Difficulty of Realizing Sacred Privleges - Jake Robbins

In this episode seminarian, Jake Robbins looks at Newman’s 1839 Easter sermon, “Difficulty of Realizing Sacred Privileges” where we find insights into how we move from questioning to heartfelt acceptance of our faith. We come to realize the unknown by realizing truths in our heart. Our deepest desire is to know God at the heart level which God blesses. If we have a deep desire for God more will be given. God takes our small seeds of faith and multiplies it. By little and little the truth breaks upon us. Jake compares Newman’s “by little and little” to the river of God smashing against the rocks of our hearts, slowly eroding the hardness of our heart. Slow growth is real growth. We see more of the next world by looking back over time seeing God’s operations in our lives. We are so used to God’s help and presence that we don’t see it. Newman explains that over time, we gain truths without knowing it. It’s one thing to say that God has a plan for your life. However, it’s a totally different thing to look back and see how the plan really worked out. As we reflect on our lives, we realize that we are giving up the shadows and we are finding the substance. Season after season we learn duty, obedience, self-denial, and sacrifice which makes us more devoted. God is the reason we came into being (our efficient cause) but He is also our final cause – God created us for Himself. Everything in the Christian life is this going forth from God and returning to Him. The reason God has certain laws for us is that they lead us back to Him. We must “unclothe ourselves” from earthly wants and desires to enable us to say yes to a higher reality. The only way to reach God is through shedding of our worldly attachments. All temptations come from the world, the flesh, and the devil – the devil steps in only when he needs to blind us from seeing the reality of God. This attachment to the world prevents our realizing of what God has shown us; "This is the Day which the Lord hath made; (where) we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm cxviii. 24. To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.