible, tell them of the graciousness and lovingkindness of our Lord.
So then from whence comes true liberty? It comes from knowing our Lord Jesus Christ, for as St. Peter testified, there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Therefore, turn unto him and accept him as your Saviour. Confess your sins to the Father in his name and be freed once and for all of them. Do not wait. Do it today for tomorrow is promised to no one.
Let us pray,
O heavenly Father, whose Son came in the flesh to bring us to true liberty; give us of thy Spirit so that in all things we might live in obedience to thy word and commandment, and encourage others to do likewise; for these things we ask in that name which is above every name, even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Have a
blessed week,
Bryan+
Saint Paul's Anglican Church
Diocese of the Midwest Anglican Orthodox Church
Suffragan Bishop of the AOC
First Sunday after Trinity Sermon
Morning Prayer:
Psalms:89:1-19; First lesson: Isaiah 5:8-12,18-24; Second lesson: James 5
O God, the strength of all those who put their trust in thee; Mercifully accept our prayers; and because, through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymns: # 625, 335, 401/02
Woe to the Wicked
8Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! 9In mine ears said the LORD of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. 10Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah. 11Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! 12And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.
With this Sunday we begin the longest season in the Church calendar, Trinity Season. This is a time which affords us the opportunity to learn, to be edified, to grow in our faith, to be strengthened for the battles that befall us daily. Yes, a good season for Christian growth, spiritual nurturing, and a strengthening of our faith.
One thing we notice about this portion of today’s reading is a very distinct compare and contrast literary technique. Before I retired I used that technique in teaching to get my students to focus on discrepancies, wide gaps between good and not good, and anything else that would get them to see both similarities and differences. I tried to get them to compare and contrast issues of fact, opinion, or events.
In this particular passage, the prophet Isaiah points out that, it is not the Lord’s disapproval of the wealthy or those who are successful; no, he is reminding them who made this wealth possible. He is pointing out that excess will cloud or block your view of what the Lord has done. “...but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands”. The Lord is making us focus on what is right, just, and proper.
We must also see the comparison concerning parties or happy gatherings. Take note of the feasts and happy gatherings revealed elsewhere in the scriptures, in which with proper regard and without wild abandon, these were well celebrated. (the Purim festival, the wedding at Cana, the return of the Prodigal Son, etc.) The Lord is using Isaiah to point out excess and giving a warning to those who might party without regard to anything outside their small world.
18Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: 19That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it! 20Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Wow, how current is the Word of the Lord?
With the reality that this has been going on since the Garden, we have seen in the last forty years a rapid abandonment of what was once considered shared social mores. How many times a week do we read, hear, or see this ideal put out as the truth. People calling evil good and good evil? We can still preach to this concept in this country, but our fellow Christians in Canada can no longer point out how wrong and anti-biblical that whole concept is, they will be charged with a “hate crime or hate speech”. This has resulted in ministers being jailed for such “crimes.”
As a nation we have gone back and forth between a broad approach to life and a more constrained one, we have had two national revivals in our American history, the Great Awakening and the Second Great Awakening. It is not unfeasible that we may have a third national revival. We have never been nor should we be a theocracy, but we do need to be a nation that respects common decency, law and a foundational form that helps to foster peace and unity, not discord, anger, and disunity, as current laws seem to give rise to.
The idea that the founding rules and guidelines we know as the Constitution should be “adjusted” to fit the norms of today strike an Originalist as being absurd. James Madison wrote a rather interesting paper on the concept of understanding human nature and the rule of law. He was essentially building his argument on a Roman statesman’s understanding of human nature. A given land or city with little or no laws will eventually lead to chaos. “If men were angels...they would not need laws or constrained government, because they would not stray...” The concept that Madison was pointing out was because of man’s disobedient nature, he needs laws and guidelines to keep him safe. Interestingly enough Madison made the comment of needing to restrain government also, to keep it from becoming a tyrant to the people. Hmmmm.
So Isaiah continues with the compare and contrast method to help us realize how far off from the truth we will be if we do not heed the Lord. The word “woe” is warning that is not as strong today as one have would understood it years ago. Woe was a dire warning, a very large literary stop sign, that was used to keep one from danger, folly, and destruction.
