The Profound Contrast – 19 April 2022, Anno Domini

 

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Y God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.  (Psalm 22:1-2)

 

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 WILL declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. 23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. 24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. 25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.  (Psalm 22:22-25)

 

            In our devotion for yesterday, we looked at the Two Passovers – a contrast between the first that brought death to uncounted numbers in Egypt, but life to the Children of Israel; and then the final Passover that saves to the uttermost giving eternal life to all of faith. I have written often of the Messianic Psalm quoted in today’s introductory text – how it represents, precisely, the terrible suffering of Christ on the Cross. It even opens with the poignant plea:  My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? and repeated verbatim by Christ on the cross: Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matt 27:46)

 

            If salvation was to be purchased for us, the Father MUST have turned away from helping, and even comforting, His Son on that cross. Our Lord MUST suffer that terrible penalty for our sins if redemption were made possible. It was not a cry for help, but one of separation, for the first time in Eternity, of the Son from the Father. What anguish that would have been. Christ, who knew no sin, was now raised up naked before the eyes of those who ridiculed and hated Him, and even worse, He was accounted sin for us. 

 

            As He was lifted up on that cruel cross in the place of, not only Barabbas, but for you and me, He cried out in the morning sun as His petition is clearly stated here in this Psalm: O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and He also sweated tears of blood during the night in Gethsemane? and in the night season, and am not silent.  (Psalm 22:2) Yet, the silence from Heaven was deafening that early morning on the cross.

 

            Our Lord laments His suffering throughout the first half of this Psalm. He tells us that He can feel every bone out of joint as the cross was dropped with excruciating impact into its stone socket. Read the pitiful cries of our Lord as He suffered there: They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. (Psalm 22:13-15) His mouth was so dry from thirst that His tongue clave to His jaws. I have known thirst, and I know that the tongue will adhere to the roof of the mouth under extreme conditions of thirst. His heart was like wax, because hanging from the cross as He did induces congestive heart failure. 

 

            Now verses 1-21 is an articulation of the experiences of our Lord on the cross. It is full of descriptive phrases of His hurt and pain on the cross; but suddenly, at verse 22, the whole picture changes. The first 21 verses describe our Lord on the cross and are contrasted with the remaining ten verses that describe His resurrection joy! Read the beginning of this contrast in viewpoints from Verse 22: I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.  (Psalm 22:22) This change in the state of His experience begins upon His final words on the Cross – IT is finished! and Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit (Luke 23:46) And it truly was FINISHED. His work of redemption prophesied so abundantly in Holy Scripture from the Law and the Prophets was FINISHED!

 

           This change to jubilant celebration is described in those last verses of this Messianic Psalm and repeated after His actual resurrection: I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.  (Heb 2:12)

 

            Our own Christian lives fully reflect this anguish of our lost condition followed by unmitigated joy at the time of our salvation and beyond. Like the thief on the cross, we could lift not a finger to merit salvation – the work was finished on the cross by our Lord that our joy might be full.

Two Passovers – 18 April 2022, Anno Domini

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OUR lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it  (Ex 12:5-8)

 

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ND it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. (Ex 12:29-30) 

 

            Much of the great truths of the New Testament are represented in the types and figures of the Old. Beginning in Genesis we find a dim allusion to the sacrifice of our Lord for the covering of sin when our primitive parents fell from grace: 21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.  (Gen 3:21) This perfectly innocent animal was the first to die on earth, and it represented our Lord’s sacrifice to cover our sins. Then we have the presumed sacrifice of Isaac as a prefigure of the Only Begotten Son of God to be sacrificed for our sins. God would not require Abraham to sacrifice his own only begotten son, nor would the sacrifice of Isaac have sufficed to cover our sins.

 

The First Passover

This is most often referred to as the Lord’s Passover, occurred in Goshen of Egypt. (around 1491 BC) This Passover was a foreshadow of that more perfect sacrifice to come in Jesus Christ. The full account of that Passover is recorded in the Book of Exodus. It will profit the reader to read of that event once more.

