+ The Holy Sacraments + Prepare to Serve - Class of 2013 “Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars” Proverbs 9:1 2. Confirmation (Myron) “Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars” Proverbs 9:1

Review – Select ALL Correct Answers What is common between Sacraments? 1. All instituted by Christ. 2. we receive invisible grace from Above 3. We must participate in all of them Answer: 1, 2

Which Sacrament (s) is/are optional? 1. Baptism 2.Myron 3.Confession 4. Eucharist 5.Unction of the sick 6. Matrimony 7. Priesthood Answer: 5, 6, 7 Review – Select all Correct Answers

According to the Coptic Orthodox belief, what is the minimum age of a baptized person? days for boys and 80 days for girls 2. No minimum age – hours or even minutes old is ok! 3. None of the above Answer: 2 – no minimum age is the correct answer. Moms cannot receive communion for 40/80 days after the birth of a child. Parents usually postpone the baptism and wait for the mom to have communion with the child - but this has nothing to do with the child age and baptism. Review – Select all Correct Answers

Before being baptized, Person must declare: 1. Repentance 2. Planning to pray and fast 3. Faith in Christ Answer: 1, 3 Review – Select all Correct Answers

A baptized person : 1. receives forgiveness of original sin 2. becomes a child of God 3. is guaranteed heavens no matter what. Answer: 1, 2 Review – Select all Correct Answers

+ 2 + Confirmation (Myron) (Chrismation)

The Holy Spirit  The Holy Spirit: is the Holy Spirit of God (Eph 4:30)  “The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.” Isaiah 11:2  In Baptism we are forgiven + renewed to live a new live according to the spirit.  In this Myron sacrament, the baptized person is granted the gift and seal of the Holy Spirit Who alone can confirm him/her in the new life. Therefore it is received immediately after Baptism.

 The grace we receive in every single sacrament is through the work of the Holy Spirit.  However, in this sacrament of Confirmation, the Holy Spirit actually dwells in the believer sanctifying the body as a Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:20)  The dwelling of the Holy Spirit is eternal so this sacrament is never repeated “He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever” -John 14:16  The Holy Spirit confirms and gives the believer power to grow in the new life Seal of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit and Repentance  The Holy spirit "convict the world of sin” -John 16:8  The Holy Spirit leads us to repentance  Spiritual people are responsive, sensitive to the voice of the spirit and would lead a life of repentance and victory.  Who reacts in laziness would “quench the Spirit” 1TH 5:19, and would become lukewarm in their spiritual life  Who continues to sin, would “grieve the Holy Spirit” EPH 4:30  Who rejects and resists the work of the Holy Spirit all his/her life, not repenting, is a blasphemer! “who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.” - Luke 2:10

The Holy Spirit and Prayer  “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” -ROM 8:26  The Holy Spirit moves the heart of the spiritual person to pray for others and to pray in accordance to the will of God

The Holy Spirit and Witnessing  This is how the apostles spread Christianity "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.“- ACTS 1:8  In hour of Persecution also " Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” -Luke12:12

Fellowship with the Holy Spirit  In summary, there is no ‘spiritual’ life without the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the source of all goodness. “.. no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.” 1CO 2:11  God does not force anyone to do good (or bad of course), otherwise the good work won’t deserve a reward.  HIS WORK: the Holy Spirit encourages and gives us the power to fulfill the commandments, to repent and be victorious.  OUR ROLE is not to resist but respond and work with the Holy Spirit ( have a “Fellowship with the Holy Spirit”), “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”- Rom 8:14. When our spirit is led by the Holy Spirit, it may lead the body and control the senses.

Fruits of the Spirit to ALL the believers  Fellowship with the Holy Spirit brings fruits in our life. Key is to be led by the Spirit and not resist His work.  “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self- control.” GAL 5:22-23  We should seek the fruits and measure our spiritual growth (and our fellowship with the Spirit) by how many we have. Our place in heaven depends on them!  Pray that you may receive the fruits.

Gifts of the Spirit to the Church  The gifts of the Spirit are many “gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.” 1 Co12:9-10  The gifts are given to individuals in the church to serve others and to strengthen the church.  However, those who focus on the gifts and seek them may be deceived by the devil and fall in PRIDE.  We pray to God to give His church these gifts but we should not ask to receive them personally. Instead we ask to have fruits in our life.

Institution of Confirmation  various promises which the Lord gave for granting the Holy Spirit. (John: Chapters 7, 14, 15, 16, etc.)  Christ said, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26

Administering Confirmation Laying on of Hands - Early Church (Apostles)  “Then laid they (Peter and John) their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit." (Acts 8: 17).  Bishops are successors of the Apostles Myron Oil – As the church grew  It was not possible for the Apostles to wander through the world to lay hands on the baptized.  The Apostles established anointment by Myron as an alternative “ But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you” - 1John 2:27  36 parts of the body are anointed with the Myron oil on the sign of the cross after saying certain prayers. Priests normally administer this sacrament right after Baptism

Preparation of the Myron Oil  The Myron Oil was first made, by the Apostles of the spices and ointments that were prepared for the body of the Lord at the time of burial and after burial (Luke 23: 56; 24: 1).  St. Mark brought part of it to Egypt.  It is now made of olive oil, certain spices, portion of the previously made Myron, and consecrated by the Patriarch, assisted by the bishops, through long prayers.

Confirmation of Children Why no need to wait for children to grow up?  The Apostles used to lay on of hands, directly after baptism: “Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.” ACT 8:14-15  Babies are worthy of receiving the grace of baptism (see same question under Baptism), so why not Confirmation?  John the Baptist, as an example, was filled with the Holy Spirit while in his mothers' womb (Luke 1: 15).

Confirmation – Life Application  Myron oil is also used to consecrate the church alter and vessels. After consecration they are only used for His purpose.  Similarly our bodies are consecrated to God with the Myron; all the senses, words and actions.  “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6 :20