Sermon Notes for Third Sunday in Advent 15 December 2024 Anno Domini

“2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. 19The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. (Matt 11:2-19)

John the Baptist has been imprisoned for a terrible crime – that of proclaiming the truth. He had told King Herod that to live in concupiscence and adultery by marrying his brother, Philip’s wife – Herodias. Can you imagine? Today, John would be accused of that disarming act of being “too judgmental” yet John simply proclaimed God’s judgment from His Word! We walk daily among many Herods and Herodiases who would, if they could, cast us into prison for revealing their sinful lives to them. “For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.” (Mark 6:17-20) If you cannot abide the message, then by all means kill the messenger. The messenger is killed today by accusations of being too judgmental; thus the church has become sterile and impotent in dealing with sin. Instead of being salt and light to the world, the church has heard the world and agreed not to judge against the sins of the world.

What is the first characteristic of John the Baptist that comes to mind when his name is mentioned? For me, I think of a Voice Crying in the Wilderness – “For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” (Matt 3:3) What is this Wilderness?

Wilderness - a wild or uncultivated state. (Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary) The greatest and most desponding of wildernesses is not geographic, but spiritual. Bread and water are in short supply in a geographic wilderness, but so, too, in a spiritual one – there is lacking the Bread of Heaven and the Water of Life on the neon-lit streets of most American cities. As one walks those streets, he sees a wanton decadence and lust in the vacant faces of those he meets. There is no one with which he can fellowship concerning the riches of Christ for all are spiritually penniless. On those streets, the only mention of Christ is as a ‘Voice Crying in the Wilderness.’

The text today falls into two sections. The first: reveals a faltering faith of the great witness (John) and Christ’s gentle response to this man of faith. (verses 2-6) The second: Christ provides a witness to John of the truth of His ministry. We are not to consider John weak in faith for that is clearly not the case. John has been imprisoned and treated with dishonor. His life is in peril daily, yet he continues to believe under harsh conditions that exceed our ability to comprehend. But any of us have moments when we need a reassuring word, and this is the moment when John sends for confirmation.

“Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” This is not for the benefit for John’s disciples, but for his own comfort of reassurance. He is giving his very life on preparing the way for Christ’s ministry, so a reassuring word under these circumstances is reasonable. John is in prison in the gloomy fortress of Machaerus that Herod had built to serve as a sinful pleasure house and an impregnable fortress in the savage hills of Moab. The halls of pleasure and impregnable walls have collapsed, but the dungeon area is still discernible with the holes in the masonry to serve as witness of the chains of its victims (John included).

“Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” Christ gently gives counsel to John’s disciples to go and give testimony of all that has been prophesied and fulfilled in the ministry of Christ. “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.” (Isaiah 35:5-6) “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” (Isaiah 61:1) These are prophecies written seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, so we are emboldened in our faith to see their complete fulfillment – so was John. I love that phrase from Isaiah regarding the proclamation of Liberty to the captives. As a nation, God has favored our founding and our place as a nation among the nations of the world; but He has also made available to every man and woman of every land this Liberty from the captivity of sin if they will but come to Him. Jesus tells these things to John’s disciples so that John will have his faith confirmed, but to us, too!

“And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.” These are all questions whose import is every whit as directed to us today as to the disciples around Jesus. When we go to prayer service, do we go to see some amazing performance of a man preacher? These services are seldom called prayer services today, but more often ‘Celebrations” or “Festivals.” Such terms describe experiences intended to uplift man, prayers and worship uplift Christ! Do we expect our clergy to wear the latest fashion in clothing? My father told me that nay man given to frequent changes of fashion in attire is also likely to be blown about by every wind of doctrine. We have evangelists today clothed in $2,000 suits, wearing great diamond rings, and sporting gold, Rolex watches appealing for “seed money” from widows and elderly who barely can supply their pantries with bread. I can almost smell the scorched fires of their punishment to come. John is no mere prophet, but the chosen messenger of God to herald the coming of His only Begotten Son!

“For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (see also Malachi 3:1) Christ extols the virtues of Jon after his disciples depart. He desires that no honor be lost of John’s character in sending his questions to Christ. The character of Christ is quite different from that of men: Christ gives acclaim to the Baptist after his disciples have departed. Man gives flamboyant acclaim to men to their faces, but often critical stabs to their backs. Though John stands high above the mark in the company of men, he is well short in the Kingdom of Heaven to which he aspires – as are all of us.

