All Saints and Trinity 21 - Propers and Rev Jack's Sermon

The Propers for today are found on Page 256-257, with the Collect first:

 

All Saints’ Day. [November 1.]

The Collect.

 

O

 ALMIGHTY God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of thy Son Christ our Lord; Grant us grace so to follow thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which thou hast prepared for those who unfeignedly love thee; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

 

¶ This Collect is to be said daily throughout the Octave. 

 

Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity

 

The Collect.

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RANT, we beseech thee, merciful Lord, to thy faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve thee with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

The text serving as the Epistle for today came from The Revelation of Saint John the Divine, the Seventh Chapter, beginning at the second Verse.

 

For the Epistle.

Revelation vii. 2.

 

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ND I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four living creatures, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.  And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. 

 

The Holy Gospel for this morning comes from the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, the Fifth Chapter, beginning at the First Verse.

 

The Gospel.

Matthew v. 1.

 

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ESUS seeing the multitudes, went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 

 

Sermon - Rev Jack Arnold
Church of the Faithful Centurion - Descanso, California

Today’s sermon tied the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and talked, as is oft the case, of the need for action, not simply diction.

 

Before we discuss the propers, I would like to talk a bit about today, All Saints’Day.  First notice the word is plural, a great number of saints, all in fact, are remembered today.  

 

In other traditions, All Saints' Day is known as All Hallows, Day of All the Saints, Solemnity of All Saints, or Feast of All Saints.  It is a fixed day, celebrated on 1 November every year, except not surprisingly by our Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox brethren who celebrate the even on the first Sunday after Pentecost.

 

Roman Catholics and our Eastern Orthodox friends are talking about people who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven.   In the Reformed Church and Anglican Orthodox Church in particular, we regard all true Christian believers as saints and observe All Saints Day to remember all Christians both past and present. 

 Consider the words of the Collect, “…God … keep us … from all things that may hurt us; that we, being ready both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things which thou commandest …”

 

The Collect asks God to keep us from things that are bad for us and make our hearts ready so we can do the things He wants us to do; this ties perfectly with the Epistle and Gospel as it always does.  The message of the Collect, the Epistle and the Gospel can be summarized by Stay away from things that will harm your spiritual and physical health and do things good for your health and be spiritually aware of what is going on.

 

One word that intrigues me from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is “circumspectly”; which when I looked it up meant “wary and unwilling to take risks.”  I believe Paul meant today we should not be taking risks with our faith, but walking in that which has been tried and true for over two thousand years. He means we should not compromise our belief in the Gospel. We cannot risk comprising the integrity of the faith. Too many of the modern so called Christian churches today compromise the integrity of the faith to gain more power on this Earth. We called not to compromise on the core of our faith which is Jesus and His Death and sacrifice and resurrection.  This is not what being a Church is supposed to be about. It is supposed to draw people closer to God, not away from Him.  We are called to be shining lights towards God and to stand out, to be holy, and not part of the darkness of this World. If God has not changed over the millennia, why should we change our position? 

 

Indeed, we must not change our position; if it is truly derived from His Holy Word, then it should never change. If a minister or bishop’s position conflicts with Scripture, then you know they are not in line with His Word and is not a fellow believer. We must all strive to be in congruence with His Word. We are all working together in His Church to further His Cause. If we are not all on the same page, then we are not furthering His Work. We have to all work together to spread the Gospel, each person contributes to the much larger picture of spreading the Gospel. 

 

Paul in his Epistle warns us not to drink to excess, but to keep it in moderation. He does not mean never to drink wine, as some, (Puritans and certain Baptists, among others) would take, but rather have “moderation in all things”; which is a similar idea Paul expresses in 1 Corinthians 6:12, All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.  Just because you can do something, like drinking or eating, does not mean you should do it to excess where it can cause you harm. He is warning against excesses in everything, and we should do everything in a healthy dose of moderation. Eating too much can cause stomach problems, something we want to avoid. Drinking too much can cause serious issues, not the least of which is hangovers; the worst is drinking to death. 

