260215 AOC Sunday Report

 

Anglican Orthodox Church _sm

Worldwide Communion

Quinquagesima Sunday

February 15, 2026 – Sunday Report

 

Quinquagesima  Sunday

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 Book of Common Prayer page 122-124.

 

The Collect for Quinquagesima Sunday

O LORD, who hast taught us that all our doings without charity are nothing worth; Send thy Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace and of all virtues, without which whoso-ever liveth is counted dead before thee. Grant this for thine only Son Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen. 

Epistle for Quinquagesima  Sunday. I Corinthians xiii. 13.

THOUGH I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

 The Gospel for the Quinquagesima Sunday. St. Luke xvii. 31.

THEN Jesus took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: and they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way-side begging: and hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

 

On Point

The Purpose of the Bible (Pasche)

"And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." 2 Tim. 3,15.

The Bible often refers to history and different forms of government, to geography and natural science, to poetry and the wisdom of life. And what it says of these things is absolutely reliable. Yet it was not given for the purpose of teaching us things like these, which man is left to find out by experience and by advancing in knowledge. Neither is the Bible simply to be a text-book of morality. True, the Bible teaches morality. It contains the Ten Commandments, which teach a perfect morality, showing man “ how he ought to walk and to please God” and to be holy even as He is holy. And yet the purpose of God in giving man His Word was not simply to improve his earthly character. His purpose was another, namely: “to make us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

The purpose of the Bible is to show us Christ, the Savior. It represents Christ as the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world; as the great Mediator, in whom the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. The Holy Scriptures testify of Christ. He is the Sun that lights up the sacred record from Genesis to Revelation. “This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.” There is life in the Word. It testifies of Christ as our Teacher, Redeemer, and Lord, and therefore, by searching the Scriptures, we have eternal life. The Word of God is the power of God unto salvation. Everywhere in the Old as well as in the New Testament the central theme is: salvation by faith in Christ Jesus. All that Scripture teaches has this one object — to make man wise unto salvation, that is, to lead him to a true knowledge of his sins, but, above all, to make him know his Savior and to kindle faith in him, to instruct him to walk in the way of righteousness after having accepted Christ, and to keep him therein in true faith to his blessed end.

Oh, what a blessed purpose Scripture has!

Prayer

O Lord Jesus Christ, who didst say: “ Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of Me/’ behold, without Thee we can do nothing; for the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them. We beseech Thee, therefore, enlighten the eyes of our understanding and give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation that we may behold wondrous things out of Thy Law. Teach us to know what is the hope of our calling, so that we may be made wise unto salvation, setting our hearts on things above and not upon things on the earth. Amen.

 

 

 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

 

Monday Evening Meditation: Facing your Giants

 Bishop’s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/02/width560-height315-srchttpswww_9.html

 You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VF0-ssfiXg

 

Tuesday Evening Meditaton: White than Snow

 Bishop’s Blog: You Tube link: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/02/youtube-video-player_10.html

 

 Friday Meditation: Art Source

https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/02/youtube-video-player_13.html

  

 Sermon for Quinquagesima

February 15^th   
Video preached from St. Andrew’s Church

A Must See and Hear!

Bishop’s Blog Link: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/02/youtube-video-player_15.html

 You tube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PddWQ3sw8_M

        † Jerry Ogles

 

Bishop Jack Arnold
Anglican Orthodox Church of the United States
Training and Education Department
Diocese of the West - Church of the Faithful Centurion - Descanso, California

 

Bp Jack brings the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together because as is always the case there is a unifying message in the Scripture for this Sunday.  

Good morning! I hope you are all doing well. In today’s sermon we will be looking at the unifying message of the Collect, Epistle and Gospel and examine how they share the common message of action as we prepare for the real meaning of Lent, which itself is a season of preparation.  Let us start by reading today’s Collect:

The Sunday called Quinquagesima, or the

Sunday next before before Lent.

The Collect.

O LORD who hast taught us that all our doings without charity are nothing worth; Send thy Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace and of all virtues, without which whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee. Grant this for thine only Son Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

 Consider these words from the Collect:

… that all our doings without charity are nothing worth; Send thy Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity …

In the Collect, we acknowledge to God that if we have not charity, nothing we do is worth anything; we then ask Him to send the Holy Ghost into our hearts with the precious gift of charity.  Webster tells us that Charity is love; universal benevolence; good will; the word which properly denotes love. What it really means is Love in Action! Like many areas of our Christian development, we will never fully get there. But if we never try to put Love into action, we will never even get close to getting there. The key principle is that word action! It is one thing to say nice things and be sympathetic, and yet no action results from pure sympathy alone. What we need to truly have is what Christ had for us, compassion. Compassion, or charity, is action driven by love in its purest form. As followers of Christ, we are called to have compassion for those around us and to put love into action every chance we can get. We will fail from time to time on this, but as long as we do our best to regroup and refocus on God’s Word and focus on putting that compassion into our lives, then all will be well with our souls.

What is Charity to us? Simply put, it is the purest form of love there is and derives from God’s love for us. Without God’s love in us, we cannot hope to have any form of charity towards our fellow humans. God has given us love to enable us to act on His behalf here on this Earth. Without the love that God gives us, we cannot hope to be able to perform good works for Him. Before we even received this pure love from God, we are naturally very angry and prideful beings, that do not have any sort of compassion for our fellow humans. When we receive this pure love from God, our very nature is transformed into sons and daughters of God who have great love and compassion for our fellow humans. We find that we need to have this love in our hearts, if we are to do anything on this earth for Him.

