Absg 3Q2018 PDF

Contents
1 You Will Be My Witnesses—June 30–July 6 5

2 Pentecost—July 7–13 18
3 Life in the Early Church—July 14–20 31
4 The First Church Leaders—July 21–27 44
5 The Conversion of Paul—July 28–August 3 57
6 The Ministry of Peter—August 4–10 72
7 Paul’s First Missionary Journey—August 11–17 85
8 The Jerusalem Council—August 18–24 98
9 The Second Missionary Journey—August 25–31 111
10 The Third Missionary Journey—September 1–7 124
11 Arrest in Jerusalem—September 8–14 137
12 Confinement in Caesarea—September 15–21 150
13 Journey to Rome—September 22–28 163
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Wilson Paroschi Soraya Homayouni Wendy Marcum
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Editorial Assistant
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The teachers edition components were written by the following:
The Lesson in Brief and The Learning Cycle, Lessons 1–7: John M. Fowler, MA, MS, EdD,
former associate Education Department director, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 12501 Old
Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA; freelance writer, Hosur, India.
The Lesson in Brief and The Learning Cycle, Lessons 8–10: Joseph Olstad, MA, former pastor,
Northern New England Conference; freelance writer, Whitefish, Montana, USA.
The Lesson in Brief and The Learning Cycle, Lessons 11–13: Cory D. Wetterlin, MDiv, PhD
candidate in religion from Andrews University; contract professor, Andrews University, Berrien Springs,
Michigan, USA; and associate pastor, Calvary Road Community Church, Niles, Michigan.
© 2018 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists®. All rights reserved. No part of the Adult Sabbath
School Bible Study Guide (Teachers Edition) may be edited, altered, modified, adapted, translated,
reproduced, or published by any person or entity without prior written authorization from the General
Conference of Seventh-day Adventists®. The division offices of the General Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists® are authorized to arrange for translation of the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide
(Teachers Edition), under specific guidelines. Copyright of such translations and their publication shall
remain with the General Conference. “Seventh-day Adventist,” “Adventist,” and the flame logo are reg-
istered trademarks of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists® and may not be used without
prior authorization from the General Conference.
1
The Victory of the Gospel
M any historians believe that the three most crucial decades in
world history occurred when a small group of men, mostly
Jews under the power of the Holy Spirit, took the gospel to
the world. The book of Acts is an account of those three crucial decades, which spanned
from the resurrection of Jesus, in a.d. 31, to the end of Paul’s first Roman imprison-
ment, in a.d. 62 (Acts 28:30). The book must have been written shortly thereafter, for it
stops the narrative at that point, though evidence exists that Paul was released from that
imprisonment and that he resumed his missionary endeavors, preaching and traveling
until he was arrested a few years later and then executed in Rome, in a.d. 67.
The book is silent about its author, but church tradition always has identified him
as Luke, “the beloved physician” of Colossians 4:14 and traveling companion of Paul
(2 Tim. 4:11, Philemon 24). Luke also traditionally is believed to be the author of our
third Gospel, no doubt “the first book” mentioned in Acts 1:1. (Compare with Luke
1:3.) Luke and Acts are twin volumes on the beginnings of Christianity, respectively
its origin (Jesus’ life and ministry) and expansion (the apostles’ missionary endeav-
ors).
Together they comprise about 27 percent of the New Testament, the largest
contribution of a single author. Writing to the Colossians, Paul refers to Luke as a
Gentile coworker, someone who was not “of the circumcision” (Col. 4:7–14). Luke,
then, is the only non-Jewish author of a New Testament book.
2
This seems to explain one of his main themes: the universality of salvation. God
has no favorites. The church is called to witness to all people, irrespective of their
race, social class, or gender (Acts 1:8; 2:21, 39, 40; 3:25; 10:28, 34, 35). A failure to
do so, whether by prejudice or convenience, is a distortion of the gospel and contrary
to the most basic truths of God’s Word. We are, before God, all the same: sinners in
need of the redemption found in Christ Jesus.
It is not by chance, then, that Luke’s main hero is Acts deals with the
Paul, “the apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13, NIV),
to whom almost two-thirds of the book of Acts is
formative period
dedicated. of the early church,
Other important themes found in Acts include: in which there
the sovereignty of God and His divine purpose (Acts was considerable
17:24, 25; 20:27; 23:11); the exaltation of Jesus as
administrative and
Lord and Savior (Acts 2:32, 36; 3:13, 15; 4:10–12;
5:30, 31); and especially the role of the Spirit in theological growth.
empowering and guiding the church for its mission
(Acts 2:1–4; 4:24–31; 8:14–17, 29, 39; 10:19, 20). In
fact, the achievements of the early church were not the result of human wisdom or
ability, though it pleased God to use someone like Paul to impact the world in a way
that no other apostle did or perhaps was able to do (1 Cor. 15:10).
Acts deals with the formative period of the early church, in which there was con-
siderable administrative and even theological growth. We can see this, for example,
in the way the church dealt with questions concerning the time of Jesus’ second
coming, the status of the Gentiles, and the role of faith for salvation. What the early
church was able to accomplish in such a short period of time, however, is a perpetual
testimony of what God can do through those who humble their hearts in prayer,
live beyond individual differences, and let themselves be used by the Spirit for God’s
honor and glory.
Acts is the story of those called of God to start the work; what can we who are
called of God to finish it learn from their story?
Wilson Paroschi is a professor of New Testament interpretation at Brazil Adventist

University (UNASP), in Engenheiro Coelho, São Paulo. He holds a PhD degree in New
Testament Studies from Andrews University (2004) and performed post-doctoral studies
at the University of Heidelberg, Germany (2011).
3
How to Use
This Teachers Edition
Get Motivated to Explore, Apply, and Create
We hope that this format of the teachers edition will encourage adult Sabbath School
class members to do just that—explore, apply, and create. Each weekly teachers lesson takes
your class through the following learning process, based on the Natural Learning Cycle:
1. Why is this lesson important to me? (Motivate);
2. What do I need to know from God’s Word? (Explore);
3. How can I practice what I’ve learned from God’s Word? (Apply); and
4. What can I do with what I’ve learned from God’s Word? (Create).
And for teachers who haven’t had time to prepare during the week for class, there is a
one-page outline of easy-to-digest material in “The Lesson in Brief ” section.
Here’s a closer look at the four steps of the Natural Learning Cycle and suggestions for
how you, the teacher, can approach each one:
Step 1—Motivate: Link the learners’ experiences to the central concept of the
lesson to show why the lesson is relevant to their lives. Help them answer the question,
Why is this week’s lesson important to me?
Step 2—Explore: Present learners with the biblical information they need to
understand the central concept of the lesson. (Such information could include facts
about the people; the setting; cultural, historical, and/or geographical details; the plot
or what’s happening; and conflicts or tension of the texts you are studying.) Help learn-
ers answer the question, What do I need to know from God’s Word?
Step 3—Apply: Provide learners with opportunities to practice the information
given in Step 2. This is a crucial step; information alone is not enough to help a person
grow in Christ. Assist the learners in answering the question, How can I apply to my
life what I’ve learned?
Step 4—Create: Finally, encourage learners to be “doers of the word, and not
hearers only” (James 1:22). Invite them to make a life response to the lesson. This step
provides individuals and groups with opportunities for creative self-expression and
exploration. All such activities should help learners answer the question, With God’s
help, what can I do with what I’ve learned from this week’s lesson?
When teachers use material from each of these four steps, they will appeal to most
every student in their class: those who enjoy talking about what’s happening in their lives,
those who want more information about the texts being studied, those who want to know
how it all fits in with real life, and those who want to get out and apply what they’ve
learned.
4
L esson 1 *June 30–July 6
(page 6 of Standard Edition)
You Will Be My
Witnesses
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 1:6–8, Luke 24:25, Luke
24:44–48, Deut. 19:15, Acts 1:9–26, Prov. 16:33.
Memory Text: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit
has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8,
NRSV).
J
esus’ mission on earth was finished. God soon would send the
Holy Spirit, who—ratifying their efforts with many signs and
wonders—would empower and lead the disciples on a mission
that would reach the ends of the earth. Jesus could not stay with them
forever in human flesh. Not only did His incarnation impose upon
Him a physical limitation in the context of a worldwide mission, but
His ascension and exaltation in heaven were necessary in order for
the Spirit to come.
Until Jesus’ resurrection, however, the disciples did not clearly know
these things. When they left everything to follow Him, they believed
that He was a political liberator who would one day drive the Romans
out of the land, reinstate David’s dynasty, and restore Israel to its past
glory. It was not easy for them to think otherwise.
This is the primary issue of Jesus’ final instructions to the disciples
in Acts 1. The promise of the Spirit comes in this context. The chapter
also describes Jesus’ return to heaven and how the early church pre-
pared itself for Pentecost.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 7.
5
S unday July 1
The Restoration of Israel

There are two kinds of Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament,
one that anticipates a kingly Messiah who would rule forever (Ps.
89:3, 4, 35–37; Isa. 9:6, 7; Ezek. 37:25; Dan. 2:44; 7:13, 14), and
one that predicts that the Messiah would die for the sins of the people
(Isa. 52:13–53:12; Dan. 9:26). Such prophecies do not contradict
each other. They just point to two consecutive phases of the Messiah’s
ministry: first He would suffer, and then become King (Luke 17:24,
25; 24:25, 26).
The problem with first-century Jewish Messianic expectation, how-
ever, was that it was one-sided. The hope of a kingly Messiah who
would bring political deliverance obscured the notion of a Messiah who
would suffer and die.
At first, the disciples shared this hope of a kingly Messiah. They
believed that Jesus was the Messiah (Matt. 16:16, 20) and were
sometimes caught bickering among themselves about who would
sit on either side of Him when He was enthroned (Mark 10:35–37,
Luke 9:46). Despite Jesus’ warnings about the fate that awaited Him,
they simply could not understand what He meant. So, when He died,
they became confused and discouraged. In their own words, “We had
hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke
24:21, NIV).
Read Acts 1:6. What does this question say about what they still didn’t
understand? In Acts 1:7, how did Jesus answer them?
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_____________________________________________________
If Jesus’ death represented a fatal blow to the disciples’ hope, the
resurrection revived it, raising their political expectations perhaps to
an unprecedented level. It seemed natural to conceive of the resurrec-
tion as a strong indicator that the Messianic kingdom would finally be
established.
In His reply to their question, however, Jesus gave no direct
answer. He did not reject the premise behind the disciples’ question
of an imminent kingdom, but neither did He accept it. He left the
issue unsettled, while He reminded them that the timing of God’s
actions belongs to God Himself, and as such it is inaccessible to
humans.
According to Luke 24:25, what was the real problem of the disci-
ples? Why is it easy to believe what we want to believe, as opposed
to what the Bible really teaches? How can we avoid this trap?
6
M onday July 2
The Disciples’ Mission