 

Our Lord wants us to be moderate in our celebration, not celebrating to the point of excess where bad things can happen to our bodies and our minds; but celebrating to where we are thankful to Him for all things, and for His Love.

 

This is the unifying theme of both the Epistle and the Gospel for today. Keep everything we do in moderation and avoid excesses in anything.  Rather than turn to the excesses of this world, Paul says we must turn to God and be filled with His Grace of the Holy Spirit; making joyful noises to the Lord, be it in prayer or song while giving thanks always for all things to God. 

 

The Gospel’s theme is that everybody is invited to God’s great feast and or wedding party (heaven) but if you do not have the right clothes (the Holy Ghost’s presence in your heart) then you will not be allowed to enter. Just like if somebody shows up to a black tie event wearing a Hawaiian shirt and shorts, if we are not up to God’s Holy Dress Code, then we will not be able to make it into heaven. How do we get His Dress code? Simple, we have to let the Holy Ghost into our hearts and read and digest His Word. Scripture will tell us how to act and be allowed into the feast.

 

How often are we thankful to God for letting us join His Feast? More often than not we seem to forget who made us, who created the world we dwell in, who created the fantastic beasts on land and in the sea. It seems very strange we forget to thank God for all of these things, but we do. Making a joyful noise unto the Lord is part of how we can do this, besides prayer and thanksgiving. Be it through songs, happy declarations to the Lord or joyful worship, we can send our joy unto our Lord.  This is part of the reason it is important to say prayers like the Gloria in the prayer book with “liveliness”, we are expressing our praise and thanksgiving unto God, for having sent His Son down to save us from our wicked selves. 

 

In our lives, we should be grateful to God more than we are. We are too often not thinking of God’s role in our lives and only thinking of our own. I can identify this. We have to widen our view to think of what God has done for us in our lives and appreciate and thank Him for it. We have to turn away from that temptation, and let the Holy Spirit in and guide us to thanking God for what He has done for us in our lives. 

 

The Collect, Epistle and Gospel tie together, laying out, detailing and reinforcing the same message ultimately.  We have to be ready and willing to listen to God, and walk with God, and act with the Holy Spirit in us, in order to have the right “clothes” to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 

Heaven is at the end of an uphill trail.  The easy downhill trail does not lead to the summit.

 

The time is now, not tomorrow.  The time has come, indeed.  How will you ACT?

 

The time to act is NOW.  Will you act?  For whom will you act?  Will you count the cost before you act?

 

Action, not diction, is what counts.  It is by your actions you are known.

 

Be of God - Live of God - Act of God

 

For the sake of a Good Conscience – 30 October 2020, Anno Domini

 

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ND who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.        (1 Peter 3:13-17)

 

            Believe it or not, there was once a time when the conscience of man was burdened by no sense of sin whatsoever, but the time was very brief – from Creation to Adam’s transgression before the deadly Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Without the knowledge of sin, there is no sting of the conscience. But every man and woman born on earth is born with a sense of right and wrong since Eden. That conscience is informed by an awareness of a Higher Power to whom we must answer both in the present and in the eternity future. To the rudimentary conscience, that Higher Power is represented by animals, rocks, trees, and other mortal beings; however, the conscience of the  Christian is refined by the truth and Light of Holy Scripture which reveals the God that some tribes and tongues have yet to discover. 

 

            The Word of God is a Light unto our path and a lamp unto our feet. The nature of light is to reveal things previously hidden in darkness. The only true Light is the Lord Jesus Christ. His light reveals all wickedness and points to the path of righteousness in Him. The greater our studies of that Word, the deeper understanding our conscience gains in learning to warn of our emerging temptations. A well-informed conscience is the chart and compass the Holy Ghost employs to inspire us to moral living.

