Podcasts about chrysostom

The Night School, Series 17 (September through November 2025) - Three Johns - Wise Ones from East of UsThe Night School has always been about the “Guests” whom we invite to be with us, people often from the deep past whom we meet in the texts that they left behind when they went to be among our Ancestors. Why have we invited “three Johns”; that is, the Evangelist, Chrysostom, and Newman? We chose them upon learning that for the first time in this 21st century, the Catholic Church will elect someone as a Doctor of the Church. Pope Leo XIV had indicated in July 2025, that he would place St. John Henry Newman among these greatest and wisest of Christian teachers. So in celebration of this, we have placed him, in Series 17, with two other Doctors of the Church.What is a “Doctor of the Church”?“ A title regularly given since the Middle Ages to certain Christian theologians of outstanding merit and acknowledged saintliness. Originally the Western theologians Gregory the Great, Ambrose, Augustine, and Jerome were held to be the ‘four doctors' par excellence; but in later times the list has been gradually increased to nearly 40. There are four female doctors, with Teresa of Ávila named first, in 1970.” [Matthew J. Mills, “Doctors of the Church,” in The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, ed. Andrew Louth (Oxford, United Kingdom; New York: Oxford University Press, 2022) 565–566.]

Title: “Who Commands the Waves and Wind?” Part 1 Text: Acts 27:1-12 FCF: We often struggle enduring in faith when we face circumstances, we know God could spare us from. Prop: Because God's providence often includes opposition from forces of nature, we must look beyond ourselves to endure in faith. Scripture Intro: Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 27. It is even more important for you to turn there today considering that there will be no text on the screen. In a moment, I will read the first 36 verses of Acts 27 from the Legacy Standard bible. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. As we hasten onward toward the end of this study in the book of Acts, one which has taken us over two years to get to this point, Luke ushers us toward the final episodes of this last Act of his narrative. Luke's purposes have never been to provide a strict history of the early church. Instead, he has written to confirm to a man named Theophilus, and by extension all believers in Jesus Christ, that what we have believed is true and dependable. In this final Act, Luke has not so subtly shown how God is in control of all things and works all things according to the counsel of His will to accomplish His purposes and complete His story of the world which He has already written. Paul has no more criminal trials to face save one. A hearing before Emperor Nero in Rome. A hearing granted to all Roman citizens who appeal to Caesar. And so, in what could have been a short 24 day trip, we will see that God has other things planned for this apostle. Please stand with me to focus on and give honor to the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: Most Gracious, Holy, Loving, and Powerful God. You are Alpha and Omega. You are the first and You are the last. From You all of creation has life and by You all of creation consists. There is not one rogue molecule in creation for You control everything for Your glory and for Your purposes. In a day and an age when such doctrines are derided and hated by natural men and even despised by some who claim to be Your people, I pray that we would find comfort and peace in believing that nothing happens without Your plan and consent and without some purpose for which You have established before the foundation of the World. Help us today to see these truths in spite of what our eyes see… we pray this in Jesus' name… Amen. Transition: Let's get right to the text this morning. I.) God's providence often includes opposition from forces of nature, so we must trust the Lord. (1-8) a. 1 - Now when it was decided that we would sail for Italy, they proceeded to deliver Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan cohort named Julius. 2 - And getting aboard an Adramyttian ship, which was about to sail to the regions along the coast of Asia, we set sail accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica. 3 - The next day we put in at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul with consideration and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care. 4 - And from there we set sail and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because the winds were against us. i. So, after 2 years of waiting for the Lord Jesus' words to come to pass, that Paul would go to Rome to preach the gospel, it seems that Paul is finally on his way. ii. Paul, along with other prisoners, was transferred into the guard of a centurion who would have been stationed in Judea. A centurion of the Augustan cohort. iii. Luke no doubt provides this information to us to establish secular witness to the events that he is about to describe in the next chapter and a half. iv. Many of the events that follow are quite unbelievable. But Luke has provided enough information to track this Roman Centurion down and ask him directly if such things have occurred. v. Julius charts a merchant ship from Adramyttium, a city in a bay across from the island of Lesbos between Troas and Pergamum. vi. Why does he chart a merchant ship? vii. Quite simply, there was no other way to travel by sea in the Roman Empire. There were vessels of commerce and vessels of war. There was no such thing as passenger vessels. viii. This ship's destination was to travel the coast of Asia minor, no doubt heading back to the Adramyttium. ix. Luke also lists two more of Paul's companions who joined him on this trip and would serve as eye witnesses to all that happened. The first is very obvious. 1. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, is probably the same Aristarchus who was dragged into the theater to face the rioting crowds in Ephesus in Acts 19. a. Aristarchus is also said to have accompanied Paul to Jerusalem on his most recent visit that has turned into a 2-year plus endeavor. b. It is impossible to know if Aristarchus has been in Jerusalem or Caesarea since Paul was imprisoned. But he seems to have been in Caesarea in time to join Paul on his trip to Rome. 2. The second companion is harder to spot, but since you all are very perceptive people, I'm sure you have spotted Luke in this text. a. In verse 1 it says “we would sail” meaning of course that Paul's companion Luke would join him on this trip too. b. So, both Luke and Aristarchus would be eye witnesses to the events that would follow. x. They sail 70 nautical miles to the city of Sidon in Syria. xi. The church had spread to Sidon some time ago. xii. Julius allowed Paul to leave the ship, probably with a soldier to escort him as waited for the next departure of the Adramyttium ship. xiii. No doubt these believers gave supplies to Paul and his companions for their journey. xiv. But verse 4 delivers a key theme for us in this entire maritime adventure narrative. xv. The winds were against this journey. We see great opposition to this trip from the winds of the Mediterranean Sea. And that opposition will only intensify. xvi. This Adramyttian ship endeavored to sail along the coast of Syria, but instead headed out to sea to be sheltered from the northwestern and western winds by the island of Cyprus. b. 5 - And when we had sailed through the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. 6 - There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. 7 - And when we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of Crete, off Salmone; 8 - and with difficulty, we sailed past it and came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea. i. Sailing between Asia minor and Cyprus along the coast, the Adramyttium ship landed at its next port, Myra of Lycia. ii. No doubt the next stop for this ship would have either been Adramyttium itself or possibly Ephesus. And it probably would not leave for some time… perhaps not even until after winter. iii. Therefore, Julius is forced to chart another ship whose destination would be Italy. iv. We find that Julius charts an Alexandrian ship. These were from the city of Alexandria and would transport grain throughout the Roman Empire, but especially to Rome. v. Having landed in Myra, this ship either came up the coast, past Judea and Syria, and had landed in Myra seeking to head west, or perhaps headed north straight through the Mediterranean toward the easily visible mountainous coast of Asia Minor. vi. We can read between the lines of Luke's record here to understand that the sailing was anything but smooth or predictable. vii. From Cnidus, which was a common port city having two ports, one on the North and one on the South, either they aimed to sail across the Aegean, potentially to Corinth or Athens or perhaps they did intend to sail to the northern edge of Cete to go around the Balkan Peninsula. viii. But because of the dangerous gales, they were forced to once again seek the shelter of the large island of Crete sailing south past the cape of Salmone. ix. Once again, we see the difficulty of the trip and how the forces of nature seem to oppose the will of Jesus and the intention of His apostle. x. With much trouble and very slowly they finally arrive at a southern port on the island of Crete known as Fair Havens near the city of Lasea. c. Summary of the Point: In this maritime adventure which Luke records for us, we could very easily lose the forest for the trees if we are not careful. We could get wrapped up in the adventure of the storm tossed ship and miss the greater message that Luke is revealing to Theophilus and all believers needing assurance that what they have believed is firm and solid. Jesus told Paul 2 years ago that he would go to Rome to preach the gospel… and now the very wind and sea oppose him getting there. But as the sermon title asks… who commands the wind and the sea? John Chrysostom, an early church father said of this passage of scripture, “See how God does not alter or change the order of nature but allows him to sail into unfavorable winds. But even so the miracle happens.” John Chrysostom Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles. In another work he says, “Again trials, again contrary winds. See how the life of the saints is so composed of all these things: he escaped the court, and they fall into a shipwreck and a storm.” John Chrysostom Catena on the Acts of the Apostles. In these two quotes Chrysostom conveys what Luke's aim of this story is. Paul has been shipwrecked before. He has spent much time at sea. Why does Luke record this now? Because Luke, in his final chapter, wishes to convey the absolute sovereignty of God to take His Kingdom to the uttermost parts of the earth. But in that sovereignty, it is not merely raw Power that God is displaying… for the purposes of God are not merely to get His apostle to Rome but also to form and shape Paul's faith. As one commentator said, “God could demonstrate His power by stilling the storm (as in Luke 8:24-25) but also by preserving His servant through it...” “Luke's apologetic is not for a legendary divine man; Paul does not still the storm. But the account portrays Paul's character preserving through testing… as well as speaking wisely and rescuing his fellow passengers by God's power.” God commands the winds and the seas… but that doesn't mean He always works miraculously. Indeed, one of the more wonderous miracles God does is providentially sustaining His people through catastrophe. In this the miracle that occurs is our faith and hope, tested and built. Therefore, knowing that God does not always choose to intervene with miracles… but does keep His promises… we must trust the Lord. Transition: But in the midst of trouble and trial, when everything seems to be against us, and when forces that God says He controls seem to be out of His control… it can be very hard for us to trust God and to know what to do next. Although Jesus has gone to the Father to intercede for us, He has both promised to never leave us and to send the comforter. And the comforter is in our hearts and all the hearts of those who believe. Struggling to see where I'm going? Let's look at verse nine. II.) God's providence often includes opposition from forces of nature, so we must heed counsel from wise and godly people. (9-12) a. 9 - And when considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even the Fast was already over, Paul began to advise them, 10 - and said to them, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” i. Luke does not track for us the departure date of this trip, nor does he give us any indication of exactly when Portius Festus took office. ii. So, we don't know exactly how long the trip has taken thus far – but he seems to indicate that what began as a doable trip to Rome has become less and less likely. iii. Luke tells us that the Fast was already over. Most likely Luke is referring the Day of Atonement which occurs in late September to early October depending on the year. iv. And the best guess for dating this trip is in AD 59 when the Day of Atonement occurred on October 5th. v. At this time, mid-September to mid-November becomes increasingly more and more difficult to travel the Mediterranean as the winter months approach. vi. After this period virtually all sea travel would cease until around February. vii. According to a Stanford Geospatial Network model of the Roman World, it is estimated that under ideal conditions, Paul would have been able to make the journey from Caesarea to Rome in just under 24 days. viii. Which means that they probably left with at least that amount of time before really difficult sailing conditions would arise. ix. But as Luke indicates here, violent winds began earlier than usual this year and kept them from making any significant progress. Now they face only more difficult sailing conditions as they head further into October and November. x. In light of this, Paul advises those in charge of the ship that this journey will end not only in the loss of the ship and all its cargo, but also in the loss of life. xi. Essentially Paul is advising wintering in Fair Havens and waiting until February to reembark to Italy. xii. In this we have a few questions. First, is Paul speaking the words of prophesy or merely of human wisdom? If it is prophesy, does it come true? If it is wisdom, what makes Paul such an expert that he would advise seasoned merchant sailors? 1. As to the first question, is Paul speaking the words of prophesy or merely human wisdom – we must conclude that this is NOT prophesy. Why must we conclude that? a. Paul predicts that the ship, its cargo, and the lives of the passengers on the ship would experience heavy damage and great loss. b. Peeking ahead a little, we see Paul predict a little later that every life on board the ship would be saved. When he predicts this, he attributes that prediction to the Word of God communicated by an Angel. 2. Therefore, we must conclude that in this instance, Paul speaks merely by his own wisdom. But if that is so, what makes Paul qualified to speak to such matters? a. Having written II Corinthians sometime before going to Jerusalem, Paul has already told us that he had been shipwrecked 3 times and left afloat in the open sea for a night and a day. b. Luke didn't record any of these for us – but it proves that Paul is no novice passenger on a sea faring vessel. c. It also communicates to us the very real danger of travel on the Mediterranean d. Paul's concerns here are not just for the ship and the cargo but for the lives of the people on board. e. Since these ships were ships of commerce, lives didn't always factor in to the decision making of the owners, captains, and crews of these vessels. xiii. And that seems to remain true even after Paul gives his advice. b. 11 - But the centurion was being more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. 