1. Read the main passage for this week s lesson, recording your insights and questions: Acts 4:1-31

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1 SESSION 11 KINGDOM PROCLAMATION After Jesus rose from the dead, His disciples began proclaiming Him as Lord and Savior. They put on display the power of His kingdom by performing miracles in His name. When confronted by earthly authorities, they reaffirmed their allegiance to Jesus and continued to declare the gospel with boldness. In the disciples ministry, we learn how to share and show the love of God by boldly and graciously proclaiming the gospel and ministering to those in need. May we be reminded that the message of the Kingdom spreads through bold messengers! STEPS TO PREPARE 1. Read the main passage for this week s lesson, recording your insights and questions: Acts 4: Review the Teaching Plan (pgs ). Redefine the lesson plan based on your group s particular needs. Adjust the plan if necessary. 3. Study the Expanded Lesson Content (pgs ). Determine what elements of this lesson are most applicable to your particular group. Consider ways to personalize the lesson content for you and your class. 4. Pray for the Lord s guidance as you lead your group through this material. LESSON OUTLINE THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS PROCLAIMED 1. Through ministry (Acts 4:1-12). 2. By allegiance to Jesus (Acts 4:13-22). 3. In sharing the gospel with boldness (Acts 4:23-31). The Gospel Project for Students 125

2 SESSION 11 SESSION 11 TEACHING PLAN NOTES: KINGDOM PROCLAMATION CONNECT OPTION 1 Begin the session with a discussion about the saying, Preach the gospel. If necessary, use words (p.130). What do you think of this saying? Can the gospel be proclaimed without words? Are both words and actions needed? What are some of the most bold, memorable ways that you have seen or heard the gospel being proclaimed? OPTION 2 For this session, consider watching the video When We Pray by Bluefish TV (located online). The video highlights the connection between prayer and trust, two points that are discussed in this session. After the video, ask the following questions, and then move to the transition part of the session. What is the connection between prayer and trust in God? Why should our prayer life be an extension of our trust in God? TRANSITION In this session, we see what it looks like to be bold messengers of the gospel. By looking at Acts, we see that after Jesus rose from the dead, His disciples began proclaiming Him as Lord and Savior. Not only that, but they put on display the power of His kingdom by performing miracles in His name. When confronted by earthly authorities, they reaffirmed their allegiance to Jesus and continued to declare the gospel with boldness. In the disciples ministry, we learn how to share and show the love of God by boldly and graciously proclaiming the gospel and ministering to those in need. May we be reminded that the message of the Kingdom spreads through bold messengers! 126 Leader Guide

3 KINGDOM PROCLAMATION CONVEY THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS PROCLAIMED 1. THROUGH MINISTRY (ACTS 4:1-12). Set the context for Acts 4, and then read the first twelve verses. Encourage students to look for clues as to why there was such a strong response to the gospel both positive and negative. Show how the power in the disciples proclamation was because of their presence among the lost (pgs ). At this point, consider using the story Sharing Our Faith in the Personal Study Guide (p.97) as a way to illustrate this point. A brief synopsis has been provided for you in the sidebar. In what ways can we display the nearness and power of the kingdom of God in everyday life? Highlight the way the disciples displayed the power of God s kingdom through their ministry. Explain what it meant for the disciples to describe Jesus as the cornerstone (p.132). What is the connection between the apostles ministry and their message? Can there be one without the other? Explain. 2. BY ALLEGIANCE TO JESUS (ACTS 4:13-22). At this point, consider using the story Choosing Christ in the Personal Study Guide (p.99) as a way to illustrate this point. A brief synopsis has been provided for you in the sidebar. Read Acts 4:13-22 and encourage students to focus on the resistance the disciples faced as they proclaimed the gospel. Highlight how it was evident that the disciples had been with Jesus (p.133). What might need to change in our lives in order for people to identify us as having been with Jesus? Explain the resistance the disciples faced and how they claimed to give ultimate allegiance to Jesus Christ, no matter what the earthly authorities said (p.134). SHARING OUR FAITH My husband used to work a security job while he was in Seminary. He eventually was able to lead a co-worker to faith in Christ. Later, he also led his co-worker s mother and father to Christ and helped with both of their funerals. Christ calls us to minister to people for the sake of the gospel. We are His ambassadors on earth, and we are given the responsibility of spreading the good news to those around us. How are you ministering to others for the sake of the gospel? CHOOSING CHRIST All around the world believers have to choose who they pledge allegiance to: Christ, or the government. For believers in many parts of the world, being a follower of Christ requires huge sacrifices. Pledging allegiance to Jesus means that we care more about what He thinks about us than what anyone else thinks about us. It means that we are willing to place Him first, even when it costs us something. Are you more concerned about what Christ thinks of you or what others think of you? Explain. What is the relationship between being bold in our witness and confident in God s power? The Gospel Project for Students 127

