Filed under: 16-Who We Are
Who are We?
“In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth praying, ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’” — From A Brief Statement of Faith
Presbuteros, the Greek word meaning elder, is used 72 times in the New Testament. It provided the name for the Presbyterian family of churches, which includes the Reformed churches of the world. Both Presbyterian and Reformed are synonymous with churches of the Calvinist tradition.
In America, the first presbytery was organized in 1706, the first synod in 1717; the first General Assembly was held in 1789. Today’s Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) was created by the 1983 reunion of the two main branches of Presbyterians in America separated since the Civil War — the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. and the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. The latter had been created by the union of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and the United Presbyterian Church of North America in 1958.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is distinctly a confessional and a connectional church, distinguished by the representation of elders — laymen and laywomen — in its government. The church has a membership of 2.3 million in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Currently there are nearly 11 thousand congregations, over 21,000 ordained ministers, 1,100 candidates for ministry and more than 94,000 elders.
Presbyterians are BELIEVERS and DOERS
WE BELIEVE - in the Great Ends of the Church, as set forth in our Book of Order: “the proclamation of the Gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of the truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.”
WE BELIEVE – in a theology of mission, as expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith: “… Christ hath commissioned his Church to go into all the world and to make disciples of all nations. All believers are therefore under obligation … to contribute by their prayers, gifts, and personal efforts to the extension of the Kingdom of Christ throughout the whole earth.”
WE DO - mission and its related functions in “good Presbyterian order” through the structures of our General Assembly, synods, presbyteries and local churches, which provide accountability in a connectional system. The chief agencies of the General Assembly are the Office of the General Assembly, General Assembly Council, Board of Pensions, Presbyterian Foundation, Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program and Presbyterian Publishing Corporation.
WE DO - mission in partnership locally, nationally and globally by prioritizing our available resources, guided by the emphases given by our General Assembly, the biannual meeting of clergy and lay commissioners who represent the presbyteries of the church. Through the General Assembly, all Presbyterians have a voice in setting directions for mission and through their General Mission Giving, have a vital responsibility in carrying out what the General Assembly has mandated.
Presbyterians are ATTUNED to the TIMES
Our style for doing mission is biblically based and historically appropriate. It builds solidly on our past commitments and mission experience, but it also adapts to newly emerging needs and to changing relationships in a sensitive manner. Mission in the United States is decentralized as much as possible, determined by and administered at the appropriate level of the 16 regional synods, the 173 presbyteries, and the more than 11,000 congregations. Beyond our borders, we engage in mission and relations in partnership with churches and ecumenical bodies in more than 70 countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East and Europe, Central, South, and Southeast Asia and East Asia and the Pacific.
Our witness, corporately and individually, is rooted in the gospel ministries of preaching, teaching, and healing, and in Christ’s example of advocacy for the poor, the hungry and the oppressed. We are Christ’s hands extended to a hurting and broken world!
Filed under: 15-- The Sacraments of the Church
The Sacraments of the Church
Denominations often differ over what they recognize as sacraments. Some recognize as many as seven sacraments, others have no sacraments in the life of the church. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
“The Reformed tradition understands Baptism and the Lord’s Supper to be Sacraments, instituted by God and commended by Christ. Sacraments are signs of the real presence and power of Christ in the Church, symbols of God’s action. Through the Sacraments, God seals believers in redemption, renews their identity as the people of God, and marks them for service.” (Book of Order W-1.3033.2)
