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Trinity VIII Fr. Forrest Burgett
Trinity Anglican Church
given 8/10/2003
Most of the scientific world today promotes the theory that our world is the result of random events. The goal of the scientific community is to bring the appearance of order out of chaos. To maintain this approach, they are required to deny the existence of intelligent design because that would imply that order was already there. They know they don’t have all the answers but are confident they are on the right track. They are sure the answers will be revealed by their efforts and will be in concert with their current thoughts. But this is one of those situations like the Emperor’s new clothes. If the discoveries reported do not support the desired conclusions, grant money might not be forthcoming for future efforts. The Emperor has no clothes and the scientists have no choice. It is unacceptable to report new discoveries without explaining how they fit current approaches. This situation will continue as long as scientific research is required exclude religious revelations as a possible factor in their efforts.
Much effort is expended today to disprove the order described by God’s revelations. For those involved, it is more important to prove the preference of their personal approach. How can they insist that we are the product of evolution and got here by luck and happenstance, and at the same time, claim to bring order out of chaos with their explanations? Is that not a desire to become God instead of explaining His creation? All that aside, we must admit it is good to define things with order and good form. It makes our lives easier if we know what to expect. Consider the alternative for just a moment. If there are no rules, is there still a reason for living? Having a reason implies there is something to accomplish. Having something to accomplish implies two possibilities – success and failure. If there are two possibilities, there are preferred paths to each.
One of the gifts of our Book of Common Prayer is the connection between the Collect, Epistle and Gospel in the Propers for each Sunday. Today is no exception. Our Collect today calls attention to the order of our world. First, we acknowledge that God’s never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth. This may not be a scientific approach but it is totally in line with the nature of our God-created world. It is also in line with the nature of our God-created humanity. And, it is in line with the revelations of God handed down to us over the last 4400 years. Next, we ask God to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which are profitable for us.
We all recognize that there are things in this world that are helpful and things in this world that are hurtful. But, things that are hurtful sometimes have aspects that are quite appealing in the short term. We have a tendency to follow the “a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush” approach. When it comes to pleasure we are definitely biased toward the short term. When it comes to things profitable, the collect means spiritually helpful as opposed to financially advantageous. While it is true that financial advantage can lift our spirits, we have to remember we are dealing with God’s order in this world. We are not dealing with an order defined by our personal desires. We are dealing with the world as God created it. In this world, there are things that can help us and things that can hurt us. When we oppose God’s will, we must accept the hurtful consequence imposed by God’s created order. If we seek those things that are God’s will, we find them profitable to our lives here and our lives to come.
Next, we move to the Epistle and hear Paul’s advice to the Romans. The words are poetic; not in meter or rhyme but in exhorting us to discern the spiritual from the worldly. “Brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.” This is reminding us that we are not indebted to the flesh. We are indebted to life after the flesh. We are indebted to the Spirit. We will die if we live indebted to the flesh. If we live indebted to the spirit, the deeds of our body will be mortified and we shall live.
Those who live by the spirit of God will be considered children of God and with the spirit of adoption will cry,”Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself will bear witness with our spirit, that we are children of God; and being children of God, we are heirs of God, which makes us joint-heirs with Christ. This is the order of God’s creation. If we suffer with him, we may be also glorified together with him. This is one of those things that are profitable to us and yet not very appealing. First, the profit is long term and we prefer short term pleasure. Second, we mentioned suffering. That is not one of the things we seek. The discipline required to accept and even seek suffering for the sake of God is definitely profitable to us and part of God’s order. Still we have to pray for help to develop that discipline.
Now we look at the Gospel. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” We are all familiar with this saying and we certainly have enough examples in this world. Over the last 3 or 4 decades, there are many stories of one religious sect after another following a charismatic leader into such isolation from the world that their entire existence consisted of pleasing their leader. The leaders literally consumed the sheep for their own pleasure. Unfortunately, we don’t have to look to sects to find examples fitting this warning. Many mainline denominations have re-interpreted Holy Scripture to fit the current cultural norms. With new translations of the scriptures and interpretations couched in modern terminology and social constructs, it is not easy to say what fits in God’s order and what is diverted to one of the many orders of mankind.
Here again, the Gospel helps us with that question as well. “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” We do not gather grapes from plants that produce thorns. We do not gather figs from thistles. I’m sure that modern science could develop a grape vine that also produced thorns. I’m sure they could develop thistles on fig trees as well. However, would the grapes still be usable as both fruit and for producing wine? Would the figs taste as good or would they become toxic to humans? Perhaps it is a mute question, at least until they do so and we get to see the results. At that point we shall know them by their fruits.
We have a message here that goes beyond scientific speculation. “Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit or it is not in keeping with God’s order. Every corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit or it is not in keeping with God’s order. Again, this is poetic expression. Paul is not warning the Romans about horticulture. We, like the Romans, will be judged by our fruit. By God’s order, if our fruit is good, we are good. If our fruit is evil, we are evil.
It is not politically correct to be so explicit and definitive in today’s world. It prefers generic terms that are ambiguous and unclear. The next statement is equally clear. “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” If we are good, we cannot bring forth evil fruit. If we are corrupt, we cannot bring forth good fruit.
The last point is also clear. “Every tree, that is to say person, that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” We all know where that fire is and it is not the everlasting life we seek. “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieve s do not break through nor steal.” (St. Matthew 6. 19-20)