251130 AOC Sunday Report

 

Anglican Orthodox Church _sm

Worldwide Communion

First Sunday in Advent -

Thanksgiving Issue

November 30, 2025 – Sunday Report

 

First Sunday in Advent 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 in the Liturgy in the Book of Common Prayer page 90-91.

 

 

The Collect for the First Sunday in Advent

This Collect is to be repeated every day, after the other Collects in Advent, until Christmas Day..

ALMIGHTY God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.

 

The Epistle for the First Sunday in Advent. Romans xiii. 8.

OWE no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 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. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

 

The Gospel for the First Sunday in Advent. St. Matthew xxi. 1.

WHEN they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, and brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

  

 

Points to Ponder:

  Thanksgiving Day

Pg. 264-266 BCP

.O PRAISE the LORD, for it is a good thing to sing praises unto our God; * yea, a joyful and pleasant thing it is to be thankful.

The LORD doth build up Jerusalem, * and gather together the outcasts of Israel.

He healeth those that are broken in heart, * and giveth medicine to heal their sickness.

O sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; * sing praises upon the harp unto our God:

Who covereth the heaven with clouds, and prepareth rain for the earth; * and maketh the grass to grow upon the mountains, and herb for the use of men;

Who giveth fodder unto the cattle, * and feedeth the young ravens that call upon him.

Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; * praise thy God, O Sion.
For he hath made fast the bars of thy gates, * and hath blessed thy children within thee.

He maketh peace in thy borders, * and filleth thee with the flour of wheat.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

 

The Collect.

O MOST merciful Father, who hast blessed the labours of the husbandman in the returns of the fruits of the earth; We give thee humble and hearty thanks for this thy bounty; beseeching thee to continue thy loving-kindness to us, that our land may still yield her increase, to thy glory and our comfort; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

The Gospel. St. Matthew vi. 25.

JESUS said, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than food, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life? And why are ye anxious for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? There-fore be not anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heaven-ly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

TEAM AOC

 

  

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

 

Tuesday Chat: The Dog in Charles Spurgeon’s Garden –

Bishop’s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-dog-in-charles-spurgeons-garden.html

 You Tube: https: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_kztG0blIA

 

 

 Wednesday Chat: The Two sided-Coin of the Gospel

 Bishop’s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2025/11/two-sided-gospel.html

 You Tube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaXFiY_moFY&t=10s

 

 

 

 Bishop Ogles Thanksgiving Video Message

Bishop’s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2025/11/thanksgiving-message.html

 You Tube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQTe-Qe6dTg

 

 

 

 Bishop Ogles narrates the 63^rd Psalm

 Bishop’s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2025/11/63rd-psalm.html?spref=fb

 You Tube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNmvsIuC4Gc&t=7s

 

 

Sermon Notes for First Sunday in Advent

“It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”

 

The Collect. 

ALMIGHTY God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.

¶ This Collect is to be repeated every day, after the other Collects in Advent, until Christmas Day.

Perhaps the most difficult concept for the lost sinner to comprehend is the unmerited grace of God. Many fail to answer the call sooner due to their doubts of being forgiven for their many sins. They resolve to ‘first, get their lives in order and then come to Christ.’ That is the absolute opposite approach. As our Collect points out, it is God’s unmerited grace than enables us to shed our souls of the works of darkness. We are granted by God all the accoutrements of battle - let us go forth conquering and to conquer in His Name.

Paul (in the Epistle) outlines an obvious end of Love, to keep the Law of God so as to do not harm to the object of love. He provides a brief summary of the second Table of the Law reagarding our duties to one another and, then adds this enlightening remark: “. . . and if there be any other commandment.” Well there happens to be one more Commandment than the Ten, and it was this Commandment the Lord Himself added: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:34) This, of course, is the most important Commandment because it gives meaning and depth to the other Ten. We cannot have Maker as God unless we love Him. We cannot obey our obligations to others without that love we should have according to our Lord’s added Commandment.

Love fulfills all the obligations of the Law. When we walk in love, we walk in the Light of Christ. Darkness cannot comprehend that Light or that Love. While Light remains in our hearts, we must do the work the Lord has called us to purpose. The Light of Christ is our Armor and Sword.
            In our Gospel text for today, we read of our Lord cleansing the Temple at the twilight of His earthly ministry in Matthew 21:12-13

“And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, ¹³And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”

         But this was the second cleansing. The first was at the very beginning of His ministry in Gospel of St. John 2:13-16 “And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, ¹⁴And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: ¹⁵And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; ¹⁶And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.” Unfortunately, many churches of our day have failed to comply with this last counsel of our Lord to their own detriment and to the detriment of their congregants.

