250720 AOC Sunday Report
Anglican Orthodox Churchsm
Worldwide Communion
Fifth Sunday after Trinity
July 20, 2025 - Sunday Report
Fifth Sunday after Trinity Propers:
The propers are special prayers and readings from the Bible. There is a Collect for the Day; that is a single thought prayer, most written either before the re-founding of the Church of England in the 1540’s or written by Bishop Thomas Cranmer, the first Archbishop of Canterbury after the re-founding.
The Collect for the Day is to be read on Sunday and during Morning and Evening Prayer until the next Sunday. The Epistle is normally a reading from one of the various Epistles, or letters, in the New Testament. The Gospel is a reading from one of the Holy Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Collect is said by the minister as a prayer, the Epistle can be read by either a designated reader (as we do in our church) or by one of the ministers and the Holy Gospel, which during the service in our church is read by an ordained minister.
The propers are the same each year, except if a Red-Letter Feast, that is one with propers in the prayerbook, falls on a Sunday, then those propers are to be read instead, except in a White Season, where it is put off. Red Letter Feasts, so called because in the Altar Prayerbooks the titles are in red, are special days. Most of the Red-Letter Feasts are dedicated to early saint’s instrumental in the development of the church, others to special events. 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 195-196.
The Collect for Fifth Sunday after Trinity
O GOD, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle for Fifth Sunday after Trinity. St. Peter iii. 8.
BE ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.
The Gospel for Fifth Sunday after Trinity. St. Luke v. 1.
IT came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, and saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: never-theless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: and so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
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:
Make no friendship with
an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: lest thou learn his
ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
Proverbs
22:24-25
Woe unto
them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Isaiah
5:21
Woe to
them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is
light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hands.
Micah 2:1
Come ye
after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
St. Mark
1:17
If it be
possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Romans
12:18
Let your
moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Philippians
4:5
A Christian once, in doubt and discouragement, considered the darkness which overspread her soul as a proof that she was finally cast away. She stumbled over molehills when she should have been removing mountains. To an old minister who was trying to comfort her, with impassioned emphasis she said: " Oh, I'm dead, dead " twice dead and plucked up by the roots!" After a pause, he replied: "Well, sitting in my study the other day, I heard a sudden scream: "John's in the well! John's fallen into the well!" Before I could reach the spot, I heard the sad, mournful cry: 'John's dead! Poor little Johnny's dead!' Bending over the curb, I called out: 'John, are you dead ?' The lad replied: "Yes, grandfather; I'm dead.' I was glad to hear it from his own mouth." Many doubts are so absurd that the only way to combat them is by gentle ridicule."
Rev. J. B. McClure - Pearls from Many Seas
Reader, how are you to ‘cast off the works of
darkness’? ...You ought to lay aside everything in your life and habits which
will not bear the light of Christ’s appearing. You ought to make it a principle
of conscience to do nothing you would not like to be found doing when Jesus
comes again to gather his people together.
The Most Rev. J. C. Ryle
We are often disappointed of the good we had great
hopes of. Events, both in public and private affairs, do not always agree, even
with the most rational prospects and probabilities... we call them chance, but
really they are according to the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.
The Rev. Matthew Henry
Cast off into the
deep – away from the sometimes ‘madding crowd.’ This separation from the world
is required of both the believer as well as those that are called to the
ministry. “Wherefore
come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the
unclean thing; and I will receive you,” (2 Corinthians 6:17) Though we must be IN the world,
we must not be partakers of its sin and wickedness.
The Most Rev. Jerry L. Ogles -Sermon for the Fifth Sunday after
Trinity, 2025
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 Blog:
https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com
Bishop Ogles You Tube Channel
that is free to subscribe: all of his videos at:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuW3bgXBJFomPB5mZ4Oigxg
Bible Studies for Youth Series: The Rich Young Ruler
Click Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozRi7dDQ4Ls&t=2s
Wednesday
– 7-16-25 Morning Meditations:
Suffer the Little
Children
You Tube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y15L9dm0bWs
Thursday – 7-17-25 Morning Meditations
You tube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNznuOzTdOg
Friday – 7-18-25 Morning Meditations
Click link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsLGkA_0QD0&t=17s
Saturday – 7-19-25 Morning Meditations
Click link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pJsktYZ-qQ
Sermon Summary for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity
“Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.” Luke 5:4
The Collect.
