Friday, April 7th
2017
The Fifth Week of Lent
Jeremiah 20:10-13
Psalms 18: 2-7
SEE John 6:63c & 68c
Christians innocent people do get victimized, by society, and Christ Jesus is the brightest example of such victimization; for although Christ Jesus, actually did the works that the Heavenly Father did command all people to do – they, the Israelites victimized Jesus…? Still Christians, harken your hearts to Christ Jesus’ teachings; for not only did he give us spirit and truth, namely, his words and teachings, he lived by them: Jesus taught, “Blessed are we – when people revile us and persecute us, and speak all manner of falseness and evil against us, untruly, for the sake of our faithfulness, to our Heavenly Father’s Gospel. Yes Christians, be glad and rejoice: for your reward, in heaven, [and in your spirituality], will be very great; for they the Israelites did persecute, the prophets of God, our Heavenly Father in the same way!” Now Christians, as we have learned from the Book of Wisdom and here again, confirmed, in the Book of Jeremiah, yet with different words; although the same voice – the whisperings and the besetting themselves against, the just and Righteous Prophet, Jeremiah and the victimizing of an innocent man, the Prophet Jeremiah – those who were embroiled and mired from the choices of their lives: their immoralities, their pride and greed, and their wickedness of the their lives sought to terrorize Jeremiah on all fronts; though they once friends, now they cried, denounce him, denounce him! Unrighteously, they, those who denounced Jeremiah hyper-sensitively watched him: looking for any loose hair, any misstep, any politically disapproved word, and anything that was not conformed with their present day morality, which, ironically, disregards the morality of God, our Heavenly Father in the hopes of trapping him, so they could prevail against him and take their vengeance on him – even though, vengeance is something, they conveniently overlooked, belongs to the Lord, our Heavenly Father. In summary: they acted with wickedness, but believed themselves to be – the model of obedience in following God, our Heavenly Father; still Jesus teaches, “These people follow me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me!” Now Christians, Jeremiah lived his life and spoke faithfully – God’s Gospel – believing the Lord, our Heavenly Father was with him and that God was his champion; similarly, Saint Paul teaches us, “If God is for us who can be against us!” Now Christians the cycle of the Israelites faith: whether it is faithfulness or unfaithfulness is evidence of humankind’s choosing, at times, to live according to the spirit, of truth, namely, God’s words and teachings and is evidence of humankind’s choosing, to live according to the flesh, which is of no avail and is evidence of humankind’s choosing, to live according to death – for the wage of sin is death. Now Christians, sing to the Lord, our Heavenly Father and sincerely give him thanks and praise, in your hearts and minds. For Christ Jesus has overcome, the world, and we are no longer debtors to the flesh, and if we resist sin, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus, we too can overcome are sinfulness and live according to the grace and truth of Christ Jesus’ Gospel. Now Christians, call upon the Lord, our Heavenly Father, and first seek his kingdom; then Christ Jesus’ grace will deliver us: from our distress; deliver us from our temptations; and deliver us from our desires that can lead us to sin. Christians take upon yourselves, in your hearts and minds, the words and teachings of Christ Jesus’ Gospel, and through these – you will drink of the water that will cure your thirsts: Jesus teaches, “If you drink of my water you will never thirst again!” Yes Christians Christ Jesus’ Gospel is the rock, the foundation, that we build are lives upon, and it, Christ Jesus’ Gospel is the way, the truth and the life; therefore remember the commandment Christ Jesus gave to us: “That we love one another as Jesus has loved us, and that you also love one another;” hence, the person that does not hear and do, that is live by, the words and teachings of Christ Jesus is like the foolish man building his house on sand and when storms came, the house fell for its foundation was corrupt. Christians, even if death be all around us and the wicked denounce what is good and right as obnoxious to them; let us never tire from hearing, doing and living the good works of Christ Jesus’ Gospel for they are life, spirit, truth, goodness and the righteousness of the Heavenly Father. Yes Christians, call out to God, the Lord Christ Jesus – presenting him, all that may distress you and seek his grace and truth in accordance, to abide, and you will be comforted and Christ Jesus’ peace will be with you. Again Christians know, believe and understand that Christ Jesus' words are the words and teachings that our Heavenly Father did give to him to minister and Christ Jesus’ Gospel is Spirit and life; and his words are everlasting life. Now Christians in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus pray and be thankful. Amen.