Read Acts 1:8. Instead of indulging in prophetic speculations, what
were the disciples expected to do?
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There are four important elements in this passage concerning the
disciples’ mission:
1. The gift of the Spirit. The Spirit always had been active among God’s
people. According to the prophets, however, there would be a special
endowment of the Spirit in the future (Isa. 44:3; Joel 2:28, 29). As Jesus
Himself was anointed with the Spirit, the Holy Spirit was already at work
during the time of His ministry (Luke 4:18–21) but officially was not
inaugurated until Christ’s exaltation in heaven (John 7:39, Acts 2:33).
2. The role of witness. A witness is a firsthand account. The disciples
were fully qualified to give such a witness (Acts 1:21, 22; 4:20; com-
pare with 1 John 1:1–3) and were now commissioned to share with the
world their unique experience with Jesus.
3. The plan of the mission. The disciples were to witness first in
Jerusalem, then in Judea and Samaria, and finally to the ends of the
earth. It was a progressive plan. Jerusalem was the center of Jewish
religious life, the place where Jesus had been condemned and cruci-
fied. Judea and Samaria were neighboring areas where Jesus also had
ministered. The disciples, however, were not to limit themselves to this
locale alone. The scope of their mission was worldwide.
4. The orientation of the mission. In Old Testament times, it was the
nations that should be attracted to God (see Isa. 2:1–5), not Israel that should
“take” God to the nations. The few exceptions (for example, Jonah) do not
invalidate the general rule. Now the strategy was different. Jerusalem was
still the center, but rather than staying and building roots there, the disciples
were expected to move out to the uttermost ends of the earth.
Read Luke 24:44–48. What was the core message that the disciples
should preach?
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_____________________________________________________
In the forty days He spent with the disciples after the resurrection
(Acts 1:3), Jesus must have explained much truth to them about the
kingdom of God, even if there was still much they didn’t understand, as
their question in Acts 1:6 showed. They were familiar with the prophe-
cies but could now see them in a new light, a light shed from the Cross
and the empty tomb (see Acts 3:17–19).
7
T uesday July 3
He Will Come Again

Read Acts 1:9–11. How does Luke portray the ascension of Jesus?
What is the significance that there were two angels speaking to
them (see Deut. 19:15)?
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_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Luke’s account of the ascension is rather brief. Jesus was with the
disciples on the Mount of Olives, and while still blessing them (Luke
24:51), He was taken up to heaven. The language, of course, is phe-
nomenological; that is, the scene is portrayed as it looked to human
eyes, not as it really was. Jesus was leaving the earth, and there is no
other way to do so in a visible form than by going up.
The ascension of Jesus was a supernatural act of God, one of many
all through the Bible. This is implied by the way Luke describes it, with
- e- (“He was taken up,” Acts 1:9, NKJV). Though used
the passive eperth
only here in the New Testament, this verbal form is found several times
in the Greek version of the Old Testament (the Septuagint), all of them
describing actions of God, which suggests that God Himself was the
One who took Jesus up to heaven, as He was the One who raised Him
from the dead (Acts 2:24, 32; Rom. 6:4; 10:9).
After Jesus already had been hidden by a cloud, Luke reports—only
in Acts—the episode of the two figures dressed in white who stood
beside the disciples. The description coincides with that of angels in
their bright robes (Acts 10:30, John 20:12). They came to assure the
disciples that Jesus would come back the same way He had gone up,
and it is also only Acts that informs us that Jesus went up “before their
very eyes” (Acts 1:9, NIV).
Thus, the visible ascension became the guarantee of the visible
return, which also will happen in a cloud, though “with power and
great glory” (Luke 21:27), no longer as a private event, as “every eye
will see Him” (Rev. 1:7, NKJV), and He will not be alone (Luke 9:26,
2 Thess. 1:7). The glory of the Second Coming will far exceed that of
the ascension.
How can we learn to keep the reality, and promise, of the Second
Coming always before us? How should this great truth impact all
areas of our life, such as finances, priorities, and moral choices?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
8
W ednesday July 4
Preparing for Pentecost

In His reply in Acts 1:7, 8, Jesus made no commitment with regard
to time. Yet, the natural implication of His words was that right after
the Spirit came and the disciples completed their mission, He would
return (see also Matt. 24:14). The angels’ remark (Acts 1:11) also did
not answer the question as to when the kingdom would come, but it
could be understood as if it would not be long. This seems to explain
why the disciples “returned to Jerusalem with great joy” (Luke 24:52).
The promise of Jesus’ second coming at an unspecified time, which
should give them extra encouragement for their mission, was taken to
mean that the end was close at hand. Further developments in Acts will
demonstrate this idea.
Read Acts 1:12–14. Who else was in the upper room, and how did they
prepare themselves for the coming of the Spirit?
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_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Having returned from the Mount of Olives, the disciples gathered in
the upper guest room (in Latin, cenaculum) of a two-story private house
in Jerusalem. Some women followers (Luke 8:1–3, 23:49, 24:1–12), as
well as Jesus’ mother and brothers, were there with the disciples.
Jesus’ brothers (Mark 6:3) were either younger sons of Joseph and
Mary (Matt. 1:25, Luke 2:7) or, more likely, sons of Joseph’s first mar-
riage, in which case Joseph would be widowed when he took Mary
for his wife. Their presence among the disciples comes as a surprise,
as they had always been rather skeptical toward Jesus (Mark 3:21,
John 7:5). Yet, the resurrection and Jesus’ special appearance to James
(1 Cor. 15:7) seem to have made all the difference. Later on James
apparently would even replace Peter in the leadership of the Christian
community (Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; Gal. 2:9, 12).
Constantly in prayer (Acts 1:14), and constantly in the temple prais-
ing God (Luke 24:53), they all were no doubt involved in a time of con-
fession, repentance, and the putting away of sin. Even if in their minds
the coming of the Spirit would immediately lead to Jesus’ return, their
spiritual attitude was in full harmony with what was about to happen,
as the Holy Spirit comes in response to prayer.
In our daily choices, what are ways we help prepare the way for
the work of the Spirit in our lives?
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9
T hursday July 5
The Twelfth Apostle

The first administrative action of the early Christian community,
which numbered about 120 believers (Acts 1:15), was to choose a suc-
cessor to Judas.
Read Acts 1:21, 22. What qualifications was the successor to Judas
expected to have? Why would these be so important?
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_____________________________________________________
The need was for a witness of Jesus’ resurrection (compare with Acts
4:33); this is crucial because time and again the resurrection is viewed
as powerful evidence for the Messiahship of Jesus and the truth of the
whole Christian faith.
The choice, however, was to be made from among those who had
accompanied the apostles throughout Jesus’ ministry. Paul would later
insist that, despite not having been with the earthly Jesus, he was never-
theless entitled to the apostolic office because his encounter with Jesus
on the road to Damascus qualified him to bear witness to His resurrec-
tion (1 Cor. 9:1). Though admitting to be as “one untimely born” (1 Cor.
15:8, ESV), Paul refused to consider himself less qualified than the other
apostles (1 Cor. 9:2, Gal. 2:6–9). Only the Twelve and Paul, then, were
“apostles” in the technical, authoritative sense (Acts 1:25, 26); yet, in its
basic, general sense as envoys or messengers, the term also could be used
for other gospel workers (Acts 14:4, 14; Gal. 1:19).
Read Acts 1:23–26. How was Matthias chosen?

_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The method they used to choose Matthias may seem strange, but
the casting of lots was a long-established way of making decisions
(for example, Lev. 16:5–10, Num. 26:55). In addition, the choice was
between two previously recognized candidates of equal qualifications,
not a step into the unknown. The believers also prayed to God, believing
that the result would reflect His will (compare with Prov. 16:33). There
is no evidence that the decision was ever challenged. After Pentecost,
the casting of lots became no longer necessary due to the direct guid-
ance of the Spirit (Acts 5:3, 11:15–18, 13:2, 16:6–9).
If someone were to come to you and ask, “How can I know what
God’s will is for my life?” what would you answer, and why?
10
F riday July 6
Further Thought: “The whole interim period between Pentecost and

the Parousia [Second Coming] (however long or short) is to be filled with
the world-wide mission of the church in the power of the Spirit. Christ’s fol-
lowers were both to announce what he had achieved at his first coming and
to summon people to repent and believe in preparation for his second com-
ing. They were to be his witnesses ‘to the ends of the earth’ ([Acts] 1:8) and
‘to the very end of the age.’ . . . We have no liberty to stop until both ends
have been reached.”—John R. W. Stott, The Message of Acts: The Spirit, the
Church & the World (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1990), p. 44.
“The Saviour’s commission to the disciples included all the believers.
It includes all believers in Christ to the end of time. It is a fatal mistake
to suppose that the work of saving souls depends alone on the ordained
minister. All to whom the heavenly inspiration has come are put in
trust with the gospel. All who receive the life of Christ are ordained
to work for the salvation of their fellow men. For this work the church
was established, and all who take upon themselves its sacred vows are
thereby pledged to be co-workers with Christ.”—Ellen G. White, The
Desire of Ages, p. 822.
Discussion Questions:
 Acts 1:7 recalls Mark 13:32: “Concerning that day or that hour,
no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only
the Father” (ESV). Ellen G. White says: “There will never again be
a message for the people of God that will be based on time. We are
not to know the definite time either for the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit or for the coming of Christ.”—Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 188.
She adds: “Any one who shall start up to proclaim a message to
announce the hour, day, or year of Christ’s appearing, has taken up
a yoke and is proclaiming a message that the Lord has never given
him.”—Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Sept. 12, 1893. What is
the relevance of such statements for us today?
 Someone once said: “God needs witnesses more than lawyers.”

