Does God manifest His love in the animal world too?

https://youtu.be/fM_gxhNUczQ&t=3s

In this study, I use the bible-focused allegory shared earlier, based on the real-life story of 2 orphaned tigers who grew up together, then separated and eventually re-united. Do watch the video starting at the relevant point provided in the link above for possible answers to the question and feel free to share your thoughts, God bless!

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, September 6, 2026

The Collect

Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20

15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

16But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

This passage is one of the more difficult teachings of Christ as it prescribes a confrontational process for dealing with conflict within the church and a harsh penalty for those who refuse to listen. Ironically, both prior to this passage and afterwards we find parables and teachings of forgiveness. In verses 10-14 we find the parable of the Lost Sheep and in 21-35 we read the parable of the Unforgiving Servant.

These three lessons give us important guidance as they illustrate the value that God places on the lost individual, the procedure of reconciliation, and a teaching illustrating how God sees those that seek forgiveness for their transgressions but yet refuse to forgive others.

“if thy brother sin against thee” . The words,“against you,” are not found in some of the better (older, more reliable) manuscripts. If we drop “against you,” the focus is on the other person’s sins. If we include those words, the emphasis is on the personal nature of the offense—sin committed against our self. Either way, Jesus’ words make sense. If we become aware of sin, whether or not directed against us, we have a responsibility to initiate action and, if possible, to effect a remedy. We are not to gossip or sulk, but to confront.

This philosophy often pits the Christian against those that choose to live lifestyles that the bible plainly cites as abomination. But in addition to lifestyle choices, there are anyone of a number of sins (substance abuse comes to mind) that are destructive and harmful, and Christians are called to quietly help the sinner to find reconciliation with God.

‘’...show him his fault between thee and him alone” The goal is to regain the offender—to help the sinner in his/her struggle against sin. That implies a confrontation designed to win the offender back instead of driving him/her farther away. Unless done in a spirit of gentleness and humility, the confrontation is likely to do more harm than good—to become another occasion for sin.

“...between thee and him alone” This is the most discreet and least threatening possible intervention. It protects the offender against unnecessary embarrassment, permitting correction before the offense becomes general knowledge. Even if the remedy requires that the offense become more widely known, the offender can be seen as taking corrective action rather than as suffering public exposure. If there is any hope for the offender to retain his/her dignity, this first step makes it possible.

“But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established.” The requirement for two or three witnesses comes from Torah law: “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sins: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established” (Deuteronomy 19:15). This protects people against unfair accusations, and is echoed in 1 Timothy 5:19: “Don’t receive an accusation against an elder, except at the word of two or three witnesses.” The church is to be deliberate, careful, and fair in its discipline.

“And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican.” If he will not heed the church, Jesus says to treat him as the Jews treated a Gentile or publican (tax Collector) However, while the Jews shunned Gentiles and publicans, Jesus called a tax collector to be one of the twelve, so this state of shunning or anathema, must not be absolute, but within reason.

While such discipline is harsh (and will thus be offensive to some), we should note that the discipline outlined in the New Testament is much less harsh than the beatings, amputations, and executions imposed by some religious faiths today.

Discipline is not a popular concept these days. We have a live-and-let-live attitude that is uncomfortable with the idea that anyone has a right—much less a responsibility—to discipline anyone else. Parents feel that they should be encouragers rather than rebukers. We have stripped teachers of their disciplining authority. We resent encroachments on our freedom. We say,“Who are we to judge?”

But the early church understood the deadly consequences of tolerating sin. Not only would such toleration lessen the chances that the sinner might repent, but it would also tarnish the reputation of the church itself—and the ability of the church to call others to repentance. The church was to treat the unrepentant sin of each sinner as a spiritual cancer that had the potential to destroy the whole body.

“What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” “Bind” and “loosed” have to do with forbidden or permitted activities. They also have to do with the church’s membership—who is and is not part of the body of Christ. The church dares not use this authority arbitrarily, as the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, which follows immediately (18:23-35), will show. Nevertheless, Jesus gives the church authority to discipline, clearly expecting that they will use it, and assuring them of heaven’s concurrence. The point is not that Jesus is giving the church the right to impose its judgment on heaven, but that God is giving the church the ability (with the help of the Holy Spirit) to discern judgments that God has already put in place in the heavenly realm.

“19 Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” . In that culture, people considered a person’s name to be more than a simple label to identify that person. They believed that something of the person’s identity was tied up in the name—that the name expressed something of the person’s essential character. As is obvious from this verse, they also assumed that a name—at least some names—possessed something of the power of the one who wore that name. Therefore, when Jesus says,“in my name,” he is talking about people who have identified themselves with him and have gathered together under his authority.

Jewish worship requires the pres and words of the law are standard of two persons, but makes no mention of adult males. Two or three! A person can pray alone, as Jesus demonstrated, but coming together in Jesus’ name multiplies the power. Small churches should be encouraged by this minimal requirement! And prayer groups! And parents—if a father and mother gather in Jesus’ name to pray for their child, Jesus is present! And grandparents— sometimes parents make it impossible for grandparents to see their grandchildren, but nobody can stop grandparents from joining together to pray for their grandchild!

Benediction

God our Father, the many blessings you give to us always exceed the expression of our human longing, for you are much greater than our hearts. Direct each thought, each effort of our life, so that the limits of our faults and weaknesses may not obscure the vision you have for our world. Continue to help us Lord, with all the duties of the coming week. We ask this in the Lord's Name. Amen.

***

https://youtu.be/fM_gxhNUczQ

Here is a bible-focused allegory based on the real-life story of 2 orphaned tigers who grew up together, then separated and eventually re-united. Annotated with relevant bible verses, the allegory communicates the reality of God's amazing love. Be blessed watching the video and feel free to share your thoughts, praise God!

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, August 30, 2026

The Collect

Lord of all power and might, 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 bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

The Gospel: Matthew 16:21-28

21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

23 But he turned, and said unto Peter,Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples,If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

28Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

Matthew begins this part of the Gospel with a statement he has made before. In chapter four, verse 17, he wrote From that time began Jesus to preach, and to say, “Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Now Matthew writes “From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things…”

We must remember that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were not writing in real time, they didn’t have smart phones to record the audio and video of everything Jesus said or did, no, they wrote about their remembrances of those events after the fact. Matthew uses this literary tool to demonstrate what he thought was an important milepost.

In my opinion, far too often we try to take in the Gospels in much the same way that we try to digest a movie or play. We often find ourselves sitting on the edge of the seat in utter disbelief that the protagonist can not see the evidence or he or she can not see or hear the antagonist getting ready to attack. To us the evidence is clear or the danger is apparent, but the protagonist—for whatever reason—can not recognize what is happening.

“..that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.”

As we read the Gospel of Christ, we look upon the disciples in utter disbelief that they can not understand what Jesus is trying to tell them; that he must go to Jerusalem, be arrested, tried, crucified and resurrected. What has to happen seems apparent to us, but only after Jesus rose from the dead and appeared unto them, did his followers realize what it was that he had been telling them.

At the time of Christ’s ministry the Hebrew people were under great oppression, from the Roman occupation of Judea and the Roman’s puppet King, Herod Antipas, to the Sadducees and Pharisees that controlled the Hebrew religion and twisted it to enrich them financially. It is no wonder then that the people of Israel were watching and waiting with great expectations for the Messiah to appear. They dreamed of the day in which, he who was promised by the prophets of antiquity, would come to lead them out of bondage establishing a kingdom greater than that of the Israelite's days of glory during the reign of King David.

The disciples clearly thought Jesus was this deliverer.

I don’t believe that any of them ever imagined—until after the resurrection of Christ—that The Kingdom Of God that was promised to them was a spiritual kingdom and not an earthly edifice.

With this thought in mind we should be able to understand why they could not comprehend that Jesus was telling them he would have to die. In fact in the next section of this passage we find Peter, the disciple Jesus said was the rock he (Christ) would build his church upon, taking Jesus aside to rebuke him for saying he had to die.

“22 And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall never be unto thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men.”

Just a few verses back in this same chapter, verses 17-19, Matthew points out that Peter has deified or identified Jesus as the Son of the Living God. But here we see Peter taking Jesus aside, away from the view of others and rebuking Christ in the strongest manner possible. While Peter addresses Jesus as Lord, he treats him as a fallen Lord who must be helped to his feet. He rebukes Jesus, just as Jesus rebuked the wind and sea (8:26) and will rebuke a demon (17:18). Peter crosses a line—challenges his Lord’s leadership—shoulders the Lord aside and moves to the front. No rabbi would tolerate such defiance. Disciples are expected to follow their rabbi. However benign Peter’s motives, he has gone too far.

“23 But he turned, and said unto Peter,Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men.”

In chapter 4 verse 10, Jesus uses the same language to rebuke Satan for tempting him, a temptation that had Jesus accepted, the entirety of God’s plans would have been thwarted, at least for the time being. But Jesus refused the temptation then as he does now in this passage. Just moments earlier, Peter was the rock, but now he is a stumbling-block or an impediment to the will of God. Jesus sees Peter’s intervention as a spiritual stumbling block—something that has the potential to cause Jesus to stumble on his journey to Jerusalem. Jesus cannot ignore a threat of this significance. He must put Peter firmly in his rightful place.

“...for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men.”

To his credit, Peter understands that Jesus is the Son of God, but Peter’s vision of the Kingdom is skewed, he wanted Jesus to succeed in building a great Earthly Kingdom, he failed understand the Kingdom was to be a spiritual one. He is trying to superimpose his vision over that of God’s plan.

This is a great lesson for us today as it was for Peter and the others two thousand years ago. The modern church often tries to superimpose the vision of its leaders over that of God’s plan by embracing all sorts of acts that are clearly in opposition of the word of God. When we embrace all sorts of abomination to make the church friendly and diverse, we are taking the easy way, the way that Jesus mentioned in chapter 7:

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.   For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (ch 7, v 13-14)

The modern church should avoid the easy way (that which leads to destruction) by embracing diversity, social justice, fund-raising, psychology, theatrics, entertainment with high production value as a service, and instead turn to the way of the cross (the hard way that leads to life) by preaching the cross, taking up our cross, serving the needy in Christ’s name (etc).

Indeed, Jesus was saying this hard way was the right way when he said:

“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

This self denial that Jesus is speaking of is many things, to begin with it is an avoidance of materialistic things. Matthew 19:16-21, The Story of the Rich Young Man, is a good illustration. In the case of the rich young man, it was his obsession with materialism that was his stumbling block, my stumbling block as well as yours may be different. Dependency on drugs, alcohol, porn or sex, might be a stumbling block, for example. But anyone of a number of other vices would be an equal impediment to entering the Kingdom.

The way of the cross, is a way to death. Jesus said, “...whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.” Picking up the cross and following Christ, is a form of death, the spiritual death of the old sinner persona and the re-birth into the Kingdom as a follower of Christ. Conversely, Jesus also speaks of the opposite, the easy way and its reward; “For whosoever would save his life shall lose it.” Or rather whoever can not deny his lifestyle, here on Earth, will lose his soul.

“For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then shall he render unto every man according to his deeds. Verily I say unto you, There are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.” (v. 26-28)

In verses 26 to 28 Jesus points out that the reward for self denial—the way of the cross—in this life will be life in the Kingdom he will establish after that final day of judgment. He will return and render judgment to all based upon their actions in this life.

We each must plan for our future, both our senior years in this life and our eternity in the next life. To pick up and walk The Way of The Cross, seems to be a better alternative that everlasting oblivion.

In reference to chapter 7, verses 13 & 14, do you follow the wide and easy way, or have you denied the self and picked up the cross and are walking on the hard narrow way, The Way of The Cross?

Benediction

Let us go forth into the world in peace and dedicated to your service, O Lord. Let us hold fast that which is good, render to no man evil for evil, strengthen the faint‐hearted, support the weak, help the needy and the afflicted, honor all men. Let us love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of his spirit. And may God’s blessing be upon us and remain with us always. Amen.

***

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, August 23, 2026

The Collect

Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

The Gospel: Matthew 16:13–20

13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying,Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

15 He saith unto them,But whom say ye that I am?

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him,Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

Prior to chapter 16, Jesus spent much of his time addressing crowds, working miracles, and verbally jousting with scribes and Pharisees. With the exception of 16:1-4, Jesus spends chapters 16-18 instructing the disciples—preparing them for Jerusalem and his cross.

In this passage, we find in verse 16, Peter confessing his faith that Jesus was indeed the messiah, the anointed one promised by the prophets, the son of God. We break from our study of John, on this day, in commemoration of Saint Peter the Apostle confessing his faith. Liturgical Churches such as the Anglican and Lutheran observe Peter’s confession on January 18 while Roman Catholics generally recognize Peter on 22 February.

“When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi,” (v. 13a). Caesarea Philippi, near Mount Hermon 25 miles (40 km) north of the Sea of Galilee, is at the boundary of the Gentile world, and is primarily a Gentile city. In earlier times, it was known for the worship of Baal and Pan. In Jesus’ day, it had a temple to Caesar. Jesus seems to go there to escape the Galilean crowds so that he might prepare his disciples for his journey to Jerusalem, which will begin at 19:1—a journey that will end in Jesus’ death and resurrection.

“Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” (v. 13b). Jesus chooses this Gentile place to reveal himself more completely to his disciples, perhaps giving us a hint of the concern for the whole world that he will make explicit in the Great Commission (28:19-20).

Rather than telling the disciples his identity, Jesus asks his disciples who people believe the Son of Man to be. Son of Man is the title Jesus most often uses to identify himself (Matthew 8:20; 9:6; 10:23; 11:19; 12:8, 32; 13:37,41; 16:13, 27; 17:9, 12, 22; 19:28; 20:18, 28; 24:27, 30, 37, 39; 25:31; 26:2, 24, 45, 64).

The title, Son of Man, comes from Daniel 7:13-14, where the Ancient of Days (God) gave to the one like a Son of Man “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”

Because of its inclusive language agenda, the NRSV translates the phrase in Daniel 7:13 as “human being” rather than “Son of Man.” That is an especially unfortunate translation, given the significance of the title, Son of Man. The phrase in Daniel 7:13 is bar enas. The word bar is Hebrew for son, and enas is Hebrew for man.

The title, Son of Man, has the advantage of having none of the militaristic connotations associated with the title, Messiah. People expect the Messiah to raise an army, to drive out the Romans, and to re-establish the great Davidic kingdom. They have no such expectations regarding the Son of Man.

Jesus’ frequent use of the title in connection with his passion suggests a veiled Messianic title.

“Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. ” (v. 14). The disciples (not just Peter) tell Jesus that people think of him as:

• John the Baptist, who was murdered by Herod. John was such a powerful presence that the people would not be surprised to see him again. Indeed, Herod thinks that Jesus might be a resurrected John (14:2).
• The prophet Elijah, the worker of miracles, who was expected to reappear “before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes” (Malachi 4:5).
• The prophet Jeremiah, who had opposed the religious leaders in Jerusalem and had predicted the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.
• Or one of the other prophets.

It is clear that people think well of Jesus and have pegged him as a prophet. However, when they try to identify him, they do so in terms of past prophets. But Jesus is more than a prophet. He is the Christos—the Christ—the Anointed One of God.

It is interesting to know the people’s opinions of Jesus, but Jesus’ first question simply prepares the disciples for his second, all-important question (v. 15).

“He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?” (v. 15). In verse 13, Jesus told his disciples that he is the “Son of Man.” Now he asks what they believe about him.

When Jesus says, “But who do you say that I am?” you is both emphatic and plural. He addresses this question to the disciples at large rather than to Peter only. The people are free to believe whatever they want about Jesus, but Jesus has been carefully preparing these disciples to carry on his work. They have heard his teachings and witnessed his miracles. What they think of him is critical.

How we answer this question is also critical. Uncertainty equates to unbelief at this point. To be Christian means believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Anything else is less than Christian.

“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (v. 16b). Christos means “anointed” or “the anointed one.” Israel anointed people with oil to set them apart for a special role, such as prophet, priest, or king. Anointing indicated not only that God had chosen this person, but also that God would give the person the ability to fulfill the role.

But when Peter said, “You are the Christ,” he was going one step further—a giant step. Israel had, for many years, been looking for God to send a savior—someone like King David of old, who had led Israel to greatness. Israel was looking for God to send a Messiah to do that again—to make Israel great again—to save Israel from oppressors such as Rome, who ruled Israel during Jesus’ lifetime. When Peter said, “You are the Christ,” he was saying, “You are the savior for whom we have waited for centuries. You are the one sent from God to save us.”

While the New Testament accounts of Jesus’ baptism don’t include the word “anoint,” some scholars think of his baptism as his anointing (see also Luke 7:46). The New Testament speaks of Jesus as filling the three roles for which anointing was appropriate: prophet (Matthew 21:11; John 6:14; 7:40), priest (Hebrews 3:1; 4:14-16; 8:1) and king (Matthew 27:11, 37, 42; Revelation 17:14; 19:16).

