261004 AOC Sunday Report
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Worldwide Communion
Eighteenth Sunday
after Trinity
October 4, 2026
Sunday Report
Eighteenth Sunday after Trinty
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 214-215.
The Collect for the Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity.
Epistle for Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. I Corinthians v. 4.
I THANK my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Gospel for Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. St. Matthew. vxxi. 34.
WHEN the Pharisees had heard that Jesus had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
On Point: The Family Altar
"Now, there is at Jerusalem by the sheep-market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having- five porches. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, He saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?" John 5:2, 5, 6.
Why does the Lord Jesus ask this poor invalid whether he wants to get well? Does not the question seem superfluous? No; for our Lord in His omniscience knew how long the poor man had suffered, — thirty-eight years, — and He knew also that the poor stricken man had given up all hope of ever being cured, and with dull, listless heart had resigned himself to his fate. But man's extremity is God's opportunity ; and again we see what a merciful and omnipotent Savior we have in Christ. With His kind question He not only kindles new interest and hope in the poor invalid, but with divine, saving power restores him to health. There are many chronic invalids in our midst suffering year in and year out with some incurable disease, and they often grow apathetic and indifferent not only to their sickness, but, what is much worse, to the fate of their immortal souls. To them the Lord Jesus would also come in His saving, compassionate love and ask: Wilt thou be made whole? He may not restore them to bodily health as He did this invalid, for reasons known to Him alone, but He surely can and will give new courage and health to their mourning hearts and glorify their sickbeds and gloomiest surroundings with His saving presence. He has power to save all that come to God through Him. No case of bodily or spiritual infirmity is of too long standing or too hopeless a nature for Him to cure who says to every invalid: "I am the Lord that healeth thee."
With tearful eyes I look
around;
Life seems a dark and stormy
sea;
Yet, 'mid the gloom, I hear
a sound,
A heavenly whisper,
"Come to Me."
It tells me of a place of
rest;
It tells me where my soul
may flee:
Oh, to the weary, faint,
opprest,
How sweet the bidding,
"Come to Me."
"Come, for all else
must fail and die!
Earth is no resting-place
for thee;
To heaven direct thy weeping
eye,
I am thy portion, Come to
Me."
O voice of mercy! voice of
love!
In conflict, grief, and
agony,
Support me, cheer me from
above;
And gently whisper,
"Come to Me."
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
Bishop Ogles Sermon Summary for the 17th Sunday in Trinity
Bishop’s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/09/youtube-video-player_01058442538.html
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoYLzKUnZho
The Lord’s Tear Bottle:
Bishop’s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/10/youtube-video-player.html
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi0iSddLI60
Giving to God - Saturday Evening Devotional
Bishop’s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/10/youtube-video-player_01363040455.html
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mWzZbs_8mM
18th Sunday in Trinity, Sermon Summary: The Rulers Unite
Bishop’s Blog: https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/2026/10/youtube-video-player_0513289806.html
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmKpygjCKxI
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 – Eighteenth Sunday after trinity
The Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; The Gospel: St. Matthew 22:34-46
LORD, we beseech thee, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil; and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee, the only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
hymns # 430,553.156
“Asking the Right Questions”
Why do we question God?
Our lesson from St. Matthew’s reading today shows the utter folly of such behavior. Here we are, creations..creatures...created by the Almighty God of the Universe, croaking out questions to our creator as to why He has done such and so and so and so… What are we thinking? One of the most pressing issues, according to some agreed consensus, global climate-warming-death to all life on earth, OR the on-going “plandemic” single virus-disease that may bring the end of all life as we know it: but are they? What are we thinking? The most important issue of all time is our standing before the Lord God, creator of the universe. Do we know who God is?
