Tuesday, May 27, 2014
27 May 2014
Exodus 16:21-17:7
When I was growing up in the 60s, most people recognised that Sunday was a day of rest, a Christian Sabbath as it were. Early Christians celebrated the Eucharist on Sunday, because Yeshua rose from the dead on Sunday, and because the Holy Spirit was given on a Sunday. Sunday was regarded as the 8th day of creation, because Yeshua by his death and resurrection made everything new. It was natural then that the day of rest would pass from Saturday to Sunday, and when the Emperor Constantine declared that no work should be done on Sunday, he was basically reflecting what the church was already practicing.
The Blue Laws of Texas, today have all but disappeared, and according to several friends of mine who work at grocery stores, Sunday is now the biggest shopping day of the week. The lesson from Exodus indicates that we are to have a day of rest, not only a day of resting in the Lord, but a day of rest, no work, a day that can be spent with the family relaxing. As the blue laws have disappeared we see less unity. I know some Mexican families who go to the park at 11:00 at night, because Dad works 7 days a week, Mom has off Tuesday, and the kids are in school Monday through Friday. Some people claimed the blue laws harmed them, but personally, I see that many things were better when they were in place.
Of course I know many of you have to work on Sunday, you no longer have a choice as the forces of secularisation take over. But for those who do have a choice, working on Sunday shows we don't trust the Lord. Over the years, I have found that when I give God my tithe, and my time, he meets my needs. I am not getting rich by any means, but I am blessed with what I need. God was unhappy with those who went out seeking Manna on the Sabbath, because they were demonstrating that they did not trust God to take care of us.
Of course the world is against having Sunday off. Somehow it offends them, and they want to make sure everyone has the right to work on Sunday and not have time off with their families. We Christians too, have forgotten that we are to be salt and light to the world, i.e. we are to change it. Laws forbidding work on Sunday go all the way back to Constantine, and all the way back to Alfred the Great among English speaking Christians. Christians have changed countries and the world in the past, and we can do it today. The family and congregations are both hurt because most retail businesses give their employees no choice about working on Sunday. If you tell them you won't work on Sunday, then you won't work.
It is time we really looked at our position vis a vis the world. Is the world to run us, or are we to rule the world. Many Christians, especially Calvinists believe we are to remake the world. In the past we as Christians freed slaves, took children out of factories and mines, and abolished sati. The work is not finished. Many women and children to this day are slaves even here in the United States, and we must fight these evils.We need to have confidence that we are in the world to change it.
We do that first by changing ourselves.Before Christians run the world, they most run themselves. For example, bearing in mind the words of Jesus about divorce, why is it that there are more divorces among evangelical Christians than the population in general? Why is it that the church's teaching on birth control so changed in the 20th century? Why do more kids get pregnant in the Bible belt? Why are so few people getting married?
Could it be because we no longer allow the Holy Spirit in our lives? The Bible tells us the fruits of the spirit are:
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.
Do we see these fruits in Christians any more? What is true love according to the Bible? Helping those in need.
Are we joyful in our life with Christ? Do we find that joy in him and obeying him?
Do we truly have the peace or Shalom of God? It comes through obedience. Among those whom I have counselled with besetting sins, many have told me they have no peace, because they know what they are doing is wrong.
When someone cuts you off on the freeway, do you respond with a curse, or a blessing?
Are we truly kind to one another? (and kindness includes telling someone he is wrong)
Do we try and remove all evil from our lives?
Do we believe and follow God where ever he leads us? Even if it means not going with the world.
Are we gentle with other Christians in correcting and guiding them, and with those outside the church? (remember gentle does NOT mean sugar coating the truth)
Do we have self control of our own lives?
According to the Lambeth Council of 1930, that very last one is critical. Why is it that the millenials want to strip the Bible down to what Jesus said, instead of using the entire Bible. Yeshua frequently quoted from the Old Testament. Peter in his Second Epistle to Timothy tells us: "16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
If it was good for the early church, why isn't it good now. I think it is that little word, self control.
(BTW, I stand convicted on several items in the fruit of the Spirit. I will aim to change, will you?
Monday, March 17, 2014
16 March 2014
Part of our reading from Baruch today is a model prayer for us, very standard for the Tanach.
