Saint Luke's Anglican Church in La Verne

Saint Luke's Anglican Church in La Verne St Luke's Anglican Church is a sacramental and Bible believing Church located in La Verne California.

12/07/2024

Reference Guide for the 1928 BCP Holy Communion
1928 American Book of Common Prayer: Quick Reference Guide For The Service of Holy Communion.

The Lord:s Prayer: Based on the ancient Jewish Shema Israel Prayer where believers pledge love of God and neighbor.

The Collect for Purity: A prayer to the Holy Trinity in which we acknowledge the all knowing and all powerful nature of the Father, the Son as the High Priest, and asking the Father to impart wisdom through the Holy Ghost so that we may worship God properly.

The Decalogue: The Decalogue is the Ten Commandments
with responses from the congregation. It is usually said on the first Sunday of each month. In it, we pledge to keep God's Commandments, and ask His help in doing so.

The Summary of the Law: The Summary of Law given to us by Jesus in Luke's and Matthew's Gospel. The legal experts of Our Lord's day tried to make the Law of Moses so complicated to understand, so that they could charge large fees to people, especially widows to interpret it. Jesus just tells us the Law in a nutshell is to love God fully and love not only one's friends' but also one's neighbor. That neighbor could be an enemy or adversary such as in the parable of the Good Samaritan.

The Kyrie: The word Kyrie means Lord. It is a prayer to the Holy Trinity repenting of sin and asking God to withhold
punishment for going against His will.

The Salutation: The Salutation at the time of Jesus was an initial greeting said at the beginning of the Jewish Synagogue service, and also services in the ancient Christian Church. The prayer call us as a body of believers to obey God's commandment as individuals, but also as a faith community as well

THE SALUTATION BEGINS THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

Collect of the Day: A prayer that as Father Shepherd points out" where it designated a prayer that summed up, concluded, , or collected the thoughts of a preceding litany or devotion." Shepherd continues and states that a collect has the following features:" one: an opening address to God, , with a relative clause stating some attributes of His nature or manifestation of His mind, and will by reason of which a petition is made to Him; two: the petition itself, often followed by a clause dwelling upon the good result to ensure if the petition is granted : three:a concluding oblation or meditation in the Name of Our Lord, through Whom all our prayers are offered , United to a doxology recalling all Three persons of the Trinity."

The Epistle: Letters to the ancient Christian churches written by the Apostles , the first Bishops to admonish, inform, or encourage the faithful. The Epistles were designed to create a bridge between the Old and New Covenants.

The Gospel: The Gospels are books of the Bible that begin the New Testament, and chronicle the life Birth, Life, Exploits, Sayings or Wisdom, Death , and Resurrection of Jesus. A specific passage from the Gospel is read during the Mass that confirms to a liturgical season like Advent or Lent for example.

The Nicene Creed: A profession of faith stating the co-eternal nature of the Holy Trinity, and its intervention in the past, present, and future of mankind. Completed at the Council of Constantinople in 381, it was designed to combat the A***n heresy that denied the divinity of the Holy Ghost and the Son.

END OF THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

The Offertory: The offering of unconsecrated bread and wine for Holy Communion, as well as alms. During the Offertory, we give thanks to God for the things He has given to our use and to those around us, especially the poor and neglected.

The Prayer of the Church: a long intercessory prayer in which we: prayer for the peace and unity of the Church, civil rulers, ordained clergy and the congregations to their care, the needs of the afflicted, and those who have died. Used in both the East and West in various forms since the Fourth Century. The act of Christians praying for the Roman Empire led to the Emperor Constantine ending persecution of Christians via the Edict of Milan in 313.

The Invitation to Confession: A statement made the Celebrant to invite the faithful to confession their sins.

The Confession: A prayer to God the Father to forgive our sins and renew us in body and soul. During this prayer we implore the Father to use the Son and the Holy Ghost to assist in the process.

