Sharing our faith is much more than inviting someone to church, or even proclaiming the good news; it’s the entirety of our lives as followers of Christ.
Sunday Lesson Notes, September 5, 2021
Read Acts 3:1-26
What are some main points in this passage?
- Peter and John healed a beggar and everyone was amazed.
- Peter reminded them that the healing was from God's power and faith in the name of Jesus who they believed was literally alive and still with them in spirit
- Peter reminded the Jews in this passage that they were actually personally responsible for Jesus’s death and out of ignorance they unknowingly killed the Son of God
- Peter advised them that they needed to repent, turn from their sinful mindsets and actions, and turn to God
- Peter and John were on their way to the temple to pray and to encourage the Jews that would be there. It was customary for the Jews at this time to pray every three hours, from sunrise to sunset.
- Peter and John used this opportunity to share Jesus with the beggar and healed him. As the beggar was clinging to them, they noticed the large crowd that was gathering and used it as an opportunity to share the good news about Jesus.
- Peter and John were on their way to meet needs and sharing the good news of Jesus was another natural incident in their lives as they went on their way
- Peter advised them as a nation, they needed to repent in their thinking and this would also lead to individual repentance
- When we repent and turn to God, God wipes out our sins, like an inkblot wiping out words on a page
Read Acts 4:1-36
What are some main points in this passage?
- Peter and John were arrested for healing the beggar. They were brought before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious leadership group that did not believe in resurrection
- The Sanhedrin members threatened Peter and John to stop preaching about Jesus but they refused and stated it was more important to obey God
- The Sanhedrin let them get away with it because large crowds of people witnessed the healing and were praising God as a result.
- Peter reminded them that Jesus rose from the dead after he was killed and that this was foretold by their prophets
- He advised that salvation was found in no one else but Jesus
- They knew their scriptures and were prepared to share the news about Jesus with anyone that would listen
- It is important to remember to read your bible each day and anchor your thoughts throughout the day in those scriptures. This will help you to remember to share Jesus as you go along in your day.
- Internalizing who Jesus was and how he lived and how his disciples lived will help you to live and walk as Jesus did
- Peter and John shared Jesus by telling the other believers what had happened to them. Sharing our faith is much more than inviting someone to church, or even proclaiming the good news; it’s the entirety of our lives as followers of Christ.