“The early Church, following Jesus, took three primary material elements of life–water, bread, and wine–to become basic symbols of offering life to God as Jesus had offered his life. Being washed with the water of Baptism, Christians received new life in Christ and presented their bodies to be living sacrifices to God. Eating bread and drinking wine they received the sustaining presence of Christ, remembered God’s covenant promise, and pledged their obedience anew.” (Book of Order W-1.3033.1)
Baptism
“In Baptism, the Holy Spirit binds the Church in covenant to its Creator and Lord. The water of Baptism symbolizes the waters of creation, of the flood, and of the Exodus from Egypt. Thus, the water of Baptism links us to the goodness of God’s creation and to the grace of God’s covenants with Noah and Israel. Prophets of Israel, amidst the failure of their own generation to honor God’s covenant, called for justice to roll down like waters and righteousness like an everflowing stream. (Amos 5:24) They envisioned a fresh expression of God’s grace and of creation’s goodness — a new covenant accompanied by the sprinkling of cleansing water. In his ministry, Jesus offered the gift of living water. So, Baptism is the sign and seal of God’s grace and covenant in Christ. (Book of Order W-2.3003)”
“Baptism enacts and seals what the Word proclaims: God’s redeeming grace offered to all people. Baptism is God’s gift of grace and also God’s summons to respond to that grace. Baptism calls to repentance, to faithfulness, and to discipleship. Baptism gives the church its identity and commissions the church for ministry to the world.” (Book of Order W-2.3006)
“The water used for Baptism should be common to the location, and shall be applied to the person by pouring, sprinkling, or immersion. By whatever mode, the water should be applied visibly and generously.” (Book of Order W-3.3605)
“Baptism is received only once. There are many times in worship, however, when believers acknowledge the grace of God continually at work. As they participate in the celebration of another’s Baptism, as they experience the sustaining nurture of the Lord’s Supper, and as they reaffirm the commitments made at Baptism, they confess their ongoing need of God’s grace and pledge anew their obedience to God’s covenant in Christ.” (Book of Order W-2.3009)
“As there is one body, there is one Baptism. (Eph. 4:4-6) The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) recognizes all Baptisms with water in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit administered by other Christian churches.” (Book of Order W-2.3010)
Lord’s Supper
“The Lord’s Supper is the sign and seal of eating and drinking in communion with the crucified and risen Lord. During his earthly ministry Jesus shared meals with his followers as a sign of community and acceptance and as an occasion for his own ministry.” (Book of Order W-2.4001a)
Around the Table of the Lord, God’s people are in communion with Christ and with all who belong to Christ. Reconciliation with Christ compels reconciliation with one another. All the baptized faithful are to be welcomed to the Table, and none shall be excluded because of race, sex, age, economic status, social class, handicapping condition, difference of culture or language, or any barrier created by human injustice. Coming to the Lord’s Table the faithful are actively to seek reconciliation in every instance of conflict or division between them and their neighbors. (Book of Order W-2.4006)
The Lord’s Supper is to be observed on the Lord’s Day, in the regular place of worship, and in a manner suitable to the particular occasion and local congregation. It is appropriate to celebrate the Lord’s Supper as often as each Lord’s Day. It is to be celebrated regularly and frequently enough to be recognized as integral to the Service for the Lord’s Day. (Book of Order W-2.4009)
The invitation to the Lord’s Supper is extended to all who have been baptized, remembering that access to the Table is not a right conferred upon the worthy, but a privilege given to the undeserving who come in faith, repentance, and love. In preparing to receive Christ in this Sacrament, the believer is to confess sin and brokenness, to seek reconciliation with God and neighbor, and to trust in Jesus Christ for cleansing and renewal. Even one who doubts or whose trust is wavering may come to the Table in order to be assured of God’s love and grace in Christ Jesus. (Book of Order W-2.4011a)
Filed under: 14 -- Parts of a Service
There are seven basic parts to an evangelical or Word-centered service, which is traditional in Presbtyerian churches. Each part is important.
