Sunday 13th August 2024 Trinity 12

The Collect for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity

Almighty and Everlasting God, who is always more ready to hear then we to pray, and always wants to give more than either we desire, or deserve; Pour down upon us the abundance of Your mercy; forgiving us those things our conscience is afraid of, and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask for, but through merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord.    Amen.

The Epistle 2 Corinthians 3:4-11

4 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?

 9 If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

The Holy Gospel of St Mark 7:31-37

31 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. 32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.

33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today’s Epistle Reading is taken from St Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian Church, Chapter 3, Verses 4-11. 

In this passage of his Epistle St Paul contrasts the nature of the Law of Moses (The Old Covenant) with the nature of the Holy Gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ (The New Covenant).

St Paul begins by establishing the basis of our confidence to approach God without fear:

"4 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

It is through the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus that a believer is clothed in the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus, and is enabled to stand, with confidence, before God, the Almighty Creator, and Ruler of all things.

To emphasise the limitless Glory of the Lord Jesus, St Paul directs us to consider the Glory of God, manifested as a bright illumination temporarily emanating from Moses' face, after he received the Law of God, on stone tablets, on Mount Sinai:

"7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?"

St Paul's reference to Moses' Glory would call to his readers’ minds their knowledge of Mosaic Worship that ancient Israel had developed from the time of the reception of God's Law, written by God, on stone tablets, and delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai, until the time of the Lord Jesus.

St Paul describes the Old Covenant as being of the “Letter” and the end result of this was death. 

The Old Covenant’s purpose was to show that no person possessed the ability to keep all the commandments that were imposed, on a worshiper, by the Law of Moses (Mosaic Law).

No person ever born of woman could do this !

To keep those commandments 24 hours a day for an entire lifetime was impossible, so God initially provided a means of escape for His people.  This means of escape was the system of animal sacrifices for the forgiveness of sin.

These sacrifices were prescribed for a variety of sins and thanksgivings.  The most important sacrifices took place on one day of the year that was known as the Day of Atonement (known by the Jews as “Yom Kippur"). 

On the Day of Atonement the High Priest sacrificed a young bull, a ram, and and one of two goats, and then entered through a great curtain, or veil, into the inmost, and most sacred, part of the Jewish Temple.  This chamber was known as the Holy of Holies.

God also commanded that the second goat, chosen with the first sacrificial goat was to be brought into His presence, and to be used as the “Scapegoat” to ceremonially carry away the Israelites’ sins into the wilderness.

Inside the Holy of Holies was a golden alter of incense and the Ark of the Covenant, which represented God’s Covenant and Presence with His people.  The Ark contained the stone tablets on which was written the Law of Moses, Aaron’s staff that had budded in the presence of Moses and Pharoah, and a gold container of Heavenly Manna that God provided the people of Israel with during their long journey to the land promised to them by God. The contents of the Holy Ark are specified in the New Testament Epistle to the Hebrews Chapter 9, Verses 3 and 4:

"3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant."

The top, or lid, of the Ark was overlaid with gold and had two gold Cherubim (Angelic beings who serve God) with their wings outstretched covering the central part of the Ark’s cover.  This area was called “The Mercy Seat of God” and was symbolic of the place where God Sat and Met His people to Forgive their sins.

The Old Testament Book of Leviticus Chapter 16 details the elaborate ritual carried out by Aaron, the first High Priest, in connection with the Day of Atonement:

1 “The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the Lord. 2 The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.

3 “This is how Aaron is to enter the Most Holy Place: He must first bring a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are sacred garments; so he must bathe himself with water before he puts them on. 5 From the Israelite community he is to take two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

6 “Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household. 7 Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8 He is to cast lots for the two goats—one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat. 9 Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering. 10 But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.

11 “Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household, and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering. 12 He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense and take them behind the curtain. 13 He is to put the incense on the fire before the Lord, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the tablets of the covenant law, so that he will not die. 14 He is to take some of the bull’s blood and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover.

15 “He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as he did with the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it. 16 In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the tent of meeting, which is among them in the midst of their uncleanness. 17 No one is to be in the tent of meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of Israel.

18 “Then he shall come out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it. He shall take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar. 19 He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and to consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.

20 “When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. 21 He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. 22 The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.

23 “Then Aaron is to go into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there. 24 He shall bathe himself with water in the sanctuary area and put on his regular garments. Then he shall come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people, to make atonement for himself and for the people. 25 He shall also burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.

26 “The man who releases the goat as a scapegoat must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp. 27 The bull and the goat for the sin offerings, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, must be taken outside the camp; their hides, flesh and intestines are to be burned up. 28 The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp.

29 “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or a foreigner residing among you— 30 because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins. 31 It is a day of sabbath rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance. 32 The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments 33 and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the members of the community.

34 “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.”

And it was done, as the Lord commanded Moses.

On the Day of Atonement the High Priest sprinkled the blood of the sacrificial animal onto the Mercy Seat, of the Ark, to obtain forgiveness of sins for the whole nation of Israel.

The Old Testament Book of Exodus Chapters 36-40 detail the building of the first Tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) and the Ark of the Covenant.  This Tabernacle was the dwelling place of God on earth amongst His people.  This Tabernacle was portable and carried with the people of Israel during their long journey to Canaan.

Approximately 500 years later the portable Tabernacle was replaced by the first Jewish Temple, built in Jerusalem.

This first Temple was built by King Solomon around 830 BC and was the focus of Jewish Worship for 233 years, until it was destroyed in 587 BC during the Babylonian conquest.

The Ark of the Covenant disappeared after the destruction of the Temple.  Some ancient legends say that it was hidden in a cave under the Temple Mount while other legends say that it was lost or destroyed, while yet other legends say that it was taken into heaven by God.

The second Temple was built around 516 BC, on the same location as the first Temple, and this second Temple was extensively renovated by King Herod the Great around 100 BC.  The second Temple became known as Herod’s Temple due to the scope of the restoration work carried out during Herod’s reign.

In the second Temple the Holy of Holies was an empty chamber, as the Ark of the Covenant had been lost with the destruction of the first Temple, some 480 years before.

The daily ritual of the Temple and especially the ritual of the Day of Atonement, had a twofold purpose.  The first purpose was to deal with the sins of God’s people.  The second and more importance purpose was to point forward to the coming of the Messiah.

We now know that Messiah is the Lord Jesus Christ who became the Perfect and Eternal Sacrifice for the sins of all God’s people, past, present and future.

The Holy Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, shed, once, for all sins, is infinitely greater than the blood of animals that needed to be shed repeatedly.

The High Priest could only enter the Holy of Holies once a year to sprinkle blood for the forgiveness of the people’s sin.  When the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified the curtain of the Holy of Holies (where God’s presence dwelt) was torn in two and the most Holy Place in Jewish worship was opened to all people to enter as they wished.

This tearing of the curtain was symbolic of God’s presence being accessible to all people through the forgiveness provided by The Lord Jesus, whose Perfect, once only, Sacrifice erased all the sins of His Chosen People forever.

St Paul then goes on to contrast the temporary nature Old Covenant of Moses with the New and Everlasting Covenant of God.

It is vital to understand that the Greek word for “new” used to describe the New Covenant of the Lord Jesus Christ, denotes newness of quality, not new as in time.

As previously mentioned, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, after receiving the Law from God, his face shone with a radiance that came from being in the presence of God.  This miraculous event is recorded in the Old Testament Book of Exodus Chapter 34, Verses 29-35:

"29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai."

 This radiance was so bright that the people could not bear to look at Moses’ face for any length of time.

St Paul concludes our Epistle Reading by telling us that Moses' Radiance (glory) was a spectacular but temporary phenomenon that faded with time.  If such glory was associated with the Temporary Covenant of Moses, the Glory of the New Covenant of the Lord Jesus Christ will far surpass it:

 “9 If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!”

Although the Old Covenant, given by God to Moses, was the basis for a Holy and Merciful relationship, the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Perfect and Everlasting Foundation for our Eternal Relationship with God, as His Chosen people.

We who have faith in the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus are forever clothed in the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus, and have been made the Adopted Children of our Heavenly Father.

Let us always give God thanks for the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Salvation that has been won for us through the shedding of the Holy and Righteous Blood of the Lord Jesus, our Holy Saviour and Mighty God.     Amen.

The Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Mark Chapter 7, Verses 31-37.

This passage from the Holy Gospel of St Mark records the healing of a man who was deaf and had a severe speech impediment that prevented him from speaking clearly:

"31 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. 32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him."

The Lord Jesus had previously healed a demon possessed man in the same area so the reports and testimonies of that miracle had no doubt spread throughout that region.  These reports were believed and accepted by many people, who as a result of hearing of this miracle, placed their faith in the Lord Jesus.

The afflicted man was brought, by a group of people, to the feet of the Lord Jesus where they begged for His help.

In response to the faith of those that brought the man, the Lord Jesus took him aside from those that brought him: 

“33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.”

The Lord Jesus took the man aside, from the great bulk of the crowd, to avoid any distraction that the crowd would have made during the healing process.

We can assume the that the deaf man’s close friends were with him.

The Lord Jesus then put his fingers into the deaf man’s ears and spat on His finger and touched the man’s tongue.  While doing this The Lord Jesus lifted His head towards Heaven and with a deep sigh said to the man “Ephphatha” (be opened).

The detail that Jesus made a deep sigh during the healing process is St Mark’s way of showing that the Lord Jesus experienced, and displayed, every emotion that a truly human person would display.

The Lord Jesus was Truly Man and Truly God.

Immediately when Jesus commanded “be opened” the man’s ears were opened so that he heard, and his tongue was loosened so that he spoke plainly.

It is interesting that the Greek word used to describe the man’s speech impediment is very rare and is only used in one other place in the Greek translation of the Old Testament.  This same word is used in connection with the miracles that will accompany the coming of the Messiah (Mighty Deliverer), as recorded in the Old Testament Book of The Prophet Isaiah Chapter 35, Verses 5-6:

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 word was obviously in the mind of St Mark as he recorded this passage in his Holy Gospel.  St Mark thus declares that the Lord Jesus’ Miracle of Healing of this deaf, and speech impaired man, to be one of those miracles that were prophesied, many years before, by the prophet Isaiah concerning the coming of the Messiah.

St Mark in using this word from the Book of Isaiah declares, to all, that the long promised Messiah was the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Holy Gospel Reading concludes with the Lord Jesus commanding the healed man, and his friends, not to spread the news of his healing, as the Lord Jesus always preferred to base His Mighty acts of healing on pre-existant faith rather than proof evident after the event. The man, and his friends, however, disregarded the Lord Jesus' request and news of this miracle soon spread throughout the region and was received with tremendous amazement:

“36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

The long awaited Messiah had come in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When St John the Baptist was imprisoned by King Herod Antipas, awaiting execution, he was in a state of Satanic inspired depression, and wondered if God was punishing him for promoting a false messiah.

John was alone, and knew his death could not be far away.

John sent his disciples to The Lord Jesus to ask if He was the Messiah or should we look for another.

The Lord Jesus' wonderful reply is recorded in the Holy Gospel of St Matthew Chapter 11 versus 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.” 

(The Old Testament Book of Malachi Chapter 3, Verse 1)

“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."

The man whose healing is recorded in our Holy Gospel Reading, was an important part of the revelation that God's Messiah had come.

The answer that was reported back to John, would have have lifted his spirits enormously as John knew the scriptures concerning the coming of the Messiah and John’s disciples would have told him that they had witnessed those prophesies, made long ago, being fulfilled in the Ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.

May the Lord Jesus Bless today's Readings, from the Epistle and Holy Gospel, to us, and give us the confidence to confess our sins and doubts to Him, in full assurance that He will forgive our sins and pour upon us His Heavenly Blessings that exceed all that we can imagine.     Amen.

Bishop Ian

Sunday 15th August 2023 Trinity 11

The Collect for the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity

O God, Who shows forth Your Almighty Power most principally in showing mercy and pity; Mercifully grant to us such a measure of Your Grace, that we, living according to Your Commandments, may obtain Your Gracious Promises, and be made partakers of Your Heavenly Treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord.    Amen.

The Epistle 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

1 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas (Peter), and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to a child born at the wrong time.

9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

The Holy Gospel of Luke 18:9-14

9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today’s Epistle Reading is from St Paul’s first Epistle to the Corinthian Church, Chapter 15, Verses 1-11. 

In this portion of his Epistle St Paul reinforces the vital importance and absolute truth of the Holy Gospel that had first been preached to the then, new, Christian Church at Corinth.

It may have been that the Corinthian Church had forgotten the essential points of the Holy Gospel or had not understood it completely.

St Paul passionately reminds the Corinthian Christians that the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only basis of their Salvation, and the Salvation of any person seeking to please God by trust in, and obedience to, His Holy Commandments:

“1 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.”

Under the Old Testament Law of Moses a believer was required to vigorously strive to obey the great number of “do’s and don’ts” prescribed in faith and worship under the Mosaic Code.

Of course no Jewish person could obey all of the Law of Moses, throughout all the days of their life, so forgiveness for sin was sought and obtained, albeit on a yearly basis, through the sacrifice of animals at the Tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) and later in the Temple.

During His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus summed up all of the Old Testament Law and its obligations and re-interpreted them very succinctly, as recorded in the Holy Gospel of St Mark 12:28-31,

"28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“29The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

The Lord Jesus, towards the end of His Earthly Ministry, gave His Disciples a new commandment, recorded in the Holy Gospel of St John Chapter 13, Verses 34-35:

“34 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”   

Our Epistle Reading continues with St Paul summarizing the core of the Holy Gospel as he vigorously declares that, in accordance with the Holy Scriptures, the Lord Jesus:-          

          Was crucified and died (to pay the price of our sin).

          Was buried for 3 days (It was then certain that the Lord Jesus was dead).

          Was resurrected from the dead (returned to life).

          Appeared (physically alive) to His Disciples and many other people:

"3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas (Peter), and then to the Twelve."

"6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,"

St Paul then declares that the Lord Jesus, lastly, appeared to him on the road to Damascus.

St Paul likens himself to a child born after the events surrounding the Lord Jesus had taken place, and the forms of Worship and Prayer, within the fledgling Christian Church, were in the process of being developed.

"8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to a child born at the wrong time."

In a sense St Paul had missed the main events, however the Risen Lord Jesus appeared to him and brought him “up to speed,” so to say. St Paul was instructed in greater detail by meeting and speaking with other Christian believers after his conversion from a zealous Pharisee, set on destroying this new movement and it’s teaching, to a new believer.

Before his conversion St Paul, then known as Saul, was a zealous Pharisee (teacher of the Law) and a great persecutor of the early Christians. He was on his way to Damascus, with letters of authority from the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, to seek out, and arrest Jewish followers of the Lord Jesus, and take them back to Jerusalem for punishment.

The wonderful account of Saul’s conversion is found in the Book of the Acts of The Apostles Chapter 9 Verses 1-19:

9 Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” 7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened.

St Paul then declared that he was not worthy to be called an Apostle, because he persecuted the young Christian Church, however, he went on to say that by the Grace of God “I am what I am”, and that because of God’s great mercy shown to him by forgiving his sins and choosing him to preach to the Gentiles (non-Jewish people), he worked harder than most of those who believed in the Lord Jesus:

“9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”

St Paul’s Pharisee training would have no doubt enabled him to relate much quicker and more in depth to the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus and it’s meaning and significance to both Jews and Gentiles.

St Paul revealed that it was the indwelling Holy Spirit, and not his own efforts, that empowered him to undertake his missionary work.

Our Epistle Reading closes with St Paul telling the Corinthian Christians that it did not matter from whom they heard the Holy Gospel, it is the Eternal Truth of what was preached, and that is what they believed.

St Paul’s closing statement implies a strong exhortation to hold fast to the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, that the Corinthian Christians had originally received and believed, so that they are not led astray by false teaching.

"11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed."

Let us always give thanks to our Loving God for His conversion of St Paul, and using him mightily to proclaim the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, in word, and in writing so that we, in this current day and age, have a first hand account of the works of the Lord Jesus and are able to grow in faith and truth, so that we may faithfully proclaim the Holy Gospel to others who are in the grip of Satan.     Amen.

Today's Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Luke Chapter 18, Verses 9-14.

In this portion of his Holy Gospel St Luke tells of the Lord Jesus' address to a group of men (probably Pharisees), who trusted in their own righteousness: 

“9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector”.

The Lord Jesus contrasted the attitude and actions of two very different Jewish worshipers, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector:

“11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.”

The Pharisees were a Jewish religious party (much like a modern political party), made up of highly educated middle class businessmen, and together with the Sadducees (the Jewish aristocracy) they comprised the ruling class of Israel.

The Pharisees were the minority faction within the 70 seat Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling council).

The Pharisees could be described as the more religious minded party of the Sanhedrin while the Sadducees were the more political minded party.

The Sadducees had a greater number of their party serving as priests in the daily worship of the Jewish Temple.

The Sadducees, while having a general belief in God and His Holy Scriptures did not believe in the resurrection of the dead and an afterlife.  This confused belief is shown by the Sadducees' question to the Lord Jesus recorded in the Holy Gospel of St Matthew Chapter 22, Verses 23-32:

23 That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 24 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. 27 Finally, the woman died. 28 Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”

29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

The Sadducee’s denial of a spiritual world which included Angels and demons, is again revealed during St Pauls' appearance before the Sanhedrin, recorded in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles Chapter 23, Verses 6-8:

"6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” 7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees believe all these things.)"

The Sadducees worked hard to keep the peace with Rome, the occupation force, and master of Israel, during the time of the Lord Jesus.

Because the Sadducees were more concerned with politics then religion, they were unconcerned with the preaching of the Lord Jesus until His Ministry threatened to attract greater scrutiny from Rome.

Unlike the Sadducees, the Pharisees were held in high esteem by the common people of Israel, as they mixed daily with the people, while engaged in commerce, and teaching the scriptures in the Temple.

Some Pharisees were very good men who were devoted to their faith and showed love and kindness to the ordinary people.  Other Pharisees were not so inclined and were regarded by the people as hypocrites.

The tax collectors, of the Lord Jesus’ time, were Jewish men who were employed, or contracted, by senior Roman taxation officials (who often commanded military force) to physically collect the taxes levied, by Rome, upon the nation of Israel.

The tax collectors were permitted to keep a small fraction of the tax collected as their wage.

Human nature, being tainted by sin, meant that often the tax collectors collected more than they were entitled to collect and so the amount they retained as their wage often rose to a great sum.

It is no wonder that the tax collectors, of Jesus’ time, were regarded by the people as traitors doing Rome’s dirty work, cheats, liars and extortioners, preying on, and fleecing the people.

As a consequence of their dishonest behaviour the tax collectors were despised and shunned by the people.

The Lord Jesus’ requirements for the tax collectors who came to be baptized are recorded in the Holy Gospel of St Luke Chapter 3, Verses 12-13:

"12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them."

The conversion of the tax collector, Zacchaeus, and his response to the Lord Jesus’ command is recorded in The Holy Gospel of St Luke in Chapter 19, Verses 8-10:

19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

The Lord Jesus’ response is a most wonderful declaration and must have brought much joy to Zacchaeus and his family.

In our Holy Gospel Reading, the Pharisee and the tax collector could not have been further apart, socially, in the minds of the Lord Jesus’ hearers.

The Lord Jesus tells us that the Pharisee was self-content and proud of his righteousness, and thanked God that he was not like other men whom he regarded as the scum of the earth:

"11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’"

The Pharisee was and arrogant and trusted in his own righteousness and not the Forgiveness and Mercy of God.

The tax collector, on the other hand, recognised his many sins, and his total lack of merit in God’s sight.  He would not even dare to lift his head but rather hung it in shame and beat his chest, as a sign of sorrow and anxiety, calling on God for Mercy:

“13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!”

The tax collector displayed a reverent faith in God’s Promise to forgive repentant sinners, whereas the Pharisee displayed an arrogant pride in his own character and achievements.

The end result of this story is that God accepted the tax collector’s repentance and forgave his sin, but the Pharisee was not forgiven and his sin of pride and arrogance remained:

"14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

May God Bless these readings to us, and give us Grace to always forgive those who sin against us, and trust, not in our own righteousness, but in the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, for Salvation from our sin, and Adoption by God, as His Sons and Daughters, and so Heirs of His Eternal Kingdom.