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” The battle is hot and the mournful cries of the battlefield are full of the painful suffering of the saints. The path to the Kingdom is not a self-willed, demonstration of manly power (as is today in the modern church), but a gentle following of that Great Shepherd of the Flock. The wolves stalk the flock seeking every remunerative opportunity to shed blood and get advantage. This describes the Kingdom of Matthew 13:31-32. Those ‘birds’ lodging in its branches are demons, and they most often win the higher positions of honor in the tree.

“And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Christ is generous in sharing great mysteries to those whose ears are open in humble faith to hear. Amazingly, the worldly wise can never grasp the simplicity of truth uttered by Christ. But if we have ears (open ears, believing ears, trusting ears, hearing ears) to hear (not just the Words but the Spirit speaking) understand these mysteries. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” (Mal 4:5-6) Please note the last word of the Old Testament: CURSE. The law is a curse to those who do not believe. Note the last word of the New Testament: AMEN (hearty approval). “Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (Rev 22:20-21) There is a glorious difference in our prospects from the Old to the New Testament. Jesus Christ makes ALL the difference!

“But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.” Donald Frasier wrote (Metaphors of the Gospel) that Jesus “pictured a group of little children playing at make-believe marriages and funerals. First, they acted a marriage procession; some of them piping on instruments of music, while the rest were expected to leap and dance. In a perverse mood, however, these refused to respond, but stood still and looked discontented. So the little pipers changed their game, and proposed a funeral. They began to imitate the loud wailing of Eastern mourners. But again they were thwarted, for their companions refused to chime in with the mournful cry and to beat their breasts.” These non-participating children are non players. They never like the tune or the narrative, but stand jeering on the sidelines. Have our churches become such dead events of observation?

“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.” The world will always find cause to condemn the people of God and to kill the prophets. Either they are too pious, or they lack piety; either they are too hot, or they are too cold; either they are too bold, or not bold enough; either they are too spiritual, or not spiritual enough. If we are the Children of Wisdom, we shall have ears that hear and know. We dare not stand on the sidelines jeering, but become active responders to the pipe. “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.” (Isaiah 50:4-5) Are we rebellious children jeering those who labor, or are we those who, taking to the plow, never cast an eye right, left, or back, but plow a straight row for Christ? (Luke 9:62)

Jerry L. Ogles

+Jerry L. Ogles, D.D.
Presiding Bishop, 
Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide & Chancellor, Faith Theological Seminary   

 

 

 HERE I’LL RAISE MY EBENEZER, a Hymn Devotion for 26 November 2024 Anno Domini, the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide

 

¹²Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us. 1 Samuel 7:12

 

            This is a hymn of dignity and of great spiritual depth. It is beautiful for both meaning and tune. The author is Robert Robinson (1735-1790) and musical score is, Hallelujah, by James P. Carrell. It is one of many great hymns by Robinson including Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah. He was came to be converted under the preaching of George Whitefield. He became a minister whose sermons are most eloquently revealed to us in his hymns.

HERE I’LL RAISE MY EBENEZAR

                                                                                                                                                            

1.     Here I raise my Ebenezer,
Hither by thine help I've come;
And I hope, by thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Hallelujah! O Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! I love the Lord.
Hallelujah! O Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! We are on our journey home.

         

          2.Jesus sought me, when a stranger,
             Wandering from the fold of God,
             He, to rescue me from danger,
            Interposed with precious blood.
                 Hallelujah! O Hallelujah!
                Hallelujah! I love the Lord.
                 Hallelujah! O Hallelujah!
       Hallelujah! We are on our journey home.

 

        3. O! to grace, how great a debtor
          Daily I'm constrained to be!
          Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
           Bind my wandering heart to thee.
         Hallelujah! O Hallelujah!
       Hallelujah! I love the Lord.
     Hallelujah! O Hallelujah!
      Hallelujah! We are on our journey home.

