UNARNISHED TRUTH: LIFE’S REATEST STORY ... the occasion, Jesus appeared in their midst to prepare them for what was coming. During that meeting He ...

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FALL 2016 | LEADER GUIDERONNIE FLOYD | GENERAL EDITOR

UNVARNISHED TRUTH: LIFE’S GREATEST STORY

UNSTOPPABLE GOSPEL

GET INTO THE STUDY

GUIDE: Direct attention to

the contents page in the PSG

(p. 3). Review the titles of

the six-session study about

the unstoppable nature of

the gospel. (LEADER PACK:

Point to the titles on Item 5:

“Unstoppable Gospel.”)

Introduce session 7. Note the

picture on PSG page 82.

DISCUSS: Question #1

(PSG, p. 82): What is

something you have

waited for that was worth

the wait?

Direct attention to The Bible

Meets Life (PSG, p. 83).

Note that Jesus’ disciples were

told to wait for the Holy Spirit,

who would empower them to

accomplish Christ’s mission for

His church. Stress it is the same

power that is still at work in

believers’ lives today.

GUIDE: Introduce The Point

(PSG, p. 83): The Holy

Spirit empowers us to

spread the gospel.

SESSION 7

UNSTOPPABLE MISSION

The PointThe Holy Spirit empowers us to

spread the gospel.

The Bible Meets LifeMany Christians no longer have the

passion of the early believers to

take on the mission Christ gave to

the church. Fear of offending and

being rejected has become more

important than love for God and our neighbor, so we have chosen to leave to

others the mission of making disciples. We need to turn from our own priorities

and return to the mission Jesus gave His followers in Acts 1.

The PassageActs 1:4-8,12-14

The SettingAfter Jesus rose from the dead, for 40 days He appeared to His disciples,

showing Himself to be alive and instructing them on the kingdom of God

(Acts 1:3). Although He was preparing to return to God the Father, as He had

promised, the disciples would not be left alone. They would receive “the

Father’s promise,” the Holy Spirit, who would be with them to teach them and

empower them. As the time arrived for Jesus to leave His disciples, He spoke

with them one last time.

10 minutes

8 6 S e S S i o n 7

S U G G E S T E D U S E | W E E K O F O C T O B E R 16 87

Acts 1:4-5

4 While He was together with them, He commanded them

not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise.

“This,” He said, “is what you heard from Me;

5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with

the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Jesus has promised to empower us with the Holy Spirit.

1 During the time between Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension, it seems His disciples weren’t certain what to do. While they had been with Him constantly before His death, after the resurrection things changed. Though they encountered Him at different times and in different places, His visits likely were brief and probably left them with more questions than answers.

Apparently the disciples weren’t sure where to go, either. After the resurrection Peter and a few others, who had been in Jerusalem, were back in their native Galilee on the Sea of Tiberias (Sea of Galilee), where they fished all night, without success. Then the next morning they encountered Jesus on the shore and ate breakfast with Him (see John 21).

Verse 4. There were times, however, when all of the disciples (except Judas Iscariot, who had committed suicide on the day of Jesus’ death) were in Jerusalem. On one of these occasions Jesus was together with them. This might indicate they shared a meal or it may simply refer to a gathering. Whatever the occasion, Jesus appeared in their midst to prepare them for what was coming. During that meeting He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem. While we often think of a command as a serious order from a no-nonsense superior, Jesus wasn’t being a stern taskmaster. Certainly He had the authority to tell them what to do, but His words were likely more of a special emphasis or highlighted instruction that He didn’t want them to miss. He wanted to make sure the disciples remained in Jerusalem instead of traveling back and forth to other places as they had been doing for several weeks.

Something Jesus had previously taught His disciples was soon to happen in Jerusalem. Thus the disciples were to wait in the holy city for the Father’s promise to be fulfilled.

STUDY THE BIBLEActs 1:4-5

GUIDE: Before reading the

focal passage, set the context

by briefly summarizing the

information in The Setting

(p. 86) along with the

introductory paragraphs in the

Bible commentary 1 .

READ: Ask a volunteer to read

Acts 1:4-5.

10 minutes

THE POINT

GUIDE: Use the Bible

commentary 2 to offer

some background about the

Jewish people’s understanding

and experience with the

Holy Spirit.

Emphasize “baptized with

the Holy Spirit” (v. 5) does

not describe a so-called

“second blessing” that follows

a believer’s conversion at

some undetermined point.

This baptism occurs for every

believer at the moment he

or she turns to Christ in faith

and receives Him as Savior

and Lord.


(PSG, p. 85): How does

anticipating a good thing

affect your ability to wait?

(Alternate: What do you find

difficult about waiting on the

Lord?)

TRANSITION: “God sent

believers the Holy Spirit, but

not only for their own benefit.”

2 Verse 5. The focus of this promise was the Holy Spirit. Though God’s people had known about God’s Spirit for centuries, their knowledge was more of a distant awareness rather than a personal experience. In their minds this mysterious Spirit probably seemed to operate unpredictably. Throughout the Old Testament we read accounts of how the Holy Spirit powerfully came upon a specific person for a specific time for a specific purpose. Still, these times were the exception rather than the norm. A special filling from the Spirit was reserved for certain people at certain times but not for all of God’s people all of the time.

Even so, God had planned for a change. Centuries before Jesus was born God decreed that one day His Spirit would not be limited to select persons. Isaiah had prophesied that God would pour out His Spirit on the descendants of Israel (Isa. 32:15; 44:3) and Joel prophesied God’s plan for “all humanity” to experience His Spirit, that is, everyone who will call upon the name of the Lord and be saved (Joel 2:28-32).

During His earthly ministry Jesus had also told His disciples about God’s promise. On the night before His crucifixion Jesus taught the disciples about the coming of the Holy Spirit (John 14–16). Jesus noted that the Spirit’s ministry in the world and among believers would include convicting of sin, revealing truth, counseling and guiding, teaching, and testifying about Jesus. Jesus also emphasized that He would have to go away in order for the Spirit to come. Soon, both events would happen—Jesus’ departure and the Spirit’s arrival.

During His post-resurrection meeting with them, Jesus helped His disciples understand more about their coming encounter with the Spirit. Jesus related it to a baptism, which many of them probably experienced from John the Baptist. But in contrast to John’s baptism with water, the disciples would soon be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Most likely the reference to John the Baptist was a reminder of what the prophet had proclaimed about Jesus—that He would “baptize … with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16). While future believers would continue to follow Jesus’ example of physical baptism to identify them as His disciples, they would also experience this spiritual baptism to enable them to live lives of obedience to God’s commands and carry out His mission of leading more people to become His disciples.

The word baptize generally means to immerse or submerge something (usually in water). But in reference to

The Holy Spirit empowers us to spread the gospel.

8 8 S e S S i o n 7


GUIDE: As time allows, share

some facts about Hoover Dam.*

> Hoover Dam was designed

to control the Colorado

River and provide water

and hydroelectric power for

the developing Southwest.

> Construction on Hoover

Dam was completed in

1935. At the time it was the

largest dam in the world.

> Hoover Dam was

constructed with 6.6 million

tons of concrete, enough

to pave a road from San

Francisco to New York City.

> Holding back the Colorado

River, Hoover Dam creates

the reservoir known as

Lake Mead, which holds 46

billion cubic yards of water.

> The water pressure near

the base of the dam is

approximately 45,000

pounds per square foot.

The dam resists this force,

harnesses it, and uses it to

generate electricity.

> Hoover Dam generates

more than 4 billion

kilowatt-hours of electricity

annually, enough to serve

1.3 million people.

the Holy Spirit it pictures a flood that is poured out from God—both a covering and a filling (or cleansing). This is an appropriate picture of what God does for everyone who has a relationship with Him through faith in His Son Jesus.

Jesus assured the disciple that not many days from now this promise would be fulfilled. Soon all believers would be baptized with God’s Spirit. And though Jesus would leave to return to His Father in heaven, the Holy Spirit would remain with believers—living in them—to enable them to accomplish God’s purposes.

Acts 1:6-8

6 So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord,

are You restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”

7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods

that the Father has set by His own authority.

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come

on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all

Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

KEY WORD: Witnesses (v. 8)—A witness (Greek: martys) gives a testimony

of something he or she has experienced. Our English word “martyr” comes

from the same Greek root.

The Spirit empowers us to be His witnesses locally and globally.

Verse 6. When the disciples met with Jesus they once again asked about the kingdom they anticipated. For several years during His earthly ministry they had heard Jesus teach about the kingdom of God. However, the disciples were either still confused or simply refused to give up their preconceived ideas about the future that would be inaugurated by the Messiah.

Like most Jews they looked forward to a political kingdom where they would be free from the foreign rule they had known for centuries—from the Babylonians in the sixth century B.C. to the Romans in their own day. But the disciples especially anticipated a future where everyone would again know the power and glory Israel had once experienced under David and Solomon. This was what they

5 minutes

8 9

THE POINT

*Sources: “Hoover Dam and Hydroelectric Power,” PBS Learning Media, [cited 3 September 2015]. Available from the Internet: www.pbslearningmedia.org; “Hoover Dam,” [cited 3 September 2015]. Available from the Internet. www.history.com.

Lead group members to

consider the tremendous

power generated by Hoover

Dam, and imagine if all that

power were kept inside the

dam or perhaps used to power

just one home; how ridiculous

that would be.

Suggest the same is true for

those of us who have been

transformed by the power of

the gospel. It’s not meant to be

kept just to ourselves.


Acts 1:6-8.

GUIDE: Call attention to

verses 6-7. Note that initially,

the disciples viewed the gift

of the Spirit as an answer to

their hopes for a new political

kingdom for Israel. But

God’s plan was bigger than

a regional government—a

temporary kingdom—His

mission is to reach all people

on earth with a message that

impacts eternity.

expected with Jesus the Messiah on the throne. Now as the disciples met with Jesus after His resurrection, they again asked about the kingdom that was coming, hoping it was the right time for their dream to become reality.

Verse 7. Jesus didn’t reply to the primary focus of their question—their hope for Israel’s worldwide prominence. Instead, He emphasized that times and periods were none of their concern. Though Jesus used different Greek words related to time (chronos [times]—a specific time or date, or period of time; kairos [periods]—the right time or the appropriate moment or season), likely He intended little distinction between the words. That was not what was important for the disciples. Jesus noted that the dates God the Father has set are His alone to know. Previously Jesus noted that even He didn’t know the specific “day” or “hour” of the end (Mark 13:32). Jesus’ words are a good reminder our primary concern should not be to speculate if certain events in our world indicate the approaching end times.

