Rev Jack brings the Propers together today. His sermon is below the propers and can be viewed on video HERE -> https://youtu.be/Ri00wNVhFL0
Today’s Collect reflects our need for God’s help to fulfill the role we have been given as His adopted children. In the Epistle Paul relates the history behind’s Christ’s arrival here on earth. The Gospel ties Jesus to The Word of God and points out while His own received Him not, those who have have been given power to become the sons of God. It all comes together, listen or read to understand how.
The propers for today are found on Page 96-98, with the Collect first:
The Nativity of our Lord, or the Birthday of Christ,
commonly called Christmas Day.
[December 25.]
The Collect.
A |
LMIGHTY God, who hast given us thy only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin; Grant that we being regenerate, and made thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
¶ This Collect is to be said daily throughout the Octave.
The Epistle for Christmas Day came from the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews, the First Chapter, beginning at the First Verse:
G |
OD, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: they shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
The Gospel for Christmas Day came from the Gospel according to Saint John, the First Chapter, beginning at the First Verse. This particular Gospel is known as the Last Gospel as it comes from the last Gospel to be written, that of St. John, and it brings the final Word of Jesus to us.
I |
N the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Sermon - Rev Jack Arnold
Church of the Faithful Centurion - Descanso, California
Rev Jack’ sermon can be viewed on video RIGHT HERE -> https://youtu.be/Ri00wNVhFL0
Today’s sermon brought the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords above.
Before we start, let me say to me the most amazing and impressive thing about Christmas, the celebration of the earthly birth of our Lord and Savior, is that Jesus came into this world to give us eternal life, guidance and inspiration knowing exactly how He would leave. But, He came anyway, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15.3)
Today’s sermon is the message of Christmas. He came unto his own, and His own received Him not.[1] Christ came unto His own, the people he created, to show them the Word which He is the living embodiment of, the Living and True Scripture. They received neither the written Word His Apostles wrote, nor the spoken Word from His Mouth He spake unto them. But as many as received Him, to them he gave the power to become the sons of God. He has adopted us unto his family, through His Word, which he has spoken unto us, that we may fulfill it and live in harmony with others in this word.
And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. This speaks to the living incarnate nature of the Word, (Christ) who dwelt among us 2,000 years ago, that He might understand our nature completely, so that He could teach us with understanding, understanding to which the Devil has no access. If He lived in our conditions, it would be easier for Him to relate to us when He taught and spake the Word of His Father.
Jesus has a big advantage over our opponent the Devil. He not only created us, but He lived among us in our bodies so he could experience the trials and temptations of being a human Himself. Thus He was able to provide us expert guidance on how to get through the trials and temptations of this live. This is something that the Devil has never been able to experience and never be able to understand. Jesus also knew how the Devil operates and thus He was able to provide us an example with how the Devil and his temptations should be dealt with.
And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. In That Word, He spake both full of grace and of truth as John said in the last Gospel. If we will accept His grace and truth though the Holy Ghost, then can we do things for His Glory. Without that in our hearts, we cannot do anything for Him. We are imperfect creatures, but now accounted for and spoken for by Christ. With the Word, we are empowered to do things for Him. The birth of Christ would foreshadow his death, which would bring about the ultimate freedom, that from sin and death. We must remember on this Christmas Day that Jesus’s arrival here would culiminate in Good Friday and His Death upon the Cross and then his battle with the Devil for our souls and then His Resurrection.
That is such an important point. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) Not just that God, the Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth, would send His only begotten Son, but that the Son came knowing not only that He, King of Kings, would be born in a manger, live a life of relative poverty, but that He would die a horrible, horrible death so we might have eternal life. He came to this miserable planet for us, to give us life eternal! He knew when He came here precisely how He would leave, yet He came anyway. Think of that on this Christmas Day! This truly shows how much God loves us miserable sinners that He would send his only son to die for us, that we should not perish but have every lasting life!
Today we recall the birth of our Lord and Savior, the only means by which we, imperfect creatures with free will, might be accounted as perfect before God when our day of judgment comes. Born, not in a palace, but in a stable, He is all that we have been promised. Taking the substance of Man, all Man and all God, He knows our temptations, He knows our failures, He knows our failings, He knows our sorrow; He also knows our happiness, our small triumphs, our hopes and our dreams. He is the only one in this world who will never fail us in the slightest. We need to remember this everytime we encounter individuals on this Earth who fail us. We must return to the ones who never will fail us, God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Ghost. While people may stab us in the back and betray us, we can count on God to always have our back and give us perfect counsel everytime.
He gives us His example to follow. If we will but follow Him, we will draw closer to God. He made the world, He knows the world. He defeated the Prince of this World, thus with His Help, so will we. This is a day of joy, foreshadowing a day of sorrow, leading to the greatest joy of all. We need to remember sometimes that when good events happen, sometimes there will be bad events happening. But in God’s ultimate plan, all will work out in the end for the ultimate joy and benefit to those who have stayed the course and followed Him and His Son.
Let us joyfully receive Him into our hearts and homes, that we might do what He asks and spread the Joy of His Arrival on Earth that we might prepare for His Second Coming. If we do this and what he asks, which is a common theme that stays the same throughout the Christian Year, we shall be Blessed with good things, as a result of doing what He asks. On this Christmas Day, let us Rejoice in His Coming and begin our preparations for His Second Coming.
Let this be a blessed and happy Christmas. He has come to us!
Be of God - Live of God - Act of God
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