Why Christian Education?

Part 2

Sermon Notes: February 17, 2008

Rev. Jim O’Neal, Senior Pastor

Sun Lakes United Methodist Church, 9248 E. Riggs Road, Sun Lakes, Arizona 85248 - (480) 895-8766

II Timothy 3:14-17 NRSV

¹⁴But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, ¹⁵and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

Ephesians 4:11-13 NRSV

¹¹The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, ¹²to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.

A. Introduction

1. Cat’s Tail

a. The Sunday School teacher was talking to the boys and girls about kindness to animals. She told them that the Bible calls us to be nice to the beasts. She said, “Suppose you saw a boy holding a cat down with one hand and he had a knife in his other hand. And suppose that bad little boy told you that he was going to cut off the cat’s tail! What would you say to him out of the Bible to convince him that he was doing something very wrong?” Billy stood up and said, “I would tell him, ‘What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder!’” (Matthew 19:6 KJV)

b. Even if in this case the application is wrong, Billy was learning good values in Church School. And whenever we study the Bible we learn important things about God, faith, truth, and who we are. We, also, learn things like how to treat our family, about getting along with other people, and about being kind and fair.

2. Today’s Message

a. This morning I continue to emphasize the importance of Christian Education, as I share the second part of the message I began two weeks ago. Again I remind us of the importance of Bible centered educational activities such as Sunday School and weekday Bible Studies. Today, I also stress the importance of all the activities we do that fall under the “umbrella” of Christian Education. In our Church this includes not only Sunday School and other Bible Studies, but also, Health Ministry Groups, Stephen Ministry Classes, Krafters, many of the United Methodist Women’s activities, and the devotional time during Choir practice.

b. My sincere prayer is that you will become convinced of your need for Christian Education. And I hope that you will see the need for our new Multi-Purpose Education building.

B. We need Christian Education because it gives us a close-knit fellowship.

1. Today’s Scripture: Ephesians 4:13 (See also I John 4:17-19 & & Acts 2:43-47)

a. God calls us to love each other as Christ loves us. (See I John 4:7-11 & 19) It is the “stature of Christ” that we seek to live up to, as described in today’s Scripture. (See Ephesians 4:13)

b. It is in small groups and especially Christian Education gatherings that this striving for love is most likely to happen. And it is within these educational and fellowship groups at Church that we find this loving close-knit fellowship that strives for the ideal as described in the Second Chapter of Acts. Those early Christian believers were filled with the joy of Jesus, they had a close loving fellowship, a wonderful harmony, and were there to help each other. In a Christian Education Group you will find the same to be true today.

2. Spilled Groceries

a. A poor lad was carrying home from the grocery store a paper bag containing a carton of milk and a dozen eggs. Stepping off the curb he tripped and fell right on top of his sack of groceries. He hit the bag so hard that the eggs were broken and the milk carton was burst open. The eggs and milk began to run down the curb. Recovering from his fall the boy sat on the curb and began to cry. There were many people out in front of the market and along the sidewalk. A crowd soon gathered. A woman said, “What a pity.” A man commented, “Poor little guy. I hope he doesn’t get a spanking.” Another woman patted the lad on the head and said, “I’m sorry you feel so bad.” Then a woman stepped forward and quietly put a $5 bill into the boy’s hand, smiled, and left.

b. That is the kind of love we find in a Church fellowship group or Sunday School class . Don’t hear me wrong. I’m not suggesting that a Church group will pay you $5 to attend their class. However, the kind of love that the woman showed to the boy is the kind of care and love that members of a Church group show to each other. In times of struggle and need, people have told me over and over again things like this: “My friend Sally from our Church School class seemed to know I needed a friend and dropped by.” “When my wife died, Joe from our Bible Study group was the first one there, and he continued to come by and be there for me.” “My best friends are in that class! We do things socially and we are there to help each other.” These are the kind of friendships that develop in a Church School or Bible Study group. People, who gather to study God’s Word, pray for each other, and share with each other develop friendships that last. And these are the close-knit bonds that develop in other groups at our Church such as Choir, Krafters, United Methodist Women, and among our Stephen Ministers.

C. We need Christian Education because it provides candidates for Church membership.

1. Today’s Scripture: Ephesians 4:12

a. Paul tells us that apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:12 NRSV)

b. Christian Education has the purpose of strengthening individual believers, and the purpose of drawing more folks into the body of Christ.

