2008 Weekly Bulletin Message
*2004, 2005, 2006  Weekly Bulletin Messages have been archived.  Please contact Der Aram at aram2@charter.net  for more information.

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Click on a date below to go directly to that message, or scroll entire document for all 2008 weekly messages.

1/6/08 KHORHOORT MEDZ YEV USKANCHELI

“A wonderful and great mystery is revealed on this day, the shepherds sing with the angels who announce the good news to the world.

“A new King is born in the city of Bethlehem, O you people, bless him, for he became flesh for our sake.

“He whom heaven and earth cannot contain is wrapped in swaddling clothes, without being separated from the Father, he rested in the holy manger.”

Ov Zarmanali (Oh Amazing)

Oh amazing and great mystery made manifest! God the creator coming to the river Jordan. He willed to be baptized of His Servant and the forerunner would not baptize.

Hearing this, the river Jordan turned to fly, wave after wave becoming messenger.

O river fear not, for I am Thy creator, I have come to be baptized and wash away sins.

Aysor Tzaynun Hayragan (Today the paternal voice)

This day the voice of the Father came down from the heaven, well pleased.

To witness for the beloved Son. Ah, make haste, O river, make haste, O river Jordan. The great precursor John sang with the voice of good tidings.

1/13/08    FORGIVE AND YOU WILL BE FORGIVEN

In today’s passage Jesus is teaching us a very valuable lesson.

In Luke 17: 1 and 2, Jesus condemns the person who causes others to sin. He says, “It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves.”

Every one of us is tempted to sin, but we have to be careful NOT to lead anyone else to sin. It was said that an old man who was dying, was obviously worried about something. He told them at last what it was. “When I was a lad,” he said, “I often played on a wide common. Near its centre two roads met and crossed, and, standing at the crossroads, was an old rickety signpost. I remember one day twisting it round in its socket, thus altering the arms and making them point in the wrong direction; and I’ve been wondering ever since how many travelers I sent on the wrong road.”

The first question then is this. Have we led anyone a stray?

Then Jesus tells about the necessity of forgiveness in the Christian life. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him.”

It means that the Christian standard of forgiveness must immeasurably exceed the best the world can achieve. To receive forgiveness and to forgive is so important that Jesus inserted in His prayer. “FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE ALSO HAVE FORGIVEN OUR DEBTORS.” Did you notice? Before we go on our knees to pray we must have forgiven the person who has done wrong against us. Jesus later further explains the seriousness of forgiving, He goes on saying. “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matt. 7:14-15)

Therefore, next time when you go to God, it is advised that, before you ask forgiveness, you better make sure that you have also forgiven others.

Humanly speaking is hard but God will help you if you ask His help.

1/20/08     THE SOVEREIGN GOD AT WORK

When we say GOD IS SOVEREIGN we acknowledge Him as the God who is in charge of the entire universe.

Sovereign means “King” or “absolute ruler”.

For instance, if this church has been a spiritual home for some, that itself proves God’s sovereign providence. Although we are responsible for the daily decisions we make, God is the one who makes them work or not according to His diving will.

This means that God’s lordship is not remote but rather is involved in our individual lives. I must say that sometimes we do not understand it but it doesn’t mean that His divine involvement is not real in our daily lives. God has not created us as robots. He has given us free will and expects us to freely love him and commit ourselves to Him. God comes to us person to person. We are not numbers for Him.

Sometimes God allows unpleasant things to happen in our lives in order to get our attention. He talks to us by circumstances, by His Word and through the church.

You may ask then, why is there good and evil and why do bad things happen to godly people? Remember, we are living in an imperfect world, a world where evil is in existence, when sickness or death occur. It does not mean that the sovereign God has abandoned us, contrary it is that time when He comes to us and says; “FEAR NOT, FOR I HAVE REDEEMED YOU, I HAVE CALLED YOU BY NAME; YOU ARE MINE. WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH THE WATERS, I WILL BE WITH YOU, AND WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH THE RIVERS, THEY WILL NOT SWEEP OVER YOU…FOR I AM THE LORD, YOUR GOD…” (Is 43:1-3)

In order to enjoy the sovereignty of God we have to put ourselves in His almighty hands and in every circumstance say, “THY WILL BE DONE.”