12 - And because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to set sail from there, if somehow, they could arrive at Phoenix, a harbor of Crete facing southwest and northwest, to spend the winter there. i. Julius, the pilot, and the captain of the ship disagreed. ii. Their reasons are logical but next to the advice of a man of God, they are ultimately quite foolish. iii. The scriptures declare that the wisdom of men is foolishness to God. iv. So, what is the wisdom of men? Unfortunately, it is always tainted by sin. In this particular case… greed. 1. Fair Havens is not a port that provides adequate shelter for wintering. 2. It was not the kind of living conditions the crew desired to spend the next several months. 3. There was a significant risk to the cargo being spoiled or damaged, the ship being beaten up or broken, or even the prisoners escaping. 4. Ultimately the wisdom and logic of men comes down to dollars and cents. v. Instead of heeding the advice of Paul, they determined to get to Phoenix, a port giving great vision to both the South and the Northwest of the Mediterranean. A port right for wintering and one which they could depart from with relative confidence as to their heading. vi. This is the wisdom of men. But it will all go terribly wrong. More on that next week. c. Summary of the Point: Luke's point will continue to be how God's will includes providentially allowing the forces of nature to oppose His people. He preserves us through this, which is a testament to His grace, mercy and power, and He tests and perfects our faith in it. He does not always perform miracles to spare us pain, but miraculously sustains us through pain and difficulty while allowing us to continue to faithfully believe and follow Him, even when it seems as if He is slack in His promises. But as we face these difficult times and days, Paul provides another application for us aside from trusting the Lord. Not only must we continue to trust God in difficult times – but we must also trust the counsel of biblically wise people. Paul provides wise insight. And even though it is not about a “spiritual” or “theological” matter – he should have been heeded. When we face trouble, trial, testing and storms in life, we must look to spiritually mature counselors… NOT JUST for spiritual problems… but for all problems. Why? Because God's Word is sufficient to help us in all things we face. In all life and godliness the Word is sufficient. So, we must go to those who love and live by the Word for advice and counsel. And we must heed their counsel. Conclusion: So CBC, what have we learned today that informs and corrects our beliefs and guides our lifestyles? Basics of Faith and Practice: One common objection raised by skeptics of God is whether or not God can create a boulder so large that He could not lift it. It is not typically a question asked in good faith. For regardless of the answer, they think they've proven that He is not all powerful. Whenever someone asks a question that begins with “Could God…” you know immediately that the question is flawed. Why? Because God can… ALWAYS. There is nothing that is impossible with God. Ability is NEVER the question. The real question is about the will of God. And that is demonstrated right here in this text? Could God have stopped the storms? Could God have calmed the sea? We know He could. Why? Because He already did it. The Spirit of God moved on the face of the chaotic waters when He formed the earth. God the Father parted the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to walk on dry land. The Son of God stretched His hand out and said, “Peace, be still” And calmed a storm. My friends the question is NEVER “Can God?” it is always “Will God?” For whatever reason… God allows catastrophe to happen to all men… even His own children. Even His own apostles. Even… His own Son. He allows natural forces and even men's sinful nature to do many things to oppose His children. And we can guess at the whys of that… but maybe for today, we don't need to answer the question why. Because why isn't the right question! Paul addresses a similar argument in Romans 9 when some might complain that they were not elected for salvation and wonder why God judges them for something He did not choose for them to have. Paul says, essentially, you are asking the wrong question. How dare you question God. The right question… is what. In the midst of natural forces opposing me in doing what I know the Lord wishes me to do… What do I do? And this text provides two answers for us. One hinted and the other overtly stated. We must continue to trust the Lord's promises and we must heed the counsel of wise and godly people. But let me expand a bit on this. A few applicational groceries for you to make some spiritual meals with as the week unfolds. 1.) Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that natural forces opposing God's people is a valid reason to question God's Word or character. a. This text alone proves that to question God's promises or God's loving character based on tragic circumstances is absolutely ridiculous. b. God's promises and God's character is not beholden to everything always going right for mankind or even for His chosen people. c. God does work miracles for the sake of His will but He does not ALWAYS do this, nor does He always do miracles in every identical situation that follows that miracle. d. God told Moses to strike the rock and then God told Moses to speak to the Rock. e. Moses struck the Rock twice and both times produced water… but God had OTHER pictures he wished to convey to Moses and to the Israelites by Moses speaking to it instead of striking it. f. Just because God acts differently or allows people to suffer or even die does not mean we are free to begin questioning whether or not God is all good, all powerful, all loving, or all just. g. The creature cannot say such things to the creator. h. His ways are above our ways, His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. i. When we think God has done something unjust… it is because our definition of justice is NOT God's. j. When we think God has done something unloving… it is because our definition of love is NOT God's. k. When we think that God has done something that is not good… it is because our definition of good is NOT God's. l. When we wonder why God didn't do something to prevent catastrophe… it is because we have put God in a box and treated Him as if He is like us… We have made an idol, called it Yahweh, and gotten upset when that fake god doesn't do what we think he should. m. We must repent… not Him. n. God is unchangeable. He does not lie. He does not sin. He is the same as He always has been. o. If life stinks, and catastrophe happens… our conclusion CANNOT be… That God has failed, or that God is a liar. p. This is the height of arrogance and idolatry. q. So what must we believe instead? 2.) Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that God providentially allows natural forces to oppose His people. a. God is absolutely free in His will to act according to His counsel. He has full freedom to do as He wishes and as He permits to ALL of His creation – including men. b. In His grace, His mercy, and His love – God does not desire the death of the wicked. c. That is a completely BONKERS statement. Of all the people that we should think God would be hunting down and squashing out of existence it SHOULD BE… the wicked. d. God is just… and He will judge them for their sin… But God does not actively seek out and kill wicked men. Why? Because we'd all be dead already. e. And here is another Bonkers statement in the scriptures… f. God's Son guaranteed that any who would follow Him would experience trouble. Jesus does not qualify that statement by specifying what trouble we experience. i. Is the trouble from those who might hate us and persecute us? ii. Is the trouble in the daily walk in living holy lives and turning from sin? iii. Is the trouble the common aches and pains and problems that all men face? g. Based on the entire cannon of scripture I think we'd have to say… YES! All of those. h. The scriptures say that all of creation groans in anticipation of the return of Jesus, the King of glory. i. Do you think violent storms that destroy property and lives are part of the creation's groans? ii. Do you think that diseases and sicknesses, aches and pains are part of the creation's groans? iii. Do you think that violent and wicked acts of men to snuff out life are part of creation's groans? i. My friends… God allows forces of nature to oppose all men, including His people, as a sign to us that things ARE NOT AS THEY SHOULD BE! j. When we experience heartache and trouble and problems and pain it should confirm upon us the blessed hope of our King's inevitable return to make all this right! k. If God always saved His people from calamity in miraculous ways… how strong would our faith be? l. Let me ask another question… If you always lifted everything for your child, including the spoon to their mouths, how much muscle would be on their arms? m. Were they called to lift a baby off the railroad tracks to save its life… they would struggle and strain and all would be lost. n. God knows we grow through adversity. We grow through struggle and pain. Not because He made us that way… but because sin has corrupted us THAT MUCH. o. The depravity of man is not some soteriological belief that only impacts us prior to conversion. p. My friends… sanctification – our growth to be more like Christ is long, difficult, fraught with pain and setbacks BECAUSE OF DEPRAVITY! q. The reformers believed and the scriptures agree that we are simultaneously WICKED SINNERS who have been declared righteous in Christ. We are all recovering pagans whose hearts continue to be factories forming idols on a daily basis. r. Therefore, we must believe that God sovereignly and providentially uses even natural disaster… to accomplish His will. Because His will is not ours. s. So what do we do with that? 3.) Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must continue to trust the Lord. a. Our God has promised that He will never leave us. b. He has promised us that He will seal us until the day of redemption with His Spirit. c. He has promised that He will give grace in a time of need to those who seek it. d. He has promised that He will sustain us to the moment that we have been appointed to die. e. He has promised to raise us up in Christ to join Him in the clouds. f. He has promised that when we join Him there we will always be with Him. g. So we face shipwreck. So we face wicked men shooting at us. So we face disease. So we face loss. So we face death. But we do so, knowing, that God will never forsake the promises He has made to us. We have confidence that if we face these things… God has willed it to be so for some purpose that we may never know. h. We trust Him. i. Trusting Christ does not mean trusting in a list of facts about God. j. Trusting Christ means that when tragedy occurs… we praise the Lord and trust that He is faithful. k. What else should we do? 4.) Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must heed the counsel of wise and godly people. a. Friends, although we have the Spirit of God in us, although Jesus has promised to never leave or forsake us, and although God in three persons is always present everywhere and when… somehow He knew that that would not be enough for our frailty. b. He knows our weakness indeed. c. And He has given us gifts… i. Apostles to form the church 2000 years ago. ii. Prophets to guide the church in its formation iii. Evangelists to expand the kingdom to the uttermost parts of the earth iv. And pastors/shepherds/ Elders to spiritually care for and equip the church locally to do the work of the ministry which is the edification of the body of Christ. d. In addition to that he has given generational mandates to older believers to care for younger believers and counsel and admonish them in spiritual things. e. He has given fathers to spiritually grow their own children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. f. He has given all of God's people His Spirit and promises where two or more are gathered and seeking counsel on some of the most difficult things… He is there. g. My friends… when catastrophe surrounds us. When trouble comes. When hope is fading. When we don't know if we can go on. When we don't know what to do. h. God has given us… the church. i. Not perfect. Flawed. But spiritually maturing and matured people who love and live by God's Word. j. Don't buy into the lie that you must see a specialist in the field of your problems to get help. k. If your problems are medical, financial, relational, emotional… and yes… spiritual… You can rest assured that God's word has something to say about it. And wise and godly believers can help you find it and help you pursue it. 5.) Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” Repenting of sin and becoming God's child does not give you a life of peace. In fact, it guarantees you a life of hardship. a. There are gospels going out today that seem to assure you that when you pray a prayer your life will be so much better. b. I just saw that MMA fighter Conner McGreggor recently made some kind of profession of faith in Jesus. He stated Jesus is King and that he has never been so at peace since believing this. c. I don't know his heart. I hope he is God's child. Time will tell. d. But here is what I do know. There is a paradox in the Christian life that all outsiders must see before they seek to enter in. e. Although in one sense being a child of God is the most peaceful, wonderful, glorious, amazing, fulfilling, and satisfying things there is… f. In another sense it is a life full of pain, anguish, struggle, hardship, betrayal, failure, frustration, and rejection. And not just in the sense that it is the normal human experience… but beyond that… being a Christian is directly linked to MORE of these than if you were not a Christian. g. Every single Christian in this room affirms this paradox as true. They have lived it. God's word says it. h. Jesus tells everyone to count the cost. He says that the only way to be His disciple is to take yourself, your desires, your comfort, your plans, your lifestyles, your money, your peace, your hope… and nail it to a cross… kill it brutally. Then follow Him. Then… and only then… can you be His disciple. i. He has paid it all… but make no mistake… it will cost you everything. And to true Christians it is a price… we gladly pay. j. If you have counted the cost and desire to follow Jesus, the Elders in this church would love to talk to you about that. Come see us… and don't dilly dally about it. Let me close with a word of prayer from the Apostolic Constitutions Lord God Almighty and true God, nothing compares to you. You are everywhere, and present in all things, but you are not part of your creation. You are not bound by place, and you do not grow old in time. You are not terminated by the ages. You are not deceived by words, and not created by anything. You require no one to look after you, and you are above all corruption. You are free from change, and by nature you never vary. You inhabit inaccessible light. You are invisible by nature, but are known to all thinking people who seek you with a good mind-your people who truly see and who have believed on Christ. You are the God of Israel. Be gracious to me, and hear me, for the sake of your name. Bless those who bow before you, and grant them the requests of their hearts, for their good. Do not reject any of them from your kingdom. Instead, set them apart for you. Guard, cover, and help them. Deliver them from the adversary, and from every enemy. Keep their houses and families safe, and guard them as they come and go. For to you belongs the glory, praise, majesty, worship, and adoration, and to your Son Jesus, your Christ, our Lord and God and King, and to the Holy Spirit, now and always, forever and ever, amen. Benediction: May the One Who makes the vapors ascend in clouds from earth's remotest end, Whose lightings flash at His commands, Who holds the tempest in His hands. Keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Until we meet again, go in peace.