GRANT, O Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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”
Our Prayer of Collect today reminds that there does exist the possibility of a peaceable kingdom, but that Kingdom must find its governance in a Holy God and not a false one. The peace of God is a peace that cannot be comprehended through the designs and opinions of man: And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:7) Such a peace cannot be possessed by a people who are nominal Christians, but only by those who have taken on the Mind of Christ. His Mind does not vindictively pursue those who are ignorant of Him, but seeks them out in love to open their eyes to the Light that scatters the darkness and ennobles the soul.
This Prayer asks for a grant from the proper source – the Lord! GRANT, O Lord. You may beg alms from a pauper all you please, but your need will never be granted because the pauper has no means by which your prayer may be granted. If we have great need, with no means of satisfying within our own means, we must go to the One who has the resources to grant our request. 10For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. 11I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine... 15call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Psalms 50:10- 11, 15)
Our petition is not an ultimatum for we have no grounds to demand anything of the Most High King. GRANT, O Lord, we beseech thee. Standing in the need of favors which we are powerless to acquire of our own volition, we approach the Throne of Grace as children begging for the mercy and favor of a loving Father. There is a different approach to that Throne being deceitfully preached from the sensational pulpits of America today that claims we can DEMAND anything of God and He is bound to grant the demand. What an evil and foolish lie. The very definition of a King is that He is Sovereign on His Throne. He may grant grace, or withhold mercy, to whom He pleases and for reasons that are His alone.
In our Epistle from 1st Peter, we are reminded of the great force for good, or for bad, is the tongue of man. Men have died at the gallows owing to a lying tongue. But the tongue is only the instrument whereby the deep treasures of the heart are expressed openly. Quite often, those expressions of the tongue arise from a heart of malice and cruelty rather than treasures of goodness and love. Harness the tongue and you will gain control of the vessel of your heart.
Our Gospel text for today has much to enlighten the hearts of both ministers and laity. Our Lord uses the illustration of the net often to describe the manner by which men are drawn by the Gospel.
First of all, like the righteous tongue (as compared to that wicked tongue), there are two major categories of nets – the evil net whereby men are drawn away from God, and the Gospel net by which men are taken up in the deep waters of the world.
Ecclesiastes 9:12 informs us of the evil net by which many are caught unexpectedly. “For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so [are] the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.” This net is fabricated by the Serpent of the Garden in his scheme to destroy the man which the Lord has made.
There is a secondary kind of this net whereby men attempt to do the work of the Lord under his own power without biblical support or the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
This secondary kind of net-fishing is exemplified by the efforts of Peter and the other disciples having fished all night (without the Light of Christ) and failing to catch a single fish. Many churches of our day have rejected the fulness of the Gospel and become more like the world in worship, preaching, and hymn-singing. Of course, the disciples were not yet aware of the fulness of the Gospel to fill their nets.
In the second place, the net which is cast by the believers under the command and leading of our Lord will certainly draw the desired catch. Thus, when the Lord commands it, the results are quite different – the nets will be filled with all manner of fish – large and small. It is the power of the Gospel of Christ that draws men to Himself and not the personal power of the messengers.
Notice that the Lord commands Peter to cast out into the deep. It may be of greater comfort to remain ashore and enjoy the fruits of man’s labor, but not for the devout believer – and especially those whom He has called as ministers. Cast off from the comfort and presumed security of the home and hearth of the mundane and dare to get into the depth of God’s Word and the preaching of it. The reception in the deep may not always be friendly or favorable; yet, all things that grow must undergo the pains thereof. A tiny seed must germinate in the darkness of the soil until its sprouts begins to reach earnestly for the light above. If that light is block by stone or concrete, the tiny seedling will persevere to penetrate even those obstructions until it burst forth into the brightness of the sun by which it is nourished with a daily ration of light.
Cast off into the deep – away from the sometimes ‘madding crowd.’ This separation from the world is required of both the believer as well as those that are called to the ministry. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” (2 Corinthians 6:17) Though we must be IN the world, we must not be partakers of its sin and wickedness.