Verse 8. It was important, however, for the disciples to understand the kingdom that was coming and how it impacted them and others. Unlike what the disciples imagined, God’s kingdom was different from all earthly kingdoms where powerful human kings sit on thrones in specific places for a limited time. Instead, God’s kingdom is about the eternal, immortal, invisible God ruling in human lives. It is about God’s Spirit living in those who trust Jesus as Savior and Lord.

The kingdom of God is about the power of God enabling the people of God to fulfill the mission of God. This power is unlike anything Rome or any other nation has ever possessed. It is the supernatural capability and potential that was experienced in the miracles of Jesus, including His resurrection from the dead. Jesus promised this same power to His followers.

Note the certainty of Jesus’ promise: “you will receive power” and “you will be My witnesses.” Jesus’ promise was not a statement of wishful thinking but rather one of fact; it would happen. The Greek word for power is the same root from which we get our English words “dynamic” and “dynamite.” This power is a gift God would give to His people through His Spirit. His power was not given for their benefit—so they could be prominent or dominant—but so they could be His witnesses. This was also a certainty.


9 0 S e S S i o n 7

Stress that God’s mission

involves using His people

to invite all of humanity to

become a part of His family—

living in a growing relationship

with Him through repentance

and faith in His Son Jesus.


(PSG, p. 88): What do

these verses teach us

about God’s mission?

(Alternate: What circumstances

can cause us to doubt we have

God’s power within us?)

TRANSITION: “The Holy

Spirit empowers our witness,

and prayer keeps us focused

on the mission.”


READ: Invite a volunteer to

read verses 12-14.

Jesus promised to empower His followers to enable them to share a testimony with others of their experiences with Him. With these brief words Jesus didn’t explain everything the disciples wanted to know about the kingdom, but He did tell them all they needed to know about the kingdom and their role in it.

God’s mission involves using His people to invite all of humanity to become a part of His family—living in a growing relationship with Him through repentance and faith in His Son Jesus. This mission was to start in Jerusalem and to expand throughout Judea. But it was not for Jews only. It included the despised people of Samaria, considered half-breeds by most Jews. And it also included people in far away lands, Gentiles (non-Jews) in nations all over the globe, even to the ends of the earth. Though Jesus’ promise was initially spoken to the disciples who knew and followed Him during His earthly ministry, His words are spoken to all believers in all times—none are excluded either from the promise, the result, or the mission.

Acts 1:12-14

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called

the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a Sabbath

day’s journey away.

13 When they arrived, they went to the room upstairs

where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip,

Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus,

Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

14 All these were continually united in prayer, along with

the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and His

brothers. Prayer unites believers in our focus on Christ and His mission.

Verse 12. The disciples’ meeting with Jesus and His subsequent ascension to heaven had taken place on the Mount of Olives, which was just east of Jerusalem (Acts 1:9-11). Luke noted it was a Sabbath day’s journey away, or about three-fourths of a mile. This was simply a

15 minutes

91

THE POINT


(PSG, p. 89): How is

praying with others for a

common mission different

from your personal

prayers?

SUMMARIZE: Call attention

to the numbered statements

on PSG pages 89-90.

Summarize what the author

sees happening in the

disciples’ prayer meeting.

1. Prayer is primary. For

many people, prayer is a last

resort. But prayer was not

the last resort for the early

church. It was not an item on

a crowded agenda; it was the

main agenda.

2. Fear can be a great

motivator. Those who

crucified Jesus might come

for His followers as well. It

was fear, not piety that drove

the believers to pray. Prayer is

your life when you’re scared

to death.

3. Prayer unites us. The

disciples were single-minded,

joined together as one.

Jewish reference of distance and doesn’t imply the meeting was on the Sabbath. Thus the disciples had only a short walk to return to Jerusalem where Jesus had instructed them to wait.

Verse 13. Once in the city, the eleven disciples went to the room upstairs where they were staying. Some have thought this might have been the place of the last supper or an upstairs room at the house of Mary, mother of John Mark. But these speculations are neither certain nor important. It was likely a large room on the top floor of a large house. The fact that the disciples were staying there suggests it was where they slept and met with other believers.

The list of disciples is the same as those noted in Luke 6:14-16, excluding, of course, Judas Iscariot. The order of the names is slightly different in the two lists, perhaps reflecting the prominent roles Peter, John, and James would have in the church in Jerusalem.

Verse 14. One thing that became constant for the disciples following the ascension was prayer. They continually prayed together. The word continually suggests more than just occasional or brief prayers. It pictures them as being devoted to it—they were intense and persistent in their praying. This was an example they had seen in Jesus’ life and was obviously important for them as well.

Exactly what the disciples prayed is unknown, but whatever the content of their prayers, the disciples were united. This means they had the same heart and commitment, which was to glorify God and fulfill His purpose. They may have prayed for unity (just as Jesus prayed for them on the night before His death—John 17:20-23). But certainly they experienced unity as a result of their ongoing praying together.

There were more than just the eleven disciples in that upper room, however. Luke mentioned the women, likely a reference to those who had followed Jesus, had been there at His crucifixion, and had even prepared Jesus for His proper burial. The Gospels note that women initially discovered the empty tomb and were the first to encounter the risen Lord. Almost certainly those women would have been a part of this group gathered for prayer. The women could have also included any wives of the disciples.

Luke also noted that Mary the mother of Jesus and His brothers also joined the disciples during that time. Mark 6:3


92 S e S S i o n 7

SAY: “When we pray and seek

God’s will together, He will

unify us and keep us focused

on our common center: Jesus

the Lord.”


(PSG, p. 90): What

common mission can our

group pray for together?

(Alternate: What is it about

praying together that unites

people?)

DO: Invite volunteers to share

their responses to the activity

“Lord, By Your Power …”

(PSG, p. 90).

notes that Jesus had four brothers and at least two sisters. These were the natural children of Mary and Joseph, so technically Jesus was their half-brother.

During His earthly ministry His brothers did not believe Jesus was the Messiah (John 7:5). On one occasion His family even questioned Jesus’ sanity and tried to restrict His movements (Mark 3:21). But since they were with the disciples in the upper room after the ascension, obviously something had happened to change their thinking about the true identity of Jesus. We know that after His resurrection Jesus appeared to His brother James (1 Cor. 15:7), so James’ testimony of his encounter with the risen Christ may have led the other family members to believe that Jesus was in fact the Messiah.

Though this is the last time Mary is mentioned in the Bible, both she and her sons provide a good example of unity with other believers around the mission of Christ. James later became a prominent leader in the church at Jerusalem and helped the believers stay focused on the universal nature of the gospel message—the invitation to repent and believe in Jesus Christ to receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life is for all people. He also wrote the New Testament letter that bears his name, which provides very practical guidance for living as a follower of Christ. His brother Jude also wrote one of the New Testament letters and may have later become the leader of the Jerusalem church.

The emphasis of Jesus and the example of His followers in the days before Pentecost remind us of what we as believers are to do and how we are to do it in our day. Our priority is to be witnesses for Jesus—sharing the truth about God, sin, and salvation, and our testimony of what we have experienced (forgiveness of sins and eternal life) through faith in Christ. This is what we have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to do. But we don’t do this alone—prayer keeps us connected with God so we can receive and walk in His wisdom, strength, and guidance for the mission. And unity with other believers—in fellowship and in prayer—gives us the family we need for support and the encouragement we need to keep moving forward as we work together to spread the gospel.

93

LIVE IT OUTActs 1:8 is our mandate. It’s mine, and it’s yours. It’s an impossible task, but we can fulfill that mandate by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit and prayer. How has God spoken to you during this study? Which application will you adopt this week?

> Accept the mission. You may not have accepted Christ’s mission because you never have accepted Christ. If that is the case, turn from your sin, and receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. See the article on page 2 for guidance. Then start being His witness wherever you go.

> Embrace the gift. Understand the Holy Spirit is the source of your strength to be the witness God has called you to be. Start praying for opportunities to share your faith. Rely on Him for guidance and power.

> Pray together. Enlist 2-3 people from your Bible study group to meet twice a week outside of your regular Bible study period. Use Acts 1:8 as a guide to develop a prayer list for local, regional, national, and international needs. Get a map and circle specific areas God leads you to pray for. Seek God’s will in how to pray, not forgetting to pray for opportunities to share your faith as you go about your regular routines.


LIVE IT OUT

GUIDE: Emphasize

The Point: The Holy Spirit

empowers us to spread

the gospel.

Review Live It Out (PSG,

p. 91; see text to the right).

Invite group members to

think about which application

speaks most to their needs.

Wrap It Up

GUIDE: Lead the group to

say or sing together stanza 3

of the hymn, “Breathe on Me.”

(OPTION: Distribute hymnals

IN ADVANCE.)

Holy Spirit, breathe on me,

Fill me with pow’r divine;

Kindle a flame of love and zeal

Within this heart of mine.

Breathe on me, breathe on me,

Holy Spirit, breathe on me;

Take Thou my heart,

cleanse ev’ry part,

Holy Spirit, breathe on me.

PRAY: Thank God for

His indwelling Spirit who

empowers us to spread His

gospel of grace.

THE POINT

5 minutes

9 4 S e S S i o n 7

SHARING THE GOOD NEWSWithout the Holy Spirit in

our lives, we are powerless

to live the life God desires

for us. His power becomes

available to us when we

turn from sin and place our

faith in Christ alone.

Each week, make yourself

available either before or after

the session to speak privately

with anyone in your group

who wants to know more

about becoming a Christian.

See the article, “Leading

Someone to the Greatest

Decision of All,“ on page 2 for

guidance in leading a person

to Christ.

Remind group members that

page 2 in the PSG offers

guidance in how to become a

Christian. Encourage believers

to consider using this article

as they have opportunities to

lead others to Christ.

A Jewish school in Jerusalem where devoted Jewish students study for the rabbinate.

The following excerpt is from the

article “To Make Disciples” (Sum.

2001), and can be purchased,

along with other articles for this

quarter at www.lifeway.com/

biblicalillustrator. Look for Biblical

Illustrator for Bible Studies for Life.