4 SESSION 11 BOLD WITNESS Growing up as a Christian homeschooler, I was a bit afraid of people who didn t know Christ. When I went to college, I asked the Lord to give me a heart for the lost people around me and to have boldness in sharing Christ on my campus. My classmates began to regularly ask me questions about God, and I was able to tell many people about Jesus. Prayer plays an enormous role in being a bold witness to the world. As we look to the Lord in prayer, He will change our hearts to those around us and enable us to become bold witnesses for Him. What hinders you from being a bold witness for Christ? 3. IN SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH BOLDNESS (ACTS 4:23-31). Read Acts 4:23-31 to show how the disciples proclaimed the power of Jesus through their bold praying. The early church prayed because they recognized their need for God s help in proclaiming the gospel (pgs ). At this point, consider using the story Bold Witness in the Personal Study Guide (p.101) as a way to illustrate this point. A brief synopsis has been provided for you in the sidebar. How might we make prayer more a part of our everyday reality rather than a discipline that interrupts all we have to get done this week? The early church was bold in prayer because they trusted that God had a plan to bring people to Himself. They saw themselves as part of God s mission as servants of the Master (p.135). How would considering yourself a slave to God s mission affect the way you live out your relationship with Jesus? How would being His slave affect your boldness on mission? NOTES: 128 Leader Guide

5 KINGDOM PROCLAMATION COLLIDE There are a number of takeaways from this session, including the reality that whose we are is more significant than who we are. When it comes down to it, whose we are defines our identity. Whose we are shapes our priorities. Whose we are determines our activity. Whose we are strengthens our security. Whose we are transforms intimidation and threats into initiative and mission. We are emboldened because of whose we are. Why is it that whose we are says more about us than what we think or say about ourselves? How does this challenge you? As you think about the truths that follow from Christ s possession of us, one of the most obvious implications has to do with living on mission together as His church in a way that displays the near and present kingdom of God. By pointing students to the example of the early disciples, we encourage them to share and show the love of God by boldly and graciously proclaiming the gospel and ministering to those in need. Students today need to be constantly reminded that the message of the Kingdom spreads through bold messengers who make known the love of Jesus and the hope of His resurrection. Bold messengers best come from Christians who realize whose they are and who they belong to. Why should the calling of the disciples be encouraging to us? How does it specifically encourage you? NOTES: Additional suggestions for specific groups are available at GospelProject.com/AdditionalResources And for free online training on how to lead a group visit MinistryGrid.com/web/TheGospelProject _ The Gospel Project for Students 129

6 SESSION 11 SESSION 11 by Jason C. Dukes EXPANDED LESSON CONTENT KINGDOM PROCLAMATION THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS PROCLAIMED THROUGH MINISTRY, BY ALLEGIANCE TO JESUS, AND IN SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH BOLDNESS. OPENING ILLUSTRATION AND DISCUSSION STARTER VOICES FROM THE CHURCH A godly life should serve as a witness for the message we proclaim. But without words, what can our actions point to but ourselves? We can t be good news, but we can herald it, sing it, speak it, and preach it to all who listen. 1 Ed Stetzer A famous saying, often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, goes like this: Preach the gospel. If necessary, use words. This oft-quoted saying can be quite polarizing. People debate who actually said it, and if it s even worth being said. Regardless, don t miss the point: the kingdom of God is to be proclaimed. We as the followers of King Jesus must gratefully, willingly, lovingly, and boldly proclaim the gospel of the kingdom of God with our words and then back up that proclamation with our lives. In the previous session, we considered how Christ s sacrifice demonstrates the power of God s kingdom of love. Christ s death and resurrection frees us from selfservice to be able to serve others. Our service, compelled by this gospel of Christ s freeing sacrifice, powerfully displays the love of Jesus and the nearness of the Kingdom. After Jesus rose from the dead, His disciples began proclaiming Him as Lord and Savior. They put on display the power of His kingdom by performing miracles in His name. When confronted by earthly authorities, they reaffirmed their allegiance to Jesus and continued to declare the gospel with boldness. In the disciples ministry, we learn how to share and show the love of God by boldly and graciously proclaiming the gospel and ministering to those in need. May we be reminded that the message of the Kingdom spreads through bold messengers! 130 Leader Guide