1/27/08     WHO IS IN CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE?

Human nature wants to be in charge. I remember Yeretzgin telling me of an incident a few years ago when she, Seta, and Michela were out Christmas shopping. That day Seta was not feeling well and needed a wheel chair to do the shopping. Michela, holding the handles of the wheel chair said, “Alright! I am in charge, I will take you wherever I want to go.” A few minutes later Seta says, “I want to go to this store,” Michela, jokingly says, “No, I want to go to that store.”

Wanting to take charge or to control if not done in proper perspective will sometimes become “out of control” and destructive.

Faith and trust in God will permit God to be in control and do for us not only the things that are best for us but also the things that we cannot do ourselves. Sin distorts our relationship with God, throws our lives out of proportion and out of balance. God’s will is to restore us to the harmony He intended in creation.

The Christian must understand that the nature of spiritual life is, not what we do for God, but what God does in us and through us.

We must constantly remind ourselves that God has created us “according to His own image,” and to live according to His will.

The Scripture describes God as being the Potter and we are the clay. He has the right to shape us the way He wants us to be shaped. God says, “Does the clay say to the potter, “What are you making?” (Is. 45:9) If we want to please our Maker, we then have to be willing to let Him mold us for His purpose. Another example is, put God in the driver’s seat of our lives, let Him steer and do not pull the wheel from Him.

Therefore, when we find ourselves “fully in charge” it is important to ask this question: Who should really be in charge of my life? If we make ourselves in full charge of our lives in everything we do, we have left God out of our lives.

The consequences? – We will not be able to please God. We don’t reach the full potential of God’s plan for us

2/3/08     THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND VARTAN THE BRAVE

This afternoon millions will be watching as the New England Patriots face the New York Giants.

Sometimes we don’t realize that to play a game, any game, it is not only the teams and their coaches that are involved in winning the game, but the fans and the cheerleaders who are a great factor in inspiring the teams and becoming a great force behind them.

No matter how much the players try not to pay attention to the cheering of the spectators, subconsciously they are influenced by their excitement and “booooooos”

I will call the fans and the cheerleaders“A FORCE BEHIND THE TEAM.”

Now, you may ask, what does the Super Bowl have to do with Vartan the Brace and Ghevont the Elder, the Priest.

Most probably we have all heard about the Battle of Avarayr, the battle that took place against the Parsians in 451 A.C. in order to defend our faith which was at stake. But we seldom hear about the heroes behind the St. Vartan, his army and the Armenian nation – THE GHEVONTYANTZ!

In those days Ghevont Yeretz (Ghevont the Elder) with the group of clergy were the spiritual force behind the nation. They were the ones who, by preaching the Bible constantly to the nation uplifted their spirit and strengthened their commitment and their faith toward God.

Ghevont Yeretz constantly reminded Vartan and his followers that in order to obtain the promised “Crown of Righteousness” and inherit the eternal life they had to be willing to sacrifice their lives for Christ who gave His life on their behalf. Ghevont brought so many examples from both the Old and New testaments, explaining how Abraham, Moses and the prophets did not seek comfort rather chose to please God like St Peter, Paul and the rest of the apostles who were persecuted and tortured for Christ.

He said, they too must be ready and willing to die for Christ, since the Bible says “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (II Tim 3:12)

I frankly believe that if in those days we did not have clergy who were dedicated and faithful to the Bible, like Ghevont Yeretz, I doubt we would have had courageous Vartan and his followers. After each time Ghevont gave a speech more young people were gladly joining the army to defend their faith against Persian threats. Even after the battle of Avarayr, Persians continued persecuting Ghevont and his followers, but they stood firm in their commitment to Christ and His Church. They were tortured and later were martyred.