 

            God commanded a young lamb, without blemish, be sacrificed on the eve of Passover. Its blood was to be applied on the doorpost and lintels of the door of every home in which the Children of Israel dwelt. God would send the Angel of Death over Egypt to take the lives of every firstborn male (including beasts) of those whose homes were not under that blood sign. The ceremony was simple and not so complicated as that which the rabbinical councils came to require later. 29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. Thus were the Children of Israel set free from bondage in Israel. This was the first Passover that began on the 14^th of Nissan (month of spring in Israel).

 

The Final Passover

This is often made reference to in the New Testament as the ‘Jew’s’ Passover, occurred on the 14^th Nissan of the year 33 AD. (Bishop Ussher’s computation). Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God whose sacrifice occurred at the precise time of year of the first, and even the same hour. 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you (1 Peter 1:18-20) According to Mark 15:25 (and other Gospels) our Lord was crucified at the 3^rd hour (a day began at 6:00 am) the 3^rd hour from 6:00 am would be 9:00 am. At the 6^th hour (12 noon) there was darkness over the land until the 9^th hour (3:00 pm). This was the precise hour of preparation for the Passover lamb to be slain in the Temple, but the true Passover Lamb was being slain on a hill without the city gates. It was at this hour that our Lord commended His Spirit unto the Father thereby fulfilling the Law and Prophets of the Promised Redeemer and worthy sacrifice for the sins of the world.

 

            7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.  (1 Cor 5:7-8) The day we refer to as Easter would more correctly be referred to as our Passover since it was on this day our Lord Jesus Christ satisfied the marks of the true Passover and became our Passover in full meaning. No more will the blood of ox or lambs suffice as a covering of sin. In fact, it never did – it was the meaning pictured prophetically of the Passover Lamb of Calvary Mount to which those forms and figures stood.

AOC Sunday Report - Easter Sunday

Happy Easter!

The AOC Sunday Report can be downloaded RIGHT HERE!

We have a series of really great sermons this morning from Bishops Jerry and Roy, as well as Revs Jack and Bryan! Rev Jack's sermon can be seen on video and downloaded RIGHT HERE!

There are always a lot of people who need your prayer; today is no exception.  Please start with Jim, Shamu, Wendy, Tricia and work out from there.  Unless you or one of your loved ones have been on the list, you may not understand the importance.

Something to think about, if you Google the word Easter, the first four pages of images contain exactly one reference to Christ, the remainder are eggs, rabbits and the like. There's probably less than here. This may explain some of our country's problems.

There is an EPIC week ahead, open your heart to the Holy Ghost and experience the week in all its glory.

Godspeed,

Hap

Church of the Faithful Centurion 

Descanso, California 

United States of America

Easter Sunday

 

Rev Jack's sermon can be viewed on video RIGHT HERE!

 

Easter Sunday.

The Collect.

 

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LMIGHTY God, who through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; We humbly beseech thee that, as by thy special grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end.  Amen.

Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold - Time and Action

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Descanso, California

Today’s sermon brought the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords above. 

 

 Consider these words from the Collect:

 

… who through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; We humbly beseech thee that, as by thy special grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect…

 

In the Collect, we acknowledge God sent His Son to be our Savior.  Think about that, the Creator, Lord and Master of the Universe sent His only Son to not only live amongst us and minister and guide us, but to give His earthly life as a one time sacrifice for our sin that we might be accounted as perfect in our final accounting, the resurrection.  Today is the day of His Resurrection, where we celebrate His triumphant return from his descent into Hell after he died on the Cross and battled Satan for our souls. Not a lot of people think about the suffering Christ endured on our behalf after His painful death upon the cross. When HE died His sufferings had only just begun as He descended into darkness itself, Satan’s dominion, to do battle with Satan for our souls. We do not know much about the particular details of that battle, but it is good enough for us to know He triumphed and won our eternal freedom. He freed us from the shackles of Death.  God valued His Son exceedingly, but consider then how much He loves us in turn to allow His Precious Only Begotten Son to die a painful death and to do battle with the Devil for our eternity.

