The Holy Mysteries

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Orthodoxy Crash Course The Holy Mysteries
Saint George Coptic Orthodox Church July 21, 2006
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Welcome back to the OCC

• Part One
• Holy Scriptures Sacred Tradition (June 2)
• Our Knowledge of God the Trinity (June 9)
• God and Creation (June 16)
• Evil, Sin, and Salvation (June 23)

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Welcome back to the OCC

• Part Two
• What is the Church? (July 14)
• The Holy Mysteries (July 21)
• Prayer (July 28)
• The Second-Coming of Christ An Orthodox
  Perspective on the End Times (August 4)

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Introduction

• Christianity is Powerful Living!

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What is a Sacrament?

• Traditional Church Ceremonies/Rites
• Instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ
• Transmitted by the apostles and their successors
• Visible signs through which the faithful receive
  Divine Grace

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What is a Sacrament?

• Seven Sacraments
• Baptism
• Chrismation
• Repentance/Confession
• Eucharist
• Unction of the Sick
• Marriage
• Priesthood

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BaptismThe Purpose of Baptism

• Start of the Christian Life (Mt. 2819-20)
• Remission of Sins (Acts 237-38 2216)
• Death and Resurrection with Christ (Romans 63-9)
• Putting on Christ (Galatians 327)
• Salvation (John 33-6)

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Questions about Baptism Why was our Lord
Baptized?

• He established the Sacrament for us
• Jesus enters the filthy sinful waters of the
  world and when He comes out, brings up purifies
  the entire world with Him
• - Saint Gregory of Nyssa (4th Century)

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Questions about Baptism Why was our Lord
Baptized?

• To give us power over serpents, scorpions, and
  all the power of the enemy

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Questions about Baptism Why was our Lord
Baptized?

• The dragon was in the waters, according to Job,
  who says that he drank up the Jordan with his
  mouth. When, therefore, it was time to crush the
  head of the dragon, Christ descended into the
  waters and bound the strong one, in order that we
  might receive the power to tread upon serpents
  and scorpions. This was no small beast, but a
  terrible one, bring death to all who met him.
• Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (4th Century)

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Questions about BaptismInfant Baptism?

• It is biblical
• Acts 1631-33
• Acts 1615
• 1 Corinthians 116
• Circumcision performed on children
• The Crossing of the Red Sea (as a type of
  Baptism) included children (1 Corinthians 101-2)
• Our Lord invited the little children (Matthew
  1914, 1810)

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Questions about BaptismInfant Baptism?

• Analogies
• The Child in Need of Medicine
• The Benefits of American Citizenship
• God, out of His love, chose us first
• Psychological standpoint giving the child a
  strong sense of identity
• Confirming our faith is a daily activity

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Questions about BaptismInfant Baptism?

• To Christian mothers Do you have an infant?
  Do not give time for harm to increase. Let him
  be sanctified in infancy, and from youth
  dedicated to the Spirit. Do you fear the seal
  because of the weakness of nature, as someone
  faint-hearted and small in faith? But Anna even
  before giving birth promised Samuel to God, and
  after his birth she quickly dedicated him and
  raised him for the sacred garment, without
  fearing human weakness, but believing in God.
• Saint Gregory the Theologian (4th Century)

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Questions about BaptismIn the name of Jesus or
the Trinity?

• In the name of the Lord Jesus?
• Acts 238
• Acts 816
• Acts 1048
• In the name of the Trinity?
• Matthew 2819-20
• Contradiction?!?

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Questions about BaptismIn the name of Jesus or
the Trinity?

• Understanding In the name of Jesus
• According to the command and tradition of Christ
• Testimony of ones faith in Christ, especially
  for the Jews at that time
• Distinguishing from the baptism of Saint John
  (Acts 1824-26) or others (1 Corinthians
  112-15).

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Questions about BaptismIn the name of Jesus or
the Trinity?

• Baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
  Spirit is the liturgical formula
• Early Christian writings and the Church Fathers
  attest to this

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Questions about BaptismIn the name of Jesus or
the Trinity?

• Now about baptism this is how to baptize.
  Give public instruction on all these points, and
  then baptize in running water, in the name of
  the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
  Spirit.
• The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles (the
  Didache) (early 2nd Century)

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Questions about BaptismIn the name of Jesus or
the Trinity?

