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Sermon-Lent III1 I.

A. From the Fifth Chapter and 14th verse of the Letter of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church at Ephesus, we heard these words: “ . . . Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” [Ep 5: 14] B. In the Name of The Father and of The Son and of The Holy Ghost. Amen. II. A. Succinctly put, we just heard the Scripture call to us as follows: “Awake . . . Arise . . . and Christ shall give us light.” B. But our government has today moved our clocks forward one hour so that we may have light earlier in the morning, and so that we may enjoy the twilight in the evening for longer when we complete our work earlier in the daytime. That is what we call “Daylight Saving Time.” And so we have more daylight to use because we heeded the call to “Awake” and to “Arise.” Parenthetically speaking, although this is what we have experienced, it is not precisely what St. Paul was telling the Ephesians. III. A. The Apostle to the Gentiles writes: “Christ shall give you light.” [Ep 5: 14] B. What does St. Paul mean when he says “Christ shall give us light.”

2. IV.

1. Remember St. Paul had not read the Gospel of St. John in which that Beloved Apostle had written of Jesus Christ: “In him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shined in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” [Jn 1: 4, 5] And St. John goes on to write that Christ is “(t)he true light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world.” [Jn 1: 9] Later on in St. John’s Gospel, our Lord says: “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” [Jn 8: 12] A. But we know what both St. Paul and St. John have written.

1. And St. Paul writes to the Ephesians that “ . . . for once you were darkness, but

now you are light in the Lord: walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and . . . . (t)ake no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” [Ep 5: 8-11] 2. And he makes clear that darkness includes filthiness, silly talk, and levity, which are not fitting. Included also as not fitting are fornication, impurity, covetousness, and idolatry. [Ep 5: 3-5]

3. St. Paul writes that we are to speak the truth with our neighbor and if angry not to sin nor let the sun set while still angry. We are not to steal but to work so that we are able to give to those in need. Evil talk is not to come from our mouths; rather only such as is good for edifying to fit the occasion. And so we are to give up bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander and malice, while being kind and tenderhearted, forgiving one another as Christ forgave us. We are to walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up on Calvary for us as an offering and sacrifice to God The Father. [Ep 4: 25-5: 2] 4. This is because in Baptism we have been renewed in the spirit of our minds and have put on a new nature created by the Holy Spirit who comes to dwell within us. This new nature is created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. [Ep 4: 23] V.

A. Thus the theme of our Epistle Lesson for today contrasts “light with darkness” while illustrating the difference in the ethical life we are to live as Christians as opposed to those who do not believe in Christ as Lord and Savior. This is sometimes referred to by St. Paul as the difference between “the children of light and the children of disobedience.”i

B. And so we have used the hymn entitled “I want to walk as a child of the light” for our Sermon Hymn today.ii A. We are all in the process of following in the footsteps of Christ as we seek to follow the admonition to be children of the light. VI.

1. We are in the process of attempting to streamline our services so that we can fit worship, education, training, and fellowship into the time available to us on Sunday. 2. To enable us to be both apostolic and evangelistic, we have to be careful to treat no part of our life together such that any part becomes an idol to be virtually “worshiped” or considered so sacrosanct that it crowds out one of our Sunday functions. 3. We cannot become so enamored of any part of our life together that we are unable to make a sacrifice to bring in others to serve our Lord here. 4. Nor should we become filled with ill thoughts regarding those streamlining proposals, or with others who may propose or favor them, that may impinge upon what we like best. 5. And if we believe with St. Paul, we are not to let the sun go down upon any anger over these things nor are we to let unkind words escape our lips.

6. All that we do should be conducted in decency and in good order, the hallmarks of Anglican life together. This applies to our thoughts, our words, and our deeds. 7. And this also calls to mind that the purposes of our Lenten Season are selfexamination, repentance, confession, and absolution to cleanse us for the restoration of that new nature we were given at Baptism. 8. This restoration will make us ready for a joyous celebration of the Easter life our Risen Lord offers those who come to Him in humility with love of Him and our neighbor. B. St. Paul tells us in spades, so to speak, how we are to live with one another. We heard that this morning and also last Sunday in the Epistle Lessons. But what will help us follow his injunctions? 1.

First, we must daily read the scripture provided for us in the lectionary of the BCP or some other comprehensive lectionary.

2.

Second, we must find the time to pray, using at least a form that covers the areas known as adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication, which are known by the acronym “ACTS.”

3.

Third, we must find the time to worship on Sundays and, if possible, at the Friday Stations of the Cross.

4.

Fourth, we must fellowship within our congregation, learning for whom we can pray, whom we can assist, and what others have found to be helpful to maintain a Christian life and Christian family. And conversation with your clergy and lay readers may offer insight also. In other words, we are to walk as Children of the Light.

A. And if we follow the Light of Christ, we will avoid the demonic attempts to divide our Church congregation, our church organizations, our friendships, and our families. For the Scripture of the Gospel of St. Luke for today that warns us that “ . . . a house divided against a house falleth.” [Lk 11: 17b] is true. None less than the rail splitter president, Abraham Lincoln, the lawyer from the prairie, similarly warned his countrymen during the War Between the States. VII.

B. We are enjoined by our Lord Christ to guard our spiritual houses against the devils of this world. And we are to be spiritually vigilant to keep our houses filled with Christ himself, knowing that if we are not with Him we are against Him and would be guilty of scattering His Kingdom if we gathered not with Him. [Lk 11: 20-26]

C. What is the remedy for preventing this potential division in our ranks here at the

church, in our organizations, in our friendships, and our families? The Master said the remedy is to “ . . . hear the word of God, and keep it.” [Lk 11: 28] Without serious contemplation one might say that His command is “easier read than done!!” VIII.

A. But please do not think that any difficulties we have in building and maintaining a life in Christ cannot be overcome.

1. For our Lord said that He had overcome the world. [Jn 16: 33] And He said that apart from Him we could do nothing [Jn 15: 5b], but if we abide in Him, as branches abide in the vine, and His words abide in us, whatever we will ask shall be done for us, and we shall bear much fruit. [Jn15: 5a, 7] 2. Is there any limit to His Grace? He that has overcome the world has also said “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always to the close of the age.” [Mt 28: 18-20] 3. Therefore, my sisters and brothers in Christ, in the words of that baptismal hymn,iii which we heard today in the Pauline Epistle lesson: “ . . . Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light,” [Ep 5: 14] and we shall, as the Apostle directed, be light in the Lord and walk as children of [the] light. [Ep 5: 8] And, in the words of our Sermon Hymn, “When we have run with patience the race, we shall know the joy of Jesus.”iv B. In the Name of The Father and of The Son and of The Holy Ghost. Amen. i

Shepherd, Massey H., Jr., Oxford American Prayer Book Commentary, Oxford Univ. Press, New York, N. Y. (1950) at pp. 128-129. ii Hymnal 1982, Church Hymnal Corp.-Church Pension Fund, New York, N. Y. (1985) (Accompaniment Ed.Vol. No. 2), Hymn No. 490. iii See Fn 2, supra, at pp. 128-129. iv Supra, Fn. 3 at stanza no. 3, verse no. 4.