As long as all the work gets
done, it is not important which
order you choose. The main study
material on each page is to get
you searching and thinking about
the subject. We then emphasize
the lesson with scripture
readings and conversation. We
give you a short essay to write
and we ask to you to actually do
something practical that will
help you to turn the learning
into experience.
Approach each lesson in the way
that suits you best, but if I
can make a suggestion why not
try this:
1. The Bible readings
to set the context.
2. The actual study.
3. Memorize the verse.
4. Meditate on the given verse.
5. The written work.
6. The practical project.
7. The conversation.
8. Don't forget the two prayer times, beginning and end.
Please
bear in mind that if you are doing the Course as an individual, which is
just great, some of these items, like the 'Talk about this . . .' are
really designed for small group use. Maybe your family and friends
will be pleased to hear what you have discovered. You do not have
to do everything at once, people often complete a study over a week.
Let's Begin!
First Steps
In Your Bible Read This: Acts 2,
22-47
Here Is Your Memory Verse
"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts
2:38.
Afterwards
Talk About This Have you all repented, been baptized, received the Holy Spirit and joined
God’s family. If not make your plans now.
Something To
Do Before Next Time Make a list of Bible study books you can find among yourselves, or in the
homes of other believers, even in a library. Look out for concordances, Bible
dictionaries, commentaries and lexicons It will help you to know where you can
go to study.
Written
Diploma Work See how many water baptisms you can find in the New Testament, and write
them down on two pages.
Meditate On
This Passage Colossians 3, 1-10
Spend a Minute to Change the World
Pray For
Saudi Arabia - The death penalty is the price for following Jesus in Saudi
Arabia, nearly all 17,000,000 follow Islam.
Be sure to teach
this lesson to others.
Always pray and
prepare well adding
your own verses
and stories to bring it to life.
In our Bible reading we heard how Peter preached about Jesus to a crowd of
people who had come running to see what was happening when the first believers
were filled with the Holy Spirit. When the crowd heard about the coming of
Jesus, the Son of God and his life, his death at the hands of their leaders, and
his resurrection and Lordship at God’s right hand, they asked Peter an important
question ~
1. What Shall We Do?
Peter’s answer
in Acts 2.38 tells us the three things that are the entrance into God’s family.
What are they?
Repent We can only repent when Holy Spirit speaks to our heart and we become
aware of the seriousness of our sins before a holy God. We become truly
sorry and tell him so, and then we repent. Repentance is a word which means
to turn around and go in the opposite direction. We repent when we stop
walking in the sinful ways of this world and choose to walk in the ways of
God, asking for his help to do so.
Be
Baptised Peter said that after repentance, every one should be baptised in the
name of Jesus Christ to show that they had received the forgiveness of their
sins. Baptism was an ancient tradition that people went through when they
joined the Jewish faith so the people knew what Peter was talking about. But
for the follower of Jesus baptism is far more than a ritual or ceremony. It
is a following of the Master, and a doorway into new life and a new family.
Receive
The Gift Of Holy Spirit We can never live a truly overcoming Christian life without his power
and his presence inside us. It is Holy Spirit that turns dead religion into
live relationship with God. We need him to fill our personal lives and our
life together with other believers. Receiving him and making him welcome in
our lives is so important that Peter said it is one of the very first things
we should do. After we are baptised we are all given the Holy Spirit to
drink. See 1 Corinthians 12-13.
2. Jesus Himself Was Baptised
In Matthew 3,
13-17 we can read about the example of Jesus who is the best model for living.
Only after he was baptised did he serve in ministry.
Baptism
Shows Obedience To Jesus In Matthew 28.19 Jesus commanded that people should be baptised, and he
said in John 15.14 that we are his friends if we do what he commands. What
does Acts 5.32 say as well.
Who
Should Be Baptised? In the Bible we find only believers being baptised. Following Jesus is a
serious decision but even a child can sincerely believe, so there is no age
limit in the Bible. In some churches parents have their babies baptised but
this is really an act of faith by the parents in dedicating the child to
God. It is not the Bible decision to believe from the tiny baby, which would
be quite impossible.
How Are
You Baptised? The word in the Bible means to soak or immerse, so we think that in
Bible days to be baptised meant going underwater for a moment, although in
some churches today people are baptised by the sprinkling of water over
them.
What Happens
At Baptism?
Baptism
is a public confession of your faith in God through Jesus, and a
statement to God, to angels, to demons and to men that you intend to
follow him. Mark 8.38
Baptism
is a recognition that when Jesus died on the Cross, your old life died
with him. You wash away your sins and bury your old life just as Jesus
died and was buried. As you come out of the water you recognise, and by
faith, receive a new life, united with him in resurrection power. Romans
6, 3-6
Baptism
is your declaration that you are joining the family of God’s people, the
Church. 1 Cor .12.12-13
When Should You Be Baptised? As soon as
possible. In Acts 2.38 the people were baptised on the same day they chose
to follow Jesus. Baptism is a means of receiving God’s grace, and a new
convert needs that extra grace at the beginning to help him stand.
3. Welcome To The Family Of God
When you decide
to follow Jesus you also join a big family. You can’t follow Jesus and just do
your own thing. It is so important to be part of God’s family, the church. You
will find that belonging brings great security and stability into life.
Which
Church Should You Join? These days there are many kinds of gatherings of believers, some are
very traditional, others are modern but a good church will always have the
same good community ingredients that were found in the New Testament
churches. See Acts 2.42-47.
Devotion to the apostles teaching, which we have today in the Bible. The
first things we need to learn about are repentance, faith in God,
baptisms, the laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal
judgement.
Hebrews 6, 1-2
Devotion
to genuine friendship.
Devotion
to receiving the grace of God through the breaking of bread.
Devotion
to prayer.
There
was also reverence for God, miracles and people being added. People
shared their possessions, helped the poor, and met to praise God in
homes and in the temple.
But remember
repentance, being baptized, receiving Holy Spirit and joining God’s family is
just the very beginning. There is so much more to discover.
To Close Pray For
The
World's Most
Unreached Peoples By Name
Taken from the
Joshua Project Unreached Peoples List
these people have no church and as yet no cell, church or mission has committed
themselves to prayer, adoption or church planting among this people.
