exploring the ministry of christ

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Why teach the NIVDiscovery Study Bible?

• You teach the Bible—just the Bible!

• You get your groupmembers into God’sWord!

• You can teach thewhole Bible in eight13-week courses!

Leader’s GuideExploring the Ministry of Christ

A 13-Week Adventure in the NIV Discovery Study Bible

ObjectivesThrough this 13-week course your group members will:• Read the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts• Trace the ministry of Jesus Christ on earth and through the early church• Grow closer to God as they come to better know and respond to his Son

MaterialsFOR THE LEADER• An NIV Discovery Study Bible• A notebook for recording study insights• This free on-line Leader’s Guide

FOR EACH GROUP MEMBER• An NIV Discovery Study Bible• A notebook for recording study insights

ProcedureDuring the week before each group session, group members will be asked to complete the Assignments inone or two of the Study Centers built into the NIV Discovery Study Bible and record their discoveries in anotebook. During the group session, you will ensure that your group members understand the significanceof what they have studied and help them grasp contributions to their personal relationship with the Lord.

Lesson PlansEach lesson plan for Exploring the Ministry of Christ states specific goals for that group session and lays outa variety of activities that will help you reach those goals. The group session will usually include five seg-ments: Introduce, Inform, Interact, Internalize and Inspire.

IntroduceYou will choosefrom several activi-ties that will getthe group sessionstarted.

InformYou will provideinput (such as amini-lecture orchalkboard illustra-tion) that will bringthe significance ofthe Bible passagesinto clear focus.

InteractYou will activelyinvolve your groupmembers in prob-ing the passagesthey have studied.Each lesson plangives you severalactivities to choosefrom.

Internal izeYou will provideyour group mem-bers with an oppor-tunity to exploretheir own experi-ences and person-alize the truthsstudied. (This is an optional sectionthat may be usedfor groups thatmeet for longerthan one hour.)

InspireYou will encouragepersonal applica-tion of the truthsstudied and moti-vate your groupmembers for thefollowing week’sfresh discoveries in God’s Word.

Getting StartedWITH AN ESTABLISHED GROUPSix weeks before the first group session, tell your group members about the exciting opportunity they haveto explore God’s Word by using the unique NIV Discovery Study Bible. Determine how many NIV DiscoveryStudy Bibles you will need to order.

Two weeks before the first group session, distribute NIV Discovery Study Bibles and inexpensive loose-leaf or spiral-bound notebooks. Ask your group members to read the Introduction to Luke (page 1330 inthe NIV Discovery Study Bible) and the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 82–83 and com-plete Assignments 1–4 in Study Center 82 and Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 83 in preparation for thefirst group session. Encourage them to use their notebooks to record their discoveries, thoughts and anyquestions they may have.

WITH A NEW GROUPEight weeks before the first group session, begin promoting the NIV Discovery Study Bible and the newelective on Exploring the Ministry of Christ. Encourage potential group members to sign up immediately.

Five weeks before the first group session, order NIV Discovery Study Bibles for those who have signedup. You may also wish to order additional Bibles for late enrollees.

Two weeks before the first group session, distribute the NIV Discovery Study Bibles and inexpensiveloose-leaf or spiral-bound notebooks. Ask your group members to read the Introduction to Luke (page1330 in the NIV Discovery Study Bible) and the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 82–83 andcomplete Assignments 1–4 in Study Center 82 and Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 83 in preparation forthe first group session. Encourage them to use their notebooks to record their discoveries, thoughts andany questions they may have.

A 13-Week OverviewThe NIV Discovery Study Bible contains 20 built-in Study Centers to be used in conjunction with this“Exploring the Ministry of Christ” course. You will cover the 20 Study Centers in 13 group sessions. Yourgroup members will complete selected Study Center Assignments before each group session. In thisprocess they will read through the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts, and they will examine key pas-sages that are essential for gaining an understanding of Jesus’ ministry on earth. The following chart pro-vides a preview of the course.

Exploring the Ministry of Christ

LESSON STUDY CENTER REFERENCE FOCUS

1 82–83 Lk 1–4 Meet the Founder

2 84–85 Lk 5–8 New Community Principles

3 86–87 Lk 9–12 Glimpses of the New Community

4 88–89 Lk 13–15 New Community Relationships

5 90–91 Lk 16–19 New Community Loyalties

6 92 Lk 20–23 Defeat . . .

7 93 Lk 24 . . . and Triumph

8 103 Ac 1–2 Birth of a New Community

9 104 Ac 3–5 Established in Jerusalem

10 105–106 Ac 6–12 Expanding to Regions Beyond

11 107 Ac 13–15 Mission to the World, Part 1

12 108 Ac 16–19 Mission to the World, Part 2

13 109–110 Ac 20–28 The Mission Continues

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s t u d y e n t e r s

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LESSON 1

82–83

Meet the FounderLESSON AIMS• To provide a preview of the course• To establish the credentials of Jesus as founder of a new human community of the saved• To see in Jesus’ example the way to victory over our temptations

PREPARATION• Read the Introduction to the Gospels (page 1241 in the NIV Discovery Study Bible).• Read the Introduction to Luke (page 1330 in the NIV Discovery Study Bible).• Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 82–83.• Complete Assignments 1–4 in Study Center 82 and Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 83.• Develop your own lesson plan by selecting from the options below.• Duplicate “The Ministry of Jesus,” located after Option 3 of Introduce (below). • Pray daily for your group members.

IntroduceOption 1Meet and Greet. If this is a new group, take a few minutes to let your group members introduce them-selves and explain why they decided to take this course. Be sure to introduce yourself as well.

Option 2Discuss. Give your group members copies of the article “The Ministry of Jesus” (located after Option 3 ofthis section). Let them silently read the article. Then lead a brief discussion. Encourage your group mem-bers to keep Jesus’ “seek and save” ministry in mind as you study Luke and Acts together. They are to keepin mind the fact that a vital aspect of Jesus’ ministry was to form a new community that would reject thevalues and ways of the world and live out God’s values in this world.

Option 3Mini-Lecture. Luke went to great pains in the opening chapters of his Gospel to establish Jesus’ status as aVIP (a “Very Important Person”). This was essential to Luke’s purpose, for Luke was about to relate the storyof Jesus’ challenge to the way things were in first-century society and Jesus’ mission of setting a course fora new community whose ways and values were in direct conflict with that society’s ways and values. Only aperson whose credentials were impeccable and whose authority was undisputed could initiate the radicalchanges in the human community that Jesus exemplified—and requires.

The Ministry of Jesus

Near the end of his public ministry, Jesus explained his mission to a crowd of onlookers. As Jesus waspassing through Jericho, he looked up in a tree and saw a man named Zacchaeus. The man was wellknown in Jericho, for he was a chief tax collector, a man who bid for the privilege of collecting taxes inan area and made his profit by collecting more than he was required to pay the government. Suchmen were considered “sinners,” exploiters of their own people, and they were both hated and feared.But Jesus called for Zacchaeus to come down from his perch, and he announced that he wouldspend that day at the chief tax collector’s home.

Naturally, the onlookers were scandalized. But Zacchaeus cried, “Look, Lord! Here and now I givehalf of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back fourtimes the amount” (Lk 19:8).

Before the crowd could react, Jesus observed, “Today salvation has come to this house” (Lk 19:9).Then he added, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (Lk 19:10).

