The Collect for the Fourth Sunday after Easter
O Almighty God, Who alone can control the evil wills and affections of sinful men ; Grant to Your people, that, they love the thing which You Command, and desire that which You Promise ; that so, among the many different changes of the world, our hearts may securely fixed where true joys are found ; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle. St James 1:17-21
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
The Holy Gospel of St John 16:5-15
5 Jesus said to His Disciples, now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
Bishop Ian’s Thoughts
Today’s Epistle Reading is taken from St James’ Epistle Chapter 1, Verses 17-21.
It is accepted by most scholars that the Epistle of St James was written by James, the half brother of the Lord Jesus. This is the same James who became the leader of the Christian Church in Jerusalem, and played a major role in the Council of Jerusalem.
The Council of Jerusalem considered, and formulated the obligations that should be placed on Gentiles (all non Jewish persons), who believed and accepted the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, and sought Baptism and membership of a Christian Community. The Council of Jerusalem and its meeting is described in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15, Verses 13-20:
“12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14 Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16 “‘After this I will return
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
and I will restore it,
17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
even all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things’
18 things known from long ago
19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.”
The quote from “the prophets,” that St James used in his address to the Jerusalem Council, was taken from the Old Testament Book of the Prophet Amos Chapter 9, Verses 11-12. In this passage the Prophet Amos foretells of God's restoration of the nation of Israel, in a more encompassing, and a more embracing form, than that which existed previously:
“11 In that day
“I will restore David’s fallen shelter—
I will repair its broken walls
and restore its ruins—
and will rebuild it as it used to be,
12 so that they may possess the remnant of Edom
and all the nations that bear my name,”
declares the Lord, who will do these things.”
The Epistle of St James was called a “right strawy epistle” by the great German theologian and reformer Martin Luther, however while it might not clearly establish any new doctrine (teaching) relating to the Holy Gospel it does offer some very valuable lessons on applying Christian teaching to everyday life.
St James’ Epistle was addressed very broadly, as stated in Chapter 1, Verse 1:
“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings.”
At first reading it might be supposed that the Epistle is addressed to the twelve tribes of the ancient Jewish nation of Israel. In a manner it was, as St James saw all Christian believers as being the New Israel of God, and as such his Epistle was intended to be read by Jewish and Gentile Christians, alike.
St James opens this portion of his Epistle by declaring that “every good and perfect gift” is from God who is the Creator of the Sun, Moon and Stars in the Firmament, and Who never falls into shadow (obscurity, fading, and darkness) as earthly persons and objects do when the sun completes its daily cycle:
“17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
St James then informs us that God has granted us “new birth” (Salvation through faith in the Holy Gospel), and that the first Christians would become the first people of a new kind of humanity (all God’s chosen people from all ages of history), who are clothed in the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus and are the adopted Sons and Daughters of God:
“18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.”
St James gives us some valuable advice on listening and speaking. St James tells us that we should listen to, and evaluate, all facts and circumstances that we hear before we jump to incorrect conclusions which can lead to resentment, argument, and anger.
St James then lays down three vital rules for Christians to follow: quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger:
“19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”
By listening to the Word of God read, through reading It, and hearing It preached, and discussing It with fellow Christians, we learn about the Lord Jesus and so enrich our own Christian Lives.
By being slow to speak we have time to consider our thoughts and words, and to test them against the Word of God to ensure that they are in accordance with the will of God.
By being slow to anger we are emulating God who is slow to anger, as recorded in Psalm 145, Verse 8:
“The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love”
God is graceful and compassionate in extending mercy and forgiveness to those who seek it.
Anger does not produce good Christian behaviour, and the gracious attitude of “others before ourselves,” that the Lord Jesus had when He laid down His Life to bless, and save us. Such an attitude in Christian believers is most pleasing to God.
Our Epistle reading concludes with St James’ commandment to strive for purity of life and deep genuine acceptance of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus:
“21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”
St James could be describing life in our day and age, with all the filth that is purveyed daily in much of today’s music, obscene books, and films dealing with pagan spirituality and sexuality, together with the avalanche of pornography that pervades the internet.
The Holy Gospel is God’s Mighty Gift to sinful mankind, to rescue us from the deluge of sin that threatens to drown us in iniquity.
