Monday, September 26, 2022
The Canons of Dort, Part One
Here is the first podcast on the Canons of Dort. I will be going through all the Canons and making comments as necessary.
Friday, April 10, 2020
Easter Sunday Liturgy
The
Church of the Good Shepherd
Easter
Morning Prayer
April 12, 2020, 10am
April 12, 2020, 10am
Opening Hymn: O Who Shall Roll Away the Stone?
#207 Jesus Christ is Risen Today
Easter
Opening Sentences
(standing,
saying responsively)
Leader:
CHRIST our
passover is sacrificed for us :
People:
therefore let
us keep the feast;
Leader:
Not with the old
leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness :
People:
But
with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Leader:
Christ being
raised from the dead dies no more :
People:
death hath no
more dominion over him.
Leader:
For in that he
died, he died unto sin once :
People:
but in that
he lives, he lives unto God.
Leader:
Likewise reckon
ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin :
People:
but alive
unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Leader:
Christ is risen
from the dead :
People:
and become
the first-fruits of them that slept.
Leader:
For since by man
came death :
People:
by man came
also the resurrection of the dead.
Leader:
For as in Adam
all die :
People:
even so in
Christ shall all be made alive.
Leader:
Glory be to the
Father, and to the Son :
People:
and to the
Holy Ghost;
Leader:
As it was in the
beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
People:
world without
end. Amen.
Confession
of Sin
Leader:
Let us humbly confess our sins to Almighty God.
People:
O God, our Father, we have sinned against you in thought, word, and
deed: we have not loved you with all our heart; we have not loved our
neighbors as ourselves. Have mercy on us, we beseech you; cleanse us
from our sins; and help us to overcome our faults; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
Leader:
Grant, we beseech you,
merciful Lord, to your faithful people pardon and peace, that they
may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The
Lord’s Prayer: Say
together, then:
Leader:
O Lord, open our
lips;
People:
And our mouth
shall show forth your praise.
Leader:
O God, make speed
to save us;
People:
O Lord, make
haste to help us.
Leader:
Glory be to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
People:
As it was in
the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Leader:
Praise the Lord;
People:
The Lord’s
name be praised.
Sequence
Hymn: #178 Alleluia,
Give Thanks to the Risen Lord
Gospel:
Matthew
28
Gospel
Discussion Questions
1.
What is the significance of Galilee? (Matthew 5:23-25)
2.
What is the Challenge of Jerusalem? (Matthew 24:37-39)
3.
What is the conflict between Galilee and Jerusalem?
(John 7:40-52)
(John 7:40-52)
4.
Why are both Galilee and Jerusalem necessary for the Christian life?
(Matthew 28)
The Apostles’ Creed
I
believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic† Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic† Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
†that
is, the true Christian church of all times and all places
Prayers
Leader:
The Lord be with
you.
People:
And with your
spirit.
Leader:
Let us pray.
Lord,
have mercy upon us.
People: Christ,
have mercy upon us.
Leader:
Lord, have mercy
upon us.
O
Lord, show
your
mercy upon us.
People: And
grant us your
salvation.
Leader:
O Lord, save us.
People:
And mercifully hear us when we call upon you.
Leader:
Endue your
Ministers with righteousness.
People: And
make your
chosen people joyful.
Leader:
O Lord, save your
people.
People: And
bless your
inheritance.
Leader:
Give peace in our
time, O Lord.
People: Because
there is none other that fights
for us, but only you,
O God.
Leader:
O God, make clean
our hearts within us.
People: And
take not your
Holy Spirit from us.
The
Collect of the Day
People:
O God, who for our
redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and
by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our
enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live
with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your
Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, now and for ever. Amen.
Collect
for Peace
People:
O GOD, you
are
the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of you
stands
our eternal life, your
service is perfect freedom; Defend us your
humble servants in all assaults of our enemies; that we,
surely trusting in your
defense,
may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
Collect
for Grace
People:
O LORD, our heavenly
Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who has safely brought us to
the beginning of this day; Defend us today
with your
mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, nor
run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered
by your
governance, to do always what
is righteous in your
sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Closing
Hymn: #193 That
Easter Day with Joy Was Bright
Weekly
Discipleship: Call or Text (252) 207-4050
Saturday, June 15, 2019
Judgment and Glory
When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. And they cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them. The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” And He said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters. The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region. (Matthew 8:28-34)
The surface details have been talked about often, but what about the big picture? We have two men in this scene who are ensnared by demons, who are prisoners of evil. Jesus Christ sets them free, getting rid of the demons, and making the area safe from the violent men, but also removing the financial means from the Gadarenes by allowing the demons to drown their profit supply (in another gospel we find out that this was over 2,000 head of swine).
