The Collect for the First Sunday in Lent
O Lord, who for our sake did fast forty days and forty nights; Give us Grace to use such abstinence, that, our bodies being subdued to the Spirit, we may ever obey Your Godly directions in Righteousness, and True Holiness, to Your Honour and Glory, Who lives and reigns with the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
The Collect for Ash Wednesday (The First Day of Lent)
Almighty and Everlasting God, who hates nothing that You have made, and forgives the sins of all those who are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite hearts that we, being truly sorry for our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may, obtain of You, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle 2 Corinthians 6:1-10
6 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,
“In the time of my favour I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.
4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;
5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots;
in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;
6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
8 through glory and dishonour, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown;
dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
The Holy Gospel of St Matthew 4:1-11
4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Bishop Ian’s Thoughts
Today’s Epistle Reading is taken from St Paul’s Second Epistle to the Corinthians Chapter 6, Verses 1-10.
In this portion of his Epistle St Paul details, with great passion, his reception of God’s Great Gift of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, and how it far outweighs the cost to him of his discipleship.
St Paul opens our Epistle Reading with an exhortation to receive God’s Grace in a sincere life changing way and not in a superficial and casual manner:
“1 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,
“In the time of my favour I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
St Paul quotes the words of the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah, recorded in Chapter 49, Verse 8 of his Book:
“8 This is what the Lord says:
“In the time of my favor I will answer you,
and in the day of salvation I will help you;
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people,
to restore the land.”
Faithful Jewish people, who lived in the faith, and example, of Abraham, who read this prophecy would have understood that the message spoke to the coming of the God’s Messiah, Who, it was believed, would restore Israel to the glorious days of King Solomon.
The coming of the Great Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, would do infinitely more than what was popularly expected.
God’s Glorious Kingdom would be established and all people who believe in the Holy Gospel, both Jews and Gentiles, would inherit this Kingdom as Adopted Children of God.
St Paul declares that God has heard His Faithful People’s prayers and has now intervened and acted in mankind’s history, to reconcile all repentant sinners to Himself by the Precious Gift of the Holy Gospel.
It is most important to clearly understand that there is, however, a twofold limitation, on this Gift, imposed by God Himself.
That twofold limitation is, firstly, that it is the responsibility of each man and woman to respond to God’s Precious Gift by accepting or rejecting the Holy Gospel.
Secondly, God’s limitation is that the time period allocated, by God, to accept the Holy Gospel.
This time period is a well-defined and clearly announced fact:
“I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.”
The time that we must accept the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus is this very minute.
We must not hesitate or procrastinate, we must act with urgency.
We must accept the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus now !
The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus will mark the close of the period in which a person can accept His Holy Gospel and receive God’s complete forgiveness of their sins.
The Great Judgement of God will take place at the time of the Lord Jesus’ Second Coming.
St Paul then tells us that he and his followers endeavoured not to give personal offence to any other persons, lest in offending someone they bring the Holy Gospel into disrepute:
“3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.
4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way.”
In days gone by, I have heard it said that “Christ is judged (His message evaluated) by the worst Christian’s lifestyle.”
St Paul obviously agrees, as he endeavours to not put a stumbling block in any person’s way.
St Paul tells us that they “Commend ourselves in every way.” This means that they do everything to present themselves as people of good and kind character and actions.
A good and kind lifestyle will enhance their effectiveness in the proclamation of the Holy Gospel, so that the hearers will see the quality of their lives and know the Truth and Power of the Holy Gospel.
Many people will find an excuse not to accept the Holy Gospel because it was proclaimed by some person that they do not like so, in their estimation, it must be worthless.
We must always seek to live the most loving and considerate lives, knowing that any of our actions could potentially cause another person to disregard the Holy Gospel.
God calls His Chosen people by the hearing of the Holy Gospel.
God’s Chosen people know the Lord Jesus’ voice and recognise the Truth of His Word. We know this by the Lord Jesus’ Words declared to the Jewish Pharisees, and recorded in the Holy Gospel of St John, Chapter 10, Verses 1-6:
1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.
2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.”
The Lord Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
St Paul continues by giving three groups of difficulties that he and his colleagues have had to face and overcome.
The key to their ability to overcome these difficulties is “in great endurance” which is the strength provided by the Holy Spirit.
The first group of difficulties is of natural origin. These might include shipwreck, extreme weather or drought and famine and other hardships faced by all people:
“in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;”
The second group of difficulties are those created by men:
“5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots;”
The third group of difficulties are those imposed by St Paul and his companions on themselves in order to continue their work of proclaiming the Holy Gospel:
“in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;”
St Paul then declares that the success of his ministry was due to God’s Gifts as detailed in the following portion of his Epistle:
6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God;
“In the Power of the Holy Spirit” means with the Gift of the Holy Spirit’s Power and Guidance, given and received with Love.
“with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;”
The weapons that St Paul mentions are, of course, related to the Armour of God described by St Paul in his Letter to the Ephesian Church Chapter 6, Verses 6-10:
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Guarded with defensive armour of God and armed with the “Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Holy Gospel), we are spiritually invincible against the forces of evil.
We may fall (die) in battle but the war will be won !
St Paul begins the concluding portion of our Epistle Reading by presenting us with a number of apparent contradictions relating to his group’s Missionary Work:
“8 through glory and dishonour, bad report and good report;”
There were liars, deceivers and false prophets seeking to malign St Paul and his fellow workers by spreading lies about their character and actions.
The liars hoped to extinguish St Paul’s message of God’s Glory by spreading lies regarding the character and actions of he and his fellow missionaries.