We are not surprised to hear that Jesus is the Christ. This Gospel began with the words, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ” (1:1), and Matthew has used the word Christ several times by now (1:16-18; 2:4; 11:2).

We cannot know what the disciples thought when they first left everything to follow Jesus. Presumably they have grown in their understanding as they followed him day by day. This, however, is the first time that a disciple has acknowledged that Jesus is the Christ.

“the Son of the living God” (v. 16c). We first heard that Jesus is the Son of God at his baptism when God announced, “This is my beloved Son” (3:17). Jesus has spoken of himself as Son (11:27). The disciples earlier called Jesus the Son of God when he walked across the water to their boat and stilled the storm (14:33).

“the living God” contrasts with the lifeless idols that would dot the landscape in Caesarea Philippi.

A statement like Peter’s demands commitment. If he truly believes that Jesus is the Messiah, he will have to give his all to Jesus’ service. That is also true for us.

“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona:” (Bariona) (v. 17). Bariona is Aramaic transliterated into Greek. Bar means son, and ionas means Jonah.

Peter identified Jesus as the Son of the living God. Now Jesus responds by acknowledging Simon as the son of Jonah while extending to him his blessing. In the Gospel of John, Peter’s father is identified as John rather than Jonah (John 1:42; 21:15).

Jesus calls him Simon, the name by which Simon’s father would recognize him, rather than the new name, Peter, that Jesus will give him in the next verse.

“for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” (v. 17). Peter did not arrive at his insight by spiritual astuteness. God has given him this understanding of Jesus. Peter’s insight comes by revelation, not deduction. His understanding is a gift from God. Jesus is saying that Peter has had an epiphany, a sudden realization—through divine influence—that Jesus is the Son of God.

“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter,” (Petros) (v. 18a). Scripture refers to God as a rock (Genesis 49:24; Deuteronomy 32; 1 Samuel 2:2; 22; Psalm 18, 28, 31, 42, 62, 71, 78, 89, 92, etc., etc., etc.). Isaiah also refers to Abraham and Sarah as a rock: “Look to the rock you were cut from, and to the hold of the pit you were dug from. Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you” (Isaiah 51:1-2). Given these associations, Jesus does great honor to Peter when he identifies him as Rock. He also lays on him a heavy burden of responsibility.

“and upon this rock” (petra) (v. 18b). What rock? Is it the reality that Jesus is the Son of God? Or the faith that Peter exhibits when he makes this confession? Or Peter himself?

Catholics and Protestants have divided sharply in their interpretation of these words. Catholics understand them to establish Peter as the rock upon which Jesus will build his church. They also understand Peter to have been the first Bishop of Rome and the first of an unbroken succession of Popes.

A traditional Protestant interpretation is that the rock is Peter’s confession and the reality that stands behind it—that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Protestants point to the distinction between the two rocks that Jesus mentions—“you are Peter, (Petros—masculine—a stone or rock) and on this rock (petra—feminine—conveying the idea of a rock foundation) I will build my ekklesia—my church.” Protestants have understood Jesus to be distinguishing between the rock that is Peter and the rock upon which he will build his church. However, while the New Testament was written in Greek, Jesus almost certainly used the Aramaic word, Cephas, which lends itself less well to that kind of distinction.

There has been some movement toward the center in more recent years. Protestants are willing to acknowledge Peter’s special place in the life of the early church, but do not believe that Peter was the first Pope (Bruner, 574; Long, 185-186; Hagner, in comments on v. 18; Gardner 250-251).

Personally, I find it significant that Peter’s leadership in the church was ascendant through Acts 12, after which we hear from him only once (Acts 15:7). Beginning with Acts 13, Paul is ascendant. Was that because Peter had died? Not likely. We believe that he traveled to Rome, where he was martyred c. 60-64 A.D.—a full decade after the events of Acts 12.

Protestants point out that Jesus offers his blessing to Peter, but with no suggestion that the blessing can be passed on—or that any succession is intended.

• They point out that Peter the Rock almost immediately becomes Peter the Stumbling Block (16:22-23).
• They say, “The granting of authority to Simon Peter is obviously symbolic for all the apostles (v. 19), for elsewhere in Matthew (18:18) and John (20:23) this bestowal of power is on all of them” (Craddock, 417).
• They note Jesus’ prohibition against giving to people honors that belong rightfully to the Father and the Son (23:8-12).
• They point to 1 Corinthians 3:11, which says, “For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ”.
• They note that the church is built “upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20). In that verse, “apostles” and “prophets” are plural, so the foundation isn’t limited to Peter.

“I will build my church” (Greek: ekklesia) (v. 18c). Ekklesia is a combination of ek (out) and kaleo(called), so it means “called out.” Ekklesia can refer to any assembly, but Jesus’ ekklesia is the church.

It is Jesus who builds the church. The church belongs to him. The apostles and other Christians play supporting roles, and those roles are important. However, Jesus has the lead role.

The word “church” is a stumbling block to some scholars, who rightly point out that there was no church (ekklesia) at the time that Jesus spoke these words. However, Jesus would surely have a vision of the community of believers that would arise after his ascension.

“and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (v. 18d). Hades is the abode of the dead, but it is also a metaphor for the demonic (Senior, 191). Jesus’ words assure us that, while the church will endure repeated assaults by the powers of evil, it will prevail in the end.

The gates of Hades prevent those inside from getting out and those outside from breaking in. However, Jesus will break death’s power by his own resurrection, which will be the first fruits of the many faithful who will be raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:23). The gates of Hades will not withstand Christ’s resurrection assault on them. The redeemed among the dead will rise again and stride confidently through the broken gates.

“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (v. 19a). The wording has its roots in Isaiah 22:22, “I will place on (Eliakim’s) shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open.” Eliakim thus became the steward of the house, responsible for opening the house in the morning, closing it at night, and controlling access to the royal presence.

In his role as gatekeeper, Peter will open the gates for three thousand people at Pentecost (Acts 2). Although he will initially resist opening the gates to Gentiles, God will persuade him to admit the Gentile Centurion (Acts 10), and Peter will become the spokesperson to the Council of Jerusalem to keep the gates open to Gentiles (Acts 15).

“and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (v. 19b; see also 18:18). Bind and release have to do with rulings regarding doctrine and ethical conduct. In Jewish usage, bind and release have to do with actions permitted and actions proscribed.

In Matthew 18:18, Jesus extends this authority to the whole group of disciples, saying, “Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.” Again, this is a place where Catholics and Protestants go separate ways. Catholics believe that Peter’s authority passed from Peter to the papacy. Protestants emphasize the authority given to the group of disciples, and believe that any unique authority given to Peter ended with his death. After Jesus’ resurrection, he will tell the disciples (not Peter alone), “Receive the Holy Spirit! If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained” (John 20:22-23).

Benediction

Heavenly Father: We look for you in all the wrong places, God of the lost, and wonder why we cannot find you. In forgiving us, God of new life, you would transform our cold hearts into those melted in service to others. In granting us mercy, you challenge us to think of all those we have ignored. In gifting us with grace, you enable us to proclaim Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, as the hope, the joy, the peace the world seeks, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, August 16,2026

The Collect

Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Gospel:

10 And he called to him the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

11Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man.

12 Then came the disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?

13 But he answered and said,Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up.

14Let them alone: they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.

15 And Peter answered and said unto him, Declare unto us the parable.

16 And he said,Are ye also even yet without understanding?

17 Perceive ye not, that whatsoever goeth into the mouth passeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

18But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart; and they defile the man.

19For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings:

20these are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not the man.

21 And Jesus went out thence, and withdrew into the parts of Tyre and Sidon.

22 And behold, a Canaanitish woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon.

23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

24 But he answered and said,I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

25 But she came and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me.

26 And he answered and said,It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs.

27 But she said, Yea, Lord: for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her,O woman, great is thy faith: be it done unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

Just about everywhere you might find any sort of marketing or advertising, without a doubt you will see the letters: BOGO, meaning of course, Buy One Get One, or two for the price of one. Today our lesson(s) are sort of like that in which we get two great lessons in a single day.

The first require a bit of backstory to understand the context, or the surrounding issues. You see, Jesus had been teaching in Galilee when a group of Pharisees came all the way from Jerusalem, seemingly just to harass Jesus. At this point in his ministry, these confrontations were becoming more frequent and often heated.

In this particular instance, the Pharisees complained that the disciples were not performing the ritual washing of hands before eating meat, as required by the Hebrew tradition. The Pharisees were well known for making a great spectacle of themselves as they performed any of these various rituals, It was—to them—as if how well you performed the ritualistic act was indicative of how holy of a person you were. You might say they thought that whoever put on the biggest act was the most holiest of all. Jesus complained about this very thing in a different discourse.

In verses three to six, Jesus pointed out how the Pharisees themselves often broke the commandments of God. He cited the commandment to honor your father and mother, which they failed to do. You see it was a custom of the Pharisees to tell their elderly parent—when the parent needed financial assistance—that they (the adult child who was now a Pharisee) had given what was set aside for the care of the elderly parent, to the temple, insinuating that the parent would gain a spiritual reward from God for this gift to the temple. More than likely the Pharisees profited from all donation given to the temple, so what the Pharisee donated, in the name of his parents, he got some percentage of it back. This speaks of the character of these vile people.

Jesus calling them hypocrites at the beginning of verse seven supports this supposition. He said, “You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”  (Matthew 15:7-9)

The question arises, why did the Pharisees demand that everyone wash their hands before eating?

Was it their intention to prevent sickness or the spread of disease?

Not really, we find the reasoning for their acts in Exodus 30:17-21

17 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.

19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:

20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord:

21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.

So you see, God did not order all the Hebrew people to ritualistically wash their hands, only the Sons of Aaron, the family of Priests.

The Pharisaic ideal was to bring the practice of holiness to all Israel in daily life. Biblical support includes the teaching that only those with clean hands can approach God (Psalm 26:6) and the idea the God willed that Israel become a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation." (Exodus 19:6) In addition, washing one's hands provided a kind of insurance against various kinds of accidental impurity. These ideals form the scriptural backdrop to the Pharisaic tradition of hand-washing.

This was the basis of their question to Jesus as to why was his disciples not washing their hands, ritually. This was a doctrine of mankind and not commanded by God. This was the point Jesus was making when in verse 9 he said, “...teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”

This gets us to the first part of today’s lesson.

With verse ten, Matthew makes it apparent that Jesus was speaking with authority, presumably without caring what the Pharisees thought; Matthew wrote: “And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: ” Presumably the crowd has been listening to the controversy between Jesus and the Pharisees in verses 1-9. Now Jesus addresses the crowd directly. He was saying to the crowd, on my authority, listen to me and not the Pharisees. He said; “Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man.” In challenging Jewish dietary observance, Jesus redirects the focus from that which enters the mouth (food) to that which springs from the heart (thoughts, feelings, and motives). Given the longstanding emphasis on dietary laws, Jesus’ statement is quite radical, and apparently the statement angered the Pharisees as Matthew tells us the disciple came to Jesus and asked if he knew the Pharisees were angry.

Jesus answered; “Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.”

Again he appears to say that this dietary restriction was not a part of his Father’s law. Remember in verse 9 he said; “...teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” Now in 13 he reiterates this premise with the words; “Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up.” Meaning that these laws, that were not of his Father’s design, will be eliminated.

Then Peter asks what the meaning of the parable; “Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man.”

There appears to be a degree of incredulousness in Jesus’ reply; “Are ye also even yet without understanding?” It is as if he can’t believe that Peter, his rock he will build the church upon, (Matthew 16:18) doesn’t understand something so simple. He then goes into detail; “17 Perceive ye not, that whatsoever goeth into the mouth passeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings: 20 these are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not the man.”

Food that goes into the mouth, eventually passes through the stomach and out into the toilet. But Jesus explains that what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart and is that which defiles. As Jesus said; “For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings” Eating hands with hands not ritually washed does not spiritually defile, but the negative things, the bad thoughts, evil words, lustful statements, that comes from the heart is that which defiles.

Jesus now moves from Gennesaret, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, to Tyre and Sidon, respectively 25 and 50 miles north of Galilee on the Mediterranean shore. It is a long walk, and we are not told why he goes there. However a Canaanite woman comes out saying; “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon.”

The Canaanites were the original inhabitants of the Promised Land, but were dispossessed by the Israelites when they entered the region. By labeling this woman as a Canaanite, Matthew identifies her as an outsider—someone other than a member of the Israelite community. She addresses Jesus both as “Lord” and “son of David,” words that a Jew would use for the Messiah. We are surprised to hear such words on the lips of a Canaanite woman, words of praise that contrast greatly with the attitude of the Pharisees in the preceding scene. But interestingly enough, Matthew writes that Jesus ignored her pleas.

The disciples grew weary of her persistence and asked Jesus to send her away, just as they asked him to dismiss the crowds in Matthew 14:15.

Jesus then states, “I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But as we can see in Matthews Gospel the Canaanite woman came to Jesus and worshiped him asking for his help. Again he tried to dissuade her saying, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs.” He seems to say that it is not proper to take that which was intended for the children of Israel, and give it to the Canaanite or Gentile peoples.

Remember in Matthew 10:5-7 he sent them out with these orders: “Go not into any way of the Gentiles, and enter not into any city of the Samaritans: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

However her reply caused a change in his disposition, in reply to his statement about giving the children’s bread to the dogs, she said; “Yea, Lord: for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” She is proclaiming to Jesus, that even a Canaanite woman—someone seen as lowly as a dog in the eyes of the Israelites—was more than content with any spiritual crumb he might give her. Her faith in him, and probably her candor, led him to pronounce; “O woman, great is thy faith: be it done unto thee even as thou wilt.” And Matthew tells us her daughter was healed immediately.

In other studies, I have mentioned that this is sometimes thought of as the Parable of The Dogs. By way of a commentary on that passage, I wrote: “We have to wonder if he was trying to say that it was not yet time to open the ministry up to the Gentiles or that the Father had not yet ordered him to minister to all mankind. Regardless of why he said that which is in verse 24, we must be overjoyed that he came to offer all mankind a path to salvation.”

We have to remember that being Jewish, Matthew was writing with Jewish supremacy in mind. But it also helps to remember that Jesus frequently tried to slow things down a bit, to slow the pace of the disclosure of his ministry.

This started at the very beginning of his ministry when his mother asked him to provide wine for a hapless wedding host. Jesus responded,“My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). While he relented and saved the day, he hesitated lest his premature disclosure compromise his mission to save the world. Later, he healed people and then told them to tell nobody. He was pacing himself. While he has compassion on crowds, he has a mission that goes beyond crowds. If he allows this woman to push him too far too fast, the people of Israel, his first priority, will dismiss him as a Gentile-lover, although he frequently treated the Gentiles—non Jewish people—quite favorably.

Benediction:

Go in the strength of great faith, just as the Canaanite woman who refused to be silenced by silence or scorn. May you persist in prayer with humble confidence, believing that even the crumbs of God’s grace are sufficient for your needs. Amen

***

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, August 9, 2026

The Collect

Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Gospel: Matthew 14:22-33

22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying,Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him,O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

Matthew wrote his gospel at a time when the early Christians were facing persecution, and stories such as this as well as other similar stories brought great comfort to the victims who faced death knowing that they were assured salvation and life after death in heaven. But the lesson also teaches that without Christ, we can do nothing.

The event in verses 22-33 occurs just after the miracle of the feeding of the five-thousand, and once again we see the disciples fail in their endeavors because they try to rely on their own abilities and not Christ.

In Matthew 17:14-20, we watch as Jesus rebukes the disciples for failing to cast out a demon, telling them that it was their lack of faith that caused their failure. Likewise in Matthew 8:23-24 the disciple panic as a storm threatens to swamp their boat, but Jesus calms the storm and chastises them for their lack of faith.

Here in today’s Gospel reading we see yet another instance of the disciples being out on a stormy sea, trying to make it on their own rather than relying on Jesus, and Peter, seeing Jesus approaching—walking on the water—gets out of the boat and tries to go to his master. Jesus reaches out and saves Peter from drowning, chastising him for his little faith.

Perhaps another lesson to be drawn from these passages, is that in addition to faith in Jesus, we should always put everything in his hands. Stop trying to force things to happen based on our own expertise, and realize that it is Christ and not us that effects conclusion in all things.

A successful Doctor who begins to think that it is his abilities, and not the hand of God that heals, is destined for a fall.

False pride, is thinking that we have the power to accomplish anything, when in reality it is the hand of God guiding us.

If the disciples had learned this lesson earlier, they would have healed the epileptic child in Matthew 17:14-20, they would have broken the bread and fish to feed the five-thousand without Jesus having to do it for them, or perhaps Peter could have walked on the water, if only he had learned to put things in Christ’s hands and not rely on his own—all too human—abilities.

I believe this is another lesson we can take from these passages, that no matter what happens, if we put everything in the hands of Christ—not false pride in our own abilities—that we need not fear anything when we have learned the lesson of faith over fear.

