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AOC Sunday Report RIGHT HERE!
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Bishop Ogles’ Sermon
We are oft fortunate to
get copies of Bishop Jerry’s sermon notes. Today is one of those Sundays. Today’s sermon starts off with the collect, and like always,
it will give you a lot to consider in your heart.
The First Sunday in Lent.
The
Collect.
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O
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LORD who for our sake didst fast
forty days and forty nights; Give us grace to use such abstinence, that, our
flesh being subdued to the Spirit we may ever obey thy godly motions in
righteousness, and true holiness, to thy honour and glory, who livest and
reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
And due to the rubric, the Collect for the Day is
followed by the Collect for Ash Wednesday, which is found on Page 124:
The first day of Lent, commonly called
Ash Wednesday.
Ash Wednesday.
The
Collect.
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A
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LMIGHTY and
everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the
sins of all those who are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite
hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our
wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and
forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
¶ This Collect is to be said every day in Lent, after the
Collect appointed for the day, until Palm Sunday.
Alms Giving -
1 Take heed
that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no
reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2 Therefore when thou
doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in
the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I
say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest
alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be
in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee
openly.
Prayer -
5 And when
thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray
standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be
seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou
prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy
Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward
thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen
do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore
like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye
ask him.
Lord's Model
Prayer -
9 After this manner
therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy
will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our
daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye
Fasting -
16 Moreover
when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they
disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto
you, They have their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash
thy face; 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father
which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee
openly.
There is a growing tendency among the religious to wear their faith on their
arms and not in their hearts. Our Lord Jesus Christ has given us explicit
counsel on what with what manner and attitude He expects us to render service
and worship to Him. We are to be humble and not proud; subdued and not
flamboyant; and sincere and not hypocritical.
We are not to be proud and boastful of our works for the Lord.
WHY NOT?
We love to advertise our success in school, sports, work, etc. But is this the
right approach in living? Are we able to do any good works?
1 Cor 12: 4 Now there are diversities of
gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And
there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of
operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
Eph 3: 19 And
to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled
with all the fulness of God. 20 Now
unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or
think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by
Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen
Phil 2:13 For it is God which
worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
So all good in us in the work of Christ and not any to which we may lay
claim.
Jesus has been presenting His Sermon on the Mount – the most beautiful
and comprehensive sermon ever given upon the earth. He continues the sermon
here with a counsel against prideful boasting in our works.
Why is this so? When we do the Lord’s work, we must give Him the honour, the
praise, and the accreditation since it is His works in us and not our own.
The only works we may legitimately claim as our own are the evil thoughts,
deeds, and words of our lips.
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them:
otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
When we boast of OUR works, then we are admitting they are not God’s works and,
therefore, worldly. And we will gain our credit on earth in the honour of men
only.
In the early days of the Gospel, the Pharisees loved to have a trumpter go
before them to gain the attention of the crowds, and their adoration, as they
made public prayer. But this is not the way of Christ:
. 2 Therefore when thou
doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in
the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I
say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest
alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be
in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee
openly.
Here Jesus relates to us the mode and
attitude of Prayer:
5 And when
thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray
standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be
seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou
prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy
Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward
thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen
do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore
like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye
ask him.
Next, the Lord provides us with a perfect example of Prayer – the Lord’s Prayer;
please note the manner in which this spiritual airmail letter begins:
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Just as any other letter to a dear and
loved One:
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First the person’s name: Our Father
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Second, the address: “which art in
heaven”
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Then the salutation and honorific such as
we would say, My dearest friend, Dear Sir, etc. Hallowed be thy Name.” Your
majestic Honour.
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Then acknowledge His authority and
Dominion: Thy Kingdom Come.
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His Sovereignty over us: Thy will be
done – not ours.
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Boundaries of His authority acknowledged:
Not only in all the earth, but in all the Heavens as well. “On earth as it
is in Heaven.”
·
The simple request of the humble in heart: Give
us this day our daily bread
·
Then an expression of repentance: And
forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
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Then comes an expression of want for divine
guidance: And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil
·
The closing acknowledgement of His divine
Majesty and Power: For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen
9 After this manner
therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy
will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our
daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, for ever. Amen.
And
finally, Jesus adds a qualification to the forgiveness we expect from God.
14 For if ye forgive men
their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not
men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Jesus ends this passage with remarks on
fasting and in what attitude we should fast:
and fasting
16 Moreover
when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they
disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto
you, They have their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash
thy face; 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father
which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee
openly.
In many modern churches of our day, there is a tradition of applying ashes on
ones forehead to demonstrate to all that we are piously fasting because of this
Lenten season. But does this comport with the description of how we should fast
given by Christ Himself? Of late, I have seen a number of postings to our
Facebook pages that claim a certain virtue in smearing ashes on one's forehead
to allow others to see that they love Jesus. This is contrary to Scripture in
the first place, and not the way to demonstrate your love for Christ in the
second place. If we love the Lord, they truth will come shining through as the
morning sunrise on a clear day in the way we live and serve.
Common prayers ask no personal benefit, but ask those blessings common to the
need of every Christian worshipper, and they ALWAYS praise and honor God. But
private prayers are those that are the confidential yearnings of the heart
expressed to your Father in private.
I prefer to keep my private prayers, good deeds, and fasting between myself and
the Good Lord so that I may earn His Grace and acceptance in them.