It is often argued that the early church did not teach penal substitutionary atonement, but rather taught Christus Victor. Dean Taylor argues that penal substitutionary atonement thinking was present in the texts of early Christian writers such as Origen, Eusebius, and Chrysostom alongside Christus Victor teachings. Dean believes that Anabaptists have misunderstood the early church position on the atonement. He makes a case that the early church taught penal substitutionary atonement.Christus Victor by Gustaf Aulén: The Nonviolent Atonement by J. Denny Weaver: Origen: Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Books 1-5: ****Commentary on Isaiah by Eusebius of CaesareaThis is the 277th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought.Sign-up for our monthly email newsletter which contains new and featured content!Join us on Patreon or become a website partner to enjoy bonus content!Visit our YouTube channel or connect on Facebook.Read essays from our blog or listen to them on our podcast, Essays for King JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

In this episode, Pastor Joseph Spurgeon tackles the soft betrayal of evangelical leaders who have traded truth for cultural approval. From Sodom to the SBC, from rainbow buses to feminist pulpits, he unpacks why homosexuality is not simply “not God’s best for human flourishing”—it is a monstrous rebellion against God’s created order. This is not a whisper. It’s a sin that shouts for judgment. But there is also hope: “Such were some of you.” Christ can cleanse and transform even the most defiled. Men, this is your call to stand firm when others capitulate. Timestamps & Topics Covered: 00:00 – Introduction: The cultural insanity nobody imagined 20 years ago 00:52 – Why the church lost its boldness on sexual sin 02:01 – Scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 03:00 – The myth that the Bible whispers about sexual sin 04:25 – J.D. Greer and Tim Keller’s tragic compromise 06:52 – Local churches flying rainbow flags and ordaining women pastors 09:15 – Why Pride Month is an all-out assault on your children 11:41 – Church history: Augustine, Chrysostom, Peter Damian, Calvin, and Spurgeon on sodomy 16:21 – Why the sin is not merely disobedience but anti-creational perversion 18:43 – Genesis 19: Sodom’s destruction and the sin of unnatural lust 21:05 – Leviticus 18 and God’s judgment on the land itself 23:27 – Are all sins equal? The gradation of wickedness in Scripture 25:50 – The creation mandate: Be fruitful and multiply, and why homosexuality mocks it 28:13 – Romans 1: The climax of human rebellion 30:38 – The real root: Rejection of God as Creator 33:01 – Fornication vs. sodomy: Why one is more perverse 35:28 – The false gospel of gay Christianity 37:52 – Effeminacy: Why “soft men” are also condemned 40:19 – Consequences: HIV, syphilis, cancer, and bodily destruction 42:47 – The CDC’s hidden statistics on disease and early death 45:06 – The myth of the monogamous gay couple 47:26 – Anal cancer, incontinence, and the shame no one wants to admit 49:40 – Abortion and homosexuality as twin rebellions against creation 52:00 – The gospel’s power: “Such were some of you.” 55:00 – Final call: Reject passivity, embrace responsibility, and tell the truth Calls to Action: ✅ Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube ✅ Share this episode with men who need clarity and courage ✅ Comment Below: What will it take for pastors to stop whispering about sin? Connect with The Patriarchy Podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePatriarchyPodcastSpotify: https://tinyurl.com/58tm5zjzApple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/f3ruzrsaWebsite & All Links: https://linktr.ee/thepatriarchypodcast Follow Us on Social Media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePatriarchyPodcastTwitter/X: https://x.com/PatriarchyPodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepatriarchypodcastGab: https://gab.com/thepatriarchypodcast Sponsored By: Patriarch Cigars – For men who reject passivity and take dominionOrder now: https://patriarchcigars.com/ Fit Father Project – Reclaim discipline and strength for lifeStart here: https://secure.fitfatherproject.com/a/transformation/4539 Books by Joseph Spurgeon:It’s Good to Be a Boy – https://a.co/d/7zpEh5DIt’s Good to Be a Girl – https://a.co/d/6VlBTzS

Revelation (and Chrysostom) Revelation 1:1–19 The Second Sunday of Easter Sunday, April 27, 2025 Rev. Andrew DeFusco, Rector Church of the Redeemer, Nashville, TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Send us a textIn his lifetime, John Chrysostom witnessed the true beginning of Christendom: the Emperor Theodosius confirmed the public standing of Christianity over that of paganism and delivered a final knockout blow to Arian heresy in favor of Nicene orthodoxy. But a religion on the upswing can attract opportunistic and ill-informed converts. Jonathan and Ryan look at Chrysostom's advice on the bringing-up of children, and the ways in which the Greek Father uses pagan tropes - Greco-Roman hero cults, wrestling, statuary - to cajole new converts into dropping their pagan habits.Richard M. Gamble's The Great Tradition: https://amzn.to/3Q4lRnOJaspreet Singh Boparai's The Man Who Translated the Bible Into Latin: https://antigonejournal.com/2021/10/saint-jerome/New Humanists is brought to you by the Ancient Language Institute: https://ancientlanguage.com/Links may have referral codes, which earn us a commission at no additional cost to you. We encourage you, when possible, to use Bookshop.org for your book purchases, an online bookstore which supports local bookstores.Music: Save Us Now by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

In the study of Patristics we come across St Olympias the Deaconess, friend of St John Chrysostom. Fr Joseph shines a light on this fascinating friendship that came at a high price to Olympias. Fr Joseph Hamilton is the Rector of the Domus Australia in Rome, and a priest of the Archdiocese of Sydney Australia. Prior to his appointment at Domus, he served as private secretary to George Cardinal Pell, until the Cardinal's untimely death. Fr Joseph completed his doctoral studies in Patristics at Christ Church, University of Oxford, and his license at the Patristic Institute “Augustinianum” in Rome. Prior to entering seminary he worked as an investment banker. Having left the economy of Mammon for that of Salvation, he studied at the Pontifical North American College. A native of Ireland, he is a keen but mediocre (his words) surfer, and enjoys reading and cooking.

In this second week of Lent I want to share with you a reflection on prayer by reflecting on a homily from St. Chrysostom.Send us a textSupport the show

John Chrysostom: The Golden-Mouthed Preacher and Controversial Church Father The provided text examines the life and legacy of Saint John Chrysostom, a prominent figure in early Christianity. It explores his early life and ascension to Archbishop of Constantinople, where his reforms and criticisms of wealth led to conflicts and eventual exile. The text highlights his theological contributions, particularly his literal-historical exegesis and social ethics. It also addresses the controversial aspect of his anti-Jewish rhetoric and the circumstances surrounding the Synod of the Oak. Ultimately, the text presents a complex portrait of Chrysostom, acknowledging both his profound impact on Christian thought and the problematic elements of his legacy. www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com  

Poet Christian Wiman said of today's guest: “She has a rare ear, a keen mind, and a vivid spirit. Like the faith that is her chief subject, her poems cut and console in equal measure.” What Wiman says about her poetry is true about her conversation, too.Today's episode features a chat with writer Kate Kilcup Marsh. Kate is a poet, priest's wife, and mother, and is working on a memoir. Her story is one of continual surprises with God, incuding a head over heels Eastern Orthodox conversion, followed by a call to enter the Anglican world. We talk about how Jesus finds us, how to be with kids in church, sobriety and asceticism, and what Eastern and Western Christians learn from each other. This is one woman's journey into the church, into a clergy marriage, into an Episcopal community and now motherhood — a dialogue delightful and instructive.Kate is a poet and essayist. She's also served as a Russian linguist for the U.S. Army, a janitor, a firefighter, an editor, a farm hand, and a factory worker, among other things. Kate's writing addresses matters of faith, addiction, motherhood, mental illness, work, gender, and prayer. Her yet-untitled memoir will be published by Eerdman's in 2026. You can keep up with her work and news on her websitekathleenkilcup.com. Now brush off your Chrysostom and your Augustine. We're going East and West on a journey of healing. We hope you enjoy the conversation.More about Kate and her writingSubscribe to the Living Church magazineJoin a Living Church conferenceGive to support this podcast

Dig, Lazarus, Dig! In this episode of Banned Books, we read St. John Chrysostom's sermon on the Rich Man and Lazarus — wealth, poverty, Satanic feasts, ivory beds, spiritual warriors, Chaldean comfort dogs, and the dangers of actors and perfume on this podcast episode. SHOW NOTES:  On Wealth and Poverty: St. John Chrysostom https://amzn.to/42HecoN  Taylorism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_management Till We Have Faces - Symbolic World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNIiViaCdYE  Midwest v. Everybody https://x.com/midwestern_ope/     More from 1517: Support 1517 Podcast Network: https://www.1517.org/donate-podcasts 1517 Podcasts: http://www.1517.org/podcasts 1517 on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChDdMiZJv8oYMJQQx2vHSzg 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/1517-podcast-network/id6442751370 1517 Events Schedule: https://www.1517.org/events 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education: https://academy.1517.org/   What's New from 1517: Bible in One Year with Chad Bird: https://www.1517.org/oneyear Broken Bonds: A Novel of the Reformation, Book 1 of 2 by Amy Mantravadi: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1962654753?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_FCNEEK60MVNVPCEGKBD8_5&starsLeft=1  Junk Drawer Jesus By Matt Popovits: https://shop.1517.org/products/9781956658484-junk-drawer-jesus   More from the hosts: Donovan Riley https://www.1517.org/contributors/donavon-riley  Christopher Gillespie https://www.1517.org/contributors/christopher-gillespie   MORE LINKS: Tin Foil Haloes https://t.me/bannedpastors Warrior Priest Gym & Podcast https://thewarriorpriestpodcast.wordpress.com   St John's Lutheran Church (Webster, MN) - FB Live Bible Study Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/356667039608511  Gillespie's Sermons and Catechesis: http://youtube.com/stjohnrandomlake  Gillespie Coffee https://gillespie.coffee   Gillespie Media https://gillespie.media     CONTACT and FOLLOW: Email mailto:BannedBooks@1517.org  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BannedBooksPod/  Twitter https://twitter.com/bannedbooks1517   SUBSCRIBE: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@BannedBooks Rumble https://rumble.com/c/c-1223313  Odysee https://odysee.com/@bannedbooks:5 Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/banned-books/id1370993639  Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2ahA20sZMpBxg9vgiRVQba  Overcast https://overcast.fm/itunes1370993639/banned-books  TuneIn Radio https://tunein.com/podcasts/Religion--Spirituality-Podcasts/Banned-Books-p1216972/  iHeartRadio https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-banned-books-29825974/ 

