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Published on November 14, 2025 21:26

Incarnation Fast 1 (Eastern): The Nativity Fast and Its Mysteries

Reading Time: 22 minutes Seasons of Salvation

The Spiritual Mysteries of the Divine Calendar: The Nativity Fast and Its Mysteries ~ November 16–22, 2025 ~

We have completed the first Season of Salvation in the Divine Calendar, and with the essential spiritual principle of How Faith Touches the Heart of Jesus—explored at the conclusion of the Season of the Kingdom of God—we now enter the second Season: the Season of the Incarnation. The first phase of this new Season is the Nativity Fast.

If you attend an Eastern Old Calendar parish, this week would correspond to Week 9 in the Season of the Kingdom of God. The post The Demon-Possessed Man — Restoration and Mission aligns with your current place in the Divine Calendar, even though it follows the Gospel reading for the New Calendar.

The Season of the Incarnation consists of two parts: the Fast (six weeks) and the Feasts (four to five weeks). November 15 / November 28 (Old Calendar) marks the beginning of the forty-day Nativity Fast (also called the Incarnation Fast or St. Phillip’s Fast) leading up to Christmas. We will speak more about the fast below, but first let us consider what we mean by Incarnation.

Why is the Incarnation a part of our salvation?

What is the Incarnation?

God made man in “His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Gen. 1:27, NKJV).

When humanity fell into sin (Gen. 3:6–7), the image of God in man shattered. The Spirit of God lifted—severing our continual communion with Him—and sin entered human nature. Not only did the Spirit lift from man, but the union that existed between Heaven and Earth in Eden was torn.

God had given man “the garden of Eden to tend and keep it” (Gen. 2:15), yet through the Fall we lost the ability to fulfill this commission. That is why we read that, “in the dispensation of the fullness of the times [God will] gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him” (Eph. 1:10).

After Jesus’ Second Coming, God will create “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” (Rev. 21:1). God had called Adam and Eve to extend the union between Heaven and Earth from the Garden outward, until it encompassed the whole world. The Fall paused this plan—until Jesus, as the Son of Man and Son of God, resumed it at His First Coming through His Incarnation.

This is the broad sweep of God’s redemption of creation. But what about the crown of creation—mankind?

Restoring the Fallen Image

After the Fall of Man, the Spirit of God no longer filled our being or sustained our nature. Sin enslaved our mind, will, and emotions. In our brokenness, we turned to the physical creation in a futile attempt to satisfy ourselves and “fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another” (Gal. 5:16b–17a). The tragic culmination of this endless and vain pursuit is death, “for the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23a).

Yet God, in His mercy and love, did not abandon His creation. But how could He save us from sin and death?

Atoning for our sin and clearing our guilt would only be the first step. The Fall shattered the very image of God within us, and that was the root of the problem. How would God restore the glorious image in man? For He had made us “a little lower than the angels, and [had] crowned [us] with glory and honor” (Ps. 8:5).

God had to enter our creation as Adam before he fell. Jesus had to sever our fallen genealogy—where the poison of sin passes from generation to generation—and inaugurate a new lineage for humanity. A new creation. His mission was not only to atone for the sins of the world—majestic as that is—but also to recreate mankind and restore the fallen image.

The Image of God

Jesus entered creation as “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Col. 1:15), “the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person” (Heb. 1:3).

But what is the image of God? It encompasses every part of the human being—our spirit, our consciousness, our nature, and our free existence—reflecting God’s own attributes. Yet we can go further and ask: Who is the image of God? The image of God is Jesus Christ. He is our Prototype. He is the mold in which God formed Adam. Jesus Christ is the ultimate expression of what it means to be human.

With this understanding, we can approach Colossians 1:15–18 with fresh eyes:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”

The Defeat of the Serpent

We read in 1 John 3:8: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

Immediately after the Fall, God declared to Satan: “Because you have done this […] I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head” (Gen. 3:14–15). The “Seed” of the woman—Christ Himself—would crush the serpent’s head.

The miraculous birth of Jesus Christ from the Virgin Mary is the heart of this entire Season of Salvation. The prophet Isaiah foretold it: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14). And the prophet Micah echoes this mystery: “Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth” (Micah 5:3).

These six weeks of fasting prepares our soul for this divine event—the birth of Jesus Christ. The following weeks of feasting then help us unfold and experience the grace that enters our spirits through His Incarnation.

The New Creation

When Virgin Mary “brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger” (Luke 2:7), God granted humanity a new beginning. Jesus bore the likeness of Adam before the Fall, yet—as One who is fully God and fully man, perfectly united without confusion or division—He would never sin in deed, word, or thought.

What is the difference between Adam and Jesus? God created Adam, while Jesus is the uncreated God who entered the world as a man—a human like you and me. Adam fell into sin, but Jesus never did.

You could knock on Jesus’ door, and the warm, joyful presence of a true human would welcome you—two eyes, two ears, a nose, and a smile. Heart to heart, you could speak with God Himself, the One who formed you. How astonishing …

Because Jesus was born of an earthly mother but had a heavenly Father, He severed the sin-carrying lineage passed down from Adam through every generation. Scripture calls Him “the last Adam,” or the second Adam—“a life-giving spirit” (1 Cor. 15:45). And through Him, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17).

Photo by Christian Ruehmer on Unsplash

Our Salvation: “It Is Finished!”

Where does our salvation begin? At the empty tomb of Christ’s Resurrection? At the Cross, when Jesus declared, “It is finished!” (John 19:30)?

What, exactly, was finished?

Jesus “bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed” (1 Pet. 2:24). He completed the atonement for our sins and granted us peace, just as the prophet Isaiah foretold: “The chastisement for our peace was upon Him” (Isa. 53:5). But this was not the only unimaginable work Jesus accomplished on our behalf.

The Apostle Paul writes about a second, profound mystery: “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace” (Eph. 2:14–15).

Creating the New Man

On the Cross, Jesus completed the work of bringing forth a new humanity in Himself. “Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new’” (Rev. 21:5). Just as God finished the first creation on the sixth day—“Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished” (Gen. 2:1)—so Jesus declared on the Cross, “It is finished!” (John 19:30) on a Friday, the sixth day of the week.

The Apostle Paul writes: “Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:16–17).

When Jesus was laid in the tomb, He was placed—figuratively and prophetically—into the earth. “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:40).

And just as “the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Gen 2:7), so Christ rose from the tomb as “the last Adam.” But whereas “‘the first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit” (1 Cor. 15:45).

Partakers of the Divine Nature

So where does our salvation begin? It begins with the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.

His work of salvation is not limited to His death and resurrection. Every single day of His life, Jesus lived on our behalf.

He was born as a baby for us—to give us His innocence. He was presented in the Temple as a forty-day-old child for us—to dedicate us to God, His Father. Jesus lived as a boy for us—to give us His godly youth. The Messiah was baptized in the Jordan for us—to fully identify with sinners and bear our burdens. He fasted in the wilderness for us—to give us His victory over temptation.

And in this manner, Jesus lived His life. He encountered people and performed miracles—to impart the grace of the Prototype of humanity, the Second Adam, the Image of God, and to restore our lost inheritance of creation. Finally, He died and rose again for us—to atone for our sins and grant us His eternal life.

Everything Jesus did, every single day, was for our salvation, that we might receive His divine-human nature. As the Apostle Peter writes: “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature …” (2 Pet. 1:3–4).

God Took Flesh

Jesus entered our world through His Incarnation—God took flesh—to wear our human nature, cleanse it from the Fall, and return it back to us as the new man: the Image of God restored.

This is the essence of our salvation. The Divine Calendar is an annual journey that guides us to receive the grace of this new humanity from every day of Jesus’s life. The seasons of His life now become the spiritual Seasons of Salvation we traverse, allowing us to partake in His divine-human nature and grow to be more like Him.

The Incarnation is not limited to Jesus’ birth alone, but encompasses His entire life in flesh and blood among us. It began at the miraculous conception, was unveiled at His birth on Christmas, and was fulfilled in His Ascension when Jesus returned to His Heavenly Father.

Let us now turn to the Nativity Fast.

Photo by Mateus Campos Felipe on Unsplash

What Is Fasting?

Let us begin with a practical introduction to fasting.

You do not have to fast to follow the journey through the Divine Calendar. However, if you have never tried fasting before, this may be a good opportunity to experience some of the spiritual mysteries behind the practice. When we reach Great Lent in February/March, we will go even deeper, as Lent is the principal fast in the Divine Calendar.

Before the three richest seasons of grace—the Seasons of Salvation drawn from the life of Jesus—the Church Fathers established periods of fasting to prepare our souls for the grace the Holy Spirit desires to give us during the major feasts, especially Nativity, Easter, and Pentecost.

I. Fasting the Nativity Fast

Jesus said, “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites” (Matt. 6:16). Jesus didn’t say if you fast, but when. Fasting has a long tradition in all parts of Christianity.

Fasting does not earn us anything, nor does it prove our worthiness before God to receive His grace. As the Apostle Paul writes: “He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. […] Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Rom. 14:6, 8b).

Fasting will not impress God. Rather, it constricts our fallen human nature and frees our spirit to more readily receive the impressions and grace of the Holy Spirit. Fasting helps us focus and attune ourselves to His work, allowing the grace the Holy Spirit brings from Jesus’ life to enter our souls and “a noble and good heart” (Luke 8:15).

Traditional View of Fasting

Many people think of fasting simply as abstaining from food or drink for some days. However, the traditional approach to fasting is a fasting lifestyle—a deliberate period of abstaining from certain foods, such as meat and dairy.

Even a vegan diet three times a day can be a form of fasting. Although we still eat, we consciously restrain the instincts of our fallen human nature by not eating as we normally would. This voluntary restriction, even after just a few days, cultivates spiritual vigilance, as if we had gone without food entirely for a day or two.

If you already have experience with fasting, or maintain a fasting lifestyle, you may simply increase your practice slightly during these forty days. If you consider yourself a beginner, you might postpone your first meal until 10 a.m., depending on how God’s grace sustains you. Those who have been fasting regularly for over five years might extend the fast until noon or even 3 p.m. on some weekdays.

The fasting diet is maintained during the weekend, but meals are not postponed on Saturdays and Sundays. So, if you eat breakfast at 10 a.m. from Monday through Friday, you would eat at your usual time on the weekend.

The primary reason for reducing the fast on weekends is to celebrate the grace of the Resurrection on Sunday and to provide a pause in the fasting rhythm. Each Monday then becomes a fresh start—a renewed offering of sacrifice through fasting. This pattern prevents fasting from becoming habitual or stagnant.

The goal of fasting is not to impress God or ourselves, but to practice restriction, emptying, and repentance, thus welcoming the Holy Spirit: “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said …” (Acts 13:2a)

Balanced Fasting

Fasting is like tightening a spiritual belt around our waist that contains new tools to remain spiritually alert.

Fasting allows us to receive the grace of the feast differently—not because God rewards our fasting, but because it prepares our souls to receive the grace that is already present during this Fast. God offers the same grace whether or not we fast, but our capacity to receive it increases through the discipline of fasting.

Does that mean we lose out if we do not fast? Not necessarily. God is God—He can overcome our fallen human nature regardless. Yet, as Scripture says: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matt. 5:6) and “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6).

A word of caution for every eager soul: never fast beyond what grace allows. If we push ourselves—meaning, when fasting is driven by pride or a desire to impress ourselves—fasting can have the opposite effect.

Unbalanced fasting can block our spirit rather than free it, because the power of the flesh—our ego—takes over and drives exaggerated fasting, fueling pride instead of opening our soul to the Holy Spirit, who inspires humility and contrition.

II. Prayer During the Nativity Fast

Fasting frees up time for nourishing our inner man through prayer and the reading of Scripture. When we fast, it is beneficial to replace our meal with prayer, allowing that time to become spiritually fruitful. Using passages of Scripture as a starting point for prayer is especially helpful. This combination of prayer and the Word of God focuses our mind and spirit, awakens prophetic inspiration, and strengthens our inner man.

