Jesus We Enthrone You

1
Jesus We Enthrone You

• Jesus We Enthrone you
• We proclaim you are King
• Standing here in the midst of us
• We raise you up with our praise
• And as we worship build your throne (x3)
• Come Lord Jesus and take your place

2
Confirmation 1

• Epistles

3
Individual Activity

• Write a short letter to encourage your best
  friend who has just failed his final exams and
  whose parents are getting a divorce.
• 10 mins

4
Epistles Purpose

• To encourage those who were disappointed or
  disillusioned
• To SCOLD and correct bad behaviour
• To PRAISE and AFFIRM

5
Epistles Facts

• Letters
• Made up of 21 Books from the New Testament
• Written by Paul, James, Peter, John and Jude

6
Background of Epistles

• Written after Jesus Death and resurrection
• Inspired by the Holy Spirit
• Apostles wrote it on their missionary journey

7
Epistles Letters

• Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians
• The Captivity letters Ephesians, Philippians,
  Colossians 1 and 2 Thessalonians.
• Pastoral letters 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus
• letters of Paul written to Christian Jews, i.e.
  Hebrews
• the seven catholic letters named after their
  authors James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1,2,3 John, Jude

8
Romans

• Purpose to introduce Paul to the Romans and
  give his message before arriving Rome
• Author - Paul
• To whom written The Christians in Rome
• Date written about A.D. 57 from Corinth,

9
RomansLearning points

• How the Jews fit into Gods plan
• Salvation belongs to all.
• We are saved by grace
• Key verse Therefore, since we have been
  justified by faith, we have peace with God
  through our Lord Jesus Christ.

10
1 and 2 Corinthians

• Purpose Identify problems in the Corinthian
  church, offer solutions, and teach believers how
  to live for Christ in a corrupt society.
• Author Paul
• To whom written The church in Corinth
• Date Written about A.D. 55 in Ephesus

11
1 and 2 Corinthians Learning points

• The question of unity (110 421).
• Role of church leaders, and urges them to grow in
  faith.
• Paul denounces sexual sin in the strongest term
  (69-20)
• He spoke about worship, the role of women, the
  Lords supper and spiritual gifts, description
  of the greatest giftlove (113 1439)

12
Read (1Cor 13 4-7)

• Which Sacrament in the church do you usually get
  to read this passage?
• Wedding
• Of the Gifts of Faith, Hope and Love Which is
  the greatest?
• Ans (1Cor 13 13)

13
Galatians

• Purpose To refute the Judaizers (who taught
  that Gentile believers must obey the Jewish law
  in order to be saved) and to call Christians to
  faith and freedom in Christ.
• Author Paul
• To whom written The churches in southern
  Galatia
• Date written about 49 A.D. from Antioch prior
  to the Jerusalem council.

14
GalatiansLearning points

• The Good news is for all people, Jews and
  Gentiles alike.
• -- He summarizes the controversy including his
  personal confrontation with Peter and other
  church leaders.
• (120 216)
• We are saved by faith, not by keeping the law
• (51-12)

15
Captivity Letters -Ephesians

• Purpose To strengthen the believers in Ephesus
  in their Christian faith by explaining the nature
  and purpose of the church the body of Christ.
• Author Paul
• To whom written about A.D. 60 from Rome, during
  Pauls imprisonment there

16
Captivity Letters EphesiansLearning points

• Believers should have unity in their commitment
  to Christ and their use of Spiritual gifts
  (41-16)
• For the family, mutual submission and love (521
  69)
• The church is in constant battle with the forces
  of darkness and that they should use every
  spiritual weapon at their disposal (610-17)
• Key Verse There is one body and one
  Spiritjust as you were called --- one Lord, one
  faith, one baptism one God and Father of all,
  who is over all, and through all and in all.
  (44-6)

17
Read (Ep 61 4)

• What is the main emphasis of the passage?
• Mutual LOVE and Respect between Parents and
  Childrens

18
Read (Ep 6 1820)

• What is the weapon that God tells us to use
  against the forces of darkness?
• Prayer

19
Captivity Letters -Philippians

• Purpose to thank the Philippians for the gift
  they had sent Paul and to strengthen these
  believers by showing them that true joy comes
  from Jesus Christ alone.
• Author Paul
• To whom written All the Christians at Philippi
  and all believers everywhere.
• Date written A.D. 61 from Rome during
  imprisonment there