We typically think of the term saved in view of eternity. People are “saved” by having their sinsforgiven and being assured of a place in heaven. This certainly is a central element in salvation. But asthe story of Zacchaeus illustrates, salvation has a more immediate impact. Through his contact withJesus Christ, Zacchaeus experienced an immediate inner transformation. The wealth for which he hadexchanged the respect of his community and his personal integrity no longer seemed to matter tohim. Rather than extorting from the poor, a changed Zacchaeus immediately gave half of all he had to the poor. And, in keeping with Old Testament law, he committed himself to paying back four timesover anyone he had defrauded. Zacchaeus had not only been “lost” in an eternal sense, but he hadalso been “lost” in the sense that he lived his life governed by corrupt and confused values. Jesus’intervention “saved” him and set him on a new path.

In a sense, Zacchaeus represents all of us. We are “lost” in cultures in which corrupt and confusedvalues govern our choices and mar the communities in which we live. In seeking and saving Zaccha-eus, Jesus reminds us that his mission was, and is, not only to give believers eternal life, but also totransform human beings and save them from a corrupt way of life. And in transforming humanbeings, Jesus also intends to create a new community—a community that demonstrates God’s charac-ter as members of that community live new lives governed by God’s values and priorities, lives gov-erned by Jesus Christ as Lord.

While John’s Gospel focuses our attention on eternal salvation without in any way underminingthe eternal impact of God’s forgiveness of sins, Luke’s Gospel and the book of Acts focus our atten-tion on present-tense salvation. Through the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts, we meet a Jesuswho seeks us out where we live, a Jesus who saves us from an empty, meaningless life. He does thisby setting us on a new course and by making us a new community of saved men and women whochoose to live by God’s values and by God’s will alone.

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InformReview. Look together at the Introduction to the Gospel of Luke (page 1330 in the NIV Discovery StudyBible). Stress the importance of honor, or status, in first-century society. Be sure your group membersunderstand the difference between ascribed honor and acquired honor. Only a person of highest honorwho was able to defend his honor in every social situation could hope to be heard when espousing thekinds of radical social change that Jesus modeled and called for in others.

InteractOption 1Team Bible Study. Divide your group into teams of five or six persons. Each team is to look at an assignedchapter and determine how the events described position Jesus in terms of honor or reputation, eitherascribed or acquired.

Team(s) 1: Luke 1 (see Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 82).Team(s) 2: Luke 2 (see Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 82).Team(s) 3: Luke 3 (see Assignment 1 in Study Center 83).Team(s) 4: Luke 4 (see Assignments 2–3 in Study Center 83).

Have each team report its findings to the group. Point out that, as the Son of God, Jesus had the high-est possible ascribed honor, for his Father was God! This relationship was confirmed by John, an acknowl-edged prophet. And in every incident reported, Jesus acquired more honor, whether in skillfully answeringthe scholars’ questions when he was 12 years old or in defeating three challenges by Satan himself! SurelyJesus is someone special, someone all must respect and listen to!

Option 2Landmark Study. Read the Landmark “Satan” at Job 2 with your group. Assign individuals to read aloud theverses or passages referred to in the article. Discuss these verses to help your group members develop apicture of the ancient enemy of God and humankind.

InspireOption 1Brainstorm. Have someone read aloud Luke’s account of Jesus’ temptation. Then have the group brain-storm what is really significant in the details of this account. List group members’ suggestions and ideas onthe chalkboard.

Read the Closer Look “The Temptation of Jesus” at Matthew 4:1–11. Compare this article with the liston the chalkboard. Talk about why and how the account of Jesus’ victory over these temptations is helpfulfor Christians today. For instance, Jesus met the temptations in his human nature as a man, using resourcesthat are also available to us. His victory reminds us that we can overcome our temptations. Also, the wayhe overcame the temptations teaches us how we can overcome our temptations.

Option 2Apply. Have each group member mentally identify a temptation he or she finds difficult to overcome. Eachgroup member is to determine whether his or her temptation is more like the first, second or third tempta-tion of Jesus as described by Luke. Each is then to determine how he or she might apply the principle act-ed on by Jesus to overcome his or her personal temptation and defeat Satan.

Group members may or may not wish to share their temptation with other group members. Allow timefor sharing. Then close in prayer, asking that each of you might overcome any temptations you face asJesus did—by choosing to live by principles expressed in God’s Word.

ASSIGNMENTSRead the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 84–85. Complete Assignments 1–3 in StudyCenter 84 and Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 85.

LESSON 2

84–85

New Community PrinciplesLESSON AIMS• To identify foundational principles and values of Jesus’ new community• To understand the opponents’ challenges to Jesus’ honor• To see how Jesus’ actions invariably added to his honor and diminished the honor of his opponents

PREPARATION• Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 84–85• Complete Assignments 1–3 in Study 84 and Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 85.• Develop your own lesson plan by selecting from the options below.• Pray daily for your group members.

IntroduceReview. Jesus said his mission was “to seek and to save what was lost” (Lk 19:10). The term save has botheternal and contemporary aspects. John’s Gospel makes it clear that Jesus provides eternal life to beenjoyed with God forever. Luke’s Gospel makes it clear that Jesus saves us from an empty life here andnow and provides a totally new life for us to live as members of his new community.

Luke 1–4 establishes the fact that Jesus is a person of highest honor (status, reputation). As God’s Son,Jesus owns an ascribed honor witnessed to by the Old Testament prophets, by his unique birth and by thetestimony of God the Father, as testified to by John the Baptist. Jesus has also acquired honor by meetingand overcoming Satan’s temptation. In defeating Satan, who terrified first-century Jews, Jesus establishedhimself as a person whose heritage and personal character merit the greatest respect.

InformOption1Chalkboard Preview. As Jesus launched his public ministry, situations provided opportunities for him toeither gain or lose honor and reputation. This was especially true when he was challenged by the religiousleaders of his time, who saw Jesus as a threat and as a person in competition with them for the respect ofthe people.

Illustrate with the diagram below that the focal point of Luke 5–8 is Jesus’ presentation of foundationalprinciples of a new society that were radically different from the principles operating in other first-centurysocieties. This presentation is preceded by Luke’s report of a number of negative honor challenges thatJesus successfully met, and it is followed by his report of a series of positive honor challenges—successfulhealings through which Jesus continued to gain honor.

Negative Principles Positive>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 0 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<honor challenges Presentation honor challenges


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Option 2Quiz. Give your group members the following quiz. Then go over the answers together. Your goal is not torecord grades, but to make sure your group members understand these important concepts.

1. Define honor in first-century terms.2. What constituted a negative honor challenge?3. What constituted a positive honor challenge?4. How were honor challenges significant in the first century?

Your group members should understand that honor had to do with a person’s reputation, or status,within a community, which depended on the way others perceived him. A negative honor challengeinvolved a dare or a provocation by someone attempting to diminish an individual’s honor. A positive honorchallenge was a request or petition by someone who counted on an individual to provide help. In success-fully meeting a negative or positive honor challenge, the individual added to his reputation in the communi-ty and diminished the reputation of the person or persons who challenged him. In successfully meeting apositive honor challenge, a person also gained reputation.

InteractOption 1Team Bible Study. Divide into teams of five or six persons. Each team will look at one of the positive ornegative honor challenges Jesus successfully met before laying out principles on which his kingdom society,or new community, would operate. Each team is to identify the honor challenge as positive or negative andidentify the elements in the negative honor challenges.

Teams (1): Luke 5:12–16; Luke 5:17–26; Luke 5:27–32Teams (2): Luke 4:31–37; Luke 5:33–39; Luke 6:1–11

Have the teams report their findings for each incident. Then discuss the ways these successful respons-es to both positive and negative changes might have prepared the people to hear what Jesus was about toteach.