III. Bible Reading During the Nativity Fast

When fasting, it is beneficial to gently increase our daily Bible reading so we may fill ourselves with the Word of God—just as the Virgin Mary sings in her praise: “He has filled the hungry with good things” (Luke 1:53), and Jesus while He fasted in the Wilderness: “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’” (Matt. 4:4).

During the Nativity Fast, it is traditional to read through the entire New Testament. If that feels daunting, consider creating a forty-day reading plan—and simply give it an honest try.

IV. Charity While the Nativity Fast

Isaiah 58 teaches us that the fasting that pleases the Lord is expressed outwardly through righteousness and love toward our neighbor. Selfless acts—giving our time, energy, abilities, and resources to help others—support our own battle against the old human nature within us. These works of mercy and love put to death our ego and allow the love of Christ to shine into the world.

V. The Nativity Fast and Silence

Silence is more than simply refraining from speech. Although we still need to communicate, we can choose to limit unnecessary conversations and reduce time spent on media so that our hearts become more sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

If we have the time and opportunity, setting aside moments in a quiet, private space for literal silence can draw us into deep, interior, and wordless prayer.

VI. The Nativity Fast and Repentance

Last but not least, all the spiritual practices mentioned above stir the Holy Spirit to lead us into deep repentance—and repentance is actually more important than fasting. Repentance is our strongest weapon in the battle against our fallen human nature because it is an act of humility. Also, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

How can we do this? At the end of each day, we can draw inspiration from an old monastic practice to “settle accounts” (Matt. 25:19). Before going to sleep, we may spend a few minutes asking the Holy Spirit to reveal anything that occurred during the day that grieved “the Holy Spirit of God” (Eph. 4:30). We do not need to painstakingly dissect every event, but simply be still and invite the Spirit to show any sins in deed, word, or thought.

If nothing immediately comes to mind—and often we can sense if something specific need attention even before we begin praying—we can reflect on the Two Great Commandments (Matt. 22:36–39). We examine how we may have failed to love God with all our being and our neighbor as ourselves. Often, beginning with these commandments brings to light other events we can confess before the Lord.

When we feel there is nothing more to confess, we thank Jesus for the forgiveness granted through His sacrifice. We then ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to fill us and help us avoid repeating the same sins. Finally, we try to find a Scripture that speaks to what we have confessed and pray it, declaring God’s truth over ourselves and the situations.

Fasting and Repentance Summary

To summarize this daily practice of settling accounts:

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal anything we did or neglected to do that grieved Him.Confess our sins before Jesus and receive His forgiveness.Ask for the grace of the Holy Spirit to enable us to walk in righteousness and holiness.Seal the healing that accompanies confession by praying a relevant Scripture passage over our lives.

VII. Conclusion

When we do our best to follow the principles of fasting described above, we quickly enter the blessing the prophet Isaiah speaks of: “For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones’” (Isa. 57:15).

These six pillars—fasting, prayer, Bible reading, charity, silence, and repentance—help us grow profoundly and prepare our souls to receive the blessing of the feasting season that follows.

Photo by Florian Giorgio on Unsplash

Sunday Gospel for the Nativity Fast and Its Mysteries: Luke 10:25–37 (NKJV)

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” 27 So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” 29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.

34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ 36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Realizing Our Incapability During the Nativity Fast

The first Sunday Gospel of the Season of the Incarnation Fast (the Nativity Fast) is Jesus’ well-known story of the Good Samaritan. A lawyer approached Jesus, asking what he must do to inherit eternal life.

Notice that the “lawyer stood up and tested Him,” seeking to see if he “might entangle Him in His talk” (Matt. 22:15), much like the Pharisees had tried repeatedly. Being a lawyer, he would have been familiar with Deuteronomy 30:20: “That you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days.”

The lawyer demonstrated knowledge of the Scriptures, citing Deuteronomy 6:5: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” He also referenced Leviticus 19:18: “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

Yet in Luke 10:28–29, we read: “And He [Jesus] said to him, ‘You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.’ But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” The lawyer recognized that he could not fully keep these commandments, so he sought to justify his incapability by asking the Teacher, Christ: “And who is my neighbor?”

The Symbolism

Jesus tells the familiar story of the Good Samaritan. The man attacked and robbed by thieves represents mankind, while the Good Samaritan symbolizes Jesus Himself.

We read in Luke 10:30: “Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.”

Jerusalem symbolizes God’s dwelling, the human heart, and the Garden of Eden. The man’s journey down from Jerusalem represents the fall of humanity into sin. The thieves, representing Satan and his evil forces, stripped the man naked. Adam lost the Spirit of God that covered him, and with it, his dignity—left naked in shame. The wounds inflicted by the thieves symbolize the bleeding consequences of sin, which lead to death.

But the Good Samaritan—the Incarnate Jesus Christ—“went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him” (Luke 10:34). This illustrates Christ’s mission in our world. The Good Samaritan even paid for all the expenses necessary for the man’s recovery.

The Apostle Peter further explains how Jesus redeemed us: “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1 Pet. 1:18–19)

Him Who Showed Mercy

The Sunday Gospel concludes with Jesus asking the lawyer who fulfilled the great commandment of loving one’s neighbor as oneself. Was it the Samaritan, the priest, or the Levite? (Both the priest and Levite failed to help the wounded man.)

In Luke 10:37, we read: “And he said, ‘He who showed mercy on him.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’” Jesus stops the story here.

How did the lawyer feel, hearing this? If he had tried to justify himself for not loving his neighbor, how could he respond when Jesus commanded him to do precisely that? He likely felt incapable—unable to summon the strength, courage, mercy, or love within himself to obey.

We now enter the Nativity Fast to prepare ourselves to receive the seed of Christ’s divine-human nature. These six weeks offer grace that gives the very strength, courage, mercy, and love that Jesus exemplified in the Good Samaritan. If we feel our own incapacity, this Season of Salvation is precisely the time to receive His grace.

In the previous Season of the Kingdom of God, the Holy Spirit revealed areas in our lives where Christ’s Lordship was absent. During the Nativity Fast, the Spirit continues this work, preparing a space within us for the divine seed of Christ’s humanity.

Let us be encouraged. If we feel, like the lawyer, unable to reflect Christ, this is the Season to receive the very grace of His humanity. In time, we too will grow to be more like Him who showed mercy.

Concluding the Nativity Fast and Its Mysteries

Thank you for journeying with me through the Seasons of Salvation. May these next six weeks make this Nativity season truly special for you as we seek to be more prepared for His coming.

Also, on November 21 (December 4 on the Old Calendar) we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary in the Temple. This feast is closely connected to this Season, and I trust you will be blessed if you take the time to explore it.

Please leave a comment below—we’d love to hear your thoughts. If you found this post helpful, feel free to share it using the buttons at the top of the page.

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Published on November 14, 2025 21:17

Incarnation Fast 1 (Western): The Incarnation and Its Mysteries

Reading Time: 21 minutes Seasons of Salvation

The Spiritual Mysteries of the Divine Calendar: The Incarnation and Its Mysteries ~ November 16–22, 2025 ~

We have completed the first Season of Salvation in the Divine Calendar, and with the essential spiritual principle of constancy—explored at the conclusion of the Season of the Kingdom of God—we now enter the second Season: the Season of the Incarnation.

The Season of the Incarnation consists of two parts: the Fast (six weeks) and the Feasts (four to five weeks). November 15 marks the beginning of the forty-day Incarnation Fast (also called the Nativity Fast or St. Phillip’s Fast) leading up to Christmas. We will speak more about the fast below, but first let us consider what we mean by Incarnation.

Why is the Incarnation a part of our salvation?

What is the Incarnation?

God made man in “His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Gen. 1:27, NKJV).

When humanity fell into sin (Gen. 3:6–7), the image of God in man shattered. The Spirit of God lifted—severing our continual communion with Him—and sin entered human nature. Not only did the Spirit lift from man, but the union that existed between Heaven and Earth in Eden was torn.

God had given man “the garden of Eden to tend and keep it” (Gen. 2:15), yet through the Fall we lost the ability to fulfill this commission. That is why we read that, “in the dispensation of the fullness of the times [God will] gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him” (Eph. 1:10).

After Jesus’ Second Coming, God will create “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” (Rev. 21:1). God had called Adam and Eve to extend the union between Heaven and Earth from the Garden outward, until it encompassed the whole world. The Fall paused this plan—until Jesus, as the Son of Man and Son of God, resumed it at His First Coming through His Incarnation.

This is the broad sweep of God’s redemption of creation. But what about the crown of creation—mankind?

The Incarnation: Restoring the Fallen Image

After the Fall of Man, the Spirit of God no longer filled our being or sustained our nature. Sin enslaved our mind, will, and emotions. In our brokenness, we turned to the physical creation in a futile attempt to satisfy ourselves and “fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another” (Gal. 5:16b–17a). The tragic culmination of this endless and vain pursuit is death, “for the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23a).

Yet God, in His mercy and love, did not abandon His creation. But how could He save us from sin and death?

Atoning for our sin and clearing our guilt would only be the first step. The Fall shattered the very image of God within us, and that was the root of the problem. How would God restore the glorious image in man? For He had made us “a little lower than the angels, and [had] crowned [us] with glory and honor” (Ps. 8:5).

God had to enter our creation as Adam before he fell. Jesus had to sever our fallen genealogy—where the poison of sin passes from generation to generation—and inaugurate a new lineage for humanity. A new creation. His mission was not only to atone for the sins of the world—majestic as that is—but also to recreate mankind and restore the fallen image.

The Incarnation and the Image of God

Jesus entered creation as “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Col. 1:15), “the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person” (Heb. 1:3).

But what is the image of God? It encompasses every part of the human being—our spirit, our consciousness, our nature, and our free existence—reflecting God’s own attributes. Yet we can go further and ask: Who is the image of God? The image of God is Jesus Christ. He is our Prototype. He is the mold in which God formed Adam. Jesus Christ is the ultimate expression of what it means to be human.

With this understanding, we can approach Colossians 1:15–18 with fresh eyes:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”

The Incarnation: The Defeat of the Serpent

We read in 1 John 3:8: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

Immediately after the Fall, God declared to Satan: “Because you have done this […] I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head” (Gen. 3:14–15). The “Seed” of the woman—Christ Himself—would crush the serpent’s head.

The miraculous birth of Jesus Christ from the Virgin Mary is the heart of this entire Season of Salvation. The prophet Isaiah foretold it: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14). And the prophet Micah echoes this mystery: “Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth” (Micah 5:3).

These six weeks of fasting prepares our soul for this divine event—the birth of Jesus Christ. The following weeks of feasting then help us unfold and experience the grace that enters our spirits through His Incarnation.

The Incarnation and the New Creation

When Virgin Mary “brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger” (Luke 2:7), God granted humanity a new beginning. Jesus bore the likeness of Adam before the Fall, yet—as One who is fully God and fully man, perfectly united without confusion or division—He would never sin in deed, word, or thought.

What is the difference between Adam and Jesus? God created Adam, while Jesus is the uncreated God who entered the world as a man—a human like you and me. Adam fell into sin, but Jesus never did.

You could knock on Jesus’ door, and the warm, joyful presence of a true human would welcome you—two eyes, two ears, a nose, and a smile. Heart to heart, you could speak with God Himself, the One who formed you. How astonishing …

Because Jesus was born of an earthly mother but had a heavenly Father, He severed the sin-carrying lineage passed down from Adam through every generation. Scripture calls Him “the last Adam,” or the second Adam—“a life-giving spirit” (1 Cor. 15:45). And through Him, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17).

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Our Salvation: “It Is Finished!”

Where does our salvation begin? At the empty tomb of Christ’s Resurrection? At the Cross, when Jesus declared, “It is finished!” (John 19:30)?

What, exactly, was finished?

