JOINT BIBLE STUDY OF HOLY TRINITY ORTHODOX CHURCH AND
CHRIST THE SAVIOR ORTHODOX CHURCH, HERNANDO COUNTY, FL
Fr. Michael Shuster, Host & Administrator – Fr. Stanley S. Harakas, Presenter

 

 

The Second Unction Epistle: Romans 15:1-6  Maintaining Unity Among Christians
(pp. 33-36).

Thursday, October 28, 2004

Opening Prayer – Psalm 101

   I will sing of mercy and of judgment to You Lord; I will sing a Psalm. I will give heed to the way that is blameless.  When will You come to me? I walk in the innocence of my heart within my house; I have not set before my eyes anything that is base; I hate the work of those who fall away. Perverseness of heart does not cleave to me; I have not known an  evil man, for he turns away from me. Him who slanders his neighbor secretly, I have driven away.  I have not eaten with the man of haughty looks and arrogant heart. I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless has ministered to me. No man who practices pride has dwelt in my house; no man who utters lies has continued in my presence. Morning by morning I destroyed all the wicked in the land, that I might cut off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord.

   Text: Of Life and Salvation: Reflections on Living the Christian Life- Based on the Fourteen Scripture Readings of the Orthodox Christian Church’s Sacrament of Holy Unction. (Minneapolis: Light and Life Publishing Co., 1996, pp. 33-36.

   Reading for This Session -The 2^nd Epistle: Romans 15:1-6  Maintaining Unity Among Christians

    1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves; 2 let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him. 3 For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached thee fell on me." 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

   Outline of Reflection on 2^nd  Unction Epistle

   In the Church every member is at a different level of Christian growth. This can cause dissention in the Parish and in the wider Church. But we all have the same goal: is to achieve Godlikeness (Theosis). Often, we will not see things in the same way, nor will we act the same way in similar circumstances. So, there can be trouble among us. They existed in the in the early, Apostolic Church. So the issue is how we should handle ourselves.

   In Romans 14 St. Paul deals with some issues in the Church of Rome. Paul responds by appealing for mutual understanding and forbearance. So, he asks in verse 10 "Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother?"  And, toward the end of chapter 14, he says that we have an obligation not to create problems for our brothers and sisters in the faith: "...it is right not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your brother stumble" (vv. 21).

   From the Negative to the Positive.  Starts by saying, "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves; let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him" (v. 1-2).

  All Christians are weak in some or another area of their lives. When we relate with them, we must do so from within their own frame of reference, their own limited and restricted understanding of what it means to be a Christian. We are not to be self-centered; we are not to "please ourselves." Make strong efforts to see things from his or her perspective, then seek to address the problem from his or her perspective for his or her benefit, growth, and development, “to edify him." Edify means to build a house, that is, to build up the other person in Christian understanding and life, not tear him down, criticize, or condemn him.

   Why Christians Should Act This Way:  Imitate Christ. "For Christ did not please himself..." Christ is our example. Why? Precisely because we are called to be like God, and Jesus shows us what that means! He takes our “reproach” through His Incarnation, teaching, healing, Crucifixion and victory over them through His Resurrection. (based on Septuagint, Psalm 68:10 [RSV 69:9]). The Bible offers us "instruction" and "encouragement" as we seek to follow the example of Jesus Christ.

   Living and Worshiping Together. Paul shows the chief means for achieving the goal – God’s blessing: "May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (vv. 5-6). God's grace will bring about "harmony with one another."  The goal of this harmony is to glorify, praise, honor, and confess our God in shared worship with one voice. 

  This is The First Step in Dealing With Parish Controversies so as to maintain parish unity: Before you do or say anything else, reread Romans 15:1-6 and pray for the Lord’s guidance.

Break

Personal Reflection by Betty Roussos

Group Discussion     

Other Members’ Personal Reflections

Last Week’s Motto:  “Go and Do Likewise.”  Formulation of new Weekly Motto

prayer Before Reading Scripture

   Illumine our hearts, O Master who loves humankind, with the pure light of Your divine knowledge, and open the eyes of our mind to understand Your Gospel teachings; implant in us also the reverence for Your blessed commandments, that trampling down all sinful desires, we may enter upon a spiritual manner of living, both thinking and doing those things as please You.  For You are the illumination of our souls and bodies, O Christ our God, and to You we ascribe glory together with Your eternal Father and Your all-holy and good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages.  Amen

Second Unction Gospel - Luke 19:1-10 What Happens When a Sinner Meets Christ?

            1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And there was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." 6 So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it four fold." 9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost."

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