Skip to main content

What Happened at the Cross


Reading from the Early Church Fathers is not alway easy, but it is rewarding.  In them we get a sense of how the faith both developed and grew.  They did not rely on campaigns, programs, or buildings to create "church".  For them, the faith they defended and proclaimed was only recently handed down to them from the Apostles, and they felt the duty to declare it and defend it.  This is the stuff of our heritage...our great, great, great, great...fathers of the church.

I know that as I read them I get a sense of how I fit into the overall church.  I am a person who has a place...not insignificant, but also not alone.  I am part of a long line of those who have declared and defended the faith, with only the Scriptures and the power of the Holy Spirit to be the source that links me to the past fathers.  It's good that we realize we are continuing something that has such a long legacy connected to it.  Here's another person worth reading.

John of Damascus was born in 676. He was brought up in Damascus, Syria in a Christian family living under Muslim rule. His father was a government official under both the Byzantine emperor and the Muslim rulers of Damascus. John received a classical education. He was a brilliant young man studying law, theology, philosophy, and music. He was fluent in Arabic as well as Greek. He worked in the Muslim court until the hostility of the caliph toward Christianity caused him to resign his position, about the year 700. 
He moved to the vicinity of Jerusalem and became a monk at Mar Saba Monastery located in the Judaean desert hills near Bethlehem, 18 miles southeast of Jerusalem. He taught in the monastery, preached many sermons in Jerusalem, and wrote both theological treatises and hymns.
Since he lived in the midst of political and theological turmoil, John wrote a great deal to clarify true doctrine and to do his part in spreading the gospel.  Among his writings is this profound prose:

What Happened on the Cross?

By the cross all these things have been set aright...


By nothing else except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ has death been brought low:
The sin of our first parent destroyed, 
hell plundered, 
resurrection bestowed,  
the power given us to despise the things of this world,  
even death itself,  
the road back to the former blessedness made smooth,  
the gates of paradise opened,  
our nature seated at the right hand of God,  
and we made children and heirs of God.

Good stuff to meditate on.

Peace

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hands Full of Parcels

"A Man whose hands are full of parcels can't receive a gift."   - C. S. Lewis Romans 4:13-16 (ESV) 13  For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14  For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15  For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. 16  That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all... The last four days have been best described by the word "fatigue".  It's not an uncommon word in our vocabulary.  Listless, tired, sore.  1300 miles of car travel, being sick, not sleeping well, and eating poorly all add up to the word - fatigue.   Someone onc...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Tabernacle

The readings today are Exodus 36, 37, 38 I wanted to post some pictures of what these various parts of the Tabernacle looked like. It's not the easiest read in the world, but if you persevere through it, you can get a picture of all the different pieces that made up the tabernacle. It is a replica of the various parts of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness: First thing in the chapter listed is the outside of the tabernacle which consisted of curtains tied together and put on cross bars through loops. Next at the beginning of 37 is the table and lampstand: Also, the altar of incense: And, the altar for the burnt offering which was in the courtyard: Finally, the courtyard which made it all come together: Hope that helps with what it might have all looked like. Most importantly, this was their "place" of worship they were building. I hope you have a great day of worship. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
1 comment
Read more

The difference between defending and explaining

The news of recent has focused the suffering of Christians in the middle east who have been martyred for their faith in Christ at the hands of Islamic Terrorists. Through the centuries many Christians have lost their lives as a result of their faith. For us, who live in America, there is little chance that we would have this happen here - but it's entirely possibly that terrorism will strike out at Christians sometime.  But, for many Christians in the western world - especially here in the U.S. - being a Christians who believes God's word there is a form of persecution that is defined by words like "ostracized", "passed over", "ridiculed", and more. What do we do in the face of opposition to faith? When the Apostle Peter writes to the early believers who are undergoing great pressure, even persecution for their faith in Jesus, he gives them this charge. 1 Peter 3:8-18 8  Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly lov...
1 comment
Read more