In connection with the Collect which talks about one who is brought before God without love in his heart is a dead person. And not just in eternity but in life, a person with no love is a dead person walking.  Paul makes this very point in his Epistle, saying that no matter what talents we have, without the Love of God in our hearts, it is all for naught.  You can be the best in your profession or have a super unique talent, but in the end if we do not have the Love of God in our hearts, our talents are ultimately wasted. Recognizing this, we must call upon the Holy Ghost to enter into our hearts, souls and minds and rejuvenate our souls with charity, that we might go forth and spread forth God’s love through the known world.

Having Love in our hearts is a must if we are to perform actions for Him here in this world. In order to have love in our hearts, we must be open to the Holy Spirit. Only then can we truly receive His Love to spread around. And do not fret, there is an unlimited supply of love for everyone. When Paul talks about God’s great plans, he uses the phraseology “through a glass, darkly”, which is very interesting inasmuch as CS Lewis uses a variation to describe earth as compared to heaven.  He calls earth The Shadowlands and says in heaven all is clear and bright, not dark and muddled as here on earth.  So, here our understanding is limited, it will not always be so. That will be fulfilled when we pass those Pearly Gates into heaven, and in order to do that, we have to have faith, and act in good works with charity.

As they were coming in to Jericho, Jesus told the disciples of what was to come, yet they could not grasp their leader would submit to such treatment on their behalf. One of the reasons they could not grasp it is that they did not yet have the Holy Spirit in their heart to help grasp the words that Jesus spoke. They were still under the mistaken impression that Jesus came to conquer the physical things of this earth, instead of His real mission which was to reclaim those lost souls who were still under the bondage of sin and Satan. Once the resurrection occurred, they were then able to look back and realized what He was speaking of as they had entered into Jericho.

When Jesus heard him, he turned and asked what the man wanted.  MY SIGHT!  No generalizations, no beating about.  The blind man asked of Him what he truly wanted.  Ask and it shall be given unto you.  He lacked sight, not vision.  Nor, it might be added, did he lack faith. We should ask God to have to sight and hearing that we might see, hear and act upon the Word. To some, the faith he had might seem a blind faith, but it was one he acted on and gained what he lacked.  Will we have the faith to act?

True love is Faith, Hope, Charity[1].

There is but one way to heaven.

That easy to find, easy to follow, easy to hike path does not lead to the summit where eternal life in the real world awaits. Open your heart to the Holy Ghost, use His Power to follow our Lord to God who awaits in heaven.

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

+Bishop Jack Arnold

¹The three Gloster Gladiator fighters Faith, Hope and Charity defended Malta against the Italian Air Force during the early part of the siege of Malta in World War II.  Legend has it all three persisted and of the three, Charity never failed.

 

Yves M. Méra, Bishop of France 
AOC France Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide

 We are fortunate to have a sermon from the Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Orthodox Church of France and the Administrative Coordinator of Europe and Africa. As you will read, he is an excellent writer. The sermon is easy to read and provides much insight.

 SERMON for the Sunday of Quinquagesima
1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Luke 18:31-43

THE LOVE OF JESUS

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. It is sprinkled with good feelings. But feelings are deceptive. Feelings do not always take the truth in account. Now Jesus IS the Truth (John 14:6): “Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” And when Jesus teaches us the Truth, it can hurt, so much do we tend to delude ourselves: God loves us, it's true; “God is Love” (1 John 4:8), this is true. But God is just and holy. God is perfect. And He hates sin (Romans 1:18): “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness” And sin is disobedience to the Law of God (John 14:20-21): “At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

Beloved, you will have yet understood: We do not know how to love in the same way as Jesus loves us (1 John 4:9-11): “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.”

Pagans, and even Jews at the time of Israel's decadence, took themselves for God the Father and sent their children to death by fire on the stake at the feet of the statue of Moloch... In their good feelings, they thought that they were thus proving their love and their spirit of sacrifice; They showed off that they loved their God more than their own children... but they were practicing a hypocritical sacrifice, passed on to an innocent child, used as a scapegoat. But the true God had forbidden this kind of sacrifice (Leviticus 18:21): “And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.”

There is, however, some truth in this horrible and cruel rite: Christ came into the world as an innocent child, ready to be sacrificed to take away the sin of faithful men. But the parallel ends here. Since the time of Adam and Eve, our sin - which is our inability to observe the Law of God - has made us all impure and therefore unfit for any work of reparation and reconciliation with the Holy God. As French priest of the 17th Century St. Vincent de Paul said, "When God needs a victim, He sends over His own Son." (Psalm 51:16-17): “For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

And this is the prayer that the Eternal Father expects of each of us (Psalm 51:9-12): “Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” Many things are said in Psalm 51:

1. Our sin makes us ashamed: “Hide thy face from my sins”

2. Our desire is to get rid of them: “and blot out all mine iniquities.”

3. Our sacrifices are useless, ineffective, and vain: “For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.” So, there is nothing we can do to get rid of our sin by our own means. We are like Lady Macbeth, who kept washing her hands, stained with the blood of her crime, over and over again but the stain was always coming back again.