 

            There are bad consciences such as those informed of evil thoughts and sentiments. Consider the words of the Apostle Paul: And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.  (Acts 23:1) Paul is obviously speaking from the context of his life from the moment of his being struck down by Christ on the Road to Damascus for he certainly could not have claimed a good conscience in his role as Saul the Persecutor. That old conscience of Saul was informed of evil intentions and rebellion; however, the old Saul became the new Paul at the moment of his conversion which was complete. We should all be rightfully given a new name at conversion since we are made new in Christ.

 

            There is a lesson for us all in the conversion of Paul. Before our coming to Christ, we may even have a conscience that cherishes justice and righteous actions, but cannot connect with the Source of all Righteousness and Justice which is our Lord Jesus Christ. There are just men, by worldly standards, even among the jungle savages. 

 

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OR as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; 13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (Romans 2:12-16)

 

            But there are those in the world and, sadly, even in the church, whose consciences are motivated by greed and a hunger for power. These have consciences that are not nurtured by the study of God’s Word or the counsel of the Holy Ghost: ²Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (1 Timothy 4:2)  This kind cannot be influenced by arguments of justice or of right and wrong. All their eyes can behold are opportunities to lie, steal, and take from others. To that kind of seared conscience, only SELF can be worshipped and personal gain rewarded. 

 

            But the young child, having come most recently from the folds of glory, may not truly know God in a sense of intricate detail, does, indeed know God in a sense of love and motive. His conscience has yet to be corrupted by the world. So Christ profoundly proclaims, 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.  (Matt 18:1-6)

 

            There are two salient points in the words of Christ that must be observed – first, ye be converted; and, second, becoming as little children. Actually, true conversion covers both essentials. Christ does not mean that we become giddy and unrestrained as a small child, but that we become trusting and innocent of mind. Only such a mind can appreciate and understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.   (1 Tim 3:9)

 

            The words of the charge for Holy Communion in our traditional Book of Common Prayer illuminates this quality ere reception of the elements in Communion:

 

¶ Then shall the Priest say to those who come to receive the Holy Communion,

 

Y

E who do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbours, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways; Draw near with faith, and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort; and make your humble confession to Almighty God, devoutly kneeling.

 

            The spiritual food of a good conscience is the Holy Word of God as delivered through the ancient Scriptures recorded with accuracy in the Received Text (Reformation) Bible. 12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. 13 For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end; 14 As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.  (2 Cor 1:12-14)Just as the body needs food for its endurance and physical strength, so does the spirit require daily nourishment for its health and disposition.

 

            Without a Christian conscience, informed by love, truth, and a righteous dependence upon the merits of Christ, there can be no admittance beyond the Gates of Splendor for any.

 

Note

These are perilous times when weighty decisions must be made, especially in our current climate in America of unlawfulness and an apostasy from God our Maker. The Christian must be guided by a Godly conscience in ALL that he does (including his vote for the kind of person he elevates as leader over the nation). More than words, it is the action of the doer of God’s Law that must rule the decision.

29 October 2020 - Special Prayer Request

 

Immediate Prayer Please

Rev Col Ben McKee and his wife Martha Ann McKee have both contacted Covid 19, Martha is doing very well treating at home.  Ben, a decorated military aviator, used to wearing an oxygen mask, is not faring as well, being under treatment at Flowers Hospital on 100 percent oxygen.  Please pray for peace of mind for Ben, Martha and their family as well as for the doctors, nurses and technicians treating him that they might be open to God's guidance for treatment, pay attention and do their very best to help him.  Pray for a good outcome.

