Watch the Sunday School video for October 3, 2021
posted on the church Facebook page.


Focal passage: Acts 2:37-47
 

Introduction: Today we begin a new unit, examining the birth of the church. We will discover what it means to belong to the community of faith and expand our understanding of what the church is called to be.  On Pentecost, God gave the church the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit has remained with the church through the generations working in the lives of believers and shaping the community of faith. 

It’s an interesting time to be having this discussion. During the past 18 months, we have been challenged to find ways to adapt to the realities of COVID in our community. In spite of the adjustments we have made and the loss we have experienced as individuals and as a community of faith, we have seen that the Holy Spirit continues to work in and through his church. During the time of COVID, the church has looked to the Spirit to lead us and give us hope in the midst of the loss and stress we have experienced. 

Reflect on the adjustments of our congregation over the last 18 months. What evidence have you seen of the Spirit’s presence, guidance, and power in the life of our church? 
 
Background from Acts 1- Acts 2:36: In the forty days between his resurrection and his ascension, Jesus spent time with his disciples teaching them about the kingdom of God. He instructed them to remain in Jerusalem and wait on the arrival of the Spirit of God. On the day of Pentecost, the Spirit arrived with the strong force of a howling wind and appeared as flames of fire. The followers of Jesus began to speak in languages they did not know. At this time, Jerusalem was filled with religious Jews from every nation. When these people heard the fishermen from Galilee speak to them in their own language, they paid attention.

Peter preached a sermon explaining God’s great plan of redemption through Jesus, both Lord and Christ. Peter told them that they had joined forces with the wicked men and crucified God’s Messiah by nailing him to the cross. (The word Christ is from the Greek word Christos and mean “anointed one.” The Hebrew word for “anointed one” is Messiah.)  Pilate and the Roman soldiers had not acted alone. The Jewish leaders had handed Jesus over to the Romans to be crucified. The crowd had called for the crucifixion by crying out, “Crucify him!” (Luke 23:21). 
 
Acts 2:37-47 
Verse 37 When the people heard that they had crucified Jesus, God’s Messiah, they were “deeply troubled” or “cut to the heart” and they asked the Apostles for direction. 

Verse 38   Peter’s response was a call to repentance: “Change your heart and your lives.” When we repent, we confess our sin and we express sorrow for our wrongdoing. We gratefully accept God’s forgiveness. We turn from our old pattern of thought and behavior to a new way of living. We turn away from a life without Christ to a life with Christ. 

Peter linked forgiveness, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is visible sign of our repentance and our desire to live a new life. In the case of infant baptism, it is the visible sign of a child’s place in the community of faith and the parents’ commitment to raise the child to know Christ. God grants us the gift of the Holy Spirit to sustain, empower, and guide us in our new life. 
 
How do you experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in your daily life? What part does the Spirit play in your life with Christ? 
 
Verse 39-41
Peter proclaims that God’s promise is for all people for all generations. The Good News of Jesus Christ will be shared with Jews who do not live in Jerusalem and even with Gentiles who do not yet know about God’s plan of redemption in Jesus Christ. Peter urges the crowd to turn away from their lives without Christ and embrace a life of knowing Jesus. Luke records that those who chose to believe in Jesus were baptized. It was not Peter’s persuasive speech that stirred their hearts, but rather it is God who brought the 3000 souls into the community of faith. 
 
What is the relationship between the work of the Spirit and the faithful ministry of God’s people? 
 
Verse 42
In this verse, Luke gives us an important summary of life in the community of faith. The believers devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles, to caring for one another in community, to praying for one another and with one another, and to sharing meals together.  The word translated community is the Greek word “koinonia.” It means sharing a common purpose and a common concern for one another. The believers were united in their love for Jesus and their desire to live according to his teaching and example. 

Verse 43
The new believers had a sense of awe as they participated in this new way of living. They witnessed the miracles performed by the apostles, visible evidence that God was at work through the apostles. They also had a clear view of what it meant to experience life in the kingdom of God.  The very fact that they had put aside their own selfish desires in order to care for one another was a testimony to the truth of the Gospel. 

Verse 44-45
The believers were united in their faith and in their care for one another. Their faith in Christ changed the way they thought about one another. They made significant sacrifices in order to care for those who were in need. 
 
What would it mean for our congregation to embrace a common purpose and a mutual commitment to one another? How might we live this out in a practical way? 
 
Verse 46
In addition to the practical help they offered one another, the believers also gathered for worship in the temple. The worship was a time of joy in recognition of all that God had done for them in Jesus Christ. This celebration flowed over into their table fellowship. As they gathered together, they were not trying to impress one another with their homes nor their culinary skills. This was an intimate time of sharing that flowed from the joy of knowing Christ. They belonged to Christ and because they were his, they also belonged to one another. 

How is worship connected to fellowship? What happens when believers make eating together a priority?  What is required of individuals for this kind of fellowship to occur on a regular basis? 
 
Verse 47
The believers demonstrated the grace and goodness of God as they chose to live generously with other people. Once again, we see that God continues to grow his church as others witness the transformed lives of these new believers. 

Why is it important to connect God’s goodness to us with our own giving commitments? How does an awareness of all that God has given in Jesus Christ fuel our lifestyle decisions? How might the generosity of our church influence those who don’t yet know Christ in our community? 

 

First United Methodist Church 307 Flint Avenue Albany, Georgia 31701
First United Methodist Church |www.firstmethodistalbany.com