At our school, each homeroom class in the 7-12 grades is assigned a chapel day. It is our job as a class to conduct chapel from start to finish. I am the 7th grade homeroom teacher, and because the 7th graders are all new to this, we are assigned a date later in the school year. For months, I had been thinking and praying about what we ought to do. A few weeks ago, I got my answer. Our adult SS class was studying evidences of the Christian life at the very same time that I was teaching early church history in my World History class. All of what I was hearing and studying during that time came together to produce my theme for my class chapel.
Instead of stressing out a 7th grader and having one preach before the rest of the high school, I decided to write something that the class could present as a group. Here is the message we presented in chapel this past Thursday...
As we go about our daily
lives, we usually look at people and make assumptions about them based on the
things we can see outwardly – dress, actions, the
places they go, their friends, their priorities…
What do people see when
they see you? What message do you send?
The Bible tells us that
when you accept Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live in you. The presence of the Holy Spirit should be
seen because of outward evidences in your life.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says,
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new.
You are made new!
One who has accepted
Christ as Savior, is generally referred to as a “Christian”. Do you know what “Christian” means? It means “little Christ”. Are you a “little Christ”?
In the early days of the
church, those who followed Christ were very different from the other religious
people in the culture of the day – the Roman Empire. Because of persecution
in Jerusalem, the Jews were being scattered to other parts of the Empire. These followers of Christ were so different,
that the local people in Antioch gave them their own name – Christians.
Isn’t it interesting
that the non-believers of the day looked at those who claimed to follow Christ
and said, “These people are ‘little Christs’. Let’s call them Christians.”
Are you a Christian? Would the people in
Antioch have called you “little Christ”?
One of the most dramatic
conversions recorded in Scripture is that of the Apostle Paul, formerly called
Saul.
We first see Saul
standing by watching Stephen, the first martyr, being stoned. Acts chapters 7-9 tell the story,
the witnesses laid down
their clothes at a young man’s feet named Saul….and Saul was consenting unto
his death.
And at that time there
was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they
were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except
the apostles.
And devout men carried
Stephen to his burial, and made
great lamentation over him.
As for Saul, he made
havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women
committed them to prison.
And Saul, yet breathing
out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the
high priest. And desired of him letters
to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they
were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
And as he journeyed, he
came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from
heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him,
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
And he said, Who art
thou, Lord?
And the Lord said, I am
Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the
pricks.
And the men which
journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
And Saul arose from the
earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the
hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days
without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
And there was a certain
disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias.
And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the
street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul,
of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, And
hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his
sight.
Then Ananias answered, Lord,
I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at
Jerusalem: And here he hath authority
from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
But the Lord said unto
him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the
Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must
suffer for my name's sake.
And Ananias went his
way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother
Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest,
hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy
Ghost.
And immediately there fell from his eyes as it
had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
And straightway he
preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he
that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for
that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
But Saul increased the
more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that
this is very Christ.
What a miraculous
transformation!
If you’ve been saved,
you’ve experienced a miraculous transformation, too!
We have all been born in
sin. Accepting God’s free gift of
salvation, and being clothed in His righteousness is miraculous!
Have you been
transformed? What are people seeing when
they see you?
Identify yourself!
