Today’s Epistle reading is taken from the first Second of Peter. It is a short letter with a dual purpose: (1) to discuss Christ’s second coming (a good Advent theme), and (2) to warn against false teachers. Although tradition has it that Peter wrote it, even the Church Fathers in the first few hundred years of Christianity thought that it was written not by Peter but by someone who was taught by Peter. This type of writing and attribution was common during that time, and the Church recognizes that it has the authentic stamp of apostolic teaching. Today we read:
Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants in the divine nature. For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For anyone who lacks these things is short-sighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you. (2 Pet. 1: 1-11).
The core of today’s message is found in the beginning: “His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” Not just some things that we need, but everything that you and I need to live holy lives is given to us by Christ. What more do we need but to follow where Jesus leads us? During this third week of Advent that is something to rejoice about as we prepare our hearts to rejoice Jesus who gives us all that we need.
Let us pray: Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants in the divine nature. For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For anyone who lacks these things is short-sighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you. (2 Pet. 1: 1-11).
The core of today’s message is found in the beginning: “His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” Not just some things that we need, but everything that you and I need to live holy lives is given to us by Christ. What more do we need but to follow where Jesus leads us? During this third week of Advent that is something to rejoice about as we prepare our hearts to rejoice Jesus who gives us all that we need.
Let us pray: Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO MADE SATURDAY’S BBQ FUNDRAISER AN UNMATCHED SUCCESS! Thank you to Neil Strawder who came home to help and who brought all of his BBQ buddies with him, and thank you to each and every one of you who made this work. St. Augustine is blessed with people who are filled with the Holy Spirit and who work to build God’s Kingdom in our part of the world. Melva will have the final accounting, but from the initial numbers, it appears that St. Augustine’s has outdone itself! Here is a link to the Houston Press article on the event and St. Augustine’s:
http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2010/12/neil_bigmista_strawder_returns.php
CALENDAR REMINDERS
Christmas Eve Eucharist: 24 December at 5:00 p.m.
Adult Christian Formation: The Advent series continues next Sunday.
Bishop’s Committee Meeting: Next Sunday.
Please remember everyone on our prayer list, especially, Cindi, Carol, John and Lee.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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