4. Our sin leads us into depression: “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.” And from the depths of our distress, we turn to God to save us: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

5. Then we have the certainty that our prayer will be heard, for this is what God expects of us: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me"

6. Finally, we have this assurance that God Himself assists us, personally, by breathing into us His Holy Breath - the Holy Spirit: “’and uphold me with thy free spirit.” We are thus recreated, restored to perfection in the state of Adam before his fall (Genesis 2:7): “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” We are not a body with a soul, but a soul with a body.

Beloved, remember this: Entry into the Kingdom of God is not free. You can't earn it, nor can you buy it like a ticket for a merry-go-round entrance at the fun fair. Our access to Heaven has a price, however: the price paid by Jesus dying on a cross. All Christ expects from us is to believe in Him, and to obey Him with the ability that His Holy Spirit gives us and pours into us, and to love our brethren. And it is our love for our Christian brothers and sisters that testifies to our salvation in Christ (1 Corinthians 13:3-6): “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.” You have heard it as I have myself : " charity... rejoices in the truth ." And the Truth is Christ, the Word of God incarnate in Jesus (John 1:1-4): “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”; (John 1:14): “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

So, yes; let us love one another, but in Truth. Indulgence and laxity have no place in Heaven, but in hell. In hell, everything is allowed, absolutely everything. It is even permissible to believe in God. But the only thing that is not allowed is to love God and our brothers in Christ! Satan does not reject believers, but he redoubles his cruelty to those who repent too late of their sin (Hebrews 9:27): “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”

My dear brothers and sisters, let us learn to love as God loves us. Let us learn and warn those around us that they are in peril if they do not repent of their evil way, and trust in Christ to save them (Isaiah 65:2): “I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts”

But we prefer to stay at peace with our loved ones... we tolerate, we accept, and we are not far from approving those “which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts” says Isaiah. Rome even goes so far as to bless them, with a fake blessing that sends them straight into hell, especially if straight they are not willing to be... Let us pay close attention to this: it is not a question of arguing about mere little things, but of rescuing from hell those whom God has predestined to salvation. Let us sow the Good Word everywhere, in worship as well as on social networks. In the end, the Angels of God will sort them out. (Psalm 115/1): “Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.”

All men are spiritually blind, until they open their hearts to the Truth that is in Christ. In Jericho, Jesus healed the one blind man who implored him, without paying attention to those around him, rebuffing him. And he cried out at the top of his lungs, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:38). And in verses 42-43: “And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.” Here we see that the best testimony is that of a healed sinner, whose life is transformed by the power of God: “and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.”

All the people are amazed at what they see, and begin to praise God. But of all this people, few will be saved, for the same people who praise him in Jericho will demand his death in Jerusalem. (Luke 13:34-35): “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”; “Ye shall not see me” what does this mean, but that Christ blinds up those who oppose Him. Not only does He not heal them, but He abandons them to their fate, the fate they wanted. Christ came to speak to them about the Way of salvation, which is the way of holiness, but they did not want it. For they had not received the Holy Spirit of God in them, being too proud. They thought that being descended from Abraham was enough to be saved, even without partaking the faith of Abraham. (Romans 4:3): “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” And Jesus repeats it to anyone who will listen: "thy faith hath saved thee". Without faith, therefore, it is impossible to be saved. Don’t you even dream about it!

Alas, three times alas, our contemporaries no longer believe themselves to be sinners, and no longer know that they are lost, because the main stream and big Churches forget to preach about sin, about the perdition that follows, and about the hell to which it leads. They believe that they can attract the good graces of the crowds by promising them a bright tomorrow, despite a present lived in plain ungodliness. This is not the way of Truth, the way that Christ taught us. And if this is not the way of Truth, then it is the way of lies and error. Think of it, my brothers. And if you do not have the strength to undeceive the liars and those who follow them by word of mouth, at least let a reproachful silence on your part make them understand that you are not walking in the same way as them. Following French persecuted sister of a Reformed pastor Marie Durand, who was locked in at the Tower of Constance for her biblical faith during 38 years, “RESIST!” (This she engraved on a stone with her fork, for her fellow-prisoners to read). Amen.

Rt. Rev. Yves Méra, AOC Bishop of France.

 

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.

 

 Sermon Text for Quinquagesima Sunday:

In our epistle lesson (I St. John 2:15), we are admonished to Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. This is one of those trying passages for many because the fact is they do indeed love the world with its several and sordid attractions. The Rev. Matthew Henry observed that, “the world draws down the heart from God, so the more the love of the world prevails the more the love of God dwindles and decays.” Consider also the epistle of St. James who rebuked the worldliness of those around him when he wrote, From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members. Ye lust, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts...know ye not that the friendship of the world (kosmos) is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world (kosmos) is the enemy of God (St. James 4:1-10)”. To help us better understand what has been written, let us examine what the Scriptures mean by the expression: the world. To begin with there are several Greek words which can be translated as the world with the most used Greek word in the New Testament being kosmos. This word refers to a world system or order. With that in mind let us re-examine our epistle lesson from I St. John 2, only this time let us substitute the Greek word “kosmos” for “ the world”: Love not kosmos, neither the things that are in kosmos. If any man love kosmos, the love of the Father is not in him.