         So, what is the significance of cleansing the Temple at the beginning and end of His ministry?

         Every Christian is reminded that they are the Temple of God: 1 Cor 3:16-17 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? ¹⁷If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

         Our Lord came to be a redeemer for our sins. When we came to a certain realization of our election in Christ, we realized that God had wiped our slate clean of sin - and the of the sin nature.

         However, we still sin even if unawares. It is for this reason that we repeat the General Confession in the Reformation Churches, and our own Anglican Orthodox Church, so that we may be forgiven - not only for the sins of commission, but also those of omission which we have failed to do in service to God and out fellow man. We should do so daily, but the General confession will insure we do so at least once per week.

Though the Temple of our souls was first cleansed of sin when we answered the call of the blessed Holy Spirit, we must continue to repent of all subsequent sins committed. This is highly pleasing to God our Father.

         When the Jewish leaders were disputing with Christ after His first cleansing of the Temple, He responded, “Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? ¹⁹Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. ²⁰Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? ²¹But he spake of the temple of his body. ²²When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.” (John 2:18-22)

         Christ is, indeed, the Temple. Not only the Temple, but the Head thereof. When we are received into Christ, we, too, are that Temple.

         No longer does the Temple of Stone represent the dwelling place of God, but our very bodies if we have received faith unto salvation.

          Let us remember the two cleansings and realize that we must be in continual remorse for any sins carelessly committed.

 

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:

 

"THAT'S JUST YOUR OPINION"

      How many times will a discussion be brought to an abrupt end with the words, "Well, that's just your opinion?" We Americans like to insist that we have opinions which must be respected by all, no matter what, and we will bear no restrictions on expressing those opinions aloud. We are all of a mind that all opinions are good and right, and therefore are all correct. The freedom to express our opinions seems to supersede the matter of them being factually right or wrong, correct or incorrect. We act as though there may be no ultimate standard or absolute truth by which our personal ideas might be judged. Even when we attempt to introduce statistics into a discussion, we feel free to question the authority of the statisticians. We are of the same mind as Benjamin Disraeli, the great British statesman and orator, who claimed (in response to a debating opponent) "You know there are three kinds of lies: great lies, little white lies...and statistics."

     So, it is with matters of religion these days. Absolute truth is considered a philosophical impossibility, and anyone who suggests that there could be such a thing is thought to be a bully or an anachronism. Problem is, not all opinions are of equal value, much less of equal merit. Yet, simply because we have the right to express them, we believe that they are equally valid. We also tend to believe that, if a majority of people share our opinion on a particular subject, the prevalence of the majority will validate the opinion.

     This is particularly dangerous in matters of faith, and religion in general. There are today in America so many denominations that all claim a unique theology, a separate hierarchy, style of worship, and approach to doctrine. Can all be considered "correct" and therefore provide verification for one's "opinion?" There are more than eighteen different versions of the Bible in print in English today. Should all versions be considered of equal merit? Are all "correct" or "accurate" and therefore suitable for us to form opinions - which may prove exceptional or even contradictory to others based on a different translation?

     A further problem exists when in a discussion about the Bible, especially biblical morality, some individuals will say they "don't take the Bible LITERALLY and instead have formed their own concepts of right and wrong apart from the plain teachings of Scripture as held by other Christians for centuries. For example, when discussing sexual morality, it is not uncommon to hear "Oh, I know what the Bible says about homosexuality but this is the twenty-first century and we must form our own concept based on love. Isn't that what Jesus taught?" See how quickly truth gives way to opinion. It is a FACT that Jesus said plainly we are to love one another but if we allow our own interpretation (opinion) to shape our personal morality then ALL the commandments become subject to interpretation by extrapolation. Here, the will of the majority is particularly dangerous as, by definition, the will of man is at enmity with the will of God.

     Today we are encouraged to "trust the science" over our own opinions, as our own intellect warns us that opinions may be totally subjective, not derived from truth, and are desperately variable - depending on may be variable factors beyond our control. SCIENCE is presented as a pure barometer of truth and reality, unaffected by emotion and circumstance, and beyond intellectual manipulation. But science itself is subject to error and flaws and, as history has taught us, is a great tool of intellectual and political manipulation. Science has no conscience - no morality - no sense of ontology - no explanation for the origin of human thought. It is at best a weak philosophy - and yet so many millions of people are willing to abandon absolute truth as found in God alone for the whims of "science."