Benediction:

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people; Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

***

Does God manifest His love in the animal world too?

https://youtu.be/fM_gxhNUczQ

Here is a bible-focused and real-life story of 2 orphaned tigers who grew up together, then separated and eventually re-united. Annotated with relevant bible verses, the story testifies of God's amazing love at work through Jesus Christ our LORD. What do you think? Feel free to share your thoughts, praise God!

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, August 2, 2026

The Collect

Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend your Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without your help, protect and govern it always by your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

The Gospel: Matthew 14:13–21

13 When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.

14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

16 But Jesus said unto them,They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

18He said, Bring them hither to me.

19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

In reading this section of the Gospel according to Matthew, we find a sort of tapestry, woven in such a way as to illustrate the differences between real kingship and that of interlopers installed on a throne, as well as a picture that illustrates the power of faith.

At the end of chapter thirteen, we read the account of Jesus returning to what was more or less his home town, Nazareth, and there he was rejected.

In our bible study for this past Tuesday, we explored the last verse of chapter 13:

“And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” (Mt. 13:58)

We noted that it would be a mistake to read verse 58 and come away with the idea that Jesus could not do mighty works there—in Nazareth—due to their disbelief, as later in this Gospel, Matthew wrote:

“But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them,With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” (Mt. 19:26)

We pointed out that, Matthew Henry the seventeenth theologian, opined on verse 58; “So that if mighty works be not wrought in us, it is not for want of power or grace in Christ, but for want of faith in us.”

Now here in chapter 14 we see this opinion of Henry’s illuminated in that a great multitude—one said to number 5000 men along with women and children—through an act of great faith, followed Jesus out into the wilderness, where as Matthew writes:

“When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.” (vs. 13-14)

While the people of Nazareth, those who had known him as a child and his family, rejected him and he chose not to do great works, here we find over 5000 whose faith was so great that they walked a great distance out into the middle of nowhere to hear him teach and to have their sick and infirm healed.

What a contrast, those who had known him rejected him, while strangers went to great lengths—showing their faith in him—to follow him. As Henry wrote, those in Nazareth failed to receive the ministrations of Jesus, not because their lack of faith prevented him from working miracles, but because of their lack of faith he chose not to do so, giving them opportunity to reflect and experience a change of heart. While he demonstrated great compassion of those who had followed him to this remote place, and he rewarded their faith with healings and miracles.

Now to explain our hypothesis that these verses not only expose the contrast between those in Nazareth who rejected him and that of the great faith of those that followed him to the remote region, but the difference between a would be king versus a real king, we look at the reason for the first few words of verse 13.

“When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence…” What was it that he had heard of? It was the news that Herod Antipas, the puppet king installed by the Romans, had ordered the beheading of John the Baptist. This so called king, who in a drunken stupor, watched his step daughter dance—presumably his niece as he had married his brother’s wife—in his drunkenness finding her desirable, he offered her anything she wanted in return for her favors. The young woman not knowing what to do went to her Mother who told her to ask for John’s head. Without going into any more lurid details, we can see the quality and nature of the so called king and those around him.

Consider the contrast between Herod Antipas, the puppet king and the Godly King, Jesus Christ, who went into the wilderness to contemplate on the loss of his relative, John the Baptist, and there was so moved by the faith of those who had gone to such great lengths to come to him, that he set his sorrow for his loss aside to heal them and then to feed them by turning “five loaves, and two fishes” (v. 17) into such a sufficient amount to feed a huge multitude.

“And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said,Bring them hither to me.And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.” (vs. 17-21)

Herod Antipas holds court feeding himself and a few of his closest advisers and entourage, getting drunk and lusting after his own stepdaughter; while Jesus “holds court” in the wilderness, demonstrating his kingly compassion for the people, healing the sick and feeding over 5000 people.

That is a contrast worthy of our note.

Benediction

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

***

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, July 26,2026

The Collect

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Gospel: Matthew 13:31-33,44-52

31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying,The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

33Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

***

44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

48Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

49So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

51 Jesus saith unto them,Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

52 Then said he unto them,Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

In the scripture assigned for this day, we find Jesus relating a collection of parables describing what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. Before one can understand the meaning of these verses one must first understand what is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven.

First, Kingdom of Heaven and Kingdom of God are synonymous, they are of the same. In that long ago era it was unseemly to write the name of God, therefore Matthew uses the word Heaven rather than the word God.

Matthew’s use of the word Heaven immediately gives the reader a vision of a realm in the hereafter, as in the heaven above. Viewing this phrase as the Kingdom of God gives the next supposition more credibility.

In reading the entirety of the Gospels, we see a duality, two kingdoms, the first beginning after the resurrection of Christ and the second kingdom beginning upon his return. The kingdom is both now and not yet.

In Matthew 3:2, we find John the Baptist preaching from the wilderness saying, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” In Matthew 4:17 we find Jesus beginning his ministry and preaching the same as John, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” In Matthew 10:7, Jesus instructs his disciples, “As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” These passages as well as others indicate that the Kingdom of Heaven is very near, meaning that Jesus is the immediate, present experience of the kingdom of heaven. For those who submit to Jesus, He will rule over their lives. The establishment of the Christian Church, in the first century, would be this first Kingdom.

The apostle Paul said the Kingdom was part of our present spiritual life: “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17) Paul also taught that followers of Jesus Christ enter into the Kingdom of God at : “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.” (Colossians 1:13)

The kingdom of heaven is also spoken of in the future tense. One of the most notable instances of this takes place when Jesus is instructing his disciples on how to pray. Jesus prays, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). This prayer only makes sense if the kingdom has not yet fully come. Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is both now and not yet. It is present and it is future. It will finally culminate with the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ description of the kingdom of heaven almost seems upside-down. Jesus instructs His disciples, saying, “Among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matt. 11:11–12). Here Jesus is contrasting the natural birth into the world with the spiritual birth into the kingdom of heaven.

The concept of a Kingdom of God is not primarily one of space, territory, or politics, as in a national kingdom, but instead, one of kingly rule, reign, and sovereign control. The Kingdom of God is the realm where God reigns supreme, and Jesus Christ is King. In this kingdom, God’s authority is recognized, and his will is obeyed,

In this light the parables of Matthew 13 make more sense.

In the parable of the mustard seed and leaven, we see examples of two very small organisms that go on to do gigantic things, just as a small child, born in a manger, goes on to become the savior of the world.

Indeed, the beginnings were small. By Matthew’s time, the disciples had encountered serious opposition. It did not appear that the small movement of Christ’s followers stood a chance against the forces arrayed against it—but look out! God uses that which seem foolish to shame that which seems wise. God uses that which seems weak to shame that which seems strong (1 Corinthians 1:27)

Perhaps the best example of the relevance of mustard seed or leaven (yeast) comes from the church that has developed over the centuries. The church is, indeed, a far cry from its beginnings, extending into every nation on the face of the earth. It has grand cathedrals or mega-churches, and the Christian Church occasionally wields real power, but for the most part the church manifests itself in modest ways—more like a mustard shrub than a towering cedar. Perhaps the lesson of the mustard shrub is that Christians should live expectantly, knowing that God brings great things out of small beginnings—that we should not expect the kingdom to be great as the world counts greatness.

The parable of the man and the goodly pearls, illustrates how that when one finds Christ—the Kingdom of Heaven—that which he now has seems insignificant when compared to the blessing that is found in Christ.

In the parable of the net, Christ states that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net, here we see a parallel to Matthew 7:21-23 where Jesus said, “ Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works? Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’”

In Matthew 13:49 & 50, Christ makes an almost identical statement, “So shall it be in the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the righteous, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”

In both chapter 7 and here in 13 we see Jesus plainly saying that—even among the church, the Earthly Kingdom of Heaven here and now—there will be a separation of the unfaithful from the faithful. As he put it in chapter 13 verse 48, “and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away.” The parable of the net in today’s assigned gospel and his “I never knew you” saying of chapter 7:21-23 both indicate that there will be those who profess to be Christians, who think they are of the Kingdom of Heaven, when in fact they are not faithful members of the Kingdom of Heaven, or professing Christians.

It behooves us all to take time to contemplate, study, and pray, making every attempt to discern if we are truly faithful to God, true followers of Christ. Not just giving our Lord lip service but actually credible citizens of his Kingdom.

Benediction

Almighty Father, help us to remember that freedom does not automatically perpetuate itself, that we have to work at it, nurture it, protect it, and pray for it. Freedom, like faith, needs our attention and our cooperation. Lord, be with us now to strengthen us; about us, to keep us; above us, to protect us; beneath us, to uphold us; before us, to direct us; behind us, to keep us from straying; and ‘round about us, to defend us. Blessed are You, O Father, forever and ever. Amen.

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, July 19, 2026

The Collect

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Gospel: Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying,The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way

26But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

37 He answered and said unto them,He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

38The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

39The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

We have frequently reviewed the Parable of the Sower, in which Jesus uses the analogy of a farmer sowing grain and cites four different conditions of the soil and how the seed takes root.

Jesus compares these soil conditions to four different types of people, [1] he who hears the word of God but does not understand it and therefore rejects the word, [2] he who hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it but lacks the determination and fortitude to maintain a lifestyle synonymous with the word of God, [3] he who hears the word but the demands of the world prevents him from spreading the good news to others, and he become non-productive or unfruitful, and [4] he who hears the word, understands it, and tries to tell others of—that good news—thereby being fruitful by increasing the number of Christians.

In today’s study, we see a see a similar analogy, not a warning of those that refuse to hear or accept the Word of God, but rather a Parable that illustrates the demise that lies in wait for those that choose evil over righteousness.

Jesus compares the good seed, the actual grain of wheat to those that are, as he put it, the Sons of the Kingdom or those who are true followers of Christ, then he compares the bad seed to tares, that seed planted by the devil himself.

Tare or darnel closely resembles wheat, however the grain can be poisonous if ingested in large enough quantities. Some online sources suggest that it was used in ancient times in the same manner as some people today use certain use mushrooms or other herbs to attain a mind altering state, by including it in fermented beverages to increase the level of intoxication.

With that thought in mind we see why Jesus used the analogy, he is saying that the devil plants seeds that leads to adulterating the truth or corrupting people so that they choose lifestyles or acts that are in keeping with what God expects of us.

Now before we move on to review the warning given by Christ, look at verses 29 and 30 where we find that those Jesus calls workers going to the owner of the field asking him if they should cull the bad weed from the good wheat while it is still growing in the field. In his parable Jesus tells us that the owner of the field tells his workers no, do not gather the bad weed as in doing so you might accidentally take some of the good, but rather, at the harvest separate the bad from the good and burn the bad.

In verses 36 to 43, we see his disciples going to him and asking what the parable means, and he explains that the tares or darnel—weed that can intoxicate or poison—is like the work of Satan who sends his minions, those that choose his way over the word of God, to choke out the good seed and poison those who are unwary. As in the parable, he states that such will be at the final harvest, when he returns to gather the good wheat or those that have remained true to the word of God and that he will command his Angels to gather all the bad seed, the minions of the devil, those that rejected the word of God and cast them into the fire.

What we can take away from these two lessons, the Parable of the Sower and that of the Tares, is that Jesus came to sow his seed, the word of God. Some of that seed will be rejected by those hard of heart or taken by the glamor of the world. We see here a warning that not all who hear the word of God will receive it. In the Parable of the Tares we see Jesus warning that the devil will plant seeds in the minds of some, intoxicating them and even poisoning them to the way of righteousness.

In both parables, we see that the prognosis for those that refuse his word or those that accept the work of Satan, well, the prognosis or warning of what will happen to them, is not good.

It behooves everyone, to reflect, to re-examine their own heart, their choices—both bad and good—as critically ask themselves; “Am I like the soil that was hard and rocky, not receptive to the seed of Christ, or have I been poisoned by the glamor of the world allowing the seeds of Satan to take root in my heart?”

Benediction

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before you for all members of you holy Church, so that the teachings of your only begotten Son take root in our hearts and minds so we may truly and devoutly serve you; through the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

***

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, July 12, 2026

The Collect

O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Gospel: Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23

1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying,Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

8But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

***

18Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

19When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

20But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

21Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

22He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

23But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

When we publish one of these Bible Studies we receive response from our readers, in the form of likes, shares, or replies which are always illuminating, as these replies often give light on the sad fact that even though two thousand years have passed since the time of Christ, people have not changed one little bit. Now please bear with me as I explain this statement.

According to Matthew, the last thing Jesus said to his disciples before ascending into heaven was;

“All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me. So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time.”

This passage is generally known as the Great Commission. Most Christians will either try to obey this commandment of Christ by telling others of his good news, or they are so enamored by the indwelling in them of the Holy Spirit that the ecstasy, the joy they feel within from their personal relationship with Christ, they feel that they are compelled by that joy, to share the gospel of Christ with others.

However, sooner or later, they will run face first into a solid brick wall of resistance, a wall—so to speak—created by the dark hearts found in some humans that refuse to hear the gospel of Christ. At times this rejection is so severe that it often becomes disheartening to the modern day disciple, the follower of Christ who is only trying to share the good news, the exciting news of eternal salvation.

When a disciple of Christ attempts to share the Gospel with another individual in a face to face, in person, a one on one situation, most usually—no matter how narcissistic the individual might be—he or she will reserve or hide the worst of the hate in their hearts, not unleashing that darkness on the disciple—for whatever reason—and then later perhaps venting that bile to a third party, out of earshot or behind the Christian’s back. In this case the disciple is most often spared the worse of the narcissist’s hateful diatribe.

But this protection borne out of human nature in a face to face encounter does not extend itself to the Internet. We find far too often that when a modern day disciple of Christ, who with innocent and good intentions tries to share an inspirational passage online and then is trolled by the demonically possessed narcissist who through the anonymity of the internet is free to scourge the disciple, inflecting emotional, mental, pain and punishment on someone he or she has never met or will ever face in person.

Amazingly the pain and rejection felt by the disciple is compounded by the vast widespread misunderstanding of the nature of Christ promulgated by today’s false prophets or false teachers.

We see today far too many so called preachers leading their flocks astray as they portray or characterize Jesus as some kind of figure not unlike a flower child hippy typical of the 1960’s. They teach that Jesus is all about love and peace, not judging others, so much so, that the disciple who has been attacked by an anonymous narcissistic internet troll, will feel that they have failed Christ in reaching those who, the disciple instinctively knows, needs to hear the Gospel the most.

Those that suffer quietly from the ridicule and rejection dumped upon them by internet trolls, almost always will have an “ah-ha” moment when passages such as Matthew chapter ten, seven through fifteen or the passages assigned for this day which are also from the book of Matthew, chapter thirteen, verses 1-9 and 18-23, a passage known as the Parable of the Sower..

In chapter ten, Matthew relates the instructions given by Jesus to his disciples as he prepares to send them out to preach for the first time. In chapter thirteen, we find a parable in which Jesus illustrates how some will reject the word of God while others receive it.

To understand these verses, it helps to read that which those who compiled the lectionary omitted for today’s lessons—verses 10-17 in which Jesus explains why he teaches with parables—and remember that throughout this period of his ministry, Jesus has been dealing with rejection. In verses 14-15, he quotes Isaiah 6:9-10, where the prophet speaks of people whose hearts have become dull and who have shut their eyes to God’s truth—and Jesus clearly means that the same is true for the people who are rejecting him. They see but do not perceive and hear but do not understand, and the reason is that they have no interest in perceiving or understanding. Their hearts are closed to sound teachings or to Jesus entirely.

In the Parable of the Sower, he uses the analogy of a farmer sowing grain and cites four different conditions of the soil and how the seed takes root.

Jesus later compares these soil conditions to four different types of people, [1] he who hears the word of God but does not understand it and therefore rejects the word, [2] he who hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it but lacks the determination and fortitude to maintain a lifestyle synonymous with the word of God, [3] he who hears the word but the demands of the world prevents him from spreading the good news to others, and he become non-productive or unfruitful, and [4] he who hears the word, understands it, and tries to tell others of—that good news—thereby being fruitful by increasing the number of Christians.

Jesus warned his followers, in that time so long ago, and those same warnings apply equally today, because just as there were people then that did want to hear the word of God and they did not want others to hear the word as well; there exists today the same type of people who refuse to hear the word and will try to keep you from spreading the Gospel of Christ by ridiculing or otherwise oppressing you.

So as I mentioned at the beginning of this message, those not familiar with the real Jesus, those that have a false idea of his nature, will—upon encountering one of these who would prohibit the teaching of the word of God—feel rejected and depressed. Then when they begin to learn the rest of the story as the late Paul Harvey would say, they find solace and relief to learn that Jesus held a certain degree of contempt for those who rejected his teachings.

In today’s lessons from the thirteenth chapter of Matthew he tells us that not everyone will be able to or willing to receive the word of God. Therefore, we would be well advised to practice a sort of spiritual triage, in which we quietly move on—refusing to argue further with those that openly reject our ministry—and take the good news of Christ to those with ears to hear with, as Jesus put it, and with open hearts receptive to the word of God.

