Consider the apricot – its fruit is sweet and tasty, but if you try to eat it aggressively, you might break your teeth. Instead, we must be wise, nibbling carefully around the stone pit. God leads us to enjoy life, to savor its deliciousness – and teaches us to avoid the stone pits along the path.

#prautes #SermonPreview #gentleness #fruitofthespirit

The Greek word that we translate as patience is #makrothumia – it’s a compound word, of makron and thumos. Makron means long or far-off – it’s the opposite of mikron. Thumos means temper or “spiritedness”. Together, then, the word means “long-temper” or “far-off-spiritedness.”

🧵1/?
#SermonPreview #makrothymia #patience #etymology #Christianity #fruitofthespirit

Whether digital or physical, we end a letter with a signet – or rather, a signature. A signature is a representation of an oath, binding you to the writing above. It is a sign – a sign that points to the author, and says, “the author stands behind the writing above.” But sometimes, even a sign pointing to the author wasn't enough to ensure the security of a message - something more was needed!

🧵 1/4

#SermonPreview #christianity #sign #seal #baptism #delight #letter #writing #history

The book of Hebrews calls Jesus, "Pioneer of Salvation." Pioneers are the first in to a region, and often blaze a trail behind them for others to follow. Pioneer derives from French, "paonier," a special type of foot soldier, called "pawn" or "peon" in English. The mission of the paonier was to travel ahead of the main army, clearing roads, marking paths, and building bridges.
🧵1/2

#SermonPreview #etymology #pioneer #salvation #Christianity

The word #Angel seems to come from a Persian word for a swift horserider, The means of the message’s travel didn’t matter so much – horse, ship, foot, or wing, all who carried messages were angels.

On #ChristmasEve, an angel appears in a blaze of light, saying to the shepherds: “You have nothing to fear! I come to proclaim good news to you – news of a great joy to be shared by the whole people!”

🧵1/2
#sermonpreview #etymology #Christmas