Bishop Ian

Sunday 4th August 2024 Trinity 10

The Collect for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity  

Let Your merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of Your humble servants; and that they may obtain their requests make them to ask such things as shall please You; through Jesus Christ our Lord.    Amen.

The Epistle 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

The Holy Gospel of St Luke 19:41-47

41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city (Jerusalem) and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

45 Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.”

47 And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, 48 and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today’s Epistle Reading is taken from St Paul’s first Epistle to the Corinthian Church Chapter 12, Verses 1-11.

This portion of St Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians continues St Paul’s warning to the Corinthian Christians, that we began to study last week, regarding this Church’s backsliding into their old Pagan ways:

"12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.

St Paul focuses his attention on Spiritual Gifts, given to the people of the Lord Jesus, for use in building up, caring for, and adding to the number of His Church.

The Corinthian Christians are reminded that they were once Gentiles (non-Jewish People) and that they carried on in all manner of evil and immorality as part of their Pagan idol worship.

It appears that one of their members had called the Lord Jesus “accursed” while claiming to be speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

In response to this outrage, the Apostle Paul then delivers a very powerful declaration regarding any person who claims to speak under the influence of the Holy Spirit:

"3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit."

The first part of the St Paul’s declaration tells us that no true Christian person can ever call the Lord Jesus accursed.

To be called “accursed” means to be a liar and deceiver, a worker of evil, and a follower of Satan, standing under the condemnation and punishment of God.

The use of the word “can,” in the second part of St Paul’s declaration, means that a non Christian person is literally incapable of, making a genuine pronouncement of Jesus’ Lordship unless the Holy Spirit opens such a person’s heart and mind.

There have been times when devout and faithful Christians have been tortured, and forcibly administered drugs, to destroy their mind and their will, so as to make them say whatever their torturers want them to say.  This is a great sin on the part of the torturers, and will provoke the anger of God, and His Wrath will descend upon the torturers, resulting in their eternal damnation.

The next part of St Paul’s declaration has far reaching implications, not only for the Corinthian Christians, but for the entire Christian Church of all the ages of history, including us today:

"4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all."

Many churches, while claiming to be Christian, demand that their members exhibit “gifts of the Spirit” to prove that they are "true" Christians and worthy of membership in those churches.

Almost all of these churches require their members to undergo what is known as the “Baptism of the Holy Spirit,” irrespective of whether they are already Baptised Christians. This “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” involves the leaders of the church placing their hands on the head of the new member and praying that the new member will receive the Holy Spirit.

After they have undergone the "Baptism of the Holy Spirit," the new member must then speak in “tongues” to prove that they have really received the Holy Spirit. 

I have heard of instances where a new church member has been expelled from the "church" when this "proof" was not forthcoming.

All the “tongues” that I have personally heard, in years past when visiting some of these types of churches, have sounded like gibberish or animal-like noises, completely unintelligible, and to me a little worrying as no other person, present in the church at the time, interpreted or explained the meaning of the “tongues.”

The gift of “tongues” given by God to the Lord Jesus’ Apostles on the Day of Pentecost (the fiftieth day after Easter), were foreign languages, given so that visitors to Jerusalem from distant lands might hear The Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus in their own language.

The Book of the Acts Of the Apostles Chapter 2, Verses 2-12 details this miraculous event:

“2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.”

“5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

These “different tongues” were most certainly not animal-like sounds, or gibberish.

St Paul has the last word on tongues when he declares to us in his First Epistle to the Corinthians Chapter 14, Verse 18:

“but in the Church. I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue”

The worrying aspect of churches which practice “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” is that they disregard St Paul’s clear pronouncement in the second part of his declaration :

“No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.”

A person’s belief in The Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus’ Life, Death, Resurrection, Ascension into Heaven, and His Glorification at the Right Hand Of God Our Father, is the all that is required for that believer to stand before God clothed in the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus.

By God’s Solemn Promise, that person is saved from Judgement and made an adopted Child of God, to live for eternity in God’s Holy Kingdom.

When a new believer is baptised in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit they have the full presence of God, in their lives, and that they can then declare that Jesus is Lord, is absolute proof that the Holy Spirit has come into their heart and mind, without the need for any additional “Baptisim of the Holy Spirit.”

St Paul’s declaration and teaching, on tongues, is a great message to all Christians.

To require a Christian person to undergo a second, and by implication, a more advanced or higher grade “Baptism of the Holy Spirit,” or whatever, is to devalue the Holy Gospel and to make God’s gift of Salvation dependent on a “Gospel Plus” basis which denies, and negates the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus entirely.

A “Gospel Plus” is a “man assisted” gospel, and as such, it is a false gospel.

The “Gospel Plus” is a very subtle deceit of Satan to weaken, and destroy a believer’s full dependence on Christ’s Holy Gospel, alone, for Salvation, and deceives the believer into looking for, and focusing on, an additional ceremony, assent to a teaching, or some church ritual of men, to gain God’s acceptance.

In many instances the “Plus” becomes the most important part in the believer’s life, and the gauge that determines the sincerity, and devotion of any church member.

The “Gospel Plus” is a false gospel of works.

It is not The Holy Gospel of Faith, focused solely the Finished and Perfect Work of The Lord Jesus Christ.

Many churches that masquerade as “Christian” are, in fact, cults and have a “Gospel Plus” teaching at the heart of their particular church.

Our Epistle Reading begins its conclusion with St Paul’s description of the various gifts of the Holy Spirit given as He wills, for the benefit of all Christians:

"7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues."

The entire thrust of Paul’s message is that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to individuals, not to promote or enhance themselves, but rather to be used to strengthen and build up the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today we see many of the Holy Spirit’s Gifts displayed, not only by ministers of the Holy Gospel, but  by Christians who are doctors, dentists, nurses, school teachers, emergency services personnel, carers of the sick and disabled, and all people who assist others in the name of The Lord Jesus Christ.

Another indirect, but very important, lesson from today’s Epistle reading is that it assumes as Holy Truth the unique Personality, and Actions of The Holy Spirit, and so proves the Doctrine (Divine Teaching) regarding The Holy Trinity.

Our Almighty Heavenly Father has Graciously revealed Himself as the Mighty Triune God, Who is the Father, His only Begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ Our Saviour, and the Mighty Holy Spirit.

St Paul concludes today’s Epistle Reading by confirming that The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Holy and Blessed Trinity by declaring that The Holy Spirit as the One who chooses and gives His Gifts: 

“But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."

This personal description of the Holy Spirit acting on His own will, and with the same authority as God, silences all those so called "Christians" who teach that the Holy Spirit is only the inanimate power that God uses to do His Work, just as we use electricity.

May we always thank God for His Graceful provision of those whose Holy Gift it is to proclaim the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and call God's People to repentance and Faith in the Lord Jesus.  May we also always seek God's Blessing to give us the strength and courage to bear witness to the Truth and Power of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ as we live our daily lives in the midst of this sinful world which is suffering, in bondage, under the power of Satan and his agents.     Amen.

Today's Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Luke Chapter 19, Verses 41-47.

In this Portion of his Holy Gospel St Luke records the Lord Jesus’ last journey to Jerusalem during which He rode on a young donkey, for the last few miles.  Many people along the road spread their cloaks (outer garments) and palm fronds on the road as a mark of respect for Him.

This fulfilled what the Prophet Zechariah foretold, about 520 years before the birth of the Lord Jesus, and is recorded in the Old Testament Book of Zechariah Chapter 9, Verse 9:

"Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
    Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
    righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

We learn that the Lord Jesus shed tears as He approached and saw the city, probably from the slopes of the Mount of Olives, on the outskirts of Jerusalem:

"41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city (Jerusalem) and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes."

The Lord Jesus despairs that the people of Jerusalem, ancient Israel’s capital city and the location of the Jewish Temple, had not understood and so had not believed God’s Promises to their ancestor Abram (Abraham), to make of him, and his people, a great nation, This promise to Abram is recorded on the Old Testament Book of Genesis Chapter 12, Verses 1-3:

12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

2 “I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.”

If the Jewish people had fully understood, and believed, God’s Promise to Abraham then the whole population, including their leaders, would have mightily welcomed the Lord Jesus as God’s Son, fulfilling God’s promise to send the Messiah (God’s Mighty Deliverer and Saviour) to deliver His people from their enemies, including sin and death, and to give them peace and security as God’s chosen people.

The extent of the Jewish people’s unbelief is especially shown when the Holy Messiah of God now arrives at their city almost unrecognized:

The Lord Jesus then foretells of the time, in the future, when Jerusalem will be besieged and sacked, and the Temple will be totally destroyed.  A great many inhabitants will be killed including unborn children.  Any survivors will be scattered or taken captive:

"43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

This prophecy of Jesus was fulfilled in AD 70.

In AD 66 the Jews of Judea rebelled against their Roman masters.  In response, the Roman Emperor Nero sent an army, under the general Vespasian, to restore order.

Later, another general Titus (who would become a future Roman Emperor) besieged and captured Jerusalem.

Titus’ army utterly sacked the city, demolished the Jewish Temple (the centre and focus of Jewish worship) and killed a large number of the inhabitants, with many survivors fleeing throughout the known world to escape death, imprisonment, or slavery.

The Lord Jesus entered the city on the day that is now remembered as Palm Sunday, and as previously stated, a number of the people who greeted the Lord Jesus also laid palm fronds on the road as a mark of respect.

Also on Palm Sunday many unblemished earthly lambs were being brought to Jerusalem to be sold for sacrifice at the celebration of the Feast of the Passover, which commemorated God’s Angel of Death Passed over the houses of the Israelites, in ancient Egypt, to secure the release of the people of Israel from Pharaoh’s bondage, as recorded in the Old Testament Book of the Exodus, Chapter 12, Verse 1-16:

1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2 “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb[a] for his family, one for each household. 4 If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5 The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. 7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. 8 That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. 9 Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs. 10 Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. 11 This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover.

12 “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

14 “This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance. 15 For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel. 16 On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat; that is all you may do.”

Any house whose door posts were sprinkled with the blood of a lamb was protected from the the death of the first-born child or animal.

The Lord Jesus was the the Perfect, Spotless, Sinless Lamb of God Whose Holy Blood would Eternally wash away the sins of all Believers !

The Lord Jesus then proceeded to enter the Temple (the Outer Court) and He was angered to find many merchants, with stalls, selling animals and birds which were to be bought and used as sacrifices, by the people, in the Passover worship in the Temple:

“45 Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.”

The price of the sacrificial birds and animals was extortionately high.  This made a huge profit for the merchants.

There were also money changers operating the Outer Court.  Their business was to exchange coinage from countries that surrounded Israel and other countries throughout the known world.

The common feature of much of the foreign currency was that it bore the image of the king or ruler of a particular country.  This was especially true of Roman coinage which bore the image of Caesar.

The Jews regarded any image on a coin as a “graven image” and such an image broke the Second Commandment, given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, 1,500 years earlier.

The Jews who came from afar to worship at the Temple required Jewish coins to pay their temple tax, and to buy the birds and animals sold by the livestock merchants.

The money changers, as with the livestock merchants, used extortionate exchange rates that were extremely favorable to the money changers, and so robbed the worshipers.

When the Lord Jesus saw the merchants and money changers he fashioned a whip made of rope, overturned their tables and stalls, and then drove them out of the Temple saying “My House shall be a House of Prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.”

The Lord Jesus in declaring the desecration of the Temple for its current use as a den of thieves, was recalling the description, and intended use of the Temple as a Holy Place, by the prophet Isaiah.  This is recorded in his Old Testament Book Chapter 56, Verse 7:

“My House will be called a House of Prayer for all nations”

Jesus then began teaching, daily, in the Temple:

"47 And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, 48 and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him."

The Chief Priests and their followers hated the Lord Jesus because His message that He was the Messiah, threatened their hold on power over the people, and the wealth and prestige that their positions gave them.

They sought to kill the Lord Jesus but were unable to do so as a great many people surrounded the Him and His Disciples, and listened most appreciatively to His teaching, and in doing so protected Jesus from the Jewish leaders.

May God bless today’s readings from the Epistle of Paul and from the Holy Gospel of Luke to us, so that our faith in The Lord Jesus may be strengthened, and that whatever Gifts the Holy Spirit bestows upon us, are used for the proclamation of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, and for building up and support of all God’s people.

Bishop Ian

Sunday 28th July 2024 Trinity 9

,The Collect for the Ninth Sunday after Trinity

Grant to us, Lord, we implore You, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right; that we, who cannot do anything that is good without You, may by You, be enabled to live according to Your Will; through Jesus Christ our Lord.    Amen.

The Epistle 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

10 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.

11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

The Holy Gospel of Luke 16:1-9

16 Jesus said to his disciples:

A rich man once had a manager to take care of his business. But he was told that his manager was wasting money. 2 So the rich man called him in and said, “What is this I hear about you? Tell me what you have done! You are no longer going to work for me.”

3 The manager said to himself, “What shall I do now that my master is going to fire me? I can’t dig ditches, and I’m ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I’ll do, so that people will welcome me into their homes after I’ve lost my job.”

5 Then one by one he called in the people who were in debt to his master. He asked the first one, “How much do you owe my master?”

6 “A hundred barrels of olive oil,” the man answered.

So the manager said, “Take your bill and sit down and quickly write fifty.”

7 The manager asked someone else who was in debt to his master, “How much do you owe?”

“A thousand bushels of wheat,” the man replied.

The manager said, “Take your bill and write eight hundred.”

8 The master praised his dishonest manager for looking out for himself so well.  The people of this world look out for themselves better than the people who belong to the light.

9 My disciples, I tell you to use wicked wealth to make friends for yourselves.  Then when it is gone, you will be welcomed into an eternal home.

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today’s Epistle Reading is taken from St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians Chapter 10, Verses 1-13.

This portion of St Paul's first Epistle to the Corinthian Church is a very blunt, to the point, no holds barred, message to the Christians at Corinth.

It is also a very important message to all Christians today.  St Paul warns the Corinthians:

“10 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.”

Many members of the Corinthian Church were sliding back into their old ways and were dabbling in idol worship and associated practices.  Such practices included feasting on food sacrificed to idols, joining in festivities connected with idol worship and worse still participating in immoral behaviour that characterised much of the pagan worship of idols.

As an example, the temple to the goddess Venus had over a thousand temple prostitutes, with whom the worshipers would engage in sexual relations, in exchange for gifts of money, and other valuable items.

This payment for services was then given to the pagan temple priests.

In his warning to the Corinthian Church St Paul draws extensively from the Old Testament description of the departure (Exodus) of the people of Israel, under Moses’ leadership, from 400 years bondage (slavery) in Egypt.

This Exodus of Israel from Egypt took place around 1,450 years before the coming of the Lord Jesus.

To understand St Paul's warning to the Corinthians it is necessary to understand God's dealings with the people of ancient Israel. 

Moses was called by God, Whose Angel appeared as fire in a bush, and told Moses that he had been chosen, by God, to lead God’s people out of their 400 year bondage (slavery) to the Pharaohs in Egypt, and then to lead them across the desert, and finally into the land (Canaan), that God had promised to give Abraham, and his descendants, forever.

This journey by Israel would eventually take around 40 years and was known as the “wandering in the wilderness”period.  God had punished the generation of Israelites, who commenced the journey, for their disobedience to His Law and lack of thankfulness to Him for their deliverance, and His ongoing sustenance of them.  St Paul further warned the Corinthians:

“6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.”

That generation of Israelites, who angered God, would never enter the Promised Land.

It is these particular events, that occurred during Israel’s 40 year journey, that St Paul refers to in this section of our Epistle Reading.

God provided comfort and protection to His people, during their journey, by creating a pillar of cloud that covered them by day, shielding the people from the heat of the desert sun, and at night the same pillar of cloud became a pillar of fire that gave light to guide Israel as they traveled by night.  This miraculous event is recorded in the Old Testament Book of Exodus Chapter 13, Verses 20-22:

“20 After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.”

When Pharaoh and the Egyptian nobles realised that in letting the captives go they had lost their slave labour, and that their economy would greatly suffer, the Egyptian army was dispatched in hot pursuit to bring the Israelite slaves back to bondage.  This pursuit is recorded in the Book of Exodus Chapter 14, Verse 5-9:

"5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” 6 So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. 7 He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. 8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. 9 The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon."

When the Israelites reached the shore of the Red Sea (some scholars suggest it was the sea of reeds) the Egyptian army was almost upon them.  Both the Israelites and the pursuing Egyptian army made camps.

God transformed the cloud so that by day it was a pillar of fire that prevented the Egyptians from approaching the Israelites.  By night the cloud gave light to the Israelites, but showed darkness to the Egyptians.  This is recorded in the Book of Exodus Chapter 14, Verses 19-20:

"19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long."

The following day the God performed a great miracle by parting the Red Sea, which allowed the Israelites to cross on dry land, with the sea, a wall, on either side.

The Egyptians followed Israel into the parted sea, but God closed the waters on them and they were destroyed.  This great Judgement of God on Pharaoh is recorded in the Book of Exodus Chapter 14, Verses 21-31:

“21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.”

“23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. 24 During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 25 He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”

“26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. 28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.”

“29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant."

St Paul also tells us, in Verse 2 of our Epistle Reading, that the people of Israel were baptised (bonded to) Moses by the cloud and the miraculous parting of the sea, by God, allowing Israel to cross in safety.

During the entire journey God gave the people of Israel miraculous food from Heaven (Manna), which was a grain-like substance that appeared each morning on the ground like frost and was scooped up and ground into flour, and then baked into bread.

This miracle was multi-faceted in that God gave them this food every day of their journey and although it did not store overnight (no fridges in those days) it did not spoil overnight on a Sabbath Day (God’s Day of Rest, 6pm Friday to 6pm Saturday) so the people of Israel had unspoiled Manna on Sundays.

God also miraculously provided water, that essential element of life, for His people on two occasions, at Sinai and at Kadesh.

At Sinai, God commanded Moses to strike a rock with his hand-staff.  When Moses struck the rock, a spring of fresh water began to gush from the rock, and provided refreshment for all the people and their flocks of animals.

The term “rock” may have literally referred to a capping stone or some other stone that surrounded a well head.  The rock travelled with the Israelites and was set up at each encampment.

Despite seeing these miracles of Manna and Water, many of the Israelites grumbled and felt they had been better off in Egypt where they had better food and constant water supply.

At Kadesh, about eighteen months later Moses was commanded by God to assemble the elders and people before the rock, and to speak reverently, with faith, to the rock so that it would release water to refresh the people and their flocks of animals.

Moses did not do exactly as God had commanded but rather Moses struck the rock, twice, with his staff, and water flowed.  God was not pleased with Moses’ lack of obedience to His exact command to speak to the rock.

Some scholars suggest that Moses preferred a more dramatic way of producing water and so displayed a lack of faith in God’s Word.

For this lack of faith God punished Moses by forbidding him to enter the Promised Land.  Moses was only permitted to see the Promised Land from a high place on the border of the land.

St Paul tells us that the key to understanding this miracle of the water is to know that the Rock that travelled with the people of Israel, to refresh them, was the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Rock is the presence and power of God, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We must remember that the Lord Jesus had not, at this time, taken on flesh and blood, but was rather the Eternal Living Word of God, who dwelt in heaven with His Father and the Mighty Holy Spirit.

Despite all the miracles of deliverance, the parting of the sea and the provision of food and water the Israelites soon forgot God’s generous provisions and fell back into their old evil lives that they enjoyed in Egypt.

When Moses went up into Mount Sinai, to meet God and receive His Law, the people fell into old ways because Moses was away for a long time.  The people asked Moses’ brother Aaron to create a golden calf so that they could feast, and sacrifice to it, and worship it with immoral revelry  as recorded in the Book of Exodus Chapter 32, Verses 1-35:

“1When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”

“2 Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”

“5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.” 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”

“7 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’”

“9 “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”

“11 But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” 14 Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.”

“15 Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. 16 The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets”

“17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.”

18 Moses replied:

“It is not the sound of victory,
    it is not the sound of defeat;
    it is the sound of singing that I hear.”

“19 When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. 20 And he took the calf the people had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.”

21 He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”

“22 “Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. 23 They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ 24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”

“25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. 26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.”

“27 Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”

“30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”

“31 So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written. 33 The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”

“35 And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.”