     Even those who claim their morality is not God-given or based on Scriptural truth steal their personal moral compass from the Truth that comes from God alone. They just choose bit and pieces that suit their own "opinions" about right and wrong, denying that there is an absolute truth by which all humanity is bound. The Ten Commandments stand as proof positive of this analysis, as the controversy surrounding them continues through the centuries to our own classrooms, where their truth is considered optional at best, prejudicial at worst, or simply the "opinions" of religious zealots. The fact that all jurisprudence in America, indeed in all the world, is based on these then simple statements of Absolute Truth given by the Creator. Those who insist on living according to their own opinions oppose the Ten Commandments because they are scandalized by them.

     Science cannot speak to the beginning of things, nor will it speak to the end. Science behaves as though there will be no end, but we know otherwise. Unbelievers and sceptics must wallow in continual change, and be blown about by every wind of man's "opinion." But we have a God that "changeth not" - the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. That's just my opinion.

+ Charles Morley

 

 

The Rev. Don Fultz
Rector of St. Peter’s AOC located in the AOC National Office

 We are grateful to have this sermon today from the Rev. Don Fultz from Statesville, NC .

First Sunday in Advent

Sermon Matthew 4: 18-25

Today’s Gospel passage  marks the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and His formal gathering of His disciples. This account is also recorded  in Mark 1:16-20  and in Luke 5: 1-11. As He walks along the Sea of Galilee, we are told Jesus calls four fishermen-Simon Peter, Andrew, James , and John to leave their ordinary lives and follow Him. In the beginning of this passage, we see what seems to be Jesus selecting His first disciples for the first time.   However, we know from references in our previous Gospel lessons that this was not the first time that Jesus had contact with these men.

In St. John’s Gospel, two disciples of John the Baptist were the first to meet and follow Jesus (John 1: 35-40) One is identified as Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother; the other remains unnamed. (Traditionally thought to be John, son of Zebedee) After hearing John the Baptist identify Jesus as “the Lamb of God, “these two approached Jesus and spent a day with Him. Andrew quickly found and brought his brother, Simon into the circle, telling him  “We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.” (John 1:41) Then  he brought  him to meet Jesus who looked at Simon and gave him the name “Cephas (Aramaic translation) or Peter (Greek translation)  which  is by interpretation, a stone.” (John 1:42)

While the Gospel of John states that Andrew and implies that John the son of Zebedee  (if  he is the unnamed disciple)  met Jesus earlier, the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) emphasize their formal calling as they are presented  in today’s Gospel text.

The sea of Galilee, also called the lake of Gennesaret, was a fertile region surrounded by thriving fishing communities.

Fishermen like Peter, Andrew, James and John worked long hours, supplying both needs and exports to nearby regions. Fishing was considered honorable but demanding labor-symbolic of perseverance and trust in God’s providence.

In the Old Testament, fishing imagery often represented God’s mission of gathering people for judgment or salvation. (Jer. 16:16,  Ezekiel 47:10)  By saying, “…I will make you fishers of men,” (Matthew 4:19) Jesus transforms this imagery, calling His disciples to participate in His work of redeeming humanity. His choice of ordinary fishermen rather than scholars or priests reveals that God’s call depends not on human status but on openness of heart.  

Today’s passage also signifies a transition in salvation history:  the call from the Old Covenant (centered on family and land) to the new Covenant (centered on faith and communion with Christ). 

Jesus selected His closest disciples with foreknowledge and intention. He knew who these men were before the men knew themselves and that they would become his disciples. For example, we are told in John 1:43, that Jesus went and “found” Phillip, and saith unto him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Simon Peter. (John 1:44) Then Philip sought out Nathanael. (also known as Bartholomew)  When Nathanael initially doubted,“can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? (John 1:46) Philip urged him to see. Jesus’ display of supernatural knowledge convinced Nathanael that Jesus was the “Son of God.” (John 1:49) These interactions highlight Jesus’ personal approach: each call reached the disciple in a way tailored to that individual’s background or temperament. 