21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! 22Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: 23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! 24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
These final four verses of our reading give us a dire warning to the behavior and attitude that seems so prevalent in Western civilization and in this country especially. We need to take note, beginning with our own lives, in modeling the Christ-like behavior, giving rise to the question from non-believers... “why do you act so differently from everyone else?” As St Peter wrote, be ready to give answer to that question and others like it, be ready to show why you believe and who you believe in, Jesus Christ, our Savior. Let us meditate on the Word of God this day and throughout this week. Let us try to live our lives as followers of the Risen Lord. Let us reveal his presence to the lost and dying world, each day, every day until he returns in his Glory.
Let us pray:
Father as we meditate on your Word today, help us to apply the message to our lives. We ask that you be with those in harms way, the young men and women in uniform, world wide. Help us as a nation come back to you, for you have the answers to all the problems, concerns, and worries that nibble at us every day, that keep us from focusing on you and your wonderful works, especially in the perfect sacrifice of your only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Give us peace that passes understanding, these things we ask in thee through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, world without end. 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.
THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. 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.
St. John 13: 1-17
First Sunday after Trinity Sermon
In this morning’s Gospel text St. John provides the story of Jesus washing the disciple’s feet. It happened at a supper the night before the feast of the Passover. Jesus and his disciples had just traveled back from Bethany where Mary had anointed Jesus Head with a box of expensive ointment. They are assembled in a house in Jerusalem to have supper where this event took place. It is the same night that He would be betrayed by Judas and the day before He was going to the cross to be crucified.
But why would Christ do this menial task that is usually delegated to a servant? Also, the disciples could have washed their own feet and Jesus feet also. However, the disciples were too busy arguing who was going to be the greatest to be a foot washer. Twice in Luke’s Gospel the disciples are found to be asking that question to Jesus, “Who among us is the greatest” (Luke 9:46-48 and Luke 22:24-29). And Jesus answered them, “ but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.” (Luke 22:26) “For weather is greater he that sitteth at meat or he that serveth” is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as he that serveth.” (Luke 22:27) This same message is at the forefront of our passage in John’s Gospel this morning.
Matthew Henry in his commentary of John 13 gives us 4 reasons why Jesus washed his disciples’ feet:
1. That He might testify his love to His disciples. (John13:1,2)
2. That He might give an instance of his own voluntary humility and condescension. (John 13:3-5)
3. That He might signify to them spiritual washing, which is referred to in his discourse with Peter. (John 13:6-11)
4. That He might set them an example, (John 13:12-17) and the opening of these four reasons will take in the exposition of the whole story.
It is here laid down as an undoubted truth that our Lord Jesus, “having loved his own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.” (John 13:1) This is true especially of his 12 disciples. They were like family to him. He had personally chosen them as His disciples. He had been with them for over 3 years teaching and tutoring them for the day that He would no longer be on earth. They may have been weak and defective in knowledge and grace, dull and forgetful; yet, though He reproved them often, He never ceased to love them and take care of them. It is also true for all believers, but these twelve patriarchs were the representatives of all the tribes of God’s spiritual Israel. Those whom Christ loves He loves to the end; He is constant in his love to his people; He rests in His love. He loves with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3)
Christ manifested his love to them by washing their feet, as that good woman, (Luke 7:38) showed her love for Christ by washing his feet and wiping them with her hair. Thus he would show that as his love to them was constant so it was condescending…that in prosecution of the designs of it he was willing to humble himself. “He would make them sit down to eat meat and would come forth and serve them.” (Luke 12:37) It is a reminder that genuine love manifests itself through service.
Just as Jesus served His disciples, we are called to serve one another selflessly. This is echoed in other parts of the Bible. St. Paul tells in Phil 2: 3 & 4: “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteems other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”
Jesus chose
this time to do it, a little before His last Passover for two reasons:
(1) He knew His hour had come, which he had long expected when He should depart out of this world to the Father. This began at his death, but was completed at his ascension. Just as Christ Himself, so all believers, by virtue of their union with Him, when they depart out of the world, are absent from the body, go to the Father, are present with the Lord. (2nd Cor. 5:8) Now it was in the immediate foresight of his departure that He washed his disciple’s feet, so their feet might be washed against the day of their consecration by the descent of the Holy Ghost fifty days after, as the priests were washed. (Lev 8:6) When we see our day approaching, we should do what good we can to those we leave behind.
