Confirmation Session 3: Who is a Christian?

5 min. Opening prayer. Collect papers & handout graded papers.

5 min. Flip Chart: "A Christian is someone who . . ."

10 min. Summary of OT & NT salvation history using "THE BIBLE RAP" handout

30 min. lecture

I. A Christian is a Person who has received new life from Christ

A. Peter

1. Describe change

2. Conversion through the impact of the death and resurrection of Christ.

B. The risen Christ has changed many in Christ’s church:

1. Paul

2. Martin Luther

3. John Knox

4. Many members of the church today

5. Myself

C. A Christian is a person who has received new life from Christ

II. What is the nature of the new life?

A. Old life - Sin

1. Sin is not

a. Ignorance

1) People speak of not knowing they are doing wrong

2) We choose evil when we know very well what is good

b. Legacy from our “animal” origins

1) Dostocosky - insult to animals

2) People nailed by ears & cremated alive in Holocaust camps

3) Humans are much more fiendishly clever in our wickedness than any animal

c. Bad deeds

1) stealing

2) cheating

3) adultery

4) murder

2. I like to differentiate between Sin with “S” and sin with “s.”

a. Sin with “S” is an inner condition of character

1) an attitude

2) revolt against God

3) belief that humans are self-sufficient

4) belief that humans are master of their fate and captain of their soul

5) pursuit of one’s own happiness

6) refusal to acknowledge the need of others or of God

7) pride

b. Adam & Eve illustration

1) Sin with “s”

2) specific acts

3) specific deeds

4) name some sins

5) Specific sins are the effect of Sin

a) Genesis

1)) Lust

2)) Murder - Cain & Abel

3)))Result of our pride, our self-love

B. New Life

1. Jesus says we must be born again

2. Love = Image of new life in Christ

a. God becomes the central figure

b. Awareness of your limitations—dawning humility

c. Experience of forgiveness

1) Inner tranquillity

2) Joy

d. Growing compassion for sufferings of others

e. Rising urgency to discover & fulfill your purpose in life

f. Dependence upon Christian fellowship

3. Analogy of the new life a couple has when they just begin a marriage

III. What must you do to receive this new life?

A. Recognize the inferior nature of your old life

1. Discuss—e.g. Feel something is missing, meaninglessness

2. Lacks highest meaning & purpose

B. Repent of your old life

1. Discuss repentance

a.) Not just being sorry

b.) Being in agony over what you have done

c.) Sincerely desiring a new life

d.) Greek “metanoia”=To turn @ & go in a new direction

C. Receive Christ into your life by faith

1. Discuss that our faith is based on what Christ has done for other people—so we know it can happen

2. Trust God

3. Make a commitment

4. Obedience—Life of discipleship

5. Seek the fellowship of the church

6. Trapeze illustration—Look, see, do it, join circus

D. Result=You will realize that your life is different

1. God is present with you

2. God’s love is at work in your life

3. You are growing more God-centered rather than human-centered

IV. Personal invitation

A. Accept Christ

B. Commit your life to Him and become a part of His church

C. Grow in your relationship to Him

V. We grow closer to Jesus Christ when we . . .

I. Pray

A. Why we pray: To know personal, direct fellowship with God.

B. Discuss the five fingers of prayer:

1. Adoration

2. Confession

3. Thanksgiving

4. Petition

5. Intercession

C. varieties of Prayer

1. "Flash" prayers--Prayer on the run

2. Meditation

3. Specific period of time set aside for prayer

D. Urge people to make an earnest experiment in prayer

III. Study

A. Why study?

1. Need to understand what the Christian faith is all about

2. Need to understand how we are to live the Christian faith

B. Tell about our Christian Education program

1. Church School Class for Junior Highs

2. Youth Group meets on Sunday nights

IV. Serve Others

A. All Christians have the responsibility to serve other people

1. Mark 10:42-45

a. Read

b. Discuss

B. Ministry of the clergy: prepare people for their ministry

1. Make clear that I am available at any time for personal help

2. State personal habits of study & calling

C. Ministry of the young person

1. At school

a. Doing the best you can in your school work

b. Loving neighbor and even enemy in your school

2. At home

a. Service to parents

b. Service to brothers & sisters

c. Service around the house

3. In the church: Assuming at least one responsibility in the church

4. In the community: working in at least one service organization in the community

D. Christian discipleship involves

1. Seeeing all of daily life as the realm of personal loving service to others

2. Making a fair distribution of time and energy to service in the family, church, and community

E. Giving

A. Biblical foundation for giving

1. Tithe

B. A contemporary view of tithing

1. 10% distributed to church and charity

C. Explain the budget of the church

D. Pledging

1. Disciplined commitment for you

2. Enables church to project income

3. Pledge definite %, hopefully 5% to the work of the church

V. Witness

A. What witness is: Sharing the good news about our faith in Christ

B. Matthew 28:19,20

1. Read

2. Discuss

C. Acts 1:8 ". . . you shall be my witness"

D. How to witness

1. At work

a. Taking a stand on moral issues (Race relations) & talk it

b. Meeting personal needs of those with whom you work

2. At home

a. Sharing faith with husband or wife

b. Teaching children about God

c. Teaching children to pray

3. In the neighborhood

a. Moral issues

b. Personal needs

4. In the church

5. In the community

Conclusion

1. Christian discipleship is a full-time job

2. It's an exciting, joyous, rewarding life

3. This is the life Christ is inviting you to enter into

4. Discuss importance of joining the church as a confirmed member

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5 min. Back to flipchart: "A Christian is Someone Who" --anything to add?

5 min. Close by singing song: "They'll Know We Are Christians by our Love" --Handout