Welcome to the
Morning Star Chapel
I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
(Revelation 22:16)
(Revelation 22:16)
THE CORNERS OF MOAB
A Sermon by the Rev. Patrick A. Rose
"I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; a star shall come out of Jacob; a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and batter the corners of Moab, and destroy all the sons of Sheth." (Num. 24:17)
AFTER THE SHEPHERDS were told by the angel that the Lord had been born in the city of David, they then saw a multitude of other angels. They saw a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, praising God with those words that we know so well, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" Very few people knew that the Christ had been born here upon the earth. But the angels of heaven knew this, and they rejoiced. They praised God. The Savior had come.
We may not often reflect upon it, but Christmas is for the angels as well. We are not talking here about the many customs that surround the celebration of Christmas, customs that sometimes virtually suffocate the spiritual element of Christmas. No, by Christmas we here mean the story of the Lord's Advent, that story that is recorded in the Word of the Lord. And because it is a story from the Word, it is, like all stories in the Word, filled with more wisdom and with more holiness then we can ever fully appreciate. Through His Word the Lord performs miracles, miracles in the lives of those who read it and obey it. And one of the miracles that occurs when we read the Word is the bringing together of heaven and earth. The Lord's Word came down through the heavens, and from the heavens it then descended to the earth. And so it is that the Lord's Word has both a deeper sense, a spiritual sense, for the angels, and an outer sense, a literal sense, for people here on earth. What is truly wonderful is that as we read and meditate upon the Lord's Word here on earth, the angels draw close to us, and take delight in those spiritual truths that lie deep within the letter of the Word, in the spiritual sense.
We read of how the angels visited the shepherds that first Christmas. We need to know that when we pick up a copy of the Word and read that story of Christmas for ourselves, the angels are visiting us as well, and they are rejoicing in the Divine teachings contained in this story. They are giving glory to God in the highest. And because they are near us we can feel within us a sense of peace here on earth, a sense that comes when we are close to the Lord and to His angels.
Continued...
The LORD JESUS CHRIST calls Himself the Bright and Morning Star. He brings light to our minds and direction to our lives. We worship Him because we believe He is God, the one and only God of heaven and earth. Our faith is a simple one. We worship Him. We do not worship three People, because we believe that there is only One. Jesus Christ is our Lord. The Father is His Divine soul, not some other person (John
14:9). The Holy Spirit is His influence, His reaching out to inspire us (John 20:22). Jesus Christ is our God, and we adore Him.
Jesus told His disciples that one day He would come in the clouds of heaven (Matt. 24:30), the clouds of the mind. He told them He had many things to tell them, but they could not yet bear them (John 16:12). We believe that He has, as He promised He would, revealed wonderful new insights, helping us understand far more fully the depth of meaning of the Old and New Testaments. We believe He has taught us wonderful things about the life that waits us after death. Most of all, He helps us understand ever more deeply the love and compassion He feels for each and every one of us.
Some, mostly out of ignorance, have dismissed abruptly what is said in the theological books of Emanuel Swedenborg. However, Swedenborg was a worshiper of Jesus Christ, and he states that he was the servant of Jesus Christ. Many who read what he wrote realize that what is written is a revelation, a clear, simple and wonderful vision of Jesus Christ as the one and only God.
We invite you to join us in our worship of Jesus Christ. Our prayer is that this small church will be His Church. Our mission is that we may become true disciples in the way we live our lives. Our faith and our trust is in Him alone.
Jesus told His disciples that one day He would come in the clouds of heaven (Matt. 24:30), the clouds of the mind. He told them He had many things to tell them, but they could not yet bear them (John 16:12). We believe that He has, as He promised He would, revealed wonderful new insights, helping us understand far more fully the depth of meaning of the Old and New Testaments. We believe He has taught us wonderful things about the life that waits us after death. Most of all, He helps us understand ever more deeply the love and compassion He feels for each and every one of us.
Some, mostly out of ignorance, have dismissed abruptly what is said in the theological books of Emanuel Swedenborg. However, Swedenborg was a worshiper of Jesus Christ, and he states that he was the servant of Jesus Christ. Many who read what he wrote realize that what is written is a revelation, a clear, simple and wonderful vision of Jesus Christ as the one and only God.
We invite you to join us in our worship of Jesus Christ. Our prayer is that this small church will be His Church. Our mission is that we may become true disciples in the way we live our lives. Our faith and our trust is in Him alone.