One bible commentator has noted that this word “kosmos” had an “ethically bad sense of usage” for Christians because it refers to “Satan's ordering of the world of unbelieving mankind upon his cosmic principles of force, greed, selfishness, ambition and pleasure. While this system appears outwardly religious, scientific, cultured and elegant,” it is more gild than gold. What lies beneath its facade is a boiling pot “seething with national and commercial rivalries and ambitions...upheld in any real crisis by armed force and dominated by Satanic principles.” As our Lord warned his hearers in the “Sermon on the Mount”, No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other...You cannot serve God and mammon (St. Matthew 6:24). Our Lord was referring specifically to the wealth of this material sphere. And the Holy Ghost, who guides us into all truth (St. John 16:13), also informed the apostles and saints of old that an inordinate desire for earthly things will blind the unregenerate to the benefits of the gospel of Christ leaving them open to demonic deception (II Corinthians 4:3-4).

Let us consider also the words of St. Paul to his faithful student Timothy when he wrote that, ...godliness with contentment is a great gain. For we brought nothing into this world (kosmos) and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare...for the love of money is the root of all evil... (I St. Timothy 6: 6-10, 17-19). Here again we see the word “kosmos” translated as “the world”.

Dr. Merrill Unger has supplied us with the distinction between the word “kosmos” in Greek literature as opposed to its meaning in the Scriptures. He observed that in the former it “signified...an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution.” While in the latter, it was used “to portray the whole mass of unregenerate men alienated from God, hostile to Christ and organized governmentally as a system or federation under Satan.” He then went on to supply several points concerning the orderings of our world order.

First of all, “Satan is its directing head.” On several occasions our Lord referred to Satan as the prince, or archon, of this world. An archon was a ruler or governmental chief in the Greek language (St. John 12:31; 14:30 and 16:11). St. Paul referred to Satan's status as an archon of the supernatural realm (kosmos) (Ephesians 2:2). He also identified Satan in a religious sense as the god of this world (aion) or age (II Corinthians 4:4). St. John noted that the present world system (kosmos) is under the control of Satan (I St. John 5:19). As Professor Unger observed, “Satan's leadership as [an archon ]...extends to both the celestial and terrestrial spheres, and these two realms interact in the events that transpire upon the earth.”

Secondly, “the world system itself is wholly evil.” While some may be loathe to speak out against the world in light of human progress in our modern age. Still, most people tend to forget about mankind's fallen state (Romans 3:10, 23). God's standards are beyond the comprehension of the unregenerate masses (Isaiah 55:8-9). And, man's many advances would in no way cover his egregious acts of violence and depravity which, after all, are the products of his ever-active cheerleader and agent provocateur: Satan (Ephesians 6:12; Revelation 20:2-3).

Thirdly, “it is limited and temporary.” God has appointed a time in the future when he will put an end to human history and bring on the judgment of Satan's kingdom (Daniel 7:19-28; 8:19; St. Matthew 28:20; I St. Timothy 6:13-14; St. James 5:7; II St. Peter 3:10-14; St. Jude 14-15; Revelation 19:11-16; 21:1-7 and 22:12-14).

Fourthly, “it is characterized by pride, lust and war.” The current world system employs numerous temptations to lure mankind into the snare of sin and keep him there by appealing to his petty desires and selfishness (St. James 4:1-10). Often these cravings result in conflicts of every sort. Our Lord warned his disciples that those in the end times would witness an increasing level of violence and warfare which would be accompanied by famines, disease and earthquakes in different places (St. Matthew 24:6-7).

And last but not least “the Satanic world system present a perpetual peril to the child of God.” The Devil and his minions possess the capacity to tempt and ensnare a Christian (St. James 1:13-15). They might also fetter a believer in the body such as through a disability (St. Luke 13:10-17). They might, via divine permission, take a believer's possessions, health, family and life (Job 1:9-12; I Corinthians 5:5). They may sift a believing Christian as wheat (St. Luke 22:31-32). They can hinder the prayers of even the elect of God (Daniel 10:12-13). They might stir up trouble and persecution against the people of God (Acts 4:25-27). They might buffet a Christian (II Corinthians 12:7). And they have the power to inflict physical death (Hebrews 2:14).”

When we look about us and see the nature of things, the beauty of earth and sky, the changes of the seasons, we cannot help but stand in awe of these wonders of God’s creation. But we ought not to bear such feelings for the current world system which is passing away. God is going to remake his creation. Consider the words of St. Peter in his second epistle (3:10-13) when he described the coming cleansing of the world, But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

In closing, we are to rejoice in the goodness of God’s creation without worshiping it, or extending to it an everlasting permanence which he did not intend for it to have. We have a response in our prayer book where we say “as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world (aion) without end, Amen.” These words come straight from the Scriptures (Ephesians 3:21) and does not refer to the current world system. It applies to the physical, earthly sphere not this sphere of mortal existence apart from God. Our terrestrial sphere will be transformed much as we will be transformed. God will remove from us the imperfections of this mortal life and give us new, immortal and perfect bodies fit for his new heaven and earth.