“The imperative to ‘make disciples’

(matheteusate) originated from

the verb manthano–’learn from

someone’ or ‘come to know.’ As

Jesus’ pupils, His disciples learned

from Him about how to live God’s

way. Their attachment to Jesus

began with a commitment to

believe in Him and continued

as a lifelong process of learning

from Him.

A true Christian disciple is a

person given over to Christ in

mind and heart. Discipleship

requires more than mental

assent. The Lord demanded a

commitment to live as He lived

day by day. Jesus said, ‘If you

continue in My word, then you

are truly disciples of Mine’ (John

8:31). He made that statement

to Jews who said they believed

in Him. Jesus told them that true

discipleship results in more than

verbal commitment. It includes

continued obedience.

Subscribe to Biblical Illustrator at www.lifeway.com/biblicalillustrator, or call 1-800-458-2772.

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> Get expert insights on weekly studies through the Ministry Grid

(MinistryGrid.com/web/BibleStudiesFor Life).

> Grow with other group leaders at the Groups Ministry blog

(lifeway.com/groupministry).

> Additional ideas for your group are available at

BibleStudiesFor Life.com/blog.

95

GET INTO THE STUDY

GUIDE: Direct the group to

look at the picture (PSG,

p. 92).


(PSG, p. 92): What often

gets you sidetracked

during the day?

GUIDE: Review The Bible

Meets Life (PSG, p. 93).

Invite a volunteer to read the

original mission statement

of Harvard University. Then

note how far the institution

has drifted from its original

purpose.

SAY: “Christians have a

message that will keep us from

suffering from ‘mission drift.’”

GUIDE: Introduce The Point

(PSG, p. 93): Jesus died for

our sins, rose again, and

reigns as Lord.

Comment that the church we

read about in the Book of Acts

showed us what can happen

when believers remain focused

on the unstoppable message

of salvation in Christ.

SESSION 8

UNSTOPPABLE MESSAGE

The PointJesus died for our sins, rose again,

and reigns as Lord.

The Bible Meets LifeThere are many good groups and

organizations in our communities

seeking to benefit society in some

way. The church, however, is unique.

Many organizations are short-lived

or diminish as the need they seek to meet is realized. Or they change when

the leadership changes. The church is different. Christ gave His church one

unchanging message to proclaim: the message of salvation in Christ.

The PassageActs 2:22-24,32-33,36-38

The SettingAfter Jesus’ ascension, the disciples followed His command to return to

Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Spirit. Gathered together on the

Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon them with the sound of a

violent rushing wind and the appearance of flames, like tongues of fire. The

disciples began to speak in different languages, which the Jews gathered for

Pentecost from the various nations could comprehend in their own languages

(Acts 2:1-6). The crowd was amazed and Peter took this opportunity to tell

them about Jesus and the good news of the gospel.

10 minutes

9 6 S e S S i o n 8


Acts 2:22-24

22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: This Jesus the

Nazarene was a man pointed out to you by God with

miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you

through Him, just as you yourselves know.

23 Though He was delivered up according to God’s

determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless

people to nail Him to a cross and kill Him.

24 God raised Him up, ending the pains of death, because it

was not possible for Him to be held by it.

KEY WORDS: Miracles, wonders, and signs (v. 22)—Miracles show the

power of God. Wonders emphasizes the response of people who witness

miracles. Signs are intended to point back to God.

Jesus died and rose again to bring salvation.

Verse 22. On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came in power just as Jesus had promised. The believers in Jerusalem who were empowered by the Spirit spoke in many other languages and drew the attention of a crowd. Most if not all of the crowd was comprised of men of Israel. Many Jews were in Jerusalem at that time, not only those who lived in the city and throughout Judea but also Jews who lived in other countries throughout the Mediterranean world. They had come to celebrate the Feast of Weeks. This holy day, also known as Pentecost, came 50 days after Passover and was one of the three most important festivals in the Jewish year.

Peter initially quoted words from the prophet Joel that confirmed what was seen and heard that day (2:28-32). Then he directed the men to listen to him—to understand what he was about to say. In what is considered the first Christian sermon, Peter called attention to Jesus. Peter clarified who Jesus was by calling Him the Nazarene, that is, He was from the town of Nazareth. Jesus was sometimes identified as the Nazarene during His earthly ministry. Rather than immediately jumping to the reality that Jesus is the Messiah, Peter emphasized that Jesus was a man. Thousands of people had encountered Him during the previous three years. So while any skeptic could have questioned Jesus’ deity, there was no question of His humanity.


GUIDE: Introduce the focal

passage by sharing the

information found in The

Setting (p. 96).


read Acts 2:22-24.

GUIDE: Call attention to the

KEY WORDS feature on PSG

page 94. Invite a volunteer to

read the information. Note the

phrase “Jesus … was a man

pointed out to you by God”

(v. 22).

Emphasize that God chose

Jesus for a unique position—a

role that no one else could fill.

In addition, God worked in and

through Jesus’ humanity to

prove who He really was. The

people who had encountered

Jesus would not have

forgotten the astonishing and

overwhelming things He did

among them.

10 minutes

THE POINT

SUMMARIZE: In verse 23,

Peter’s message holds two

truths that some people tend

to set against each other:

God’s sovereignty and man’s

responsibility. The cross was

“God’s determined plan” (v.

23), yet lawless people killed

Jesus. God is in control, but

the men involved are held

responsible for their deeds.

God planned for the death of

His Son because there was no

other way for sinful people—

those who were His enemies—

to be in a right relationship

with Him. Stress that we all are

responsible for Jesus’ death.

Jesus’ resurrection was also

part of God’s plan from the

beginning. Jesus’ resurrection

broke the hold death had on

humanity. (LEADER PACK:

Stress this truth by pointing to

Item 6: “He’s Alive.”)

GUIDE: (OPTION: IN

ADVANCE, display a jigsaw

puzzle put together entirely

but missing a few key pieces

that reveal the picture. Invite

group members to identify the

image in the puzzle.)

But Jesus was far from an ordinary man. Peter went on to note that Jesus was pointed out … by God. This phrase translates a Greek term that originally came from the political realm, where it referred to someone chosen or elected to an office. But the word also carries the sense of showing or proving a person’s identity. Certainly both meanings of the word apply to Jesus. God chose Him for a unique position—a role that no one else could fill. In addition, God worked in and through Jesus’ humanity to prove who He really was.

Peter reminded the people of the miracles, wonders, and signs done by Jesus. Miracles show the power of God. Wonders emphasize the response of people who witness miracles. Signs are intended to point back to God. The people who had encountered Jesus would not have forgotten the astonishing and overwhelming things He did among them. It was these miracles that caused many people to follow Jesus, either for what they could receive (such as healing or food) or perhaps just to see what He would do next. But not everyone who followed Him had a genuine interest in Him. Many Jewish religious leaders followed Him with sinister motives, either hoping to catch Him violating the law or trying to trap Him with words they considered blasphemous. But while the religious leaders claimed Jesus’ power to do supernatural works came from the Devil (Matt. 9:34; Mark 3:22), the Jewish people generally were in awe of what Jesus did and many thought God was working through Him (Luke 7:16). Some believed He was a mighty prophet because of the miraculous things He did that were reminiscent of Elisha or Elijah.

Verse 23. Despite the admiration many of the Jews in Judea had for Jesus, Peter emphasized that they played a role in His death. The Jewish religious leaders had wanted to get rid of Jesus for some time because He did not follow their traditions and He threatened their popularity and position. Finally they arrested Jesus and had their own pretense of a trial. And after they arrested Him they delivered up Jesus to those who could carry out their ultimate desire. The Jews used lawless people (that is, the Romans, who did not have the Mosaic law) to kill Jesus. And though the civil authorities found no cause to put Him to death, the Jewish leaders incited the crowd to call for Jesus to be crucified. Peter emphasized the brutal Roman method of execution where a condemned man was nailed to a cross and forced to suffer

Jesus died for our sins, rose again, and reigns as Lord.

9 8 S e S S i o n 8

Ask if anyone in the group has

ever worked a jigsaw puzzle

and gotten to the end only to

discover you were missing the

last few pieces.

Comment that you could

probably still tell what the

picture was unless the missing

pieces happened to be crucial

pieces in determining key

details about the subject.

Point out that telling about

Jesus without mentioning His

death and resurrection is like

showing someone a puzzle

with crucial pieces missing;

they won’t be able to see the

true picture of the Savior.


(PSG, p. 95): What can

we learn from Peter’s

approach to sharing the

gospel?

(Alternate: What are the

essentials of the gospel

message?)

TRANSITION: “Not only did

Jesus die for our sins and rise

from the dead, He is also Lord

of all.”

in agony, often slowly suffocating for hours and hours before death finally came. So while the Jewish leaders plotted to put Jesus to death and the Romans carried out the sentence, the Jewish people also bore the responsibility for what had happened. They should have recognized who Jesus was, God’s Messiah.

Though most people who knew Jesus did not anticipate His death (despite His repeated teaching about it), God was not caught off guard. God not only anticipated it, He also prepared for it “before the foundation of the world” (1 Pet. 1:20). The sacrificial death of Jesus was part of God’s determined plan for His creation. The Greek word for determined refers to something appointed or a decree. And the word for plan emphasizes God’s will, that is, His sovereign purpose that will be fulfilled. God had not only decreed that Jesus would die but also set the appointed time for it to happen (Gal. 4:4-5).

While Peter did not elaborate on this plan, it was part of God’s purpose to make atonement for the sins of humanity. God planned for the death of His Son because there was no other way for sinful people—those who were His enemies—to be in a right relationship with Him.

Verse 24. The death of Jesus, however, was not the end. Peter stressed that God raised Him up—restored Jesus to life again. This was also part of God’s plan for the salvation of humanity. Death is certainly humanity’s most common fear and may in fact be our greatest fear. It is painful to consider and often painful to experience—certainly this was true for Jesus. But God ended the pains of death Jesus experienced, both physically and emotionally. Because He was restored to life He would never again endure that pain. The Greek word for pains is similar to the word for “cords” or “restraints.” Peter also could have used the word as a reminder that just as Jesus was freed from the cords of death that held Him, Jesus’ resurrection broke the hold death had on humanity.

Why was it not possible for death to hold Jesus in its grip? Because His death and resurrection were a part of God’s unstoppable plan! God had chosen Jesus for His unique position as Messiah to make salvation possible for all humanity—a truth Peter would clarify soon enough. Nothing, not even death itself, could hinder God’s purpose!