Jesus “bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed” (1 Pet. 2:24). He completed the atonement for our sins and granted us peace, just as the prophet Isaiah foretold: “The chastisement for our peace was upon Him” (Isa. 53:5). But this was not the only unimaginable work Jesus accomplished on our behalf.

The Apostle Paul writes about a second, profound mystery: “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace” (Eph. 2:14–15).

Creating the New Man

On the Cross, Jesus completed the work of bringing forth a new humanity in Himself. “Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new’” (Rev. 21:5). Just as God finished the first creation on the sixth day—“Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished” (Gen. 2:1)—so Jesus declared on the Cross, “It is finished!” (John 19:30) on a Friday, the sixth day of the week.

The Apostle Paul writes: “Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:16–17).

When Jesus was laid in the tomb, He was placed—figuratively and prophetically—into the earth. “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:40).

And just as “the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Gen 2:7), so Christ rose from the tomb as “the last Adam.” But whereas “‘the first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit” (1 Cor. 15:45).

Partakers of the Divine Nature

So where does our salvation begin? It begins with the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.

His work of salvation is not limited to His death and resurrection. Every single day of His life, Jesus lived on our behalf.

He was born as a baby for us—to give us His innocence. He was presented in the Temple as a forty-day-old child for us—to dedicate us to God, His Father. Jesus lived as a boy for us—to give us His godly youth. The Messiah was baptized in the Jordan for us—to fully identify with sinners and bear our burdens. He fasted in the wilderness for us—to give us His victory over temptation.

And in this manner, Jesus lived His life. He encountered people and performed miracles—to impart the grace of the Prototype of humanity, the Second Adam, the Image of God, and to restore our lost inheritance of creation. Finally, He died and rose again for us—to atone for our sins and grant us His eternal life.

Everything Jesus did, every single day, was for our salvation, that we might receive His divine-human nature. As the Apostle Peter writes: “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature …” (2 Pet. 1:3–4).

God Took Flesh

Jesus entered our world through His Incarnation—God took flesh—to wear our human nature, cleanse it from the Fall, and return it back to us as the new man: the Image of God restored.

This is the essence of our salvation. The Divine Calendar is an annual journey that guides us to receive the grace of this new humanity from every day of Jesus’s life. The seasons of His life now become the spiritual Seasons of Salvation we traverse, allowing us to partake in His divine-human nature and grow to be more like Him.

The Incarnation is not limited to Jesus’ birth alone, but encompasses His entire life in flesh and blood among us. It began at the miraculous conception, was unveiled at His birth on Christmas, and was fulfilled in His Ascension when Jesus returned to His Heavenly Father.

Let us now turn to the Incarnation (Nativity) Fast.

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What Is Fasting?

Let us begin with a practical introduction to fasting.

You do not have to fast to follow the journey through the Divine Calendar. However, if you have never tried fasting before, this may be a good opportunity to experience some of the spiritual mysteries behind the practice. When we reach Great Lent in February/March, we will go even deeper, as Lent is the principal fast in the Divine Calendar.

Before the three richest seasons of grace—the Seasons of Salvation drawn from the life of Jesus—the Church Fathers established periods of fasting to prepare our souls for the grace the Holy Spirit desires to give us during the major feasts, especially Nativity, Easter, and Pentecost.

I. Fasting

Jesus said, “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites” (Matt. 6:16). Jesus didn’t say if you fast, but when. Fasting has a long tradition in all parts of Christianity.

Fasting does not earn us anything, nor does it prove our worthiness before God to receive His grace. As the Apostle Paul writes: “He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. […] Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Rom. 14:6, 8b).

Fasting will not impress God. Rather, it constricts our fallen human nature and frees our spirit to more readily receive the impressions and grace of the Holy Spirit. Fasting helps us focus and attune ourselves to His work, allowing the grace the Holy Spirit brings from Jesus’ life to enter our souls and “a noble and good heart” (Luke 8:15).

Traditional View of Fasting

Many people think of fasting simply as abstaining from food or drink for some days. However, the traditional approach to fasting is a fasting lifestyle—a deliberate period of abstaining from certain foods, such as meat and dairy.

Even a vegan diet three times a day can be a form of fasting. Although we still eat, we consciously restrain the instincts of our fallen human nature by not eating as we normally would. This voluntary restriction, even after just a few days, cultivates spiritual vigilance, as if we had gone without food entirely for a day or two.

If you already have experience with fasting, or maintain a fasting lifestyle, you may simply increase your practice slightly during these forty days. If you consider yourself a beginner, you might postpone your first meal until 10 a.m., depending on how God’s grace sustains you. Those who have been fasting regularly for over five years might extend the fast until noon or even 3 p.m. on some weekdays.

The fasting diet is maintained during the weekend, but meals are not postponed on Saturdays and Sundays. So, if you eat breakfast at 10 a.m. from Monday through Friday, you would eat at your usual time on the weekend.

The primary reason for reducing the fast on weekends is to celebrate the grace of the Resurrection on Sunday and to provide a pause in the fasting rhythm. Each Monday then becomes a fresh start—a renewed offering of sacrifice through fasting. This pattern prevents fasting from becoming habitual or stagnant.

The goal of fasting is not to impress God or ourselves, but to practice restriction, emptying, and repentance, thus welcoming the Holy Spirit: “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said …” (Acts 13:2a)

Balanced Fasting

Fasting is like tightening a spiritual belt around our waist that contains new tools to remain spiritually alert.

Fasting allows us to receive the grace of the feast differently—not because God rewards our fasting, but because it prepares our souls to receive the grace that is already present during this Fast. God offers the same grace whether or not we fast, but our capacity to receive it increases through the discipline of fasting.

Does that mean we lose out if we do not fast? Not necessarily. God is God—He can overcome our fallen human nature regardless. Yet, as Scripture says: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matt. 5:6) and “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6).

A word of caution for every eager soul: never fast beyond what grace allows. If we push ourselves—meaning, when fasting is driven by pride or a desire to impress ourselves—fasting can have the opposite effect.

Unbalanced fasting can block our spirit rather than free it, because the power of the flesh—our ego—takes over and drives exaggerated fasting, fueling pride instead of opening our soul to the Holy Spirit, who inspires humility and contrition.

II. Prayer During Fasting

Fasting frees up time for nourishing our inner man through prayer and the reading of Scripture. When we fast, it is beneficial to replace our meal with prayer, allowing that time to become spiritually fruitful. Using passages of Scripture as a starting point for prayer is especially helpful. This combination of prayer and the Word of God focuses our mind and spirit, awakens prophetic inspiration, and strengthens our inner man.

III. Bible Reading During Fasting

When fasting, it is beneficial to gently increase our daily Bible reading so we may fill ourselves with the Word of God—just as the Virgin Mary sings in her praise: “He has filled the hungry with good things” (Luke 1:53), and Jesus while He fasted in the Wilderness: “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’” (Matt. 4:4).

During the Incarnation (Nativity) Fast, it is traditional to read through the entire New Testament. If that feels daunting, consider creating a forty-day reading plan—and simply give it an honest try.

IV. Charity While Fasting

Isaiah 58 teaches us that the fasting that pleases the Lord is expressed outwardly through righteousness and love toward our neighbor. Selfless acts—giving our time, energy, abilities, and resources to help others—support our own battle against the old human nature within us. These works of mercy and love put to death our ego and allow the love of Christ to shine into the world.

V. Fasting and Silence

Silence is more than simply refraining from speech. Although we still need to communicate, we can choose to limit unnecessary conversations and reduce time spent on media so that our hearts become more sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

If we have the time and opportunity, setting aside moments in a quiet, private space for literal silence can draw us into deep, interior, and wordless prayer.

VI. Fasting and Repentance

Last but not least, all the spiritual practices mentioned above stir the Holy Spirit to lead us into deep repentance—and repentance is actually more important than fasting. Repentance is our strongest weapon in the battle against our fallen human nature because it is an act of humility. Also, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

How can we do this? At the end of each day, we can draw inspiration from an old monastic practice to “settle accounts” (Matt. 25:19). Before going to sleep, we may spend a few minutes asking the Holy Spirit to reveal anything that occurred during the day that grieved “the Holy Spirit of God” (Eph. 4:30). We do not need to painstakingly dissect every event, but simply be still and invite the Spirit to show any sins in deed, word, or thought.

If nothing immediately comes to mind—and often we can sense if something specific need attention even before we begin praying—we can reflect on the Two Great Commandments (Matt. 22:36–39). We examine how we may have failed to love God with all our being and our neighbor as ourselves. Often, beginning with these commandments brings to light other events we can confess before the Lord.

When we feel there is nothing more to confess, we thank Jesus for the forgiveness granted through His sacrifice. We then ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to fill us and help us avoid repeating the same sins. Finally, we try to find a Scripture that speaks to what we have confessed and pray it, declaring God’s truth over ourselves and the situations.

Fasting and Repentance Summary

To summarize this daily practice of settling accounts:

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal anything we did or neglected to do that grieved Him.Confess our sins before Jesus and receive His forgiveness.Ask for the grace of the Holy Spirit to enable us to walk in righteousness and holiness.Seal the healing that accompanies confession by praying a relevant Scripture passage over our lives.

VII. Conclusion

When we do our best to follow the principles of fasting described above, we quickly enter the blessing the prophet Isaiah speaks of: “For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones’” (Isa. 57:15).

These six pillars—fasting, prayer, Bible reading, charity, silence, and repentance—help us grow profoundly and prepare our souls to receive the blessing of the feasting season that follows.

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Sunday Gospel for the Incarnation and Its Mysteries: Luke 14:25–35 (NKJV)

Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’?

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

34 “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

To Follow Jesus

In this week’s Sunday Gospel, a great multitude of people follows Jesus. The crowd is not just large—it is truly immense. Yet Jesus wants to ensure that everyone follows Him for the right reasons.

Some might only seek a miracle, not Him. Others come for entertainment, not for a relationship with Him. Some look for an offence to report to the religious authorities, but they do not seek Him. And some simply follow because they “did not know why they had come together” (Acts 19:32).

Jesus intends to sift through the crowd, leaving only those who follow Him out of love. He tells them that anyone who follows Him must love Him more than “father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also” (Luke 14:26)—so much that their love for Him makes even their closest relationships, and their own life, seem like hatred in comparison.

Where can we find such love? This is what it means to love “the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” In our fallen human state, we do not possess this kind of love. But this is about to change. As we enter the fast, we prepare to receive the very life of God. The grace of Christ’s human nature will increasingly form within us and enable us love God as Jesus loved Him (John 17:26).

To Count the Cost

The Apostle Paul writes: “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building” (1 Cor. 3:9). We are God’s building. The Holy Spirit has brought us through the Season of the Kingdom of God, which serves as the foundation for what comes next. The Seasons of Salvation are not isolated experiences; rather, they build upon one another, shaping us into a temple of the Lord.

“Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Eph. 2:20–22).

In Luke 14:27–33, Jesus calls those who choose to follow Him to count the cost. He asks His disciples to prepare themselves, lest they turn away when following His footsteps becomes a costly choice.

The Taste of Salt

Finally, Jesus shares a parable to the multitude: “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Luke 14:34–35)

If salt is no longer salty, it can no longer fulfill its purpose. Saltless salt cannot season or preserve. This is the condition of fallen human nature—we are unable to fulfill the purpose of our existence, and we cannot extend the union between Heaven and Earth as we were meant to (as discussed earlier).

But when we receive Christ’s divine-human nature as a seed of grace, our saltiness is gradually restored. The grace of the Incarnation restores the true humanity we lost in the Fall. When “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20), others experience a distinct taste of divine life that cannot be found anywhere else.

This restored saltiness—this true humanity receives from Jesus in the Season of the Incarnation—propels us toward the vision of God’s Kingdom we glimpsed in the Season of the Kingdom of God.

Our saltiness prevents the world from rotting in sin. As people encounter us, they see and taste something of the restored human nature that we lost in the Fall: “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Ps. 34:8)

Truly, our small acts of fasting are nothing compared to the immense riches of the Incarnation grace that follow.