In the closing portion of our Epistle Reading St Paul paints a sad, condemning picture of the result of Israel’s sins. This disaterous result could also be applicable to the Corinthian Christian’s sins, and also in the present day, to our sins:

“6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”

“8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.”

11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!

St Paul warned the church at Corinth, and also warns us, and all future readers of his Epistle, to be vigilant and not to backslide and live in the ways of our old evil natures, forgetting God’s Gracious Gifts given to all of us, each day of our lives.

St Paul concludes our Epistle Reading by reminding us that God is always ready to forgive us our sins, and will always help us to withstand all temptation without surrendering ourselves completely to its inevitable fatal result: 

"13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."

The means whereby we can escape the wrath of God is by being Clothed in the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We obtain this Holy Righteousness by believing with all our heart and soul, in His Mighty Work of Redemption on the Cross of Calvary. 

This is the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us ask God to keep us from backsliding into evil deeds, and give us His Blessing to live our lives always seeking to please Him.

When any of us fall into sin, as we are bound to do continually, as human beings, until God ushers in His Glorious Kingdom, we must immediately confess our sin to God, so that He will forgive us through the Holy Gospel of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us also always thank our Loving God for providing the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to Clothe us in the Holy Righteousness of His Beloved Son so that we may be forgiven and be made His Adopted Children and Heirs of His Eternal Kingdom.     Amen.

Today's Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Luke Chapter 16, Verses 1-9.

In this portion of his Holy Gospel St Luke tells us of the Lord Jesus’ story to His Disciples about the dishonest steward who had negligently managed his master’s estate so that the master’s money and goods were wasted:

"16 Jesus said to his disciples:

A rich man once had a manager to take care of his business. But he was told that his manager was wasting money. 2 So the rich man called him in and said, “What is this I hear about you? Tell me what you have done! You are no longer going to work for me.”

The master was told about the activity of his manager, and confronts him and orders the manager to give an account (undergo an audit) of his activity and stewardship of the master’s estate and, at the same time, informing the manager that he is going to be fired.

The manager thought about the consequences of being unemployed.  He was not strong enough to dig and was ashamed to beg on the streets:

"3 The manager said to himself, “What shall I do now that my master is going to fire me? I can’t dig ditches, and I’m ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I’ll do, so that people will welcome me into their homes after I’ve lost my job.”

Facing these daunting prospects, the manager quickly developed what is nowadays known as an exit strategy:

"5 Then one by one he called in the people who were in debt to his master. He asked the first one, “How much do you owe my master?”

6 “A hundred barrels of olive oil,” the man answered.

So the manager said, “Take your bill and sit down and quickly write fifty.”

7 The manager asked someone else who was in debt to his master, “How much do you owe?”

“A thousand bushels of wheat,” the man replied.

The manager said, “Take your bill and write eight hundred.”

The manager called the master’s debtors in one by one and ascertained exactly what they owed and told each one to alter his particular document to show a lower debt. 

This would have no doubt pleased the master’s clients.

If our bank manager told us to alter our mortgage documents to show our mortgages reduced from $500,000 to $250,000, I’m sure we would be most pleased, and we would be happy to do the bank manager a favour in return.

In the Gospel story the dishonest manager hopes that by providing a reduced debt for the master’s clients, they, in return, may offer him a position in their business.

The master found out about the steward’s plans and praised him for his quick thinking in developing and implementing his plan: 

"8 The master praised his dishonest manager for looking out for himself so well.  The people of this world look out for themselves better than the people who belong to the light."

The dishonest manager was still fired but like many modern executives, who are dismissed from one company, they turn up in another company.

The Lord Jesus uses this story to illustrate that the non Christian business people of this world (non- believers) often show more business sense and initiative than people of faith.

It is a sad fact that many fine Christian people fall victim to worldly confidence tricksters, and other rogues, as Christian believers do not think at the same evil speed, and on the same level as villains do.

The Lord Jesus urges all believers, and that includes us, to use the wealth of this world to do the Work of God in proclaiming the Holy Gospel, so that friends (more believers) can be made (saved).  When the wealth of the world disappears, on God’s Day of Judgement we will be welcomed by the Lord Jesus into an Eternal Home in God’s Kingdom.

"9 My disciples, I tell you to use wicked wealth to make friends for yourselves.  Then when it is gone, you will be welcomed into an eternal home."

May the Lord Jesus bless and keep us from all harm in our dealings with all people, both believers and non-believers, and help us to be faithful and honest in our dealings, that we do not cause harm to others.

May God give us His Grace to use this world’s wealth wisely in order that we may show forth the Glory of God and proclaim the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Gospel.     Amen.

Bishop Ian.

Sunday 21st July 2024 Trinity 8

The Collect for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity

O God, whose never ending Providence orders all things both in Heaven and Earth; we humbly ask You to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things that are good for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.      Amen.

The Epistle Romans 3:12-17

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors - not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of Adoption by whom we cry out "Abba, Father." 16 The spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs -  heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, That we may also be glorified together.

The Holy Gospel of Matthew 7:15-21

15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruits you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 21 "Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today's Epistle Reading is taken from the Epistle of St Paul to the Romans Chapter 3, Verse 12-17.

In this portion of his Epistle St Paul continues his teaching regarding the old sin dominated human nature, in which we all lived, prior to our coming to faith in the Lord Jesus.

St Paul calls us debtors, who at one time owed our allegiance to Satan and sin, and had that bondage continued full repayment would have been physical and spiritual death:

“12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors - not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

St Paul goes on to tell us that we are now recipients of the Gift of the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, our old sinful nature having been put to death with The Lord Jesus’ Redeeming Death on the Cross, and His Glorious Resurrection to Eternal Life, to which we are now forever bound to by Faith.

This binding is the brought about by the Blessing of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

The result of this new, binding Faith in the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus is not death, but Eternal Life with The Lord Jesus in God's Everlasting Kingdom:

“14 For as many are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of Adoption by whom we cry out "Abba, Father." 16 The spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,”

We have not received the spirit of bondage and fear of the unknown.  We have received the Gift of the Holy Spirit and have become God’s adopted sons and daughters, as we have been given the status and privileges of children of God, through being joined to the Lord Jesus, by Faith, in His Life, Death and Resurrection:

“17 and if children, then heirs -  heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, That we may also be glorified together.”

This is the power of the Holy Gospel.  Our old nature, which led to eternal damnation, has been put to death with the Lord Jesus and in it’s place we have been given the Lord Jesus Christ’s Holy Righteousness, and Eternal Life with God.  As children of God we can cry out “Abba, Father” which is very personal family greeting used by children, in the Lord Jesus’ time, to address their fathers.

As God’s children we share the inheritance promised by our Heavenly Father.  This inheritance is Eternal Life in God’s Eternal Kingdom.

The Eternal Kingdom of God does not consist of floating around on a cloud, playing a harp.

This harp playing, cloud dwelling, idea of Heaven comes from the classical Greek view of spiritual life, in which the eternal spirit (intellect) is pure, and imprisoned within the body (dross) at birth. At death, the pure intellect is freed from the corrupt physical body and ascends back to the ethereal plane to commune with other disembodied spirits.

It is from the Greek view of life and death, that the portrayal of life and death seen in many movies, and children’s cartoons, originates from.

Most of us have seen Wiley Coyote floating up on a cloud, playing a harp, after blowing himself up trying to catch the Roadrunner.

This classical Greek view of the “afterlife” is the work of Satan seeking to deceive us all into believing that all will be well after death, where a cloud and harp await us for eternity.

God’s Eternal Kingdom will be a Physical place with every good thing that we enjoy in this life, rivers, mountains, valleys, green pastures with fragrant flowers and all the animals and birds that bring us great pleasure. All these things will be ours minus the bad things like greed, anger, envy and hatred, pain and sickness, anxiety, suffering, sorrow, depression and crying. 

This promise of God is recorded in Chapter 21, Verses 1-5 of the Book of Revelation of St John:

"1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

The Kingdom of God will also have wonderful things that we have not seen, or heard of, and that we have never imagined.  What these things will be we do not know now, however we will be astounded when we see, hear and experience them with the Lord Jesus.  St Paul declares this promise of the Lord Jesus in his first letter to the Corinthians Chapter 2, Verses 6-9:

“6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
    the things God has prepared for those who love him”

Let us thank our Heavenly Father for all His Wonderful Blessings and Gifts to us, but above all for His Gift of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, through which we are clothed in the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus and made His adopted Children, and heirs of His Eternal Kingdom and all the Wonderful things God has prepared for us.     Amen.

The Holy Gospel Reading for today is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Matthew Chapter 7, Verses 15-21.

This passage of Scripture forms part of the Lord Jesus’ Sermon (teaching) on the Mount.

The Lord Jesus is very explicit and forceful in His warning regarding false prophets (and teachers) who do not preach, and teach, God’s Holy Gospel truthfully:

“15 Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves."

In the Lord Jesus’ time there were many false teachers and prophets claiming to be the promised Messiah from God.  These rogues sought to lead many people astray and used them to gain power, wealth and glory for themselves.  These evil “messiahs” were doing the work of Satan.

Satan’s goal is to deceive as many people as he can into ignoring and rejecting the Lord Jesus, so that they are condemned on God’s Great Day of Judgement.

 It is Satan’s fervent desire that all these deceived people will join him in eternal damnation.

The Lord Jesus tells us that we can discern false teachers by their fruit.  The fruit that the Lord Jesus speaks of is the lifestyle and behaviour (deeds) of these teachers and their followers:

“16 By their fruits you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

The Lord Jesus uses the example of fruit trees and vines to illustrate His point.  A good tree bears good fruit that is pleasant to eat and provides nourishment and sustenance to those who eat it.  In a like manner a bad or diseased tree does not bring forth good fruit but rather bad (bitter and diseased) fruit.

Also the Lord Jesus asks whether we pick grapes from thorn bushes other such vines, or figs from thistle bushes.  The answer is obviously “no”.  The fruits and berries from thorns and thistles are often poisonous and eating them can result in severe illness and even death.

The Lord Jesus’ message is very clear, before you believe any teacher claiming to teach God’s Word, examine that teacher’s fruit.  The fruit of a teacher is what his teaching brings forth in his life and the lives of his followers.

There are many false religions in the world today:

Many false religions worship false prophets and man-made idols.  Other false religions worship the teachings of their “holy men.”

Also in our time there are many false messiahs, prophets and gurus claiming to be able to foretell the future by reading tarot cards and a person’s palm. Other false teachers provide astrology predictions based on the movement of the stars in the firmament.

It is a sad fact that practically all major television networks have programmes that are based on demonic themes and witchcraft.  Nearly all newspapers, together with ladies' and men’s weekly magazines devote much space to their clairvoyant’s predictions, in their astrology / horoscope sections.

In the last few decades there have been a large number of movies that deal with satanic activity and “magic”. This is especially true of the “Harry Potter” saga with demonic themes wrapped up in the sugar coating of a boy wizard and his adventures.

Many young and not-so-young people know more about Harry Potter than about their own country, and God’s Holy Word, revealed in the Holy Bible.  

Modern science has become a false religion for many people who seek, under Satan’s power, to explain away the creation of the world and mankind and to reduce the value of mankind to nothing but the biological entities on a tiny speck in a vast, infinite and unknown universe.

The modern “green” movement and “climate change” movements have become false religions, presenting theories as “absolute truth,” all designed to remove God from His Creation and people.

Even within what many people see as “Christianity” are many churches in which The Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is not preached, but rather the rules and teachings of “men”. 

Many of these churches are led and controlled by slick preachers, who are often very wealthy and are quite zealous to separate the church members from their money, all in the cause of building the “Lord’s church,” (bigger and more opulent church complexes), not saving souls from the Great Judgement of God.

You can see some of these false churches in action on television with huge audiences hanging on every word of the charismatic preacher and loud rock-like music thundering out to dull the senses.  Also false miracles of healing are a common feature in these television churches. 

It is worth investigating the miracles after the show has left the town.  Sadly in many cases the recipients of these “blessings” and “miracles” are to be found in the cemetery, after discontinuing life-saving medication and treatment,

The Blessing of God’s Miracles comes in, many instances, via the skill and compassion of doctors and nurses, raised up by God, to accomplish His Work, and not necessarily by dramatic “faith healers”.

Sadly there are other “Christian” churches that will stress some aspect of the work of the Holy Spirit and so elevate personal experiences above the Holy Gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ.

Satan is the father of all lies and will seek to deceive, if possible, even God’s people by putting a good activity, or teaching, in the place of the best activity and teaching.  

All false and lying teachers and their poisonous trash are the work of their father Satan who uses these means to deceive people into rejecting the Lord Jesus as the Holy Son of God.

The final verse of our Reading, from the Holy Gospel, is a very startling and sobering pronouncement from the Lord Jesus: 

“21 Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

We are told that on the Day of Judgement many will stand before The Lord Jesus (Who is God’s Holy Judge) and say “Lord, Lord” but will not be permitted to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only “he who does the will of My Father Who is Heaven”

What is the “Will of the Father Who is in Heaven”? 

“The Will of the Father” is that we believe in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ – The Holy Gospel. 

If we truly believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Eternal Son and Holy Word of God, and that He became a human being (free from all sin) to die on the Cross to pay the price of our sins, then we are doing the Will of the Father who is in Heaven.

Once we are clothed with the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus, by believing and accepting, by faith, the Lord Jesus’ Mighty Work of Redemption on the Cross (Justification by Faith), we are then accounted Righteous before God, on the Great Day of Judgement, and we will live forever as God's Adopted Children.

This does not mean that we will never sin again. St Paul tells us in his Epistle to the Romans Chapter 3, Verses 23:

“all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God”

The Greek verb for “sinning” used by St Paul, in this verse, has the meaning that all have sinned (and continually sin) and come short (and continually come short) of the Glory of God.

To understand Justification by Faith reveals why St Paul can say that we as Christians continually sin, and yet at that same time, we are regarded as Righteous before God. 

We stand before God not clothed with our own worthless righteousness, but rather, we are clothed, for all time, with The Holy Righteousness of The Lord Jesus Christ Who is the Only Begotten, and Beloved Son of God.

Our grateful faith in the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is most pleasing to God.

I always find great joy in the opening two lines, and chorus, of the much loved old hymn:

“My hope is built on nothing less,

than Jesus’ Blood and Righteousness.”

********

“On Christ the solid Rock I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand.”

Let us always thank God for the His Gift of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus by which we are clothed in His Holy Righteousness and adopted as God's Children, and inheritors of His Eternal Kingdom.

May God Bless us and keep us all standing, by Faith, on the Solid Rock that is The Lord Jesus Christ.

Bishop Ian

Sunday 14th July 2024 Trinity 7

The Collect for the Seventh Sunday After Trinity

Lord of all power and might, who is the author and giver of all good things; Graft in our hearts the love of Your Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of Your great Mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord.     Amen.

The Epistle Romans 6:19-23

19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Holy Gospel of Mark 8:1-9

8 In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.”

4 Then His disciples answered Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?”

5 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”

And they said, “Seven.”

6 So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude. 7 They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them. 8 So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. 9 Now those who had eaten were about four thousand.

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today's Epistle Reading is taken from the Epistle of St Paul to the Romans Chapter 6, Verses 19-23.

This portion of St Paul's Epistle to the Romans continues with the theme raised in last week’s reading from St Paul’s same letter.

Paul tells us that when we were living in the time before we came to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, we were in bondage to sin.  During this time we gave ourselves over to more and more evil deeds without any thought of where such a lifestyle would take us:

“19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.“

Evil thoughts and deeds have a way of snowballing in a similar way that the use of illicit drugs commences with relatively small doses of weaker drugs and once the initial feelings of euphoria, or “highs” have been experienced, addicts then crave stronger drugs which give them greater and longer lasting feelings of euphoria.

Unchecked increased drug usage, to obtain a greater degree of euphoria, will inevitably end in the addict’s death.

Paul goes on to tell us that when we were living in our sins we were free from the control, or guidance, of righteousness and the brakes were off, so to speak, so that we would eventually roll ever faster down the road to eternal damnation and punishment.

Paul then asks the question:

“21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of ?”

Paul’s answer is short and to the point:

"Those things result in death! "

Our reward would have been death, both physical and spiritual.

Now that we are set free from the control of sin and Satan, we are now bonded to God, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and what we gain is Righteousness before God, that leads to eternal life:

“22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”

Without being clothed in the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ we would be doomed for eternity.

It is essential to fully understand that the Holy Righteousness that we gain has nothing to do with our own thoughts and actions, but rather the Righteousness we gain is the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who was born without inherited sin and Who committed no actual sin during His Earthly Life, and so was Holy and Pure unto God.

When the Lord Jesus Christ bore the punishment, on the Cross of Calvary, for our sins, which punishment was rightly deserved by us, His Holiness, His Righteousness, and the Forgiveness of God, was freely given to all of us, who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, believe in the life and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

This gift of Christ’s Holiness and Righteousness gives us Eternal Life in God’s Everlasting Kingdom.

The theological term, used by New Testament Scholars, to describe the Righteousness that the Lord Jesus Christ gives to us, by Faith, is "Imputed Righteousness."

This "Imputed Righteousness" comes from outside of ourselves, but it’s benefits are given, or reckoned to us, as if it was our own righteousness. 

It is no surprise that two thousand years before the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, God dealt with Abraham in the same manner regarding faith, as recorded in the Old Testament Book of Genesis Chapter 15, Verses 6: 

"6 Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness."

St Paul reminds his readers of this very same fact in his Epistle to the Roman Church Chapter 4, Verses 2- 3:

"2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Abraham believed God’s Word and Promises. 

Abraham was pronounced righteous by this faith in God’s Holy and Solemn Word.

St John opens his Holy Gospel by telling us that God’s Word is the Lord Jesus Christ.

"1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

This is the core of the Holy Gospel. It is the first Great Work of God (by the Lord Jesus) and is known by theologians as “Justification by Faith.”  It is best described as:-

God’s Work for us in Christ

Never forget or misunderstand that this Righteousness, and Eternal Life which accompanies it, is God’s gift to us, and it cannot be earned in any way by our own worthless efforts.

What we do, after we believe and accept The Lord Jesus Christ’s Righteousness, as God’s gift, is the continuing work of God through His Holy Spirit.

Actually, the work of the Holy Spirit, in us, begins before we believe, by leading us to the Lord Jesus, and moving us to acknowledge, and confess our sins, and so receive forgiveness and Eternal Life.

The Holy Spirit’s work continues throughout all of our earthly life, as He directs and leads us day by day.  Prayer is the communication that God uses to allow us to speak to Him, discussing our problems and to make our requests.  

Prayer enables us to discern God’s response in providing for our daily needs and concerns. 

Prayer also allows us to praise and thank Him.

This is the second Great Work of God (through the Holy Spirit) and it is known by theologians as “Sanctification.”  It is best described as:-

God’s Work in us by the Holy Spirit

It is essential that we never allow Satan to deceive us into confusing the two Great Works of God, as this will lead us to spiritual calamity.

Paul concludes our Reading from his Epistle with the blunt statement:

 “23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Let us always thank our Gracious God for His Wonderful, Priceless, Gift of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and let us always remember that we, through the Lord Jesus' Death and Resurrection, are clothed in the His Perfect Righteousness, so that on the Day of God's Great Judgement we will be able to stand guiltless before God as He will Judge us not on our own merits but by the Perfect Merit of His Only Begotten and Beloved Son.     Amen.

Today's Holy Gospel Reading for today is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Mark Chapter 8 Verses 1-9.

In this portion of his Holy Gospel St Mark tells us of the Miracle performed by the Lord Jesus Christ in feeding the crowd of four thousand:

This is one of two Miracles describing the provision of food, by the Lord Jesus to large groups of people.  The first Miracle is known as the feeding of the five thousand and the second Miracle is known as the feeding of the four thousand.

All four Holy Gospels report the first Miracle of feeding the five thousand (St Matthew 14:13-21,  St Mark 6:31-44,  St Luke 9:12-17 and St John 6:1-14).  This first Miracle is sometimes referred to as the Miracle of the five loaves and two fish.

Only the Holy Gospels of Matthew and Mark report the second Miracle of feeding the four thousand (St Matthew 15:32-39 and St Mark 8:1-9).  The second Miracle is sometimes referred to as the miracle of the seven loaves and a few small fish.