 

            Here I raise my Ebenezer, Hither by thine help I've come; And I hope, by thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home. Hallelujah! O Hallelujah! Hallelujah! I love the Lord. Hallelujah! O Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We are on our journey home. The term, ‘Ebenezer,’ literally means our Stone of Help. Does that arouse a familiar memory of the One who represents our Stone of Help in our salvation – in fact, our Rock of Salvation? After losing a great battle to the Philistines, as well as the Ark of the Covenant, the Children of Israel turned to the Lord for their help and salvation. He gave them the recovery of the Ark as well as a great victory on the field of battle. Though He is with us always, we often fail to turn to Him until all other of our meager efforts have failed. It is at the point of despair turned to victory that we place our memorial Stone of Help as did Israel in placing a Stone of Remembrance of the Lord’s help. Such monuments, both spiritual and patriotic mark our past struggles and future hope.2.Jesus sought me, when a stranger,
             Wandering from the fold of God, He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed with precious blood.
Hallelujah! O Hallelujah! Hallelujah! I love the Lord.Hallelujah! O Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We are on our journey home. Our dependence on the saving graces of our Lord multiplies our love and vanquishes our doubts. His Lordship comes at a great pricve to Him and His Father, but free to us. From the moment of our election in Christ, we are, indeed, on our way home on that upward and Narrow Way that leads to the Kingdom of Heaven. The three-fold Hallelujah represents our love for the Triune God in all things.

            O! to grace, how great a debtor  Daily I'm constrained to be!  Let thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to thee, Hallelujah! O Hallelujah! Hallelujah! I love the Lord. Hallelujah! O Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We are on our journey home. We cannot fail to consider the great debt from which we have been Redeemed by a greater Savior. In our first waking moments, and our last thoughts ere sleep, we must be mindful of that great debt of gratitude and love we owe to that One who loved us first with a greater love than man can imagine. We are bound to Christ in love and gratitude. We continue with the Light of Christ to guide us in that journey to our heavenly home.

 

 

 

 Sermon Summary for Sunday Next Before Advent, 24 November 2024 Anno domini, the Anglican    Orthodox Communion Worldwide

The Epistle 
Jeremiah xxiii. 5.

BEHOLD, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

 

            Today is the Sunday-next- before-Advent, or the 25^th Sunday after Trinity. It matters not the terminology or semantics of the name for “a rose is a rose by any other name.” Regardless of our terms, this Sunday is not simply the last in Trinity – it also introduces the Advent season. The Scriptural texts clearly point out this principle. 

            In our text from Jeremiah, we see the glowing promise of a coming Redeemer in the Branch, unlike every other, that shall also be a King and Judge over all the earth. The believing Jew, as well, as the gentile, each of which designates the Israel of God, shall be saved. He shall be called “The Lord our Righteousness.” This is definitely an Advent promise. This name conveys a particular meaning to us. We are not righteous under the terms of our own merit, but through the imputed righteousness and merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. Does this not herald the advent of Christ is a powerful manner? The promise of salvation is no longer simply a physical salvation illustrated by the crossing of the Red Sea, and a salvation from the tyranny of the bondage in Egypt, but a salvation of the soul and spirit of His Elect who are the true seed of Abraham – those who have believed in both the promise and the fulfillment of that Promise of the coming Redeemer. (Galatians 3:7-22)

            In this text from Jeremiah, we clearly see the Promise made to Abraham being fulfilled in the coming of Christ at Advent. We find in this passage the threefold Promise of a Coming King, the blessings of His reign, and the greatness of His Redemption. 

The Gospel 
St. John vi. 5.

WHEN Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

            Just as the text of Jeremiah points to the Promise of a coming Savior, so this Gospel text proclaims the fulfillment of that Promise. He comes as King though not correctly understood by the multitudes at the time. They sought after an earthly king, and could not yet comprehend a Heavenly King. In Luke 9:11 our Lord proclaims the fulfillment coming of the promised Kingdom of God. John the Baptist, in whom many placed the wrong level of trust, had been beheaded. Now the people resorted to Christ alone as their King to save them from the bondage of Rome. They misconstrued His kingly realm as being not of this world, but that of Heaven and all beneath.

            We observe, too, the absolute blessings of His Reign. He had counseled that we first seek the Kingdom of god and all needful things would follow. Though in a level of ignorance of its full meaning, the multitudes had followed the Lord into the desolate mountain at which He had made good His Promise of supplying their need. He did so with a miracle of His own power unlike that of Moses whose power came from Another on high. In supplying the needs of the multitude in the wilderness, it was found that even more left of bread than at the beginning and after the feeding of the five thousand-plus. It was the charity and faith of a young lad that supplied the small quantity of bread that led to the feeding of an enormous multitude. So it is in the lives of the Elect, our results in following Christ are multiplied by our faith in Him who supplies the need an hundred-fold. 