Option 2Mini-Lecture. Briefly go over some of the events recorded in Luke 7–8, pointing out how the miracles thatcontinued to contribute to Jesus’ honor demonstrated his authority over sickness (Lk 7:1–10), death (Lk7:11–17), sin (Lk 7:36–50), nature (Lk 8:22–25), the demonic (Lk 8:26–39), and again over sickness anddeath (Lk 8:40–56).

Internal ize (OPTIONAL)

Chalkboard Discussion. On the chalkboard, make two lists drawn from Luke 6:20–26. One is a list of per-sons who are perceived in most societies as those who have honor—those who are admired, envied,respected, and who count for something. The other is a list of persons who are perceived as those havinglittle honor—those who are neither admired nor envied and who count for little or nothing in society.

PEOPLE WHO COUNT PEOPLE WHO DON’T COUNT

The rich The poor

The well fed The hungry

Those who laugh Those who weep

Those who are accepted Those who are rejectedand spoken well of and insulted

Jesus turns the value system reflected in human society upside down and announces that the “peoplewho count” are cursed, while the “people who don’t count” are blessed.

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Discuss the implications of these radical concepts on a society or a community. What would happen ifwe took these concepts to heart? Which of our values would change? Which choices would we make differ-ently? What priorities would change in our churches? In our personal lives?

Let your group members explore the implications together for as long as the discussion seems fruitful.As you sum up, point out that Jesus was speaking with his disciples (Lk 6:20). It takes an inner transforma-tion for anyone to abandon the values of this sinful world and wholeheartedly adopt the values implicit inJesus’ teachings. For such a transformation to take place, a person must be “saved.”

InspireOption 1Sing. Have the group sing a song that expresses a commitment that is fitting in view of who Jesus is. Asong like “Follow, I will follow you, my Lord” would be appropriate.

Option 2Challenge. Jesus calls us to turn the world upside down. We’re not to live by the values of humankind. Ourlives are to be lived by God’s values and priorities. Read the challenging commands from Jesus found inLuke 6:27–36 and ask your group members to take them to heart. Then close in prayer.

ASSIGNMENTRead the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 86–87. Complete Assignments 1–3 in StudyCenter 86 and Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 87.

LESSON 3

86–87

Glimpses of the New Community LESSON AIMS• To explore some of the radical changes Jesus’ “seek and save” mission implies• To better understand the resources God provides for Jesus’ followers• To encourage complete allegiance to Jesus and his mission

PREPARATION• Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 86–87.• Complete Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 86 and Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 87.• Obtain a wall map of first-century Palestine.• Develop your own lesson plan by selecting from the options below.• Pray daily for your group members.

IntroduceOption 1Map Study. Display a large map of first-century Palestine. Explain something of the significance of the shiftin location of Jesus’ ministry from Galilee to Judea.

In the first century, the people of Judea considered themselves the guardians of authentic Judaism. Thetemple was in Jerusalem, and most of the rabbis of the Pharisee party, as well as the chief priests, lived inJudea. Judean Jews were more strict in religious observances and tended to look down on the less obser-vant Galileans. So Jesus’ travel to Judea (Lk 9:51), the stronghold of conservatism and the home of his reli-gious opponents, is significant. Also, as noted in the Mastery Keys in Study Center 86, most of what Lukerecords of Jesus’ mission in Judea (Lk 9:51—19:27) is not found in the other Gospels.

Option 2Identify. Ask your group members to quickly reread Luke 9:1–6 and imagine they were among the Twelveor among the 72 (Lk 10:1–12). What would have been most exciting? What would have been most chal-lenging or difficult? What would it take for you to undertake such a mission today?

InformPreview. In Luke 9–12 we see a shift in the focus of Jesus’ ministry. He began to speak of the cross. And he no longer called on the nation—which saw him as a prophet but rejected him as the Messianic king (Lk9:18–19)—to acknowledge his right to rule. Instead Jesus called on those individuals who acknowledgedhim as the Christ to take up their “cross,” give up their old life in exchange for a new life, and follow him(Lk 9:20–26).

There is more in these chapters than we can look at in detail. But what is particularly important is that a number of incidents powerfully illustrate the radical changes that truly following Jesus implied—changes in the attitudes and values of individuals and changes in the community to be formed by Jesus’ disciples.

In the kingdom-community that Jesus established (see the fourth Mastery Key in Study Center 86), theold “insiders” became “outsiders.” Bethsaida and Capernaum were excluded. The priest and Levite were dis-missed and the merciful Samaritan was honored. Mary left the kitchen to join the men at Jesus’ feet. In aworld in which identity was defined by the group to which one belonged (Jew, priest, woman, etc.), thecommunity forming around Jesus smashed stereotypes and was radical indeed!

In this study we’ll focus on one of those radical social changes that Jesus’ mission “to seek and to save”called for.

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InteractOption 1Team Bible Study. Have group members read the Closer Look “Jesus and Women” at Luke 10:38–42 andthe Closer Look “Luke’s Portrayal of Women” at Luke 13:10–17. Then divide into teams of five or six per-sons. Each team will compare and contrast one man-woman combination paired by Luke in his Gospel.Each team is to compare the status, role or “insider-outsider” positions of the two individuals in first-centurysociety and determine which of the two was valued and which was dismissed in first-century society. Whatdoes Luke’s report of each incident suggest about the true value or status of each individual? What are thenegative or positive qualities each individual displayed? What does each one do that either adds to ordiminishes honor in God’s sight? (See Assignment 3 in Study Center 86.)

Team(s) 1: Compare Zechariah and Mary (Lk 1).Team(s) 2: Compare the Pharisee and the “sinner” (Lk 7:36–50).Team(s) 3: Compare the synagogue ruler and the crippled woman (Lk 13:10–17).Team(s) 4: Compare the rich and the poor widow (Lk 21:1–4).

After teams report, ask the following questions: What do these comparisons and Luke’s other descrip-tions of Jesus’ interactions with women imply for us today? How far along are we in being “saved” in thisarea from the world’s attitudes and values, so we might reflect God’s own attitudes and values in ourchurches?

Option 2Q & A. The lesson plan suggested above selects passages that are directly related to Jesus’ mission to “seekand save” (i.e., transform) individuals and communities. There is much more of interest and value in thesechapters—for instance, the familiar story of the Good Samaritan. You might select other incidents to high-light. Alternatively, you could entertain any questions your group members might have from their reading.


Discuss. Discuss Jesus’ “woe’s” (judgments) against the Pharisees in Luke 11:37–52 (Assignment 2 inStudy Center 87). Remember that these religious pacesetters had not only decisively rejected Jesus claims,but they had also lodged the counterclaim that Jesus’ miracles were energized by Satan (Lk 11:14–28).Examine each woe to determine the underlying attitude or value that merited judgment. Which of theseattitudes is most likely to show up in today’s Christian community? How do we guard against it?

InspireOption 1Group Bible Study. Jesus calls us to follow him by adopting the radical way of life he exemplified andespoused. That way of life is far beyond our ability to live unaided. But Christ did not leave us on our own.One of the great resources he has provided for us is prayer.

Read Luke 11:1–13. Then read the Landmark “Prayer” at Luke 11, asking group members to look upand read aloud the verses referred to in the article. List and discuss “basic principles of prayer” that yourgroup members developed in completing Assignment 1 in Study Center 87. Then close in prayer.

Option 2Challenge. Luke 12:1–59 reflects the fact that allegiance was expressed publicly in the first century. Withoutpublic identification of a person with a movement or a leader, there simply was no allegiance or commit-ment.

Briefly challenge your group members to openly identify themselves with Jesus and with his new com-munity by: (1) living out Jesus’ values daily and (2) readily explaining to others that their commitment toChrist is the reason they are sometimes out of step with the people around them. Then close in prayer.


