Prof. M. M. Ninan Marthoma Church of San Francisco Bay Area

Why is the horse not laughing? Levels of cognitions

Levels of cognitions

We live in four floors The Hebrew Cosmology (Mar 4:11) And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables; (Mar 4:12) so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand; lest they should turn again, and be forgiven."

We live in four floors

The sacraments are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, given by Christ as a means by which we receive that grace.

Experiential Sonship of God through Christ Spiritual understanding Spiritual Assurance Intellectual understanding Intellectual anchoring Fruits of the Spirit: Christianity in action Tangible Rites and Rituals

SACRAMENTS ARE MANY – main ones are: Family Prayer, Grace Before food, Sunday Church, Bible Studies, Prayer meetings,Laying on of hands, Hand shakes, Graduation parties, birthday parties ……..???????

Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Ordination

Rites of Intensification Prayer – family, group, community Worship Communion Bible Studies Revival meetings

The seven sacraments touch all the stages and all the important moments of Christian life. There is thus a certain resemblance between the stages of natural life and the stages of the spiritual life.

THE SACRAMENTS OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION 1. The Sacrament of Baptism

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Mat 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Mat 28:20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." Mar 16:15 And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. Mar 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

BAPTISM DOES NOT SAVE It is only a process of making the person a disciple. Godfather Parents Community of Faith (Church)

Role of family in Discipling

Role of the Church in discipling

2. The Sacrament of Confirmation: Discipling

Lord’s Prayer Apostle’s Creed Nicean Creed (Rom 10:9-10) because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, For ever and ever. Amen

3. Holy Communion

"Recall then that you have received the spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgement and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God's presence. Guard what you have received. God the Father has marked you with his sign; Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has placed his pledge, the Spirit, in your hearts." (St. Ambrose) Baptism, Holy Communion, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the "sacraments of Christian initiation,"

You are a full fledged member of the Church of Christ.

"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-Jews or Greeks, slaves or free-and all were made to drink of one Spirit" (First Corinthians 12.12, 13).

THE SACRAMENTS OF HEALING 4.The Sacrament of Reconciliation Healing the mind and the spirit

"The father turned to his servants: 'Quick! Bring out the finest robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and kill it. We will celebrate and have a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has come back to life. He was lost and is found.' And the celebration began."  Luke 16:23-24

5. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick: Healing the body

"If anyone is sick, let him call on the elders of the Church "If anyone is sick, let him call on the elders of the Church. They shall pray for him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer said in faith will save the sick man; the Lord will raise him up and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven."  James 5:13-15

6. The Sacrament of Matrimony Christian maturity - adulthood

"They are no longer two, therefore, but one body."                             "They are no longer two, therefore, but one body." Matthew 19:6 Ready to build a Christian family (2Co 6:14) Do not be mismated with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

7. The Sacrament of Holy Orders

The whole Church is a priestly people The whole Church is a priestly people. Through Baptism all the faithful share in the priesthood of Christ. This participation is called the "common priesthood of the faithful." Based on this common priesthood and ordered to its service, there exists another participation in the mission of Christ: the ministry conferred by the sacrament of Holy Orders, where the task is to serve in the name and in the person of Christ the Head in the midst of the community.

Servant robe of Priesthood Mat 20:25-27 but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave.

Washed with the blood of the lamb.

Vestments The upside down world - Slave is the King HIGH PRIESTLY ROBE

The elements: Seperated for holy purposes

1 Corinthians 11:23-28 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." .                                                                                            

In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Sacrifice of Praise Kingdom Feast

Profaning, because he is partaking "without discerning the body" Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself Profaning, because he is partaking "without discerning the body"

Greet each other with a Kiss of Peace 1Co 11:30- 34 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we should not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are chastened so that we may not be condemned along with the world. So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another-- if any one is hungry, let him eat at home--lest you come together to be condemned. Greet each other with a Kiss of Peace

Once and for all

This is the New Covenant in My Blood

                                                                Agape Feast

Choose this day whom you will serve.

This is the church

This is the church The body of Christ

This is the church The body of Christ Omega Point (1Co 15:28) When all things are subjected to him, .. God may be everything to ever..y one

Worthiness to partake. Holy things are for holy people.

Enter into the Joy