What did it mean for ordinary believers to live a Christian life in late antiquity? In Christians at Home: John Chrysostom and Domestic Rituals in Fourth-Century Antioch (Penn State University Press, 2024), Blake Leyerle explores this question through the writings, teachings, and reception of John Chrysostom—a priest of Antioch who went on to become the bishop of Constantinople in AD 397. Through elaborate spatial and ritual recommendations, Chrysostom advised listeners to turn their houses into churches. Influenced by New Testament descriptions of the Pauline communities, he preached that prayer and chant, scriptural discussion and hospitality, and even domestic furnishings would have a transformational effect on a home's inhabitants. But as Leyerle shows, Chrysostom's lay listeners had different views. They were focused not on personal ethical change or on the afterlife but on the immediate, tangible needs of their households. They were committed to Christianity and defended the legitimacy of their views, even citing precedents from scripture in support of their practices By reading these perspectives on early Christian life through one another, Leyerle clarifies the points of disagreement between Chrysostom and his lay listeners and, at the same time, highlights their shared understanding. For both the preacher and his congregations, the household formed a vital ritual arena, and lived religion was necessarily rooted in practice. Elegantly written and convincingly argued, this study will appeal to scholars of theology, classics, and the history of Christianity in particular. New Books in Late Antiquity is presented by Ancient Jew Review Blake Leyerle is Professor of Early Christianity at the University of Notre Dame Michael Motia teaches in Classics and Religious Studies at UMass Boston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

What did it mean for ordinary believers to live a Christian life in late antiquity? In Christians at Home: John Chrysostom and Domestic Rituals in Fourth-Century Antioch (Penn State University Press, 2024), Blake Leyerle explores this question through the writings, teachings, and reception of John Chrysostom—a priest of Antioch who went on to become the bishop of Constantinople in AD 397. Through elaborate spatial and ritual recommendations, Chrysostom advised listeners to turn their houses into churches. Influenced by New Testament descriptions of the Pauline communities, he preached that prayer and chant, scriptural discussion and hospitality, and even domestic furnishings would have a transformational effect on a home's inhabitants. But as Leyerle shows, Chrysostom's lay listeners had different views. They were focused not on personal ethical change or on the afterlife but on the immediate, tangible needs of their households. They were committed to Christianity and defended the legitimacy of their views, even citing precedents from scripture in support of their practices By reading these perspectives on early Christian life through one another, Leyerle clarifies the points of disagreement between Chrysostom and his lay listeners and, at the same time, highlights their shared understanding. For both the preacher and his congregations, the household formed a vital ritual arena, and lived religion was necessarily rooted in practice. Elegantly written and convincingly argued, this study will appeal to scholars of theology, classics, and the history of Christianity in particular. New Books in Late Antiquity is presented by Ancient Jew Review Blake Leyerle is Professor of Early Christianity at the University of Notre Dame Michael Motia teaches in Classics and Religious Studies at UMass Boston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Sts. Cyprian, Chrysostom, and Basil on the self-destructive vices of envy and jealousy. From "Half Hours With the Saints and Servants of God"

What did it mean for ordinary believers to live a Christian life in late antiquity? In Christians at Home: John Chrysostom and Domestic Rituals in Fourth-Century Antioch (Penn State University Press, 2024), Blake Leyerle explores this question through the writings, teachings, and reception of John Chrysostom—a priest of Antioch who went on to become the bishop of Constantinople in AD 397. Through elaborate spatial and ritual recommendations, Chrysostom advised listeners to turn their houses into churches. Influenced by New Testament descriptions of the Pauline communities, he preached that prayer and chant, scriptural discussion and hospitality, and even domestic furnishings would have a transformational effect on a home's inhabitants. But as Leyerle shows, Chrysostom's lay listeners had different views. They were focused not on personal ethical change or on the afterlife but on the immediate, tangible needs of their households. They were committed to Christianity and defended the legitimacy of their views, even citing precedents from scripture in support of their practices By reading these perspectives on early Christian life through one another, Leyerle clarifies the points of disagreement between Chrysostom and his lay listeners and, at the same time, highlights their shared understanding. For both the preacher and his congregations, the household formed a vital ritual arena, and lived religion was necessarily rooted in practice. Elegantly written and convincingly argued, this study will appeal to scholars of theology, classics, and the history of Christianity in particular. New Books in Late Antiquity is presented by Ancient Jew Review Blake Leyerle is Professor of Early Christianity at the University of Notre Dame Michael Motia teaches in Classics and Religious Studies at UMass Boston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What did it mean for ordinary believers to live a Christian life in late antiquity? In Christians at Home: John Chrysostom and Domestic Rituals in Fourth-Century Antioch (Penn State University Press, 2024), Blake Leyerle explores this question through the writings, teachings, and reception of John Chrysostom—a priest of Antioch who went on to become the bishop of Constantinople in AD 397. Through elaborate spatial and ritual recommendations, Chrysostom advised listeners to turn their houses into churches. Influenced by New Testament descriptions of the Pauline communities, he preached that prayer and chant, scriptural discussion and hospitality, and even domestic furnishings would have a transformational effect on a home's inhabitants. But as Leyerle shows, Chrysostom's lay listeners had different views. They were focused not on personal ethical change or on the afterlife but on the immediate, tangible needs of their households. They were committed to Christianity and defended the legitimacy of their views, even citing precedents from scripture in support of their practices By reading these perspectives on early Christian life through one another, Leyerle clarifies the points of disagreement between Chrysostom and his lay listeners and, at the same time, highlights their shared understanding. For both the preacher and his congregations, the household formed a vital ritual arena, and lived religion was necessarily rooted in practice. Elegantly written and convincingly argued, this study will appeal to scholars of theology, classics, and the history of Christianity in particular. New Books in Late Antiquity is presented by Ancient Jew Review Blake Leyerle is Professor of Early Christianity at the University of Notre Dame Michael Motia teaches in Classics and Religious Studies at UMass Boston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

What did it mean for ordinary believers to live a Christian life in late antiquity? In Christians at Home: John Chrysostom and Domestic Rituals in Fourth-Century Antioch (Penn State University Press, 2024), Blake Leyerle explores this question through the writings, teachings, and reception of John Chrysostom—a priest of Antioch who went on to become the bishop of Constantinople in AD 397. Through elaborate spatial and ritual recommendations, Chrysostom advised listeners to turn their houses into churches. Influenced by New Testament descriptions of the Pauline communities, he preached that prayer and chant, scriptural discussion and hospitality, and even domestic furnishings would have a transformational effect on a home's inhabitants. But as Leyerle shows, Chrysostom's lay listeners had different views. They were focused not on personal ethical change or on the afterlife but on the immediate, tangible needs of their households. They were committed to Christianity and defended the legitimacy of their views, even citing precedents from scripture in support of their practices By reading these perspectives on early Christian life through one another, Leyerle clarifies the points of disagreement between Chrysostom and his lay listeners and, at the same time, highlights their shared understanding. For both the preacher and his congregations, the household formed a vital ritual arena, and lived religion was necessarily rooted in practice. Elegantly written and convincingly argued, this study will appeal to scholars of theology, classics, and the history of Christianity in particular. New Books in Late Antiquity is presented by Ancient Jew Review Blake Leyerle is Professor of Early Christianity at the University of Notre Dame Michael Motia teaches in Classics and Religious Studies at UMass Boston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/spiritual-practice-and-mindfulness

What did it mean for ordinary believers to live a Christian life in late antiquity? In Christians at Home: John Chrysostom and Domestic Rituals in Fourth-Century Antioch (Penn State University Press, 2024), Blake Leyerle explores this question through the writings, teachings, and reception of John Chrysostom—a priest of Antioch who went on to become the bishop of Constantinople in AD 397. Through elaborate spatial and ritual recommendations, Chrysostom advised listeners to turn their houses into churches. Influenced by New Testament descriptions of the Pauline communities, he preached that prayer and chant, scriptural discussion and hospitality, and even domestic furnishings would have a transformational effect on a home's inhabitants. But as Leyerle shows, Chrysostom's lay listeners had different views. They were focused not on personal ethical change or on the afterlife but on the immediate, tangible needs of their households. They were committed to Christianity and defended the legitimacy of their views, even citing precedents from scripture in support of their practices By reading these perspectives on early Christian life through one another, Leyerle clarifies the points of disagreement between Chrysostom and his lay listeners and, at the same time, highlights their shared understanding. For both the preacher and his congregations, the household formed a vital ritual arena, and lived religion was necessarily rooted in practice. Elegantly written and convincingly argued, this study will appeal to scholars of theology, classics, and the history of Christianity in particular. New Books in Late Antiquity is presented by Ancient Jew Review Blake Leyerle is Professor of Early Christianity at the University of Notre Dame Michael Motia teaches in Classics and Religious Studies at UMass Boston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/christian-studies

Fr. Daniel Sysoev (+2009) addresses the dynamics of men and women, husbands and wives, headcoverings, and the often misunderstood teachings of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11. Fr. Daniel draws heavily on St. John Chrysostom and St. Theophan the Recluse in his analysis, offering timeless teachings for all Orthodox Christians. "...he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man." -St. Paul, 1 Cor 11:7Reading from _Women in the Church: Submission or Equality?_ by Fr. Daniel Sysoev, p. 10-31

This greatest of Christian orators is commemorated not only today, but as one of the Three Holy Hierarchs (with St Basil the Great and St Gregory the Theologian) on January 30.   He was born in Antioch to pious parents around 345. His mother was widowed at the age of twenty, and devoted herself to rearing her son in piety. He received his literary and oratorical training from the greatest pagan teachers of the day. Though an illustrious and profitable career as a secular orator was open to him, he chose instead to dedicate himself to God. He lived as a monk from 374 to 381, eventually dwelling as a hermit in a cave near Antioch. Here his extreme ascetic practices ruined his health, so that he was forced to return to Antioch, where he was ordained to the priesthood. In Antioch his astonishing gifts of preaching first showed themselves, earning him the epithet Chrysostomos, "Golden-mouth", by which he became universally known. His gifts became so far-famed that he was chosen to succeed St Nectarius as Patriarch of Constantinople. He was taken to Constantinople secretly (some say he was actually kidnapped) to avoid the opposition of the Antiochian people to losing their beloved preacher. He was made Patriarch of Constantinople in 398.   Archbishop John shone in his sermons as always, often censuring the corrupt morals and luxurious living of the nobility. For this he incurred the anger of the Empress Eudoxia, who had him exiled to Pontus in 403. The people protested by rioting, and the following night an earthquake shook the city, so frightening the Empress that she had Chrysostom called back. The reconciliation was short-lived. Saint John did not at all moderate the intensity of his sermons, and when the Empress had a silver statue of herself erected outside the Great Church in 403, accompanied by much revelry, the Patriarch spoke out against her, earning her unforgiving anger. In 404 he was exiled to Cucusus, near Armenia. When Pope Innocent of Rome interceded on his behalf, the imperial family only exiled him further, to a town called Pityus near the Caucasus. The journey was so difficult and his guards so cruel that the frail Archbishop gave up his soul to God before reaching his final place of exile, in 407. His last words were "Glory be to God for all things."   Saint John Chrysostom is the author of more written works than any other Church Father: his works include 1,447 recorded sermons, 240 epistles, and complete commentaries on Genesis, the Gospels of Matthew and John, the Acts of the Apostles, and all the Epistles of St Paul.   His repose was on September 14, but since that is the date of the Exaltation of the Cross, his commemoration has been transferred to this day.