Shared Guilt – 29 October 2020, Anno Domini

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OW  the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.    (Gen 3:1-5)

 

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HEN came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! 6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. 7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. 8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; 9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.   (John 19:5-11)

 

            The legal term for those who vote for known moral deviants is ‘accessories.’ Eve was the first accessory to sin in disobeying God at Eden and then tempting her husband to do the same. Being an accessory to crime means to be charged with the same judgment as the principal in carrying it out. To collaborate in sin is to be guilty of the same charge as the actor himself. When we acquiesce to immorality at any level over which we have any influence whatsoever, we expose ourselves to the same sin as those who commit acts of immoral behavior. This is a grave charge against America of our day. We have elevated hoodlums and thieves to guard the public treasure by the acquiescence of our vote. We have exalted perversion and condemned Godly conduct in placing those in authority who hate religion and love perversion of every stripe. We have chosen leaders who deal with the most egregious violators of religious and political freedoms and who even promote their interest. We have allowed the media to dictate our thoughts and actions which would have landed us in prison fifty years ago.

 

            What has happened to the beloved America of Norman Rockwell days? You may say, “Oh, times have changed. Modern society demands that we change with the times!” Really? Yes, we have fast foods, fast transport, fast media, fast communications, etc., but does that require us to abandon the unchanging counsel of God in His Holy Word? Must we also abandon common decency and morals. Must we have fast and temporary love, fast and temporary principles to guide us manufactured by those who wish to create a bondage of mind-control over us and our children?

 

            If I pay someone to murder another, I will be charged as an accessory to the crime and perhaps be meted out the same punishment as the principal actor. If I vote for a known promoter of abortion, a known advocate of perversion in marriage, a known thief and vagabond for an office of authority over me, am I not collaborating with evil? Am I not guilty of all that he does which is ungodly having known beforehand of his wicked ways?

 

            America is facing a crucial time in her history – more crucial than that which the voters faced just before the War Between the States. That war involved political considerations that still divide us – not perversion in marriage or the murder of innocents in their mother’s womb; but the choices facing America today involve a choice between the principles of our ancient founding and an entirely new concept of thought-control, double-speak, oppression, perversion, unrestrained abortion of the most innocent among us, and deprivation of moral integrity. The choice is as plain and simple as that ‘Line in the Sand” drawn by the saber of Colonel William Travis at the Alamo. Either we opt out of our duties as free men and women, and flee the battle, or else we stand courageously on the side of freedom and Godly morality by throwing caution to the wind and placing our trust in God to bring us through to a serene peace of heart.

 

            I weary of the fickle-hearted among us who respond to every whining of the media puppets to surrender to hopelessness and despair. I would far rather die on my feet an early death fighting the good fight, than existing as a pajama-clad couch potato whose life is long but empty of principle or courage.

 

            Our Founding Fathers were made of sterner stuff than that which we witness among many who desire security over freedom and who, in the end, we gain neither. Please recall the words of perhaps the greatest orator of our Founding Fathers – Patrick Henry, in his address to the Virginia Convention at Richmond (St. John’s Anglican Church) in March of 1775 – less than one month before the those resounding shots sounded at Lexington and Concord:

 

Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged. Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! 

 

The war is inevitable — and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come! It is vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, peace, peace; but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God — I know not what course others may take; but as for me — give me liberty or give me death!

 

We are faced with a far less physical threat that faced the Colonies; however, the threat we face is far more deadly because the wrong choice flies in the face of a God of Justice. Consider these points, and your responsible duties, when you cast your vote on November 3^rd. 

 

You may at least be persuaded by the words of the very Author of Liberty from the Holy Bible - St. James:

 

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O to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. (James 4:13-17)

Division and Decision – 28 October 2020, Anno Domini

 

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OW  long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. (1 Kings 18:21)

 

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HUS saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. 17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. (Jeremiah 6:16)

 

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HEN the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.   (Matthew 25:31-34)

 

            In examining the context of our Lord’s counsel in the Gospel of St. Matthew, it is obvious that He is addressing the Church itself and her members – both the faithful and the hypocritical. What is the difference in those two groups?  Both:  

 

1.     Put up a front of piety and Church attendance; 

2.     Recite prayers in worship; 

3.     Sing hymns praising God; 

4.     Presumably make their offerings for the upkeep of the Church.

 

The issue is not of service, but a matter of heart and not outward appearance. 