The prayer begins with what God has done. This is not done to remind God what he has done for us, but to remind ourselves and to increase our faith. , "Dear Lord who delivered me from tobacco and alcoholism, who brought me to and from Honduras various times, who kept my boat afloat and me alive through the tropical storm, who gave me my wife and children and grandchildren." Just typing this makes me feel more confident in my prayers.
The second part is also a reminder, "who punishes as you told us you would and as you predicted. God warned them over and over and over, keep the Sabbath, do justice, love one another and take care of the widow and orphan. "Dear Lord, I saw some one in need to day and didn't help them out, and I derserve to be punished.
If we really want to pray to God, it is important that we start our prayers this way, filling our minds and heart with the things God has done for us, and reminding ourselves that we are sinful and do not deserve a single blessing, but trusting God to have mercy on us.
The prayer begins with what God has done. This is not done to remind God what he has done for us, but to remind ourselves and to increase our faith. , "Dear Lord who delivered me from tobacco and alcoholism, who brought me to and from Honduras various times, who kept my boat afloat and me alive through the tropical storm, who gave me my wife and children and grandchildren." Just typing this makes me feel more confident in my prayers.
The second part is also a reminder, "who punishes as you told us you would and as you predicted. God warned them over and over and over, keep the Sabbath, do justice, love one another and take care of the widow and orphan. "Dear Lord, I saw some one in need to day and didn't help them out, and I derserve to be punished.
If we really want to pray to God, it is important that we start our prayers this way, filling our minds and heart with the things God has done for us, and reminding ourselves that we are sinful and do not deserve a single blessing, but trusting God to have mercy on us.
Monday, March 10, 2014
First Sunday in Lent: 9 March 2014
Today we will concentrate on Baruch. Baruch begins by reading his book
to the king and noble families, who are struck to the heart, There were
four results of the reading, the people wept, fasted, prayed and
collected money to send to Jerusalem for the sacrifice. The people of
Jerusalem are instructed to pray for Nebuchadnezzar and his heir, and to
confess their sins.
The confession follows. In the confession, the people admit that they had sinned against God and deserved to be punished. They admit not only their own sins, but the sins of their ancestors in not listening to the law and the prophets, and because of those sins, they were scattered to the nations.
When we pray, we need to realise there is none who does good, not not one, not without the power of the Holy Spirit. We also need to remember our ancestors, and plead the blood of Jesus between their sins and ourselves. We also need to know that God moves in many amazing ways. The creation of the Jewish diaspora, the adoption of the Aramaic language from the Indus to Israel were all factors in the spread of the gospel. When Messianic Jews fled Jerusalem in 72 A.D., they went to the Jewish Diaspora, in Cornwall, Ethiopia, Persia, Mesopotamia, Arabia, and even India and China and spread the Gospel.
The other lessons point out things for us as well. God has his own timing. Our timing is always now, but God knows the right time. Could it be that God allowed the Hebrews to suffer a little more, so they would not go running back to Egypt at the first sign of trouble?
The passage from Samuel also raises questions. We often talk about David's heart, but do we ever talk about Jonathon. Jonathon has a kingdom to lose to David, but is always David's friend and sometime protector. Jonathon sees in David the greatness that is needed to bind together the 12 tribes.
I hope each of you is benefiting from your Lenten discipline. Remember, if you fall, just start over again the next day. We are building up our spiritual muscles. Be sure and set goals. and there is nothing wrong with modifying those goals as we go along. The ultimate goal of Lent, is to become more like Christ.
The confession follows. In the confession, the people admit that they had sinned against God and deserved to be punished. They admit not only their own sins, but the sins of their ancestors in not listening to the law and the prophets, and because of those sins, they were scattered to the nations.
When we pray, we need to realise there is none who does good, not not one, not without the power of the Holy Spirit. We also need to remember our ancestors, and plead the blood of Jesus between their sins and ourselves. We also need to know that God moves in many amazing ways. The creation of the Jewish diaspora, the adoption of the Aramaic language from the Indus to Israel were all factors in the spread of the gospel. When Messianic Jews fled Jerusalem in 72 A.D., they went to the Jewish Diaspora, in Cornwall, Ethiopia, Persia, Mesopotamia, Arabia, and even India and China and spread the Gospel.
