The Collect for the Third Sunday in Lent
We Beseech You, Almighty God, to look upon the hearty desires of Your humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of your Majesty, to be our defence against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect for Ash Wednesday
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 1 Ephesians 5:1-14
5 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
The Holy Gospel of St Luke 11:14-28
14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” 16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.
17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.
23 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
24 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”
28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Bishop Ian’s Thoughts
Today’s Epistle Reading is taken from St Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians Chapter 5, Verses 1-14.
In this portion of his Epistle St Paul exhorts the Ephesian Christians to follow the example of Godly Living provided by God Himself, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
St Paul declares that the Lord Jesus loves the Ephesians, (and all Christians, including us), and this was shown by the Lord Jesus’ Sacrifice of Himself as the Perfect Offering, beyond price, to God for the sins of all His Chosen People:
“5 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
St Paul then warns the Ephesian Church that there must not be even the slightest hint of any immorality, or impurity, in their community relating to sexuality or any other facet of their lives.
God’s people must live according to the Holy Standard of Living that the Lord Jesus showed during His Earthly Ministry:
“3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”
St Paul then warns the Ephesian Christians (and of course us) about speaking using “obscenity.”
Routine swearing, cursing, and filthy innuendo have no place in a Christian person's conversation.
“Foolish talk,” with no regard for individual or community standards, and expectations is another type of conversation that St Paul warns about.
St Paul also warns the Ephesians to avoid “coarse (dirty) joking.” Such joking almost always uses filthy language, or focuses on immoral activity.
We, in this day and age of rapidly declining moral standards, and increasingly vile public entertainment found in books, films, television shows, and live theatre, must work hard not to become entangled in this particularly deadly web of Satan.
The Ephesian Christians are further warned, by St Paul, that any persons leading a life of immorality, impurity, or greed will be punished by God, and excluded from His Glorious Kingdom, as those persons are “idolaters:”
The Ephesian Church is forbidden to associate with such persons:
“5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.”
St Paul then commanded the Ephesians to walk in the Light of the Lord Jesus now that they have been delivered from the Satanic darkness of lives that do not have the Divine Truth and Light of the Holy Gospel:
“8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.”
St Paul begins the conclusion of our Epistle Reading by further commanding the Ephesian Christians to “Live as children of Light:”
“Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”
They are told to bear fruit, which is defined as “goodness, righteousness and truth.”
They are to “have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”
They are to ”find out what pleases the Lord.”
The Ephesian Christians would have sought to please the Lord Jesus by meeting together to hear any letters from the Apostles read, and to Pray. Also they would have been greatly blessed, by God, to have heard any of the Lord Jesus’ Apostles speak, in person, while these Apostles were visiting the local churches.
What a blessing it would have been for members of the many young churches, to have been able to speak with St Paul, St John, St Peter, or any other of the Lord Jesus’ twelve Apostles, and be able to ask them questions and receive their reply face to face.
We, in our day and age, can meet together with other Christians to discuss the things of God and Pray. While we do not have the physical presence of the Apostles we have the Holy Bible, the Holy Word of God, with the Old and New Testaments, which contain God’s entire Revelation to mankind from the creation of the world to the re-creation of the world at the end of time, when God’s Eternal Kingdom will be established.
We also have the great Gift of the Holy Spirit to testify to our minds the Truths of God revealed in the Holy Scriptures.
St Paul further tells the Ephesians that it is a shameful thing to even mention, or discuss, what disobedient persons do in secret:
“12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.”
When the light of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus shines upon them their deeds will be seen by all:
“13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.”
St Paul concludes our Epistle Reading by referring to a well-known Christian Hymn, of the Lord Jesus’ time, regarding the Light of the God.
“14 This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
The Hymn that St Paul is quoting was inspired by many passages from the Old Testament, and was revealed to the world, in the New Testament, after the Crucifixion and Resurrection, as pertaining to God’s, Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Among the many passages of Holy Scripture dealing with the Light of God perhaps the best loved passage is from the great Old Testament Prophet Isaiah, who wrote in Chapter 60, Verses 1-3, of his Book, regarding the Messiah’s then, future, coming to ancient Israel to deliver them, from their enemies and the establishment His Great Kingdom:
“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”
Let us give thanks to God for giving us the Gift of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, and may He give us Grace to live our lives as those redeemed by the Holy Blood of His Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, and may we always strive, with the help of the Mighty Holy Spirit, to avoid the evil works of Satan, that are contrary to the Will of God. Amen.
Today’s Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Luke Chapter 11, Verses 14-28.
St Luke opens this portion of his Holy Gospel with the account of the Lord Jesus driving out a demon who had rendered a man unable to speak.