1. If we rely on non-believers for our world view, we will sorely be disappointed. Since “they” don’t have any concept or belief of an afterlife, “they” don’t have any forward looking future. We see this air of despair permeate all aspects of public discourse. The end is near, there is no hope, we are on the edge of extinction, etc., etc. This is the prevailing world view...no hope. We find this view being promulgated by social media and the entertainment industries. Doom sells, hope does not. As believers in Christ Jesus and his overall message of hope, we need to remind each other that the “otherside” doesn’t have the answers...we do. The Hope of Resurrection, the hope and promise of eternal life with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
2. The wise men of Jesus day were constantly trying to find ways to foul up His message, or to at least make Jesus look to be a fool to his followers. The time honored ask a question to be answered by a question style of dialog was used by the doubters as well as Jesus. Only one problem, Jesus knew (knows) all the answers even before they ask them. In this encounter we read today in Matthew 22 Jesus would showcase the Ten Commandments AND how these wise or learned men were not really following those commandments. The Sadducees had been put to silence by Jesus, so now the far more sophisticated and most educated men of the time: the Pharisees, were going to show Jesus who was more educated and wise as far as society understood such. The passage make the Pharisee sound like a group of snakes or villains: 34But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. But Jesus was prepared for them with wonderful eternal lessons and questions that would make a thinking person stop and realize this teacher {rabboni} is very wise and might possibly know all the answers. 35Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Notice that Jesus answers him by reiterating the First Commandment: 37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38This is the first and great commandment. “2I am the Lord thy God…3thou shalt have none other gods but me.” (Exodus 20:2-3) Jesus response is a refocus of the first commandment. God is Lord, your Lord, he is to be loved and honored.(feared).
Now you say ok, I can see that, but what about the next two verses? 39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
What do the last six commandments have in common? All six of them are about human to human conduct and civility. Honor your mother and father, don’t murder, don’t commit adultery (disrupt your community), don’t steal, don’t lie about your neighbors (to gain some type of credit, false as it is), and do not covet what your neighbor has. All six of the remaining commandments are encapsulated by what Jesus related as the second most important commandment. LOVE your neighbor as you love yourself. And then to drive home the point, he said ALL the law and the prophets precepts, statues, prophecies, and such hang on these two commandments.
Did Jesus rescind the 10 Commandments? NO, he clarified them. He made the point that we must primarily love God and then love our neighbors. Pretty heavy yet simple concepts. Now Jesus wasn’t finished with the ‘wise guys’ yet. He now asks them to wrap their minds around the identity of Christ.
By doing this Jesus was certifying his authority and identity. 41While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 43He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
And as we read in the passage, when the Pharisee wouldn’t answer Jesus question, they opted to not question him anymore, especially in front of the crowds, it made them lose face. They were no longer considered true authorities on the Word of God. 46And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
If you think of this in our present times, there are a lot of “learned” folk who have no credibility due to their inability to answer essential questions to the reason why? They have no answers to the chaos that rules civil society at this time. NONE.
It is caused by a fallen people. “...all have sinned and come short of the Lord...”
The last thought I’d like to leave you with is about certification. Jesus in his reply to those who questioned him, in his response to those who were considered experts in their educational and spiritual realm, were dethroned by the coming of the King of kings and Lord of lords.
When Jesus was able to show the errors of the wise men of the time, he was showing us that we must rely on the Word of God, the Word made flesh, the Word of Life, Jesus Christ and his death and glorious resurrection.
The Hope of Salvation, our future in eternity, our faith once delivered.
IN Christ alone during Trinity
+Roy
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Rev Bryan Dabney of Saint John’s AOC Vicksburg, Mississippi
We are always grateful to get these wonderful sermons from Rev. Bryan, they keep us on our toes!
Sermon Text for Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity:
In our Old Testament lesson (Amos 8:4-12) we read where God expressed his displeasure with the northern kingdom of Israel because the wealthy and powerful had sought to, swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail. (v.4). The LORD knew well that such men were eagerly awaiting the passage of the Sabbath so they might then purchase the poor and needy through unjust weights and measures. Never mind that centuries before, God had condemned such things in the Law of Moses. But those evil men under the influence of Satan were not deterred by the laws God and were ever ready to violate them for their own nefarious purposes (Leviticus 19:35-37; Deuteronomy 25:13-16). Even today, we should not be surprised to find those of the rich and powerful seeking to do likewise because their master is merely continuing his campaign to ruin, devastate and destroy all who follow after the Godhead (St. John 10:10).
