True Conversion...

I have a great opportunity to teach a catechism class at the church that I attend at college called Bridge of Hope. They say that the best way to learn something is to teach it, which has proved to be true so far this year. This past lesson turned out to be particularly true... so I will post the lesson plan. It is really rough, as I basically use it as a bullet point as compared to something that I actually read. However, there are some good questions... and hopefully you are able to relate all the material together.

What is your only hope in life and in death?
I had an RA my freshman year that everyone loved. He is one of those people that everyone should experience at one time or another in their lives. He was a great mentor, he always seemed to be around when you needed him, he was steadfast in Christianity, and had a passion for living an authentic faith. The next year he decided to go on a study abroad program to Egypt, and it proved to change his life. You see, when you go on a these study abroad programs you have to attend a class in the area that you go to. So, Justin had this short scrawny little Egyptian man teaching him all of his classes. The first day that they were there this short scrawny Egyptian man asked them the question: Today you have to choose, do you want to be and American, or do you want to be an American?
I want you to discuss real quick, why in the world do you think this Egyptian guy would ask them that question?
What did you come up with?
There was this man who was a devout Christian. God gave him wisdom and knowledge… he became the ruler of a nation and extremely rich. Soon, his fame was widespread, anything he ever wanted was at his fingertips, women flocked to him, and he lived a very humanistic and pleasure seeking life. At his death bed though, he reflects on his life… and we got the book Ecclesiastes to explore his true feelings. You see, he looked back on it all and regretted a lot of things. He looked back on his riches, his self seeking pleasures, the things that seem to “matter” now… he looks back on all of it and he calls it meaningless! We wonder, why in the world would a man who seemed to be a devout Christian early in life get tangled in such a mess with worldly desires? But then again, we see this all over the place, both Augustine and Samson were addicted to sex, countless of theologians including Luther were die hard drunks!
Discuss real quick why Solomon would claim everything as meaningless? Why are so many people caught up in sin, especially when we know it is meaningless?!
Christ came so that we might now truth. The fact of the matter is that we are all sinners caught up in many meaningless things. In fact, anything and everything is meaningless without Christ! Catechism 88-91 talks about conversion, and what it looks like. 88 claims that two things must happen for TRUE conversion: the mortification of the old self, and the quickening of the new. In other words we need to die to the sinful ways that we have become so accustomed to, and bring on the new! However, this conversion process is hard, long, and begins anew every single day! It is hard to live authentic Christianity! It is hard to turn away from sin, as we have seen our best leaders failed everyday! We need to look at our lives and convert everything to Christ. Everything that you do today, for the rest of this day is meaningless! The songs you sing, the dinner you will eat, the nap you might have, the friends you will talk to… it is all, frankly, just a bunch meaningless crap, unless you have Christ in your hearts and at the core of everything that you do. Your conversion begins now, and it begins every morning.
What does it mean to you, what does it give you hope for, or what is scary about it?