Prayer
“Prayer is at the heart of worship. In prayer, through the Holy Spirit, people seek after and are found by the one true God who has been revealed in Jesus Christ. They listen and wait upon God, call God by name, remember God’s gracious acts, and offer themselves to God. Prayer may be spoken, sung, offered in silence, or enacted. Prayer grows out of the center of a person’s life in response to the Spirit. Prayer is shaped by the Word of God in Scripture and by the life of the community of faith. Prayer issues in commitment to join God’s work in the world.” (Book of Order, W-2.1001)
Sacraments
“The Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are God’s acts of sealing the promises of faith within the community of faith as the congregation worships, and include the responses of the faithful to the Word proclaimed and enacted in the Sacraments.” (Book of Order, W-3.3601)
Offering
“The Christian life is an offering of one’s self to God. In worship the people are presented with the costly self-offering of Jesus Christ, are claimed and set free by him, and are led to respond by offering to him their lives, their particular gifts and abilities, and their material goods. Worship should always offer opportunities to respond to Christ’s call to become disciples by professing faith, by uniting with the church, and by taking up the mission of the people of God, as well as opportunities for disciples to renew the commitment of their lives to Jesus Christ and his mission in the world.” (Book of Order, W-2.5001 – W-2.5002)
Community concerns
“Worship is an activity of the common life of the people of God in which the care of the members for each other and for the quality of their life and ministry together expresses the reality of God’s power to create and sustain community in the midst of a sinful world. As God is concerned for the events in daily life, so members of the community in worship appropriately express concern for one another and for their ministry in the world.” (Book of Order, W-2.6001)
Music
“Song is a response which engages the whole self in prayer. Song unites the faithful in common prayer wherever they gather for worship whether in church, home, or other special place . . . through the ages and from varied cultures, the church has developed additional musical forms for congregational prayer. Congregations are encouraged to use these diverse musical forms for prayer as well as those which arise out of the musical life of their own cultures. To lead the congregation in the singing of prayer is a primary role of the choir and other musicians. They also may pray on behalf of the congregation with introits, responses, and other musical forms. Instrumental music may be a form of prayer since words are not essential to prayer. In worship music is not to be for entertainment or artistic display. Care should be taken that it not be used merely as a cover for silence.” (Book of Order, W-2.1003 – W-2.1004)
Scripture
“The church confesses the Scriptures to be the Word of God written, witnessing to God’s self-revelation. Where that Word is read and proclaimed, Jesus Christ the Living Word is present by the inward witness of the Holy Spirit. For this reason the reading, hearing, preaching, and confessing of the Word are central to Christian worship. The session shall ensure that in public worship the Scripture is read and proclaimed regularly in the common language(s) of the particular church.” (Book of Order, W-2.2001)
“The minister of Word and Sacrament is responsible for the selection of Scripture to be read in all services of public worship and should exercise care so that over a period of time the people will hear the full message of Scripture. It is appropriate that in the Service for the Lord’s Day there be readings from the Old Testament and the Epistles and Gospels of the New Testament. The full range of the psalms should be also used in worship. Selections for reading in public worship should be guided by the seasons of the church year, pastoral concerns for a local congregation, events and conditions in the world, and specific program emphases of the church. Lectionaries offered by the church ensure a broad range of readings as well as consistency and connection with the universal Church.” (Book of Order, W-2.002 – W-2.003)
|
Preaching “The preached Word or sermon is to be based upon the written Word. It is a proclamation of Scripture in the conviction that through the Holy Spirit Jesus Christ is present to the gathered people, offering grace and calling for obedience . . . the sermon should present the gospel with simplicity and clarity, in language which can be understood by the people . . . the preaching of the Word shall ordinarily be done by a minister of Word and Sacrament. (Book of Order, W-2.2007) “The Word is also proclaimed through song in anthems and solos based on scriptural texts, in cantatas and oratorios which tell the biblical story, in psalms and canticles, and in hymns, spirituals, and spiritual songs which present the truth of the biblical faith. Song in worship may also express the response of the people to the Word read, sung, enacted, or proclaimed. Drama and dance, poetry and pageant, indeed, most other human art forms are also expressions through which the people of God have proclaimed and responded to the Word.” (Book of Order, W-2.2008) |
Filed under: 13 -- Uniqueness
Reformed theology
Theology is a way of thinking about God and God’s relation to the world. Reformed theology evolved during the 16th century religious movement known as the Protestant Reformation. It emphasizes God’s supremacy over everything and humanity’s chief purpose as being to glorify and enjoy God forever.
In its confessions, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) expresses the faith of the Reformed tradition. Central to this tradition is the affirmation of the majesty, holiness, and providence of God who creates, sustains, rules, and redeems the world in the freedom of sovereign righteousness and love. Related to this central affirmation of God’s sovereignty are other great themes of the Reformed tradition:
- The election of the people of God for service as well as for salvation;
- Covenant life marked by a disciplined concern for order in the church according to the Word of God;
- A faithful stewardship that shuns ostentation and seeks proper use of the gifts of God’s creation;
- The recognition of the human tendency to idolatry and tyranny, which calls the people of God to work for the transformation of society by seeking justice and living in obedience to the Word of God. (Book of Order, G-2.0500)
Presbyterian Church governmentA major contributor to Reformed theology was John Calvin, who converted from Roman Catholicism after training for the priesthood and in the law. In exile in Geneva, Switzerland, Calvin developed the presbyterian pattern of church government, which vests governing authority primarily in elected laypersons known as elders. The word presbyterian comes from the Greek word for elder.