No wonder it is said: “The blood of the martyrs are the seeds of the Church of Christ.”. From the first century and on, the more saints gave their lives for Christ, the more the Church of Christ flourished.

How are we today influencing and impacting the message of the Gospel to our fellowmen?

With the help of God, you can be a driving force behind your Family, Church and your Community.

2/10/08         A LIFE GUIDED BY THE BIBLE

His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great house of Cilicia, is calling 2008 the “YEAR OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION”

In his message (you may pick up a copy outside in the foyer) the Catholicos asks a question, “WHAT DO WE UNDERSTAND BY CHRISTIAN EDUCATION?” Then the Catholicos goes on and gives the meaning of Christian education. He says, “CHRISTIAN EDUCATION MEANS, MOLDING THE INDIVIDUAL, WHO IS CALLED UPON TO BECOME, OR HAS ALREADY BECOME, A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, WITH BIBLICAL TRUTHS AND VALUES, SO THAT HE OR SHE CAN FOLLOW CHRIST WITH CONSCIOUS FAITH AND TOTAL DEVOTION.” (emphasis is mine)

As you can see, the Catholicos is emphasizing that the person who called himself/herself Christian must be molded with Biblical truths and values in order to be able to follow Christ.

Then he goes on to say that, “CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A TOTALITY OF TEACHINGS; NOR IS IT A SYSTEM OF SPIRITUAL VALUES, CHRISTIANITY IS LIFE. CHRIST SAID, “I HAVE COME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE, AND THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTELY.” (John 10:10) (emphasis is mine)

What the Catholicos is saying is that to be called “Christian” is not a nametag that we carry on during baptism, but must be a lifestyle.

We have to “experience” Christ and His teachings in our daily life. In other words, as the apostle says in today’s lesson, the Scripture must teach us, rebuke us if necessary and correct us, in order to live a God pleasing life.

Unfortunately, we have neglected the teaching and the guiding of the Bible. In one word, WE HAVEN’T TAKEN THE BIBLICAL TEACHINGS SERIOUSELY, yet Catholicos in his message says, “CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IS A COMPELLING NECESSITY FOR THE ARMENIAN CHURCH”. Of course he does not mean only for the “Armenian Church” but for every individual.

That is why this Church provides the ways and means to teach and guide the congregation with the truth of the Bible. That is why we have THE ALPHA COURSE EVERY THURSDAY AND LENTEN SERVICES EVERY FRIDAY. We encourage you to attend.

Beloved, we have to fill our lives with Bible truths that our forefathers did and gave their lives for.

2/17/08         A TIME TO SET ASIDE

Why Lent? And what is the meaning of Lent?

During Lent, as you can see, the church is as if in mourning. The curtain is closed and is black. The hymns are sung softly and some are read instead of sung. The entire church service seems not happy. The sermons are geared more to sin and repentance. We have the picture of Christ on the cross, and can’t help to stare at it. It is not pleasant to see because it reminds us of suffering and the reason of that suffering is our sins.

Lent is a time to set aside.

As Jesus withdrew Himself into the wilderness for forty days fasting and praying so we too must set aside time to think and reevaluate the purpose of His suffering.

We set aside time for our pleasure, and God forbid if that time is disturbed. We set a time to meet people and for a social hour, so it makes sense to set aside some time to think and ponder over on the condition of our souls, take an inventory to find out the direction of our lives and take time to see what God has done for us on the cross.

Lent offers us an opportunity to come to the terms with the human condition that we sometimes try to runaway from.

That is what we all do as sinners, and we all need a Savior.

Some of us do not have the heart to confront it, which may be the reason very few people attend Lent services. They try to shun away.

Lent is time to sincerely search and open the doors of our hearts a little wider in order to understand the Lord better through His suffering so that when Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Palm Sunday and Easter come they will not just be as other days but an opportunity to see and experience the overwhelming power and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our forefathers assigned Lent because it is good for our souls. It is a penitential time as we examine our sinful and rebellious nature and is a time to turn to God, as we see in our today’s Scripture, the Prodigal son did.

