@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'

Oneness That Empowers & Equips

Your connection with Jesus

Jesus said, “The Son can do nothing of Himself” (Jn.5:17,19;8:18). “I can of Myself do nothing” (Jn.5:30). “I do nothing of Myself” (Jn.8:28). Jesus was the Son of God, but He did what He did as a man walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. Following His ascension, He asked His Father to send the Holy Spirit, which He did on the day of Pentecost following the ascension. From that moment, Christ’s followers were empowered to live as He lived and even do greater things than He did (John 14:12). Not only are we supernaturally empowered through our oneness with Christ, but this union also means that we have something of value to share and to say. You will have something from God to teach and share with others. Jesus said, “My doctrine (teaching) is not Mine, but His that sent Me” (Jn.7:16; 8:26,38). He said, “I have not spoken of Myself, but the Father gave Me commandment what to speak (Jn.10:25,37-38; 14:10-11). You have a message to share. It’s a unique message. It’s your story, the story of all that Jesus has done for you, and all that Jesus has shared with you. You know stuff others need to know, but they’ll only know if you tell them.