St Matthew’s account of this Miracle, in his Holy Gospel, tells us “those who ate were four thousand men besides women and children.”  We are also told that "all who ate were fully satisfied and that they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over." (St Matthew 15:37-39).  It is quite possible that the number of people sharing the meal could have been double the four thousand.

We learn in today’s Reading that a large crowds of people had been following The Lord Jesus for about three days listening to his teaching, and hearing His answers to questions posed by some members of the crowd.  We are also told that the teaching was in a remote place described as “the wilderness.”

The Lord Jesus shows His compassion for the people by telling His Disciples that the crowd was very large and had been following Him for three days without anything to eat. The Lord Jesus sought a solution, from His Disciples, to the implied question of providing food for the people:

“1 In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.”

The Lord Jesus was very concerned that if He ended His teaching and sent the people home many might faint and possibly suffer more severe health problems, as a number of the people had come from great distances:

“3 And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.”

The Disciples responded to the Lord Jesus’ implied question with an unhelpful question:

“4 Then His disciples answered Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?”

The Lord Jesus then asked His disciples how many loaves they had:

 “5 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”

And they said, “Seven.”

The Lord Jesus began to work His Miracle:

“6 So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude.“

St Mark then reveals they had a few small fish which the Lord Jesus also made use of.

Taking the fish the Lord Jesus lifted His eyes to Heaven and gave thanks to His Father in Heaven, as both the loaves and the fish belonged to God, who had graciously given them to be food, for the sustaining of His people:

“7 They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them.”

The people were heartily satisfied by the Miraculous meal:

“8 So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. 9 Now those who had eaten were about four thousand.”

The act of giving thanks to God for our daily meals is a way of honouring His provision and generosity to us.  In this modern day and age when much of our food comes from supermarket freezers and shelves, it is easy to forget that the food, before it is harvested and packed, comes from the bounty of God who has provided sun and rain to grow our crops, and Who gives life to the oceans of the world.

It is important to note that the Lord Jesus did not care who was in the crowd, they were all people coming to hear His Words.  It is not too much of a leap of mind to imagine that there would have been Jewish religious scholars, farm workers, fishermen, labourers, craftsmen, merchants, sailors and perhaps some soldiers and foreigners together with many loafers, layabouts, and criminals who tagged along to see what all the fuss was about.

The Lord Jesus did not prevent any from partaking of His feast, nor did he forbid any from eating as much as they wanted.  It is God’s nature and plan that His people should receive His blessings in as full and abundant manner as possible.  God’s provisions and gifts are “a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over and poured into your lap” as St Luke tells us in Chapter 6, Verse 38, of his Holy Gospel.  That is what our gifts to other people, both friends and strangers must be like.

Meanness in any Christian person is a most unpleasant attribute, and not pleasing to God.

It is interesting to note that the Lord Jesus chose to Miraculously multiply bread and fish, when He could have provided any type of food.  Bread and fish were two of the basic foods of all people who lived in the areas around the wilderness where Jesus was teaching.

After the great multitude of people was fully satisfied by the food Miraculously provided by Jesus, the broken pieces that remained were collected and they filled seven large baskets.  The Greek word for these large baskets is the same word used to describe the type of basket that St Paul was lowered from the wall of Damascus to escape from a plot, by the Jews, to kill him. This plot is recorded in the Book of the Acts Chapter 9, Verses 23- 25:

“23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.”

St Mark informs us that there was seven large baskets of leftovers. This number of baskets distinguishes this miracle of feeding, from other feeding of a large crowd, as that Miracle, involving the feeding of the five thousand, had concluded with twelve smaller baskets (hand baskets) of leftovers. 

No doubt, in both of these miracles, the leftovers were shared by the Lord Jesus, His Disciples, and the others who assisted distributing the food.

Today’s Holy Gospel Reading teaches us a number of God's Holy Truths.

It first and foremost shows the Lord Jesus’ Love and Compassion for the people who came to Him to learn, and in learning, placed their faith and trust in Him.  We also learn of the Lord Jesus’ desire to provide those who came to Him with all that they needed to sustain them.

We also learn of the quality of God’s gifts, generosity being the key feature.  God does not do things “by halves” or “on the cheap”.  It therefore is certain that we, in a like manner, must always ensure that our giving to others always follows the example given by the Lord Jesus.

The Holy Gospel Reading also reveals that the Lord Jesus did not discriminate in providing food for all kinds of people irrespective of their social status or background.  The Apostle Paul tells us that in Christ there is no distinction between people that come to the Lord Jesus and place their faith in Him, as recorded in his Epistle to the Galatians Chapter 3, Verses 26-29:

"26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

St Paul reveals to us, in the third Chapter of his letter to the Galatians, Verse 29, that if we place our trust in the Lord Jesus and His Holy Gospel we are certainly Abraham's Seed according to the promise made to Abraham, by God, many centuries ago:

"29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Let us always give thanks to our Loving and Generous God who never provides for us in a meager and ungenerous manner. Let us always thank Him for giving us generous provision, shaken and pressed down, and always fulfilling our needs far beyond our immediate requirement.

Let us also never forget that God’s Greatest Gift is the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, which bestows upon us Eternal Life with God in Heaven. 

May the Love of God and the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all, now and evermore.     Amen.

Bishop Ian

Sunday 7th July 2024 Trinity 6

The Collect for the Sixth Sunday after Trinity

O God, Who has prepared for those who love You such good things as pass our understanding; Pour into our hearts, such love toward You, that we, loving You above all things, may obtain Your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord.     Amen.

The Epistle Romans 6:3-11

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

6 We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For he who has died is freed from sin. 8 But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. 9 For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 The death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

The Holy Gospel of St Matthew 5:20-26

20For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.21 You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.’ 22But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults  his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be liable to the hell of fire.

23So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; 26 truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny.

 

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today's Epistle Reading is taken from St Paul's Epistle to the Romans Chapter 6, Verses 3-11.

This portion of St Paul's Epistle to the Romans is one of the most important pieces of Scripture contained in the Holy Bible.  St Paul, in writing these words to the Christians in Rome, reaches into the very heart of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ:

“3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”

Paul reveals to us what is the very deep core, and significance, of the Holy Gospel.

We who are baptised in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit are united with the Lord Jesus in His death.  We do not physically die when we are baptised but rather our evil human nature, with it’s associated desires for the passions and pleasures of the world and the flesh, dies with the Lord Jesus. 

The Lord Jesus takes on the burden of, and the punishment for, the sins of our evil human nature.

The Holy Bible reveals to us two different types of sin.  The first type of sin is known as actual sin.  This sin is the wrong doing that all of us commit each day of our lives.  This type of sin may be lying, hatred or jealousy directed at someone, wishing that someone might receive hurt or injury in revenge for some perceived wrong against us. It may be evil desires relating to greed for money, or impure thoughts regarding women, or other men.

The second type of sin is known as original or inherited sin.  This is the sin we inherit at birth as a result of being related to the first human being Adam.  The Holy Bible tells us that when Adam and his wife Eve disobeyed God, after He commanded them not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (commonly, but mistakenly, described as an apple tree), they were punished by God and expelled from the Garden of Eden.

God also told them that they and their descendants would forever battle the forces of nature, such as drought, floods, or insect pests, to grow crops to provide a living for themselves and their families.  Also all the future births and lives of human beings would be accompanied by pain. God’s decree of Adam and Eve’s punishment is recorded in the Old Testament Book of Genesis Chapter 3, Verses 16-19:

“16 To the woman he said,

“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
    with painful labor you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
    and he will rule over you.”

17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’

“Cursed is the ground because of you;
    through painful toil you will eat food from it
    all the days of your life.
18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
    and you will eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your brow
    you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
    since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
    and to dust you will return.”

Many of us today still bust our backs working under various difficulties to provide for ourselves and our families.

Satan (often portrayed as a serpent) tricked Adam and Eve into disobeying God and every human being born since that event inherits their sin, and the punishment for it.

God, besides punishing Adam and Eve, also promised to destroy Satan by raising up a descendant, of Adam, to crush Satan once and for all time. God’s Judgement of Satan is recorded in the Book of Genesis Chapter 3, Verses 8-19:

14 So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,

“Cursed are you above all livestock
    and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
    and you will eat dust
    all the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity
    between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
    and you will strike his heel.”

The descendant of Adam who would crush the serpent's head is the Lord Jesus Christ, who would be born as a man, through the line (family) of David, the second, and one of the greatest kings of Judah and Israel.

The Lord Jesus Christ was born with no inherited sin as He is the Eternal Son and Word of God, and to become a man He was conceived, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, by the Mighty Holy Spirit of God.

In addition to being born free of inherited sin, The Lord Jesus also committed no actual sin during His earthly life.

This is the heart of the Holy Gospel.  The Lord Jesus having no sin whatsoever, owed no penalty for sin, to God.

It was this Unique and Divine quality that gave The Lord Jesus the right to offer, once and for all, never to be repeated, His Pure and Spotless Life to pay the penalty which every other person past, present and future owes to our Holy and Righteous God. 

No other person in human history, past, present or future, had, has, or will have this Holy Sinless Nature.

The Lord Jesus Christ alone is the Proper, or as Martin Luther the great reformer declared, the Right Man.

St Paul then declares:

"6 We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For he who has died is freed from sin. 8 But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. 9 For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 The death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."

This is the miracle of the Holy Gospel, that God was able to maintain His Uncompromising Holiness, and His Righteous Judgement of sin and sinners, and yet was able forgive those sinners who believe in, and accept His Gift of Salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the Cross.

During His Crucifixion the Lord Jesus cried out “My God, My God why have You forsaken Me.”  This anguished cry of the Lord Jesus reveals to us that God had, in that moment, turned His back on the Lord Jesus, His only Begotten and Beloved Son, and suspended the Holy Intimate Bond that they shared as Father and Son.

The Lord Jesus’ anguished cry, and His Mighty Work of Redemption was predicted and declared in many other portions of Holy Scripture. Among them are these most important examples:

The Old Testament Psalm 22, Verse 1, was fulfilled:

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?”

The prediction of the Great Old Testament Prophet Isaiah in Chapter 53, Verses 4-6, was fulfilled:

“Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.”

St Paul’s declares the Blessing of the Holy Gospel to all people, both Jews and Gentiles (non Jewish people) in his letter to the Galatian Church Chapter 3, Verses 13-14:

“13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”

In that moment of the Lord Jesus’ anguished cry from the Cross, the Holy Righteousness of God as Judge of All Things was figuratively emblazoned across the sky as the Lord Jesus, who had no sin, was made to be sin in order to save those who trust in Him.

St Paul declared this great truth in His Second Epistle to the Corinthian Church, Chapter 5, Verse 21:

“21 God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the Righteousness of God.”

If any of us could live our life without sinning, and of course, no person can, then we would not able to offer our life for other sinners as our life would only pay for our own inherited sin.

Christians have died to sin, through faith in The Lord Jesus Christ, and are now alive to God with our Holy Saviour.

On the Day of Judgement all people will be judged, fairly, by God on their response to the Holy Gospel and whether they have died to sin with the Lord Jesus, and have been justified by faith in the Lord Jesus’ Perfect Work of Redemption.

St Paul’s Epistle to the Romans is the greatest commentary dedicated to explaining and preaching the Holy Gospel.  It would have had a great impact on any persons who were scholars of the Jewish faith in the first century AD, as it draws on many references to the Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah.

The Epistle to the Romans declares, and leaves readers in no doubt that the Lord Jesus was the promised Messiah, He who was promised by God to destroy the works of sin and Satan, thus freeing His people for all time.

Let us give our Mighty God everlasting love, thanks, devotion, and service, for His Great Gift of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Let us also praise Him for fulfilling His Promise made in the Garden of Eden, when man first fell from Grace because of sin, but now has been reconciled to Him through the Mighty Work of the Lord Jesus.     Amen.

Today's Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Matthew Chapter 5, Verses 20-26. 

This passage from the Holy Gospel of St Matthew forms part the Lord Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, and deals with a believer’s need to strive to ensure that their actions exhibit their love for God (their righteousness) in a way that exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees:

“20For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.21 You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.’ 22But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults  his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be liable to the hell of fire.”

The Scribes and Pharisees formed part of the Jewish religious leaders of Jesus’ time.

They were often simply referred to as “the Jews,” and more than often they were accompanied by their servants and other minor officials as they gathered in public places to conduct their activities which included teaching and praying together, and acting as judges in the everyday matters that arose.

It is very important to note that the Lord Jesus tells His audience that “you have heard that it was said to the men of old”……but I say to you….

The Lord Jesus is re-interpreting and expanding the Word of God, for He is God, in human flesh.

The Lord Jesus told His hearers that the Commandment “you shall not kill” means much more than taking someone’s life.  It encompasses anger as a lessor form of killing, and anger is a grievous sin. Anger stems from the same evil frame of mind that the act of killing comes from, and is therefore punishable by God.

The Lord Jesus was re-interpreting one of the commandments of The Old Covenant that God had given to Moses on Mount Sinai.  This would have startled and thrilled those who heard these words.  The Lord Jesus spoke as one with Authority (of God), not like the Scribes and Pharisees. 

The Holy Gospel of St Mark records this authoritative teaching of the the Lord Jesus in Chapter 1, Verses 21-22:

“21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.”

The Scribes and Pharisees loved to be seen by the ordinary people as they recited long-winded prayers in public, dressed in their finest robes.  The Lord Jesus referred to them as the hypocrites. This description of the Pharisees is recorded in the Holy Gospel of St Matthew Chapter 6, Verses 5-6:

“5 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

The Lord Jesus then told His hearers that before they went to worship they must make sure that they were reconciled to any other person(s) with whom they had a grievance, before they offered worship to God:

“23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

We must do the same.

The Lord Jesus also told His hearers the importance of settling debts with those from whom we have borrowed or to whom we owe something.

“25 Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; 26 truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny.”

Although this teaching by the Lord Jesus refers to a person’s day to day debts owed to other people, it also points to our debt to God.

We all owe a great debt to God for our sin, so it is imperative that we "make friends" with God, through faith in the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, lest we are cast into hell for eternity.

Each of us can remember, in our lives, incidents or actions in which we have played a part, and  which we now regret.  These sins are our debt to God.

The Lord Jesus has paid the penalty for all our sins by His death on the Cross. 

Our sins were "buried" with Him.

Since the Lord Jesus has paid the penalty for our sins past, present, and future, our response should be to seek to live our lives as those redeemed by the Holy Blood of The Lord Jesus Christ, always seeking to live by His Commandments and Example.

Let us always thank God for the Gift of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and always seek to tell others about the Lord Jesus and the Holy Gospel and how they can receive God’s forgiveness and share in Everlasting Life in His Eternal Kingdom, which exceeds all that we can desire.

May the Grace of the Lord Jesus be with us all.

Bishop Ian

Sunday 30th June 2024 Trinity 5

The Collect for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity

Grant, O Lord, we beseech You, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by Your Governance, that Your Church may joyfully serve You in all Godly Quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord.    Amen.

The Epistle, 1 Peter 3:8-15

8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tender hearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

10 For “he who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.

11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

13 And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.

The Holy Gospel Of Luke 5:1-11

So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.

3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. 4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”

6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today’s Epistle Reading is taken from St Peter's First Epistle Chapter 3, Verses 8-15.

In this portion of his Epistle St Peter provides some very practical advice for all Christians.  We are instructed us on how we should relate to other people that we encounter, whether it be at our church, in social or sporting groups, work colleagues, or any other people in general:

“8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tender hearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

10 For “he who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.”

Peter reminds us that God watches over all people and any loose gossip, or remarks that are intended to hurt or judge others are not pleasing to God, and often such comments may come back to bite us in the future, should God decide we need chastening, as any good father would chasten his child.

God’s desire is that all communication between Christians, or between Christians and non Christians, should be made in the spirit of love, and not be hurtful or destructive.

We must especially be careful of any comments made on any form of social media.  It is becoming all too familiar these days, to hear of bullying, and worse, on the many social media platforms available in our times.

In extreme cases, cyber bullying can result in the suicide of someone suffering such treatment via social media.

St Peter then tells us that God watches over the actions of His People and desires that they do what is right and good toward others. 

God is always is attentive to the prayers of His People:

“11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

St Peter then further tells us that it is difficult to make enemies if we are doing good towards others:

“13 And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.”

In the event that we do make enemies, and remember that even the Lord Jesus Christ made enemies. Do not be afraid, or worry, tell God in your prayers and trust in the Lord Jesus to deal with such fears and worries.

Let us always thank God for His goodness toward us, and make us always mindful to trust  God to keep His Word and Promises, as revealed in the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, and by the power of the Mighty Holy Spirit to always treasure the Holy Gospel in our hearts.     Amen.

Today's Holy Gospel reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Luke Chapter 5, Verses 1-11.

In this portion of his Holy Gospel St Luke tells us of the Lord Jesus’ call to discipleship of Simon, (later to renamed Peter), together with the brothers James and John:

Our Reading begins with Jesus teaching the crowd who was following him.  The people were drawn to Jesus, as He spoke with an authority not found in the Jewish religious teachers of the day.  It is highly probable that some of these religious leaders were in the crowd so as to hear Jesus’ words and report back to their superiors, who would then seek to trap Jesus by twisting the meaning of His words:

"So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets."

Jesus boards Simon’s boat and asks that Simon launch out a little from the land so more people could gather on the shore to hear Jesus’ teaching:

“3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat."

On completing His teaching the Lord Jesus gave Simon Peter a command:

“4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

Little did Simon know that Jesus had a greater purpose for being with Simon in his boat.  Jesus had chosen Simon to be one of His Chief Disciples, and to demonstrate His Divine Power, and Authority, He used the fact that Simon and his fellow fishermen had caught nothing during an all-night fishing expedition:

“5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”

6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

Jesus told Simon to “launch out into the deep and let down your nets down for a catch”.  It had been a long hard night, in Simon's words “we have toiled all night and caught nothing”.  We can only imagine what Simon must have thought, at first, about Jesus’ instruction.

Jesus had not told them to go out further and try again, but rather “let down your nets for a catch”. 

We are told that the nets came up filled with so many fish that Simon called to his fishing partners, brothers James and John, to come and help haul the fish in.  Even with their help the catch was so large that the nets began to tear, and when the catch was hauled on board the boats began to sink!

Simon was a wise and skilled fisherman, who knew the waters well, so he instantly knew that this was a miraculous event and that Jesus was obviously a Mighty Prophet of God who was able to command the fish to gather, and enter his net:

“8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.”

Simon’s response was to fall at Jesus’ knees and exclaim “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man O Lord”.  Besides this miracle Simon may have heard of Jesus and of His mighty works of Healing, and was afraid to be in the presence of this Holy Prophet of God.

Jesus calms Simon’s fear and tells him that “from now on you will catch men”.

Simon’s response to Jesus’ summons was to take his boats to shore were he gave the great catch of fish away together with the boats as well, and the three fishermen followed Jesus.

Jesus did not seek out His disciples from the ranks of scholars of the day, but rather from ordinary men who worked hard to secure a living, often in difficult and demanding circumstances.  Just the sort of men needed to preach the Holy Gospel in the rough, and at times, hostile world of the first century.

Let us thank God for Simon, James and John and for their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, and their faithful service in the proclamation of the Holy Gospel, handed down to us today.

May God bless these readings to us and incline our hearts to receive them with joy, and show forth their truth in our daily lives.     Amen.

Bishop Ian

Sunday 23rd June 2024 Trinity 4

The Collect for the Fourth Sunday after Trinity

O God, the protector of all that trust in You, without Whom nothing is strong, nothing is Holy ; Increase and multiply upon us Your Mercy ; that, You being our Ruler and Guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things Eternal ; Grant this, O Heavenly Father, for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake.     Amen.

The Epistle. Romans 8:18-23

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.

 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

The Holy Gospel of St Luke 6:36-42

36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.

41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today’s Epistle Reading is taken from St Paul’s Epistle to the Romans Chapter 8, Verses 18-23.

In this passage of his Epistle St Paul gives us an extremely clear insight into the effects of sin in our world, and a glimpse of the renewing power of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

St Paul strongly asserts that all the troubles of this present life, such as suffering, whether from health issues or persecution by others, amounts to nothing compared to the Heavenly Glory that has already been revealed to us by the Glorious Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven of the Lord Jesus Christ, and which will shortly be revealed, to the world, in each believer:

“18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

St Paul was not being dismissive or disrespectful of any believer's personal troubles, some of which are very severe, especially in the case of lifelong, painful, and debilitating terminal illnesses.