2. Sunday School Teacher’s Grandson!

a. Tommy had never been in Sunday School, but now his young parents realized their need and his need for spiritual guidance. So one Sunday they showed up at a neighborhood Church. Mom and dad went to worship and Tommy went to a Sunday School class. After worship mom asked, “So what did the teacher talk about?” Tommy replied, “Some guy. I think it must have been her grandson. She kept talking about him the whole time. His name was brought up in every story she told!” Dad was curious and asked, “Her Grandson? What’s the name of the teacher’s grandson?” Tommy said, “Jesus.”

b. People who go to Bible Study and Church School get introduced to Jesus, and invited to be a part of His Church. The Church School and other educational groups play a vital role when it comes to membership. Research has produced this truth: “As the Church School goes, so goes the whole Church!” Membership drops in Church School are followed 3 to 5 years later by losses in overall Church membership. On the other hand, if the Church School is growing this will soon be followed by an increase in Church membership! It is in the smaller, more intimate setting of Church School that we lead young people and adults who are new to the faith into full membership in the Lord’s Church.

D. We need Christian Education because it is an effective tool of evangelism!

1. Today’s Scripture: II Timothy 3:15

a. “There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (II Timothy 3:15b TMB)

b. The Good News of Jesus as contained in the Holy Bible is the most effective tool for evangelism. Therefore, Christian Education groups which systematically lift up God’s word have proven to be one of the primary ways in which people are led to faith in Jesus.

2. One Sunday School Teacher Started It!

a. A number of the greatest evangelists of the past century and a half, all trace back to one faithful Church School teacher by the name of Kimball! The year was 1858 and Mr. Kimball a Sunday School teacher stayed after class and led a visitor to Christ. The visitor was a Boston shoe clerk named Dwight L. Moody. Moody became an evangelist and in 1879 took his ministry to England. There he awakened the evangelistic zeal in the heart of Frederick B. Meyer, the pastor of a small Church. F. B. Meyer preaching on an American college campus brought to Christ a student named J. Wilbur Chapman. Chapman served the Lord by working with young people through the YMCA. And while there Chapman hired a former baseball player named Billy Sunday to do evangelistic work. Billy Sunday held a revival in Charlotte, North Carolina. A group of local businessmen were so enthusiastic afterward that they planned for another revival the following year. They brought evangelist Mordecai Hamm to town to preach. In that revival, a young man came forward and yielded his life to Christ. That young man’s name is Billy Graham!

b. All this happened because one faithful Sunday School teacher spent the time to talk to a visitor about the Lord! Church School is one of our most effective tools of evangelism. Statistics tell us that most people who join a Church by profession of faith, which is for the first time and not by transfer, have come through the ministry of the Church School. Most new Christians have been nurtured in some way by a Bible Study or Church School class. Again, I remind us that it is in the smaller, more intimate setting of a Christian Education class that we as a Church most effectively lead young people and adults into faith in Jesus! And further research reveals that most of the great leaders of the Church today, be they Bishops, preachers, teachers, or evangelists, would all tell us the same thing: “There was some Church School teacher who made a difference in my life. They made the Lord real to me, and because of that I believe in Jesus Christ!”

E. Conclusion

1. Recap (From “Part 1” and this week):

a. We need Christian Education because it gives us a systematic study of the Bible.

b. We need Christian Education because it provides learning during the most vital time of life!

c. We need Christian Education because it meets a need not met by any other group!

d. We need Christian Education because it gives us a close-knit fellowship.

e. We need Christian Education because it provides candidates for Church membership.

f. We need Christian Education because it is an effective tool of evangelism!

2. Challenge: This morning, I give you a 90-day challenge! Get involved in Sunday School, a weekday Bible Study, a United Methodist Women’s Circle, or other Christian Education group for 3 months and see! You’ll agree that you too need Christian Education!

II Timothy 3:14-17 NRSV

¹⁴But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, ¹⁵and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

Ephesians 4:11-13 NRSV

¹¹The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, ¹²to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.

Why Christian Education?

1. We need Christian Education because it gives us

a systematic study of the Bible.

2. We need Christian Education because it provides

learning during the most vital time of life!

3. We need Christian Education because it meets

a need not met by any other group!

4. We need Christian Education because it gives us

a close-knit fellowship.

5. We need Christian Education because it provides

candidates for Church membership.

6. We need Christian Education because it is

an effective tool of evangelism!