Elders are chosen by the people. Together with ministers of the Word and Sacrament, they exercise leadership, government, and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of a particular church as well as the church at large, including ecumenical relationships. They shall serve faithfully as members of the session. (Book of Order, G-10.0102) When elected commissioners to higher governing bodies, elders participate and vote with the same authority as ministers of the Word and Sacrament, and they are eligible for any office. (Book of Order G-6.0302)
The body of elders elected to govern a particular congregation is called a session. They are elected by the congregation and in one sense are representatives of the other members of the congregation. On the other hand, their primary charge is to seek to discover and represent the will of Christ as they govern. Presbyterian elders are both elected and ordained. Through ordination they are officially set apart for service. They retain their ordination beyond their term in office. Ministers who serve the congregation are also part of the session. The session is the smallest, most local governing body. The other governing bodies are presbyteries, which are composed of several churches; synods, which are composed of several presbyteries; and the General Assembly, which represents the entire denomination. Elders and ministers who serve on these governing bodies are also called presbyters.
What’s Presbyterian worship like?The order of a Sunday worship service in a Presbyterian church is determined by the pastor and the session, the church’s governing body. It generally includes prayer, music, Bible reading and a sermon based upon scripture. The Sacraments, a time of personal response/offering, and a sharing of community concerns are also parts of worship. The constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) suggests that worship be ordered in terms of five major actions centered in the word of God (gathering around the word, proclaiming the word, responding to the word, the sealing of the word, and bearing and following the word into the world), but recognizes that “other orders of worship may also serve the needs of a particular church and be orderly, faithful to Scripture, and true to historic principles.” (Book of Order, W-3.3202)
Filed under: 12 - Church History
Presbyterian Church History
The earliest Christian church consisted of Jews in the first century who had known Jesus and heard his teachings. It gradually grew and spread from the Middle East to other parts of the world, though not without controversy and hardship among its supporters.
During the 4th century, after more than 300 years of persecution under various Roman emperors, the church became established as a political as well as a spiritual power under the Emperor Constantine. Theological and political disagreements, however, served to widen the rift between members of the eastern (Greek-speaking) and western (Latin-speaking) branches of the church. Eventually the western portions of Europe, came under the religious and political authority of the Roman Catholic Church. Eastern Europe and parts of Asia came under the authority of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
In western Europe, the authority of the Roman Catholic Church remained largely unquestioned until the Renaissance in the 15th century. The invention of the printing press in Germany around 1440 made it possible for common people to have access to printed materials including the Bible. This, in turn, enabled many to discover religious thinkers who had begun to question the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. One such figure, Martin Luther, a German priest and professor, started the movement known as the Protestant Reformation when he posted a list of 95 grievances against the Roman Catholic Church on a church door in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517. Some 20 years later, a French/Swiss theologian, John Calvin, further refined the reformers’ new way of thinking about the nature of God and God’s relationship with humanity in what came to be known as Reformed theology. John Knox, a Scotsman who studied with Calvin in Geneva, Switzerland, took Calvin’s teachings back to Scotland. Other Reformed communities developed in England, Holland and France. The Presbyterian church traces its ancestry back primarily to Scotland and England.
Presbyterians have featured prominently in United States history. The Rev. Francis Makemie, who arrived in the U.S. from Ireland in 1683, helped to organize the first American Presbytery at Philadelphia in 1706. In 1726, the Rev. William Tennent founded a ministerial ‘log college’ in Pennsylvania. Twenty years later, the College of New Jersey (now known as Princeton University) was established. Other Presbyterian ministers, such as the Rev. Jonathan Edwards and the Rev. Gilbert Tennent, were driving forces in the so-called “Great Awakening,” a revivalist movement in the early 18th century. One of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, the Rev. John Witherspoon, was a Presbyterian minister and the president of Princeton University from 1768-1793.