On the contrary St Paul is saying that our present miserable, painful, life compared to our Glorious Resurrection Life, lived for Eternity in the Glorified Body that awaits us when the Lord Jesus returns to our world, is so much more Wonderful, that we, at this present time, are unable to appreciate the contrast.

One of my favourite verses of Scripture that has always given me inspirational hope is recorded in the First Letter of St Paul to the Corinthians Chapter 2, Verse 9:

“9 But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

No one has ever even imagined all the good and wonderful things that God has created for us in His Eternal Kingdom.

Imagine the cleanest beaches, the most grand mountains, the most crystal clear rivers, lakes and seas, the most fragrant and vivid flowers, trees and shrubs, together with all our most beloved animals, birds, and sea creatures.

The Eternal Kingdom of God will be include all these things, but their beauty, and the pleasure that they bring us will be multiplied many, many, times over.

There will also be many additional things of beauty, pleasure and wonder, that we have not seen, or ever conceived in our imagination.

All of these things our loving God has prepared for those who Love and Trust the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour and King.

And the final Crowning Glory of God’s Eternal Kingdom is this........No sickness, or pain, no anger and hate, and no death, only Holy Love for our Holy God, His Beloved Son and His Mighty Holy Spirit, together with the fellowship of God's Holy Angels and all other Chosen People of God.

St Paul then tells us that the physical world was affected by man’s sin, and all creation looks forward to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus for renewal:

"19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed."

"20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God."

The sin of Adam and Eve brought decay and hardship to the physical world.

The corruption of nature is clearly detailed in the narrative of man’s fall from Grace as recorded in the Old Testament Book of Genesis Chapter 3, Verse 17:

“17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’

“Cursed is the ground because of you;
    through painful toil you will eat food from it
    all the days of your life.
18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
    and you will eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your brow
    you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
    since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
    and to dust you will return.”

St Paul then uses the imagery of a woman during childbirth to describe the pain of creation, burdened down and dying because of man’s sin, frustratingly awaiting the renewal that the establishment of God’s Eternal Kingdom will bring:

“22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.”

Unlike the natural world we, as Christians, have received a glimpse, in the Glorious Resurrection of the Lord Jesus, of what God has promised lays ahead for all those who Love and Trust His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus.

By the solemn Word of God and His Only Begotten Son, reinforced through the Ministry of His Mighty Holy Spirit we, together with all believers from all  the ages of History, can confidently and joyously join our voices with all of God’s Holy Angels and declare:

“9 Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

Let us continually give thanks to our Loving and Holy God for His wonderful Gift of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, by which we are made His adopted Children and Heirs of His Eternal Kingdom.     Amen.

Today’s Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Luke Chapter 6, Verses 36-42.

St Luke opens this portion of our Holy Gospel Reading with a passage of Scripture taken from what is known, by scholars specialising in the study of the Holy Gospel of St Luke, as the Sermon on the Plain.

The Sermon on the Plain is distinct from the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in the Holy Gospel of St Matthew Chapter 5, however both Sermons have common content.

In our Holy Gospel reading the Lord Jesus is instructing His hearers on their relationship and duty to other people.  He issues a number of very practical Commands concerning believers’ daily interaction with those they encounter, whether they are friends or strangers:

“36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Mercy is an indispensable quality for Christians to possess, and freely extend to all others, as it acknowledges and honours God’s Mercy shown to us.

Judgement of others, by us, is forbidden, as Judgement is the sole prerogative of God.

Our judgement of any other person is imperfect, as it is never based on full and detailed knowledge of that person’s character, motives or actions.

God alone sees the innermost thoughts of an individual and so He Judges fairly, unlike us, who judge only according to what we see outwardly.

The Lord Jesus told us to love our enemies.

The Lord Jesus then commands us:

”37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned."

Forgiveness is essential for a Christian as it honours God’s forgiveness extended to us through the Lord Jesus Christ:

“Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

Generosity and fairness are also essential attributes for a Christian, as God always treats us fairly and His Provision is always rich and generous, giving us more that we could ever expect, even though we may not see this at the time it is given.

As we give, so also will we receive:

“38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

In the Old Testament God demanded that all dealings with others, whether Jews or foreigners, must be one hundred percent fair and honest.  Deceit in both personal matters and business dealings was strictly forbidden.  The Old Testament Book of Proverbs Chapter 11, Verse 1 records this warning that sums up God’s attitude to deceitful business dealings:

“11 A false balance (crooked weighing scales, or any deception in business dealings) is an abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.”

God’s Blessings to us are always given in “good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over.”

Our blessing and giving to others must be the same.

The Lord Jesus then told two parables (an earthly story with a Spiritual meaning), regarding our suitability, and readiness to lead.

Failing to understand our own abilities, and even arrogance, that can often come with the acquisition of even a little knowledge, can render us unsuitable, and ineffective, to successfully lead and help others improve their earthy and spiritual lives:

"39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher."

Arrogant pride is the greatest sin, as it gives rise to almost all other sins.

The Lord Jesus then used a humorous example of how pride can destroy our ability to effectively help others amend and improve their spiritual lives:

“41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

The Lord Jesus requires us to carefully examine ourselves to ensure that what we say and do to others is said and done out of Love and genuine concern for the welfare of others, and not for the building up of our own egos.

We must be genuine in our desire to help others, sometimes at great cost to ourselves, for this is Holy Love and God is pleased and honoured by our selfless giving.

God set us an enduring example of His Love when He gave us the Blessings of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, at a tremendous and unfathomable cost.......... the humiliation, torture, and death of His Only-Begotten Son.

Let us always give grateful thanks to God for His Great Love for us, shown in His Gift to us of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

With this Holy Gift always before our eyes and in our minds, let us give to others with an honest heart and mind, knowing that God sees and hears all that we do, and may we also always seek to please Him by following His Great Example of Love, shown to us, and to all the world, in the Person and Work of His Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.     Amen.

Bishop Ian

Sunday 16th June 2024 Trinity 3

The Collect for the Third Sunday after Trinity

O Lord, we ask You mercifully to hear us ; and grant that we, to whom You have given  a strong desire to pray, may by Your mighty aid be defended and comforted in all dangers and adversities ; through Jesus Christ our Lord.     Amen

The Epistle. 1 St Peter 5:5-11

5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud
    but shows favour to the humble.”

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

The Holy Gospel of St Luke 15:1-10

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home.

Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today’s Epistle Reading is taken from the First Epistle of St Peter Chapter 5, Verses 5-11.

This passage from the First Epistle of St Peter, in my opinion, is one of the most powerful and helpful passages of Scripture, apart from the Holy Gospels.

St Peter provides some excellent teaching on living our daily, and at times painful and sad, lives in the midst of a sinful and hostile world.

Having given exhortation to the Church Elders in the earlier portion of his First Epistle St Peter now gives exhortation to the younger members of the Church:

“5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another,”

St Peter then declares that God is against proud individuals, as sinful pride is the sin from which all other sins flow forth:

“because God opposes the proud.”

Parents may have pride in their child’s success in school but in that sense, their pride is a form of happiness to be shared with others.  If. on the other hand, those same parents’ pride turns to boasting and devaluing other people’s children, that pride becomes sinful pride.

Sinful pride puts oneself above other people at all costs, and it is this pride that God opposes, and conversely He shows mercy to the humble and poor in spirit:

    “but shows favour to the humble.”

St Peter then further exhorts us to humble ourselves before God’s Mighty Power that He might, on the day of His Great Judgement, bring us honour and prestige as one of His Chosen People:

“6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

We are then reminded, by St Peter, to cast all our anxieties (cares and woes) on to God for He cares for us.  This means that we should seek God’s help in prayer in every problem we encounter in our daily lives, and rely on Him to provide a solution:

“7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

St Peter then issues a stern warning regarding the power and cunning of Satan.

Satan is likened to a prowling, roaring lion seeking out a victim to devour.  In New Testament times all people would have seen and feared the power of a lion:

"8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

Many Christians in the First Century AD were slain by lions in the Roman Colosseum.

Throughout history lions are often described as the king of beasts.

St Peter urges us to resist Satan as the Lord Jesus resisted him in the wilderness.

The Lord Jesus used God’s Holy Word to silence and banish Satan.

The Holy Gospel of St Matthew record’s the Lord Jesus’ battle with Satan in Chapter 4, Verses 1-11:

“1 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.”

St Peter then reminds us to take courage in our anxiety and sufferings as other Christians, throughout the world, are enduring similar troubles:

"9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings."

St Peter concludes our Epistle Reading by declaring a promise which contains a blessing - that the God of all Grace, Who has given us Eternal Life through the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, will restore us to Eternal strength and steadfastness:

"10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen."

God has already wonderfully honoured His Promise and Blessing, in the Person of His Only-Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s Mighty Work in providing His Gift of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, has clothed us in the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus.

Safely wrapped that Holy Garment we are saved and delivered from all of Satan’s deadly snares of sin, as we await the Return of the Lord Jesus which will herald the Great Day of God’s Judgement, and the establishment of His Eternal Kingdom, of which we are heirs as His Sons and Daughters.

Let us, daily, give thanks to God for the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Mighty Victory that is ours through His Death and Mighty Resurrection.  Let us also take courage from St Peter’s promise that other Christians suffer as we do, as we all wait together for the Return of our Lord Jesus Christ.     Amen.

Today’s Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Luke Chapter 15, Verses 1-10.

In this portion of his Holy Gospel St Luke records two parables (earthly stories with Spiritual meanings) relating to the recovery of lost items.

St Luke opens this portion of his Holy Gospel with the Lord Jesus speaking to a crowd of people.  We are told that this gathering was predominantly tax collectors and sinners:

“1Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.”

The Pharisees regarded any person who did not submit their lives to the teaching and life example of the Pharisees, as being a sinner and therefore an outcast from the Jewish Faith and outside the benevolence of God.

Many churches of our time regard people who are not members of any church, as being ungodly sinners and not worthy of God’s favour.

The Pharisees of the Lord Jesus’ time regarded tax collectors and their associates, together with publicans and prostitutes, as being sinners and therefore beyond God’s Blessings.

Rabbinical writing and thought of the Lord Jesus’ time was summed up by:

“Let not a man associate with the wicked, not even to bring him to the Law.”

The Pharisees quickly condemned the Lord Jesus and the crowd that had gathered to hear Him:

"2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

The Lord Jesus then told the gathering the first of two parables:

"3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home.”

The head shepherd (the owner of the flock) concentrated his thoughts and efforts to recover the one sheep that has been lost.  The ninety nine that are left by the head shepherd, as he seeks out he lost sheep, are safe with the flock (more than likely guarded by assistant herdsmen).

Having found the lost sheep by determined searching, the shepherd calls his friends and neighbours to rejoice and celebrate the recovery:

"Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’"

The Lord Jesus then told the gathering of the great Joy that there is in Heaven as God rejoices, with all the company of His Holy Angels, when one lost sinner repents and passes from condemnation and death, to Eternal Life:

"7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

The Lord Jesus then reinforces His teaching to the crowd by telling them another parable about a woman who loses a silver coin:

“8 Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?"

The woman needs to light a lamp as the typical Jewish peasant house, in New Testament times, would have been relatively small, with no windows, and only a door to allow light to enter the dwelling.

The lighting of a lamp, burning precious oil, indicates that the woman was intent on conducting a thorough search.

Like the shepherd who found his lost sheep, the woman on finding her lost coin rejoices, and also calls her friends and neighbours to rejoice with her and celebrate the recovery of the lost coin:

"9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’"

The Lord Jesus again told the crowd that God, and all His Holy Angels, also rejoice over the recovery of a lost sinner who is found, and passes from condemnation to Eternal Life:

"10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The Pharisees, of the Lord Jesus’ time, ignored sinners and concentrated their religious efforts on ministering to those whom they judged to be worthy of their ministry.

The other focus of the Pharisees’ efforts was the participation in the ceremonial Temple Worship

These two activities were considered to be the sum total of what was required by the Law of Moses.

The Lord Jesus taught that without the Love of God, by which He seeks out lost sinners and brings them home rejoicing, the ceremonial worship of the Jewish Faith, so treasured by the Jewish leaders, was worthless.

The Law of Moses condemned all, but could save none.

The Temple Ritual and its associated sacrifices could only temporarily cover sin, but could not eternally cleanse the worshiper.

Only the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ can save men and women eternally, by clothing them in the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus.

This priceless Gift is made available to each and every one of us through the Lord Jesus’ Holy Blood, shed on the Cross of Calvary, in payment for our sins.

Salvation from God’s Holy Righteous Judgement is ours for the asking.

God’s forgiveness is freely given to any person who, by the Power of the Holy Spirit, repents of their sin and believes and accepts the Lord Jesus as God’s Only-Begotten Holy Son, and believes that the Lord Jesus gave His Life for repentant sinners.  That repentant person then, through faith, freely receives God’s Gift of Eternal Life.

Let us always give our Gracious God thanks for His Priceless Gift of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and rejoice with God, and His Holy Angels, as we see other people saved and brought home to the Lord Jesus’ Flock.     Amen.

Bishop Ian

Sunday 9th June 2024 Trinity 2

The Collect for the Second Sunday after Trinity

O Lord, Who never fails to keep and govern those who You bring up in Your steadfast awe and Love ; Keep us, we ask You under the protection of Your good Providence, and make us to have perpetual awe and love of Your Holy Name ; through Jesus Christ our Lord.     Amen.

The Epistle. 1 St John 3:13-24

13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

The Holy Gospel of St Luke 14:16-24

16 Jesus said: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today’s Epistle Reading is taken from the First Epistle of St John Chapter 3 Verses 13-24

St John begins our Epistle Reading by making a bold statement that we should not be surprised to learn that the world hates us as Christians:

“13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters if the world hates you.”

“The world” means that great body of the earth’s population, both past, present, and future, who have no regard for the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, but rather revel in the pleasures and lusts of Satan.

St John then declares that all Christians have assurance that they have passed from spiritual death to Life because of the Love that exists between them.  This Love emanates from God. 

Those persons who do not Love, remain spiritually dead, in this present world, and, after the Great Judgment, for eternity,

“14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.”

St John gives an extreme example of a person who hates their brother or sister:

“15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.”

We then have a very challenging truth laid down before us:

“16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”

Even in the First Century AD, when St John wrote his First Epistle, it was not common for any person to be called to lay down their life for another person, other than when serving as a soldier in a battle.

What St John may have had in mind is a person who loses their life attempting to save a drowning person, or defending a person who has been set upon by robbers.

St John gives us another practical example of the Love of God dwelling within a Christian who may be a rich person:

“17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?”

The social divide that existed between the rich and poor was much greater in the First Century AD then today.

It is the willingness to act, or speak up, at the risk of our own life that is a manifestation of God’s Love in us:

“18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

St John then tells us how we know that we belong to God, in Truth, and gain confidence knowing that we are right with God.  God’s Knowledge is greater than the sum total of all earthly knowledge and His Judgements are based on all things, many of which we are unaware of:

“19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”

St John then tells us that the secret to having confidence before God is to keep His Commandments:

“21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.”

We are then told by St John what it is to keep the Commandments of God. 

We are Commanded to believe in the Person and Work of Gold’s Only Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  If we believe in the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus we are clothed with the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus.

Our belief in the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus enables us to love others as ourselves, and this love is most pleasing to God:

 "23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us."

The proof of our right standing before God, through the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Who testifies to our hearts and minds, and gives us peace within ourselves, even in a world that hates us.

Let us give thanks to God for the Gift of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus and the confidence that the Holy Gospel gives us in heart and mind.  Let us also thank God for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who shows the things of the Lord Jesus to us, and comforts us until the Lord Jesus comes again.     Amen.

Today’s Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Luke Chapter 14, Verses 16-24.

St Luke opens this portion of his Holy Gospel with the Lord Jesus’ and His Disciples attending a banquet, at the house of a prominent Pharisee (a member of the Jewish Religious party).

St John uses Verses 12-15 set the scene for the portion of scripture that is set forth as our Gospel Reading today.

Some scholars suggest that the Lord Jesus’ parable (an earthly story with a Heavenly meaning) was based on a Jewish story about a Tax Collector (not a highly esteemed job in the Lord Jesus’ time) who was trying to gain social standing, among the Jewish aristocrats and so he prepared a banquet, and invited many of the aristocrats.

Most of the aristocrats, in the Jewish story, rebuffed the Tax Collector by declining his invitation.

In the preface to our Reading the Lord Jesus spoke to the host and told him that true hospitality and generosity is shown by providing a blessing to those who are unable to reciprocate in kind:

“12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbours; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

When the Lord Jesus heard this blessing spoken by one of the other guests at His table, he immediately responded by telling the parable that makes up our Holy Gospel Reading today:

“16 Jesus said: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests.”

The Lord Jesus had also observed the other guests at the banquet and their actions.  Many of the guests sought to secure the best seats of honour at the banquet table, no doubt to enhance their own prestige, and to appear important in the eyes of others.

In the Lord Jesus’ parable, the host of the banquet had prepared a magnificent feast and had sent all the invitations out.  He had no doubt invited all the prominent citizens of his area.

The host then sent his servant to tell the invited guests that the banquet was ready and that they should now come to enjoy it:

“17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

This double invitation was quite a common Jewish custom in the Lord Jesus’ time, the guests would be invited prior to the banquet to advise them of the upcoming event, and invited, or called, a second time when the banquet was prepared and ready to eat.

The Lord Jesus then told His Disciples of some of the guest’s responses to their second banquet call:

18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

Just like the guests in the story of the Jewish Tax Collector, the guests in the Lord Jesus’ parable each decline the call due to prior commitments.

Each excuse was perfectly feasible in the daily routine of running each invited guest’s household, however each task cited for not coming could have been rescheduled.

Although the reasons given for the invitees' inability to come were valid and truthful, they failed to consider the dishonour and offence accorded to the host of the banquet, in their refusal to come.

The host of the banquet, on hearing the excuses for not attending, understandably became angry and ordered his servant to go into the streets and alleys of the town and call in guests from the lowest social class in town, the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame:

“21 The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.”

The servant reported that he had carried out this order but yet there was still room at the tables:

“22 Sir, the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.”

The host then told his servant to go out into the main roads and country lanes and call in yet more people, that the banquet would be full of guests and could proceed in honour and joyfulness:

“23 Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.”

The servant is told to “compel” the people, he came across, to come to the banquet. The word “compel” indicates that the servant was to be passionate, and overwhelmingly persuasive, to ensure that the banquet hall would be full.

A half full banquet hall would not please, or honour, any host in the Lord Jesus’ time.

The host then makes a stunning declaration:

“24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.”

Those who were invited to the banquet and dishonoured the host by refusing the invitation will now never share in the banquet.

This parable told by the Lord Jesus alludes to the Great Heavenly Banquet prepared by God and to be held immediately after the Great Day of God’s Judgement of all mankind. 

This Great Judgement will be held at the time of the Lord Jesus’ Second Coming to this world.

In the Lord Jesus’ parable the original invitees were the ancient Jewish nation and the Jews of the Lord Jesus time.  When the Jews rejected God’s Invitation by rejecting and crucifying God’s only Begotten Son, God sent His Invitation to the Gentiles (non-Jewish People).

The Gentiles were considered, by religious Jews as being totally outside the Covenant of God, and beneath the beggars, the cripples, and the blind within the Jewish nation.

God’s invitations to His Great Heavenly Banquet have been sent out in every age of history, through Noah at the time of the flood, through Abraham at the time of God’s calling of him, through Moses at the time of the giving of the Law, through the Holy Prophets of the Old Testament era and through the Earthly Ministry of the Lord Jesus and His Holy Apostles.

The invitations to God’s Great Banquet are still being sent out in our day and age by the faithful preaching of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It was also customary, in Jewish Banquets and Wedding Feasts, that the host would provide a special garment, usually a robe worn over the guest’s garments, to signify that the guests were blessed, and honoured by the host.

To not wear this special garment was a great insult to the host.

God’s Holy Banquet Invitation and Banquet Garment is offered to all.

God's Banquet Garment is the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, which clothes any person who has faith in, and accepts, the Gift of the Lord Jesus’ Perfect Work of Redemption on the Cross.

This Perfect Work of the Lord Jesus is known as The Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ,

God’s Great Heavenly Banquet will be a joyous celebration of God’s Bounteous Provision and Faithfulness throughout all ages of History.

