Acts 11:19-30

Psalm 98

1 John 4:1-11

John 15:9-17

“Christian Love”

Grace and Peace to you my brothers and sisters in Christ, Amen.

As I read the many scriptures that revolve around love and as I hear the many songs and speeches throughout the year with regards to the same, occasionally I am reminded of the love I received from my own mother, and today of all days is such a time. Yet in this confusing time where the culture is forcing its expectations on women and most especially mothers, I ask, “What is a mother?” To be more exact, it’s probably better to ask this, “What makes a mother?” Why love, it is a mother’s love that makes the mother. So what is a mother’s love? Instead of using examples of multiple mothers and each of their parenting styles, as well as cultural norms on parenting to help me understand a mother’s love, let us instead look towards God who created women.

Women provide something special, something that men cannot provide. And when it comes to parenting, the gifts that God provided for women makes them great mothers, and the gifts that God provided for men make them great fathers. Mothers are not Fathers, nor are Fathers Mothers. Women are not men nor are men women. God made them separately and different so that together in unity they may become whole. It is the reason why we state that in marriage two become one, for one fulfills the other. Man and woman, together in unity, and eventually together in unity through parenting. For it is essential for children to have both a Father and a Mother, working together in ways that only a Father could and a Mother could. Because of this, we acknowledge that God intended that child be raised under the care of a father and a mother, each providing something crucial. For the mother, that is a mother’s love. 

Now what is a mother’s love? God has blessed many women, but the one we hear of most is the mother of His Son, Jesus, who is Mary. It is simple, but in Luke after finding Jesus in the temple and going back home it says this about Mary, “And His mother treasured up all these things in her heart.” She treasured carrying Jesus in her womb, she treasured his birth, she treasured raising Him, and she treasured Him even as he walked as a grown man. Mary has gone through a lot, but her salvation was found in bearing Jesus. Do not misunderstand what I say, for I am not suggesting salvation through works. What I am saying is that there is a special kind of joy that only a mother can produce upon seeing their child. It states in Psalm 127:3, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.” This is a blessing provided by God; a blessing that wells up within mothers an overwhelming joy. This is a mother’s love. Giving birth to Jesus must have been the happiest day of Mary’s life, and until the day she died, she always treasured her son, her Lord, her Savior.

The love a mother possesses is a special kind of love; one that no matter what a child would do, regardless the mother would still love you, treasure you, and worry their poor hearts over. Proverbs is a good source for understanding this, for in chapter 10:1 it reads, “A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.” She will always worry and love you till the day she dies, so instead of being a source of pain, from Proverbs 23:25, “Let your Father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.”

As for other verses in Proverbs that refers to mothers, a great source would be Chapter 31:10-31, the ending of Proverbs which lifts up women and proclaims in the eyes of God what is righteous femininity. A good summary is that a mother, a wife, the keeper of the house, is strong, trustworthy, prepared, wise, kind, and worships God.

A mother’s love is a remarkable thing, it is a gift given to women first and foremost by God, and has similar qualities to the Love which comes from God, who is the source of love. For God is love itself, and without Him no one is capable of loving. His love is surpasses all understanding, His love is righteous, His love is unconditional, His love shows us what is good. Whatever the world teaches is not love, in fact it is a false image, a pale comparison, twisted by Satan, into that which persecutes true love. For if anyone can love then they love God, in fact if you can love your neighbor, truly love your neighbor, then that is proof that you love God. For only the one who loves God is capable of loving others. And how can you love God if you do not listen to Him? So those who do not listen to God are also incapable of loving thy neighbor, truly love thy neighbor.

Yet because of sin, we cannot love God, so out of the surpassing unconditional love of God the Father, did He sent His Son to die on the cross, and serve as a sacrifice for our sins, so that through the salvation that comes from Christ are we capable of loving God. Here is the thing, we cannot love God and because we cannot love Him we cannot love our neighbor, but because God first loved us he gave us the means through faith and not works the ability to love Him and it is through this gracious gift of salvation that not only are we finally capable of loving Him but also through Him our neighbor. This Christian love for our neighbors is not our own but comes from God, the source of all love.