LESSON 4

88–89

New Community RelationshipsLESSON AIMS• To explore the bases of relationships in Jesus’ new community• To examine our attitudes toward others• To commit to relating to others as Jesus expects

PREPARATION• Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 88–89.• Complete Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 88 and Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 89.• Duplicate the outline of Luke 13–15 (“Relationships in Jesus’ New Community”), which is located

following Option 3 of Interact (below). • Develop your own lesson plan by selecting from the options below.• Pray daily for your group members.

IntroduceOption 1Brainstorm. What is important to most people in their relationships with others? How do they choose thepeople they want to build a relationship with? List your group members’ suggestions on the chalkboard andleave them there.

Option 2Preview. Most human relationships are rooted in the “norm of reciprocity,” which means we tend to relateto others as we expect them to relate to us. We invite a couple to a party and expect that they’ll invite us inreturn. And we don’t invite a couple we expect will be unable or unwilling to invite us in return! Typicallywe develop relationships with those whom we assume are able and willing to reciprocate.

Luke 13–15 relates several incidents that illustrate interpersonal relationships and the attitude individu-als display toward others who are unable to reciprocate. In the process Jesus challenges his followers toadopt a totally different approach to interpersonal relationships.

InformOutline. Hand out the outline of Luke 13–15 (“Relationships in Jesus’ New Community”), which is locatedfollowing Option 3 of Interact (below). Quickly go over the outline with your group members to trace theflow and significance of the incidents recorded.

InteractOption 1Group Bible Study. As a group, talk through the passages listed on the outline, reading them aloud and list-ing any implications your group members see for interpersonal relationships.

Option 2Team Bible Study. Divide into teams of five or six persons. Each team will examine one or more incidents.Questions to discuss include: What is the status of each person involved in this relationship? What is thebasis of the relationship? How do Jesus’ words or actions suggest a different basis for a relationship? Whywould the people of his day be likely to resist or reject Jesus’ words?


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Team(s) 1: The synagogue ruler and the crippled woman (Lk 13:10–17)Team(s) 2: The Pharisee and his guests (Lk 14:1–14)

When the teams are finished, let each team report its insights and ideas to the group.

Option 3Mini-Lecture. Point out that Jesus followed each incident with stern warnings. After the confrontation in thesynagogue, Jesus warned that no superficial relationship with him will do (Lk 13:22–30). Those who satwith Jesus at the Pharisee’s dinner party were warned that they were to respond to God’s invitation or beexcluded. In fact, they would be replaced by the poor and the crippled, who were never invited to the par-ties but were welcomed by God (Lk 14:15–24). Yes, there is a price to pay to live as Jesus’ disciple (Lk14:25–35), but that price must be measured against the terrible cost of continuing to relate to others in amerely human way, which is a rejection of the new community of the saved fashioned by Jesus.

Relationships in Jesus’ New Community

Prologue (Lk 13:1–9)Israel (the fig tree) has failed to produce the fruit God expects.Israel must repent—or perish

What’s wrong with relationships in Israel (Lk 13:10—14:35)?First illustration (Lk 13:10–35):

• “Religion” has become more important than people (Lk 13:10–14).• Caring for a “daughter of Abraham” is less important to the religious than caring for their

cattle (Lk 13:15–17).• Listeners must choose Jesus’ “narrow” way or face judgment (Lk 13:22–30).• The unresponsiveness of Jerusalem causes Jesus to weep (Lk 13:31–35).

Second illustration (Lk 14:1–35):• Guests at a Pharisee’s banquet seek the “place of honor” (Lk 14:1–11).• Jesus tells his host to invite the poor and crippled, who can’t reciprocate (Lk 14:12–14).• Jesus’ words are God’s invitation to his banquet—an invitation rejected at a person’s peril

(Lk 14:15–24).• There is a cost associated with being a disciple, but it is nothing like the price a person

pays for refusing God’s invitation (Lk 14:25–35).

What principles are foundational for relationships in Jesus’ new community (Lk 15:1–32)?First illustration (Lk 15:1–7):

• Like sheep, people are prone to go astray and are lost.• The lost are to be actively sought.• When found they are to be welcomed home without recriminations.

Second illustration (Lk 15:8–10):• People are God’s prized possessions.• The lost are to be actively sought.

Third illustration (Lk 15:11–32):• God as Father is eager to welcome even those who have rejected him.• Those who are unwilling to welcome the lost are out of touch with God’s heart.

Conclusion: Every person has worth and value to God and each one is to be welcomed into Jesus’ new community without regard to his or her social status.

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Share. In the first century, the lost son’s actions were an affront not only to the father, but also to the com-munity in which the family was embedded. Have your group members list lessons implicit in the familiarstory of the lost son (Assignment 3 in Study Center 89). Record these lessons on the chalkboard. Thencompare these lessons with the list of things that are important to most people in their interpersonal rela-tionships (from Option 1 of Introduce).

Challenge your group members to evaluate their own relationships and determine how they can betterreflect God’s values in the ways they relate to others.

InspireChallenge. Review the list made on the chalkboard at the beginning of the group session (Option 1 ofIntroduce). Ask your group members to (1) evaluate each item and (2) accept, change or replace eachitem with a relationship principle that is in harmony with Jesus’ expectations for his followers.

Challenge your group members to evaluate their own relationships and determine how they can betterreflect God’s values in the ways they relate to others. Then close in prayer.


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LESSON 5

90–91

New Community LoyaltiesLESSON AIMS• To explore competitors for believers’ loyalties• To emphasize the necessity of complete loyalty to Jesus• To encourage group members to a deeper personal commitment

PREPARATION• Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 90–91.• Complete Assignments 1–4 in Study Center 90 and Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 91.• Develop your own lesson plan by selecting from the options below.• Pray daily for your group members.

IntroduceOption 1Discuss. How easy or difficult is it to make a commitment and stick to it? What are some factors that helpus stick to our commitments?

Option 2 Brainstorm. What pressures do you feel are most likely to hold Christians back from total loyalty to Jesus?Which of these pressures is greatest on people like us?

InformOption 1Preview. Jesus clearly established himself as a person of highest honor, a person worthy of not only respect,but also allegiance. Yet the religious leaders were committed to opposing him, and despite the fact thatJesus had defeated them in every negative honor challenge, the people still wavered, unwilling to committhemselves to Christ. Jesus can seek us, but without our willingness to commit ourselves to him, he cannotsave us. Thus the issue of loyalties becomes vitally important.

In Luke 16–19 Jesus looked at factors that influence loyalty—factors ranging along a continuum frompure materialism on the one hand to total reliance on God on the other. The materialist sees this world asthe primary reality, and his primary concern is for worldly wealth. But the person who sees eternity as theprimary reality relies on God, and his loyalty to God is expressed in the way he uses material possessions.

Option 2Recall. Option 1 (above) concluded by describing the contrast between materialism and reliance on God.After explaining this contrast, ask your group members to recall stories or incidents from Luke 16–19 thatillustrate this reality.

InteractOption 1Bible Talk-Through. Lead your group members through Luke 16–19, letting them point out how variousincidents relate to the loyalty theme. Your group members should identify the significance of each of theseincidents.

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Luke 16:1–18: The shrewd manager manipulated money to ensure himself a welcome in this world.Believers should be wise enough to use money in view of their future in eternity.

Luke 16:19–31: The rich man loved money so much that he was unwilling to relieve the suffering ofLazarus, despite many commands in the law to care for the poor. The rich man’schoice reflected his loyalty to money rather than God—with terrible consequences.