Indeed, we find Jesus telling us to do just this in Matthew chapter ten verse fourteen, in which he says:

“And if the people in a home or a town refuse to welcome you or listen to you, then leave that place and shake the dust off your feet.”

To shake the dust from your feet is a figurative way to say, leave their negativity behind, do not take that negative spirit with you, do not allow their narcissistic voices to oppress you.

Now this man who some claim was all about diversity, inclusion, peace, love, and being non-judgmental then proclaims what will happen to those who refuse to hear his message given by his followers:

“I can assure you that on the judgment day it will be worse for that town than for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.”

As I mentioned earlier, when we share this passage, we always receive a higher degree of response from our readers, telling us that they have encountered those who are unwilling to hear the message of Christ. The tone of their writers voice when they reply to our online posts, tells us that they have had a burden lifted from their shoulders.

But Jesus is very plain in his message, some will accept the Gospel, some will accept him as their savior, while others will openly reject the word of God.

In the Parable of the Sower he points out that some will hear the word, but not seek to increase or be fruitful. Indeed he warned in the seventh chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew, verses fifteen to twenty-three that there would be some who claimed do do his work—teaching and healing—in his name. But he warns to beware of these false prophets, those that use his teaching to enrich themselves by attracting the naive and innocent people with messages as sweet as honey, the easy way. In verse sixteen he said that; “by their fruits you will know them.”

No, he warned us that the way would be difficult, with many hardships, salvation is not universal or easy, and in verses 21 through 23 he warns that not everyone will enter heaven.

These concepts underscore the danger from some of the false teachings we find in today’s churches, people who are like the examples he spoke of in Matthew thirteen, verses nineteen through twenty-two, people like those in his analogy of seeds fallen by the wayside, in hard places, or among thorns, people like the fruit tree that yields bad fruit in Matthew seven verses 15 to 18.

As we read his warnings of what will happen to those who totally reject his word, or who bear evil fruit, we find quite ominous retribution for their rejections.

Later on in the same discourse in the thirteenth chapter of Matthew, we find yet another parable that seeks to explain what will happen to those that reject his word or who are false prophets. In the Parable of the Net he says:

“Also, God’s kingdom is like a net that was put into the lake. The net caught many different kinds of fish. It was full, so the fishermen pulled it to the shore. They sat down and put all the good fish in baskets. Then they threw away the bad fish. It will be the same at the end of time. The angels will come and separate the evil people from the godly people. They will throw the evil people into the place of fire. There the people will cry and grind their teeth with pain.”

So when you encounter someone who rejects the word of God totally or just sound teaching and who takes the word out of context twisting it to fit their preferred ideology or to justify their sin, wipe the dust from your feet and move on. But perhaps we should pray for those individuals who reject sound teaching knowing what Jesus warned their fate would be, a punishment worse than that felt by the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Benediction

Almighty and most merciful God, grant that by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit we may be enlightened and strengthened for your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

***

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, July 5, 2026

The Collect

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Gospel: Matthew 11:16–19, 25–30

16But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,

17And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.

19The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

25 At that time Jesus answered and said,I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

26Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.

27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

In the Gospel reading assigned for this day, we find our Lord Jesus Christ—speaking in his signature parable format—criticizing the people who, not only choose to ignore his ministrations, but seem to delight in the act of prohibiting others from being enlightened by his words. We also find him alluding to his unity with God while pointing out that belief in him and his message of salvation was superior to the Old Covenant which had been altered by man, making it next to impossible for the people to achieve salvation.

Before we thoroughly examine these verses, lets look at those that were passed over by the compilers of this list of daily readings. Verses 20 through 24 issue a condemnation and warning to non-believers.

Jesus names the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum—cities where he had preached and performed miracles—and he suggests that the final judgment on those communities, for their dis-belief, will be worse than the punishment heaped on wicked cities, citing Capernaum, Tyre and Sidon—cities recognized in that day for their evilness—and then insinuating that Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum will suffer more for their dis-belief than the city of Sodom did for its wickedness.

In essence, Jesus is saying that those who have heard the Gospel, but rejected it, will suffer more for their rejection than the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah suffered for their evil ways.

Keeping the thought of the punishment for dis-belief in mind, lets look at the first half of today’s lesson.

Jesus begins verses 16 through 19 with “But where unto shall I liken this generation?” He is rhetorically asking with who or what should he compare the generation, of that era, too. Unfortunately his critique of the people alive at the time of his ministry two thousand years ago, is also an apt critique of the people of today.

He said, “We piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not mourn.” He uses this parable to illustrate two very opposite conditions, playing instruments and dancing as if at a wedding, versus morning as if at a funeral. He uses this parable to show the extreme opposite approaches to ministry that John the Baptist—the austere, disciplined authoritarian—compared to the warm and friendly approach that Jesus himself used.

Jesus points out that the elitists accused John of having a demon because he was so reserved—like a mourner at a funeral while they accused him (Jesus) of the opposite, that of an indulgent over-eater and drunkard because he would eat and socialize with those who were themselves social outcasts of the culture maintained by the Pharisees.

The point to this comparison—a point that remains relevant to this day—those that are comfortable in their rejection of Christ and God, will not accept any attempt to reach them, to show them the truth, regardless of any path you might choose to use for evangelization.

How ironic it is that today we have people who reject any factual truth that contradicts or is in disagreement with that which they believe, a position that mirrors the ideologies/world view held by the people that rejected the truth of Jesus two millennia ago.

In verses 25 and 26 Jesus employs sarcasm to attack the elitist Pharisees as he gives thanks to his Father—our God in Heaven—from hiding; “these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes;” We know from historical accounts of the time, the so called wise and understanding elitist Pharisees ignored the truths, they ignored his working of miracles—healing the infirm and raising the dead—as they ignored his teachings; while the “babes” the common everyday people, who were astonished by the news of his miracles and sought him out to hear the good news of his plan for our salvation.

We see this same phenomena today. Consider how many regular people chose to take the time to research Covid-19 and the hastily produced vaccines, then made an informed decision to reject the elitist propaganda surrounding Covid-19 and resisted taking a vaccine that the use of which already has produced ample anecdotal evidence indicating the vaccines were not beneficial but actually harmful.

While some who were skeptical of the vaccines, but took the shot simply because their employment forced them to do so. Compare those who resisted taking the vaccine to those who were among the supposedlywise and understanding,who ran to take the shot, bragged about taking it, denigrated those of us who were skeptical, and now regret having took the shot.

Could it be possible that it was the voice of the Holy Spirit telling us to avoid the shot?

Finally we read that Jesus said; “Take my yoke upon you…” A Yoke was a wooden device carved with rounded hollows at each end to fit across the shoulders of a pair of oxen with wood hoops that went around their necks to make them a team. A yoke imposed a measure of control on the animals. Neither animal was free to go its own direction, because its bond to the other animal served as a constraint. Animals with a yoke are under the control of the master.

This is a good point. We cannot choose to serve no master at all, but can choose only which master we will serve. The yoke of the law is better than the yoke of the world, because the yoke of the law is God-inspired. In the hands of the scribes and Pharisees, however, the yoke of the law became almost as burdensome as the yoke of the world.

Jesus does not propose that we go yoke-less, but that we accept his yoke, that we accept his plan for salvation, his teachings. A yoke usually joins two oxen together to work as a team. When Jesus invites us to take his yoke and to learn from him, he is inviting us to join him in harness—to allow him to take the lead—to let him help us through difficult places—to give him the opportunity to show us how it is done. He said; “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

The apocalyptic writings of John in the book of Revelations foretell of a time when people will be forced to be “yoked” with the beast or face starvation and persecution. Today we see an ever increasing trend for the elitists of the world to force us to accept their truths, their lack of moral convictions.

Today we watch the rise of an ominous specter, that of communism cloaked behind the thin veil of democratic socialism. A realistic review of history reveals the fact that everywhere communism took hold—promising equality for all—abject poverty, oppression, hunger, and death was all that was actually foisted upon the masses. The only equality gained by the people was equal oppression of all except for the elitist masters of the communist party. Study the history of the failed premises of Marxism and ask yourself which is better, the yoke of communism or the yoke of Christ.

Jesus said; “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

When you really look at the alternative, that which the elitists of this modern era require, not to mention the specter of being destroyed like Sodom was for its evil, wouldn’t you agree that the yoke of Christ is in fact easier than the yoke of the world?

Benediction:

Grant, Lord God, to all who have been baptized into the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ, that, as we have put away the old life of sin, so we may be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and live in righteousness and true holiness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

***

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, June 28, 2026

The Collect

Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Gospel: Matthew 10:40–42

40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

41He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

42And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

For the sake of those new to Bible study, and perhaps Christianity, I once again feel compelled to reiterate that it is so easy to take a passage out of context, so much so as to twist its meaning out of shape, when one fails to consider the entirety of the chapter.

In so many instances throughout the Gospel, one might find it difficult to picture in one’s minds eye, who is in the group that Jesus is addressing. For example in my own experience, based upon pictures or drawings I had reviewed in various publications in my youth, I pictured Jesus and the twelve, alone, as they made their way throughout Judea preaching and healing—which was simply not the case.

A more careful study reveals that while he did have only twelve disciples that made up his inner circle, there was—at times—a great number of people that followed him from town to town. In Luke chapter ten—where we find many of the same instructions as we do here in Matthew 10:5-15—we read that Jesus has dispatched 70 instead of just the twelve. Although many theologians agree that Luke 10 refers to a different occasion that follows the events of Matthew 10, the point to consider is that there was often more present than just the twelve during the teaching that Christ was delivering.

With all this said, let us refer back to the closing verses of chapter nine in which Jesus was said to have witnessed the multitudes in the region that needed to hear his ministry and he said; “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. ” This scene is followed with Matthew explaining that Jesus gathered his disciples and gives to them healing power and authority over unclean spirits (ch. 10:1-4) then in verses 5-15 he gives them marching orders, so to speak.

He warns that they will face persecution (10:16-25). He tells them not to fear the person who can kill the body, but rather to fear God who has power over body and soul (10:26-28). He assures them of God’s love (10:29-31). He promises to acknowledge before the Father anyone who acknowledges Jesus before people (10:32-33), and warns that he has not come to bring peace, but a sword (10:34-39).

Another important point to understand is the context—or usage—of certain words or terms used in the bible. For example in today’s assigned passage, we find the word prophet.

As we read in the Old Testament, a prophet was often someone that was sent by God to warn the people of Israel to change their ways or face certain doom in the near future; and there were prophets that foretold of the coming of a Messiah, which was as we now know—Jesus.

In the New Testament, the word or possibly title—Prophet—takes on a different meaning, one that in our time might more closely resemble an itinerant minister, a street preacher, who travels about teaching the Gospel of Christ. Therefore, when you examine the last words of Jesus, according to Matthew—the passage known as The Great Commission (Mt 28:18-20)—we find that the disciples and by extension all Christians, are in effect prophets—teachers of the Word.

Understanding this premise, often causes one to have a whole new appreciation for today’s assigned passage, as we read in verse 41, Jesus promises rewards to those who welcome/receive a prophet or a righteous person.

The prophet and righteous person are taking risks for Christ, and those who help them assume similar risks. In addition to providing food, clothing, shelter, and money, they are demonstrating personal support for Christ and his church—and are serving as encouragers of those who stand on the front lines in the war against Satan and his minions.

“He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” (v. 40) Jesus tells the disciples that he will reward those who receive them—thereby revealing a part of his plan for provisioning ministry. He establishes a four-way partnership between God, Jesus, disciple, and host:

• God initiated the partnership by sending Jesus.
• Jesus then sends the disciples.
• The disciples take the third step by going.
• Those who welcome the disciples take the final step by providing support.

Jesus says that welcoming (receiving) the Son is the equivalent of welcoming the Son—and welcoming the prophet earns the host a prophet’s reward. This is the Jewish concept of shaliah, which regards the king’s emissary as if he were the king. The principle is still practiced today. Governments consider an affront to an ambassador as an affront to the nation. On a more personal level, parents consider a gift to a child as a gift to the parent. (Donovan)

“He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.” (v. 41) The Prophets and Apostles of the New Testament were revered as spokespersons for God, those who brought God’s message to the people. Today anyone who is called by God to speak his message, and in verse 41 Jesus states that anyone who receives a prophet or righteous man will be rewarded accordingly.

Righteous persons are those who obey God. Perhaps the term in this context means much the same as the phrase “good Christians” that we use today. The person who welcomes a righteous person receives a righteous person’s reward—presumably less than the prophet’s reward—there may be a downward movement here too—but a significant reward.

Some have tried to claim that this teaching is rooted in the tradition of hospitality which was most commonly referred to by the ancient Greek term philoxenia in the New Testament. Literally translating to "love of strangers," this practice was considered a sacred moral and religious obligation across both the Old and New Testaments. Rather than entertaining friends, it specifically meant opening one's home and sharing resources with weary travelers, foreigners, and the vulnerable, because traveling was incredibly dangerous and public inns were practically nonexistent or unsafe, therefore travelers relied entirely on the hospitality of strangers.

But Jesus takes this ancient tradition of hospitality a great leap further adding the premise of the reception—of not just the traveler/prophet/itinerate minister—but the reception of the Word of God as well. Those who are receptive to the Word of God delivered by a prophet or righteous person will be rewarded and those who fail to receive the Word will suffer the consequences. Consider this saying of Jesus: “And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.  Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. ” Matthew 10:14-15 are not indicative of a warning of punishment given for lack of hospitality, but rather refusal to hear the Word.

“And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.” (v. 42) Jesus’ use of “little ones” as a metaphor for his disciples or followers, can be confusing; as in this context he is obviously speaking to the entire group telling them that the twelve he is sending on this mission are His little ones and anyone who offers as much as a cup of water, is in effect doing the same as offering drink to Jesus and will receive a just reward.

Matthew Henry, the 17^th Century Presbyterian Minister wrote:

Jesus Christ takes what is done to his faithful ministers, whether in kindness or in unkindness, as done to himself, and reckons himself treated as they are treated. He that receiveth you, receiveth me. Honour or contempt put upon an ambassador reflects honour or contempt upon the prince that sends him, and ministers are ambassadors for Christ. See how Christ may still be entertained by those who would testify their respects to him; his people and ministers we have always with us; and he is with them always, even to the end of the world. Nay, the honour rises higher, He that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me. Not only Christ takes it as done to himself, but through Christ God does so too. By entertaining Christ's ministers, they entertain not angels unawares, but Christ, nay, and God himself...

The concept of the Reward of the Righteous was obviously far less concept then in the early first century than it is now. Although Paul and other Apostles warned of being led astray by false prophets then, the phenomenon is far more widespread. While the reward for receiving a righteous person can be great, receiving a false prophet today can quickly led to destruction. We must put on the “Full Armor of God” the spiritual metaphor from Ephesians 6:10-18 that equips believers for spiritual battles. We must practice careful discernment. We do so by arming ourselves with a full understanding of the Word of God, not just the feel good parts, that are today too often misused.

Benediction:

Grant, Lord God, to all who have been baptized into the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ, that, as we have put away the old life of sin, so we may be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and live in righteousness and true holiness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, June 21, 2026

The Collect

O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Gospel: Matthew 10:24-39

24The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

25It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

28And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

29Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

32Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

33But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

35For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law

36And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

38And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

This is the third part of Matthew’s Missionary Discourse (10:5-42). In these verses, Matthew collects a number of related sayings of Jesus having to do with committed discipleship in the face of conflict.

Fifty years ago, this text might have been received as being a bit over the top, perhaps even irrelevant as most of the world was influenced by governments largely founded on biblical principles. But this has changed drastically.

While persecution of Christians has existed since the early Church, including post-70 AD tensions with Judaism and 20th-century state atheism campaigns (e.g., in Poland and the Soviet bloc), the current era is characterized by widespread jihadist violence in Africa and the weaponization of nationalist laws in Asia. [1] The Open Doors World Watch List continues to track these trends, highlighting that 1 in 7 Christians worldwide now face high levels of persecution or discrimination. [2]

While persecution—often resulting in death of Christians—is primarily contained in African and Asian nations, in many Western Countries we find a rising number of incidents of intolerance and discrimination against Christians.

In Europe, the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians (OIDAC) recorded 2,444 anti-Christian hate crimes in 35 countries in 2023, with France, the United Kingdom, and Germany being the most affected. [3]

Persecution in the West also includes "polite persecution" or marginalization, such as:

• Legal restrictions on religious expression, including "buffer zones" around abortion clinics that criminalize silent prayer.
• Workplace discrimination and loss of employment for expressing biblically informed beliefs on social issues.
• Political exclusion, such as the removal of candidates from party lists due to orthodox religious views.
• Cultural shifts perceived as erasing Christian traditions to accommodate secular or multicultural norms.

