Sermon Notes - Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity - Dead or Alive - Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide - 24 September 2023, Anno Domini

The Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity.

 

The Collect.

 

O

 LORD, we beseech thee, let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without thy succour, preserve it evermore by thy help and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

A

ND it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. ¹² Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. ¹³ And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. ¹⁴ And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. ¹⁵ And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. ¹⁶ And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, 

That God hath visited his people. ¹⁷ And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about. ¹⁸ And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things. (Luke 7:11-18)

 

Who are the dead?   &  Who are the living?

 

¹¹ And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. ¹² Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.

 

The Dead

Those who reject Christ as Lord and Savior. Those who have no forgiveness for their sins… for whom there has been no redemption for sins. That includes all the world which dwells in utter darkness.

 

ALL were dead in trespasses and sins before being made alive in Christ by the Holy Spirit: And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience (Eph 2:1-2)

 

The dead hear not. Who stopped their ears? Not God. Not even Satan. They themselves have chosen to be dumb to the reality of God.

 

This son of the widow is dead, but death cannot exist in the presence of the Fountain of Life.

 

Jesus knows the importance of a son or daughter to a widow. The boy is all his mother has.

 

The widow made no audible request of Christ, but Christ knew her abject sorrow and took compassion on her as He always does with those who face calamity.

 

¹³ And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

 

Jesus never desires our sorrow, but our joy in life.  He neither wants us to ‘fear’ or to ‘weep’. Fear not, I am with thee always, even unto the end of the world. Or Hagar, why weepest thou?

 

The desire of Christ is always for our extreme joy in Him. And Christ knows there is no real joy, or life, apart from that which He offers.

 

He sends no one to Hell. The lost, due to their rejection of Him, send themselves to Hell.

 

¹⁴ And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. When God is at work, we had best stand still and see the marvelous works that His hands perform. Stillness is a vanishing quality in a world bent on technology and pragmaticism.  As God said to Job in Job 37:14 “Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God”

 

 Or  –Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.  (Psalm 46:10)

 

So those who bore the body remained motionless while God worked.

 

And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

 

Though the ears of the Rabbi’s maiden were closed in the lock of death, the young girl heard the voice of Christ. Though Lazarus lay long dead in a stone cold tomb, the voice of Christ, his friend, penetrated the bars of death and were heard in newness of life. So with this young man.

 

And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

 

Was dead! No longer dead because he had heard and responded to the voice of Christ. He sat up and began to speak. Once you have heard the voice of Christ whisper in your ear a personal message, you cannot fail to speak out. You do not keep it a secret.

 

Have you heard that voice? Have your dead ears responded in life?

 

When were you dead, and have you been called to life? Have you listened? Did you respond by unashamedly speaking out?

 

We were ALL dead prior to responding in faith to the grace of Christ. All lost. All dead.

 

How many are righteous?

 

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: ¹¹ There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. ¹² They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Romans 23)

 

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)

 

ALL? Does that include you and me?

 

Yes, ALL!

 

What is the condemnation to those who sin such as you and I have done?

 

For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. ²¹ What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. ²² But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  (Romans 6)

 

What remedy is there for all of us who are born under the condemnation of sin?

 

But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; ⁹ That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

 

Christ is the great Creator and Giver of Life. Death will not exist in His presence. So we must insure our salvation that we may be present with him.

 

How?

 

Know that the wages of sin is death

 

Admit that we are dreadful sinners and cannot save ourselves through any good works

Repent of our sins and turn away from the desires of the flesh.

 

Receive Christ as you Lord and Savior – not simply Savior, but Lord of your life as well.

 

How many of us present today have taken a ‘dry’ shower, or a ‘dry’ swim, or walked in a ‘dry’ rain?

 

Is it possible to get into the water, or to come into contact with a fountain of water, and remain dry?

 

There is a River of Life which makes all alive who bathe therein and drink from its fountain:

 

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: ¹⁴ But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4)

 

When we are IN Christ, all our sins are covered by His blood. When we are IN the River of Life, we are wet with that water of life all over. We are baptized in newness of life.

 

Your eternal destiny depends upon which choice you make at the crossroads of life – will you be fearful and unbelieving? Or will you partake of the Tree of Life and Fountain of Living Waters?

 

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. ⁶ And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. ⁷ He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. ⁸ But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.  (Rev 21)

 

Simple decision –That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  (John 3:15)

 

Have you, too, believed unto salvation? For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor 6:2)