Wednesday, July 1st 2026
Of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
• Amos 5:14-15 & 21-24
• Psalms 50:7-13 & 16-17
• James 1:18
• Matthew 8:28-34 Christians, consider this following statement carefully, for the value belonging to it should be realized, Matthew testifies: that two demoniacs cried out, "Have you Jesus come here before the appointed time to torment us?" From this statement, we should realize that the demoniacs knew that their time was coming to an end and they also knew that they would be tortured! In the psalms we have this phrase: until the pit be dug for the wicked. Therefore, Christians, realize that Christ Jesus's Gospel is not a philosophy of how to obtain world peace, but it is the judgment of humankind; it is the salvation of humankind; and it is the way, the truth, and the life of God the Heavenly Father the creator of heaven and the earth; moreover, it is the time of judgment of the world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. Therefore, when we go forth to all nations – yes, read that clearly and rightly and with the depth of realization – when we go forth to all nations, that we are to preach repentance and remission of sins and this must be preached in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, who was both fully man and fully God, but who now is the Risen Savior, Jesus Christ and is fully God, our great high priest: whose kingdom we first seek, while we also first seek the Righteousness of God the Heavenly Father. Now Christians, the Lord Jesus came across these two devils in the territory of Gadarenes, which is about 80 miles north-east of Jerusalem or about 130 kilometers. Christians, we read an interesting thing here that is not testified directly, but it is alluded too, clearly: this being, since these devils, the demoniacs were tremendously fierce that people would avoid passing through this area. Yet, we do not hear of the thankfulness of the people, who were now independently free to pass through this area's territory. Rather, strangely, instead of Jesus Christ being hailed as a hero for cleaning the area of an enemy demon, history reports that these people asked the Lord Christ Jesus to depart out of their coast; little did they know that Jesus is Lord and all things are His because all things are God the Heavenly Father's. Now, these devils knew they had no choice, but to obey the Lord Christ Jesus -- this power Christ Jesus also gives to His Apostles and disciples, but only to carry out the Will and purpose of God the Heavenly Father: for God's glory not theirs. So, these demoniacs begged and pleaded, suffer us to go away into the nearby herd of swine and Jesus said; make it so. Then the devils rushed into the herd of swine, and threw themselves headlong unto the death of the swine: the demons themselves as suggested by scripture were sent to wander in a waterless place or as the Apostle Peter testifies, some are held in chains – not metal chains but spiritual chains – until judgment and so that they may not enter into any other humans. So now Christians, let us learn from the Prophet Amos: Amos tells us straight out something that we all know and something that we must do in order to be righteous by faith in the Lord Christ Jesus. Still, what we do not always understand is: what does God testify, unto us as what is evil. Amos testifies: seek good and not evil that we may live; and so, the Holy Spirit may be with us; again, so God the Heavenly Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit may be with us as we testify. Christians, the Psalmist testifies: you love the LORD, hate evil: God the Heavenly Father preserves the souls of his saints; he delivers the souls of his saints out of the hands of the wicked. Now Christians, understand this clearly: the world will try to convince us that evil is something that is made up by Hollywood -- trying to reshape evil itself into characters who wear masks and tights, flying around like some superhuman; and teaching that only some superhuman can combat evil. However, this reshaping of evil by Hollywood is complete nonsense; it is simple allegory and fiction. The reality is as we all know and have always known: real evil is what God calls evil – the same evil that brought judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah, before the commandments were even written. Truly Christians, this evil is not confronted by imaginary heroes, but by each of us choosing the Light of Christ Jesus, repenting, believing the gospel, and preaching it to all nations. Now Christians as we venture back into this testimony from Amos, the Prophet of God teaches us some instructive things: we are to hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail at the gate. Now the thing is with Amos and with Isaiah and with other Prophets of God the Heavenly Father, they all testify the same thing: your mass is like a shameful deed unto me, because you stand in murder, homosexuality, disobedience, idolatry, covetous, and the bearing of false witness. Yes, Amos testifies, that your solemnities, God hates them and takes no pleasure in them; neither will God take pleasure in the smell of your grain offering; nor will God take any pleasure in your fatted beasts – your meat offering that you offer for prayers of peace. Truly, God simply spurns the Israelites, under the King of Judah, Uzziah and the King of Israel, Jeroboam II, and tells the Israelites: away with your noisy songs and your melodies, I will not hear them. Still, God being gracious; because he takes no pleasure in wrath and was not going to take pleasure in the coming wrath of the dispersion, offers them repentance, saying: turn away from your injustices, the serving of the flesh instead of living in accordance with God's Gospel; letting justice and judgment run down like waters, and goodness, that being the faithfully seeking of God the Heavenly Father's Righteousness till it flows like a mighty stream. Now Christians, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us pray and be thankful. Amen.