 

            America today is deeply divided over issues of which it should not be – abortion, homosexuality, drugs, unlawful rioting, trade and energy policies, religious and political freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, etc. When these problems arise and overrule Godly discourse, who is to blame? In America, we cannot blame Caesar for we, the people, are Caesar. It is ‘we the people’ whose votes are cast to elevate our leaders to positions of power. If those leaders fail to reflect the American values and traditions of our Founding Fathers, we can blame none other than the one who cast the vote to place them in power.

 

            We have witnessed a diverging road from our political and religious freedoms over the past several decades. We have accepted unlawful decisions of the US Supreme Court which have stood the US Constitution on its head. We have forgotten that it is the US Constitution and its very words that are the Supreme Law of the Land in America. We have allowed our religious freedoms to be trampled upon much like our beloved flag has been trampled upon by unruly destructive rioters. We have allowed our people to be divided by scurrilous claims of racism, false claims of fascism when the nation is put first, and libelous charges against every strong ruler who arises of manufactured sexual abuses. 

 

            A Christian becomes a changed human being once converted to the Lord Jesus Christ – all things are new: character, behavior, thoughts, values, and code of faith. These are not qualities that are severable from his person. These are enduring characteristics that follow the Christian into every arena of life – Church, government, military, education, social, and professional. The truly born-again Christian cannot remove his Christian armor at the door of the courthouse or government office. His service in government would actually be punctuated by his faith and beliefs. (remember: there is no ‘separation clause’ in the US Constitution regardless of how the detractors would interpret the 1^st Amendment of the Bill of Rights).

 

            Today, we have professing (?) Christians who claim they are unable to vote for a President who uses rough and impolite language, but who has proven to have kept every one of his pre-election promises. They question his faith as if they, themselves, were perfect creatures before finding and receiving Christ. He has limited and tried to terminate the murder of innocents in their mother’s wombs. He has brought back the proclamation of God’s Name into the public forum. He has sought to re-establish American foreign policy as an America-First policy – something every leader of any nation would be justified in doing for their own nation. He has stopped the bleeding of American resources and jobs to Asia and Europe. He has stopped endless wars abroad in which this nation has no legitimate part.

 

            Yet, some would opt to have a known liar and political opportunist in office who professes to promote abortion up to the very day of a child’s birth, eliminate our borders opening our nation up to invasion, expand our social and welfare programs to all who can swim, walk, or run across our former borders, and increase our taxes beyond any reasonable ability of the people to afford. It seems that this latter choice is superior to the former owing to his gentle conversation and demeanor only. 

 

            I will remind the lukewarm Christian that God will hold each of us responsible for the sins we promote through our vote. 

 

            The one and only perfect Man to walk the earth was crucified by the mobs outside Pilate’s courtyard. None other has been perfect before or since. If we would judge a President by his rough language and behavior, perhaps we would not object to our Lord’s revealing our worthless lives before we were cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb. Suppose God were to play a video tape of the dirty little corners of our own lives before we received Him as Lord. How would that look? 

 

            God has often used men and women who were less than stellar in behavior and religious credential. Look, for example, at Cyrus the Great. God called Cyrus by name two hundred years before he was born. 24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; 25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; 26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: * 27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: 28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. (Isiah 44:24-28) Perhaps that is God’s purpose in calling our present President out to rebuild American and restore her to her former glory under God. It might be pointed out that Cyrus had not the slightest knowledge of God when he was called forth to do his bidding.

 

            We need look no further than King David, the beloved of God, who was an adulterer and a murderer. But God retained him as King of Israel in the legal line of God’s only Begotten Son.

