T HE S ONS OF E EL - E LYON 4 th Sunday of Paonah 1728/2012

S ONS OF THE M OST H IGH  But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.  Luke 6:35

E EL E LYON  עֶלְיוֹן = Most High = 'elyown = Strong's H5945  28 times in the OT. 19 of those in the psalms

P HYSICIANS IN USA "Several years ago Time published some revealing statistics. It reported that every year 36 to 77 of every 100,000 physicians in our country commit suicide, three times the rate of the general population … Los Angeles psychiatrist Robert Litman offers his explanation: ’They believe themselves to be omnipotent, semi-deities in a white smock’ … It’s not easy playing God. After trying it for a while and failing, the physicians have to admit they are failing. Omnipotence is beyond them, so they turn, the article says, to drugs, alcohol, psychotherapy, and eventually suicide." Dr. LeRoy Lawson, A Strength Not My Own, 15.

T HE F ALL OF L UCIFR  “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart : ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ 15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit. Isa 14: 12-15

D EPRESSION IN UK  According to Department of Health figures, around 20 per cent of women and 14 per cent of men in England suffer from depression at any one time but the Mental Health Foundation had estimated the true figure to be higher with symptoms affecting one in four UK adults. Tracy McVeighTracy McVeigh, education correspondent The ObserverThe Observer, Sunday 7 January 2001

17 COMMANDMENTS IN 12 VERSES 1) Love your enemies, 2) do good to those who hate you, 3) bless those who curse you, 4) pray for those who spitefully use you. 5) offer the other also. 6) do not withhold your tunic either. 7) Give to everyone who asks of you. 8) who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 9) And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise 10) But love your enemies, 11) do good, 12) and lend, hoping for nothing in return; 13) Therefore be merciful, 14) “Judge not, 15) Condemn not, 16) Forgive, 17) Give,

A BRAM AND M ELCHIZEDEK  18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: “ Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. 21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the L ORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and ea rth, Gen 14:18-22

C HRIST AND M ELCHIZEDEK 1) The true High Priest (our Lord Jesus Christ) 2) Christ is the source of all blessings 3) Christ conquered our enemy for us 4) When we look at Him, we can do everything not waiting for a return.

(S T. C YRIL THE G REAT ) No one has dared to confront Satan except the Son, who fought strongly against him, while having our likeness. For that, nature has conquered in Jesus Christ, and gained the crown of victory and conquest.

H AS G IVEN TO US  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, 2 Pet 1:3

(S T. A THANASIUS THE A POSTOLIC ) The Lord has granted us great gifts: He did not just untie our bonds to sin, but also gave us authority to trample on the serpents and scorpions and all the power of the enemy.