Lesson 1: I Want to Change for the Better

Nehemiah: - From Southern Kingdom - Cupbearer of the king - Means Gods compassion - Tirshatha: means Governor Kingdom of Israel: divided into 2 kingdoms 1. Northern Kingdom: - Kingdom of Israel - Capital: Samaria - Captivity: Assyrian 2. Southern Kingdom: - Kingdom of Judah - Capital: Jerusalem - Captivity: Babylonian History of the returns: - Cyrus (King of Persia): gave people of Israel permission to go back to Jerusalem after 70 years of captivity. - 1st return: 2 groups (led by Sheshbazzar and Zerubabbel); goal is to rebuild the temple - 2nd return: under Ezra the priest; goal is to establish religious reforms - 3rd return: led by Nehemiah 2 requirements for change: - Strong will from within to change - Gods help and grace 1st thing Nehemiah did was fast and pray. Nehemiahs requests to the king: - To go back to Judah to rebuild the temple - To have letters for governors to let him through - To be given a letter to Asaph to get wood Obstacles Nehemiah overcame: - Obstacle: officials from surrounding cities tried to stop the building of the wall by saying that it would be rebelling against the king of Persia Solution: Nehemiah trusted in God, relying on His help and grace, not on the king - The officials mocked their work saying it wasnt sturdy enough Solution: Nehemiah prayed to God to protect them from their enemies. He was confident that God will be with them - Opposition from the workers themselves: they felt their strength is failing and that they wont be able to build the wall. Solution: 1. Prayer: Nehemiah asked God to be with them 2. Encouragement: Nehemiah encouraged the people 3. Organization: the people worked in construction, were guards

Wall was finished in 52 days Nehemiahs spiritual encouragement to the people: - Asked the rich to restore to the poor their properties and belongings - Read to them the Book of the Law of Moses and explained it - Encouraged the people to repent and confess - Encouraged people to give their tithes Anger: Do Not Cross. Stop or calm down until the anger crosses or goes away. Control your tongue and your actions - Be calm and open minded to protect yourself from anger - If you become angry, dont stay angry for long. - Control your tongue and your actions. Dont talk when youre angry because theres a bigger chance that youll sin. - Only start any discussion when youre calm. Swearing: Dead End. No swearing at all! Let your Yes be Yes and your No be No. For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. Forgiveness: Truck Allowed. We must forgive the heavier trespasses just as we forgive the smaller offenses. We must be full of love towards God and towards all people. Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. - Bless: Take feelings of hatred out of your heart and youll have more room for love. - Do good: Doing good is positive By doing good, youll please God and change peoples hearts - Pray for: when you pray for your enemy, God can change his heart - Forget the offense: Dont forget leads to remorse. Forgetting leads to loving the person again What the eye sees: Stop: Inspection point ahead - When I input bad things through my ears, nose, eyes, etc, my thoughts, my words, and my actions will be bad. - When I input good and holy things, my thoughts will be pure. - The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. (Matthew 6:22-23) Moses in Pharaohs house - Spent 40 years in Pharaohs palace growing in wisdom - His mother Jochebed nursed him for Pharaohs daughter - Saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, so he killed the Egyptian - Later saw 2 Hebrew men fighting. One of them said Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian? When Pharaoh found out, he wanted to kill Moses. Moses flees to Midian - Met Jethro (priest of Midian). Married his daughter Zipporah (means bird)

Lesson 2: Why Should I Change?

Lesson 3: Who Should I Ask So I Can Change?

2 sons: Gershom and Eliezer. Lived in Midian 40 years God tells Moses to go to Egypt to save the Israelites. God brought the Israelites out of Egypt after a struggle with Pharaoh - Jethro rejoices for the good the Lord did for His people: Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them (Exodus 18:11) Jethros advice - Many people are going to Moses with their problems, about half a million men. Moses is working really hard. - Jethro advices Moses to hire helpers. Place men over people to be rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. Small matters go to the rulers. Large matters go to Moses. - Even Moses the great leader followed advice. He took the advice with humility and love. Connection to our church structure: Bishops, Priests, and Deacons - Order of Bishops: Patriarch (Pope): ordain all ranks of priesthood and makes the Holy Oil Metropolitan: promotion of bishop Bishop: oversees a diocese - Order of Priests: Khoori-Episcopos: assists bishops and metropolitans Hegomen: promotion of priest, the primary responsible priest in the church Priest: administer all church sacraments except Priesthood - Order of Deacons: Deacon means servant: assist bishops and priests Archdeacon: leader of the deacons Deacon Epideacon: sub-deacon Agnostos: reader Epsaltos: hymnist The Priesthood Garments: - Bishops Garments: Tonia, Sadra, Badrashil, Sleeves, Al mintaqa, Bornos, Emma, Crown, Ballin, Copper Snake - Priests Garments: Tonia, Sadra, Badrashil, Sleeves, Al mintaqa, Bornos, Taylassan - Deacons Garments: Tonia, Badrashil Saint Peter: - One of the 12 disciples of Jesus - Born in Bethsaida, married and lived with his family in the city of Capernaum - Had a brother named Andrew who was also a disciple - Peter and Andrew were fishermen. No education. Fished at Sea of Galilee - Peter was impulsive, spoke without thinking, and was jealous. Jesus changed Simons name into Peter. Meaning stone

