The Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity.
The Collect.
O |
LORD, we beseech thee, let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without thy succour, preserve it evermore by thy help and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
W |
HAT hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest. 16 The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. 17 For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee (Jeremiah 11:14-17)
Whether I apply the words of Jeremiah to my church, or to my nation, I cannot pray for their success in wickedness and affronting the very God who blesses them. We live in a nation whose foundation, like the church, rested upon God and His Word. Long before we saw our freedoms in America begin to dwindle and vanish, we saw our blessed Church fade and dwindle – overcome by the desires to be accepted by the world and a cowardly reluctance to stand upon those truths that made her great. Can I pray for her success in that regard? Can I pray for the success of the leaders of our nation who embrace the filthy practice of homosexual marriage and the murder of innocents before they ever see the beauty of God’s Creation bathed in sunlight? We are now harvesting the bitter fruits of rejecting God as a nation and as a Church. Murder, abortion, vile sexual sins, drug abuse, and alcoholism have grown up in our fields of infidelity. Our children stagger in lost paths, while we revel in our faith in government to the detriment of our faith in God.
The Collect for the 16th Sunday after Trinity makes a proper and appropriate appeal to the only prayer we can truly utter for an apostate church, society, and government. Our weak faith of today did not result from an over-reliance upon government, but our overly reliance on government resulted from our weak faith. The former bastion of freedom and liberty – the early Church in America - failed to stand up when divorce began to grow prolific when the 1st Amendment right of children to pray at any place (especially in school) was abrogated by a renegade judiciary, when the Holy Bible was deemed too harmful for the exposure to children in public schools when abortion (more egregious even than the slaughter of millions in Nazi death camps) became legal and even encouraged, and when high government officials began to advocate for the right men to marry men, and women to marry women. How far into the abyss can we sink ere we burst Hell wide open? So, can I pray the Prayer Book Prayer for the President (we recently had such a one) who has callously embraced the sinful and opposed the righteous? Yes, for every word of the prayer is honoring of God and calls any man in the office of President to be made aware of his right path and to turn from any wickedness:
O LORD our Governor, whose glory is in all the world; We commend this nation to thy merciful care, that being guided by thy Providence, we may dwell secure in thy peace. Grant to THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, and to all in Authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do thy will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness; and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve this people in thy fear; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen This prayer calls for righteousness in the President, and should we (as Jonah) be disappointed if he repents from the course he has embarked upon to evil?
Of course, before any President may lead us in righteousness, the heart and soul of America must be open to Christ and willing to follow on a righteous course. Whose duty is it to remind us our responsibilities and debt to God? Is it not the Church – His beloved Bride - who has committed spiritual adultery? O LORD, we beseech thee, let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy Church Before God will grant pity, we must ask it of Him. We must ask in the same vein as 2 Chronicles 7:14 - If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Does God seek to hear the prayers of ALL people in a wicked land? No, not at all, but He DOES seek to hear the prayers of those who are “called by my Name” to humble themselves (have we?), and pray (have we?), and seek my face (have we?), and “turn from their wicked ways (have we?). Only after this formula shall God heal America. At present, we are NOT a righteous nation. At present, we are not humble. At present, we are not a pure church in prayer. At present, we still pursue a wicked path. But God WILL have pity and grant it for our asking.
Do you believe the America we have known can be safe without the special benevolence and succor of God? “….because it cannot continue in safety without thy succor.” It cannot be so preserved without it founding principles established in God for His Church.
If we desire God’s help, we must seek it admitting our sins and doing so in humility and prayer. America must turn from the propagation of murder of babies and from that “abomination that maketh desolate” spoken of by Daniel the Prophet and by our Lord Jesus Christ! “….. preserve it evermore by thy help and goodness.” If we are serious in our national repentance, we shall seek to be a good people so that we can be helped, forgiven, and restored by a Good and Holy God. Have we drifted too far from the share to be saved? Is the arm of the Lord ever shortened to save His people? I exhort ever Reader of this letter to stand with that same courage of men such as Patrick Henry in the beginning of our Liberties and stand upon the Liberty of Christ and not of governments. There is no weapon fashioned by the enemy of our souls that can stand against our Lord and Savior.
A |
ND it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. 15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. 17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about. 18 And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things. (Luke 7:11-18)
Who are the dead? & Who are the living?
11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
The dead: Those who reject Christ as Lord and Savior. Those who have no forgiveness for their sins…those for whom there has been no redemption for sins. That includes all the world which dwells in utter darkness.
The dead hear not. Who stopped their ears? Not God. Not even Satan. They themselves have chosen to be dumb to the reality of God.
This son of the widow is dead, but death cannot exist in the presence of the Fountain of Life.
Jesus knows the importance of a son or daughter to a widow. The boy is all his mother has. The mother of Jesus is also a widow.
The widow made no audible request of Christ, but Christ knew her abject sorrow and took compassion on her as He always does with those who face calamity.
13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
Jesus never desires our sorrow, but our joy in life. He neither wants us to ‘fear’ nor to ‘weep’. Fear not, I am with thee always, even unto the end of the world. or “Hagar, why weepest thou?”
The desire of Christ is always for our extreme joy in Him. And Christ knows there is no real joy, or life, apart from that which He offers.
He sends no one to Hell. The lost, due to their rejection of Him, send themselves to Hell.
14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. When God is at work, we had best stand still and see the marvelous works that His hands perform. Stillness is a vanishing quality in a world bent on technology and pragmaticism. As God said to Job in Job 37:14 “Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God” or Psalms 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
So those who bore the body remained motionless while God worked.
And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
Though the ears of the Rabbi’s maiden were closed in the lock of death, the young girl heard the voice of Christ. Though Lazarus lay long dead in a stone cold tomb, the voice of Christ, his friend, penetrated the bars of death and were heard in newness of life. So with this young man.
And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
Was dead! No longer dead because he had heard and responded to the voice of Christ. He sat up and began to speak. Once you have heard the voice of Christ whisper in your ear a personal message, you cannot fail to speak out. You do not keep it a secret.
Have you heard that voice? Have your dead ears responded in life?
When were you dead, and have you been called to life? Have you listened? Did you respond by unashamedly speaking out?
We were ALL dead prior to responding in faith to the grace of Christ. All lost. All dead.
Howe many are righteous?
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Romans 23)
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)
ALL? Does that include you and me?
Yes, ALL!
What is the condemnation to those who sin such as you and I have done?
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom 6)
What remedy is there for all of us who are born under the condemnation of sin?
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Rom10)
Christ is the great Creator and Giver of Life. Death will not exist in His presence. So we must ensure our salvation that we may be present with him.
How?
1) Know that the wages of sin are death
2) Admit that we are dreadful sinners and cannot save ourselves through any good works
3) Repent of our sins and turn away from the desires of the flesh.
4) Receive Christ as you Lord and Savior – not simply Savior, but Lord of your life as well.
How many of us present today have taken a ‘dry’ shower, or a ‘dry’ swim, or walked in a ‘dry’ rain?
Is it possible to get into the water, or to come into contact with a fountain of water, and remain dry?
There is a River of Life which makes all alive who bathe therein and drink from its fountain:
13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4)
When we are IN Christ, all our sins are covered by His blood. When we are IN the River of Life, we are wet with that water of life all over. We are baptized in the newness of life.
Your eternal destiny depends upon which choice you make at the crossroads of life – will you be fearful and unbelieving? Or will you partake of the Tree of Life and Fountain of Living Waters?
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Rev 21:6)
Simple decision –That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:15)
Have you, too, believed unto salvation? For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor 6:2)
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