The Presbyterian church in the United States has split and parts have reunited several times. Currently the largest group is the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which has its national offices in Louisville, Ky. It was formed in 1983 as a result of reunion between the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. (PCUS), the so-called “southern branch,” and the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (UPCUSA), the so-called “northern branch.” Other Presbyterian churches in the United States include: the Presbyterian Church in America, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church.
Filed under: 11-Presbyterian 101
Filed under: 8 - The Bible
The Bible
Christians believe that the Bible is the most important book ever written – inspired by God, a gift from Him to us. We have made it the best-selling book of all time, by far. But most copies that are sold are not read, just put up on a shelf or on the coffee table in our homes. Why do you suppose that is?
What do we believe about this book, how did we get it, and why should we read it?
Inspired by God
As Presbyterians, we believe that the Bible is “the inspired word of God”. The word “inspire” comes from the Latin word inspirare which means “to breathe into” (strange, when we study God we keep discovering words about breathing). We know that the 66 books of the Bible were written by 40 different authors over 1600 years. When we believe these authors were inspired by God, we are saying that God breathed His truth into the words. When the prophets spoke and their words were written down, we received God’s words. When the authors of the Gospels wrote the stories they collected from the followers of a Jewish rabbi named Jesus, we received God’s story. And we believe that God inspired those who throughout history have researched and prayed to create the Bible we read today, assembling some works while rejecting others, to present God’s truth to our modern world.
The Story
What is “the story” of the Bible? At face value, it seems to be a collection of many different things: historical narrative, rules to live by, poetry and songs, mystical visions, letters from disciples to followers. Is there one consistent theme that we could capture in just a few words?
The Bible is a collection of stories about people who were in relationship with God. All the books center on people in partnership with God, that were given God’s authority to carry out His work in the world. We beleive the Bible is God’s authoritative Word and that all Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit. It has been called God’s love letter to His people. It has also been called the Manufacturer’s Handbook.
Why would God want us to have a book like that? Instead of a book that speaks in so many different ways — ways that we have to interpret and study and wrestle with — why doesn’t God just write down the rules, and only the rules? That way, when we need His answers, we could go straight to the index and look them up!
We believe God gave us the Bible that we have because he does not want us to just look up the answers. Remember how we found evidence in Genesis that we were created to be partners with God? God wants humans to be His partners in the work He is doing in the world. Just as God gives us His Holy Spirit for guidance, He gives us this Bible for the same purpose. God wants growth, motion forward, in new directions that, as partners under His guidance, we decide. But in order to receive His guidance and decide wisely, we need the stories of others that have walked with God.
Stories Make Us Think
The narrative style of the Bible reminds me of the way Jesus taught many of his most important lessons. Jesus used stories too, called parables, to engage his listeners and make them think for themselves. Jesus told the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15) instead of shouting, “the best way to receive the Word of God is in your heart!” Jesus told the story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) instead of telling the rich man, “everyone is your neighbor.”
God knows that the best way to draw us humans into relationship is to make us think, and stories do that. Just like a really good movie or book, the parables of Jesus and the stories of the Bible seem at first like a different world with characters that we begin to recognize as the story unfolds. We have to think about them, find the moral, and find ourselves. Then we are fully engaged, thinking through all the consequences of “everyone is your neighbor” that we’d have otherwise missed.
Hearing God’s Word
Christians believe that God speaks to us through the Bible. But we cannot hear His voice and think about His stories unless we read. Reading the Bible is something you should strive to do every day.
Consider your Bible. Do you like it? Do you find it easy to read or is the language difficult? There are dozens of English translations of the Bible available to us today. Is one better than the others? Scholars will argue that some translations are closer to the historical texts (written in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek) than others, but the best translation of the Bible for you is the one that you will read. In class we looked at several Bibles that were designed to be more accessible to young people. If those looked interesting to you, please contact me or get down to the bookstore and check them out for yourself.
If God really does speak to us through the Bible, how can we hear Him? The assignment this week is to experience God’s word through the Bible. All ways begin with prayer. Ask God to focus your mind to hear His guiding voice. Notice the attitude of this prayer: of course God will speak to you; what you need is His help with listening. That is my prayer to God for every confirmand. I know that God is faithful, that He will speak to you. My prayer is that you will make the effort to listen.