 

            I grow weary of the frivolous claims of those who place party affiliation ahead of the innocent unborn, of our national interest secondary to that of the globalist agenda, of those who make a mountain of lies from an anthill of truth. 23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.  (Matthew 23:23-27)

 

            Frankly, it is difficult for me to call anyone ‘brother’ or ‘sister’ who so easily is persuaded to be party to the devil’s work in elevating men to power who will, by their stated intentions, destroy the foundation of our faith and the nation we love. An ancient quote comes to mind:  A nation can survive its fools and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and he carries his banners openly against the city. But the traitor moves among those within the gates freely, his sly whispers rustling through all alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears no traitor; he speaks in the accents familiar to his victim, and he wears their face and their garments and he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation; he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of a city; he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to be feared. — Marcus Tullius Cicero (quoted from Pillar of Iron - by Taylor Caldwell, from a speech given to the Roman Senate, recorded in approximately 42 BC.  This fairly well describes the opposition to our present Chief Executive – an opposition that reveals the shallow faith of all who profess the Name of Christ and opt for an open liar and demagogue.

 

            If this letter provokes your wrath so much so that you no longer wish to be my friend, so be it. I will profit by having fewer such friends. God bless those who see the danger and act out of Christian faith.

Hymns of the Church – I love to tell the story– 27 October 2020, Anno Domini (In the Year of our Lord)

 

H

EAR, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. * 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

 

A

ND Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)

 

            This beautiful old Gospel song was written as a poem by an English evangelist, Katherine Hankey (1834-1911. The lyrics were written in 1866 and reduced to its musical score in 1969 by Mr. Willian G. Fischer. Its melodious notes call our souls back to the Word first preached by our Lord and His Apostles and, even before, to the law and prophets which heralded His coming. It should be a subject of the uttermost importance in the minds of every professing Christian. The famous hymn writer and hymnologist, Ira Sankey, wrote the following account describing the meaning of the song:

 

 ‘Last winter a young man ap­peared here from Bri­tish Co­lum­bia,” says a let­ter from Sur­rey, Eng­land. “He was in the Roy­al Ma­rines. He was a to­tal ab­stain­er and was do­ing all he could to pro­mote temp­er­ance among his com­rades. While here he went to church, and the cur­ate, who had a con­ver­sa­tion with him, was much pleased with his man­ly be­hav­ior and re­so­lute de­sire to do right. He wore a me­dal and had good con­duct marks on his clothes. This man was the lit­tle boy whom Miss T. had picked up in Bat­ter­sea Park ma­ny years be­fore, and who had learned of the gos­pel of sal­va­tion en­tire­ly by list­en­ing to the maid­ser­vants sing­ing sac­red songs while scrub­bing the door­steps and clean­ing win­dows. The hymn that, as a child, he seemed to make en­tire­ly his own was, ‘I love to tell the sto­ry,’ though he knew sev­er­al others when he was picked up in the park. As he had ne­ver been to church or ch­apel, the hymns were the on­ly chan­nel through which di­vine truth had been con­veyed to him, and by which the first seed was sown in his heart that made him a man of char­ac­ter and use­ful­ness.’

 Ira D. Sankey, The Hymn Makers, 1908 pp 164-5

 

I love to tell the story

 

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,

Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.

I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true;

It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

Refrain

I love to tell the story, ’twill be my theme in glory,

To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.

 

I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems

Than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams.

I love to tell the story, it did so much for me;

And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.

Refrain

 

I love to tell the story; ’tis pleasant to repeat

What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.

I love to tell the story, for some have never heard

The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.

Refrain

 

I love to tell the story, for those who know it best

Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.

And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,

’Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.

Refrain

 

I love to tell the story of unseen things above, Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love. I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true; It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do. The Lord Jesus Christ taught us in Parables of things earthly to describe those divine wonders in Heaven that our minds were incapable of perceiving. Knowing the beauty of God’s Paradise as described in Scripture, as well as the Mighty Sovereign who loved us more than death, how could we not proclaim to every listening ear that old, old story? It is too good to be true, yet, true it is. How glorious to know and share such wonderful news to the world!