9 9

THE POINT

10 minutes

STUDY THE BIBLEActs 2:32-33,36


read Acts 2:32-33,36.

GUIDE: Briefly review

the story of Polycarp on

PSG page 96. Note that

persecution of Christians is

increasing.


(PSG, p. 96): What are the

personal implications of

recognizing Jesus as Lord?

GUIDE: Lord is a majestic title

showing God’s sovereignty

and divine power. The word

points to the Deity of Jesus.


(PSG, p. 97): What are the

worldwide implications

that God has made Jesus

Lord?

(Alternate: What can cause

people to struggle with the

certainty that Jesus is Lord?)

Acts 2:32-33,36

32 “God has resurrected this Jesus. We are all witnesses of

this.

33 Therefore, since He has been exalted to the right hand

of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy

Spirit, He has poured out what you both see and hear.

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty

that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord

and Messiah!”

Jesus is exalted as Lord.

Verse 32. After citing David’s prophecy in Psalm 16:10 proclaiming God’s plan, Peter again noted that God resurrected Jesus from the dead just as He had planned. The resurrection of Jesus was the primary focus of the apostles’ preaching after Pentecost. That’s because the resurrection is the foundational truth of the Christian faith. It provides assurance that Jesus’ sacrificial death brought victory over sin and death for all who believe. Paul later noted that if the resurrection did not happen then our faith is “worthless” (1 Cor. 15:17) and all humanity is still held captive by the guilt and power of sin.

Peter added that he and the other apostles were witnesses of it. They had not only seen Jesus die and be buried; they also saw Him restored to life after being dead for three days. While the other eleven apostles were standing with Peter in front of the crowd (Acts 2:14), the witnesses could have included many of the 120 who were gathered together when the Holy Spirit came upon them (1:15). Scripture confirms that Jesus appeared to over 500 people after His resurrection (1 Cor. 15:6), so many others could have testified as well to the truth of the resurrection.

Verse 33. There was even more to proclaim, however, than just Jesus’ resurrection. He was, after all, no longer walking on earth as one who had simply been revived from death


10 0 S e S S i o n 8

SUMMARIZE: Jesus is Lord,

co-equal with God; that truth is

central to the gospel message.

It matters that Jesus is more

than a good Man or a great

Teacher. Because Jesus is Lord

and Messiah, He alone is able

to save.

Call attention to the numbered

statements on PSG pages

97-98. Emphasize that

because Jesus is Lord and

Messiah:

1. He is worthy of our

worship. He’s not only

worthy of our respect, but also

of our worship. He is the One

before whom every knee one

day will bow (Phil. 2:10-11).

2. He is worthy of our

obedience. Because Jesus is

Lord and Messiah, He deserves

to be sovereign in our lives. He

has the absolute right to tell

us what to do and expect our

complete obedience.

TRANSITION: “Because Jesus

is Lord, we cannot remain

neutral to the gospel. All

people are called to make a

decision.”

only to die again at a later date. Instead, Jesus ascended into heaven where He is living still and where He has been exalted to the right hand of God.

The person seated at the right hand of a king was in a position associated with great power and authority. On the morning of His crucifixion, as He endured the pretense of a trial before the Jewish religious leaders, Jesus prophesied that He would soon sit in this exalted position “at the right hand of the Power of God” (Luke 22:69). This is the place Jesus now occupies in heaven as He reigns with His Father over God’s kingdom and over all creation.

In this powerful position Jesus received the Holy Spirit and the authority to distribute the Spirit to others in accordance with God’s promise. Thus like water is poured out from above and floods whatever is below, God’s Spirit was poured out from heaven and engulfed the believers who had gathered in the room in Jerusalem. Peter went on to emphasize that what the people of Israel had seen and heard that day—the Spirit’s powerful activity that enabled the believers “to speak in different languages” (Acts 2:4)—was further evidence of Jesus’ identity and authority. Only the One chosen and exalted by God the Father, acting on His behalf, could have freely poured out the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of prophecy.

Verse 36. Point by point, Peter carefully constructed his sermon using prophetic Scripture, the Jewish people’s knowledge of events, the apostles’ personal experience, and the activity of God’s Spirit. Then he reached the most important point of his message—revealing the full identity of this Jesus he had been proclaiming to them.

In a powerful summation Peter emphasized a point he did not want the house of Israel to miss. (The Greek word for house refers to a family or lineage; in this case Peter was referring to the patriarch Israel’s descendants.) All of them needed to know with certainty the truth about Jesus. Peter’s conclusion contrasted the difference between how the Jewish people responded to Jesus and how God responded to Him. God has exalted Jesus as both Lord and Messiah. The people, however, had crucified Jesus like a common criminal.

In referring to Jesus as Lord, Peter reached the climax of his message. More than simply a designation of respect (as it was sometimes used in the Bible), the word Lord here indicated the divine nature of Jesus. Jesus had earlier claimed equality with God and the Jews tried to stone Him (John 10:30-33). In the Greek, verse 36 ends with the words translated whom you crucified. Perhaps Peter ordered his

101

THE POINT

10 minutes



read Acts 2:37-38.

SUMMARIZE: In the original

Greek, Luke’s words actually

mean they were “cut to the

heart.” These people didn’t

merely feel bad or ashamed;

they were filled with anguish

and horror over the sin of

having rejected and crucified

the Messiah.

When we share the gospel,

our goal should not be to

make people feel guilty or

condemned, but to open their

hearts to the conviction of the

Holy Spirit.

Explain the difference between

condemnation and conviction.

Condemnation brings

a general feeling of

worthlessness. It can paralyze

you from realizing God’s

love and plan for your life.

Condemnation leaves you

feeling powerless and

immobilized.

words intentionally, wanting the people to bear the weight of guilt and responsibility for their actions: they had actually killed the Lord Himself.

Acts 2:37-38

37 When they heard this, they came under deep conviction

and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Brothers, what

must we do?”

38 “Repent,” Peter said to them, “and be baptized, each of

you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your

sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

KEY WORD: Repent (v. 38)—In the New Testament, repent means to change

one’s mind in the sense of turning away from sin and self and turning to God

(Jesus), making God (Jesus) the center of one’s life.

The message of Christ calls for a response.

Verse 37. The message of Christ calls for a response. What the Jews experienced that day was more than just the well-crafted words of Peter’s sermon. While earlier they had seen evidence of the Spirit at work in the lives of believers, now they experienced Him at work in their own lives.

On the night before His death, Jesus told His disciples about the Holy Spirit’s ministry. Jesus promised that the Spirit would “convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment” (John 16:8). Now on the day of Pentecost, with thousands of Jews from around the world gathered in Jerusalem, the Spirit carried out His assignment as He brought a deep conviction on the people who had heard Peter’s message. A more literal translation of deep conviction would be “cut to the heart.” Peter’s words, like a figurative dagger driven deep into their hearts, brought intense emotional pain as the Jewish people realized the enormity of their sin.

It was natural that they wanted a solution to their problem. So they asked Peter and the other apostles: “Brothers, what must we do?”


102 S e S S i o n 8

Conviction brings awareness

of specific sins, attitudes, and

habits in your life that need to

be changed. When the Holy

Spirit convicts you, it is with

the loving desire that you turn

from sin and turn to Christ.

Conviction motivates and

encourages you to change.

GUIDE: Use the Bible

commentary 1 to clarify

Peter’s statement: “Repent …

and be baptized … for the

forgiveness of your sins” (v. 38).


(PSG, p. 100): As we share

the gospel, how can we

work toward the goal of

conviction rather than

condemnation?

(Alternate: How did you initially

respond when you heard the

gospel?)


their responses to the activity

“The Essentials.” (ANSWERS:

Jesus died on the cross to pay

the penalty for our sins; Jesus

rose from the dead and lives

forever; Jesus is Lord, co-equal

with God.)

Verse 38. The solution to their problem was to repent. They needed to change their thinking, especially about Jesus, sin, and salvation. To repent in their thinking about Jesus they needed to acknowledge Him as Lord and Messiah. To repent in their thinking about sin they needed to understand sin separates us from God and Jesus provided the perfect, final sacrifice for our sin. To repent in their thinking about salvation they needed to know that faith in Jesus is the only way to come into right relationship with the Father and experience eternal life.

The biblical usage of repent also refers to a change of action—not only thinking differently but also acting on this new belief. Thus Peter added that each of them needed to be baptized. Baptism is an outward picture of an inward change that has happened to a person. Thus after the people changed their thinking about Jesus, sin, and salvation they were to give evidence of that change by being baptized. Both repentance and baptism were familiar to the Jews. John the Baptist called for both as he prepared the Jewish people for the coming of the Messiah (Luke 3:1-18).

Being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ means acknowledging His identity and accepting His authority. Peter had challenged the Jewish people with the truth that Jesus is Messiah and Lord. For them to be baptized in Jesus’ name would reflect their newfound commitment to Christ.

1 This is the only place in the Book of Acts where there is any question about the relationship of baptism, repentance, and forgiveness of … sins. The misunderstanding comes from the Greek word translated for, which in the New Testament can indicate either requirement (purpose) or result (basis). Thus some have incorrectly interpreted this verse to teach that baptism is necessary for the forgiveness of sins. But this is not taught anywhere else. Not long after Pentecost on a different occasion, Peter specifically charged people to “repent … so that your sins may be wiped out” (Acts 3:19) without a mention of baptism. At other times belief (10:43) or faith (26:18) are mentioned as the basis for forgiveness of sins. Thus the phrase in 2:38 should be understood as forgiveness of sins as a result of repentance, and baptism is the outward demonstration of the changed mind and life.

To those who experienced salvation, Peter noted they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus would give them His Spirit. This was the One God had promised, the Spirit who had come upon the disciples earlier that day in the upper room (2:1-4). This gift does not refer to special manifestations of the Spirit (which are His gifts), but instead to His indwelling presence in believers’ lives.

103

LIVE IT OUTLet’s avoid “mission drift.” In our lives and churches, let’s not forget that the message of Jesus Christ and His salvation is the reason for all we do. How will this study affect your life going forward? Consider which application God is leading you to adopt this week.

> Focus. Evaluate your spiritual life. Is it focused on following Jesus and serving others in His name? Or do you find yourself focusing more on pleasing yourself? Determine one way you will support your church in spreading the message of Jesus beyond what you are already doing, whether it’s inviting someone to church, volunteering for a missions opportunity, or (fill in the blank) .