The Absolution: A. Benediction and Declaration said by the Celebrant acting on behalf of Almighty God to absolve us from our sins through His mercy, and bestow on the gifts of goodness and eternal life.

The Comfortable Words: declarative statements said by the Deacon, Priest, or Bishop, again as Fr. Shepherd points out "the redeeming action of Our Lord, in His incarnation, Atonement, and eternal Priesthood after His ascension."

The Sursum Corda: Two Latin words that opened what is called the Prayer of Consecration. Again quoting Father Shepherd: " the Eucharistic action takes place in the heavenly sphere where Christ has entered and led the way for us."

The Proper Prefaces: Hymns of praise, thanksgiving , and adoration by the Church in heaven and earth " , as well as the angels at"all times and places" There are several prefaces, and each one is geared for a season in the liturgical year.

The Sanctus: a hymn of praise and adoration to the Holy Trinity said by the entire Church and the angels in heaven and on earth. Derived from the vision of Prophet in Isaiah in Isaiah 6:1-3 and Revelation 4:8.

The Prayer of Consecration: The Prayer of Consecration is divided into three parts: the consecration with reenactment of the Last Supper by Jesus for remission of sins and ushering in the New Covenant,; The oblation:offering up gifts to God, and described by Fr. Shepherd as:"The oblation is the hinge of the whole Consecration Prayer. It gathers up thanksgivings and memorials that have gone before and offers them to God by means of the Holy Gifts, the instruments of bread and wine which out Lord Himself chose to represent . His own sacrifice and to be occasion of its continuing and innumerable benefits to His Church."
The innovation is the third part of the Prayer of Consecration in which the Celebrant petitions God the Father through the Son and Holy Ghost to change the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ.

The Lord's Prayer: said by the Celebrant and congregation.
The Lord's Prayer is placed before the beginning of the Holy Communion service, a holdover from the Sarum Rite, used by the English Church prior to introduction of the Book of Common Prayer on June 9, 1549, during Whitsunday or Pentecost.

The Prayer of Humble Access: A prayer said by the Celebrant and congregation acknowledging through our sinful nature we are not worthy to receive God's grace, but through faith we ask through to God's grace to consume the Body and Blood of Jesus, so that we can be cleansed from sins and "so that may evermore dwell in Him and He in us."

Words of Administration: words said by the Celebrant or other appointed minister when administering the Body and Blood of Christ.

Prayer of Thanksgiving: A prayer to God the Father for: one: receiving the Body and Blood of Christ; two: for the gift of Christ and His Church, and three: the everlasting Kingdom of God; four: assistance to do good works all with the assistance of His Son Jesus Christ the High Priest.

The Gloria: a hymn of praise to the Holy Trinity.

The Final Blessings: To be said by the Celebrant at the end of service, blessing the faithful in the name of the Holy Trinity

Note: this is a quick reference guide to facilitate the understanding of the 1928 Book of Carmen Prayer communion service. It is only being put out for educational purposes only and in no way is being utilized for profit. If anyone has questions regarding some of the points of the mass will be more than happy to answer them in an expedient manner. Blessings Father David.

10/17/2024

Sermon Notes: Twenty First Sunday After Trinity
Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024
By Father David Valentini
Gospel; John 4:46-54

In today's Gospel two cities figure prominently:
Capernaum and Cana. Capernaum was a village whose main industry was fishing. It was a prominent trade route between Damascus and Egypt. The Romans mainted a force of 24,000 men there. Herod Antipas, a Jewish leader who ruled Galilee may have had a palace there. Cana was a small village seven miles from Nazareth and eighteen miles from Capernaum, about a day’s journey on foot. It was in Cana that Jesus
performed his miracle of turning the water into wine in John 2:1-12.