Concluding the Incarnation and Its Mysteries

Thank you for taking the time to join this journey through the second Season of Salvation. It is truly a blessing to have you join us on this journey.

On November 21, we also celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary in the Temple. You may find this post inspiring, as it links to the Season of the Incarnation.

May Jesus be close to you and guide you into this new phase of our expedition.

Please leave a comment below—we’d love to hear your thoughts. If you found this post helpful, feel free to share it using the buttons at the top of the page.

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Published on November 14, 2025 20:35

Kingdom of God 10 (Eastern): The Bleeding Woman — How Faith Touches the Heart of Jesus

Reading Time: 11 minutes Seasons of Salvation

The Spiritual Mysteries of the Divine Calendar: The Bleeding Woman — How Faith Touches the Heart of Jesus ~ November 9–15, 2025 ~

As we enter the final week of the Season of the Kingdom of God, we may find that experiences from these past weeks have changed how we look at the new year. Over two months ago, the first Season of Salvation in the Divine Calendar began by proclaiming that Jesus the Messiah had come. In the synagogue, He read from the prophet Isaiah and revealed that He Himself was the fulfillment of prophesy. Our hearts were filled with hope, for God is among us, and “with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26). Today, we conclude this first Season by reflecting on the story of Jairus’s daughter and the bleeding woman.

Receiving Grace from Christ’s Lordship

During the Season of the Kingdom of God, we have sought to perceive the areas of our lives where Jesus may still be absent. Now, as this Season draws to a close, we may feel a deep longing or find ourselves repeating a specific prayer—because God is awakening within us a new vision of what life with Him cold be.

Each of the upcoming Seasons of Salvation will help us remove the hindrances that keep this vision from becoming a reality. They will release new life into our inner man so that, by the grace of God, not only our souls become more like Jesus, but those we encounter may be transformed as well.

As we leave this first Season in the Divine Calendar, the Holy Spirit desires to grant us one final insight into how we can receive grace from Christ’s Lordship, allowing the Kingdom of God to expand within us—“for indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). When Christ begins to reign in a new area of our soul, our lives are renewed, for we no longer live under our own limited rule, but under “Christ in you, the hope of glory” reigns (Col. 1:27).

The Apostle Paul writes of this divine power: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Eph. 3:20).

The Previous Weeks of the Season of the Kingdom of God

To review our journey so far, here are the previous weeks in the Season of the Kingdom of God:

Week 3: Moving Out of the Box in Our Spiritual Life

Week 5: Overflowing to Fulfill the Commandment of Love

Week 6: The Widow of Nain: How Life Overcomes Death

Week 7: Spiritual Battles — Lessons from Jesus

Week 8: The Rich Man and Lazarus — Unveiling Two Kingdoms

Week 9 (Last Week): The Demon-Possessed Man — Restoration and Mission

If you attend an Eastern Old Calendar parish, this week would correspond to Week 8. The post The Rich Man and Lazarus — Unveiling Two Kingdoms aligns with your current place in the Divine Calendar, even though it follows the Gospel reading for the New Calendar.

Let us now turn to the story of Jairus’s daughter and the bleeding woman.

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Sunday Gospel for the Bleeding Woman: Luke 8:41–56 (NKJV)

And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. 43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.

45 And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” 47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.

48 And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

Raising Jairus’s Daughter (verses 49–56)

49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.”

50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” 51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.

54 But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” 55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. 56 And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

The Unnoticeable Touch

In Luke 8:41–42, we read: “And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.”

Jairus—whose name means “enlightener”—was a religious leader, yet his daughter was dying. He fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with Him to come and heal her.

Then we read in Luke 8:43–44: “Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.”

While “the multitudes thronged Him,” a woman approached who had suffered for as long as Jairus’s daughter had lived—twelve long years. She had spent everything she owned seeking healing, yet found no cure. How could she still have hope left after all that disappointment?

And yet, despite her pain and weakness, she pressed through the multitude and reached for Jesus. She didn’t seize Him—she merely touched the border of His garment—but in that instant, she was finally healed.

But we read in Luke 8:45 that Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”

Jesus could not possibly have felt this woman’s touch on “the border of His garment,” especially with all the noise around Him. She barely touched His garment. Even Peter and the others were puzzled by his question: “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” (Luke 8:45).

We will leave her story for now and return at the end.

Excluding Unbelief

In Luke 8:49–51, someone from Jairus’s house came and said there was no need to trouble Jesus any further—his daughter had already died. But because of this unbelief, Jesus “permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl” (Luke 8:51).

Those people “from the ruler of the synagogue’s house” excluded themselves from the miracle through their unbelief. They could not yet recognize Jesus as the Heavenly King who manifests the signs of the Kingdom of God.

We then read: “Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, ‘Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.’ And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead” (Luke 8:52–53). Even among those closest to Him—perhaps even Jairus and his wife—doubt crept in. They could not comprehend that Jesus held authority over death itself, calling the girl’s soul back to life as if she were merely asleep.

Then: “But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, ‘Little girl, arise.’ Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat” (Luke 8:54–55).

Jesus “put them all outside.” In the silence of the room, He called the girl back to life. The unbelieving were excluded from witnessing the miracle. Then, He instructed her parents to give her something to eat—proof that she was truly alive.

Finally, we read: “And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened” (Luke 8:56).

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The Woman’s Touch

When Jairus returned to the synagogue after this miraculous event, he most likely brought his wife and daughter with him. Yet Jesus had commanded them to tell no one how their daughter—who had been declared dead—was now fully alive (Luke 8:56).

How, then, did the worshippers in the synagogue and the people of the town respond? The girl’s very presence must have stirred wonder and unspoken questions. But Jairus remained silent, as the Lord had instructed him. This silence draws our attention back to the bleeding woman—for while Jairus was told to speak nothing, her act of faith still speaks.

Let us see why.

In Luke 8:46, we read: “But Jesus said, ‘Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.’” Jesus felt someone touch Him—but not physically. It was the touch of a heart reaching out in faith and love. Her inner cry, not her hand, moved the Lord. That touch from within released the healing power of Christ.

If it were merely physical contact that drew power from Him, then the crowds who “thronged and pressed” around Jesus (Luke 8:45) would have received their requests as well. The multitude touched His garment; the woman touched His heart.

The Bleeding Woman Saw No One but Jesus

We read in Luke 8:47: “Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.”

This woman had suffered from her affliction for twelve long years. Trembling, she came forward and confessed before everyone why she had touched Jesus and how she was instantly healed. The entire crowd—including Jairus—heard her testimony. They all knew what had taken place: this woman’s touch had released a flow of divine power.

Yet, Jesus was not angry, as she might have feared. Instead, He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace” (Luke 8:48). Her faith had reached the depths of Christ’s heart—deeper than any physical touch. Because “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6).

This was precisely what Jesus desired to teach Jairus—and those in his synagogue—when He commanded him to remain silent about how his daughter had risen from the dead. The woman “declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.”

Jesus exalted the power of persevering faith—faith that is not extinguished by twelve years of disappointment, but “who, contrary to hope, in hope believed” (Rom. 4:18).

The Bleeding Woman: Fixing Our Eyes

What was so special about this woman? Why did she touch Jesus so deeply? It is because she fell down before Him and declared to Him in the presence of all the people. She had only Jesus on her mind. She saw no one else. Though surrounded by a crowd, she confessed her healing before everyone without shame—because she no longer saw them. She saw only the One in their midst.

Jesus says to His Bride: “Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! You have dove’s eyes behind your veil” (Song of Songs 4:1). “You have ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; you have ravished my heart with one look of your eyes, with one link of your necklace” (Song of Songs 4:9).

The bleeding woman had dove’s eyes—eyes that looked only to Jesus in the midst of the crowd. Her gaze reached His heart and His compassion.

The conclusion of this Sunday Gospel leaves us with a powerful image: fixing our eyes on the King of the Heavenly Kingdom. He alone heals the painful absence of His lordship in the wounded places of our soul. Unbelief shuts us out, but faith—joined with undivided attention—touches the heart of Jesus and releases His healing power.

May we receive the grace this week of that same faith which touches the heart of Jesus. Let us fix our eyes on Him who is coming in the Season of the Incarnation, beginning only a week from now.

Concluding the Bleeding Woman — How Faith Touches the Heart of Jesus

It is truly a joy to journey with you through these Seasons of Salvation. I pray that this last week in the first Season of the Divine Calendar may be revelatory for us all.

Please leave a comment below—we’d love to hear your thoughts. If you found this post helpful, feel free to share it using the buttons at the top of the page.

Join the Journey Through the Seasons of Salvation

Join us on this weekly journey through the Seasons of Salvation as we walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ through the key seasons of His life.

Sign up to receive this year’s Divine Calendar, which introduces the Seasons of Salvation and guides you through the journey ahead. As a welcome gift, you’ll also receive my young adult novel, The Legend of the Divine Calendar, delivered straight to your inbox.

Visit the Seasons of Salvation blog for insights into the coming week, posted every Saturday. We’d be honored to have you join us.

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The post Kingdom of God 10 (Eastern): The Bleeding Woman — How Faith Touches the Heart of Jesus first appeared on Father Elisha: Let me take you on an intriguing journey..

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Published on November 07, 2025 13:09

Kingdom of God 10 (Western): The Sower of Our Lives

Reading Time: 14 minutes Seasons of Salvation

The Spiritual Mysteries of the Divine Calendar: The Sower of Our Lives ~ November 9–15, 2025 ~

In this final week of the first Season of Salvation in the Divine Calendar, we transition from comprehending a new vision of how the Kingdom of God can take shape in our lives to realizing it—living under the Lordship of Jesus both as individuals and as ambassadors. Last week, we began our deep dive into the Parable of the Sower. Today, we complete our exploration, unlocking more mysteries of this parable and what they practically mean for our spiritual growth.

From Vision to Reality

The first step toward the realization of God’s dream for our lives is the arrival of the King Himself into the new area of our soul we have sought to idenitfy during this first season of the Divine Calendar—the Season of the Kingdom of God. We can do nothing apart from the grace of God working within us; we cannot even love Him without His love first working in us. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

On November 15, the Nativity Fast (also called the Incarnation Fast) begins. If the first Season in the Divine Calendar focused on renewing our vision of God’s Kingdom and recognizing where the reign of King Jesus was lacking in our lives, then the second Season of Salvation is about the arrival of the King Himself into those very places that were lacking.

The arrival of the grace of Jesus’ own life within us comes through the astonishing event known as the Incarnation. We will become well acquainted with this profound mystery in the weeks ahead. But for now, on this final Sunday of the Kingdom of God, let us contemplate what happens when Jesus enters our lives and our renewed vision of His Kingdom becomes reality.

This is when the Parable of the Sower unveils its deepest mysteries about the nature of the spiritual life.

Our Journey Through the Divine Calendar

Below is an overview of the four stages of the Season of the Kingdom of God that we have passed through:

The Kingdom of God Declared in Power

Week 1: Building the Kingdom of God

Week 2: Recognizing Our Call to Repentance

The Absence of the Kingdom of God

Week 3: Zacchaeus and His Desire to See Jesus

Week 4: The Inner Vacuum and Mary’s Alabaster Flask

The Gradual Descent When We Lose the Vision of the Kingdom of God

Week 5: Healing the Paralytic and Our Inner Paralysis

Week 6: Jesus in the Boat and Fruitless Toil

Week 7: Repentance and Renewal — Moving from Despair to Hope

Week 8: The Kingdom of God and the Path to Overcome Death

The Ascent Toward Our Inheritance in the Kingdom of God

Week 9 (Last Week): The Parable of the Sower — The Secret to Spiritual Growth

Week 10: In the post below, we conclude the Season of the Kingdom of God.

