SESSION UNSTOPPABLE MISSION THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE Living the Christian life on our own is not only difficult, it s impossible. Thankfully, when the Holy Spirit came, He empowered the disciples for a mission that was unstoppable. From one small dot on a map, they took Christ s message across the world, and we continue this mission today. Christ never expected us to live this impossible life on our own power. Jesus lived His earthly life connected to and empowered by God. Jesus lived and died in a way that no person could, so we can live in the freedom of His grace and power. THE POINT The Holy Spirit empowers us to spread the gospel. THE PASSAGE Acts :4-8,2-4 WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? ACTS :4-8 4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? 7 He said to them, It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. ACTS :2-4 2 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day s journey away. 3 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 4 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. THE SETTING Jesus life, death, and resurrection just happened, and every event He foretold came to pass. Then, Jesus spent 40 days after His resurrection teaching His disciples about the kingdom of God. He promised that the Holy Spirit would come to give them the power to be witnesses of the gospel to the world. Christ then ascended into heaven, and the disciples waited and prepared to receive the power Christ promised. 76 SESSION For free online training on how to lead a group visit MinistryGrid. com/web/biblestudiesforlife For free Midweek Options for your group, visit lifeway.com/bsflfal6fresh
PREPARE LEADER LIVE IT OUT Plan It Out Acts 2:4-47 One of the greatest misunderstandings in a small group is that community will just happen if we show up and have a Bible open, but this is rarely the case. If showing up is all it takes, then the church wouldn t lose so many teenagers after they graduate high school. The truth is that community takes effort and discipline, and leading a group that is working toward community requires accountability. We can t stress the importance of community for the students we lead, if we are not seeking to cultivate community in our own lives. We tell students that it is critical to study God s Word, share our lives, pray for others, and so much more, but are we genuinely living the same truth we are proclaiming? It s a good thing to feel convicted by truth but even better to be intentionally living in it. Take a little extra time as you prepare this session to let God speak to your heart first. Y As you complete the Culture section at the end of Session 3, fill in each section according to how God is convicting your heart. Whether you need to be more intentional about building community in your life personally or in the lives of your students, allow the Holy Spirit to guide you. Prepare: As you prepare for this session, take a moment to allow the truth of Scripture to challenge your heart. God works in our hearts as we teach others His Word. ONE CONVERSATION ONE CONVERSATION Scripture: Acts 2:4-47 Topic: Unstoppable Community THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE: Companies spend millions of dollars each year developing environments and creating experiences that leave people excited and wanting to come back. The early church was known for a culture that was far richer than anyone could create. They were known for their love love that reflected Jesus Christ and drew people to Him. People experienced a culture within the church saturated in true community and love. Their example in Acts 2 is a challenge to continue that reputation and be a church immersed in a culture of love. THE POINT: Christian community is a powerful reflection of God s love. Why are certain restaurants more fun to visit than others? What aspects of Church life have been especially meaningful to you? When have you seen the power of prayer in your life? How can being generous with those around us be a part of our lives and not something we keep separate? Discuss the following quote: The church is not a theological classroom. It is a conversion, confession, repentance, reconciliation, forgiveness and sanctification center, where flawed people place their faith in Christ, gather to know and love him better, and learn to love others as he designed. Paul David Tripp. Paul David Trip, Instruments in the Redeemer s Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2002). LIVE IT OUT: Your student has been encouraged to take practical steps to take his or her faith and Live It Out in the Personal Study Guide. Here are some ways you can encourage your students to live out their faith with Christ personally, in community, and in their culture CHRIST: Encourage your student to develop a prayer list for family, friends, and teachers and pray with them each day. COMMUNITY: Set aside time with your student to help develop Godly community in your home that leads to serving one another, safety to be honest about struggles, and times to celebrate and value them the way Christ does. CULTURE: Discuss how your student can be intentional about living in community this week. How will your student live out His or Her faith by intentionally living in community? 2 Follow Up: Don t forget to copy or text a picture of the One Conversation section to parents after the session. This will equip them for further family discussion. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 77
ENGAGE (5 MINUTES) THE POINT THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS US TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL. Engage: Begin the session with one or more of the Engage Options on the next page (optional). 2 Discuss: Ask students, When was something in your life definitely worth the wait? 3 Guide: Call attention to The Point. Come back to it throughout the session. 4 Read: Summarize this for your group. 5 Pray: Transition into the session by praying that students would trust in God s faithfulness. 78 SESSION