20
Captivity Letters PhilippiansLearning points

• The Philippians is a joyful book because it
  emphasizes the real joy of the Christian life.
• Exhortation-Rejoice in the Lord always. I say
  it again Rejoice! (44)
• Joy in suffering (11-30)
• Joy in serving (21-30)
• Joy in believing (31-41)
• -- Joy in giving (42-23)

21
Captivity Letters-Colossians

• Purpose to combat errors in the church and to
  show that believers have everything they need in
  Christ
• Author Paul
• To whom written The church at Colosse, a city
  in Asia Minor, and all believers everywhere
• Date written about A.D. 60, during Pauls
  imprisonment in Rome

22
Captivity Letters -ColossiansLearning Points

• Paul corrects false teachings. (Emergence of
  Gnosticism-combination of paganism, strains of
  Judaism, and Greek philosophies, with Christian
  truth.). It denies Christ as God and Saviour.
• - Christ is head of the church. Because
  Christ is God, he is the head of the church.
  Christ is the founder, the leader, and the
  highest authority on earth.

23
Captivity Letters -Thessalonians (12)

• Purpose to strengthen the Thessalonian
  Christians in their faith and give them the
  assurance of Christs return.
• Author Paul
• To whom written The church of Thessalonica and
  all believers everywhere
• Date written About A. D. 51 from Corinth one
  of Pauls earliest letters

24
Captivity Letters -Thessalonians (12) Learning
points

• Persecution Paul and the new Christians at
  Thessalonica experienced persecution because of
  their faith in Christ. We need to stand firm in
  our faith in the midst of trials, being
  strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
• Hope One day all believers, both those who are
  alive and those who have died, will be united
  with Christ.

25
Captivity Letters -Thessalonians (12) Learning
points

• Christs return Since Paul had said that the
  Lord could come at any moment, some of the
  Thessalonian believers had stopped working to
  wait for Christ.
• Great Rebellion -Before Christs return, there
  will be a great rebellion against God led by the
  man of lawlessness (the anti-Christ). God will
  remove all the restraints on evil before he
  brings judgment on the rebels. The anti-Christ
  will attempt to deceive many. (2 Thessalonian
  28-11)

26
Pastoral Letters -Timothy (12)

• Purpose To give encouragement and instruction
  to Timothy, a young leader
• To whom written (1st) young church leaders, and
  all believers everywhere
• (2nd) Timothy and all Christians
  everywhere
• Date written (1st)about A.D. 64, from Rome or
  Macedonia (possibly Philippi), probably prior to
  Pauls final imprisonment in Rome.
• (2nd) About A.D. 66 or 67, from prison in Rome
  After two years of freedom, Paul was arrested
  again and executed under Emperor Nero.

27
Pastoral Letters -Timothy (12)Learning Points

• (1st)
• Public Worship Prayer in public worship must be
  done with proper attitude toward God and fellow
  believers.
• Personal discipline It takes discipline to be a
  leader in the church. Timothy, like all pastors,
  had to guard his motives, minister faithfully,
  and live above reproach. Any pastor must keep
  morally and spiritually fit.
• Caring church The church has a responsibility
  to care for the needs of all its members
  especially the sick, the poor, and the widowed.

28
Pastoral Letters -Timothy (12)Learning Points

• (2nd)
• Boldness In the face of opposition and
  persecution, Timothy was to carry out his
  ministry without fear or shame. Paul urged him
  to utilise boldly the gifts of preaching and
  teaching that the Holy Spirit had given him.
• Faithfulness-Christ was faithful to all of us in
  dying for our sin. Paul urged Timothy to
  maintain not only sound doctrine but also
  loyalty, diligence, and endurance.

29
Pastoral Letters -Titus

• Purpose To advise Titus in his responsibility
  of supervising the churches on the island of
  Crete.
• Author Paul
• To whom it was written Titus, a Greek, probably
  converted to Christ through Pauls ministry (he
  had become Pauls special representative to the
  island of Crete), and all believers everywhere.
• Date Written A.D. 64 around the same time 1
  Timothy was written probably from Macedonia when
  Paul traveled between his Roman imprisonments.

30
Pastoral Letters Titus Learning Points

• The Good News of Salvation is that we are saved
  only by faith in Jesus Christ. The gospel
  transforms peoples lives, so that they
  eventually perform good deeds.
• Character Titus responsibility in Crete was to
  appoint elders to maintain proper organization
  and discipline, so Paul listed the qualities
  needed for eldership. Their conduct in their
  homes revealed their fitness for service in the
  church.
• Citizenship - Christians must be good citizens in
  society, not just in Church. Believers must obey
  the government and work honestly.

