Faith & Scripture

James Chapter 1: Asking for Wisdom and Living the Word

The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Grace is given for today, and Christ calls us to make faithful use of everything entrusted to us.

The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

The light of Christ shines through fragile human lives as he gathers the whole Law into love for God and neighbor.

The Poor Among Us: A Biblical Study of Wealth, Poverty, and Mercy

A biblical study of wealth, poverty, mercy, and how God commands His people to treat the poor.

Melchizedek: King, Priest, and Type of Christ

A Bible study of Melchizedek as king, priest, and divinely prepared type of Christ’s eternal priesthood.

Ezekiel’s Temple: The Return of God’s Glory

A study of Ezekiel’s temple vision, the return of God’s glory, and its fulfillment in Christ, the Church, and the New Jerusalem.

Women, Teaching, and Ministry in the New Testament

A study of women’s teaching and ministry in the New Testament, interpreted with A. T. Robertson and St. John Chrysostom.

The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

The King’s invitation is freely offered to all, while the wedding garment reveals the transformed life of those established and sealed in Christ.

The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Today’s Epistle closes Saint Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians with a series of short commands: watch, stand firm, be courageous, be strong, and let everything be done in love. The Gospel tells of tenants who were entrusted with a vineyard but refused to give its owner the fruit that belonged to him.

The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

The rich young ruler asks what he must accomplish, while Saint Paul testifies to what divine grace accomplished in him.

The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

Christ’s parable of the unforgiving servant calls those who have received immeasurable mercy to forgive others from the heart.

The Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos

The Dormition proclaims Christian hope in the Resurrection through the faithful life and falling asleep of the Mother of God.

The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

Christ meets a suffering child and His helpless disciples, teaching us about mustard-seed faith, prayer, fasting, apostolic endurance, and the Cross.

The Transfiguration of Our Lord

On the holy mountain, Christ reveals His divine glory, prepares His disciples for the Cross, and calls us to listen to Him without fear.

The Kenites: Abraham’s Forgotten Faithful Descendants

One of the common assumptions Christians make when reading the Old Testament is that all of God’s faithful servants belonged to the nation of Israel. The Scriptures, however, present a broader and more fascinating picture.

The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

The Church is God’s building, founded upon Jesus Christ, who comes to His disciples and preserves them amid the storm.

The Judgement of the Sheep and the Goats

Christ’s teaching on the Last Judgment, mercy toward the least, and the inseparable union of faith, love, and action.

Ultimatology: The Study of Last Things

A partial-preterist, amillennial interpretation of biblical prophecy, the tribulation, the millennium, the Antichrist, and the last things.

First Sunday After Pentecost – The Sunday of All Saints

The Epistle for the Sunday of All Saints is Hebrews 11:33-12:2 (WEB): 33who, through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,* 34quenched the power of fire,* escaped the edge of the sword,* from…

Pentecost

The Gospel for Pentecost is John 7:37-52, 8:12: (Jn 7:37-52) 37Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! 38He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him…

Seventh Sunday of Pascha – Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council

The Epistle for the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council is Acts 20:16-18, 28-36: 16For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be in…

Sixth Sunday of Pascha – Sunday of the Blind Man

The Epistle for the Sunday of the Blind Man is Acts 16:16-34: 16It happened, as we were going to prayer, that a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. 17Following Paul and us, she cried out,…

Fifth Sunday of Pascha -- The Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

The Epistle for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman is Acts 11:19-26, 29-30: 19They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews…

High School Football and Christian Living

Note: This is a slightly revised version of an article I wrote for my Sunday School newsletter in the fall of 2005. I am a member of a different church now (St. Innocent Orthodox Church), but the principals remain the same. As I write this [in the fall of…

Fourth Sunday of Pascha – Sunday of the Paralytic

The Epistle for the Sunday of the Paralytic is Acts 9:32-42: 32It happened, as Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years,…

Third Sunday of Pascha -- The Sunday of the Myrrhbearing Women

The Epistle for the Sunday of the Myrrhbearing Women is Acts 6:1-7: 1Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service.…

Second Sunday of Pascha – Thomas Sunday

The Epistle for Thomas Sunday is Acts 5:12-20: 12By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. 13None of the rest dared to join them, however the people honored them. 14More…

Palm Sunday

The Epistle for Palm Sunday is Philippians 4:4-9. 4Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let…

