21 April 2019, Anno Domini
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ND Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined himbefore you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: 15 No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. 16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him. 17 (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) 18 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (Luke 23:13-25)
The world will never elect to follow Christ in the Way, the Truth, and the Life. It will always prefer a perversion over a purity. Israel, in the day of the Judges, desired a king to rule over them like the nations roundabout. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. 7 And the LORDsaid unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. (1 Samuel 8:4-7)
Nations that reject God will suffer their children sold under slavery, and their wealth taken for taxes, and their freedoms rejected. We have seen the early woes of that process in our beloved America. In the proliferation of laws there results bondage and tyranny. God gave the children of Israel Ten Commandments only, but the Jewish rulers added law upon law to their meaning until it became impossible for anyone to avoid a charge of violation of sacred duty. The same is true even in the economic interests of a people. Too many laws also allow for preferential application of law – either to make immune to prosecution or to selectively prosecute one’s political foes.
When civilizations or nations seek to follow men instead of God, there always follows tyranny and oppression.
Please observe that the same multitudes who enthusiastically welcomed the Lord into Jerusalem for the last time with shouts of Hosanna were the same as those calling for His crucifixion only five days later. The hearts and minds of men are always fickle and unjust. But we seem always to choose the most perverse and decadent of men to be our rulers instead of seeking out men of Godly faith who will administer the state following the dictates of a Providential God.
Christ has become our High Priest, Advocate, King, and Redeemer at His resurrection from the Garden Tomb two thousand years ago. He has been the Sovereign of His people, both individually and nationally, in the founding of this Republic. Let us not continue to reject the Risen Christ and prefer men of low character and immoral conduct to rule over us. If we the people rule our nation, then we are also become her Caesar; and a Christian Caesar would not be divided against himself.
Like Christmas, Easter should not be a once-a-year celebration, but rather a daily celebration. We celebrate the Borrowed Tomb which was found opened on Easter morning; we celebrate the Risen Savior who rose so that we might also arise from a borrowed tomb; and we celebrate the fact that we as Christians accept His sovereign rule over us as our King. If we violate the trust of being His subjects, what recourse do we have but to perish as a people.
Happy Easter to all and a blessed remaining year of our Lord, the 2019th which remains.
Jerry L. Ogles
Presiding Bishop
Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
