First Sunday after Easter - Propers with explanation – Rev Jack’s Sermon – With Video

  

Rev Jack brings the Propers together today.    His sermon is below the propers and can be viewed on video HERE -> https://youtu.be/Zxv3HAzTsck 

In the Collect, we acknowledge God sent His Son to be both our Savior and Sacrifice.  The Collect goes on to acknowledge it takes only a small ‘leaven’ of malice and wickedness to contaminate out entire being.  In his General Epistle, John tells us that if we truly follow Jesus, we will by our very nature overcome the world.  He goes on to describe the composition of the Triune God.  John’s Gospel portion this morning describes Jesus sending the Holy Ghost to the disciples and more.  It all comes together, listen or read to understand how. 

The First Sunday after Easter.

The Collect.

 

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LMIGHTY Father, who hast given thine only Son to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification; Grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may always serve thee in pureness of living and truth; through the merits of the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

Today’s Epistle came from the First General Epistle of Saint John, the Fifth Chapter beginning at the Fourth Verse: 

 

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HATSOEVER is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 

 

The Holy Gospel for this Sunday comes from the Twentieth Chapter of the Gospel of Saint John beginning at the Nineteenth verse: 

 

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HE same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.

 

Sermon – Reverend Jack Arnold - Time and Action

Church of the Faithful Centurion

Descanso, California

You can view Rev Jack's sermon on video RIGHT HERE!

https://youtu.be/Zxv3HAzTsck

 

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

 

Consider these words from the Collect:

 

… given thine only Son to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification; Grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may always serve thee in pureness of living and truth…

 

In the Collect, we acknowledge by the sacrifice made on Good Friday by the One and Only Perfect Man, a single sacrifice, made one time, for all mankind, for all time by our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Christ of God, we have eternal life.  Malice and wickedness are pervasive; like leavening, that is yeast, mixed into bread dough, they permeate our being, worming their way into the most remote corners of our souls, hearts and minds. Tiny, wanting only to be fed so they can grow and distort our being.  Malice and wickedness will blacken our souls and make us into heartless and cruel people. Thus in order to serve God, we need His Help, in the form of the Holy Ghost, to root out all malice and wickedness so we might serve Him with pure souls, hearts and minds.  He will help us root out that malice and wickedness that has wormed their way into our souls, hearts and minds. Without that help, we are destined to fail.  On the other hand, with God’s help all things are possible.

 

In his general Epistle, Saint John continues that thought that without God’s help, that is being re-born in Him, as Saint Paul says becoming or putting on the New Man, we are destined to failure.   He points out that if we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, we will have overcome the world. He also says that those who do not believe on Him are lying to themselves. And lying to ourselves is never a good idea. John says that if we are to choose to believe either the witness of men or the witness of God, to believe that of God. God is infallible, versus men who are very much fallible. We can always trust God to be true in whatever He tells us. That is not the case with men who we cannot trust to say what is right all the time. That is why we need the help of the Holy Ghost to discern what the truth is and what the truth is not, when men speak.

 

Saint John makes it clear the entity we refer to as God is a Triune Being, that is Three in One; Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  What he does not make clear is the relationship between the Three.  He does not make this clear as we do not really need to know the relationship between the three. All we need to know is that God is comprised of three separate entities who are of one substance and form a single entity. Besides God and Jesus, the Holy Ghost is an important member of this entity. He is here to help give us God’s guidance and direction and understanding God’s will for us. 

 

The Holy Ghost is not often talked about in the church, yet He is the key to understanding.  God sent us the Holy Ghost that we might have:

 

·      Comfort

·      Understanding

·      Patience

·      Insight

·      Perseverance

·      Courage

·      Sympathy

 

He is our key to finding Jesus in our souls, hearts and minds.  Without His Guidance, Scripture seems a poorly written fairy tale, with His Guidance we find Truth, the Truth that is our Lord and Savior.  

