Sermon – Page 3 – Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church Sunday School Department

“Everything has its own time” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Dear children of God! how are you? How is life with your family and beloved ones at home and school? Hope you are having a pleasant time on these fifty days’ feasts of resurrection and Pentecost (Feast of Holy Spirit.). It is the occasion of celebrating our salvation and everlasting life in the heavens (Kingdom of God).

As the wise King Solomon said, “everything has its own time,”, the earthy life we lead is the preparation for the soul salvation and everlasting life we recently celebrating. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) This occasion is the resemblance of the life we are given to live forever, with Our Creator God in His Kingdom. The Lord bestowed (gave) us life after body death with His resurrection (rising from the dead).

Aroma of Life

Painful as it is yet beautifully done, was His redemption work; The Heavenly King’s Coming, miraculous healing, suffering and salvation endowed the imprisoned souls, aroma of life glowingly.

The Birth of the Prince of Peace

He made peace and reconciliation between man and God, as He is the Son of God in His divinity and the Son of Man in His humanity. Thus, He was able, through His incarnation, to bless our nature and enables us to unite with God. Through His redemption, He was able to fulfill the divine justice and reveal the love of God and his tender mercies, which captivates the hardest hearts. Therefore, through incarnation and redemption, reconciliation was accomplished and offered to mankind, to whoever accepts it and enters with God in a new covenant through baptism, so he dies with Christ and rises with Him in a new life. Additionally, the power of dying and the power of living that we obtained in baptism continue to work within our lives through repentance: The power of dying to sin, and the power of living through grace.

The Mysterious Light

Crystal is a light
to be gazed at sight
that is so bright
even at night

“The True Vine will be cut” (Miracles of Mary)

The true vine our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ came down from the heavens, wore the body of man, walked like one of us, taught His holy words, healed many by His miracles, endured pain and triumphed on the death which came upon humans.

Palm Sabbath

Once upon a Sabbath, the heavenly King, the Lord Who appeared by the flesh of humans through the Birth from one Virgin Mary, came to Jerusalem riding donkey colt. By then, Israelis acclaimed Him by waving palm branches and laying cloaks on the ground in His honor.

The Eighth Month

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church teaching terms the eight month as “Month of Miyazia.” Miyazia is derived from the Geeze word “Mehaze” which means “maturation.” It refers to “growth, braveness, maturation and seeking for spouse.” On this month, most Ethiopian use to wed and thus it is termed as Miyazia.

Nicodemus

The apostasy era attained many of Lord Jesus Christ’s sermons. Numerous followed Him in admiration of His words and listening to the teachings which endowed eternal life. He thought them about faith, the true religion and real life path. There was a Pharisee and also ruler of the Jews called “Nicodemus” who came to Jesus during the night when it was dark to talk to Him. The reason of his coming at night to the Lord was in avoiding others seeing him speaking to Him.

“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.