Liberty Theo 104 Relection Paper free essay sample

Reflection Paper By Christopher Moore THEO 104 To know Jesus Christ is the best thing that can happen in a person life. It transforms your mind, body and sprint. I have picked the following three topics to share my experiences of knowing Jesus Christ. First, what can your local church do to better communicate God’s love to your community? Second, why are personal testimonies important in sharing the gospel? Third, Did Jesus claim to be God? These are the three topics that always spark my interest when talking about our Lord savoir Jesus Christ. I think Church’s have major responsibilities to communicate the gospel message. We need to remember that it was God’s kindness that saved us. Church’s shouldn’t focus too much flaws and focus more potential. The challenges churches face in today society is how to change with the times so that they can meet human needs without losing a sense of mission and without compromising the central Christian message. Christianity is often misunderstood. Much of the  misunderstanding  with the local Christian church lies in  its inability to be seen as good within the local community. The Church  by definition is a collection of Christian believers from all over the world and from all times who are bound together by the shed blood of Christ and his resurrected presence. What happens week in and week out in the 4 walls of our churches should be shared with the surrounding community in one way, shape, or form. Churches should feel like a free place that is open to anyone who needs them in any way. It could be simple gestures like offer a public bathroom with a shower during business hours to anyone who needs it. Have church members bring canned foods to service every Sunday and start an open pantry for the local community. It’s these simple things that we take for granted that can have a major positive impact on our local community. Even as we proactively look for ways to reach out to those outside our 4 walls, let’s remember that if we love one another well, that will be our best testimony. If we can’t do that, it’ll be useless trying to share Jesus with those who don’t know Him yet. If we can figure out how to love one another well, the natural outflow will be to love others in an authentic way that will really resonate with them. Testimonies are one of the most effective tools you have for sharing your faith is the story of how Jesus Christ gave you eternal life and how He has enriched your life. I believe testimonies greatest use is to encourage and to bring joy to those who love hearing about what God has done in your life. Personally, I believe that testimonies are best used for people who are already believers, but non believers are the ones who need to hear these messages the most. I love hearing about what God has done in anothers life. The beauty of many testimonies is that God has done something in your life that may have seems impossible. I always share my experiences with anyone who I am around just so people know that I haven’t been blessed with some kind of luck, magic or own efforts, but by the love of God. Sharing our stories about the sin, doubt, confusion, or disbelief that once took over our lives, and how Jesus lifted us out can be an strong model for those who do not yet know Him as their Savior. God expects us to share with people how we use to be and how he transformed us to show that they can be transfomed too. Sometimes Christians are qiuck to point out the sinful ways of others, but forget to tell that they were sinners too, redemmed by Jesus Christ. Most people want to be free. Most people want to be forgiven. Most people want to know what it feels like to experience unconditional love. Hearing how you’ve experienced all of these things may just be the key for stirring them and invoking their curiosity for God. Jesus did claim to be God in human form not once, nor on a few occasions, but frequently and consistently throughout his sermons. This is established in all four gospels, and in Pauls letters to the early church. Jesus himself claimed to be God, in what he said, his miracles and in what he did. The earliest Christians recognize that Jesus was God in human form starting with Peters prediction before the resurrection. The whole theology of Christianity has been centered on the divinity of Jesus Christ throughout history. Jesus claimed to be God consistently. First, by forgiving sins. This was something that the Jews believed that only God could do. He also had the ability to cast out demons again something only God could do (Mark 1: 21-24). He also claimed to be God incarnate through his miracles. Jesus didn’t claim to be a submissive son of God. He claimed much more, to be God in human form. As a Christians you have to believe those claims to be true, not out of blind faith but simply because Jesus thoughts, actions, and the effect that he has had on countless billions of people throughout history, all confirm these claims to be true. Over the years, I have learned that a Christian is one who has a sure and great hope that of heaven. We know that we will get to heaven, no matter how much we still fail God now. That is because Jesus’ death and resurrection secures God’s forgiveness for us. We are people who don’t have to worry about where he or she is going after death, and who can look forward eagerly and confidently towards heaven. Finally, the Christian is the most blessed, most privileged being in the world, because we have been given life and hope, freely from the God who loves us, through Jesus Christ. And that is why a Christian would love to tell of what it means to be a Christian, to those who are not. I continue to share with the world my experiences in being a Christian. |THEO 104 Course Paper Grading Scale |Possible |Points | |(include as the last page of your paper) |Points |Received | |Content: Does the paper cover the subject as thoroughly as possible? Are three topics covered? |40 | | |Does it demonstrate a personal understanding of the subject? | | |Introduction: Paper has an introductory paragraph |10 | | |Structure: Did student provide headings for each section? |5 | | |Conclusion: Paper is given a concluding paragraph |10 | | |Spelling/Grammar |20 | | |Grading Rubric: Is this page provided as the last page of the paper? 5 | | |Format: Is the paper 12 point, Times New Roman font and one-inch margins, double-spaced |10 | | |Comments from Instructor: | | | | | | | |Total |100 | | |Score | | |