God loves us unconditionally, and it worries Him when we act like fools, and the most foolish thing we can do is deny His love. We deny this, and not only do we still live in damnation, but we continue to harm all those around us. God did the most loving thing anyone could do for anyone, He died for our sake. He did this not to only just save us but to also save our communal relationships. He did this so that we may be able to receive the gift of Christian Love and serve our neighbors in a way that is befitting of Christ’s sacrifice.

What does this Christian Love look like? It is one that is self-sacrificing. It is one that puts the needs of others before your own. It is one that holds no patience towards evil. It is one that defends others from evil even such defense may cost you dearly. It is one that is courageous in a twisted world. It is one that is wise enough not to confuse the words of demons with the Word of God. It is one that baptizes, teaches, and disciple all nations. It is one that recognizes that the only source of love and salvation and joy and hope is God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is one that has the audacity to provide both Word and Sacrament, acknowledging that, because these are the only sources of God’s Salvation which came from the most loving thing He ever did for Humanity, providing Word and Sacrament is the most loving thing a Christian can do. Yes, speaking the Good News, baptizing your kids as soon as possible, raising Christians, discipling those who are new to the faith, providing the means for Communion, and the willingness to lay down your life like a good shepherd in order to defend the faith, these are all forms of true love, of Christian Love.

Out of Christian love we look at our neighbors who do not have Christ in their lives, seeing the turmoil they wallow in and the inevitable damnation they will face, for all are already damned. Yet it is through the grace of God, the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we know that we who do have faith are most definitely saved. So out of Christian love, as we look at our neighbors who do not have Christ in their lives, we act with the goal that they may receive the Holy Spirit and so too be saved. And until that day comes, we like God the Father and like those who possesses a Mother’s Love, would look with a sense of sorrow as we patiently, with long suffering, wait for the day that they too like us are saved. That is Christian love. That is what it means to possess the love of Christ in one’s own heart. And of course, none of this is possible, whether it is Christian love or a Mother’s love, without the aid of God who ultimately the source of love, for God is love.

Let us pray,

Dear Heavenly Father, source of life and all that is good, you who possess all knowledge and wisdom, and determines the nature of all things, we ask that you provide for us your humble servants a portion of your loving kindness, the wisdom to recognize this love, and the strength to express it. In your most holy name we pray, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Acts 4:23-33

Psalm 23

1 John 3:1-2

John 10:11-18

“The Self-Sacrificing Shepherd”

Grace and Peace to you my brothers and sisters in Christ, Amen.

        Here on Catawba Island we have a Volunteer Firemen force. Any of you can join. In fact I have a recruitment sheet in my office in case any wish to volunteer. They meet every Monday to conduct training, to prep the vehicles and make sure all is in order. If anything was to happen and they are in need they are at the ready. They get no pay, they are not hired hands, but are purely giving up their time and service for the sake of the community. The job they do have the potential of being very dangerous, this they are already aware of, but for the sake of the community they are willing to courageously tackle the danger in order to save those in need. They don’t needlessly give up their lives, but they are willing to put themselves in harm’s way in order to preserve the lives of others. They won’t run away, they won’t cower in fear when the rising heat of a treacherous fire rears its ugly face as it attempts to devoir both life and property. And again, they do all this as volunteers.

        Do not be mistaken, for I am not disparaging hired firemen, that is not my intention, but what I am doing is pointing out the selfless, the self-sacrificing, service of one who is willing to face danger in order to protect others, no matter who that person may be. They are very much like the Good Shepherd who is Jesus, and not at all like the hired hand who runs away when faced with danger.

        So who is the hired hand? They are the ones who say I was hired for a particular thing, only thinking about their self-preservation, to include getting the money needed to put food on the table. When faced with trouble, trouble that might jeopardize their potential to continue receiving money they buckle, they collapse in fear, they run away. They are not invested in the preservation of others. So when the decision between self-preservation and preserving others must be made, they will always choose to preserve themselves. They are not working for the sake of others out of love toward these others; they are not working for the sake of others because they have invested every tear, drop of sweat, and blood into them. There is no sense of belonging or servitude or honor or duty or leadership. They care only for themselves. So when trouble happens, they will avoid such trouble out of selfishness.