We learn, too, that it is of great importance for the fisherman to be trained in the use of a net. There are different kinds of net designed to catch either small or very large fish. The fisherman’s skill in knowing how to cast the net, and where, is vitally important. So, it is with the minister of God in the preaching of the Gospel. We must go where the need is great, and we must preach the Word of God in kindness but frankness.
Well, now that we have a full net “of all kinds,” we must realize that every fish we catch may not be fit for the serving. It is true in church as well. Our Lord tells us: “47Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:47-50)
Though many are highly regarded in church for their character, and admired for their status in life, the Church cannot judge by the outward appearance. Many will tread the Broad Way in glittering garments whose hearts are filled with shame. That does not mean that the Church does not judge open sin, for we are commanded so to do. “3Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?” (1 Corinthians 6:3) But we cannot judge the heart of any whose sin is not visibly evident. That remains the domain of God. So how do we judge? “24Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” (John 7:24) What is righteous judgment? It is the Word of God by which sin is defined – not personal opinion. But, if God calls anything a sin, we MUST agree with God and do likewise – not in malice, but in love.
Now, if we have learned some deeper
truth from our casting off into the deep, and following the will of the Lord in
our fishing, surely the reward for our catch will far outweigh the safety of
the shore dwellers.
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:
Back in the last century, an astute government official (yes, imagine that!) named Newton Minow was chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, whose purpose was to supervise all cable, radio, television, and satellite communications, national and international. Of course, this task has today been made completely impossible by Internet and mobile phone technology. But back in the day, TV controlled the hearts and minds of every American who owned a set - and had done for over two decades - before Mr. Minow made his still famous remark in 1961 - that American television was " a vast wasteland."
His position gave great gravitas to his criticism of the most powerful communications medium since the telegraph. He claimed that TV had become a repository of nothing but violence, and was totally empty of any intellectual worth. He called for a re-examination of programming and warned parents of the dangers of excessive viewing. Many regarded his words as exaggerated and self-serving, "wasteland" a little too harsh for such an influential and potentially beneficial social tool. Television became fertile ground for the work of sociologists and psychologists galore, and TV even became self-critical for a time in an attempt to police itself (and avoid further government control). So-called "educational TV" was born about this time and a network was opened to promote "public" programming of benefit specifically to youth. Nature shows appeared in place of Westerns and soap operas provided more dramatic "adult" themes.
Religious programming made a modest inroad into network prime time, and shows like that of RC Bishop Fulton Sheen beat out comedian Milton Berle (Uncle Milty vs. Uncle Fulty) for viewership. But broadcast time was very expensive, and few religious organizations could afford time, much less prime time, so religious broadcasting was limited to Sunday mornings when regular listeners were still asleep or on their way to their own local churches. The Christian Church had little experience in this relatively new medium, and not much interest in gaining new stay-at-home audiences. Few clergy had the stage presence to meet the demands of this visual microscope, much less the speaking ability to captivate an audience. After all, there was no offering taken on TV shows so how would they be paid for? And so, a great opportunity was lost.
Apart from specialty shows broadcast live from large churches at Christmas and Easter, virtually NO strong Protestant presence appeared on TV for decades. Billy Graham was able to capture the attention of the public with his hugely attended "Crusades" but these were sporadically held public events, not suitable for the TV studio. Graham was such a controversial figure himself within the Protestant community and his support even amongst Evangelicals was divided. It was not until the rise of the Pentecostal Movement, and the appearance of their Charismatic cousins in the established denominations that TV began to penetrate the American Christian scene. Pentecostals recognized the power of television to reach huge numbers without reliance on church buildings or any organizational structure. Any "pastor" who could buy broadcast time could have his/her own show and a new industry was born - the "TV Evangelist." A new form of loose fitting Protestantism arose - no doctrine, no sacraments, no hierarchy, no Creeds, no pews, - and best of all, a congregation of one, watching from your living room, with a "preacher" who spoke directly to you in the delightful, sterile anonymity of the Wasteland. You could even turn him off or just change the channel to find something more to your liking. Ah, church without guilt or obligation - God in a box, with us in control of the remote.