Enter the Nobleman in this narrative. The Bible says that he traveled alone from Capernaum to see Jesus. Very little is known about the man. Some have speculated that he was a high-level official in the employ of Herod Antipas As mentioned above the Nobleman traveled alone to escape notice. This may be due to the fact that Herod Antipas had wanted to kill Jesus: Luke 13:31-32. Secondly, it could have been fear of being ostracized. John 12:42 tells us that many prominent Jews believed in Jesus but kept quiet
about it for fear of being expelled from the synagogue by the Pharisees.

How did the Nobleman know about Jesus? Perhaps he had heard about the miracle at Cana. Perhaps that he was one of the Jewish leaders that believed in Jesus as the Messiah.

Also in this passage, there is no mention of other sons. This could pose a problem for the Nobleman. A father would give a sizable inheritance to the oldest son, to display his prestige in the community; failure to do this could bring harm to his reputation.

On a more basic level, the prominent man may have been terrified to lose his son. Perhaps he was at a loss of what to do and saw Jesus as his only and best hope.

The Nobleman sought Jesus and asked him to come back to heal his son. Jesus rebuked the man by saying that unless the people see signs and wonders they will not believe. Signs and wonders were prominent in the Old Testament. Here are some examples:

The plagues God inflicted on Pharaoh in the Book of Exodus

Moses was given three miracles by God to prove his prophecy to the people in the Book of Exodus: the turning of the rod into a serpent and back again: Exodus 4:1-5; Moses is healed of leprosy: Exodus 4:6-7; the turning of Egyptian water into blood: Exodus 7:20; and the parting of the Red Sea: Exodus 24:21-31.

The blowing of the shofar horn at Jericho that brought down the walls of the city: Joshua 6:20.

Many Jewish feast days such as Passover in the Book of Exodus: the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery from Egypt, and the miracle of the Tenth plague where the Angel of Death slayed the first born children of Egyptians. The Lord commanded through Moses and Aaron in
Exodus 12:26-36 to eat a Passover lamb, sprinkle the door with its blood, and eat unleavened bread for seven days; the Lord said if they did this all first born Jewish children would be spared.

The signs of the covenant that God made with His people such as the rainbow after the flood in the Book of Genesis and the Sabbath in Exodus 20:8.

A commentator on signs and wonders makes an astute observation:

The signs and wonders that a prophet works are not an end in themselves. They are only to get people's attention so that he can instruct them

Jesus is in His Messianic Role as Priest, Prophet, and King. As a Prophet He is instructing the Nobleman that signs and wonders are not an end to themselves, but that faith in God is. Hebrews 11:1: defined faith as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen

After Jesus rebuked the Nobleman, the man began to have faith in the mere Word of Jesus that He could heal his dying son; after Jesus said that his son lives and Jesus commanded Him to depart, the Bible says the man believed what Jesus told him regarding his son.

The Bible says that Jesus told the Nobleman that his son would be healed at the seventh hour. Upon returning home, one of the servants told the Nobleman that the fever left his son at the seventh hour, which resulted in the man and his whole household believing that Jesus is the Messiah. The passage ends with the statement that this was the second miracle that Jesus did.

In today’s world people look for signs and wonders instead of having faith in God. One modern example of seeking signs and wonders is the false prosperity
Gospel where some false teachers talk about if you commit to God as a reward you will receive amazing wealth without effort. Secular examples of signs and wonders are modern gadgets, rock concerts, sporting events, and gambling casinos. People throughout history have followed false messiahs claiming to be Jesus, who have claimed to perform or receive signs and wonders from God

But yet today’s Gospel calls us to faith. The passage is telling us to believe that God is working on our behalf despite the fact that we do not see him standing right beside us. But yet in Matthew 28:20 that Jesus says that we will be with us until the end of the age. But why don’t we have faith? Oftentimes it is as the Orthodox Church calls it is the crafts and assaults of the devil. In today’s Epistle, Ephesians 6:10-20 the Apostle Paul tells us to put on the armor of God, so that we may stand against the schemes of the devil: verse 11. One of the schemes of the devil is to deceive us to think that God is not working on behalf in trying and troubling times. Oftentimes this deception is so great that people lose their faith entirely, such as the case of a former pastor who became an atheist.