The other lessons point out things for us as well. God has his own timing. Our timing is always now, but God knows the right time. Could it be that God allowed the Hebrews to suffer a little more, so they would not go running back to Egypt at the first sign of trouble?
The passage from Samuel also raises questions. We often talk about David's heart, but do we ever talk about Jonathon. Jonathon has a kingdom to lose to David, but is always David's friend and sometime protector. Jonathon sees in David the greatness that is needed to bind together the 12 tribes.
I hope each of you is benefiting from your Lenten discipline. Remember, if you fall, just start over again the next day. We are building up our spiritual muscles. Be sure and set goals. and there is nothing wrong with modifying those goals as we go along. The ultimate goal of Lent, is to become more like Christ.
Monday, March 3, 2014
3 March 2014
This week we continue with preparations for Lent, but will also deal with the Tanach of the week.
The lessons this week all focus on the transfigurations of our Adonai, Yeshua. The first lesson, deals with Moshe ascending the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:12-18), while the Prophet is about Eliyahu's experience on the mountain, when he receives his commission (I Kings 19:1-18). The writing (Job 38:1-41, 40:1-5) follows Job's complaint to God about his circumstances. God responds out of the whirlwind, and basically asks Job, "Where were you when I made the heavens and the earth?" God asks him where he was when God made the heavens and earth, when he set the boundaries of the sea, if he could order nature, if he had been to the bottom of the ocean, if he knew the places of light and darkness, if he knew where rain and snow and lighting come from, if he could control the stars, or could feed the wild animals. God in his questioning is demonstrating that He and He alone had created the Heavens and the Earth. God in essence is revealing to Iyov that he is Sovereign over all creation because he made it, and that since he is sovereign, it is necessary to obey him.
In the west today, we have troubles with words like sovereign, king, lord and kingdom. We think of a monarchy being something like Great Britain, Spain, Holland, Denmark, etc., where the monarchs are basically figure head monarchs, with very little say in how the country is run. In the time that the book of Job was written, there was no such thing as a constitutional monarch. The monarch was president, congress and supreme court all rolled into one. It is a concept that today we have a hard time understanding, partly because we think such a thing is wrong. We believe in voting, and kicking the guy out if we don't agree with him. We don't seem to understand that God is not an earthly king, but as Creator of the Universe, whose nature is love, Absolute Sovereign. We respond with a false God, the Great Santa Claus in the sky, who gives us what we want when we are good, and not when we are bad and who is too nice to ever punish us. We have lost the point of view, that God's laws are laid out, for us, to help us live a life of holiness that will help us to truly find our purpose in life. We have forgotten the virtues of prayer, fasting and alms giving and replaced them with a self righteousness which grieves God and leads to our own condemnation. We refuse to see punishment for sin as what it was in the Bible, and we refuse to think that the God who punished Israel and Yehuda will do the same for us. It is indeed a slippery slope, when we start ignoring God's commands. Yeshua tells us that the Sabbath was made for man (i.e. for our well being) yet we ignore it today. No Fault divorce (prohibited by Yeshua himself) was placed into practice to keep people from perjuring themselves to get divorced. (I was flabbergasted when I learned this). We have decided that the creator of the universe, who made us is not allowed to have any input into how we run our sexual lives. We forget that God's word tells us that many sins are caused by idolatry, yet we continue to worship the false gods of money and power, and materialism.
It is then time for the church to truly recognise that God is King and Sovereign, not only of the Universe, but of our lives. We need to line up our church, our lives, and our society with his word, and not act like it is optional. Our God is a consuming fire, and he is love. As Christians, we need to obey him and proclaim his word to all the world.
In addition this is the last Sunday before Lent begins. We have been talking about things to do with Lenten discipline, and have covered study and piety. Today, we will talk about action, to which there are several aspects, the first of which is Apostolic Action, which is proclaiming the Gospel. Before you proclaim the Gospel, you must be in prayer, and know God's word. Secondly we need to have a plan of action. Who are we going to evangelise. Once we know who, we start out praying and fasting for that person. We ask God to give us the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel to that person. Don't worry, he will. And if that person turns the Gospel down, keep praying, you might just be preparing the ground for someone else. Once through your efforts someone comes to Messiah, you need to teach them Christian Discipline, and stick with them at the very least until they are baptised.