In St. Mark’s gospel (11:15-18), our Lord spoke against those who had turned God's temple into, a den of thieves. The temple authorities of our Lord's day had allowed a number of profiteers to enter the sacred precincts to exchange secular coinage for temple coinage and to sell animals for sacrifice, all at exorbitant rates. These unholy merchants were not there to do God's will, and that is why our Lord referred to them as thieves and drove them from the temple.
Centuries later, the Medieval Church sought to take advantage of the poor and unsuspecting as they had been led to believe that if they purchased an indulgence from the church they would gain the release of their deceased relatives and friends from purgatory— a place of torment where faithful Christian souls must be temporarily consigned for punishment of their sins. The Bible in no way affirms this errant teaching, nevertheless it was taught as truth by those who should have known better. For after all, the sale of indulgences was a convenient way for the church to fund various projects. And what better resource did they have than those whose fervent desire was to release their loved ones from the fires of a horrid yet imaginary place.
It all seemed to be working so well until a young seminary doctor named Martin Luther challenged the marketing of godly deliverance as if it were a worldly commodity or service. Luther’s statements have come down to us as The 95 Theses, which dramatically altered the religious landscape of our world. Luther’s intention was not to destroy his church, only have it abide by the expressed word of God and not lean upon the fabrications of human craft and cunning masquerading as truth. Let us examine a few of the points he made.
45. Christians are to be taught that he who sees a man in need, and passes him by, and gives [his money] for pardons, purchases not the indulgences of the pope, but the indignation of God.
46. Christians are to be taught that unless they have more than they need, they are bound to keep back what is necessary for their own families, and by no means to squander it on pardons.
47. Christians are to be taught that the buying of pardons is a matter of free will, and not of commandment.
Luther's objections are in line with our lesson from the Book of Amos as the prophet clearly spoke against those who intended to make merchandise of God’s people.
While some would like to believe that our world today is different, such is not the case. Whether one has the internet or some other form of media outlet in their home, one can witness the various prosperity preachers peddling their wares of well-being and abundance to their listeners. They dangle the lure of temporal blessings before the poor and needy that they might snare them with their message, and then line their pockets with their hard-earned wages in the name of our Lord and Saviour. And they will omit the important biblical truth that God's calling is not to wealth and prosperity in this life, but to the inestimable gift of eternal life in his kingdom.
Consider the words of the apostle Paul to St. Timothy in his first epistle: If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud knowing nothing… supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, 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, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (6:3-10).
God will not bless those who misuse his words and who tread upon his people. And those who have been given the gift of knowledge in the word have not been called to mimic Simon the sorcerer— who desired the power to bring forth the Holy Ghost that he might profit monetarily from such (Acts 8:9-24). St. Peter’s warning to Simon was plain enough: Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money (v.20). While we have been called to lay up treasure in heaven. (St. Matthew 6:19-21), we also understand that God may at times supply the gift of means if such is part of his purposeful will. But regardless of what he supplies, all must be used wisely in his service. If we allot to ourselves, or if we withhold such gifts from his service and hoard it when we could have shared it, God will deal with us as he did with that wicked servant from the Parable of the Talents (St. Matthew 25:25-30).
It is our duty as Christians to resist the urge to do wickedly and to profit in an unjust manner. God has not called us to cheat and steal, but to labor honestly for our bread and keep. We are not to use subterfuge and deception in our business dealings. We have not been called to unfairness and underhandedness, but to openness and equity. God knows the hearts of all and from him no secret is hidden. To him, all of us are open books. Given that understanding of God, it would behoove those who love him to live in obedience and avoid those things which he despises. God expects his servants in business to pay a fair wage, to set a fair price for goods and services, and to assist as much as possible those who are in dire straits without material injury to themselves or their families.