Filed under: 10 The Sacraments
God’s plan is to invite us back into relationship with Him. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to become human and live with us and die as the ultimate sacrifice. And Jesus promised to send us the Holy Spirit, to live inside those of us who choose to believe, to guide us in the path of God’s will, and to bring us gifts of joy and abundant life.
Visible Signs of God’s Grace
God gave us special ways to receive His invitation into this new relationship, or covenant, with Him, and to experience His living presence in our lives. We call these sacraments. A sacrament is an outward, visible sign of God’s inward, spiritual grace. And grace is God’s love which rescues us, providing that bridge across the chasm of separation into relationship with Him. Grace is a gift from God which we do not deserve and cannot earn, but is given to us freely from a loving Father to His children.
Presbyterians believe in two forms of sacrament: Baptism and The Lord’s Supper, also called Holy Communion. In these sacraments, God uses physical elements (water, bread, the cup) as vehicles for us to acknowledge and receive His grace. God knows that we are physical beings, so He gives us these physical ways to experience His spiritual world.
Baptism
The Christian tradition of baptism comes to us from John the Baptist, who was Jesus’ cousin. At the very beginning of Christ’s ministry, Matthew 3:11-17, Jesus asks John to baptize him in the river Jordan. Then after his resurrection, Jesus tells his disciples:
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit“. (Matthew 29:19 NIV)
Notice how baptism marks both the beginning Christ’s own mission, and also the mission he gave his disciples: to spread the Gospel, the news of God’s new covenant, throughout the world. The symbol of baptism must be very important somehow.
Baptism is actually an ancient ritual of cleansing. The Jewish tradition, from the Hebrew word mikvah, refers to a bath in flowing water to clean and purify the body. The mikvah was therefore closely related to the observance of Jewish laws for cleanliness, required frequently in order to wash away sin and turn back toward God.
As Christians, we believe that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross has cleansed us of our sins once and for all. When we accept God into our lives, marked by our own baptism, we are no longer “unclean” in God’s eyes, but purified and ready to meet Him in loving relationship, now and forever more. And we are also connected through baptism to Jesus Christ, baptized into his life and into his death and resurrection.
When you are confirmed, the pastor will ask you to “remember your baptism, and be thankful.” He will use water to symbolize the renewal of your baptism. If you were baptized as a baby, you probably cannot actually remember the event of your baptism. But you can remember that you have been baptized, marked by God and cleansed of all judgment of your sin, forever ready to accept God’s invitation to walk with Him. It is yet another part of becoming a Christian adult and claiming for yourself both faith in God and the love of God, which was first claimed for you by your family.
Holy Communion, The Sacament of The Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper is often called Holy Communion. Sometimes it is called the Eucharist, which comes from a Greek word meaning “thanksgiving.” The Lord’s Supper is the second form of sacrament that Presbyterians observe. Whereas baptism is performed only once in our lives, the Lord’s Supper (holy communion) is a frequent reminder that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are ever present in our lives.
The tradition of the Lord’s Supper (holy communion) comes from Jesus himself. In the Gospel according to Luke we read of Jesus and his disciples at the Last Supper:
And [Jesus] took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:19-20 NIV)
Jesus describes the bread and the cup as symbols of his death, his sacrifice for our sins. His body is broken and given for us. His blood is poured out for us. And the “new covenant” is of course God’s rescue plan, fulfilled by Jesus, across the chasm that separated us from God.
In the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper we are reminded that “Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.” We are reminded that our sins have been forgiven and we are invited into relationship with our loving, perfect creator. We affirm that Jesus Christ is risen and that He is our Lord and Savior!
Filed under: 9 - Sin and Forgiveness
God Hates Sin, But Loves the Sinner Through Jesus
God Gives Us A Choice
In studying Genesis we saw that God put humans in charge of His creation. Think about that again: God “gave” us the earth. The whole of creation, which God loaded with potential, was ours to take somewhere. And we were God’s partners, created to subdue the Earth and it’s creatures and rule over them.
Let’s return to Genesis and read what happens next.
Gen 2:15-17, God sets only one commandment, and also pronounces the penalty: “for when you eat of it, you will surely die.”
Gen 3:1-7, Adam and Eve are tempted, and they disobey God’s only commandment.