Scripture tells us that all mankind has been appointed once to die and then the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). There is only one way to obtain salvation for our souls and that is through a lively faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to his word and commandments. The world, the flesh and the devil are our ever-present adversaries. They will attempt to turn our hearts from the Godhead. Dear listener, resolve today— right now— to belong to Christ alone and to resist the snares and temptations of this world system. Be resolved that today you will join with Christ and then seek to resist those things which the Devil will use to lure you out of God’s straight and narrow way into the broad path which leadeth to destruction. Therefore, love not the world.

Let us pray,

Father, we thank you for the blessed assurance that all who truly believe on thee in the name of thy dear Son are saved and beloved of thee; help us to daily show forth thy praise and avoid the temptations and snares of the world, the flesh and the devil; for these things we ask in the name of thy Son and our Saviour, even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Have a Blessed Week,
Bryan+

 

Roy Morales-Kuhn, Bishop and Pastor
Saint Paul's Anglican Church - Diocese of the Midwest Anglican Orthodox Church 
Suffragan Bishop of the AOC

 

Holy Communion – Quinquagesima Sunday

  The Epistle: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; The Gospel: St. Luke 18:31-43

 O LORD, who hast taught us that all our doings without charity are nothing worth; Send thy Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace and of all virtues, without which whoso-ever liveth is counted dead before thee. Grant this for thine only Son Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

 “What does love have to do with this?”

     As we reflect on the two selections of scripture for today, let’s ask a question that seems to be answered in both texts.  ‘What does love have to do with this?’   

    When we read the great ‘love’ chapter of 1st Corinthians 13, we see where Paul outlines what is really the single most important aspect of God’s love towards mankind.  He writes of gifts, ministries, great acts of charity, giving all to the poor, etc., he keeps focusing on the most important aspect of it all.  Love, as the King James renders it, ‘charity.’ ¹Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. ²And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. ³And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

     None of these acts of giving, gifts of prophecy, discernment of mysteries, even having all faith, none of it is important with out the Love that is the foundation of our salvation by the once and for all gift of Christ’s death and resurrection to render that salvation final.  We are nothing without the understanding that God’s love is what has bought us and redeemed us from eternal damnation.

     It is a nice use of this chapter in faith-based marriage ceremonies, but in truth, it is far more than just good thoughts and actions. It is in fact, the very real aspect of God’s love towards his creation, mankind, and the covenanted salvation promised at the Garden after the Fall. ¹⁰But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

     Then Paul concludes this chapter with the very familiar ‘faith, hope, charity’. But we must read the entire verse, ‘...but the greatest of these is charity [love]...’  And as we should understand, that love [charity] is what God displayed in the once and for all sacrifice of his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  

¹³And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

 Now let us look at the Gospel connection of this love theme.

In this passage from Luke chapter 18 starting from verse 31, Jesus outlines the plan, proclaimed by the prophets, declared several times by Christ himself, what now must be done to fulfill God’s plan.

³¹Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. ³²For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: ³³And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. ³⁴And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

     As a modern reader, who has the entire narration, sometimes we tend to smirk at the reactions and remarks of his close followers. They vow to never let Jesus be arrested, they vow to fight to save his life, they say ‘surely none of this will transpire’. Several times Jesus gently rebukes them and on one occasion, openly shouts down the remarks of Peter. ‘Get thee behind me, Satan’

      And yet, as Jesus indicated in the previous four verses, these things must happen in order for prophecy to be fulfilled. Then in a very merciful way, Jesus demonstrates his Father’s love toward a social outcast. We read how the crowd tried to hush the blind man, they tried to get him to stop asking Jesus to help him. Twice the blind man called out ‘Jesus, thou Son of David’. The Holy Spirit revealed to the man with no sight, who it was walking by.  The Son of David, this is one of the phrases that the psalmist David used several times to refer to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.  

      ³⁵And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: ³⁶And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. ³⁷And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. ³⁸And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, {the Holy Spirit revealed to this blind man who Jesus was *} have mercy on me.  ³⁹And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David*, have mercy on me. ⁴⁰And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, ⁴¹ Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.

⁴²And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.

      Notice this. This blind man, led by the Holy Spirit, asks for Jesus to heal him. Jesus does AND also tells the newly sighted man, that he has been saved from his sin.  ⁴³And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: From this miracle that Jesus performed on this blind man will cause those who were following along with the crowd to praise God. ...and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

     How do these two passages connect the theme of God’s love. Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth is about the all consuming Love that God poured out on his creation, made in his image, all pointing back to the greatest gift ever given to these creatures, mankind, by an ever loving God. Then the good doctor Luke relates the every looming sacrificial death of Christ in Jerusalem, foretold by the prophets, and then to add emphasis; the miracle of the blindman receiving his sight.   All this comes back around to point to the love of God for his creation.

     As we approach the 40 days of Lent, let us use the time to read God’s Word, to reflect on the great sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, and the promise of Salvation from the great Resurrection of Christ Jesus from the grave. He overcame death, he completed the covenant God made with Adam and Eve in the Garden, all was settled during that final True Passover over two thousand years ago on that hill called Golgotha. 

 Let us pray:

O LORD Jesus Christ, who didst endure unto the end, and whose courage never failed in the midst of great dangers: Grant that inspired by Thy example I may trust completely in Thy promise to be with me even unto the world's end, and that so, amidst all dangers I may have a heart inflamed by Thy courage, and a spirit inspired by Thy faith; through Thy mercy, O our God, who art blessed, and dost reign, and govern all things, world without end. AMEN. 

