It Won’t Work Now (Bede)

Homily - It Won’t Work Now (Bede)

Dear brothers and sisters,

If it took an act of God to raise us to life by water and the Spirit in Holy Baptism,

...

then why do believe that we can live God’s holy life in our own power?

God means for us to have no other gods before him...

• not mother nor father,  
• not wife or husband
• not boss or company
• not work or leisure!
• nor even our own well-being!

He means for us never to utter his holy Name...

• save with the greatest reverence
• and in worship!

He means for us to keep Holy the Sabbath Day...

• every Sabbath, 
• without exception
• and without excuse!

God means for us to honor our parents...

• Not only those who are 

good and the noble;

• But, also, the bad and the wicked!

He means for us to never to commit murder...

• nor to rage in anger!

He means for us to forgive our brother — and everyone that sins against us — from the heart!

He means for us to be utterly chaste and pure before, during and after marriage...

• to treat young women as sisters

and every young man as a brother 

• and older women as mothers

and older men as fathers

He means for us to be faithful to our wife or husband

• and with our bodies
• with our eyes
• in our hearts
• and in our minds!

He means for us to hold all our property as dutiful and faithful stewards...

• To be generous to the poor and in support of his Holy Church!

• To honor and protect the rights of others to the possessions he has entrusted to them!

• And, to be thankful for the generosity that he has lavished upon our neighbors!

God means for us to be truth-tellers...

• Both in our words
• And in the impressions that we leave upon others;
• To be silent rather than repeat a story — even a true story — that is harmful to another!

He means for us to be content with what we have...

• whether in plenty or in need;
• with what he gives 
• and with what he withholds from us!

Put another way...

God means for our righteousness to exceed that...

• of our pagan neighbors;
• and that of the Pharisees!

It is for this reason that...Jesus said to Nicodemus:

"You must be born anew.”

Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ,

• It is impossible for us to live God’s holy life in our own power!

• To live God’s holy life requires the power with which God the Father raised his Son our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead!

Trying to live Gods holy life in our own power did not work for those who tried to do so in the first century... And, it won’t work now!

And, It won’t work now!