Greetings Beloved,
I would like to share with you an article that I received by email a few days ago from Dr. Stephen Vattappara the Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of India. It addresses the Popes invitation to the Anglican Churches of the World.
Philadelphia: Oct 24th 2009
“It is unbecoming of the propriety containing a Christian hierarchy such as Pope to take stock of a situation arose in another Church by inviting them to join his Church and that too to remain there in a lower status, where as the right thing for him would have been to appeal for correction of any erroneous action if he deem so“, said Arch Bishop Dr. Stephen Vattappara, the Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of India (ACI), in Philadelphia, USA, while addressing a meeting of the Anglican Academy of Religious Studies (AARA), of which the Metropolitan serves as the Chairman.
The Pope and the Roman Catholic Church has no moral grounds to allege sins against the Anglican Church, while it itself had immersed in scandals of similar sins which the Christian World has never forgotten“, Dr. Vattappara added.
The Metropolitan further added, “The action of one Episcopal (Anglican) Diocese in USA , which elected a gay as Bishop, was condemned by the true Anglicans all over the world including ACI.
Roman Church cannot blame ordaining Women Bishops where as that Church worship and pray to the mother of Jesus Christ.
ACI opposes both the actions of the Episcopal Church as well as the hypocritical stand of the Roman Church.
The treating promised and the titles prescribed as ‘Ordinary‘ to the believers and Bishops respectively are a denigration of the Anglican Church and Bishops as a whole; It is unethical, unchristian and indecent.
The stature of the position of the Pope is lowered by the improper and indecent invitation of Pope Benedict".
"The action of the Roman Church is ridiculous and all True Anglicans will reject the appeal. First let them set their house in order", the Metropolitan added.
Yes, the Episcopal Church in the United States has become extremely liberal and has embarrassed true Anglican Christians worldwide, but I am in agreement with Metropolitan Vattappara. The Anglican Church has a strong history that can be traced back to Joseph of Arimathea in approximately the 4th Century, some scholars even believe before the formation of the Roman Church. Either way we have a dignified Lineage and are entitled to the same respect as the Roman Catholic Church. The Popes invitation, however heart felt and sincere it may have been is shameful.
"And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him" (Deuteronomy 1:16).
God's blessings to you all!
Your servant in Christ,
+Ernest A. Ross
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Counting the Cost
Greetings Beloved,
This month I would like to share a sermon illustration with you... enjoy!
"Excuse me Sir, I would like to buy this pearl. How much is it?
"Well, " the merchant says, "it's expensive."
"But how much?" says the prospective buyer.
"A very large amount."
"Do you think I could buy it?"
"Oh, of course, everyone can buy it."
"But, I thought you said it was very expensive?"
"It is."
"Well, how much is it?"
"Everything you have."
After pondering for a moment the customer says, "All right, I'll buy it."
"Well, what do you have?" the merchant asks.
"Let's see... "
"I have ten thousand dollars in the bank."
"Good, ten thousand dollars. What else?"
"That's all. That's all I have."
"Nothing more?"
"Well, I have a few dollars here in my pocket."
"How much?"
The customer starts digging. "Well, let's see---thirty, forty, sixty, eighty, a hundred, a hundred and twenty dollars."
"That's fine. What else do you have?"
"Nothing. That's it."
"Where do you live?" the merchant probes.
"In my house."
"The house, too, then."
"You mean I have to live in my camper?"
"You have a camper? That too. What else?"
"I'll have to sleep in my car!"
"You have a car?"
"Two of them."
"Both of them become mine. What else?"
"Well, you already have my money, my house, my camper, my cars. What more do you want?"
"Are you alone in this world?"
"No, I have a wife and two children."
"Oh, yes, your wife and children become mine too. What else?"
"Nothing! I have nothing else. You've left me all alone now."
Suddenly the merchant exclaims, "Oh I almost forgot! You yourself, too! Everything becomes mine---wife, children, house, money, cars,---and you, too."
Then he goes on. "Now, listen. I will allow you to use all these things for the time being. But don't forget that they are mine, just as you are. And whenever I need any of them, you must give them up, because now I'm the owner."
Beloved, the price in our pursuit of God is absolute. Despite the secular notion that all we need or desire is to be found in this world and the lusts thereof, the truth is that everything good we long for is found in Him, so if we move away from God, we move away from the fulfillment of our deepest longings. If we submit ourselves to following God completely, we move closer to fulfillment of our longings. God knows that sin and disobedience maims, destroys and robs us of the desires of our hearts. That's why, in His love, He calls us to total obedience. Yes, the price is all that we have and all that we are. In return, God promises to fulfill the deepest longings of our souls and to satisfy us with Himself.
"If we were willing to learn the meaning of true discipleship and actually to become disciples, the Church in the West would be transformed, and the resultant impact on society would be staggering." -----David Watson
"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves..." (2 Corinthians 13:5a).
God's blessings to you all.
Your servant in Christ,
+Ernest A. Ross
This month I would like to share a sermon illustration with you... enjoy!
"Excuse me Sir, I would like to buy this pearl. How much is it?
"Well, " the merchant says, "it's expensive."
"But how much?" says the prospective buyer.
"A very large amount."
"Do you think I could buy it?"
"Oh, of course, everyone can buy it."
"But, I thought you said it was very expensive?"
"It is."
"Well, how much is it?"
"Everything you have."
After pondering for a moment the customer says, "All right, I'll buy it."
"Well, what do you have?" the merchant asks.
"Let's see... "
"I have ten thousand dollars in the bank."
"Good, ten thousand dollars. What else?"
"That's all. That's all I have."
"Nothing more?"
"Well, I have a few dollars here in my pocket."
"How much?"
The customer starts digging. "Well, let's see---thirty, forty, sixty, eighty, a hundred, a hundred and twenty dollars."
"That's fine. What else do you have?"
"Nothing. That's it."
"Where do you live?" the merchant probes.
"In my house."
"The house, too, then."
"You mean I have to live in my camper?"
"You have a camper? That too. What else?"
"I'll have to sleep in my car!"
"You have a car?"
"Two of them."
"Both of them become mine. What else?"
"Well, you already have my money, my house, my camper, my cars. What more do you want?"
"Are you alone in this world?"
"No, I have a wife and two children."
"Oh, yes, your wife and children become mine too. What else?"
"Nothing! I have nothing else. You've left me all alone now."
Suddenly the merchant exclaims, "Oh I almost forgot! You yourself, too! Everything becomes mine---wife, children, house, money, cars,---and you, too."
Then he goes on. "Now, listen. I will allow you to use all these things for the time being. But don't forget that they are mine, just as you are. And whenever I need any of them, you must give them up, because now I'm the owner."
Beloved, the price in our pursuit of God is absolute. Despite the secular notion that all we need or desire is to be found in this world and the lusts thereof, the truth is that everything good we long for is found in Him, so if we move away from God, we move away from the fulfillment of our deepest longings. If we submit ourselves to following God completely, we move closer to fulfillment of our longings. God knows that sin and disobedience maims, destroys and robs us of the desires of our hearts. That's why, in His love, He calls us to total obedience. Yes, the price is all that we have and all that we are. In return, God promises to fulfill the deepest longings of our souls and to satisfy us with Himself.
"If we were willing to learn the meaning of true discipleship and actually to become disciples, the Church in the West would be transformed, and the resultant impact on society would be staggering." -----David Watson
"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves..." (2 Corinthians 13:5a).
God's blessings to you all.
Your servant in Christ,
+Ernest A. Ross
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