GOSPEL MESSAGE & RECORDING
In our present world there are many things that are designed by the kingdom of darkness that is coming against our church and us. We often think that we don’t have the power to overcome it or to fight it. We even think that God is weak and the evil one is strong. Such a thought is understandable, in the human-sense, considering the present state of our world. But as Orthodox Christians, we must believe, wholeheartedly, that God is greater and more powerful than anything in the world.
The Apostle Paul teaches us today that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Cor. 10: 4-6) St. Paul is specifically speaking within the context of his established church in Corinth. He knows that others are discrediting his ministry and him personally as a person. And he knows that his people are encountering many trials and temptations in their newly found relationship with Christ. So, therefore, he tells them to pull down strongholds, cast down arguments and bring the thoughts into captivity.
Though, the context of 2 Cor. 10 is specifically addressing issues in the Corinthian church, it can be applied to the present Church. Here is how:
God calls on the Church to pull down the strongholds that presently exist. May I say that within our parish I see some disunity. Nothing startling, but still present. We need to have that sense of unity that we had in the past. Disunity in the house of God is a sign that we are holding on to pride and not giving into forgiveness and love.
If there were a church in the Philadelphia region that was established for a purpose--it’s St. Luke. So, we have a reason for being here--a purpose and a mission. We always have to remind ourselves of that.
COVID-19 and the racial issues that are facing our country are not an obstacle but an opportunity for us to help others and to show that we are the church that includes everybody.God calls on us to cast down arguments, especially during this time. The argument that we don’t need church. That life can go on without Christian fellowship, worship, fasting, prayer or Communion.
The pandemic in a way has given us a taste of how it feels to live without a physical church and in some way, it has captured our desires. I don’t say this to judge but to be truthful about what I am seeing. We need our desires to be conformed to attending parish and living that life again. By conformed I mean in all ways, body, soul and mind. We have to come to understand that as much as we consider school to be important and other areas of life to be essential, Church is no different.God wants us to bring every thought into captivity. Really? How would we do that? The answer is the Bible. The Bible teaches us that we should not approach the Altar of God without first forgiving others. If we have unforgiveness in our heart, if we dislike someone, God cannot use us to our full potential. Of course, he can use us, but we will never reach our very best. We will be like a tree…a tree indeed, but stunted in growth. So, let us take these thoughts that we have of unforgiveness against each other and dislike for others and come to a place of love, forgiveness and compassion.