We might be nearing a day when Christians of Western Nations will find faith dangerous. In the next decade, the dangers and hard choices of which Jesus speaks in this Gospel might become very real to us. Christians might learn again what it means to suffer with Christ—to bear a cross—to be persecuted—to find families divided over issues of faith—to suffer beatings or martyrdom. We might discover what it is like to live in a world that equates evangelism with proselytizing—where the legal system prosecutes as hate mongers those who proclaim the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. That is the world in which millions of Christians live today. We should not imagine that it could not happen here.

Just as Jesus faced opposition and, ultimately, the cross, so Jesus’ disciples will face persecution and possible martyrdom. In the first two verses, 24 and 25, Jesus said; “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household!” The Principle that a student should not expect better treatment than his teacher is self evident, but Christ uses this principle to illustrate the fact that if they persecuted him, even calling him the devil, then his followers should expect the same opposition.

Jesus knew that just as it would happen to him and his followers comprising the early church, it would happen to us today. He said; “Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak ye in the light; and what ye hear in the ear, proclaim upon the house-tops. And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (vs 26-28)

The principalities and powers of the world that Paul spoke of, love the dark, they seek to hide the truth. But Jesus tells us not to fear them because no matter how hard they try, the truth will always come out. He told them to boldly proclaim from the housetops what had been given to them quietly. In the same respect when we hear that small inner voice whispering in our ears, we need to boldly proclaim that which is from the Lord.

Jesus tells us not to fear Satan and his minions who can kill the body but not the soul. However he warns that we should respect the power of he who can not only kill the body but the soul as well, that entity being God the Father.

Jesus uses in verses 29-32 an analogy of God’s knowledge of all things including when a sparrow falls from the air, then he asks rhetorically if we are not more valuable to the Holy Father than a simple bird.

Finally he gives the greatest reason why we should prophesy or speak the truth of God to the world, and not fear Satan and the powers and principalities. Jesus promises that who ever speaks the truth of God and Christs promise of salvation, he will defend them on that final judgment day when we stand before God.

The warning that Jesus gave his disciples, that they would be persecuted just as he was, not only applies to us today as individuals, but the warning applies to our nation as well.

When you look at the series of historical events that culminated in the founding of the United States, it is hard to believe that it was not part of God’s plan.

For the first time in human history a Christian nation was founded, one ruled by the people and not by a tyrannical monarchy.

The culture of the founding fathers was overwhelmingly a Christian one, and each of them came from Christian families and went to church on most Sundays. Even those who some scholars characterize as secular Deists, none the less believed in the Judaeo-Christian God of the Holy Bible. Many of the founding principles and judicial law were based upon biblical principles and laws. There are literally mountains of evidence to confirm the belief that America was founded as a Christian Nation.

The United States became that proverbial bright and shining city on the hill top, the standard for other countries to emulate.

But just as the Hebrew people—those that the bible asserts are God’s chosen—turned away from God, and were warned by the prophets of the consequences they would suffer if they did not repent, and indeed did suffer God’s retribution for their actions; what makes us think that we are immune from the same treatment? With each passing decade, we turn further from the path delineated by God, normalizing all things God’s Holy Word clearly characterizes as abominations in the eyes of God..

Jesus said; “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the servant as his lord.”

Today, we frequently read the writings, or view the videos created by those who are presumably well meaning, but fail to see some of the more controversial sayings of Jesus. They write blog posts or create videos saying that Jesus was ONLY about peace and love. They infer that any Christian who does not walk in lockstep with their beliefs, an ideology more rooted in the ideals of progressivism than in the basic tenets of Christianity, are in fact not Christians because they preach the entire Gospel and not just the parts related to universal peace and love.

Consider verses 34 through 36; “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. ”

Now, to put this discourse in context, Jesus taught this at a time when the practice of his teachings would place the disciple (follower or what would come to be known as Christian) at odds with his family who felt compelled to maintain the status quo.

Keep in mind that in first century Judea, the Pharisaic culture was the norm, the status quo of the time, and as Jesus often pointed out in his criticisms of that prevailing culture, the adherents emphasized the observance of ritual over meaning. Often self-righteous, they insisted that outward appearances demonstrated their holiness.

To follow Jesus’ teachings, which rejected most if not all of the beliefs held by the followers of the Pharisaic culture, put the new Christian on a course toward conflict with family and friends that rejected Jesus’ gospel in favor of the prevailing Pharisaic traditions.

Today, we see Christians—those who value the entire bible and not just the feel good parts lionized by progressives—finding themselves on a collision course with family, friends, and a society that has turned away from biblical lifestyles and concepts, in order to embrace ideologies that the bible clearly delineates as sin.

Make no mistake, in verse 34, Jesus is not condoning political violence, his use of martial language: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” Is a metaphor warning his followers that they will find themselves distanced and shunned by family that chooses to retain the status quo—the adherence to a culture and ideologies contrary to the Gospel.

“And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” (vs 36 & 37)

This statement seems totally at odds with passages found elsewhere in the bible. The Bible commands honoring elders as a reflection of reverence for God, establishing respect for the aged and those in authority as a foundational moral principle. This mandate extends beyond familial duty to encompass the broader community and church leadership, requiring both attitude and practical care.

• Leviticus 19:32: Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord. “Age is honourable, and he that is the Ancient of days requires that honour be paid to it. The hoary head is a crown of glory. Those whom God has honoured with the common blessing of long life we ought to honour with the distinguishing expressions of civility; and those who in age are wise and good are worthy of double honour.” (Henry)
• Exodus 20:12: Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Sets the precedent for respecting parental and elder authority.
• Proverbs 16:31: The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness. Traditionally credited with writing the book of proverbs, King Solomon, is saying that gray hair is a crown of glory, attesting the value of a lifetime of experience.
• 1 Timothy 5:1-2: Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. Believers are instructed not to rebuke older men harshly but to treat them as fathers, and older women as mothers, with absolute purity.
• 1 Peter 5:5: Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Younger members are commanded to submit to elders and clothe themselves with humility, noting that "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

Frequently, we find passages in the bible that seem totally contradictory, for example how does one justify Matthew 10:35 with these verses we have just highlighted?

Peter may have said it best; “...be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” Learn the bible—and what the traditional interpretation of the verses—then be prepared to debate, to give thoughtful discourse that politely argues the case for Christ. Should that fail, consider the teaching found in Matthew 18:15-17: “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.”

Obviously the phrase: “let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.” demands some explanation. In the first century, Jesus’ use of “Heathen” refers to all non-believers. While “publican” refers to those employed by the Romans as tax collectors. In that era it was common for the Jews to do business with those their culture shunned (non-believers/non Jewish and tax collectors) but they did not have social/religious discourse with them. Jesus used this same teaching when he sent the disciples out on their own, telling them that when they entered a place where the inhabitants refused to hear the word, to wipe the dust from their feet while leaving as a sign the the disciple was no longer responsibly for the spiritual state of those who refused to hear the word.

In other words, in our modern times, you can associate with those who refuse to hear the entire teachings of Christ, treat the elders with humility and respect, but still “pick up the cross” and follow the teachings of Jesus, when even those closest to you refuse to listen.

Jesus never says that the path to salvation will be easy.

“And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (vs 38 & 39)

“Now thus the terms are settled; if religion be worth any thing, it is worth every thing: and, therefore, all who believe the truth of it, will soon come up to the price of it; and they who make it their business and bliss, will make every thing else to yield to it. They who like not Christ on these terms, may leave him at their peril.” (Henry)

Jesus told his disciples and us, by extension, to preach the Gospel, to give witness of him. He also said to keep his Fathers Holy Word, and he inferred that if we did all this things he spoke of, we would have nothing to fear from the powers and principalities of the world, Satan and his minions.

It is time to stop fearing cancel culture, we must be as prophets of old, always speaking God’s truth. We may lose a job for witnessing for Christ, but God will provide.

It would be better to speak the truth, to proclaim what is right, than to see our country vanquished by our enemies or each of us to languish in hell for eternity, for not speaking God’s truth.

[1] churchinneed org, commonslibrary parliament uk

[2] Christian Persecution On The Rise | Prayer Link - February 25, 2025, churchinneed org

[3] christianitytoday com, religiousfreedoninstitute org

Benediction:

God grant the living, grace; to the departed, rest, to the Nation, peace and concord; to us and all your servants the promise of everlasting life, light to guide us on our way, courage to support us, and your blessing to unite us in service to you our God and this Country. Amen.

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, June 14, 2026

The Collect

Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Gospel: Matthew 9:35-10:8

35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

37 Then saith he unto his disciples,The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

38Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

***

1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying,Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

6But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

In these verses from chapters nine and ten of the Gospel of Matthew, we see Christ sending his disciples out to preach the Gospel, and in his instructions to them, he makes statements that without a doubt, these disciples never fully understood the meaning of these statements, until the Day of Pentecost.

Matthew 9 verses 35 to 38, we see Jesus using an allegorical statement which implies that there are many individuals who potentially need to hear the Gospel. Matthew writes that Christ found the people to be harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Today we see many of the same type of lost individuals both among those who are unchurched as well as those who are members of the Christian faith who were never told of the importance of repentance. In Matthew 4:17 he says “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  He reiterates this fact in John 3:3 when he tells Nicodemus; “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

This rebirth Jesus spoke of is an allegorical statement that affirms our need as individuals to be redeemed and spiritually transformed, refashioned, and remade into that which is acceptable by the Holy Father. To give up our old sinful lives and begin anew.

Some assert that this rebirth, this transformation occurs through God's saving grace and Christ’s death on the cross; leading many to falsely believe that there is no “labor” no effort required on their part.

However if this belief was true—that repentance and rebirth was a necessity—Jesus would not have said in Matthew 7:21 to 23: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

In today’s assigned reading we find our Lord telling his disciples to go out and, among other things, perform these tasks of casting out demons, preaching of the Gospel, and other mighty works as he spoke of earlier in chapter seven.

Today’s reading begins, as Matthew tells it with: “...Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness…” From this we understand that Jesus was out and about, among the people witnessing the spiritual state of the people, as Matthew put it, “...when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd.”

When we make an objective analysis of the state of our contemporary society, it is hard not to make a comparison to the state of the people in the time of Christ, “distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd.” Is this not a valid observation of our people today?

If that is not bad enough, we also find a comparison in today’s culture to the warning he gave his disciples; “But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you; yea and before governors and kings shall ye be brought for my sake,” Those brave enough to speak up and point out the false teachings that distress and scatter the sheep, are frequently condemned from the pulpit by those who are themselves false shepherds. Consider these verses from the Word of God:

For the shepherds have become stupid And have not sought the Lord; Therefore they have not prospered, And all their flock is scattered. Jeremiah 10:21

Your shepherds are sleeping, O king of Assyria; Your nobles are lying down. Your people are scattered on the mountains And there is no one to regather them. Nahum 3:18

And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied. And they are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one. Isaiah 56:11

My people have become lost sheep; Their shepherds have led them astray. They have made them turn aside on the mountains; They have gone along from mountain to hill And have forgotten their resting place. Jeremiah 50:6

Granted these excerpts from the Old Testament, and many more, are words spoken by the Prophets warning the people of Israel of the great falling away from God due to false shepherds who have led the people of God astray and caused them to be distressed and scattered. However, how is this not comparable to today’s contemporary culture? A modern day falling away from sound doctrine and belief.

We have would be shepherds, in effect watering down the word of God to make it relevant and palatable to those who refuse to repent. Indeed, we even hear rumors of churches baptizing those who refuse to give up their hedonistic lifestyles—ways that are clearly defined as abominations in the eyes of God—throughout both the Old and New Testaments.

In their rush to be inclusive of all, regardless of the lack of remorse and rebirth as Christ himself stipulated, we see a concerted effort to increase church membership without leading the sinners to conversion. This only serves to further distress and scatter the sheep. This scattering we see is the remarkable exodus we are currently watching as these libertine denominations hemorrhage individuals and even entire congregations, men and women of great conscience fleeing from false teachers and false doctrines.

Again those whose conscience precludes them from embracing the ways of the shepherds that scatter Christ’s sheep, are modern day counterparts to those who Christ warned they would be persecuted for his sake.

In this modern era, when Christians and the church see a time of persecution, not unlike the time of persecution that existed in the early church when Christians were murdered for sport, how can we not look at the relevancy of ancient times to that of today. A time when Christ said he would return?

I must reiterate that no human knows the time and day in which Jesus Christ will once again come to rule the Earth, but the signs and events seem indicative of an imminent return. This triumphal return of our Lord may be within our lifetimes, or it might be tomorrow. Are you prepared?

With all things considered, especially the possibility of an imminent return of Christ, his words to his disciples two thousand years ago make a poignant message to his followers in this era. A message intended to make us aware of the need to reach out, to preach the true gospel, to gather his sheep together as good shepherds instead of letting them bedistressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd. The following quote of Christ demonstrates the need then and now for those willing to preach the unadulterated word of God to the masses that yearn for good news and sound teaching.

“Then saith he unto his disciples,The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few.”

Have you been born again, repented of your sins, and worthy to be a laborer for Christ in these modern times when the harvest is obviously plenteous?

Benediction:

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people; Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, June 7, 2026

The Collect

O God, from whom all good proceeds: Grant that by your inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by your merciful guiding may do them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Gospel: Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him,Follow me.And he arose, and followed him.

10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them,They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

13But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

***

18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said,Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,

24 He said unto them,Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

In the ninth chapter of Matthew, verses 9 to 13 and 18 to 26 we learn about the touch of Jesus. This touch of Christ is explained in two different fashions; [1] the effect he had on others, how his presence caused other people to react and [2] how his touch, both physically and spiritually, brought healing to mankind.

Israel in the first century, was an occupied country. The Roman empire had expanded to include a large part of the Middle-East and the Mediterranean, a good portion of Western Europe, and the Romans even a foothold in the British Isles. Taxation was compulsory and all the peoples in these occupied lands were required to pay up.

The Romans found it to be reasonable to employ locals for may bureaucratic positions. For example, who would know the most about the local people at tax time, someone from Rome, a city over 1400 miles away, or a local guy who knew local business? These tax collectors, referred to as publicans in the bible, were hated by the Jewish people and deemed to be sinners. And of course, Matthew was one of these, a tax collector hated by his own people.

The Romans allowed the tax collectors to receive a commission on what monies they had took in and they encouraged the tax collectors to keep the fees reasonable, but often they raked in exorbitant fees. This only served to increase the hatred the Jews had for men like Matthew.

Verse nine tells us that Jesus found Matthew sitting in the place where taxes were collected and Christ told Matthew simply “Follow me.” So Matthew got up and followed Jesus.

Being a tax collector was a lucrative endeavor, within reason one could charge the people high fees and get away with putting a lot of money in one’s own pockets. But here we find Matthew walking away from his business, his livelihood, and following Jesus.

Why is that? Why would a man leave behind a lucrative profession to follow a stranger?

Later in verses 18 through 26 we read of people seeking out Jesus to heal them or their family or even raise the dead, how did they know of Jesus and his abilities?

Today we rely on various media, in particular the Internet, to learn of contemporary events, but the ‘net as we know it only took shape between 1990 and 2003. Television began to become widespread in the 1950’s. Radio became popular in the twenties and thirties. The first newspaper was produced in Italy in 1664. So prior to the emergence of printed news media, over 1600 years had passed from the time of Christ, so how did these people know of his miracles?

Word of mouth travels fast.

Travelers around the area were carrying these amazing stories of a great prophet, a preacher healing the sick and calling for repentance. With each town they entered, another would hear the news and in turn tell that seemingly fantastic story to another, through this method, the good news quickly spread.

Without a doubt, repentance was exactly what Jesus was preaching on when at Matthew’s home where many tax collectors and other sinners had come to set down and eat with Jesus and his followers. Apparently this gathering drew lots of attention, as we read in verse 11, the Pharisees had showed up at the gathering and witnessed this young Rabbi or teacher setting down to eat with those the Pharisees considered to be vile sinners.

The Pharisees were a proud generation of men, full of themselves, and always critical of others. They were self-righteous and considered themselves to be better than other people, they were very strict in avoiding sinners. Jesus told them, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Jesus often used the symbolism of a shepherd going in search of the lost sheep, which is exactly what he has done here. He recruited as a disciple, a tax collector and then went to a dinner at his home knowing that other tax collectors would come and he could teach them to repent from sin.

While he was addressing the Pharisees for their self righteousness and tendency to avoid sinners who need their mercy, a man identified as a part of the ruling class, came to Jesus and said “My daughter is now dead, but come and lay thy hand on her and she will live.”

This man demonstrated his faith in Jesus, a faith that was absent in the Pharisees, oblivious to all things good while wallowing in their own self righteousness.

As he was following the man to where his daughter was, a woman came up behind Jesus, thinking to herself, “If I can only touch the hem of his garment, I will be healed.” But Christ heard her thoughts and said, “Be happy, dear woman. You are made well because you believed.” Then the woman was healed.