So then enjoy the things that God has given to you, and praise him for what he has provided. And may he also give you such a filling of his Spirit that you might live in obedience to his will and pleasure in every aspect of your life.
Let us pray,
Father, help us to strive to maintain a godly
character in all our dealings with others; for this we ask in the name of your
Son, our Saviour, even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Have a blessed week!
Bryan+
Rev. David McMillan
AOC Minister at Large - Alabama
We are Fortunate today to have a sermon from Rev. David McMillian
Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity
Jude 4-7: Three Loving Reminders or Warnings. (or as another version of Jude in Biblehub.com, entitled these " God's Warning and Judgment against the Ungodly")
Here is the text: "I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 6And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."
Have you ever wished someone had given you a proper warning before you did something? When I was in support of the Haiti invasion in 1994, I was deployed to Puerto Rico as the Chaplain. There I happened on a Chaplain friend who had been with me in California. We enjoyed getting reacquainted. While there I was in San Juan, the capital, I bought some dried fish that was in the display window. I got very sick after eating it and was put in our unit medical facility. Later the Chaplain I knew said, "Oh, I could have told you, 'don't eat the dried fish.'" After all my misery I wished he had told me before I ate it.
Jude says to remember. 2 Peter 1:12 the similar book to Jude says, "I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance…. (of the steps in the Christian life)" Even though Jude says, "ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not." (Jude 5)
1. The First Reminder. Jude is reminding them what happened in Numbers 14, and ch 32.
a. Unbelieving hearts
b. Egypt still appealed to them.
c. Idolatry (lust) and immorality (see I Cor 10:1-12) "let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." vs 12
d. Difficulty along the way
Jude is saying the same fate of apostate Israel could overtake "apostate" Christians.
Hebrews 3:12-19 "they could not enter in because of unbelief."
2. The Second Reminder. "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chain under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." (Jude 6) The angels had many privileges on which they might have relied, and in many ways were like the false teachers. Pride caused them to be cast out. Isaiah 14 talks about Lucifer and his pride, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." (Isaiah 14:14) The evil angels had been too arrogant to keep their position. The message of vs 6 is clear. Privileged position and full knowledge had not saved the angels whose faith had grown dim.
Pride. What is it? Where does it come from? What kind of people are most susceptible to it?
3. The Third Warning Reminder. "Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." (Jude 7) "The triumph of evil is not final. God's judgment , though it delay, will surely come.” Michael Green. Sodom and Gomorrah are in many verses in the NT as well. Luke 10:12, "But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city." (Luke 10:12, see Matt. 10:15)
Revelation as well talks about the eternal fire that is for the devil and his servants. Rev. 19:20: "And… the false prophet...was …cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." (See Rev. 20:10)
Jude has pulled out all the stops to remind the people in that day that were believing the false teaching of the ungodly men who were turning the grace of God into lasciviousness (4) and thereby denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. "4For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." (Jude 4) Unbelief is possible even for those in the assembly. God will judge the false teachers and their followers.
I wish my friend in Puerto Rico had told me about the dried fish in San Juan. I wish I had not been so sick I was in the Army medical bay for 3 days, and it felt like death. But I was healed. We too can be healed by really trusting in the Lord and His Son Jesus Christ. Without Him life is without meaning. With Him anything is possible in this life and the life to come!
David D. Mc Millan,
Pastor, & Chaplain (Major) US Army, ret.
