Who are we?

The center of the Traditional Anglican Communion; adhering to the Holy Bible (KJV) in all matters of Faith and Doctrine, a strict reliance on the Thirty Nine Articles of Religion, The two Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion, the Two Creeds, and the Homilies and formularies of the Reformation Church of England.

Verse of the Day

Monday, October 30, 2017

New AOC Radio Program (Louisville, Kentucky)

Below is a posting of our new AOC presentation out of Louisville, Kentucky called Faith and the Bible. Please listen at your leisure and feel free to share your impressions or recommendations.
https://www.faithandthebible.com/

New AOC Program - Faith and the Bible

This program originates out of Louisville, Kentucky:

Below is a posting of our new AOC presentation out of Louisville, Kentucky called Faith and the Bible. Please listen at your leisure and feel free to share your impressions or recommendations.

https://www.faithandthebible.com/

Sunday, October 29, 2017

AOC Sunday Report - Twentieth Sunday after Trinity


The AOC Sunday Report is RIGHT HERE!
Happy Twentieth Sunday after Trinity!

The AOC Sunday Report is RIGHT HERE!

There are really great sermons from Bishops Jerry and Dennis, as well as Revs Jack and Bryan.  Dennis' sermon is a really nice explanation of the Reformation.

There are a lot of people who need your prayers, please start with Gil's family, then Shamu, Bob, Jimmy, Mary and Michael and work out from there.

Have an EPIC week ahead.

Godspeed,

Hap
Church of the Faithful Centurion
Descanso, CA

Sermon Notes - Twentieth Sunday after Trinity - Saint Andrew’s Anglican Orthodox Church - 29 October 2017, Anno Domini

If you enjoy this, the entire AOC Sunday Report is RIGHT HERE!
Twentieth Sunday after Trinity

The Collect.

O
 ALMIGHTY and most merciful God, of thy bountiful goodness keep us, we beseech thee, from all things that may hurt us; that we, being ready both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things which thou commandest; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Matthew 19
3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Then we skip to the next event – totally related to first:

13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. 15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence. 

Our first text deals with the very foundation of our society and how it relates to the Kingdom of Heaven – that of marriage. Marriage was ordained of God as the first institution among men – the foundation of communities, nations and societies – MARRIAGE.

Genesis 2:  21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh

Please note in both cases that marriage is between a man and a woman – this signals God’s creative plan for the world, but also for a foreshadowing of the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Passover Lamb was a foreshadowing of the Lamb of God, slain before the foundation of the world, for our sins.

The marriage ceremony is provided in the English Book of Common Prayer – a book which was derived from the Ancient Fathers and restored by the Anglican Reformers; however, the ceremony is the traditional one used by most churches today:

Read first paragraph of Matrimony from the Book of Common Prayer –

At the day and time appointed for Solemnization of Matrimony, the Persons to be married shall come into the body of the Church, or shall be ready in some proper house, with their friends and neighbours; and there standing together, the Man on the right hand, and the Woman on the left, the Minister shall say,

D
EARLY beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this company, to join together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony; which is an honourable estate, instituted of God, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church: which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galilee, and is commended of Saint Paul to be honour-able among all men: and therefore is not by any to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly; but reverently, dis-creetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God. Into this holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. If any man can show just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter for ever hold his peace.  

Look at the three conditions of marriage given in a sermon by Dr. J Vaughan:

I. Consider how this union, of which all marriage is the intended allegory, actually takes place between Him and us. The first mover is, as it ought to be, the Lord Jesus Christ. The wife does not seek her husband, but the husband seeks his wife. Gradually, by His own sweet constraints, and the outgoings of His Spirit to Us, we begin to love Him. And then come the early betrothals of a heart made willing—the moving of holy desires and of sacred yearnings. And then the contract—that indissoluble contract which is between Christ and the believer, strong as adamant.

II. Note the conditions of the union. In the presence of witnesses the covenant of marriage must be ratified. And so here angels and the Church look on when Christ, before the whole universe, confesses you, and will confess you, to be His for ever. And you, on your part, must confess Him before Christians, before the world, before angels, before all men. The mutual confession is the basis of the stipulation.