God created Earth and gave it to us. He lived with us, walked the earth (Gen 3:8) in close relationship with us. He gave us one rule, but He also gave us a choice: we were free to choose whether or not we would live by this one rule. And what happened? We chose not to trust God but to try our own way.
Choosing our own way instead of God’s way is called “sin”. This act of sin described in Genesis 3 is the same sin that every one of us commits today, choosing not to trust fully in God, but instead trusting in ourselves. Have you thought about that before? We are able to choose to either trust in God and live as He asks, or try to go it on our own. What would you say the majority of people choose, God’s way or their own? Which way do you choose most of the time? Honestly. So the story of Adam and Eve, at that level, is the story of every one of us to this day.
The gift from God to make our own decisions is often called “free will” – meaning God made us able to live with him, but also gave us the freedom to choice not to.
Creation Fell With Us
Adam and Eve were in charge of creation, and they decided to try their own way instead of following God’s rule. So what happens to creation? Creation falls along with the humans who rule over it. In Eden, God made the plants bring forth food for people to eat. But without God, man has to do the work and suffer the thorns and droughts that come when we live apart from God.
It is a huge and important point. When we chose to leave the protection of God in Genesis 3, we took creation with us.
Does this seem like a harsh punishment from God? Let’s look at that question from God’s point of view. If God gives us free will and we make a choice, should God respect our choice, even if it was a bad choice? If God did not respect our choices, then we don’t really have free will at all.
The Good News Story
Now, that could be the end of the story. God gives us the choice to live with him or to reject him, and we choose to reject Him. So God says, “you want to go it your own way, fine. Life is hard, and then you die. Good luck.”
But the story doesn’t end in Genesis. What happens next?
The story of the Bible can be broken into 16 steps. This is a story that every Christian should know and be able to tell.
1) God Is – We begin with the mystery that God has always existed. Before anything, there was God.
2) Creation – God creates the universe, and it is good.
3) Humans with God – God creates humans in his image to rule over creation, and He walks among them in relationship with them.
4) Separation – The boundaries created by God to preserve love, and to care and protect, are destroyed. People choose to not trust God and the world becomes broken, and people become separated from God.
5) Rescue – God grieves the separation, but does not give up on us. He finds a man and woman (Abraham and Sarah) worthy of rescue and tells them of His plan to build a new future with mankind, through their descendants, the Israelites.
6) Covenant – God offers to include the Israelites in His rescue plan if they are willing. The relationship is not forced upon them. Those that accept His offer are given instructions for how to live and succeed in this new relationship with Him.
7) Sacrifice – God makes a way to bridge the separation. In relationships, things drift (sin) and then need to be made right (justice). God provides a sacrifice system as a way for people to admit their guilt, for justice to be done, and to allow for forgiveness. This is the hardest part to understand – that God is perfectly just and therefore cannot forgive sin without sacrifice. The separation between Humans and God cannot be bridged without sacrifice.
Prophets - The rescue plan has only begun. The gulf is still wide and sacrifice is hard and only temporary. God’s chosen people are oppressed both on Earth and in the spiritual realm. Prophets spoke the truth about God, reminding people to be faithful, and predicting the coming of the Messiah and a new covenant from God to all people.
9) God Arrives – God arrives just as the prophets said. God loves us so much that he becomes one of us.
10) Service – People expect the Messiah to use power and force to make things happen in the earthly realm. But Jesus uses his power to serve. This is a glimpse of what it means to Love the Father and love each other. It is a revolution not of the earthly situation, but of the spiritual realm.
11) Cross – God Dies. Jesus actions and purpose take on a deeper meaning at the cross. We see that God, all along, has determined to make things right after so much has gone wrong. He chooses to restore the relationship with His creation through the perfect sacrifice that absorbs all judgment of sin, creating the portal for unlimited forgiveness.
12) Resurrection – God Breaks Through. With the perfect sacrifice made, God can begin the restoration of the whole world. The restoration begins with Jesus, who is risen from the dead. We still experience the effects of a broken world, but Jesus gives us hope that all will be healed.
13) Redemption – The new covenant, restoring the work of God through Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Temple curtain is torn, meaning we are no longer separated from God, and God is no longer isolated to the center of the Temple. God has established a renewed path to relationship.