 

The Collect also points out that we need God’s special grace to prevent, that is to go before us, and to set good desires in our mind and overcome our natural evil desires. This is a point that not a lot of churches make these days as they have been overcome by the whims of the World. We need His presence within our hearts and minds if we are to follow Him. We do need His Special Grace and the help of the Holy Ghost if we are to follow Him. We are not naturally inclined to follow Him, so we have to have help in order to do so. That is where God’s Special Grace and the Holy Ghost come in and transform our minds from self centered to focusing on how we can serve Him and Help others an to make us more humble and patient human beings. 

 

Jesus set an example of humility and patience, both exceedingly rare qualities in us. That example is extremely difficult for us to follow without God’s help. This is the reason God sent the Holy Ghost to be here with us. With Jesus’ sacrifice and the help of the Holy Ghost to follow Him, turning our backs on this world, we can renew our minds and transform ourselves into the New Man 2.0.  The resurrection itself sets a pattern that we should follow. We must first die, that is to stop our sinning, then rise again, that is to live, with humility and patience like the example Jesus set for us. Jesus set the ultimate standard for action and we must do our very best to follow that standard. His whole ministry consisted of actions. He didn’t just speak very kind words, He lived and breathed those words through His Actions. It is clear that we must do likewise if we truly profess to be Christians.

 

There was a reason God set Easter in the springtime. Not only was the time of His death and rising again, but it came at a time where the flowers bloomed anew, having been dead in winter, as Christ had been dead, and rose again, just as those flowers bloom again. This is truly symbolic of His Death and Resurrection and it is no coincidence Easter happened during this time.  

 

Jesus’s standard is an extremely difficult act for us to follow We will never be able to follow it perfectly, for we are imperfect creatures, but we can sure do our best to. It is hard, we are imperfect creatures doing our best to follow the standards set by Jesus a perfect being! However it is our duty as Christians to do our best and not just say it to follow Jesus’s example.

 

However, if you think this might be too hard to accomplish, stop and think about what Jesus went through, is it as hard as His Trials and Death and Battling Satan? No matter who you are, the answer is never going to be yes. In the end, the path we must follow will still be easier than if we refuse to follow Him and try and forge our own path. We have to remind ourselves that we will be far happier if we follow His example and lead a righteous and steadfast life, full of grace and humility, as well as patience. 

 

In our lives, it is important to think about Jesus’ example before we do what we want to do.  Is what you are wanting in line with Jesus’ message? Think about the answer.  Think about what He would do in a given situation. Don’t let your natural inclinations dictate your decisions but stop and let the Holy Ghost into your heart to help decide. If you let the Holy Ghost in to your heart you will know the answer; you will know what you are supposed to do.  You may not like it, but you will know it. Which is more comforting than the World’s way, which seems to go off in every which direction, and they are never certain about anything. However, we can be certain about what we know, what believe and we can translate that certainty into our actions. This is because we follow the ultimate unwavering source of truth, God Himself.

 

Jesus knew what was coming, how much it would hurt both His Body and Soul as He went through with the crucifixion and subsequent descent in to Hell.   Yet, He also knew this was God’s Will that we might live.  If He did this for you, how can you not follow Him wherever His Will takes you? If He was willing to do that for all of us, then how can we not repay Him? His Sacrifice demands that we repay Him to the best of our ability, by the sheer nature of it; his perfection being offered in place of our imperfection.

 

These days people have forgotten how special Jesus’s Death and Resurrection is to us. It is a sign of the times, perhaps maybe even close to the end times that Churches have fallen into apostasy and are even actively denying His Ministry, His Death and His Resurrection. Jesus commanded us to always remember His Death and Passion, that we might be partakers of His Heavenly Kingdom. We do not yet know if this is the End Times but we would be wise to treat it as if it is and live as if eery day could be our last day here on Earth.

 

If we do not remember His Death and Passion, can we truly be partakers of His Heavenly Kingdom?

 

How can we?  

 

He is asking us to act and if we do not choose to act for Him then we cannot be truly on His Side. It is not enough just to ‘have’ faith, we need to back our faith up with actions and choose to act For Him, to remember His Ministry, Death and Resurrection and do our best with the help of the Holy Ghost to follow the standard He set.

