Advent Hymn
1. Lo, he comes with clouds descending,
once for favored sinners slain;
thousand, thousand saints attending
swell the triumph of his train.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Christ appears on earth again.
2. Every eye shall now behold him,
robed in dreadful majesty;
those who set at naught and sold him,
pierced and nailed him to the tree,
deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing,
shall the true Messiah see.
3. Those dear tokens of his passion
still his dazzling body bears;
cause of endless exultation
to his ransomed worshipers;
with what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture,
gaze we on those glorious scars!
4. Yea, Amen! Let all adore thee,
high on thy eternal throne;
Savior, take the power and glory,
claim the kingdom for thine own.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou shalt reign and Thou alone!
The Collect for Advent Sunday (The First Sunday in Advent)
(Used with all Collects during the Season of Advent, until Christmas Eve)
Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which Your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when He shall come again in His Glorious Majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to Life Immortal, through Him who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
The Collect for the Third Sunday in Advent
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who at Your First Coming did send Your Messenger before You to prepare Your Way; Grant that the Ministers and Stewards of Your Revealed Truth may so likewise prepare and make ready Your Way, by turning the hearts of disobedient sinners, to the wisdom of the justified, that at Your Second Coming to Judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in Your Sight, Who Lives and reigns with the Father and Holy Spirit, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
The Epistle 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
“1This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.
2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.”
The Holy Gospel of St Matthew 11:2-11
2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written:
“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
Bishop Ian’s Thoughts
Today’s Epistle Reading is taken from St Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians Chapter 4, Verses 1-5.
In this portion of Scripture St Paul writes to warn the Corinthian Christians about the danger they will be in should factions appear within their young Church.
The Corinthian Church was a predominately Gentile (non-Jewish) Church whose members came from a wide range of social levels. There were affluent people, and people of low estate, together with Jewish refugees, and other common people from all over the Roman Empire.
The more highly educated Corinthian Christians, from a Greek background, could carry on theological discourses more easily, because of their familiarity with the teaching of the ancient Greek Philosophers, whose discourses were well known by all educated Greeks.
Also the precise Greek language spoken by the more highly educated Corinthian Christians contained a ready-made array of theological words, terms, and shades of meaning, thanks to its use by the ancient Greek Philosophers
Apollos, a Jew from Alexandria, was a Christian convert, and a polished orator. When he arrived in Ephesus he was more fully instructed in the Christian Faith by Priscilla and Aquila.
Priscilla and Aquila were a first Century Christian Missionary married couple. described in the New Testament. They lived, worked, and traveled with St Paul, who described them as his "fellow workers in Christ Jesus" recorded in his Epistle to the Romans Chapter 16, Verse 3.
Priscilla and Aquila are described in the New Testament as providing a presence that strengthened the early Christian Churches. St Paul was generous in his recognition and acknowledgment of his indebtedness to them (Romans 16: 3-4).
As previously mentioned, together, they are credited with instructing Apollos, a major evangelist of the first century, and "explaining to him the way of God more accurately."
With letters of introduction and support, Apollos then journeyed to Achaia to assist the new believers there, and mightily defended the Christian Faith before the Jews. The Book of the Acts of the Apostle Chapter 18 Verses 24-28 records this event:
“24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.”
Apollos was a fine example of an educated, faithful, charismatic, Christian speaker and debater.
The Christians at Corinth, at that time, were rallying around other charismatic preachers, and were in danger of fracturing the Church, with each faction supporting their favourite preacher.
In our Epistle Reading St Paul declares that he, and his assistants, had been chosen by the Lord Jesus to proclaim the “mysteries” (hidden things that have now been revealed to all) of God and that is how the Corinthian Christians ought to regard them:
“1This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.
2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 3I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.”
St Paul declares that the judgement of him by others is of no concern to him, as is his own judgement of himself.
Judgement by others and self-judgement is not a good assessment of the facts as each of these two types judgement are subject to bias, and are not based on complete knowledge and understanding of the facts, or understanding of the circumstances, relating to those facts.
