In this excerpt from my online Bible Study, we explore Luke 4:14-15, where Jesus returns to Galilee empowered by the Spirit and begins teaching in synagogues, earning widespread praise. Saint Ephraim the Syrian and Origen emphasize Jesus’ spiritual power and the significance of teaching within the synagogue. The discussion highlights the centrality of the worshiping community in experiencing and learning the faith. The episode concludes with a reflection on facing temptations with God’s strength and becoming ambassadors of His grace.
Just as Jesus faced 40 days of temptation after His baptism, we too can expect spiritual struggles when we get serious about our faith. Being in the wilderness isn’t a sign of failure.
God calls us to a life of faith and holiness, but if we’re being honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that we fail at it quite regualrly. Fortunately, God’s mercy endures forever, and his has given his children a way back to him. Every time we fall, we get back up again with the assurance of God’s forgiveness. __ Want to learn more about Eastern Orthodoxy? → https://fostrorthodoxy.podia.com
In John 3 Jesus says that we need to be “born from above” (“born again”) “of water and Spirit”. In this video, we learn about the Eastern Orthodox Church’s understanding of the birth of the Holy Spirit. We discover that the roots of this belief are found in the earliest days of Christianity.
Agape is selfless love – a love that seeks nothing for itself and gives everything for the sake of the other. This is the love of Christ, who gave up his own life so that we may live forever.
True selfless love goes beyond seeking recognition for what we have done or expecting gratitude or repayment in return. It is not a tool to leverage favors in the future, nor is it reserved for those who have earned our affection in the past. Instead, genuine selfless love flows freely, reflecting the boundless and unconditional love of God. It means acting because we recognize a divine opportunity to reflect the love of Jesus Christ – a love that calls us to care for others as He has cared for us.
When we embrace this kind of love, our actions and words become a living testimony of Christ’s love. As we show kindness, extend forgiveness, or offer help to others, we open the door for them to encounter Christ’s presence through us. As 1 John 4:19 reminds us, “We love because He first loved us.” This truth underscores the foundation of our lives as followers of Jesus Christ.
To bear the name of Christ is to carry His love into the world. It is to make visible the invisible God by allowing His love to shine through our deeds, even when no one notices or thanks us. In doing so, we fulfill His command to love others as He has loved us. By being ambassadors of his Christ’s this love, we glorify Him and share the hope of salvation with others.
There are a number of times in the Old Testament when God condemns Israel for their sins. And he says, “Because of your sins, the land is defiled.”
In Hosea 4:1-3, we read, “Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites, because the Lord has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: ‘There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying.'” What we focus our attention on matters… immensely. We give agency to the things we are most attentive to. These things gain a place of primacy in our minds and hearts. Eventually they shape our worldview and our character. By extension, our worldview and character impact our relationships with others, with our environment, and of course with God.
When we focus on toxic things, anger and bitterness and revenge and jealousy and all of these things, that has a negative impact on our hearts, on our families, on our communities, and on the world itself. So we need to focus on life-giving things. When Dostoevsky said that “beauty will save the world,” this is what he was talking about.
If we want to make the world a better place, we can start by paying attention to what St. Paul says in Philippians 4: whatever is good, whatever is holy, whatever is honorable, whatever is true, he says, “Meditate upon these things.” Pay attention to these things.
Here’s a sermon from a couple of years ago at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Is there a code in the Bible? Yes, actually. But it’s no secret… and it points to Good News for all humanity. __
Here’s the second half of a discussion on the Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy. I structured it around an early second century description of a Christian Eucharistic service, written by St. Justin the Martyr:
“On the day called Sunday, all gather together to one place…
“And the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read…”
“Then the president verbally exhorts to the imitation of these good things…”
“Then we all rise together and pray…”
“Bread and wine and water are brought forth…
“The president offers prayers and thanksgivings… and the people give their ascent, saying: Amen…”
“There is a distribution to each of that over which thanks has been given…”
“And they who are well to do give what each thinks fit to take care of all who are in need.”
Eastern Orthodoxy 