Sermon – Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church Sunday School Department

“Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant” (Matthew 25:23)

The gifts we receive are to be multiplied. They are not to be buried in the ground. About this, Saint Gregory the Great wrote that hiding our talent in the earth, is to use our gifts only for earthly things.

In the time of Lord Jesus, a talent referred to substantial amount of money. The message to us today is that God gives each of us something of considerable value and expects good stewardship and a return on what He has given. Although Jesus speaks to us about money in the Parable of the Talents, He is really talking about something far more important.

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16)

Dear Children of God! How are you? How is your life with your beloved ones? Are you being strong on this fasting occasion? We hope you are fasting as much as you can! May we remind you as well to learn and study well in school and Church education.

When we grow up in the house of God, we will be blessed. Our Lord will endow (give) us wisdom and discerning. We shall become then a good person who helps families, communities and countries. The second semester is coming to an end; Thus you must study hard and score good grades. Good! Now we will proceed to this lesson which is about lying.

The Olivet Discourse

The biblical passage, “The Olivet discourse” is found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. It is a teaching of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on “Mount of Olive”, about His second coming and much more signs before its’ occurrence.

Moral Purity

The Almighty, Who says not “honor, praise, sanctify Me” for He is Holy in His attributes, our God Who abode on His throne is glorified and praised by His creatures. Man, He created in His likeness and Image, is with honor, purity and holiness. We praise as well our Holy Mother saying. “Most honored, pure and holy amongst all creatures; Saint Virgin Mary.

Holy Scriptures informs us a life of holiness is a natural gift. It is stated as, “as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1-15-16)

The sick man is healed!

Aliments, illness and pain are health disaster incidence in people’s lives. The entire human race onwards the insolent of Adam, façades this trial as the Holy Bible states. When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, curse came upon them and suffering in various kinds of diseases is amongst. (Genesis 3:16-19)

The attainment of both the worldly or eternal life, salvation or healing is through the faith in God and being faithful. What the impotent man was then asked might seem only for the healing of his aliment, our Lord had asked about the salvation of his soul as well. The Question “Do you want to be made well?” was about the sick’s man faith. Even for the cure from his disease, faith was vital as the Lord thought him. Moreover, He made him think about his soul’s salvation.

The Seventh Month

The Ethiopian Liturgical Calendar, accord Holy Church teaching, terms the seventh month of the year as “Megabit.” The translation for the word is “the name of the month, the seventh month, the equivalence of consumption of day and night. (Book of Didascalia, page 30, Kidane Wolde Kiflae, page 577)

“He went into their synagogue” (Matthew 12:9)

The third week of “The Great Lent” is known as “Synagogue” according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church education. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ entered to this synagogue, which served as the temple of Jews. Whilst in His teaching age in Jerusalem, there were synagogues in which the apostles also thought the gospel.

Holy

Holy Church has made order of Fast and accordingly, the second Sabbath of the “Great Lent” is known as “Holy.” Saint Jared in his Book of Tsome (Fast) Deguua has divided the weeks of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s fast and named them each. The second week named as “Holy” is the time of our Lord’s fast commencement in Corinthian Monastery for forty days. What we mean when we say “Holy Week” is “chosen, unique, honored week.” (Book of Geeze Dictionary /Sewasew Wegese/, page 784)

He Who Comes Down

The First Sabbath of “The Great Lent” according to our Holy Church’s teachings is known as “Zewerede” to mean “He Who Comes Down.” Saint Jared’s hymn for this holiday states about The Holy Son Coming from the heavens as He vowed to the first mankind Adam and for the salvation of all human race. (Book of Tsome Deguua)

The call for Three Days Fast!

Mankind’s sins and deceitful act is augmenting as the days go by. People betrayal has become undeniably devious and outrage bringing all sorts of harm, evil and tribulations leading to catastrophic disasters. All the various social, economic and other national or else international chaos, conflicts, flood, earthquake, wildfires and other natural calamitous, are what reveal God’s wrath. His rage upon us, we are on death row.

The mercy of God is enormous; yet, if we are not to hinder our evil and sinful act, so is His fury. Man shall be aware of forsaken deeds in avoiding them and restraining into acting deviously. It was defying God’s word and law what brought death upon humans race to begin with. Still we seize not to contravene the Lord’s order. And now, all our deviousness has reached before Him and brought all the plague on earth.

The people of Nineveh were forgiven for all the sins just by three days fast, and so, we shall fast it in cleansing from all the sins and repenting. We shall understand the mercy of God and hope for His forgiveness and repentance.