What do you think of this statement?
 What was the role of prayer in the early church? Is it a coinci-

dence that at almost every decisive moment in its life, we find a ref-
erence to prayer (Acts 1:24; 8:14–17; 9:11, 12; 10:4, 9, 30; 13:2, 3)?
What is the role of prayer in our lives?
11
i n s i d e
Story
“I Want to Kill People”
By Andrew McChesney, Adventist Mission
Li Fengyan’s cellphone rang sharply.
“Mom, I am miserable,” said the voice on the other end. It was Fengyan’s
daughter-in-law, Yang-yang. She was crying hysterically. “My life is so hard.
I don’t know what to do.”
Worried, Fengyan brought Yang-yang to her home, and the two began to
talk. Yang-yang spoke of hearing voices that commanded her to act violently.
“I want to beat people. I want to kill people,” Yang-yang said. “Hide your
knives. If I just see a knife, I will kill someone.”
Fengyan called her pastor at the Tokyo Chinese Seventh-day Adventist
Church. Pastor Yu Chuanfu was leading the evening prayer meeting, but he
came to her home and prayed and read the Bible with Yang-yang.
Yang-yang liked the prayers and the Bible, and she began to read the Bible
regularly as she stayed with her mother-in-law for a while. She also read books
by Ellen G. White. The voices ceased, and she started to smile. She started to
attend Sabbath services at the Tokyo Chinese church.
Yang-yang’s husband was amazed at the change in his wife. He started
going to church with her and his mother. A year later, they were baptized.
Then Yang-yang’s own mother fell ill, and doctors didn’t know what to do.
Yang-yang asked church members to pray. She told her mother to throw away
the family’s Buddhist idol and trust God instead. As the church members
prayed, her mother made a miraculous recovery.
“Before the prayers, her mother did not believe in Jesus,” Fengyan said.
“But after the prayers, she believes in God.”
The mother got rid of the idol and, several months later, she and her hus-
band were baptized. And that’s not all. Yang-yang and Fengyan have been
telling relatives back in China about God, and several have started attending
Adventist churches there.
Fengyan, 53, credits God and the Tokyo Chinese church for the transforma-
tion of her family. “Every Sabbath we have a place to worship,” she said.
Eight people have been baptized into the Tokyo
Chinese church because of her influence.
The Tokyo Chinese church, the only Chinese-
speaking Adventist church in Japan, opened with
about five members in 2012 through the sup-
port of a Thirteenth Sabbath Offering. Today, the
church is overflowing with 50 members and is
planning to double the size of its sanctuary.
“Pray for us as we grow,” Pastor Yu said.
Watch Li Fengyan, left, sing in the church at: bit.ly/want-to-
kill
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.

12 Web site: www.AdventistMission.org
teachers comments
The Lesson in Brief

Key Texts: Acts 1:1–8, Luke 24:50–53
The Student Will:

Know: Recognize the continuity of the redemptive mission of Jesus.
Feel: Appreciate how the redemptive mission began in the church and
how it obtained its power and impetus.
Do: Examine to what extent that he or she, as Christ’s follower, is com-
mitted to the proclamation of the gospel.
Learning Outline:
I. Know: The Continuity of God’s Redemptive Mission
A How do we know that the good news of salvation is one continuous
story of God’s redemptive mission for sinners?
II. Feel: The Power of the Early Beginnings of the Church

A What does it mean to say that the spread of the gospel was dependent
not on human intelligence and planning, but on the power of the Holy
Spirit?
B The historic expansion of the church was not solely the result of the
work of humans, but of the power of the Holy Spirit. One could even say
that we are studying not so much the Acts of the Apostles this quarter as
we are studying the Acts of the Holy Spirit. How does the book of Acts
confirm this assessment?
III. Do: Be Involved in the Growth of the Church.

A Because the Acts of the Apostles is an unfinished chronicle of the
growth of the church that demands your participation, how complete is
your commitment toward this goal?
Summary: The command of the risen Jesus to His followers is to bear witness
to His saving message. He also provides the enabling to accomplish that
command. “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon
you” (Acts 1:8, NKJV). How have you received that command? In what
ways have you been gripped by that power?
13
teachers comments
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Luke 24:50–52, Acts 1:6–8
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The book of Acts constantly

reminds us that spiritual growth does not take place in a vacuum.
Whatever is accomplished in either our individual lives or in the col-
lective life of the church is a result of the ministry of Jesus, and is
done by the power of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps no other book of the
Bible so clearly, and in such a short span, narrates the birth, growth,
mission, and the continuation of the Christian life as the book of Acts
does. Luke’s five-point initial summary of Acts is remarkable: (1) be
convicted about the mission of Jesus—Acts 1:1–3; (2) be alert and wait
for the reception of the Holy Spirit—Acts 1:4, 5; (3) be more concerned
about the what rather than the when of the kingdom—Acts 1:4–7; (4)
be ready to receive the Spirit—Acts 1:8; (5) be witnesses in every place,
from our homes to the world—Acts 1:8.
Just for Teachers: Without the Acts of the Apostles, our knowledge
and understanding of the beginnings of the Christian church would be
highly impoverished. Although the book carries the title of “Apostles,”
plural, only two apostles play a major role. Peter (Acts 1–15) strides
through church history from Pentecost to the Jerusalem Council, bear-
ing witness to such major events as the Pentecost, the conversion of the
Gentiles, the Council of Jerusalem, and so forth. Paul (Acts 13–28) is the
main character of the book of Acts, drawing the missionary map of the
church, from Jerusalem to Rome. With the mention of John and James
a few times, along with other flagbearers of the church (Stephen, Philip,
Cornelius, Barnabas, John Mark, Priscilla and Aquila, Dorcas, Luke,
and so forth), Acts offers a twofold assurance: (1) everyone who takes
the name of Christ has a role in the mission that bears His name; and (2)
the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached “with all confidence” (Acts
28:31) to the whole world.
Opening Discussion: Acts 28:24 makes a remarkable statement:

“Some were persuaded . . . some disbelieved” (NKJV). Those few
words shout out to the universe that Jesus is the ultimate judge of the
human race. Accept Him, and eternal life is yours. Reject Him, and
damnation is yours. With that as the conclusion of the book of Acts,
Luke closes his narrative of the church with a challenge to those who
14
teachers comments
accept Jesus: preach the kingdom of God; teach all about Jesus with
confidence. Why can it be argued that, as Christians, we have no
greater responsibility?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: Acts 1:1 tells us that before Acts was written,
its author had written a “former account” (NKJV). Both accounts—
the third Gospel and the book of Acts (Luke 1:3, Acts 1:1)—are
addressed to Theophilus, a Greek nobleman of means and culture.
Theophilus is a friend of Luke and possibly a recent convert to
Christ. Given that both Acts and the third Gospel are addressed to
Theophilus, the early church has commonly held that both accounts
were written by one author, Luke. The two accounts of Luke, put
together, may be named “Origin and History of the Christian
Church.” The first account deals with the life and teachings of Jesus
Christ. The second account deals with the spread of the gospel from
Jerusalem to Rome.
Bible Commentary
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “ ‘Your kingdom come’ ” (Matt.
6:10, NKJV), He sowed the seeds of urgent anticipation in the hearts of
not just the Twelve but in generations of His followers. The kingdom is the
motivating theme of His message. To be with God, to live in communion
with the saints of all ages, to move away forever from the kingdom of evil
to the kingdom of righteousness, is the longing of every follower of Jesus.
So, surrounded by the glory of the resurrection power, charged anew by
the immeasurable power of the risen Savior, the disciples asked the ques-
tion that was troubling their hearts: “ ‘Lord, will You at this time restore
the kingdom to Israel?’ ” (Acts 1:6, NKJV). God’s Word answers the query
with an assurance and a mission.
I. The Disciples’ Query
With Satan defeated at the Cross, with death conquered on the resur-
rection morning, the disciples had one question awaiting an answer:
When will the kingdom be established? The kingdom of God is the
central theme of Jesus’ teachings. The word “kingdom” and its asso-
ciated words, such as, “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of Heaven,”
occur again and again in the Gospels: 50 times in Matthew (NKJV), 13
in Mark (NKJV), 37 in Luke (NKJV), and 5 in John (NKJV). Wherever
15
teachers comments
the kingdom reference occurs, there is a sense of newness, urgency, and

expectation. Newness, because the entrance of Jesus in history has intro-
duced a new and dynamic element: God has entered into human space and
time and has brought about a unique change in the created order. Urgency,
because, with Jesus, time takes on a new quality. Time is to be measured,
from Bethlehem on, from the standpoint of a new event. Both the spectrum
of human history and the speck of personal history will have to be dated in
terms of a relationship—b.c. or a.d. Human hope is safe and certain only
within the dynamic of God’s kingdom. Hence the expectation: When will
the kingdom come?
Consider This: “This kingdom is not, as Christ’s hearers had hoped, a

temporal and earthly dominion. Christ was opening to men the spiritual
kingdom of His love, His grace, His righteousness.”—Ellen G. White,
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 8. What must characterize a life
lived in the spirit of God’s kingdom?
II. Christ’s Assurance and Mission (Review John 14:2, 3 and Acts 1:11 with your class.)
To the anxious query of the disciples as to when the kingdom would come,
Jesus gave them an assurance and a mission:
Assurance. Jesus leaves no doubt about the certainty of the kingdom. He
says: “ ‘I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there
you may be also’ ” (John 14:2, 3, NKJV). To remind and reinforce that
assurance, God sent His angels with a post-ascension assurance to the dis-
ciples: “ ‘This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so
come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven’ ” (Acts 1:11, NKJV).
Mission. Christ’s assurance that He will come the second time to estab-
lish His kingdom involves a mission—that the message of His kingdom
and the means to enter that kingdom should be proclaimed to the ends of
the earth. While we may not know the time and the hour of the coming
of the kingdom, the mission of proclaiming that kingdom is ours now
(Acts 1:8).
Consider This: “The gospel commission is the great missionary charter of