• The law of washing has been imposed, and the
  form has been prescribed Go, He says, teach
  the nations, washing them in the name of the
  Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
• Tertullian (200 206 A.D.)

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Chrismation

• The mystery through which we receive the gift of
  the Holy Spirit
• Personal Pentecost
• Laying of Hands
• Acts 814-17
• Acts 195-6

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Repentance and Confession

• In the Scripture
• John 2022-23
• 1 John 18-10
• James 516

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Repentance and ConfessionThe Benefits

• Forgiveness of Sins
• Worthy of the Eucharist
• Self-Examination and Purifying the Soul
• Ridding Evil Thoughts and Desires
• Solutions to our Problems
• Discipleship
• Psychological Benefits
• Social Benefits

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Repentance and ConfessionObstacles to Confession

• Self-righteousness
• A Wide Conscience
• Lack of Quiet-time
• Excuses for our Sins
• Sinful Habits
• Non-Spiritual Atmosphere

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The Effect of the Eucharist

• The Promise of Eternal Life
• John 653-54
• Unity with Christ
• Unity with One Another

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The Effect of the Eucharist

• Be careful, then, to observe a single Eucharist.
  For there is one flesh of our Lord, Jesus
  Christ, and one cup of His blood that makes us
  one, and one altar, just as there is one bishop
  along with the presbytery and the deacons, my
  fellow slaves (Saint Ignatius of Antioch, 2nd
  Century).
• As this broken bread was scattered upon the
  mountains, and gathered together became one, so
  may Your Church be gathered together from the
  ends of the earth into Your kingdom for Yours is
  the glory and the power through Jesus Christ for
  ever and ever (Didache, 1st/2nd Century).

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Approaching the Eucharist

• Trust that this is the Body and Blood of our Lord
  Jesus Christ
• Testimony from the Gospels
• Testimony from Saint Paul
• 1 Corinthians 1016
• 1 Corinthians 1130

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Approaching the Eucharist

• I take no delight in corruptible food or in
  dainties of this life. What I want is Gods
  bread, which is the flesh of Christ, who came
  from Davids line and for drink I want His
  blood an immortal love feast indeed (Saint
  Ignatius of Antioch, 2nd Century).
• For we do not receive these things as common
  bread or common drink . . . So also we have been
  taught that the food consecrated by the word of
  prayer which comes from Him, from which our flesh
  and blood are nourished by transformation, is the
  flesh and blood of that incarnate Jesus (Saint
  Justin Martyr, 2nd Century).

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Approaching the Eucharist

• Contemplate therefore the Bread and Wine not as
  bare elements, for they are, according to the
  Lords declaration, the Body and Blood of Christ
  for though sense suggests this to thee, let faith
  establish thee. Judge not the matter from taste,
  but from faith be fully assured without
  misgiving, that thou has been vouchsafed the Body
  and Blood of Christ (Saint Cyril of Jerusalem,
  4th Century).

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Preparing for the Eucharist

• Faith and Baptism
• Do not give what is holy to the dogs nor cast
  your pearls before swine, lest they trample them
  under their feet, and turn and tear you in
  pieces (Matthew 76).

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Preparing for the Eucharist

• Faith and Baptism
• no one is allowed to partake except one who
  believes that the things we teach are true, and
  has received the washing for forgiveness of sins
  and for rebirth, and who lives as Christ handed
  down to us
• (Saint Justin Martyr, 2nd Century).

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Preparing for the Eucharist

• Repentance
• But let a man examine himself, and so let him
  eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he
  who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats
  and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning
  the Lords body (1 Corinthians 1128-29).

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Preparing for the Eucharist

• The Liturgy Itself Prepares Us
• And we ask You, O Lord our God we Your sinful
  and unworthy servants, we worship You by the
  pleasure of Your goodness that Your Holy Spirit
  descend upon us and upon these gifts set forth,
  and purify them, change them, and manifest them
  as a sanctification of Your saints (The Divine
  Liturgy of St. Basil, the Inaudible Prayer of the
  Epiclesis)

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Glory is due to God Forever. Amen.