The Two Comings of Christ - Cyril of Jerusalem

We preach not one advent only of Christ, but a second also, far more glorious than the former. For the former gave a view of His patience; but the latter brings with it the crown of a divine kingdom. For all things, for the most part, are twofold in our Lord Jesus Christ…. In His former advent, He was wrapped in swaddling clothes in the manger; in His second, He covers Himself with light as with a garment. In His first coming, He endured the Cross, despising shame (Hebrews 12:2); in His second, He comes attended by a host of Angels, receiving glory. We rest not then upon His first advent only, but look also for His second. And as at His first coming we said, Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord , so will we repeat the same at His second coming; that when with Angels we meet our Master, we may worship Him and say, Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord. The Savior comes, not to be judged again, but to judge them who judged Him; He who before held His peace when judged , shall remind the transgressors who did those daring deeds at the Cross, and shall say, These things have you done, and I kept silence. Then, He came because of a divine dispensation, teaching men with persuasion; but this time they will of necessity have Him for their King, even though they wish it not.

Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 15

The Spiritual Pilgrimage of Lent

Your invitation to The Spiritual Pilgrimage of Lent

What is Lent? 

Lent is a season of the historic church year passed down from the earliest days of the church and observed from Ash Wednesday to Easter. It is 40 days in length not counting Sundays which are considered min-Easter celebrations. Because Lent lasts for 40 days it recalls Christ’s fasting during his temptation/testing in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). Lent is a penitential season that is marked by the stripping away of those things which compete for our allegiance to Jesus.

Like a pilgrimage where one encounters places they don’t normally tread, so Lent takes us on a spiritual pilgrimage through our own wilderness right up to the foot of the cross on Good Friday and into the glorious empty garden tomb of Easter morning. By saying yes to Lent you say yes to an unexpected, challenging, and rewarding pilgrimage in which you come to know yourself and Christ’s love for you more deeply.

why should I consider entering into the spiritual pilgrimage of Lent? 

It should be noted that there is no biblical mandate to observe Lent, nor does observing it earn us "browny points" with God. In Christ we are fully accepted and forgiven and nothing we do can cause God to love us more - Praise God! So why practice Lent? Lent is a physical and spiritual rhythm that helps us be conformed to the image of Christ. How so?

1) Observing Lent reminds us of our deep need for a Savior.

2) Observing Lent reminds us of the frailty and shortness of life and helps us reprioritize our lives (loves, desires, thoughts, actions, etc)

3) Lent prepares are heart for the celebration of Easter. If you want to grow in Christlikeness and experience spiritual renewal, Lent is for you.

How can I observe Lent this year? 

There is no rule or law that you must follow to observe Lent, however, there are some time tested biblical practices we can learn from. 

1) Gather with other believers in observing this Holy Season.

Join us at Trinity (or any congregation that follows the historic church calendar) for the special services and activities of the season. At Trinity we will be focusing on the theme of Lent on Sundays, as well as special mid-week events such at an Ash Wednesday Service, Vespers service, Stations of the Cross, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. We also will be coming together for mercy ministry projects throughout the season.

What the Super Bowl is to NFL fans, the final three days of Lent (“Paschal Triduum”) are to Christians. It is THE central three days that shook the universe. What happened in these three days that is so important? It marks the time that the God-Man willingly laid down His life for the sins of the world and not only paid the price for those sins but also conquered death by rising again! We mark these days with one service over three days that begins on Maundy Thursday where we remember where Christ instituted Holy Communion the the Church, continues into Good Friday where we remember Christ’s once and for all sacrifice for the sins of the world, and Holy Saturday where we celebrate the Easter Vigil/the conquering of death through resurrection. Let me invite, invest yourself fully in these three days. There is no more important activity than taking a few hours over these three days to reflect and meditate upon the Lord Jesus’ salvific work on your behalf. I strongly encourage you to make this a priority for you and your family.

2) The three historic practices:

Pick-up one of our Lenten guides on Sunday which will help guide you through the following three spiritual disciplines during the season. Here is also a helpful family Lenten guide.