        The hired hand was hired to take care of the sheep, but that is all. The hired hand doesn’t truly care for the sheep, all they care about is the money involved in caring for the sheep. Thus, when the wolves come will the hired hand lay down his life to protect the sheep or will he run? No sane person would willing give up their life for sheep unless love their sheep so much that they were already willing to give up everything, even life itself, for the Sheep. And this is the Good Shepherd.

        The Good Shepherd knows His sheep and His sheep know Him. He does not work for money, but works for the sheep because the sheep is the source of His joy. The sheep are not His servants, but He is a servant to the sheep. His joy is found in being with the sheep and knowing that His sheep are safe and secure and well fed and at peace. Thus when the wolves comes which jeopardizes the safety of the flock, out of concern for the sheep’s safety, the Good Shepherd fights until the danger to the sheep is no more.

        Jesus is our Good Shepherd and we are His sheep, and we know that we can have faith in the security and the peace and the providence that comes from Him alone. We are assured of this because Jesus already died for us. Here’s the thing, a Good Shepherd is willing to die for His sheep; well we know with certainty that Jesus has indeed already lay down His life for the sake of us His flock. For the wolf that came in the middle of the night, coming to rear its terrible head at us defenseless sheep, for by ourselves we are defenseless, was Satan Himself, with the wolf known as sin on his right side and the wolf known as damnation on his left. They came to devour us, but Jesus who is just and righteous stood in front of us and confronted the enemy. He is our defense, our mighty fortress. Well, he took on the old satanic foe, and in battle, he won victoriously. Yet the battle he was involved in had a cost, and that was death itself. Jesus willingly gave up His life to save us. Jesus died. Yet it was through His death that the enemy was conquered. But lest you believe that the enemy won as well by putting Jesus to death, our Lord and savior rose, and is once again at the gateway guarding His sheep, defending us, alive and well.

        There may be devilish hordes that fill the land, all threatening to devoir us, but because we know that Jesus will defend us no matter what, is willing to die for us, as we have proof of this, we tremble not, no, but instead unmoved we stand, for they cannot overpower us. In order for them to overpower us, the demons need to first get through Jesus. But Jesus will win. So us sheep can look upon our Good Shepherd with peace of mind knowing that in Him, all is well. Have faith in Christ, and graze in the pasture greens safe and secure from all alarms.

        Now there is only one flock and one shepherd. The hired hands are not shepherds, only the Good Shepherd is the shepherd. And there are many sheep out there who are of the shepherd but not in the flock yet. The Good Shepherd is currently searching for these lost little sheep, who suffer the fears of not knowing when they might get attacked and devoured. The Good Shepherd finds them and brings them under fold, into the one and only true flock, defending them from the evil wolves that prowl in the darkness. Now there is only one true flock because there is only one true shepherd. The sheep that are led by hired hands are not a true flock but are being led astray with a false sense of security, for when the wolves descend upon them, their hired hand will run away and the supposed flock will be destroyed. Thus there is only one true flock because only a Good Shepherd will defend the sheep from wolves, and there is only one Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord.

        Nothing on earth can protect you from the devilish wolves. Nothing on earth can protect you from Hell. No earthly made schemes, no crafty philosophical arguments, no worldly desires or means, no man-made gods, no fake religions or human spirituality, no man-made traditions, no institutions or governmental laws, no good-intentions, no gold or pearls, no possessions, no nothing can protect you except for Jesus Christ alone. This is why Jesus is the one and only Good Shepherd, for only Jesus can protect you from the wolves that will devour you. Only Jesus can give you the reassurance and peace of mind associated with protection. Only Jesus can promise you safety. Why? Because He has already proven it through His death!