Christ’s kingdom. The disciples were to work earnestly for souls, giving to all
the invitation of mercy. They were not to wait for the people to come to them;
they were to go to the people with their message.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts
of the Apostles, p. 28. How much, and in what ways, are you involved in this
task?
16
teachers comments
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: In the study of Acts 1, thus far, we have observed
three truths about the kingdom: (1) We noted the longing of Christ’s dis-
ciples for the establishment of His kingdom. (2) We noted the assurance
of the risen Jesus that the kingdom admits neither delay nor uncertainty.
(3) We noted that the proclamation of the kingdom and its saving message
involves the entire world. There is one area, Acts 1 tells us, that still needed
to be clear in the global mission of the kingdom: filling leadership vacancy.
Discussion Question: How do we fill the vacancy that may arise in

church leadership? Acts 1:15–26 sets down two key qualifications. (1)
Personal experience with Jesus (Acts 1:21): a potential leader should have
lived with Jesus “from . . . baptism . . . day when He was taken up” (Acts
1:21, 22, NKJV). Education, theology, culture, management, and persuasion
are all skills the church could use, but none is a substitute for knowing Jesus
personally, heart to heart, mind to mind, one to One. (2) “A witness with
us of His resurrection” (Acts 1:22, NKJV): resurrection cannot be isolated
from the Cross. The Cross vindicates God’s redemptive plan for sin, and
the Resurrection offers the hope of newness. One cannot be a Christian,
let alone a Christian leader, without experiencing the power of the Cross
and the empty tomb. Experiencing the Resurrection power is imperative to
proclaiming the gospel (1 Cor. 15:8).
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: “God takes men as they are, and educates them
for His service, if they will yield themselves to Him. . . . The weak,
vacillating character becomes changed to one of strength and stead-
fastness. Continual devotion establishes so close a relation between
Jesus and His disciple that the Christian becomes like Him in mind
and character.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 251.
Activities:
 Keeping the above quote in mind, invite volunteers in your class to nar-
rate examples of church leaders, either in history or in current ministry, who
stand as examples of how God makes leaders out of ordinary persons.
 Which biblical characters reflect the principle of God at work in choos-
ing His witnesses? Bear ever in mind, though, that apart from Christ’s
transformative power in their lives, these chosen individuals may not be fit
enough.
17
L esson 2 *July 7–13
Pentecost
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 2:1–4, John 14:16, Acts
2:5–13, Joel 2:28–32, Acts 2:22–39, Ps. 110:1–3.
Memory Text: “This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are
witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and hav-
ing received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has
poured out this that you both see and hear” (Acts 2:32, 33, NRSV).
P
-
entecost” is from the word pentekost - the Greek name for the
e,
Jewish Feast of Weeks (Exod. 34:22); it is also known as the
Feast of the Firstfruits (Num. 28:26). The term means “fiftieth”
and owes its usage to the fact that the feast was celebrated on the
fiftieth day from the offering of the barley sheaf on the first day after
the Passover. It was a day of joy and thanksgiving, when the people
of Israel brought before the Lord “the firstfruits of the wheat harvest”
(Exod. 34:22, NIV).
The feast then became a fitting symbol for the first spiritual harvest
of the Christian church, when the Holy Spirit was poured out more
abundantly than ever before, and three thousand people were baptized
on a single day (Acts 2:41). Following the ascension of Jesus and His
exaltation in heaven, this outpouring of the Spirit was a sudden, super-
natural event that transformed the apostles from simple and obscure
Galileans into men of conviction and courage who would change the
world.
Pentecost often is called the birthday of the church, the time that
Christ’s followers, Jews and (later) Gentiles, were legitimized as God’s
new community on earth.
18
S unday July 8
The Coming of the Spirit

In obedience to Jesus’ command, the believers waited in Jerusalem
for the promise of the Spirit, and they waited amid fervent prayer, sin-
cere repentance, and praise. When the day came, they “were all together
in one place” (Acts 2:1, ESV), probably the same large upper room of
Acts 1. Soon, however, they would move to a more public area (Acts
2:6–13).
Read Acts 2:1–3. What supernatural elements accompanied the out-

pouring of the Spirit?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The scene was intense. There was first a sudden noise from heaven
like the roaring of a violent windstorm that filled the entire place, and
then what looked like flames of fire appeared and rested upon those
there.
In Scripture, wind and fire frequently are associated with a “theo
phany,” or a divine manifestation (for example, Exod. 3:2, 19:18, Deut.
4:15). In addition, wind and fire also may be used to represent the
Spirit of God (John 3:8, Matt. 3:11). In the case of Pentecost, whatever
the precise meaning of such phenomena, they were signs introducing
a unique moment in the history of salvation, the promised outpouring
of the Spirit.
The Spirit always had been at work. Its influence on God’s people
in the Old Testament times was often revealed in a notable way, but
never in its fullness. “During the patriarchal age the influence of the
Holy Spirit had often been revealed in a marked manner, but never in
its fullness. Now, in obedience to the word of the Saviour, the disciples
offered their supplications for this gift, and in heaven Christ added His
intercession. He claimed the gift of the Spirit, that He might pour it
upon His people.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 37.
John the Baptist foretold the baptism with the Spirit by the coming
Messiah (Luke 3:16; compare with Acts 11:16), and Jesus Himself
referred to it several times (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:8). This outpouring
would be His first intercessory act before God (John 14:16, 26; 15:26).
At Pentecost, the promise was fulfilled.
Although the baptism with the Spirit at Pentecost was a unique event
related to Jesus’ victory on the cross and exaltation in heaven, being
filled with the Spirit is an experience to be continuously repeated in the
believers’ lives (Acts 4:8, 31; 11:24; 13:9, 52; Eph. 5:18).
What evidence do you have of the Spirit’s working in your life?
19
M onday July 9
The Gift of Tongues

In Acts 2:4, the gift of the Spirit was manifested through speaking in
tongues. Yet, this gift was only one of many different manifestations of
the Spirit (Acts 10:45, 46; 19:6). Others include foretelling the future
(Acts 11:28), visions (Acts 7:55), inspired speech (Acts 2:8, 28:25),
healing (Acts 3:6, 12; 5:12, 16), and qualification for service (Acts
6:3, 5).
The gift of tongues at Pentecost did not occur because it is the typi-
cal or the most important evidence of the endowment of the Spirit. It
was manifested in order to launch the church’s world mission. That is,
the calling given in Acts 1:8 required the gift of tongues. If the apostles
were to cross cultural barriers and reach the ends of the earth with the
gospel, they would need to be able to speak in the languages of those
who needed to hear what they had to say.
Read Acts 2:5–13. What is the evidence that at Pentecost the apostles
spoke in existing foreign languages?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
It is estimated that in the first century there were eight to ten million
Jews in the world and that up to 60 percent of them lived outside the
land of Judea. Yet, many who were in Jerusalem for the feast were from
foreign lands and could not speak Aramaic, the language of Judean
Jews at that time.
There is no question that most converts at Pentecost were Jews from
various lands who could now hear the gospel in their own native lan-
guages. That the apostles spoke in existing foreign languages, rather
than in unknown ecstatic languages, is evidenced by the term dialektos
(Acts 2:6, 8), which means language of a nation or a region (compare
with Acts 21:40, 22:2, 26:14). Clearly, then, they were speaking in
these different languages. The miracle was that simple Galileans could
now speak a language that, even hours before, they did not know. For
those local Jews who witnessed the scene but were not acquainted with
these languages, the only possible explanation was that the apostles
were drunk, uttering strange sounds that made no sense to them.
“Some, however, made fun of them and said, ‘They have had too much
wine’ ” (Acts 2:13, NIV).
A powerful manifestation of God is happening before their eyes,

and yet these people think it is just drunkenness? How can we be
careful not to be so spiritually blind ourselves?
20
T uesday July 10
Peter’s Sermon
The charge of drunkenness gave Peter the opportunity to explain
what was happening. In his speech, the apostle first pointed to Scripture
(Acts 2:16–21), describing the outpouring of the Spirit as the fulfill-
ment of prophecy.
Compare Acts 2:17 with Joel 2:28. How did Peter understand the
time of fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Joel’s prophecy was about the future age of salvation (Joel 2:32),
which would be characterized by several signs in the natural world
and a lavish outpouring of the Spirit (Joel 2:28–31). By interpreting
the Pentecost event in light of such prophecy, Peter intended to stress
the historical relevance of that moment. But there is an important
difference in the way he quotes Joel. Instead of Joel’s introductory
“afterward” (Joel 2:28), which pointed quite generally to the future,
Peter said “in the last days” (Acts 2:17), indicating that the final act in
the great drama of salvation had just begun. This is not, of course, a
full description of last-day events but an evidence of the high sense of
urgency that distinguished the early church. They did not know when
the end would come but were convinced it would not take long.
Read Acts 2:22–32. What was the main point in Peter’s presentation
of the gospel?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
After highlighting the prophetic significance of Pentecost, Peter
turned to the recent events of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. It is
the resurrection, however, that received greater emphasis, as it repre-
sented the decisive factor in the gospel story. For Peter, the resurrection
was the ultimate vindication of Jesus (Acts 2:22, 27), and he quoted
Scripture to help make his point about the meaning of the resurrection.
Because Jesus was the Messiah, He could not be detained by death.
So for Peter and for all the writers of the New Testament, the resurrec-
tion of Jesus had become powerful evidence, not only of Jesus as the
Messiah but for the whole Christian message of salvation.
With death all around us, always threatening us or our loved

ones, why is the resurrection of Jesus such an important truth?
21
W ednesday July 11
The Exaltation of Jesus

“Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having
received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed
forth this, which ye now see and hear” (Acts 2:33).
In the third part of the speech, Peter went back to the issue of
tongues, which had attracted the people in the first place. Instead of
being drunk, which would have been strange at nine o’clock in the
morning (Acts 2:15), the believers were speaking in tongues because
the Holy Spirit had just been poured out from heaven.
Read Acts 2:33–36. What is the connection between Jesus’ exaltation

at the right hand of God and the outpouring of the Spirit?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The right hand of God is a position of authority (Ps. 110:1–3).
Peter’s argument, which he based on Scripture, is that it was because
Jesus had been elevated to such a position in heaven that He poured
out the Spirit upon His followers. The exaltation did not grant Jesus
a status He did not have before (John 1:1–3, 17:5). Instead, it repre-
sented the Father’s supreme recognition of His prerogative as Lord
and Savior (Acts 2:36).
This event actually brings us to one of the most important themes
in Scripture: the cosmic conflict between good and evil. The point is
that the Spirit could not fully come if Jesus were not exalted (John
7:39), and Jesus would not be exalted if He had not triumphed on the
cross (John 17:4, 5). In other words, Jesus’ exaltation was the condi-
tion for the coming of the Spirit because it signified God’s approval of
Jesus’ accomplishments on the cross, including the defeat of the one
who had usurped the rule of this world (John 12:31).
The entrance of sin into the world cast a shadow upon God. Jesus’
death was necessary, not only to redeem human beings but also to
vindicate God and expose Satan as a fraud. In Jesus’ ministry, the
age of salvation was already at work (Luke 4:18–21). When He cast
out demons or forgave sins, He was releasing Satan’s captives. Yet, it
was the Cross that would give Him full authority to do that. So, when
Christ’s self-sacrifice was authenticated in heaven, Satan had received
a decisive blow, and the Spirit was being poured out to prepare a
people for the coming of Christ.
22
T hursday July 12
The Firstfruits
Peter’s hearers were cut to the heart by his words. Some of them
might have been among those who asked for Jesus’ crucifixion a
few weeks before (Luke 23:13–25). But now, persuaded that Jesus of
Nazareth was indeed God’s appointed Messiah, they cried out in sor-
row: “ ‘What shall we do?’ ” (Acts 2:37).
Read Acts 2:38. What are the two basic requirements for forgiveness?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Repentance means a radical change of direction in life, a turning
away from sin (Acts 3:19, 26:20), rather than simply a feeling of sad-
ness or remorse. Together with faith, true repentance is a gift of God,
but like all gifts, it can be rejected (Acts 5:31–33, 26:19–21, Rom. 2:4).
Since the time of John the Baptist, repentance was associated with bap-
tism (Mark 1:4). That is, baptism became an expression of repentance,
a rite symbolizing the washing away of sins and the moral regenera-
tion produced by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38, 22:16; compare with Titus
3:5–7).
Read Acts 2:38, 39. What special promise is given to those who repent
and are baptized?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The people at Pentecost were offered not only forgiveness of sins but
also the fullness of the Spirit for personal growth, for service in the
church, and especially for mission. This was perhaps the greatest of
all blessings, for the main reason the church exists is to share the good
news of the gospel (1 Pet. 2:9). So, from this point forward, they would
have assurance of salvation and the power of the Holy Spirit, which
would enable them for the mission to which the church had been called.
Why is the realization that we have “the remission of your sins”

so important for anyone who wants to proclaim the gospel? After
all, what hope can you offer to others in Jesus if you don’t have
it yourself?
23
F riday July 13
Further Thought: The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost

revealed a crucial truth about what happened in heaven and about how
God the Father accepted Christ’s sacrifice for the sins of the world. The
outpouring of the Spirit showed, too, that Christ’s work in heaven in our
behalf, based on His sacrifice on earth, was now inaugurated. These
astonishing events are more manifestations of the wonderful truth that
heaven and earth are connected in ways that we just can’t fathom now.
“Christ’s ascension to heaven was the signal that His followers were to
receive the promised blessing. . . . When Christ passed within the heav-
enly gates, He was enthroned amidst the adoration of the angels. As soon
as this ceremony was completed, the Holy Spirit descended upon the
disciples in rich currents, and Christ was indeed glorified, even with the
glory which He had with the Father from all eternity. The Pentecostal out-
pouring was Heaven’s communication that the Redeemer’s inauguration
was accomplished. According to His promise He had sent the Holy Spirit
from heaven to His followers as a token that He had, as priest and king,
received all authority in heaven and on earth, and was the Anointed One
over His people.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 38, 39.
 What of Pentecost can the church expect to experience in its
life today? What is repeatable, and what is not?
 Dwell more on the fact that Peter made the resurrection of

Jesus such an important part of his Pentecost message. What
made the resurrection even more astonishing is that whatever
Jewish Messianic expectations had existed at the time, no one was
expecting a Messiah to be resurrected from the dead. That was
not on anyone’s spiritual radar; it was not what those awaiting the
coming of the Messiah had anticipated. What lessons can we learn
from this about how we need to know what the Bible teaches, as
opposed to whatever the latest popular teachings are?
 Acts 2:38 talked about the need of baptism. Does this mean
that anyone who believed in Jesus but died before being baptized
must, of necessity, be lost? Justify your answer.
24
i n s i d e
Story
Best Friends
By Batdelger Battsetseg
My first visit to church was in the ninth grade. The reason is rather
embarrassing. I went because my best friend decided to sleep with her
boyfriend.
But first my friend, Otko, asked for my advice outside our high school in
Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar. I was just 16, but I was sure that she was
making a bad decision. I told her not to do it. Then, just to make sure, I
asked my older sister what she thought. My sister, who attended a Seventh-
day Adventist church, went straight to Otko and told her to wait until she
got married.
Otko was furious that I had revealed her secret. She said bad things about
me to my classmates, and they started to ignore me. In a single week, I lost
my best friend and all my friends at school.
I felt so lonely. I asked my sister if I could go with her to church. The
people at church welcomed me. They were warm and friendly, and they
taught me about God. After a few months, my classmates slowly began to
talk to me again. They noticed that I was going to church, and they asked,
“What are you doing? Why are you going to church?” I told them that I was
becoming a Christian.
But I wasn’t so open with my parents. My parents are Buddhists, as
are most people in Mongolia, and they were angry about my interest in
Christianity. I kept attending church every Sabbath, but I hid that from
my parents. Eventually I told the truth and discovered that my parents had
known all along. They accepted my decision to get baptized.
A year and a half after Otko stopped being my friend, she came to my
house one evening to acknowledge that I had been right. She sadly told me
that she had gotten pregnant and had had an abortion. “But,” she said, “You
are a heavenly person. I don’t want to lose you as a friend. I’m willing to
even die for you.”
Otko didn’t know it, but her words are also in the Bible. In John 15:13,
Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this,
than to lay down one’s life for his friends”
(NKJV).
Otko and I are good friends to this day, but my
best Friend gave His life for me.
Batdelger Battsetseg, 32, left, is the fifth-grade teacher
at Tusgal School, the only Adventist school in Mongolia.
This quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help
build a boarding academy for the school’s 9th- to 12th-
grade students, freeing up classroom space for more
elementary school students.

Web site: www.AdventistMission.org 25
teachers comments
The Lesson in Brief

Key Texts: Acts 2:1–13, 22–39; Joel 2:28–32
The Student Will:

Know: Recognize the foundational importance of the Pentecost.
Feel: Experience the influence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the
Christian as an individual and in the church as a community.
Do: Share real-life incidents of how the Holy Spirit enriched his or her
personal and community life.
Learning Outline:
I. Know: The Promise and the Pentecost
A What are some of the promises that Jesus made regarding the Holy
Spirit (read John 14:15–18, 16:8–14, Acts 1:8)?
B How were these promises fulfilled at Pentecost (read Acts 2:1–12;
16–21, 38, 39)?
II. Feel: The Preparation and the Proclamation

A How were the disciples prepared to receive the Spirit on the Day of
Pentecost (read Acts 2:1, 2)?
B Is it possible to separate the reception of the Spirit and the proclama-
tion of the message He gives? Explain.
C At Pentecost, how did the Spirit enable the disciples to proclaim the
message given to them?
III. Do: The Power of the Spirit and the Harvest of Souls
A When God’s redemptive plan is preached through the power of the
Holy Spirit, what kind of results may be expected (read Acts 2:36–41)?
Summary: At Pentecost, when the disciples gathered in one accord, in study and
prayer, God poured out upon them the Holy Spirit. How can we experience
this outpouring today?
26
teachers comments
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Acts 2:38
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: Even though Pentecost is not
the first bestowal of the Holy Spirit upon God’s people, we should never
forget that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost represents a
mighty occurrence in the history of redemption. The risen Jesus spent
40 days with His disciples, teaching them, no doubt, about the meaning
of the Cross and the empty tomb, about the fulfillment of the promise
that He would not leave His followers helpless after His ascension (John
14:16, 17), and about the outpouring of the Spirit to fulfill the great gos-
pel commission (Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 1:8). The Spirit that was present at
Creation and in the new-birth experience (John 3:5) also is the Spirit who
will conclude the gospel commission.
Just for Teachers: While Pentecost is a significant event in church
history, we must not make the mistake of assuming that the work of the
Spirit began only on that day. God the Father, God the Son, and God the
Spirit are eternally present, coeternal, coexistent, and coequal. When God
said, “ ‘Let Us make man in Our image’ ” (Gen. 1:26, NKJV), He refers
to the plurality of three Persons and the singularity of one purpose. When
Paul says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Tim. 3:16), he
refers to the active role of the Holy Spirit in the Written Word of God.
From Creation to the new heavens and new earth, all three members of
the Godhead are active participants. This week’s lesson on the Holy Spirit
gives us fresh emphasis on how the Spirit works both within the individual
disciple and in the community of the faithful. Luke mentions the Holy
Spirit some 55 times in the book of Acts (NKJV), leading some scholars to
describe the book as the gospel of the Holy Spirit. The early church was
indeed a Spirit-filled church. So must today’s church be.
Activity: From the time of the Pentecost, the Holy Spirit became the
overwhelming reality of the life and ministry of the church. Invite some
class members to choose one of the following passages and indicate how
the Spirit guided the work of the church:
Acts 2:14–21
Acts 4:31
Acts 8:29
27
teachers comments
Acts 10:19; 11:12
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: Though a Gentile, Luke had a commanding grasp of