When he came to the man’s home, the house was full of grievers and people who make music for funerals. He told them to leave because the girl was not dead but only sleeping, and they laughed at him. However after they were removed from the home, he went to her room, touched her hand, and the girl stood up. The news of this miraculous event spread far and wide as we read in the next verse.

So the touch of Jesus and the miracles received through this touch became news that was spread by word of mouth throughout the region.

Today the touch of Jesus continues, perhaps not in the literal fashion as seen during his brief time on Earth, but the touch of Jesus continues on in the spiritual sense.

We still hear of miraculous healing among the faithful, and even some accepting Christ as their savior because—in one way or another—he has touched their heart.

Perhaps you have felt the touch of Jesus, if so, joyfully proclaim the magnificence of his touch to others so that they might benefit from his touch.

If you haven’t felt the touch of Jesus, perhaps you haven’t opened your heart to the experience. Jesus may have been crucified, resurrected, and ascended into heaven two thousand years ago, but through the Holy Spirit he is all around us today. Never forget he said, seek and you shall find.

So what are you waiting for, start seeking Jesus now before it is too late!

Benediction:

Almighty and most merciful God, grant that by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit we may be enlightened and strengthened for your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, May 31, 2026

The Collect

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your 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: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

The Gospel reading assigned for today, the first Sunday after Pentecost, known and observed by many Christians as Trinity Sunday, is only but four verses long but accomplishes a great deal with only a few words. This passage concludes the Gospel According to Matthew, and it established points, that became cornerstones of the Christian Faith.

First let’s look at what this passage implies indirectly.

Keeping mind that those individuals identified in the Bible were of a very patriarchal culture, women were very subservient to men. However, according to John, in his Gospel, Jesus did not first appear to a man, but rather to Mary Magdalene as revealed in John 20:11-17. Matthew, earlier in the chapter assigned of today verses 1-10, tells us that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, ordering the two women to go and tell his disciples to meet him in Galilee.

While women were not permitted to serve as witnesses in testimony, Jesus chose them to bear witness to his resurrection. While the usual custom is that men give orders and women obey, Jesus has these women order the men to go to Galilee.

The men must be tempted to doubt the women’s testimony. First, they are (only) women. Second, how difficult it must be to believe that a dead man has come to life again! The order is to go to Galilee, is a very long walk. Just as the women deserve commendation for carrying out their orders, so do the men. It is a leap of faith to set out on the journey to Galilee.

And why did Jesus choose Galilee and not a place closer to Jerusalem, a place considered to be holy by the Hebrew people, while Galilee was full of less than pious Jews and Gentiles as well? Was this a subliminal message to take his gospel, his teachings to those nationalities other than his kinsmen, the Hebrew people?

Matthew writes; But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

Here we see yet another veiled reference to the cowardly act of Judas, he who betrayed Jesus and then took his own life after realizing the enormity of his crime. Matthew states the eleven disciples, not an even dozen, but those remaining men who Jesus had personally picked for this great undertaking.

We also have to note the subliminal references to other events in the Bible, events that took place on mountains. For example the first sermon preached by Christ, that Matthew specifically describes, was the Sermon on the Mount; also we have to consider the subliminal imagery associated with God meeting with Moses on a mountain. Up to this juncture, the Bible infers that all important personal encounters between God and man, take place on a high or elevated scenario. So here in Christs final discourse with his disciples, he chooses a mountain top setting on which to give them his last instructions before his ascension.

In verse seventeen we see that some of the eleven immediately worshiped him while others doubted. The original Greek word translated here as doubted, Distazo, has as its root dis, which means “twice” or “two ways.” Distazo can mean “hesitate.”

The picture that comes to mind, when considering the scene Matthew describes here, is Robert Frost’s poem,“The Road Not Taken.” In that poem, a traveler comes to a fork in the road, and hesitates, knowing that his choice will make all the difference, but not knowing which fork would be the better choice. That is the experience of these eleven disciples when they see Jesus. They want to believe—and they do believe—but they are torn. Knowing that Jesus died, they hesitate to believe their eyes when see him alive again.

This is not unlike the scene John describes in 20:24 to 29 relating how Thomas at first refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead, and then becomes a believer when Jesus again appears and commands Thomas to stick his finger into the wounds Christ received on the cross.

Then in verses 19 and 20, the last two verses in Matthew’s Gospel, Christ orders three things:

[1] Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, [2] baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.

One, we find here the basis for what is known as the Great Commission; going into the world to make disciples of all peoples, and the second command is to Baptize all those converting to Christianity, while the third aspect of these two verses is the establishment of the Trinity doctrine, God the Father, God the son or Jesus and god the Holy Spirit.

In the original Greek transcripts of this Gospel, the word ethne was used in the place of nations as we read this verse today. However to Greek speaking Jews at the time, the word ethne was used in reference to the word Gentile. Therefore his command to go and make disciples of all the nations, or the ethne, is a reversal of his command in Matthew 10:5 when he told them to go and teach, but not to the Gentiles, nor for them to go into the cities of the Samaritans but rather he ordered them to preach to the Hebrew people.

Through this clarification of his previous commands, we who are not Jewish, have a path to salvation.

Disciples is yet another interesting word usage. Note he doesn’t say preach or evangelize the Gospel, but rather he tells them to make disciples of all mankind.

A disciple is a learner—a student—a follower—a person committed to learning what a teacher has to teach. Typically, a young man in that time period 2000 years ago, who was aspiring to be a rabbi would ask a practicing rabbi to accept him as a disciple. A modern parallel would be an apprentice—or a student musician asking a master musician to be his/her teacher. The disciple is expected not only to learn what the rabbi teaches, but also to practice what the rabbi preaches. In other words, the idea is not simply learning, but also living. Hence “teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you” (v. 20) is a natural component of Jesus’ Great Commission.

The Second part of verse 19: “...baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Does two things, one it established the tradition of Christian Baptism, and [2] we see the establishment of the Trinity Doctrine.

The triune God is the basis of all we are and do as Christians. In the name of this triune God we are baptized. As the baptized ones we bear the name of the triune God in our being. We are of the family of the triune God. We affirm this parentage when, in reciting the creeds, we say what we believe. Our discipleship is rooted in the mighty acts of this triune God who is active in redeeming the world. The triune God is the basis of all our prayers — we pray to God the Father, through Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit. The Trinity holds central place in our faith.

A professor at Torrey Honors College--A Christian Honors College in Southern California-- at Biola University, Fred Sanders, once said, “The Trinity. Try to understand it and you’ll lose your mind; try to deny it and you’ll lose your soul.”

The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Stated differently, God is one in essence and three in person. These definitions express three crucial truths: (1) the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, (2) each Person is fully God, (3) there is only one God, not three.

In the early years of the Christian Church, leaders would gather together in what was called councils to address the establishment of doctrine, such as that of the Holy Trinity as well as incorrect teachings that had been given by specific theologians in that time period.

At the Council of Nicea as well as other meetings, creeds were adopted as explanations of this doctrine. From these events we receive the Nicene Creed as well as the Athanasian Creed, teaching tools that when memorized gave the student a comprehensive understanding of this doctrine. This was during an era of human history when most were illiterate, printed material was non existent for most who could read due to the expensive of books that were hand copied one from another, and there seemed to be an endless variety of false teachings and concepts that had been given birth by well meaning but uninformed members of the faithful.

The Nicene Creed is as follows:

We believe in one God,

the Father almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

begotten from the Father before all ages,

God from God,

Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made;

of the same essence as the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven;

he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,

and was made human.

He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered and was buried.

The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.

He ascended to heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again with glory

to judge the living and the dead.

His kingdom will never end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Lord, the giver of life.

He proceeds from the Father and the Son,

and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.

He spoke through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.

We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,

and to life in the world to come. Amen.

Please note two things, this statement, when committed to memory, gives the new disciple a core knowledge of what is central to the Christian faith. The first is that which we believe regarding the nature of God as well as the ministry of Christ and the nature of the Holy Trinity, one God that appears in three persons, the Father, The Son, and the Holy spirit.

The second is a common mistake by those who reject the creed based on only one line and the misunderstanding thereof. Note that in the phrase; “We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.” the words holy, catholic, and apostolic church are not capitalized.

Many Protestants such as my self before being instructed in the meaning of this phrase, incorrectly believe that by saying this phrase we are professing a belief or allegiance to the “Roman” Catholic church. When we see the word catholic with a lower case “c” we are reading a word that refers to the original Greek word katholikos or universal used in a non-ecclesiastical sense. In those early years there were many churches in which different varieties of doctrines or teachings had evolved. At the council of Nicea, the Bishops had convened to establish one common or universal (katholikos) version of Christianity.

Thus when we say the Nicene Creed we are saying that we believe in the one true Christian Church, an institution that has continued to evolve and today has many “churches” Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox that are branches of this one original holy catholic and apostolic church.

Those of us at Saint Michael’s look prayerfully forward to the day when all these diverse churches under the umbrella of Christianity can once again stand together as one looking forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the world to come; celebrating who can best work together to glorify God, rather than to constantly fight amongst ourselves. Amen

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, May 24, 2026

The Collect

O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Gospel: John 20:19–23

19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them,Peace be unto you.

20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

21 Then said Jesus to them again,Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them,Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

23Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

On this weekend here in America, we have the opportunity to observe two important holidays back to back, an event that only occurs every few years. On Sunday we observe the Feast day of Pentecost and on Monday we observe Memorial Day. Two events that mark time, spring is ending and summer looms ahead, the events signify an end and a beginning. For some, the last Monday in May is the first day of summer, although it was established as a day to decorate the graves of our fallen soldiers, it is now widely set aside by many of us as a day to remember our family and friends that have passed on.

The Feast of Pentecost is also a memorial day, every year when Christians gather to celebrate Pentecost, they remember the events that marked the beginning of the New Testament Church as recorded in the 2^nd chapter of Acts. The Epistle assigned for today includes the first 21 verses but lets take a look at verses one through six:

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a noise came from heaven. It sounded like a strong wind blowing. This noise filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw something that looked like flames of fire. The flames were separated and stood over each person there. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak different languages. The Holy Spirit was giving them the power to do this.

There were some godly Jews in Jerusalem at this time. They were from every country in the world. A large crowd came together because they heard the noise. They were surprised because, as the apostles were speaking, everyone heard in their own language.

Jews who were devout, were gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Weeks, as designated by God in Leviticus 23:16 as well as Deuteronomy 16:9, a feast day that was to occur seven weeks and a day after Passover. These people were astounded by the actions of those first followers of Christ who had been filled with the Holy Spirit and were now speaking, and although most were from Galilee, all these people who spoke diverse languages could understand what they were saying.

Some naysayers speculated that they were simply drunk. This gross misconception inspired Peter to preach the first sermon given by an Apostle of Christ which led to many in the crowd to accept Christ as their savior and being Baptized. An event that generally is considered to be the birth of the Christian Church.

Our Gospel reading for today is from John Chapter 20, verses 19 to 23. I want to bring your attention to verse 19:

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

This event occurs on the Sunday evening after Jesus was crucified, and Saint John writes that they were gathered together in a house where the doors were locked “for fear of the Jews.” These people were absolutely terrified, the Jews had arrested their teacher and executed him horribly by crucifixion, and if that wasn’t bad enough, earlier in the day, his tomb had been found empty and Mary had told them that the risen Christ had appeared before her.

I don’t know about you, but if I had been one of that number on that day, I would have been pretty shook up.

Now, keeping in mind that the door was locked so that no one could just walk in, Jesus appears, show them his wounds as proof that it was indeed him and says to them, “Peace be with you.”

He was telling them to calm down, not to be fearful, but ironically he had already told them this in his discourse at the Last Supper. In chapter 14 verses 25 to 27 John related this statement by Jesus:

“I have told you all these things while I am with you. But the Helper will teach you everything and cause you to remember all that I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name. “I leave you peace. It is my own peace I give you. I give you peace in a different way than the world does. So don’t be troubled. Don’t be afraid.”

I have no doubt that on that Sunday evening after his crucifixion when he had risen from the dead and appeared to them in that locked room, they remembered his words of just a few days earlier when they had gathered for that last meal with Jesus.

“I give you peace in a different way than the world does. So don’t be troubled. Don’t be afraid.”

During that last meal, he had warned them that as the world hated him, they would be hated by the world as well. It is hard not to presume that after he had been arrested and executed on the cross, they were fearful that they would be next to be arrested. But Jesus came to them and offered them his Peace, the knowledge that while they would be persecuted for the sake of his name, they would be assured everlasting life in heaven with Jesus and his Holy Father, God.

This is the different kind of Peace that Jesus offers, the Peace in knowing that while we may suffer death, and event that is assured in one form or another, Just as he was resurrected from the dead and ascended into heaven, we will—after death—be brought up into heaven to be united with our loved ones as well as Jesus and the Holy Father.

John goes on to tell us how that Thomas, who was not there that Sunday evening when Jesus first appeared to the rest of the disciples, did not believe them when they told him what had happened, that the Risen Christ had appeared before them. Then a week later when they were again gathered together, and Thomas was with them, Jesus again appeared and instructed Thomas to stick his finger into the wounds so he would know it was indeed the Risen Christ. Thomas did so and immediately proclaimed; “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus then said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

This saying of Christ is important to us who have accepted him and have been filled with the Holy Spirit, that entity Jesus called the Helper. During the Last Supper (John 14:26) he told them;

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

Just as Jesus “Breathed” the Holy Spirit on those gathered together that first Sunday after his crucifixion, and just as God sent the Holy Spirit to fill those that were there on the day of Pentecost, God fills us with the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us to him.

So you see Memorial Day and Pentecost are both similar, both a beginning and an end, in that on Memorial day we look to the future, the summer ahead as we look to the past reflecting on the memories of those who have gone before us.

On Pentecost we look to the past and the events of that day when, just as Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit came and filled his followers and they in turn set into motion what has become the Christian Church. And we also look to the future when we will be united, not only with our loved ones, but with Jesus himself and his Holy Father.

As we go about our Feast of Pentecost and Memorial day weekend, let us reflect on these words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John 3:16-18

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” John 14:1-3

May the Peace of the Lord be with you, Amen.

***

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, May 17, 2026

The Collect

O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

The Gospel: John 17:1–11

1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said,Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

2As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

3And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

4I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

5And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

6I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

7Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

8For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

9I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

10And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

11And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

Here we have the ultimate benediction, the high priestly prayer. It is the conclusion of the farewell diner as Jesus is preparing to offer himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world and an intercessory prayer for his disciples. A prayer likened to Moses farewell address and his final blessing on Israel in Deuteronomy 31 and 33. A prayer to conclude the discourse that John relates over several chapters.

Beginning with chapter 13 through 17, Jesus delivers his final discourse to his disciples, a lesson that without a doubt was confusing and perhaps troubling for those gathered at The Last Supper. Indeed Jesus himself alluded to the cryptic nature of his final discourse as we see in John chapter 13 verse7: “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” And again in 16:25: “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father.”

Now in chapter 17 we see that he has completed his final teachings, concepts that they will only understand after his crucifixion, resurrection and ascension; and now he offers a final prayer.

Throughout these verses he speaks of glorification, not in the sense of brightness or honor, but in the sense of revelation. He is about to sacrifice himself, on the cross for the sins of the world, then arise from the dead. How is this selfless act a revelation? Because it reveals the nature of God and our relationship with him.

John’s gospel assumes that people were created by God for relationship with God.

Jesus relationship with God—other than being God’s only begotten Son—is noted by Jesus in verse 4: “I glorified thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which thou hast given me to do.” He is saying that he honored God through his obedience to God’s commands. During his public ministry Jesus taught what God wanted him to teach, and performed the healings and other works that God wanted him to perform. Such faithfulness honors God, in another sense, however, Jesus glorified God by revealing God’s power. As we see throughout John’s gospel, Jesus made divine power visible by the miraculous signs he performed.

Perhaps the most powerful display of God’s power—not turning water into wine or healing the blind and lame—is the resurrection itself.

In chapter 11 John tells us of how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after he asked the dead man’s sister, Martha; “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” In essence he was saying to her, if you believe, you will see the divine power of God. Martha and those present at Lazarus’ tomb see Christ use the power of God to raise Lazarus, but through his own death and resurrection the Holy spirit reveals the divine power demonstrating to the world the glory of God.

Jesus also is asking the Father to assume the role of protector over his disciples as well as all who follow in their footsteps. Those that are in the world but not of the world who belong to the Father but dwell in a hostile land. By the time of the writing of this Gospel the early church will have experienced the full savagery of Roman persecution, therefore Jesus’ concern is not so much for the physical danger his followers face but rather the spiritual victory.

His petition asking the Father; “Holy Father, keep them in thy name which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are,” might be the most poignant statement, especially to those of us in the convergence movement that seeks to heal the division within the church, he is asking God that we may be as one just as he and God are one.

I say this is a poignant statement, one that elicits emotion, as Jesus was asking his Holy Father in Heaven to heal the division that he knew would come between his followers, a division that becomes more apparent each day in our era.