It is a bitter time yet with a sweet ending.

2/24/08     LET’S LEARN FROM THIS SHREWD MANAGER

Jesus spoke to many groups of people, educated and non educated, people who had high office, also to ordinary people. Religious and non religious people, children and adults alike. He touched the lives of every category of human beings and He often used Parables to make sure His message was well understood.

In chapters 15 and 16 of Luke’s Gospel we read the Parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son. Each Parable was spoken to address and reach to specific people.

The Parable of the “SHREWD STEWARD” was addressed to His followers as well as to the rich Pharisees who loved wealth and they heard all this and were “sneering at Jesus”. (v14)

In this Parable, Jesus is never suggesting to be dishonest and shrewd, rather He is suggesting to His followers to learn from the worldly astuteness, and to teach a lesson of spiritual prudence. All Jesus did, was to take this man’s foresight and promptitude wicked as they were in their application – as an illustration of qualities which have a necessary place in the life of a true believer.

The lesson at this point, then, is clear. The possession wealth, influence, position, leisure, and of opportunity are so to be used here on earth but never in the eternal state.

God’s faithful and bountiful stewards will never lose their reward.

God has given us gifts and talents and we are responsible to our divine Lord for whatever gifts, possession and position are given to us, whether temporal or spiritual, God has committed to our stewardship and we are accountable for each and every gift.

The Apostle James says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father…” (1:17) Therefore, “every good gift” that God the Father has granted us has to be put under His disposal and has to be used for Him.

Remember, the theme and the purpose of this Parable, it was about a Manager “WHO WAS ACCUSED OF WASTING HIS POSSESSIONS.” (v1)

Are you “wasting” God’s given possessions? Or, are you using them for your selfish reasons.

As this Steward’s boss after hearing that his manager was wasting his possessions, he said, “Give an account of your management…,” Like wise one day God will tell us, “Give an account of what I have given to you.”

How are you living your life, spending your time, your money and your possessions?

3/2/08     JESUS SAID, BE PERSISTENCE WHEN YOU PRAY

Prayer, I have often said, is like breathing in a Christian’s life. I learned more about how important the breathing is, as I watched my mother in the intensive care. When the doctors and nurses were doing their best to make sure that she was comfortable BREATHING.

In the Bible we see that men and women of God have prayed unceasingly, everywhere and anywhere they felt the need. Even on the beach.

“ALL THE DISCIPLES AND THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN ACCOMPANIED US OUT OF THE CITY, AND THERE ON THE BEACH WE KNELT TO PRAY.” (Acts 21: 5)

I wonder what the people around them thought when they saw them praying on the beach.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is telling two parables about praying. In today’s passage Jesus is telling us about an unjust, cruel, and wicked Judge who did not want to hear the poor widow’s case. Maybe because she was poor, helpless, and unattractive. Or, because being poor she could not bribe him. She had no one to protect her or present her case to this wicked judge. She was armed with nothing, except the fact that she had the right to be heard. Whatever this helpless poor widow had she used. HER PERSISTENCE!

How often have we felt we have run out of resources? How often have we felt helpless and hopeless? But, when we stop and think we hear an inner voice telling us: “don’t give up, keep trusting and be persistent.”

Jesus, by telling the parable of the “Unjust Judge,” is telling US today that if even an unjust judge can sometimes do justice, much more must we expect that the righteous, all loving and compassionate Father will vindicate to His children, who cry day and night without losing heart.

When we are misunderstood and mistreated by people do we get hurt? Do we give up hope? Or do we go to God and present our case to Him?

Paul writes, “...PRAY IN THE SPIRIT ON ALL OCCASIONS WITH ALL KINDS OF PRAYERS AND REQUESTS. WITH THIS IN MIND, BE ALERT AND ALWAYS KEEP ON PRAYING...” (Eph. 6:18)

The lesson of the parable is, to be persistent, not to give up but to keep on going to God the Father, knowing that He knows your circumstances and will vindicate you soon. Even if He delays, DON’T GIVE UP!