> Develop. Improve your skill at sharing your faith in Christ. Talk to your Bible study group leader about your desire to grow in this area of your life. Ask about opportunities your church may offer to help believers make evangelism a regular part of their lives.

> Share. The message of salvation is for all Christians to share. Pray for opportunities to share the message of Jesus in your everyday conversations. Be sensitive to the divine appointments God will send your way. Keep a journal of your experiences.


LIVE IT OUT

GUIDE: Emphasize

The Point: Jesus died for

our sins, rose again, and

reigns as Lord.


p. 101; see text to the right).

Encourage each group

member to commit to follow

through this week with at least

one of the applications.

Wrap It Up

GUIDE: Emphasize that

all people need to hear

the message of love and

forgiveness through faith

in Christ.

SAY: “Let’s be people that

help others discover that Jesus

is their only hope.”

PRAY: “Father, thank you for

sending your Son to die for our

sins, rise from the dead, and

reign as Lord. Strengthen us to

remain focused on sharing that

message. Amen.”

THE POINT

5 minutes

10 4 S e S S i o n 8

SHARING THE GOOD NEWSThe message all people

must respond to is the call

of Christ to turn to Him in

faith to receive forgiveness

of sin and the free gift of

eternal life.











to Christ.








House top of Simon the Tanner at Joppa.


article “Peter’s Messages” (Fall

2000), which relates to this session

and can be purchased, along with

other articles for this quarter, at

www.lifeway.com/biblicalillustrator.

Look for Biblical Illustrator for Bible

Studies for Life.

“Peter’s discourses are found in

the first half of Acts (see Acts

2–5; 8–12; 15). He has 8 of the 24

speeches that contain almost a

third of the verses in Acts. But

scholars do not agree on which,

if any, of the 8 are sermons. For

example, preaching history

writer David Larsen considered

all 8 speeches as preaching

by Peter, while O. C. Edwards,

Jr. did not identify any as the

original sermons. Since many

commentaries and study Bibles

label parts of Acts as Peter’s

sermons, how can we decide what

Luke, the probable writer of Acts,

thought were Peter’s sermons.

One way is to look for

characteristics in Peter’s discourses

common to first-century Jewish

and Christian preaching. Lawrence

Wills described such preaching

as an oral form in three parts:

an introduction of authoritative

evidence, a conclusion, and an

exhortation.


ILLU

STRA

TOR

PHO

TO/K

EN T

OU

CHTO

N







105

GET INTO THE STUDY

GUIDE: Lead the group to

look at the picture on PSG

page 106.


(PSG, p. 106): What are

some employee benefits

that would get you

excited?

GUIDE: Direct attention

to The Bible Meets Life

(PSG, p. 107). Note the

list of company benefits.

Invite volunteers to share

how company benefits have

increased in their lifetimes.

Stress that the love of Christ

Christians show one another

certainly makes for an inviting

culture in a church.

Introduce The Point (PSG,

p. 107): Loving people is

a powerful expression of

loving God.

SAY: “Let’s see today how the

love the first Christians showed

one another might affect the

way we love one another.”

SESSION 9

UNSTOPPABLE LOVE

The PointLoving people is a powerful

expression of loving God.

The Bible Meets LifeThe United States is well known

for its humanitarian aid to other

countries, and its citizens give to

a host of organizations seeking to

alleviate various forms of suffering.

While the motives for giving to these groups may vary, giving within the

church is motivated by love: a love for Christ expressed in love for the person.

Out of their common love for Jesus, the early church expressed love for

each other.

The PassageActs 2:41-47

The SettingOn the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples of

Jesus. Empowered by the Spirit to speak to the Jews present in Jerusalem

for Pentecost in their own languages, the people were amazed and Peter

preached to them, telling them about Jesus and the good news of the gospel.

Acts 2:41-47 details that about 3000 people believed after Peter’s sermon and

describes the growth of the early church.

10 minutes

10 6 S e S S i o n 9


Acts 2:41-42

41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and

that day about 3,000 people were added to them.

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to

the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.

KEY WORDS: The fellowship (v. 42)—The Greek word koinonia comes

from a root word meaning “common.” In this context, koinonia expresses

shared interests and concerns, full engagement in a community of believers.

Breaking of bread (v. 42)—Most likely this refers to the Lord’s Supper, which

is a reminder of Christ’s body and blood sacrificed for the salvation of those

who place their faith in Him.

Unstoppable love meets spiritual needs.

Verse 41. On the day of Pentecost, the people in Jerusalem witnessed the powerful activity of the Holy Spirit. Then they heard a clear and powerful message from Peter explaining the events. The Holy Spirit empowered Peter’s words and brought conviction to the people. This led to Peter’s call for them to accept God’s offer of salvation and be baptized (Acts 2:1-40).

As a result, many Jews accepted his message. The Greek word for accepted carries the idea of coming to believe something is true and then acting on that belief. The people turned (repented) from their old thinking and wholeheartedly believed what Peter had said—the truth about Jesus, sin, and salvation.

Those who believed were then baptized, which means “to be immersed” or “submerged.” Baptism is an outward symbol of an inward transformation. It was a reflection of what had just happened to these new believers, whose thinking, especially about Jesus, had changed. They now acknowledged that Jesus is more than a man who died; He is in fact the resurrected Savior and Lord—their Messiah—who reigns with His Father in heaven. Baptism identified them as followers of Jesus—people who have died to their old way of life and entered into a new life where Jesus is their focus. As His disciples they would continue to learn and obey what Jesus had said.

Following the resurrection of Christ there were “about 120” believers (Acts 1:15). But after Peter’s message on Pentecost, Luke noted that about 3,000 people became


GUIDE: Remind the group

that they learned in the

previous session about the

powerful message Peter

proclaimed on the day of

Pentecost. Use the information

in The Setting (p. 106) to

introduce the focal passage.


Acts 2:41-42.


(PSG, p. 108): What

aspects of church life have

been especially

meaningful to you?

10 minutes

THE POINT

GUIDE: Focus on verse 42 and

the believers’ devotion

to prayer.

Note that insulin is life-

sustaining medicine for people

with type 1 diabetes; similarly

Jesus said without Him we can

do nothing (John 15:5).

Point out the line on PSG

page 110 that reads,

“The reason we don’t pray

is not because we’re too

busy, but because we’re

too confident.”

Lead the group to imagine the

consequences of anyone

needing life-sustaining

medicine and being too

confident they could manage

without it. (OPTION: IN

ADVANCE, enlist someone to

interview who depends on a

life-sustaining medicine. Ask

the interviewee to tell what

would happen if he or she was

too confident to rely on the

medicine and tried to manage

without it.)

followers of Christ. This incredible response to the gospel was a reminder of what Jesus had promised—that as a result of Him returning to His Father, those who believed in Him would do “even greater works” than He did (John 14:12).

Verse 42. The events noted in verses 42-47 cover an extended period of time. During this time the new community of believers was developing and growing. Their fellowship was characterized by several distinctive activities. In fact, Luke wrote that they were devoted to these things. This word expresses more than a loyalty to or an interest in something. Instead, it implies that the believers gave dedicated attention to these actions; they were persistent in doing them day-by-day.

The goal of Peter’s preaching on Pentecost was not simply to lead people to accept Christ as Savior. Instead, he and the other disciples were focused on making new disciples as Jesus had commanded them (Matt. 28:19-20). A disciple is first a learner, which is why the apostles’ teaching was an essential element in the new community. On a daily basis the apostles taught the new believers what they had learned from Jesus, as their goal was to help believers become more like Jesus. This apostolic instruction could have included Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in Christ; Jesus’ resurrection; as well as what Jesus taught about God and His kingdom including faith, prayer, giving, relationships, and priorities. The apostles most certainly shared personal stories about Jesus’ life and ministry that served as examples to believers and gave direction for the disciples’ lives.

The New Testament letters we have from Paul, Peter, James, and others may be much like what the apostles taught new believers in the months after Pentecost. In these letters we see key doctrines that are important for believers to understand as well as specific guidance for putting scriptural knowledge into practice in daily life. The apostles’ letters (and thus their teaching) are a reminder that true learning does not happen apart from both information and application. Jesus emphasized this at the close of His Sermon on the Mount when He said that sensible people act upon what they hear from Him, building a solid foundation for life that prepares them for whatever may come (7:24-27). Jesus also noted that obedience to His commands is actually an expression of a person’s love for Him (John 14:15,23).

The new community of believers was also devoted to the fellowship. This means more than just eating a meal

Loving people is a powerful expression of loving God.

10 8 S e S S i o n 9

Stress that prayer is not

something we should turn

to as a last resort after we’ve

tried and failed at everything

else. Prayer should be our daily

lifeline that enables us to live

our Christian faith and reach

others with the gospel.


(PSG, p. 110): In what ways

have you experienced

prayer as transformative?

(Alternate: What is the

relationship between prayer

and love?)

TRANSITION: “We know that

prayer meets spiritual needs,

but it also meets physical

needs.”

together, as the contemporary use of the word often implies. The Greek word points to believers’ unity with Christ or with each other. This is highlighted in all the common elements of Christianity. Believers have a common relationship with God through faith in Christ and we share His Spirit who lives within each of us. Believers also have a common focus of loving God and loving others. And believers have a common mission of growing in their faith and helping others know Jesus and grow as His disciples. The unity of the believers in Jerusalem was expressed in their actions—which could have included worshiping God together, eating meals together, being physically present and emotionally supportive in times of distress, and even giving material possessions to help meet others’ needs.

Another common action the disciples carried out consistently was the breaking of bread. Beyond a regular meal, this was most likely a celebration of the Lord’s Supper. This ordinance Jesus initiated on the night before His crucifixion prompts believers to remember Him and what He did (Luke 22:14-20). It represents God’s new covenant that was initiated by Christ’s sacrifice. It also symbolizes the believer’s communion (relationship) with Christ and with others in His body.

A fourth activity that characterized the new community was the prayers. The definite article (the) in this sentence could refer to specific prayers, such as the scheduled Jewish prayer times at the temple. Acts 3:1 notes how Peter and John “were going up together to the temple complex at the hour of prayer at three in the afternoon,” so it is entirely possible that the believers, who were Jews, continued to participate in these Jewish prayer services.

But most certainly the believers also prayed with and for each other as they met together in homes. These were surely more than memorized prayers as would have been offered in the temple service, and could have included prayer for unity, boldness, wisdom, provision, guidance, and strength.