In an effort to control the medium, the Charismatics quickly seized control of any available air time and created networks that excluded orthodox Protestant programming. Mainline Protestant denominations saw no reason to compete and failed to see the educational power of TV to alter the religious vocabulary of the American public. They were too busy revising their Bible versions and contemporizing their liturgies to win back the younger generation that had departed their churches in droves. In the meantime, Christians were being trained to accept faith healing, speaking in tongues, the "Prosperity Gospel" and new revelations from the divine through the "new apostles." Hal Lindsey's "The Late Great Planet Earth" became the sixty-seventh book of the Bible and "end times prophecy" became the subject of every sermon in every church across the country. Even the Catholic Network, a late contrived effort to challenge the tongue speakers TV piracy, became the butt of late night TV jokes.
Well, Mr. Minow was absolutely right but the discussion is now moot. The World Wide Web has made TV almost totally obsolete and is a far greater cesspool than TV was at its worst. Of course, TV continued to decline not just in terms of violence and obscenity and is now totally beyond redemption. Christianity is no longer an influence of any sort. Remember George Carlin's routine "Ten Words You Can't Say On TV?" How far we have come from those days! What a great opportunity the Church passed over because of its self-absorption and internal weakness! Now, the sewer that is the Internet is in the hands of every American man, woman, and child for many hours each day. Satan is a technological genius; the god of the wasteland is not concerned with game shows or cooking networks, with Love Island or the Today Show. He is seeking whom he may devour. So, what are we going to do about it?
+CEM
Jack Arnold
Bishop of the Diocese of the West – AOC USA
Education and Training Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide
Church of
the Faithful Centurion
Fifth Sunday after Trinity
Today’s sermon brought the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords above.
Consider these words from the Collect:
… the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness …
In the Collect, we ask that the events of this world might follow God’s governance or will. Why? Because in those places where it does, we find happiness and joy. It is that simple, it means more, reflect on that. After all, amazing is it not? Since the Garden, it has always been one of the two same choices:
1. We follow God’s Will for us, we do what is good for us, individually and as a people or a country. It is hard work, but easier than we imagined; we prosper when all goes well. It was all our doing, we are happy because we were so smart.
2. We ignore God’s instructions, doing what we want to do, not what we are supposed to do. It turns out to be way harder than we thought possible, in the end everything turns to weasel spit. It was not our fault, it is God’s fault, He is punishing us.
As long as we are imperfect creatures with free will, humanity will not change. The key word in this phrase is will. The will of humanity is set towards embracing sin and running away from God. But that does not have to be the case. If we will but allow the Holy Ghost to enter into our hearts, we can reset our will to go from running away from God to be running towards God. But it is a choice that we have to make on our own, it always has been. God will not force us to come to Him and follow Him, He is giving us the choice to do it willingly. So we must decide to follow Him and allow the Holy Ghost to enter into our hearts, souls and minds in order for us to do any good for Him in this world.
However, there is a big obstacle to this which is human nature. We are our own worst enemy and stumbling block. We are the biggest obstacles to our own success. God can help us overcome ourselves, but only if we let Him into our hearts. We have to understand doing what God wants will be better for us in the long run than doing what we want.
This is a difficult concept for us to grasp without the help of the Holy Ghost. But it is not so hard once we let the Holy Ghost into our hearts. But the key here is that we have to let the Holy Ghost into our hearts. We have to exercise our free will properly in order to do this and recognize that without the Holy Ghost in our hearts, we are hopelessly lost. But with the Holy Ghost in our hearts, we will be back on the path towards righteousness and heaven.
Don’t try to get out of doing what God wants to do what you want, and don’t look for loopholes. Don’t be a Pharisee! Consider when Jesus told Simon Peter to go out and set his nets. Simon was tired, he was hungry, he had fished all night with no result. After making excuses, he decided to do what he was told! There is a lesson there, instead of making excuses why things are the way they are, why not be quiet and do God’s will instead? It will have a lot better result, that is for sure!
That is what happened to Simon Peter; that is what will happen to you, if you will but listen and act. Listening and then acting are the key principles of Scripture. First, we need to listen to what God has to say, read the Scriptures and then act, that is applying those key concepts and principles in our day to day lives. It is how we show the World that we truly do have indeed have faith in God and His Son.