The Judgement of God is perfect as it is based on God’s Truth, Perfect Knowledge, and Perfect Understanding of our motives, and the circumstances that led us to form particular conclusions, and our subsequent acting upon them.
St Paul concludes this portion of our Epistle Reading by commanding us to wait before accepting the judgement of others or passing self-judgement on ourselves:
“5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.”
We must resist the temptation to rush to judgement, but wait until the Great and Perfect Judge of All Things, The Lord Jesus Christ, appears to make His Righteous Judgement of all Mankind.
May God’s Mighty Holy Spirit give us Grace to exercise His gift of patience, as we await the Return of The Lord Jesus, to Judge all things Justly through His Perfect Knowledge, and Perfect Understanding of each person, in relation to His Great Love and Mercy revealed in His Mighty Holy Gospel. Amen.
Today’s Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Matthew Chapter 11, Verses 2-11.
In this portion of his Holy Gospel, St Matthew recorded the visit, by the disciples of John the Baptist, to the Lord Jesus, to seek clarification from Him regarding His Ministry, in order to settle doubts that had crept into John’s mind:
“2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
John was in prison, at the order of King Herod, for publicly denouncing the marriage of Herod to Herodias, the wife of Herod’s brother Philip.
John was under great pressure, and mental anguish bordering on depression. He was alone in the prison with no idea of the fate that awaited him.
John’s mental state may have given rise to self-doubts about his life and mission.
John had met the Lord Jesus previously, and identified Him as the Messiah, when the Lord Jesus came to John to be baptised by him. This meeting is recorded in the Holy Gospel of St John Chapter 1 Verses 29-37:
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”[f]
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.”
This memory may have faded, or become confused by John as a result of sensual deprivation caused by the great strain of imprisonment.
In prison the truth of John’s message may have seemed unclear in his mind, so he sent some of his disciples to meet with the Lord Jesus and clarify if the Lord Jesus was the Messiah, “or should expect someone else?”
The Lord Jesus gave John’s disciples an answer, relating to the signs accompanying His Ministry, that John the Baptist would have instantly recognised as the signs that indicated that the Messiah had come.
The Lord Jesus’ answer to John was taken from the Book of the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah Chapter 35 Verses 3-6:
3 Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the knees that give way;
4 say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you.”
5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
6 Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
This Old Testament Scripture from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah is a well-known, and much loved, piece of Scripture describing the signs surrounding the coming of God’s Great Messiah.
In our Holy Gospel Reading St John records the Lord Jesus’ answer to John:
“4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
The Lord Jesus then told His hearers about John the Baptist as John’s disciples were leaving to report back to John:
“7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written:
“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
“11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
In declaring this to His hearers the Lord Jesus confirmed that John the Baptist was the one prophesied by the Old Testament Prophet Malachi, in Chapter 3 Verse 1 of his Book:
3 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.
The Lord Jesus asked His audience, what exactly did they go out into the desert to see?
Were they looking for a “reed”, a speaker whose message was weak and could change its thrust and content, as quickly as a reed is blown by the desert winds?
Were they seeking a man in fine clothes who was a smooth, persuasive, speaker, whose message may have been false, but who looked good by the standards of the world?
Such men would be found in the service of Kings.
The Lord Jesus tells His hearers precisely what they went out to see, a prophet, a Great Prophet indeed, who was chosen by God to be the Prophet who would prepare the way for the Messiah.
That Messiah is The Lord Jesus Christ.
John the Baptist would be the last Prophet of the Old Testament era.
His duty was to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus to usher in the New Testament era of His Holy Gospel.
The Holy Gospel of St Matthew tells us of John’s arrest and execution in Chapter 14 Verses 3-12:
"3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.”
“6 On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10 and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus."
May God give us His Grace to understand the message of John the Baptist, and to heed that message, and join with John the Baptist, by proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ as the Great Messiah, the Holy Son of God, sent to all people to proclaim freedom from Satan and his power of sin, through belief in, and acceptance of, the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Bishop Ian