            We also see in this Gospel the demeanor of His people in serving others. Though Christ can do without the labors of any man, He nonetheless allows us the privilege to serve others as He did His disciples in serving the multitude out of his miraculous bounty. We are bound by the same obligation and privilege. 

            On this Sunday, we recognize the fulness of the gospel taught in the preceding season of the church year; and we gather the fragments to insure nothing is lost as we observe the Promise of Advent Season – His coming as a Babe in Bethlehem and the Promise of His coming again in great power and glory. All things done in good order is illustrated. The disciples served the people, and the people sat down to partake of the blessing. This also demonstrates the inadequacy of any labors on our behalf apart from that labor done in Christ and His salvation.

             I have written a fuller explanation of the Prayer of Collect in a separate devotion which I append to these notes; however, we can simplify the question by noting the three-fold import of that prayer: 

 

1)    To have our wills quickened, or stirred up, to insure that we take upon us the Mind that was in Christ and not the carnal self-will of the suppliant. The self-will of man is dead until quickened to take upon our souls the Will of god. That is true life and liberty.

2)    The hope of greater fruitfulness in Christ. We must be ready to serve others in our service of God. If we are true in spirit, we would no allow our neighbor to starve to death while we have a full cupboard. In Christ, we have the abundance of riches that exceed those of the world. Will we allow our neighbor to live in ignorance of that blessedness we enjoy in Christ? and,

3)    The reward will be according to our labors in Christ. Our abundance of good works will be abundantly rewarded, but all is attributed to Christ and not us, for we lack any merit apart 

4)    from the workings of our Lord Jesus Christ in and through His people.

 

5)     

            

            As we prepare for the second Advent of Christ, let us also acknowledge and cherish the Gospel which we have loved and received in His first Advent and ministry.

 

Sermon Notes for 21^st Sunday after Trinity, 20 October 2024 Anno Domini, the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide

 

The Holy Gospel

46 . So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine;   And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. 48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. 54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.  (John 4:46-54)

 

INTRODUCTORY:

 

            1. Mark the setting of the text. A father pleads for the life of his son. Who would not have thought that the kind Saviour would instantly say, “I will?” Yet He treats the application as a great error. “Except ye see.” He disregards the man and treats him as the mouthpiece of a mistaken multitude, whose prevalent fallacy was to make miracles the condition of belief. No ordinary man would have thought of that answer.

2. This apparent rebuff, however, was only a trial of his constancy. “Like the rest of your nation you set aside Divine holiness, wisdom, and love and fasten on power, You forget how many works of power there are which

are not God’s, and not until you have marked the adjuncts — holiness, wisdom, love — can you pronounce Them Divine.” The nobleman responded, “Come down, ere my child die,” as though he had said, “I am

not thirsting for evidences.” It is the voice of nature, and the God of nature hears it. The trial is ended and the victory is won.

 

NOTICE THE WONDERFUL INTERTWINING OF NATURE AND GRACE IN THE

GOSPEL. 

            The Gospel adapts itself to all that is best and beautiful in man’s

heart.

            1. It has been found in some hour of mortal peril that persons of no religion will invoke the mercy of that Being who, up to that moment, they had denied. Sceptics, no doubt, can account for this in the survival of old

prejudices. Christians naturally account for it by supposing that a belief in God is a primary principle in man’s nature.

            2. As in individuals so in families.

                        (1) "Fathers who have made shipwreck of faith for themselves want Christ for their children. The immoral man would fence his child from. vice; the sceptic refuses to rear his child on negatives and chooses, therefore, a Christian school.

                        (2) "And if the father sees his child stretched on a couch of pain from which he may never rise, is there not a voice in his heart crying, “Sir, come down, ere my child die.” I know the case is not rare in which the doubting or disbelieving father has desired, has sought, for his son the spiritual healing, has called in some man of God whose repute was highest for communication with the invisible, has encouraged his visits, has even knelt in the corner while he prayed, and has joined with strong cries and tears in the “Rock of ages, cleft for me,” sung or said in the chamber where the staying pray with the going; and has gone off from the experience and trial strong in the Son of God, to say at last, “Let me die the death of the righteous; let my last end be like His.” Christ is marching to complete the sum of happiness and to round the circle of being." (Dean Vaughan)

            

            The Gospel text provides an example of victorious faith over the curse of Eden. Faith is the crown jewel of our religion and, without it, there can be no reconciliation to God. Our souls would remain in the dark abyss and our bodies wracked with every sore and boil without the Balm of the Faith of Gilead. The Gospel is a fitting benediction to that overcoming faith described in both the Collect and the epistle for today.