Luke 17:1–10: When they were told to keep on forgiving, the disciples begged for more faith! Jesusreminded them that while “faith” may perform miracles, the issue in this case was oneof obedience. Their Lord had given them a command. Would they now be loyal andsimply obey?

Luke 17:20–37: God’s kingdom is coming—but Jesus’ reappearance will be a shock to those whoseminds and hearts are set only on life in this world. The materialist who gains thewhole world and loses himself truly loses everything!

Luke 18:1–17: Unlike the unjust judge in Jesus’ parable, we who are needy can appeal to God, beingconfident that he cares and will act on our behalf. But only those who base theirprayers on God’s mercy (unlike the Pharisee) and respond to God as little children willexperience his blessing.

Luke 18:18–30: The rich ruler who was forced to make a decision chose loyalty to money over loyaltyto Jesus. The events that followed illustrate how wrong this choice was.

Luke 18:35–43: Jesus can give the blind their sight. What can mere money do?

Luke 19:1–10: As the story of Zacchaeus shows, Jesus can transform the heart of a human being andsave him or her from bondage to materialism. What can mere money do?

Luke 19:11–27: Jesus would soon depart, and his servants would be responsible to use their resourcesin his service. Those who faithfully use material resources for him while he is gone willbe rewarded when he returns.

Luke 19:28–48: The Triumphal Entry reminds us again of who Jesus is, and his anger at those whodefiled the temple to make money reminds us that we, too, must make a choiceregarding our loyalty.

Option 2Team Bible Study. Divide into teams of five or six persons. Each team is to look at Luke 16–17 and sharethe insights they developed in completing Assignments 1–2 in Study Center 90. How does the story of therich man and Lazarus illustrate the point Jesus made in Luke 16:1–13, and in view of the social justice lawsestablished in the Old Testament, how might Lazarus’s life have been different if the rich man had lovedGod rather than money?

InspireOption 1Test Case. Divide into teams of five or six persons. Have half of the teams look at the identity that the Phar-isee Paul lost by choosing Jesus (see Php 3:3–8). What honor, or status, did Paul’s identity as a Phariseeprovide for him within first-century Judaism?

Have the other half of the teams look at the identity the apostle Paul gained by choosing to be com-mitted to Christ (see 1Th 2:5–20). What honor, or status, did Paul’s identity as a Christian provide for himin the new community that formed around Jesus?

Have teams report their findings and insights to the group.

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Personalize. Ask each group member to briefly list what he or she would lose (or has already lost) by totalcommitment and loyalty to Jesus. Then ask each to briefly list what he or she would gain (or has alreadygained) by total commitment and loyalty to Jesus.

Give your group members a time to consider the two lists. Then ask each one to pray silently. Thenclose with a brief prayer.

ASSIGNMENTRead the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 92. Complete Assignments 1–4 in Study Center92. Review Luke 9–12 and select one incident or teaching that has personal significance for you. Be pre-pared to tell which incident you selected and why it is significant for you.

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LESSON 6

92

Defeat . . .LESSON AIMS• To trace events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion• To revisit the role of honor and honor challenges• To share personally significant incidents or teachings in Luke

PREPARATIONS• Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 92.• Complete Assignments 1–4 in Study Center 92.• Select a teaching or incident from Luke 9–12 that has personal significance for you.• Develop your own lesson plan by selecting from the options below.• Pray daily for your group members.

IntroducePreview. The acclaim of the crowds during Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem terrified the religious lead-ers. Their first response was to launch a series of negative honor challenges, hoping to discredit Jesus. ButJesus foiled each attempt and rather than lose reputation with the people, Jesus’ reputation and honorgrew. When Jesus launched his own challenge, asking these “authorities” to explain a passage in thePsalms, they slunk away.

At this point Judas offered to betray Jesus, and the leaders determined to strip Jesus of his honor bymanipulating a judicial murder that would involve total humiliation. The events that follow show how suc-cessful the leaders seemed to be. They succeeded in turning the crowds who had cheered Jesus againsthim. They succeeded in causing his death. They succeeded in stripping him of his honor, for the Old Testa-ment states, “Anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse” (Dt 21:23). And they even succeeded insilencing those who had publicly committed themselves to Jesus. When Jesus was arrested on the Mountof Olives, his disciples abandoned him and fled—and Peter, the leader of the Twelve, disowned Jesus whenPeter was challenged not by Israel’s leaders, but by mere slaves of the leaders. From every cultural stand-point, Jesus’ defeat was complete.

Yet during the hours leading up to his death, Jesus remained in control. He continued to teach in thetemple and to speak privately to his disciples about the future. He interpreted his coming death as themaking of the new covenant promised by Jeremiah the prophet. And he himself remained totally loyal tothe Father, fully committed to doing the Father’s will. Jesus never lost his dignity when he was dragged forjudgment before the Sanhedrin, Herod and the Roman governor Pilate. He remained in total control,despite appearances. And no one took his life from him. Rather, on the cross he chose when to die, saying,“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Lk 23:46).

The religious leaders in Jerusalem viewed the cross as a great victory and as Jesus’ ultimate defeat.From a human point of view, this was exactly what the crucifixion seemed to be: defeat. But the cross wasinstead a prelude to Christ’s—and our—ultimate triumph.

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InformOption 1Group Bible Study. The Preview (above) links Luke 20–23 to the theme of Jesus’ honor and reputation.Jesus presented himself as one who came “to seek and to save what was lost” (Lk 19:10)—not simply foreternity, but also for the here and now. Select the following verses and ask volunteers to comment on theirsignificance in view of both Jesus’ honor and reputation and his mission.

Luke 20:20–26 Paying taxes to Caesar.

Luke 20:41–47 Whose Son is the Christ?

Luke 21:34–36 Jesus exhorts his disciples to “watch.”

Luke 22:4–6 Judas agrees to betray Jesus.

Luke 22:54–62 Peter disowns Jesus.

Luke 23:28–31 Jesus warns the “daughters of Jerusalem.”

Option 2Team Bible Study. Divide into teams of five or six persons. Team members are to share what they found in completing Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 92. Teams will then report to the group.

Team(s) 1: Identify and explain the honor challenges (Assignment 1).Team(s) 2: List Jesus’ teachings under five topics (Assignment 2).Team(s) 3: Identify reactions that indicate the leaders successfully undermined Christ’s

popular support (Assignment 3).


Share. Give each group member an opportunity to share a passage or incident from Luke 9–12 that haspersonal significance for him or her.

InspireEncourage. Encourage your group members not only to understand the theme of Luke’s Gospel and relateincidents to Jesus’ mission “to seek and to save,” but also to be alert and apply incidents and teachings totheir own lives. Then close in prayer.

ASSIGNMENTRead the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 93. Complete Assignments 1–3 in Study Center93. Read Luke 13–18 and select one incident or teaching that has personal significance for you. Be pre-pared to tell which incident you selected and why it is significant for you.

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LESSON 7

93

. . . and Triumph!LESSON AIMS• To see the resurrection as God’s ultimate affirmation of Jesus • To understand the resurrection as the key to accomplishing Jesus’ “seek and save” mission• To share personally significant incidents or teachings in Luke 13–18

PREPARATION• Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 93.• Complete Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 93.• Select a teaching or incident from Luke 13–18 that has personal significance for you.• Develop your own lesson plan by selecting from the options below.• Pray daily for your group members.

IntroduceOption 1Brainstorm. List all the ways you can think of that life would be different if Jesus had not been raised fromthe dead.

Option 2Share. Ask volunteers to express how their lives would be different if Jesus had not been raised from thedead.