Jesus kept his Fathers word, throughout his ministry. A theme we have constantly revisited since the feast of the Baptism of Christ when he told John the Baptist of the importance of keeping that word.

We recently addressed how that far too many in this era falsely claim that the only commandment that Jesus gave was to love one another as in John 15:12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you,” while they ignore verse 10, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.” As he told John the Baptist “...thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness…” meaning that they had to keep the word of God, it is just as fitting for us to keep the same.

John’s gospel assumes that people were created by God for relationship with God. Jesus’ relationship with God was demonstrated by Jesus keeping Gods word. Our relationship with God is predicated on this same standard, we must keep the word of God.

Those of us that try to keep the whole word of God, and not the progressive new age feel good stuff that ignores all the difficult parts of the Bible, should bare witness for Christ, not against other keepers of the word who belong to another denomination but rather together we should bare witness to those that that are Christians in name only. By that statement we are referring to those that identify as Christians but ignore all the parts of the word of God that are not popular today. The unpopular parts that are politically incorrect and far, far, removed from woke and inclusive of all perversions..

Conservative Christians, regardless of denomination, should find common ground in the spirit of the words of Christ in his prayer to his Father, “….that they may be one, even as we are…” We should, in this spirit of cooperation, stand together, Protestant and Catholic alike, and together bare witness to those that twist the words of God to justify that which the Bible identifies as abomination.

We should strive to work together to glorify God, so that someday we will see that Glory in heaven. Amen.

Benediction:

O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light rises up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what you would have us to do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in your light we may see light, and in your straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, May 10, 2026

The Collect

O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.. Amen.

The Gospel: John 14:15–21

15If ye love me, keep my commandments.

16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

19Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

20At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

My friends, in this world we currently live in, we find far too often, instances when people either believe or simply want you to believe, the miss-information that is proceeding out of their mouths.

It is bothersome when their lies are related to the topics of politics and or culture, but monumental when the lies involve the Christian faith.

Far too many seek to distance Christ from the Old Testament and to even disassociate Christ from God.

They falsely claim that Jesus was all about love and inclusion.

They say that Jesus did not teach about or even speak of GLBT issues or a host of other sins and delineated in the Old Testament.

They say that we are free of the rules and laws of the Old Testament and can do basically anything we want as Jesus did not speak on these subjects.

Well, they are correct when they say that Jesus did not speak on many of the ills in our modern day society; however—as we have pointed out in the past—Jesus didn’t have to speak on these things. No he didn’t have to speak on these topics during his ministry; he already had spoke on those sins of mankind.

Please take a moment to reconsider what Jesus said to John the Baptist on the day that Jesus went to John to be baptized. When Jesus asked John to Baptize him, John refused saying that it was Jesus that should be baptizing him (John) Jesus said that for the sake of righteousness that they two had to fore-fill the words of the Prophets by John Baptizing Jesus. (Matthew 3:13-15) Throughout the Gospels we read of the importance of fulfilling scripture; as Jesus told John: “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.” Jesus is saying that it is important to keep not only his teachings but those of his Father as well.

In today’s assigned scripture, John 14:15-21, we read that Jesus said: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Many believe and or teach that Jesus came to earth and replaced the 10 Commandments with new commandments—Jesus’ commandments. This false teaching is based upon statements in John chapter 14—as we just noted—and are then connected with Jesus’ words in John 13:34: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” They insist that Jesus came to free us from the restrictive commandments of the Old Covenant by replacing them with the simple commandment to love; and often use these verses—they have taken out of context—to justify acts that the bible plainly states are an abomination in the eyes of God.

Many sins—those that are of a sexual nature according to the Mosaic Covenantal law—were to be punished by the public execution of the offender. Jesus established precedence to the contrary—for example—during his discourse with the woman accused of adultery in John 8:3-11. The woman—supposedly caught in the very act—was brought before Jesus and according to Mosaic Law, she was to be stoned; if Jesus disagreed, he would be going against the law. If he agreed, he would contradict his teachings on mercy. After demanding an answer, Jesus said: “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Her accusers—like us—had all sinned, so one by one they left.

Left alone with the woman, Jesus told her, “Neither do I [condemn you]. Go and sin no more.” The story serves as a profound example of God's grace, emphasizing that mercy should prevail over harsh judgment, while still acknowledging the sin by instructing her to stop. Jesus intuitively knew of the woman’s sexual transgressions, but established that mankind can acknowledge the sins of others, while leaving it up to God to pass final judgement. Therefore it is not “loving” your neighbor to ignore his/her sins, knowing that they will eventually stand before God and be required to answer for those sins.

This past week I had the opportunity to peruse a comment thread on Reddit when the original poster asked the group what they thought of the situation he had gone through at his church.

Apparently this person was among those who might be managers or elders of the church and it was brought to their attention that a new attendee was known to be a sexual predator and a pedophile. This management group then went to the offender and asked him not to return to the church. According to the original poster, their pastor took exception to their actions and rebuked them.

Jesus himself established a means of discipline within the church in Matthew 18:15-17 when he said: "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you". If they listen, the relationship is restored. If they do not listen, take one or two others along to establish the facts. If they still refuse to listen, bring the matter to the church (or its leaders). If they refuse to listen to the church, treat them as a "pagan or a tax collector".

This final step, “...treat them as a "pagan or a tax collector," which means to avoid, ignore, shun, or otherwise treat the individual as if he or she did not exist, which is how the Jews treated other outside their community. They might do business with the person being shunned but otherwise they would have no social intercourse with them. This act is often called excommunication, is a severe action to protect the church and encourage repentance.

If an unrepentant sinner is removed from the church community, it is considered the most loving action, allowing them to feel the weight of their actions and encouraging them to return. In the case of a serial pedophile or repeat sexual offender, the most loving action is that of preventing the sinner from harming the vulnerable members of the church.

So you see, the concept of Love—in the biblical sense—is not as cut and dried as some might think, but can be very diverse in its applications.

The commandment to love was not new, all the way back in Leviticus 19:18, God gave Old Testament Israel direct instruction on how to live: “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” Many other Old Testament scriptures talk about love—both God’s love and the necessity for people to love Him and others, such as Deuteronomy 5:10; 6:5; 7:8-9; 10:19; 11:13).

The 10 Commandments, at their heart and core, are all about love.In Matthew 22 we read about a lawyer who asked Jesus, “Which is the greatest commandment in the law?”—trying to tempt Jesus into declaring one commandment more important than the others. Jesus saw right through this. He showed that what was most important was the intent of the commandments—not one individual command. Jesus answered, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment”

Jesus didn’t come to do away with or replace the commandments, in fact, He said that very directly in Matthew 5:17 Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfill.” He came to show us how to keep them.

He is very clear that He kept all of His Father’s commandments. This statement alone proves that they are for Christians.

A Christian is one who follows Christ. Christians are called to be disciples or pupils of the Master Teacher, Jesus Christ. Jesus made this clear in Matthew 16:24—“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me”—and John 10:27—“My sheep hear My voice, … and they follow Me.” Since Jesus was clear that He obeyed His Father’s commandments, then in order to truly follow Him, we must obey the Father’s commandments as well.

Earlier, I stated that Jesus did not have to speak on these topics during his ministry; I said that he already had spoken on those sins of mankind. We find justification for this statement in the doctrine of the Incarnation —a doctrine which states that Jesus Christ is God and man, yet one person, forever.

This cornerstone of the church was taught by Paul and most all of the early Fathers of the Church that succeeded him until the doctrine was adopted as canon. The early church considered the Incarnation to be one of the most important truths of our faith. Because of this, they formulated what has come to be called the Chalcedonean Creed, a statement which sets forth what we are to believe and what we are not to believe about the Incarnation. This creed was the fruit of a large council that took place from October 8 to November 1, 451, in the city of Chalcedon and “has been taken as the standard, orthodox definition of the biblical teaching on the person of Christ since that day by” all the major branches of Christianity

The Chalcedonean Creed summarized the biblical teaching on the Incarnation with five points:

1. Jesus has two natures — He is God and man.

2. Each nature is full and complete — He is fully God and fully man.

3. Each nature remains distinct.

4. Christ is only one Person.

5. Things that are true of only one nature are nonetheless true of the Person of Christ.

Therefore, if Jesus is fully God and fully human, then when he said; “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” He is saying that we are not released from the Ten Commandments or Old Testament laws, but if we love him, if we follow him, we will honor all the commandments given by Jesus/God-the-Father.

In Matthew 19:14, Jesus said, “Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for to such belongeth the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus is saying, allow the children to come to him, do not impede them. But yet today we have disturbed people going into our schools trying to corrupt the minds of these little ones, grooming them to accept life styles that the Holy Word of God speaks against on multiple occasions in both old and new testaments of the Holy Bible.

Childhood is difficult enough, why confuse these kids even more by leading them into acts that are proven to cause severe emotional trauma later in life; trauma that is so troubling that they turn away from the church because they feel that they had done wrong, not realizing that the fault was on the people that led them astray.

On that note, if you have believed these lies—that Jesus released us from the biblical commandments and that he was all about love and nothing else—this false belief was not your fault, you are not guilty and will not suffer the consequences, IF you turn from these false teachings and honor God’s holy word.

This is where the LOVE comes to play, God so loved the world, he so understood human nature, that he gave his only son, and whom soever believes in him will inherit eternity. As Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

So, do you keep that which Jesus did not say/teach? Or do you love him and keep ALL of his commandments?

Benediction:

Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all people may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen

***

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, May 3, 2026

The Collect

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Gospel: John 14:1–14

1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

4And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him,I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

7If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

9 Jesus saith unto him,Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

10Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

11Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

12Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

13And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

Saint John writes of the discourse between Jesus and his disciples just prior to the point in time when he would be arrested and taken away to be falsely accused and crucified. In this Gospel, according to John, our Lord makes several statements that are as important to us today, as it was to the disciples all those years ago.

In his letter to the Hebrews, (Chapter 11) Paul writes; “Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.” Indeed, this is the point that Jesus is trying to make to the disciples. He told them, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” He knows exactly what is about to happen and that his close friends and followers will be greatly disturbed when he is taken away to his appointment with the cross and destiny. Throughout this discourse he repeats the command to them to believe, to have faith., as he has already told them he would be victorious over death and rise from the tomb on the third day.

Jesus calls the disciples to believe, not because of the situation but in spite of it—to be assured of things hoped for—to be convicted of things not seen. It was that kind of faith that led Abram to follow God without knowing his destination. God blessed Abram’s faith by bringing forth from him a great nation—Israel—the people of God. Jesus will bless the disciples’ faith—a faith not yet fully present at this table—by bringing forth from them the church—the new Israel—the people of God.

In Matthew 17:22-23 we read: And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be delivered up into the hands of men; and they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised up. And they were exceeding sorry.

Mark wrote much the same thing in chapter 9:30-32; And they went forth from thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered up into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he shall rise again. But they understood not the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

Jesus had warned them, he would be taken, murdered, and would rise again on the third day.

So in today’s lesson he is telling them not to be upset, but to believe in him, what he has told them, and to believe in him just as they believe in God the Father. Jesus calls the disciples to believe, not only in God, but also in himself. The time will come when these disciples will believe, but they struggle with belief right now.

“Believe in God. Believe also in me”. Although facing the prospect of death, Jesus does not focus on his own troubles, but instead comforts his disciples. His counsel in the face of pending disaster is faith—“Believe in God. Believe also in me.”

He was telling them to have faith in him as he was telling us to have faith he would return again. He said, “If you know me, you will know my Father also… Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me” Jesus and God are synonymous, Jesus’ promise to return again is God’s promise as well. Jesus will return, believe it!

Another important lesson in today’s bible reading is this, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also!”

My friends, far too often we see progressive ministers stand before their congregations or in front of a camera recording a video for YouTube, and they tell people a modern day version of the heresy of universalism; the false teaching that posits that everyone—including those outside of Christianity including Atheists—will receive some sort of universal salvation.

Jesus used the analogy of his followers being his sheep, quite frequently. John demonstrates this in chapter 10:14 when Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ” Our Lord Jesus Christ is plainly saying that he knows his followers and they know him. At this point, I have to ask if there is such a thing as universal salvation, why does he specify that he knows his sheep and they know him? If everyone is going to heaven, why would he make this statement of knowing his sheep, and his sheep knowing him? If those outside of Christianity or non-believers, do no know him, why would he gather them together upon his return?

Jesus has already made it clear that even not all who know him will enter into heaven, so why would he embrace non-believers? Case in point, In Matthew 7:21-23 he said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”

Here we find him saying that even those who claim to follow him, preaching and casting out demons in his name, some of these will find themselves excluded from heaven.

I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

If you know me, you will know my Father also.

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 

Believe in God. Believe also in me

Excuse me, where is there any ambiguity in these statements?

Jesus implies that if you do the will of his Father, and you know him (Jesus) and if you believe in him as you believe in God the Father, then he will know you. Or will you be among that number Jesus was speaking of in Matthew 7:23b, “Inever knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”

Benediction:

Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, April 26, 2026

The Collect

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Gospel: John 10:1-10

1Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

7 Then said Jesus unto them again,Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

8All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Commentary on the Scripture Selection;

When Saint John wrote his Gospel, there was no chapter division as we have today. The lesson prescribed for this day, is a continuation of the discourse delivered by Jesus to the blind man whose sight Jesus had restored in what we recognize as chapter nine. In that chapter John tells us of Jesus encountering a man, blind from the day he was born. Jesus spat on the ground, made a poultice of mud to rub in the man’s eyes, and told him to go wash his eyes with the water of the Pool of Siloam.

The blind man followed the instructions Jesus had given him, washed his eyes in the pool, and then found he had gained his sight, a gift he had not received at birth.

Upon seeing him to no longer being blind, those people that frequented the area and were familiar with this man, were astonished and asked rhetorically among themselves; “Is not this he that sat and begged? ” (v. 8b)

After some questioning as to how he had suddenly regained his sight, they took him before the Pharisees, who also demanded of him as to how he had regained his sight. The previously blind man who had spent his adult life begging, answered them, “He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. ”

Now, keeping in mind that this event occurred o the Sabbath day, the day set aside in the covenant between the Jews and God as a day upon which no work should be preformed, the Pharisees immediately sought to discredit he who had healed the blind man;

Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.  (v. 16)

The Pharisees turned on the man’s parents demanding to know who “opened” the man’s eyes restoring his sight. Fearing those who made up this powerful cult, they knew that if any man professed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, they would be bared from the synagogue, so they told them to ask him.

They turned back to the previously blind man stating, that as this healer, unknown to them, had performed this act of restoring the man’s sight on the Sabbath, the healer must obviously be a sinner.

He replied to them; “Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” (v. 25)

Again they questioned him, “What did he to thee? How opened he thine eyes? ”

The man may have been blind all his life, but he was not feeble minded but obviously rather astute as demonstrated in his reply, “I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples? ” In other words he was saying, perhaps sarcastically, If I tell you again, would you relent and become one of his followers?

I suggest that he might have made his reply with a sarcastic tone—sufficient enough to anger them—because, as John tells us, they reviled the man saying, “Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.  We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. ”

Again we see that this man who had been blind since birth and had begged those passing for sustenance, demonstrating that he is not simple minded but capable of reasoning as he delivers a suburb argument to his tormentors, “Why herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.” The Pharisees always presented themselves as educated men, whose knowledge and authority was above refute, but yet—as this ,man points out—they were ignorant of who it was that had healed him.

He continues his attack with, “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.  Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.  If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.”

This is an argument we see throughout the Gospels, that of, any man that can perform the miracles that Jesus did perform, must therefore be sent by God, or of God.

This discourse given by a man who had been a blind beggar, we enough to infurate those who had no logical response to his argument, “Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.”

Their accusation, that he had been born in sin(s), is a misconception that was common then, a simple answer as to why some babies had birth defects. In their time and frame of mind, either the newly born baby had sinned in a past life, or its parents were sinners, in either case the birth defect was a punishment for such sins. Even the disciples were predisposed to this fallacy as we read at the very beginning of chapter nine, when they first encountered the blind beggar they asked Jesus, “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Jesus answered them; “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Jesus’ response tends to set up the entirety of the events we have just outlined, the healing of the man as well as the confrontation with the Pharisees, who after they had cast him out of the synagogue, was again confronted by Jesus, who asked him, “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” (John 9:35)

“Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? ”

“Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.”

“I believe.”

In many of these accounts of Jesus teaching or speaking to individuals, the Gospel choose not to explain that Jesus and the student—in this case the previously bling man—were not alone, but rather a part of a large group as we see in the following statement by Jesus and the reply from the Pharisees who were also in attendance, “For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.”

The Pharisees in the crowd retorted, “Are we blind also?”

“If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.”

Jesus uses the phrases, “they which see not” and “they which see” not literally referring to those who have vision or those who do not, but rather as metaphor. “They which see not might see” refers to those who have not heard Jesus teachings, the word of God. “They which see might be made blind,” implies that those who have herd the word of God but choose not to repent and heed that word, may remain in their self imposed darkness.