31
Hebrews

• Purpose to present the sufficiency and
  superiority of Christ.
• Author Paul, Luke, Barnabas, Apollos, Silas,
  Philip, Priscilla and others have been suggested
  because the name of the author has not been
  suggested in Biblical text itself.
• To whom written Hebrew Christians (perhaps
  second generation christians), who may be
  considering a return to Judaism, perhaps because
  of immaturity, stemming from a lack of
  understanding of Biblical truths and all
  believers in Christ.
• Date written -Probably before the destruction of
  the temple in Jerusalem in AD 70,

32
Hebrews Learning Points

• Christ is superior - Hebrews reveals Jesus true
  identity as God.. Jesus is the ultimate
  authority. He is greater than any religion or
  any angel. He is superior to any Jewish leader
  (such as Abraham, Moses, Joshua) and superior to
  any priest. (Jesus alone can forgive our sins.
• Sacrifice Christs sacrifice was the ultimate
  fulfillment of all that the Old Testament
  sacrifices representedGods forgiveness for our
  sin. Because Christ is the perfect sacrifice for
  our sin, our sins are completely forgivenpast,
  present, future.

33
Hebrews Learning Points

• Maturity Though we are saved from sin when we
  believe in Christ, we are given the task of going
  on and growing in our faith.
• Faith Faith is confident trust in Gods
  promises. Gods greatest promise is that we can
  be saved through Jesus.
• Endurance Faith enables Christians to face
  trials. Endurance builds character and leads to
  victory.

34
James

• Purpose To expose hypocritical practices and to
  teach right Christian behaviour
• Author James, Jesus brother, a leader in the
  Jerusalem church
• To whom written First century Jewish Christians
  residing in Gentile communities outside Palestine
  and all Christians everywhere

35
James

• Date written - Probably AD 49, prior to the
  Jerusalem council held in AD 50.
• Setting This letter expresses James concern
  for persecuted Christians who were once part of
  the Jerusalem church.
• Key verse But someone will say, You have
  faith, I have deeds. Show me your faith without
  deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I
  do. (218)

36
JamesLearning Points-

• Living Faith James wants believers not only to
  hear the truth, but also to do it. He contrasts
  empty faith (claims without conduct) with faith
  that works. Commitment to love and to serve is
  evidence in true faith.
• Trials In the Christian life, there are trials
  and temptations. Successfully overcoming these
  adversities produces maturity and strong
  character.

37
Peter (12)

• Purpose (1st) to offer encouragement to
  suffering Christians
• (2nd) to warn Christians about false
  teachers and to exhort them to grow in
  their faith in and knowledge of Christ.
• Author Peter
• To whom written (1st)Jewish Christians driven
  out of Jerusalem and scattered throughout Asia
  Minor and all believers everywhere
• (2nd) The church at large and all
  believers everywhere
• Date Written AD 62-64, possibly from Rome.
• (2nd) AD 67, three years after the first
  letter, from Rome

38
Peter (12) Learning Points

• Gods family We are privileged to belong to
  Gods family, a community with Christ as the
  Founder and Foundation. Everyone in this
  community is relatedwe are all brothers and
  sisters, loved equally by God.
• Family Life Peter encouraged the wives of
  unbelievers to submit to their husbands
  authority as a means to winning them to Christ.
  He urged all family members to treat others with
  sympathy, love, compassion and humility.

39
John (1,2,3)

• Purpose To reassure Christians in their faith
  and to counter false teachings
• Author The apostle John
• To whom written The letter is untitled and was
  written to no particular church. It was sent as
  a pastoral letter to several Gentile
  congregations. It was also written to believers
  everywhere.
• Date Written Probably between AD 85 and 90,
  from Ephesus.

40
John (1,2,3) Learning Points

• Sin Even Christians sin. Sin requires Gods
  forgiveness, and Christs death provides it for
  us.
• Love Christ commands us to love others as he
  loved us. (Love means putting others first and
  being unselfish.

41
John (1,2,3) Learning Points

• Truth and Error God is truth and light. So the
  more we get to know him the better we can keep
  focused on the truth.
• Assurance God is in control of heaven and
  earth. Because His word is true, we can have
  assurance of eternal life and victory over sin.

42
Summary

• The Epistles are written
• to build up the Church and bring it to maturity
• To deal with qns asked by the followers that
  needed guidance from the Apostles

43
Journal

• Which of the messages above concerned me?
• Why?