InformPreview. The apostle Paul makes it clear that Jesus’ bodily resurrection is decisive proof of Jesus’ identity; itis an event that firmly establishes who he is and the honor that is due him. Paul wrote in Romans thatJesus was “declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead” (Ro 1:4). Jesus’supposed “defeat” at Calvary was transformed by resurrection into victory.

Not only that, but the resurrection is also the key to the accomplishment of Jesus’ mission “to seek andto save.” His death won our forgiveness, and his resurrection released the resurrection power that is able totransform our lives. It is the transforming power of Jesus’ resurrection that we will look at in this study.

InteractOption 1Report. Ask volunteers to share their answers to the question raised in Assignment 1 in Study Center 93.

Option 2Group Bible Study. Look at the passages listed in Assignment 3. Read each passage aloud and together listthe ways that Jesus’ resurrection affects our lives here and now.

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Option 3Team Bible Study. Divide into teams of five or six persons. Give each team the following passages toreview. Each team should develop a list of the ways that Jesus’ resurrection affects our lives here and now.

Team(s) 1: Romans 6:4–5; 7:4Team(s) 2: Romans 8:11,34; 2 Corinthians 1:9Team(s) 3: 2 Corinthians 1:9; Ephesians 2:6

Have each team report its findings and insights to the group.

InspireOption 1Share. Give each group member an opportunity to share a passage or incident from Luke 13–18 that haspersonal significance for him or her. Then close in prayer.

ASSIGNMENTJesus’ resurrection was not the end of his “seek and save” mission. In one sense it was only the begin-ning. When Jesus returned to heaven, he committed his mission to his followers. The story of the contin-uing mission of Jesus that is related in the Gospel of Luke is continued in the book of Acts, which Lukealso wrote. That is the next book we will examine as we continue our study of the ministry of Jesus.

Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 103. Complete Assignments 1–5 in StudyCenter 103.

LESSON 8

103

Birth of a New Community LESSON AIMS• To realize that Jesus continues his “seek and save” mission through the church• To introduce the church as a new community of the saved• To clarify members’ understanding of the gospel message

PREPARATION• Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 103.• Complete Assignments 1–5 in Study Center 103.• Develop your own lesson plan by selecting from the options below.• Pray daily for your group members.

IntroduceMini-Lecture. Read Acts 1:4–8 and explain the significance of Jesus’ commission. Jesus pointed out thatGod did not intend to establish at that time the kingdom predicted by the Old Testament prophets. Rather,the apostles were to be empowered to witness to Jesus and continue his “seek and save” mission—first inJerusalem and then gradually to the whole world.

InformLandmark Study. Read the Landmark “The Church” at Ephesians 2. Then ask individuals to point out ways in which the church is to be a new community in which Christ’s power to “save” is powerfully demon-strated.

InteractOption 1Detect. Divide your group members into teams of five or six persons. Challenge each team to take the roleof “Bible detectives” and develop evidence for or against the proposition that the day of Pentecost was the“birthday” of the church (see Assignment 3 in Study Center 103). When the teams have developed theirevidence, let each team state the reasons for their conclusion.

Option 2Quiz. Ask each group member to write down from memory the main points made by the apostle Peter inhis first gospel sermon (Assignment 5 in Study Center 103). As you go over the quiz, have your groupmembers suggest why each point is a significant element in presenting the gospel message.

Option 3Presentations. Invite one or two volunteers to present the outline of a gospel message they might presentto a modern audience.

InspireMini-Lecture. Point out that Christians have two basic challenges in seeking to be the agents through whichJesus continues his “seek and save” mission. First, they must seek out those to whom they can presentChrist as Savior. Second, they are to live out the salvation Christ provides by being the new community that

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Jesus came to create—a new community that lives out God’s values and priorities in a corrupt world. We arenot only to convey the Good News of Jesus with our words, but we are also to communicate the GoodNews by the lives we live together.


Introspection. Have group members silently reread the Landmark “The Church” at Ephesians 2. Ask them tosearch their hearts as they read. Then ask volunteers to close in prayer.

ASSIGNMENTRead the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 104. Complete Assignments 1–4 in Study Cen-ter 104.

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LESSON 9

104

Established in JerusalemLESSON AIMS• To familiarize group members with the early Jerusalem church• To evaluate the role of the early Jerusalem church as a model for modern church life• To apply the model and Biblical principles to our own church

PREPARATION• Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 104.• Complete Assignments 1–4 in Study Center 104.• Develop your own lesson plan by selecting from the options below.• If you choose to open with a debate, contact proponents ahead of time.• Pray daily for your group members.

IntroduceOption 1Debate. Have two group members take the “pro” side and two members take the “con” side of the follow-ing proposition: The Jerusalem church sets the standard by which every local church should be judged.

Option 2Share. Invite your group members to share what most impressed them about the Jerusalem church. Whichaspect of that church is most needed in our twenty-first-century churches?

InformPreview. The book of Acts is descriptive, not prescriptive or normative. That is, Luke described what actuallyhappened in a particular place and time. Acts is a history. While the events recorded in Acts challenge usand lead us to think seriously about our own church experience, Acts does not contain God’s prescriptionfor every church of every age and culture. What happened in and around Jerusalem in the years immediate-ly following Jesus’ death is not necessarily supposed to happen everywhere at every time. Acts does notestablish norms. For instance, the fact that the apostles and Jerusalem deacons performed miracles doesnot mean that church leaders of every time and place must perform miracles. On the other hand, the NewTestament Epistles are both normative and prescriptive. They define the teachings that are to be affirmedand applied by all Christians of all times, and they describe how Christians are to live.

How, then, are we to read Acts? It should be read as a history of what God the Holy Spirit was doing inand through the lives of those whom Jesus had sought, saved and commissioned to continue his mission.How are we to use Acts? Acts is not to be taken as a fixed blueprint for church life or mission today. ButActs certainly reveals how principles of church life and mission were expressed in the early church. And inshowing us one model, God challenges us to look at our own lives as his people and evaluate how effec-tively those same principles are expressed in our experience today.

In this course on Exploring the Ministry of Christ, we’ve chosen as our key Christ’s statement that hecame to “seek and to save what was lost” (Lk 19:10). In Acts we want to examine how Christ now seeksthe lost through saved people. And in Acts we want to examine what being “saved” involves—not just beingsaved for eternity, but being saved for the here and now, both individually and as a community of faith. Thiscommunity of faith is a community no longer governed by the values and priorities of a lost world, but onethat has been saved to live out the values and priorities of God.

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InteractOption 1Team Bible Study. Divide into teams of five or six persons. Team members are to compare what they dis-covered in completing Assignments 1–2 in Study Center 104.

Team(s) 1: Assignment 1 in Study Center 104Team(s) 2: Assignment 2 in Study Center 104

Option 2Mini-Lecture. Read Ephesians 4:17–25, which describes “saved” in the present-tense sense we haveemphasized in this study of Exploring the Ministry of Christ. Point out that salvation involves inner transfor-mation, the loss of an “old self” and the putting on of a “new self.” Salvation is experienced as we actuallylive out this new life with others in Jesus’ new community.

Have your group members take turns reading one verse at a time of Ephesians 4:26—5:21. God doesnot call us to a life together that is marked by any specific form or program, but he calls us to a life togeth-er that is marked by closeness, intimacy and a love that is expressed practically day by day.

Option 3Group Discussion. Read Acts 2:4–47 and Acts 4:31–37. These passages are Luke’s description of the sharedlife of the early Jerusalem church. What impressed you about these descriptions? Where is our church nowin terms of shared life? How might shared life be strengthened in our church?