Action also means holiness of life. If you are going to attract someone to Messiah, then people need to see Messiah in you. It is popular to ask, "What would Jesus do?" Well that is a good question. You, as a Christian may be the only sign of Jesus that some people will see.
Action also means stewardship, of money, time, resources. Do you use your time well. Do you frequently spend time with God in prayer and study? Do you regularly help those who need that help? Do you give at least 10% of your money to God, and spend the rest of it in ways that Messiah will approve? Do you share your time, your money, even your home with those in need. That my friends is also action.
I would like to invite you all to join us. The Great Service of Forgiveness will be Tuesday at 8:00 P.M. Out Ash Wednesday service will be Wednesday at 6:00 A.M. Hope to see you.
The lessons this week all focus on the transfigurations of our Adonai, Yeshua. The first lesson, deals with Moshe ascending the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:12-18), while the Prophet is about Eliyahu's experience on the mountain, when he receives his commission (I Kings 19:1-18). The writing (Job 38:1-41, 40:1-5) follows Job's complaint to God about his circumstances. God responds out of the whirlwind, and basically asks Job, "Where were you when I made the heavens and the earth?" God asks him where he was when God made the heavens and earth, when he set the boundaries of the sea, if he could order nature, if he had been to the bottom of the ocean, if he knew the places of light and darkness, if he knew where rain and snow and lighting come from, if he could control the stars, or could feed the wild animals. God in his questioning is demonstrating that He and He alone had created the Heavens and the Earth. God in essence is revealing to Iyov that he is Sovereign over all creation because he made it, and that since he is sovereign, it is necessary to obey him.
In the west today, we have troubles with words like sovereign, king, lord and kingdom. We think of a monarchy being something like Great Britain, Spain, Holland, Denmark, etc., where the monarchs are basically figure head monarchs, with very little say in how the country is run. In the time that the book of Job was written, there was no such thing as a constitutional monarch. The monarch was president, congress and supreme court all rolled into one. It is a concept that today we have a hard time understanding, partly because we think such a thing is wrong. We believe in voting, and kicking the guy out if we don't agree with him. We don't seem to understand that God is not an earthly king, but as Creator of the Universe, whose nature is love, Absolute Sovereign. We respond with a false God, the Great Santa Claus in the sky, who gives us what we want when we are good, and not when we are bad and who is too nice to ever punish us. We have lost the point of view, that God's laws are laid out, for us, to help us live a life of holiness that will help us to truly find our purpose in life. We have forgotten the virtues of prayer, fasting and alms giving and replaced them with a self righteousness which grieves God and leads to our own condemnation. We refuse to see punishment for sin as what it was in the Bible, and we refuse to think that the God who punished Israel and Yehuda will do the same for us. It is indeed a slippery slope, when we start ignoring God's commands. Yeshua tells us that the Sabbath was made for man (i.e. for our well being) yet we ignore it today. No Fault divorce (prohibited by Yeshua himself) was placed into practice to keep people from perjuring themselves to get divorced. (I was flabbergasted when I learned this). We have decided that the creator of the universe, who made us is not allowed to have any input into how we run our sexual lives. We forget that God's word tells us that many sins are caused by idolatry, yet we continue to worship the false gods of money and power, and materialism.
It is then time for the church to truly recognise that God is King and Sovereign, not only of the Universe, but of our lives. We need to line up our church, our lives, and our society with his word, and not act like it is optional. Our God is a consuming fire, and he is love. As Christians, we need to obey him and proclaim his word to all the world.
In addition this is the last Sunday before Lent begins. We have been talking about things to do with Lenten discipline, and have covered study and piety. Today, we will talk about action, to which there are several aspects, the first of which is Apostolic Action, which is proclaiming the Gospel. Before you proclaim the Gospel, you must be in prayer, and know God's word. Secondly we need to have a plan of action. Who are we going to evangelise. Once we know who, we start out praying and fasting for that person. We ask God to give us the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel to that person. Don't worry, he will. And if that person turns the Gospel down, keep praying, you might just be preparing the ground for someone else. Once through your efforts someone comes to Messiah, you need to teach them Christian Discipline, and stick with them at the very least until they are baptised.
Action also means holiness of life. If you are going to attract someone to Messiah, then people need to see Messiah in you. It is popular to ask, "What would Jesus do?" Well that is a good question. You, as a Christian may be the only sign of Jesus that some people will see.