Leaving the Season of the Kingdom

The journey through the Season of the Kingdom of God helps us discover the areas of our lives that God desires to transform through the upcoming Seasons of the Divine Calendar. Do not worry if you feel you cannot quite put your finger on it—that is perfectly normal. You may sense that something is stirring within you, a readiness or new alertness for whatever is to come. This subtle yet profound inner awakening stems from the key word to this season: repentance.

As we read in the Book of Acts: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). These times of refreshing can manifest as a renewed willingness. That is a strong beginning after completing this first Season of Salvation.

You may also have sensed the outlines of a new paradigm, a fresh mindset that the Lord desires to give you, and perhaps even felt the resistance of our fallen human nature against this newness. There is no need to worry—when we persevere in prayer and faith throughout these spiritual seasons, His Majesty King Ego will ultimately surrender his throne to Jesus Christ.

The Parable of the Sower: Constancy

Last week’s Sunday Gospel from Luke 8:4–15 concluded with the keyword: Constancy. Persistence in our spiritual life, especially during times of change and opposition, is the key to moving from receiving spiritual seeds in our soul to reaping a full harvest. Any farmer knows that for seeds to grow, consistent care is essential: watering, fertilizing, light exposure, watching the temperature, disease control, and weeding. If the farmer is inconsistent in any of these areas, the crop’s quality and yield will inevitably suffer.

This is the concluding message of the Season of the Kingdom of God: constancy in our spiritual lives gradually replaces any areas of our soul that may lack the presence of King Jesus with His Lordship in the Kingdom of God. “[F]or indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21b).

Our practical application can be as simple as dedicating time each day to the Lord through prayer, Bible reading, worship, and taking steps of faith toward the vision He has placed before us.

The Apostle Peter reminds us: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9).

Also, I believe that building spiritual prayer altars—both individually and within our families—is one of the most effective ways to abide in Christ through the challenges we will face in the coming years.

The Parable of the Sower in Luke 8:4–15 is repeated this week in Matthew 13:1–9. When a passage is repeated in the Divine Calendar, the Holy Spirit highlights its importance. This week’s repetition offers another perspective on the outcome of a consistent spiritual life.

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Sunday Gospel for the Sower of Our Lives: Matthew 13:1–9 (NKJV)

On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.

8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Four Types of Soil

It may be helpful to review last week’s post: The Parable of the Sower — The Secret to Spiritual Growth, since this week both highlights and continues that message.

The accounts of the Parable of the Sower over these two weeks illustrate different conditions of the soul—different types of soil—when we receive a word from God (whether a promise, inspiration, or conviction) through spiritual practices such as Scripture reading, meditation, prayer, worship, listening to teaching, or attending spiritual gatherings.

The three consecutive challenges this week mirror those we uncovered last week:

The first challenge is simply losing the seed, either because we did not truly listen or due to forgetfulness.The second challenge arises when we listen superficially, or when conflicting circumstances causes us to give up, letting the seed die.The third challenge comes after we have heard and endured: a sudden concern related to our earthly life steals our focus and priority, and our failure to seek the face of God chokes and kills the seed.

Yet, in the end, we reach the good soil, and the seed of the Word finally “sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold” (Luke 8:8). The key to overcoming these three challenges and cultivate a noble, good heart is constancy.

The Living Word and the Parable of the Sower

This week’s Sunday Gospel reveals another mystery. While it maintains the familiar interpretation of the four types of soil, it adds a new dimension to the Parable of the Sower. As we read in the Book of Hebrews: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).

When we remain consistent in reading the Word of God, we soon become amazed at how the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to things we have never seen before. Through the Word, the Holy Spirit leads us into a personal encounter with the living Person of Jesus Christ. Indeed, “the word of God is living and powerful.” As the Evangelist John writes: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

What we will explore below does not contradict the traditional understanding of the Parable of the Sower; rather, it adds another layer of biblical truth communicated through this parable.

The Good Seeds

Last week, we learned that “the seed is the word of God” (Luke 8:11). Our entire study has been grounded in this truth.

However, this week’s passage does not initially specify what the seeds are. In Matthew 13:18–23, the explanation of the parable simply states: “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it …” Could there be a reason Matthew chose not to specify the seeds outright?

We find clues in the first two verses of this Sunday Gospel, but before examining those, let us consider the following Parable of the Wheat and the Tares in Matthew 13:24–30, along with its explanation in Matthew 13:36–43.

Matthew writes: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way” (Matt. 13:24–25).

In this parable, a man sows good seeds. The explanation reveals: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man” (Matt. 13:37), and further clarifies: “the field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom” (Matt. 13:38).

Here, we discover that the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom—“the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart” (Luke 8:15).

The Sower and the Seeds

Our first hint toward a deeper understanding of this parable comes from viewing the seeds as representing the sons of the Kingdom.

In the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, Matthew writes: “but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way” (Matt. 13:25).

Here, we see two sowers in this parable: Jesus and His enemy. The explanation clarifies: “the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil …” (Matt. 13:38b–39a). This highlights that the good seeds are indeed the sons of the Kingdom.

Photo by Marek Studzinski on Unsplash

Jesus in the Boat

Let us return to the first two verses of this Sunday Gospel: “On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore” (Matt. 13:1–2).

From a prophetic perspective, “on the same day Jesus went out of the house” represents Jesus leaving the Father’s house to come into our world to save us. As He tells us: “In My Father’s house are many mansions …” (John 14:2).

The Parable of the Sower: The Sea, the Multitude, and Sitting in the Boat

We just read Matthew 13:1: “On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.” The sea is a prophetic symbol for the nations: “Then he said to me, ‘The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues’” (Rev. 17:15).

It also symbolizes Hades, the realm of the dead, as seen in Revelation: “Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name” (Rev. 13:1). Later, John writes: “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea” (Rev. 21:1).

In Matthew 13:2, we read: “And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat …” The boat symbolizes the Church—the body of believers—sailing toward eternity’s shore.

Even traditional church architecture reflects this symbolism. The main part of the church, where the congregation sits or stands, is called the nave, derived from the Latin navis, meaning “ship” or “boat.” Jesus also calls His disciples to be “fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19).

Furthermore, we read that Jesus “got into a boat and sat,” which signifies that the human “body is the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:19) and God’s resting place. By leaving the Father’s house, Jesus came to rescue the nations from death, drawing them into His boat through the wood of the cross.

His position in the boat also demonstrates that “One is your Teacher, the Christ” (Matt. 23:10).

The Sons of the Kingdom

With this prophetic perspective on the Parable of the Sower, and remembering that in the Gospel of Matthew the good seeds are “the sons of the kingdom” (Matt. 13:38), we begin to see what God may accomplish in us once we have “heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15).

Jesus rests in the Church and teaches the nations by the Holy Spirit. He takes the good seed—those who have practiced constancy through challenges and developed noble, good hearts—and scatter them among different soils. Matthew writes: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves” (Matt. 10:16).

We may be sent to hard places—along the waysides, into stony places, or among thorns. Yet once we help other souls undergo the same journey we have completed—and they too develop noble, good hearts—we find ourselves “on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matt. 13:8). Even so, when Jesus plants our lives in a new place, we may realize that this is also a time of new trials for us.

The Evangelist John records Jesus saying: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:24–25).

The Noble and Good Heart

As good seeds and sons of the Kingdom, we have been trained with a perspective that gives us strength day after day. The Evangelist John records: “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor” (John 12:26).

“The field is the world” (Matt. 13:38), and God will sow us in different soils. He will use our lives and testimonies, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, to help other souls become sons of the Kingdom. We are no longer living under the absence of God’s Kingdom—the reign of His Majesty King Ego—but as “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Rom. 8:17).

Here we conclude the Season of the Kingdom of God—as sons of the Kingdom. The inner expansion of God’s reign in our souls cultivate a noble, good heart, and the Sower will scatter us among the nations, extending the Kingdom of God through our lives. Witness the marvelous ways of God: when His reign has grown within, only then can our lives truly extend His Kingdom without.

Let us pray this week for the grace to become consistent in our spiritual lives. The Divine Calendar repeated this Sunday Gospel so that we would not forget its importance as we journey through the upcoming Seasons of Salvation.

Concluding the Sower of Our Lives

Thank you for sharing this time with me. I hope and pray that your final week in this opening season of the Divine Calendar will be a blessing. It has been a privilege to journey through these weeks together.

The Season of the Incarnation is the second Season of Salvation in the Divine Calendar. As mentioned, the Nativity Fast (or Incarnation Fast, sometimes also called St. Phillip’s Fast) begins on November 15. We will explore this next time.

Please leave a comment below—we’d love to hear your thoughts. If you found this post helpful, feel free to share it using the buttons at the top of the page.

Join the Journey Through the Seasons of Salvation

Join us on this weekly journey through the Seasons of Salvation as we walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ through the key seasons of His life.

Sign up to receive this year’s Divine Calendar, which introduces the Seasons of Salvation and guides you through the journey ahead. As a welcome gift, you’ll also receive my young adult novel, The Legend of the Divine Calendar, delivered straight to your inbox.

Visit the Seasons of Salvation blog for insights into the coming week, posted every Saturday. We’d be honored to have you join us.

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Published on November 07, 2025 13:03

Kingdom of God 9 (Eastern): The Demon-Possessed Man — Restoration and Mission

Reading Time: 11 minutes Seasons of Salvation

The Spiritual Mysteries of the Divine Calendar: The Demon-Possessed Man — Restoration and Mission ~ November 2–8, 2025 ~

After Jesus healed the demon-possessed man of the Gadarenes, the man “begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.’ And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him” (Luke 8:38–39). We might feel a certain sadness over why Jesus did not allow him to go with Him.

Why couldn’t this man accompany Jesus? His request seemed so sincere. We may also find ourselves in situations when our request to God is so wholehearted that we “begged Him.” Yet Jesus granted the man his request, though the fulfillment differed from his expectation.

The healed man wanted to join Jesus and His inner circle of disciples. Perhaps he did not realize that the disciples of Jesus followed Him in order to be sent as ambassadors for God’s Kingdom. Jesus’ purpose in calling the disciples was to “make disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:19).

When Jesus told the man, “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you,” He commissioned him as a disciple and ambassador with a message. Jesus answers our sincerest requests, even if the outcome differs from what we expect. The man wanted to join Jesus and His disciples in their boat, but Jesus sent him to proclaim “throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.”

The Previous Weeks of the Season of the Kingdom of God

To review our journey through the Seasons of Salvation in the Divine Calendar, here are the previous weeks of the first Season—the Season of the Kingdom of God:

Week 3: Moving Out of the Box in Our Spiritual Life

Week 5: Overflowing to Fulfill the Commandment of Love

Week 6: The Widow of Nain: How Life Overcomes Death

Week 7: Spiritual Battles — Lessons from Jesus

Week 8 (Last Week): The Rich Man and Lazarus — Unveiling Two Kingdoms

If you attend an Eastern Old Calendar parish, this week would be Week 7. The post Spiritual Battles — Lessons from Jesus is especially evocative, even though it follows the Gospel reading for the New Calendar.

Let us now turn to this week’s Sunday Gospel.

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Sunday Gospel for the Demon-Possessed Man: Luke 8:26–39 (NKJV)

Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.

28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” 29 For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.

30 Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.

32 Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. 33 Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.

The Demon-Possessed Man Healed (Verses 34–39)

34 When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. 37 Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.

38 Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

The Waves and the Wind

In Luke 8:26, we read, “Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.” Yet just two verses earlier, in Luke 8:24, we read, “And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm.”

Just prior to this Sunday Gospel, Jesus rebukes the storm as they are heading to the country opposite Galilee. We immediately see the picture of opposing forces. The storm reveals the evil power attempting to hinder Jesus from coming to Gadarenes. The evil principality reigning over that region recognizes that the Son of God is approaching its territory—and that spells trouble for the demons.

In Mark 4:39, we read, “Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.” Jesus speaks to the wind as if it has a personality. He is directly rebuking the evil powers governing the land they are sailing toward.