 

When John relates the story of Jesus coming in to the Upper Room, note three things:

 

·      He came into a closed room in bodily form;

·      Then gave them His Peace;

·      He breathed the Holy Ghost upon them.

 

The entry into the closed room is of interest.  When we leave the Shadowlands, we will gain an optimized body with shape and form, but as Jesus demonstrated things are different in the Real World.  Different can be better or worse.  In this case, He demonstrates the better.  We will no longer be halt, blind and maimed, we will live as God has meant for us.  Quite a nice feeling.

 

Jesus gave them His Peace.  Not peace like world understands it, but God’s Peace.  This is a totally different concept.  A perfect and stabilizing peace, not what the World considers as Peace. The world and God have different idea of what is Peace. The world’s idea of peace seems to be different, not orderly, more confusing and tolerating ideas that should not be tolerated. There will never be peace on Earth until the whole planet comes to understand the only true peace is God’s Peace. It is the only thing that can help the world, yet because they are blinded by the cares and riches of this world, they do not see it. Perhaps a few might escape the grasp of mammon to see it, but not a lot of people will sadly, as this requires them to willingly open their hearts to God and let the Holy Spirit in to bring that understanding of true peace to them.

 

His Peace is what will really help us. Jesus brings us, like those disciples, the peace of mind and soul which comes with giving all our worry, sadness and terror to Him.  It is the knowledge that the enemy can only hurt our physical body, they cannot hurt or destroy our souls. We are safe in God’s grasp. We would do well to remember that whenever things get difficult. When things get hard in this life, we must return to Him and allow Him to offer us His Peace that we might do what is right even when it seems difficult. His Peace will give us that confidence we need to carry out actions for Him.

 

He leaves in His wake not confusion, but order and wellbeing.  With Him in our hearts we cannot fail at anything that needs be done.  His Peace.  This Peace is what we are looking for and have been looking for since we came into this world, for it is our passport out.

 

The Holy Ghost is the breath of life, not just physical, whereas to die is to give up the Ghost, which really means to have our soul leave our body for heaven.   He is our spiritual life, for without Him in our souls, hearts and minds we cannot see the narrow road to the summit.  Without Him we see only the broad even way which gently curves downward and gets smoother and smoother as it nears the Pit.   The Holy Ghost is the key to knowing our Lord! He is our perfect vision in place of our defective natural vision, that will help us see the way.

 

Without the Holy Ghost, we are lost.  With Him we find and join Jesus and are found.  Then we can act accordingly and enjoy our time here on earth to the extent it is to be enjoyed.  

 

Note the parting line of this Scripture: … He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.  Jesus gave this power to those present, He did not establish an intermediary priesthood.  The Triune God is the only one who has the power to remit us of our sins.  And, He does when we ask and act in accordance with the request.

 

There is much joy and satisfaction to be found in proper action.

 

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

The Light of the World – 14 April 2023, Anno Domini

   

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EHOLD, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.  (Rev 3:19-22)

 

            William Holman Hunt (1827-1910) was one of the greatest of the Pre-Raphaelite painters. In fact, Hunt was one of the three avant-garde artists who introduced the pre-Raphaelite movement in 1848.

 

            In 1854, Hunt, at what he felt was the behest of the Holy Spirit, painted a piece called ‘The Light of the World.’ Hunt says, I painted the picture with what I thought, unworthy though I was, to be divine command, and not simply a good subject. The door in the painting has no handle, and can therefore be opened only from the inside, representing the obstinately shut mind. Most art critics consider this the greatest of all pre-Raphaelite art.

 

            The painting is an allegorical rendering of the 20^th verse of the 3^rd chapter of Revelations (as quoted in the introductory text). The symbolism is profoundly apparent.