(2) Because “the devil had now put it into the heart of Judas to betray Him.” (John 13:2) It was a sin of such nature that it evidently bore the devil’s image and superscription. We really don’t know the way of access that the devil has to men’s hearts or by what methods he uses to put thoughts in their minds. However, Jesus was concerned that the devil was aiming at Peter and the rest of the disciples. (Luke 22:31-32)
Jesus wanted to show the others that He was not going to cast off the remaining 11 disciples for the faults of one. Christ loves the church even though there may be some hypocrites in it.
Christ washed his disciples’ feet that he might give an instance of his own wonderful voluntary humility and how low he could stoop in love to his own. This is implied in John 13:3-5. Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and knowing His own glory as God and His authority and power as Mediator, could have just basked in his own glory. Instead He gave the greatest instance of Humility. He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel. Then He girded Himself with the towel, just as servants may throw a towel or napkin on their arm or put an apron before them. Then He poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. He was doing the work of the lowliest of servants (Bond Slaves). It is interesting to note that Christ would not leave his preaching to oblige his closest relatives (Mark 3:33), but he would leave his supper to show his love to his disciples. (John 13:4)
The disciples must have been stunned at this act of humility and condescension that Jesus, their Lord and Master, should wash their feet. As there were no servant present, washing feet was more properly their work, but no one had volunteered for the job. As Jesus revealed in Matthew 20:28: “Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister; and to give his life a ransom for many.” The humility expressed by Jesus with towel and basin foreshadowed His ultimate act of humility and love on the cross.
The 3rd reason for washing the disciple’s feet was that Jesus might signify spiritual washing, especially with his discourse with Peter. Peter was profoundly uncomfortable with Jesus washing his feet, and he proclaimed: “Thou shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.“ (John 13:8) “Then Peter saith unto Him in verse nine, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. “Then Jesus saith to him, “He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: ye are clean but not all. “(Verse 10) “For He knew who should betray Him; therefore said He,” “ye are not all clean.” (verse 11)
So, Jesus act of washing the disciple’s feet illustrated their spiritual cleansing. Jesus is the one who forgives. Peter and the other disciples –all except Judas who never belonged to Christ had experienced the full cleansing of salvation and did not need to be washed again in a spiritual sense. Salvation is a one-time act of Justification by faith. What follows is the lifelong process of sanctification: a daily washing away of the stain of sin. As we walk through life, some of the world’s pleasures may cling to us that needs to be washed away…forgiven by Christ just as 1 John 1:9 assures us : “ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. “Peter and the other disciples—all except Judas, who never belonged to Christ needed only this minor washing of the feet just as all true believing Christians.
Further, when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, He told them and us, “For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:15). As His followers, we are to emulate Him, serving one another in lowliness of heart and mind, (Matt: 11:29) seeking to build one another up in humility and love. Part of that humble service is to forgive one another (Col 3:13).
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.” (John 13:16)
“If you know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” (John 13:17)
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
First Sunday after Trinity Sermon
The Rich Man and Lazarus-
Two Men, Two Roads, Two Results
Luke 16:19-31
We could look through the Gospel of Luke , and we could discuss such things as Discipleship (“Strive to enter through the narrow gate” 13:24), Counting the Cost as a Disciple and bearing our Cross (14:27), the Lost sheep, lost coin from Luke 15 and last Sunday the Parable of the Unjust Steward Luke 16 where we heard “ You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13) These have not been easy lessons . Today we are focused on a story from Luke. I would think we should be careful if we call this a parable since it is more than that I believe. Parables are stories, but in this story we have characters who are named. Be careful not to dismiss stories of Jesus either because in them we have the Word of the Gospel.