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 Rev. Don Fultz from
St. Peter’s AOC, Statesville NC
Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity
Sermon: Matthew 22: 34-46
Loving God and our Neighbor
In today’s Gospel reading, we have a discourse between a Pharisee Lawyer and Jesus about what is the greatest commandment in the law? The Pharisee was not a lawyer as we know lawyers today. But rather he was a religious scholar and teacher of the Old Testament Jewish laws. There were over 600 such laws. Some of them are familiar such as: Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and thou shalt not commit adultery. However, others are less familiar: Such as the law of Circumcision, law of the Sabbath, and the law of the sacrifices. One law, for example, forbids the boiling of a calf in its mother’s milk. Observant Jews today still take care not to mix meat and milk and have a separate dish for meat and another one for dairy products.
So this lawyer wanted to hear from Jesus what he thought was the greatest commandment of these 613 laws. This was a question disputed among many of the Jewish critics of the law. He was obviously trying to test Jesus’s judgment probably more than His knowledge. Jesus had just silenced the Sadducees regarding resurrection of the dead, now He was being tested again by the Pharisees, and especially this religious Scholar and teacher.
They were trying to trap Jesus into saying one law was greater than another so they could scorn and discredit him, hoping to rise the people against Him. However, Jesus knew what they were up to so when the lawyer asked Jesus what was the greatest commandment: Jesus responded by saying “…37Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind…. 39And the second is like unto it, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. 40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” It was an answer that should have been obvious to the lawyer. The very first commandment of God is found in the Old Testament in Deuteronomy 6:5 which says: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
This was almost exactly what Jesus had said for the 1st commandment except he used mind instead of might! Also, there was a similar discourse in Luke Chapter 10, verses 26-28. In these passages, Jesus had asked another Pharisee lawyer, in response to his question about how he could inherit eternal life what was written in the law and the lawyer responded with the same answer given by Jesus. However, it is good for us that such a question was asked of Him, that we might have his answer.
So Christ tells us that the love of God and our neighbor are the two great commandments. Not because they are exclusive of others but rather are great because of inclusion of others. They are the spring and foundation of all of the other commandments. All of the law is fulfilled in one word, and that is love. Just as St. Paul tells us in Romans 13:10 “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.”
All obedience begins in the affections, and nothing in religion is done right, that is not done there first. Love is the leading affection, which gives law and gives ground to the rest, and the first recipient of this love must be God. The love of God is the first and great commandment. The very 1st of our Ten Commandments “Thou shalt have no other God “implies that we must have Him only as our God, and that we will engage our love to Him. To love God as ours is to love Him because he is our creator, Ruler, and King.
We are to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind. What does this mean? First of all, our love of God must be a sincere love, not just in word and tongue only. It must be with our hearts also. Our hearts cannot be divided …we can’t love the world and God ---remember the sermon on serving two masters! Our heart must be united to love God.
Also, it must be a strong love in the most intense degree. In addition, it must be a singular love and a love for Him more than anything else in the world…even our own self, Spouse, Mother, Father, sisters, brothers, and children. We are to make Him number one in our life, obey his commandments, follow in the ways of Jesus, and do his will.
And as 1 John 3:18 tells us: we should love Him also “in deed and in truth.” The bible tells us we will be known by our fruits (deeds) what we do for Christ and others. Truth begins with knowledge which is the basis for faith. Our best source of knowledge is God’s Holy word…the bible. There are many stories in it about Gods love for his people.
So how are we to obtain this love toward God? It is not a natural feeling. We are born in this world sinners and as sinners we are afraid of God. Also, we live in a very sinful world. Bishop JC Ryle tells us that we can never really love God until we are at peace with Him through Christ. We must let Christ come into our hearts and ask for forgiveness of our sins. Then and only until then, will we find that peace and reconciliation with our heavenly father and be able to show our love for Him and have the spirit of adoption. Faith in Christ is the true spring of love to God. They love most who feel most forgiven. Then we can say “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
To love our neighbor as ourselves is the second great commandment. This comes from Leviticus 19:18, a verse which is quoted 3 times in the Gospel of Matthew (Matt. 5:43, 19:19, and 22:39). When Jesus says the 2nd commandent is liken unto the first implies that they are related and have equal weight. Our love of God should lead us to love of our neighbor and love of our neighbor is part of loving God. 1 John 4:20 says “If a man say I love God, and hatteth his brother, he is a lier; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”
Loving our neighbor as ourself also implies we love
ourselves. Everyone has a self-love which is a due concern for our own
dignities and the welfare of our own bodies and souls. It is in this context
that Jesus is telling us we should feel and act toward our neighbors. Loving
our neighbors is similar to the “Golden Rule” which Jesus preached in his
sermon on the mount in Matthew 7:12 which he says,
“Therefore all things
whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them,, for this
is the law and the prophets.”