InspireChallenge. Neither the prescription in Ephesians 4 nor the description in Acts 2 and Acts 4 are intended tomake us critical of the church. They are given to reveal something of what we are called to experience—andwhat we can experience.

The one thing that we can do to bring our church closer to the ideal is to take God’s Word to heart andact on it ourselves. We can’t change how others feel or what they do. But we can change how we feel andwhat we do. In listening to and obeying God’s words about how to live with other believers, we each canexperience that present-tense salvation that Jesus came to provide. And together we will become a newcommunity that draws others to our Lord.


LESSON 10

105–106

Expanding to Regions Beyond LESSON AIMS• To familiarize group members with the early expansion of the church• To explore several of the theological issues raised by recorded events• To continue to affirm the unity of the saved

PREPARATION• Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 105–106.• Complete Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 105 and Assignments 1–4 in Study Center 106. • Develop your own lesson plan by selecting from the options below.• Pray daily for your group members.

IntroduceOption 1Discuss. What do you feel are most disputes in the church about? Do disputes about theology have to leadto church splits? How should Christians deal with disputes in the church?

Option 2Preview. At first the Christian movement affected only Jerusalem and nearby communities in Judea. But theexecution of a deacon named Stephen led to intense persecution of Christians. Most members of theJerusalem church were driven out of the city, and wherever they went, they told people about Jesus. Butthe spread of the news about Jesus created problems. Samaritans—a people the Jews despised—respondedto the gospel and believed in Christ. Then something even more shocking occurred: the apostle Peter wentto the home of a Gentile, and a Roman centurion believed in Jesus with his whole household! The naturalassumption made by the first Christians—that the church was to be Jewish—was challenged and shattered.God had accepted Samaritans and even Gentiles into the body of Christ and had made this clear by repeat-ing some of the same visible signs that had marked the initiation of the church at Pentecost! Acts 6–12describes many issues that arose within the church, illustrates ways for meeting different kinds of chal-lenges in a godly way, and demonstrates the need for maintaining unity in the church, especially when it isunder stress.

InformList. Either list, or ask your group members to list, challenges to the early church described in these chap-ters. The list should include:

Acts 6:1–7 Charges of favoritism

Acts 6:8—7:60 False accusations by outsiders

Acts 8:1–25 Integration of the Samaritans

Acts 8:26–40 Individual versus mass evangelism

Acts 9:1–31 Acceptance of a former persecutor

Acts 10:1–23a Role of the law

Acts 10:23b—11:18 Salvation of Gentiles

Acts 11:19–30 A predominantly Gentile church in Antioch


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Ask your group members to briefly comment on each of these challenges and describe how each chal-lenge was resolved. Then invite group members to suggest similar challenges that could occur in churchestoday.

InteractOption 1Team Bible Study. Your group members looked at some of the challenges to the early church in completingthe Assignments in Study Centers 105–106. Divide into teams of five or six persons based on each groupmember’s interest in the issues listed below. Each team is to go over the passages they studied, tell whatthey learned from them, and prepare to report conclusions to the group.

Team(s) 1: The charge was discrimination against Greek-speaking widows in the church.The solution was to appoint godly leaders to take responsibility for this min-istry. What are necessary qualifications for such “deacon” ministries? (SeeAssignment 1 in Study Center 105.)

Team(s) 2: The Samaritan response to the gospel was a surprise. Samaritans and Jewswere deeply hostile to each other. How could these historic antagonists beintegrated into the one church and be led to accept the leadership of theapostles? What was the significance of God giving the Spirit to Samaritanbelievers through the laying on of the apostles’ hands? (See Assignment 3 in Study Center 105.)

Team(s) 3: Peter’s vision when praying (Ac 10) is taken to indicate that Old Testament lawno longer provides guidance for holy living. How did Peter interpret the vision?How did he later justify entering the house of Cornelius? What does Paul’scomment in Romans 14:14 add? (See Assignment 3 in Study Center 106.)

Team(s) 4: The conversion of Cornelius stunned the church. The initially hostile reaction to Peter’s visit to this Gentile’s house turned to amazement as Peter recountedwhat had happened (Ac 11). What did the speaking in tongues by those atCornelius’ house demonstrate? Why was it significant in that situation? (SeeAssignment 4 in Study Center 106.)

Option 2Summarize. After teams have reported, summarize their findings. In each of these situations, unexpectedconflicts emerged. Individuals were hurt by perceived discrimination, unexpected events violated expecta-tions, and strong opinions rooted in theological convictions were challenged by events. What is important isthat in each case the conflict was resolved in a spirit of love and through listening. This does not mean thateveryone came to full agreement on every matter. But it does mean that the believers respected each oth-er’s concerns and honestly tried to resolve the conflicts. If we maintain this attitude in our churches today,we may not all agree on every detail, but we will maintain the unity of the body in the bond of love.


Express. If individuals in your group have experienced conflict with each other, give those who wish to doso a chance to say, “We’ve disagreed about . . . but I want you to know that I love and respect you, and I’mglad you’re part of our fellowship.”

InspirePray. Conclude in prayer, asking for a continuing spirit of unity in your church as you meet future conflictsand challenges together.

ASSIGNMENTRead the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 107. Read the Landmark “The Apostle Paul” atActs 9 and the Landmark “The Missionary Movement” at Acts 13. Complete Assignments 1–5 in StudyCenter 107.

This might be a good time to describe other “Exploring” courses based on the NIV Discovery StudyBible. Ask if your group members are interested in following up this course with one of the other sevencourses.

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LESSON 11

107

Mission to the Word, Part 1LESSON AIMS• To familiarize group members with the early missionary movement• To understand Paul’s missions strategy• To realize the challenge posed by the Gentile response to the gospel

PREPARATION• Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 107.• Read the Landmark “The Apostle Paul” at Acts 9 and the Landmark “The Missionary

Movement” at Acts 13.• Display a large map showing Paul’s missionary journeys.• Optional: Arrange for a missionary to share the strategy of his mission.• Develop your own lesson plan by selecting from the options below.• Pray daily for your group members.

IntroducePreview. The Christian message spread rapidly through the Roman Empire, spearheaded by a team led bythe apostle Paul. Paul developed an effective strategy for outreach that involved going to major populationcenters. There he presented the gospel in synagogues where both Jews and Gentiles who had been drawnto Judaism gathered. After a company of believers was formed and taught by the apostle, Paul’s teamwould move on to another city. Local evangelism was left to the new believers, who continued to receiveinstruction from Paul through letters and through group leaders Paul sent to them.

There were a number of features of the Roman world that made Paul’s approach effective. There was a common language (Greek). There were established routes for land and sea travel. And there was a com-mon government, making it possible to travel over what had once been closed borders between hostilenations. Paul’s missionary strategy, as well as his bold decision to trust the young churches he founded tothe Holy Spirit and to emerging local leadership, led to the explosive expansion of Christianity.

InteractOption 1Map Study. Display a large map, and trace Paul’s first missionary journey on it. Ask your group memberswhat they notice about the journey.

Option 2Brainstorm. Read and discuss the Landmark “The Missionary Movement” at Acts 13. Also read 1 Thessaloni-ans 1:4–10. Then invite your group members to identify mission principles that these sources suggest(Assignment 2 in Study Center 107). List their ideas on the chalkboard.

Option 3Discuss. Your group members studied Acts 15 in completing Assignment 4 in Study Center 107. Discuss thequestions raised in that assignment.

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Inform (OPTIONAL)

Guest Speaker. Invite a missionary supported by your church or available in the area to speak for 15–20minutes. The missionary should not only share his or her own missionary work, but also explain the strate-gy adopted by the mission with which he or she is associated.


