Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:00 am on December 5, 2018  

December 5, 2018 – Saint of the Day – Saint Sabbas, abbot: Sabbas founded several more monasteries. It is claimed that many miracles took place through the prayers of Sabbas: at the lavra, a spring of water welled up, during a time of drought they received abundant rain, and there were also healings of the sick and the possessed.

“The Seventh and final theme of the Exodus: God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that their family would have the land of Palestine as their inheritance. Now at last those promises were coming true. Hope had been deferred for a long time. Now it was being realized.” (“Re-Living the Exodus”,  Simply Jesus,  N. T. Wright, p. 65)

 “For we know that even the things of nature, like animals and plants, suffer in sickness and death as they await this great event.[d] 23 And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us—bodies that will never be sick again and will never die. 24 We are saved by trusting. And trusting means looking forward to getting something we don’t yet have—for a man who already has something doesn’t need to hope and trust that he will get it. 25 But if we must keep trusting God for something that hasn’t happened yet, it teaches us to wait patiently and confidently.” (Romans 8:22-25 The Living Bible)

Pilate famously said “What is truth?”, as he responds to Jesus telling him that he came to testify to the truth. (John 18:38) The Latin is Quid est Veritas?

Quid est Veritas? What is the truth of existence? What is the truth of faith and works? What is the truth of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus? Our main hope is that we might encounter some truth in our lives—truth about the world, about existence, and about faith. The bible continues to tell us that it is the truth—that it posits to us G-d’s truth. The Bible states: ‘“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”‘ (John 8:31-32) and ‘”Your word is truth.”‘ (John 17:17). The truth is revealed in The Bible as the person and character of Jesus Christ, and His teachings, and the reality of G-d’s promises. Jesus Christ is the truth; He is the absolute standard and embodiment of truth. The Holy Spirit of G-d gives the revelation of the truth to individual children, men, and women. The Bible does not provide every answer to every question of life, but it does provide much of what G-d wants to share with us about Himself, His Son, His Spirit, and His eternal purpose. The Bible provides standards and morals for living; and separates right from wrong. The truth will, if embraced, make you free.

Pastor Dave