What Jesus is saying here is we are to do to others as we want them to do to
us. If we want acts of kindness and love from our neighbors we must reciprocate
same.
We are to care about one another as much as we care about ourselves! In addition, we are to show acts of kindness and service to our neighbors by saying kind words and doing generous deeds. Also, we are to show compassion and mercy on our neighbors just as the Good Samaritan did for the stranger. We must not wrong or injure anyone and have goodwill towards all.
Leviticus chapter 19, verses, 13, 15, and 16-18 gives us some insight in how we should act toward s our neighbor: “13Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbor, neither rob him….15Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement…but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor: 16Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people; neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor: I am the Lord.” (Don’t bear false witness) If we know our neighbor is innocent, we shall stand up and be a witness for him. 17Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him. 18Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord.”
Loving our neighbor is not a natural feeling for Humans. Everyone has a love of oneself that is not good and is sinful. We all are selfish, prideful, and all have our own self interests at heart. According to St. Paul we are born selfish, hateful, and hating one another.
Titus 3:3 says: “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers’ lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.”
So how do we go through life and avoid the bad things and always do the good things for our fellow humans as Jesus is commanding us to do. The answer is it is impossible by ourselves. We need help from God. We can’t really show true love for our neighbors without first loving God. We need to have the Holy Spirit come in and change our hearts. We need to be born again….throw off the old person and put on the new one and receive the mind of Jesus. St. Paul summarizes this in Galatians Chapter 5, verse 22: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, Faith.” Just as flowers and fruits need roots, we cannot have true love for God and our neighbor without faith in Christ and without regeneration.
Finally, Jesus says that all of the law and Prophets hang on these two commandments. All hang on the law of Love for God and man. Take this away and all other laws fall to the ground and are worth nothing. This includes all of the laws written in the hearts of man by nature, those written and received by Moses, and all of the writings of the prophets. Love is the spirit of the law and also the cement which joins the law. It is the root and spring of all of the other commandments. How powerful this love is especially the love of God through our faith in Christ. In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. AMEN
The 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: Keep Praying Please
The Campbells whose Mother/Mother-in-Law passed into the arms of Jesus
AOC Church of the Redeemer who still needs a Pastor
Bishop John – gall bladder removed – pray for complete recovery
Brenda – fracture knee cap and shoulder, long recovery – at home and recovering well
Sandy Carpenter – Congestive Heart Failure – weak limbs – husband, Darryl and their family
Michele Gee- stage 3 cervical cancer
Darryl and Jennifer Baughn - assisting Darryl’s mother who is suffering with end of life issues
Arnold and Martha Robbins – Senior Health issues
Rhett Carter – has succumbed to his injuries – comfort for widow and parents, John & Karen
Donny Clark – hospitalized for stroke – Anne – overseeing his care
Kathy – Kathy is beginning to heal please keep praying for this healing and severe anxiety related
Baby Baelin – Praise God, Baby Baelin has gone home – tube removed and doing well!
Donny – hospitalized due to multiple strokes and inability to speak, pray for David and Anne, family who are helping him in recovery
Ben Hancock – treatment for colon cancer
Rev. Geordie: needs prayer for medical issues
Debbie Grimes: colon cancer – surgery
Bobby Effinger – recovery from heart surgery and ongoing heart issues
Joseph Broddie – recurring throat cancer
David Williams – serious cardiac issues – pray for David and wife Sherie for coping with changes
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.