14) Invitation – God calls us back into relationship with Him, to live out our purpose of a new partnership with Him to bring about His Kingdom through our own healing actions on our world. The
15) Holy Spirit – God Dwells Within. Jesus promised that his followers would never be left alone and that where followers are gathered, he is present with them. His presence comes from the sending of the Holy Spirit, who dwells within the believer and the church, guiding followers on their journey.
16) Vision – God Authorizes, Extends – the ripple effect. We are called to make disciples and to continue to reflect on God’s love and hope of the healing of our world. And as we read in Revelation, the end of the story is the earthly realm becoming reconciled once again with heaven, becoming healed and brought back in line with God’s purpose for it in the first place.
What Does God Want?
Why did all this have to be? Why doesn’t God just snap His fingers and fix everything?
The intermediate answer is: free will. If we do not have to live with the consequences of our choices, then we are not really free to choose at all.
But then, if the price of free will is all this brokenness, why is free will important? And this bring us to the ultimate answer. Because God desires two things of us: faith and love. Can either be forced or coerced?
Can you force someone to love you? Well, you can show someone that you are good, that you love them, that you want to care for them and that you have their best interests at heart. So, if you did all those things (just like God does for us), will they automatically love you? No. You cannot make someone love you – they must choose to do that. Love is an emotion that comes from freedom.
Assignment:
Every Christian needs to be able to tell others why Jesus came to save us and how that happens for people. When a friend challenges you about your faith, asks you what you believe or what the Bible is really about, will you be able to tell them the story?
Your assignment is to tell this story to your parents and your mentors. If you can repeat the story from memory using the symbols we drew in class, it will help you remember and help you profess your faith. It is a story that, unfortunately, not every Christian can tell.
Filed under: 7- Prayer
What is Prayer? – Talking With God
What is prayer? Prayer is our direct line with heaven. Prayer is a communication process that allows us to talk to God! He wants us to communicate with Him, like a person-to-person phone call. Cell phones and other devices have become a necessity to some people in today’s society. We have blue tubes, blackberries, and talking computers! These are means of communication that allow two or more people to interact, discuss, and respond to one another.
To many, prayer seems complicated, but it is simply talking to God. Here are some points about what prayer is:
What is Prayer? – The Logistics
Many people question what is prayer because they desire to pray, but don’t know how. Consider these tips:
- What Do I Say? Praying is like talking to your best friend! It’s easy to talk to someone when you know they love you unconditionally!
- Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and make you new in Him! “Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins” (Acts 3:19).
- Tell Him your needs! “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you” (1 Peter 5:7).
- Thank Him, for He died on the cross at Calvary for us! “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
- How Do I Say It? Here’s how I have learned to approach the Savior of my life.
- With confidence and belief that He will deliver: “Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God’s presence, assured of his glad welcome” (Ephesians 3:12). “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it” (Hebrews 4:16).
- With joy that He can deliver. “You have shown me the way of life, and you will give me wonderful joy in your presence” (Acts 2:28).
- With expectation that He is going to deliver. “Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly” (Psalm 5:3). “I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray” (Psalm 17:6).
What is Prayer? – What Does the Bible Say?
Pray for each other. Jesus set an example for us on what to pray. He prayed for His disciples and for every generation to come that would follow Him. His prayer was that God protect and strengthen them as long as they were in this world. Jesus also prayed for those who would come to believe in Him through the Gospel message (John 17).
Pray with faith. “So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Pray with worship and reverence. “Exalt the LORD our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!” (Psalm 99:5). “‘Yes, Lord,’ the man said, ‘I believe!’ And he worshiped Jesus” (John 9:38).
You will know with confidence that God can hear you when you pray, so open that line of communication! Pray, knowing that no matter how far you roam, your connection with Him can never be lost!
“I pray that your love for each other will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in your knowledge and understanding” (Philippians 1:9).
Daily Prayer at your Computer
God loves you so much that He wants to speak to you every single day. Every Christian should dedicate some time each day to talk with God in prayer.
Do you find that difficult to do? Here are two wonderful web sites that can help you focus a few minutes of every day on God, to speak to Him and listen to His word. Click on one of the links below to give it a try.