In this episode of the Expositors Collective Podcast, Mike Neglia interviews Dr. Douglas D. Webster, professor of pastoral theology and preaching at Beeson Divinity School. Dr. Webster reflects on his personal journey into preaching, sharing his early experiences and the wisdom he gained from seasoned pastors. They discuss the prophetic and pastoral aspects of preaching, with Dr. Webster emphasizing the necessity of taking the Word of God seriously in every sermon. He shares insights into the different preaching styles, comparing "rock quarry" and "art gallery" approaches to communication. Dr. Webster also explores the unique challenges of preaching parables and the importance of understanding their Old Testament roots. They discuss the balance between engaging the audience and ensuring faithfulness to the text, highlighting the contrast between implicit and explicit communication in preaching. Personal preaching styles, the importance of manuscripting, and the role of self-denial in delivering effective messages are central themes throughout the conversation. Douglas D. Webster (Ph.D., University of St. Michael's College) is professor of pastoral theology and preaching at Beeson Divinity School, Samford University. He served as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of San Diego for fourteen years, as well as churches in New York City, Denver, and Toronto. His books include Follow the Lamb: A Pastoral Approach to The Revelation and Preaching Hebrews: The End of Religion and Faithfulness to the End.  Resources Mentioned: More Than a Sermon: https://blog.lexhampress.com/2024/05/09/more-than-a-sermon-an-interview-with-doug-webster/ The Parables: Jesus's Friendly Subversive Speech:  https://www.kregel.com/douglas-d-webster/the-parables/ Hope, Suffering and Glory - CGN's recent conference based on 1 Peter:  https://cgn.org/2024archives/ Beeson Divinity School: https://www.samford.edu/beeson-divinity/  Fellow Beeson Professor Gerald Bray's episode about learning preaching from Chrysostom: https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/pastoral-preaching-brevity-and-john-chrysostom-gerald-bray  For 30% off More than A Sermon, visit: www.LexhamPress.com/Expositors in the month of November for a 30% discount Support the Cause:  https://cgn.churchcenter.com/giving/to/expositors-collective For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com  The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/ Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