 O GOD, whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive; Receive our humble petitions; and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins, yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us; for the honour of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Advocate. Amen. 

                                                                                 + Bishop Roy Morales-Kuhn

 

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

 We are grateful to have the sermon for Quinquagesima from the Rev. Fultz today:

Quinquagesima Sunday

St. Luke 18, 31-43 

In the Gospel reading this morning we have two accounts by St. Luke.

In his first account, St. Luke tells us that Jesus calls his 12 disciples together and tells them they must go to Jerusalem so that all things written by the prophets concerning the son of man should be accomplished.  Then He tells them He would be “…³²delivered into the Gentiles, mocked, spitefully entreated and spitted on:…³³scourged him, and put him to death: and on the third day He shall rise again.”     

Jesus knew well his principal end on earth from the beginning of his life.    He was to be the sacrificial lamb for our sins.  He was to die on the cross for the atonement of our sins just as it was foretold in the Old Testament by the Prophet Isaiah in chapter 53: 5-7. His love towards sinners is strikingly shown in His steady purpose of Heart to die for them.   St. Paul tells us in Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”   All through his life Christ knew that He was  to be crucified.

There was nothing in His cross and passion which He did not foresee distinctly long before it came upon Him.   Just as he foretells in the Gospel reading this morning to his disciples.  However, we are told in v. 34 that His disciples did not understand: “…none of these things; and this saying was hid from them, neither knew them the things which were spoken.”  His disciples were in a state of spiritual blindness to what Jesus was telling them. 

It is true that they had experienced some insight about Jesus, such as when Jesus asked them who they thought He was, and Peter responded by saying “The Christ of God.” (Luke 9:20)

However, they were like many other Jews who were so intent upon the Old Testament prophecies which speak of Christ’s Glory and Kingdom when they spoke of the coming of the Messiah. They overlooked those which speak of his sufferings. They didn’t fully understand God’s plan of salvation.  There are many today that don’t understand the suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ due to their own self-love and a desire of worldly objects.

We live in a day when false doctrines about Christ’s death abound on every side. Let us see that the crucifixion of Christ is really the foundation of our own hopes, and that Christ’s atoning death for our sin is indeed the whole life of our souls.  Just as St. Paul tells us in Gal. 6:14:  “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

The second account of Luke (v35-41) tells us of the healing of a blind man by Jesus. You will find parallel passages in Matthew 20: 29-34 and Mark 10: 46-52 with some differences and additional detail. Both Matthew and Mark agree that the healing took place after coming out of or departing from Jericho. Matthew tells us that there were two blind beggars that were healed.  But like Luke, Mark only refers to one blind beggar being healed but gives him a name of Bartimaeus, that is, the son of Timaeus. Matthew Henry in his commentary on Mark 10:46, says “some think he was the son of a blind man which made the case worse, and the cure more wonderful. “ 

Luke tells us in  18: 35: “And it came to pass, that as He was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging.” The man was not only blind, but poor with nothing to subsist on, nor any relations to maintain him.” (MH comments) He had no means of supporting himself as he couldn’t see to work.  So, he sought the place where his pitiful condition was most likely to attract notice. It was the piety custom of the Jews to give alms to the beggars and other poor and placed himself by the road side, in order that travelers might see him and give him help. The road to Jericho was a very heavily traveled road. It was a direct route to Jerusalem. Especially those traveling from Galilee and other parts of Northern Israel. Most Pious Jews would  not travel through Samaria. It was the week of the Passover, Jesus was going to Jerusalem for the last time. 

The story before us shows the wisdom of his conduct.   Luke tells us in v. 36 and 37: “And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. ³⁷And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.”  The poor man, referred to as Bartimaeus in Mark, couldn’t see but He was very inquisitive. He used  his sense of hearing to his benefit, just as Jesus tells us in the Parable of the sower and seed, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:15) By asking questions, He was making use of other people’s eyes.

And we are told in Luke 18:38 “And he cried saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.”  Bartimaeus was doing what the prophet Isaiah tells us to do in 55:6 “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while he is near.” Then we are told in Luke 18:39: “And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace; but he cried so much the more, Thou son of  David, have mercy on me.”    

Bartimaeus gives us a lesson in praying. He was praying like St. James tells us to do (James 5:16) using effective fervent prayer which means we do not quit easily. Fervent prayer means we purposefully spend sufficient time in intercession. Fervent prayer also means we cry out to the Father, sometimes in tears, with our heart and soul. God promises all believers that if we live righteously and pray fervently, our prayers will be effective and produce significant results. 

I love the story about King Hezekiah in Isaiah 38 who was sick and close to death.  The prophet Isaiah came to him and said “…Thus, saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.” (Isa 38:1).  Wow, most of us probably would have just given up at that point. But not Hezekiah, “Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord” (Isa 38:2).  He pleaded his case telling the Lord: “…I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and had done that which is good in thy sight.” And then we are told he sorely wept. (Isa 38:3) Guess what! The Lord heard his prayer and saw his tears and told Isaiah Go and tell Hezekiah, behold: …“I will add unto thy days fifteen years.” (Isa 38:4-5).

