Nicodemus Reflection

This sermon provokes the one who has had their own hearts weaken to seek holiness from the transformation of love. Wesley desires every Christian to attain the status of perfect love, where the love of God and neighbor would reign in their hearts. As evidence he quotes St. Paul, “Earnestly desire the higher gifts, and I will show unto you a more excellent way.” (The More Excellent Way,

As Christians, we must strive to repair broken relationships through God’s act of free grace and forgiveness, also known as justification. Second is the process of personal growth in Christian love, known as sanctification. And third, our willingness to live out God’s calling upon our life, known as vocation.

‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. The second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two precepts hang all the law and the prophets’ (Mathew 22.37, 38, 39, 40). ‘By this all men know that they are my disciples, if ye have love one to another’ (John 13.35) …’He who loveth God loveth his brother also’ (1 John 4.21) …’If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar’ (1 John 4.20) …The first thing that takes our attention is the saying of Jesus, ‘Thou shalt love,’ etc. (501-2)

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

First off, Oedipus and his family had really rough times. Oedipus’ sons killed each other for the throne, his daughter killed herself, he killed himself, so it was a very weird family. To start off, Eteocles Oedipus’ son he was heroic because he saved his family and country from the enemies who tried to kill the people of Thebes. Eteocles of course saves them from the ruthless and ferocious Argive army. “Against our seven gates in a yawning ring the famished spears came onward in the night; but before his jaws were sated with our blood, or pine fire took the garland of our towers, he was thrown back, and as he turned, great Thebes no tender victim for his noisy power rose like a dragon behind him, shouting war.” This shows that the priest and chorus were talking about the war and how Thebes won at the end of the battle and Eteocles died with honor fighting for his country men and family. He was brave because he went into war against his own brother and he was not afraid that in the end of the battle he would probably kill his brother. “For God hates utterly The bray of bragging tongues; and when he beheld their

Presented at a local elementary school on the Eddie Eagle program. Also I would like to thank the Board for supporting our NASRO Chaplain program.

“Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all my

Through his journey to Pylos and Sparta, Telemachus, who was born into a very privileged and high ranking family, learns how to use his inherited social status and connections for his own interests, which will help him mature into manhood. Telemachus was never old enough to remember what it was like when his father was around. Since Odysseus left, he has lived with his mom and nurse. However, for three years, he has been overwhelmed by suitors, who have taken over his house. Odysseus was never able to show Telemachus how to stand up for himself. Telemachus has been less than passive when going about doing things to get what he wants. When Athena comes and tells him that his father is going to come home, he realizes he has been ignoring what he knows is wrong, such as the suitors throwing parties every night, and that he needs to stop them. He doesn’t have any idea of how he is going to find his father when Athena comes, but he along his way finds that he has many resources and connections at hand that will allow him to find out what happened to his dad. Athena, disguised as Mentor, an old friend of Odysseus, encourages Telemachus to talk to Nestor. "Telemachus, no more shyness, this is not the time!/ We sailed the seas for this, for news of your father —// So go right up to Nestor...// Press him yourself to tell the whole truth:/ he'll never lie — the man is far too wise"(3.16-22) Here, Athena is encouraging Telemachus to be assertive, to get what the needs to know to find his father. Telemachus responds, "How can I greet him, Mentor, even approach the king?/ I'm hardly adept at subtle conversation./ Someone my age might feel shy, what's more,/ interrogating an older man."/ (3.23-27) He is intimidated. The irony is that he himself is of the higher class, and if Odysseus had been home, he would be accustomed to these interactions. This is Odysseus learning that he has high social status and can enjoy the privileges he was born with, such as being able to talk to the king. While there, Telemachus learns of the fate of the family of Agamemnon. Agamemnon came home to find his wife in love with Aegisthus, and together they kill him. Orestes, one of Agamemnon’s sons, avenges his father’s murder and kills

Wright concisely states, “Love is the language they speak in God’s world, and we are summoned to learn it against the day when God’s world and ours will be brought together... Love is not a “duty,” even our highest duty. It is our destiny”

“Persepolis” is an autobiographical graphic novel written by Marjane Satrapi that shows her childhood in Iran during and after the Islamic revolution. (Wikipedia). The book was originally published in 2000, and translations later published in 2003, 2004, and 2005. (Wikipedia). The book was made into a film, co-directed by Marjane. She also directed three more movies after. (Garvin, Kerry). I chose this book because I wasn’t familiar with the topic and never heard stories about the Islamic revolution. I also thought it was really cool how it was made into a comic book and even a major motion picture. The topic was really intriguing because the topic was hardly talked about and the author personally experienced the whole thing and I got to see her point of view during it. The fact that the author was actively involved during the whole war and got to write it down and turn it into a comic book makes it more fun and exciting to read.

Wesley speaks of love, being a “perfect love”. A love “excluding sin, love filling the heart, taking up the whole capacity of the soul. It is love ‘rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, in everything giving thanks”. As Christians we must be intentional about loving God, loving others, loving self. 1 John 4:8 declares, “Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

The definition of love for God is to love God with all your heart, mind, and Saul, and this is nothing but to be faithful to him.

Although I interned with a charitable organization called Athentikos for the Fall of 2016, I am no longer receiving institutional credits for my time with Athentikos. I now volunteer approximately 4 hours per week for Athentikos writing and editing blogs, social media management, and attending weekly staff meetings to address other logistics for their Art Camp programs in Guatemala.

commandment us to love one another according to John 13:36 through salvation we can show

The Book of Romans has set the main foundation of Christianity among the Jewish people and Roman. This book has covered many different laws of the land that God has given his people. Paul tries to address the many questions that the Jewish people have about faith, laws and righteousness. In this essay I will address the current question that many people have concerning the right way to interpret the meaning of righteousness. Since there isn’t a right or wrong way; to interpret God message in Romans, I will state what I feel is the correct way of the interpretation.