7 KINGDOM PROCLAMATION THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS PROCLAIMED THROUGH MINISTRY (ACTS 4:1-12). Not long after Jesus ascended into heaven, His followers received the Spirit Jesus had promised them. As they experienced together the power of the Spirit coupled with the compelling love of Jesus, they were ignited in their mission to give this hope and love away. That is how God s people displayed the kingdom of God come near when they themselves went near to the lost and lonely and lame to minister in Jesus name. An early example of this kingdom display is found in Acts 4, just after Peter has healed a lame man in Jesus name. And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power or by what name did you do this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:1-12) FURTHER COMMENTARY... Peter again emphasizes to a Jewish audience that Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom the nation had crucified, was raised from the dead by God. This same Jesus is the power by which the lame man was made healthy. Peter again identifies Jesus with Old Testament testimony by citing Psalm 118:22. Though Jesus was a stone rejected by the Jewish leaders, God made Him the cornerstone (foundation) of the church. Peter concluded by making clear the uncompromising claim of Christianity: There is salvation in no one else besides Jesus. 2 Stanley E. Porter Notice the beginning of this passage. The disciples were proclaiming the resurrection, and 5,000 people trusted the risen Savior! Why such a response? As we consider ways we can display the kingdom of God in our lives, this is a good question to ask. First, the Jews in the first century were weary under the rule of the Romans. They had bounced back and forth between tolerating their oppressors and revolting against them. Furthermore, Jesus teachings implied the people were carrying a weight of weariness under the rule of the Law. Paul would describe this burden as a curse (Gal. 3), for rule-keeping and imagemaintaining are a waste of energy. Most of all, the Jews were yearning for a The Gospel Project for Students 131

8 SESSION 11 FURTHER COMMENTARY Sadducees disagreed with the Pharisaic doctrine of the resurrection, but Pharisees posed less of a threat to them than the Christians, for the Pharisaic doctrine was only a theoretical hope for the future. From the Jewish perspective, the apostolic witness that one person had already been raised would proclaim that the resurrection had been inaugurated. By guaranteeing rather than simply teaching the future hope of the resurrection, the disciples threatened the Sadducees security as leaders of the people. 3 Craig S. Keener VOICES FROM THE CHURCH The structure of the church s corporate life together is tightly tied to the gospel, and the content of the gospel is tightly tied to the structure of the church s corporate life together. They shape and implicate one another. 4 Jonathan Leeman Messiah. Put these together and you have an audience ready to hear a message about resurrection life. The disciples resurrection message was more than just a presentation, though. The disciples were present. Their presentation was made in the midst of their presence. There is something for us to learn from this. It is through our presence among the lost and lonely and lame, our drawing near to others, that those yearning for life will be most receptive to the presentation of the message about God s kingdom. Resurrection was a message proclaimed by the disciples within the context of loving relationships with others. No wonder so many responded and believed. They weren t just being witnessed to. They were witnessing for themselves a sacrificial love among the followers of Jesus. They were witnessing for themselves a hope-filled way of living rooted in a Kingdom that superseded Roman rule. The display of God s kingdom was so powerful that lives were being transformed and critics were being stirred up. Bodily ailments were being healed. Dead relationships were being resurrected. Daily worship of the Father was coming alive through personal and collective prayer outside of sacred locations. Needs were being met by people who held loosely to what was in their hands and gave freely from the joy growing in their hearts. The religious leaders inquired about the source of power for these experiences. They brought Peter and John to stand before them; no doubt they were attempting to intimidate them. But Peter and John were once again filled with the Spirit. They gave credit for any display of power to the crucified and risen Jesus. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter described Jesus as the cornerstone (some scholars suggest the word should be translated keystone ). In construction, these are two different pieces, but both are crucial to a structure. The cornerstone (as the name suggests) is in the corner, offering both stability as well as a place to indicate the intent and purpose of the structure. The keystone is at a pinnacle point of the construction normally holding four arches together as one refuge, stabilizing the roof, offering sure coverage for those inside. It is this cornerstone or keystone, this Jesus, who was the source of power for Peter and John. This Jesus is the only cornerstone that offers hope for a stable life, stabilized because of the accomplishment of the cross. This Jesus is the only cornerstone that offers understanding of our intent and purpose together in this life, both for humanity as a whole and for the church as God s people. This Jesus is the only keystone that brings our otherwise selfish lives together into a harmonious refuge of God s resurrection power and Kingdom love. Just like the early church displayed the kingdom of God from house to house, we too should pray for Jesus to help us put His kingdom on display in our communities, away from our constructed temples, in the midst of our reconstructed hearts and lives. The apostles generous ministry backed up their message just as their gospel message compelled them to minister. 132 Leader Guide