3/9/08     THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT

Today’s passage is recorded in the Gospel of Matthews, and the gospels of Mark and Luke. When some incident or passage is recorded in more than one gospel, we better pay more attention to it. IT MUST BE VERY IMPORTANT!

In Jesus’ time, Pharisees were teachers of the Law. They knew the Law very well. Often when a Pharisee asked a question to Jesus, the intention was to either trap Him, or to see whether Jesus was going to say anything to contradict with the Scripture.

Here we see “THE PHARISEES GOT TOGETHER” and then one of them asked the question: “WHICH IS THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT IN THE LAW,” In other words they wanted really to test Jesus to find out whether “THE TEACHER” knew His “stuff” or to find something to accuse Him of.

The Pharisees also were known as the “Religious” group of those days. In this incident we see that they themselves were trapped because, they were negligent in helping their neighbors.

Jesus quoted from the Book of Deuteronomy 6:5

“HEAR O ISRAEL: THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE. LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.” It is interesting to see that Jesus did not stop here; He gave the second important Commandment too. “AND THE SECOND IS LIKE IT,” He continued, “ YOU MUST LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”

Religion consists in loving God above every person or thing. That verse was part of the basic and essential teaching of Judaism. A sentence with which every Jewish service still opens, and the first text which every Jewish child commits to memory. It means that to God only we must give our total unreserved love, a love which dominates our emotions, a love which directs our thoughts, and a love which is the dynamic of our daily actions and life.

The second Commandment that Jesus quoted was from the Book of Leviticus: LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.

What the Scripture is saying is this, the love of God first and foremost, and then the love of your fellow men should follow. It is only when we love God with all our heart, mind and soul not we will able to love our fellowmen. Even the ones that are dislikable.

BY LOVING GOD WE WILL HAVE THE LOVE OF GOD, AND WHEN WE HAVE THE GENUINE LOVE OF GOD ONLY THEN WE WILL LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AND CARE FOR HIM.

3/16/08     THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY OF JESUS WITH TEARS

“AS JESUS APPROACHED JERUSALEM AND SAW THE CITY, HE WEPT OVER IT AND SAID, IF YOU, EVEN YOU, HAD ONLY KNOWN ON THIS DAY WHAT WOULD BRING YOU PEACE-BUT NOW IT IS HIDDEN FROM YOUR EYES.”

When we think of Palm Sunday, we usually think of a joyous and victorious entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. And it is rightfully so. But Luke, the Evangelist, records the other side of Palm Sunday.

JESUS LAMENTING OVER JERUSALEM. SHEDDING TEARS AS HE APPROACHED THE CITY.

In contrast to the great joy of the crowd, the Son of God riding on the donkey is weeping at the sight of the City. What a paradox!

I am sure people nearby were surprised seeing the Son of David, the King weeping when thousands were celebrating His triumphant entrance. Jesus gave the reason for His tears. He said; “IF YOU, EVEN YOU, HAD ONLY KNOWN ON THIS DAY WHAT WOULD BRING YOU PEACE.”

Why was Jesus crying?

Because though they had eyes they did not see, they had ears but they did not hear, they missed the whole point of the message that God, through Jesus was trying to give to them.

One of the meanings of the name “Jerusalem” is, “Foundation of Peace.” And in those days Jerusalem was not in peace, just as today the world is not in peace. He was weeping because the people of the “City of Peace” were blind to the “Prince of Peace.” (Is. 9:6) If the people knew on that day what was truly happening and had recognized it for what it was, they could have found peace. They refused God’s offer of salvation in Jesus Christ, even though God directly visited them.

Jesus is also telling us today, “IF YOU HAD ONLY KNOWN WHAT WOULD BRING YOU PEACE.” Not power, not money, not material prosperity, not youth, not fame, but only Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace who has promised to give you and me His Peace. He gives the inner peace and tranquility that no other person can give and when you have it no one can take it away.

