Culture

Objective : 1.to help the YC to understand the Biblical basis for the practices like saying amen, hugging , clapping etc., 2.to help him to understand church jargons like awesome/fruitfulness/etc., 3.to teach him to be warm in the fellowship and to teach them how to hug / greet. Time: 30 Minutes Teaching / 10 Minute For Q/A Session Please make sure you prepare in advance to keep it on time 1. Why Do We Say Amen? a. KEY SCRIPTURES Deuteronomy 27:15-26 15 "Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol--a thing detestable to the LORD, the work of the craftsman's hands--and sets it up in secret." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 16 "Cursed is the man who dishonors his father or his mother." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 17 "Cursed is the man who moves his neighbor's boundary stone." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 18 "Cursed is the man who leads the blind astray on the road." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 19 "Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 20 "Cursed is the man who sleeps with his father's wife, for he dishonors his father's bed." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 21 "Cursed is the man who has sexual relations with any animal." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 22 "Cursed is the man who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 23 "Cursed is the man who sleeps with his mother-in-law." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 24 "Cursed is the man who kills his neighbor secretly." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 25 "Cursed is the man who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 26 "Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 1 Corinthians 14:16 If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? b. a-men' (= "truly," "verily"): Is derived from the reflexive form of a verb meaning "to be firm," or "to prop "Amen" is generally used as an adverb "so let it be." Numbers 5:22 May this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells and your thigh wastes away. " "'Then the woman is to say, "Amen. So be it." c. To endorse : In Jer 28:6 the prophet endorses with it the words of Hananiah. Jeremiah 28:6 He said, "Amen! May the LORD do so! May the LORD fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the Lord's house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon. d. To confirm a covenant: Deuteronomy 27:15-26 15 "Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol--a thing detestable to the LORD, the work of the craftsman's hands--and sets it up in secret." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 16 "Cursed is the man who dishonors his father or his mother." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 17 "Cursed is the man who moves his neighbor's boundary stone." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 18 "Cursed is the man who leads the blind astray on the road." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 19 "Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 20 "Cursed is the man who sleeps with his father's wife, for he dishonors his father's bed." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 21 "Cursed is the man who has sexual relations with any animal." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 22 "Cursed is the man who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 23 "Cursed is the man who sleeps with his mother-in-law." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 24 "Cursed is the man who kills his neighbor secretly." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" (Deu 27:25 "Cursed is the man who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" (Deu 27:26 "Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" Nehemiah 5:13 I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, "In this way may God shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. So may such a man be shaken out and emptied!" At this the whole assembly said, "Amen," and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised. e. It also occurs at the close of a psalm or book of psalms, or of a prayer. f. That "Amen" was appended to the doxology in the early church Revelation 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. g. Bible ends with the word Amen. Revelation 22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen. h. Am I expected to say Amen in the church? 1 Corinthians 14:16 If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? whence we gather that the lay brethren were expected to say "Amen. i. Rev 3:14 Jesus is called Amen .Do you know why? Revelation 3:14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 2 Corinthians 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. Because he said yes to God in everything. 2. Hugging - Is It Biblical? a. Key Scripture : Acts 20:37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. They all wept and embraced him (Paul) and kissed him. b. The father hugged and kissed the prodigal son. Luke 15:20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. c. Embracing and kissing are customary among the close family members Song of Songs 8:1 If only you were to me like a brother, who was nursed at my mother's breasts! Then, if I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me. d. In the old testament : Nashaq _ kissing as a salutaion Genesis 27:26-27 [Issac and Jacob] 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come here, my son, and kiss me." 27 So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, "Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed. Genesis 33:4 [Esau and Jacob] But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. Genesis 45:15 [Joseph and his brethren] And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him. Genesis 48:10 [Jacob and Joseph's sons] Now Israel's eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them. Genesis 50:1 [Joseph and his father] Joseph threw himself upon his father and wept over him and kissed him. e. In the New Testament we have phileo, "to kiss," "to be friendly," the first in Mt 26:48; Mk 14:44; Lk 22:47, of the kiss with which Judas betrayed his Master (it was a custom) Matthew 26:48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him." Mark 14:44 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard." Luke 22:47 While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, f. The "holy kiss" wherewith Christians greeted each other, which, according to the general usage we have seen, would be as the members of one family in the Lord, or as specially united in holy love. Romans 16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings. 1 Corinthians 16:20 All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 2 Corinthians 13:12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 1 Thessalonians 5:26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 1 Peter 5:14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. g. There is reason to believe that, as a rule, men only thus greeted men, and women, only women. 3.Clapping and using Instrumental Music a. Key Scripture : Psalm 47:1 For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy Psalm 98:4-6 4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; 5 make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, 6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn-- shout for joy before the LORD, the King. Shout / sing with music . b. Clap your hands, as men transported with pleasure, that cannot contain themselves; shout unto God, not to make him hear (his ear is not heavy), but to make all about you hear, and take notice how much you are affected and filled with the works of God. c. Having a choir / musicians in the assembly is an ancient practice 1 Chronicles 15:16,27 d. Harp, horn, trumpet.... Psalm 98:4-6 4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; 5 make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, 6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn-- shout for joy before the LORD, the King. Psalm 150:5 Praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Psalm 33:2 Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. e. Looks like lot of good music in heaven / let thy kingdom come - Jesus prayed. Why not music on the earthly kingdom of God? Revelation 5:8,14 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 14 The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped. 4. Why so much importance to Fellowship? a. Key scripture Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Three out of the four involves fellowship and relationship oriented activities. If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. To encourage one another Hebrews 3:12-13 12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 5. Why we call each other Sisters / brothers? a. Church is a family and we are brothers and sisters in Christ and have the common father. The early Christian used the word brother and sister to mention the fellow Christian. So many churches around us don't practice this we are fired up about it because we are one family ! b. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. Romans 14:15 If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall. Romans 14:21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall. Timothy our brother 2 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia: I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. 2 Corinthians 2:13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-by to them and went on to Macedonia. Our brother Quartus send you their greetings. Romans 16:23 Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings. Erastus, who is the city's director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings. But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker Philippians 2:25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. I , John, your brother and companion Revelation 1:9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Philemon 1:1-2 1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, 2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home: To Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home ( we meet at homes too ! - family group ) Romans 16:1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. Meaning of commonly used words: (i) Awesome - mainly used to admire God' nature. Psalm 68:35 You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God! Genesis 28:17 He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven." (ii) Becoming fruitful - means bringing some one to Christ. John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (iii) Fired up - Being happy / keeping your spiritual fervor. 2 Timothy 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. (iv) Quiet time - time with God prayer and Bible study (be still my soul). Practical Demonstrate how to give hug to brother and sister / It is super important we are pure / holy. Q/A session: 10 minutes