This past December in my travels back to the Episcopal Church, I happened to be attending St. John's Parish in Bridgeport, Connecticut where there was a guest preacher giving the message at the 10:00 am service. The Reverend Dr. Brian Schofield-Bodt, President and CEO of The Council of Chruches of Greater Bridgeport and former Senior Rector of the Huntington United Methodist Church of Shelton, CT and later the Golden Hill United Methodist Church, in Bridgeport gave a most uninspiring message. I believe he entitled it, "Put on a Patch for Jesus".
A patch? A patch?!? What Bible verse is that? Since I study the Bible on a regular basis, I can tell you that it is not a PATCH that we are supposed to put on as Christians. We are to put on THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD! That is the Bible verse(s) found in Ephesians 6: 10-20, in the NIV, entitled...
The Armor of God
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."
Let's see how this "patch" thing would work if Paul had used it when he wrote Ephesians(10-17)...
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the PATCH OF JESUS so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Ummmm, ...NOT! Don't think that works.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the PATCH OF JESUS, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Fighting the powers of this dark world with a patch! I think, NOT!
Stand firm then, with the PATCH of truth buckled around your waist, with the PATCH of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the PATCH OF readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the PATCH of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the PATCH of salvation and the PATCH of the Spirit, which is the PARTIAL word of God. A PATCH that is supposed to protect your feet and head from the enemy, and even more so, a PATCH that extinguishes flaming arrows? PUUULEEEASSE!!!!
In stead of a patch that helps you get over the addiction of nicotine, how about the Armor of God through a re-born spirit in Christ Jesus to be washed clean of that and all of your sins! Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!(2 Corinthians 5:17) Once we are his, he promises that as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.(Psalm 103:12) That is a much better plan in my book.
Instead of a patch that prevents you from becoming pregnant, how about the Armor of God young lady, because you are precious to the Creator who formed you in the womb, and his will is for you to keep yourself pure for marriage. It is that same Armor of God that will also keep the marriage bed undefiled if temptation comes creeping. Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.(Hebrews 13:4) The patch simply invites you to follow through with that temptation, which would not be part of God's plan for your life.
We are in a spiritual battle! Do you really think a patch will deter the devil and his minions? How weak-kneed are Christian leaders today? Very when it comes to most who sit in the major denominations like The United Methodist and Episcopal Churches. Of course it comes as no surprise when those same denominations walk away from the teachings of the Bible, walking with the rest of the unsaved among us on the wide path that leads to destruction. Jesus tells us that we must not go as the world goes, that we must "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7: 13-14)
When you don't follow what the Bible teaches, you can be certain that you will be on the wide road. That is why I do what I do. I have found the narrow road, but most of those in The Episcopal Church that I used to fellowship with have not. They are on the other road, some even naively being led by the hand by the false teachers that lead them from the pulpit. But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.(2 Peter 2: 1-3) Flee from them is my call, so not to be caught up with them when their end comes.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Saturday, January 12, 2008
A Modern Parable
(Part of a future message, "Are you a wise or foolish virgin")
Once there were three young men who had grown up going to summer camp together, from childhood attendeees to counselors. Upon graduating college, they decided to spend one last summer together as camp counselors. Each of them had gotten engaged during their senior year, and although saddened at the long separation from their betrothed, they looked forward to the fellowship betweeen them, and reuniting with their loved ones and living happily ever after.
Since constant communication was not an option, each had decided to write letters for all the days they would be gone. (Which was from July 1st to September 4th) They wrote letters reminding them of their history together from the beginning to present, including all of their highs and lows. Some letters were pure poetry with real truth hidden within, others were words of wisdom and encouragement, and yet others spoke of visions of things to come.
Upon arriving home, each returned to different circumstances. One arrived to find his bride-to-be awaiting anxiously at his door. She had in her hand all of the letters he had written, and expressed to him how grateful she was. To have someone who loves her so much to take the time to do such a thing. She told him with enthusiasm how she had practically memorized each and every one. And shortly thereafter, the two became one.
Another came home to find his bride-to-be also awaiting him, although with some trepidation. You see she had not remained faithful and did not read all the letters that he had written for her. She did however come to a true understanding of how much he meant to her, and had turned from her transgressions against him and became even more devoted to him than she was before. After confessing her failure to remain faithful, knowing that her heart was true, he forgave her and shortly thereafter the two became one.
The last came home to find his bride-to-be not waiting for him at his door. Some time later she showed up with nary a reason for her delay. As he probed her heart, he came to find that that very morning she had left the arms of another and that it was just one of many trists she had while he was away. In addition, she admitted she hadn't read much of anything from the letters he had wrote, and what little she did read made little sense to her. But she exclaimed to know him to be a "good" man and that he would forgive her for all she had and hadn't done. Bewildered and amazed by all of this, he told her "because I am 'good', I expect more from the one whom I will spend the rest of my life with." And with that he sent her away, realizing he never really knew her all along.
You get it? If not it means you probably don't read your Bible enough.
Hint: Count the days, and realize the three are actually one.
Once there were three young men who had grown up going to summer camp together, from childhood attendeees to counselors. Upon graduating college, they decided to spend one last summer together as camp counselors. Each of them had gotten engaged during their senior year, and although saddened at the long separation from their betrothed, they looked forward to the fellowship betweeen them, and reuniting with their loved ones and living happily ever after.
Since constant communication was not an option, each had decided to write letters for all the days they would be gone. (Which was from July 1st to September 4th) They wrote letters reminding them of their history together from the beginning to present, including all of their highs and lows. Some letters were pure poetry with real truth hidden within, others were words of wisdom and encouragement, and yet others spoke of visions of things to come.
Upon arriving home, each returned to different circumstances. One arrived to find his bride-to-be awaiting anxiously at his door. She had in her hand all of the letters he had written, and expressed to him how grateful she was. To have someone who loves her so much to take the time to do such a thing. She told him with enthusiasm how she had practically memorized each and every one. And shortly thereafter, the two became one.
Another came home to find his bride-to-be also awaiting him, although with some trepidation. You see she had not remained faithful and did not read all the letters that he had written for her. She did however come to a true understanding of how much he meant to her, and had turned from her transgressions against him and became even more devoted to him than she was before. After confessing her failure to remain faithful, knowing that her heart was true, he forgave her and shortly thereafter the two became one.
The last came home to find his bride-to-be not waiting for him at his door. Some time later she showed up with nary a reason for her delay. As he probed her heart, he came to find that that very morning she had left the arms of another and that it was just one of many trists she had while he was away. In addition, she admitted she hadn't read much of anything from the letters he had wrote, and what little she did read made little sense to her. But she exclaimed to know him to be a "good" man and that he would forgive her for all she had and hadn't done. Bewildered and amazed by all of this, he told her "because I am 'good', I expect more from the one whom I will spend the rest of my life with." And with that he sent her away, realizing he never really knew her all along.
You get it? If not it means you probably don't read your Bible enough.
Hint: Count the days, and realize the three are actually one.
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