But the question is, how do we increase our faith and believe that God is working in our lives? One way is to simply ask God for an increase in faith
In Matthew 7:7 Jesus says ask and it shall be given.

In addition we don’t have to have a great deal of faith for God to work in our lives. In Matthew 17:20 Jesus says that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed, nothing will be impossible for us to do. Look at the Nobleman, after Jesus rebuked him, Our Lord kindled in the man a faith that was small but enough to believe that Jesus could heal his son.

A third way to increase our faith is through prayer, and attendançe at Mass to hear the eternal Word of God and receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Through Holy Communion our souls and bodies are cleansed from sin that distanced us from God. But through Holy Communion, in this Sacrament, Jesus as the 1928 Anglican Book of Common Prayer says dwells in us and we in him: page 81. Let’s look at John 6:56:

He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in Me and I in him.

As Christ dwells within through Holy Communion we are as close to Him as we can get. Since He dwells within we can easily ask Him for an increase in faith.

As a colleague of mine Father Robert Keirsey asks when you look at a portion of Scripture, who are you in it? Are we like the Centurion in Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10 who had an absolute faith that Jesus could heal his servant, or are we more like the Nobleman with a weak faith that grows? Romans 14:23 tells us that whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. However, today’s ‘Collect based on the Gelasian Sacramentary of the 5th Century in the west states if we ask God we will receive pardon and peace. Our God is good. Amen.


Sermon Notes: Twenty First Sunday After Trinity
Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024
By Father David Valentini
Gospel; John 4:46-54

In today's Gospel two cities figure prominently:
Capernaum and Cana. Capernaum was a village whose main industry was fishing. It was a prominent trade route between Damascus and Egypt. The Romans mainted a force of 24,000 men there. Herod Antipas, a Jewish leader who ruled Galilee may have had a palace there. Cana was a small village seven miles from Nazareth and eighteen miles from Cana, about a day’s journey on foot. It was in Cana that Jesus
performed his miracle of turning the water into wine in John 2:1-12.

Enter the Nobleman in this narrative. The Bible says that he traveled alone from Capernaum to see Jesus. Very little is known about the man. Some have speculated that he was a high-level official in the employ of Herod Antipas As mentioned above the Nobleman traveled alone to escape notice. This may be due to the fact that Herod Antipas had wanted to kill Jesus: Luke 13:31-32. Secondly, it could have been fear of being ostracized. John 12:42 tells us that many prominent Jews believed in Jesus but kept quiet
about it for fear of being expelled from the synagogue by the Pharisees.

How did the Nobleman know about Jesus? Perhaps he had heard about the miracle at Cana. Perhaps that he was one of the Jewish leaders that believed in Jesus as the Messiah.

Also in this passage, there is no mention of other sons. This could pose a problem for the Nobleman. A father would give a sizable inheritance to the oldest son, to display his prestige in the community; failure to do this could bring harm to his reputation.

On a more basic level, the prominent man may have been terrified to lose his son. Perhaps he was at a loss of what to do and saw Jesus as his only and best hope.

The Nobleman sought Jesus and asked him to come back to heal his son. Jesus rebuked the man by saying that unless the people see signs and wonders they will not believe. Signs and wonders were prominent in the Old Testament. Here are some examples:

The plagues God inflicted on Pharaoh in the Book of Exodus

Moses was given three miracles by God to prove his prophecy to the people in the Book of Exodus: the turning of the rod into a serpent and back again: Exodus 4:1-5; Moses is healed of leprosy: Exodus 4:6-7; the turning of Egyptian water into blood: Exodus 7:20; and the parting of the Red Sea: Exodus 24:21-31.

The blowing of the shofar horn at Jericho that brought down the walls of the city: Joshua 6:20.