The Decree of the Holy, Great, Ecumenical Synod, the Second of Nice (787 AD). 549   (Found in Labbe and Cossart, Concilia. Tom. VII., col. 552.)   THE holy, great, and Ecumenical Synod which by the grace of God and the will of the pious and Christ-loving Emperors, Constantine and Irene, his mother, was gathered together for the second time at Nice, the illustrious metropolis of Bithynia, in the holy church of God which is named Sophia, having followed the tradition of the Catholic Church, hath defined as follows: Christ our Lord, who hath bestowed upon us the light of the knowledge of himself, and hath redeemed us from the darkness of idolatrous madness, having espoused to himself the Holy Catholic Church without spot or defect, promised that he would so preserve her: and gave his word to this effect to his holy disciples when he said: “Lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the world,” which promise he made, not only to them, but to us also who should believe in his name through their word. But some, not considering of this gift, and having become fickle through the temptation of the wily enemy, have fallen from the right faith; for, withdrawing from the traditions of the Catholic Church, they have erred from the truth and as the proverb saith: “The husbandmen have gone astray in their own husbandry and have gathered in their hands nothingness,” because certain priests, priests in name only, not in fact, had dared to speak against the God-approved ornament of the sacred monuments, of whom God cries aloud through the prophet, “Many pastors have corrupted my vineyard, they have polluted my portion.” And, forsooth, following profane men, led astray by their carnal sense, they have calumniated the Church of Christ our God, which he hath espoused to himself, and have failed to distinguish between holy and profane, styling the images of our Lord and of his Saints by the same name as the statues of diabolical idols. Seeing which things, our Lord God (not willing to behold his people corrupted by such manner of plague) hath of his good pleasure called us together, the chief of his priests, from every quarter, moved with a divine zeal and brought hither by the will of our princes, Constantine and Irene, to the end that the traditions of the Catholic Church may receive stability by our common decree. Therefore, with all diligence, making a thorough examination and analysis, and following the trend of the truth, we diminish nought, we add nought, but we preserve unchanged all things which pertain to the Catholic Church, and following the Six Ecumenical Synods, especially that which met in this illustrious metropolis of Nice, as also that which was afterwards gathered together in the God-protected Royal City. We believe…life of the world to come. Amen.535 We detest and anathematize Arius and all the sharers of his absurd opinion; also Macedonius and those who following him are well styled “Foes of the Spirit” (Pneumatomachi). We confess that our Lady, St. Mary, is properly and truly the Mother of God, because she was the Mother after the flesh of One Person of the Holy Trinity, to wit, Christ our God, as the Council of Ephesus has already defined when it cast out of the Church the impious Nestorius with his colleagues, because he taught that there were two Persons [in Christ]. With the Fathers of this synod we confess that he who was incarnate of the immaculate Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary has two natures, recognizing him as perfect God and perfect man, as also the Council of Chalcedon hath promulgated, expelling from the divine Atrium [αὐλῆς] as blasphemers, Eutyches and Dioscorus; and placing in the same category Severus, Peter and a number of others, blaspheming in divers fashions. Moreover, with these we anathematize the fables of Origen, Evagrius, and Didymus, in accordance with the decision of 550 the Fifth Council held at Constantinople. We affirm that in Christ there be two wills and two operations according to the reality of each nature, as also the Sixth Synod, held at Constantinople, taught, casting out Sergius, Honorius, Cyrus, Pyrrhus, Macarius, and those who agree with them, and all those who are unwilling to be reverent. To make our confession short, we keep unchanged all the ecclesiastical traditions handed down to us, whether in writing or verbally, one of which is the making of pictorial representations, agreeable to the history of the preaching of the Gospel, a tradition useful in many respects, but especially in this, that so the incarnation of the Word of God is shown forth as real and not merely phantastic, for these have mutual indications and without doubt have also mutual significations. We, therefore, following the royal pathway and the divinely inspired authority of our Holy Fathers and the traditions of the Catholic Church (for, as we all know, the Holy Spirit indwells her), define with all certitude and accuracy that just as the figure of the precious and life-giving Cross, so also the venerable and holy images, as well in painting and mosaic as of other fit materials, should be set forth in the holy churches of God, and on the sacred vessels and on the vestments and on hangings and in pictures both in houses and by the wayside, to wit, the figure of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, of our spotless Lady, the Mother of God, of the honourable Angels, of all Saints and of all pious people. For by so much more frequently as they are seen in artistic representation, by so much more readily are men lifted up to the memory of their prototypes, and to a longing after them; and to these should be given due salutation and honourable reverence (ἀσπασμὸν καὶ τιμητικὴν προσκύνησιν), not indeed that true worship of faith (λατρείαν) which pertains alone to the divine nature; but to these, as to the figure of the precious and life-giving Cross and to the Book of the Gospels and to the other holy objects, incense and lights may be offered according to ancient pious custom. For the honour which is paid to the image passes on to that which the image represents, and he who reveres the image reveres in it the subject represented. For thus the teaching of our holy Fathers, that is the tradition of the Catholic Church, which from one end of the earth to the other hath received the Gospel, is strengthened. Thus we follow Paul, who spake in Christ, and the whole divine Apostolic company and the holy Fathers, holding fast the traditions which we have received. So we sing prophetically the triumphal hymns of the Church, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem. Rejoice and be glad with all thy heart. The Lord hath taken away from thee the oppression of thy adversaries; thou art redeemed from the hand of thine enemies. The Lord is a King in the midst of thee; thou shalt not see evil any more, and peace be unto thee forever.” Those, therefore who dare to think or teach otherwise, or as wicked heretics to spurn the traditions of the Church and to invent some novelty, or else to reject some of those things which the Church hath received (e.g., the Book of the Gospels, or the image of the cross, or the pictorial icons, or the holy reliques of a martyr), or evilly and sharply to devise anything subversive of the lawful traditions of the Catholic Church or to turn to common uses the sacred vessels or the venerable monasteries,536 if they be Bishops or Clerics, we command that they be deposed; if religious or laics, that they be cut off from communion. [After all had signed, the acclamations began (col. 576).]   The holy Synod cried out: So we all believe, we all are so minded, we all give our consent and have signed. This is the faith of the Apostles, this is the faith of the orthodox, this is the faith which hath made firm the whole world. Believing in one God, to be celebrated in Trinity, we salute the honourable images! Those who do not so hold, let them be anathema. Those who do not thus think, let them be driven far away from the Church. For we follow the most ancient legislation of the Catholic Church. We keep the laws of the Fathers. We anathematize those who add anything to or take anything away from the Catholic Church. We anathematize the introduced novelty of the revilers of Christians. We salute the venerable 551 images. We place under anathema those who do not do this. Anathema to them who presume to apply to the venerable images the things said in Holy Scripture about idols. Anathema to those who do not salute the holy and venerable images. Anathema to those who call the sacred images idols. Anathema to those who say that Christians resort to the sacred images as to gods. Anathema to those who say that any other delivered us from idols except Christ our God. Anathema to those who dare to say that at any time the Catholic Church received idols. Many years to the Emperors, etc., etc. 535 Anastasius in his Interpretatio (Migne, Pat. Lat., Tom. CXXIX., col. 458), gives the word, “Filioque.” Cardinal Julian in the Fifth Session of the Council of Florence gave evidence that there was then extant a very ancient codex containing these words; and this MS., which was in Greek, was actually shown. The Greek scholar Gemistius Pletho remarked that if this were so, then the Latin theologians, like St. Thomas Aquinas would long ago have appealed to the Synod. (Cf. Hefele, Hist. Councils, Vol. V., p. 374, Note 2.) This reasoning is not conclusive if Cardinal Bellarmine is to be believed, who says that St. Thomas had never seen the Acts of this synod. (De Imag. Sanct., Lib. ii., cap. xxii.) 536 Constantine Copronymus turned many monasteries into soldiers' barracks. In this he has been followed by other crowned enemies of Christ. Epitome of the Definition of the Iconoclastic Conciliabulum held in Constantinople, A.D. 754.530   The Definition of the Holy, Great, and Ecumenical Seventh Synod. 543   THE holy and Ecumenical synod, which by the grace of God and most pious command of the God-beloved and orthodox Emperors, Constantine and Leo,531 now assembled in the imperial residence city, in the temple of the holy and inviolate Mother of God and Virgin Mary, surnamed in Blachernæ, have decreed as follows. Satan misguided men, so that they worshipped the creature instead of the Creator. The Mosaic law and the prophets cooperated to undo this ruin; but in order to save mankind thoroughly, God sent his own Son, who turned us away from error and the worshipping of idols, and taught us the worshipping of God in spirit and in truth. As messengers of his saving doctrine, he left us his Apostles and disciples, and these adorned the Church, his Bride, with his glorious doctrines. This ornament of the Church the holy Fathers and the six Ecumenical Councils have preserved inviolate. But the before- mentioned demi-urgos of wickedness could not endure the sight of this adornment, and gradually brought back idolatry under the appearance of Christianity. As then Christ armed his Apostles against the ancient idolatry with the power of the Holy Spirit, and sent them out into all the world, so has he awakened against the new idolatry his servants our faithful Emperors, and endowed them with the same wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Impelled by the Holy Spirit they could no longer be witnesses of the Church being laid waste by the deception of demons, and summoned the sanctified assembly of the God-beloved bishops, that they might institute at a synod a scriptural examination into the deceitful colouring of the pictures (ὁμοιωμάτων) which draws down the spirit of man from the lofty adoration (λατρείας) of God to the low and material adoration (λατρείαν) of the creature, and that they, under divine guidance, might express their view on the subject. Our holy synod therefore assembled, and we, its 338 members, follow the older synodal decrees, and accept and proclaim joyfully the dogmas handed down, principally those of the six holy Ecumenical Synods. In the first place the holy and ecumenical great synod assembled at Nice, etc. After we had carefully examined their decrees under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we found that the unlawful art of painting living creatures blasphemed the fundamental doctrine of our salvation—namely, the Incarnation of Christ, and contradicted the six holy synods. These condemned Nestorius because he divided the one Son and Word of God into two sons, and on the other side, Arius, Dioscorus, Eutyches, and Severus, because they maintained a mingling of the two natures of the one Christ. Wherefore we thought it right, to shew forth with all accuracy, in our present definition the error of such as make and venerate these, for it is the unanimous doctrine of all the holy Fathers and of the six Ecumenical Synods, that no one may imagine any kind of separation or mingling in opposition to the unsearchable, unspeakable, and incomprehensible union of the two natures in the one hypostasis or person. What avails, then, the folly of the painter, who from sinful love of gain depicts that which should not be depicted—that is, with his polluted hands he tries to fashion that which should only be believed in the heart and confessed with the mouth? He makes an image and calls it Christ. The name Christ signifies God and man. Consequently it is an image of God and man, and consequently he has in his foolish mind, in his representation of the created flesh, depicted the Godhead which cannot be represented, and thus mingled what should not be mingled. Thus he is guilty of a double blasphemy—the one in making an image of the Godhead, and the other by mingling the Godhead and manhood. Those fall into the same blasphemy who venerate the image, and the same woe rests upon both, because they err with Arius, Dioscorus, and Eutyches, and with the heresy of the Acephali. When, however, they are blamed for 544 undertaking to depict the divine nature of Christ, which should not be depicted, they take refuge in the excuse: We represent only the flesh of Christ which we have seen and handled. But that is a Nestorian error. For it should be considered that that flesh was also the flesh of God the Word, without any separation, perfectly assumed by the divine nature and made wholly divine. How could it now be separated and represented apart? So is it with the human soul of Christ which mediates between the Godhead of the Son and the dulness of the flesh. As the human flesh is at the same time flesh of God the Word, so is the human soul also soul of God the Word, and both at the same time, the soul being deified as well as the body, and the Godhead remained undivided even in the separation of the soul from the body in his voluntary passion. For where the soul of Christ is, there is also his Godhead; and where the body of Christ is, there too is his Godhead. If then in his passion the divinity remained inseparable from these, how do the fools venture to separate the flesh from the Godhead, and represent it by itself as the image of a mere man? They fall into the abyss of impiety, since they separate the flesh from the Godhead, ascribe to it a subsistence of its own, a personality of its own, which they depict, and thus introduce a fourth person into the Trinity. Moreover, they represent as not being made divine, that which has been made divine by being assumed by the Godhead. Whoever, then, makes an image of Christ, either depicts the Godhead which cannot be depicted, and mingles it with the manhood (like the Monophysites), or he represents the body of Christ as not made divine and separate and as a person apart, like the Nestorians. The only admissible figure of the humanity of Christ, however, is bread and wine in the holy Supper. This and no other form, this and no other type, has he chosen to represent his incarnation. Bread he ordered to be brought, but not a representation of the human form, so that idolatry might not arise. And as the body of Christ is made divine, so also this figure of the body of Christ, the bread, is made divine by the descent of the Holy Spirit; it becomes the divine body of Christ by the mediation of the priest who, separating the oblation from that which is common, sanctifies it. The evil custom of assigning names to the images does not come down from Christ and the Apostles and the holy Fathers; nor have these left behind them any prayer by which an image should be hallowed or made anything else than ordinary matter. If, however, some say, we might be right in regard to the images of Christ, on account of the mysterious union of the two natures, but it is not right for us to forbid also the images of the altogether spotless and ever-glorious Mother of God, of the prophets, apostles, and martyrs, who were mere men and did not consist of two natures; we may reply, first of all: If those fall away, there is no longer need of these. But we will also consider what may be said against these in particular. Christianity has rejected the whole of heathenism, and so not merely heathen sacrifices, but also the heathen worship of images. The Saints live on eternally with God, although they have died. If anyone thinks to call them back again to life by a dead art, discovered by the heathen, he makes himself guilty of blasphemy. Who dares attempt with heathenish art to paint the Mother of God, who is exalted above all heavens and the Saints? It is not permitted to Christians, who have the hope of the resurrection, to imitate the customs of demon-worshippers, and to insult the Saints, who shine in so great glory, by common dead matter. Moreover, we can prove our view by Holy Scripture and the Fathers. In the former it is said: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth;” and: “Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath;” on which account God spoke to the Israelites on the Mount, from the midst of the fire, but showed them no image. Further: “They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man,…and served the creature more than the Creator.” [Several other passages, even less to the point, are cited.]532 The same is taught also by the holy Fathers. [The Synod appeals to a spurious passage from Epiphanius and to one inserted into the writings of Theodotus of Ancyra, a friend of St. Cyril's; to utterances—in no way striking—of Gregory of 545 Nazianzum, of SS. Chrysostom, Basil, Athanasius of Amphilochius and of Eusebius Pamphili, from his Letter to the Empress Constantia, who had asked him for a picture of Christ.]533 Supported by the Holy Scriptures and the Fathers, we declare unanimously, in the name of the Holy Trinity, that there shall be rejected and removed and cursed out of the Christian Church every likeness which is made out of any material and colour whatever by the evil art of painters. Whoever in future dares to make such a thing, or to venerate it, or set it up in a church, or in a private house, or possesses it in secret, shall, if bishop, presbyter, or deacon, be deposed; if monk or layman, be anathematised, and become liable to be tried by the secular laws as an adversary of God and an enemy of the doctrines handed down by the Fathers. At the same time we ordain that no incumbent of a church shall venture, under pretext of destroying the error in regard to images, to lay his hands on the holy vessels in order to have them altered, because they are adorned with figures. The same is provided in regard to the vestments of churches, cloths, and all that is dedicated to divine service. If, however, the incumbent of a church wishes to have such church vessels and vestments altered, he must do this only with the assent of the holy Ecumenical patriarch and at the bidding of our pious Emperors. So also no prince or secular official shall rob the churches, as some have done in former times, under the pretext of destroying images. All this we ordain, believing that we speak as doth the Apostle, for we also believe that we have the spirit of Christ; and as our predecessors who believed the same thing spake what they had synodically defined, so we believe and therefore do we speak, and set forth a definition of what has seemed good to us following and in accordance with the definitions of our Fathers. If anyone shall not confess, according to the tradition of the Apostles and Fathers, in the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost one godhead, nature and substance, will and operation, virtue and dominion, kingdom and power in three subsistences, that is in their most glorious Persons, let him be anathema. If anyone does not confess that one of the Trinity was made flesh, let him be anathema. If anyone does not confess that the holy Virgin is truly the Mother of God, etc. If anyone does not confess one Christ both God and man, etc. If anyone does not confess that the flesh of the Lord is life-giving because it is the flesh of the Word of God, etc. If anyone does not confess two natures in Christ, etc. If anyone does not confess that Christ is seated with God the Father in body and soul, and so will come to judge, and that he will remain God forever without any grossness, etc. If anyone ventures to represent the divine image (χαρακτήρ) of the Word after the Incarnation with material colours, let him be anathema! If anyone ventures to represent in human figures, by means of material colours, by reason of the incarnation, the substance or person (ousia or hypostasis) of the Word, which cannot be depicted, and does not rather confess that even after the Incarnation he [i.e., the Word] cannot be depicted, let him be anathema! If anyone ventures to represent the hypostatic union of the two natures in a picture, and calls it Christ, and thus falsely represents a union of the two natures, etc.! If anyone separates the flesh united with the person of the Word from it, and endeavours to represent it separately in a picture, etc.! If anyone separates the one Christ into two persons, and endeavours to represent Him who was born of the Virgin separately, and thus accepts only a relative (σχετική) union of the natures, etc. If anyone represents in a picture the flesh deified by its union with the Word, and thus separates it from the Godhead, etc. If anyone endeavours to represent by material colours, God the Word as a mere man, who, although bearing the form of God, yet has assumed the form of a servant in his own person, and thus endeavours to separate him from his 546 inseparable Godhead, so that he thereby introduces a quaternity into the Holy Trinity, etc. If anyone shall not confess the holy ever-virgin Mary, truly and properly the Mother of God, to be higher than every creature whether visible or invisible, and does not with sincere faith seek her intercessions as of one having confidence in her access to our God, since she bare him, etc. If anyone shall endeavour to represent the forms of the Saints in lifeless pictures with material colours which are of no value (for this notion is vain and introduced by the devil), and does not rather represent their virtues as living images in himself, etc. If anyone denies the profit of the invocation of Saints, etc. If anyone denies the resurrection of the dead, and the judgment, and the condign retribution to everyone, endless torment and endless bliss, etc. If anyone does not accept this our Holy and Ecumenical Seventh Synod, let him be anathema from the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, and from the seven holy Ecumenical Synods! [Then follows the prohibition of the making or teaching any other faith, and the penalties for disobedience. After this follow the acclamations.] The divine Kings Constantine and Leo said: Let the holy and ecumenical synod say, if with the consent of all the most holy bishops the definition just read has been set forth. The holy synod cried out: Thus we all believe, we all are of the same mind. We have all with one voice and voluntarily subscribed. This is the faith of the Apostles. Many years to the Emperors! They are the light of orthodoxy! Many years to the orthodox Emperors! God preserve your Empire! You have now more firmly proclaimed the inseparability of the two natures of Christ! You have banished all idolatry! You have destroyed the heresies of Germanus [of Constantinople], George and Mansur [μανσουρ, John Damascene]. Anathema to Germanus, the double-minded, and worshipper of wood! Anathema to George, his associate, to the falsifier of the doctrine of the Fathers! Anathema to Mansur, who has an evil name and Saracen opinions! To the betrayer of Christ and the enemy of the Empire, to the teacher of impiety, the perverter of Scripture, Mansur, anathema! The Trinity has deposed these three!534 In this epitome of the verbose definition of the council, I have followed for the most part Hefele. (Hist. of the Councils, Vol. V., p. 309 et seqq.) Now four years old. These are Hefele's words. These are Hefele's words. These are not given in full but are sufficient to give the true gist.