Demon-Possessed Man: The Absence of God’s Kingdom

We read in Luke 8:27–28: “And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, ‘What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!’”

Not surprisingly, the first person to “welcome” Jesus on the other side is a severely demon-possessed man.

Luke 8:32 tells us, “Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.” Swine were unclean animals for the Jews, yet the country of the Gadarenes clearly prospered through swine herding (Luke 8:33).

After Jesus delivered the demon-possessed man from the Legion, “then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear…” (Luke 8:37). Jesus became a threat to their swine business.

All this reveals the deep spiritual darkness in that region—a place long left outside the Kingdom of God.

Photo by Sebastian Pociecha on Unsplash

The Demon-Possessed Man

Luke 8:27 tells us that the demon-possessed man “wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.” His nakedness reveals that he was robbed of his dignity. By no longer dwelling in a house, he had even lost his humanity, finding his rest among the tomb—living as one already dead.

This man represents the absence of God’s Kingdom in the human soul to the highest degree. A person who refuses to surrender to the redeeming lordship of Jesus Christ loses dignity, loses humanity, and becomes ruled by death.

Most people would have given up on such a soul, believing there was no hope. But not Jesus. The Son of God had a very specific plan for this man—an outcast in a region steeped in spiritual darkness.

What’s Your Name?

In Luke 8:30 we read: “Jesus asked him, saying, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Legion,’ because many demons had entered him.” Was Jesus asking for the name of the demon or the man? In a sense, both.

Jesus asked the demon to identify itself so He could set the man free and send the demons into the swine. But He also looked beyond the dark veil covering this man. Jesus saw a lost son of the Kingdom. He sought the man’s true identity, knowing that evil spirits had suppressed his God-given potential. He commanded the spirits to enter the swine, who rushed into the sea and drowned.

Luke 8:35 tells us, “Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.”

Jesus saw beyond the darkness that crippled this man and restored his dignity—he was clothed—and his humanity—he was in his right mind. The city’s inhabitants found the former demon-possessed man “sitting at the feet of Jesus.” He expressed his love for Jesus and listened to His teaching, which restored his wounded soul with words that “are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

We see a similar example in Scripture: “certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons” (Luke 8:2). She is believed to be the sinful woman who kissed Jesus’ “feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil” (Luke 7:38).

This former demon-possessed man, now loved by his Savior and sitting at His feet, was ready to do anything Jesus asked of him.

The Most Unlikely Person

We read in Luke 8:38: “Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.” There was nothing this man desired more than to become a close disciple of Jesus. He begged to follow Him. Jesus granted his request—but in a way he did not expect. Jesus knew the demons had hindered him from entering his true calling.

Luke 8:38–39 tells us: “But Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.’ And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.”

The inhabitants had once feared this man and kept him “under guard, bound with chains and shackles” (verse 29), before the demons drove him into the wilderness to live among the tombs. Now, he became God’s instrument to testify throughout the entire city about the Kingdom of God.

God takes the most unlikely person—the most unqualified and hopeless case—and turns the picture upside down through the power of His salvation, using that very person as an ambassador for His Kingdom.

The Unexpected Messengers

The Apostle Paul testifies, “although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 1:13–14).

As we approach the end of this first Season of Salvation, we see a powerful message: God takes our greatest weakness and turns it on its head, using it mightily for His Kingdom. The Apostle Paul also writes, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). Our God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Eph. 3:20).

May the Holy Spirit give us faith and vision for how the Kingdom of God can extend and transform our lives, so that we too may become unlikely and unexpected messengers in places we never imagined we would set our feet.

Concluding the Demon-Possessed Man — Restoration and Mission

I hope this message encourages us and builds faith for the future. May the Holy Spirit continue to open our minds to what He desires to do in and through us in the year ahead and in the years to come.

Thank you for taking the time to read. It is an honor to journey together with you. To our Lord be all the glory. Amen.

Please leave a comment below—we’d love to hear your thoughts. If you found this post helpful, feel free to share it using the buttons at the top of the page.

Join the Journey Through the Seasons of Salvation

Join us on this weekly journey through the Seasons of Salvation as we walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ through the key seasons of His life.

Sign up to receive this year’s Divine Calendar, which introduces the Seasons of Salvation and guides you through the journey ahead. As a welcome gift, you’ll also receive my young adult novel, The Legend of the Divine Calendar, delivered straight to your inbox.

Visit the Seasons of Salvation blog for insights into the coming week, posted every Saturday. We’d be honored to have you join us.

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The post Kingdom of God 9 (Eastern): The Demon-Possessed Man — Restoration and Mission first appeared on Father Elisha: Let me take you on an intriguing journey..

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Published on October 31, 2025 14:00

Kingdom of God 9 (Western): The Parable of the Sower — The Secret to Spiritual Growth

Reading Time: 13 minutes Seasons of Salvation

The Spiritual Mysteries of the Divine Calendar: The Parable of the Sower — The Secret to Spiritual Growth ~ November 2–8, 2025 ~

How marvelous that God sees our souls as His field (1 Cor. 3:9), where He sows His words—His truths—that mold and shape us into the men and women of God He created us to be. Just as a child grows into a mature person, God works within our inner being so that it may grow into the image of Christ in which we are made. We do not yet know what we shall be when our inner man reaches its full and mature state—one that will remain for eternity—but the Holy Spirit works constantly, sowing the Word of God so that we may grow toward the fullness of our being. Jesus told the Parable of the Sower to unveil these spiritual realities.

As we read in the first letter of John: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

Growth Toward Eternity

As we grow toward Christlikeness, experiencing the salvation of Jesus extending in the land of our souls, we are transformed. Ideally, those around us will notice a positive change in our lives as the years pass while we follow Jesus. Our relatively short earthly life, during which God matures us toward our eternal state, can be seen as the womb of our eternal life. When we pass through physical death, we are born into eternal life.

As we approach the conclusion of the first Season of Salvation in the Divine Calendar—the Season of the Kingdom of God—the Parable of the Sower reveals the mysteries of the final two weeks of this Season of Salvation.

The monastic spiritual giant Saint Macarius the Great wrote in his Fifty Homilies that we put off our outer man in death, and our inner man is made visible for all eternity. Yet the growth of our inner man, as God plants the seeds of the qualities of our eternal life into our souls, is not without challenges. This Sunday Gospel will take us deeper into these mysteries.

One thing is certain: God has a vision for our eternal life that far surpasses our earthly existence, even “a hundredfold” (Luke 8:8).

To Conclude This Season in a Word

We have arrived at the last two weeks of the first season in the Divine Calendar, and this week and the next repeat the same parable, but from different Gospels. The Holy Spirit seeks to capture our attention and highlight a key principle in the Kingdom of God. It can be summarized in one word. We will discover this word today and repeat it next week as well.

In the first two weeks, we saw the Kingdom of God in power—first through the announcement by John the Baptist, then through the arrival of the Heavenly King Himself. The following two weeks displayed the sad reality of the absence of the Kingdom of God in the lives of a man and a woman.

The previous four weeks led us on a gradual descent from the Kingdom toward its utter absence in death. We discovered four painful symptoms: inner paralysis, fruitless toil, inner blindness and muteness (which hinders our testimony and leads to despair), and the power of death. We can praise the Lord, because Jesus healed all these conditions—nothing was impossible for the power of His salvation.

In the concluding two weeks of this Season, the Holy Spirit wants to teach us the opposite journey: the ascent. What can we do if we find ourselves in one of these painful conditions? How do we avoid them? How can we prevent the void of God’s Kingdom from hindering our inner life, and how does the Kingdom extend within us, manifesting in our outer circumstances? This journey of ascent will be summarized in one word …

Our Journey Through the Divine Calendar

The Season of the Kingdom of God unfolds in four stages, and this is the distance we have traveled so far:

The Kingdom of God Declared in Power

Week 1: Building the Kingdom of God

Week 2: Recognizing Our Call to Repentance

The Absence of the Kingdom of God

Week 3: Zacchaeus and His Desire to See Jesus

Week 4: The Inner Vacuum and Mary’s Alabaster Flask

The Gradual Descent When We Lose the Vision of the Kingdom of God

Week 5: Healing the Paralytic and Our Inner Paralysis

Week 6: Jesus in the Boat and Fruitless Toil

Week 7: Repentance and Renewal — Moving from Despair to Hope

Week 8 (Last Week): The Kingdom of God and the Path to Overcome Death

The Ascent Toward Our Inheritance in the Kingdom of God (2 weeks)

This week and the next.

Let us turn to this week’s Sunday Gospel.

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Sunday Gospel for the Parable of the Sower — The Secret to Spiritual Growth: Luke 8:4–15 (NKJV)

And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Purpose of Parables

9 Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?”

10 And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’

The Parable of the Sower Explained

11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

A Teaching to a Disciple:Why Use a Parable?

In Luke 8:4–8, we read that Jesus taught “a great multitude [that] had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city.” He used a parable that all His listeners could relate to. Back then, farming was as universally familiar as the Internet is to us today—part of everyday life rather than a specialized skill. Jesus used a parable because, through natural imagery, the crowds could deduce spiritual truths according to their ability to comprehend.

We read in Luke 8:9–10 that Jesus explained why He used a different approach when teaching the masses compared to His inner circle of disciples (we will look more at this below).

And in Luke 8:11–15, Jesus teaches plainly “the mysteries of the kingdom of God” to His closest followers. He interprets what He hoped the masses would comprehend and gives His disciples the unveiled spiritual teaching about some mysteries in the Kingdom of God. We will examine this teaching below, as it displays the journey of ascent.

The Wise Sower of the Human Heart

Why does Jesus give different messages to different audiences? Is it because He does not want the crowds to understand what He reveals to His disciples? Verse 9–10 might sound that way, but that is not what Jesus is saying, nor does it reflect His character—“who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4).

Verses 10 states: “And He said, ‘To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that “Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.”’”

Jesus taught the masses through parables—those who did not have the privilege of clinging to Him and receiving His spiritual light continuously, like the disciples—because if He had taught the spiritual mysteries plainly, the crowds might hear without truly understanding. “Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand” was meant to prevent people from distancing themselves by thinking, Well, I don’t get this, so this can’t be for me.

Jesus is the wise Sower of truth in the human heart, and He always delivers tailored messages we can comprehend—so that seeing, we may see: “In Your light we see light” (Ps. 36:9b). And hearing, we may hear: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Luke 8:8).

The Parable of the Sower: The Ones Who Hear

In Luke 8:5, Jesus said to the multitudes: “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.” But in verses 11–12, He addressed the disciples: “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.”

When we attend spiritual meetings or church services, read or pray in our private devotional time, or interact with the Holy Spirit in any other way, we receive spiritual seeds in the land of our soul. These seeds are the words of God—truths with conditions and promises. If we nurture the seed, protect its growth, and obey it, we meet the conditions for the promises. The word then grows to fruition.

We read in Luke 8:12: “Those by the wayside are the ones who hear …” Sometimes we engage in spiritual activities but only mingle as those who hear. We may be physically present—hearing or reading words—without truly listening. It is as if we are present with another agenda rather than actually receiving what is offered. These are the ones who hear. Then the birds of forgetfulness come and devour whatever truth may have landed in our soul. When we leave this spiritual time, we have already forgotten what it was about.

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The Parable of the Sower: When They Hear

In Luke 8:6, Jesus teaches the multitudes: “Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.” And He teaches the disciples in verse 13: “But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.”

When we truly listen during a spiritual time—whether hearing a teacher, focusing on reading, or actively engaging in prayer and contemplation—we might receive the words of God with great joy. It becomes true, as verse 13 says: “when they hear, receive the word with joy.”

After passing the first challenge of listening and chasing away the birds of forgetfulness, our next challenge is to continue believing in times of temptation or contradictory experiences that seem to cancel the truth we so joyfully received in faith.

