Thursday April 14/27ns 2023 • Apostles Arístarchos, Pudens, & Tróphimos of the 70; Martyr Thomaḯs the Chaste > ABOUT THE WONDERFUL PROMISE OF CHRIST by Saint Nikolai Velimirovich

C H R I S T   I S    R I S E N ! 

Apostles Arístarchos, Pudens, & Tróphimos of the 70;
Martyr Thomaḯs the Chaste

 T hey were numbered among the Seventy Apostles. Aristarchus was bishop of Apamea in Syria. The Apostle Paul mentions him several times. "The city was filled with confusion and the people rushed with one accord into the theater, seizing Gaius and Aristarchus" (Acts of the Apostles 19:29). "Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions) if he comes to you, receive him" (Colossians 4:10). "Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as well as Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my co-workers" (Philemon 1:23,24). Aristarchus was captured in Ephesus with Gaius by a multitude of people who had risen up against Paul. The Apostle Paul writes to the Colossians: "Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner sends you his greetings" (Colossians 4:10). In the Epistle to Philemon, Paul calls Aristarchus "my co-worker" together with Mark, Demas and Luke.

Pudens was a distinguished citizen of Rome. The Apostle Paul mentions him once. "Embolus, Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers send greetings"(2 St Timothy 4:21). At first, the home of Pudens was a haven for the Chief Apostles [Peter and Paul] and later it was converted into a place of worship, called the Shepherd's Church.

Tróphimos was from Asia. "Sopater, the son of Pyrrhus, from Beroea, accompanied him, as did Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy and Tychicus and Tróphimos from Asia" (Acts of the Apostles 20:4). He accompanied the apostle on his travel. In one place the Apostle Paul writes: "I left Tróphimos sick at Miletus" (2 St Timothy 4:20).

During the reign of Nero's persecution, when the Apostle Paul was beheaded, all three of these glorious apostles were also beheaded.

Acts 4:23-31 KJV

23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:

25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?

26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Saint John 5:24-30 KJV

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

ABOUT THE WONDERFUL PROMISE OF CHRISTby Saint Nikolai Velimirovich"I will give the victor the right to sit with Me on My throne" (Revelation 3:21).

Don't kid yourself. You are in the ring.

AND DON'T

underestimate your opponent!

This, brethren, is the promise of Christ, the Victor over the devil, sin and death.

But the devil, sin and death are stronger than man. Who can overcome them? No one, except Christ and those who stand firm with Christ and with His weapons enter into battle.

The devil is as old as the world and even older than the world. How can man, whose life-span is measured with a pendulum, defeat him who, for many thousands of years, learns to wage battle against man? How can a mortal overpower all the temptation of the devil, whose number equals the number of sins on earth? By no means, if he does not know that the Lord Jesus conquered the three main types of diabolical temptations on the high mountain. By no means, if a man does not remain firm and steadfast along side Christ Who is older than time and mightier than all the angels, both evil and good.

Sin is as old as the devil. How can man, whose life-span is measured by a pendulum, avoid sin which, as a contagious disease and evil odor, is passed from generation to generation, from man to man since man exists on such an earth? By no means, if he does not know that there existed one Man, the One and Only, Who did not commit sin, neither in birth nor after birth; the God-Man Jesus Christ Who, through the humbleness of His humanity and the fire of His Divinity, crushed sin on the Cross. By no means, if a man does not stand firm with Christ Who is older than sin and Who is mightier than all of the sowers and carriers of sin.

Death is as old as man expelled from Paradise. How can a man, whose life span is measured by a pendulum, conquer death in this worldly grave? By no means, if he does not acknowledge the power of the Cross and the suffering of Christ and the truth of His resurrection from the grave. By no means, if he does not stand firm with Christ, the Almighty Victor over death.

O what a glorious reward for those who achieve victory! They will be seated, crowned with wreaths of glory, on the throne of the greatest Victor on earth and in heaven!

To Him be glory and thanks always. Amen.