Reflections

Worship is, will be and should be Triune 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 Rev. Abraham Kuruvilla Princeton Theological Seminary, NJ 13 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. In the last one year of my study at Princeton Theological seminary, I experienced the fellowship in worship on a new level. Here at Princeton Seminary I worship with the faithful believers who come from different denominational backgrounds. These are denominations that are divided over various issues outside this worship place. However, within this worship place they are united in worship. When I think of it, I believe that this is what worship in heaven will look like. It is a worship in which fellowship, oneness and diversity exists together. This is the worship that “is, will be, and should be.” The act of fellowship involves the action of acceptance. Acceptance transcends the prejudices we would have towards others. The Holy S...

The Holy Trinity John 1:1-18 Dr. Vino Daniel Philadelphia MTC, PA 14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. The “Trinity” is a description of the unique relationship of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The doctrine of the Trinity is as follows: We worship One God, who is manifest in three distinct Persons. In the Tri-unity of the Godhead there are Three-in-One, of the same substance: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are equally God in their being, power, holiness and eternality. God is one in essence and three in Person. Scripture affirms both the oneness of God and the deity of the Father, Son and Spirit. The Father is our Creator, the Son our Redeemer, and the Spirit our Sanctifier. The word “Trinity” comes from the Latin word "Tri-unitos", which means "three in the unity of one." They are distinct, yet not s...

Come Holy Spirit Renew Ezekiel 11:17-21 Lisa Skaria Staten Island MTC, NY 18 When they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. 19 I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh I’ve never been to a spa before but many of my friends have. They always tell that before going in for their session that they are tense and stressed, but when they leave the session a refreshing feeling comes over them and it’s as if they are renewed. Now granted, I don’t desire to go to the spa anytime soon, but I can understand and relate to the feeling of refreshing and renewal of my mind and body. Every Sunday is my “spa” time. When I go to church to sing and worship God I leave feeling refreshed and renewed. It’s my time to cry/pray/vent and just have a conversation with God. Sundays are mine to thank God for everything that he has blessed me with....

Come Holy Spirit Renew Joel 2:28-32 Rev. Shinoi Joseph Long Island MTC, NY 28 Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. 29 Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. The book of Joel is one of the prophetic books of the Old Testament. This book not only speaks about God’s Judgement upon the Israelite community but also gives the hope of the glorious future that God’s people are going to experience if they return back to Yahweh. The prophet sees the terrible drought, a massive invasion of locusts and the constant threat of enemies as God’s way of punishments. God the Creator uses nature and Israel’s enemies as His means of divine Judgement. However, this book also speaks about hope and restoration. God ...

Come Holy Spirit John 16:1-11 Abraham Mattackal MTC of Los Angeles, CA  7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.  The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity- just as much God as the Father and the Son. According to Jesus, one of the purposes of the Spirit was to seek  and save the lost  by convincing them  of certain things: First, when we knowingly or unknowingly commit sins, the Spirit makes us uncomfortable with our wrong doings. Second, the Spirit makes us to feel the need of God's righteousness in our lives. Lastly the Spirit makes us sense the urgency to make decisions  because of the coming Judgment Day One of the primary responsibilities of God's spirit is convicting people of their sins and making them aware of the importance of repenting their sins and witnessing...

Come Holy Spirit Renew Romans 8:12-39 Dr. Thomas K. Jose  MTC Staten Island, NY 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. Paul divides people into two categories... those who are dominated by their sinful nature and those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that directs us to do what is right and what is wrong. Galatians 4:22-23 it says “throw of your old nature and your former way of life which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead let the Holy Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature created to be like God truly righteous and Holy." In order to live a victorious life we need the Holy Spirit in us always. When we trust Jesus completely and accept His Lordship the Holy Spirit lives in us. We will be empowered then to serve God and to do his will and we will become part of God’s plan to build up the church. The Holy Spirit is God’s promise of eternal life for those who believ...

