Autumn Leaves …

JESUS DOESN’T!

The Church Is BornOct 09 GIFTNew Testament:

Stories, Teachings & Lettersfrom theGospels,

Acts of the Apostles & Epistles

You Are My King (Amazing Love)I’m forgiven because You were forsaken,I’m accepted, You were condemned,I’m alive & well, Your Spirit lives within me,Because You died & rose again. (2X)

Amazing love, how can it be,That You my King, should die for me?Amazing love, I know it’s true,It’s my joy to honor You,In all I do, I honor You.

Three Objectives

1. Uncover the Scriptures as the center of our Tradition

2. Focus on some New Testament (NT) stories & teachings of Jesus/letters of

the early Church3. Overview of the Bible & how to read it

OVERVIEW OF THE NIGHT

Bible 101

New Testament Themes, Stories, Teachings & Letters

Summary: I Liked … / I Learned …

Questions & Answers (Q&A)

“For Ignorance of the Scriptures is

Ignorance of Christ.” -- St. Jerome

BIBLE 101

(BIBLE = Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) * Why we use it * Divisions & Books * How to find a passage * New Testament

• INSPIRED Word of God• Written by different men, guided by the Holy Spirit• Collection of books• Written over period of ~1200 years• Major divisions: Old Testament New Testament

BIBLE 101

BIBLE 101• All Bibles Are Not The Same• Catholic Bible has 73 books: OT = 46 books & NT = 27 books • Protestant Bible has 66 books: OT = 39 books & NT = 27 books • 7 OT books removed by Calvin, Luther & German Reformers

BIBLE 101• Books were removed during the Protestant Reformation• Seven Books Removed: * Tobias * Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) * Baruch * I Machabees * Judith * II Machabees * Wisdom

27 Books of the New Testament• Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John• Acts of the Apostles, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians• 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians • 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon• Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter• 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation

New Testament

• Collection of writings set forth belief about the meaning & significance of the earthly life of Jesus of Nazareth

• Jesus left no written record• None of writings appeared until some yrs.

after Jesus’ death & resurrection• Several biographies written of Jesus’ life – four

now part of NT

Gospels

• Mark - first one written & is the shortest• Matthew – written for Jewish audience• Luke – written for Gentile audience• John – emphasizes Jesus’ Divine Sonship / full

of symbolic language• Synoptic Gospels – Mt, Mk & Lk – often record

the same events in about the same order• Similarities very clear when “seen together”

Epistles

• Before the 4 Gospels were written, letters were written

• Instructed the early Christian communities about Christ’s way of life

• Also taught, encouraged, admonished & addressed & solved problems encountered in a particular community

• St. Paul wrote/had attributed to him 13 letters

Finding A Scripture Passage• Book, Chapter, Verse Example: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-14 Second Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians, Chapter 3, Verses 6-14

• Find: Matthew 7:12 John 3:16

Epistle SearchQuestions

1.Who wrote it?2.When written?

3.To whom was it written?4.What was the purpose/problem?

1 CorinthiansGalatians1 Peter

3 Major NT Themes1. Jesus’ Life & Teachings2. God Sends The Holy Spirit3. ALL Believers Are

Commissioned to Preach, Act & Support the Church

Theme #1: Jesus’ Work on Earth

• Jesus has the key to eternal life• Jesus revealed Himself and God the

Father, by His life, death & resurrection

• Ascending to heaven, Jesus draws all people to Himself

Theme #2: The Holy Spirit

• The work of Jesus is completed in God sending the Holy Spirit

• The mystery of salvation has been revealed by the Holy Spirit

Theme #3: We Are Called

• ALL believers are called to preach the Gospel and care for the poor

• ALL believers are called to foster faith in Jesus Christ and build up the Church

HEY … THAT’S US!

New Testament Group TasksTask #1: Read the Scripture passage aloud to your group.Task #2: Discuss the theme, main points & meaning for today.Task #3: Divide into subgroups. Each subgroup has a task related to the story.Task #4: Present the three components of your story to all adult participants.

SUBGROUP #1 TASKS

1.What issue is Jesus/author (St. Paul/St. Luke) trying to address in this passage?

2.What is Jesus/author saying to the people of that day?

SUBGROUP #2 TASKS* Do Your Work With Heart & Meaning *

Develop A Creative Way To: A. tell the story in oral tradition, using your own words & actions (skit) … or B. teach the passage in a different way (poem, narrative, song, modern terms) … or C. write a letter to a modern day Christian community (such as your parish)…

SUBGROUP #3 TASKS Develop a brief conclusion to your presentation by completing these two sentences:1. “What this passage means for us today is …”2. “We can apply this teaching in our lives to draw ourselves & others closer to Jesus by …”

Scripture Summary #1 (Fri & Sat)• Moses permitted divorce• Jesus revokes divorce / one partner for life• Divorce & remarriage prohibited (=adultery)• Marital bond = spiritual/exclusive/indissoluble• Accept Kingdom of God like a child (total

dependence on & obedience to the gospel) to enter the Kingdom

• Jesus welcomed the children – lays foundation for infant Baptism

Scripture Summary #1 (Sun, Mon, Wed)A. Ten Commandments: lead God’s children to

moral maturity – remain integral to our pursuit of holiness & eternal life

B. Jesus rejects OT concept of wealth= God’s favor (false security). Salvation is beyond human capability–depends on God who offers it as a gift

C. Camel parable: obstacles to following Jesus are just as real today as they were for rich young man (wealth, power, prestige, selfishness) …priorities?

D. Man = unable to obey God completely or consistently …w/ God’s grace, all things are poss.

Scripture Summary #2A. Pentecost = birth of the Church, celebrates the

new law of the Spirit written on the hearts of believers which surpasses the Law of Moses, inscribed on stone tablets

B. Wind & fire = signs of the Holy Spirit as on Mt. Sinai during the Exodus

C. Echoes of Babel – God used language to confuse & scatter. Here the Spirit uses multiple languages to gather family of God

D. International gathering of Jews foreshadows international acceptance of Gospel by Gentiles

Scripture Summary #3

A. Grave obligation on Timothy & us to preach the Word / teach the Truth

B. Patience, courage, constancy & endurance are required, despite the opposition, hostility, indifference & defection of many to whom the Truth has been preached

C. Change is difficult for people – it is much easier to ignore or deny the Truth – requires no change in behavior

Scripture Summary #4

• Peter’s vision: teaches him dietary restrictions of Mosaic Law now lifted in New Covenant

• Deeper symbolism: Moral & religious distinction between Israel (clean) & Gentiles (unclean) now lifted

• Gentiles are no longer banned from full & equal acceptance into the covenant

• God shows no partiality – all men can be “saved” & receive an eternal reward

I Learned … I Liked …Of the NT stories, teachings or letters

I heard today, My Favorite Is …

Because …

One thing I now know about Jesus & the NT that I did not know earlier is …

Q & A

NO BIBLE … NO BREAKFAST

NO BIBLE … NO BED

Make It A Priority!!

The Liturgy of the Word