St James’ Epistle is a valuable component of sound Christian teaching that assists us to apply, in our daily lives, the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, whose Truth breaks the power of sin and delivers us from its consequences.
Let us praise and thank God for the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and for the wonderful advice that He has given to us in the wholesome instruction that is found in the Epistle of St James, and my God Bless us through our reading of it. Amen.
Today’s Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St John Chapter 16, Verses 5-15.
St John opens this portion of his Holy Gospel with the Lord Jesus instructing His Disciples about the events that are about to take place involving His arrest, death and the period after His Resurrection from the dead.
The Lord Jesus told His Disciples that he would shortly leave them. They are understandably so dismayed at the impending loss of their Master, that they do not even ask where He is going, but the Lord Jesus promises to send them an Advocate (One who speaks or acts on another person’s behalf or provides comfort in a stressful situation).
The Lord Jesus further told them that unless He left them the Advocate would not come:
“5 Jesus said to His Disciples, now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”
The Advocate that the Lord Jesus spoke of is God’s Mighty Holy Spirit.
The Lord Jesus then told His Disciples about the Work that the Holy Spirit would undertake when He comes:
The Lord Jesus’ sacrifice of His Holy Life on the Cross, and His Glorious Resurrection from the dead had defeated Satan and his followers. They now stand condemned, awaiting final punishment at the time of the Lord Jesus’ Second Coming and the Great Day of God’s Judgement.
The Lord Jesus specifies the three-fold mission of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Holy Gospel:
“8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”
Firstly the Holy Spirit will prove the world wrong in the matter of sin, which He will show to be unbelief in the Lord Jesus and His Claims and Promises.
This is the rejection of God’s Holy Gift of the Lord Jesus.
Not to believe, which flows from pride in one’s own self is the greatest sin. All other sins flow from such unbelief, as the Word of God is rejected together with God’s Gift of the Holy Gospel of His Beloved Son, Whose Blood was shed for our redemption on the Cross of Calvary.
Secondly the Holy Spirit will promote the Great Truth that Righteousness before God is only available to believers by them being clothed in the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus, given by God as a gift through their faith in the Holy Gospel.
Lastly the Holy Spirit will confirm, and execute the Holy and Righteous Judgement of God upon Satan and his followers following their defeat by the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus.
These enemies of the Lord Jesus, having been judged, currently await their fast approaching destruction.
The Lord Jesus finally tells His Disciples that there is much more they need to hear and absorb. This great amount of teaching would be more than the Disciples could have handled at their present moment in time, and would need many hours of prayer and consideration to fully understand the ramifications of the Lord Jesus’ Life and Work.
The Lord Jesus informs them that when the Holy Spirit comes He will guide them into all the truth. He tells them that the Holy Spirit will not speak about new things unknown to them but He will speak to them of the things that He has received from the Lord Jesus, including things yet to come.
The Lord Jesus declared to His Disciples that all that belongs to God the Father also belongs to Him as the Heavenly Father’s Only Begotten Son:
“12 I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
The Lord Jesus concludes his instruction to His Disciples by summarising the Ministry of the Holy Spirit, “the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
I, personally, love the translation of the Greek text as presented in the Old English language of the “King James Bible:”
“He shall take of Mine and show it unto thee.”
The Ministry of the Holy Spirit is away from Himself, and focuses entirely on the Lord Jesus’ Mighty Work of Redemption on the Cross, His Resurrection from the dead, and His Glorious Ascension to the Right Hand of God the Father, from Whom our Beloved Saviour has received all Might Majesty, Dominion and Power.
The Holy Gospel is the “Take of Mine” that the Holy Spirit will take off, and show unto us.
Sadly many so called “christian churches” are preoccupied with what the Holy Spirit is doing in their lives, (subjective Christianity) rather than what the Lord Jesus has Mightily done for all people in His Holy Gospel (objective historical Christianity).
Let us thank God for the Gift of the Holy Spirit and His Work: taking of the things of the Lord Jesus and showing us the Truth and Meaning of the Holy Gospel, and that He will stand by us as God’s Holy Comforter, to support us in times of peril or anxiety, showing what the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus teaches us to do, or say. Amen.
Bishop Ian