III. And with common consent it must be. Free as the wind was His choice of you; absolute and explicit must be your surrender to Him. No compulsion, no outside circumstances, no secondary motive will avail. It must be your own independent, unbiassed will, the full accord of your whole heart. It is a compact of perfect affection, absolute duty, untiring allegiance. The soul of all attachment to you is Christ. It is a relation of the most exquisite fondness, but it is a relation of the most unqualified obedience. —Sermon Bible

Note the ancient custom of marriage among the Hebrews (which, incidentally is very similar to the Korean custom):

Father, Son, Girl, Family, Girl. 

The Father makes inquiry on behalf of his son, for a decent and well-favored young lady to betroth to his son. First, the family must be of well-repute. We, too, must be from the family of God – the Church.

When found, the family must consent to the meeting. The father arranges a meeting at the young lady’s home. A cup of wine is provided on a table dividing the son and young lady. The son and young lady talk a bit. If the young man approves of the young lady as his future wife, he will drink from the cup.

1 Cor 10 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 1 COR 11:25

If the young lady also agrees to the betrothal, she, too, will then drink from the Cup. In doing so, she pledges her undying devotion and faithfulness to this one young man for life. She can never drink from another such Cup. It is the same as our Communion Cup – (1 Cor 10)

1 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. 22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? 

The intentions of God are that marriage is not entered into lightly, but with full knowledge and consent aforehand. It is forever.

In our sermon text, we read again the Words of Christ-

9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

What is the purpose of marriage? Of the Church? 

To REPRODUCE children to the glory of God!

Read again the next event from our sermon texts today:
13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. 15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence. 

Christ was a man of rugged physical strength and rough hands that had been accustomed to the art of carpentry. But, as is the case with many strong and simple laborers, He had a heart of love and gentleness which children found attractive – so they came to Him simply and trusting in His love.

He took the children into His Arms and Loved them. He pointed out to the sophisticated preachers and others that, should they enter into the Kingdom of God, they must become as little children – innocent in heart and trusting in the love of God.

The church is to love and foster the baby Christians. 

What is a baby Christian?

A child who comes to Christ trusting in His love and power to forgive, save, and preserve.

A child of four years of age, or a child of eighty years of age. No matter our age, we are always children in the eyes of God 9or in the eyes of our parents).


Children, you need Christ to save you. Come as you are, and He will cleanse your sins and place your feet on solid ground. AMEN

Sunday, October 22, 2017

AOC Sunday Report - Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity

The AOC Sunday Report is RIGHT HERE!

Happy Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity!

The AIOC Sunday Report is RIGHT HERE!

We have great sermons from Bishops Jerry, Roy and Dennis, as well as from Revs Jack and Bryan.  Each is different, each is great!

There are an awful lot of people who need your prayers.  Please start with Gil Garcia, his need is most pressing and then work out with Shamu, Kurt, Jimmy, Mary, Bob and Michael.  They need God's help, then work on to the others.

Have a great week ahead.

Godspeed,

Hap
Church of the Faithful Centurion
Descanso, California

Sermon Notes - Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity - Saint Andrew’s Anglican Orthodox Church - 22 October 2017, Anno Domini

If you enjoy this, the entire AOC Sunday Report is RIGHT HERE!

The Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

O
 GOD, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee; Mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A
fter this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the
moving of the water. 4For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.6 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? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. 10The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.” (John 5:1-16)


Jesus has gone up to Jerusalem at the feast of the Jews. This feast is considered, by most traditional Bible scholars, to have been the Passover.  I concur in the view of these. That feast must surely have been the Passover.  It is very appropriate that He be present at EVERY Passover, for He has become our Great Passover and the Lamb Without Blemish slain on the Eve of His last Passover on earth.  The sheep market was just outside the gate of the Sheep Gate referred to in Nehemiah 3:1. It is altogether appropriate that Christ should come to that Gate on the eastern walls of Jerusalem for He is our Lamb of Sacrifice and the Sun of righteousness which shall arise (from the East) with “Healing in His wings.” (Malachi 4:2) Moreover, it is a lovely place to which He has come (the Pool of Bethesda) which, interpreted, means House of Mercy. Christ, thanks be to God, is our Bethesda – our House and Ark of Mercy. When we come to this pool for the healing of our souls, the moment of our visitation and healing is altogether dependent on the discretion of Heaven and not our own. We patiently await the movement of God in the things we need for His timing will always be the perfect moment to answer our prayers.