Without actions, our faith would be a very shallow one. It is very easy to talk the talk, but can we walk the walk too? People watching will notice if our words are backed up by our actions. Without actions our faith is meaningless. There has to be actions in order to show that we truly indeed have faith and are not just faking our faith. Our actions must be consistent with the principles from Scripture in order for our faith to have meaning.
As the verse from the Book of Matthew goes, wherever our treasure is, our heart will be there also. So, if we do treasure Jesus and His teachings, our heart will be fixed there also and our actions will reflect that. Same to somebody whose heart is in earthly things or mammon, their heart will be fixed upon those things and their actions will reflect that.
The point Saint Peter makes in this morning’s Epistle is that it is easy for us to be sinful creatures and not do good. It is much harder to resist that sin and to do good, but yet that is what God calls us to do. It comes naturally to us to repay evil with evil as we are very sinful and prideful beings, but God calls us to resist that temptation and instead do good the best we can in all situations. He calls us to resist our natural tendencies to do evil and immoral things, and embrace His Will to do good and just things. He points out that in the end who can truly harm us spiritually if we are on God’s side. They may be able to destroy our bodies which are our temporary shells on our journey through this temporary waypoint, but they cannot take away our eternal salvation which God and His Son have given to us.
We will find that our life will improve significantly once we start doing what God wants us to do instead of what we want to do. We will find things become better for us in a lot of aspects of our life thanks to doing what God wants. People who do not have the Holy Ghost in their hearts may not be able to see this, but us with the Holy Ghost in our hearts will be able to see it once we apply God’s principles into action. We can make things better for us and those around us by doing what God wants us to do. Our communities will become a better place the more we start to do what God wants instead of what we want to do. A lot of the problems in this world are caused by people doing what they want to do instead of what God wants us to do.
Do not misunderstand, every day Jesus speaks to you telling you what to do. It is your choice, you can listen like Simon Peter or you can ignore Jesus. He has the pony for the lottery. He wants to give it to you, all you have to do is accept. While He is a bit more subtle than a Drill Instructor, the question is the same, “Can you hear me?” The problem with us is that we just do not want to hear. That is why we need the Holy Ghost to open up our ears, that we might hear and obey. We need to tell ourselves that listening to Jesus and the Holy Ghost will produce better results for us in the short and long term than if we ignore them. We have to remind ourselves that our eternal life starts right now and not when we die, so we might as well get on following Jesus and the Holy Ghost’s instructions.
There are none so deaf as those who will not hear.
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
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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.
Fifth Sunday after Trinity Sermon
Think for a moment concerning that last statement. My grandmother used to say that, “We are our own worst enemy” and, among other things, it applies to that portion of our being which can cut, slash and skewer both friend and foe alike, as well as incriminate and condemn ourselves. And that, my friends, is the tongue. Consider the words of St. James who admonished his readers that, ...8the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be. (St. James 3:8-10) How often do we hear those around us “venting their spleens” with vile and bitter language? Some do so without much thought; while for others it is a conscious act of verbal violence meant to demean and degrade.
In Psalm 32:9, we are instructed to be, ...not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle...That passage is self-explanatory. Ergo, we have been commanded to exercise self control in all that we do. The fact that one can revile others with language that is not the least bit conducive to edifying reveals that person’s lack of self-restraint, or as the limbo dancers are asked, “How low can you go?”
There are a number of curses which contain the name of God, and ALL of them violate the Third Commandment which reads, Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain... (Exodus 20:7). Now this sin is so much a part of our conversation that many will utter our LORD’s holy name without any thought that they are in fact defaming him. God gave us that commandment to remind us that he is the Almighty God, the LORD of hosts, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and all that therein is (Acts 4:24). After all, we have been made in his image and after his likeness, but we are finite and he is infinite. We are impure while he is pure, holy and perfect. The Bible commands us to be sincere when we call upon him, and not to do so if we are not ready to truly address ourselves to him. Ergo, to flippantly throw his name out to others as an exclamation is demeaning to his glory, and to misuse his holy name is blasphemy.