Friday, April 14th
2017
Good Friday of the Passion
Isaiah 52: thru 53:12
Psalms 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-17, & 25
Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
Christians, Jesus prayed to our Heavenly Father: “That if it were at all possible; let the cup that awaited him – be removed.” Yet Christians, Jesus, in understanding and wisdom, chose to accept the fate and drink from the cup that the Heavenly Father did prepare for his life. (Interesting enough, since God, the Father and the Son, the Lord Christ Jesus are one; it can be said, "That God sacrificed, himself, for his creation, to redeem humankind from the sinfulness of the flesh.”) Now Christians, if the Israelites would have heeded the words and teachings, of the Prophet Isaiah: they would have drunk, from the cup of peace and abundance, and families would have had love, understanding, and agreement between them. Still, the Israelites did not have faith in God, the Heavenly Father: that he… would deliver them from the massive armies encroaching upon their borders, and they did not listen to God’s Prophet, Isaiah; thus the Israelites fell to the intruders! Worth remembering, regardless of the unfaithfulness of the kings during the Prophet Isaiah’s time; “Isaiah prophecies came true!” Now Christians, the Christ Child: born in a barn and laid in a manger; fled to Egypt to live a simple life, as an alien carpenter’s son – coming back, to his homeland, to the village of Nazareth … born, lived and grew among the children of Israel. Now Christians, Jesus rose to the height of a king; even though his beginnings were common. In his youth – marveled were they, the temple priests with the wisdom and understanding that Jesus eloquently beseeched and, in his ministry, not like the Pharisees and scribes, he, Jesus was known as a person who spoke with authority. Yet Christians, on the days, after Judas identified Jesus and he was turned over to the father-in-law, of Caiaphas, Annas – Jesus suffered greatly, at the hands of the Roman Soldiers: so marred was his look beyond human semblance and his appearance beyond that of the sons of men and yes, so did he startle many nations. Jesus left the kings of many nations standing speechless: for all the surrounding nations of Israel heard that Jesus, the prophet, known as the Son of God was crucified, but they also knew that Jesus rose from the dead! Now in those days this gave many of the people a new birth: to speak and to hold onto the truth; for they were no longer living in fear of their death, but lived in the hope of the resurrection, by picking up their own crosses and crucifying their own flesh to the cross, so they too could live in the resurrection of the Lord Christ Jesus; glory be to the Father, the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Yes Christians, so that God, the Father could bring grace and truth to humankind, his Son, the Lord Christ Jesus bore our infirmities through the sufferings he endured. Although some men and typically humankind thought of Jesus as being stricken as one smitten by God and afflicted; still Christ Jesus was pierced for our offenses and he crushed our sins – being the perfect and eternal sacrifice, and upon Christ Jesus resurrection he, Jesus is the chastisement that makes us, humankind, whole. Yes Christians, we were healed by his stripes; when like sheep we were led astray – each following their own way – ignoring God’s commandments, statutes, and decrees and giving glory to the flesh – following after the sins of the flesh, then God, though Christ Jesus, became the perfect eternal blood sacrifice for the sins and sinfulness of humankind. Yes Christians, before, Christ Jesus, atonement was made through the help of a priest: for example, a sinful person would bring a lamb to be sacrificed, on an altar, and this was the fruit of the person’s atonement, but God knew the sincerity of the atonement: by whether the person brought forth an unblemished lamb or if they brought forth just any old lamb. Now Christians, through Christ Jesus, we have an eternal blood sacrifice; however, in order for us to receive the, established eternal, grace that Christ Jesus brought into existence through his death, on the cross, and his resurrection from the dead – we must repent of our sins and sinfulness, which is acknowledging our sins and sinfulness and going and living in sin no more and repentance requires that we bring forth fruits worthy of our repentance…. Now Christians, Jesus commended his spirit to God, our Heavenly Father and as faithful disciples, of Christ Jesus, we should come to know and prove out that our peace and refuge can only be found in the words and teachings of Christ Jesus’ New Testament with man/humankind. Christians, when and if we live according to Christ Jesus’ words and teachings there is no height, nor depth, nor any other creature that can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now Christians in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus pray and be thankful. Amen.
