Unit 1 - 10 Commandments

After you have watched this video together, discuss the essential question for this lesson:

Have your child explain what they learned about what confirmation is and what the Catechism is. Share with your child your experience in confirmation class, whether that was as a child or an adult.

Your child learned about who God is (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and who wrote the Bible (God, through men inspired by the Holy Spirit). He also learned about where human reason fits into understanding these things. Discuss why we cannot rely on human reason to understand these things.

What are the Six Chief Parts of the catechism? What does each part teach us? Why do we need it?

• Ten Commandments are the Law - this shows us our sin and our need for a Savior.

• The Apostles’ Creed shows us who the Triune God is.

• The Lord’s Prayer teaches the Lord’s will for our lives.

• Holy Baptism is one way God comes to us and gives us forgiveness.

• In Confession and Absolution we hear God’s forgiveness.

• The Lord’s Supper is where God gives us His true Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins.

After you have watched this video together, discuss the target questions for this lesson.

• What is the Law?

• What is an idol?

Discussion questions for AFTER confirmation class

As parents, we use the three uses of the Law with our children. Discuss with your child examples of how you use each use: curb, mirror, and guide, in your parenting.

If you are comfortable, ask your child to share some idols that he may struggle with. When your child is done, you may share some idols that you struggle with.

No one keeps the command “You should fear and love God above all things” except Christ Jesus. Because Christ obeyed this commandment perfectly and suffered for us on the cross, we have forgiveness for this (and all) sins. As parents and children, how can you work together in love and forgiveness when you see each other struggling with this commandment?

After you have watched this video together, discuss the target questions for this lesson.

• How do we relate to God?

Discussion questions for AFTER confirmation class

Misusing the Name of the Lord is more than just swearing. Misusing the Name of the Lord is teaching falsely about Him. What are ways we may misuse the Name of the Lord?

Discuss with your child what the Sabbath is about. Discuss whether it is about God's receiving something from us or about our receiving something from Him. What is received?

Your child learned about the First Table of the Law and will begin learning about the Second Table of the Law in the next lesson. Discuss these two tables of the Law. Given the first three commandments, how do we relate to God or, how does God relate to us?

After you have watched this video together, discuss the target questions for this lesson.

• Second Table: How does God work through sinners to preserve life?

Discussion questions for AFTER confirmation class

Your children talked about how parents and other authorities are a good gift from God. Discuss why this is a good gift.

After you have discussed why parents and other authorities are a good gift from God, talk about what both you and your child thinks about different authority figures - not specifically, but in general. For example - parents, teachers, bosses, government officials.

In the Fifth Commandment, we are required to help our neighbor in EVERY physical need. Discuss with your child what this means. What about when you do not have the means to help or it is unsafe to help in a certain situation?

We are called to help our neighbor in EVERY physical need. When we do not, we are breaking this commandment. If we do not have the means or if it is an unsafe situation to be able to help, we keep in mind that we are also called to protect our neighbors that are our children and family. If you are unable to help a neighbor in a certain situation, you may rest assured in your Baptism.

Suicide is a topic that was touched on in this lesson but may not have been discussed in depth. This is a very prevalent subject for teenagers today. Open this discussion with your child. Has he ever had thoughts of suicide? Does he have friends who have talked about suicide? What has he done in that situation?

After you have watched this video together, discuss the target questions for this lesson.

• What is chastity?

• What is property?

Discussion questions for AFTER confirmation class

In what ways can your child, even as a teenager, protect his future family? In what ways can you as his or her parent help with this goal?

Your child learned that the Seventh Commandment is not only about not stealing, but it is also about improving the possessions of our neighbors. Discuss with your child a time that you (or they) have been neglectful by not helping to improve your neighbors' possessions. This can include an individual neighbor or something like your neighborhood, school, or church property.

We are taught that we are to help our neighbor in EVERY physical need. Talk with your child about how you handle a situation where you are unable to help a neighbor, especially in cases where safety is an issue.

• You may wish to discuss how even though we are called to help, for example, our neighbors on the street, we are also called to help and protect our children and families, who are also our neighbors. We must weigh the safety of our families against the help that we are able to give.

After you have watched this video together, discuss the target questions for this lesson.

• How does sin break stuff?

• How does it affect even the stuff you can’t see?

Discussion questions for AFTER confirmation class

Talk to your child about times that he or she may have spoken falsely or unkindly about another person. How does your child think this affected that person? If he doesn’t think it had an effect, have him imagine if this was said about himself and how that would affect him.

What about when we have the desire to speak truthfully, but unkindly, about our enemy? Discuss what the Eighth Commandment says about that situation. How would your child handle this situation? How would you?

The Ninth and Tenth Commandments are about contentment. How do you attempt to model contentment with your possessions and life to your children?

After you have watched this video together, discuss the target questions for this lesson.

• What does “keep” mean?

Discussion questions for AFTER confirmation class

Three words continue to come up in the meanings of the commandment and the Close of the Commandments: fear, love, and trust. What is the significance of these three words and why do we find them throughout all of the commandments?

We fear God’s wrath because we know He is able to “punish children for the sins of the fathers.” We also know that Christ has fulfilled the Law and the punishment that goes with it, so we love and trust Him and "gladly do what He commands.”

What is something new that your child has learned while studying the Ten Commandments? What is something new that you have learned while studying the Ten Commandments with your child?

What is something related to understanding the Ten Commandments that your child is still struggling with or working through? What is something related to understanding the Ten Commandments that you are still struggling with or working through?