Lesson Date: July 24, 2011

Focal Scripture Passage: Acts 8:1-40

AIM: To lead adults to acknowledge the fact that the gospel is available to everyone of every ethnic background, and to (a) respond to the gospel if they are not already saved, or (b) commit to spread the gospel if they are already saved.

 

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Before class: Write on the marker board or chalkboard the following incomplete sentence: “The gospel is available to….”

When class begins: Remind the class that they have been studying the early days of Christianity.  The gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ spread throughout Jerusalem in a very short time.  Many thousands of people were saved, and the church grew to a tremendous size.  Complete the sentence on the board by writing the words “Americans.”  Ask if that statement is true (yes).  Ask if we in America are the only people the gospel is available to (no).  Ask the class to name other groups to whom the gospel is available (Europeans, South Americas, Asians, Africans, Australians, people from the Middle East).  The point is that the gospel isn’t just for “us.”  It is for everyone in the world, regardless of their ethnic, social, economic, or religious background.

 

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1.     Review and Lesson Outline.  Very briefly review some of the events the class has studied in Acts 1 – 7.  Erase the board and write the following lesson outline:

a.     Persecution spread the gospel

b.     The gospel is available to everybody

c.     There will be fakes in the church

d.     Obedience in witnessing

2.     Persecution Spread the Gospel.

a.     Ask a volunteer to read Acts 8:1-4.

b.     Remind the class that Saul (of Tarsus) is the man who will later be known as the Apostle Paul.

c.     Ask: “Why were many of the Christians scattered throughout Judea and Samaria?” (because of persecution against the church).

d.     Ask: “What did these believers do when they left Jerusalem and settled in other places?  Did they hide in caves?  Did they stay away from other people and keep their mouths shut?” (no, they preached the gospel).

e.     Point out the first point on the lesson outline (Persecution spread the gospel).

f.      God can use persecution (a bad thing) to spread the gospel to other people who need to hear about Jesus Christ (a good thing).

g.     This fact should remind us that when something bad happens to us, God may have a plan to do something good for us or others through that bad circumstance.

3.     The Gospel is Available to Everybody.

a.     Ask a volunteer to read Acts 8:5-8.

b.     Philip (one of the seven chosen in Acts 6) went to Samaria and preached the gospel.

c.     Using information on SAMARIA found on page 67 of the Sunday School Teacher Book, explain why the Jews hated and avoided the Samaritans.

d.     The people of Samaria, even though they were ethnically and religiously different, received the gospel.

e.     Refer to the second point on the lesson outline (The gospel is available to everybody).

4.     There will be Fakes in the Church.

a.     Tell the class that Acts 8:9-24 tells about an unusual person.

b.     Ask the class to listen for whether they think Simon was genuinely saved as you read those verses.

c.     Simon was a magician who was worshiped in Samaria (see the Samaritans’ opinion of him in verse 10).

d.     Verse 13 says that Simon believed and was baptized into the church.

e.     Ask: “Why do you think Peter and John came to Samaria?” (to see for themselves that the Samaritans were genuinely being saved).

f.      To further prove that the Samaritans had received Christ just like the Jews in Jerusalem, God sent the Holy Spirit upon them, just as He had upon the Jewish Christians on the Day of Pentecost.  This fact emphasizes again the second point of the lesson outline (The gospel is available to everybody).  It also showed the Samaritans that they had to stay under the authority of the Apostles in Jerusalem.

g.     Ask: “What did Simon want?” (he wanted to purchase the power of God so he could add it to his magical repertoire).

h.     Ask: “How did Peter respond to Simon’s request?” (he strongly rebuked him).

i.      The incident concerning Simon proves the third point of the lesson outline (There will be fakes in the church).  There will always be fakes in the church, who are not genuinely saved.

j.      Say: “If any of you are fakes, I hope you will repent and turn to Jesus for genuine salvation today.”

5.     Obedience in Witnessing.

a.     Read Acts 8:25-40, and briefly explain the things described in those verses.

b.     Using the notes on verse 27 found on page 43 of the Sunday School Teacher Book, explain the identity of the man in the chariot.

c.     Stress the fact that Philip was obedient to God’s direction in witnessing.

d.     These verses relate to the fourth point of the lesson outline (Obedience in witnessing).

e.     As Christians, we ought to be obedient when God gives us opportunities to witness.

f.      These verses also reinforce the second point of the outline (The gospel is available to everybody).  The Ethiopian was culturally, racially, and geographically different from Philip, but the gospel of Jesus Christ is for everybody.

g.     After the Ethiopian was saved and baptized, the Holy Spirit snatched Philip away and led him up the Mediterranean coast, where he preached the gospel in all the cities.  Philip ultimately settling in Caesarea (Acts 21:8).

 

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Briefly review the lesson outline, which is written on the board.  Read the lesson aim to the class: To lead adults to acknowledge the fact that the gospel is available to everyone of every ethnic background, and to (a) respond to the gospel if they are not already saved, or (b) commit to spread the gospel if they are already saved.  Ask: “Is there any group of people, anywhere in the world, that should not hear the gospel?  Are there any people in Valdosta who should not hear the gospel of Jesus Christ?” (the answer to both is no).

Say: “That truth means that the gospel is available to every person in this classroom.”  Tell the class that it is possible to be a fake within a church, by acting like a Christian even when you are not.

Ask everyone to bow his or her head.  Tell them that if anyone does not know Jesus Christ as his or her personal Savior they may receive Him right now if they want to.  Lead a prayer of repentance and commitment to Jesus.

After the prayer, tell the class that those who are saved should be willing to tell others about Jesus Christ.  One does not have to be a Bible scholar to do this.  All that is necessary is to tell what has happened to you and read a few verses from the Bible.  Urge everyone who is a believer to make a commitment to God to spread the gospel to people with whom they come in contact.  Lead a closing prayer of commitment.

 

CONCLUSION: Offer to talk to anyone who might have questions about salvation.  Make yourself available to accompany any of your class members who might need help or encouragement to witness to a friend this week.  Encourage everyone to read Acts 9 this week and to answer the questions in their Sunday School Member Quarterly.