Fifth Sunday of Lent

The Epistle for the Fifth Sunday of Lent is Hebrews 9:11-14. However, the first part of Hebrews 9 provides a good summary description of the tabernacle, which in turn provided the pattern for the two temples; we can better understand the Epistle if we start…

2015 Orthodox Sunday Epistles

Date Sunday Scripture Feb 1, 2015 Publican and Pharisee 2 Timothy 3:10-1 Feb 8, 2015 Prodigal Son 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Feb 15, 2015 Last Judgment 1 Corinthians 8:8-9:2 Feb 22, 2015 Forgiveness Sunday Romans 13:11-14:4 Mar 1, 2015 First Sunday of Lent –…

Fourth Sunday of Lent

The Epistle for the Fourth Sunday of Lent is Hebrews 6:13-20 (WEB): Hebrews 6: 13For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he swore by himself, 14saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply…

Third Sunday of Lent – Adoration of the Holy Cross

The Epistle for the Third Sunday of Lent is Hebrews 4:14-5:6 (WEB): Hebrews 4: 14Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession. 15For we don't have a high priest who can't be…

Second Sunday of Lent

The Epistle for the Second Sunday of Lent is Hebrews 1:10-2:3 (WEB): Hebrews 1: 10And, "You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands. 11They will perish, but you continue. They all will grow old like…

The Sunday of Orthodoxy

The Epistle for the Sunday of Orthodoxy is Hebrews 11:24-28, 32-12:2 (WEB): 24By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25choosing rather to share ill treatment with God's people, than to enjoy the pleasures…

Forgiveness Sunday

The Epistle for Forgiveness Sunday is Romans 13:11-14:4 (WEB): 11Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed. 12The night is far gone, and the day is near.…

Sunday of the Last Judgment

The Epistle for the Sunday of the Last Judgment is 1 Corinthians 8:8-9:2 (WEB): 8But food will not commend us to God. For neither, if we don't eat, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better. 9But be careful that by no means does this liberty of…

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

The Epistle for the Sunday of the Prodigal Son is 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (WEB): 12"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are expedient. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be brought under the power of anything. 13"Foods for the belly,…

Comments on Our First Sunday School Class Meeting

Overall, I thought our first Sunday School class meeting went well. We went past Father Theophan's decreed ending time -- 9:50 -- so I will have to do a better job of bringing the class to a close in a timely manner. My choice of the King James Version (KJV)…

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee

The Epistle for the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee is 2 Timothy 3:10-15 (KJV): 10But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at…

Praying to Smoke???

Since I began attending an Orthodox Church in 2009, I have encountered a number of misunderstandings of Orthodox Christianity -- that we worship Mary (we do not), that icons are idols (they are not), that we substitute Scripture with tradition (we…

Confession

The Apostle John wrote, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9)." This does not address to whom we are to confess our sins; this could be satisfied by confessing our…

Being "Good"

Our pastor at New City Church downtown, Keith Watson, frequently says that it does not hurt God when we are evil, and does not benefit God when we are "good"; that, since God is perfect and complete in himself, he gains or looses nothing due to our action or…

Job's Soliloquy on Wisdom

I have been reading the book of Job; Job 28:28 is one of the most profound verses in the entire Bible.Job 28:1 “Surely there is a mine for silver,and a place for gold which they refine.(2) Iron is taken out of the earth,and copper is smelted out of the…

NCCd -- What We Believe, Part 3: The Godhead

"What We Believe"the Godhead We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--co-eternal in being, co-eternal in nature, co-equal in power and glory, having the same attributes and perfections.Supporting…

NCCd -- What We Believe, Part 2: The Scriptures

"What We Believe" the Scriptures We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible, and God-breathed. Supporting…

Psalm 1

My favorite Psalm is the first.1 Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked,nor stand in the way of sinners,nor sit in the seat of scoffers;2 but his delight is in Yahweh’s law.On his law he meditates day and night.3 He will be like a…

NCCd -- What We Believe, Part 1

[The following is from the NCCd web site, under "About New City."]the ScripturesWe believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings,…

New City Church downtown

I am a very traditional person. My preference is a church where the men all wear coats and ties and the women wear skirts or dresses. The congregation sings three or four hymns, accompanied by the piano and organ; we "pass the plate;" listen to the "special…

Antichrist

[Unless otherwise specified, all scripture is from the World English Bible (WEB), since it is the only modern English translation of the Bible that is in the public domain and, therefore, is free for use without restriction regardless of how much I quote.]…