 

Jesus set an example difficult to follow even with the help of the Holy Ghost, but impossible to follow without the help of the Holy GhoOur eternal life does not come to us for free. It was paid with the blood of God’s only begotten Son. We have a debt to Him we cannot even close to repaying, but we can start by choosing to follow Him each and every day. Where we fall short, we get back up the next day and do better than the previous day.

 

We must remember His Example when times get harder and more difficult as it becomes closer to the end of this world and the beginning of our eternity with God. Let us act for Him and make it known that we reject mammon and embrace the example of Jesus Christ. We may lose friends and even family as a result of standing with God; the consequences for not standing with God are far worse than losing shallow people in your life.

 

When the time comes, how will you ACT?

 

It is by our actions we are known.

 

Be of God - Live of God - Act of God

Sermon Notes - Easter Sunday - When the Sabbath was past - Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide - 17 April 2022, Anno Domini

Easter Sunday.

The Collect.

 

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LMIGHTY God, who through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; We humbly beseech thee that, as by thy special grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end.  Amen.

 

¶ This Collect is to be said daily throughout Easter Week.

 

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HEN the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: ⁵⁸ He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. ⁵⁹ And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰ And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the 

door of the sepulchre, and departed. ⁶¹ And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. ⁶² Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, ⁶³ Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. ⁶⁴ Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. ⁶⁵  Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. ⁶⁶ So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. (Matt 27:57-66)

 

        During the Holy Week we studied of events leading up to the Crucifixion of Christ – the triumphal entry of Christ into the City of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the woman who poured expensive oils upon Jesus ant Bethany in preparation for His death (Matthew 26:7-3), the plot of the Jewish rulers to put Christ to death, the betrayal of Judas, the mock trial before the Sanhedrin and the court of the Proconsul, Pontius Pilate, and the crucifixion itself.

 

        The Jewish leaders, inspired by their father the devil, have carried out their plan of murder of the Son of God.  They gloat over their presumed success, but their gloating will be turned to despair and worry.

 

       ⁵⁷ When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple

 

        Joseph was not only a rich man, but a prominent leader and counselor among the Jews. We read from John:  ³⁸ And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.(John 19:38) 

 

        In Mark we read: ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.  

 

        We are told in the 58^th verse Joseph begged the body of Christ, and in Mark he craved it. Have we begged or craved to possess Christ in His fullness? It should be the obsession of every professing Christian to crave Christ, to beg in prayer to have Him as Friend, as Lord, as Savior, and as Constant Counsellor.

 

        Joseph was a secret disciple of Christ, but in the Body of Christ, we have no clandestine professors – we are either for Christ openly, or we are not for Christ.  At the moment of crucifixion, seeing that Christ was faithful to His Word to the end, Joseph realized his weakness and went publicly at the time of greatest danger, to beg the body of Christ.

 

        Joseph did not come alone, for he had with him that disciple that came by night to Christ out of political fear – Nicodemus, who was likewise emboldened by the crucifixion to come publicly to be numbered among the disciples. 

 

        I hope we have no secret disciples of Christ among the precious young people of St Andrews! 

 

⁵⁹ And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰ And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

 

        The body of Christ was wrapped in the same way as that of Lazarus. But the risen Christ needed no man to remove His grave clothes, as did Lazarus, to be set free. Furthermore, Christ did not require the voice of God from outside the Tomb to call Him forth as did Lazarus – the Voice was from within.

 

        The tomb belonged to Joseph. ⁴¹ Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. ⁴² There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. (John 19:41-42) 

 

        This was fulfillment of Isaiah 53:9 - And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth

 

        Jesus was crucified between two thieves – one, repentant, the other rebellious.

 

        No man had ever before lain in this tomb. It was a BORROWED Tomb for Christ would need it only for a few hours.

 

         It is interesting to note Jesus was provided shelter in a manger at his birth by a man named Joseph, son of Heli, and husband to Mary, the mother of Jesus. And now, at the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus is again provided a shelter by another Joseph for His dead body.