We overcome this second test of temptation or opposition through vigilance in watering the seed with prayer. By guarding the truth with regular prayer and believing in the promises, the seed will sprout, and the roots will grow. The deeper the roots grow, the more severe the drought of temptation and opposition they can withstand.

The Parable of the Sower: When They Have Heard

Jesus said to the multitudes in Luke 8:7: “And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.” And in verse 14, He said to the disciples: “Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.”

Some time passes after we have truly listened and chased away the birds of forgetfulness. We have vigilantly watered the implanted word with prayer during challenging seasons. Then we become among those who have heard.

But a third and final challenge arises before the word, with its promise, bears mature fruit. A sudden entanglement related to our earthly life—“cares, riches, and pleasures of life”—tests our priorities for the growth of the seed.

When this earthly distraction wins the competition for our focus, thorns shoot up around the seed to choke it. Because we no longer gaze upon the face of Christ as we once did—whose “face shone like the sun” (Matt. 17:2)—the light of Jesus is blocked by the shadow of the rising thorns. Yet if we remain alert and discern what is happening while maintaining our priorities, we reach the blessed and promised ground.

The Parable of the Sower: The Noble and Good Heart

In Luke 8:8, Jesus says to the multitudes: “But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” And in verse 15, He speaks to the disciples: “But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.”

If we pass the three challenges of forgetfulness, opposing circumstances, and alluring priorities, the seed of truth finds good ground. Here it springs up and bears more fruit than we could have expected.

Jesus describes the good soil as a noble and good heart. Noble in Greek means “beautiful,” “valuable,” “virtuous,” “fair,” “honest,” and “worthy.” It is a heart that has passed the test, entrusted by God with the blessings of His promise. Good in Greek means “beneficial,” “well,” and “good.”

Now we return to the word that summarizes this entire journey of ascent—visualized by conquering the three challenges above—and we find it in the last part of the Sunday Gospel: “… keep it and bear fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15).

The word patience in Greek carries the meaning of “cheerful,” “hopeful,” “endurance,” “patient waiting,” and ultimately, “constancy.” Constancy—faithfulness and steadfastness—is the spiritual principle that encapsulates our journey and struggle to avoid the absence of God’s Kingdom and to expand Christ’s reign in our soul.

Constancy in our spiritual life always produces fruit. Let us seek the grace to remain steadfast through oppositions, periods of dryness, and other worldly or tempting distractions. By making constancy the key principle in our spiritual life (and physical life), we experience true progress and growth.

Wisdom from the Desert

The Desert Fathers would say that small amounts done consistently bring more fruit than great amounts done inconsistently.

This is the spiritual battle waged against us: to shake us out of blessed consistency and consecration. Therefore, it is important to cultivate a realistic and manageable spiritual life that we can sustain, fitting our lifestyle and calling. If we exhaust ourselves with sudden spiritual inspiration that we cannot maintain, it will not benefit us in the long run—this is the wisdom of the Spiritual Doctors of the Egyptian desert.

Soon, we will enter the second Season in the Divine Calendar. If we take only one lesson from these first ten weeks, let it be this: Let us be constant in our spiritual life. If we maintain this blessed faithfulness year after year, we will witness the expansion of the Kingdom of God within and around us.

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2–4).

Concluding the Parable of the Sower — The Secret to Spiritual Growth

As always, it is a privilege for me that you have spent this time reading. I trust the Holy Spirit will help us, through the grace of these final two weeks of the Season of the Kingdom of God, to discover how we can establish this key principle of constancy in our daily walk with our Beloved, Jesus Christ.

Please leave a comment below—we’d love to hear your thoughts. If you found this post helpful, feel free to share it using the buttons at the top of the page.

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The post Kingdom of God 9 (Western): The Parable of the Sower — The Secret to Spiritual Growth first appeared on Father Elisha: Let me take you on an intriguing journey..

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Published on October 31, 2025 13:47

Kingdom of God 8 (Eastern): The Rich Man and Lazarus — Unveiling Two Kingdoms

Reading Time: 12 minutes Seasons of Salvation

The Spiritual Mysteries of the Divine Calendar: The Rich Man and Lazarus — Unveiling Two Kingdoms ~ October 26 – November 1, 2025 ~

During the weeks of the first Season of Salvation in the Divine Calendar, the Holy Spirit draws our attention to a specific weakness that God seeks to redeem this year, releasing our feet to advance further in His plan. In this eighth week of the Season of the Kingdom of God, we explore the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus to uncover obstacles that hinder the expansion of God’s Kingdom within our souls.

The Previous Weeks of the Season of the Kingdom of God

To help us reflect on our journey through this year’s Divine Calendar, here is the overview of the previous weeks in the Season of the Kingdom of God:

Week 3: Moving Out of the Box in Our Spiritual Life

Week 5: Overflowing to Fulfill the Commandment of Love

Week 6: The Widow of Nain: How Life Overcomes Death

Week 7 (Last Week): Spiritual Battles — Lessons from Jesus

However, if you attend an Eastern Old Calendar parish, this week would be Week 6. I believe you will find the post The Widow of Nain: How Life Overcomes Death especially evocative, even though it includes the Gospel reading for the New Calendar.

A Crucial Key

Let us begin by taking a practical look at the key to entering the mysteries and receiving the graces of the Season of the Kingdom of God: repentance.

Repentance is vital year-round—and it can even become a way of life, as illustrated by the tax collector who “standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’” (Luke 18:13).

The Fathers of the Church speak of acquiring the spirit of repentance. The Psalmist writes, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise” (Ps. 51:17).

The reason we seek humility is beautifully expressed in Isaiah 57:15: “For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’”

To Settle Accounts at the End of the Day

How can we do this? At the end of each day, we can draw inspiration from an old monastic practice to “settle accounts” (Matt. 25:19). Before going to sleep, we may spend a few minutes asking the Holy Spirit to reveal anything that occurred during the day that grieved “the Holy Spirit of God” (Eph. 4:30). We do not need to painstakingly dissect every event, but simply be still and invite the Spirit to show any sins in deed, word, or thought.

If nothing immediately comes to mind—and often we can sense if something specific need attention even before we begin praying—we can reflect on the Two Great Commandments (Matt. 22:36–39). We examine how we may have failed to love God with all our being and our neighbor as ourselves. Often, beginning with these commandments brings to light other events we can confess before the Lord.

When we feel there is nothing more to confess, we thank Jesus for the forgiveness granted through His sacrifice. We then ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to fill us and help us avoid repeating the same sins. Finally, we try to find a Scripture that speaks to what we have confessed and pray it, declaring God’s truth over ourselves and the situations.

Summary of Reviewing Our Day with the Holy Spirit

To summarize this daily practice of settling accounts:

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal anything we did or neglected to do that grieved Him.Confess our sins before Jesus and receive His forgiveness.Ask for the grace of the Holy Spirit to enable us to walk in righteousness and holiness.Seal the healing that accompanies confession by praying a relevant Scripture passage over our lives.

If we follow up by going to confession in church, it is helpful to confess the main points we have been praying about during the daily settling of our spiritual accounts.

Let is now turn to the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

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Sunday Gospel for the Rich Man and Lazarus: Luke 16:19–31 (NKJV)

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”

The Rich Man

We read in Luke 16:19: “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.”

In Jesus’ story of the rich man and Lazarus, we see two men living vastly different lives. One dwells securely in the kingdom of himself, while the other lives in the Kingdom of God. The rich man’s extravagant lifestyle reflects that “the rich man’s wealth is his strong city” (Prov. 10:15).

We know that money itself is not the root of all evil, “for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness” (1 Tim. 6:10). Jesus warns, “How hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:24b–25).

The Apostle Paul also instructs, “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17).

Yet in this story, the rich man is placed at the center. Every verse, except verses 20–22, is told from his perspective. God seeks to reach the heart of this man by placing at his doorstep someone who lives a radically different life.

Lazarus

In Luke 16:20–21, we read: “But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.”

We know little about Lazarus, yet he is clearly in a miserable state of poverty and sickness. But why was he placed there? Jesus tells us that Lazarus longed to feed on the rich man’s crumbs. The general lessons from this story include the value of caring for the sick and poor, that God regards every person equally regardless of social status, and that God’s judgment at the end of our lives is just. Yet there is more to poor Lazarus that these lessons alone.

We read in Luke 16:22–23: “So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”

This reminds us that our adoption as children of God does not depend on earthly wealth. Modesty appears to be the safest path, as Proverbs teaches: “Give me neither poverty nor riches—feed me with the food allotted to me; lest I be full and deny You, and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God” (Prov. 30:8b–9).

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Placing Our Security in Christ

Riches can fuel our pride and love of power, while poverty can certainly humble us. Yet, in the right hands, wealth can serve the expansion of God’s Kingdom, and poverty caused by irresponsible living can hinder His plan for our lives.

The key is to place our security in Christ, as the Apostle Paul writes: “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:11–13).

The judgment of these two men’s lives reveals their relationship with God while they lived. The rich man seemed to trust in his own kingdom and cared little for the God of Israel. It even appears that he did not help Lazarus—even though the beggar lay at his gate—since Lazarus received “evil things” in his lifetime but is now “comforted” (verse 25).

Lazarus, this poor and suffering child of God, had been placed at the gate of the rich man for an unknown period of time before he was “carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom” (verse 22). Clearly, he loved his God.

The Rich Man and Lazarus: Blinded by Riches

I believe the rich man must have noticed something was different about poor Lazarus. I envision Lazarus as a light version of Job, who—amid suffering—clearly demonstrated his reverent fear of God: “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10b).

Yet the testimony of Lazarus’s faith in God’s care did not impact the rich man. If this homeless man, suffering from sickness, trusted God in his poverty, how much more should the rich man have trusted God for his riches?

We read in Deuteronomy: “Then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth” (Deut. 18:17–18a). The poor man’s life should have been an eye-opener for the rich man, showing him that his own kingdom blinded him to the true Kingdom of Heaven.

The Rich Man and Lazarus: The Brothers

At the end of the Sunday Gospel, we understand why the rich man never turned to God, even though he saw Lazarus each time he entered or left his mansion. We read in Luke 16:31: “But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”

In his torment, the rich man pleaded with Abraham to send Lazarus to his five brothers, hoping that if Lazarus rose from the grave, they would believe. His request reveals something about Lazarus’s visible faith: “I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment” (Luke 16:27–28).

But Abraham replied that the brothers already had Moses and the prophets to instruct them about the Kingdom of God—and that these Scriptures bear a testimony as powerful as someone rising from the dead. The rich man’s five brothers—likely with the same mindset, since the rich man feared “they also come to this place of torment”—did not truly believe the Word of God, just as he had not.

The Rich Man and Lazarus: Good-Looking Disbelief

The rich man’s unbelief in the reign of God’s Kingdom over his life kept him excluded from it. Instead, he built an impressive and good-looking empire for himself, where he could reign as king.

Here lies the central lesson of this Sunday Gospel: when any part of our inner life is not surrendered to the Lordship of Christ, we grow self-sufficient, which eventually blinds us to the truth. This aesthetic unbelief keeps us unaware of how that part of our life might look if it were fully surrendered to God’s reign.

God may send a particular person or lead us into a recurring situation to reveal a testimony of faith we never truly considered. May the Holy Spirit help us uncover every trace of disbelief or beautifully disguised resistance to the Kingdom of God. And may we find joy in a deeper surrender to His loving leadership over our lives.

Concluding the Rich Man and Lazarus — Unveiling Two Kingdoms

I feel honored that you took the time to read. I pray that God may bless and lead you into a new week in the Season of the Kingdom of God.

Please leave a comment below—we’d love to hear your thoughts. If you found this post helpful, feel free to share it using the buttons at the top of the page.

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Join us on this weekly journey through the Seasons of Salvation as we walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ through the key seasons of His life.

Sign up to receive this year’s Divine Calendar, which introduces the Seasons of Salvation and guides you through the journey ahead. As a welcome gift, you’ll also receive my young adult novel, The Legend of the Divine Calendar, delivered straight to your inbox.

