Christian Living and Doctrines – Page 3 – Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church Sunday School Department

The Role of Laity’s in Church

Our Holy Church is a place for all in the name of Christ and Orthodox Christianity. It is the collection of Christians alongside Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Archdeacons, Deacons, and others servile. We each have a role to play. At our Church, it is vital to know our role for we shall be aware of our way of salvation and serve the Lord. The holy house of God is a place for partaking of the liturgy and worship. It is the holy place for the preparation of Holy Communion and thus shall be cherished.

“You also must be ready” (Matthew 24:44)

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ spoke about the words, “You also must be ready” to His holy disciples. What our Lord God told them is topic sentence. He warned them saying “Be alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” (Matthew 2:42) We shall know that if the owner had known at what time the thief would come in the night, he would have woken up. He would not have leave the house to be dug. Let us observe His words careful: “Therefore, you shall be prepared. For the Son of Man (God of the Son) will come at an hour you do not expect. Who is the faithful and discreet servant that the Lord has appointed over the people of the house to give them their food regularly? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.” (Matthew 24:42-47)

The Fast of Saint Mary

Dear Children of God, how are you? How is the winter season with your family, relatives and friends? Time is valuable and we should schedule it in the right manner. We must use the winter season properly knowing the important things for our spiritual life. Do you know the other important thing we can do in this winter? It is to fast “The Fast of Saint Mary.”

Seeking You!

Grief came upon me
feeling solo!
My heart sank
in desire of hollo!

“Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Psalm 126:5)

Tears have much power in spiritual life in pleading God for what is vital. Our heart cries out towards the Lord seeking leniency, deliverance or else salvation. It is our hope in bringing peace and liberty to live in eternal life. Prophet David says, “Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.” (Psalm 126:5) His words are the clarification of all the pain, anguish and sorrow we embrace in our Christianity for the Love of Lord and Jesus Christ. We have cried out for His mercy, hope and sovereignty. The strength of us though any impediments is our faith on God and His work of salvation. It is the believe in Him that passes the trial in Christian life. The truth of true life in Christ is, baring all the pain and torment brought upon us for His will is the salvation of mankind. Our deed is the seed we sow on earthly life and reap in joy in the Kingdom of Heaven in heritance.

Hope

Life without hope is empty; hope is strength in our spirituality. We can overcome any quandaries in our lives if we have hope. After the first man Adam ate the forbidden fruit and was sent out of heaven sentenced for death, he suffered much but pleaded God in sorrow and tears. Then the Lord had mercy and vowed to save him. So, Adam waited in hope for 5500 years.

Patience

Most fruitful and ample as it is, patience is filled with endurance and perseverance. As we know it is a gift from the Holy Spirit. Saint James said, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-4) The Apostle told us that patience makes us perfect which means to lack nothing. He is saying to ask the Lord for patience which will be given to us.

Diligence

Diligence as written in Biblical Dictionary is, “Conscientious hard work and perseverance, particularly with regard to a relationship with God. In Scripture diligence is highly commended. It may however be misguided.”

In Christianity, diligence is our routine prayer, fast and prostration aside the alms giving, feeding and nurturing the poor. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has taught about diligence through the apostles during the apostasy era.

“Love one another” (John 13:34)

The most powerful and wonderful feeling in the history of mankind is ‘Love.’ It is the reason for our existence since without it, we shall not survive life on earth. Humans are to love one another for it is the command of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is written in the gospel of Saint John as, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Rise up!

Man came to be alive for a life given by God, with His precious work. He created Him from dust and wind, then saw how great it was! He gave him life for he could live in heaven forever. Unfortunate to all the human race though for the first mankind ate the forbidden fruit and brought death upon the world.

Human beings were to die eternally for it would not have been for the Holy Father, who send His Holy Son for the salvation of men and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ defeating the enemy Satan and overcame death. The rise of Lord Jesus Christ is thus the life after death in Kingdom of Heaven.