            God would have us, I believe, to learn 1) that ‘believing faith’ is a faith that will draw down the miraculous powers of heaven; 2) Faith believes where evidence does not appear. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Heb 11:1-3);  3) Faith must have a vehicle upon which to move – hearing; 4) Faith compels us, in our dire need, to draw on the smallest morsel of faith to satisfy that need; and 5) Our proper response to faith is immediate and without delay or procrastination. Its urgency is compelled by love.

            Cana has been blessed with the first miracle of Christ, and a land that lends itself, by faith, to one miracle shall receive more. “So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine.” This is the city at which Jesus, in due regard for the high esteem in which He holds the first institution of God at Eden, honored the same estate by turning six large, stone vessels full of water into wine. It was a divine tribute to Marriage as an institution. Now, Christ, in His second miracle, will pay tribute to the blessed fruit of marriage – the child! The miracle would issue from Christ at Cana, and find its fulfillment in Capernaum, in the healing of a young boy. 

            There was a nobleman with connections to the power of the ruler whose son was deathly ill at the point of death. There was no earthly hope for the son so insidiously had the fever possessed his small frame. “And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.” Capernaum was some sixteen miles from Cana; however, that was a good day’s travel in the time of Jesus. The nobleman had, without doubt, sought after every remedy, treatment, and physician at close hand who might improve his son to no avail. He had, most likely, expended every resort. When hope faded as a distant star on the horizon, suddenly, there came news of the coming of the man called Jesus coming out of Samaria into Cana of Galilee. He may have been present at the first miracle of Jesus at Cana, but not likely in my thinking. Certainly, he had heard of the miracle for it was voiced abroad in the area. Suddenly, that fading star of hope became, to our nobleman and loving father, the Bright and Morning Star! Hope often gives birth to the primitive germination of faith, and so it was for this nobleman.

            47 “When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.” He had not seen Jesus previously in all likelihood, yet, when he heard that Jesus was coming, hope gave over to the early yearnings of faith – there was Light breaking over the distant landscape! “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) Perhaps the nobleman had heard at the lips of a single, or many, witnesses. But SOMEONE had told him of Jesus and His coming. How sad that many have not had the benefit of hearing that Jesus has come, and will come again! I might add that ALL are at the very point of death without Christ. The need is great to carry the Gospel into every dark corner.

            It was the elemental tug of faith that impelled action on the part of the distraught nobleman and father. Such a faith crosses all lines of class and stature – the poor as well as the rich and powerful. There comes a moment in the lives of great men such as General Naaman of Assyria whose leprosy made wreckage of his life, to the poor blind Bartemaeus whose hope hinged on the miracle he besought from a man he could not see outside the gates of Jericho. When all hope is abandoned, there remains only faith to rekindle its warm light. So, desponding of all possibility of an earthly cure, the nobleman now latched onto the Fountainhead of all Hope and Healing in that early touch of faith that suddenly penetrated the fortress walls of his heart. Here we see a man of great influence begging a favor of a poor itinerant carpenter! Does this make sense? No, it doesn’t make a bit of worldly sense, but the actions of heaven are not dictated by worldly intelligence. Life and death matters (which are the concern of Heaven) breach all lines of royal propriety and academia. No time for role-playing when his son is at the very point of death! So he begs mercy from an unlikely source, but the only Source of life and miracles. What may seem unlikely to the world may make perfect sense with God.

            How would the itinerant Master receive the nobleman of stature? He makes a very telling statement of fact. He is not questioning the nobleman’s faith, but EXPOSING it as a contrast to the lack of faith that abounded among common men. 48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” This man had not seen signs and wonders as many of the latter multitudes had seen, yet still did not believe. This man had not seen, yet believed still! That is the faith that begets miracles and the favor of God! This approach is very like a father telling his precious little daughter, with tongue in cheek, “Surely you do not want this candy treat – you are just pretending!” Jesus already knew the heart of this nobleman. He would have those who listened to his pleas to know his heart of faith as well. There is no discouragement or rebuff that will quench the light of earnest faith.