DON’T MAKE JESUS WEEP; INVITE HIM INTO YOUR HEART.

3/23/08         “CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD. HE HAS CONQUERED DEATH BY DEATH, AND HAS GRANTED US LIFE THROUGH HIS RESURRECTION. GLORY BE TO HIM EVERMORE, AMEN!” (Sharagan, Hymn) You can conquer somebody or something, by being stronger than your opponent. If Christ hadn’t overcome death, then His victorious claim that He had overcome the world would have been in vain.

No one ever was able to proclaim victory over death and sin, but Jesus, boldly and rightfully defended His right to claiming victory over death. Why? Because Jesus is God and not a mere man. God the giver of life is the only one who could raise the dead, and because Jesus is God, He is the only one who has the right to say, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Whatever Jesus said, He fulfilled by His deeds. For example, when Jesus in the eight chapter of John said, “I am the light of the world,” He fulfilled this in John chapter 9 by giving sight to a young man who was born blind.

In John chapter 6: 35 Christ claimed to be the Bread of Life, when He said, “I am the Bread of Life, he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and who believes in ME shall never thirst.” It wasn’t to long after this statement was made, that Jesus fed more than 5000 people with five barley loaves and two fishes, and had some twelve baskets leftover fragments.

The good Lord did not only promise to provide our daily bread and needs, but to also satisfy and supply our spiritual needs as well. Both for the present and for eternal life.

He used earthly tangible examples of His claims to be light and bread so we could grasp His spiritual meaning.

One day when Jesus was in Capernaum, people brought to Him a paralyzed person to be healed. Jesus knew the most important thing that the sick man needed was spiritual healing. He said sick man, “My son, your sins are forgiven.” The scribes got angry ad furiously questioned, “Why does this man (referring to Jesus) speak this? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Matt. 2:7) They were right this time about only God being able to forgive sin. It would have been blasphemy if Jesus were not God.

Yes, forgiving sins and granting eternal life is God’s business! Only God has the authority to forgive sin.

Through the Resurrection of Christ, we have some questions answered. The immortality of the soul. The Everlasting love of God

4/6/08         HOPE GIVES YOU REASON TO LIVE

“REMEMBER THAT AT THAT TIME YOU WERE SEPARATE FROM CHRIST...WITHOUT HOPE AND WITHOUT GOD IN THE WORLD.” (Eph. 2:12)

Hope is very essential in our lives. To live a life without hope, even when there are no rational grounds for it, is not healthy.

The Bible sometimes uses hope in the conventional sense. The farmer plows, for example, should plow in hope (I Cor. 9:10) for it is the hope of reward that sweetens his labor.

The Bible tells us the importance in living a life with hope. Hopelessness is a symptom of final desperation. When one has exhausted every human effort, when every prayer has been uttered and there seems to be no more options available, hopelessness envelopes.

We often perceive situations as hopeless because we place our hope in circumstances and people instead of in the living God. The above verse explains it very well. “SEPARATE FROM CHRIST...WITHOUT HOPE AND WITHOUT GOD.” It tells us that if we have no Christ we put our hope on circumstances or on people instead of in the Lord. Why is it that we try to do all things ourselves until the situation seems beyond hope and then we turn to the Lord?

So many put their hope and trust in what they have or are; money, possessions or prestige, and once they are gone their hope also disappears. Paul writing to young Timothy, states, “COMMAND THOSE WHO ARE RICH IN THIS PRESENT WORLD NOT TO BE ARROGANT NOR TO PUT THEIR HOPE IN WEALTH, WHICH IS SO UNCERTAIN, BUT TO PUT THEIR HOPE IN GOD, WHO RICHLY PROVIDES US WITH EVERYTHING FOR OUR ENJOYMENT.” (I Tim. 6:17)

God is interested in providing our needs and make our lives enjoyable. It is up to us to shift our hope from things to God.

Hopelessness is not a situation. It is an attitude toward a situation. We have to realize that God is the source of our hope. We must put our trust and hope in Him. Have you?

