First Sunday in Lent,

First Sunday in Lent, 14 February 2016 Anno Domini (St. Valentine’s Day)

St Andrews Anglican Orthodox Church, Sermon Text from 1st Propers, Morning Prayer

Alms Giving –

 ¹ Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. ² Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ³ But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: ⁴ That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Prayer –

     ⁵ And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ⁶ But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. ⁷ But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. ⁸ Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Lord’s Model Prayer –
     ⁹ After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. ¹⁰ Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. ¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread. ¹² And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. ¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. ¹⁴ For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: ¹⁵ But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting –

     ¹⁶ Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ¹⁷ But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; ¹⁸ That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

            There is a growing tendency among the religious to wear their faith on their arms and not in their hearts. Our Lord Jesus Christ has given us explicit counsel on what with what manner and attitude He expects us to render service and worship to Him. We are to be humble and not proud; subdued and not flamboyant; and sincere and not hypocritical.

            We are not to be proud and boastful of our works for the Lord.

WHY NOT?

            We love to advertise our success in school, sports, work, etc. But is this the right approach in living? Are we able to do any good works? 

1 Cor 12: ⁴ Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. ⁶ And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

 Eph 3: ¹⁹ And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. ²⁰ Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, ²¹ Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen

 Phil 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

            So all good in us in the work of Christ and not any to which we may lay claim.

            Jesus  has been presenting His Sermon on the Mount – the most beautiful and comprehensive sermon ever given upon the earth. He continues the sermon here with a counsel against prideful boasting in our works.

            Why is this so? When we do the Lord’s work, we must give Him the honour, the praise, and the accreditation since it is His works in us and not our own.

            The only works we may legitimately claim as our own are the evil thoughts, deeds, and words of our lips.

¹ Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

            When we boast of OUR works, then we are admitting that they are not God’s works and, therefore, worldly. And we will gain our credit on earth in the honour of men only.

            In the early days of the Gospel, the Pharisees loved to have a trumpter go before them to gain the attention of the crowds, and their adoration, as they made public prayer. But this is not the way of Christ:

 . ² Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ³ But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: ⁴ That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

 Here Jesus relates to us the mode and attitude of Prayer:

     ⁵ And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ⁶ But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. ⁷ But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. ⁸ Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

            Next, the Lord provides us with a perfect example of Prayer – the Lord’s Prayer: Please note the manner in which this spiritual airmail letter begins:

Just as any other letter to a dear and loved One:

First the person’s name: Our Father

 Second, the address: “which art in heaven”

 Then the salutation and honorific such as we would say, My dearest friend, Dear Sir, etc. Hallowed be thy Name.” Your majestic Honour.

 Then acknowledge His authority and Dominion: Thy Kingdom Come.

 His Sovereignty over us: Thy will be done – not ours.

Boundaries of His authority acknowledged: Not only in all the earth, but in all the Heavens as well. “On earth as it is in Heaven.”

 The simple request of the humble in heart: Give us this day our daily bread

 Then an expression of repentance: And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

 Then comes an expression of want for divine guidance: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil

 The closing acknowledgement of His divine Majesty and Power: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen

      ⁹ After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. ¹⁰ Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. ¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread. ¹² And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. ¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

 And finally, Jesus adds a qualification to the forgiveness we expect from God.

  ¹⁴ For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: ¹⁵ But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 Jesus ends this passage with remarks on fasting and in what attitude we should fast:

 and fasting

     ¹⁶ Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ¹⁷ But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; ¹⁸ That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

            In many modern churches of our day, there is a tradition of applying ashes on ones forehead to demonstrate to all that we are piously fasting because of this Lenten season. But does this comport with the description of how we should fast given by Christ Himself? Of late, I have seen a number of postings to our Facebook pages that claim a certain virtue in smearing ashes on one’s forehead to allow others to see that they love Jesus. This is contrary to Scripture in the first place, and not the way to demonstrate your love for Christ in the second place. If we love the Lord, they truth will come shining through as the morning sunrise on  a clear day in the way we live and serve.

            Common prayers ask no personal benefit, but ask those blessings common to the need of every Christian worshipper, and they ALWAYS praise and honor God. But private prayers are those that are the confidential yearnings of the heart expressed to your Father in private.

            I prefer to keep my private prayers, good deeds, and fasting between myself and the Good Lord so that I may earn His Grace and acceptance in them.