Nevertheless, have you ever noticed how many are so quick to treat our heavenly Father with disrespect? Why can’t they use the name of some pagan deity? I remember in an old tv series from the 1950's, one of the principal characters used the exclamatory phrase of “Jump’n Jupiter” or the like to express his level of either approval or disapproval of a particular action. But in today’s world— across every field of endeavor— you will hear not only vile and vulgar language being used in ordinary conversation, but you will also hear the LORD’s name as part of such profane speaking.
Let me pose another worthwhile question: How does taking God’s name vainly aid the user? Plainly, it doesn’t. The wicked are notoriously shortsighted and forgetful, but God is not. It seems that they don’t care what God thinks, but they will. On that terrible day of judgment before the Great White Throne, they will be judged for EVERY idle word, every vile jest, every errant thought and every blasphemous remark. What agony there will be on that day. There will be no escape, no appeal, and no advocate to stand beside them in their defense.
I have heard it said that the unregenerate excuse the use of their verbal barbs and wicked language with the offhand comment of, “Oh they’re just words.” Really? Such persons are being disingenuous at best and lying at worst as only the grossly unintelligent would not know that taking the LORD’s name in vain— especially when it has been hurled at another in a barrage of insults— is forbidden. Such people know what they intended in their use of such language, and throwing God’s name into the mix adds weight and garners attention. Such language is meant to not only shock the victim, but demean them as well. How tragic that the very name of God has become a tool for reducing another human being both mentally and emotionally. That is, after all, what cursing another was meant to do otherwise the speaker would not do it. And we all know who’s behind this.
The apostle Paul reminded us that we should, ...put off all... anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. (Colossians 3:8). Indeed, the unregenerate of this world will, under the influence of evil, seek to have us lose control over ourselves releasing, as it were, those things in our minds that were once part of our old nature. But we must not permit it. The apostle urged us to exercise control over our selves so that we do not open the door to sin. When we vilify others in ways meant to harm them, then we are acting beyond the pale of biblical authority. God does not permit us to use bad language in our Christian witness. To rebuke, to chastize, or to admonish does not give us the right to use the devil’s tools in God’s service.
Now, one might ask, “What can I do as a born-again Christian to overcome my past use of such words?” Well, the answer is: You have to keep watch over your own self much as a soldier keeps his watch over his encampment. And being watchful means being vigilant. You cannot expect Satan’s minions to take a break, to go on vacation or the like in their campaign against you. You have to stand your watch over all your faculties for that is your godly duty. You cannot be an effective Christian without exercising self-restraint.
If you were once inclined to use harsh language prior to your regeneration in Christ Jesus, then you must strive all the more to rid yourself of such by learning new ways to express your feelings. And you should seek God’s pardon for these and other errors. Our great and loving God has promised to forgive and to forget any sin which you bring before his throne of grace through the blood of his only begotten Son. But it is not enough to ask for forgiveness, one must then live in obedience to his will and commandment ever after. For only through a life devoted to God will you reflect your true state of liberty from the bondage of sin, more particularly, the sin of a loose and cursing tongue. Our heavenly Father loves us and wants us to live eternally with him in his kingdom. The reviler, the blasphemer, or the like, cannot enter therein. So let your words be seasoned with salt and keep your tongue under control for that is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. And when you slip, confess the same before him and then live as one renewed for that is what our heavenly Father will do for all who come to him in sincerity and truth.
Let us pray,
O holy Father, who has blessed us with the free gift of salvation; grant that by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, we would reject the language and customs of this world and embrace thy wholesome language which is from above; for this we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour. 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
Fifth Sunday after Trinity Sermon
Morning Prayer
Psalm 62 & 63; First lesson: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, 18-23 Second lesson. Matthew. 19:16-30
O GOD, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymns: #362, 390, 449,491, 569
Psalm 62
1Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. 2He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved. 3How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence. 4They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. 5My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. 6He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved. 7In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. 8Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
1–8: WAITING when faced with intense opposition, David claims that God is his rock, salvation and defence. He instructs his soul to wait for God. He encourages others to trust in Him and pour out their hearts before God who is their refuge. As David encourages us to trust in Him we should also reach to others with the same good news. Waiting upon the Lord can at times be very frustrating, but by far it is the best recourse to some of the worst times we face from time to time.
9Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
9: WEIGHING God knows the true weight of ungodly men. They are lighter than vapour and have no righteousness that registers on the scales. Think about the hand writing on the wall in the book of Daniel. “We have been found wanting...{of less weight/value than we thought}” Want to test this concept, try to keep ALL the commandments. No man can.
10 Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
10: WORLDLINESS Not only oppression and robbery must be rejected, but so must worldly and materialistic dependence upon increased riches. When we focus on what the World tells us what we need or crave, it only brings pain and misery. We never ever obtain true peace, the world is full of chaos, that is how Satan keeps people from focusing on the Truth. The world can never meet man’s spiritual needs.
11God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God. 12Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.
11–12: WORD Mercy, power, and justice are in David’s mind after God has spoken to him. God’s word is crucially important. Do you notice that God only had to say it once, but the one hearing the Word, heard it at least twice. This is what reading and listening to the Word of God does for us. God speaks the Truth, we hear and read the Truth as we study his Word and allow the Word to influence and guide us in the world of chaos.
Psalm 63
1O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
1: LONGING DAVID Everything about David underlines the fact that He longs to be with God. He is like a thirsty man in a parched wilderness looking for water. As believers we should crave God as one who is parched and full of thirst. We need God, our Creator, to sustain us and to guide us in this earthly journey.
2To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. 3Because thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 4Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. 5My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
2–5: LOVING DEVOTION David’s response of prayer and joyful praise are because he knows that the loving-kindness of the Lord satisfies and is better than life. He has an attitude of praise, he will lift up his hands unto the Lord. Everything about the Lord is a blessing to David, as he sees God’s power and glory, but yet also sees his loving-kindness. The best of all worlds. We need to return to this concept over and over again. We must understand that God is there for our spiritual health, He will raise us up on that last day to life eternal.
6When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. 7Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. 8My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.
6–8: LYING DOWN Even when he is lying on his bed at night, David will remember and meditate on God. Upheld by Him, he wants to follow Him closely. The safety that is implied by the shadow of God’s wings, not literally, but in the sense of protection of both physical and especially spiritual sense. David knows that God’s hand holds him up in safety. We must always seek God at all times, good and/or in bad times, always seeking Him for He will sustain us.
9But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. 10They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.
9–10: LIVES DESTROYED David knows that those who seek to destroy his life will, one day, reap destruction in their own lives. As we have studied before, ‘vengeance is mine saith the Lord’. It is in God’s time, not ours, that the wicked will get their reward. And in understanding this concept of God’s time, not ours, may be one of the most difficult lessons to learn about our spiritual journey. “Let go and let God”.
11But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.
11: LIARS’ DESTINY Those who speak lies will one day be stopped, while those rejoicing in God will continue to praise and glorify Him. David knows that this eternal pleasure awaits him, too. Once again, we are reminded that God will take care of the wicked. He will put them in their place, in his time and his conditions. We need to stop worrying about God’s work, he is the creator, he knows what we need and don’t need. He will provide just punishment for the wicked, we need to just praise God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.
Let us Pray: GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the words which we have heard this day with our outward ears, may, through thy grace, be so grafted inwardly in our hearts, that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living, to the honour and praise of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
DIRECT us, O Lord, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name, and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
ALMIGHTY God, the fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking; We beseech thee to have compassion upon our infirmities; and those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask, vouchsafe to give us, for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Beloved, go in peace, in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen
+Roy Morales-Kuhn
Rev. David McMillan
AOC Minister at Large
Alabama
We are Fortunate today to have a sermon from Rev. David McMillian
Fifth Sunday after Trinity Devotions
Are
we Ignorant of Satan's Devices?
2 Corinthians 2:11
Sermon from: Thomas Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices- No. 2
Thoughts from this delightful Biblical series written by an English puritan.
We begin with an illustration of our confusion.
"Some years ago, The Archbishop of Canterbury was rushing to catch a train in London. In his haste, he accidentally jumped on the wrong passenger car and found himself on a car full of inmates from a mental hospital. They were all dressed in mental hospital clothing.