Friday, April 21st
2017
An Octave of Easter
Acts 4:1-12
Psalms 118:1-2 & 4, 22-25 & 27
Psalms 118:24
Christians, Jesus, that is – the resurrected Lord Christ Jesus revealed himself, once again, to his Apostles, at the Sea of Tiberias. Now Christians, scripture tell us that Jesus revealed himself to Mary Magdalene and then on the same day, but in the evening he, Jesus showed himself to his disciples – where they were gathered, cloistered, in a private room. In this cloistered room is where Jesus said to Doubting Thomas, “Here stick your fingers in the wounds on my hands and here again in my side and believe Thomas that it is I, Jesus, whom has risen from the dead and now, not only do you have my Gospel, which is spirit and life but you have me too, the resurrected Christ, as witness to life-ever-after, that is life after death!” Now after the Apostles and disciples received the gift, of the Holy Spirit, and they began their ministry, “Of Fishing for Men,” they, Peter and John came upon a crippled man – outside of the temple, at the gate called beautiful. Peter and John said to this man, who was asking for alms: “Gold and silver we have not to give, but what we have to give, to you, we give freely,” and at this point the crippled man got up from his mat and he received the gift, of healed legs, and he was no longer a cripple. Now Christians, because this cripple man was healed and this healing could not be denied: the Sadducees were outraged and they confronted the Apostles. Upon this confrontation, Peter and John said to the Sadducees: “This crippled man was healed, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus, and through his power of the Holy Spirit!” Peter and John said to the gathered leaders, elders, and scribes and among them was Caiaphas, the son-in-law of Annas, to whom Judas had identified Jesus: Peter and John said to these Israeli men, “Yes, by the power of Christ Jesus’ Holy Spirit, in which we were born again and baptized – this crippled man now walks – to prove to you that Christ Jesus rose from the dead and that he is the Son of God, our Heavenly Father, the God of Abraham, the God of Moses, and the God of King David. Peter and John said, “The scriptures foretold of how, Jesus would be rejected, by you the builders, but that God would build his kingdom and foundation, on the WORD / the Lord Christ Jesus, and that he, Jesus is the cornerstone of all that is and of all that has ever been created was created, through him, the Lord Christ Jesus.” Peter and John continued to say, to the gathered representatives; “Furthermore there is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name, under heaven, given to the human race, by which we are to be saved.” Now Christians, Christ Jesus’ rejection by the elders, the scribbles, the Sadducees and Pharisees begs the question: “Why was Jesus rejected?” Was Jesus rejected because he turned water into wine; was he rejected because he healed the nobleman’s son; was he rejected because, he cast out uncleans spirits; was he rejected because Jesus healed Peter’s mom; was Jesus rejected because he healed several lepers; or was he rejected because Jesus raised, Lazarus from the dead?” What truth, what instance of life that Jesus did accomplish caused the moral leaders, of the Jewish society, in Jesus’ time, to reject him; to condemn him; and to crucify him, Jesus on the cross…? What was in the hearts and minds of these people that drove them to the point of murdering an innocent person? What hardened their hearts and what confounded their minds, so much that they believed the right thing to do was to condemn and crucify the Lord Christ Jesus? Yes Christians, we know and should know that God is good, but that men, women and humankind sometimes fall to the fleshes sinfulness and use their free wills to do despicable and immoral and wicked and anti-Christ things. Christians, we know that God’s mercy endures forever and that Christ Jesus’ grace can and will heal us; if we repent of our sin and sinfulness. Christians, we know that Jesus is the only foundation that we should build our lives upon; even though he, Jesus was the cornerstone who was rejected by the Sadducees and Pharisees. Yes Christians, we also know and should fervently embrace that this is the day that the Lord, our Heavenly Father has made, and we should be glad and rejoice in it. Yes Christians, the Lord our Heavenly Father has indeed brought to us, humankind, salvation, and that salvation is: by, through, and in our Lord Christ Jesus, alleluia. Now Christians, the Lord Christ Jesus preformed -- another wondrous deed for his beloved Apostles and his disciples, after his resurrection from the dead – when he, Jesus told them to cast their nets, on the right side of the boat, after the night of fishing and not catching anything, and faithfully they did; then the Disciples nets were so full they were breaking. Now Christians in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus pray and be thankful. Amen.