            The gentle rebuff of Christ in no way diminishes either the faith, or its kindred, perseverance, of the nobleman. His nobility of character comes to light in his manner of responding to Christ. It is as if he knows that Christ will not deny him. His faith has told him this. 49 “The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.” “Please, Lord, let us not mince words – my son will die if you do not come down!” He knows Jesus well enough in his heart of faith that He will not slam the gates of mercy on a child – and He never has done so! He spoke out of faith but not out of mature spiritual knowledge. He believed that Jesus must personally come to where his son was to heal him, but faith and divine power knows no distance.

            Having exposed the child-like faith of this nobleman to the multitude gathered, Jesus speaks again, 50 “Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.” If the man did not understand before that Jesus need only say the Word, and not come personally to heal his son, he knew it now form the lips of Jesus whom he believed explicitly. The nobleman had no need of pressing his point further….mission accomplished! He immediately believed the word of Jesus and went on the trip back to his son at Capernaum.  God will give this man CONFIRMATION of his faith is a most delightful way. Faith of the believer is ALWAYS confirmed in due time. We may be facing challenges that appear to have no end other than tragedy, but clinging to that morsel of faith that has been planted in our hearts; we believe the impossible….and the impossible comes to pass!

            The servants of the nobleman have been standing a sorrowful watch over the man’s son whom they most likely loved more than even the nobleman himself. Suddenly, they noted his perilous fever had broken and the boy was well – as well as he had ever been! In amazement, they ran along the road to Cana to tell the nobleman. 51 “And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.” Note here, again, the direction the man was traveling. He had experienced a mountain-top experience with the Savior. Any direction we take after being with Christ in either presence or prayer is down again to the valleys in which we must move and labor. When told that his son lived, he inquired of the time of his improvement for the sake of confirmation of his faith.  The journey from Cana to Capernaum was at least a day’s travel. When told that the son recovered the previous day at the 7^th hours (1 P.M.), the nobleman was not surprised but rejoiced in the confirmation of that small kernel of faith that had brought him face-to-face with Jesus. I hope you, too, have had that kernel of faith that has brought you face-to-face with Jesus. After that encounter, that kernel will grow into a hundredfold, an even untold harvests of souls.

            We must not dismiss the results of the faith of the fathers for the children. Remember Zaccheus whose was saved with his whole household at his faith in Christ. See here how the noblemen believed AND HID WHOLE HOUSE (including servants). We have the promise of God that our children shall not depart in old age from that righteous path wherein the fathers walked if they are trained up in the nurture of the Word of God. One of the imperatives of baptism is to raise the child according to the promises of God, and that child shall confirm the faith of the parents in due time. What a glorious and loving Lord we have in Christ!

 

 

Sermon Notes for 19^th Sunday after Trinity 6 October 2024 Anno Domini, the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide

The Collect

Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity

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

 1 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. 2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and departed to his house. 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. (Matt 9:1-8)

 

The Collect for the day suggests, we are not able to please God in the ways of righteousness, but we can be pleasing to God in the strength of our faith in the Righteous One – Jesus Christ.  Even the little acts of faith we exhibit are not ours, but come at the grant and mercy of the Holy Spirit.  If He rules our heart, our ways will be pleasing to God. There is no other way in which we can please Him.

            Jesus, in the previous chapter, has just cast demons, which He sent into a nearby herd of swine, from two young men. The two men were set free from these demons, but the swine, possessed of devils, rushed over a cliff into the waters below and perished. The herdsmen rushed into the city and told all. We are told the entire village turned out to meet Jesus – not to express gratitude for the goodness to those possessed of demons – but to prevail upon Christ to depart from their shores. They feared loss of revenue more than loss of their own souls. This is much like the modern church. So, Christ departs, since He is a gentleman and does not impose His company upon those who do not welcome Him, and proceeds across the Sea of Galilee to His own hometown. It is here that we pick up on today’s text.

 

And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city

            It is likely that multitudes were anxiously following the movements of Christ by word of mouth. Every rumor of His coming was eagerly received. Were it the same today! 

 

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed

            Amazingly, there were men who had early heard of Christ’s crossing to them from the Gaderenes. They had already, by their strong faith, gone to the home of their cherished friend and prepared him on a stretcher to bring to Christ. We are not told of the faith of the man afflicted by palsy, but the faith of his friends would prove sufficient.  The man being brought to Christ had a serious illness. It was a CHRONIC illness much as sin is to every man born of woman. His illness had taken away his liberty to move, to associate, and to speak out on matters of faith and life. Doesn’t sin steal away our liberty in the same way?