Jewish history, customs, and laws. Thus, in his account of the beginnings of
the Christian church, Luke leans on the Old Testament feasts of Passover
and Pentecost. Passover memorializes God’s deliverance of Israel from
Egyptian bondage (Exod. 12:1–28, Lev. 23:5–8), and Pentecost is a festival
of gratitude to God for the firstfruits (Exod. 34:22, Num. 28:26) and harvest
(Exod. 23:16). The New Testament interprets the Passover as being ful-
filled at the Cross: “Christ, our Passover, . . . sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7,
NKJV). The New Testament also sees the Pentecost, coming 50 days after
the Passover/Crucifixion, as being fulfilled in the events of Acts 2 when
the descent of the Holy Spirit yielded the first great harvest of 3,000 souls
(Acts 2:41). Let this week’s lesson study reinforce three aspects of the Holy
Spirit: (1) preparations for receiving the Spirit; (2) Spirit-filled preaching;
(3) the results of Spirit-filled preaching.
Bible Commentary
I. Preparations for the Spirit (Review Acts 2:1–13 with your class.)
After His resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days with His disciples, “speaking
of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). Their time with
Jesus was perhaps the most intense preparation period for the disciples—
both for knowing more about the gospel and for the task of taking the
gospel to the ends of the earth. Jesus “commanded them not to depart from
Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4, NKJV).
Evangelism, without the infilling of the Spirit, is empty and futile. Hence,
the preparation: “These days of preparation were days of deep heart search-
ing. The disciples felt their spiritual need and cried to the Lord for the holy
unction that was to fit them for the work of soul saving. . . . They were
weighted with the burden of the salvation of souls. They realized that the
gospel was to be carried to the world, and they claimed the power that Christ
had promised.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 37.
The disciples waited. They prayed. They studied. Then suddenly on the
Day of Pentecost, when they were all together in unity in one place, in
prayer and purpose (Acts 2:1), it happened. God’s Spirit, like a “rushing
mighty wind,” filled the house, “and they were all filled with the Holy
Spirit” (Acts 2:2, 4, NKJV). With the coming of the Spirit, all the days
the disciples had spent with Jesus—all their questionings, the Cross, the
28
teachers comments
open tomb—were imbued with a deeper meaning and significance.
Consider This: One incident that “amazed and marvelled” the multitudes that
gathered in Jerusalem from different parts of the world is that each group heard
the disciples preach in their own language (Acts 2:7, 8). At least 16 such language
groups are identified in Acts 2:9–11. What do you understand is meant by this
“gift of tongues”? (Compare with 1 Corinthians 14.)
II. Spirit-Filled Preaching (Review Acts 2:14–19 with your class.)
The first sermon of the Christian church, recorded in Acts 2:14–39, gives
us three essentials of preaching—its inspiration, its rooting, and its content.
Inspiration for preaching remains the same today as it was on Pentecost:
“They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak” (Acts 2:4,
NKJV). Without the empowering of the Spirit, without total commitment
to the Word that the Spirit has inspired, no real preaching can take place.
It is the Spirit’s power that empowered Peter to preach his first sermon. A
preacher is born, not out of scholarship or eloquence or skill or wealth, but
of the Spirit. A sermon is a miracle wrought by the Spirit, constructed out
of commitment to the Scripture, and expressed through humble lips of clay.
The rooting of every sermon is God’s Word. Nearly fifty percent of Peter’s
sermon in Acts 2 is quotations from the Old Testament. A sermon that does
not spring from the Bible cannot make the Living Word come alive before
the congregation. Without the inspired Word, how could we speak about the
Incarnate Word? A sermon must begin with that understanding and be rooted
firmly in God’s revelation. It is that biblical perspective, illuminated by the
Holy Spirit, that led the apostles to connect what was happening on that day to
Joel’s prophecy. “This is that,” Peter thundered (Acts 2:16). Preaching must be
able to connect the present with the past and then point to the future.
The content of the sermon must always be Jesus—Jesus incarnate, crucified,
risen, ascended, soon to return. To Jesus’ followers, there was no doubt about it:
“The disciples were to carry their work forward in Christ’s name. Their every
word and act was to fasten attention on His name, as possessing that vital power
by which sinners may be saved. . . . Christ’s name was to be their watchword, their
badge of distinction, their bond of union, the authority for their course of action,
and the source of their success.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 28.
Consider This: Peter’s sermon often refers to “This Jesus.” How does the
apostle use this phrase to convict his audience?
III. The Results of Spirit-Filled Preaching (Review Acts 2:38–42 with your class.)
Effective, Spirit-filled preaching must lead the audience to one singular goal:
29
teachers comments
indeed, the audience must be “cut to the heart” and ask, “ ‘What shall we
do?’ ” (Acts 2:37, NKJV). The Pentecostal preaching, with the manifest
display of the Spirit’s power and with the apostle’s Bible-centered and
Spirit-empowered preaching, shook the city of Jerusalem, and the masses
turned to Peter, asking, “ ‘What shall we do?’ ” No sermon should end
without someone asking that question. Preaching is not entertainment. It is
not information doled out. Preaching is talking about “this Jesus,” leading
the people to His Cross, showing them His wounds, describing His triumph,
offering them His hope, and inviting them to accept Him as their Lord and
Savior. A sermon that does not invite listeners to respond to Jesus reflects
either the preacher’s timidity or lack of confidence in the Holy Spirit’s power
to change lives.
Consider This: An effective sermon should bring the sinner to baptism in the
name of Jesus. It should affirm the saint in the reception of the Holy Spirit. How
can a modern disciple of Jesus make such a sermon a part of his or her life?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Are you surprised at the result of Pentecost? A bap-
tism of 3,000 on a single day in Jerusalem! Where there is the Word, where
there is the Spirit, there is power, and the church grows. That was Peter’s
message. And that is our challenge.
Thought Question: From the beginning of their history, Adventists have

been known for evangelism. Are our evangelistic methods effective today?
If not, why not?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Among some Christian groups, speaking in tongues

is held as an essential sign of having received the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:6
speaks of varied language groups that had assembled in Jerusalem, hear-
ing the message in their own language. Some were amazed. Others thought
that the group was drunk. The issue of speaking in tongues has been prob-
lematic in the church ever since. The apostle Paul gives some good advice
on how to deal with the issue of speaking in tongues in a way that does
not negatively affect unity among believers. Discuss Paul’s advice to the
church regarding the subject of tongues in 1 Corinthians 14.
30
Life in the Early Church
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 2:42–46; Acts 4:34, 35;
Acts 3:1–26; Acts 4:1–18; Acts 5:1–11; Acts 5:34–39.
Memory Text: “Every day they continued to meet together in the

temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together
with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of
all the people” (Acts 2:46, 47, NIV).
T
he early church’s sense of urgency could not have been stronger.
The way that Jesus had answered the question concerning the
establishment of the Messianic kingdom, leaving the issue of
time open (Acts 1:6–8), could be understood to mean that everything
depended on the coming of the Spirit and the completion of the apostolic
mission. So, when Pentecost came, early believers thought that every-
thing was fulfilled: they had received the Spirit and shared the gospel
with the whole world. Not that the apostles had left Jerusalem and had
gone out to the world, but the world had come to them (Acts 2:5–11).
What happened next was the church’s detachment from material
goods. Sensing that the time was short, they sold all they had and
devoted themselves to learning and to fellowship while continuing to
witness about Jesus, but only in Jerusalem. The communal life they
developed, though effective in helping the poor, soon became a prob-
lem, and God had to intervene to keep the church united. This was also
the time when they began to find themselves facing opposition. Yet
amid it all, their faith remained unshakeable.
31
S unday July 15
Teaching and Fellowship

After Pentecost, Luke shifts the narrative to a general description of
the inner life of the church in Jerusalem. “And they continued stead-
fastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread,
and in prayers” (Acts 2:42, NKJV). The four items noted appear to be
basically teaching and fellowship. According to verse 46, the teach-
ing was carried out in the temple, while the fellowship was in private
homes.
The temple court was surrounded by roofed porches that were fre-
quently used for rabbinic instruction. That the believers devoted them-
selves to the apostles’ teaching shows that the gift of the Spirit did not
lead them to a contemplative religion but to an intense learning process
under the apostles, whose authoritative teaching was authenticated by
wonders and signs (Acts 2:43).
Spiritual fellowship was another distinctive mark of early Christian
piety. The believers were constantly together, not only in the temple
but also in their homes, where they shared meals, celebrated the Lord’s
Supper, and prayed (Acts 2:42, 46). By having such daily celebrations,
the early Christians expressed their hope in Jesus’ soon return, when
His fellowship with them would be restored in the Messianic kingdom
(Matt. 26:29).
Private homes played a key role in the early church’s life. The believ-
ers still attended the temple’s daily ceremonies (Acts 3:1), and on
Sabbaths they presumably were in the synagogues with their fellow
Jews (James 2:2), but the distinctive elements of Christian devotion
were performed in homes.
Read Acts 2:44, 45; 4:34, 35. What was an important aspect of early
Christian fellowship?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Believing that the end was near, they decided that their material pos-
sessions, “private property” (to use a more up-to-date term), was not
that important anymore. A common use of their material resources,
therefore, seemed appropriate. There was no reason to worry about
tomorrow, as the Messiah Himself would provide for their needs in the
Messianic kingdom (Luke 22:29, 30). This sharing allowed them to
experience a deeper sense of unity, besides becoming an extraordinary
example of Christian generosity.
How generous are you with what you have been given from the
Lord?
32
M onday July 16
The Healing of a Lame Man

