SFC CLP Orientation

CFC Singles for Christ Christian Life Program First Session

ORIENTATION SESSION

GOAL GOAL :

To pres present ent a rela relatio tionsh nship ip with with Jesus Jesus as as the the only only way way out out of of the the sorr sorry y stat state e of the world today and to oer the audiene a onrete way of entering into into that that relat elatio ions nshi hip p thro throug ugh h the the CLP CLP and and ulti ultima mate tely ly an ongo ongoin ing g in!ol!ement in CFC Singles for Christ"

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(ntrodution"  A.

)hy should we ta*e time and eort to partiipate in a program suh as this+ this+ To answer that, that, we ha!e to onsider onsider -rst why Jesus himself himself ame into this world"

B.

Lu*e .:/012/" .:/012/ " Jesus prolaims prolaims his mission" 1. 2.

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 The sal!ation promised 3y God was to 3e ful-lled in and through him" 4e was to announe the good news of God5s reign 6Lu*e .:.78" 4is missi mission on is for all" all" applies to us too"

4is pro prola lamat mation ion is timel timeless ess""

The promi promise se

&o we unde unders rsta tand nd Jesu Jesus5 s5 mess messag age+ e+ (f for for us, us, how how ha! ha!e e we we re reei ei!e !ed d his his oer oer of sal!ation+ a" Jesus Jesus refer refers s to four *inds *inds of peopl people" e" &o we reo reogni gni9e 9e oursel oursel!es !es amon among g them+ /" The poor" poor" These are are those who who li!e li!es li!es apart apart from from God" 2" The apti! apti!es" es" )e an 3e 3e in apti! apti!ity ity to thing things, s, desire desires s and ideas ideas of no real worth" worth" )e an 3e sla!es to money, power, wor*, wor*, ahie!ements  those things the world !alues" 7" The 3lind" 3lind" )e an an 3e 3linde 3linded d 3y pre;ud pre;udies ies,, pride, pride, wron wrong g self1image, self1image, false ideals and and ideologies" )e often often do not reogni9e the things that are of real !alue" ." The The oppr oppre esse ssed" )e an 3e oppr oppres esse sed d 3y our our 3on 3ondag dages  to unrigh unrighteo teous us rela relatio tions nship hips< s< to hatr hatred ed or intole intoleran rane< e< to greed greed and immoralit immorality y in 3usiness 3usiness<< to fears, fears, worries worries,, an=ieties an=ieties,, inseuri inseurities ties<< to alohol, drugs, illiit se=" 3" >ut Jesus Jesus ame preis preisely ely to 3ring 3ring sal!ation sal!ation to to us in all these these areas" areas" /" 4e 3ring 3rings s glad glad tiding tidings s to the poor poor"" )hat )hat is of real real !al !alue ue is the the good news of sal!ation and a real relationship with God"

2" 4e prola prolaims ims li3ert li3erty y to apti!es apti!es"" Jesus Jesus an free free us from from our apti!i apti!ity ty to worldly things that are of no true and lasting worth" 7" 4e gi!es gi!es sight sight to the the 3lind" 3lind" )ith )ith Jesus, Jesus, we will ne!er ne!er 3e in in dar*nes dar*ness, s, una3le to see" see" John ?:/2" ." 4e lets lets the oppressed go free" free" Only Jesus an an truly truly set us free free from from our 3ondages" (((" ((("

>ut ar >ut are we we e=p e=per erie ien nin ing g toda today y the the sal sal!a !ati tion on tha thatt Jesu Jesus s oer oers+ s+ &o we we ha! ha!e e spiritual a3undane, are we li!ing in freedom, do we see with God5s eyes+ a" )hat )hat do we see see in the worl world d today today+ + @oral @oral degen degenera eratio tion n in all all le!els le!els of  of  soiety" /" 'psurge in se=ual se=ual promisuity, promisuity, homose=uality, homose=uality, and per!ersity per!ersity"" 2" ampan ampantt greed greed and dishonest dishonesty y" 7" )or*ahol or*aholis is lea!ing lea!ing no no room room for for God" God" ." Alarming Alarming 3rea*1u 3rea*1up p of families families due due to a la* of ommitmen ommitmentt of spouses" spouses" B" Spiritua Spirituall 3lindness, 3lindness, gi!ing gi!ing rise rise to man1made man1made religions religions and and ults" 3" )hy are are Christian Christians s 3eha!ing 3eha!ing li*e li*e this in the moder modern n world+ world+ /" Super-i Super-ially ally,, one may point point to eonomi eonomi hard hard times as the the reason" reason" )hen times are hard, people loo* for onrete things that an help them" a" >ri3in >ri3ing g in order order to to win a ont ontra rat" t" 3" Alohol, Alohol, drugs drugs and and illiit illiit se= se= to o!er o!er up diDu diDulties lties"" " Turning urning to to the the oult oult for good lu*" lu*" /" Others Others point point to soiologi soiologial al reason reasons" s" a" (f e!ery e!eryone one is is doing doing it, it, it must must 3e OE" OE" 3" (n soiet soiety y today, today, there there is a la* of o3;eti o3;eti!e !e moral moral norms norms for right right ondut" /" >ut >ut thes these e an an only only 3e parti partial ally ly or orret" et" >ea >eaus use e we see see that that throughout history, espeially for the early Churh, Christians did not eas easily ily tra trade o the their Chr Christi istia an !al !alues, ues, e!en e!en in the fa fae of  imprisonment, pain and death" 2" Thus Thus we an an only onlud onlude e that the Christ Christia ianit nity y we *now today today is no longer longer the same 3rand 3rand of Christia Christianity nity as the one the early Christians Christians *new" Our Christianity today is la*ing in power and eeti!eness"