            Now this man is being brought to Christ, on the strength of his friends’ faith, to make him whole. It is much like the woman taken in adultery being dragged before Christ – the only source of healing and forgiveness – by men who intended her no good at all. We have all needed a friend, or even a stranger, to bring us to Christ and introduce us to that great Personage and Lord. The man with the palsy was in a most miserable of human conditions. So were we before we were brought to Christ.

            There are two powers revealed here in the text – the power of sin to destroy and make miserable, and the power of Christ to make whole and impart joy and liberty. We see in this account that our own faith may be essential to bring another to the point of being made whole in Christ. We learn, too, that often the efforts of more than one is necessary to bring one to Christ, and these must work in unison (in carrying the bed level at all corners).

 

Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.           

            Jesus’ notice is fixed on the faith of the men who bring the victim sick of the palsy – not the victim. He sees THEIR faith and is moved to compassion and amazement. One point I will make at the onset of the account: the furthest thing from the mind of the man afflicted by this horrible ailment is most likely not forgiveness. He desires, above everything else, to be made free of the disease.  But he does not realize that faith precedes freedom and liberty. In first aid, we learn that the most important consideration in treating a victim of some violent crime or accident is to STOP THE BLEEDING, if there is any bleeding. This is the medical procedure of ‘triage’ which requires treatment of the most serious and life-threatening condition first. Our most serious affliction is not leprosy, or palsy, or physical blindness! It is SIN. Sin kills finally and forever! Jesus treats that affliction first! Be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

            

And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

That’s right! That same old gang of detractors and doubters that followed Christ everywhere. They still follow Him and doubt the miracles of life and love of which God is benefactor.  They saw Christ heal blind Bartemeus; they saw Him call Lazarus from the grave at Bethany; they saw the young daughter of Jairus restored to life – yet, they believed not. Why not, do you suppose? I believe it was because they did not WANT to believe! If we believe Christ, we must abandon self. Our free wills must be exchanged for that Will (Mind) which was in Christ! No longer would they be king of the mountain, but Christ would be – so they traded their birthrights in God for a bowl of Esau’s porridge. But never doubt – our thoughts are not kept from the notice of Christ. He knows our hearts better than we know them ourselves.

 

And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

Be not deceived, God is not mocked! Jesus knows all of our thoughts – past, present, and future! Perhaps these rascals were shocked that Jesus read their hearts without their speaking. Why do ANY of us think evil in our hearts? Because, until we have known Christ as Lord and Savior, we have all of the traits and characteristics of our father, the devil.

 

For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

Jesus Christ is God also. He has His seal of authority to prove all things. Any man could falsely proclaim, Thy sins be forgiven thee! But what would be the result? Our sin would remain just as excessively as before the words were spoken. But when the same words are spoken by Christ, they bear the seal of Divine Authority! In truth, they are not the same words when spoken by Christ. Our words are like gold-colored lead coins compared to His 24 karat solid gold words of the Realm of Heaven. He proves all things by the Power of His Word. It is easy for man to speak false forgiveness, but what of speaking true healing? Forgiveness is an inward and invisible work of Grace granted by God. Physical healing is an outward manifestation of miraculous proportion. The first is greater, but the second is more observable! The foolish high churchmen (Pharisee) have been asked a question they dare not answer. Nonetheless, the answer is immediately revealed to their doubting eyes!

 

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

            The Seal of Authority of Christ is a plain manifestation to those who doubt. The man, stricken with the palsy, has been healed of his most critical disease (Sin) and is now given liberty to move and to shout after being healed of his palsy. He not only arises from his bed, he obeys that voice of authority and picks up his bed, and carries his bed to his house. Liberty in Christ is a TOTAL liberty! We are no longer held down and bed-ridden, but have liberty not only to move, but to bear burdens and to go to our wonderful home that awaits all who belong to Christ. And he arose, and departed to his house.

 

But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men

            It is paradoxical, indeed, that the multitudes of common folk recognized the miracle as coming only from God, but the Pharisees did not! Of course, even the multitudes did not recognize that it was God Himself that stood before them, in Christ, to perform this miracle. How many today see the miracles but not the hand of Christ behind them? How many walk the lonely road to Damascas, wanting to see Christ, when He walks right beside them?

