Northern Blvd. UMC

Northern Boulevard
United Methodist Church
1800 S. Northern Blvd. Independence, Missouri 64052
(816) 252-7977

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Open Minds.

Open Doors.

Open Hearts.

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Finance and Administration of The United Methodist Church. Permission to use the Cross and Flame
must be obtained from the General Council on Finance and Administration of The United Methodist
Church: Legal Department, GCFA, Post Office Box 340029, Nashville, TN 37203-0029, Phone:
615-369-2334, Fax: 615-369-2330

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Questions

The United Methodist Church has two sacraments, baptism and Holy Communion. Here is a good defining quote
about them from the confirmation resource, Claim the Name.

    A sacrament is a means or vehicle for God’s grace in our lives. As United Methodists we celebrate two
sacraments: Holy Communion and baptism. When we participate in the sacraments, we remember what God has
done for us in Jesus Christ. Through the sacraments we experience something in our relationship with God.
Participating in the sacraments is a spiritual discipline because it is an ordered way of acting that puts us in God’s
presence in a special way. The sacraments remind us who we are and Whose we are.

    Other churches include more in their lists of sacraments, such as marriage, which was mentioned in the
question. While we regard marriage and ordination, for example, as holy and sacred, they are not considered
sacraments by the United Methodist Church .

    One thing about both of our sacraments is that Christians of all ages can participate in them.

     In some churches, baptism is meant for those who have reached the age of understanding. In the United
Methodist Church , we leave the decision on children’s baptism to their parents. And, also, one is never too old to
be baptized, either.

     For the same, reason, children are welcome to partake of Holy Communion. While a child may not understand
it fully, he or she certainly understands being left out, when not allowed to participate in this sacrament.

     One more thing, then I will stop. A sacrament is considered a special way, within the church, that God gives the
gift of God’s own self to us.

When did Jesus receive the title Jesus Christ or Jesus the Christ?

     “. . . the title Christ was from the very first used to speak of Jesus and his mission (Mark 8: 29, Acts 2:36).”
         —A. E. Harvey , Jesus and the Constraints of History

  The word Christ means “Anointed One,” specially chosen by God, for a specific purpose. “Christ” is the Greek
word; Messiah is the Hebrew word. In the Old Testament was the “belief that a descendant of David would arise to
redeem his people and introduce a period of harmony in creation (Isaiah 11), a promise based on the covenant
made between God and David in II Second Samuel 7:12ff.” (A.E.Harvey) The Messiah was often believed to be a
warrior king who would save Israel.

   While Jesus did accept the term Christ, he interpreted its meaning differently, rejecting the warrior king idea. His
version was seen in his own life and self-sacrificing death.

    So, all this is to say that Jesus was called the Christ during his lifetime on earth. After his death and
Resurrection, as the early church began, the word Christ was used more and more, as a way to identify Jesus. The
religion based on Jesus (his teachings, life, death, and Resurrection) is therefore named Christianity.