 

            The door is worn and rarely opened. The world is hesitant to hear the Gospel for fear of opening the door to a Sovereign to whom they must be accountable. The door is overgrown with weeds. Sin separates us from God. The Light of Christ illuminates the exterior surface of the door, but when it is closed to the Gospel, there is only darkness inside. Christ is knocking with an half-opened hand – not pounding on the door. To me, this represents the gentle nature of our Savior who refuses to enter where He is not welcome.

 

            One other point. Have you noticed the feet of the Lord? They are inclined away from the door. If there is no response, He will go to the next door and not linger where His grace is rejected.

 

            Interestingly, several men sat for the portrait of the head including Mallais, John Capper, and even Christina Rosetti, the author of so many wonderfully uplifting and Godly poems. Rosetti sat for the face painting after Hunt had felt he achieved the manly character of the face.

 

            The biblical text quoted above differs slightly from the impact of the painting. In the painting, the door appears to be a private dwelling and, while that is absolutely prefigured in the text, the context of it is the door of the Church. Our Lord has just completed an assessment of the seven churches of Revelations. Christ had not found fault with two of these churches – Smyrna and Philadelphia; but Christ extolls the virtues of Smyrna above all – and it is the poorest church in worldly goods, and the richest in spirit.

 

            The profound point to me in our Lord’s counsel is this: He stands at the Door and knocks – but which Door? It is the Door of the churches. He is not INSIDE, but stands knocking without. No matter what Communion Service is practiced, it is practiced without Christ’s Presence if taken unworthily. The communicates inside the Churches must hear His Voice and open the Door to Christ. Too often, Christ is shut out of our churches – especially in our modern times.

 

            There remain churches in my own neighborhood that have rejected the Voice of Christ because they deny the Counsel of His Word accepting every vile perversion imaginable and making man the center of worship (entertainment) instead of Christ.

 

            Some may wonder why the Gospel pulpits of Reformed Anglican and Presbyterian churches are set of to the right (looking out) of the sanctuary? It is because, not man, but God is the center of our worship. Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.

 

            God has counseled, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. (Eccl 9:10).  This is true of every occupation and profession. I believe William Holman Hunt has achieved that goal in the painting of ‘The Light of the World.’ What mark have each of us made for Christ in our own professions, lives, and endeavors?

Sorrow turned to Joy – 14 April 2023, Anno Domini

   

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REAK forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. (Isaiah 52:9-10)

 

            Having celebrated our Passover in Christ on Easter Sunday, our joy was made full in contemplation of that great sacrifice and suffering of our Lord on the Good Friday of 2,000 years ago. The above passage from Isaiah reflects that joy brought to the brim at the conquering of both death and hell by our glorious Lord at the moment of His resurrection

 

            We consider the terrible pain and suffering of Christ as described in the 22^nd Psalm – a Messianic Psalm – but we may not have considered the latter half of the Psalm that illustrates the joy of the Resurrection.

 

            The 22^nd Psalm begins: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? These are the very same words Jesus uttered on the cross near the ending of His passion at the ninth hour: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46) The sad lament of Christ continues in the Psalm until, at the 22^nd verse, the entire tone and tenor of the Psalm abruptly breaks out into a celebration of victory. I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. From thenceforth is depicted the glory of the victory of the cross for us and the resurrection of the Firstborn of the Dead – our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

            There are blessed benefits contained in that title – the Firstborn of Every Creature. Just as we die to self in Christ, so He died for us. Just as we take up our crosses daily, we follow Him to that cross of dying. But our following does not end at the dying to self. We follow to a borrowed tomb in which He was laid just as the borrowed tomb shall be in which we are laid.

 

            Still, our following does not end there at the tomb – we shall follow Him in resurrection to eternal life. He was the Creator of all living at the beginning of Creation (see John 1:1-4) and He was the Firstborn to eternal Life which means we shall follow in that resurrection life.

 

            Paul makes this very clear in the following text:  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sin (Colossians 1:12-15)

 

            Every soul is immortal in the sense that it continues after death – either to resurrection life, or into the legacy of the earth and Hell. If we are to follow Christ in Resurrection, we must follow Him up to the moment of death. Christ makes this very clear to Martha outside the tomb of Lazarus at Bethany: Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:25-26) What does this mean?