As was usual, a crowd of onlookers had gathered around to see and hear the Lord Jesus, and His Disciples, as He taught, and healed those with diseases, and liberated those possessed by evil spirits:
“14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed.”
When the demon had been driven out of the mute man, and he spoke, the crowd, on the whole, were amazed, but as with all crowds there were hecklers who yelled out and tried to stir up the crowd.
“15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons”.
The hecklers in this instance would have, no doubt, been Pharisees or Jewish priests who sought to discredit the Lord Jesus, by claiming that it was by the power of “Beelzebul, the prince of demons” that the demons were cast out of the man.
Others in the crowd again sought to discredit the Lord Jesus by asking Him to give them, sign from heaven:”
” 16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.”
The asking of “a sign from heaven” was a recurring demand made to the Lord Jesus and it demonstrated that those asking for a sign had no faith in the Lord Jesus, and His Work of Healing and Casting out demons. Such faithless people demanded additional visual proof of the Lord Jesus’ identity and authority.
The Holy Gospel of St Matthew Chapter 12, Verses 38-42, records the Lord Jesus' answer to the Pharisees when they demanded, from Him, a Heavenly Sign to validate His Ministry.
The Lord Jesus' refused their request declaring that the "sign of the prophet Jonah" was the only sign that they would be given:
“38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
“39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.”
Such a lack of faith shown by the asking for a sign, or other proof from God, was an extreme insult to God and His Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus.
The Ministry of the Lord Jesus was focused on peoples’ response, of faith, to His Words and Actions.
Those persons who believed in the Lord Jesus did so because of faith, given to them by the Holy Spirit, who calls out God’s Chosen people, to this day, by His Voice (the Holy Bible) and His Eternal Truth revealed in His Holy Scriptures.
The Holy Gospel of St John Chapter 10, Verses 1-5, testifies to how the Lord Jesus, likened to a Good Shepherd, calls His Sheep (God’s Chosen People) by them hearing and recognising their Master’s Voice:
10“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.”
St Luke then records the Lord Jesus’ response to the hecklers, “knowing their thoughts”:
“17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
The Lord Jesus used the analogy of an earthly kingdom which is divided against itself and as a result it is weaker and will eventually disintegrate and fall.
He declares that it is preposterous to think that He works His miracles by the power by Beelzebul (Satan). He turns the explanation of the Pharisees back onto themselves by asking them “by whom do your followers drive them (demons) out.”
This response of the Lord Jesus did not mean that any of the disciples of the Pharisees had the power to cast out demons.
That power resides only in the Holy Son of God and those of Faith, His Holy Disciples, to whom He gave this Gift.
The Lord Jesus was using a linguistic device known as “ad hominem” which literally means “to the man.” This literary device is used in a refutation, especially where dishonest opponents, who have little interest in the truth, are involved.
What the Lord Jesus was saying to the Pharisees was this: if you say that I am casting out demons by the power of Satan, then make the same accusation to your own followers, because they purport to do the same thing as I do.
The Lord Jesus presses on with His illustration that the Day of Salvation has arrived with His Coming, and the kingdom of Satan is being plundered by a stronger man (the Lord Jesus):
“21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armour in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.”
The Lord Jesus then declares that whoever does not accept Him as the Great Messiah and does not acknowledge His Divine Authority, and does not work with Him, is not neutral, but is “against me”:
“23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
The Lord Jesus then told the following story regarding a demon that has been cast out of a person:
“24 When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
The story of the cast out demon is a parable that is not intended to inform us of the operating habits of demons, but rather to warn of the exceedingly severe fate that awaits a person who appears to repent of their sins and outwardly makes a new start.
If such a person’s repentance is not wholly genuine, and is not followed by positive spiritual growth then the former demon can return with other stronger demons, and the person’s last state will be worse than it was prior to the original demon being cast out.
As the Lord Jesus was speaking to the crowd, a woman, in the crowd, called out with a cry of blessing on Mary, the Lord Jesus’ mother:
“27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”
The woman, while declaring a blessing on the Lord Jesus’ mother, was in fact saying “if only I had a son like this.”
The Lord Jesus responded:
“28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
What the Lord Jesus was saying was that there was something far more important for the woman and all other people, namely, that they should hear the Word of God that the Lord Jesus was proclaiming, and obey it by accepting and and believing it.
They, and we, must believe in, and accept, the Gift of God’s provision of Salvation from our sins through the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
May the Holy Spirit incline our hearts to accept, with Joy, the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus and to trust only in God’s Gracious Promise of Forgiveness of our sins by the Holy Gospel, and so make us His Adopted Children and Heirs of His Glorious Eternal Kingdom. Amen.
Bishop Ian