However, the economic loss to the community appears to be the instigating factor but not the true repulsion of Christ. Some say that there is a choice being made between the world and God's salvation, and the Gadarenes choose the world. Since Jesus has rid them of their profit, they demand him to leave, but the root of sin lies deeper than that. Verse 34 reads: "And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region." The whole city: let that sink in. This is not a few entrepreneurs and capitalists coming forth to chastise Christ for ruining their income plan. This is a sinful rejection of the power of Christ. Jesus has done something very intense by driving demons out of extremely violent men who blocked the way. There is an irrational rejection on the part of the world toward the saving power of Christ. Because the power screams judgment at them.
Now, many are drawn to Christ when he performs wonders, but many more are driven away. Even then, the ones who are drawn to him are usually drawn to him for the wrong reason. They are drawn to the miracle itself. Jesus accompanies each miracle with a teaching, and this teaching is usually a difficult one about the kingdom, and such teachings also drive away the superficial follower. Let's look at similar versions of this rejection: one from the old and one from the new testament.
The prophecy of Amos 7 has God threatening to destroy the northern kingdom of Israel by two ways: locust and fire, both aimed at the farmlands...and the economic prosperity of the region. Amos begs the Lord to stop, and the Lord does each time, but then the third time God does not send locust nor fire but a plumb line. This is no longer an attack on their economics (and ruin of the country as a whole) but an attack on the people themselves. The sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste by the plumb line. What is the plumb line? Jesus, of course. Jesus Christ comes to this crooked world, and anything that is not as straight and perfect as he is destroyed. Of course, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. All people fall short of the plumb line, and so they are to be ruined, unless...one puts his faith in the plumb line itself. The only way to be saved is to put faith in the just judge.
The second half of Amos 7 describes the priest Amaziah doing the very thing the Gadarenes did in Matthew 8: he rejects Amos' prophecy and Amos himself, who is a mere shepherd called by God out of his life in Tekoa, south of Jerusalem, to go to another country, Israel, and preach the truth to them. Now, this priest, representing the people of Jerusalem, tells Amos the same thing the Gadarenes tell Jesus: flee from here! The result is a direct prophecy to Amaziah: he personally will suffer the same fate as Israel, the loss of everything, because he has rejected the plumb line.
The other passage is in Acts 16. Paul travels to Philippi, where he plants a church with a woman named Lydia and then adds a family through the jailer. The town, however reacts quite violently to them, until Paul declares himself to be a Roman citizen. Then the town rejects him on a whole different level, much in the same way the Gadarenes reject Jesus and Amaziah rejects Amos: they beg him to leave. Once again, this is not because of annoyance, or because of an economic problem, which it had been before. In Acts 16:19 Paul has destroyed a certain group's economic profit by casting a demon out of a servant girl. So, yes, it begins this way, but something greater is happening at the end of the chapter: Paul has brought salvation into their midst, and instead of happily embracing such, they reject it in fear. Just as Israel rejects the plumb line in fear. Just as the Gadarenes reject Christ in fear.
It's fascinating to see how people respond to Jesus, and it's scary when you realize that so many respond so negatively, but how do you respond? When your sin is shown to you, like when Peter hides his face from Christ in the boat, or when Isaiah is faced with the Lord's glory. Do you confess your sin and tell God that you are not worthy? Do you believe yourself to be ruined? Do you ask the Lord to depart in the way Peter did? Christ responded with a call to follow him and to be a fisher of men. Compare that with the begging for Christ to leave that was given by the Gadarenes, Amaziah, and the Philippians. What is the difference? One pair (Peter and Isaiah) is confronted with God's glory, and they respond with humility. However, the others are confronted with God's judgment: the casting out of demons, the standard of the plumb line, and the salvation of sinners. And the reaction looks similar on the outside, but there is no faith and repentance on the inside. The wrath of God is finding its place, judgment is coming early upon them, and they are essentially asking the mountains to fall upon them.
How do you react to Jesus, the plumb line? Do you see judgment coming? Or do you see glory? Either should instill fear, but only one inspires faith and brings you into the kingdom.
