Dear Christian friends:

When you were babies you received holy baptism. Your sins were washed away. The Holy Spirit made you believe in Jesus, your Savior and so you became God's children, Christians. Now for several years you have come to Sunday School and confirmation class and have learned more about God. Today you promise to be true to God all your life and be a Christian. Today you become adult Christians.

What does it mean to be a Christian? Some will answer: "A Christian is a person who believes in Jesus Christ." And that is true. Others will answer: "A Christian goes to church on Sunday and gives money to help support the church." That is partly true, also. Others will say: "A person is a person who does good and obeys the Ten Commandments." And that is also partly right. But none of these give the full answer to that question: "What is a Christian?"

The text which I have chosen for this sermon today answers that question very beautifully. It shows that a Christian is a person who gives glory to God always, in everything that he does. Our text tells that we should be be:


Jesus often compared a Christian to a tree that grows and produces good fruit. He said, "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit." (Matthew 7:18)

An apple tree always grows apples and it will always grow them no matter where you plant it. Whether you plant it in Washington, or in Minnesota or in New York the apple tree always grows apples because it is an apple tree; it is not an elm tree. It's nature is apples; it is always an apple tree, a full-time apple tree.

The same with a Christian. He is always a Christian, every day of the week, not only on Sunday. He is a Christian at school or where he works and where he plays. His heart and nature is now changed to love God and give glory to Him all the time.

If he is a student, he is a Christian student. If he is a printer, he is a Christian printer. If he is a father, he is a Christian father. If she is mother, she is a Christian mother.

You young people, at school your teacher and classmates should be able to see that you are a Christian student. People in school should be able to see that you love God because you are humble and kind and obey God's Commandments and the rules of your teacher and school.

Even when you forget that you are a Christian and do something bad or wrong, the teacher and your classmates should be able to see that you are sorry and that you believe in Jesus for forgiveness.

If a classmate does wrong to you, you will not hate him but be humble and kind and ready to forgive him and make peace with him. If you know a person does not believe in Jesus, you will try to help him to understand about Jesus. You will maybe invite him to come to church with you.

Some Christians are very good about this. They give glory to God in everything that they do. We think about a group called Christian Professional Athletes, C.P.A.: Fran Tarkenton, Jim Kaat, Bill Wade, Bobby Richardson and Al Worthington are some popular athletes who belong to this C.P.A.

Here is a picture of Al Worthington, an ace pitcher for our Minnesota Twins. In this magazine there is an article about his life and I want to quote one paragraph to you. It shows that he is a full-time Christian.

"Al says he tries to do everything to please Christ, whether he is walking down the street, working at his bank job or playing baseball. He says the Bible advises us to do all to the glory of God; if a person can't do that in a certain act he shouldn't do it at all."

Al Worthington is a full-time Christian. He not only goes to church on Sunday and prays on Sunday. He reads the Bible daily and prays daily for God's help and to live right to honor His God and Savior.

So I say to you members of the confirmation class: Be a full-time Christian whether you eat or drink or do anything else, do everything to give glory to God!

All of us need to think about this, too. A Christian is a full-time. You can't be a part-time Christian or half-time Christian.

Amen.