        All these other precautions that we ourselves hired in order to protect us little sheep cannot hope to win against the wolves, in fact some of these hired hands might be themselves wolves in sheep clothing, or rather shepherd clothing. Believing you are born already good, wolf in shepherd clothing. Believing you are born with the Holy Spirit already within you and thus baptism should wait until after professing faith, wolf in shepherd clothing. Believing in the sanctity that comes from humanity, aka human narcissism, wolf in shepherd clothing. These and many more are misguided beliefs that make us think we are safe and secure, but in all reality protects us the same way a nerf gun would protect you if a tommy gun wielding mafioso invaded your house.

        Nothing except for Jesus can protect you. Plus he is not hired; in fact he was our shepherd since the beginning of time, already wielding authority and a willingness of His own accord to give up His life. He did not give it up because some contract was formed. We didn’t demand Him to die for us. We didn’t search for him like some employer and give him a sheet to sign saying that He must serve us. We did not create him, we have no authority over him, we do not force him into servitude. Instead, He who has authority over us, chose to serve us and chose to give himself up for us and chose to die for us and chose to rise again to continually protect us. This is why He and only He is our Good Shepherd, our champion, our Lord, our savior, our Mighty Fortress; this I can say is most certainly true.

Let us pray,

        Dear Heavenly Father, there are many false gods and things propped up by humans pretending to be protectors scattered throughout the earth. Give us the wisdom to know that all these are worthless when the Devil comes, for against the Devil, we and all these things will surely fail. Instead help us to look towards with peace and faith and joy and hope toward the Good Shepherd who has already defeated the Devil and will continue to fight by our side, protecting us from all the evil that assails us. We pray in your most holy name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Acts 8:26-40

Psalm 22:24-31

1 John 3:18-24

John 15:1-8

“The Curious Ethiopian”

Grace and Peace to you my brothers and sisters in Christ, Amen.

Ten years ago, when I went to Fort Jackson for basic training, there was only one kind of book I and the other trainees were allowed to read, religious scripture. Not books about religion or study books on various subjects that are religious, but only holy texts related to any religion. You could read the Bible, the Torah, the Quran, the Book of Mormon, but not Sci-fi books, nor  American History books, nor even the Book of Concord. Only Holy Scripture. Because of this I ended up reading the Bible quite a bit; anything to fill up the long gaps between training so I didn’t lose my mind to boredom. The same was true for many of the other Trainees. And it is because of this that many who never lifted the Bible started reading Scripture which led them toward the road laid down by Christ Himself. I can imagine the interaction these newly born Christians would have with a life-long Christian. So what led you towards Christ? Why, Boredom did.

But on a serious note, these Trainees were picking up the Bible, and many were confused and lost. What does this mean? What am I reading? They would then reach out to either a chaplain or a fellow Trainee to help them be a guide, someone who could help navigate them through Scripture and help them receive the Holy Spirit so that their eyes would be opened and the Truth, which is only found in Scripture, revealed. It was because of this search amongst the Trainees, a search for an adequate guide, that I eventually received my call into ministry.

Leave me alone; let me read my book in silence. I was quite the unsociable type, very introverted, still am, but more so back then. And because I loved reading, I usually filled my time at Basic Training by reading the Bible. Many Trainees knew I was a Christian, and a life-long Christian, not new to the faith, but many falsely assumed I was well learned in the faith; believe it or not, I wasn’t. But they ended up coming to me for answers and guidance and I couldn’t shoo them away, so I tried my best to help them out in hopes that they would be satisfied and not interrupt me again. They kept on coming back… and eventually asked if I would become a Chaplain.

Some of you may have similar stories or know of someone who went through the same narrative. Some of you may have been like the Trainees who read the Bible, but had no clue what they were reading and need a guide to help them see and hear Scripture as it is. It is a curious thing, for I have given several sermons, and even more devotions, about going out and spreading the Good News, but seldom do I speak about the curious incidents when someone who is not a Christian seeks you out. And it is indeed curious because we do acknowledge that the world naturally hates God and Jesus and Scripture. Christianity and the Culture will always be at odds. But occasionally, you will come by a person who out of curiosity will open the Bible.  And as they read, they are faced with the same internal struggle most Christians face: the battle between the Sinner and the Saint; the struggle between faith, which comes only from the Holy Spirit, and our cultural norms; the combat between the Old and the New Adam. The only problem, they are lost and have no clue what to make of Scripture. Such people would either run away from Scripture, but others would either seek out aid or welcome aid. This leads us to the story of the Ethiopian.

