Sermon – Page 22 – Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church Sunday School Department

“Be aware of False Prophets” (Matthew 7:15)

False prophets strive to weaken Holy Church deceiving laities with lack of faith; some might fail while others do not. Lord Jesus gives preference to the some as Prophets, preserving the truth and to the many lost: “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom!” and He promises His faithful His Godly protection from spiritual wolves, saying: “And I will give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” (Luke 12:32, John 10:28)

“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (John 8:56)

Father Abraham rejoicing was witnessed during the apostasy era after his desire to see the day of the revelation of LORD Jesus Christ. His spiritual diligence in addition to his grace was immense. He welcomed people as his guests and nurtures them in his tent. Discerning this, Enemy Satan distorted the truth so that guests would not go to Abraham’s house, pretending to be stoned saying, “Do not go to Abraham’s house. He is not the Abraham you knew; I went to his house thinking that He would nurture me, but, look at the blood that comes down from my head after he stoned me. Don’t go to his house.”

“The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death” (Psalm 118:18)

Chastening is to correct by punishment as it is written in the bible, “I will chasten him with the rod of men.” It is also to inflict pain for the purpose of reclaiming an offender; as, to chasten a son with a rod; and it is stated, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.” (2 Samuel 7:14, Revelation 3:19)

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate” (Luke 13:24)

The Luke’s Gospel states these words of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as written in the Holy bible. Whilst He was walking in every city and village, one man asked him a question. “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” Then, Lord Jesus said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.”

Spiritual Food

Lord Jesus Christ taught about food and drink in the John Gospel during the apostasy era. When HE went to the city of Sychar in Samaria and arrived at Jacob’s well, Lord Jesus met a Samaritan woman and asked her, “Give me a drink”. Later, towards the end of the passage we hear, In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” …

Destiny

The true destiny of mankind Adam was to be tested in the garden by setting a limitation, by not eating of one tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the condition reserved for God himself…

“Lean not on your own discernment” (Proverbs 3:7)

Leaning in our own discernment or understanding and seeking not the wisdom of God, we lose fear of God. But, fear of God is the beginning of knowledge and trusting in the LORD is necessary of attaining any of the wisdom of life. Trusting the Lord is to fear him with all our heart indicating trust which is beyond intellectual assent to a deep reliance on the Lord, a settled confidence in his care and his faithfulness to his word.

“God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5)

God is Light of the world; as the sun rises daily and the moon sparks at night, HE is the light shining for eternity. Saint John’s message to all Christians about HIM states, “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 5-10)

““The name of the second river is the Psihon; it skirts through the entire land of Cush” (Genesis, 2:13)

Heaven, a paradise of righteous dwelling, there flows four rivers, Ephesus, Pishon, Tigris, and Euphrates. A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is the Pishon; it skirts through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.” (Genesis, 2:8-14)

“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwell not in temples made with hands” (Acts 17:24)

Athenians worshiping assorted witches made Apostle Paul furious and fuming. Qualm the existence in GOD, they curved sculptures and bow in front it by the Title of “The unknown GOD.” Watching them in irate he said, “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwell not in temples made with hands.” He preached for them to have faith in the Alpha and Omega, GOD. Saint Paul’s name signifying his Christ’s gulp of air, his deed wasn’t out of the ordinary; though theirs was inapt. (Acts 17:22-24)