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Looking to Pentecost

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In speaking a word of encouragement to his disciples just prior to his crucifixion, and looking beyond subsequent post-Easter resurrection appearances to the Day of Pentecost, Jesus said to them, “If you love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, even the Spirit of truth. I will come to you!”

They desperately needed this. Whereas they’d given up everything to follow him; now everything seemed to be falling apart. They needed to know that indeed there would be life for him after death on the Cross, and that there would be a place for them in an ongoing ministry in his Name.

Assuring them that they would not be disappointed, he even adds “Because I live, you will live also.”

Luke tells us, moreover, that in a final resurrection appearance, just prior to going off into the heavens, he gave his close followers directions to go to Jerusalem, where they would be clothed for such future ministry “with power from on high.”

It’s a matter of history that just that occurred on the Feast of Pentecost some days later. The promised Spirit of truth came upon them in the form of power – power that would lead them into all truth about himself, and power to proclaim it boldly for all who would believe in him for the forgiveness of their sins.

Consequently, Peter’s preaching that day, that Jesus was “both Lord and Christ,” resulted in 3,000 conversions. Not only so, but all who were baptized in the Lord’s Name that day were promised by Peter that they too would receive the Spirit of truth and power. It was the birthday of the Church!

This new counselor or advocate, this truth and power for the age of Christ’s Church has certainly been awesome, but by no means automatic. He sets forth a clear condition. He says it will be prayed for – reserved for those who love him and keep his commandments.” Or, the other way around. Either way, his promise is that he’ll dwell with, lead into all truth, and feed now and throughout all
eternity those who accept, obey, and guard the way of God’s love laid out on the Cross.

With the disciples, let’s too go to Jerusalem and look forward to Pentecost. Let’s also mark the birthday of the Church. Let’s likewise renew our love for the Lord Christ And let’s ready ourselves to take the power of the Spirit from on high.

– JR Hiles
Adapted from a sermon on John 14.15-21 – 5/14/06

Seeing from God’s Side

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Immediately after complimenting Peter for his great confession, that he was the Christ, Jesus rebukes him for being shortsighted on our Lord’s full mission, that is that he had to suffer, die, and be raised For this he placed Peter on Satan’s side, saying plainly that he was “not on the side of God, but of men.”

Indeed, he goes on to say that all who would follow him must “take up a cross” — die with him and for him.

Great follower that he was, Peter failed completely to realize, as Albright the commentator says, “that the fate of Jesus involves the disciples too.”

While we didn’t have this text before our eyes and ears until some six months later, it was very much before us in reality as we re-enacted our Lord’s entry into the Holy City on Palm Sunday, March 20th, processing down the driveway and into New Parish Hall for our first Eucharist there — bearing all the way the simple wooden cross Josh fashioned for us with his own hands.

We knew then that “take[ing] up a cross” meant far more than Thomas carrying it down the driveway, or wearing one around our neck, or raking the sign of the cross at Communion. As Alphonso opened the
door of New Parish Hall, as he customarily did in another location, we understood better than most the great theological principle of our Lord with regard to rejection, suffering, and death, for we had experienced it all beyond the experience of most.

As we sang our songs of praise to the Almighty, heard the Word of God, made our Communions, and fellowshipped in our Lord’s precious Name in these providentially provided confines, we knew too like few others, as Paul put it, that our “slight momentary affliction [had been] preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (II Corinthians 4.17), as we were then having a glorious foretaste of it in lovely new surroundings.

We have come to realize by all this that indeed each pays a price for loyalty to Christ — that, as the great Bonhoffer put it, there’s a “cost to discipleship.” In other words, a life lived for Christ and in the Spirit goes well beyond verbal confession; as Peter was taught, it means active, even aggressive witness, as the Book of Common Prayer 1928 has it, “against sin, the world and the devil” (page 280), which, as we well know, will be viciously resisted It’s a life that’s heavenly, even here on earth — a life that sees not from the side of men, but one that sees from the side of God.

– JR Hiles
Adapted from a Sermon on Matthew 16.21-27 — 8/28/05

Go – Return, Giving Thanks!

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When ten lepers came to Jesus seeking healing from their disease, he said, Go, show [yourselves] to the priests. Obediently doing so, they were healed as they went.

Of course, their healing was not the result of simply going to one or more priests, although the “law of lepers” required exactly that (Leviticus 14). Rather their act of obedience is but a sign of their larger submission to the whole truth of the tradition the priests represent: God’s sovereignty over all, his self-revelation in Old Testament Scripture, his sending the Messiah promised therein, and his ultimate healing of sin in his son’s Name.

By extension, for faithful, modern Anglicans this tradition extends to the fundamental truth of all Scripture, the creeds it has engendered, the incomparable theological content of its historic Book of
Common Prayer, and the joyous songs of its rich liturgy. A full embrace of such brings about full healing according to God’s plan.

Jesus was clearly perturbed that of ten lepers healed, only one, a dreaded Samaritan, returned praising God and falling at his feet in thanksgiving.

This fact has numerous implications. Most important of all, the nine who neglected to return and do so failed to hear the Lord of life say, as did the lone Samaritan, Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well! He was well of his disease, but he was doubtless also well-ready for God’s plan for him presently and in eternity.

These things are a parable for the parish. We have come to the Lord seeking relief of pain, banishment, and suffering for our steadfast faith in him.

Inasmuch as we have stood foursquare for full Gospel truth in his Name, we know without doubt that he has made us well, spiritually and materially, personally and collectively, beyond all expectation.