I subtitled this message years ago when I talked about it ----“ Taking a wrong turn in life” Today we are looking at two ways of living. I am not trying to identify anyone here as I talk about this. I am simply trying to discuss what is here and ask, “Does this talk about me in some shape, manner or form?” If it does then we have to apply that to our own lives as the Spirit of God directs.
I find that the story here that Jesus tells is directed to the outwardly religious. Look at vs. 14 “And the Pharisees who were covetous, heard these things, and they denied Him.” So I believe Jesus directs this story to them, the religious leaders and rulers of the day. It has application to us as well for that is what we would call ourselves too. What is the thrust of this story?
I think that the thrust of this story is not just the bold parts that we often talk about…the picture of Hades, the place of torment, the reality of judgment and the call of the Scriptures , the Word to be enough to all here now. “ ….if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent….if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.” (See Luke 16:30-31) Now I do not want to diminish those parts for they are all important. As Christians we do believe in the reality of two places that we journey to after death. We do believe in the power of God to bring us to heaven and we do believe that for some who have rejected God and His path that there is no such reward.
Personally, this story could not more drastically contrast two different men and their lives. One commentator says, “It is teaching these people to see of how little value it is to show one’s self pious before men when one is reprobate before God.” One person lived very well materially as he was rich. There is no mention by Jesus of his sin or wickedness, but just that he lived very well in his dress and in his diet. “…a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day.” (Luke 16:19) Does this describe most of our culture today?
Unfortunately, we in the Church are just as susceptible to this kind of living. If we achieve a certain standard of living, enjoying our selves, what else is there to life? We are happy with that ---are we not. In some senses that is what we desire. So, we live here and enjoy it. I am not saying that it is wrong to have money and be rich. God bless us for that. God has given us things to enjoy and we have these things because we have worked for them. We are enjoying the fruit of our labors. If that is all we are doing then we have missed the message of Jesus.
“21There is beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate, full of sores. 21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table:…” (Luke 16:20-21) There are many like Lazarus for whatever reason. The real message of this story is that there is a right use of our privilege here. And it goes deeper than that if we follow the earlier messages Jesus gave on discipleship. Our Christian lives are not just about receiving eternal life ourselves. We as true Christians need to take a look around us and see how we can not only have an awareness of God but how that awareness of God leads us to not ignore His people and the needs of others.
The rich man had all the right words. He calls God “Father Abraham” and God calls him son but that was no guarantee of eternal life. It is easy to play the part, dress the occasion and mouth the creed, but what have we done with our faith? The point is that the rich man never had faith at all. He was relying on a profession of faith without any possession of faith to get Him into heaven. That is no faith at all. It is just words. Can we ignore Lazarus? Sure. But if we do, we do it at the peril of our own eternal life. We cannot say we love God yet withhold His love from others.
That is why I can call this message Two men, two roads and two results or the Record of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Surely, we cannot merit heaven by our lives. We know God in His grace and love overlooks much in our lives that we cannot excuse. We have choices as we hear the words of God in the Gospel. They enter our hearts and through the power of God’s Spirit bring forth good fruit. Yet at our eternal destruction we ignore His Word and live as they are just words. His Church which is His Body, the visible Kingdom of Jesus on earth requires not just our membership. He requires our love.
Most High Omnipotent Good Lord, grant we your people grace gladly to renounce the vanities of this world; that following the Way of the Cross, we may for the love of You delight in your whole creation with perfect joy, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
The Rev. David Mc Millan+
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:
Finley Cartwright – bypass surgery – recovering at home
The Fultz’s and Folino Family – loss of Steve Foliono – traveling mercies for all traveling to memorial
Walter Hallberg III – Hospice Care
Thomas Broome – hospital – fall and infectious disease
Jeff Maraman - at the fire academy in Arkansas.
Lydia Collins - rectal cancer.
Marilee – Mastectomy Update – second surgery successful – chemo begun
James Cavanah – health issues, new medication tolerance – starting to work keep praying
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
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, Lydia
Sophie, Colin and Lori Beall - cancer, Toni - cancer, Donna - cancer, Malou - cancer, Roseanne, Bobby, Missy, Archie, Eloise, McMaster -mourning, Turner Family - Mourning
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