Many Jewish feast days such as Passover in the Book of Exodus: the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery from Egypt, and the miracle of the Tenth plague where the Angel of Death slayed the first born children of Egyptians. The Lord commanded through Moses and Aaron in
Exodus 12:26-36 to eat a Passover lamb, sprinkle the door with its blood, and eat unleavened bread for seven days; the Lord said if they did this all first born Jewish children would be spared.

The signs of the covenant that God made with His people such as the rainbow after the flood in the Book of Genesis and the Sabbath in Exodus 20:8.

A commentator on signs and wonders makes an astute observation:

The signs and wonders that a prophet works are not an end in themselves. They are only to get people's attention so that he can instruct them

Jesus is in His Messianic Role as Priest, Prophet, and King. As a Prophet He is instructing the Nobleman that signs and wonders are not an end to themselves, but that faith in God is. Hebrews 11:1: defined faith as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen

After Jesus rebuked the Nobleman, the man began to have faith in the mere Word of Jesus that He could heal his dying son; after Jesus said that his son lives and Jesus commanded Him to depart, the Bible says the man believed what Jesus told him regarding his son.

The Bible says that Jesus told the Nobleman that his son would be healed at the seventh hour. Upon returning home, one of the servants told the Nobleman that the fever left his son at the seventh hour, which resulted in the man and his whole household believing that Jesus is the Messiah. The passage ends with the statement that this was the second miracle that Jesus did.

In today’s world people look for signs and wonders instead of having faith in God. One modern example of seeking signs and wonders is the false prosperity
Gospel where some false teachers talk about if you commit to God as a reward you will receive amazing wealth without effort. Secular examples of signs and wonders are modern gadgets, rock concerts, sporting events, and gambling casinos. People throughout history have followed false messiahs claiming to be Jesus, who have claimed to perform or receive signs and wonders from God

But yet today’s Gospel calls us to faith. The passage is telling us to believe that God is working on our behalf despite the fact that we do not see him standing right beside us. But yet in Matthew 28:20 that Jesus says that we will be with us until the end of the age. But why don’t we have faith? Oftentimes it is as the Orthodox Church calls it is the crafts and assaults of the devil. In today’s Epistle, Ephesians 6:10-20 the Apostle Paul tells us to put on the armor of God, so that we may stand against the schemes of the devil: verse 11. One of the schemes of the devil is to deceive us to think that God is not working on behalf in trying and troubling times. Oftentimes this deception is so great that people lose their faith entirely, such as the case of a former pastor who became an atheist.

But the question is, how do we increase our faith and believe that God is working in our lives? One way is to simply ask God for an increase in faith
In Matthew 7:7 Jesus says ask and it shall be given.

In addition we don’t have to have a great deal of faith for God to work in our lives. In Matthew 17:20 Jesus says that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed, nothing will be impossible for us to do. Look at the Nobleman, after Jesus rebuked him, Our Lord kindled in the man a faith that was small but enough to believe that Jesus could heal his son.

A third way to increase our faith is through prayer, and attendançe at Mass to hear the eternal Word of God and receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Through Holy Communion our souls and bodies are cleansed from sin that distanced us from God. But through Holy Communion, in this Sacrament, Jesus as the 1928 Anglican Book of Common Prayer says dwells in us and we in him: page 81. Let’s look at John 6:56:

He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in Me and I in him.

As Christ dwells within through Holy Communion we are as close to Him as we can get. Since He dwells within we can easily ask Him for an increase in faith.

As a colleague of mine Father Robert Keirsey asks when you look at a portion of Scripture, who are you in it? Are we like the Centurion in Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10 who had an absolute faith that Jesus could heal his servant, or are we more like the Nobleman with a weak faith that grows? Romans 14:23 tells us that whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. However, today’s ‘Collect based on the Gelasian Sacramentary of the 5th Century in the west states if we ask God we will receive pardon and peace. Our God is good. Amen.