Just as the train pulled out of the station, an orderly came in and began to count the inmates, “1-2-3-4…” when suddenly he saw this distinguished looking gentleman there wearing a business suit and a clerical collar and he said:
“Who are you?” The answer came back: “I am the Archbishop of Canterbury!” And the orderly said: “5-6-7-8.”
The point of that story is this: It is so important to know who we are and who other people are. If we know what makes us tick and what makes other people tick, we get along better. If we understand where we are coming from and where other people are coming from, we relate better. There is more compassion, more empathy and more kindness. " (from sermons@sermons.com)
Today as we consider more lessons from Brooks book, Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices we should know who we are in Christ.
Device 1-Satan gets us to doubt our worthiness and says we are unworthy.
That actually is the whole point of the Gospel. We have reversed it in our churches, a lot of them do for ex., and in the culture especially. Unbelievers are made worthy by the righteousness and blood of Christ. Our lives are now light in God. This is not because we earned this or deserve it. It simply is the beautiful words of Scripture that in Christ we are made worthy.
Would Christ ever receive such a sinner such as we are?
Remedy 1- " God has never said in Scripture that any worthiness is needed in us before we believe."
"...this is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up on the last day….. 47He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." (John 6:40….47)
Remedy 2-" If the soul will keep off from Christ till it be worthy it will never close with Christ"
There is no way to make unworthy souls worthy but by believing in Christ. "…Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness, and he was called the Friend of God."(James 2:23)
This is such a good point that we should dwell on our own worthiness in Christ and that His love has been applied to our lives and hearts by His Grace.
Now, we switch to another vein of thought in another Device of Satan.....
Device 2-" By persuading the soul that the work of repentance is an easy work, and therefore the soul need not make such a matter of sin."
Remedy 1- Repentance is a difficult work. It is not just a prayer of repentance, "Lord, have mercy." That is just a beginning of the task.
Ezekiel 18:21 shows that true repentance is turning from all sin to good. Matthew 3:10 talks about the tree bringing forth good fruit. True repentance is a loathing of sin, and turning to God in all goodness.
It definitely is a sorrow for all of our sin, and a desire to see it completely gone from our minds, hearts and actions. Repentance strips us stark naked of all of the garments of the old Adam, and leaves not so much a shirt behind." (Here Brooks quotes an old saying without a source)
"…My sin is ever before me" said the Psalmist in 51:3 so that repentance is a continual act of turning from all that would draw us away from God.
Device 3 -" By presenting to the soul the crosses, losses, reproaches, sorrows, and sufferings that do daily attend those that walk in the ways of holiness"
Remedy- someone said it this way, "In this disease I have learned how great God is, and what the evil of sin is."
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. (Hebrews 12:10)
Jacob saw the angels of God ascending and descending when the stones were his pillows, and the ground his bed. (I can testify to that when in the field as an Army Chaplain---we had no distractions other than others and the mission at hand.)
Remedy- The afflictions that happen to the saints are short and momentary. "…Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." (Psalm 30:5)
Remedy- The afflictions that happen to the saints proceed from God's dearest love.
We conclude this section of the Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices, "There is no solid joy, nor lasting peace, nor pure comfort, that attends sinners in their sinful ways. " But we remember God's people have an everlasting place where there is the LORD Himself, the Lamb of God who we worship and adore forever and forever in a happy and holy place.
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:
Richard Bailey – Brain Cancer
Pastor Glen Shoals – Skin Cancer
Steve
Williams – recovery Hip Replacement
Dakota Reynolds- hit by truck –
multiple injuries
Finley Cartwright – bypass surgery – recovering at home
Walter Hallberg III – went to be with the Lord 7/1-please pray for wife Mary and Family - mourning
Thomas Broome – pray for his wife and sons who are mourning his loss
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
For the government and people of South Korea that God will protect them
Keep Praying for the following:
Shamu-health issues, Mike, Jim – medication tolerance, 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, Alicia-caregiver, Lydia, Sophie, Colin and Lori Beall –
cancer, Toni – cancer, Donna - cancer,
Malou –
cancer, Roseanne, Bobby, Missy, Archie, Eloise,
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