 

        Since the occupation of the tomb by Christ was only temporary, we can know that our sojourn in the grave will be temporary as well. As St Paul says; the twinkling of an eye. 

 

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Cor 15:52)

 

        There are two Marys watching over Christ even to the end. They were at the Cross until the end, and they watch at the burial until the end – Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany who was ever at the feet of Christ.

 

⁶¹ And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

 

        Will our end of days find us watching Christ until that end comes?

 

⁶² Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, ⁶³ Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

 

        This is evidence that the Jewish rulers had paid close attention to every Word of Christ. They, moreover, knew the prophecies and were without excuse as to ignorance. 

        Now, they are worried and want to insure that the Man whom they have so treacherously murdered, stays dead and in the tomb.

 

        ⁶⁴ Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first

 

        Every day in America men are running to the governor to request that all mention of Christ be abandoned – that there be no prayer allowed, no Holy Days acknowledged, and no expressions of faith allowed on any public square. Such men want to insure that Christ remains buried.

 

        But no such whimsical notions can be realized. There was no power on earth that could keep Christ in the Tomb.

 

65.Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. ⁶⁶ So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch

 

“As she as they could” was not sure enough. No man can stop the power of God.

 

They placed the seal of the Roman Authority on the Tomb and set guards at watch. Here the government is complicit with the devil to staunch the resurrection just as the government of today attempts the same vile effort.

 

Now, we shall await the rolling of the Stone away by Angels of God. Now we shall await the coming forth of the Son of God in victory and triumph. Shall you make His triumphant resurrection your own in Him?

All things well – 16 April 2022, Anno Domini

 

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OR even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.  (1 Peter 2:21-25)

 

            Even in death, our Lord was obedient to the Law. He rested on the Sabbath in the Tomb and arose immediately following the Sabbath. In so doing, the Lord Jesus Christ became OUR Sabbath rest. The old law of the first Testament ended with one word – CURSE – because the Law contained in the Old Testament is a curse to all who depend upon its keeping for salvation. In fact, no man can keep the Law of God with perfect obedience. It was given as a teacher to us to know that we could not earn salvation on our merits. God is a just God who will not condone sin in His presence. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)  So what resort does the sinner have? He deserves the fires of Hell, yet God has made a way of return to Himself. Let us read the verse following the one just quoted: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” (Romans 3:24-25)

 

            So, in coming to the Throne of Grace by faith, are we made sinless? No, but we have an ‘imputed’ righteousness of Christ upon which to call for we have entered into Christ as Noah and his family entered into the Ark during the days of the Deluge. When God looks upon our tarnished souls, He looks through the blood of His only Begotten Son who knew no sin. He kept the Law perfectly and was without any blemish of sin. He even saved us under the terms of the Law that He satisfied by paying our own penalty!

 

            The Roman seal by which the Tomb was made secure that Pontius Pilate authorized represented the world power of Rome to ensure that the tomb remained inviolate – but that was not enough. The world could not overcome Christ who was the Creator thereof. When Mary Magdalene and the other women came to the Garden Tomb while it was yet dark, the Stone had already been rolled away. They found the Tomb empty. Well, it was, after all, a BORROWED Tomb. No man had ever been laid therein. Because our Lord’s Tomb was borrowed, we, too, are made possessors of a borrowed Tomb. We follow Christ in the death of the cross for we die daily to self. We bury our old selves in the sinner’s death and experience newness of life in our new birth in Him. So we bear our crosses, we die to self, we bury the old man, and are raised anew in Christ. We shall also arise from our borrowed tombs, as He did, on the Last Day.

 

            You see, just as the disciples followed Christ everywhere in His ministry, we must do the same; but we are enabled to go a step further in our burial to self and new birth in Him. The disciples did not have the ‘inside’ information that we have been given following His death. They, too, did not comprehend the truth of what He had taught them concerning His resurrection. So their discipleship temporarily ended at Calvary. They hid in the hedges and watched from afar as He suffered and died. In truth, Christ MUST have suffered alone and deserted in order to pay the full penalty for our sins. 