This episode Dr. Jenkins grills Dr. Moritz about his long and winding road out of the Lehigh Valley, to Calvin College, than to Berkeley, all the while inquiring about Orthodoxy, only to find that his path to Orthodoxy led him back to the Lehigh Valley both to Orthodoxy and Chrysostom Academy. Orthodoxy and Education Conference: Orthodoxy and Education: https://tinyurl.com/OrthodoxEducation

On this episode of FACTS, Stephen will explore the practice of early Christians signing themselves with the sign of the cross. He will explore statements from Tertullian, Basil, Chrysostom, Athenasius, and others. He will also seek to remove the stigma that this practice is inherently Roman Catholic. If you're interested in partnering with FACTS and would like to be a part of the bi-monthly newsletters, here's the link: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=6381a2ee-b82f-42a7-809e-6b733cec05a7

Send us a Text Message.Welcome back to the podcast! In this episode, we delve into a vital conversation about Catholic parenting and what it means to raise a truly rich Catholic family. A recent question from my daughter—"Dad, do people who have no faith have a harder life?"—prompted us to deeply reflect on the wisdom of St. John Chrysostom and its relevance to our roles as Catholic parents.Watch video podcast Throughout this episode, we share personal family experiences that have influenced our approach to Catholic parenting. We discuss the significant decision to scale back on career commitments to prioritize family, the importance of building a strong Catholic community, and how spiritual growth has become central in our lives.We also address the challenges Catholic parents face today, particularly the struggle to balance career demands with the need for solid faith formation for their children. Whether you're contemplating a move to a more faith-centered community or seeking ways to create one in your current environment, the takeaway is clear: the salvation of our children is more important than any career or worldly success.Join us as we explore how to raise Catholic families rooted in wisdom, guided by the teachings of St. John Chrysostom. Let's journey together toward nurturing spiritually rich lives for our children.Key Takeaways:The importance of detachment from worldly riches.How Catholic parenting focuses on guiding children toward God's will.The critical role of community in supporting Catholic families.Timeless wisdom from St. John Chrysostom on raising children in the faith.Support our work here: Ken and Janelle's Website#CatholicFamily #CatholicParenting #CatholicParents #RaisingCatholicChildren #StJohnChrysostom #FaithFormation #CatholicCommunity #CatholicLifeSupport the Show.Support this show and get all future episodes by email atwww.kenandjanelle.com

Topics: Sermons, Preaching, Romans 10:14-15, How Will They Call on Him In Whom They've Not Believed, In Whom They've Never Heard About, How Will they Hear Without Preaching, How Beautiful Are the Feet of Those Who Preach the Gospel, Pastor Preaching Sermon, Pastor Isn't in Romans, Gatherings Isn't in Romans, Preach Means to Speak, Romans 10 Is About Unbelieving Jews, Needed to Hear About Jesus, Someone Giving Sermons Because It Says Preach, What Does Preach Mean If Not Sermon, To Speak, Not One Time Do We See Pastors Preach in the Bible Nor Give a Sermon, The Word Sermon Not in the Bible, Sermon on the Mount, Sermons Common Because of Tsunami-Like Force of Man-Made Tradition, Jesus and Paul Warned Against Tradition of Men, Only Follow Traditions From Us, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, Following Tradition of Church Fathers and Reformers, Can't Know Anything About God Without Sermon, Remove Sermons and Church Is a Bunch Singing and Money Collecting, Even All the Chairs are Pointed Toward the Man Giving Oration, Error Practiced for Half a Millennium, “Best Part” of Church Service, Subjective Monologue Which Inspires or Scares, Sermons Why Most Christians Go to Church, People Think Sermons Are What The Sinners Need to Hear to Get Straightened Out, What If Sermons Never Mentions the Gospel, Judge Church Service by How Sermon Went, Sermon Was Great, Sermon Convicted Me Of My Sin, Sermon Wasn't For Me, Didn't Get Anything Out of the Sermon, Can't Know Anything About God Without Hearing Weekly Monologue, Preaching and Teaching in Bible but Not Sermons, Preaching and Teaching Always About Jesus and the Gospel, Women and Donkeys Speak More than Pastors in Scripture, Men and Women Preach, Early Church Fathers and Reformers Said Women Must Shut Up and are not Valuable, Preaching in Bible Always Addressing Circumstances, Interjection Was Always Involved, Jesus Never Gave Sermons but Preached Informally, Apostles Preached in Acts but Was Sporadic and Never Called Sermon, They Didn't Preach Sermons at the Temple but Evangelized the Unbelieving Jews, Apostles Invited to Speak but Interjection Happened not a Sermon, Interactions Responses and Dialogue, Dialogical not Monological, 2 Timothy 4:2, Preach the Word, Timothy Not Pastor Preaching Sermons From His Bible at Church, Everyday Life Not Gatherings, Timothy Not Pastor but Evangelist, 2 Timothy 4:5, Imma Preach the Word While Holding Bible, The Word Wasn't the Bible, Logon, That Which is Said, What Was Said was the Gospel, Always Be Ready to Speak about Jesus to Jews and Greeks, In Season and Out of Season, Preach the Word as a Sermon Began With Reformers, Sermons Have No Biblical Foundation, Began Hundred of Years Before Jesus, Became Common in 2nd Century, Solidified by the Fourth With Constantine, Greek Thing Not Christian Thing, Greek Philosophers Named Sophists, Orations for Pay and Prestige, Eloquent Monologues, Sophists Were Seen the same as Movie Stars Entertainers and Athletes, Sermons Gave Them Fame and Fortune, They'd Wear Special Clothing to Stand Out, Sophists Had Celebrity Status, Give Sermons and Certain Time and Place for Pay, Sermons About Emotionalism and Eloquence, Sophists Immortalized Through Statues, Applauding Began With Sophists, This Style Known as Homiletics, Where We Get the Homily From, Many Early Church Fathers Were Sophists, Cyprian of Carthage Augustine and Chrysostom, Sermon Means Deceitful Argument, Sophist Where We Get the Word Sophisticated, The Early Church Never Gave Sermons, Speaking Was Always Conversational, 1 Corinthians 11-14 Explains Our Gatherings, Sermon Set Aside for Eucharist, Martin Luther Brought Sermons BackSupport the Show.Sign up for Matt's free daily devotional! https://mattmcmillen.com/newsletter

2 THESSALONIANS What is the key to resisting the deceptions of the Antichrist and what are the limitations of Sola Scriptura when it comes to this? Steve recounts how he discovered the significance of Church Tradition through the writings of early church father Saint John Chrysostom. Chrysostom's teachings emphasize that the unwritten traditions of the Church hold the same authority as the written Scriptures. These homilies challenged Steve's previously-held belief in Sola Scriptura. Steve also explores the limitations of Sola Scriptura and highlights the practical importance of including all of the books of the Bible. ----- We appreciate your interest in learning about biblical prophecy! Video format of the Luke21 podcast is available on YouTube @luke21prophecy. If you're a YouTube user, we invite you to subscribe to our channel @luke21prophecy and share with your friends & family. This podcast remains possible due to the support of our listeners and their word of mouth. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luke21prophecy/ Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Luke21Radio/ For exclusive content and additional resources on biblical prophecy, visit https://luke21.com/  Bible translations Steve recommends: RSV-CE – Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition ESV – English Standard Version, if you don't want to use a Catholic bible

Dr. Tom Curran interviews Fr. Chrysostom Mijinke, O.P., Assistant Director of the Newman Center at University of Washington. Fr. Chrysostom testifies to the work of the Holy Spirit, through Encounter School of Ministry Seattle Campus.

Forerunners of the Faith Lesson 6

Matthew 18 begins with this question. Although it seems proud, Chrysostom explains that there is something commendable about the argument. Chapter 18 is noteworthy because it contains the teachings of the Lord regarding relationships and conflicts within the Church.

Hidden in the stillness of southern California's desert mountains, St. Michael's Abbey goes about a timeless and supernatural mission: the common worship of God. The Abbot Circle Podcast is an extension of the Norbertine mission to bring Christ into a world that too often rejects Him.Our content is available to friends, family, loved ones, and all those in need of an encounter with the staggering beauty of the Gospel and the relentless love of Christ. For access to all digital content, please visit theabbotscircle.com/lp/gs/pod

Hidden in the stillness of southern California's desert mountains, St. Michael's Abbey goes about a timeless and supernatural mission: the common worship of God. The Abbot Circle Podcast is an extension of the Norbertine mission to bring Christ into a world that too often rejects Him.Our content is available to friends, family, loved ones, and all those in need of an encounter with the staggering beauty of the Gospel and the relentless love of Christ. For access to all digital content, please visit theabbotscircle.com/lp/gs/pod

Hidden in the stillness of southern California's desert mountains, St. Michael's Abbey goes about a timeless and supernatural mission: the common worship of God. The Abbot Circle Podcast is an extension of the Norbertine mission to bring Christ into a world that too often rejects Him.Our content is available to friends, family, loved ones, and all those in need of an encounter with the staggering beauty of the Gospel and the relentless love of Christ. For access to all digital content, please visit theabbotscircle.com/lp/gs/pod

By the Cross, we know the gravity of sin and the greatness of God's love for us. J. Chrysostom

Saturday, 13 April 2024   Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” Acts 26:28   A literal reading is much sparser in content, “And Agrippa to Paul: ‘In a little, you persuade me to become a Christian!'” (CG).   Paul just asked Agrippa if he believed the prophets. He then immediately answered his own question, acknowledging that the king did. With that, a response comes from the king, “And Agrippa to Paul: ‘In a little, you persuade me to become a Christian!'”   Agrippa's response shows full well that he was aware of the entire situation, exactly as Paul had said. He uses the term “Christian.” So far, it has only been used once, in Acts 11:26, concerning the believers in Antioch, where the term was first used.   That term, however, had obviously become well known enough to become common, even by the king himself. It is believed by some that the term “Christian” is used in a negative sense and only later would it come into a positive one. It is assumed by some scholars that in each of the three times it is used in the Bible, it is stated as a term of derision. It is last used in 1 Peter 4:16.    Regardless of this, though, this is one of the highly debated verses in the Book of Acts. The words are difficult for even the greatest Greek scholars to be adamant about. The KJV inserts a presupposition and says, “...almost you persuade me.” Other versions say, “Do you think in such a short time you can persuade me...?” or “In brief, you are doing your best to persuade me...” One paraphrase says, “...you are making short work of my conversion: you are persuading me to become a Christian as suddenly as you yourself did;” Another scholar, considering the negative connotation of the word “Christian,” paraphrases this, “Thou wilt soon have me one of that despised sect.”   The Pulpit Commentary gives more ideas with these words – “Another difference of opinion is whether the words of Agrippa are to be taken ironically, or sarcastically, or jestingly, or whether they are to be taken seriously, as the words of a man shaken in his convictions and seriously impressed by what he had heard. The whole turn of the narrative seems to favor the latter view. Another view, started by Chrysostom, is that Agrippa used the words in one sense, and St. Paul (mistakenly or advisedly) took them in another.”   Finally, another scholar finds the intent to be, “By your appeal to the prophets you press me hard; you have got me into a corner. I am in a στενοχωρία, a narrow room; ‘I hardly know how to get out of it.'”   Reading all of these and considering each doesn't get us any closer to knowing exactly what he meant. This includes adding in Paul's coming response. Normally, it would show exactly what Agrippa was thinking, but as the Pulpit Commentary said, Paul may have simply ignored the response and restated it in order to continue to impress upon him the surety of his own convictions.   I have given the most literal translation and inserted an exclamation point. This could then be the king's note of surprised rebuke, a highly dubious sense of questioning, or even an adamant confirmation that he could actually be swayed by Paul. An exclamation point allows for any of these options and more, just as the brevity of the wording does.   Life application: The Bible shows quite clearly that when the gospel is preached and the word is believed, salvation occurs. This is evidenced in Acts 10 at the conversion of Cornelius and those with him. It is also implied in Paul's words in the following verses –   The gospel: “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4   A response of faith: “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13, 14   We have no idea what Agrippa's heart accepted. If he believed with his words being a confirmation of that belief, then he was saved. If the record of his life after this is one of never living the way he should, that does not negate that he was saved, and that God sealed him with a guarantee of that salvation.   That is true for every person attending the court at that time. It is God who reads the heart of man. It is God who accepts the faith of a person. And it is God, who cannot err, who seals that person with the seal of the Holy Spirit. If you are fighting against the doctrine of eternal salvation, you are fighting against God's decision, which He alone has the right to make.   Don't fight against God. Straighten out your doctrine to align with His word and His will.   Lord God, how faithful You are to Your unfaithful people. May we be sound in our thinking and reasonable in our theology. What You determine is an eternal decree. Help us to understand this and accept it. Your faithfulness is in no way negated by our unfaithfulness. You are the great and covenant-keeping Lord our God. Hallelujah and Amen!  