 

            It means precisely what it says – all who are dead who believed in the Lord shall lie eternally with Him; and those who believe while they yet live shall never truly die – but the faith must be evidenced while life remains. 

 

            The life of the Christian is not a bed of roses in this world. Men will shun, ridicule, and persecute you if you truly live the faith you profess. You will see the wicked about you who seem to prosper since they do not live by the same laws and principles of the Godly. We are bound by the considerations of honor, duty, and love while they have no limits to constrain their behavior. This is evident in every phase of life, whether business, politics, or, sadly, even the Church. But, even so, we have something they do not possess – peace of mind and the satisfaction that derives from duty faithfully performed in the service of our Lord. And that benefit is something the wicked cannot look forward to. Knowing, instinctively, there is a just God, they grab all the pleasures and riches possible in the life and throw caution to the life to come (to their everlasting detriment).

 

            To which party would you prefer to belong?

Suffer the Little Children – 11 April 2023, Anno Domini

 

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UFFER the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.   (Mark 10:14)

 

            After spending more than five years in Iran, my wife and family returned home to the United States to discover many changes had taken place of which we were not aware. The nation was in decline under a president (Jimmy Carter) who either wished to destroy the nation, or was incorrigibly stupid. The moral state of the country was in sharp decline following several deplorably misguided decisions of the US Supreme Court each of which undermined the moral and Godly pillars of a nation that once considered itself “Under God.” The Founding Fathers would have been even more dismayed than I to witness the immorality resulting from these irresponsible decisions of nine black-robed usurpers of the US Constitution.

 

            The youth of America became exposed to political philosophies alien to the American values which they should have been taught instead in our public schools. Dialectical materialism – a central tenet of Marxism – became the predominant indoctrinating issue in education. If there is no God, then everything must devolve to a singular issue of materialism and pragmatic totalitarianism. There is no room for love and compassion under such rule. Our children lost direction other than self-satisfaction. There was no moral impediment to adhere to the moral and social contract of those men and women who built such a wonderful nation under the guiding hand of a Providential God. Drugs and promiscuity followed along with a lack of consideration for the rights of others. Please observe what has happened in a mere sixty years to the view of the rule of law, the attitude of self-sufficiency, the sanctity of marriage, and the value of human life. Below is a chain of decisions that had occurred that led to our political and moral demise:

 

        25 June 1962      US Supreme Court abrogates 1^st Amendment Rights thereby outlawing prayer in school.

 

        26 June 1963      US Supreme Court, by same flawed reasoning, disallows the reading of the Bible in public school.

 

  22 January 1973      US Supreme struck down the right to life (specifically guaranteed in the Declaration of Independence – our Founding Document) of infants in the womb.

 

            The trend continued when, on 26 June 2015, another decision came down which further eviscerated the sanctity of marriage when that same Court legalized same sex marriage as a Constitutional right but a right that can be found nowhere in the US Constitution. God exacts a severe penalty on individuals and nations which allow children to be abused, murdered, or exposed to ungodly acts. Pedophilia is even now being promoted in some quarters and actually publicly practiced in others. How do you feel this will be tolerated by a just God whose only Begotten Son has said: 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 18:6)

 

            As a nation and people, we all share in the blame for this inexcusable decline in morality of our children. Perhaps the most responsible for the current climate of lawlessness is the churches of America. How did the mainline churches of America respond when these ridiculous issues began to predominate on the American scene? They did not respond except with a resounding silence! Not long after my return to America in 1979, I spotted a flyer in our public library on a soon-to-be discarded rack of books free for the taking. I picked up a pamphlet entitled, "Our Schools Today: as they are, as they should be." By Max Rafferty, Chancellor of Troy State University and former Superintendent of Education for the State of California. Impressed with his skillful account of what has happened in public education. I later acquired, and still have on my bookshelf, his book titled, Suffer Little Children.