This Great Heavenly Banquet will be composed of people from every nation, Redeemed by the Holy Gospel, and all enjoying the Presence of God and giving Worship, Praise and Thanksgiving and to our Holy God and His only-Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us always give grateful thanks to God for His Gracious Invitation to His Great Heavenly Banquet, and also thank Him for providing the essential Garment for us to wear.  May we ever be ready to proclaim God’s Invitation to His Great Heavenly Banquet, and may we ever be thankful to God for providing the Banquet Garment at the highest cost: the Death of His Only-Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus.     Amen.

Bishop Ian

Sunday 2nd June 2024 Trinity 1

The Collect for the First Sunday after Trinity

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in You, mercifully accept our prayers ; and because of the weakness of our mortal nature we cannot do anything good without You, grant us the help of Your grace, that in keeping Your commandments we may please You, both in will and deed ; through Jesus Christ our Lord.     Amen

The Epistle. 1 St John 4:7-21

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

The Holy Gospel of St Luke 16:19-31

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today’s Epistle Reading is taken from the First Epistle of St John Chapter 4 Verses 7-21.

This passage from the First Epistle of St John is one of the most challenging portions of Holy Scripture to fully understand and then apply it in our daily lives, or to expound it’s ramifications in a sermon to fellow Christians. Even more challenging is to convey it’s message, and application, to Non-Christians.

The crux of the message is simple, and crystal clear. God is Love and everyone who claims to believe in God, His only Begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, must have this same God given Love, for all people.

This is easier said, than done.

St John opens this passage by declaring the origin of Love and its manifestation:

"7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love".

I believe that St John intended his first letter to be read by, or to, Christians only, and that the term Love applies primarily to those who profess faith in the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is conceivable that a pagan may love his family and friends and have no regard for the Holy Gospel, so how could the love of the True God abide in that person, although God loves pagans without a reciprocal response.

St John then tells us how God showed His love to mankind, and on what basis He demands the same of those who call themselves His people:

"9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."

The Apostle Paul tells us in his Epistle to the Romans Chapter 5, Verses 6-8, that God loved us first and sent the Lord Jesus to save us from Judgement:

“6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

On a personal note, it was verse 6, of Chapter 5, of St Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, quoted above, that, in June 1969, first started the thought process that lead me to believe, and accept the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, and so become a Christian. 

The verse was written on an small Christian mission sign, on the side of one of the the platform buildings of Sydenham Railway Station, in Sydney's south west. It was written in both English and Italian. 

I read that sign each week as I travelled home, after escorting my first girlfriend, Kerry, home on a Saturday night, following an evening out at the movies or dinner.  After we parted ways, in March 1970, the message of the sign kept coming into my mind and I, at last, read the Epistle of St Paul to the Romans, and the four Holy Gospels.

It was at that point that I realised that I needed God's Holy Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, and my life literally changed overnight. By the Mighty Power of the Holy Spirit I had received faith in the Lord Jesus and the Forgiveness of God through the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus.

I thank God for that sign, placed there by people unknown to me, but known to God.

St John then tells us how to show the love of God abides in us:

“13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.”

The Holy Spirit gives us the power to acknowledge that the Lord Jesus is God’s only Begotten Son and that any person who believes in the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, has God and His Love, dwelling in them, by faith, and His Love will never fail or abandon them.

St John guarantees that God’s Love abides in those who love God and His beloved Son:

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."

St John then declares that God’s Love removes fear of God’s Judgement and punishment from us, as we are clothed in the Holy Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ:

"17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

St John concludes this portion of his Epistle by warning that any person who claims to love God and yet fails to show love to a brother or sister cannot possibly have the Love of God abiding in them:

"19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister."

The Lord Jesus gave His disciples a New Commandment, to love one another, before He left them to face the ordeal of crucifixion.  The giving of the New Commandment is recorded in the Holy Gospel of St John Chapter 13, Verses 34-35:

“34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Let us give humble thanks to God that He gave us the Great Gift of His Love in sending His only Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus, to bear the punishment that was due to us as guilty sinners.  Let us also give thanks to God for granting to us the Holy Gift of Adoption as His Children, and so Heirs of His Eternal Kingdom. Amen.

Today’s Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Luke Chapter 16, Verses 19-31.

St Luke opens this portion of his Holy Gospel with the Lord Jesus teaching His Disciples about Love and Charity by telling them a parable (an earthly story revealing a heavenly truth) about two men from very different social classes:

“19 There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores."

One man was a very rich individual who lived a life of luxury.  Presumably his house was large and comfortable and he had a number of servants and slaves to carry on his business and to provide for all his comforts. He obviously enjoyed fine food and the best of wine.

The other man, named Lazarus, was a beggar who used to sit by the rich man’s gate and beg for food, clothing, money and whatever he could obtain from the rich man’s garbage.

We are told that Lazarus’ body was covered in sores, which were more than likely from diseases caused by the lack of vitamins and other nutrients from good meals.

To make matters worse dogs used to come and lick Lazarus’ sores.  This was abhorrent to Jews as dogs were considered an unclean animal in the Jewish Faith.

St Luke then tells us that both men died:

“22 The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried."

After his death Lazarus was carried, by Angels to Abraham’s side.  This description means that Lazarus’ spirit was carried to Heaven to join his ancestor Abraham, the Father of the Jewish race, to rest in peace, in God’s presence, as the world awaited the Great Day of Judgement.

The rich man’s spirit was sent to Hades (the place of the dead) where he was in suffering in the fires of Torment.  He looked up to Heaven, which is described as being far away, and saw Abraham, with Lazarus by his side:

“23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.”

The rich man called to Abraham for pity, and asked if Lazarus could be sent to dip his finger in cool water and touch the rich man’s tongue to give some relief from the fire of Torment:

"24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'"

Abraham rebuked the rich man and reminded him that in life he had every good thing.

Lazarus, on the other hand, had only bad things but presumably Lazarus had faith in God’s Holy Word and promises, revealed in the Old Testament by His Holy Prophets. God’s Great promise was to send to His faithful people His Holy Messiah to deliver the faithful remnant of Israel from their earthly troubles, and to exalt them to His side in His Everlasting Kingdom:

“25 But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony."

Abraham then told the rich man that there is an impassable chasm (a deep gorge) that God has fixed between the Kingdom of the Righteous and the domain of the unrighteous.  None may crossover this barrier in either direction:

“26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us."

Realising that he was not going to receive any relief from his torment the rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus to his five brothers’ families so that they would not end up in Torment:

“27 He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment."

Presumably all the rich man’s family and his brothers’ families were all wealthy and uncaring when it came to mercy shown to the poor.

Abraham refused the rich man’s request:

“29 Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.”

The rich man appeals to Abraham saying that God’s teaching in the Old Testament was not sufficient to bring about his families’ repentance and to produce a more caring attitude to the poor, but if someone was to rise from the dead and confront them, then that might succeed in convincing them to repent:

“30 No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’”

Abraham refuses the rich man’s appeal and told him that if the families will not listen and obey God’s commands, as revealed by Moses, and the great Prophets of the Old Testament, then they will not listen even if someone, raised from the dead, returned to exhort them:

“31 He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

The Lord Jesus’ purpose in telling the story of the rich man and Lazarus was to emphasise that the Old Testament teaching given in the Law of Moses, and reinforced by the teaching of the Great Prophets of Israel, was more than sufficient to reveal God’s desire that His people should show mercy to wards other people, together with His Command that those who have an abundance of this world’s wealth must share it with those less fortunate.

Being rich carries a responsibility to ensure that out of those riches, provision must be made to help those who do not have access to many of the things that the rich take for granted.

Let us thank God for His many Gracious Gifts given to us to make our lives comfortable and happy.  Let us also ask God, through the Lord Jesus, to instill in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit the desire to share our good gifts with others who are less well off than ourselves, and so show forth the Love, Mercy, and Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.     Amen.

Bishop Ian

Sunday 26th May 2024 Trinity Sunday

 Trinity Hymn

1.    Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee.
Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and Mighty,
God in Three Persons, Blessed Trinity!

2. Holy, holy, holy! All the Saints adore Thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and Seraphim falling down before Thee,
Which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

3. Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,
though the eye of sinful man Thy Glory may not see,
only Thou art Holy; there is none beside Thee,
perfect in Power, in Love and Purity.

4. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and Mighty,
God in Three Persons, Blessed Trinity.

Bishop Ian’s Trinity Prayer of Praise

“Praise to you Heavenly Father, Maker and Ruler of all Creation.

Praise to Your Blessed, Beloved, and only Begotten Son, Jesus our Saviour.

Praise to Your Mighty Holy Spirit, Who takes of the Things of Jesus, and shows them unto us, and comforts us, until Jesus Comes Again.

Praise to You Blessed and Holy Trinity, Three Persons, One God,

As it was in the Beginning, is Now, and Ever shall be, World without end. Amen.”

The Collect for Trinity Sunday

Almighty and everlasting God, Who has given to us Your humble servants grace by the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glory of the Eternal Trinity, and in the power of Your Divine Majesty to worship the Unity ; We ask You, that You would keep us steadfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities, Who Lives and Reigns, One God, world without end.     Amen.

For The Epistle. Revelation 4:1-11

4 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.

4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the centre, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,

who was, and is, and is to come.”

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honour and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honour and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.”

The Holy Gospel of St John 3:1-16

3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.

4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today’s Reading for the Epistle is from the Book of the Revelation Chapter 4. Verses 1-11

The Book of Revelation begins:

“1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”

It is generally accepted by most scholars that the Book of Revelation was written by the Apostle John in about 96 AD, as he spent his last years, in exile, on the island of Patmos.

The Apostle John was exiled to Patmos as part of the general persecution, of the Christian Church, that broke out in the closing years of the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian.

St John received his Revelation in a series of Visions given to him by God, and St John, in turn, wrote them down in his Book of the Revelation.

Today’s Reading for the Epistle begins at the Fourth Verse of Chapter Four of the Book of the Revelation and details the Vision, given to St John, of the Throne of God in Heaven.

St John, in his Vision, saw “a door standing open in Heaven.”  Out of this door a loud and piercing voice called St John to come up to Heaven and be shown “what must take place after this":

“1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

The Voice that St John heard was the Voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, raised from the dead and exalted to the Right Hand of God, and given all Might, Majesty, and Dominion over all things.

St John was instantly translated to Heaven “in the Spirit” (an intense ecstatic vision) and he beheld God seated on His Throne:

"2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne."

The Throne, first glimpsed by St John, is an important feature as it places our Almighty God at the centre of Heaven and indicates that He has Absolute control over all things, both on earth and in Heaven.

God’s appearance was concealed by a cloud of Glorious Radiance and Beauty that was likened to the rich green of the most precious Jasper, and the brilliant red of Ruby.

The Cloud that concealed God was not like an ordinary cloud but had the appearance of a dazzling rainbow.  The rainbow was the sign, of God’s Covenant with Noah, after the flood, that He would never again send a great flood upon the earth.

This Covenant with Noah is recorded in the Old Testament Book Genesis Chapter 9, Verses 8-17:

“8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”

God always used a cloud to conceal his appearance when He appeared to the People of Israel in Old Testament times.

St John then saw twenty four thrones surrounding the Throne of God, and upon them sat twenty four Elders, dressed in white and having golden crowns on their heads:

"4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads."

These twenty four Elders are Angelic Beings and it is thought by many scholars that they represent the twelve tribes of ancient Israel of the Old Testament and the twelve Apostles of the New Testament.  This view of the Elders unites, and binds, the people of God from both eras of God’s Covenantal relationship with His People.

St John then tells of his Vision of God’s Throne with its Mighty Glory described in terms of brilliant lightning rumbling and peals of thunder.  These are earthly manifestations of great power and might, easily recognisable to the common man of St John’s time, and so are appropriate to convey the Majesty and Dread (great awe) of God’s Presence.

"5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder."

St John then describes seeing seven lamp stands burning in front of Gods’ Throne.  These are revealed to be the seven spirits of God:

"In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God."

St John also describes what appears to be a sea, or body of water that looked like a sheet of crystal clear glass:

"6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal."

We are not told that it is water or glass, however some scholars suggest that it represents the water that is above the Firmament of Heaven, described in the Creation Narrative of Genesis Chapter 1 Verses 6-8:

"6 And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” 7 So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day."

St John then describes what he saw surrounding God’s Throne:

"In the centre, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,

who was, and is, and is to come.”

St John’s Vision of the four Living Creatures surrounding God’s Throne recalls the vision given to the Old Testament Prophet Ezekiel and recorded in his Book, Chapter 1 Verses 1-28:

“1 In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.

2 On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— 3 the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians There the hand of the Lord was on him.

4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The centre of the fire looked like glowing metal, 5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human, 6 but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four of them had faces and wings, 9 and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.

10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. They each had two wings spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body. 12 Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went. 13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. 14 The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.

15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 17 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction as the creatures went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around.

19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault, sparkling like crystal, and awesome. 23 Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. 24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

25 Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26 Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.”

The description of the Living Creatures by St John and the Prophet Ezekiel are very similar and although they differ in some details they obviously relate to the same Angelic Beings that attend God around His Throne.  These Angelic Beings also serve, praise, and glorify God.

The Living Creatures’ main function is to guard the Throne of God.  They also give special praise and glory to God, and in communion with the Seraphim, Ophanim, Cherubim, and all God’s Holy Angels they continually serve God and carry out His Decrees as commanded.

The faces of the Living Creatures are representative of a particular part of God’s creation of living things.  The man is of mankind, the lion is of beasts, the eagle is of birds, and the ox is of cattle.

St John tells us that whenever the Living Creatures give Praise to God, the twenty four Angelic Elders fall down before God’s Throne and Lay their Golden Crowns down before the Throne as a sign of renunciation of their authority, in submission to, and in acknowledgement of, the absolute Authority and Dominion of Almighty God over all things:

“9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honour and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.”

The Vision of Heaven given to St John reveals to us that our God is the absolute Creator and Ruler of all things both in Heaven and in Creation.  Every aspect and detail of our individual lives and the world in which we live is under the authority of our Holy Triune God Who Rules His Creation from His Throne in Heaven.

We have a Heavenly Father Who Loves us, a Holy Saviour Who Died to reconcile us to our Holy Father and a Mighty Holy Spirit who takes of the things of our Holy Saviour and reveals them to us.

Let us give thanks to our Almighty, Holy, and Blessed God Who has revealed Himself to us as The Holy Trinity, and has shown us, through His Holy Apostle St John, the Power and Great Glory that attends our Holy God and His Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Mighty Holy Spirit. Let us also give thanks that our Mighty Triune God will soon subdue all things under His Eternal Rule in His Great and Glorious Everlasting Kingdom.     Amen.

Today’s Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St John Chapter 3, Verses 1-16.

St John opens this portion of his Holy Gospel with the account of the Lord Jesus’ meeting with a man named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish Ruling Council, known as the Sanhedrin:

"3 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council."

The Sanhedrin was the judicial body before which the Lord Jesus would stand on the night of His arrest.

To be a member of the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus must have been a Pharisee. The Pharisees did not embrace the teaching of the Lord Jesus and were often the most bitter of His enemies. 

Many times the Pharisees conspired to discredit, or trap the Lord Jesus with His own words. 

They always failed.

It is no wonder that Nicodemus came to see the Lord Jesus, by himself and at night.  It would not go well for Nicodemus to be seen consulting a Teacher who was openly critical of the Sanhedrin.

Nicodemus visited the Lord Jesus and made an admission that the Lord Jesus was a teacher sent from God proved by the miracles that the He had performed:

“2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

The Lord Jesus replied that no one could see the Kingdom of Heaven unless they were born again.  The Lord Jesus was, of course, referring to a spiritual rebirth:

"3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."

Nicodemus was stunned, and his confusion was shown in his response when he asked how a person could be physically reborn from their mother’s womb:

4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

The Lord Jesus again told Nicodemus that it is necessary for a person to be born of the Spirit to see, and enter, God’s Great Kingdom:

"5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

The Lord Jesus uses the example of the wind - it is heard and felt, but where it comes from or goes to is unknown.  It is interesting that the Greek word for wind is also the word for spirit.

Just like the wind, the Holy Spirit works what He will and where He will, without prior consultation with any man.

In answer to this statement, by the Lord Jesus, Nicodemus has no understanding:

“9 How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.”

The Lord Jesus is incredulous at Nicodemus’ astounding lack of understanding and declares:

“10 You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?”

The Lord Jesus then rebuked Nicodemus and told him that despite God’s Authentication, by Miraculous Signs, of the Lord Jesus’ Ministry with His Disciples, the Jewish Religious leaders and their people did not believe His earthly work, so how could they believe in Heavenly things:

“11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?”

The Lord Jesus then declared to Nicodemus that He had first-hand knowledge of the things of Heaven as He had come from Heaven, and would shortly return to Heaven:

"13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man."

The Lord Jesus used the title “Son of Man” to describe Himself.  This term was a well understood title that related to the Great Messiah (Mighty Deliverer) whom God had Promised to send to the nation of Israel to restore their fortunes and establish them as a great nation forever.

The Lord Jesus concluded His conversation with Nicodemus by foretelling of His Crucifixion, following a sham trial and an illegal sentence of the Sanhedrin.

The Lord Jesus then likened His coming Crucifixion to the brazen serpent that Moses lifted up in the midst of ancient Israel, on whom God, as a punishment for their unbelief had sent a plague of snakes, that all who looked upon it would be saved from snakebite and live:

"14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

The Old Testament Book of Numbers records the brazen serpent in Chapter 21, Verses 4-9:

“4 They travelled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”

6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived."

Just as those ancient Israelite sinners, bitten by snakes, could look at the brazen serpent (trust in God) and be saved, so sinners, in Nicodemus’ time, and in our own time, who are “bitten by Satan” and are in desperation, can look upon the Crucified Christ and believe in His Holy Gospel, and will mercifully receive forgiveness of their sins from God, and be saved from His Great Judgement.

Our Holy Gospel reading concludes with what is regarded as the most important, and most beautiful verse in the Holy Bible. John records the Blessed Declaration of the Lord Jesus:

“16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

These words of the Lord Jesus perfectly describes the Holy Gospel and it’s inestimable Blessing for all God’s faithful people.

Let us always give great thanks to our Loving God who has given us, through the Mighty Holy Spirit, the Gift of the Holy Gospel of His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to redeem us from the punishment of sin, and to make us the adopted children of God and heirs of His Everlasting Kingdom.

In closing I would like to leave you with the words of an Irish Hymn, St Patrick’s Breastplate, translated and adapted by Mrs Cecil Frances Alexander in 1889, from an ancient Gaelic poem, St Patrick’s Lorica. The Lorica was an ancient mystical garment believed, by the ancient Irish people, to provide spiritual protection to the wearer.

This Hymn declares St Patrick’s devotion to the Holy Trinity and I feel it is a most inspiring hymn of Praise and Trust in our Most Holy and Powerful Triune God;

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this today to me forever
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in Jordan river,
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of Cherubim;
The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgment hour,
The service of the Seraphim,
Confessors’ faith, Apostles’ word,
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the Prophets’ scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the star lit heaven,
The glorious sun’s life giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His Heavenly Host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave, the poisoned shaft,
Protect me Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my Salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Amen.

Bishop Ian

Sunday 19th May 2024 Whit-Sunday

The Collect for Whit-Sunday

(The Day of Pentecost)

God, Who at this time taught the hearts of Your faithful people, by sending them the Light of Your Holy Spirit ; Grant us by the Holy Spirit to have right judgement in all things, and evermore rejoice in His Holy Comfort ; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, Who Lives and Reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, world without end.     Amen.

Whit-Sunday Hymn

Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire
and lighten with celestial fire;
thou the anointing Spirit art,
who dost thy seven-fold gifts impart.

Thy blessed unction from above
is comfort, life, and fire of love;
enable with perpetual light
the dullness of our mortal sight.

Teach us to know the Father, Son,
and thee, of both, to be but one,
that through the ages all along
this may be our endless song:

Praise to thine eternal merit,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen.

For The Epistle. Acts 2:1-11

2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

The Holy Gospel of St John 14:15-31

15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today’s Reading for the Epistle is taken from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles Chapter 2, Verses 1-11.

The Book of the Acts of the Apostles was written by St Luke, the author of the Holy Gospel of St Luke.

