Baptism ／ Chrismation

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the liturgy module is to help the 8th graders understand the importance of living a sacramental life through the lens of individual sacraments. To show them that sacraments are not simply activities or rituals that we participate in as Coptic Orthodox Christians, but rather they point us to a new way of looking at life and a transformed way of living.

The key objective of this lesson is to help students understand why we need to be Baptized and Chismated and what those sacraments mean in our daily lives.

INTRODUCTION - 5 Minutes

Baptism and Chrismation are two sacraments that symbolize events in the Bible. See if you can lead your students to the two events that these sacraments represent.

Baptism symbolizes the death and resurrection of Christ. We are called to participate in this death and resurrection through Baptism:

  • "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering being conformed to His death." (Phil 3:10)
  • "Or do you not know that as many of you were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death." (Rom 6:3-4)

Chrismation symbolizes the Pentecost. Through Chrismation we receive the Holy Spirit.

  • "When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them." (Acts 19:5-6)

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 20 Minutes

Baptism

  • The Sacrament of Baptism has the first rank among the Seven Holy Sacraments, as it is the door by which the believer enters the church and has the right to partake in the rest of the Sacraments.
  • Christ instituted the mystery of Baptism when He was Baptized by John in the Jordan River.
  • Christ called his Disciples to:
    • "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Matthew: 28:19

Why do we need to be Baptized?

  • Our Lord Jesus Christ said "Most assuredly I say to you, unless a person is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God." (Jn 3:5)
  • When Adam and Eve fell, they brought death and sin into the world.
  • Baptism cleanses us of sin and death because through Baptism we are born into the saving sacrifice, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  • Baptism is our entrance into the Church. It is where we become part of the One body of Christ.
  • Baptism also prepares us to receive the Holy Spirit. We experience this through the sacrament of:

Chrismation / Myron

  • Chrismation takes place directly after Baptism
    • The priest administers Myron/Holy Oil on the Baptized person's body in the sign of a cross.
  • Originally this Holy Oil came directly from the spices used to anoint the Lord for his burial. According to tradition these spices were melted in Olive oil and used by the Apostles in the sacrament. They have been filling and remaking this Holy Oil since the first century.

Why do we need Chrismation?

  • "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes." (Ezek 36:26-27)
  • In the biological order, a creature must first be born, and then it must grow. Likewise, in the spiritual order of grace, we are born again in Baptism and then we must grow in the spiritual life and bear the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23).

Where does the tradition of Chrismation come from?

  • In Acts 8, Philip, the deacon and evangelist, preached and baptized the people of Samaria but did not grant them the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles came and later confirmed these new believers with the gift of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands (Acts 8:14-17). As the number of believers increased, it was not possible for the Apostles to wander all countries and cities to lay hands on the baptized. So they established Chrismation (Gr. chrismatis, "anointing") in addition to the laying on of hands

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 10 Minutes

  1. Is it enough to be Baptized once? Or should we remember and live our Baptism every day? (Why do you think Saint Paul said "I die daily." (1 Corinthians 15:31)
  2. In 1 Corinthians 6:19, Saint Paul says, "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?" What do you think he means by this? How should we relate to and respond to the activity of the Holy Spirit that we received in Chrismation?

RESOURCES