MAC KIRK

Palms or Passion?”  Matthew 27::54 / Mark 11:1-11; 14:1-15:47 “Dearly Beloved, the Solemnity of the Lord’s Passion is come; that day which we have so desired, and which same is precious to the whole world. …even though it be hard to preach often on the same solemnity Beloved, the Solemnity of the Lord’s Passion is come; that day which we have so desired, and which same is precious to the whole world. …even though it be hard to preach often on the same solemnity, and do so meekly and well, a priest (presbyter) is not free to shirk the duty of preaching to the faithful concerning this so great mystery of divine mercy.” The Anglican Breviary, p. 503 The scenes of this Holy week are familiar to most of us. We read the account of the palms thrown in the path of Jesus as he rode the colt into the city of Jerusalem. The people said, “Hosanna : Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”  Mark 11:9 It was a triumphal entry  but without the next readings we will n...

"Freedom " Galatians 4:21- Dialogue for a Presentation for the Reasonableness of the Christian Faith  I imagine if one could ask human beings what is their one thing that they wish to have above all else, it would be freedom.  From our days of being raised as an infant we can remember--- if only I could do things my way!  That reminds me of the  picture of me with spaghetti all over my head.  As a baby, that was freedom.  We can remember when we said to our parents something about doing things our way or doing them, as I do when my daughter said her first sentence in the pool at a hotel, " I get the ball."  That impressed me!  She could not swim, but she could get the ball with the little float device she was hanging on to . We recall what  Mark Twain said, " When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in se...

Luke 11:14-28  The Will of God is....?     Jesus was casting out a demon /devil but even this action was questioned by the religious leaders of the church of that day , the Pharisees.  They were so incensed by Jesus that they said ," he casts out devils through Beelzubub, the chief of the devils." 11:15  Jesus challenges the religious leaders of then and as well as today, " BUT if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you."  Jesus challenges us to know God's will and do it as well.       A woman in the crowd lifted up her voice, " and said unto Him ( Jesus), ' Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, ' Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the Word of God, and keep it."  We too as a people do not adore people or movements. We listen to the Word for the Will of God for the Word is God's inspired, without error and our way in th...

Mark 8:31-38 " Rebuke" " And having called to him the crowd with disciples his he said to them, ' Whosoever desires after me to come, let him deny himself, and let him take up his cross, and let him follow me." ( orig. Gk) Disciples are learning people.  But the hard saying of Jesus in vs 31 about the necessity of suffering created a situation for Peter. " And he began to teach them that it is necessary for the Son of man many things to suffer, and to be rejected of the elders, and chief priests and scribes, and to be killed, and after three days to rise again, and openly the word he spoke."  " And taking to him Peter began to rebuke him." But he, turning and seeing his disciples rebuked Peter, saying, Get behind me Satan,for thy thoughts are not of the things of God, but the things of men." Disciples are learning people.  " Discipline is the other side of discipleship. Discipleship without discipline is like waiting to run ...

1 st Sunday in Lent     “…receive not the grace of God in vain…”  2 Cor 6:1      “..There were some at Corinth who while they may have heard the apostolic gospel, had not received it in such a way that it became a regenerating influence in their lives. They had not yet learned to say, ‘ The Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me” Tasker on 2 Corinthians. The Apostle goes on in this chapter to talk about being the ministers of God which every Christian is and what that looks like .  What do we look like to others?    He enumerates some of the characteristics of the Christian ----“much patience….by pureness, by knowledge, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned ( not hypocritical) ( Tasker-“ a sincere, heart-felt concern to promote the true welfare of all the brothers for whom Christ died, however unattractive or unlikeable they may be.”), by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righte...

I John 2:1-17 , focus vs 1-2    Quinquagesima  ( alternate 1928 BCP Epistle Reading)    One little word breaks our fellowship with God and exists in our very being and nature. We are all born with original sin in this world and although that is removed by the regenerating power of the Holy Ghost we never are perfect in this life until we get to heaven.  Sin is evident in our lives.  No one in this world is untouched by its effects. 1:9 of the letter said that ," if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." So sin can be erased.  But John would not have us treat sin lightly.  2:1 " I am writing these things to you that you may not sin."  Do not sin.  Jesus called His followers, " little children" Jn 13:33  as he does in the I Jn 2:1. We are enabled by God to have a child-like faith in Him.  " Many years ago a passenger ship made its way tow...

Good Ground  Luke 8:4-15   Second Sunday before Lent   In the movie " Gettysburg" there is a haunting scene where the Commander of the Southern forces, Robert E. Lee, looks at how the armies have run into each other at Gettysburg and says to Longstreet, the commander of one his divisions, " I pray this is good ground."  There is a hope that even though he did not plan running into the Union Army under General George Meade, it will be good ground for "his boys."  Too many had already died.     That line from the movie " Gettysburg" reminded me of the Scripture from Luke 8, " And that in the good ground, there are they who in a heart right and good having heard the word keep it and bring forth fruit with endurance." vs 15  The other kinds of hearts are also mentioned. The seed is the Word of God, sown by the sower. 1.  Some fell by the wayside; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.  vs. 5  Th...