Fasting - Fasting is the practice of giving up something perfectly good for the purpose of feeling it's lack in our lives. Fasting is never easy but always a huge spiritual blessing. Fasting can come in many forms but the type most mentioned in Scripture is fasting from food in order to dedicate ourselves to a season of prayer and repentance. Consider fasting from a single type of food (sweets, coke, alcohol, etc), a single meal every week, or maybe even a whole day every week (Friday's are traditional to remind us of Christ's betrayal on that day). It's common to fast (or partial fast) during holy week on Maundy- Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Other types of fasting include technology, tv, sports, music, etc. Pretty much anything can be fasted from. If this is your first time to observe Lent I encourage you to start easy and keep it simple. 

Prayer - Prayer is pouring our heart out before God and listening to Him speak to us through His Word. Let's be honest, prayer is hard. It requires discipline to set the time aside and to not just pray for ourselves. Lent is a season we put a special focus on prayer in confessing our sins, asking God to change our hearts, praying for others, and the needs in the world. I encourage you to commit to finding a silent place to pray for 5-10 minutes every day. Set a timer and pray. 

Almsgiving/Generosity - During this season we also place a special focus on those in need. We recognize there are many forms of need - emotional, spiritual, physical, etc). I would encourage you and your family to identify a need in our area - it could be a family, individual, ministry, etc - that you can give a special financial gift to. Who do you rub shoulders with that you know has need right now? It might be a few people or just one. Ask the Lord to place someone in your path and on your heart. Discuss it and prayer about it as a family.

Is Lent supposed to be hard? 

Yep. In the same way that Christ fasted and was tempted in the wilderness before his ministry, so we too enter into a difficult season of self-denial. Self-denial pulls back the layers on what makes us tick, where we find comfort, how we respond to hardship, and forces us to rest in Jesus. It doesn't always feel spiritual but it will produce spiritual fruit as we ask the Spirit to work in our hearts and minds. God uses difficult season to purify us, Lent is such a season. Think of it like Marine bootcamp. Bootcamp is not an indefinite season but rather a short season to refine, equip, and purify the recruits. 

An Invitation

The season of Lent is a gracious invitation offered to you. On Ash Wednesday our church hears the following invitation into this holy season:

Dear brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ, on this day the Church begins a holy season of prayerful and penitential reflection. Our attention is especially directed to the holy sufferings and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

From ancient times the season of Lent has been kept as a time of special devotion, self-denial, and humble repentance born of a faithful heart that dwells confidently on His Word and draws from it life and hope. 

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent: by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and alms-giving; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.

Let us pray that our dear Father in heaven, for the sake of His beloved Son and in the power of His Holy Spirit, might richly bless this Lententide for us so that we may come to Easter with glad hearts and keep the feast in sincerity and truth.

How to Celebrate the Resurrection of our Savior

Forty days of Lent is drawing to a close; we are walking through Holy Week and are about to arrive at the biggest celebration of the Church Year, Easter Sunday! But Easter isn't just one lone day at the end of weeks of fasting, prayer, and reflection. Easter Sunday kicks off the season of Easter, which lasts 50 days until Pentecost Sunday.

In the cycle of the Church Year, seasons of fasting are followed by seasons of feasting. So how can we press into a season of feasting and celebrating our Savior's resurrection for the next 50 days? Here are several ideas; hopefully you can find a couple that will work for you and your family this year!

Easter Sunday

It's a celebration, so let's party! A party looks different depending on the person, house and family you come from, but a party usually incorporates the five senses. There might be music, some fun activities, almost always good food, and maybe even some decorations. Think about how you want to celebrate Christ's resurrection tomorrow; maybe it's a playlist of Easter worship and hymns that you put on first thing in the morning, or your grandma's famous coffee cake for breakfast. It might be a special meal for dinner, or a banner that says "He is Risen!" You might want to fill your house with Easter lilies, yellow daffodils and pink tulips. Of all the days to go all out on a celebration, Resurrection Sunday is the day!

Even though we will be in our homes for worship services this year, we can still continue the sense of celebration by dressing up in our Easter best. If you have something white, you might want to wear it to remind yourself of your baptism and the new life we have in Christ! 