Visit the Seasons of Salvation blog for insights into the coming week, posted every Saturday. We’d be honored to have you join us.

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The post Kingdom of God 8 (Eastern): The Rich Man and Lazarus — Unveiling Two Kingdoms first appeared on Father Elisha: Let me take you on an intriguing journey..

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Published on October 24, 2025 14:44

Kingdom of God 8 (Western): The Kingdom of God and the Path to Overcome Death

Reading Time: 12 minutes Seasons of Salvation

The Spiritual Mysteries of the Divine Calendar: The Kingdom of God and the Path to Overcome Death ~ October 26 – November 1, 2025 ~

When an enemy knows its opponent is about to enter its most valuable territory, it sends its most intimidating weapon to scare the invader away and plant second thoughts about whether victory is possible. The enemy of our souls does the same. When he senses the Holy Spirit surrounding one of his darkened strongholds and preparing to enter, he unleashes his most cruel lies to make us doubt that God can truely answer our prayers or that the promises of the Kingdom of God can really change something in our lives or circumstances.

In this eighth week of the Season of the Kingdom of God in the Divine Calendar, we will look at how to overcome the fiercest power in the Kingdom of Darkness—the power of death.

Jesus at the Gate

We see this pattern in this week’s Sunday Gospel, and what’s most touching is that Jesus responds to our wavering with compassion. As we read in the book of Hebrews: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).

We see Jesus near the gate of the city of Nain. As the Son of God approaches with His testimony about the Kingdom of Heaven, the enemy of humanity brings out a coffin containing the deceased son of a despairing widow who has lost all hope. It is at the gate—the very entrance that will change the future of this city—that the coffin is paraded.

But the Sunday Gospel tells us not to lose hope or despair. When we are so close to entering our promise, the enemy will display our inadequacies before our eyes to make us draw back. Yet Jesus has compassion on us and says, “Do not weep […] Young man, I say to you, arise.” He exposes the enemy, reveals his deception, and enters the previously seized city within our soul.

Our Progress through the Divine Calendar

The Season of the Kingdom of God unfolds in stages, and this the distance we have journeyed so far:

The Kingdom of God Declared in Power

Week 1: Building the Kingdom of God

Week 2: Recognizing Our Call to Repentance

The Absence of the Kingdom of God

Week 3: Zacchaeus and His Desire to See Jesus

Week 4: The Inner Vacuum and Mary’s Alabaster Flask

The Gradual Descent When We Lose the Vision of the Kingdom of God (4 weeks)

Week 5: Healing the Paralytic and Our Inner Paralysis

Week 6: Jesus in the Boat and Fruitless Toil

Week 7 (Last Week): Repentance and Renewal — Moving from Despair to Hope

Toward the Fullness of Christ

God prepares us to work with Him to expand His Kingdom—first within us, and then through us to the world. To reach this goal, the Holy Spirit highlights a certain obstacle in our fallen human nature that hinders us from taking the next step He has ordained for us individually. The key to discovering this activity of the Spirit is daily repentance, which can take the form of reviewing our day with the Holy Spirit each evening.

What the Holy Spirit underlines during these first ten weeks of the Divine Calendar (the Season of the Kingdom of God) usually points to a specific deep root in our fallen nature that blocks our progress. During this liturgical year, God will focus on crucifying this root and renewing this part of our soul through resurrection into Christlikeness—the new man.

The Previous Three Levels of the Absence of the Kingdom of God

We have arrived at the last of the four weeks revealing the sad condition of the soul left in the absence of Christ’s lordship. “For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21b).

Our lives in following Jesus are a continual process of reaching “the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13), because “both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one” (Heb. 2:22). We are “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29).

As we follow Jesus through the Seasons of Salvation, the Holy Spirit helps us to be “transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Cor. 3:18). So far, we have discovered three levels of symptoms when our life is absent from the Kingdom of God.

First, it manifests as a sense of inner paralysis.

If this inner paralysis persists, the second level appears: all our work for God becomes exhausting toil that bears no fruit—unless God has hidden us for a future purpose.

If the light of God cannot reach this part of our soul, the darkness may thicken and turn into inner blindness and muteness, blocking our ability to testify about God’s work and leading us into the dreaded despair. We lose hope that God can change this part of us.

This week, we will uncover the darkest symptom of isolation from God’s Kingdom, after despair has taken full reign. Sobering, yes—but the light of the Kingdom of God shines all the brighter.

Photo by Nazrin Babashova on Unsplash

Sunday Gospel for the Kingdom of God and the Path to Overcome Death: Luke 7:11–17 (NKJV)

Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. 12 And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.

13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.

16 Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” 17 And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.

Jesus Comes Close to Home

In Luke 7:11, we read: “Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd.”

Jesus comes toward Nain with crowds following Him. These people are neither paralyzed, nor suffering fruitlessness, nor trapped in despair that mutes their testimony about Him. They are drawn to Him by His teachings, His miracles, or the growing rumor of Him being the Messiah.

The city name Nain means “a home,” “habitation,” and “a pleasant place.” When Jesus draws near one of our inner Jerichos—confronting the self-elected government of His majesty, King Ego—things may occur that can confuse us if we do not realize what is happening.

Coming to the Surface

We read in Luke 7:12: “And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.”

When Jesus draws near the gate of the city—when He comes close to our weakness in His determined yet humble way—a despairing widow, who has lost all hope for her lineage to continue, comes to meet Him. She has no husband, and her only son has died, and so she despairs because her family line will end with her son. The first thing Jesus encounters from the city of Nain is this coffin of death.

When we experience a sudden manifestation of our fallen human nature—something that usually remains hidden—it is a sign that Jesus is drawing near the gate of our sinful nature. Such a confrontation with “the light of the world” (John 8:12) pushes our fallen nature to the surface, and we may suddenly notice or fall into sinful patterns in unusual ways. We might burst into anger, feel hopeless, or surrender to circumstances.

When the city of Nain carries out the coffin of death—when our fallen human nature rises to the surface—we are not to be afraid. Instead, we are to recognize that Jesus is near, ready to answer our prayers of repentance and proclaim the truths of God’s Word and His Kingdom over our lives.

The Fourth Symptom of the Absence of the Kingdom of God: Death

The fourth and last symptom of the soul left outside God’s Kingdom is this coffin—death. If despair grows and establishes deep roots, death will eventually reign in this part of our lives. This might sound strange since God has adopted us as His children through faith in Christ, but death might still reign in parts of our soul after being born again into the Kingdom of God.

The Apostle Paul writes: “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom. 8:12–13). He also writes: “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” (Gal. 5: 16–17).

But the most accurate description we find in Romans:

“Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom. 7:20–25).

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The Compassionate Jesus

We read in Luke 7:13–14: “When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’”

Oh, the compassionate Jesus. When His divine presence invades the territory of our fallen human nature, forcing a certain manifestation of sin to the surface, He doesn’t do so to humiliate or condemn us.

This is the most magnificent side of our Beloved Savior. When we sin, Jesus does not condemn us—He covers us. The Evangelist John writes: “When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, ‘Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more’” (John 8:10–11).

Touching the Coffin

This is the nature of Jesus in His first coming: “And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world” (John 12:47). Jesus feels compassion for the widow and says to her, “Do not weep.” This is the Jesus that surrounds the city of our fallen human nature. He has compassion on us, and when we confess our sins, He immediately comforts us and dries our tears. Jesus touches the coffin—the area of our soul—and says: “Young man, I say to you, arise.”

“Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor. 15:54), and we may receive a foretaste of this victory even now if we perceive and respond to these surfacing sins. However, the final resurrection and the seal of the work of redemption—on a larger scale than we realize—come later in the Divine Calendar, perhaps even after several years of journeying through the Seasons of Salvation.

There is no hopeless condition nor siege of death within our soul that Jesus cannot redeem. We might have lost hope for change—even others might have given up on us—but Jesus never will.

An Everlasting Name in the Kingdom of God

In Luke 7:15, we see Jesus return the resurrected son to his mother. Jesus saved the widow’s inheritance—her lineage would go on. The prophet Isaiah speaks of the significance of our eternal inheritance:

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Keep justice, and do righteousness, for My salvation is about to come’ […] Do not let the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord speak, saying, ‘The Lord has utterly separated me from His people’; nor let the eunuch say, ‘Here I am, a dry tree.’ For thus says the Lord: ‘To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant, even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off’” (Isa. 56:1–5).

The final verses of Luke 7:16–17 reveal the amazement of the people of Nain and how their testimony spread from Nain to Judea and beyond. As we have seen in the previous weeks, once a part of our soul receives the power of resurrection and comes under the Lordship of Jesus, the effect becomes visible to everyone around us. We witness how an inner extension of the Kingdom of God manifests outwardly. To our compassionate Jesus be all the glory.

When Jesus Returns

We see Jesus as the compassionate Savior, immediately covering our sins, in His first coming. But in His Second Coming, we will witness a different revelation of Jesus Christ. He remains the same as He was at His first coming, yet the damage of sin and death will have reached its limit. Jesus will soon return as a roaring Lion. He will ride a warhorse, fiercely bringing an end to all evil on the earth as a jealous Bridegroom. For those who still clench their fists at His face, His coming will be terrifying.

“The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies. ‘I have held My peace a long time, I have been still and restrained Myself. Now I will cry …’” (Isa. 42:13–14a).

Concluding the Kingdom of God and the Path to Overcome Death

Thank you for taking the time to read and share this moment with me. The honor is truly mine. I pray the Lord will draw near and stir our spirits as we move toward the final two weeks of the first Season of Salvation in the Divine Calendar.

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The post Kingdom of God 8 (Western): The Kingdom of God and the Path to Overcome Death first appeared on Father Elisha: Let me take you on an intriguing journey..

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Published on October 24, 2025 14:17

Kingdom of God 7 (Eastern): Spiritual Battles — Lessons from Jesus

Reading Time: 11 minutes Seasons of Salvation

The Spiritual Mysteries of the Divine Calendar: Spiritual Battles — Lessons from Jesus ~ October 19–25, 2025 ~

With just four weeks remaining in the Season of the Kingdom of God, the first Season of Salvation in the Divine Calendar, the Holy Spirit invites us into a greater vision for our lives. However, to enter this blessed vision, the reign of the Lord must extend in our souls. The more we allow God to sanctify us, the greater our external impact and testimony for His Kingdom will be. But this growth comes with spiritual battles, and this week, Jesus will teach us some significant and practical lessons.

God desires that we partner with Him in His work, and the Holy Spirit is revealing glimpses of that calling to our hearts during this first Season of Salvation. For this new calling to mature, we need to embrace the key of this Season: repentance.

Our Vision of God’s Kingdom

God wants to help us see what hinders the expansion of our vision, and how to make it a reality. During the first season of the Divine Calendar, we often begin to recognize a weakness—a deep-rooted aspect of our fallen human nature—that resists this growth.

In the previous weeks, we have encountered several significant insights into these weaknesses. We have learned that God and His Kingdom are far greater than the narrow boxes we sometimes create with our convictions about how spiritual life works. We have discussed the futility of toiling in the night with no fruit, serving the Lord in our own way.

Two weeks ago, we saw how powerless we are to love our enemies unless we tap into God’s inexhaustible reservoirs of love and mercy. And last week, we reflected on the powerful truth that life overcomes death, as in the story of the Widow of Nain.

This week’s Sunday Gospel introduces a parable about something as simple as a farmer sowing seeds. Jesus explains that He tells this parable because the masses wouldn’t understand if He revealed the mysteries plainly. Ultimately, He shares the deeper meaning directly with His inner circle of disciples. Let’s delve into His teachings and uncover the message for this week.

The Past Weeks of the Season of the Kingdom of God

To help us reflect on our journey so far in this year’s Divine Calendar, here’s an overview of the previous weeks in the Season of the Kingdom of God:

Week 3: Moving Out of the Box in Our Spiritual Life