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Bible Stories for Adults - Peter and John Heal a Lame Man - Teacher Notes
Teacher Notes
Bible Stories for Adults
Peter and John Heal a Lame Man
Acts 3
Welcome and Announcements
Next Week - The Apostles in Prison (Acts 4-5)
Bible Words to Remember:
If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 4:11
Opening Prayer
A New Beginning (Acts 1)
What seemed to the disciples as a final ending but was really a new beginning?
John 16:5-7, 20-22 = Jesus was going away - grieve at first, then great joy
How did Jesus use the symbolic number 40 to point out that this was a new beginning?
Acts 1:3 = He appeared over 40 days before He ascended
What was this new beginning?
Luke 24:45-51 = Jesus left, but sent them power to be His witnesses
Did this new beginning start the moment Jesus ascended?
Acts 1:4-5 = No, they were to wait a few days for the Spirit to come upon them
How were they able to recognize when this new beginning started? = 10 days later
Acts 2:1-4 = Obvious to all of their senses - sound, sight, power, speech
A Powerful Jump-Start (Acts 2)
What was the purpose of this new beginning?
Matthew 28:19-20 = To make disciples of all nations
How many people were first charged with this commission?
Acts 1:15 = About 120 - Apostles, the 70 Galileans, others
How could such a small group handle the task of making disciples of all nations?
Acts 1:8 = They'd be given power; Progress from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to ...
How was this group given a great jump-start towards this objective?
Acts 2:5-11 = People from J, J, S & ends of earth witnessed this new beginning
How effective was this jump-start to a new beginning?
Acts 2:41 = About 3000 were added that day
How faithful did these new Christians remain since they lived away from the central church?
Romans 1:7-8, 11-12, 15 = Rome had a strong church tho Paul hadn't been there yet
The Power to Grow (Acts 2:43)
Was the sending of the Holy Spirit only for the initial jump-start on Pentecost?
John 14:16-17, 26 = No, He lives with you and will be in you...teach you all things
What about the special power that was shown on Pentecost? Was it only for that day?
Mark 16:17-21 = No, the Lord worked with them and confirmed His word by the signs
Were such miraculous signs really given to the church to help it grow?
Acts 2:43 = Yes, many wonders and miraculous signs were done
Modus Operandi (Acts 2:42-47)
Did the early Christians spend their time running around showing off their great new powers?
Acts 2:42 = No, they devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, communion & prayer
How committed were they to this new beginning?
Acts 2:44-45 = They gave everything to it
Did they do these things in hiding so they wouldn't be caught by the authorities?
Acts 2:46-47 = No, they taught in the open temple courts and grew daily
Jew to Gentile (Acts 3:1)
Did the early Christians observe Jewish customs in the temple or did they just go there to teach?
Acts 3:1 = Kept Jewish customs - growth from Jews to Gentiles was gradual (1:8)
What times of prayer did the Jews observe? = Some say third was at noon instead of sunset
Daniel 6:10 = 9 am (at morning sacrifice), 3 pm (evening sacrifice), 6 pm (sunset)
Was this progression from Jew to Gentile part of God's plan?
Romans 1:16 = Yes, salvation comes first for the Jew, then for the Gentile
Why were the Jews first?
John 4:22-24 = Salvation is from the Jews
At the Temple (Acts 3:2-5)
What common encounter did Peter and John have at the temple?
Acts 3:2-3 = Lame beggar asked them for money
Beautiful Gate - Believed to be the Nicanor gate (named after its Alexandrian donor)
Main & largest gate; Made of expensive Corinthian bronze, looked like gold
Between Court of the Women & Court of Men; at top of 15 steps; took 20 men to close
Why couldn't women, maimed or unclean pass through the gate?
Leviticus 21:16-18 = God prevented it to keep His temple pure - only the unblemished
Those who could not work (blind, lame, etc.) sat on the steps begging from worshippers
Giving alms was an important and respectable part of the Jewish faith
Did Peter and John try to ignore and/or avoid this beggar?
Acts 3:4 = No, they tried to get his focused attention
Did this work or did the beggar ignore them afraid that they might reprimand or curse him?
Acts 3:5 = He gave them his attention, expecting to get some money from them
The Gift (Acts 3:6-7)
Had Peter and John brought money from the church that they would give this man?