In Acts 3:1, Peter and John went to the temple for the three o’clock
prayer service. This indicates the essentially Jewish character of the
church’s faith at this early period. That is, the apostles did not go to
the temple only to instruct or make new converts but because Peter and
John were still Jews and, as such, were still committed to Jewish reli-
gious traditions (Acts 20:16, 21:17–26), at least up to this point. There
they performed an astounding miracle (Acts 3:1–10), which gave Peter
the opportunity to preach another sermon.
Read Acts 3:12–26. What are some of Peter’s main emphases in his
sermon?
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_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Five main points characterized early Christian preaching: Jesus was
the suffering Messiah (Acts 3:18); God resurrected Him (Acts 3:15);
Jesus was exalted in heaven (Acts 3:13); He will come again (Acts 3:20);
and repentance is necessary for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 3:19).
In many ways, this is the same message we are taking to the world,
even if the context has changed. The apostles were still in a Jewish set-
ting, when instead of changing religions the people basically just had
to “migrate” from the old covenant to the new one. As part of God’s
people, they had to accept the Messiah and experience the new birth
that follows a true acceptance of Jesus.
Now, though the situation is different, the message is still essentially
the same: Christ died for our sins, was resurrected, and He will return.
This means, then, that we can find salvation in Him. Even in the con-
text of the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14, Jesus Christ cruci-
fied, Jesus Christ risen, and Jesus Christ returning must be the center
of how we proclaim those messages.
“Of all professing Christians, Seventh-day Adventists should be fore-
most in uplifting Christ before the world. The proclamation of the third
angel’s message calls for the presentation of the Sabbath truth. This
truth, with others included in the message, is to be proclaimed; but the
great center of attraction, Christ Jesus, must not be left out. It is at the
cross of Christ that mercy and truth meet together, and righteousness
and peace kiss each other. The sinner must be led to look to Calvary;
with the simple faith of a little child he must trust in the merits of the
Saviour, accepting His righteousness, believing in His mercy.”—Ellen
G. White, Gospel Workers, pp. 156, 157.
33
T uesday July 17
The Rise of Opposition

It was not long until the church’s success aroused opposition from
some Jerusalem leaders. The Jerusalem temple was run by the high
priest and his associates, most of whom were Sadducees. The high
priest was also the president of the Sanhedrin council, which in those
days was composed mostly of Sadducees and Pharisees. Because the
Sadducees did not believe in resurrection, they were greatly disturbed
that Peter and John were teaching that Jesus had been raised from the
dead. Arrested by the temple guards, the apostles were put in custody
until the following day, when they were brought before the council
(Acts 4:1–7).
Read Acts 4:1–18. When asked by what authority they had been act-
ing, how did Peter reply? What was the underlying message in what
Peter said that the leaders would have found so threatening?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The challenge about authority posed by the Jewish leaders suggests
a concern for power. Peter, however, declared not only that the miracle
had been performed in the name of Jesus but also that salvation comes
from Him only. The apostles were before the highest Jewish body; yet,
they were in the service of a much higher authority. These men were
simple, unschooled Galilean fishermen; thus, their courage and elo-
quence struck those who were there. Although the leaders did not real-
ize it, the point was that the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit,
exactly as Jesus had foretold (Matt. 10:16–20).
Without being able to deny the miracle—the healed man was also
present so that all could see him—the Sanhedrin commanded the
apostles to stop preaching. They feared the message as much as the
increasing popularity of the movement. Failing to evaluate the evidence
properly, they allowed prejudice and desire for self-protection to dictate
their actions.
Peter’s final words are among the most precious gems of the book
of Acts: “ ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more
than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we
have seen and heard’ ” (Acts 4:19, 20, NKJV).
Think about the desire for power and how potentially dangerous
it can be, at any level and in any context. As Christians called
to be servants, why must we be careful about the lure of power?
34
W ednesday July 18
Ananias and Sapphira

The pooling of goods in the early church was not compulsory; that
is, it was not a formal condition of membership. Yet, there certainly
were several examples of voluntary generosity that inspired the whole
community. One such example was Barnabas (Acts 4:36, 37), who will
play an important role later in the book.
However, there were also negative examples that threatened the unity
of the church from within, right at a time when attacks from without
had just begun.
Read Acts 5:1–11. What are the lessons of this story?

_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Though Luke has not given us all the details, there is no question that
the fundamental problem of Ananias and Sapphira was not the attempt
to keep the money, but the practice of deceit within the community.
Their sin was not the result of an impulsive act but of a carefully laid
plan, a deliberate attempt “to test the Spirit of the Lord” (Acts 5:9,
ESV). They were not under the obligation to sell their property and
give the money to the church. Thus, when they committed themselves
to doing so, perhaps they were acting in their own interest only, maybe
even trying to gain influence among the brethren with what appeared
to be a commendable act of charity.
This possibility may help to explain why God punished them so severely.
Even if the church’s communal life resulted from the conviction that Jesus
was just about to come, an act like that of Ananias and Sapphira at such an
early stage could disparage the importance of loyalty to God and become
a bad influence among the believers. The fact that there is no mention of
Ananias’s being given the chance to repent, as in the case of Sapphira (Acts
5:8), may be due only to the shortness of the account.
The bottom line is that, from the beginning to the end, they had acted
sinfully, and sin is a serious matter in God’s eyes (Ezek. 18:20, Rom.
6:23), even if He does not always punish it immediately. In fact, that
punishment is often deferred should constantly remind us of how gra-
cious God is (2 Pet. 3:9).
Why must we be careful about pushing the limits of grace, as

these two early members of the church did?
_____________________________________________________
35
T hursday July 19
The Second Arrest

If the apostles could be used to bring God’s judgment on sin, as in
Ananias and Sapphira’s case, they could also be used to bring God’s
grace on sinners. Their powerful healing ministry (Acts 5:12–16) was
tangible evidence that God’s Spirit was working through them. That
even Peter’s shadow, it was believed, could heal people is striking.
The closest parallel in the Gospels is that of a woman who was healed
by touching Jesus’ garment (Luke 8:43, 44). Luke, however, does not
say that Peter’s shadow actually had healing power but that the people
thought so. Yet, even if popular superstition was involved, God would
still dispense His grace.
Notwithstanding, the more the apostles were filled with the Spirit,
and signs and wonders multiplied, the more the religious leaders were
filled with jealousy. This led them to arrest the apostles a second time
(Acts 5:17, 18). It was only after their miraculous escape (Acts 5:19–
24) and another bold speech by Peter, stressing that they should “obey
God rather than men” (Acts 5:29), that some of the authorities began to
consider the possibility that supernatural influences could be at work.
Read Acts 5:34–39. How did Gamaliel try to dissuade the Sanhedrin
from killing the apostles?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The Sanhedrin was controlled by the Sadducees, with the Pharisees
forming an influential minority. Gamaliel was a Pharisee and a doctor
of the law. He was so highly regarded among the Jews that he became
known as “Rabban” (“our teacher”), rather than simply “Rabbi” (“my
teacher”). Paul was one of his disciples (Acts 22:3).
Gamaliel recalled two other rebel movements in Israel’s recent his-
tory that had also attracted followers and caused turmoil. The leaders,
however, were killed and their followers were completely dispersed.
The lesson he drew was that if the Christian movement was of human
origin, it would soon disappear. On the other hand, if it was a divine
movement, as claimed by the apostles, how could they hope to with-
stand it? Gamaliel’s advice prevailed. The apostles were flogged and
once again commanded not to speak in Jesus’ name.
What does this story tell us about how needful and helpful good coun-
sel can often be? How can we learn to be more open to getting counsel
even when it may consist of what we don’t necessarily want to hear?
36
F riday July 20
Further Thought: “We are stewards, entrusted by our absent Lord

with the care of His household and His interests, which He came to this
world to serve. He has returned to heaven, leaving us in charge, and He
expects us to watch and wait for His appearing. Let us be faithful to
our trust, lest coming suddenly He find us sleeping.”—Ellen G. White,
Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 37.
“The people need to be impressed with the sacredness of their vows
and pledges to the cause of God. Such pledges are not generally held
to be as obligatory as a promissory note from man to man. But is a
promise less sacred and binding because it is made to God? Because
it lacks some technical terms, and cannot be enforced by law, will the
Christian disregard the obligation to which he has given his word? No
legal note or bond is more obligatory than a pledge made to the cause
of God.”—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 1056.
 Among many other things, Jesus left two immediate legacies to
the disciples: the expectation of His soon return and a worldwide
mission. How should these two factors impact our sense of mission
and the call to preach the gospel to the world?
 Someone once said: “We should be ready as if Jesus would

come today but continue working [in the mission of the church] as
if He would take another hundred years to come.” What wisdom
is found in this sentiment, and how can we apply it to our calling
in life?
 Why must the life, death, resurrection, and return of Jesus be

central to all that we preach? Or look at it like this: What good is
anything we preach without these events?
 What should the story of Ananias and Sapphira teach about

just how difficult it is for us to know the hearts of others, either
for good or for evil?
 Who are some modern-day Gamaliels whom you know? Or,