10 9

THE POINT



verses 43-45.

GUIDE: Emphasize that these

believers didn’t just meet

together to pray and worship.

Verses 43-45 show how they

provided for one another’s

needs. Call attention to the

bullet points on PSG page 11.

Note these three prominent

characteristics:

Unity. They “were together

and held all things in

common.”

Selflessness. “They sold their

possessions and property.”

Mutual care. They

“distributed the proceeds to all,

as anyone had a need.”

Point out that caring for

people is wonderful way to

open a conversation with

someone about Jesus Christ.

When people see your

sincerity, they’re more willing

to listen to you.

Acts 2:43-45

43 Then fear came over everyone, and many wonders and

signs were being performed through the apostles.

44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in

common.

45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed

the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need.

Unstoppable love meets physical needs.

Verse 43. Because of what was happening in and through the believers, Luke noted that a sense of fear came over everyone. This was not the feeling of dread or panic people experience when they are afraid. Instead, it refers to a deep respect, admiration, or reverence. It was not just a one-time occurrence either. The verb suggests an ongoing action—everyone continued to experience this reverent awe. Surely the believers were amazed and probably even overwhelmed by what God was doing in and through them. But likely the response refers more to those who were not believers, especially Jews in Jerusalem who witnessed the work of God in ways they might never have seen before.

Part of what they witnessed or heard about was the many wonders and signs that God did through the apostles. These were miraculous actions similar to those done by Jesus that met physical needs, demonstrated the power of God, and pointed people to God. The word wonders indicates and is associated with the people’s reaction, while signs is a word used to point to the miracles’ source. The miracles were intended as directional markers that pointed people to God. This is important because it was God who was doing these miracles. The apostles were simply the human vessels through which He worked. These wonders and signs were a reminder of Joel’s prophecy of the last days that Peter proclaimed on Pentecost: God was carrying out “wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below” (Acts 2:19).

Verse 44. This summary verse from Luke was another reminder of the close fellowship of all the believers in the


10 minutes

110 S e S S i o n 9

Use the Bible commentary

1 to help the group

understand the voluntary

nature of the sharing that was

going on among the believers.


(PSG, p. 112): What would

it look like for our

group to practice the

extravagant love we see in

this passage?

(Alternate: How do you live with

the tension of being generous

while providing for your own

needs?)

TRANSITION: “When we

meet people’s needs in the

love in Christ, we will find

opportunities to share the

gospel.”

fledgling community of Christ. The word together emphasizes the unity of the Christian community. Its meaning could include simply gathering together on a regular basis. But it also may suggest some actually shared their homes with other believers. 1 The believers also held all things in common. Ancient Greek thought suggested the concept of an ideal society in which the people held everything in common and shared equally all things. This thinking eventually gave rise to the tenets of modern communism where such sharing was forced upon a group of people. But for the early disciples, this sharing was not forced. It was a completely voluntary action they engaged in because of their love and concern for one another.

This kind of community wasn’t a new concept to the Jews of that time, however. A Jewish religious group, who lived in an isolated community in a place known as Qumran near the Dead Sea, practiced a form of communal life that was characterized by self-denial. In addition, Jesus and His disciples had a common “money-bag” in which they kept their shared finances to provide for their needs (John 12:6; 13:29). Perhaps the believers after Pentecost followed this practice and had a similar community fund where giving and receiving were ongoing practices.

Verse 45. Poverty was a reality throughout Judea and Galilee during the first century. It is likely that at least some of those who became believers during that time were already living in poverty before they trusted in Jesus. And those who had come from other towns or countries but remained in Jerusalem, perhaps anticipating the Lord’s imminent return, may have found only marginal work after Pentecost, which would have added to the number of people who did not have adequate provisions.

Because of their love for each other, the disciples determined to take care of anyone who had a need. Thus they sold their possessions and property to help meet physical needs. Again, this was not a required action for any disciple, as seen in the tragic story of Ananias and Sapphira that happened sometime later (Acts 5:1-11). This deceitful couple sold some property and gave part of the proceeds to the community of believers but lied about how much they had received. Peter confronted their dishonesty by asking, “Wasn’t [the land] yours while you possessed it? And after it was sold, wasn’t it at your disposal?” (v. 4). His piercing questions stress that ownership of possessions was not wrong in the community of Christ. Even so, the believers obviously held a loose grip on their belongings and allowed God to use whatever they had when there was a need.

111

THE POINT

10 minutes



verses 46-47.

SUMMARIZE: The early

church prayed and cared for

others. Perhaps if they had

done only these two things—

nothing more—none of us

would know about Jesus.

At some point, in addition

to praying for and helping

people, they had to tell them

about Jesus—who He is and

why He lived, died, and rose

again. They had to speak the

message behind their love and

caring acts.

Acts 2:46-47

46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together

in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to

house. They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude,

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And

every day the Lord added to them those who were being

saved.

Unstoppable love creates opportunities to share the gospel.

Verse 46. On a daily basis the believers continued to meet with each other in the temple complex. The mention of the temple is a reminder that the believers at this time still saw themselves as Jews. They had accepted Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah but they still held to many of the tenets of Judaism and continued to observe many of the Jewish practices. Later this became a problem, however, as controversies arose between Jewish and Gentile believers about clean and unclean foods (ch. 10), as well as circumcision and other elements of the Mosaic Law (ch. 15).

Even as the believers met together in the temple courts, they had in mind their witness to Jews who were not followers of Christ. Every day crowds of Jews came to the temple to participate in worship. It was a natural place to share their faith. They wanted others to experience the forgiveness and life they knew because of their relationship with God through faith in His Son Jesus.

While public, larger group gatherings in the temple were important, it was just as important for the believers to spend time together outside the temple. Thus they also gathered from house to house, that is, in many different homes throughout the city. It was in these intimate small groups where they broke bread. This probably refers to a regular meal, which could have concluded with an observance of the Lord’s Supper. Such combination meals, known as “love feasts” (Jude 12), apparently were a regular practice for the early church (1 Cor. 11:17-34).

The love of the early believers in Jerusalem for one another and their unity in the faith resulted in a joyful


112 S e S S i o n 9


(PSG, p. 114): Loving

others involves praying,

caring, and sharing. In

which of these areas

would you like to grow?

(Alternate: Why is it so important

that we make the move from

caring to sharing?)


their responses to the activity,

“Prayer—Care—Share”

(PSG, p. 114).

and humble attitude within their fellowship. The joy they experienced refers to extreme joy or gladness, exaltation. The Greek phrase translated humble attitude occurs in the New Testament only in this verse and literally means simplicity of heart. It carries the idea of sincere devotion, a mindset solely focused on pleasing God.

Verse 47. One other notable characteristic of the believers was their time spent praising God. Their worship undoubtedly included words of thanks to God for all He had done for them—not only for the eternal life they experienced because of Jesus but also for the abundant life they enjoyed because of the Spirit’s presence within them.

The believers did not live their lives in isolation. The community of Christ was well-known throughout the city. Luke noted that they enjoyed the favor of all the people, that is, the unbelieving Jews in Jerusalem. The believers’ lives and their fellowship were characterized by great love, and likely this was the key to the goodwill they received from outsiders. Their love was noteworthy and became a witness to others, just as Jesus had promised: “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

The results of their sacrificial love and ongoing witness were astounding. The Holy Spirit empowered their witness, just as Jesus had promised in Acts 1:8, and every day people were being saved. As a result, the Lord added these new believers to the community of faith.

Out of their common love for Jesus, believers in the early church expressed love for each other. And this love spread throughout Jerusalem as the believers loved their fellow Jews enough to share the good news of the gospel with them. As a result, the church continued to grow and was held in high regard even by those who were not part of it. The Holy Spirit empowered their witness, just as Jesus had promised in Acts 1:8, and every day people were being saved. As a result, the Lord added these new believers to the community of faith.

113

LIVE IT OUTThe early church was known for its culture of praying, caring, and sharing. It was a powerful trio that fed explosive church growth. Consider how you can begin to make this a part of your Christian walk in the coming week and beyond.

> Prayer. Instead of merely taking an exercise walk through your neighborhood, take a prayer walk. Pray for the people who live in each house in your neighborhood. Pray for their spiritual, emotional, and financial needs—and pray especially for their salvation. Ask God to work in their lives and to use you as His chosen instrument to tell them about Jesus.

> Care. Actively look for someone in need this week. Determine to give sacrificially, whether of your time, money, or other resources to help that person in the name of Jesus.

> Share. Think of someone you’ve prayed for or helped in practical ways but never talked to about Jesus. Bring Jesus into your conversation with that person. Let them know your concern for them is motivated by the love of Christ in your life.


LIVE IT OUT

GUIDE: Emphasize

The Point: Loving people

is a powerful expression

of loving God.

GUIDE: Review Live It Out

(PSG, p. 115; see text to

the right). Encourage group

members to choose an

application that fits best with

what God is calling them to do.

Wrap It Up

GUIDE: Emphasize that Jesus

said people would know we

are His disciples because of

our love. Challenge group

members to evaluate the love

they have for others.

PRAY: “Father, give us the

grace to reach out in love to

serve others and to let our love

be a testimony of our love for

You. Amen.”

THE POINT

5 minutes

114 S e S S i o n 9

SHARING THE GOOD NEWSThe blessing of loving God

and others begins when

we turn from our sin and

experience the love of God

in His free gift of grace

through faith in Christ.











to Christ.








Men’s plaza at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.


article “Herod’s Temple” (Win.

2014-15), which relates to this

session and can be purchased,

along with other articles for this

quarter, at www.lifeway.com/

biblicalillustrator. Look for Biblical

Illustrator for Bible Studies for Life.

“Bible students refer to Herod’s

Temple as the ‘second temple,’

with the magnificent structure

Solomon built being the first.

The scriptural description of

Solomon’s Temple suggests

that the inside ceiling was 180

feet long, 90 feet wide, and 50

feet high. The highest point of

the structure soared to about

207 feet, or approximately ten

stories. Nebuchadnezzar and

the Babylonians destroyed the

magnificent structure in 586 B.C.

When the Jewish people returned

from the Babylonian captivity,

Zerubbabel led in the building

of a new temple. But those who

had seen Solomon’s Temple

deemed this structure to be

disappointingly inferior.