4/13/08         THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST, AND YOU ARE THE PART OF IT.

It today’s passage, (read it please) Paul describes the Church as the Body of Christ. We are privileged to be members of that Body.

Just as the human body is one, with many organs, so is the Church, the Body of Christ, formed with many members.

In this passage the Apostle Paul writes about the unity of the Church. The Church consists of many members, and members have different habits, customs and tempers. If there is no harmony and unity in any church, there will be chaos and confusion.

That is why Paul is comparing the Church to a human body. A body consists of many parts but there is in it an essential unity.

Jesus established the Church, His Body. He is the head of that Body therefore He should be in charge of His Church. Though Christ is no longer physically present in His Church, if He wants tasks done in this world He has to find men and women to do them. We are to be His hands and feet, to accomplish what He would like to accomplish. But if the members of the Body do no cooperate with each other, confusion and chaos will take place, not only will Christ not be able to accomplish His Mission, but also we will become the stumbling blocks.

A FEW POINTS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION

A. - We have to realize that we need each other. Each organ intricately functions depending on the others as well. There can be no such thing as isolation in the Church. Sometimes we get carried away, thinking that we are the most important part “organ” of the church, thus we neglect, even dare to criticize others who have chosen to do other tasks.

B. - We have to respect each other. In the body there is no question of relative importance. If any organ ceases to function, the whole body is thrown out of gear. It is so with the Church. When we begin to think about our own importance in the Church, the possibility of real Christian work is diminished.

C. - Finally, we ought to sympathize with each other. If any part (organ) of our body is affected don’t all the other parts of the body suffer with it and try to compensate for the other part?

The Church is a Whole. The person, who cannot see beyond his/her person or family circle, has not even grasped the real meaning and the unity of the Church.

4/20/08         SPIRITUAL EXERCISE

We have of course heard of the importance of physical exercise, but have you ever heard of SPIRITUAL EXERCISE?

The other day I was talking to someone in France. He was telling me how frustrating it was to see that people do not change their bad habits. He went on saying that “I am sure he is trying hard and for a short while he is good but later he goes back to his old habits.

I told him, “He has to do spiritual exercise.” My friend had never heard that there was such a thing as Spiritual Exercise.

In today’s Scripture Paul writing to a young Timothy, states;

“TRAIN YOURSELF TOWARD GODLINESS (PIETY), KEEPING YOURSELF SPIRITUALLY FIT. FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING IS OF SOME VALUE (USEFUL FOR A LITTLE), BUT GODLINESS (SPIRITUAL TRAINING) IS USEFUL AND OF VALUE IN EVERYTHING AND IN EVERY WAY, FOR IT HOLDS PROMISE FOR THE PRESENT LIFE AND ALSO FOR THE LIFE WHICH IS TO COME.” (I Thim. 4:7-8)

I am sure for some of us physical exercise is a burden. We climb a couple of flights of stairs and count it our daily exercise.

Growing, whether physical or spiritual, is always related to two things. NUTRITION AND EXERCISE.

Nobody grows physically without eating properly. I know personally that regular exercise is very important if we want to keep our bodies in good shape. As soon as I get up in the morning, before I do anything else I spend some time exercising. If a child only lies in bed and eats all the time, he may grow physically but he won’t be a healthy baby. If we only read the Bible and hear the sermons without spiritual exercise, we will not grow. The knowledge will be stored and stay only in the brain and will make no difference in our lives. If we allow the Word to open our hearts acknowledge our sins and then obey and put into action what we have read or heard then the Word of God will transform our lives. That is why the Psalmist says; I HAVE HIDDEN YOUR WORD IN MY HEART THAT I MAY NOT SIN AGAINST YOU.” (119:11)

If we allow Christ to work within us along with the Word of God then we will see our lives change for the better. Even Paul the apostle admits this truth. He writes;

“I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom.7: 18_25) Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."( John 8:31-32)

4/27/08         THE COURAGE OF FAITH

In Memory of our forefathers, who overcame torture and death by faith in 1915 April 24

In the Old Testament, when God performed a miracle or, when a memorable event took place, men of God erected pillars and memorials to remind themselves and the particular event, or the work of God.