USA – Leaders, citizens, military, first responders – President Trump & all Cabinet Members Safety
Ophelia – crippling arthritis pain
Dave – COPD –Diabetes type 2
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, Harper-IBS,
Jim Sevier- God’s
Peace, Linda –MM, Alicia-caregiver, Sophie, Colin and Lori Beall –
cancer,
Malou –
cancer, Janice, Bobby, Myra Cox, Faye Miller, Diane, Alice, Yves Mera, Lucile, Ryan, Steven, Rency, Jack & Karen, Brannon, Joyce, Camella –
starting radiation treatment for 3 weeks, Charlie, Dennis, Beverly and Howard, Betty, Deborah
Points to Ponder:
If the dead arose continually to declare to us all that takes place there, even this phenomenon would in time also be disregarded; for the tempter could, with the greatest ease, adapt his wicked teaching to such a state of affairs... For even now, when nothing of that kind takes place, the forms of the departed often have appeared in dreams, and have deceived and ruined many. Much more if such a state of things, namely, that many returned from the dead, existed, that subtle spirit would involve many in his wiles, and introduce great deception into our life. Therefore God has closed the portals, and does not permit any of those who have departed to return to tell us the things that take place there; so that the tempter cannot take advantage of such a state of things... But God, foreseeing all these things, has prevented such... He has taught us to regard the Holy Scriptures as more worthy of trust than everything else. For He has made certain things more clear to us than they would have been made by the resurrection of the dead; He has instructed the whole world; He has driven away error, and brought in the truth; He has, by the instrumentality of fishermen and men of no reputation, procured all these benefits, and afforded to us on all sides sufficient proofs of His own providence. Therefore let us not imagine that our affairs are bounded by the present life; but let us be assured that there will be a scrutiny, and a recompense or a retribution for all that has happened here. This fact is so clear and plain to all...For if... men do not act as wisely as they ought, with regard to the resurrection, still all agree with respect to the judgment, and future punishment and trial... that there is a recompense hereafter for all the things that have happened here.
St. John Chrysostom
There is a church outside of which
there is no salvation— a church to which a man must belong, or be lost
eternally. I lay this down without hesitation or reserve. I say it as strongly
and as confidently as the strongest advocate of the Church of Rome. But what is
this church? Where is this church? What are the marks by which this church may
be known? This is the grand question. The one true church is well described in
the [Book of Common Prayer of 1662] as “the mystical body of Christ, which is
the blessed company of all faithful people.” It is composed of all believers in
the Lord Jesus. It is made up of all God’s elect, of all converted men and
women— all true Christians. In whatsoever we can discern the election of God
the Father, the sprinkling of the blood of God the Son, the sanctifying work
of God the Spirit, in that person we see a member of Christ’s true church.
The Most Rev. J. C. Ryle – Knots Untied, pp. 224-225
So honesty, sobriety, and such things may be very good among men. But all these things put together, without faith, do not please God. Virtues without faith are whitewashed sins.
The Rev. Charles H. Spurgeon
Every committed Christian glories in the cross of Christ – not the instrument itself, but the sacrifice made upon it for our behalf. The cross of Christ was not a shining, gold structure, but a rough-hewn timber. It was ugly and unkempt. It was much like the uncomely goat-hair covering of the Tabernacle, but look at the beauty inside the Tabernacle which was Christ! Christ established His Church and Kingdom to be one of inner beauty and not of elaborate showing to the world. The world does not appreciate true beauty, but those who are IN Christ know of the grandeur of that home. We are ransomed at the high cost of the Father’s sacrifice of His Only Begotten Son. That makes you and I of considerable value in the eyes of God. When He beholds us, He beholds His Son on the cross, and His blood covering us in a mantle of righteousness – not OUR righteousness, but HIS!
Bishop Jerry Ogles – Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross
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