The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity

The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

GOD, who declarest thy almighty power most chiefly in shewing mercy and pity; Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of thy grace, that we, running the way of thy commandments, may obtain thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle. 1 Cor. 15. 1.

BRETHREN, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

The Gospel. St. Luke 18. 9.

JESUS spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

No one comes to Christ apart from humility. Arrogance has no place in our lives, yet, as Dr. James Boice often said from the pulpit, “Half of what we do is based on pride.” And how many divine worship services are totally lacking in the Confession of Sin?

Jesus comments on self-righteousness, a Pharisee, a man who vaunts himself above others and his brethren along several lines. The real story is that such an individual is at war with God. His mind is at war with God (Rom.8.7). His feelings are alienated from God (Eph.4.18). The Pharisee had an external sanctity, as if he was entitled to the divine favour. Secretly, he was condescending and despised others. He dared to thank God that he had virtue, merit, and was lawful—grounds for divine acceptance. He reflects how little he understood himself. This is an almost invincible dynamic in human nature. It is something the justified saint must war against. One is born a Pharisee and must war against this dynamic. In reality, this Pharisee had a concealed hypocrisy; he prayed silently within his heart thanking God he was not like those publicans. He fasted twice per week and tithed regularly. The sense is that “I do this and much more.” Such was the error of the Romish works of supererogation and the treasury of merits by the saints elevated to the principle of infallible dogma. That is the sin of human pride. The Pharisee lives by self-deception, measuring his exterior rather than his interior against the Law; he creates new rules apart from God’s Word. He also demonstrates an inadequate understanding of the ceremonial Law that taught the need for an abidingly valid expiation and propitiation, the foreshadowing of the One, Christ Jesus, who finished the atonement on the Cross. The Pharisee does not pass the divine bar of justice.

The Publican, standing afar off, knew he was unworthy to approach the Holy God. He had learned from the Law, moral and ceremonial, of his profound need for daily forgiveness. He knew that his best works were polluted and he was objectively and truly guilty. He acknowledged himself to be a miserable sinner and, without mercy, a damned man. As such, he prays for mercy and forgiveness. It is here that reconciliation to God occurs. There is no sense of entitlement.

The contrast is antithetical. The Pharisee remained unjustified and condemned; the rejection was total and strictly maintained. The Publican realizes he is by nature a Pharisee seeking to justify himself but has nothing; he realizes the utter inadequacy of such a claim. He did not trust in any of his works, but solely upon God for pardon.

An objection is heard here. What about the mercies and graces of God that abound, accrue and bring godly living…with the result of a life of godliness. They are advanced in the faith. The answer is that such a person does not trust their own works or merits as any foundation for the divine favour and reconciliation. .

Can we be denominational Pharisees? A "more correct than thou" attitude? Absolutely. Some of the very worst attitudes I have seen come from within Confessional quarters. I have and often am one myself, blindly so.

One factor. We've often suffered for the truth and have had to defend it, e.g. Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt and others. Some of us really did lose livelihoods. Persecution is real. Another factor. Residual sin, e.g. Romans 7.14-24. Another factor. We have to fend off false doctrines, apostates, and heretics from within the Church Militant while fighting, as we must, with the devil and the world. Success can be heady. Jesus puts us on due notice. Born as Pharisees, it is through the Publican-approach that we are justified, repentance and justifying faith.

This is not a call to abandon our convictions, liturgies, and confessions. It is not a call to anti-intellectualism rife throughout modern America. Those knowing me know that's far from what this scribbler desires. But there surely is--always--a call to gratitude and humility for every good gift we have received at His merciful hands.

Our text for the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity reminds us of this.

I am reminded of the English martyr John Bradford. He stared out his window cell from the prison where he was being held. He saw a justly condemned prisoner about to lose his life for a capital crime...being led to the gallows. For those knowing Bradford, true to form and necessary for us to remember, "There but for the grace of God goes John Bradford." Bradford's godly humility made an impact on the jailers--and many others.

Proud orthodoxy is an oxymoron. Humble orthodoxy is a form of stuttering and saying the same thing. You get my point.

We cite two sets of prayers appropriate for daily and evening services, as well as Holy Communion. This is doctrine and piety that accords with Luke 18.9ff., the Gospel lesson for tomorrow in the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity.

These prayers were crafted by men who--themselves--understood Luke 18.9ff. They understood it enough to make confession a requirement, a congregational requirement, in divine worship. Confession was not left to the Minister alone, but was something the entire body of believers confessed. We are blessed to be led by such biblical teachings and prayers, but again, what do we have that has not been freely given to us, including our one and only Advocate Christ Jesus?

Micah 3.8, let us walk humbly, do deeds of mercy and deeds of justice.

The following is drawn from the “Order for Morning Prayer” and “Order for Evening Prayer,” 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

DEARLY beloved brethren, the Scripture moveth us, in sundry places, to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness; and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father; but confess them with an humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart; to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same, by his infinite goodness and mercy. And although we ought, at all times, humbly to acknowledge our sins before God; yet ought we chiefly so to do, when we assemble and meet together to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, to hear his most holy Word, and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul. Wherefore I pray and beseech you, as many as are here present, to accompany me with a pure heart, and humble voice, unto the throne of the heavenly grace, saying after me;

A general Confession to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister, all kneeling.

ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father; We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou them, O God, who confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.

The second prayer is said at each Service of Holy Communion.

Then shall this general Confession be made, in the name of all those that are minded to receive the holy Communion, by one of the Ministers; both he and all the people kneeling humbly upon their knees, and saying,

ALMIGHTY God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, judge of all men; We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, Which we, from time to time, most grievously have committed, By thought, word, and deed, Against thy Divine Majesty, Provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, And are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; The remembrance of them is grievous unto us; The burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; For thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, Forgive us all that is past; And grant that we may ever hereafter Serve and please thee In newness of life, To the honour and glory of thy Name; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.