Action also means stewardship, of money, time, resources. Do you use your time well. Do you frequently spend time with God in prayer and study? Do you regularly help those who need that help? Do you give at least 10% of your money to God, and spend the rest of it in ways that Messiah will approve? Do you share your time, your money, even your home with those in need. That my friends is also action.
I would like to invite you all to join us. The Great Service of Forgiveness will be Tuesday at 8:00 P.M. Out Ash Wednesday service will be Wednesday at 6:00 A.M. Hope to see you.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
23 February: 2nd Sunday of Shrovetid
The theme for the 2nd Sunday of Shrovetide, in accordance with our Pre-Lenten activities is prayer, or piety. Piety is a very important in the life of a Christian, and our prayer life, like our study of the Bible will help determine what kind of Christian we are. Piety, in part is a response to reading the written word, but is also a response to the world around us.
As with studying the Bible, our goal is to improve our Christian life, by starting where we were. Before we decide what we are going to do for Lent, we need to analyse our lives now, and see where we are.
There are at least two aspects of prayer that are all but forgotten in western Christianity outside of the monastery, silence and fasting. Silence should be part of our study, and it should be part of our prayer life. Silence allows us to reflect on our own prayers, and on our readings, and also gives God a chance to talk to us. In today's modern society, our lives are full on noise, TV, radio, telephones, texting, internet and others, and we rarely take time to reflect. We suggest that for every minute you spend reading the Bible, your should spend a minute reflecting on what you read. Likewise, after praying, we should reflect on our prayers and the prayers of others in order to listen to the Lord's voice. After all, he might expect you to be the answer to someone's prayer. In addition, before attending church services, and before praying we should take a bit of time in silence to centre our thoughts on Jesus.
Fasting too, as mentioned above is an aspect frequently forgotten in the western church outside of monasteries. Primitive Christians as near as we can tell fasted every Wednesday and Friday, and in my life time members of the Roman Catholic church fasted from midnight till taking communion.
How then, should we fast. Here, we are not quite so much doing an exercise to train us for the future, but something for all of Lent. Traditionally, Christians did not eat meat during Lent (not counting Sundays, which are feast days). Shrove Tuesday, also called Fat Tuesday, because that was the day lard was cleaned out of the house (often by making pancakes using the lard), so there would be no meat in the house. We leave it up to your conscience as to how much you would like to fast for Lent. We would hope that once the Fifty Days of Easter are over that all would fast or abstain from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays.
We should also look at other aspects of piety, which should include public prayers, private prayers and prayers with your family. We would gladly send materials for use in family and private prayers. Again, look at where your are, and build on that. If your prayer life is non-existent, then start slow. Give yourself a chance to succeed. Too many people lay down a stiff round of daily prayer and are unable to complete it. Remember, public worship is also very important. If you are in a church that practices weekly communion, that should be an important part of your day as well.
The success of your Lent, will usually have to do with how much you plan in advance.
As with studying the Bible, our goal is to improve our Christian life, by starting where we were. Before we decide what we are going to do for Lent, we need to analyse our lives now, and see where we are.
There are at least two aspects of prayer that are all but forgotten in western Christianity outside of the monastery, silence and fasting. Silence should be part of our study, and it should be part of our prayer life. Silence allows us to reflect on our own prayers, and on our readings, and also gives God a chance to talk to us. In today's modern society, our lives are full on noise, TV, radio, telephones, texting, internet and others, and we rarely take time to reflect. We suggest that for every minute you spend reading the Bible, your should spend a minute reflecting on what you read. Likewise, after praying, we should reflect on our prayers and the prayers of others in order to listen to the Lord's voice. After all, he might expect you to be the answer to someone's prayer. In addition, before attending church services, and before praying we should take a bit of time in silence to centre our thoughts on Jesus.
Fasting too, as mentioned above is an aspect frequently forgotten in the western church outside of monasteries. Primitive Christians as near as we can tell fasted every Wednesday and Friday, and in my life time members of the Roman Catholic church fasted from midnight till taking communion.