Waiting Upon the Holy Spirit Acts 19:1-6 Abraham Thariath Epiphany MTC, NY  6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied Holy Spirit is the power of the Lord, a member and aspect of the Trinity, who manifests himself in various situations depending on the need, and is visible through his manifestations. Holy Spirit “is the Lord and giver of life who proceeds from the father, who with the Father and Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets and apostles,” as the Nicene Creed states. The Holy Spirit was an agent of the creation, as we can deduct from the reference that “the power of God (the spirit of God) was moving over the water;” and besides During the Old Testament period he prepared and empowered leaders of Israel   for their God-appointed assignments. In the beginning of the New Testament, Holy Spirit prepares Virgin Mary for the birth of Jesus Christ, son of God...

Waiting Upon the Holy Spirit Acts 1:15-26 Roshan Varrghese Epiphany MTC, NY 16 “Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus Rodney Parsley, a prominent American Christian minister once said, “The baptism of the spirit will do for you, what a phone booth did for Clark Kent, it will change you into a different being.”  When we picture the essence of the Holy Spirit we see the common sweet, quiet, gentle ministry of the Holy Spirit as a Comforter, but in this passage we  see another aspect of the Holy Spirit.  We see the awesome invincibility of the Holy Spirit and the unflinching, unwavering zeal for the glory of God.   The discipline of waiting on the Holy Spirit is a powerful reminder to us  that we are  not to be the one ultimately in charge. We need to be reminded of that often. When we truly learn to wait on God, we discover that...

Waiting Upon the Holy Spirit Psalm 34 Angie Mathews St. John's MTC, NY   7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Loneliness, discouragement, depression and fear of the unknown; to name a few; grind our daily lives from time to time and steal the joy from us. We try to find a way to live beyond it and seek comfort from the Bible's most beloved book- “Psalms" David, author of Psalm 34, was a man after God's own heart. In many ways he was an extraordinary man - intelligent, handsome, a gifted musician, poet, warrior and an able administrator. Yet, he was an ordinary man with destructive passion and a life with personal tragedies. In spite of his weakness, David's life offers hope to all of us through his enduring trust in God.   In 1 Samuel chapter 21 and 22, we see David's life on a downward swirl of events. He also experienced the same discouragement, loneliness and fear like any one of us. He was a ma...

Waiting Upon the Holy Spirit Acts 11:1-11 Dr. Thomas K. Jose MTC Staten Island, NY 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. In the book of Acts, Luke continues the story he began in his previous gospel and covers the short span of time after Jesus has resurrected from this world. It was during this time that the church was established and the gospel was spread and preached to different parts of the world through ordinary men with human frailties and limitations and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Jesus told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem till they are anointed and filled with the Holy Spirit God has promised, before they  scatter to many parts of the world. Jesus said John the Baptist was baptized with water but soon “you will be baptized with the Holy spirit”. Trinity specifically speaks about the holy relationship of God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. ...

Waiting Upon the Holy Spirit Isaiah 40:25-31 Mathew Lukose Epiphany MTC, NY 31 but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Neal A. Maxwell is quoted as saying “Faith in God includes faith in His timing”. That can seem to be a challenge when living in an instant gratification era but in today’s scripture we see God’s promise that “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength”.  Waiting upon the Holy Spirit is an act of living in hope.  In John 14:16 -17 we read Jesus said “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth”. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.”  In verse 25 Jesus promised his followers “but the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind yo...

The Love of Yuhanon Thirumeni John 14:15-21 Rev. Abraham Kuruvilla Princeton Theological Seminary, NJ 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. During the tumultuous years of the Mar Thoma church, when the church was rocked with controversies of the K. N. Daniel case, the church was led under the stalwart leadership of Yuhanon Mar Thoma Metrapolitan. It is been often said that, even amidst all the problems, Thirumeni cared and loved K. N. Daniel as a father would love a son. How could Thirumeni love a person who divided the Church into two factions? It is through the Spirit of love (vs 15, 21; Gal 5: 22). Jesus said “whoever has my commands…” (vs 21) and the greatest commandment He laid down was one of love (Matt 22: 36 - 40). Love is the first and the greatest fruit of the Holy Spirit. When we are in love with somebody we bear, tolerate, persevere, and endure in that love. It is the way the Holy Spirit works towards perfection in love. But alas, the Church is ...