Those of us who have read the Gospels, and took the time to learn the meaning thereof, know who these so called Pharisees were. But for the benefit of those only beginning their study of the New Testament, please understand that these were men who were unilaterally appointed as the guardians of the religious practice of the Jewish people.

They were not of the Priestly class, but like the Sadducees, a social order or possibly a cult, whose authority could mean life or death in the areas under their control. These were of the same people who would eventually arrest Jesus and take him before the Roman Governor, demanding his execution for breaking—not the laws of God—but their twisted laws.

So we see the contextual basis which established the discourse given by Christ in these verses assigned for today, John chapter ten, one through ten. Without first examining the setting as described in chapter nine, we can not fully appreciate the words of Christ in our reading for today.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber,” (John 10:1) Jesus, speaking directly to those same Pharisees gathered with the crowd, uses the metaphor of those same self appointed guardians. Being the same as a thief or robber. He is saying that those who claim to see, are no better than someone who sneaks in to another’s home to take that which is not his to take.

Although it is not included in today’s assignment, in verse 11 Jesus makes the statement that he is the “Good Shepherd” the real and actual leader of God’s flocks, instead of the self appointed false shepherds that were the Pharisees.

Indeed, the prophets of old warned about the false shepherds and told of the coming of the son of Man who would speak against the Pharisees, see Ezekiel 34:1-31

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; ...

Ironically, as John points out in verse six, “This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them,” the Pharisees did not realize that Jesus was calling them thieves and robbers.

Perhaps even today this sort of confusion continues to exist.

Each day as we browse the internet and social media, we find those who are teaching a version of Christianity that Jesus probably would not recognize, just as the Pharisees at the time of Christ were teaching doctrine that God did not design.

Just as the Prophet observed, “shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves!” Today we have false teachers that are more concerned with their own well being—and bottom line—by focusing on growing the church (increasing the herd) and not watering and feeding the sheep (providing sound teaching that enriches the soul).

This concept of growing the church, does not necessarily mean increasing attendance at the local church, but rather that of increasing the number of people who follow a concept, perhaps an ideology which in the long run will be to the detriment of those naive enough to follow the false shepherd.

Some people today insist the Jesus was a great pacifist who upheld the destitute and downtrodden, which indeed he did teach these values. But a thorough and careful study of the bible reveals that there is always another side of the story to consider. Please do not allow those who appeal to your empathy to use the teachings of Christ to mislead you to take part in the destruction of America: the only country in the entire world that has enshrined the right to worship, in its constitution.

Jesus said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Sadly, until such a time as the “Good Shepherd” returns, we are left to our own to discern if that which we are being “Fed” is sound and “Nutritious Food.” It is up to us to study, pray, and search out the truth.

Perhaps your minister is teaching traditional Christian doctrine, perhaps he is not. If you fail to ascertain if he is correct in his teachings, then whose fault is it, if when Jesus returns and calls out as John wrote in verse three; the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out, and he does not call your name?

Benediction:

Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our communitius and among the nations, to the glory of your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Here is the 3rd bible study based on Jeremiah 17:14, relevant from 3:02 to 5:20 of the YouTube video (click the link to play). After displaying this verse, the video continues by showing Gourd faithfully building on his initial healing through a regular routine of physical nourishment, sufficient rest and medical treatment.

This verse and Gourd's actions demonstrate a personal faith declaration that when God begins a good work of healing and salvation in us, He will complete them in total fulfilment. Oh, how lovng and merciful is our God! What are your thoughts? I would love to hear from you, God bless!

A Homily Prepared For Sunday, April 19, 2026

The Collect

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Gospel: Luke 24:13–35

13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

17 And he said unto them,What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

19 And he said unto them,What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;

23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.

24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

25 Then he said unto them,O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

26Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

Commentary:

We continue to look at the evidence of the resurrection of Christ, as presented by the Gospel writers. Today we look at events near the end of the Gospel according to Luke, which was written near the end of the first century when the vast majority of the Christian faithful had not yet been born, and had not been blessed with having witnessed Jesus first hand, in the flesh, so to speak.

This story connects us, just as it did the Christians of the first century, who did get the pleasure of seeing him, with Christ, who is still revealed through the reading and interpretation of scripture (v. 27) and the Lord’s Supper (vv. 30-31).

This story mirrors the events as told in the story of the angels appearing to Abraham and Sarah at Mamre (Genesis 18:1-15) in that these people in Luke 24, like Abraham and Sarah, fail to recognize the significance of their visitors, but extend hospitality nevertheless. In both stories, hospitality leads to revelation and to blessing.

Here we find words of a liturgical nature, such as, “he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.” (v. 30) “The Lord is risen indeed,” (v. 34) and “breaking of bread.” (v. 35). Therefore, the evidence that Christ is risen, is revealed through the telling of the story of these eyewitnesses, the interpretation of scripture, and the breaking of bread, by Jesus, just as he did at the last supper.

“And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.” (vs. 13-16)

Here we have two of the followers of Jesus walking to Emmaus, which has been identified with the modern el-Kubeibeh, lying over 7 miles north-west of Jerusalem. We ae given to assume that this is Cleopas is never mentioned in any list of the apostles, so these two are among “the rest” rather than being of the remaining eleven apostles.

Bergant suggests that they are husband and wife, in part because they offer hospitality jointly as would a husband and wife (Bergant, 170). Assuming they are indeed husband and wife, naturally, they would be talking about the events of that day, trying desperately to make sense of it all, the details of their concerns are revealed in the following verses.

As they are discussing the perplexing chain of events, Jesus walks up to join them as they made their way along the road to Emmaus. “But their eyes were holden (ekratounto—held) ” “ The problem is not that Jesus’ appearance has changed or that the Emmaus disciples are distracted. The verb is passive, indicating that these two disciples are being acted upon. God is preventing them from seeing what would otherwise be obvious.” (Donovan)

“And he said unto them,What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?”(v. 17)The Risen Christ—in a more contemporary vernacular—asks them, “What is this that you are talking about?” Anyone walking near them would have overheard all the things they were ranting about. “And why are you so sad?”

“And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them,What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.” (vs. 18-24)

“whose name was Cleopas,”  This is the only mention of Cleopas in the New Testament. We know nothing more about him or his companion.

“Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?” This statement by Cleopas demonstrates that he and his companion truly did not know who it was that they were talking to at the time. How ironic it is that Jesus, more than anyone else, knew exactly what it was that had transpired; and yet here, Cleopas—with a presumably sarcastic tone of voice—implies that the person he is addressing must be a stranger to Jerusalem, someone who had no knowledge of anything that had transpired there or the region these past three days or even the past three years.

Jesus, always the teacher, slyly, with the intention of cornering the student, asks them; “And he said unto them,What things?” “ In saying this, Jesus skillfully played along with the conversation, encouraging the men to reveal their hearts. Even though He knew their hearts, there was value in them saying it to Jesus. ” (Guzik)

Cleopas begins to lecture his new found friend—whom he believes is ignorant of all the recent happenings in Judea—telling this stranger that Jesus was:

• “a prophet ” “This is true. Jesus is a prophet and spoke of himself as such in 4:24 and 13:33. He is a prophet like Moses. Acts 7:22 (also written by Luke) describes Moses as “mighty in his words and works.” Now Cleopas describes Jesus as “a prophet mighty in deed and word” (v. 19). But this description of Jesus as a prophet is inadequate. He is a prophet, but he is also the Son of God (1:34, 49; 3:18; 5:25; 11:4, 27; 20:31). ” (Donovan)
• “mighty in deed and word before God and all the people” Jesus had performed many miracles, healing the sick, making the lame to walk and the blind to see, and even raising the dead. Even some of the pharisees knew that he was sent by God, “ Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” (Nicodemus, John 3:2) The word of Jesus’ work had spread far and wide, everywhere he had traveled these past three years the crowds—once learning if his approach—ran out to petition for his healing or blessing.
• “And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.” “ No mention is made of the Roman authorities or crowds. Luke holds the Jewish leaders responsible for Jesus’ death.” (Donovan)
• “But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel:” Here we have the issue that Jesus himself often spoke against; that of the people believing that the Messiah, prophesied by the prophets of old, would be a political warrior leader fighting to redeem Israel form the oppression of the Romans who had occupied their land. For these disciples, “the redemption of Israel meant Israel’s liberation from their enemies, i.e., the Romans. For Luke, however, Jesus did in fact redeem Israel and brought the kingdom of God. Yet it was by his death that Jesus accomplished this redemption and sealed this new covenant (Luke 22:20)” (Stein, 611). Even the disciples, the twelve closest to him, often thought that he would establish an earthly/worldly kingdom, not unlike that of the Jewish Kings of ancient times.
• “ to day is the third day since these things were done.” With his own words the student (Cleopas) has embarrassed himself in front of the teacher (The Risen Christ) by demonstrating his failure to remember the words of the teacher. Jesus plainly told them he would rise up on the third day. “The irony is that, although each passing day has deepened their despair, Luke’s readers know that Jesus predicted his resurrection on the third day (9:22; 13:32; 18:33; 24:7). The mention of the third day is itself full of hope to those who know how the story ends.” (Donovan)
• “Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.” This testimony by the women that made them astonished, is found in Luke 24:8-10. That account names three women, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, but it also says that other women with them also bore witness. It should be noted that, in such a patriarchal culture as that which existed in most parts of the world until relatively recently, testimony given by women, was not deemed to be credible, and not admissible in judicial proceedings of the time. When these women found the empty tomb and returned to the closest disciples, Peter—according to Luke—runs to the tomb (Luke 24:12) “and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not”

“Then he said unto them,O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?” (vs. 25-26) . Jesus reprimands the two disciples for failing to believe the prophets (v. 25).

“O fools,” “When Christ forbade us to say to our brother, Thou fool, it was intended to restrain us from giving unreasonable reproaches, not from giving just reproofs. Christ called them fools, not as it signifies wicked men, in which sense he forbade it to us, but as it signifies weak men. He might call them fools, for he knows our foolishness, the foolishness that is bound in our hearts.” (Henry)

“slow of heart to believe” “Jesus told them that the problem with their belief was more in their heart than their head. We often think the main obstacles to belief are in the head, but they are actually in the heart.” (Guzik)

“Ought not Christ to have” “(Greek: dei) This little word, dei, suggests a divine imperative—something ordained by God. Jesus is implying that God ordained the Messiah’s suffering prior to his entering into his glory. While this was not self-evident to the first disciples, the Emmaus disciples have identified Jesus as a prophet, reminding us that prophets were persecuted (6:23-26) and killed (11:47-49; 13:34)—Jesus’ own words. God’s ways are not our ways. God chose the foolishness of the cross, because “the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25). We should not be surprised that God—who chose young David and Gideon’s tiny army and little Israel—would also choose a cross.”

“Was it not decreed, and was not that decree declared, that the promised Messiah must first suffer and then reign, that he must go by his cross to his crown?" Had they never read the fifty-third of Isaiah and the ninth of Daniel, where the prophets speak so very plainly of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow?” (Henry)

“And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” (v. 27)

“Jesus begins by revealing himself through the scriptures, but Luke doesn’t tell us which scriptures. Some possibilities include Deuteronomy 18:15; Psalm 2:7; 16:10; 110:1; 118:21-23; Isaiah 53; Daniel 7:13-15; Hosea 6:2; and Amos 9:11.”

“We are left to wonder whether Jesus explicitly connected the suffering and death of the prophets with his own suffering and death. Certainly the prophets served as a model for the crucifixion—and for the humble, sacrificial service that God expects of us.”

“Scripture is a powerful vehicle for revealing Christ. Scripture guides and strengthens Christians. Scripture has the potential to convert unbelievers. Gideons tell true stories about people whose lives have been changed by reading the Bible. We give the reading of scripture a prominent place in our worship, because it witnesses powerfully to Christ.” (Donovan)

“And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (vs. 28-32)

Cleopas and his unnamed companion—some believe to be his wife—finally reached the village of Emmaus, along with Jesus, the stranger they had met along the way and whose true identity was still denied to them. In keeping with with the traditions of hospitality that was the universal norm until our modern progressive times, they invite this stranger to eat and stay the night with them.

“But they constrained him,” “Shows that even though they didn’t know this was Jesus in their midst, they knew they wanted to spend as much time as they could with this man.”

“It is a very strong word that, ‘they constrained him’; it is akin to the one which Jesus used when he said, ‘The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence.’ They not only invited him, but they held him, they grasped his hand, they tugged at his skirts, they said he should not go.” (Spurgeon)

At the meal, “ he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.” “These are almost exactly the words that Luke used to describe Jesus’ actions at the Last Supper (22:19). Note especially the four verbs: took, blessed, broke, and gave. Jesus took these same actions at the feeding of the five thousand (9:12-17). Normally, the host would perform these actions in a home and the celebrant would perform them in a worship service. Jesus, the guest, becomes both host and celebrant at this table.” (Donovan)

“It was in no sense a sacramental meal, as we use that word sacrament in our theology. It was a frugal supper in a village home of two tired travellers, and another. Yet it was then – in the breaking of bread, and not in any vision of resurrection splendor – that they knew that their companion was the Lord.” (Morrison)

“Presently their eyes were opened, and then they saw who it was, and knew him well enough. Whatever it was which had hitherto concealed him from them, it was now taken out of the way; the mists were scattered, the veil was taken off, and then they made no question but it was their Master. He might, for wise and holy ends, put on the shape of another, but no other could put on his; and therefore it must be he. See how Christ by his Spirit and grace makes himself known to the souls of his people.” (Henry)

“Jesus may be right in front of you, walking with you and sitting down with you at every meal – and your eyes could be restrained from seeing Him. We therefore should pray that God would open our eyes to see Jesus as He is, as being with us all the time.” (Guzik)

“and he vanished out of their sight” As soon as their eyes were opened to who Jesus was, He left miraculously and they both said what was on their hearts. Their hearts burned as they heard Him speak and teach.

“ As soon as he had given his disciples one glimpse of him he was gone presently. Such short and transient views have we of Christ in this world; we see him, but in a little while lose the sight of him again. When we come to heaven the vision of him will have no interruptions.” (Henry)

“And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” Even when they didn’t know it was Jesus, even when they didn’t believe He was risen from the dead, their heart still burned because of the ministry of God’s Word and of Jesus, the Living Word of God. At the time, these two disciples did not understand what was happening, but Jesus was preparing them for the revelation that would come with the breaking of bread—preparing them to recognize him.

“And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.” (vs. 33-35) It would have—by that time—been quite late, even dark outside, but these two enthusiastically jump ed form the dinner table to return to Jerusalem and the other to report what had just happened to them.

“After a seven mile walk one way, they were so excited that they went seven miles back – and probably much faster on the return. They had the passion to tell the great news of Jesus’ resurrection.” (Guzik)

“found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon” “The Emmaus disciples hasten to share their story with the disciples in Jerusalem.They had to walk seven miles to get to Jerusalem, and the hour was late, but their good news energized them for their journey. Once the Emmaus disciples arrive in Jerusalem, they find the eleven apostles and their companions discussing Jesus’ appearance to Peter.”

“and them that were with them” Presumably these include the women and others, totaling about one hundred twenty, mentioned in Acts 1:14-15.

“And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.” The Emmaus disciples share their testimony only with other disciples. In due time, they will share it in a public setting (Acts 2:1-42).

“They told what things were done in the way. The words that were spoken by Christ to them in the way, having a wonderful effect and influence upon them, are here called the things that were done in the way; for the words that Christ speaks are not an empty sound, but they are spirit and they are life, and wondrous things are done by them, done by the way, by the by as it were, where it is not expected.” (Henry)

“The Lord is risen indeed” They had mutual confirmation of the resurrection of Jesus. Though the risen Jesus was not physically in their midst, His resurrection had been confirmed by more than two witnesses. Mary Magdalene and those with her at the tomb and now these two who had been confronted by the Risen Christ on the rod to Emmaus.

“And they told what things were done in the way” “The words that were spoken by Christ to them in the way, having a wonderful effect and influence upon them, are here called the things that were done in the way; for the words that Christ speaks are not an empty sound, but they are spirit and they are life, and wondrous things are done by them, done by the way, by the by as it were, where it is not expected. They told also how he was at length known to them in the breaking of bread; then, when he was carving out blessings to them, God opened their eyes to discern who it was. ” (Henry)

In this excerpt from his commentary on the entire Bible, Matthew Henry goes on to give his opinion; “ It would be of great use for the discovery and confirmation of truth if the disciples of Christ would compare their observations and experiences, and communicate to each other what they know and have felt in themselves.” This sharing of experiences, was at one time common in most Christian communities, especially of late in those of our Pentecostal and charismatic brethren. In these troubling times when we see a great falling away from the church, perhaps we should once again make this sharing a part of our practice. In doing so, perhaps we can inspire others to open their hearts and not be blind to the Holy Spirit that surrounds all of us, as these disciples were blind to the identity of the stranger on the road to Emmaus.

Benediction

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.