Now there is one major difference between my Trainees and the Ethiopian, as well as myself and Philip. Whereas the Trainees were compelled to come to me, the Holy Spirit compelled Philip to go to the Ethiopian, stating, “Go over and join this chariot.” As Philip approached he heard the Ethiopian reading aloud Isaiah 53. You may recognize the verses because I have said them during our Lent Wednesday services and on Good Friday, “Like a sheep he was led to the Slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” We know that these verses in Isaiah were referring to Jesus, but did the Ethiopian? So, Philip asked the Ethiopian as he approached, “Do you understand what you are reading?” Now, unless this Ethiopian was a Christian the answer would obviously have been no for not even the high Priests fully comprehended these Scriptural texts until far after Jesus’ death. The Ethiopian was not a Christian, thus his response, “How can I, unless someone guides me?”

Here is the thing, and you have heard me say this many a times, unless the Holy Spirit guides us, none of us would know, let alone love, God, therefore without the Holy Spirit acting as our guide there is no hope for us to understand Scripture, let alone have faith in it. How can I? How can I understand Scripture? How can I understand, unless I have a guide? I can’t. I literally cannot, nor will I ever, understand. And why? Because without the Holy Spirit opening my eyes, I, a sinner, will always look away, preferring to be blinded by the veil of sin; for it is the Holy Spirit alone that lifts the veil of sins away from our eyes and allows us to see the truth, that the Sheep who was led to the slaughter like a lamb silent before its shearer, the Sheep who was humiliated and denied justice, whose life was taken away; this Sheep is Jesus Christ who died on the Cross so that you may be saved.

Had Philip not acted as the Ethiopian’s guide, revealing Scripture, preaching the good news about Jesus, the Ethiopian would not have understood, the Ethiopian would have been left in the dark, and the Ethiopian would not have asked to be baptized and, after his baptism, rejoice.

Before his baptism, this Ethiopian was like the branch that did not abide in Jesus.

We read in today’s Gospel, Jesus’ teaching on what it means for Him to be the true vine and us the branches. We are all branches, each and every human, but only those that abide in the vine bear fruit. Obviously, the branch that is not attached to its vine but lies on the ground is incapable of bearing fruit. Why, because it is dead, withered, lifeless. The Vine is the source of life, and only branches attached to the vine are also alive and only living branches can produce fruit and the fruit it produces are proof that the branch is attached to the vine. Sounds like a Faith alone argument; well that is because it is. The fruit are good works, and good works cannot be produced unless the producer, the branch, is alive, but the branch is not alive, aka saved, unless it is attached to the Vine which is the source of life. If a branch is not attached to the vine, it does not abide in the vine, it is dead. Same goes for humans, for if they do not abide in Christ then they are not truly alive but are dead and can only produce dead faith. Only a Christian, one who abides in Christ, one who is saved from death and is now alive, truly alive, can produce good works.

The Ethiopian, before his baptism, did not abide in Christ, he was a dead branch, and this is why he was unable to understand Isaiah 53. But after Philip baptized the Ethiopian, the Ethiopian rejoiced because through baptism he did abide in Christ and Christ in him. Whereas he once was lost, now he is found. Whereas he once was dead, now he lives. Whereas he once did not understand, now he does.

Dead branches cannot hope to understand, that is why they need guides to help them, to help them the same way a gardener would cut a slit into a vine and slip a branch into the slit, tying it down, so that the branch would become one with the vine. So too does the Father send the Holy Spirit to help us branches attach to the Vine. The Ethiopian is such a branch. For the Holy Spirit sent Philip as a guide to lead the Ethiopian towards baptism and through baptism the Holy Spirit entered into the Ethiopian thus providing him with enough reason to rejoice; why, because he is saved and he knows he is saved.

You are no different, you are all branches attached to the true vine, you all abide in Jesus and He in you, and through your baptism the seal of God has been placed on your forehead, declaring you a Child of God. You are saved, never forget this, never forget this.