Lesson 4: How Do I Change?

Peter went from fisherman to fisher of men (Luke 5) Peter trusting the Lord: - Peter was fishing but didnt catch any fish. - Jesus asked Peter to go deeper into the Sea and asked him to cast out his net for a catch. - Peter told him that they have been trying to catch fish all night and caught nothing, but at Jesus command he will let down the net. Result: caught a LOT of fish - Peter left everything he had to follow Jesus. He began to change. He started getting closer to God. He learned from Jesus. Despite Peter changing, he had many weaknesses which means that if a man like Peter who had many weaknesses could change, so can YOU! Peters weaknesses: - Little faith: Peter and the disciples on a boat. Jesus wasnt with them. Strong winds and huge storm. Jesus walked on water to get to them. Peter told him, If it is You, command me to come to You on the water. So Jesus told him to come. Peter walked on water. But as he was noticing the storm and how strong the wind was he was afraid and he began to sink. He asked Jesus to save him. Jesus stretched out his hand to save him and said, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? Peter doubted, even though he knew who Jesus was and loved him much. - He was impulsive and spoke without thinking: 1. When Jesus was washing the disciples feet Peter told him not to wash his feet. Then Jesus said, If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me. Peter replies without thinking yet again saying, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head! 2. Peter also drew his sword at the night Jesus was arrested to strike the high priests servant. He cut off his right ear. 3. Peters denial of Christ: Night of Jesus crucifixion, Holy Thursday, Peter said to Jesus that he will never deny Him. Yet afterwards, Peter denies Jesus three times out of weakness. The rooster crowed and Peter remembered. He went out and wept bitterly. But Peter repented, and because of his repentance he proved to Jesus he could change. When Jesus appeared to him after the resurrection at the Sea of Tiberias, Jesus told Peter three times to tend my sheep. This means Jesus had forgiven him. Peter after he changed: - Pentecost: stood and preached the word of God. He told them, Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 3,000 people accepted the faith and became baptized.

Spoke about Jesus without fear to the Jews saying, We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). - Healed the sick and led many to believe in Christ - Endured many tribulations, sufferings, imprisonments for the sake of Jesus name. We can change just like Peter for the better by: - Keeping Gods commandments and realizing our mistakes or problems that need fixing. - Be willing to change what is wrong in our life. - Ask for Gods help and His grace will work in us and help us to change for the better. MY STRUGGLE + GODS GRACE = POWER TO CHANGE Pope Kyrollos V, 112th Pope: - Birthname is John. Born in Asiout. - 20 years old: went to El-Baramous monastery and became a monk. Transcribed church books - After departure of Pope Demetrious II, people elected John the Scribe to be his successor. - Nov 1, 1887: Ordained as Pope Kyrollos V Accomplishments: - Instituted theological seminary. Supervised release of first Coptic dictionary. - Encouraged Copts to participate in political aspects. Egyptian revolution in 1919 took place. Hegomens in Al-Azhar gave sermons. Main motive was their love for the country. - Friend of Saad Zaghloul, an Egyptian revolutionary. 4 of the members of a group that was formed to go to London to negotiate the Egyptian independence were Copts. - Rejected the British request to combine the Church of England and the Church of Egypt during the British occupation of Egypt. - After his departure, his picture was published with the title The Departure of a Great Leader.

Lesson 5: How Can I Change Others?

Memory Verses:
1. O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Nehemiah 1:11 2. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. Matthew 5:22 3. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23-24 4. But let your Yes be Yes, and your No, No. For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. Matthew 5:37 5. Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Matthew 5:44

6. The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. Matthew 6:22-23 7. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them. Exodus 18:11 8. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16: 16-18 9. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Philippians 4:13 10. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10