The Week Following Easter

We can keep following Jesus' footsteps even beyond Holy Week. Here are two recommendations for you to try sometime during the week after Easter Sunday:

1. Fish for Breakfast

Read the beautiful story in John 21, where Jesus appears to the disciples and makes them fish and bread for breakfast. Yes, the resurrected Christ cooks breakfast for a bunch of fishermen! After you read this passage, go ahead and eat some fish for breakfast! Baked white fish with eggs and toast could be a place to start, but if you have a fire pit, wrap some fish in foil and make it really authentic. Or if fish for breakfast just isn't your thing, try going fishing after reading this passage. 

2. Take an "Emmaus Walk"

Read Luke 24:13-35, and then take a walk with a neighbor, friend or your family and discuss a topic from Scripture, or talk about what it would have been like to be these followers of Jesus having this conversation on the road.

The Season of Easter

Here are some ideas for keeping the joy and celebration of the resurrection before us in the 50 days of Eastertide:

1. Listen to Easter music. 

Use a playlist like this one or pick a different Easter hymn/song to learn each week during this season. You could sing this song every morning after breakfast or each night after dinner.

2. Keep your Easter decor up until Pentecost. 

If you have a cross you could drape it with a white cloth, or maybe you want to make or purchase a special sign or banner that says," He Lives!" or "He is Risen!" to keep out during the season of Easter.

3. Party every week!

Pick a certain day of the week and plan a party on that day every week of Eastertide! It doesn't have to be complicated-you could have a Blue Bell ice cream party, a water balloon party, an Easter music jam session (if you're the musical type!), a game of hide and seek (read John 20:19 and talk about how the disciples went into hiding after Jesus' crucifixion), or a movie night (Maybe something like Ben Hur (1959) or Jesus of Nazareth (1977), or another family favorite. Be sure to preview before showing to your kids!).

4. Make or buy a special candle to remind you of the resurrection, and light it at breakfast or dinner each day during the season of Easter. Try this DIY idea. 

5. Join Natalie every Monday of Eastertide for an Easter themed children's book read aloud on our YouTube channel:

The Feast of Epiphany

Epipha-what?

Epiphany, January 6, is the official end of the 12 days of Christmas. Many Christians celebrate this day by remembering the journey of the Magi who found their way to Jesus by following a bright heavenly body, usually represented by a star. 

Epiphany means "revealing" or "manifestation" and historically was one of the three great feasts of the Church (Epiphany, Easter, and Pentacost). Originally, Epiphany (Jan 6th) was what Christmas (Dec 25th) is for us today, the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Today we retain both celebrations, with Christmas focusing on the birth of Jesus, and Epiphany focusing on the work of Jesus as the Light of the world. As with Christmas which is celebrated on a single day but also has a "season" following it (12 Days of Christmas), so Epiphany is celebrated on January 6th and has a season following it that runs until Lent begins, usually 5-9 weeks depending upon where Easter falls.

The major texts we tend to meditate upon during this season are the visitation of the magi, the baptism of Jesus, and the first miracle of Jesus turning water into wine. All of these events reveal who Jesus is as King of Kings, Son of God, and all-powerful. Each year as we read these events from Scripture, we are invited to experience anew the epiphany of Christ’ identity.

2 Timothy 1:9-10, “Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,”

Epiphany is a time of great celebration and rejoicing. During Advent we spent four weeks waiting and anticipating the coming King, Christmas we celebrated his arrival and birth, and Epiphany we continue that rejoicing as we see Him manifest Himself as God and Savior.

Here are a few ways you can celebrate Epiphany with your family:

1) Chalk your Front Door with an Epiphany house blessing.

2. Have your kids make King crowns from craft paper

3) Bake a Kings Cake (Many bake a small figurine/toy baby into the cake to be discovered just as the magi discovered Jesus)

4. Save one Christmas gift for each child to be opened on Epiphany.

5. Break out the telescope for stargazing or visit an observatory.

6. Listen to some Epiphany music.

Prayer for Epiphany 
O God, by the leading of a star You made known Your only-begotten Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A blessed Epiphany to you and your family!