Zerubbabel’s Temple was

the one that Herod the Great

determined to rebuild and

enlarge. Since Herod was really

an Idumean rather than a Jew, he

thought doing this would ‘please

the Jews as well as win recognition

for himself’—particularly in the

eyes of his Roman overlords.”


ILLU

STRA

TOR

PHO

TO/J

USTI

N V

ENEM

AN







115

GET INTO THE STUDY

GUIDE: Lead the group to look

at the picture on PSG page

116.


(PSG, p. 116): When has

a “chance” encounter

changed your life?

GUIDE: Introduce session

10 by telling the story from

The Bible Meets Life (PSG,

p. 117) of how Steve Jobs and

Steve Wozniak met and from

that chance meeting they

cofounded Apple®.

Introduce The Point (PSG,

p. 117: We intersect daily

with people who need

Christ.

SAY: “Think about places

where you encounter people

from different walks of life.

Keep this in mind as we look at

God’s word together.”

SESSION 10

UNSTOPPABLE OPPORTUNITIES

The PointWe intersect daily with people who

need Christ.

The Bible Meets LifeWhenever you drive any distance

at all, you pass intersection after

intersection. Many times we just

pass through those intersections

without noticing what’s around.

These intersections are like our lives. Every day we intersect with people, but

we should take the time to notice them without simply passing by. God put us

on this pathway to impact and influence lives along our journey. Intersections

become opportunities.

The PassageActs 3:1-10

The SettingThe early Christian church in Jerusalem was comprised of Jews. Most if not all

of them continued to participate in the Jewish rituals and worship. One day,

as Peter and John were going up to the temple complex to take part in the

afternoon hour of prayer, they encountered a lame man begging at the temple

gate. They used this opportunity to demonstrate the power of Jesus Christ to

this lame man and all those present at the temple.

10 minutes

116 S e S S i o n 10

S U G G E S T E D U S E | W E E K O F N O V E M B E R 6 117

Acts 3:1-4

1 Now Peter and John were going up together to the temple

complex at the hour of prayer at three in the afternoon.

2 And a man who was lame from birth was carried there and

placed every day at the temple gate called Beautiful, so he

could beg from those entering the temple complex.

3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple

complex, he asked for help.

4 Peter, along with John, looked at him intently and said,

“Look at us.”

See the opportunity your intersections with people provide.

Verse 1. The love, unity, and witness of the first Christians was truly remarkable. In the closing paragraph of Acts 2, Luke provided a brief summary of the activities of the growing community of believers (Acts 2:43‑47). They spent time together in each other’s homes. They met together in the temple on a daily basis. They took care of each other and provided for each other. And what came as a result of their new community was astounding. They enjoyed the goodwill of people in Jerusalem who weren’t believers. Every day new people were being saved. The apostles performed many miracles that resulted in awe and wonder in those who witnessed the events.

Chapter 3 gives specific details of one of those miraculous events that drew the attention of many people in Jerusalem. Along with attention came the first conflict experienced by the new community of faith. The focus in chapter 3 is on Peter and John. These two men, along with John’s brother James, were perhaps closest to Jesus among the Twelve who followed Him during His earthly ministry. They were the only disciples Jesus took with Him to the mountain for His transfiguration (Matt. 17:1). They were also the only ones to accompany Jesus when He raised to life the daughter of the synagogue leader (Luke 8:51). John was known as the disciple Jesus “loved” (John 13:23; 19:26; 21:7), while Peter typically was the spokesman for the disciples. Peter continued to have a prominent role in the Christian community, as is seen in the first 12 chapters of Acts; but, beginning in chapter 13 the



Acts 3:1-4

GUIDE: Refer to The Setting

on page 116 to make the

point that the early church

in its infancy was comprised

primarily of Jews who

continued to participate in the

Jewish rituals and worship.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY: Ask

members to briefly name some

of the major intersections they

drove through on their way

to church today. Ask them

to name some of the busy

intersections they attempt to

avoid at rush hour or when

they are traveling through a

major metropolitan area, and

to tell why they do this.

10 minutes

THE POINT

GUIDE: Explain that the

afternoon hour of prayer was a

busy time at the temple when

people came to pray and make

evening sacrifices.


members to name places

where people gather in our

community. (Suggestions

may include: coffee shops,

breakfast hangouts, malls, and

so forth.)

SUMMARIZE: The information

in commentary 1 , Digging

Deeper (PSG, p. 121), and

the Biblical Illustrator article

on page 125 for information

and possible locations of “the

temple gate called Beautiful.”

attention centers primarily on Paul in his journeys to take the gospel into other parts of the world.

One day Peter and John were on their way to the temple, apparently to participate in the hour of prayer that happened each day at three in the afternoon. This was the time of the evening sacrifice. Jewish worship at the temple included a time of prayer as well as the priestly blessing of the people.

Luke notes that the two apostles were going up, a reminder of the prominence of the temple in the city of Jerusalem. The temple complex included a number of courts, porches, structures, and buildings. There were restrictions about who could go into the different areas—whether Gentiles (non‑Jews), Jewish women, Jewish men, priests, or the high priest. There were different gates, or points of entry, throughout the facility. Due to the design of the temple complex, depending on where an individual was he or she might have to ascend or descend to go to the temple. However, the Jews generally spoke of going up to worship at the temple.

While both apostles were involved in this event, Peter was the only one who spoke. This leads some people to wonder why John was even mentioned. The apostles may have gone to the temple in pairs to witness as well as to worship. Likely they learned this from Jesus, who had sent them out in pairs on their mission to share the good news of the kingdom (Luke 10:1). This may have been done to fulfill the requirement of the law noted in Deuteronomy 19:15, “A fact must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”

Verse 2. 1 One gate in the temple was known by the name Beautiful. While there are no references to a gate by this name in either the Old Testament or in Jewish writings from the period, this may have been what was known as the Nicanor Gate in rabbinic literature. It is believed this massive gate made of Corinthian bronze was on the east side of the complex leading into the Court of Women from the Court of the Gentiles. The Jewish historian Josephus referred to 10 gates in the temple sanctuary (Wars of the Jews 5.201). He described the fine craftsmanship and impressiveness of this gate compared to the other 9 gates that were covered with silver or gold, which is likely why it was called Beautiful.

Outside the gate a man was strategically placed where he could beg for alms from generous worshipers entering

We intersect daily with people who need Christ.

118 S e S S i o n 10

GUIDE: The Old Testament

established God’s concern for

the poor and a number of laws

highlighted the expectation

for God’s people to provide

for those in need. This practice

is also found in the New

Testament, where believers

gave to help those in need.


How do you typically respond

when you approach someone

who is asking for money on

the street or who is holding up

a sign that says “will work for

food”?


or summarize the story by

David Sleppy (PSG, p. 118).

Sleppy chronicled the lives of

the homeless in the book No

One Sees Me. The book’s title

is based on a conversation

Sleppy had with a homeless

man on the street. The

photographer/author asked

the man, “What’s the worst

part about being homeless?”

The man replied, “No one sees

me.”

the temple complex. One essential practice of Judaism taught by the rabbis was almsgiving. By the New Testament period, alms could take the form of either charitable monetary giving or good deeds. To practice almsgiving was to be righteous. Since there was no government assistance, financial support for the needy was essential.

Many Old Testament passages note God’s concern for the poor and a number of laws highlight the expectation for God’s people to provide for those in need (Ex. 23:6‑7; Lev. 19:10; 23:22; Deut. 15:7‑11). This practice is also found in the New Testament, where believers gave to help needy Christians (Acts 4:32‑35; Rom. 15:25‑27; 2 Cor. 8–9) and where providing for others in need is noted as a natural and expected result of experiencing the love of Christ (Jas. 1:27; 1 John 3:17‑18). But Jesus Himself warned against any giving to the poor that was done to be to be noticed and admired by others (Matt. 6:1‑4).

Luke wrote that the man was lame from birth; family or friends carried him daily to the temple where he would sit to beg. It was most likely the only way he could get any money to help provide for his needs. The time of the evening services at the temple would have been one of the best times for begging, as people coming to and from the temple would have been more inclined to practice piety by giving alms to the needy. There are differing opinions as to whether the man would have been forbidden to enter the temple complex because of his disability, While some argue that legally the lame man would have been excluded from the temple, others disagree, saying that this was not the case and the reason the man was placed there was because it was the most advantageous position from which to gain alms from those coming and going from the temple.

Verse 3. Peter and John were on their way into the temple complex when the lame man saw them. The man was over 40 years old (Acts 4:22) and had probably begged at the temple for many years. Thus he saw many of the same people on a regular basis. However, he would have called out to anyone who might give him something. As he probably did countless times every day, the man cried out as people passed by. He had most likely learned to hope for something but expect nothing from most people. Even so, he asked for help from Peter and John as they approached him.

Verse 4. Possibly the beggar would look at and call out to one person or group then immediately turn and make the same request of someone else lest he miss a potential benefactor. Then he would repeat this again and again, especially before

119

THE POINT


(PSG, p. 119): How can we

get better at noticing the

opportunities God gives us

to love others?

(Alternate: What emotions

do you experience when God

interrupts your day?)

TRANSITION: ”Avoid eye

contact” is the advice given

to people who encounter

unpleasant life circumstances.

Obviously, Peter and John

did not follow proper “street

etiquette” when they said to

the man “look at us.”



Acts 3:5-8

the times of the morning and evening sacrifices when crowds of people were entering the temple. The man’s hope was for someone to give him a donation in response to his plea for help. Probably most people who gave to him did this almost mindlessly as they went to and from the temple.

The apostles’ response must have been quite unexpected. Rather than hurrying past him they actually stopped and looked at him intently. This phrase denotes a fixed gaze or a deep consideration. They gave focused attention to him and saw his need. Because they were concerned about him they directed him to “Look at us.” The man evidently had turned away from them so they had to get his attention before they proceeded to talk with him.

Acts 3:5-8

5 So he turned to them, expecting to get something from

them.

6 But Peter said, “I don’t have silver or gold, but what I have,

I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up

and walk!”

7 Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up, and at

once his feet and ankles became strong.

8 So he jumped up, stood, and started to walk, and he

entered the temple complex with them—walking, leaping,

and praising God.

Share the love of Christ through those encounters.

Verses 5-6. The lame man did as they requested and turned to them. It’s possible he had heard the apostles’ preaching or heard about the miracles they had been doing in Jerusalem. But he probably did not know them by sight so he simply expected to get something from them. Maybe it had happened before that when someone spoke to him directly they were about to give him a significant sum of money. Thus the man gave them his attention.