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)hy )hy are are we la la*i *ing ng in in spir spirit itua uall powe powerr as as Chri Christ stia ians ns+ + Ther There e are are a num3 num3er er of  of  reasons" a" Some Some are are unwill unwilling ing to to gi!e gi!e up sin" sin" /" Sin in in our li!es li!es 3lo*s 3lo*s the power power of God" God"

2" Or ther there may may 3e no seri seriou ous s sin, sin, 3ut 3ut many many stil stilll li!e li!e a spli split1 t1le le!e !ell Christianity" 3" One may may 3e a good perso person, n, 3ut 3ut on!ersio on!ersion n to the the Lord Lord is not not full" full" )e may 3e satis-ed with an emotional e=periene and not allow our on!ersion to eet onretely the way we thin*, li!e, at and relate to others" " @any do do not ha!e ha!e a person personal al relat relations ionship hip with with Jesus" Jesus" /" For many Chris Christian tians, s, Jesus Jesus is out out of reah" reah" 4e is God God who is far away away in hea!en" 2" >ut in order order for us to reei! reei!e e power, power, we must ha!e ha!e a diret diret lin*1up lin*1up with the soure of power" power" John /B:B" d" There There are are those those who ha!e ha!e no no Christi Christian an support support"" /" )e are are alle alled d to 3e part part of a 3ody, 3ody, the 3ody 3ody of Christ Christ"" )e need need the are and support of others in order to 3eome 3etter Christians" 2" The The worl world d is a host hostil ile e en!ir en!ironme onment nt for Chris Christi tian ans" s" )e an an easi easily ly 3eome assimilated into the !alues and points1of1!iew of the world" e" Some Christ Christians ians are are not not li!ing li!ing in the the power of the 4oly 4oly Spirit" Spirit" /" )e 3elie!e in the Trinity and and we *now well well the Father and and the Son" >ut many Christians do not *now the Spirit nor understand his role" a" Jesus Jesus aDrm aDrms s the Spirit5s Spirit5s importan importane" e" John /0:1?" /0:1?" 3" >efore >efore his asensi asension, on, Jesus Jesus told the the disiples disiples to wait wait for power power from from on high" Lu*e 2.:.H" " This This power power will 3e gi!en gi!en when when the 4oly 4oly Spirit Spirit omes omes upon them" them" Ats /:?" /" And the the Spirit Spirit did ome, ome, on on the day day of Pente Penteost" ost" a" The disip disiples les wer were e em3olden em3oldened ed and and empower empowered" ed" 3" Christia Christianity nity spre spread ad Iui*ly Iui*ly" And withi within n a ouple ouple of entu enturies ries,, the whole oman #mpire was on!erted" /" This was the power power of the 4oly Spirit Spirit at wor*" wor*" 

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And this same spiritual power is a!aila3le a!aila3le to us"

)hat th then must ust we we do do a3o a3out ut our our sit situ uation tion+ + a" To 3egin with, with, underst understand and that we we are not not meant for this this world world 3ut for a higher life with God" /" Our stay stay in this this world world is transit transitory ory" Our true true iti9e iti9enshi nship p is in hea!en hea!en 6Philippians 6Philippians 7:28" 2" (f true, true, then then we shoul should d not ;ust ;ust in!est in!est ourse oursel!e l!es s in this this world" world" should in!est for the ne=t"

)e

3" (n!estiga (n!estigate te for for yourse yourself lf what what Jesus Jesus is oeri oering" ng" &on5t ;ust pass pass it up" ight ight now, approah this in faith and *now that your God is e=tending to you an in!itation" in!itation " e!elations 7:2" " Conret Conretely, ely, what does does this this in!itat in!itation ion mean mean for you+ /" Our Our Lord Lord wants wants to oer oer you a pers person onal al,, on onrrete ete e=pr =pression ession of his his reality in your li!es in an ongoing way" 2" The -rst -rst step step is to ;oin ;oin this Chris Christian tian Life Life Progra Program" m" a" The CLP CLP has has 7 modules modules of . sessions sessions eah" eah" 3" Kou do not ha!e to ommit ommit yoursel yourselff to the whole whole CLP, CLP, 3ut an ta*e ta*e eah of the sessions as they ome" /" At the end end of the CLP, CLP, you will will 3e in!ited in!ited to ;oin CFC CFC Singles Singles for Christ Christ so you an ontinue to reei!e reei!e support for your Christian life" 2" All these these will will 3ring 3ring you to the doorw doorway ay to spi spiri ritua tuall freed freedom, om, matur maturity ity and power in Christian li!ing"