Let us pray,

Dear Heavenly Father, there are many who yet do not know You and are lost even when they read Your Word. Guide us by Your Spirit, use us for Your name sake, so that as instruments we may serve as guides. Help us proclaim the Gospel and baptize, so that others may receive your Spirit. In Your Holy Name we pray, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Acts 4:8-12 

Psalm 139:1-11 

1 John 1:1-2:2 

Luke 24:36-49 

“In His Name” 

Grace and Peace to you my brothers and sisters in Christ, Amen. 

You’ve heard the saying, “Through Him all things are  possible.” This is most certainly true, but not in the way many in  our past throughout history have interpreted. For example, many  have said that they are now capable of doing this or that, simply  because they have faith, only to get disappointed when said  things don’t happen. Don’t get me wrong, miracles do happen, but  just because a miracle can happen does not mean a miracle will  happen. That is what is meant when we say that through Him all  things are possible. Miracles are indeed possible because of Him.  For what is a miracle? Anything that defies the Laws of Nature,  quite simply. 

I can already imagine a supposed scientist controlled by the  religion of secularism stating that miracles are impossible and  can’t happen because they defy the Laws of Nature. Such a  statement would cause me to do a face palm and groan in agony  for that is what makes a miracle a miracle. Let me ask you this,  who created the Laws of Nature? God? So the Laws of Nature  are only possible because of God who is the source of their  existence? Is God subject to His creation or are the Laws of  Nature subject to their Creator? Obviously, the latter. Therefore,  because the Laws are subject to God and not the other way 

around could God do something in addition to the Laws? And if  He was to do something in addition to the Laws then would that  not imply that the addition is outside the Law? And if this thing  God did was outside the Law then would that not classify God’s  action as a miracle? Congratulations, miracles are possible, but  only through God. And on top of that, all things that are not  miracles, aka under the Laws of Nature, are de facto possible  through God because He created them. 

One such miracle is the Resurrection. The resurrection of  our Lord and Savior is a miracle, only possible through the  intercession of our Father in Heaven. It is only through Him that  Jesus’ resurrection was possible, for resurrection does not fit in  the natural laws. In fact, resurrection defies the natural laws.  Many have said that Jesus not resurrected, nay born of a virgin  birth, because the such do not follow the Laws of Nature. They  are impossible. Well yah, they are impossible, which is why when  our Lord and Savior was born of a virgin and raised from the dead  following his sacrifice on the cross it was a pretty big deal. But it’s  impossible, such clueless people may insist. Yes, yes, but  through God, in His Name, it is indeed Possible, for in His Name,  all things miracles and natural laws are possible. The mere fact  that Jesus rose from the grave, and He indeed did rose from the  grave, proves that miracles can happen, that God exists, and that  God is above the natural laws which He established. 

It is only through His Name that such things are possible.  Only through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God’s most Holy  Name, that the chains of the natural forces and the chains of  Satan are broken and miracles and good works become possible. 

We who were once subjects to both Satan and the natural laws  understand this slavery to be true, for under them our capabilities  were limited. Under them there is no hope, no love, no good  works, no freedom, no righteousness, no healing, no faith, no  moving of mountains. But under, with, and through the Name of  Christ, all of us have indeed been set free from this tyranny. In His  Name we do have hope, love, the ability to conduct good works,  freedom, righteousness, healing that surpasses all understanding,  faith, and the right to tell a mountain to move. Again, this does not  mean that these things will indeed happen, but that through Christ  and in His Name alone, they may happen. 

By ourselves, we cannot hope to accomplish any of these  things. We can’t even do one thing void of sin without the help of  God, let alone believe in God. But when His Word enters into our  hearts, He provides us with the faith necessary to truly believe in  God and thus be set free and do all things. This is why we baptize  not in our name or in the name of one of the disciples, but in the  Name of the Triune God, for there is power in His Name. If we do  not say, “I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son,  and of the Holy Spirit,” then we are not truly baptizing but are  simply getting a poor person needlessly wet. But through both the  water and the Word, when we invoke His most Glorious Name,  then the Spirit enters into the baptized and provides them with the  faith necessary to finally believe in the Triune God. It is in His  Name that we have faith. 