 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.” Christ “went up to Jerusalem” to this Passover. If we will go up to the Passover of our souls, we must arise from our common labors and be about – not our own devices and pleasures – but the work of our Father in Heaven.  The direction to the Narrow Gate is always upward.
Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.” The Lamb of God comes to this sheep market place. You and I were these sheep without a shepherd until that Lamb came to us, knowing our hurts and needs as One like unto us, and became the Great Shepherd of His sheep. We waited alone in the market place, being bought and sold by men, until Christ came and laid claim to His sheep. There at the Sheep Gate, though a place of barter of souls, yet there is also a House of Mercy (Bethesda) into which we may run as shelter from having our souls sold out by the world. But we enter that House on the terms of God and not on those of our own making. “…whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.” Do you not find great consolation in the term “whosoever.?” We know immediately that ‘whosoever’ can mean you and me as well. All we need do is come to the House of Mercy and wait upon the provision of God to heal all our wounds.

Now comes another term that is different from that of ‘whosoever’ for it points to a definite identity: the word here that I love is ‘certain.’ And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.” This is no ‘certain man’ by accident, but a certain man whom Christ has come to visit by His own choice – just like you and me who have been blessed to encounter Christ as His ‘certain men and women, boys and girls.’ We laid our souls by the House of Mercy and at our Time of visitation, He came to us. Now, to know this beautiful truth beautiful truth fills my heart with a burning love and gratitude to that Dispenser of Pure Grace called My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! 

Though our souls feel to be at the very center of the Wilderness as was poor Hagar, the Lord sees us. She called the Fountain where the Angel of the Lord found her, The Well Of The Living One Who Sees Me (Beerlahairoi). (Gen 16:13-14) What beautiful strokes of vivid color does the Master paint upon the canvas of our lives?  “When Jesus saw him lie” yes, and not just at this moment, but for all the years of the man’s misery! 

            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?” Is this not a very simple question, and does it need an answer? Yes, even though it is the greatest desire of the afflicted man, he MUST answer this question just as you and I must answer it for the healing of our souls. Being made whole is much more than a healing of our physical ailments, but a wholeness in body, soul, and spirit. Our most grievous affliction is our sin before God. It is this affliction that will bring not only physical death, but eternal death without the Grace ad Mercy of God.

Of course, the man desires to be made whole, but there is no help forthcoming from any other than Christ. The healing of the leprosy of sin cannot be healed by man. “The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.” Many times even the disciples tried to step in between Christ and those wanting mercy, but Christ would not allow it. He suffered the little children to come unto Him, the blind Bartemeus, and the woman from the coast of Tyre and Sidon over the objections of those closest to Him. No man can prevent our access to Christ!

 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. Why wallow in our misery while Christ is near? Why slumber on the water’s edge when the Water of Life stands at the ready to lift us in? It is not a request that we rise up and walk, but a command! If we possess the sure mercies of David, why linger fasting in the Wilderness. We should not only walk where we were unable in times past, but carry our beds as well in doing good and serving others. And to what result? “And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath.” Don’t we see that this poor man, though carrying his bed, had complete rest on this Sabbath Day? His Eternal Sabbath was realized in Christ! 

Guess who is watching and burning in wrath and malice? “The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.” These men were more concerned about prying particulars than they were about life and healing and truth – as always. This man answers that he cares not about the violation of one of their onerous mandates, but he does care that the Lord has healed him.

 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.” Jesus may not choose to reveal Himself to us in the crowds, but in a place apart. It is not the influence of the multitudes that bring us to Christ, but Christ Himself. “Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” After finding our wounded persons on the Road to Jericho, and healing us to wholeness, the Lord next finds us in His holy Temple which is the heart in which He resides. He will most often reveal Himself to us behind those closed chambers of our hearts. His counsel to the man to “sin no more” is ample evidence that the man was forgiven his sins as well as healed physically. 

The man now understands the depth of his healing because he has come to know the greatness of his Redeemer. “The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.” Please note that it was the crippled man who carried his bed on the Sabbath – not Christ. It is for the goodness of His healing the desperate cripple alone that prompted these murderous vultures to desire to kill Christ.

My friend, if you have been found by the wayside of the traffic of life by the loving Savior, have you heard His voice and responded to His invitation. “Wilt thou be made whole?” If so, why linger beside the pool at Bethesda without getting up? Why not take up your former prison (bed), and walk as a new creature in Him who has made you whole?


Do so today!