10/12/2024

Sermon Notes: 20th Sunday After Trinity
October 13, 2024 AD
By Father David Valentini
Gospel:Matthew 22:1-14

Matthew’s Gospel is geared towards a Jewish audience. The wedding feast or the marriage supper is called in Judaism:seduat nissuin.
Under the Law of Moses it was a mitzvah or a commandment to enjoy the wedding reception for the bride and groom. Prominent guests were invited, along with all members of the community, including the poor. The higher point of the Law of Moses is mercy, and the poor who attended could collect alms from the wedding guests. In addition, a special table was set up for the poor so that they could participate in the wedding feast. This brings us to today's Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14.

Jesus begins by stating that a King made a marriage supper for His Son. The King is God the Father and the Son is Jesus Christ. The wedding feast represents the marriage of Christ and His Church. The King sends His servants out to invite three prominent men to the wedding feast. The first two men who refused the wedding invitation represent those who through their spiritual blindness could not accept Jesus as the Messiah. The third man represents those who murdered the early Christian missionaries who brought the message of the Gospel.

Jesus says upon hearing this, the King becomes angry at the murder of His servants and orders the city of the murderers to be burned down. This refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD prophesied by Jesus in Luke 19:41-44.

The King then tells His servants that those who originally invited to the wedding feast who refused are not worthy; they may represent those who rejected Jesus and the Gospel and may represent those in the nation of Israel. The King’s Commencement to invite everyone else, rich or poor, good or bad refers to the Great Commission, which Jesus commands His disciples to make followers in every nation through baptism in the Holy Trinity. The Great Commission is mentioned in all Four Canonical Gospels and the Book of Acts.

Next, the King notices that one of the guests does not have on a wedding garment. A wedding garment in Judaism was called a kippah, which is a brimless hat worn by the guests, given to them by the host for this special occasion. Now what does the wedding garment represent? Some commentators attest it represents humility and righteousness. Jesus in Matthew 6:33 says to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. So the man by failing to seek the Kingdom of God is seeking the Kingdom of Darkness which results in eternal separation from God.

Jesus ends the passage by saying that many are called but few are chosen. What does this mean? God calls all men to eternal life and salvation: many are called. However, through faith, baptism, and repentance we must believe in Jesus and His Commandments. However, not all men will do this and this results in eternal separation from God. Those who believe and obey by doing God’s will are called to eternal life: few are chosen.

In today's world many have been invited to the wedding feast. It has been translated into every language and available in every nation on Earth.
Despite this only 2 billion people out of 8 billion
have accepted an invitation to the wedding feast.
But the question is why haven’t the other six billion accepted the invitation or failed to put on the wedding garment of righteousness and humility? Like the men who declined the wedding invitation and like the man who failed to wear the wedding garment, many who have not accepted Christ are consumed with the pleasure of this world. In the Parable of the Sower which appears in Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:4-15, Jesus talks about those who accept the Gospel then forsake it for worldly pursuits abandoning righteousness and humility.

The reason also that many do not reject the invitation to the wedding feast or fail to put on the garment of righteousness and humility is that they simply have not been asked. The Lord commands us in the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations through baptism in the name of the Holy Trinity. Many Christians do not tell people about Christ; this is actually a sin;let's look at James 4:17:

Therefore to him to knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him, it is sin.

Even in our contemporary society when one receives a wedding invitation there is advanced notice. First a save the date notice is sent out with a time and place. You will be politely asked to RSVP. RSVP comes from a French phrase please respond.. In the Anglican Tradition the bonds of marriage will be published three weeks before the wedding and wedding feast.

Revelation 19:9 tells us of the marriage supper of the Lamb. This wedding feast will be the union of Christ and His Church. All believers throughout history will be there which will dwarf any other gathering in the history of mankind. That same verse says blessed are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

To get to the marriage supper of the Lamb, Jesus must return to earth to judge mankind and vanquish evil. The signs of the return of Jesus and the marriage supper of the Lamb are becoming more numerous. One of the signs of Our Lord’s impending return is that the Gospel has been preached to all 195 nations on earth. In Matthew 24:14, Jesus stated that the Gospel will be preached to every nation on earth and the end will come.

