Our mission statement: "To know God; and to provide a climate in which each person can come to full spiritual potential in Jesus Christ."
The "New Life in Christ" class is designed around four 'key' elements:
Prayer, Love, Hope, and Faith:
The course is designed so that one lesson can lead into another, and so that any lesson can be the starting point for the entire survey.
SESSION ONE: PERSONAL PRAYER
PRAYER - The Life Verse for the Prayer section is "The Lord's Prayer," found in Matthew 6:5-15.
Two sessions will look at personal prayer and the devotional life, and corporate worship, or coming together to pray as part of the Body of Christ.
[Getting acquainted. Introductions. Review of last week's discoveries.]
Jesus did not "explain" prayer. But He did give us a Pattern Prayer. Let's look at it together:
Our Father which art in heaven - "Our" indicates community, family. Not merely "My" Father, but "Our," to share Him with all others of faith.
Hallowed be Thy name - Only God is holy in and of Himself. Prayer helps us to recognize Him as the Source of all good, and to worship Him, to adore Him in our hearts.
Thy kingdom come. - Did you ever think what kind of world this would be if every human being really tried to love and serve God? Jesus taught us to pray for such a kingdom right here on earth. To pray such a prayer is to say, "Let me do what I can to begin such a world as that!" SURRENDER - Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. This is a prayer of trust and surrender. It is saying we believe God knows best, and that He can begin His will in our hearts and lives. [It is a serious thing to tell anyone "You do as you please with me!" But we can come to trust God until His will is our delight!]
Give us this day our daily bread. - Each day has different needs. It is not only permissible, it is right and proper to ask God for the day's necessities.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. - When do we get to the end of our need to "confess?" Do Christians need to ask forgiveness? [Do they "sin" the same as unbelievers? Luke uses the word "sin" (Luke 11:4) in the Pattern Prayer.]
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. - These are "negative statements" that recognize the presence of evil in the world, and the need to divine protection. We can also turn the prayer into a positive petition: "Do lead us into Your best will for this day!" We learn to pray by praying. We can pray in church, at work, at home, on the run. But it is best if we also have a "place" in our daily schedule to do nothing but pray, even if it is just a few short minutes. What time is best for you? Everybody can pray.
ASSIGNMENT:
Let's pray for each other this week, by name, each day!
SESSION TWO: CORPORATE PRAYER (WORSHIP)
PRAYER - The Life Verse for the Prayer section is "The Lord's Prayer," found in Matthew 6:5-13.
[Review last week's discoveries.]
What is worship? William Temple wrote: "Worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God." William Greathouse wrote: "Worship is the highest act of which a creature of God is capable."
The church has five Tasks: Worship, Evangelism, Education, Fellowship, and Service. Four are basically 'horizontal,' for the expression of God's love to fellow humans. One is basically 'vertical,' and has to do with loving and being loved of God. Can you see why Worship energizes all the rest of the Tasks of the Church?
The New Testament is a book for community, for the church. It does not teach an isolated, individual-oriented faith.
[Remember "Our Father"?] Jesus gave us His example: Luke 4:16 says it was the custom of Jesus to meet for worship with the rest of the faithful.
Acts 20:7 and I Corinthians 16:2 seem to indicate that the early church had begun to gather on the first day of the week for worship. Hebrews 10:24-5 tells us that we should not neglect coming together as Christians. Can you see why?
Much of worship is "cultural." Varied backgrounds enrich any church, as all contribute what they have been taught is important. Worship can be in church groups large and small. Stained glass and grass huts; beautiful organs and rickety pianos. But what are some basic elements? Singing is usually a very important part of worship. [Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs. Taking part in the singing!] Reading and preaching God's Word. Corporate prayer. Sharing of faith, of burdens, of goals. Support of kingdom interests. Other?
ASSIGNMENT:
Text Verse: Ephesians 4:32 "Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake, has forgiven you."
Session Two: The place of fellowship within the church.
[Review any questions from last two lessons; share any insight about prayer; receive any questions about "the church."]
Although churches do many, many things in many different ways, they have but FIVE basic tasks. They are (1) worship, (2) evangelism, (3) education, (4) fellowship, and (5) service.
Everything God wants His church to do comes under these headings; anything less, and the church is not doing all it should do; anything more, and it goes beyond the scope of the church's commission from Jesus Christ. We have thought about personal prayer and praying together: these are acts of worship. WORSHIP is central, vital, sustaining. Can you see how it is basically a "vertical" relationship? Worship, or our 'God-relationship' is the keystone of all we do as Christians and as a part of the church.
When love is directed to God it is worship; when love is directed toward fellow Christians it is either FELLOWSHIP, or it can be EDUCATION, as in training our children, or even in situations like this class. This is a "horizontal" relationship within the society of the church (directed inward).
When love is directed toward people who do not yet know the Lord it may be EVANGELISM, or telling the good news that God loves them and Christ died for them. Or it can be SERVICE, simply seeking to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the hurting, with no ulterior motive, simply because Christ loves them. This is a "horizontal" relationship (directed outward), beyond the society of the church. We seek to be inclusive, and not exclusive.
