Christianity Isn’t About Being Nice | The Radical Mercy of Abba Moses

Published 21 hours ago

Christianity is not primarily about becoming nice, polite, or even merely “good.”

Those may be fruits of the Christian life, but the real call is much greater:

Take up the Cross and follow Christ.

This sermon reflects on that call through the extraordinary life of Abba Moses the Black, also called Moses the Ethiopian.

Moses began as a runaway slave, violent robber, murderer, and gang leader. Yet after encountering a monastery in the desert, he confessed his sins, received baptism, became a monk, and slowly allowed the grace of God to transform him.

His conversion did not happen overnight.

When thieves once robbed his cell, Moses overpowered them—but instead of harming them, he brought them to the monks and asked what a Christian should do. The robbers themselves repented.

Later, when monks gathered to judge a brother who had sinned, Moses arrived carrying a basket leaking sand behind him.

“My sins are running behind me. I cannot see my sins, and yet here I am to judge my brother.”

The Gospel calls Christians beyond ordinary kindness:

Love your enemies.
Do good to those who mistreat you.
Return kindness for insult.
Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.

We are sinners—but we are not called to remain sinners.

We are called to become saints.

Timestamps / Chapters

00:00 Opening Prayer
00:28 Christianity Is Not About Being Nice
00:38 The True Call: Take Up the Cross
00:57 The Cross Guides the Christian Life
01:22 The Call of Christ Is for Every Christian
01:48 Becoming Sons and Daughters of God
02:12 What the Saints Teach Us
02:41 Abba Moses the Black
02:55 Runaway Slave, Robber & Murderer
03:17 Moses Finds a Monastery
03:31 Fascinated by the Life of the Monks
03:46 Confession, Baptism & Monastic Life
03:55 Conversion Does Not Happen Overnight
04:03 Four Robbers Enter His Cell
04:21 Mercy Toward the Thieves
04:29 The Robbers Repent
04:41 Moses Becomes a Spiritual Father
04:50 The Monk Caught in Sin
05:15 The Basket of Sand
05:23 “My Sins Are Running Behind Me”
05:40 The Monks Refuse to Judge Their Brother
05:56 The Final Days of Abba Moses
06:05 Refusing to Fight the Robbers
06:22 Baptism Is Only the Beginning
06:38 Learning to Live as God’s Children
06:54 Love of God & Love of Neighbor
07:02 Do Unto Others
07:08 Including Our Enemies
07:21 Loving Those Who Love Us Is Easy
07:41 We Are Called to Be Saints
07:48 Love Your Enemies
08:00 Give Without Expecting Return
08:08 Return Kindness for Rudeness
08:16 Speak Well—or Remain Silent
08:29 Yes, This Applies to Social Media
08:44 “Delete Your Accounts”
08:50 The Small Acts of Christian Life
09:20 Kindness Is Only the Beginning
09:36 Christianity Sounds Foolish to the World
09:57 Christ Calls Everyone
10:17 Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
10:33 We Cannot Do This Without God
10:39 Christianity Is More Than Niceness
10:45 Be Merciful as the Father Is Merciful
10:52 A Challenge for This Week
11:01 Who Needs Mercy From You?
11:18 Let Go of Long-Held Grudges
11:32 Mercy Means Taking Up the Cross
11:40 Living as Children of God
11:55 Kindness to the Ungrateful and Evil
12:00 Become a Living Example of God’s Mercy
12:10 Those Who Show Mercy Receive Mercy
12:24 Christ Will Judge the Living and the Dead
12:33 Closing Doxology

For more please visit https://www.youtube.com/@stjohnmelkite & remember to say 3 Hail Marys for the priest.

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Christianity Isn’t About Being Nice | The Radical Mercy of Abba Moses

Published 21 hours ago

Christianity is not primarily about becoming nice, polite, or even merely “good.”

Those may be fruits of the Christian life, but the real call is much greater:

Take up the Cross and follow Christ.

This sermon reflects on that call through the extraordinary life of Abba Moses the Black, also called Moses the Ethiopian.

His conversion did not happen overnight.

When thieves once robbed his cell, Moses overpowered them—but instead of harming them, he brought them to the monks and asked what a Christian should do. The robbers themselves repented.

Later, when monks gathered to judge a brother who had sinned, Moses arrived carrying a basket leaking sand behind him.

“My sins are running behind me. I cannot see my sins, and yet here I am to judge my brother.”

The Gospel calls Christians beyond ordinary kindness:

Love your enemies.
Do good to those who mistreat you.
Return kindness for insult.
Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.

We are sinners—but we are not called to remain sinners.

We are called to become saints.

Timestamps / Chapters