9 KINGDOM PROCLAMATION 2. BY ALLEGIANCE TO JESUS (ACTS 4:13-22). Have you ever been invited to a party in someone s honor? Maybe just a birthday. Maybe someone famous. Maybe honoring someone s accomplishment. If you are there among people you don t know personally, you ll probably get asked this question: So, what s your connection to so and so? If you re invited, you ve got a connection to the person of honor. The same is true for those who will be at the wedding party when Christ returns. And it s already the case for those who are the bride of Christ (the church). Peter and John were identified as having been with Jesus by a bunch of wedding crashers, so to speak, people who were resisting their message. Take a look at the next set of verses: Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, saying, What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name. So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard. And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old. (Acts 4:13-22) Notice in verse 13 how God s people were recognized by their proximity and connection to Jesus. The religious leaders took note that they had been with Jesus. What a significant thing to say about someone whose life is surrendered to Jesus! Our allegiance to Jesus is not only declared, but also displayed. Kingdom people don t just say they have a King; they claim to actually know the King. When opponents can t deny the message, they often try to quiet the messenger (verses 14-18). The man who had been healed stood with these two ordinary, uneducated men who spoke eloquently and healed miraculously. This reality confounded the religious leaders. People were being healed and lives were being transformed. This rugged group of Jesus-followers was swaying popular opinion. The message being proclaimed affected those hearing and seeing its proclamation. What an effective approach! Today, we should remember that calling people to give ultimate allegiance to Jesus should take place in a context of real-life. The message is heard and received, because the power of the message The Gospel Project for Students 133

10 SESSION 11 VOICES FROM THE CHURCH We challenge our people to live sent because when God transforms lives, God gets glory. It s all about God, not people. The glory and fame of our awesome God charges our batteries. 5 Pat Hood FURTHER COMMENTARY When Peter and John told the members of their fellowship what had happened, they all recognized this persecution as fulfillment of Psalm 2:1-2. Gentiles and the people of Israel had united in opposition to God s holy Servant Jesus and His followers. Then and now, believers take comfort in knowing that Jesus sufferings (as well as their own) are not by chance, but are predestined by God. The early Christians recognized that just as Jesus had been promised trouble, they too would encounter persecution for proclaiming Him as Messiah. They asked God for the power to speak with complete boldness, even if punishment should follow. Besides boldness in testifying, the early Christians expected to receive power from God to perform healing, signs, and wonders through the name of Jesus. 6 Stanley E. Porter is seen. The early church embodied that message daily by the way they took time to care for the lost, lonely, and lame. In verses 18-22, the religious leaders threatened Peter and John not to preach the message of resurrection any longer. Peter and John replied that they could not help but speak of that which they had seen and heard. They disregarded the threat not because they were revolutionary mavericks, but because they were resurrected men. Their ultimate allegiance was to Jesus. They couldn t help speaking of the kingdom of God because it had invaded all the areas of their lives. Peter had gone from denying his relationship with Christ to leading the early church. Resurrection was no fairy tale to him. Jesus deserved ultimate allegiance. For this reason, he and the disciples weren t interested in keeping the peace but instead were proclaiming the true peace that comes through Jesus Christ. 3. IN SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH BOLDNESS (ACTS 4:23-31). We ve seen that the apostles gave ultimate allegiance to Christ as they displayed the truth of His kingdom. Next we see what emboldened them as they declared the power of Jesus through prayer:.when they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:23-31) It could be concluded, based upon the epidemic of churches disconnected from community, that many Christians are often more passionate about morality than the Messiah. Our society has little hope of experiencing a taste of on earth as it is in heaven until followers of Jesus boldly love the people we are called to reach. 134 Leader Guide