How then, should we fast. Here, we are not quite so much doing an exercise to train us for the future, but something for all of Lent. Traditionally, Christians did not eat meat during Lent (not counting Sundays, which are feast days). Shrove Tuesday, also called Fat Tuesday, because that was the day lard was cleaned out of the house (often by making pancakes using the lard), so there would be no meat in the house. We leave it up to your conscience as to how much you would like to fast for Lent. We would hope that once the Fifty Days of Easter are over that all would fast or abstain from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays.
We should also look at other aspects of piety, which should include public prayers, private prayers and prayers with your family. We would gladly send materials for use in family and private prayers. Again, look at where your are, and build on that. If your prayer life is non-existent, then start slow. Give yourself a chance to succeed. Too many people lay down a stiff round of daily prayer and are unable to complete it. Remember, public worship is also very important. If you are in a church that practices weekly communion, that should be an important part of your day as well.
The success of your Lent, will usually have to do with how much you plan in advance.
Monday, February 17, 2014
1st Sunday of Shrovetide: 16 Februar 2014
Today is the first Sunday of Shrovetide, often know as Septuagesima Sunday, because it is 70 days before Easter. Shrovetide is still part of the Epiphany season, but we mark the last three Sundays of Epiphany as Shrovetide in preparation for Shrove Tuesday and Lent. In former times many went to the priest to confess their sins and have absolution pronounced (or to be shriven), and the penance that they kept for Lent was assigned to them at this time. For some, this penitence was necesary before being admitted to communion for some grievous sin. Lent was also a time of preparation for those preparing for baptism. Shrovetide, then for us is a time to prepare for confession if we so desire, and a time to think about how we would keep a holy Lent.
This first Sunday of Shrovetide, then we look at our study habits. All Christian study essentially begins and ends with the Bible, which is our chief source of knowledge. We need to study the Bible on our own and in groups. The more we know it, the more we can use it as a measuring stick. But it is very important to read it in groups as well, so as to benefit from thoughts and insights of others.
In addition to the Bible, it is a good thing to also be reading the pre-Nicene fathers. Especially the Apostolic fathers knew the New Testament and Old Testament in Greek and actually knew the Apostles. (http://www.tertullian.org/fathers2/)
Also it is good to read the history of the church, from the beginning to now, and it is good to understand the early heresies of the early church such as Gnosticism and Arianism. It isn't a bad idea to learn about your own church and churches in the community around you. To top it off, there are many how to books for Christians. Steer away from those promoting the prosperity Gospel (just ask yourself how many apostles died rich men?) and books promoting cheap grace. Yeshua did not die for us to continue on in the same way, but he died that we may be transformed into his image.
As in everything, be looking at how your study habits may be changed, not only for Lent, but after as well. Many of my habits regarding Church, began in Lent, but continued on after. Whatever you do, in study, prayer and apostolic action should be something you are capable of doing. As in all things, begin with what you already do, and add to it. Don't make it so difficult that you cannot keep to it
May your Lent help you grow in Messiah.
This first Sunday of Shrovetide, then we look at our study habits. All Christian study essentially begins and ends with the Bible, which is our chief source of knowledge. We need to study the Bible on our own and in groups. The more we know it, the more we can use it as a measuring stick. But it is very important to read it in groups as well, so as to benefit from thoughts and insights of others.
In addition to the Bible, it is a good thing to also be reading the pre-Nicene fathers. Especially the Apostolic fathers knew the New Testament and Old Testament in Greek and actually knew the Apostles. (http://www.tertullian.org/fathers2/)
Also it is good to read the history of the church, from the beginning to now, and it is good to understand the early heresies of the early church such as Gnosticism and Arianism. It isn't a bad idea to learn about your own church and churches in the community around you. To top it off, there are many how to books for Christians. Steer away from those promoting the prosperity Gospel (just ask yourself how many apostles died rich men?) and books promoting cheap grace. Yeshua did not die for us to continue on in the same way, but he died that we may be transformed into his image.
As in everything, be looking at how your study habits may be changed, not only for Lent, but after as well. Many of my habits regarding Church, began in Lent, but continued on after. Whatever you do, in study, prayer and apostolic action should be something you are capable of doing. As in all things, begin with what you already do, and add to it. Don't make it so difficult that you cannot keep to it
May your Lent help you grow in Messiah.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
The Church Calender
Instead of writing on the Tanach this week, I would like to talk some about the Church year and its seasons. For Christians, since the book of Acts, Sunday is the regular day of worship, and early on Friday and Wednesday were the regular days of fasting. Sadly in the west, fasting appears to have gone out of fashion. Aside from being based on the Civil calender, the church's calender is also based on the lunar calender. Easter, according to western usage is always the first Sunday after the first full Moon following March 21st, which basically puts it on the first Sunday after Passover. Therefore Lent, and Eastertide are determined by the date of Easter Sunday. Eastertide ends on Pentecost Sunday, 7 weeks after Easter, and Lent begins on Ash Wednesday which is forty-five days before Easter.
