The Propers for today are found on Page 238-240, with the Collect first:
Saint Philip and Saint James, Apostles. [May 1.]
The Collect.
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ALMIGHTY God, whom truly to know is everlasting life; Grant us perfectly to know thy Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life; that, following the steps of thy holy Apostles, Saint Philip and Saint James, we may stedfastly walk in the way that leadeth to eternal life; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
And the Collect for the Second Sunday after Easter which it supersedes.
The Second Sunday after Easter.
The Collect.
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LMIGHTY God, who hast given thine only Son to be unto us both a sacrifice for sin, and also an ensample of godly life; Give us grace that we may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit, and also daily endeavour ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Today’s Epistle comes from the First General Epistle of Saint James, the First Chapter, beginning at the First Verse:
The Epistle.
St. James i. 1.
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AMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: but the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
The Holy Gospel for this morning comes from the Gospel of Saint John, the Fourteenth chapter beginning at the First verse:
The Gospel.
St. John xiv. 1.
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ND Jesus said unto his disciples, Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it suffice thus. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Rev Jack's sermon is available on video RIGHT HERE!
Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold - Time and Action
Church of the Faithful Centurion
Descanso, California
Today’s sermon brought the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords above.
We are in the Easter Season which consists of Easter and the following four Sundays, through Rogation Sunday. This is a time we should work on centering our lives on the central figure in our religion, Jesus Christ. Today, we recall the memories of two of the great apostles, Philip and James and supersede the normal propers with those dedicated to the two.
Consider these words from the Collect:
… Grant us perfectly to know thy Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life; that, following the steps of thy holy Apostles, Saint Philip and Saint James, we may stedfastly walk in the way that leadeth to eternal life…
We ask God to give us perfect knowledge that his Son, our Savior, Jesus the Christ of God, is the truth, and the life we seek, we need and in fact require to be truly happy or at one with Him. We ask that, so like Philip and James we might stedfastly walk in the way that leadeth to eternal life. What is The Way, The Truth, and The Life?
The Way
These terms are really intertwined. Jesus way of living, His approach to life in general, His priorities, His way of thinking, His sense of duty, His sense of honor. All these things are represented by The Way.
The Truth
Jesus, like His Father whom we call our God, is perfect, thus always truthful, thus His story never changes, His standards never change, He does not evolve. When He says something it is right and it stays right.
The Life
Jesus created the earth and all that is therein. The Holy Ghost breathed life into the world and it was. He came into this world in human form knowing how He would leave. He did this that we might have life everlasting starting the very instant we accepted Him into our souls. Think about the scripture, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) Many have participated in actions that meant almost certain death to save or rescue comrades, friends or family. But, to come into this world, to assume the form of a human being, which for the Son of God must have been like us assuming the identity of a monkey or maybe a cockroach, to live in a time of hardship amongst people who for the most part barely got along, to try to lead them to God and then die a terrible death on the Cross at the hands of the very people he came to save. To do all that knowingly, with full knowledge aforethought. That is the action of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
In the Epistle James mentions that in times of trials and difficulty, our patience will be tested and we will need all the patience we can get. Therefore, he urges us to ask God for that patience, that we might withstand those trails and temptations. He says if we have any trouble with wisdom in our situations, to ask God and the Holy Ghost for that wisdom and they will provide. We just have to allow the Holy Ghost into our hearts so he might spread that wisdom into our hearts and souls. James goes on to say we must have conviction in our faith and not waver. He says the one who wavers is not sure or steady within their faith and can call to the slightest temptations.
Then I think we should ask for God to strengthen our faith, that we can resist all temptations and endure all the trials and difficulties of this world. Our eternal life with God will be worth all of the pain and suffering we have to endure here on Earth.
Speaking of eternal life with God, the Gospel mentions that Jesus is going to prepare places for us with God. He assures us that if he is going to prepare a place for us, that means he will come back for us to escort us to those places. Thomas then asks Him saying they did not know where he was going and how would we know the way?
Jesus responds to Him saying He is the One Way, and no man can come unto the father but by Him. What does that mean for people of other faiths? We do not know and cannot know for sure. All we know for sure, is that Jesus is our way and there is no other way to get to heaven but by Him. Phillip then asks Him to show them God the Father and that would suffice.
Jesus responds with if you have seen Me, you have seen the Father which goes into the Triune God concept. He mentions the words that he speaks, he speaks not from himself, but from the Father who dwelleth within Him. We do not know exactly how this works, but we must trust and believe what Jesus says.
He goes onto to point out whoever truly does believe in Him, will do actions like Jesus would act, because they would have the faith of Jesus. He mentions that this would be possible when He goes to the Father. This would seem be be a prelude of sorts to the Holy Ghost coming down at Pentecost, when He makes His First Appearance. The message of Jesus is clear, whosever believes on Him, would do actions that reflect that of Christ and His Faith. Jesus is calling us to action here, not just talk the talk, but we must walk the walk as well.
Do ye likewise:
ACT
Heaven is at the end of an uphill trail. The easy downhill trail does not lead to the summit.
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
