COUPLES FOR CHRIST

CHRISTIAN LIFE PROGRAM

Participant's Handout

SESSION No. 1: GOD'S LOVE

Brief Outline

A. God’s Love Creates

 God created man in His image. In the divine image, God created him. What
better demonstration of God’s love than being created in the image of the
Creator!
 But man, in the exercise of his God-given gift of free will, rejected his creator
by sinning.
B. God’s Love Forgives
 The parable of the Prodigal Son – of which the central figure is the father – is
a graphic story of God’s love, a God who is passionately in love with all his
children.
 Our Father in heaven patiently waits for us to come back. What awaits us is a
lavish and generous love – a Father ready to forgive His children’s sins,
despite His children’s past.
C. God’s Love Redeems
 The fullest revelation of God’s love is the giving of His only begotten Son to
suffer and die that we may have eternal life. God ‘s love is, most of all, a love
that redeems.
Discussion starter
1. Share with one another how you came to the Christian Life Program and what you
expect or seek to experience. Start with a brief introduction about your life.
2. Share about how you have personally experienced God's love.
Scriptures for daily prayer
Day 1 Isaiah 55:8 – 9 Day 5 Ephesians 1:7 – 10
2 Isaiah 48:17 – 19 6 John 3:16 – 18
3 Jeremiah 29:11 – 14 7 Romans 10:9 – 13
4 John 15:4 – 7
The Challenge

God has loved you with an eternal love. The ultimate manifestation of this love was
sending God's own Son to suffer and die for you. Will you open your heart to receive the
fullness of His love? Will you open your mind to explore the richness of God's plan for you
through the rest of the Christian Life Program?

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COUPLES FOR CHRIST
CHRISTIAN LIFE PROGRAM
Participant's Handout

SESSION No. 2 : WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?

Brief Outline
Realizing the importance of Jesus to us and to better understand who He really is, we ask: “Who is
Jesus Christ?”
A. Jesus of History: Three things that make Jesus an absolutely unique figure in human
history:

 Jesus is the only person in history ever preannounced.

 He was born in Bethlehem of a virgin name Mary. Once He appeared on the scene,
He struck history, dividing it into two periods: B.C. and A.D.
 Every person who came into this world came into it to live. Jesus came into the world
to suffer and die. His death was the goal and fulfillment of His life.
B. Christ of Faith: What did Jesus do or say about himself that, in spite of his humble
and short human life, He created such an impact in history?

 Jesus did many signs or miracles; Jesus forgave sins; Jesus gave life; Jesus claimed
to possess all power in heaven and on earth; Jesus claimed that He will sit on the
right hand of the Father and come to judge all mankind; Jesus claimed
straightforwardly to be God; Jesus’ contemporaries came to the realization that He
was God.
C. We Truly Know Jesus Through the Cross

 The cross is the central point of our knowing and understanding Jesus Christ
because His cross is both language (knowing) and parable (understanding).
 The most conclusive proof that Jesus is Lord and God is His resurrection. When we
truly know Jesus, when we take Him as our Lord and God, when we develop a
personal relationship with Him, then we become truly Christian.
Discussion starter
1. Share about your Christian background.
2. Discuss how you saw or thought of Jesus before, and what new insights you got from the
talk.
Scriptures for daily prayer
Day 1 John 6:32 – 40 Day 5 Mark 2:5 – 12
2 John 10:7 – 15 6 John 8:51 58
3 John 14:6 – 11 7 John 11:25 – 27, 38 – 44
4 John 5:18 – 24
The Challenge

Jesus is God. Are you willing to accept Him as Lord of your life? As Lord, will you allow Him to rule
your life totally?

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COUPLES FOR CHRIST
CHRISTIAN LIFE PROGRAM
Participant's Handout

SESSION No. 3: WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN

Brief Outline
After Stephen was stoned to death, many of the persecuted followers of Jesus fled to Antioch from
Jerusalem. As a result, Antioch developed in the one of the largest and most active communities of
the followers of Jesus. It was in Antioch that the followers of Jesus were first called Christians.
A. Misconception or Incomplete notions about Christianity

 Christianity is a mere religious system.

 Christianity is a mere moral system.
 Christianity is a social or humanitarian system.
 Christianity is an escape from the realities of life.
B. Truths About Christianity

 Christianity is a relationship initiated by God, out of His mercy and love for us.
 As Christians, we become a new creation and participate in the very life of Christ.
 As Christians, we become children of God and take on the nature of God, which is
holiness.
C. Implications of being a Christian

 A Christian is a person of faith. Heb. 11:1

 A Christian is a person of hope. Rom. 8:24 – 25
 A Christian is a person of love. Jn. 13:35
The Blessed Virgin Mary is the model Christian, the perfect disciple of Christ. As Christians, we
become Christ’s disciples, we ought to put our lives completely in His hands, and experience the
tremendous peace of Christ flowing into our lives and into our families.
Discussion starter
1. What misconceptions about Christianity do you identify with?
2. Are you experiencing the practical implications of Christianity in your life?
Scriptures for daily prayer
Day 1 Titus 3:3 – 7 Day 5 Luke 12:22 – 31
2 Galatians 4:4 – 7 6 Luke 11:9 – 13
3 Colossians 3:5 – 10 7 Romans 8:28 – 39
4 Jeremiah 29:11 – 13
The Challenge

To be a Christian is to have a loving, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Will you continue to be
open to discover the fullness of being a Christian? Will you be willing to be Christ’s disciple?

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COUPLES FOR CHRIST
CHRISTIAN LIFE PROGRAM
Participant's Handout

SESSION No. 4: REPENTANCE AND FAITH

Brief Outline
The proper response to God’s love is repentance and faith. Repentance and faith go together. It is a double
action response. We cannot just have one without the other.
A. What is Repentance?
1. What repentance is not:
 Not dependent on feelings; not being sorry for sin because of fear of adverse
consequences of sin
2. What then is true Christian repentance?
 A change in direction and not just a simple confession of wrongdoing;
 Turning away from sin, evil and wrongdoing. It means asking God for forgiveness and
availing of the Sacrament of Reconciliation;
Breaking away from running our own lives
3. Two essential characteristics of authentic repentance: honesty and humility
B. What is Faith
1. What faith is not:
 Faith is not just a feeling; not wishful thinking; not a blind leap.
2. What then is faith:
 Faith is man’s response to God.
 Faith is a grace from God.
 Faith is belief in the gospel.
 Faith is a personal act and decision.
C. Consequences of Repentance and Faith

 The consequence of repentance and faith is a promise of salvation from sin, Satan and death.
 At a personal level, one consequence of true repentance and profound faith is freedom from
fear of death.
Discussion starter
1. Share with one another areas where you need to turn more fully to God.
2. Share areas where you need to grow in faith.
Scriptures for daily prayer
Day1 Mark 1:14 – 15 Day 5 Luke 15:11 – 24
2 Gal. 5:29 – 21 & 1 Cor. 6:9 – 11 6 Luke 11:9 – 13
3 Ephesians 5:1 – 10 7 Hebrews 11:1 – 40
4 1 John 1:5 – 10
The Challenge
Jesus sounded the call to repentance and faith 2000 years ago. This is the same call to us today. Turn away
from sin and all obstacles to God, and accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Then take God up on all His
promises.