This was exactly what Bartimaeus was doing he was pleading his case to Jesus by calling out to Him.  He was asking for mercy and pleading to the compassion of Jesus with a penitent heart just like King David does in Psalms 4 and 6.

He was in a desperate situation, Jesus was near and he believed that He was the Messiah and could heal him of his blind condition. He was not going to take no for an answer. He was pleading his case before Jesus and asking for his mercy.

Obviously, Bartimaeus had some faith as he called Jesus the son of David. It was prophesized in the Old Testament that the Messiah would come from the seed of David. (2^nd Samuel 7:12-14)

His faith may have been weak and mixed with imperfection. But it made him cry to Jesus even in a louder voice in spike of the rebukes. Then we see that the desire of his heart was granted.

We are told in Luke 18:40-41 “And Jesus stood and commanded him to be brought unto Him; and when he was come near, he asked him. ⁴¹Saying, what wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?... Though his blindness was obvious, Jesus wanted Bartimaeus to verbalize his need.  And he said, Lord, “…That I may receive my sight.”  And in Luke 18:42 we are told; And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight; thy faith hath saved thee.” 

It is interesting to note the in Mark’s account, we are told when Jesus called, Bartimaeus didn’t hesitate, He cast off his outer garment and leaped to his feet. This was a long type cloak most likely with a hood, typically worn by beggars. It was probably the most expensive item he owned. This action by Bartimaeus symbolizes a complete transformation, as He sheds his old identity as a beggar and embraces a new one in Christ. St. Paul tells us in 2 Cor. 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, He is a new creature:  old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Bartimaeus believed and trusted in Jesus and for that reason received what he asked for and more.  Not just his sight, but also salvation of his soul.  Jesus saith unto Thomas: “…Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”  (John 20:29)   St. Paul tells us in Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Those seeking salvation should remember the example of the faith of Bartimaeus. Compared to the Apostles, this man could, in fact, see. He had spiritual insight! He knew who Jesus was perhaps better than his followers did.  But his desire was also to see physically.

He believed in his heart that Jesus was the Messiah and could heal him of his physical blindness. He was also cleansed from his sins due to his saving faith. The only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ. One must come to him for pardon of their sins.   

The same Jesus still lives today who heard the blind man’s cry, and granted his request.  He will never go back from His own words as John 6:37 tells us: “Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.” 

Jesus was going up to Jerusalem to die.  He most likely had many things on his mind.  However, He still had time to stop and heal this poor blind man that was suffering. He not only cleansed and opened his eyes; he cleansed and opened his heart. Then, what did he do after his sight was restored? We are told in v. 43: “And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.” We should always be thankful and praise God when He answers our personal prayers or prayers of others. St. Paul tells us in 1 Chronicles 16:34 “O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is Good; for his mercy endureth forever.”

He felt deeply gratified. He wanted to show his gratitude by becoming one of our Lord’s followers and disciples. He had witnessed himself that Christ was a Master worth following.   He could now say, I was blind, and now I see.” (John 9:25). 

In closing, this was the last healing miracle Jesus did before his death on the Cross. Could it be that this last healing is a picture of all other healings before? All the prior miracles Jesus worked in the sight of many people pointed to what things will be like in the Kingdom of God. He healed disease and handicaps because in the Kingdom of God there will be no sickness.

He raised people from the dead because in the Kingdom of God there will be no death. He ministered to the poor because in the Kingdom of Heaven there will be no poverty.     

Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for our sins so that we can be included in his heavenly Kingdom. All we have to do is humbly confess our sins and follow Him just like Bartimaeus, the poor blind man.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Amen
Rev. Don Fultz+

 

 

 

Rev. David McMillan
AOC Minister at Large
Alabama

We are Fortunate today to have a sermon from Rev. David McMillian

The Way of Love

Deuteronomy 10:12-15,17-11:1; I Corinthians 13:1-13; Luke 18:31-43

Quinquagesima (Pre-Way of the Cross which begins Wednesday or Lent)

 I Corinthians 13 - A More Excellent Way

    This chapter of Scripture hardly needs any introduction. Its uses are practical right now in our lives. We need to be exhorted and encouraged to follow this way of doing things for in the end we will feel better about ourselves and God will be pleased.   

    Luther summed it up well when he said on this passage, “Justification of necessity precedes love. One does not love until he has become godly and righteous. Love does not make us godly, but when one has become godly love is the result.”

    We learn first that “nothing beats love.”  Vs 1-3 The Apostle starts out with a series of hypothetical impossibilities.  “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass , or a tinkling cymbal.”  And having the tongues things will not impress God either…the tongues of men and angels.  Hypnotizing people by our words is saying only and must be accompanied by doing good as well.   Without love this is just noise.  NO LANGUAGE IS EARTH OR HEAVEN IS TO BE COMPARED WITH THE PRACTICE OF LOVE.

     Having all knowledge is nothing either with love. “Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” (1 Corinthians 8:1)  Having all faith is nothing either without love. Doing deeds of love without love is nothing either.  Deeds of suffering also without love he says are nothing. All of this shows that apart from love what we do is nothing at all.

