gathering as church
DESCRIPTION
Pre-Confirmation Class Resource for Chapter OneTRANSCRIPT
Pre-Confirmation
… wait a minute … what is Confirmation anyway?
Confirmation
• Let’s watch this 5 min explanation:• http://youtu.be/Sitct-MExjE
Confirmation
You will receive the Spirit of:1.Wisdom 2.Understanding 3.Right judgment 4.Courage 5.Knowledge 6.Reverence 7.Holy fear in God's presence. Guard what you have
received
Gathering as Church
Chapter OnePre-Confirmation
Faith Concepts
1.Covenant
1.Church
Covenant
• Origins of word– Latin convenire to come together,
agree;
• Definition– (a) Solemn agreement – (b) Between God and his people– (c) Of mutual commitment
COVENANT
In the Old Testament…• Story of the Covenant– CREATION
In the Old Testament…
• Story of the Covenant–NOAH
In the Old Testament…
• Story of the Covenant– ABRAHAM• Covenant story continues with the Covenant God
made with Abraham promising he would be the father of a great people
• God brought Abraham’s people (Israelites) out of slavery from Egypt, led them through the desert and entered into Covenant with them at Mount Sinai
… wait a minute…where’s Mount Sinai????????
…and where’s Egypt?...
…and Jerusalem?
In the Old Testament…• Story of the Covenant–MOSES• He reminds the Israelites what God has done
for them by gathering them together as a People of God. Moses tells the people…
In the Old Testament…
“There was a day on which you stood before the Lord, your God, at Mount Sinai… He proclaimed to you his covenant, which he commanded you to keep.”
~ Deuteronomy 4:10, 13
In the Old Testament…
• From that day forward, the Israelites, or Jewish people, have regularly gathered together to renew their commitment to live the Covenant by obeying the Commandments God gave them.
…wait a minute… what were those commandments?...
The New and Everlasting Covenant
• The early CHURCH recognized that the same God who gathered the Israelites to be his people had now called them to be his people in a NEW COVENANT…
The people of Nazareth with whom Jesus gathered for
prayer “looked intently at him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth”
~ Luke 4:20-22
NEW &EVERLASTINGCONVENANT
The New and Everlasting Covenant
“You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of God’s own”
~ 1 Peter 2:9
The New and Everlasting Covenant
“Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God… to the church of God… to you who have been sanctified in Jesus Christ, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours”
First letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 1:1-2
The New and Everlasting Covenant
• CHURCH– Origin: Ekklesia (Greek) a gathering, or
assemble of people
– Definition: The people gathered together by God in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit
– Christ dwells within the Church, rules over her and continues to work through her
RESPECT & MATURITYSo… when we gather
as the Body of Christ, that’s how St. Peter defined the Church, PLEASE… let’s not be inappropriate:1. RESIST temptation
to play with phone…2. LISTEN… more
carefully, we might be surprised…
3. SMILE, we’re much more beautiful that way!!!!!!!
…wait… so what about YOU?
1. Do you hear Jesus’ gracious words?
2. Do you hear His call?
3. Do you feel Him guiding your thoughts and actions?
WRITTEN REFLECTION1. List your closest friends…2. Describe what you have in common…3. Explain why they’re you’re best friends…
YEAH…WHAT ABOUT YOU? Do you and your friends share the same
values? Do you consider Jesus to be your friend?
wait a minute …
… for next time...
Living the Faith1. Please keep track of how much time, on
average, you devote to each of the following activities per week: school, sports, sleep, homework, prayer, watching tv, playing video games, family time, hanging out with friends, eating, talking on phone
2. Next time come prepared ready to discuss:–What are your priorities?–What are your values?– How much time do you spend in contact with the
gracious words of Jesus?
Scripture
• Deuteronomy 4:10• Luke 4:20-22• I Corinthians 1:1-2• I Peter 2:9