10 minutes

120 S e S S i o n 10

GUIDE: Invite a volunteer to

read the quote by Stephen

Grellet (PSG, p. 120) :

“I expect to pass through this

world but once. Any good

therefore that I can do, or any

kindness that I can show to

any fellow creature, let me do

it now. Let me not defer or

neglect it, for I shall not pass

this way again.”

Make the point that this should

be also should be our attitude

toward others we meet every

day.

SAY: Calling on the name of

Jesus Christ was not a magic

formula that forced Jesus to

act. Rather, it was a declaration

of the power and authority of

the Lord to heal the man and

the means by which Christ’s

power was released to work

through Peter.

GUIDE: Refer group to

reflect on the two principles

(PSG, p. 121) we can learn

from Peter and John on

intersections:

1. Peter and John gave

what they had.

2. Peter and John relied on

Jesus.

But his expectation was quickly disappointed. Immediately Peter spoke and said, “I don’t have silver or gold.” The man’s heart must have sank as he realized he wasn’t getting any money from the men. But Peter wasn’t finished—he had something else to say. “But what I have, I give you.” One can only imagine the thoughts that must have run through the lame man’s mind as he wondered if he was really going to get something significant.

Then Peter invoked the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene. A person’s name represented everything about the person, especially the person’s attributes and characteristics. Thus the name of Jesus Christ represented His divine identity, authority, and power. Calling on the name of Jesus Christ was not a magic formula that forced Jesus to act (as Acts 19:13‑17 confirms). Rather, it was a declaration of the Lord’s power and authority to heal the man and the means by which Christ’s power was released to work through Peter.

To clarify the identity of Jesus Christ, Peter added that He was the Nazarene. Nazareth was a small village in the hill country of lower Galilee, about midway between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea. By identifying Jesus as the Nazarene, Peter was stating that this was the same Jesus from the town of Nazareth who had ministered throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. This was the same Jesus who had done miraculous things people had talked about—healing those who were blind and lame, driving out demons, and even raising the dead. This was the same Jesus who was crucified by the Romans. This was the same Jesus who a large group of Jews believed was raised from the dead and was still the subject of conversation in Jerusalem.

This was the same Jesus who Peter called on as he commanded the man to “get up and walk!” What Peter offered the lame man was far better than any amount of money. The man was given the opportunity to walk like everyone else; something he had never done before.

Verse 7. Peter then reached out and grabbed the man’s right hand and raised him up. This sentence appears to indicate the lame man’s initial reluctance to act on Peter’s command; after all, he knew his legs were useless. Just because a stranger told him to stand up and walk didn’t mean he believed it would happen. The Greek word for taking is often used of someone being captured or apprehended and is sometimes translated “seize” (John 7:30,44; 10:39). Here it pictures Peter holding tightly to the man and pulling him to a standing position. Similar to some of Jesus’ healing miracles, Peter’s touch was the conduit through which God’s power flowed to bring healing and enable the lame man to stand up.

121

THE POINT


(PSG, p. 121): When have you

seen Jesus make a dramatic

difference in someone’s life?

(Alternate: When have you felt

led to care for someone in need?)

TRANSITION: Note that it is

not an every week worship

experience to witness a miracle

that has taken place. But it may

be that we have lowered our

expectations to the point that

we never expect God to show

up and do amazing things.

When He does, people take

note.



Acts 3:9-10.

Unlike a rehab patient who gradually regains the use of his legs, complete healing happened at once for the formerly lame man. As Peter pulled him up the man discovered his feet and ankles had instantly become strong.

Verse 8. The man wasted no time getting familiar with his new legs. We might have expected him to be like a toddler, taking a while to get adjusted to walking, but this was not the case. First the man jumped up. Then the man stood, which was the next logical thing for him to do—seeing if his legs would actually support him. After that he started to walk. The tense of the Greek verb indicates that he continued to walk. Once he got started, he couldn’t stop. And he did not need any instruction or help.

The first place he went was into the temple complex with Peter and John. The man who had formerly sat outside the temple at its entrance now entered into the temple on his own two feet. While in the temple the man was walking and leaping. The Greek word for leaping is the same word used by Jesus to describe the living water He offers, which is “springing up within” those who drink it (John 4:14).

Inside the temple the man went beyond simply exercising his new legs. He was also praising God. He knew he had received a great gift—actually a miracle—and he joyfully acknowledged God as its source. By his words and actions he couldn’t help but let others know what had happened to him and who made it possible. Other instances are found throughout the Book of Acts of people rejoicing and praising God, both in good times and bad (Acts 5:41; 8:39; 16:25).

Acts 3:9-10

9 All the people saw him walking and praising God,

10 and they recognized that he was the one who used to

sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the temple complex. So

they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had

happened to him.

One encounter often leads to more opportunities to share Christ.


10 minutes

122 S e S S i o n 10


(PSG, p. 122): How have you

been affected personally by

others’ obedience to Christ?

GUIDE: Refer members to

“Intersections of Hope”

(PSG, p. 124) and ask them

to jot down some intersections

where they may encounter

people who need the gospel

message.

SAY: “What are some ways our

group can help get the gospel

message out in those places?

List some means that might

demonstrate God’s grace and

power there.”


(PSG, p. 124): How can

we make room now so

we can say yes to future

opportunities to serve?

(Alternate: How can we take

the initiative to meet needs and

share the gospel?)

Verses 9-10. The man’s actions created quite a commotion. Evidently it was very unusual for a worshiper to leap about and shout praises to God in the temple complex. Thus it’s no wonder that all the people took notice of him and his conduct. Isaiah had prophesied that in the messianic age, “Then the lame will leap like a deer” (Isa. 35:6), apparently no one expected it to happen in that place at that time.

The people recognized the man. They had seen him for years as they walked to the temple. He was in fact the same man who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate. The people knew the man and his previous condition of being lame. But undeniably something miraculous had happened to the lame man, because now they saw him walking around praising God.

Thus their response was to be expected: they were filled with awe and astonishment. Only Luke used these words in the New Testament. The Greek term for awe (thambos) describes a reaction to a sudden event that can be a response of either awe or fear. The Greek word for astonishment (ekstasis, from which we get our English word “ecstasy”) is sometimes translated “visionary state” (Acts 10:10; 11:5; 22:17). The word can refer to a mind that’s been thrown out of its normal state. This was what the people in the temple experienced—the formerly lame man walking, jumping, and praising God right before their very eyes. This was not normal! What they saw stopped them in their tracks. They were overwhelmed with a sense of reverent fear at the miracle they witnessed.

However, awe and astonishment are not the same as repentance and faith. A person can be astonished by someone or something without realizing the true meaning and purpose behind the event. In Acts 3:11‑26, Peter would seize the opportunity to preach to the people in the temple, proclaiming that the miracle the crowd had observed of the man formerly lame healed and walking bore witness to the reality of the power of God and the salvation now available from God through His Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Read the article “Alms and Almsgiving” in the Fall 2016 issue of Biblical

Illustrator. Previous Biblical Illustrator articles “Simon Peter: His Years of

Ministry” (Fall 2012), “John, Follower of Jesus” (Winter 2006-2007),

“Begging in Jerusalem” (Fall 2003), “Peter’s Messages” (Fall 2000),

and “Peter’s Miracles” (Fall 2000) relate to this lesson and can be

purchased, along with other articles for this quarter, at www.lifeway.com/

biblicalillustrator. Look for Bundles: Bible Studies for Life.

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LIVE IT OUTPeter and John had a decision to make: “Do we keep walking and carry on with our plans, or do we stop to see what God will do?” We also face similar decisions. Our choices at those seemingly insignificant intersections can change a life’s course.

> Look. Look for opportunities God has placed in your path to help someone in your family or church. Allow your schedule to be interrupted this week to minister by listening, offering encouragement, praying with someone, or helping with a need.

> Respond. Respond to opportunities God has placed in your path to reach out to someone at work or in your neighborhood. When you see a need, determine to be a “first responder.” Ask God to use you to show the love of Jesus to someone who doesn’t know Him.

> Discover. Discover opportunities God has opened for you to show Christ’s love to people in need nationally or globally. Respond to an opportunity to give, pray, or go to help someone far from you know the love of Jesus.


LIVE IT OUT

GUIDE: Emphasize

The Point: We intersect

daily with people who need

Christ.


p. 125 see text to the right).

Invite group members to

think about which application

speaks most to their needs.

Wrap It Up

GUIDE: Encourage members

to pay attention to the people

they encounter in coming

week who have special needs.

Be on the lookout for ways

to provide compassion and

possibly meet a need. Look

for opportunities to share the

gospel with those who need

Jesus.

PRAY: Ask God to open

our eyes to people we will

intersect with this week who

need the gospel. Ask God to

give us the courage to share

what we have—Jesus.

5 minutes

THE POINT

124 S e S S i o n 10

SHARING THE GOOD NEWSIt’s so important to always

be prepared to share the

gospel with people that we

meet in the intersections

of life. Even when it’s at

church or when our group

gathers off site.











to Christ.








Model of Herod’s Temple


article “ ‘Herod’s Temple” (Winter,

2014-15), which relates to this

session and can be purchased at

www.lifeway.com/biblicalillustrator.

The temple proper was set on a

small terrace. A sign written in

both Greek and Latin warned non-

Jews: “No Gentile may enter within

the railing around the Sanctuary

and within the enclosure.

Whosoever should be caught will

render himself liable to the death

penalty which will inevitably

follow.”

Within the temple were

three distinct areas. The first was

designated for the women, the

second for the men of Israel, and

the third for the priests. The first

section was called the “women’s

court” because women could go

no farther.

The next section was the

“court of the men of Israel.” It

was elevated above the court of

the women. Access was gained

through six gates, three on the

north and three on the south, and

by an opening, the Nicanor Gate,

from the women’s court.

Moving through the court

of the priests, one came to the

inner recesses of the sanctuary.

It consisted of a porch, the holy

place and the holy of holies.

Read the article “Alms and

Almsgiving” in the Fall 2016

issue of Biblical Illustrator.


ILLU

STRA

TOR

PHO

TO/R

ANDY

HU

GH

ES







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UNARNISHED TRUTH: LIFE’S REATEST STORY ... the occasion, Jesus appeared in their midst to prepare them for what was coming. During that meeting He ...

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