The reason we commemorate events, happy or sad, is to make a connection with the past and, · TO PRAISE GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS: LEAVING US AS A REMNANT - SURVIVORS. TO LEARN FROM THE PAST, IN ORDER NOT TO SEE THE SAME MISTAKE HAPPEN. · TO GO FORWARD AND LIVE A LIFE WITH HOPE... PLEASING GOD.

In chapter 11 of the Letter to the Hebrews we read as follows; “THE HEROES OF FAITH.” In the first few verses the writer gives the definition of faith. And tells us what God pleasing faith is. Then he writes about the men and the women of God who, by faith, walked with God in spite of persecution, torture hardship and death.

The writer, referring to the people of God writes: “ALL THESE PEOPLE WERE STILL LIVING BY FAITH WHEN THEY DIED, THEY DID NOT RECEIVE THE THINGS PROMISED, THEY ONLY SAW THEM AND WELCOMED THEM FROM A DISTANCE. AND THEY ADMITTED THAT THEY WERE ALIENS AND STRANGERS ON EARTH. PEOPLE WHO SAY SUCH THINGS SHOW THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A COUNTRY OF THEIR OWN. (Heb. 11:13-14). To the end of their days they were nomads, never living a settled life in a settled land. They had to be forever moving on. Why? They lived forever as strangers and foreigners. In other words they had fixed their eyes on eternal things, as the Apostle says. (II Cor. 4:18)

So were the Armenians, though we had our own properties, houses and businesses we were put out of our own Country. In verse 13 the writer says:” THEY DID NOT RECEIVE THE THINGS PROMISED...”For our forefathers, the enemy, the Turks, promised comfort and future if they had denied their faith and nationality. But our people, like the apostles said: “THEY WOULD RATHER OBEY GOD THAN HAVE EARTHLY PROMISES AND POSSESSIONS.”

We ask the question, why God allows tragedies and massacres to happen? One thing we know for sure is, that God is not the source of evil. As long as we are living in this world, evil is also at work. We can see genocides are continuing in various places. One thing we know that our habitation here is temporary and not permanent. The Ottoman Turks thought to exterminate us but like the Heroes of the Bible the Armenians believed that “GOD HAD PLANNED SOMETHING BETTER FOR [THEM]…” (Heb. 11:40)

5/4/08         GAZE YOUR EYES UPON THE LORD

David is one of the Godly men I admire. God Himself testified concerning him: I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do. (Acts 13:22)

In spite of his shortcomings, from youth David was devoted to God. You remember when he faced the giant Goliath, he did so in the name of the Lord.

David had a very tough life. Problems he created for himself, from his own son, from his people and from King Saul. But in every circumstance David admitted his shortcomings, inadequacy and, whenever he was in trouble he went to the Lord with confidence for help.

HIS CONFIDENCE IS NOT THE RESULT OF THE ABSENCE OF PROBLEMS.

It is very clear that David encountered many problems and difficulties. He mentioned evil men attacking him, he said they were his enemies, an army besieged him and war broke out against him. He was surrounded by problems and hardships.

David knew that the most reliable and capable way to save him from troubles and tribulations were not by his army, his position as king or his advisors but by trusting God.

David found a safe haven in the presence of God.

I encourage you to read the Psalms and find out more about David’s openness, commitment and dedication to God.

DAVID LONGED TO SPEND TIME IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

In the midst of his difficulties, David kept focusing on God and not on his difficult situations. He said, the Lord is my light, the Lord is my salvation, the Lord is the stronghold of my life, and the Lord is my Shepherd. It was because his eyes were on God that he was able to say, "Of whom shall I be afraid?"

This is the consistent message of the Bible - that we are to look to God, and not to our surroundings or people

Isaiah says, "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal." (26:3-4)