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The First Sunday in Advent
The Collect.
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LMIGHTY God, give us grace that we may
cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in
the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in
great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious
majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal,
through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever.
Amen.
¶ This
Collect is to be repeated every day, after the other Collects in Advent, until
Christmas Day.
30 November Feast Day of Andrew, Patron of Fisherman
Andrew, like his brother Simon Peter, was a fisherman. He became a
disciple of the great St. John the Baptist, but when John pointed to Jesus and
said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" Andrew understood that Jesus was
greater. At once he left John to follow the Divine Master. Jesus knew that
Andrew was walking behind him, and turning back, he asked, "what do you
seek?" When Andrew answered that he would like to know where Jesus lived,
Our Lord replied, "Come and see." Andrew had been only a little time
with Jesus when he realized that this was truly the Messiah.
From then on, he chose to follow Jesus. Andrew was thus the first
disciple of Christ. Next, Andrew brought his brother Simon (St. Peter) to Jesus
and Jesus received him, too, as His disciple. At first the two brothers
continued to carry on their fishing trade and family affairs, but later, the
Lord called them to stay with Him all the time. He promised to make them
fishers of men, and this time, they left their nets for good. It is believed
that after Our Lord ascended into Heaven, St. Andrew went to Greece to preach
the gospel. He is said to have been put to death on a cross, to which he was
tied, not nailed. He lived two days in that state of suffering, still preaching
to the people who gathered around their beloved Apostle. Two countries have
chosen Saint Andrew as
their patron - Russia and Scotland.
The following illustration from a dear friend in England, Rev
Geordie Menzies-Grierson, sent about ten years back:
The Sacred Use of Sunday - The Royal Box Was Empty
On a recent visit to Venice, that city prepared an elaborate
performance at one of the principal theaters for Emperor William of Germany.
The performance was set for Sunday evening. When the Emperor was informed of
what had been done and was asked to honor the assembly with his presence, he
replied, "Since I have become Emperor, I have made it a principle of my
life never to attend any place of amusement on the Lord's Day." King
Humbert followed the Emperor's example. As both Emperor and King were expected,
the theater was crowded from floor to ceiling, but the royal box was empty. The
brilliant gathering learned a lesson on the duty of keeping holy the Lord's
Day. --Topical Illustrations (see poem below)
No
pelting rain can make us stay
When
we have tickets for the play;
But
let one drop the pavement smirch,
And
it's too wet to go to church. --Author
Unknown
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hen
shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten
virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And
five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took
their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels
with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out
to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the
foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you:
but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went
to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the
marriage: and the doorwas shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying,
Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know
you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the
Son of man cometh. (Matthew 25:1-13)
This parable refers to the Church itself – the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Bridegroom is Christ, and He has prepared a great Marriage
Supper for His Friends (you and me).
It illustrates the difference between a virtue based on works and
one based on Grace. Ten Virgins (good moral young ladies). Five were virtuous
in their physical being (works) and five were virtuous in body and soul.
The parable speaks to this matter,--If there be true faith in the
heart, there will be active obedience in the life:.
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which
took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Lamps represent the love and direction they seek in Christ, their
Bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
The Ten were not all of the same heart. How were they different?
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no
oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with
their lamps.
A poem, written by Keith Reid, states:
The end of the
evening, unable to cope
Unique entertainment
no longer a joke
The close of the
picture, the end of the show
Merciless torment,
torturous blow
New lamps for old
Bright shiny gold
Innocent youth
Falsehood for truth
The eye of the needle,
the loss of the thread
Triumphant victor,
glorious dead
The cause becomes
duty; duty's the blow
Which kills the
picture: death of the show
The Cause is Christ! When the Cause becomes anything else besides
Christ, the prize is lost.
Too many are attending church and calling themselves Christian out
of a sense of Duty and not a Love for Christ.
Duty is a result of that Love, not the Cause (Christ).
The old lamps of the Gospel are often discarded for the
new ones of apostacy. These new lamps are shiny and bright, but the old are
dignified by wear and time. The Old is perhaps not so pretty to look upon, but
are filled with the Light of the Holy Spirit. The new ones are
bright and pretty on the outside, but are filled with darkness.
Here is an illustration from a story my mother used to tell me
from Arabian Nights.
Aladdin’s Lamp is a fantasy story that contains much true of
genuine merit. From Arabian nights. Setting is a western city in China. The
story is actually an addition to 1001 Nights added by Antoine Galland.
Aladdin has found a Lamp that contains great power to the owner.
In safe-gauarding the Lamp, he leaves it in the care of his betrothed, the
Princess. She knows not the quality of the Lamp. So, a magician who has coveted
gaining the Lamp for himself, goes about the streets offering to trade new
lamps for Old.
This is happening today in the publication of so-called Bibles
that are new and shiny, but dark inside their covers.
“New Lamps for Old,” cries the magician. If we are wise, we will
keep the Old Lights and reject the new false lights.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
The foolish virgins only wanted the appearance of having Light,
the Wise Virgins wanted the Light itself.
Notice that all slept which is normal. We cannot remain vigilant
at all hours.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom
cometh; go ye out to meet him.
At Midnight – this has come to be known as the Midnight Cry!
It is based on the Gospel account of the return of Christ:
1 Cor 15:52 51 Behold, I
shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Thess 4:16 16 For the
Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
It is also based on the betrothal customs of ancient Israel,
Korea, and China.
When this cry is given, it is very much like the Fountains of the
Deep being broken up in the account of Noah. At that moment, there will be no
time to acquire righteousness. We must be ready then and there to meet Christ.
7 Then all
those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And
the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone
out. 9 But the wise
answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go
ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Our salvation in Christ comes directly from His Hand. We must all
alike tap that Boundless Resource for our salvation. We can not grant it to
others, it must come from Christ directly.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that
were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
When the last righteous soul enters into the gates of Heaven then,
like the Ark of Noah, the gate will be closed. No others will gain admittance.
The other five virgins came late but were not received:
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord,
open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you
not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour
wherein the Son of man cometh.
Matthew 7: 21 Not every one that
saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say
to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy
name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will
I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity
Be ready for Christ always….Amen.
