Letter to the Brethren: August 28, 2025

Greetings from Grover Beach, California.

Last Sabbath, we again spent a lot of time on the ‘Behind the Works’ video. It is not perfect, but of course, none of us are. Yet, it covers several topics and several parts of the world.

I  have also been working on a new book that I plan to do a sermon series on related to what happened to original, apostolic, Christianity. But that will take some time before it is close to being properly usable for sermons.

Anyway, all that is to say we did not video a new sermon last Sabbath. However, we recorded an extra sermon video several months ago that we never had put in as a suggested sermon for the Sabbath until now.

It is titled:  Lucian of Antioch: Scripture vs. Allegorists.

Ancient portrayal intended to be of Lucian of Antioch
(Public domain sketch)

Lucian of Antioch has a Sabbath-keeper who ran a school on theology. His approached differed from the school in Alexandria as that school preferred to teach allegory as opposed to believing the actual word of God means what it says. Lucian’s school in Antioch took a much more literal approach to scripture. The scholars of the Greco-Roman Catholic and Protestant churches tend to prefer the allegorical teaching, whereas we in the Continuing Church of God support the more literal expounding of the Bible. Lucian of Antioch is one who is in out apostolic succession list.

That said, although he is honored by the Seventh-day Adventist church, unlike the modern trinitarian SDAs, Lucian of Antioch held a binitarian/semi-arian view of the Godhead like we in the Continuing Church of God do.

Lucian of Antioch was martyred for his faith.

Feast of Tabernacles in Ethiopia

Remember to be preparing for the Feast of Tabernacles.

Church services for the Feast of Tabernacles in 2025 are to begin at sunset on October 6th and run through (including the Last Great Day) sunset October 14th in 2025.

Koang Deng Gatluak

Deacon Koang Deng sent the following:

Dear Dr. Bob:

Greetings to you this morning.

Here, we are doing fine and I believe that, our God still looking after us all.

Again, we also scheduled, the feast of Tabernacles to be celebrate in two sites this year, one in Gambella Town and the another site will be in Matar Town in the area where our brethren settled in camp near the border of Ethiopia and south Sudan.

Please, pass my greeting to all.

Thanks,

Koang.

Do not delay in at least preparing to schedule yourself for attending, wherever that may be.

Here is a list of planned and tentative festival sites around the world for 2025, check out: Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2025.

Pray for Wisdom

(Pixabay illustration)

The Apostle James, the half-brother of Jesus wrote:

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:5-8)

The Book of Proverbs gives many reasons why wisdom is important.

Here is what its eighth chapter teaches:

1 Does not wisdom cry out,
And understanding lift up her voice?
2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill,
Beside the way, where the paths meet.
3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,
At the entrance of the doors:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O you simple ones, understand prudence,
And you fools, be of an understanding heart.
6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things,
And from the opening of my lips will come right things;
7 For my mouth will speak truth;
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;
Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.
9 They are all plain to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choice gold;
11 For wisdom is better than rubies,
And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.

12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the perverse mouth I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, I have strength.
15 By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles,
All the judges of the earth.
17 I love those who love me,
And those who seek me diligently will find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
And my revenue than choice silver.
20 I traverse the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,
That I may fill their treasuries.

22 “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
23 I have been established from everlasting,
From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled,Before the hills, I was brought forth;
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields,
Or the primal dust of the world.
27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When He established the clouds above,
When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
29 When He assigned to the sea its limit,
So that the waters would not transgress His command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman;
And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And my delight was with the sons of men.

32 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.
34 Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life,
And obtains favor from the Lord;
36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.”  (Proverbs 8:1-36)

Note that we are to listen to what the word of God teaches.

Wisdom is something we can all use more of.

Suggested Sabbath Service