This is why we do not pray to Saints or angels or archangels,  to Mary or the Disciples, to Seraphim or Cherubim, to princes or  Lords, let alone ourselves. We do not pray to them nor in their 

name for none of them, nor our self, have an ounce of power. No,  instead we pray in the Name of our one true King and God,  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For true power comes from His  Name, not in these other things. Now the Saints and angels and  archangels do have power, but their power is not their own, for  their power comes from God alone. And because their power  comes from God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we do not pray  to them for their power, but to the source of their power who is  also the source of our power. 

This is why when we go out into the world proclaiming the  Good News we do not claim that it is us who converts believers,  but His Name alone which has filled each and every individual  with the faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, who is also now  their Lord and their Savior. It is in His Name alone that Christians  are born. You’ve heard me said in my sermons before how  professing Jesus is Christ is a miracle in of itself? This is because  nothing on earth can open our eyes to the truth. We are born  slaves to Satan and unless the Word enters into us we remain  slaves to Satan. As slaves, the evil tyrant forces us to blindness  which prevents us from seeing reality. By our own powers we  cannot overcome the Devil, but through His name we conquer  Lucifer and are set free, finally capable of expressing the plain  truth, that Jesus is Christ. Again, only through His Name are  miracles possible. Thus it is not us who converts, we have neither  power nor ability to reason faith in anything, but God alone who  speaks through us and through us enter into the hearts of those  who listen to our testimonies and proclamations.

This is why when we convert we proclaim His Name to all  nations, to the old and young, to the blind and deaf, to Gentile and  Jew, to Americans all the way to Europe to South Africa to China  to Australia. All nations and all people are in need of hearing not  our voices and our wisdom and our power but in His Name which  is the Word filled with wisdom and power. 

This is why when miracles do happen such as unexplainable  healings we do not profess that it was the saint who performed  the miracle but Jesus Christ alone. It is in His Name that we heal  and move mountains, and if the world obeys it does so not  because of our commands or faith per se but because of God  who is the source of our authority. So next time a snake charmer  conducts healing and exorcisms know this, their smokes and  mirrors and usage of tricks and deceit are just that, for unless they  invoke the name of God, the true name of God which is and only  is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, then their antics are exposed as  fake as the eye can see. Many supposed pastors, aka conmen,  have swindled money off of genuinely worried Christians through  their circus acts. Be wary of them for they have no power. Only  God can perform miracles, thus when such do happen, we don’t  praise the saint but God who is the source of miracles. 

Nothing exists without God, and nothing is possible without  God. Through His Name, all this and so much more is possible.  The Church, Salvation, Heaven, Divine Fellowship, Communion,  Forgiveness of Sins; all this and so much more is only possible  through the Name of God. We who are but a mere creation of  God, subjects to the Laws God has established, are nothing  compared to the might and wisdom and knowledge and goodness 

that comes from God. We pale in comparison, for who can  compare to their Creator? Even if all of Humanity was to gather  together and globalize against God, turning ourselves, humanity,  into God, we would be an ant to God. Yet, though we are but  lowly servants, God does not look down on us. He does not treat  us like how one may treat the ground they walk on, walking all  over it. God looks at us with compassion and grace. He looks out  for us and provides for us. He gives us power and dominion over  the earth. He looks at us lowly servants and even gave himself up  on the cross, acting as a servant to us, all in order to save us. We  are nothing, God is all powerful. We do not deserve grace; God  gave it to us anyways. We do not deserve to be kings; God  anointed us anyways. We have no power; in God’s Name He has  provided us the power to conquer Satan himself. All things are  possible through His Name. 

Let us pray, 

Dear Heavenly Father, you are our ever provider and  protector, the source of our existence and the source of our  salvation. Through your Son and the Holy Spirit we know that we  are saved and that the promise of heaven is indeed ours.  Continue to guide us, providing miracles, and the power to  overcome all to include the Devil. We ask you all this in your most  Holy Name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.