Who could not count the ways? A solid core of earnest believers. A model of hope to others praying about their own faithfulness. A promised land of milk and honey. We know, then, what it means to be healed as we go. We, too, have a sense that the Lord’s hand is indeed upon us for the present and for eternity.

Even so, we dare not miss his other, implied word, Return [from all this healing] and give thanks! The nine who failed to do so, though healed physically, are lost spiritually. Like the faithful Samaritan, we are called to give thanks by regular attendance at services, disciplined Bible study and prayer, and generous offerings of time, talent, and treasure for the work he is clearly setting before us.

– JR Hiles
Adapted from Homily of 10/10/04, Luke 17.11-19

Look Back – But Don’t Look Back

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Professor Robert Davidson of Glasgow uttered these words in our presence some fifteen years ago with regard to dealing with the troubles in Ireland. His counsel was to learn from the past – but not to be stuck in it! Archbishop Eames, the Anglican Primate of All Ireland, was present when the words were uttered.

The words kept popping into mind while attending the 16th Annual Assembly of Forward in Faith – North America at St. Vincent’s Cathedral in Bedford, Texas at the end of June.

The worship was beautiful and the fellowship with old comrades in the defense of orthodox doctrine within Anglicanism in America was joyful. Sadly, we kept hearing one way or another that the fate of our beloved Communion depends somehow on the outcome of a Lambeth Commission set up to assess the effects of apostasy on these shores, under the chairmanship of Archbishop Eames.

The irony in all this was profound – another supposed line in the sand, with His Grace in the Chair. I will let this pass for now, except to say that such lines just never seem to get crossed, only drawn further ahead. You can see the connection.

What most occupied my thoughts was the challenge implicit in Professor Davidson’s words. Many congregations, such as Saint Paul’s, have in the past looked to movements such as Forward in Faith and the Anglican Mission in America to take the lead in restoring traditional faithfulness to American Anglicanism, and their efforts cannot be gainsaid.

Who could minimize the significance for Saint Paul’s and the like of Father Edwards, the Rosemont Declaration, Bishop MacBurney, Singapore, Bishops Allison and Rodgers? But therein is the rub! The FIFNA Assembly in Texas made it abundantly clear that the cutting edge of effective faithfulness to the Gospel is not to be found in that body, or in AMiA, or in yet another Lambeth (Eames) Commission. It is rather parishes such as Saint Paul’s that should have show and, indeed, have shown the way.

Now that that we have looked back – it’s time to stop looking back – it’s time to be freed from what was before. This came over me powerfully sitting in the cathedral in Bedford. Very soon we will be occupying a new mission station – undertaking a new ministry in the Lord’s Name – entering a new era in God’s plan. As we do so, we will, willy-nilly, manifest to ourselves and others (as all eyes are upon us) that

  • Identity in Christ Jesus is not a matter of stones, bricks, and mortal, but rather a right spiritual relationship with him, even in, especially in, Anglicanism (this we’ve learned from our brothers and sisters who have come to us from the Global South);
  • The faithful in Our Lord, particularly those who have been martyred like himself, are richly rewarded / glorified (this we’ve realized through God’s angels who have hovered amongst us);
  • The Church of Christ is always and everywhere essentially a Mission[al] Church, proclaiming the uncompromising message of salvation, Repent and be baptized…in the Name of Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, thus recovering whatever the Evil One has snatched away and planting new congregations wherever and whenever possible (this we’ve understood from the Apostle Peter’s first Christian sermon).

– JR Hiles

Common Cause for Christ

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Given Saint Paul’s evangelical catholic character, as well as its affiliation with both Forward in Faith and the Anglican Mission in America, Bishop Allison was asked to address its members and guests on the ground for convergence between the two positions for the cause of Christ and the mission of his Church. It was delivered as keynote address at the Festival of Faith, November 10, 2002

The faith of the Book of Common Prayer is what has forged and held together our Anglican Communion.

It has brought more people to Anglicanism, and nurtured them in faith, than any other factor. On the one hand, due to its compiler, Thomas Cranmer, it is a product of deep catholic self-effacement.

Sadly, evangelical concern for individual conversion and salvation in the 18th century sometimes obscured proper catholic concern dogma and doctrine. Equally regrettable, however, 19th century high churchmen elevated polity over piety – the power of bishops over the authority of scripture!

Twentieth century evangelical scholar Philip Hughes has been instrumental in bridging the unfortunate gap between Catholics and evangelicals. With deep appreciation of the catholic dogmas of Christ and the Trinity, he has shown that they are complimented by proper evangelical understanding of the Atonement, i.e. that believers are justified, saved, made whole before God by his mercy in Christ. Hughes’ effort gained the support of Michael Ramsey, former catholic Archbishop of Canterbury, in his classic work, The Gospel and the Catholic Church.

Practically speaking, without biblical teaching on salvation there has been and will not be an authentic mission. And without that mission branches of the Church are pruned. Suggested is a convergence of evangelical and catholic distinctives that will guard and advance the mission.

Crucial to such convergence is an understanding and appreciation of the nouminous as distinct from mere phenomena, that is knowledge of an underlying reality beneath or beyond the senses, as seen in the works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Failure to grasp such distinction characterized both 19th century evangelicals and modernists, affecting their view of the Bible, the Church, the Sacraments, and the ministry, hence shutting down circuits of grace from the reality beyond. Evangelicals and Catholics alike share the desperate need to recover this nouminous, this [mystical reality].

In sum, in the Scriptures we have both been given the images to perceive and know what otherwise remains unknown and unknowable.