Jesus told the twelve men plainly that, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye shall go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” (John 15:16)

Could Jesus have ministered in Israel alone? Yes, He could but it was never His intention to do so. It was God, the Father’s will for Jesus to appoint regular men and train them to do tasks of evangelism and discipleship. God always uses men to accomplish His will on earth. We can just look at the lives of Noah, Abraham, and Moses and their respective calling.  It is the will of God that men carry out the necessary work of proclaiming the gospel to other men and has made it necessary that it must be heard in order to be saved. If there were no gospel proclamation, there would be no salvation. St. Paul tells us in Romans 10:14: “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” 

When Jesus calls first Peter and Andrew in Matthew 4:20, we are told “they straightway left their nets, and followed Him. “And then we are told in verse 22, that when Jesus calls James and John that they “immediately left the ship and their father, and followed Him” This short reaction time suggests an already established knowledge of Jesus identity. Most likely Luke’s account which featured the miraculous catch of fish that underscored Jesus power and authority over nature increased their willingness to drop everything and follow Him. They knew in their hearts that Jesus was not just another Prophet but was most likely the long promised Messiah. Only someone from God could have performed such a miracle.

Some would say that these men gave up nothing to follow Jesus; after all they were just fishermen.  However, if we take a further look this may not be the case.

In the gospel of St. Mark’s account, we are told that when James and John departed to follow Jesus, they “left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after Him.” (Mark 1:20) 

The fact that Zebedee possessed hired servants suggests that there was a prosperous enterprise going on. And if you couple that with Peter’s protest to Christ saying, “…Behold, we have forsaken all and followed thee.” (Matt. 19:27) suggests that they may not have been as destitute as some would have us to believe and left something that they considered everything to follow Christ!

 Jesus call to James and John is especially significant for several reasons:

1.  Immediate Response:   James and John immediately leave their ship and their father to follow Jesus.  This demonstrates their wiliness to abandon their livelihood and family ties to answer Jesus call.  Their response exemplifies the radical commitment required to follow Christ.

2.  The ship and nets symbolize their former life and occupation. Leaving these behind signifies a transition from their previous life to a new mission as disciples of Jesus. This act of leaving everything behind is a powerful testament to their faith and trust in Jesus.

3.  The inclusion of Zebedee in the narrative highlights the family aspect of their decision.  Leaving their father represents a significant sacrifice, indicating that following Jesus may require prioritizing Him above even family ties. This aligns with Jesus later teachings about the cost of discipleship.   This is what Jesus says in Matt 10:37: “He that loveth Father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” The calling of these ordinary fishermen symbolizes the inclusivity of Jesus message and the universal call to discipleship. It highlights that Jesus seeks followers from all walks of life, inviting each of us to partake in His mission. The metaphor of fishing for people captures the essence of evangelism,  drawing others into the fold of faith.  

Jesus would go on and formally or informally call his other 8 disciples, most notable was Philip, Bartholomew (Nathanael), Matthew, Thomas, and Judas Iscariot. (John 1:43-50, Matthew 9:9, Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16)  All either were born or resided in Galilee per Smith’s Bible Dictionary. All with diverse backgrounds.

As we reflect on this portion of today’s passage, we are challenged to consider our own response to Jesus call. Are we prepared to leave behind our “nets” and “boats”, and comforts of our current life and follow Him with unwavering faith?  The journey of discipleships invites us to trust in Jesus, embrace His mission, and become instruments of His love and grace in the world.

According to verse Matthew 4:23, Jesus formally began his ministry in Galilee “And Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” 

Except, for a few years that Jesus spent in exile as a child in Egypt, Jesus lived his whole life in Galilee. Most of his life up to age 30, He resided in Nazareth. Matthew tells us in 2:23 that Jesus living in Nazareth was the fulfillment of salvation history. This fulfilled the promise to Abraham, that “…all families of the earth will be blessed” as Genesis 12:3 tells us. This means the Messiah Jesus is not just meant for just Israel but also is meant for the Gentiles. 

The same God who had planned the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem of Judea also planned His growing up years and the start of his ministry in Nazareth of Galilee. Jesus would be a Nazarene and a light to the Gentiles.  

His place of birth and service was part of his humiliation as God reached down to lift us up. However, when Jesus first began to speak at his Nazareth hometown synagogue, He was rejected and had to escape for his life. (Luke 4:28-29)  

So after Jesus had heard that “…John (the Baptist) was cast into prison, He departed leaving Nazareth, and came and dwelt in Capernaum, which was on the sea coast of the Sea of Galilee, in the borders of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim.  Matt. 4:12-13) This was the fulfillment of the prophet Esaias. (see Matt 4:14) “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up” (Matthew 4:16)  Who are the people living in darkness? It was people living in Galilee, meaning without Christ and without the Gospel truth. Who are the people living in the land of the shadow of death? It is those living in Galilee of the Gentiles. It is all those who are outsiders, aliens, and outcasts. Who was the “light,” it was Jesus!