 

            Our Lord gave up the spirit at the very moment of sacrifice of the Passover lambs in the Temple of Jerusalem. (3:00 pm) The Temple Veil of the Holy of Holies was ripped from top to bottom signifying salvation comes from God and is not initiated by man. No longer do we need a worldly High Priest to intercede with the Father on our behalf for we have the one and only High Priest which is Christ who, seated by the Father, is our only intercessor and true Bishop of our souls. It was Christ who was prefigured by the innocent creature slain in Eden to cover the nakedness (sin) of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21) He is prefigured in the ram whose horns were caught in the thorns at Mount Moreh who died in the stead of Isaac; and He was prefigured by the first Passover Lamb whose blood was smeared on the doorposts and lintels of Goshen to ward off the Angel of Death that night of horror in Egypt. 

 

            Well, the 7-day Sabbath of old time is ended and we have a new Sabbath – one of seven days instead on one in seven. Christ became our Passover as well as our Sabbath for He works in us and gives us rest from our labors.

Easter Sunday - Propers with explanation – Rev Jack’s Sermon

The Propers for today are found on Page 163-164, with the Collect first:

 

Easter Sunday.

The Collect.

 

A

LMIGHTY God, who through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; We humbly beseech thee that, as by thy special grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end.  Amen.

 

¶ This Collect is to be said daily throughout Easter Week.

 

The Epistle came from Saint Paul’s letter to the Colossians, the Third Chapter, beginning at the First Verse: 

 

I

F ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.  

 

As usual, Paul is exhorting us to be the New Man, to put away the trappings of the old and go forward.  He asks us to do what anyone who is successful does, hang around with those you want to be like in the end and to emulate their actions.  In this case rather that earthly success, Paul is helping prepare us for eternal success through salvation.

 

The Holy Gospel came from the Gospel of Saint John, Twentieth Chapter, beginning at the First Verse.  It is the straightforward accounting of the discovery by Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter and John that the Lord was risen indeed. 

 

T

HE first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their ow
n home.

Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold - Time and Action

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Descanso, California

Today’s sermon brought the Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords above. 

 

 Consider these words from the Collect:

 

… who through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; We humbly beseech thee that, as by thy special grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect…

 

In the Collect, we acknowledge God sent His Son to be our Savior.  Think about that, the Creator, Lord and Master of the Universe sent His only Son to not only live amongst us and minister and guide us, but to give His earthly life as a one time sacrifice for our sin that we might be accounted as perfect in our final accounting, the resurrection.  Today is the day of His Resurrection, where we celebrate His triumphant return from his descent into Hell after he died on the Cross and battled Satan for our souls. Not a lot of people think about the suffering Christ endured on our behalf after His painful death upon the cross. When HE died His sufferings had only just begun as He descended into darkness itself, Satan’s dominion, to do battle with Satan for our souls. We do not know much about the particular details of that battle, but it is good enough for us to know He triumphed and won our eternal freedom. He freed us from the shackles of Death.  God valued His Son exceedingly, but consider then how much He loves us in turn to allow His Precious Only Begotten Son to die a painful death and to do battle with the Devil for our eternity.

 

The Collect also points out that we need God’s special grace to prevent, that is to go before us, and to set good desires in our mind and overcome our natural evil desires. This is a point that not a lot of churches make these days as they have been overcome by the whims of the World. We need His presence within our hearts and minds if we are to follow Him. We do need His Special Grace and the help of the Holy Ghost if we are to follow Him. We are not naturally inclined to follow Him, so we have to have help in order to do so. That is where God’s Special Grace and the Holy Ghost come in and transform our minds from self centered to focusing on how we can serve Him and Help others an to make us more humble and patient human beings. 

 

Jesus set an example of humility and patience, both exceedingly rare qualities in us. That example is extremely difficult for us to follow without God’s help. This is the reason God sent the Holy Ghost to be here with us. With Jesus’ sacrifice and the help of the Holy Ghost to follow Him, turning our backs on this world, we can renew our minds and transform ourselves into the New Man 2.0.  The resurrection itself sets a pattern that we should follow. We must first die, that is to stop our sinning, then rise again, that is to live, with humility and patience like the example Jesus set for us. Jesus set the ultimate standard for action and we must do our very best to follow that standard. His whole ministry consisted of actions. He didn’t just speak very kind words, He lived and breathed those words through His Actions. It is clear that we must do likewise if we truly profess to be Christians.