Friday, April 28th
2017
The Second Week of Easter
Acts 5:34-42
Psalms 27:1, 4, 13-14
Matthew 4:4
Christians, when we read, the reply by Philip to Christ Jesus’ question; we see the logic of men/humankind at work, but we do not see the divinity of Christ Jesus, until he blesses the fish and loaves of bread. Sure there are human explanations, for this blessing of Christ Jesus; yet, if we juxtapose this blessing, next to: Lazarus rising from the dead or Jesus walking on water or turning water into wine, then we should realize that these events could have only happen: by the hand, of the Son of God, the Lord Christ Jesus. Now Christians, supposedly, we may believe that these twelve colleagues, who did not previously know each other, and who likely, knew less of the Talmud than the average person knows of the New Testament today – collaborated to bring off a hoax that has lasted, for more than two-thousand years; surely that has to be an overreaching conclusion? Now Christians, Jesus was testing Philip and, the Apostles, for he, Jesus knew, what he was going to do! Listen to these words of Christ Jesus: “Jesus knew what he was going to do – he knew, he was going to bless the loaves and fish so the many… would be feed!” Now we too know, specific events and tasks that we are going to do in our lives; however, daily, if we ask ourselves this same question – is not our answer going to be: “We are going to walk and live in faith, belief, and mindfulness of Christ Jesus’ Gospel,” which is another way of saying, “Overall, we do know not what we are going to do, but we intend, to seek, to be faithful to the Lord Christ Jesus’ way, truth, and life and his Gospel, in every specific thing that we may do and that we may seek to accomplish; we are going to serve the Lord Christ Jesus! Now Christians, in the Acts of the Apostles we find the Apostles and disciples in their homes and their churches, teaching and proclaiming about the life of Christ Jesus, all day long, and we too, Christians, should seek to understand and grow in the knowledge, of the life, of Christ Jesus, all day long, so that every reflection, we cast, and every thought, word, and deed that we are – will be the mirrored image of Christ Jesus’ Gospel; after all Jesus is life! Now Christians let us look and try to learn from some of the things that the Sanhedrin did, in regard, to the Apostles Peter and John from this teaching, in The Book of Acts. A certain Pharisees addresses this same issue mentioned here, but with different prose! It is given and understood that the Apostles were fishermen, who, basically, did not know one another previously; although some were brothers? Furthermore, they had little or no formal education of the Talmud. Still, the message, the Gospel that they were given, by the Lord Christ Jesus is still the way, the truth, and the life for which mankind is still struggling to live; seemingly, we as humans would preferred, to live in the delusions of lies, rather than the light, life, and truth that being Christ Jesus’ Gospel. With foreknowledge or prophecy the Gospel, itself declares: “That the light came into the world, but they, some people loved the darkness for their works were evil.” Now, the Sanhedrin, Gamaliel spoke, saying, “Others, such as these Apostles have come, and gathered followers but these ways have died out, of their own accord;” therefore, let us be careful how we deal with these men John and Peter. For if their message is not true, but is false as these previous men’s message was, false – their following will die out, too; however, if these men are of God and their message is of God, the God of Moses – we may find ourselves fighting against God and we will not be able to destroy their message. Strangely, the Sanhedrin did not know that the message that Peter and John spoke was of God, our Heavenly Father, even though they were experts on God’s words and teachings? Now Christians, we are to pray and bring every thought of our imagination under the authority of Christ Jesus’ Gospel: we are to bring every thought we have under the grace and truth of Christ Jesus' Gospel; the Lord Christ Jesus knows: if we are giving place to our jealousy or if we are seeking to live in his grace and truth; the Lord Christ Jesus knows, if we are fantasizing and giving place to our lust or whether we are seeking to live in Holy Matrimony; the Lord Christ Jesus knows, whether we are making preparations to be sinful or whether we are resisting and denying our fleshes sins through his grace and truth. Now Christians, the Psalmist says it all when he says; “One thing I seek; to dwell in the house of the Lord.” Now Christians, Christ Jesus teaches that no person can serve two masters; for either they will hate, the one, and love the other or they will sustain, the one, and despise the other; we cannot serve God and mammon. Now Christians the spirituality of this teaching speaks to where our treasure lies; for their too will be our hearts…. Still our treasure does not only consist of money: for the poorest of poor have hearts, and their hearts lay with their treasures? In consideration of this, then we know and understand that where our hearts are -- there too our are treasures: whether our treasure is of sinfulness and darkness, instead of repentance and the seeking of Christ Jesus’ kingdom or whether our treasure is living in the lies and delusions of falseness, instead of seeking the grace and truth of Christ Jesus’ Gospel. Now Christians, we have this teaching from the Book of Matthew: “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” Now Christians in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus pray and be thankful. Amen.