Baptism and Chrysostom The Second Sunday of Easter Sunday, April 7, 2024 The Reverend Andrew DeFusco, Rector Church of the Redeemer, Nashville TN www.Redeemer-Nashville.net

Hello, and welcome to episode 76 of the Giants of the Faith podcast. This is the podcast where we look at the lives of Christians from history and examine the impact that they have had for the Kingdom of Christ. I'm your host, Robert Daniels, and in today's episode we're focused on one of the Church Fathers, John Chrysostom.RESOURCESOrthodox Christianity: https://orthochristian.com/43102.htmlGot Questions: https://www.gotquestions.org/John-Chrysostom.htmlChristian History Institute: https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/john-chrysostom-did-you-know

In this episode of EMJ Live, Dr. Jones discusses Candis Owens, Daily Wire, Holy Week and Good Friday. Dr. E. Michael Jones is a prolific Catholic writer, lecturer, journalist, and Editor of Culture Wars Magazine who seeks to defend traditional Catholic teachings and values from those seeking to undermine them. ——— NOW AVAILABLE! The Holocaust Narrative: https://www.fidelitypress.org/the-holocaust-narrative Dr. Jones Books: fidelitypress.org/ Subscribe to Culture Wars Magazine: culturewars.com Donate: culturewars.com/donate Follow: https://culturewars.com/links

Topics: Church Practices, Question Everything, Socrates, Socratic Method, Dialectic, Corrupting the Youth, John 7:19, Moses Gave the Law, None of You Keep the Law, Why Do You Want to K**l Me, Tradition of Men, Mark 7:9, Colossians 2:8, Gathering on Sunday, Building Called Church, Hebrews 10:25, “Church” Isn't in Hebrews, Synagogues and Temple, No Pastor or Priest Preaching, Place of Animal Sacrifices, Remember the Sabbath, Sabbath on Saturday, Acts 20:7, Gathered on the First Day, This Was One Individual Meeting, Not a Description of Weekly Church Gathering, Constantine Began Sunday Worship, Worshiped Sun God, One Person in Charge, Matthew 20:26, It Will Not be Like this Among You, You Will Not Lord Over One Another, Gatherings Described in 1 Corinthians 11-14, Group Participation Encouraged, Everyone Gets Chance to Share, No Pastor Ever Listed as “In Charge”, Elders and Deacons Not In Charge, Reformation Put Pastors in Charge, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Elder is Mature in Any Faith, One Body With Many Members, Hebrews 13:17, Obey Your Leaders, Pastor Not in Hebrews, Leading them Away from Temple Work, Obedience of Faith, Formal Education, Preaching, Requirement for Formal Education in the Bible, 1 Corinthians 1:27, God Chose the Foolish, John 5:39, You Search the Scriptures, Did Not Choose Formally Educated According to the Law, Did Not Choose Priests, Choose Fisherman and Tax Collectors, Formal Education Began in 16th Century, Preach Means to Speak, Women and and Donkey Spoke More about God Than Anyone Named Pastor, Sermons, Sermon Not in Bible, Sermon on the Mount, Sermons Began Before Jesus, Sophists, Sophisticated, Philosophers, One-Man Monologues for Pay and Prestige, Early Church Was Greek, Clement of Alexandria, Sermons Bad Thing, Augustine and Chrysostom, Sophists Turned Christians, Eucharist Replaced Sermons, Greek Rhetoric, Deceitful Arguments, Constantine Loved Sermons, Pastor Never Gives Sermons, What's Biblical is Everyone is Encouraged to Share, Tithing, How Many Times Are Believers Commanded to Tithe, How Many Times is Tithing in the Epistles, 2 Corinthians 9:7, Give Freely From the Heart, Not Under Pressure, Not Under Compulsion, Tithing Was Part of the Law, 23.3%, Not Money, Crops Produce Grain Spices Cattle, Tithing is a Curse, Galatians 3:10, Rely on Tithe is Relying on Curse, How Do You Keep the Lights On, Let Your Requests be Made Known, Trust God, Give-to-Get, Rely on God's Grace Working Through the BodySupport the showSign up for Matt's free daily devotional! https://mattmcmillen.com/newsletter

Hidden in the stillness of southern California's desert mountains, St. Michael's Abbey goes about a timeless and supernatural mission: the common worship of God. The Abbot Circle Podcast is an extension of the Norbertine mission to bring Christ into a world that too often rejects Him.Our content is available to friends, family, loved ones, and all those in need of an encounter with the staggering beauty of the Gospel and the relentless love of Christ. For access to all digital content, please visit theabbotscircle.com/lp/gs/pod

Hidden in the stillness of southern California's desert mountains, St. Michael's Abbey goes about a timeless and supernatural mission: the common worship of God. The Abbot Circle Podcast is an extension of the Norbertine mission to bring Christ into a world that too often rejects Him.Our content is available to friends, family, loved ones, and all those in need of an encounter with the staggering beauty of the Gospel and the relentless love of Christ. For access to all digital content, please visit theabbotscircle.com/lp/gs/pod

Hidden in the stillness of southern California's desert mountains, St. Michael's Abbey goes about a timeless and supernatural mission: the common worship of God. The Abbot Circle Podcast is an extension of the Norbertine mission to bring Christ into a world that too often rejects Him.Our content is available to friends, family, loved ones, and all those in need of an encounter with the staggering beauty of the Gospel and the relentless love of Christ. For access to all digital content, please visit theabbotscircle.com/lp/gs/pod

Hidden in the stillness of southern California's desert mountains, St. Michael's Abbey goes about a timeless and supernatural mission: the common worship of God. The Abbot Circle Podcast is an extension of the Norbertine mission to bring Christ into a world that too often rejects Him.Our content is available to friends, family, loved ones, and all those in need of an encounter with the staggering beauty of the Gospel and the relentless love of Christ. For access to all digital content, please visit theabbotscircle.com/lp/gs/pod

Hidden in the stillness of southern California's desert mountains, St. Michael's Abbey goes about a timeless and supernatural mission: the common worship of God. The Abbot Circle Podcast is an extension of the Norbertine mission to bring Christ into a world that too often rejects Him.Our content is available to friends, family, loved ones, and all those in need of an encounter with the staggering beauty of the Gospel and the relentless love of Christ. For access to all digital content, please visit theabbotscircle.com/lp/gs/pod

Fr. Anthony Amato is the Pastor of St. Peter's Parish in Clifton Springs, New York. He was ordained as a priest in June of 2017 by Bishop Salvatore Matano of the Diocese of Rochester, New York.     In Today's Show Why were the Apocrypha taken out of protestant Bibles? If you have the time, could you explain why each of the seven specific chapters were taken out? Where can I find specific instructions for the laity on when to stand, sit, kneel, genuflect, and make the sign of the cross? Can a Priest celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in a state of mortal sin? I belong to the Old-style Church of the True Orthodox Christians of Greece (the Synod of Chrysostom), but as far as I understand, even among the new-style Orthodox Churches it is considered schismatic. Can I convert to Catholicism in the same way as Orthodox New Churches that are recognized by the Roman Catholic Church do, and will I have any different status from believers who have converted to Catholicism? Is serving as an administrator strictly reserved to the priest, or can those duties be split between the priest and a layperson? I've heard that there's "nothing new under the sun." I'm of the firm belief that all the issues society is facing are reincarnations of early heresies already condemned by the Church. What are your thoughts? I was at Mass and a host dropped on the floor. What to do in that situation? And, how can I respectfully speak with the priest about this? I'm in the middle of a cross-country move and I wanted to know if it's permissible for me to be working on something like that on a Sunday? When it comes to Jesus' resurrection, we have a lot of testimony from His disciples about what happened, but do we have anything more in the way of scientific evidence? The only thing I can think of is the Shroud of Turin, which we can't be certain is the actual shroud of Jesus. What are your thoughts on the shroud?   Visit the show page at thestationofthecross.com/askapriest to listen live, check out the weekly lineup, listen to podcasts of past episodes, watch live video, find show resources, sign up for our mailing list of upcoming shows, and submit your question for Father!

This greatest of Christian orators is commemorated not only today, but as one of the Three Holy Hierarchs (with St Basil the Great and St Gregory the Theologian) on January 30.   He was born in Antioch to pious parents around 345. His mother was widowed at the age of twenty, and devoted herself to rearing her son in piety. He received his literary and oratorical training from the greatest pagan teachers of the day. Though an illustrious and profitable career as a secular orator was open to him, he chose instead to dedicate himself to God. He lived as a monk from 374 to 381, eventually dwelling as a hermit in a cave near Antioch. Here his extreme ascetic practices ruined his health, so that he was forced to return to Antioch, where he was ordained to the priesthood. In Antioch his astonishing gifts of preaching first showed themselves, earning him the epithet Chrysostomos, "Golden-mouth", by which he became universally known. His gifts became so far-famed that he was chosen to succeed St Nectarius as Patriarch of Constantinople. He was taken to Constantinople secretly (some say he was actually kidnapped) to avoid the opposition of the Antiochian people to losing their beloved preacher. He was made Patriarch of Constantinople in 398.   Archbishop John shone in his sermons as always, often censuring the corrupt morals and luxurious living of the nobility. For this he incurred the anger of the Empress Eudoxia, who had him exiled to Pontus in 403. The people protested by rioting, and the following night an earthquake shook the city, so frightening the Empress that she had Chrysostom called back. The reconciliation was short-lived. Saint John did not at all moderate the intensity of his sermons, and when the Empress had a silver statue of herself erected outside the Great Church in 403, accompanied by much revelry, the Patriarch spoke out against her, earning her unforgiving anger. In 404 he was exiled to Cucusus, near Armenia. When Pope Innocent of Rome interceded on his behalf, the imperial family only exiled him further, to a town called Pityus near the Caucasus. The journey was so difficult and his guards so cruel that the frail Archbishop gave up his soul to God before reaching his final place of exile, in 407. His last words were "Glory be to God for all things."   Saint John Chrysostom is the author of more written works than any other Church Father: his works include 1,447 recorded sermons, 240 epistles, and complete commentaries on Genesis, the Gospels of Matthew and John, the Acts of the Apostles, and all the Epistles of St Paul.   His repose was on September 14, but since that is the date of the Exaltation of the Cross, his commemoration has been transferred to this day.

Other than discussing some upcoming events -such as the debate in Pennsylvania-, we took some time to listen to some voices from the past -Chrysostom, Jerome- and think about how things have changed. We also took some time to consider the definition of biblicism in the current controversy.