Theophany. Why was Christ baptized, why are we baptized, & what must resonate in our soul for us to be saved?
About why Christ was baptized, what happens to us when we are baptised. We also talk about the passage through the red sea, which points to baptism. Two kinds of people "passed" through the waters, but only one group was delivered. It is the same with Christian baptism, which has power, and purpose. If we do not live according to its purpose, we will not be delivered. If the words of the Apostle Titus, read today, which we discuss in detail, resonate in our hearts, nothing will keep us from our purpose and our deliverance.
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC40t74R4vE
Audio: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/pascha-sun-07_2023+fathers-first-council+salvation.mp3
Video: https://youtu.be/WRQQfuwmWlk
We celebrate the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council the Sunday before Pentecost. Why? There is a very good reason. Jesus Christ explained that reason authoritatively in his high priestly prayer (John 17:1-13) along with describing two essential aspects of our salvation. We learn about those two aspects also, and how all dogma is moral. In doing so, we include two favorite stories about how even in everyday life we can live perfectly. (The picture in the video is a sunrise at North Padre Island. At the time I gave a sermon my wife and I were spending a week in North Padre Island, and I was praying with the sunrise almost every day. I highly recommend it! )
Video/ Audio Timestamps.
0:19- 1:24 Have I changed any during the season? We should be getting better.
1:24 – 19:22 Two main points today: Why celebrate the Fathers of the first Ecumenical Council today, the Sunday before Pentecost, and “What is salvation?”; 2 essential aspects of salvation.
1:34 – 1:44 (and 10:42 – 14:39 ) Why do we celebrate the Fathers of the first Ecumenical Council today, the Sunday before Pentecost?
1:44 – 2:03 What is salvation? Introduction.
2:03 – 5:00 Why do we celebrate the Fathers of the first Ecumenical Council… Cont. It’s all about Jesus Christ and His authority. Also an apology against Arianism.
5:00 – 19:22 In the “High Priest Prayer” of Jesus, He establishes His authority, and in so doing, teaches us two essential aspects of salvation.
5:53 – 7:25 Salvation is to be perfected such that we *know* God John 17:3
7:25 – 8:00 There are NO external, imposed always in Orthodox Christianity!
8:00 – 18:58 The “second” part of salvation, contemporaneous with knowing God – to be one with Him, as God is one with Himself. John 17:11b “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are”
8:39 – 19:22 Two ways in which we may be one, as God is one. The second great Commandment is essential and First, so that we learn to fulfil the Great Commandment, and become one with God.
10:04 – 10:36 Love is an eternal virtue.
10:42 – 14:39 Why celebrate the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council today, redux. We MUST understand the dogmas of our faith, because all of them are about how to live in order to know God. They are all moral in nature.
14:39 – 19:22 Two stories about the completion of our salvation – from everyday life.
15:15 – 17:03 Perfection is instant forgiveness even when we are unambiguously wrongrf, even in a violent way. The overzealous novice and the holy monk.
17:03 – 18:58 Another story illustrating being One with God – Two monks walking towards the city, who meet a prostitute walking the other way.
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRQQfuwmWlk
Abba Agathon was a Great Egyptian hermit, but his greatest virtue was his extreme kindness. We can learn from his *FLAGRANT* example.
https://youtu.be/seEu4E9H-HA
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seEu4E9H-HA
The message of Thomas Sunday is constancy; “being there” with the Lord despite our weak faith. The necessity of constancy in spiritual labor.
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PfrhuAOrqA
Len 5:25 A meditation about why Patriarch Joseph wept when his brothers came to him, afraid he might hurt him after the mourning time for their father Jacob had ended. “And Joseph wept while they were speaking to him.” (from Gen 49:33 - 50:26, read Friday in the Sixth Week of Great Lent, at Vespers
“O Lord, deliver my soul from unrighteous lips and from a crafty tongue. What shall be given unto thee and what shall be added unto thee for thy crafty tongue?” (Psalm 119:2-3, read during the Presanctified liturgy)
YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/gCEjkJthRds
Audio only: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/misc_2021+joseph-and-his-brothers+a-crafty-man-thinks-everyone-is-crafty.mp3
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCEjkJthRds
Hebrews 9:11–14
Mark 10:32–45
Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt. One who is forgiven much loves much; one who is forgiven little loves little. What does this “riddle” from the readings mean? An example from the life of St. Mary of Egypt. The importance of making and keeping promises, particularly to God.
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8UIfKpOY84
The life of Apollonius who was AFRAID of martyrdom, and tried to cheat the system. If he had succeeded, he would have lost his soul, but the impostor he hired (Philemon) became a Christian! This emboldened Apollonius, and he accomplished his martyrdom. I talk about his martyrdom and why we need to know about martyrs like Holy Martyr Apollonius, and ask for his intercession. We are in difficult times, but there are saints who succeeded, even after wavering. Perhaps we will waver. Perhaps we will always be brave. I am going to ask Apollonius and others like him to pray for us. I invite you to join me. I will be making a list available soon, and ask you to help me add to it.
YouTube:https://youtu.be/uAFgv1htYLc
...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAFgv1htYLc