11 KINGDOM PROCLAMATION That is what the early church did. There were two reasons why. First, prayer undergirded proclamation of the gospel. In verse 24, the disciples response to the threat of the religious leaders was not man-made strategy or man-manipulated scheming. They simply prayed. They cried out to God for help to keep doing what He commanded (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 12:30-31; Luke 6:27-38; John 13:34-35; 20:21; Acts 1:8). Prayer was not a spiritual discipline to them. Prayer was a lifeline. Prayer was constant communication that affected their everyday life. Prayer was breath, offering the needed oxygen to keep living and loving, accessing the wind that blew them on mission daily. Secondly, trusting God s plan helped the early church boldly declare the gospel. They trusted that God had always been planning to communicate the message of His love to a lonely and rebellious humanity. The cross demonstrated God s love clearly. The disciples trusted that God had always been planning to communicate the hope of resurrection to a death-ridden humanity. They trusted that God s plan at this point in history now involved His church embodying what had always been His mission to communicate. The church was intended to act out love s ability to reconcile people to God and raise people from the dead. And so they prayed for boldness to stay on the mission with Jesus. In their prayer, the disciples quoted Psalm 2:1-2. Whether they considered their present experiences as having been prophesied in these verses is debatable. Some scholars hesitate to use the Psalms as prophetic words foretelling a coming reality and see them instead as honest expressions of those relating with the living God in their present reality. Either way, the disciples clearly compared the religious leaders to those who stood against the redemptive purposes of God (Ps. 2:1), and they likely thought of themselves as a people identified with the Messiah Jesus, the anointed One the rulers stood against (Ps. 2:2). One thing is for sure. They were confident in what God had been up to and in what He was now up to via His church. Consider this question: Is boldness in my proclamation connected to confidence in God s power and God s plan? In the latter part of this section of Scripture, the tone of the prayer takes on noticeable boldness, but not because of the grand ability of those praying. Rather, their confidence in God to inform their speech, define their actions, and empower them to love as He has loved them compelled them to keep proclaiming with boldness. Their trust was unshaken as the place where they prayed shook, and the Spirit emboldened them to stay on their appointed mission. This confidence in God s power rather than confidence in themselves was grounded in their understanding of the One they belonged to. Verse 29 of Acts 4 says, Grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness. Notice what they call themselves: slaves. In no way were they contradicting the teaching of the One whom they followed (John 15:12-15), the One who declared His followers to be friends and no longer slaves. Instead, they were professing their surrender to the Master VOICES FROM CHURCH HISTORY Scripture announced that beautiful [are the] feet that bring peace; therefore, the joyful earth was moved under the tread of them [the apostles] to whom peace was given by the word of the Holy Master. 7 Arator The Gospel Project for Students 135

12 VOICES FROM THE CHURCH The church is not the kingdom of God. It is an instrument, or entity, within the kingdom. It is incumbent upon us, therefore, that we understand who we are and assume the role of servant for the kingdom of God. 8 Lance Ford and Brad Brisco whose mission to them had so affected them that they now were more than willing to serve on that mission with Him. CONCLUSION Whose we are is more significant than who we are. Whose we are defines our identity. Whose we are shapes our priorities. Whose we are determines our activity. Whose we are strengthens our security. Whose we are transforms intimidation and threats into initiative and mission. We are emboldened because of Whose we are. May our lives on mission together as His church display the near and present kingdom of God! May we learn from the example of the early disciples how to share and show the love of God by boldly and graciously proclaiming the gospel and ministering to those in need! May we be reminded that the message of the Kingdom spreads through bold messengers who make known the love of Jesus and the hope of His resurrection! May we come to be known as a people who have been with Jesus! REFERENCES 1. Ed Stetzer, Preach the Gospel. And Since It s Necessary, Use Words. Article online at Christianity Today [cited 17 January 2013]. Available from the Internet at 2. Stanley E. Porter, HCSB Study Bible (Nashville: Holman Bibles, 2010), 1867, n. 4:5-7; 4:9-10; 4:11; 4: Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary of the New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1993), 332; n. 4:2. 4. Jonathan Leeman, The Church and the Surprising Offense of God s Love (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010), Pat Hood, The Sending Church (Nashville: B&H, 2013), Stanley E. Porter, HCSB Study Bible (Nashville: Holman Bibles, 2010) 1868, 4:24-28; 4:29: 4: Arator, On the Acts of the Apostles, as quoted in Acts, ed. Francis Martin, Lance Ford and Brad Brisco, Missional Essentials (Kansas City: House Studio, 2012), Leader Guide