Good morning… Great is His faithfulness…
Psalm 67.35,26
God is wonderful among his saints.
Verse: Bless God in the congregations.
The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 2:1-10
Timothy, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier on service gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to satisfy the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hardworking farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will grant you understanding in everything.
Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, as preached in my gospel, the gospel for which I am suffering and wearing fetters like a criminal. But the word of God is not fettered. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus with its eternal glory …
St. Paul is establishing a chain of witnesses to an oral tradition… our traditions as Christian’s is for all who believe all believers; it is “Catholic” meaning universal belonging to the whole Church, and needs to be brought to others unhindered… The first century had a lot of elitism of the major religions during this time period, including Gnosticism and other various mystery religions …
A faithful ministry requires discipline: obedience, self denial, and also struggle… St. Paul gives us some examples, here the soldier- (vv. 3, 4), the athlete - (v. 5), and the farmer - (v. 6) …
The Gospel According to St. Mark 1:1-9
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel."
We have spoken many times about repentance but this morning let’s talk about belief… What does it truly mean to believe in Christ is it based on a one time declaration by mouth or is it a continuous commitment based on what we spoke about in the Epistle- Discipline in our ministries requires obedience, self denial and struggle…
πιστεύω pisteúō, pist-yoo'-o; from G4102; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one's spiritual well-being to Christ):—believe(-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.
To entrust or to commit to …
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