@FirstChurchofJerusalem
Today's Early Church Wisdom
“I shall not hesitate also to put into ordered form for you, along with the interpretations, everything I learned carefully in the past from the elders and noted down carefully, for the truth of which I vouch. For unlike most people, I took no pleasure in those who told many different stories, but only in those who taught the truth. Nor did I take pleasure in those who reported their memory of someone else’s commandments, but only in those who reported their memory of the commandments given by the Lord to the faith and proceeding from the Truth itself. And if by chance anyone who had been in attendance on the elders arrived, I made enquiries about the words of the elders—what Andrew or Peter had said, or Philip or Thomas or James or John or Matthew or any other of the Lord’s disciples, and whatever Aristion and John the Elder, the Lord’s disciples, were saying. For I did not think that information from the books would profit me as much as information from a living and surviving voice.
~ Papias of Hierapolis (c. 60–130 AD) From the Preface to his lost ‘Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord’
This week's Psalm is Psalm 31 'My Rock, My Shield, My Song'

Founded on Love

Christ, the solid rock

The first church at Jerusalem, established by Jesus Christ, stands as the ultimate example of a community driven by love. This love was not merely a sentiment but a profound, actionable force that permeated every aspect of the church's life. The driving
force of love in the Jerusalem church finds its genesis in the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. His life was a testament to selfless love, exemplified through acts of healing, teaching, and ultimately, His sacrificial death. This foundational love was the cornerstone upon which the early church was built and sustained. Jesus’ love was more than an historic reality. It was a daily presence, guiding the people of God in a living movement of global restoration. The day of Christ's resurrection, regarded by the Ancient Orthodox Church as the church's birthday, marked the inception of a community bound by this divine love. From that day, to the degree that men and women choose to abide in Christ
and obey His commandments (John 15:4), love has prevailed through a human group
on earth.