 

I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems Than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams. I love to tell the story, it did so much for me; And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee. You may read all the tabloid stories you please of men who have ‘died and gone to heaven, and returned,’ but you will never grasp the magnificence of Heaven from such yellow journalism.  9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.  (1 Corinthians 2:9)

Go to the fountains source and still you will fail to grasp the wonders and majesty of Heaven – human words are incapable of the descriptive adjectives required for the description. We have been showered with Heavens blessing in knowing the truth. How can we hoard it for ourselves?

 

I love to tell the story; ’tis pleasant to repeat What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet. I love to tell the story, for some have never heard The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word. The Word of God is as a constantly renewing Manna. It is sweet to the taste and a comfort to the belly. With each retelling and each re-reading of it, we discover fresh new gems of love and promise that had escape our notice in times past. There are many who have never heard the Word, and there are some who listened the first time with untrained ear; but once the Word has entered into the heart, it will bear luscious fruit – such fruit that draws the sinner, as with a hook in the jaw, to the throne of mercy and grace.

 

I love to tell the story, for those who know it best    Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest. And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song, ’Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long. My childhood memory recalls those old, old hymns my mother sang. They impressed my mind with such indelible truth that those could not be expunged by a time of forgetfulness of God. There was always a hunger in my heart for the love and righteousness to which those old songs and hymns called me. Finally, I was awakened in my soul to search out the deep, deep meaning behind the worlds – and there I renewed my love and trust in Christ.

 

Refrain

I love to tell the story, ’twill be my theme in glory, To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love. It is love that drew us to hear that old, old story; and it is love that compels our sharing it abroad to every heart and soul who will abide it.

AOC Sunday Report - Twentieth Sunday after Trinity

  

Happy Twentieth Sunday after Trinity!

The AOC Sunday Report is RIGHT HERE!

There are really great sermons today from Bishop Jerry, Rev Jack and Bryan.  Each is quite different, but I am confident you will enjoy each of them.  Hey!   What about Bishop Roy?  I am glad you asked, start your prayers with him, Shamu, Loretta and Bob and work out from there!

Immediate Prayer Please

Bishop Roy Morales-Kuhn had a fall and injured his knee. He had an operation 21 October 2020 which was seemingly successful.  Please give thanks for the good result and pray for a full and complete recovery.

There is a truly epic week ahead, but without God's help in the form of the Holy

Ghost, that Third God Guy, you will not find it.  Open your heart and have a great week!

Godspeed,

Hap

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Descanso, California

United States of America

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity

Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold - Time and Action

Church of the Faithful Centurion - Descanso, California

Today’s sermon tied the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and talked, as is oft the case, of the need for action, not simply diction.

Rev Jack Arnold

Consider the words of the Collect, “…God … keep us … from all things that may hurt us; that we, being ready both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things which thou commandest …”

 

The Collect asks God to keep us from things that are bad for us and make our hearts ready so we can do the things He wants us to do; this ties perfectly with the Epistle and Gospel as it always does.  The message of the Collect, the Epistle and the Gospel can be summarized by Stay away from things that will harm your spiritual and physical health and do things good for your health and be spiritually aware of what is going on.

 

One word that intrigues me from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is “circumspectly”; which when I looked it up meant “wary and unwilling to take risks.”  I believe Paul meant today we should not be taking risks with our faith, but walking in that which has been tried and true for over two thousand years. He means we should not compromise our belief in the Gospel. We cannot risk comprising the integrity of the faith. Too many of the modern so called Christian churches today compromise the integrity of the faith to gain more power on this Earth. We called not to compromise on the core of our faith which is Jesus and His Death and sacrifice and resurrection.  This is not what being a Church is supposed to be about. It is supposed to draw people closer to God, not away from Him.  We are called to be shining lights towards God and to stand out, to be holy, and not part of the darkness of this World. If God has not changed over the millennia, why should we change our position? 