ENGAGE OPTIONS LEAD WITH ACTION Search the Internet for How to Play the Human Knot Game. Spend a few minutes letting students play as you guide them though the process. When students have completed the game, say, It s amazing what we can do when we work together. God empowered every believer through the Holy Spirit to spread the gospel everywhere we go. He created us to do this together as His body. Today we will see what it looks like when the church lives in the power of God and works together to spread His Word. LEAD WITH ATMOSPHERE Before students arrive place several electronic items around the room, but don t plug them in. Invite students to use these items. As they begin to try and use them with little success, ask them what is wrong. When they tell you they have no power, say, Sadly, this is how most Christians live their lives for Christ. They live without trusting the power God gave them to fulfill His purpose in their lives. Today we will talk about how God has empowered us to share the gospel. LEAD WITH MEDIA Search the Internet for Marshmallow Test Short. As you begin the session, play the video. Say, Sometimes it can be incredibly difficult to wait for something we desperately want, even when we can trust that it will arrive. NOTE: Always make sure you preview any video clip you show students and ensure that it is appropriate for your church and ministry. LEADER PACK ELEMENTS If you have the optional Leader Pack, consider one of the following: SECOND OPTION You may have more than one group or enough people in your group to form multiple teams. This is a great opportunity to create fun competition by offering a prize to the first team to untangle the human knot. Say, It s amazing what we can do when we work together. It s even more amazing how quickly we can accomplish things when we have a sense of urgency. Today we will see what happens when the church lives in the power of God and urgently works to spread the gospel. FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS Turn off the lights in the room and direct students to find their seats. Start the lesson. Find a few tasks for them to try and complete. As students struggle to complete tasks in the dark, turn on the lights. Say, It s tough to complete a task when we lack the power to do it. It s amazing how much easier it is to complete a task when you use the power you have. DVD: Play the Unit 2 Session DVD opener to get everyone on the same page. ITEM 8: Use the Unit 2 Unstoppable Gospel poster to start the lesson. This is a great poster to use throughout the unit to track each session with students. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 79
IMPART (0 MINUTES) THE POINT THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS US TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL. Read: Invite a student to read the passage aloud. 2 Read: Explain this section for your students. 3 Guide: Encourage students to use social media as a platform to share their faith publicly. 4 Do: Direct students to complete the activity, then discuss the question as a group. 5 Read: Enlist a few volunteers to read the following section aloud. 6 Discuss: Take a few minutes to discuss this question in light of what you just learned. 80 SESSION
COMMENTARY ACTS :4-5 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. ACTS :4-5 Verse 4. Jesus promised to empower us with the Holy Spirit. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples on multiple occasions. In one such instance, all of the disciples (except Judas Iscariot, who committed suicide on the day of Jesus death) were in Jerusalem. Jesus stayed with them, which might indicate they shared a meal or may simply refer to a gathering. Whatever the occasion, Jesus appeared in their midst to prepare them for what would come. During that meeting, He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem. Something Jesus 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. Verse 5. Though God s people had known about God s Spirit for centuries, their knowledge was more of a distant awareness 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 exceptions 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. Centuries before Jesus was born God decreed that one day His Spirit would not be limited to select persons (Isa. 32:5; 44:3; Joel 2:28 32). "We can't live this impossible life on our own power. Christ died so we can live in the freedom of His grace and power." #UNSTPPBLEGSPL During His earthly ministry, Jesus also told His disciples about God s promise. 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. Tip: A great way to connect with students is to share stories. Take time to talk about a moment in your life when you realized that you needed the Holy Spirit s power every day to live in obedience. 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. 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 proclaimed about Jesus that He would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Luke 3:6). While future believers would continue to follow Jesus example of physical baptism to identify as His disciples, they would also experience this spiritual baptism to enable them to live in obedience to God s commands and carry out His mission of leading more people to become His disciples. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 8
IMPART (0 MINUTES) THE POINT THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS US TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL. Read: Invite a student to read the passage. 2 Read: Summarize this section. 3 Discuss: Before reading further, allow students to think about the order of Jesus promises. 4 5 6 Read: Enlist a few volunteers to read the following section. Guide: Help your students understand that the same Holy Spirit in Scripture is still alive and active in the life of every believer. Do: Direct students to read the quote and thoughtfully answer the question. Discuss their answers. 82 SESSION
