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Lent: Day 17 - Justin Martyr: First Apology: Chaps. 60-68

...n for the human race.   The Eucharist This chapter gives us a glimpse at how the early church took Communion together and what it meant for them. Only baptised believers were allowed to partake. Prayers of “considerable length” were then first offered to bless the bread and wine, which upon conclusion, everyone would “salute one another with a kiss” (Romans 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Thess 5:26) before the “bread and a cup of wine mixed with water” was handed out to everyone present by the deacons. Even if some were absent, a portion was kept and hand-delivered to those who were away! It would seem that Justin is teaching either an earl...

Lent Day 20: Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church: 19-27

...physical, human body, can't be torn into pieces and broken up, neither can the true Church body be dis-unified. So, Jesus, before he went to his passion, left us with a heritage of peace that he gives to us and leaves with us (John 14:27) so that we may be called “sons of God” (Matt 5:9); If we are fellow-heirs with Christ, let us abide in the peace of Christ; if we are sons of God, we ought to be peacemakers. Pointing back to the Apostles, Cyprian references Acts when “the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul” and that “these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14; 4:32), “and thus they prayed wit...

The Temptations of Jesus: Worship and Glory

...gs but on human things”; we also much fight daily to keep our minds focused on God so that we may stay humble and remember where the glory belongs. “He must increase, but I must decrease” as John the Baptist said (John 3:30). The devil offered Jesus the world (as if he needed it given to him), hoping to get him to compromise and place his devotion elsewhere. Jesus obviously knew better, but we sometimes need to be reminded. “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” as Paul wrote to the Colossians (3:1-4). That still rings true for us today. If you are tempted by this world and its fleeting glory, and you start to plac...

The Deity of Christ in the Gospel of Matthew - Part 2

...gh a real human mother in order to be the Saviour of his people. (Matthew 1:21–23) Matthew tells us his account of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and how he accomplished his task of securing salvation for his people as predicted (Matthew 1:21). The gospel was written after his ascension. Matthew has one final question to ask. Having come closer to us than ever before and fulfilling his purpose, especially after predicting the destruction of the second temple, has Jesus left us? This is answered with a resounding “no!”; Jesus promised before ascending to heaven that he would always be with his people, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20...

7 things the Lord hates (spoiler: questioning doctrine isn't one of them)

...By now, most people (in Christian circles, at least) will have heard about the Jars of Clay controversy. For those that are thinking "how on earth could there be controversy over some jars?" let me clarify: they are a contemporary Christian music band. The controversy is because the frontman, Dan Haseltine, tweeted some thoughts on the topic of gay marriage. Shocking, I know.   This is what started it all: The treatment of people as less than human based on the color of skin is crazy... Or gender, or sexual orientation for that matter. — Dan Haseltine (@scribblepotemus) April 21, 2014   Not meaning to stir things up BUT... I...

On the Feast of the Nativity, a sermon by Leo the Great

...Divinely-human offspring in mind first and then in body. And lest in ignorance of the heavenly counsel she should tremble at so strange a result, she learns from converse with the angel that what is to be wrought in her is of the Holy Ghost. Nor does she believe it loss of honour that she is soon to be the Mother of God. For why should she be in despair over the novelty of such conception, to whom the power of the most High has promised to effect it. Her implicit faith is confirmed also by the attestation of a precursory miracle, and Elizabeth receives unexpected fertility: in order that there might be no doubt that He who had given conception to the barren, wo...