The Collect.
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RANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Collect for today confesses we are all sinners apart from the saving Grace of God and deserve no mercy - though we have received mercy. The only comfort we can take, as Children of God, is not in our good works, but His mercy and Grace alone.
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.
The Collect.
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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.
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S it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one
(Romans 3:10)
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OR all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
(Romans 3:23)
The Collect
We learned long ago in our childhood Bible school we need do nothing to go to Hell. Hell is where we are headed the moment we are born into the world. If we simply do nothing, then we shall surely wind up in the fires of Hell. Similarly, there is nothing we can do to earn eternal life – it is a gift of God to those who believe. If you have believed upon the name of Jesus Christ, then you have responded to God’s call as His chosen and elect. Our good works will not keep us from Hell, nor earn for us an entrance into Heaven. But faith, responding to the Grace of God, will, indeed, gain for us such an entrance to Heaven.
All comfort and all grace is from God. It is never earned, but comes ‘paid on arrival.’ It is, as the Collect avers, a grant and not a wage. Thankfully, we are not paid wages for our wages would result in a loss of grace. For the wages of sin is death; (sin ALL have sinned, I prefer to forgo the wages to which I am entitled, don’t you?)…. but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23) It is so clear and simple, isn’t it? We have all earned our suite in Hell, but God has made a free provision for us in His mansions on High.
This prayer of Collect comes from the Gregorian Sacramentary.
GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved Please note the quality that triggers grace – it is MERCY. We have seen many clergy come and go in our church and in others that are within our purview. The single thing that distinguishes a true minister of God from all others, regardless of a parchment attesting by man’s hand that they are ministers, is the single quality of that Compassion and Mercy that was in Christ. It matters not how hard they labor, how long their hours, how accomplished their sermons, or how broad their experience; if they have not the Compassion of Christ for the little children, for the widows and orphans, for their fellow men and women in all walks of life, then they are not true ministers of God. If their concern is more for personal reward than for the additions to the family of God, they are without hope as ministers. Are we judgmental against others? Remember that same judgment will be levied against you.
Being in the midst of the Lenten Season, we may be feeling overwhelmed by the sense of our sinful unworthiness, but bear in mind that even our unworthiness cannot compare with the altogether worthiness of Christ to redeem us. Just as on the mountain two thousand years ago, He is still able to spread a table before us in the wilderness of our sins.
How is it that the Grace of God is a comfort? When we know that it is the Grace of God that has saved us, and not any personal merit we may boast of, then we are comforted in not wondering always if we have done quite enough to earn our salvation. We are comforted as a little child in knowing that, though we have displeased our parents today, their love for us has not diminished. We are as love in our disobedience as we were loved in our times of favor. But the child, like the Christian, must learn through parental discipline, to improve on his incorrigible behaviors under the father’s counsel and discipline. If you are recipient of the grace and call of God, He will not turn you lose for childish misadventures. Did He not tell us: ….I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Heb 13:5) As far as I know, Christ has never lost any that belonged to Him for as He prayed the night of His betrayal in the Upper Room: While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. (John 17:12) Of course, the son of perdition – Judas Iscariot – was never a follower of Christ for the Scriptures tell us that he was a devil. (see John 6:70)
I hope that we will know with certainty at the conclusion here of this devotion that we deserve to die for our sins, but that it was Christ Himself who died in our stead. Now we are blessed to have a Heavenly comforter to strengthen us through the feeding of the Bread of Heaven just as that ancient multitude was fed, nourished, and comforted on the mountain slope overlooking the Galilean Waters. Have you enjoyed that comfort and strength today?
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ABOUR not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may haveeverlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:27-40)
The Sermon
Christ has a multitude of names in Holy Scripture, and He is actually more than all the names combined, because our language lacks the definitive terms to describe ALL that He is.
In the above passage, He is compared to the saving Manna that came down to feed the starving Hebrew Children in the Wilderness.
He is also called the Bread of Life…..that Bread which came down from God.
32. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
Jesus then elaborates on this topic:. 34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
He is also the Light of the world John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life He is the Bright and Morning Star (Rev 22:16), and King of Kings (Rev 19:16). Of even greater significance to us is His role as Lamb….the Lamb of God. (John 1:29) The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world
Lamb of God!
A LAMB IS INNOCENT AND PEACEFUL. IT IS GENTLE. It is loyal to its Master (Father).A Lamb without blemish was required for the first Passover, and every Passover thereafter (Easter).This title of Christ is best illustrated in the Genesis account of Abraham and Isaac.
Genesis 22
God, testing Abraham's faith, commands him to sacrifice Isaac
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ND it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. 9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only sonfrom me. 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said tothis day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
Background to Story
God promised Abraham he would become the Father of many nations. Abraham and Sarah had no offspring. Sarah was 99 years old. The angel of the Lord told her that she would conceive. Sarah laughed at this seeming nonsense. Rebuked.
He took Hagar, servant of Sarah, and bore a child – but not the child of promise since this was outside the Will of God.
Hagar and Ishmael sent away (Genesis 21)
Abraham was now settled into a peaceful, happy life. When we are satisfied, and not growing, God will come and change our bliss. So, God came to Abraham and tested his faith.
1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
How do you suppose Abraham felt. This God had given, and now He seemed to be taking away.
One thing to always remember: God will always keep His promises regardless our opinions. Abraham knew that!
Abraham never questioned God’s Will. Look at how Abraham responded to this terrible and painful counsel of God…..
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
Where was this Mount Moriah?
It was the place where Abraham nearly sacrificed Isaac. It was the place where Solomon built the original Temple of God. It was the location of many of the events during the ministry of Jesus Christ, with the scene of His arrest on The Mount Of Olives on The Fateful Night just to the east, and His Crucifixion (see How Did Jesus Christ Die?) at Calvary just to the north. And there is much more set to happen there.
6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
These are the sins Jesus took for us upon the Cross – heavy to be borne.
Now here cometh the key verse in the entire episode:
And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
Look at this sentence structure: Subject (God), verb(will provide), direct object (himself and lamb as co-equals) , and modifying prepositional adjectives(for a burnt offering).
Himself refers directly back to God. He will provide Himself a Lamb (Christ).
Why is God showing us this terrible picture? Because He wants us to understand what a price He, Himself, was willing to pay for redeeming us…His Own Son.
God will not ask a man to sacrifice his son, God will provide His Son for the offering
This is central to the Redemption Story throughout the Bible.
9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
When we provide EVIDENCE of our Faith, God will always provide our need.
And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen…
This ram was only a figure of the sacrifice God would make.
God has sent His own dear Son to pay for your sins. Do you now know how serious and grievous it is to God to behold our sins?
Live your lives in knowledge of the great pain you cause God by sinning.