The surface details have been talked about often, but what about the big picture? We have two men in this scene who are ensnared by demons, who are prisoners of evil. Jesus Christ sets them free, getting rid of the demons, and making the area safe from the violent men, but also removing the financial means from the Gadarenes by allowing the demons to drown their profit supply (in another gospel we find out that this was over 2,000 head of swine).
However, the economic loss to the community appears to be the instigating factor but not the true repulsion of Christ. Some say that there is a choice being made between the world and God's salvation, and the Gadarenes choose the world. Since Jesus has rid them of their profit, they demand him to leave, but the root of sin lies deeper than that. Verse 34 reads: "And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region." The whole city: let that sink in. This is not a few entrepreneurs and capitalists coming forth to chastise Christ for ruining their income plan. This is a sinful rejection of the power of Christ. Jesus has done something very intense by driving demons out of extremely violent men who blocked the way. There is an irrational rejection on the part of the world toward the saving power of Christ. Because the power screams judgment at them.
Now, many are drawn to Christ when he performs wonders, but many more are driven away. Even then, the ones who are drawn to him are usually drawn to him for the wrong reason. They are drawn to the miracle itself. Jesus accompanies each miracle with a teaching, and this teaching is usually a difficult one about the kingdom, and such teachings also drive away the superficial follower. Let's look at similar versions of this rejection: one from the old and one from the new testament.
The prophecy of Amos 7 has God threatening to destroy the northern kingdom of Israel by two ways: locust and fire, both aimed at the farmlands...and the economic prosperity of the region. Amos begs the Lord to stop, and the Lord does each time, but then the third time God does not send locust nor fire but a plumb line. This is no longer an attack on their economics (and ruin of the country as a whole) but an attack on the people themselves. The sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste by the plumb line. What is the plumb line? Jesus, of course. Jesus Christ comes to this crooked world, and anything that is not as straight and perfect as he is destroyed. Of course, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. All people fall short of the plumb line, and so they are to be ruined, unless...one puts his faith in the plumb line itself. The only way to be saved is to put faith in the just judge.
The second half of Amos 7 describes the priest Amaziah doing the very thing the Gadarenes did in Matthew 8: he rejects Amos' prophecy and Amos himself, who is a mere shepherd called by God out of his life in Tekoa, south of Jerusalem, to go to another country, Israel, and preach the truth to them. Now, this priest, representing the people of Jerusalem, tells Amos the same thing the Gadarenes tell Jesus: flee from here! The result is a direct prophecy to Amaziah: he personally will suffer the same fate as Israel, the loss of everything, because he has rejected the plumb line.
The other passage is in Acts 16. Paul travels to Philippi, where he plants a church with a woman named Lydia and then adds a family through the jailer. The town, however reacts quite violently to them, until Paul declares himself to be a Roman citizen. Then the town rejects him on a whole different level, much in the same way the Gadarenes reject Jesus and Amaziah rejects Amos: they beg him to leave. Once again, this is not because of annoyance, or because of an economic problem, which it had been before. In Acts 16:19 Paul has destroyed a certain group's economic profit by casting a demon out of a servant girl. So, yes, it begins this way, but something greater is happening at the end of the chapter: Paul has brought salvation into their midst, and instead of happily embracing such, they reject it in fear. Just as Israel rejects the plumb line in fear. Just as the Gadarenes reject Christ in fear.
It's fascinating to see how people respond to Jesus, and it's scary when you realize that so many respond so negatively, but how do you respond? When your sin is shown to you, like when Peter hides his face from Christ in the boat, or when Isaiah is faced with the Lord's glory. Do you confess your sin and tell God that you are not worthy? Do you believe yourself to be ruined? Do you ask the Lord to depart in the way Peter did? Christ responded with a call to follow him and to be a fisher of men. Compare that with the begging for Christ to leave that was given by the Gadarenes, Amaziah, and the Philippians. What is the difference? One pair (Peter and Isaiah) is confronted with God's glory, and they respond with humility. However, the others are confronted with God's judgment: the casting out of demons, the standard of the plumb line, and the salvation of sinners. And the reaction looks similar on the outside, but there is no faith and repentance on the inside. The wrath of God is finding its place, judgment is coming early upon them, and they are essentially asking the mountains to fall upon them.
How do you react to Jesus, the plumb line? Do you see judgment coming? Or do you see glory? Either should instill fear, but only one inspires faith and brings you into the kingdom.
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