We can think of the Holy Gospel of St Luke as the first part of St Luke’s narrative, concerning the Life, Works, Death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

The Book of the Acts can be regarded as the second part of the narrative of the Lord Jesus, beginning with His Ascension into Heaven, followed by the Missionary work of His Disciples. 

St Luke commences today’s Reading by focusing on the Lord Jesus’ Disciples gathered together, in a room, on the Day of Pentecost.

“2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.”

The Christian celebration of the Day of Pentecost falls within the Jewish “Feast of Weeks” which commemorated the Giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai approximately, 1,500 years before.

The word “Pentecost” means the fiftieth day after Easter Sunday. Also it was the time of the Jewish harvest festival of “Shavuot.”

The one place where the Disciples were all gathered together may have been the upper room where the Lord Jesus celebrated His Last Supper with His Disciples. They were probably still keeping a low profile, for fear of the Jews, even fifty days after the Resurrection.

The Holy Gospel of St John records the fear of the Disciples, prior to their initial witness of the Risen Lord Jesus in Chapter 20, Verses 19-20:

“19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.”

The Lord Jesus appeared to His Disciples a number of times over a period of forty days after after His Resurrection and on one such occasion He commanded them to remain in Jerusalem until they had received the promised gift of the Holy Spirit.  St Luke records this command in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles Chapter 1 Verses 4-5:

“4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

As the Disciples were gathered all together, The Lord Jesus’ promise was fulfilled and God’s Holy Spirit is bestowed upon them:

“2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

The Disciples’ reception of the Holy Spirit must have been a spectacular and startling sight.

The Disciples experienced visual and audio confirmation of the Holy Spirit’s presence and indwelling.  There was the sound of a mighty wind that filled their house and the appearance of what seemed to be a tongue of flame that separated with a flame coming to rest on each of the Disciples.

Immediately, on receiving the Holy Spirit, the Disciples began to speak in tongues other than their own native language.

The nature of these tongues is revealed by St Luke:

“5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken.”

From this narrative it is clear that the initial phenomena of speaking in tongues was that the Disciples spoke in foreign languages, not understood by Galilean speaking Jews, but clearly understood by the Jewish converts from all over the Middle Eastern areas of the Roman Empire. 

The geographical list of distant lands encompassed most of the ancient Middle Eastern lands, and then some:

“7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

The Lord Jesus’ Disciples were proclaiming His Holy Gospel in a truly remarkable way so that the people of those areas far removed from Jerusalem were able to hear of the Mighty Work of God in His Provision of the Holy Gospel to save all those people who call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus, irrespective of where they are from.

Also let us consider this important aspect of the events of the Day of Pentecost, that it, in a figurative way, represents a reversal of God’s curse upon mankind during the building of the Tower of Babel.

Where God aborted the work on the Tower of Babel (an attempt to reach, and be like God) by confusing the speech of the workers so that they could not understand each other, and so they were unable to communicate, and continue to build the Tower. God, on the Day of Pentecost, gave people, from diverse areas and different languages, the Gift of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, the true and only way to reach, and be like God, proclaimed in their own language, so that each could understand and receive this Holy Gift of God.

The Tower of Babel was aborted by God’s confusing of language. The Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ was proclaimed, and promoted, by God’s gift of foreign languages, and hence good, clear, communication with foreign hearers, through the Holy Spirit’s Gift to the Lord Jesus’ Disciples.

Let us give God thanks for His Gift of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost and for the comfort and Peace that the Holy Spirit brings with His indwelling.  Also let us thank God for the courage and confidence that the Holy Spirit gives us to enable us to boldly proclaim the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to all people, so that they might not perish but have Everlasting Life.     Amen.

Today’s Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St John Chapter 14, Verses 15-31.

St John opens this portion of his Holy Gospel in the midst of the Lord Jesus’ discourse with His Disciples, as He prepares them for His departure from this world and His return to His father in Heaven.

The Lord Jesus tells His disciples that they must show their love for Him by obeying His commandments:

“15 If you love me, keep my commands.”

In response to their love and obedience the Lord Jesus promises to send the Disciples “another advocate” to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth.” 

This “other advocate” is the Holy Spirit:

“16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth.”

The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity and is described, by Theologians, as “proceeding” (going forth) from the Father and the Son.

The Work of the Holy Spirit is to be God’s Holy Counselor and Comforter of His People, giving them faith and encouragement as they face the spiritual danger and trials of living in a fallen, sinful world, oppressed by Satan and his followers.

The Lord Jesus then tells His Disciples that the world cannot recognise or accept the Holy Spirit because it does not see or know Him.  The world has no faith, or desire, to know the things of God as they are under the control of Satan.

Only the Disciples and God’s faithful servants can recognise and joyfully accept the Holy Spirit:

"The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."

The Lord Jesus then promised that He would not leave the Disciples and His other followers desolate like orphans.  The Disciples would shortly see the Lord Jesus again, after His Crucifixion, in a physically different way, as a result of His Resurrection from the dead. 

The Disciples would see the Lord Jesus in His Resurrection Body.

The Risen Lord Jesus was able to pass through walls, and to disappear and re-appear at will.

An example of this miraculous ability was the Lord Jesus’ appearance to two of His Disciples as He joined them while they wee walking to Emmaus,

During their walk he Lord Jesus opened their minds to the truth of the Scriptures that testified to the Lord Jesus as being the Holy Messiah of God, and that He must Suffer And Die, to be raised from the dead.

The Lord Jesus appeared to the two Disciples, and joined them as they were eating their evening meal. This account is recorded in the Holy Gospel of St Luke, Chapter 24, Verses 30-32, and Verses 36-39:

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

************

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

The two Disciples had returned to Jerusalem and told the other Disciples about their encounter with the Lord Jesus when He appeared to the Disciples.

37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

The world would not see the Lord Jesus anymore, after His Ascension to Heaven, but the Disciples, and all believers, will continually experience the presence of their Master and His Heavenly Father through Faith, given as a Gift, and Sustained, by the Holy Spirit.

“18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”

The Lord Jesus then told His Disciples that their love for Him must be demonstrated by their obedience to His Commands.  The person who keeps the Lord Jesus’ commands will be loved by God:

“21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but another Disciple) asks why the Lord Jesus will not reveal Himself to the world (all people) as well as His Disciples and other believers:

“22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

The Lord Jesus responds to Judas’ question by telling him that the main ingredient in the Manifestation, by the Lord Jesus, of His Love and Presence with a believer, is the response of faith within that believer, and the desire to show their love of the Lord Jesus and His Heavenly Father by obedience to the Lord Jesus’ commands:

“23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”

The Lord Jesus then promised that after He had left His Disciples, and ascended to Heaven, the Holy Spirit Who will be sent by God, in the Lord Jesus’ name (by the promise of the Lord Jesus), will provide them with understanding concerning the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus, and will bring to remembrance all the Words and Instruction that the Lord Jesus gave to His Disciples during His Earthly Ministry:

“25 All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

The Lord Jesus then declared to His Disciples that He would give them His Peace.  The Lord Jesus’ Peace is not like the fragile peace that the world, and men, can provide, but rather a Robust and Eternal Peace that comes from God who rules over all of Creation and Who has, and will, overcome all enemies and adversities, so that the Disciples have no basis for fear:

"27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

The Lord Jesus then gave a gentle rebuke to His Disciples regarding their apprehension at His soon approaching departure (Death) from them. The Lord Jesus told them that if they truly loved Him they would be glad that He is going to His Father in Heaven, for in going to His Father the Lord Jesus would be in the process of Glorification because His future position will be greater than His present position, as His Father is above all things.

“28 You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.”

When the Lord Jesus takes His seat at the Right Hand of God His Father, His Father will deliver all Might, Majesty and Dominion into the Lord Jesus’ Hands, so His Glorification will be complete.

The Lord Jesus then informed His Disciples that He has told them about these things before they happened in order to prepare and strengthen them to meet the coming trials and adversities:

"29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe."

The Lord Jesus concludes our Holy Gospel Reading by telling His Disciples that Satan, “the prince of this world is coming,” but He adds that “ He has no hold over me.”

"30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me."

Satan’s coming onslaught of evil throughout the ages remaining, until the second coming of the Lord Jesus, will give all God’s Chosen People, the opportunity, and power, to resist and defeat Satan’s evil, before the face of all the world, by showing their love of God in their desire to obey His Word and Command.

Satan is always defeated by a person’s faith and belief in the Word and Command of God.

God’s Word and Command is to believe in the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus resisted and defeated Satan during His temptation in the wilderness by using the Word of God in its true context and meaning.  This is recorded in the Holy Gospel of St Matthew Chapter 4, Verse, 1-11:

 "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."

Let us give thanks to God for the Faithfulness of His Beloved Son, during His Earthly Ministry, and also let us give thanks that the Lord Jesus showed us the way to defeat Satan and his followers, using the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Commandment to Love Him, and other people, and in so doing give Praise and Glory to our Heavenly Father.     Amen.

Bishop Ian

Sunday 19th February 2023 The Sunday Called Quinquagesima

The Collect for the Sunday Called Quinquagesima

(The Sunday Before Lent)

O Lord, Who has taught us that all our doings without love are worth nothing; Send Your Holy Spirit, and pour into our hearts that most excellent Gift of Love, the very bond of peace and of all virtues, without which whoever lives is counted dead before You: Grant this for Your only Son Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

The Epistle, 1 Corinthians 1:1-13

13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

The Holy Gospel of St Luke 18:31-42

31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; 33 they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”

34 The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.

35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God.

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today’s Epistle Reading is taken from St Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians Chapter 13, Verses 1-13.

This passage from St Paul’s First Epistle to the Church at Corinth, is perhaps one of the most beloved passages in the Holy Bible, and ranks alongside the passages which contain the very words of the Lord Jesus.

In this portion of his Epistle St Paul goes to great length to impress upon his readers that Godly Love is at the very heart of our God’s relationship with mankind, and that the pinnacle of that Love is the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is God’s Love for all people that moved Him to send His Only Begotten Son into the world to give His Perfect Life as a Ransom for all those who accept, by faith, this Priceless Gift of God.

The Great Love of God is summed up in what is the best loved verse in the entire Holy Bible, taken from the Lord Jesus’ discourse with Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish Ruling Council, and recorded in the Holy Gospel of St John Chapter 3, Verse 16:

“16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. “

Also, in his Holy Gospel, St John further records the Lord Jesus’ giving of a new commandment to His Disciples in Chapter 13, Verse 34-35:

“34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

In his first general Epistle St John declares in Chapter 4, Verses 8-12:

“7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us”

It is on this unshakeable cornerstone of the Christian Faith, that St Paul exults Love above all the Gifts of God, and other attributes that must be displayed by the people of God:

“1If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”

St Paul then defines the qualities of Christian Love:

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

St Paul then defines the endurance of Christian Love:

“8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”

We are then told, by St Paul, that the deep mysteries of Heaven, and God’s Great Workings will be fully revealed to us by the Lord Jesus, after the Great Day of Judgement and the establishment of God’s Eternal Kingdom.

St Paul contrasts what we now see and know, with what we will see and know at that future time:

“9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”

St Paul concludes our Epistle Reading with a wonderful declaration on the great importance of Love, that God has revealed to us. Love is the chief quality embodied in God’s Only Begotten and Beloved Son, and which, in turn, the Lord Jesus has made known and bequeathed to all His faithful believers:

“13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

St Peter, the Lord Jesus’ Chief Apostle, gives us a valuable insight into Christian Love in his First Epistle Chapter 4, Verses 7- 8:

“7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

The Love of God in the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ has covered all believer’s sins forever.

Let us always thank God for His Great Gift of the Lord Jesus, Who has paid the great price for our sins and has marked all faithful believers as God’s Adopted Children, and may we all look forward to seeing and knowing all the Great Goodness, and experiencing the Great and Perfect Love of God through His Blessed Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today’s Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Luke Chapter 18, Verses 31-42.

In this passage of His Holy Gospel St John records the solemn teaching of the Lord Jesus given to His Disciples prior to the Lord Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem and the Divine Destiny that awaited Him there:

“31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; 33 they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”

I am of the opinion that the Disciples, in spite of their witnessing the miracles of feeding, healing, and driving out of demons, that the Lord Jesus performed, still did not fully comprehend the scope of the Lord Jesus’ Person, and Ministry, as the Great Messiah of God:

“34 The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.”

I am certain that the Disciples had no comprehension that the Great Messiah would come as a suffering servant, despite the great Prophecy of the great Old Testament Prophet Isaiah recorded in his Old Testament Book, and which occupies the entire Chapter 53:

" 1Who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
    and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

4 Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
    Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
    for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
    and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
    nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
    and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
    and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
    he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
    and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
    and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
    and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
    and made intercession for the transgressors.”

As the Lord Jesus was drawing close to Jericho, a town on the road to Jerusalem, he encountered a blind man at the roadside begging. When the blind beggar heard the crowd, and learned that it was the Lord Jesus passing by, he called out to Him:

“35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

The blind beggar must have known of the Lord Jesus and His Power to heal the sick and restore sight to the blind, together with something of the Lord Jesus’ lineage as he called out to the Lord Jesus addressing Him as” Jesus Son of David.”

It was known, in the Lord Jesus’ time. that the Great Messiah would come from the lineage of the great King David.

The crowd told him, in no uncertain term, to shut up and not to bother the Lord Jesus, but the more they tried to silence him the more he persisted in shouting out “Son of David have mercy on me:”

39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

The Lord Jesus stopped and asked for the man to be brought to Him. He asked the man what he wanted Him to do for him:

“40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”

The blind man states his request to the Lord Jesus:

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied”

The Lord Jesus replied to him and granted his request:

“42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God.”

The Lord Jesus obviously saw that the blind man was sincere and most persistent in his shouting to attract His attention. The Lord Jesus recognised the man’s overwhelming faith and rewarded him accordingly.

The blind beggar, now having received his sight, and realizing that it was a blessing from God followed the Lord Jesus and praised God as he did so.

May God give us thankful hearts for the unwarranted Gift of the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus, and may we always be faithful in telling other people about God’s Wonderful Gift of Love, that God’s Kingdom may be filled with those people whose faith and trust is in the Lord Jesus Christ. and with whom we may live forever in God’s Perfect Love.     Amen.

 Bishop Ian

February 23rd 2025 The Sunday Called Septuagesima

The Collect for the Sunday Called Septuagesima

(The Third Sunday Before Lent)

O Lord we beseech Thee favourably to hear the Prayers of Thy people; that we, who are justly punished for our offences, may be mercifully delivered by Thy goodness, for the for the glory of Thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Saviour, who lives and reigns with Thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end Amen

The Epistle - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

The Holy Gospel of St Matthew 20:1-16

1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius[ for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

3 “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went.

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

7 “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last, for many are called, but few chosen”

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today’s Epistle Reading is taken from the First Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 9, Verses 24-27.

In this portion of his Epistle the Apostle Paul likens all Christians to athletes preparing for, and competing in an athletic tournament. St Paul urges the Corinthian Christians to prepare and run their race so as to win the fist prize:

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

The Greeks in Corinth would be thoroughly familiar with athletic training, and participation in a games tournament.

The Isthmian Games, which was second only, in glory and prestige, to the Olympic Games, was held in Corinth every three years, and drew immense crowds.

St Paul urges the Corinthian Christians to undertakes strict training to secure the fist prize,

St Paul notes that earthly games prizes will not last, as metal objects will tarnish and those prizes made of flowers and leaves will decompose in time.

A Christian’s prize is everlasting life in the joyous Kingdom of the Lord Jesus:

“25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

St Paul also urges the Corinthian Christians to show purpose in the running of their race in life. They are urged not to run aimlessly around, not knowing the purpose of their training, and not knowing where the finishing post is.

They are not to train as a boxer punching the air shadow boxing, but to make their blows count in destroying the works of Satan:

“6 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.”

St Paul concludes this portion of his Epistle by urging the Corinthian Christians to keep focused on winning the Heavenly Prizes that God will award for excellence in living their lives so to please the Lord Jesus and to exalt His Holy Name, lest they loose sight of the prize and stumble along, believing but not acting, and so running without displaying zeal.

“27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

May God give us the strength to train hard, and to run our race striving to win the first prize and so glorify the Lord Jesus by always proclaiming the Holy Gospel and showing forth our faith in the promises of the Lord Jesus. Amen.

Today’s Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Matthew, Chapter 20, Verses 1-16.

In this portion of his Holy Gospel St Matthew uses the example of a land owner who hires labourers to work in his vineyards to educate His Apostles, and other followers on how God will the distribute rewards to His followers.

In the time of Jesus, the labourees would gather in the market place, from early morning and would negotiate with landowners and merchant who required manpower for their businesses.

In our Holy Gospel reading the landowner hires a gang of labourers, at nine o”clock, for the day’s work:

1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius[ for the day and sent them into his vineyard.”

The labouers proceed to the vineyard and commence work.

A few hours later the landowner again went into the market place and found other labourers standing idle and hired them to also work in the vineyard:

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

Another three times the landowner went into the market place:

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

7 “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered”

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.”

At the end of the day’s work the landowner called his steward and told him to settle up with the labourers for their day’s work, beginning with those who were hired last and then moving onto those who were hired first.

The labourers who were hired first were paid a denarius and so on up to those who were hired last also receiving a denarius;:

9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius.”

Immediately grumbling started amongst those labourers hired first, as they thought that they would receive more having worked longer ans borne the heat of the day. They expected to receive more for their greater effort:

11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

The landowner quickly rebukes the grumbling labourers. and points out that have have been paid what they agreed to in the early morning, and that the landowner is within his rights to pay whatever he wishes, and to whom he wishes:

13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

The landowner tells the labourers to take their pay and go.

This parable shows that God will give the same reward, of Eternal Life, to those who have been believers in the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus for many years, as He will give to those who have recently believed in the Lord Jesus.

I have met a number of so called Christians who have resented new believers, as they believe that they have given more over many more years than new believers.

True faithful Christians should rejoice that every new believer has received Eternal Life and will share the Good Things that God has prepared for them that Love Him.

Let us all rejoice together in the Gift of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, no matter when we, or others, received this Greatest of God’s Gifts. Amen.

Bishop Ian

Sunday 19th January 2025 Epiphany 2

The Collect for the Second Sunday after The Epiphany

Almighty and Everlasting God, Who governs all things in Heaven and earth; mercifully hear the supplications of Your people, and grant us Your peace all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.     Amen.

The Epistle, Romans 12:6-16

6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

The Holy Gospel of St John 2:1-11

2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today’s Epistle Reading is taken from St Paul’s Epistle to the Romans Chapter 12, Verses 6-16.

In this portion of his Epistle St Paul gave the Roman Christians very practical examples of how to live the Christian Faith.  In the earlier chapters of his letter St Paul staunchly defended the Christian Doctrine (teaching) of Justification by Faith alone.

The Doctrine of Justification by Faith is the very foundation stone of reformed Christianity and lies at the heart of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Holy Gospel is the finished work of the Lord Jesus, in the giving of His Perfect Life, by His Sacrificial Death on the Cross on Mount Calvary in payment for the sins, past, present, and future of God’s people chosen from all the ages of history.

The Lord Jesus had no inherited sin (from Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden) as the Lord Jesus was not the son of Adam but rather the Son of God, He committed no actual sin during His Earthly Life.  He alone was Pure in Spirit and Life and so was uniquely qualified to give His Life as the Perfect Sacrifice, to pay the debt, once and for all time, for the sins of God’s chosen people.

God’s chosen, and saved, people include such well-known names as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and all the great prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zechariah, King David and King Solomon, together with many, many, other faithful people from the Old Testament era.

There are also many chosen and saved people mentioned in the New Testament era, the Apostles, and all the faithful members of the various Christian Churches founded by the Apostles, and in particular the Apostle St Paul, whose Epistles (letters) to the young Christian Churches comprise much of the New Testament. 

Faithful Christians, who live in the present time, are included in God's chosen people, together with those faithful believers yet to be born.

The common feature that binds God’s chosen people together is the fact that all believed God and placed their faith in His Word and Promises.

In the Old and New Testaments, belief and faith in God’s Word was counted as Righteousness, without any added activity or qualification.  This Doctrine (teaching) is known as Justification by Faith.  St Paul confirms this in his teaching, regarding Abraham’s faith, in his Epistle to the Romans Chapter 4, Verse 4-12:

4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.