Behold, I am with thee always, even unto the end of the world!

AMEN

 

 

O GOD OF EARTH AND ALTAR, a Hymn devotion for 1 October 2024 Anno Domini, the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide

²⁷ All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.²⁸ For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations. Psalm 22:27-28

 

            One interesting aspect of this great hymn is the life of its author as well as the occasion for which it was written. O GOD OF EARTH AND ALTAR was written by the great writer and religious commentator, G.K. Chesterton (1874-1935) who composed works such as Orthodoxy, and Heretics. The most common tune is LANCASHIR by H.T. Smart – a tune written to commemorate the three hundredth anniversary of the English Reformation in 1835. Other tunes by which the hymn is sung are LLANGLOFFAN, and KING’S LYNN. The hymn’s impact is not limited to the English Reformation commemoration, but also to every nation that places its hope in God.

O GOD OF EARTH AND ALTAR

 

1 O God of earth and altar,
bow down and hear our cry,
our earthly rulers falter,
our people drift and die;
the walls of gold entomb us,
the swords of scorn divide,
take not thy thunder from us,
but take away our pride.

 

2 From all that terror teaches,
from lies of tongue and pen,
from all the easy speeches
that comfort cruel men,
from sale and profanation
of honour and the sword,
from sleep and from damnation,
deliver us, good Lord!

 

3 Tie in a living tether
the prince and priest and thrall,
bind all our lives together,
smite us and save us all;
in ire and exultation
aflame with faith, and free,
lift up a living nation,
a single sword to thee.

 

            1 O God of earth and altar, bow down and hear our cry, our earthly rulers falter, our people drift and die; the walls of gold entomb us, the swords of scorn divide, take not thy thunder from us, but take away our pride. Almighty God is Sovereign over all the earth and Heavens. Anyone familiar with politics, especially our present quagmire in America, will not doubt the failure and perhaps debauchery of earthly rulers today. God has said that “My people perish for lack of knowledge,” and surely that truth is written in red above the fields of blood of both innocent civilians and armed soldiers. War is a failure of the political discourse and not “an extension of diplomacy by other means,” as Karl von Clausewitz wrote in his military manual, ON WAR! Our socio-political establishment is motivated more for gold than for the welfare of the people for whom they are bound in duty to serve. Julius Caesar was not the last to act on the principle of ‘divide and conquer.’ We are divided by every means available and laughed to scorn if we refuse to subscribe to a deluded social model. A people has never evidenced greater pride for far less reason than our leadership today in America and around the world. But we must never forget that great truth that over-shadows us: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7

 

            2 From all that terror teaches, from lies of tongue and pen, from all the easy speeches that comfort cruel men, from sale and profanation of honour and the sword, from sleep and from damnation,
deliver us, good Lord! This verse cannot fail to remind us of that great coronation hymn by Rudyard Kipling in RECESSIONAL:

“Far-called, our navies melt away;

On dune and headland sinks the fire:

Lo, all our pomp of yesterday

Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!

Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,

Lest we forget—lest we forget!

 

                Truly, our churches and people are asleep being improperly labeled as ‘woke!’ Honor lies victim in the streets of America as even our military academies delete that motto, Duty, Honor, Country, from much of their training materials.

            3 Tie in a living tether the prince and priest and thrall, bind all our lives together, smite us and save us all; in ire and exultation aflame with faith, and free, lift up a living nation, a single sword to thee.” Camouflaged between the lines of this verse is the Scriptural warrant for us to be One with Christ as He is One with the Father – as well as we to be One with each other in Holy accord. Such union must include not only the body of nations, but their heads as well – the ultimate Head being Christ our Lord. It may seem contradictory to claim that our only salvation may be brought on us by being sorely smitten, but such a blow may be the only resort to awaken us from our drunken stagger as a nation. Our single Sword is the Word of God, and our armor supplied by same. I think it appropriate to here quote the last two verse of Kipling’s Recessional that echoes the inspiration of truth in our hymn today:

If, drunk with sight of power, we loose

Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,

Such boastings as the Gentiles use,

Or lesser breeds without the Law—

Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,

Lest we forget—lest we forget!

 

For heathen heart that puts her trust

In reeking tube and iron shard,

All valiant dust that builds on dust,

And guarding, calls not Thee to guard,

For frantic boast and foolish word—

Thy mercy on Thy People, Lord!

 

AMEN!