The Saints Life Supportable But Their Death A Blessing A Sermon

Author : L. V. Filimonova
Publisher : Vladimir Djambov
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 324 pages
Book Rating : 4./5 ( download)

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Download or read book LIVES of the Holy Glorious and every where Celebrated APOSTLES written by L. V. Filimonova and published by Vladimir Djambov. This book was released on with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Wealth without work Pleasure without conscience Science without humanity Knowledge without character Politics without principle Commerce without morality Worship without sacrifice. https://vidjambov.blogspot.com/2023/01/book-inventory-vladimir-djambov-talmach.html Election of the Twelve Apostles After the Baptism from John in the Jordan River, the Lord Jesus Christ began to preach His Divine teaching, performing countless miracles and healing all kinds of diseases (see: Matthew 4, 23). Many people from all over the country of Judea began to flock to listen to His wondrous doctrine and ask for the healing of their ailments (see: Luke 6, 17-18). These listeners, for the most part, soon left Heavenly Teacher and returned to their worldly pursuits. However, some accompanied the Savior almost everywhere and were already called His disciples (see: John 3, 22; 4, 1). But even they were not all far from everyday interests and not all were equally capable of perceiving Divine truths. Meanwhile, Christ had to come forward decisively and openly to His glorious service to the human race, and He was pleased to separate from among the disciples several chosen, worthy ones. Seeing the spiritual purity of some, the Lord even earlier called them apart to follow Him, as if to test their readiness. Now, seeing this readiness of them, He set out to lay the foundation for their closest alliance with Him. And then one evening the Lord retires to a secluded mountain for prayer. The Divine Prayer Book spent the whole night in prayer (see: Luke 6, 12). Who knows what the Lord’s prayer hugged at this time! Maybe the Son of Man asked His Heavenly Father to be strengthened for the coming deed; maybe He called the blessing of the Father to Himself to His great work and to the chosen disciples in their service to this work. It is morning. Fortified by night prayer, the Lord calls to Him on a mountain of His disciples, and here, in the midst of solemn morning silence, far from worldly noise, he selects twelve of them. Here are their names: Simon Peter and Andrew, his brother, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James Alfeyev and Simon Zealot, Judas Jacob and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Christ (see: Luke 6 , 14–16; cf. Mark 3, 16–19). All these were for the most part people simple, poorly educated, poor Galilean fishermen. The Lord chose them as those who proved their love and affection for Him, trusting, as children, not infected by the dreams of false enlightenment. He himself provided them with education and taught them not only by word, but also by deed, alone before the people, in the house and on the way, on land and at sea. The Lord revealed to them the secrets of His Kingdom, and often explained His teachings separately from the people (see: Mark 4, 34; Matthew 13, 36). He gradually erased their prejudices brought from Jewish teachings, tempered their heart movements and brought them into harmony with their responsibilities. The Lord cleansed and enlightened their mind and heart, preparing them for the complete outpouring of the Spirit of truth and sanctification in them. They were constantly with Him (see: Mark 3, 14), accompanied Him everywhere, were His constant companions and interlocutors, listened to His teachings, witnessed His life and work, His miracles, His suffering, death, resurrection and ascension to heaven, and then they themselves had to testify that they saw, heard, felt. At first they were in relation to the Lord as disciples; at the end of His earthly career, He already called them friends (see: Jn. 15, 14–15), as those from whom He did not hide anything; finally, after His resurrection, he called them brothers (see: John 20, 17), as the closest beings to Himself. By the nature of their ministry, they were called by the Lord Himself the apostles (see: Luke 6, 13), i.e., messengers. Twice Christ the Savior sent them to preach. At first, giving them the power to work miracles, he sent them two in front of His only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (see: Matt. 10, 6 onwards; Mk. 6, 7 onwards). Then, after death and glorious resurrection, he sent them to preach the gospel to all creatures (see: Mk. 16, 15), to teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (see: Mt. 28, 19). The number of 12 apostles, violated by the fall of Judah, soon after the ascension of Christ was filled up by the election by lot of Matthew (see: Acts 1, 20, 23–26). On the day of Pentecost, the apostles received the Holy Spirit, descending in the form of tongues of fire and resting on them with His grace (see: Acts 2, 1–4). After the descent of the Holy Spirit, by the direct calling of Christ and the illumination of the Holy Spirit, Paul, the great apostle of the Gentiles, was added to the face of the 12 apostles (see: Rom. 11, 13; 15, 14–19). Fulfilling the command of the Lord, the holy apostles, after 12 years after the ascension of Christ, who, according to church tradition, they were together in Jerusalem, dispersed and everywhere preached the name of Christ (see: Acts 16, 21; Mk. 16, 20). Their voice was heard all over the earth, and their words spread to the edge of the universe (see: Rom. 10, 18).