Logistically, Capernaum was an ideal location for Jesus to deliver his Messianic messages. It was a larger city than Nazareth. It was also conveniently located on the N.E. Coast of the Sea of Galilee, so Jesus could travel by boat to other areas, like Decapolis, etc. Also, it was conveniently located near the main Damascus Highway to Syria and Egypt. At the time of Jesus, the Agricultural, Fishing industry and trading was flourishing. In fact, Capernaum had its own trading post which attracted many foreign visitors.

In addition, Capernaum was the home of five of his very close disciples, Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew. Also, there was a synagogue located there which Jesus could teach and preach the gospel.

Galilee occupied the northernmost territory of the land of Israel. Lebanon borders it on the north, the Jezreel valley on the south, the Upper Jordon River and Sea of Galilee on the east, and the plain of Acre on the west. The territory is divided into two sections-Upper and Lower Galilee-with a deep valley running between. Upper Galilee climbs to heights of more than 3,000 feet above sea level, while lower Galilee contains broad valleys with rich soil well-suited to agricultural and farming. 

Abundant streams flow from the Northern highlands to supply the well-watered fertile terrain of Lower Galilee, making it the ideal setting for densely populated settlements. “Josephus (a 1^st century AD Roman-Jewish historian) estimates the population at 3,000,000” records the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. This probably helps us to understand the large crowds that gathered and followed Jesus in the district. Also, the Sea of Galilee is in Lower Galilee. As the only substantial freshwater lake in the region, the Sea of Galilee added to a flourishing industry to the region’s other lucrative commercial activities including the exportation of olives and grains.

Upper Galilee is sometimes referred to as “Galilee of the Gentiles” (Matt 4:16), most likely because it hosted various non-Jewish inhabitants including Phoenicians, Syrians, and Sidonians. Jews living in other parts of Israel often looked at the Galileans as backward, unsophisticated people; sometimes their contempt for Galileans was recorded in Scripture (John 7:52). 

Not helping matters was the fact that the Galileans had a distinctive dialect, readily discerned by the Judeans. (Mark 14:70) 

The people Jesus chose to preach to first were “looked upon with contempt as rude and boorish,” per Matthew Henry. The Galilean people were predominately Jewish, but heritage had been blended over the decades, leaving “the purely Jewish element” to be “relatively small.” Christ humbled Himself to begin preaching, not to scholarly men, but those “fit for soldiers”.

It didn’t matter who Jesus preached to as He came …to seek and save that which is lost. (Luke 19:10)   Jesus’ message was always the good news of the gospel. Christ never preached anything but His message of hope and the promise of salvation through faith in Him.

Jesus gained a great deal of notoriety from his preaching as we are told that ²⁴ And his fame went throughout all Syria: …²⁵ And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan. (Matthew 4:24-25)

In closing,  before Jesus left this earth, He gave his disciples the following instructions:   “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:  and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. (Matthew 28: 19-20)  

As Christians, we are all disciples of Christ and should bear witness for Him and His gift of salvation.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Rev. Don Fultz+

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:

Sandy – broken Femur

Ophelia – crippling arthritis pain

Bobby - Cancer

Kamil – pray for successful – Chemotherapy

Paul Meier – throat cancer- radiation treatment successful

Richard Bailey – Brain Cancer

Joyce Barnes – Skin Cancer – Mohls Procedure Surgery to remove December 3

Ollie – neurologist appointment positive – a wait and see approach – no problems now

Marilee – Mastectomy Update – completed chemo, she has a month break before radiation begins

Roy – Bulging disc – upcoming surgery

Michelle – metasicized lung cancer

Jim – Dec. 11^th Heart Ablation

 

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

Betsey – Lane – Betsy onset of Dementia- Marianne her daughter

South Korea – pray to defeat the communists trying to take over; protection for the South Korean people.

Church of the Redeemer – changes in leadership, mourning loss of a wonderful Minister and Friend

 

Keep Praying for the following:

Shamu-health issues, Jan Jessup-neuro dementia, AOC USA, AOC Missions, Harper-IBS ,
Jim Sevier- God’s Peace, Linda – multiple myeloma, Aftereffects of car accident; Marianne, Betsey - Dementia Donna-chemotherapy, Alicia-caregiver, Sophie,
Colin and Lori Beall – cancer, Toni – cancer, Donna  - cancer, Malou – cancer, Archie,
Eloise, Janice, Dakota, Katie, Finley, Mike & Gayle,