SUNDAY SERVICES:

Scriptures for today.
Psalm 20, 21.1-7 · Exodus 17.1-16 · 1 Peter 4.7-19 · Psalm 110.1-5, 116, 117 · John 16.16-33

Prayer for today.

Almighty Father, you have given your only Son to die for our sins and to rise again for our justification: grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness that we may always serve you in pureness of living and truth; through the merits of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Question for today.

Understanding the promise of Christ helps us meet him in reverence and worship. As you prepare for our worship tomorrow, consider the greatness of your God, who in Christ is “Savior, Redeemer, Mediator, Advocate, and Intercessor” Which ministry of the Risen Jesus draws your heart towards him this week? Ask Jesus to meet you tomorrow as you gather with His people to receive from him all that He has promised.

The Book(s) of Homilies were created in the days of the English Reformation to help parish churches without trained clergy provide model sermons to the people. The two collections of sermons address both doctrine and Christian living. Homily XV urges the “worthy receiving and reverend esteeming of the Sacrament” You may read the entire homily here http://www.anglicanlibrary.org/homilies/bk2hom15.htm

…Neither need we to think that such exact knowledge is required of every man, that he be able to discuss all high points in the doctrine thereof: But thus much we must be sure to hold, that in the Supper of the Lord, there is no vain Ceremony, no bare sign, no untrue figure of a thing absent (Matthew 26.26): But (as the Scripture says) the Table of the Lord, the Bread and Cup of the Lord, the memory of Christ, the Annunciation of his death, yea the Communion of the Body and Blood of the Lord, in a marvelous incorporation, which by the operation of the Holy Ghost (the very bond of our conjunction with Christ) is through faith wrought in the souls of the faithful, whereby not only their souls live to eternal life, but they surely trust to win their bodies a resurrection to immortality (1 Corinthians 10.16-17). The true understanding of this fruition and union, which is betwixt the body & the head betwixt the true believers and Christ, the ancient Catholic Fathers, both perceiving themselves, and commending to their people, were not afraid to call this Supper, some of them, the salve of immortality and sovereign preservative against death: other, a Deifical Communion: other, the sweet dainties of our Savior, the pledge of eternal health, the defense of Faith, the hope of the Resurrection: other, the food of immortality, the healthful grace, and the conservatory to everlasting life (Irenaeus, Bk. 4, Chap. 34; Ignatius, Epis. ad Ephes.; Dionysius?; Origen, Optat. Cyp. de Cana Domini; Athanasius, De Pec. in Spir. Sanct.).

…Now it follows to have with this knowledge a sure and constant faith, not only that the death of Christ is available for the redemption of all the world, for the remission of sins, and reconciliation with GOD the Father: but also that he hath made upon his Cross a full and sufficient sacrifice the thee, a perfect cleansing of thy sins, so that thou acknowledge no other Savior, Redeemer, Mediator, Advocate, Intercessor, but Christ only, and that thou may say with the Apostle, that he loved thee, and gave himself for thee. For this is to stick fast to Christ’s promise made in his Institution, to make Christ thine own, and to apply his merits unto thyself. Herein thou needs no other man’s help, no other Sacrifice, or oblation, no sacrificing Priest, no Mass, no means established by man’s invention. That Faith is a necessary instrument in all these holy Ceremonies, we may thus assure ourselves, for that as Saint Paul says, without Faith it is impossible to please GOD (Hebrews 11.6). …

Thus we see (beloved) that resorting to this table, we must pluck up all the roots of infidelity, all distrust in GODS promises, that we make ourselves living members of Christ’s body. For the unbelievers and faithless, cannot feed upon that precious body: whereas the faithful have their life, their abiding in him, their union, and as it were their incorporation with him. Wherefore let vs prove and try ourselves unfeignedly, without flattering ourselves, whether we be plants of the fruitful Olive, living branches of the true vine, members indeed of Christ’s mystical body, whether GOD hath purified our hearts by faith, to the sincere acknowledging of his Gospel, and embracing of his mercies in Christ Jesus, so that at this his table we receive not only the outward Sacrament, but the spiritual thing also: not the figure, but the truth: not the shadow only, but the body: not to death, but to life: not to destruction, but to salvation: which GOD grant vs to doe through the merits of our Lord and Savior, to whom bee all honor and glory forever, Amen.