The principle feast day of the church is Easter. Other principle feasts are Assentionday, Pentecost Sunday, Trinity Sunday, All Saints Day, Christmas Day and Epiphany. Any of these days take place of Sunday if they so happen to fall on Sunday. Other feasts which may pre-empt Sunday are: The Holy Name and the Presentation. Other feasts of the Lord are: The Annunciation, Holy Cross Day, The Visitation and the Nativity of John the Baptist. Other major feasts are: Feasts of the Apostles, Feasts of Evangelists, St. Mary, mother of Jesus; St. Stephan, the Holy Innocents (Childermas), St. Joseph, St. Mary Magdelene, St. Michael and All Angels, St. James of Jerusalem, and Thanksgiving day.
The principle fasts are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. All Fridays of the year outside of the fifty days of Easter and the twelve days of Christmas are considered days of special denial, along with all days of Lent and Advent, excepting Sundays. Sunday is always a feast day and never a day of fasting in honour of the resurrection.
Advent is the first season of the church year. The word Advent comes from Latin for to come, and in Advent we prepare for the second coming of the Lord, as well as preparing for Christmas. Advent, traditionally is marked by fasting and self-denial. Many people will use an Advent wreath during Advent. The colour of Advent is blue, for the sky from where will come Jesus when he returns again. Advent Sunday, the first Sunday of Lent is always the fourth Sunday before Christmas.
The second season of the year is Christmas, which begins at Sunset on December 24th. During the twelve days of Christmas, we remember not only the birth of Messiah, but also St. Stephan the first Martyr, the Holy Innocents, John the Evangelist and the Holy Name. Each of these feasts point us toward the incarnation of Messiah, which is by many considered to be the grandest of all miracles, when God became man to pay for our sins. The principle colour of Christmas tide is gold (for the king)
The Epiphany begins on the sixth of January, and on the day itself we remember the wise men seeking Yeshua. Epiphany means manifestation, and on the day we remember how He was first manifested to the nations, and in the season, how we are to manifest Yeshua to the world. The first Sunday of Epiphany we remember the Baptism of the Lord, and that indeed is one of our four principle feasts for Baptism. The reading for Epiphany tide are concentrating on the miracles of Messiah. Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord use gold for the king, followed by green (for growth of the church) for the beginning of the season. The last three Sundays of Epiphany tide are Shrove tide, in which we prepare for Lent, by preparing for our confession if we so desire, and planning our spiritual disciplines for Lent. We use purple (preparation) for Shrove tide, except for Transfiguration Sunday which is God.
Lent begins with the Eve of Ash Wednesday, when we, together or separately confess our private sins. Ash Wednesday is a day when we focus more on our corporate sins as a church and a nation. All of Lent is marked by fasting and other signs of penitence. Traditionally, the presbyters appointed penitential excercised on Shrove Tuesday, when the people confessed their sins. Lent was a time of repentance, of preparing catechumens for baptism, and for restoring fallen church members to full membership. We use an Lenten array for Lent, burlap trimmed with purple. The last week of Lent, Holy Week, we used burgundy trimmed with black to mark the blood of Messiah shed for us. In Holy Week we remember the Events culminating in the crucifixion of Messiah.
Easter Even, we say adios to the events and celebrate the Queen of Feasts, the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus. The first 8 days of the Great Sabbath are celebrated in gold for the king, and correctly celebrated by daily Eucharist. The rest of Easter tide is white for purity and holiness. The white is replaced by gold on Assention day,a and the last day of the fifty days of Easter is flame red for the fire of the Holy Spirit. Easter too, was a major feast for baptisms, since the catechumens had spent Lent preparing for baptism.
The next season, known by some as Trinity tide for the first Sunday in it, is a seson where we work on spiritual growth, for the Christian and the church. The colour is green.