Observing Advent - Part II

As promised, here is the second installment of our Advent recommendations for you and your family! These are some extras to help you find ways to make this season of Advent a meaningful one. Book recommendations, ornaments with the names of God, and saints days are covered here; and scroll to the bottom for our Spotify Advent playlist!

Picture Book Recommendations

Books to read the day you put out Advent calendars and decorate your Christmas tree:

Waiting for Christmas: A Story about the Advent Calendar

The Legend of the Christmas Tree

Some beautiful picture books that are based on the biblical story of Christmas:

The Story of Christmas (Golden Book)

The Story of Christmas

A Baby Born in Bethlehem

The Christmas Story According to Luke

The Very First Christmas

Song of the Stars

Three great choices for telling the real story behind Santa Claus:

Saint Nicholas and the Nine Gold Coins

Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend

The Legend of the Christmas Stocking

Picture books based on the history of a Christmas carol, or containing the lyrics:

Silent Night

The First Noel

The Friendly Beasts

Silent Night, Holy Night (Traditions of Faith series)

Go Tell It On The Mountain

A good book to read on Saint Lucia Day:

Lucia Saint of Light

And some additional favorites:

The Legend of the Candy Cane

Annika's Secret Wish

Mortimer's Christmas Manger

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

The Gift of the Magi

The Wonder of Christmas

Christmas Around the World

Great Joy

Apple Tree Christmas

The Tale of Three Trees

Christmas Day in the Morning

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree

Reading Recommendations for Adults (or kids ready to listen to/independently read longer books and poetry)

A Christmas Carol

Waiting on the Word: A Poem a Day for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany

I Saw Three Ships

The Christmas Stories and Poems of George MacDonald

Jotham's Journey

This last book is actually a children's chapter book. The story follows an adventurous journey of a boy during the time of Christ's birth, and his journey intersects with the Christmas story throughout the book. Great family read aloud, although be aware you may need to edit out some of the scary scenes for younger listeners!

Ever Thine Home Ornaments

Ever Thine Home, a part of FamilyLife ministry, sells a variety of sets of different ornaments that focus on the names of God. One of these sets, His Eternal Names, includes a family devotional and activity that can be done throughout the month of December leading up to Christmas. You can find the details here.

Celebrate Special Saint's Days

1) St. Nicholas Day, December 6th

Did you know Saint Nicholas was a real person? He lived in Asia Minor in the third century, and was a Christian bishop. Legend has it that he was known for his generosity to those in need. One story tells of a poor family with three daughters who could never be married because their father didn't have the dowry money needed to arrange marriages for them. Nicholas secretly gave three bags of coins to this family by throwing them down their chimney; according to the legend, these bags landed in the daughter's stockings which were hanging up to dry.

On this day we like to read a book about St. Nicholas (see three good choices above) and discuss ways we can show generosity to others just as St. Nicholas did. This would be a great day to plan an act of service as a family! We also like to hang up our stockings on this day, and sometimes leave chocolate coins in the kid's shoes as well.

2) St. Lucia Day, December 13th

This is a day to remember Lucia, an early Christian martyr. This wealthy young woman used her dowry to help those in need. As legend has it, Lucia would travel into the catacombs where persecuted Christians were hiding, with candles on her head to free up her hands for the food she carried to them.

St. Lucia Day became particularly popular in Sweden, and is celebrated by having the oldest daughter in the family wear a crown of candles and deliver saffron buns and gingersnaps to her parents first thing in the morning on December 13th. We love to deliver these to friends and neighbors later in the day as well! See above list for a picture book biography to read on this day.

Our favorite recipes for this day:

Saffron Buns

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup milk

• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

• 1 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup sugar

• One 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast

• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 cup butter, softened

• 1/4 cup of sour cream

• 2 large eggs

• Raisins

• 1 egg, beaten
  

1. In a small pot, heat the milk, saffron, and 1 teaspoon of sugar together until the milk is steamy. Remove from heat and let cool until about 115°.

2. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.

3. Whisk together 3 1/2 cups of the flour, remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, salt.

4. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast milk saffron mixture, the eggs, the butter, and the sour cream. Mix the ingredients until well incorporated.