Acts 3:6 = No, they had no money, but gave what they had, the power of Jesus' name
Was this just a cheap way out, or was it a real gift?
Acts 3:7 = It was a powerful gift, Instantly his feet & ankles became strong
How could just the name of Jesus have that much power?
Matthew 28:18 = His name carries all of the authority in heaven and on earth
Philippians 2:9-11 = His name is above all names, at His name every knee should bow
A New Beginning (Acts 3:8-10)
What did the beggar think of these cheapskates who only gave a name?
Acts 3:8 = He was thrilled, ran around the temple jumping and shouting and praising
Did the people think this was just an act? = Since it wasn't a festival, the people were locals
Acts 3:9-10 = No, They had seen him begging at the gate for years
How was the point of the man's new beginning made even stronger?
Acts 4:22 = He was over 40 years old (40 signifies new beginning)
Opportunity Knocks (Acts 3:11-12)
Did the beggar run home and tell everyone he knew what had happened?
Acts 3:11 = No, he held on to Peter and John, people came running
Solomon's Colonnade - Porch along east of temple's Court of the Gentiles
Believed to contain ruins from Solomon's temple
Had Peter planned to heal this man or to talk to a crowd when he came to pray?
Acts 3:12 = No, he saw the people and explained that it wasn't he that did this
How easily would the people accept Peter's disclaimer after he had healed this lame man?
Acts 4:13 = It was clear that they were unschooled and ordinary men
What did Peter later write that applied to his situation?
1 Peter 3:15 = Always be prepared to share your faith when given the opportunity
Jesus Who? (Acts 3:13-16)
How did Peter begin his introduction to this crowd of who was responsible for this miracle?
Acts 3:13a = The God you are here to worship has worked through His servant Jesus
How did he remind the crowd who this Jesus was?
Acts 3:13b-14 = He is the one you forced Pilate to crucify and traded for a murderer
So was this miracle done to give Peter a chance to tell the Jews they had done wrong?
Acts 3:15 = No, but to let him tell them how God had corrected their wrong
But how did Peter heal this man and what does God's servant Jesus have to do with it?
Acts 3:16 = It is the faith in Jesus that brought this power through His name
What might the Jews have remembered by Peter's talk?
Genesis 50:19-20 = Joseph's brothers sold him for evil, God intended it for good
What Should We Do? (Acts 3:17-21)
How did Peter address the remorse of the Jews who now realized they had killed God's servant?
Acts 3:17-18 = They didn't know what they were doing and God intended it this way
Since they didn't know what they were doing and it was God's plan, were they innocent?
Leviticus 5:17 = No, ignorance is not an excuse
What should they do now that they had committed the horrible sin of killing God's Messiah?
Acts 3:19-20 = Repent, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out
But the Christ had come and been killed. Why did Peter say "that He may send the Christ?"
Acts 3:21 = He will return in the fullness of God's time
Past Promises (Acts 3:22-26)
How were they to know that Jesus was a part of God's plan?
Acts 3:22-24 = Moses and all the prophets from Samuel on...have foretold these days
Did the promises start with Samuel?
Acts 3:25 = No, it started back with God's original covenant to Abraham
How was Jesus mentioned in that original covenant?
Genesis 12:1-3 (22:18; 26:4) = Jesus descended from Abraham to save all nations
But wasn't the Messiah sent for the Jews? What do you mean He came for all nations?
Acts 3:26 = He sent Him first to you, the Jew - the Jew first, then the Gentile
The Result (Acts 4:1-4)
How did Peter finish his speech?
Acts 4:1 = He didn't; he was interrupted by priests, the sagan and the Sadducees
Why did they stop Peter? = Sadducees didn't believe in life after death, angels, etc..
Acts 4:2 = Because he was talking about Jesus' resurrection
What did they do to get Peter to be quiet? = temple gates closed at 4:00
Acts 4:3 = Put P&J in jail until they could decide what to do in the morning
Had Peter's speech had any effect?
Acts 4:4 = Yes, another 2000 were added that day
So what should we remember from Peter's experience?
Colossians 4:5-6 = Make the most of every opportunity; know how to answer
Closing Prayer
Copyright © 1998 by Kurt Rosenhagen
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kurt@biblestoriesforadults.com