Apply. As a group select a relatively nearby neighborhood with which you are familiar. List everything youcan that characterizes the selected neighborhood. Is it a bedroom community for commuters? What agegroup is predominate? What is the major socioeconomic group? What do most families who live there dofor recreation, activities? After you’ve listed all the factors your group members can think of on the chalk-board, divide into teams of five or six persons. Each team is to develop a strategy for reaching that neigh-borhood with the gospel, applying any principles from Paul’s missionary method that seem appropriate.Each group can then report its strategy to the group.

Who can tell? God may move some in your group to undertake their own local missions project.

InspireInteract. If you invited a missionary to speak to your group, consider giving him or her more time to answerquestions from your group members. Ask your guest about various ways to participate in missions, frompraying and giving, to short-term missions trips.

ASSIGNMENTRead the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 108. Complete Assignments 1–4 in Study Cen-ter 108. Review the Self-Tests for Studies 103–108. Be prepared for a quiz.

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LESSON 12

108

Mission to the Word, Part 2 LESSON AIMS• To familiarize group members with Paul’s continuing missionary journeys• To further reinforce the “seek and save” theme of Jesus’—and our—mission• To review key themes in the book of Acts

PREPARATIONS• Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 108.• Complete Assignments 1–4 in Study Center 108.• Duplicate the quiz located at the end of this lesson plan for distribution to your group members.• Develop your own lesson plan by selecting from the options below.• Pray daily for your group members.

IntroducePreview. The Jerusalem council affirmed Paul’s ministry to Gentiles and agreed that it was not necessary forGentile believers to adopt a Jewish lifestyle to be authentic Christians. The apostle Paul immediately wenton the road again, eager to spread the gospel and carry on Christ’s “seek and save” mission. Acts 16–19describes some of Paul’s adventures and illustrates the transformation of individuals and society that thegospel affected.

In Philippi the first convert was a woman named Lydia, who opened her house as a meeting place forthe infant church (Ac 16:15). In several cities the gospel aroused such hostility that Paul and his team wereforced to move on. In Corinth Paul developed a close relationship with a couple name Priscilla and Aquila,and Luke—who often named Priscilla first when mentioning the couple—pictured them as instructing a gift-ed believer named Apollos (Ac 18:24–26). In Ephesus the gospel had such a powerful impact that manyturned from occult practices and burned their books of sorcery. In fact the impact of the gospel was sopowerful that the livelihood of the silversmiths who fashioned and sold religious medals was threatened.

Through the gospel presented by his followers, Jesus was seeking out individuals and transformingthem and the cultural ideas that had held them in bondage. Women were being given leadership roles inthe church, and whole cities were abandoning evil and idolatry, despite the active opposition of those whofought to maintain the status quo.

InformQuiz. Distribute copies of the quiz located at the end of this lesson plan. The quiz questions are taken fromthe Self-Tests for Study Centers 103–108 (located in the back of the NIV Discovery Study Bible).

When your group members have finished the quiz, discuss the answers together as a review of Actsand its report of the continuation of Jesus’ “seek and save” mission.

InteractOption 1Team Bible Study. Divide into teams of five or six persons to discuss the passages that illustrate the here-and-now “saving” aspects of the gospel. Focus on the new place given to women in the Christian commu-nity.

Team(s) 1: Review and discuss what was discovered in completing Assignment 2 in Study Center 108.

Team(s) 2: Review and discuss what was discovered in completing Assignment 3 in StudyCenter 108.

After the teams have reported to the group, discuss the following questions: Have women been“saved” in the churches your group members are familiar with? What challenges still lie ahead, and howcan we best meet them?

Option 2Q & A. Ask group members if they have any questions on other issues raised in Acts 16–19.

InspireChallenge. As you conclude the group session, remind your group members that the mission undertakenby Jesus and continued by the apostle Paul and others in the early church is now our mission. Invite volun-teers to close in prayer.

ASSIGNMENTRead the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 109–110. Read Acts 16–19. Invite group mem-bers to complete any Assignments in these two studies that interest them. Be prepared to share themost important and the most relevant things learned from the book of Acts.

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L E S S O N 1 2 Q U I Z

1. List three of the themes found in Peter’s Acts 2 gospel presentation.

2. What qualities marking a “saved” church are found in Acts 2 and Acts 4?

3. What does the word “deacon” mean?

4. Why was the giving of the Spirit to the Samaritans delayed?

5. What was the significance of Cornelius’s household speaking in tongues?

6. Describe Paul’s missionary strategy.

7. Name two women who served as leaders in churches founded by Paul.

8. What was the issue discussed in the Jerusalem council?

9. Describe the spread of the gospel beyond Jerusalem.

10. Where was the first predominantly Gentile church established?

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LESSON 13

109–110

The Mission ContinuesLESSON AIMS• To familiarize group members with Acts 20–28• To provide an opportunity for group members to share what they have learned• To celebrate God’s work in and through the church• To emphasize the fact that the continuing “seek and save” mission is now our mission

PREPARATIONS• Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 109–110• Complete Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 109 and Assignments 1–3 in Study Center 110.• Develop your own lesson plan by selecting from the options below.• Optional: Ask several group members to bring desserts or refreshments to this final group session.• Pray daily for your group members.

IntroducePreview. Go over the unusual structure of this group session with your group members.

InteractShare. Divide into mini-teams of three persons. Each person is to share with his or her teammates either(1) the most important thing he or she has learned from this study in Acts or (2) the most personally rele-vant thing he or she has learned from Acts. After each member has shared, give volunteers the opportunityto share truly significant things with the whole group.

InformQ & A. Your group members may have questions about one or more of the Assignments they chose tocomplete. You may wish to give them the opportunity to ask questions. Provide brief answers.

InspireOption 1Refreshments. Optional: Let your group members take the last quarter of the hour to share refreshmentsand chat.

Option 2Summarize. In the last three months your group has examined the ministry of Christ as described in Luke’sGospel and the book of Acts. This study has been organized around a theme stated by Jesus himself: Hecame “to seek and to save what was lost” (Lk 19:10).

Lost humanity did not look for God. God, in the person of Jesus, had to come looking for the lost, justas the shepherd in one of Jesus’ stories went out into the fields looking for a lost lamb.

When Jesus came, his goal was to “save.” We saw that in Luke and Acts “save” has both eternal andcontemporary implications. The person who believes in Jesus is saved in an eternal sense, that is, his or hersins are forgiven and as a believer that person is guaranteed a place in heaven for eternity. But the personwho believes in Jesus is also saved in a contemporary sense, that is, God sets out to transform him or herand to reshape the new community formed by believers. Members of such communities are no longer to

be governed or guided by the values, ways and priorities that mark sinful human societies. Believers are tobe governed and guided by new values, new ways and new priorities that are in harmony with God’s val-ues, ways and priorities. We are “saved” from a life in bondage to corrupt desires for a life that is truly good.And we are to be “saved” from our lost state, both individually and corporately. In the process we are tobecome an expression of God’s intent for humanity: a people who reflect him in all that we are and do.

What is significant about this “seek and save” ministry is that it continues today. It did not end withJesus’ death. The mission was taken up after Jesus’ resurrection by the apostles. It did not end with thedeath of Paul or the death of Peter. Generation after generation has taken up the challenge. That challengeis ours today—not just the challenge of reaching out to share the gospel with the unsaved, but also thechallenge of being saved ourselves, of being freed from the values, ways and priorities of the world aroundus to build together a community that lives out God’s values, ways and priorities. May we take up this chal-lenge, and as we experience God’s transforming power, may we become a truly loving, transformed com-munity of faith.

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