April 10, 2017
Lenten Devotions – Nestorius
 
Nestorius was consecrated bishop of Constantinople on this date April 10th, 428. His elevation to this influential position had profound repercussions for the church. A firm opponent of the Arian heresy, he was accused of falling into a contrary error.

 Arians taught that Christ was a created being. To refute this and other points, Nestorius argued that the Godhead joined with the human rather as if a man entered a tent or put on clothes. Instead of depicting Christ as one unified person, Nestorius saw him as a conjunction of two natures so distinct as to be different persons who had merged.

 Nestorius refused to call Mary the “Mother of God.” Her baby was very human, he said. Jesus’ human acts and sufferings were of his human nature, not his Godhead. To say Mary was Mother of God was to say God had once been a few hours old. “God is not a baby two or three months old,” he argued.
 He never denied that Christ was divine. On the contrary, it was to protect Christ’s divinity that he argued as he did, lest it be lost in worship of the human child. The divine nature could not be born of a woman. Nestorius’ refusal to use the term “theotokus,” Mother of God, led to a big argument. He pointed out that the apostles and early church fathers never employed the word. But he could not resolve the issue so as to bring into focus the Jesus we know from scripture who is completely and truly both God and man.

Cyril, the patriarch of Alexandria, condemned Nestorius’ works by issuing twelve anathemas against him. Nestorius responded in kind. The two men were harsh individuals and fierce antagonists. There was no chance of reconciliation. Emperor Theodosius II called a council at Ephesus to settle the question. Working quickly, Cyril and his allies deposed Nestorius before his Syrian supporters could reach the council site. Rome backed Cyril’s move and Nestorius was stripped of his position and exiled. Theologians who study Nestorius’ writings today say that his opinions were misrepresented and probably were not heretical.” (christianity.com website)
Here are two of the anathema’s written by Cyril:

1. If anyone will not confess that the Emmanuel is very God, and that therefore the Holy Virgin is the Mother of God, inasmuch as in the flesh she bore the Word of God made flesh [as it is written, “The Word was made flesh”] let him be anathema.
2. If anyone shall not confess that the Word of God the Father is united hypostatically to flesh, and that with that flesh of his own, he is one only Christ both God and man at the same time: let him be anathema.
Understanding how Christ is both human and divine simultaneously is one of the greatest mysteries and theological discussions of the several millennia. How he is both will one day be revealed. Until then, we worship a Christ who is both – fully human and fully divine.

Please collect a tube of toothpaste for Trinity’s Table to bring on Easter Sunday morning.

Pastor Dave

April 9, 2017
Lenten Devotions – Palm Sunday Year A

“When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, “Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.” Matthew 21:1-11

Here comes Jesus! Here he comes. He’s riding a donkey – maybe even two donkeys. His disciples and the other followers have placed their cloaks on the donkeys, and spread cloaks and branches on the ground. Some are waving palm branches and others are shouting “Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest heaven!” The reality of Palm/Passion Sunday is this: Here he comes – there he goes; and then chaos ensues. Like Santa in the Thanksgiving Day Parade, we see Santa coming, riding on a fire truck, and then there he is right in front of us, and then he is gone: and then chaos ensues until we reach December 26. Our lives are like a parade. We have a fixed beginning, a definite ending, and a meandering route that takes us so many different places. So, while you and I are meandering on our own life “parade”, today, TODAY Jesus has entered. And before Easter comes along, I want you to remember how Jesus first entered into your life. What are your first memories of Jesus? How would you answer the question “Who is this Jesus?” This morning we shout “Blessed is he who comes…?” – but how can you explain this reality to someone who does not know Jesus? And I want you to also think about this – how do you see Jesus parading through your life?

Pastor Dave