COMMENTARY ACTS :6-8 So when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? He said to them, It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. ACTS :6-8 Verse 6. The Spirit empowers us to be His witnesses locally and globally. When the disciples met with Jesus, they once again asked about the kingdom they anticipated. Like most Jews they looked forward to a political kingdom where they would be free from the foreign rule they had known for centuries. But the disciples especially anticipated a future where everyone would know the power and glory Israel experienced under David and Solomon. This was what they expected with Jesus the Messiah on the throne. As the disciples met with Jesus after His resurrection, they again asked about the coming kingdom hoping it was the right time for their dream to become reality. Tip: Great group leaders strive to be great discussion leaders. Create a safe environment where every student can be open and honest. 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 seasons were none of their concern. Dates were not important for the disciples to know. Jesus noted that the dates God the Father has fixed are His alone to know. Previously, Jesus noted that even He didn t know the specific day or hour of the end (Mark 3:32). Verse 8. It was important, however, for the disciples to understand the kingdom that was coming and how it impacted them and others. Unlike the kingdom the disciples imagined, God s kingdom was different from all earthly kingdoms where powerful human kings sat on thrones for a time. Instead, God s kingdom is focused on 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. Tip: Break down the importance of being empowered by the Holy Spirit. How would our actions change if we lived in that power daily? 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 ever possessed. It is the supernatural capability and potential demonstrated in the miracles of Jesus, including His resurrection from the dead. Jesus promised this same power to His followers. Jesus promise was not a statement of wishful thinking, but rather one of fact it would happen. 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. Jesus promised to empower His followers to enable them to share a testimony with others about 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 that they needed to know about the kingdom and their role in it. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 83
IMPART (0 MINUTES) THE POINT THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS US TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL. Do: Allow time for students to finish optional Action Point (p. 74) in the PSG. 2 Read: Ask a student to read the passage for group. 3 Read: Summarize this section. 4 Discuss: Lead students to discuss the question. 5 Read: Guide different students to read each section. 6 Do: Direct students to complete the Action Point. 84 SESSION
COMMENTARY ACTS :2-4 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. ACTS :2-4 Verse 2-3. Prayer unites believers in our focus on Christ and His mission. The disciples meeting with Jesus and His subsequent ascension to heaven took place on the Mount of Olives, which was just east of Jerusalem (Acts :9 2). Luke noted it was a Sabbath day s journey away, or about three-fourths of a mile. This was simply a Jewish reference of distance and doesn t imply the meeting was on the Sabbath. Once in the city, the eleven disciples went to the upper room where they were staying. It was likely a large room on the top floor of a large house. The fact that the disciples stayed there suggests it was where they slept and met with other believers. Tip: If an activity is going well, spend more time on it. Never let it take over the entire session, but use it as a tool to better connect students with the material. Verse 4. Following the ascension, prayer became constant for the disciples. With one accord they devoted themselves to prayer. The word devoted suggests more than occasional or brief prayers, it portrays the believers as being intense and persistent in their praying. The disciples witnessed Jesus being intensely devoted to prayer and His example was important to their prayer as well. Exactly what the disciples prayed is unknown, but whatever the content of their prayers, the disciples were of one accord. 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 7:20 23), but certainly they experienced unity as a result of their ongoing praying together. Jesus emphasis and the example of His followers in the days before Pentecost remind us of what 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 the Holy Spirit empowered us 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 the support and encouragement we need to keep moving forward as we work together to spread the gospel. Tip: Connecting with students outside of group (school events, group parties, activities, etc.) communicates how much you love and value them. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 85
IMPACT (0 MINUTES) THE POINT THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS US TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL. Discuss: Read and discuss the quote with students. 2 Guide: Use the Christ section of the Live It Out section along with the Bible Reading Plan to help students develop a personal plan to spend time in God s Word daily. (Develop a plan for your group to remind one another to spend time in God s Word and share all God is teaching you.) 3 Guide: This is an excellent time to encourage students to make unity and mission a priority in your group. 86 SESSION
IMPACT 4 Guide: The Culture section allows you to encourage students to apply the session to their lives this week. Spend time applying their answers to real life situations they will face. 5 Pray: Close in prayer asking God to remind students of their access to His limitless power when they trust in Him. Pray for them by name and ask God to empower them to share the gospel beyond their abilities. 6 Follow Up: This week, connect with your students via email, text, a written card, or social media to remind them of their value, purpose, and the incredible power God has given them in Himself. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 87