The last season of the years, starting 8 weeks before Christmas is Kingdom tide, in which we prepare to be part of the kingdom, and consider what it means to be part of God's kingdom. Once again, the colour is blue.
Hopefully this essay is of use in understanding the seasons of the church.
The principle feast day of the church is Easter. Other principle feasts are Assentionday, Pentecost Sunday, Trinity Sunday, All Saints Day, Christmas Day and Epiphany. Any of these days take place of Sunday if they so happen to fall on Sunday. Other feasts which may pre-empt Sunday are: The Holy Name and the Presentation. Other feasts of the Lord are: The Annunciation, Holy Cross Day, The Visitation and the Nativity of John the Baptist. Other major feasts are: Feasts of the Apostles, Feasts of Evangelists, St. Mary, mother of Jesus; St. Stephan, the Holy Innocents (Childermas), St. Joseph, St. Mary Magdelene, St. Michael and All Angels, St. James of Jerusalem, and Thanksgiving day.
The principle fasts are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. All Fridays of the year outside of the fifty days of Easter and the twelve days of Christmas are considered days of special denial, along with all days of Lent and Advent, excepting Sundays. Sunday is always a feast day and never a day of fasting in honour of the resurrection.
Advent is the first season of the church year. The word Advent comes from Latin for to come, and in Advent we prepare for the second coming of the Lord, as well as preparing for Christmas. Advent, traditionally is marked by fasting and self-denial. Many people will use an Advent wreath during Advent. The colour of Advent is blue, for the sky from where will come Jesus when he returns again. Advent Sunday, the first Sunday of Lent is always the fourth Sunday before Christmas.
The second season of the year is Christmas, which begins at Sunset on December 24th. During the twelve days of Christmas, we remember not only the birth of Messiah, but also St. Stephan the first Martyr, the Holy Innocents, John the Evangelist and the Holy Name. Each of these feasts point us toward the incarnation of Messiah, which is by many considered to be the grandest of all miracles, when God became man to pay for our sins. The principle colour of Christmas tide is gold (for the king)
The Epiphany begins on the sixth of January, and on the day itself we remember the wise men seeking Yeshua. Epiphany means manifestation, and on the day we remember how He was first manifested to the nations, and in the season, how we are to manifest Yeshua to the world. The first Sunday of Epiphany we remember the Baptism of the Lord, and that indeed is one of our four principle feasts for Baptism. The reading for Epiphany tide are concentrating on the miracles of Messiah. Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord use gold for the king, followed by green (for growth of the church) for the beginning of the season. The last three Sundays of Epiphany tide are Shrove tide, in which we prepare for Lent, by preparing for our confession if we so desire, and planning our spiritual disciplines for Lent. We use purple (preparation) for Shrove tide, except for Transfiguration Sunday which is God.
Lent begins with the Eve of Ash Wednesday, when we, together or separately confess our private sins. Ash Wednesday is a day when we focus more on our corporate sins as a church and a nation. All of Lent is marked by fasting and other signs of penitence. Traditionally, the presbyters appointed penitential excercised on Shrove Tuesday, when the people confessed their sins. Lent was a time of repentance, of preparing catechumens for baptism, and for restoring fallen church members to full membership. We use an Lenten array for Lent, burlap trimmed with purple. The last week of Lent, Holy Week, we used burgundy trimmed with black to mark the blood of Messiah shed for us. In Holy Week we remember the Events culminating in the crucifixion of Messiah.
Easter Even, we say adios to the events and celebrate the Queen of Feasts, the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus. The first 8 days of the Great Sabbath are celebrated in gold for the king, and correctly celebrated by daily Eucharist. The rest of Easter tide is white for purity and holiness. The white is replaced by gold on Assention day,a and the last day of the fifty days of Easter is flame red for the fire of the Holy Spirit. Easter too, was a major feast for baptisms, since the catechumens had spent Lent preparing for baptism.
The next season, known by some as Trinity tide for the first Sunday in it, is a seson where we work on spiritual growth, for the Christian and the church. The colour is green.
The last season of the years, starting 8 weeks before Christmas is Kingdom tide, in which we prepare to be part of the kingdom, and consider what it means to be part of God's kingdom. Once again, the colour is blue.
Hopefully this essay is of use in understanding the seasons of the church.
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