 

Indeed, we must not change our position; if it is truly derived from His Holy Word, then it should never change. If a minister or bishop’s position conflicts with Scripture, then you know they are not in line with His Word and is not a fellow believer. We must all strive to be in congruence with His Word. We are all working together in His Church to further His Cause. If we are not all on the same page, then we are not furthering His Work. We have to all work together to spread the Gospel, each person contributes to the much larger picture of spreading the Gospel. 

 

Paul in his Epistle warns us not to drink to excess, but to keep it in moderation. He does not mean never to drink wine, as some, (Puritans and certain Baptists, among others) would take, but rather have “moderation in all things”; which is a similar idea Paul expresses in 1 Corinthians 6:12, All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.  Just because you can do something, like drinking or eating, does not mean you should do it to excess where it can cause you harm. He is warning against excesses in everything, and that we should do everything in a healthy dose of moderation. Eating too much can cause stomach problems, something we want to avoid. Drinking too much can cause serious issues, not the least of which is hangovers; the worst is drinking to death. 

 

Our Lord wants us to be moderate in our celebration, not celebrating to the point of excess where bad things can happen to our bodies and our minds; but celebrating to where we are thankful to Him for all things, and for His Love.

 

This is the unifying theme of both the Epistle and the Gospel for today. Keep everything we do in moderation and avoid excesses in anything.  Rather than turn to the excesses of this world, Paul says we must turn to God and be filled with His Grace of the Holy Spirit; making joyful noises to the Lord, be it in prayer or song while giving thanks always for all things to God. 

 

The Gospel’s theme is that everybody is invited to God’s great feast and or wedding party (heaven) but if you do not have the right clothes (the Holy Ghost’s presence in your heart) then you will not be allowed to enter. Just like if somebody shows up to a black tie event wearing a Hawaiian shirt and shorts, if we are not up to God’s Holy Dress Code, then we will not be able to make it into heaven. How do we get His Dress code? Simple, we have to let the Holy Ghost into our hearts and read and digest His Word. Scripture will tell us how to act and be allowed into the feast.

 

How often are we thankful to God for letting us join His Feast? More often than not we seem to forget who made us, who created the world we dwell in, who created the fantastic beasts on land and in the sea. It seems very strange we forget to thank God for all of these things, but we do. Making a joyful noise unto the Lord is part of how we can do this, besides prayer and thanksgiving. Be it through songs, happy declarations to the Lord or joyful worship, we can send our joy unto our Lord.  This is part of the reason it is important to say prayers like the Gloria in the prayer book with “liveliness”, we are expressing our praise and thanksgiving unto God, for having sent His Son down to save us from our wicked selves. 

 

In our lives, we should be grateful to God more than we are. We are too often not thinking of God’s role in our lives and only thinking of our own. I can identify this. We have to widen our view to think of what God has done for us in our lives and appreciate and thank Him for it. We have to turn away from that temptation, and let the Holy Spirit in and guide us to thanking God for what He has done for us in our lives. 

 

The Collect, Epistle and Gospel tie together, laying out, detailing and reinforcing the same message ultimately.  We have to be ready and willing to listen to God, and walk with God, and act with the Holy Spirit in us, in order to have the right “clothes” to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 

Heaven is at the end of an uphill trail.  The easy downhill trail does not lead to the summit.

 

The time is now, not tomorrow.  The time has come, indeed.  How will you ACT?

 

The time to act is NOW.  Will you act?  For whom will you act?  Will you count the cost before you act?

 

Action, not diction, is what counts.  It is by your actions you are known.

 

Be of God - Live of God - Act of God

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[1] In that day, the giver of such a feast would have provided wedding garments for those who traveled far and were unable to bring one.  In our case, Jesus provides the appropriate garb to those who will wear it, not just accept it and put it to one side.