 

            The scope of this article does not allow a decent accounting of his remarks on education and how it has been undermined by those who wish this country woe, but I would encourage every responsible American concerned about the moral state of our youth to acquire Rafferty’s book. He served under then-Governor of California, Ronald Reagan, and espouses the same convictions about America as President Reagan did.

 

            The problem with mass shootings in America is not related to the right to have and bear arms – it is a decay of morality. When I was in high school in the late fifties and early sixties, the school parking lot was full of pickup trucks with shotguns or rifle racks across the rear-view windows. Yet, there were no school shootings in those days! What changed? Wake up, America, and return to the God who has blessed and protected this nation.

The first Drunk Man I ever saw – 11 April 2023, Anno Domini

 

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HEREFORE be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;  (Ephesians 5:17-18)

 

            I will herein relate another account of my young childhood I hope will carry a message and warning to each of us.

 

When at the age of eight years, a tent revival was advertised to be on a vacant lot not far from our house. I was curious and wanted to go, but my mother would hear none of it. I do not know her reason for objecting, but I could see nothing wrong with going to a Christian revival service that labelled itself “Holiness Revival.” 

 

Sometime after the revival began, I was allowed to visit a neighbor friend and classmate in the same neighborhood. He invited me to attend the second night of the revival with him and his parents. Even though it would be disobedient to my mother, I felt justified in accepting the invitation from other parents, and my curiosity prevailed. 

 

We went to the well-attended tent-revival (the first I had ever seen) and found a seat among the many wooden folding chairs. One minister after another would take the pulpit and conduct his sermon in ways that were totally strange to my conservative worship experience. In some ways, it was quite entertaining; and, in others, very baffling. I had never heard a minister scream and shout as if God could not hear him, nor had I seen such jumping about and vigorous gesticulation in my whole life. I was somewhat fascinated as the gathering shouted “AMEN!” and “Hallelujah” at every point emphasized so vociferously by the minister.

 

Finally, a man ascended the pulpit and continued the thunderous exhortations just as his predecessors had done. But his words were hard to understand for my young ears. He almost fell down a few times as he clung to the microphone and waved randomly as he preached. His words were slurred and his comments disjointed.

 

Suddenly, my friend’s parents began to get up, along with most others, and leave. As we left, I asked them why we were leaving. The father asked, “Can’t you see – the preacher is dead drunk.” Well, I could well see that he was DIFFERENT, but I had never seen a drunk man before – and this was in a worship service of all places. We may be shocked by the sinners we see in church, but of the pulpit?

 

Since that day, I have come to realize that there are different categories of drunkenness – pride, greed, social acceptance, etc., that drives some men to usurp the pulpits of the church. It is far more common today than when I was a lad of eight. We see it every Sunday being evidenced by some TV evangelists who not only look like crooks, but whose profound greed and pride annul every thought of virtue in their preaching.

 

            Unfortunately, the spirit of mammon has infiltrated the mainline churches of America themselves. No longer does the biblical truth and Gospel hope dominate the music program and sermon, but the world’s values have taken the place of Godly preaching. The worldly music, and sensual singing – the luke-warm preaching that compromises the great truths of God, predominate to the detriment of both young and older ears. No wonder the church no longer takes a stand against the wickedness and vice that permeates modern society – they have become one with it.

 

The problems facing America today are not material objects such as guns, axes, and knives – these have always been part of our possessions – but wanton immorality and a failure of love and compassion that has been nurtured through ungodly school subjects and unprincipled government that has ruined our lives. But in America, we have no justification to blame bad government or the Marxist indoctrination of our children, for in America, we, the people, are Caesar. It is we who elect our leaders and foot the bill for whatever evil ensues from government and education. Why do we tolerate it?