In order to be admitted to the marriage supper of the Lamb we must put on the garment of humility
and righteousness. In order to do this we must believe in God and follow His Commandments.
We must tell others about Christ. I'm doing so we are doing the will of God which is a prerequisite for entrance into eternal life: Matthew 7:21. Father Massey Shepherd, an Anglican priest, states that we must choose between God and Satan’s Kingdom. He goes on to say that spiritual neutrality is not an option. In the end the choice is yours.

08/10/2024

Sermon Notes By Father David
Gospel: Luke 18:9-14
Date: Aug 11, 2024 AD

Imagine two men sitting side by side for everyone to see. Both make a reasonable living. One man is honored everywhere he goes, and another not at all. One is considered the vanguard of the religious and civil laws of the nation going back centuries, and another looked upon as a traitor to his own people. One would imagine the traitor getting dirty looks wherever he went.

In today's modern society we see the rich and powerful according to the world's standard that doesn't mean much in their finery costing several thousand dollars, and cars more expensive than some homes. Then there are the traitors such as one individual who revealed technical secrets to the Russians and an American soldier who defected to North Korea. Treason in the United States carries a prison term being the maximum of life imprisonment.

In today's Gospel, we have the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. A publican at the time of Christ was a native tax collector who collected taxes for the Roman Government. They were often despised by the people who hated being under foreign rule. By contrast, the Pharisees were legal experts in the nation of Israel, were quite popular, and very wealthy. Whereas the Publican might have a stone thrown at them, the Pharisee was often venerated in public.

So the Lord puts the Publican and the Pharisee praying side by side in the Temple. One could imagine the stares of the people seeing this traitorous tax collector praying in the Temple.
Maybe the Pharisee sees this and then prays to God and says in essence I'm glad I am not like these other sinners especially this Publican, I fast, I to tithe, and follow the Law of Moses.
Now enter the Publican. He is aware of the stares, he thinks of the words spoken under people's breath as he passes by, and maybe the angry responses when he collects taxes in public. The Bible says he stood afar off, perhaps in the back, maybe to escape notice, or he doesn't think he is worthy to be there. Our Lord says he doesn't even look up towards heaven as he is praying, but beats his breast and asks for the mercy of God.

Billy Graham once told a story of how he looked at a diamond on a table. He said it looked perfect, but then when he looked at it under the microscope, he could see scratches and other imperfections. The Pharisee in this parable looks presentable, morally upright, and generally acceptable. However, in Matthew 23:14, the Lord rebukes them for devouring widow's houses. What this meant was that the Pharisees often charged extremely high fees for their legal expertise to the widows who were often alone, poor, destitute, some with no family, and little access to the necessities of life. Our Lord said that such Pharisees would receive eternal punishment.

In a book by English author Susan Howard, an Anglican spiritual director tells the priest that he is directing to be aware of the glittering images. Those glittering images can be deceptive. Oftentimes people in their finery do not appear to look sinful. The Pharisees were in their jewels, purple and fine linen were just as sinful in coercing money from the poor widow's, violating the Law of Moses to charge for the services, as were the Publicans who were able to shake down people in public for all sorts of taxes from sunrise to sunset. In each case, both men were sinners.

In this parable, we see two concurrent themes of spiritual blindness and spiritual clarity. The Pharisee is blind to the sin of pride, as he boasts such superiority over the despised publican and renders scathing judgment, which is God's job alone. Proverbs 8:13 says to hate pride and arrogance. By contrast, the Publican as mentioned, does not even look up and asks for the mercy of God. The Publican is aware of his sin and the grave nature of it and repents. Jesus states that the Publican went justified or made righteous when he went on to His home.