     Secondly we learn what an attitude of love is and is not in vs. 4-7.  The Corinthians were impatient, discontented, envious, inflated, selfish, unmindful of the feelings and interests of others and resentful. Sound like a place you would want to spend time in?  Unfortunately, this is all too true of our relationships and practices. We are exactly the above and if our Lenten lists mean anything they should include some of these statements about our continuing bad behavior. In contrast we learn that love “suffers long” 

 .  A. Peter asked how many times he should forgive and we hear the answer in Matthew 18:21. 

    B. Love is kind.  A loving person reacts with kindness toward those who ill treat them.

    C. Love does not envy. Others can succeed and I will not be unhappy about it. 

    D. Love is not proud, or conceited.

    E.   Love does not behave rudely.

    F.    Love does not seek its own.

     G.   Love is not provoked (not quick tempered or another says “It is not touchy.”) 

     H.  Love thinks no evil. “Love does not keep a ledger in which to enter up wrongs to be dealt with someday later on.” G. Campbell Morgan.

    I. Love does not rejoice in iniquity.

    J. Love rejoices in the truth.

   K. Love bears all things. Love does not easily give way---it endures

   L. Love believes all things. Moffatt “ always eager to believe the best” to see the best in others

   M. hopes all things . forward look. A refusal to take failure as final. 

   N.  Endures all things.  Verb here is active positive.  Fortitude.  Endurance of the Soldier in battle.

   Jerry Bridges express love in I Cor. 13 in terms of motivational statements:”

  ----I am patient with you because I love you and want to forgive you.

  ----I am kind to you because I love you and want to help you.

       I do not envy your possessions or your gifts because I love you and want you to have the best.

       I do not boast about my attainments because I love you and want to hear about yours.

       I am not proud because I love you and want to esteem you before myself.

       I am not rude because I love you and care about your feelings.

       I am not self-seeking because I love you and want to meet your needs.

       I am not easily angered by you because I love you and want to overlook your offenses.

       I do not keep a record of your wrongs because I love you and “ love covers a multitude of sins.”

    Lastly, follow the way of love. I Cor. 13: 8-13 and 14a. This means we should have dedication, consecration, effort and persistent zeal.  I Cor. 13:8 says charity or love will never fail.  There is a good illustration of this in the book Pursuit of Holiness: “Suppose you were meditating on I Cor 13, the great love chapter.  As you think about the chapter, you realize the importance of love and you also see the practical outworkings of love: Love is patient and kind and does not envy.

  You ask yourself, ‘am I impatient or unkind or envious toward anyone?’ As you think about this, you realize you are envious toward Joe at work who seems to be getting all the breaks. You confess this sin to God, being very specific to name Joe and your sinful reaction to his good fortune. You ask God to bless him even more and to give you a spirit of contentment so that you will not continue to envy Joe, but will instead love him. You might memorize I Cor. 13:4 and think about it as you see Joe at work. You even look for ways to help him. Then you do the same thing tomorrow and the next day and the next till finally you see God working a spirit of love in your heart toward Joe.”

Conclusion- Let’s ask God to help us keep our responsibility to grow in love in a practical way.  We can decide to pray over our need to grow in love. We can think of people who may need our time, our interest, or our money, and plan to meet those needs. We can admit our failures to love in specific situations and bring those failures to the throne of God in confession and dependence upon Him for His help in the future.  Let us do this!                                                                                            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:

Judy Fauble – end stage Alzheimers – pray for Judy and family

Family of Richard Hallberg – mourning the loss of Richard

Audrey Beebe - who fell and broke her hip. Other health issues also. Please pray for her recovery.

Colby Landry -  cancer. Please pray for his wife, Leah and their family at this time of trial.

Persecuted Christians - subject to persecution and imprisonment for their faith.

Bobby Bryan - suffering with cancer and cardiac issues.

For an increase in the true faith in Jesus Christ here and across the globe.

David – Hip Bursitis

Bobby Bryan – cancer and cardiac issues

Ophelia – crippling arthritis pain

Dennis Potrikus - fall with bad knees – recovering his rehab

Richard Bailey – Brain Cancer

Donna – ongoing radiation and Chemotherapy. Pray for successful remission

Roy – Bulging disc – upcoming surgery

Michelle – metastasized lung cancer – treatment ongoing – 50% positive remission

 

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

 

Keep Praying for the following:

Shamu-health issues, Jan Jessup-neuro dementia, AOC USA, AOC Missions + Myanmar,
Harper-IBS, Jim Sevier- God’s Peace, Linda – multiple myeloma, Marianne, Donna-chemotherapy, Alicia-caregiver, Sophie, Colin and Lori Beall – cancer, Toni – cancer,
Donna  - cancer, Malou – cancer, Archie- CHF, Eloise, Janice, Kamil, Marilee, Myra Cox, Faye Miller,

 Prayers Answered:

Jeff – no sign of liver cancer after months of immunotherapy treatment

 

 

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 (right)

 

 

 Points to Ponder:

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distree; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
Psalm 4:1

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Proverbs 3:7

There is a real spiritual presence of Christ in the heart of every true believer... As He dwells in the whole church, which is His body... so does He continually dwell in every member of that body, in the least as well as the greatest. This presence is the secret of all that peace, and hope, and joy, and comfort, which believers feel. All spring from their having a divine tenant within their hearts.

The Most Rev. J. C. Ryle

Mercy Trump Law
The Most Rev. Jerry L. Ogles

 

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