 

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ET us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.    (Romans 13:13-14)

The Called Minister of the Gospel – 10 April 2023, Anno Domini

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HEREFORE, seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not. 

(2 Corinthians 4:1)

 

            I grew up in a household of mixed marriage – my father was an Episcopalian (old line), and my mother was a Methodist. Even in my very young years, the Methodists still had circuit riders who still rode mules, or horses, to their circuits. They were the most selfless men one could imagine. If a farmer was down with an illness, the circuit-rider would remain at his house and do all his chores until his health returned. All he received in return was bread and a place to sleep.

 

            My father told me this story of a circuit-riding preacher of the 1920s:

 

            A circuit-riding preacher arrived at Pidgeon Forge, Tennessee, to preach on a public square that was part of his circuit. He preached a fiery sermon of smoke and brimstone. Not long into his preaching, many were gathered around to hear his sermon. Finally, when several score had gathered in that small community, he concluded his sermon, sang a hymn, and passed his hat around to the congregants. When he received his hat back, he looked inside at the empty contents, placed the hat on his breast and proclaimed, “Thank thee, Lord. At least, I got my hat back.”

 

            Here is a description of the Circuit-Rider recalled by a Peter Cartwright: 

 

            A Methodist preacher in those days, when he felt the Lord had called him to preach, instead of hunting up a college or seminary, hunted up a hardy pony of a horse, and some traveling apparatus, and with his library always at hand, namely a Bible, Hymn book, and Book of Discipline, he started, and with a text that never grew old or stale, he cried, “Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world!” 

 

            In this way he went through storms of wind, hail, snow, and rain; climbed hills and mountains, traversed valleys, plunged through swamps, swam swollen streams, lay out all night, wet weary, and hungry, and held his horse by the bridle all night, or tied him to a limb, slept with his saddle blanket for a bed, his saddle or saddle-bags for his pillow, and his old big coat or blanket for a covering. Often, he slept in dirty cabins, or on earthen floors, before the fire; ate roasting ears for bread, drank buttermilk for coffee, or sage for imperial tea; took, with hearty zest, deer or bear meat, or wild turkey, for breakfast, dinner, and supper, if he could get it. His text was always ready, “Behold the Lamb of God!”

 

            This was the old-fashioned Methodist preacher’s fare and fortune.

 

            Most of the readers of this devotion are not likely to be Methodists (the faith and doctrine of that church have all but disappeared). Some may be Baptists, or Presbyterians; or most of my readers may be Anglicans – but should we all not take note of the example before us of those old Circuit-Riding ministers of God?

AOC Sunday Report - Easter Sunday

  

Happy Easter Sunday!

The AOC Sunday Report can be downloaded RIGHT HERE!

With most search engines when enter EASTER, you get twenty pictures of rabbits and colored eggs for every one that has anything to do with the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.  Intentional or not?

Bishop Jerry is on travel today to Statesville for both the Easter service and an ordination. So far we have not gotten his sermon, if we do there will be a re-issue of the report.

We have outstanding sermons today from Bishop Roy, as well as Revs Jack and Bryan. Each is quite different and quite good.  Rev Jack brings the Propers together today.    His sermon can be viewed on video HERE -> https://youtu.be/GdG2mkL2lrk

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. In his Epistle, Paul reminds us if we claim to be with Christ and actually are, our actions must be, as a matter of necessity, congruent with His.   The Gospel is the discovery of Jesus’ empty tomb.  It all comes together, listen or read to understand how. 

There are always a lot of people who need your prayer, today is no exception.  Please take a bit of time to pray; start with Shamu, Tricia, Laurie and work out from there.

As we enter Easter tide, remember God, so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that all who believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The most impressive thing of all to me is that that only begotten son, Jesus, the Christ of God, came into the world, knowing precisely how he would leave. And yet he came anyway.

Remember you cannot change the past, but you can change today and that will change tomorrow.

Godspeed,

Hap
Church of the Faithful Centurion
Descanso, California
United States of America