Fellowship is essential to the health of the body of Christ. There must be a balance of all the tasks, and often evangelism is valued as the task of the church, and fellowship is seen as an option.
But just as a person cannot do carpentry, or teach school, or compose symphonies when he or she is too ill to function, even so the Body of Christ cannot evangelize or serve or educate when it is out of sorts within itself.
This last half of Chapter Four (of Ephesians) is one passage of several in the New Testament where practical encouragement to fellowship is given. Look at the imperatives, both negative and positive here: (You might note what is to be "put away;" and what things we are enjoined to do.)
Fellowship is much, much more than parties and social times. It is God's love being expressed within the church. It is not "natural" or part of our culture to accept and be accepted, to forgive and be forgiven. It is Christian!
Session One: Bearing Fruit: "Success" in Life
Scripture:
This is a great chapter of the Bible, with which you should become thoroughly familiar. It introduces the analogy of life in Christ as branches connected vitally with a vine. The reason we call this section "Hope" is that it promises a great deal to every person who abides in Christ. This is a simple lesson, but at the same time profound.
(Side trip: Look at Galatians 5:22,23)
Three key words:
"Herein is the Father glorified, THAT YE BEAR M U C H FRUIT!" We are not to "settle" for being mediocre! Every one of us can succeed to excellence if we abide, ask, and obey— and if we do not try to go by someone else's definition of success.
Verse 7 is recognized as one of the great promises of the Bible. But it is vitally connected with verse 8! If we want to glorify God the Father, we can pray verse 7 with great confidence!
Session Two: Bearing Fruit: "Success" in Life
The first session emphasizes the privilege and necessity of personal growth; abiding, asking, and studying God's Word.
THE SECOND SESSION in this section deals with Christian definitions of "success" and setting goals for life.
John 15 is the Golden Chapter for the Hope section, with John 15:8 as the Life Verse: "Herein is the Father glorified, that ye bear MUCH fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."
Every Christian has the possibility of bearing MUCH fruit according to God's perfect judgment.
"FRUIT" IN THE CHRISTIAN'S LIFE CAN BE LOOKED AT AT LEAST TWO WAYS:
What God works WITHIN us by His indwelling Presence (as we ABIDE, ASK, OBEY, etc.) This is the fruit of the Spirit. Look at Galatians 5:16-26. here the "works of the flesh" are contrasted with "the fruit of the Spirit."
Look at this list of "fruit of the Spirit:"
In our relationship to God, the indwelling Presence brings these qualities of spirit. They are NOT simply positive thinking; self-help results. The Holy Spirit causes them to develop within the life of the Christian.
In our relationship to other people, the Presence is increasingly manifested with these relational qualities. Jesus Christ Himself manifested these attributes; His Spirit within bears this kind of fruit if we will let Him.
The hardest "relationship" of all is with our own personality.
But the promise is that the Holy Spirit will enable us to be loving even in our innermost, secret self. Once again, this is not "positive thinking" or self-help; it is the result of abiding in the Vine, and of desiring the Holy Spirit to indwell us constantly.
The manifest, 'visible' results of the Christian life.
"Fruit" can mean using the GIFTS of the Spirit to carry forward any phase of the true work of Jesus Christ through His church.
Our text verse for this section is Hebrews 11:6: "But without faith it is impossible to please (God;) for he that comes to God must believe that He IS; and that He is a Rewarder of them that DILIGENTLY seek Him."
The lesson for today: Luke 24:13-35 and II Corinthians 5:16-17 Introduction:
This whole "Christian business" is beautiful and good and interesting. But it is more: it is meant to be our very LIFE. Jesus is not just a wonderful Person who lived and died and taught. Jesus is God, and by His Spirit He wants to live in us and be with us every day of our lives and forever. The problem is how do we come to know Jesus as more than just a true figure in history?
This story of 'the walk to Emmaus' gives us a model of how the Savior of the world deals with individual people just like us. Jesus communicates the truth about Himself in a spiritual revelation (here in Luke 24.)
Conclusion:
Have YOU ever been like those two disciples? Where do you suppose Jesus is right now? He is nearer than you think! He will reveal Himself to you. Will you respond to whatever it is that He would have you to do?
Wollaston Church of the Nazarene
Our mission statement: "To know God; and to provide a climate in which each person can come to full spiritual potential in Jesus Christ."
Today we conclude the last section of the New Life in Christ class, designated as "Faith": Our text verse for this section is Hebrews 11:6: "But without faith it is impossible to please (God;) for he that comes to God must believe that He IS; and that He is a Rewarder of them that DILIGENTLY seek Him."
Our lesson for today will be a review of the key verses, and a discussion of where we should go as individuals and as a class after today's lesson 'ends' the "cycle":
It has been a pleasure to pastor and teachers to get to know you. We hope the association has just begun, and will continue.