The liars and deceivers sought to paint St Paul and his colleagues as unknown “no accounts”, of disreputable character, with little or no education and incapable of being true messengers of God but rather imposters and frauds:
“genuine, yet regarded as impostors;
9 known, yet regarded as unknown;”
The liars and the deceivers also spread news that St Paul’s Missionary Work had failed (dying and beaten). Despite this St Paul bounced back, by the Power of the Holy Spirit and continued the Holy Mission:
“dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed;”
St Paul concludes our Epistle Reading with stark statements of apparent failure but which, in reality, were magnificent successes:
“10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”
St Paul and his fellow workers may have shed sorrowful tears at times such as the illness, or death of a Church member, yet they could rejoice that the ill person had recovered, or that the deceased Church member was with the Lord Jesus.
Also while poor financially, and having few earthly provisions and goods, they were rich in Heavenly Treasure being God’s Chosen People through the Holy Gospel, and therefore clothed in the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
They were able to impart this Heavenly Gift and make many other people rich in Heavenly Treasure.
While they had nothing, they had the greatest riches men and women can obtain, the forgiveness of sins and the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ through which all God’s chosen people become His Adopted Children, and Heirs of His Eternal Kingdom.
May God give us thankful hearts for the Great Gift of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and may God give us His Grace to proclaim the Holy Gospel without fear, all the days of our earthly lives. Amen.
Today’s Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Matthew Chapter 4, Verses 1-11.
In this portion of his Holy Gospel St Matthew records the temptation of the Lord Jesus by Satan.
These temptations came immediately after the Lord Jesus was Baptised, in the Jordan River, by John the Baptist.
The Baptism of the Lord Jesus is regarded, by the majority of scholars, as the beginning of His Earthly Ministry.
After the Lord Jesus’ Baptism, the Holy Spirit came upon Him, and God Testified, by His Voice from Heaven, as to the Lord Jesus’ Divine Origin and Authority.
St Mathew also records this event in the Fourth Chapter of His Holy Gospel, Verses 16-17:
“16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
As soon as the Lord Jesus received His Commission and Testimony from Heaven, Satan sought to undermine His Faith and demoralize Him with three specific and well-focused temptations:
“4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
The Lord Jesus had fasted for a long period as he communed with His Heavenly Father and as a result he was very hungry.
Satan focused his first temptation on the basic physical need of the Lord Jesus, food to satisfy His hunger.
It also sought to undermine the Lord Jesus’ trust in His Heavenly Father.
Satan sought to create doubt in the Lord Jesus’ mind, doubt as to the Truth of God’s Words as to whether He was the Son of God, as God had stated at His Baptism, declaring “This is My Son.”
The Lord Jesus’ physical hunger would have made Satan’s temptation to create bread, to refresh Himself, very real.
The Lord Jesus’ answered Satan:
“4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’
The Lord Jesus was quoting from the Old Testament Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 8, Verse 3, where Manna (grain-like flakes which could be ground, and made into bread), fell from Heaven each morning and was provided by God to the people of Israel to sustain them during their journey to the Canaan:
“3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”
The Lord Jesus defeated the first temptation of Satan with the Word of God from the Old Testament.
Satan then tempted the Lord Jesus a second time:
“5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down.”
This second temptation of the Lord Jesus, by Satan, was focused on an even more necessary facet of human need, the need to survive a life threatening situation.
Satan challenged the Lord Jesus to test God’s Promise to give His Holy One (His Messiah) the urgent assistance of God’s Holy Angels, in any need.
Satan even sought to intensify and legitimise this temptation, by quoting from the Holy Bible:
“‘For it is written
He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
This Quotation is from the Old Testament Book of the Psalms, Psalm 91, Verse 11:
“9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.”
The Lord Jesus defeated Satan’s second temptation like He did with the first temptation. The Lord Jesus used God’s Holy Word:
“7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
The Words of God that the Lord Jesus used were taken from the Old Testament Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 6, Verse 16:
“16 Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah.”
Having twice failed to tempt the Lord Jesus to sin, Satan tries a third time to tempt the Lord Jesus to betray God by sinning.
This third temptation was aimed at giving the Lord Jesus control over all the world, without the need to suffer the agony of beatings, torture, brutal scourging, and crucifixion:
“8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
This third temptation would have put extreme pressure on anyone. Satan offered the Lord Jesus what he had come into the world to achieve, the control of all mankind, at the apparent little cost of kneeling before Satan and paying him homage.
Earthly kings did this regularly to save their land and wealth from looting and destruction, by other more powerful kings.
This last temptation was, however, a lying piece of trickery, for the world did not belong to Satan, and it was not his to give. Satan may have temporarily influenced many of the world’s nations but they still belonged to God.
The Lord Jesus defeated this third temptation powerfully, by again quoting God’s Word and commanding Satan to leave Him once and for all:
“10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
The Word of God, that the Lord Jesus used to banish Satan, is drawn from the Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 6, Verse 13:
“13 Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. 14 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you.”
Having completely and comprehensively defeated Satan by the use of God’s Holy Word, the Lord Jesus is ministered to, and refreshed by, God’s Holy Angels, who no doubt rejoiced and praised the Lord Jesus for His Victory over Satan:
“11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”
I am sure that our Heavenly Father would have said to the Lord Jesus, “Well done My Beloved Son, in You I am Well Pleased.
The Lord Jesus’ Victory is also our Victory, as we are bound to Him by Faith and clothed in His Holy Righteousness.
May God give us His Grace to always remember that the same weapon that the Lord Jesus used to defeat Satan is also available to us: The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and let us also never cease to give Praise to the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour and God. Amen.
Bishop Ian