5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits Righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed are those
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”

9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.

10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.

So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 

12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Having established that Justification by Faith is the Gift of God to both the Jews and the Gentiles (the circumcised and the uncircumcised) St Paul then proceeds to explain how we are to live as people Justified by Faith:

“6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

St Paul commands us to exercise our particular Gifts to the maximum extent possible, for the benefit of all people.

It goes without saying that God’s gifts are to be used for the building up of the our fellow Christians, however God loves all people and expects us to show love, mercy and kindness to those people who do not have faith in the Lord Jesus.

In doing so we may lead these people to faith in the Lord Jesus and Salvation from God's Judgement.

We must remember that we were once unsaved, and lived in sin without hope of Salvation.

St Paul then exhorts us to be sincere and faithful to the Holy Gospel. 

Pride, vanity and conceitedness are the greatest enemies of the Holy Gospel:

“9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Love of God and of our fellow men is the binding ingredient produced by faith in the Holy Gospel.  Love is to be the driving force in all Christian believers’ relationships with other people.

We must love other people as God first loved us, and gave us His only Begotten Son to redeem us from sin and death.

To “hate what is evil” means to resist any temptation to do evil, and to fight against evil with all our might, and where evil has left it’s mark try with all our means to repair the damage and to promote the healing of any persons, through the proclamation of the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus.

St Paul concludes our Epistle reading by further commanding us to live as those who reflect the Love of the Lord Jesus and see His Love in other people:

“14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.”

We must bless those who curse us and not retaliate for evil things done to us, we are to be happy and share the joy of those who rejoice.  We must show empathy with those who mourn and share their sorrow.

We must try to promote peace and harmony as much as possible, and we must never be condescending, but rather show friendship and fellowship with those less fortunate than ourselves.

We must never be conceited, as conceit is an expression of the greatest sin of all, Pride, both in our own righteousness and in our own deeds.

Let us pray earnestly that God will give us His Grace to avoid, at all costs, pride and conceit, the two greatest allies of sin. Also let us pray that that God will give us humble hearts and minds, to always remember that each of us is saved, not by our own deeds, but by the Perfect Finished Work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary. Let us also give thanks to God for His Gift of the Holy Spirit in opening our minds to accept, and believe, the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and so to become clothed in His Holy Righteousness, and made acceptable to God.

May God indeed give us this Grace. Amen.

Today’s Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St John Chapter 2, Verses 1-11.

This portion of St John’s Holy Gospel records the first miracle performed by the Lord Jesus, while He and His Disciples were guests at a wedding feast at Cana in Galilee during which, in the course of the feast the wine ran out:

“1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

To run out of wine at a Jewish feast was a grave insult, on the host’s part, to the invited guests.

We are not told why the wine ran short, however it may be that God brought about this shortage to bring glory to the Lord Jesus.

In a frantic effort to help the host save face and to prevent any ugly incidents from breaking out Mary, the Mother of the Lord Jesus, approached her Son and informed Him that the wine had run out.  She obviously knew that He would have a solution to the problem.

4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

The Lord Jesus’ answer to her may seem a little terse, however the meaning of the reply was to tell Mary that it was not her place to give directions to Him, but rather His Heavenly Father would call Him to take action at the appropriate time.

In the Holy Gospel of St John there is often a referral to the hour, or a time for something to come about, or some significant event to take place.

Never the less, out of respect and love for His Mother the Lord Jesus obviously agreed to assist the host so Mary informed the servants:

“5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

The water jars, when all were filled would have been over one hundred and twenty gallons of water.  We are not told whether all the water was turned into wine, or whether only a portion of it was transformed.

The miracle was that the Lord Jesus could exercise command over the natural elements and could cause a change their very substance and nature.  The miracle was accomplished, and the servants then carried on their duties knowing that a mighty miracle had been performed by the Lord Jesus:

“They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew.”

The Master of the Banquet (Master of Ceremonies) was astonished that the wine brought out by the servants was of the highest quality possible and immediately called the Bridegroom to compliment him:

“Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

At a usual banquet the good wine is served first and when the guests became merry drinking the good wine then the not so good wine is served and the guests could not tell the difference.

It is no surprise that the wine, provided by the miracle of the Lord Jesus, was of the highest quality, as every provision of God is of the highest quality.  God does not provide inferior gifts to His people, nor does He provide in short measure.  God’s gifts are pressed and shaken down, and full measure is given to all His people.

We must endeavour to provide the same quality of gift to others so that God’s gracious provision to us is reflected in our provision to others.

The Lord Jesus had begun to reveal His Glory in this provision of wine as a Gift.  His Disciples’ Faith was strengthened:

“11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.”

May God strengthen our faith as we read of the first miracle performed by the Lord Jesus, and grant us courage to always bear witness to His Power and Glory all the days of our lives until we share His Heavenly Banquet in His Eternal Kingdom.     Amen.

Bishop Ian

The Sunday Called Sexagesima

The Collect for the Sunday called Sexagesima

(The Second Sunday Before Lent)

O Lord God, Who sees that we do not put our trust in anything that we do; Mercifully grant that by Your Power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle, 2 Corinthians 11, Verses 19-3

19 You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! 20 In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.

The Holy Gospel of St Luke 8:4-15

4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. 6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,

“though seeing, they may not see;
    though hearing, they may not understand.”

11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today‘s Epistle Reading is taken from the Second Letter of St Paul to the Corinthians Chapter 11, Verses 19-31.

Our Reading begins in the middle of St Paul’s admonishing of the Corinthian Christians for their toleration of false teachers, and the lies being purveyed by these self professed “super apostles.”

These “super apostles” were Jewish teachers who were seeking to turn the Corinthian Christians back to the enslavement of the Mosaic Law. To live according to the Mosaic Law was primarily a lifestyle based on obedience to the Mosaic Covenant (the keeping of all commandments prescribed in the Law of Moses), together with all associated rituals.

The Holy Gospel is faith in the the Perfect Work of The Lord Jesus, wrought on the Cross of Calvary.

Salvation, based on the Law of Moses demanded total (24/7) obedience to the law.

No person could achieve such a goal.

The Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus was based on the Holy Righteousness Gifted to us by God through Faith in the Great, Perfect, and Complete Work of the Lord Jesus, the Holy Son of God, wrought on the Cross of Calvary,

The Law of Moses could not remove original sin (the sin all people inherited from Adam the first man, who disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden).

The Pure, Sinless Life of the Lord Jesus (Who was born without inherited sin as He was the Son, not of a man, but of God) was the only True, Righteous, Proper Man Who could pay the price of all people’s original sin and so remove its burden, and penalty, from all faithful believers.

St Paul defends his ministry to the Corinthian Christians by using sarcastic like irony in which St Paul compares his ministry to the ministry of the false teachers.

He forthrightly tells the Corinthian Christians how stupid they are to tolerate false teachers and be carried away with their false teaching:

19 You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! 20 In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!

St Paul tells them that they would even submit to bulling tactics (slaps you in the face). St Paul further uses his tongue-in-cheek argument to inform them that he was ashamed to confess that he and his fellow workers were too weak to resort to bullying, as if that were a legitimate tool of evangelism, which, of course, it is not.

St Paul carries on his tongue-in-cheek argument to compare the false teachers boasting, to his grounds for boasting:

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

St Paul was able to match and clearly exceed all of the boasting points claimed by the false teachers. He showed that his family lineage, his service to the Lord Jesus manifested in his punishments at the hands of the Jews, and all other deprivations experienced in his evangelistic missions exceeded the boasting of the false teachers.

St Paul concludes his tongue-in-cheek argument and states plainly that if any boast carries weight then his boast will be of his weakness, and his total dependence on the Grace of the Lord Jesus and the strength that comes from God through faith in the Holy Gospel:

30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

St Paul concludes our Reading by telling the Corinthian Christians that God can attest to his boasting:

“31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.”

I am of the opinion that St Paul challenged the Corinthian Christians to evaluate his boasting by seeking out God’s affirmation of St Paul’s claims in their prayers, and in their discussions with their fellow Christians.

Let us give thanks to God that we have the boasting of St Paul to show us that he was truly the Lord Jesus’ Apostle to the Gentiles and that he remained faithful to the Lord Jesus in the proclamation of the Holy Gospel despite suffering numerous beatings and deprivations. Let us also pray that we may not fail to hold fast to our faith in the Lord Jesus and the Holy Gospel when any worldly troubles beset us. Amen.

Today’s Holy Gospel Reading is taken from the Holy Gospel of St Luke Chapter 8, Verses 4- 15.

St Luke begins our Holy Gospel Reading by describing an event that took place place many times during the Earthly Ministry of the Lord Jesus, when many people came from the nearby towns and villages scattered around, near to the place where the Lord Jesus and His Disciples had paused at during their journey, to hear the Lord Jesus speak and teach.

The Lord Jesus would address the crowd, and many people would ask questions regarding the teaching that was delivered:

“4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town”

We are not told exactly where this particular event took place, but that is not essential to the narrative. The Lord Jesus began His address to the crowd:

“He told this parable: 5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. 6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

The Disciples obviously had difficulty understanding The Lord Jesus’ Parable, so they asked their Master what the meaning was. This was probably after the crowd had disbursed and the Disciples were resting with the Lord Jesus, possibly sharing some refreshment, or a meal:

“9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant.”

The Lord Jesus explained to His Disciples that the secrets of God’s Plan for His People had been revealed to them but to the general populace that information had not been made known:

“10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,

“though seeing, they may not see;
    though hearing, they may not understand.”

The Lord Jesus reinforced his explanation to His Disciples by quoting from the Book of the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah Chapter 6, Verses 5-9:

5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

9 He said, “Go and tell this people:

“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
    be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
10 Make the heart of this people calloused;
    make their ears dull
    and close their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”

In this passage the Prophet Isaiah is recounting part of a vision given to him by God, in which God calls for a messenger, go to the ancient nation of Israel, and to call them to repent from the evil that they had committed in the past when they had ignored the voice of God and rejected His prophets.

It is interesting to note the deep depression of Isaiah in Verse 5 when describes his guilt and the fact that despite being a man of “unclean lips” he has seen God and he was certain that God would destroy him.

This was an unshakable fact, known by all, in the Old Testament Era.

The great prophet Moses, on being commanded to lead the people of Israel onward in their journey to Canaan, the Promised Land, asked God to allow him to see His Face, however God would not permit this as it would kill Moses. This event is recorded in the Old Testament Book of Exodus Chapter 33, Verses 17-23.

17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”

18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”

19 And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

21 Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

In Verse 6, Isaiah’s depression and fears, experienced in his vision, are completely removed, for a Seraphim (One of God’s Special Holy Angels that guard His Throne) takes a glowing coal from the Altar of God and touches it to Isaiah’s lips and declares:

“See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

Isaiah’s sin is cleansed and his guilt is removed.

I strongly believe that the cleansing of Isaiah’s sin is an allusion to the Lord Jesus who many years later would cleanse the sins, and remove the guilt of all believers in the Holy Gospel.

Having been cleansed of his guilt and sin, Isaiah enthusiastically offers himself to God as a messenger to God’s people Israel. He is then commissioned to call Israel to repentance one last time. This call to repentance is a most solemn call and if ignored, as God knew it would, will end in their destruction at the Hand of the Lord.

In our Reading the Lord Jesus then explains His Parable to His Disciples:

“11 This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. “

The Lord Jesus describes the first type of hearers as those people who hear the Holy Gospel and it is totally meaningless to them for they are under the power of Satan and love the works of darkness. We have all met such people, even members of our own family, who are more interested in the pleasures of the world such as partying, drinking, gambling and other more shameful pursuits.

No matter what we say or explain to them rolls off them like water on a duck’s back.

The Lord Jesus continued His explanation, of the Parable, describing the second type of hearer:

“13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.”

These type of hearers are overjoyed to hear the Holy Gospel and for a short time appear happy.

This happiness does not last, for when the time of testing comes they fall away as if they do not believe that the Holy Gospel works, and they feel that it has failed them, just another gimmick that is useless.

This time of testing might be ridicule from friends or acquaintances, or pressure from work colleagues, to conform, or to engage in evil activities, or other sensual activities.

The Lord Jesus describes the third type of hearer:

“14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.“

This type of hearer are those people who receive the Holy Gospel with Joy and begin to live their lives by the Truth revealed to them, but as they continue through life the overwhelming flood of life’s cares, riches, and the pursuit of pleasure, drags them down and they abandon the lifestyle demanded by the Holy Gospel.

The Lord Jesus during His Sermon on the Mount gave perfect advice and commandment on living in the Power of the Holy Gospel. This advice is recorded in the Holy Gospel of St Matthew Chapter 6, Verses 25-34

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

This is perfect advice!

The Lord Jesus then describes that last type of people to hear the Holy Gospel:

“15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

This last type of person are those who remain faithful in their belief in the Power and Truth of the Holy Gospel.

The crop that they produce is faith and trust in God’s Holy Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

These people, on the Great Day of God’s Holy Judgement, will become the Adopted Children of God, and heirs of God’s promise to Abraham, to be one of God’s People and to dwell with the Lord Jesus, in God’s Eternal Kingdom.

Let us pray that all people might hear the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, and like the fourth type of hearer, treasure God’s Word in their hearts and allow it to blossom that they, and we, may show forth to all others the Truth and Power of the Holy Gospel as God’s Free Gift and remedy for sin and the deadly consequences that accompany it. Amen.

Bishop Ian

Sunday 17th November 2024 Trinity 25

Collect for the Twenty Fifth Sunday after Trinity

Stir up, we beseech You, O Lord, the wills of Your faithful people; that they plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by You be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For The Epistle, Jeremiah 23: 5-8

5 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
and do what is just and right in the land.
6 In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel will live in safety.
This is the name by which he will be called:
The Lord Our Righteous Saviour.

7 “So then, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ 8 but they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”

The Holy Gospel of St John 6:5-14

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

Bishop Ian’s Thoughts

Today’s Reading, for the Epistle, is taken from the Old Testament Book of the Prophet Jeremiah Chapter 23, Verses 5-8.

Most scholars agree that the Prophet Jeremiah intended this portion of his Book as a prophecy directed at Zedekiah, the ruling King of Judah.

Zedekiah was a weak, puppet king, installed as ruler, over Judah, by King Nebuchadnezzar II who was by far the most powerful and notable King of the New Babylonian Empire.

King Nebuchadnezzar II invaded Judah and captured Jerusalem around 597 BC.

As was common in Old Testament times, a conquering king would install a local ruler as his vassal, in order to control the conquered kingdom more efficiently, and to minimise disruption to the life and commerce of the conquered kingdom.

In a like manner, in the time of the Lord Jesus, Judea was under Roman occupation with Pontius Pilate being the Governor, who represented the Roman Emperor.

Zedekiah was a king who did evil in the sight of the Lord and it is said, of him, that with his evil deeds, he reversed the role of the good shepherd, who protected, nurtured, led and cherished his flock.

Zedekiah was removed by Nebuchadnezzar II around 587 BC, when Jerusalem, and the Temple of God, was utterly destroyed by the Babylonian army.

A great number of the population of Judah were taken, as slaves, back to Babylon, while the remainder were dispersed throughout neighbouring countries.

King Zedekiah and his sons were taken back to Babylon,, where the sons were slaughtered in front of Zedekiah, whose eyes were then put out, and he remained a prisoner, in chains, until his death.

The Prophet Jeremiah foretold of the day when God would raise up a Mighty King over Judah and Israel.

This Great King would rule wisely and with great Wisdom, Justice, and Mercy:

“5 The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
and do what is just and right in the land.”

The people of Judah, together with all people who were in exile as a result of the Babylonian conquest, (God’s People) will be rescued from all their enemies, and will dwell in safety, protected from all calamities by the Mighty Hand of God and His Mighty King:

.”6 In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel will live in safety.”

The Mighty King, installed by God, will carry a unique Divine Name:

“This is the name by which he will be called:
The Lord Our Righteous Saviour.”

The Mighty King (God’s Messiah), of whose coming Jeremiah foretells, is the Lord Jesus Christ.

When the Lord Jesus was born in Bethlehem over 580 years later the prophecy foretold by Jeremiah was fulfilled by God.

Through the Life, Death, and Glorious Resurrection of the Lord Jesus the tyranny of sin, and the burden of guilt, was removed forever, and all believers in the Holy Gospel were given direct access to God, thorough the Mediation of His Beloved Son.

At the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus to Judge the world, all faithful believers will inherit God’s Promises, and become citizens of the God’s Eternal Kingdom where we live forever as God’s Adopted Children.

This is where the prophecy of Jeremiah finds its ultimate fulfilment.

Jeremiah concludes this portion of our Reading by foretelling that when the Messiah comes people will no longer praise and honour God by recalling His Mighty Salvation of the ancient nation of Israel from their bondage in Egypt, but rather they will praise and honour God by recalling His Mighty Salvation, wrought by the Lord Jesus Christ, in His vanquishing of Satan and Death, by the power of His Holy Gospel:

7 “So then, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ 8 but they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”

Let us give all praise to God, Who has given us the Holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus, and let us always remember, with thankful hearts and minds, God’s Mercy and Forgiveness poured out on us through the Life, Death, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus. May we always look forward to the return of the Lord Jesus when he will Judge the world in Righteousness and usher in His Eternal Kingdom where we will dwell with Him forever in Love, Peace and Safety. Amen.

Today’s Holy Gospel Reading is from the Holy Gospel of St John, Chapter 6, Verses 5-14.

This portion of St John’s Holy Gospel gives us an account of the provision of food for a very large crowd who were converging on the Lord Jesus to hear Him teach.

This miraculous sign, of the provision of food, given by the Lord Jesus is the only sign recorded in all four Holy Gospels and it is not to be confused with the miraculous provision of food for over four thousand people mentioned the Holy Gospel of St Mark Chapter 8, Verses 1-9:

“8 During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 2 “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”

4 His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”

5 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied.

6 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. 7 They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. 8 The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 9 About four thousand were present.”

St Matthew also records the provision of the meal for the four thousand in his Holy Gospel Chapter15, Verses 29-39:

29 Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. 30 Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. 31 The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

32 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”

33 His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?”

34 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”

35 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. 37 They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 38 The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.

In our Holy Gospel Reading it was probably well into the day, as the Lord Jesus was immediately concerned for the crowd’s welfare, as they had not had the opportunity to have a meal during the time they were following the Lord Jesus:

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”

St John informs us that the Lord Jesus’ question to His Disciple Philip was only a test as the Lord Jesus knew what action he would take:

“6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.”

Philip was staggered by the size of the crowd and by the Lord Jesus’ apparent instruction to Philip to arrange a meal for the crowd.

There may have been several thousand people following the Lord Jesus as St John only records the presence of five thousand men. It is highly probable that there were also women and children among the crowd.

Philip answered the Lord Jesus with a statement showing his total bewilderment as to how to undertake the logistics of providing so large a meal at short notice.

“7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

Another Disciple, Andrew, spoke up and offered a seemingly irrelevant piece of information:

“8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

The Lord Jesus knew exactly what He would accomplish using the small gift of God’s Provision to the boy:

“10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.”

The small gift of God was magnified by the Lord Jesus, Whose Power controls and orders all things as He wills.

The meal was concluded and the Lord Jesus commanded His Disciples to gather up the food that was left over after the whole crowd had been satisfied:

12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

It is probable that the Lord Jesus, His Disciples, and the members of His entourage enjoyed a meal from the surplus bread and fish.

The crowd recognised that the miraculous meal that they had just enjoyed was a sign of the work of God’s Great Messiah (Mighty Saviour and Deliverer) who God promised would come into the world:

14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

The Old Testament Book of Deuteronomy foretells the coming of God’s Messiah in Chapter 18, Verse15:

“15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.”

God’s Great Messiah is the Lord Jesus Christ, Who speaks with the Power and Authority of God, being God in human flesh.

Nothing is beyond the Divine Power of the Lord Jesus and He is always close at hand to hear our prayers and to provide us with whatever we need to serve Him faithfully.

Let us always give thanks to God for His Gift of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Gospel that He has wrought on the Cross of Calvary, and by which He has paid the price of our sins together with the sins of all His Chosen People, so that we may greet Him, clothed in His Holy Righteousness, when He comes again at the close of the age to Judge all people, and establish His Eternal Kingdom. Amen.

Bishop Ian