 

There was a reason God set Easter in the springtime. Not only was the time of His death and rising again, but it came at a time where the flowers bloomed anew, having been dead in winter, as Christ had been dead, and rose again, just as those flowers bloom again. This is truly symbolic of His Death and Resurrection and it is no coincidence Easter happened during this time.  

 

Jesus’s standard is an extremely difficult act for us to follow We will never be able to follow it perfectly, for we are imperfect creatures, but we can sure do our best to. It is hard, we are imperfect creatures doing our best to follow the standards set by Jesus a perfect being! However it is our duty as Christians to do our best and not just say it to follow Jesus’s example.

 

However, if you think this might be too hard to accomplish, stop and think about what Jesus went through, is it as hard as His Trials and Death and Battling Satan? No matter who you are, the answer is never going to be yes. In the end, the path we must follow will still be easier than if we refuse to follow Him and try and forge our own path. We have to remind ourselves that we will be far happier if we follow His example and lead a righteous and steadfast life, full of grace and humility, as well as patience. 

 

In our lives, it is important to think about Jesus’ example before we do what we want to do.  Is what you are wanting in line with Jesus’ message? Think about the answer.  Think about what He would do in a given situation. Don’t let your natural inclinations dictate your decisions but stop and let the Holy Ghost into your heart to help decide. If you let the Holy Ghost in to your heart you will know the answer; you will know what you are supposed to do.  You may not like it, but you will know it. Which is more comforting than the World’s way, which seems to go off in every which direction, and they are never certain about anything. However, we can be certain about what we know, what believe and we can translate that certainty into our actions. This is because we follow the ultimate unwavering source of truth, God Himself.

 

Jesus knew what was coming, how much it would hurt both His Body and Soul as He went through with the crucifixion and subsequent descent in to Hell.   Yet, He also knew this was God’s Will that we might live.  If He did this for you, how can you not follow Him wherever His Will takes you? If He was willing to do that for all of us, then how can we not repay Him? His Sacrifice demands that we repay Him to the best of our ability, by the sheer nature of it; his perfection being offered in place of our imperfection.

 

These days people have forgotten how special Jesus’s Death and Resurrection is to us. It is a sign of the times, perhaps maybe even close to the end times that Churches have fallen into apostasy and are even actively denying His Ministry, His Death and His Resurrection. Jesus commanded us to always remember His Death and Passion, that we might be partakers of His Heavenly Kingdom. We do not yet know if this is the End Times but we would be wise to treat it as if it is and live as if eery day could be our last day here on Earth.

 

If we do not remember His Death and Passion, can we truly be partakers of His Heavenly Kingdom?

 

How can we?  

 

He is asking us to act and if we do not choose to act for Him then we cannot be truly on His Side. It is not enough just to ‘have’ faith, we need to back our faith up with actions and choose to act For Him, to remember His Ministry, Death and Resurrection and do our best with the help of the Holy Ghost to follow the standard He set.

 

Jesus set an example difficult to follow even with the help of the Holy Ghost, but impossible to follow without the help of the Holy GhoOur eternal life does not come to us for free. It was paid with the blood of God’s only begotten Son. We have a debt to Him we cannot even close to repaying, but we can start by choosing to follow Him each and every day. Where we fall short, we get back up the next day and do better than the previous day.

 

We must remember His Example when times get harder and more difficult as it becomes closer to the end of this world and the beginning of our eternity with God. Let us act for Him and make it known that we reject mammon and embrace the example of Jesus Christ. We may lose friends and even family as a result of standing with God; the consequences for not standing with God are far worse than losing shallow people in your life.

 

When the time comes, how will you ACT?

 

It is by our actions we are known.

 

Be of God - Live of God - Act of God