Here in this passage, we see Jesus in His respective roles as Priest, Prophet, and Teacher. Throughout His Messianic Ministry, Jesus is continually interceding for us to God the Father. He is a Prophet. Jesus tells us that the Publican went to His home after asking for mercy and repenting justified. Our Lord is telling us by extension that if we ask for God's mercy and repent we will be made righteous. Jesus is the King: He tells us that the rules to entry into the Kingdom of Heaven are: to humble oneself, ask for mercy, and forgiveness, be made righteous, and in the process be allowed to enter into eternal life.

As my good friend Father Robert Keitsey often asks people to imagine in a portion of the Bible which one of the characters are we. In this case, are we the Publican or the Pharisee? Are we self-righteous like the Pharisee and think we are infinitely superior to those dirty sinners around us or are we contrite and asking for mercy like the Publican? In many cases we can be both the Publican and the Pharisee. Let's look at the life of the Apostle Paul.

Paul or Saul of Tarsus was born in Asia Minor. He was a Pharisee, a legal scholar, and also a tent maker. His life was chronicled in Acts Chapter 9. He was a bitter enemy of the followers of Jesus. Paul was on his way to Damascus with arrest warrants for followers of Christ. His mission was to bring those followers back to Jerusalem for trial. On the way to Damascus Paul encountered the Spirit of Jesus. He was blinded for three days, went to Damascus, was fed, and baptized. While at Damascus he bodily preached about Jesus Christ.

Now let's look at this conversion of Paul more closely. In order to be baptized he had to repent of his sin. If he repented, Paul was truly sorry for the sins he committed, and sought God's mercy.
Like the Publican, Paul became justified in the eyes of the Lord.

The question is why is it important to be justified or made righteous by Almighty God. One reason is for the remission of our sins through faith and the sacraments, two to gain entrance into eternal life, and three to build up the Kingdom of Heaven.
In Romans 2:13, the Apostle Paul tells us that the hearers of the law will be not justified, but it will be the doers of the law who will be justified. In addition doing good works based on repentance , mercy, and faith is an act of praise and worship. Let's look at what Jesus says in Matthew 5:16:

Let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.

In addition, if we dig for it, we see the implication contained in the parable. The Pharisee failed to show mercy to the Publican. As mentioned, he was prideful, and rendered scathing judgment on the Publican. But yet the Pharisee could have shown the Publican charity or love. When the Apostle Paul writes the Corinthians 1 Corinthians 13, he points out that he could do everything right according to the law, if he had no charity, his faith is meaningless , shallow, and dead. Paul states that the greatest of all things is love. So the implication in today's Gospel is we should not show judgment but charity towards others. In fact, in John 15:12 Jesus commands us to live one another, as He has loved us.

As we wrap up,, as we are justified before God and love one another, we are following the Great Commission, in which Jesus commanded His disciples to make followers of all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. As we are made righteous before God, we can bring people to Almighty God and do other great things in His Name. In John 14:12, Jesus says that we will do greater works than He as He will return to God the Father. Our Prayer Book echoed today's Gospel. During the service we ask for God's Mercy, and are justified through the Sacrament of Holy Communion. On page 83 the Prayer of Thanksgiving in the Prayer Book acknowledges this. In it, we thank God for receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion and then next we ask Almighty God to:

Assist us with Thy Grace, that we may in that holy fellowship, and do all such good works as Thou hast prepared for us to walk in.

Lastly, in doing such good works we dwarf any of the accomplishments of any tech CEO, cryptocurrency founder, or any other business or cult leader that the masses follow. I'll leave you with a story told by Pastor David Jeremiah.

In 1983, nearly 130 million people watched the Super Bowl. Sixty four years prior to this someone was born in North Carolina. He never made more than forty thousand per year, and lived in the same house all of his married life. He traveled all over the world, but not in luxury. He was not a politician, business mogul, or Hollywood Star. His impact on the world could have in part ended the Cold War. In 2009, this man preached on the radio to over one billion people, and his name was Billy Graham and he spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

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