5. Use a dough hook on a stand mixer (or mix by hand) on low speed. Slowly add additional flour, a tablespoon at a time, kneading to incorporate after each addition. Do this until the dough is still a little sticky to the touch, but does not completely stick to your hands when you handle it.

6. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. (Note at this point you can refrigerate overnight and bake in the morning.)

7. Let sit in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size. 

8. When the dough has doubled in size, gently press it down and knead it a couple of times. Break off a piece and form it into a ball about 2 inches wide. Roll the ball out into a snake, about 14 inches long.

9. Then curl the ends in opposite directions, forming an "S" with spirals at each end. Place on a lined baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough.

10. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough shapes double, 30 minutes to an hour.

11. Preheat oven to 400°F. Using a pastry brush, brush some beaten egg over the tops and sides of the uncooked buns. Place raisins in the centers of the "S" spirals.

12. Place in the oven and bake at 400°F for about 10 to 11 minutes (turning halfway through cooking to ensure even browning), until the buns are golden brown.

13. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before eating.

Gingersnaps

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 egg

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup white sugar for decoration

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cup white sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and molasses until well blended. Combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; stir into the molasses mixture to form a dough. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll the balls in the remaining sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Last but not least we have an Advent Spotify playlist for you! This playlist includes classic Christmas carols, but also some beautiful lesser known Advent hymns. Happy listening, and may this season be a blessed one for you and your family!

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Feast of All Saints' Day

Helping families find ways to allow the life-giving truth of Christ to permeate day-to-day life is something we are passionate about here at Trinity! Following the church year can be a great way to do this, so today we are talking about All Saints' Day, celebrated on November 1st.

What is All Saints' Day?

Originally All Saints' Day was a day set aside to remember the martyrs of the early church, who had given their lives for their faith in Christ. Today we remember not only these martyrs, but all the faithful who have died in Christ, encompassing the faithful in the Bible, the early church, the more recent past, and even friends or family members who are now in heaven. 1 Corinthians 1:2 tells us that all who are in Christ are saints. The word "saint" is derived from a Greek verb (hagiazo) whose basic meaning is "to set apart, " "sanctify, " or "make holy." This title doesn't just belong to a select few Christians but to each and every person who has been forgiven in Christ Jesus. What Memorial Day is to America, All Saints’ Day is to the Church, a day of remembrance and thankfulness.

Why celebrate All Saints' Day?

All Saints' Day is a great opportunity to reflect on God's faithfulness, to thank Him for the example of faithful believers, and to be inspired by this example. This could be a great time to share with your kids about a faithful grandparent or mentor who God used to draw you closer to Him. You might want to read the story of a faithful saint from the Bible, or a biography of a missionary or early church figure. As we retell the story of the faithful Christians who have gone before, we give our children (and ourselves) a vision for what God could do through us, and our hearts are drawn in faith and praise to Him for His work throughout the ages in ordinary individuals just like us.

How can we celebrate All Saints' Day?

Here are a few ideas to choose from for celebrating this day with your family:

1) Attend a service at a church that celebrates All Saints' Day. At Trinity this Sunday Pastor Matthew will preach on this theme.

2) Read and discuss a passage of Scripture that talks about the saints throughout time, such as: Revelation 7:2-17.

3) Read a biography about a famous Christian from history. Here are a few of our favorites:

Trial and Triumph: Stories from Church History by Richard Hannula

Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie DePaola

Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World by Paul Maier

The Simonetta Carr biographies

Missionary biographies

4) Share about the life of a faithful Christian you knew personally who is now in heaven, and take a moment to thank God as a family for this saint.

5) All Saints Prayer to pray as a family

Almighty and everlasting God, You knit together Your faithful people of all times and places into one holy communion, the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that, together with them, we may come to the unspeakable joys You have prepared for those who love You; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

(Treasury of Daily Prayer)

Let's take some time this November 1st to thank God for the faithful that make up the body of Christ; in heaven and on earth, famous or little known, and to be encouraged to trust in His faithfulness to help us and our children run the race He has for us!