perhaps, are you in a position to play that role for others? Either
way, in class share examples about how the giving or the receiving
of wise counsel did some good. What lessons can we learn from
these accounts?
37
i n s i d e
Story
Too Scared to Adopt
By Sang Sook Park
Since I was a little girl, I wanted to adopt a child. The desire remained
strong after I got married and raised a son, but I feared I wasn’t quali-
fied.
Finally, I filled out the paperwork. “Send me a child whom I can han-
dle,” I prayed. “Give me this sign that the adopted child is from You: Make
the first child I meet the one whom You want me to adopt.”
This was my prayer for two and a half months. Then the orphanage sent
a two-year-old girl, Bomin. But when she arrived, she just glared at me. I
wanted to win her heart, so I gave her food and a doll. But she flung down
the doll, and she wouldn’t allow me to touch her. I sent Bomin back to
the orphanage.
“I’m too scared to adopt,” I told my husband.
But I sensed God saying, “What happened to all your prayers and
request for a sign that the first child would be chosen by Me?” I wept and
told God, “I’m too scared to live with this child.”
But then I changed my prayer. “If I’m supposed to take this child, give
me confidence and the assurance that You will raise her,” I prayed. “If I’m
not supposed to adopt her, remove this heavy burden that I have to adopt
a child.”
I prayed this for five days. On the fifth day, I read 2 Samuel 24:14 dur-
ing my devotions and realized that this was the answer. In this verse, King
David says, “I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the
Lord, for His mercies are great.”
I remembered that God always had led me and I knew He would con-
tinue to care for my family with great mercy. I decided to fall into the
hand of the Lord.
“Let’s go get the child,” I told my husband.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as we drove to the orphanage. I could
still see those glaring eyes. Then I thought, Wait, I’m going to meet this
precious daughter of mine. I prayed, “God, help us love her.”
We waited a short time at the orphanage,
and then Bomin entered the room. She qui-
etly walked over to me and put her tiny hands
into mine. It felt as if the Lord were holding
my hands. I prayed, “I will lead this hand to
heaven.” And we went home.
Sang Sook Park, 58, left, runs an adoption agency
called Morning Calm Family, which has placed 238 chil-
dren in 160 Adventist families in South Korea over the
past decade. She has adopted four children.

teachers comments
The Lesson in Brief

Key Texts: Acts 2:41–47, 4:32–37, 5:1–11
The Student Will:

Know: Recognize the importance of the right response to the gospel call.
Feel: Nurture a new relationship with God and the community of faith.
Do: Resolve to live and share his or her faith.
Learning Outline:
I. Know: Basic Responses
A What are some of the negative and positive responses expected from
new believers?
B How does one reject the negative and affirm the positive responses?
II. Feel: Nurturing New Relationships

A How did the early church nurture new relationships?
B What factors strengthen/weaken community relationships?
C How does sacrificial giving help in the gospel proclamation and com-
munity building?
III. Do: Advancing the Cause While Facing Adversity

A How did the early church face adversity, even as it advanced in church
growth?
B How do we react to various personalities in the early church:
Barnabas, Paul, Ananias, and Sapphira?
Summary: The church is engaged not only in the advancement of the gospel
commission but also in overcoming Satan’s attempts to thwart the church’s
mission.
39
teachers comments
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Acts 2:41–47
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The outpouring of the Holy

Spirit at Pentecost brought about two great miracles among the
disciples (Acts 2:40–47). First, they saw the universal nature of the
gospel: Jesus is the Savior not just to “you and to your children” (that
is, to Jews only), but “to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our
God will call” (Acts 2:39, NKJV). Second, the disciples learned that
church growth depends not on what humans can achieve but on what
the Spirit can accomplish through the study of the Word, through
the fostering of spiritual fellowship, and through living a life of faith
and witness.
Just for Teachers: To be baptized in the name of Jesus and to receive

the Holy Spirit are just the first steps in becoming members of God’s
family. After those initial steps, church members have several experiences
to walk through: steadfastness in doctrine, growth in fellowship, “break-
ing of bread,” personal and public prayer life, house-to-house visitation,
simplicity of life, and church growth (see Acts 2:42–47). Discuss the
importance of such a wholistic church life.
Discussion Question: “Under the training of Christ the disciples

had been led to feel their need of the Spirit. Under the Spirit’s teaching
they received the final qualification, and went forth to their lifework.”
—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 45. Note in this quotation
two phrases: “under . . . Christ” and “under the Spirit.” What do these
phrases mean to you?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: What is the church? Is it that imposing building at

the corner of Main Street and Market Avenue? Is it a club of like-minded
people getting together to promote common interests and welfare? Is it
a center for the prevention of cruelty to human beings? Is it a meeting-
house where people meet for worship, study, and prayer each Sabbath?
Is it a charitable society to care for the needy, the sick, and the hungry?
While there may be something in such statements, consider the following:
“Enfeebled and defective as it may appear, the church is the one object
upon which God bestows in a special sense His supreme regard. It is the
40
teachers comments
theater of His grace, in which He delights to reveal His power to transform

hearts.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 12.
This week’s lesson points to three factors about the church: a fellowship
of the saved; a living and Cross-centered body of believers; and a church
body of wonder, unity, and troubles.
Bible Commentary
I. The Church: Fellowship of the Saved (Review Acts 2:42–45; 4:34, 35 with
your class.)
“Be saved” (Acts 2:40, NKJV). That was Peter’s final appeal of his
Pentecostal sermon. What did Peter mean by this plea? He himself pro-
vided the answer: “Be saved from this perverse generation” (NKJV). To be
saved is a twofold experience. First, it is a rejection of, and escape from,
the perversities of life. It is to repent of sin and reject all its allurements.
Second, to be saved means to belong wholly and unreservedly to the One
who saves—Jesus. Where there is a conscientious and continual rejec-
tion of sin and total acceptance of the call of Jesus, salvation becomes a
reality. Those who are thus saved constitute the church, the body of Christ.
Salvation precedes church membership.
The New Testament uses the word “church” to translate the Greek word
ekklesia, which literally means “called out.” Most frequently, “the church” is
used to describe those who are called out from sin to righteousness, from self-
centeredness to Christ-centeredness, from the fading things of this world to
the unshakable realities of the home above. The “called” ones believe in Jesus
as the Son of God, accept Him as their Savior and Lord, and come together to
study His Word, to worship Him as their Lord, and to share His message with
those who do not know Him. Faith, fellowship, study, worship, and witness are
some of the essential marks of the church. With that in view, Jesus made His
promise: “ ‘I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail
against it’ ” (Matt. 16:18, NKJV).
Consider This: “Those who at Pentecost were endued with power from
on high, were not thereby freed from further temptation and trial.”—Ellen G.
White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 49. To belong to the church is not a guar-
antee that one shall continue to be in Christ or live a life free from sorrow and
suffering. What, then, should we do to remain unshakeable members of the
body of Christ, despite adversity and temptation?
II. The Church: A Living and Cross-Centered Body (Review Acts 3, 4:1–31 with
your class.)
41
teachers comments
A living church is a growing church. At Pentecost 3,000 people from some

15 linguistic regions of the world (Acts 2:9–11, 41) accepted Jesus as their
Lord and Savior and were filled with the Spirit. Thus began the church, and
“the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47,
NKJV). From that time on, a new element entered human history, challenging
the religious and philosophic systems of the world, and letting the world know
“assuredly that God has made this Jesus, [who was] . . . crucified, both Lord
and Christ” (Acts 2:36, NKJV). Because of that crucified One, all humanity will
be called to account as to how they relate to Jesus: accept Him as their Savior
and enter into everlasting life; or reject Him and ignore Him as though He does
not matter, and face the consequence of eternal death. The Cross thus becomes
the great divider between eternal life and eternal death. Those who choose to
be identified with the Lord of the Cross become the body of the living Christ.
Consider This: “Every Christian saw in his brother a revelation of divine love
and benevolence. . . . The ambition of the believers was to reveal the likeness of
Christ’s character and to labor for the enlargement of His kingdom.”—Ellen G.
White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 48. We, as Christians, must emulate this expe-
rience of the early believers. How do we do that?
III. The Church: A Body of Wonders, Community, and Problems (Review Acts 3;
4; 5:1–11 with your class.)
The divine initiative and the human participants in the composition of the
church make it a body marked by wonder, community, and trouble.
First, observe the wonder of growth: “The Lord added to the church daily”
(Acts 2:47). The mathematics of the early church growth is staggering: 12, 120,
3,000, other daily additions, 5,000 (Acts 4:4), and before the century was over,
the whole world had become the parish of faith and the target for evangelism. The
wonder moves further, as the gospel is preached into all the world, bringing per-
sonal freedom to a man lame from birth. Here was a case of supreme wretched
ness. This man was physically burdened, socially scorned, and condemned to beg
for coin or a piece of bread from the temple goers. But suddenly he finds a glim-
mer of hope in what Peter had to say: “ ‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I
do have I give you: . . . the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth’ ” (Acts 3:6, NKJV).
In that Name, the apostle commanded the lame man to “ ‘rise up and walk’ ”
(Acts 3:6, NKJV), and instantly the unseen resurrection power of Jesus made life
in all its fullness flow through the dead nerves and tissues of the lame man and
set him “walking, leaping, and praising God” (Acts 3:8, NKJV). Jesus continues
to remain the resource of redemption, renewal, and revitalization.
Second, observe the fellowship of unity in the early church, as well as
the tragedy that afflicted it. The church experienced oneness not only “in the
42
teachers comments
apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts
2:42, NKJV), but also in the community of fellowship (Acts 4:34, 35). Loving
God and living with fellow believers in shared faith and means became the
open symbol of joyful fellowship: “All who believed were together, and had all
things in common” (Acts 2:44, NKJV). Hence, Barnabas, who “having land,
sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:36, 37,
NKJV), set a prime example of what it means to live the shared life of Christian
communion. Barnabas (Acts 4:36) experienced Jesus fully. His gratitude was
total and unreserved, his character was clear and clean, his life was transformed
and transparent. He knew Jesus, and Jesus knew him. He became the force
behind the powerful church of Antioch and behind the making of Paul (Acts
9:27; 11:25, 26). But within the church also lay the seeds of tragedy: while the
church is the abode of the faithful, it also has the element of the self-centered.
While Christian journey embraces the grace and goodness of Barnabas, it also
contains the avarice and pretension of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–11). The
truthfulness of Christian community is constantly challenged by the ease with
which counterfeit claims and pseudo-experiences can compete for abode.
Consider This: We are given the parables of the wheat and the tares, the goat
and the sheep (Matt. 13:24–30, 25:31–46), regarding the faithful and unfaithful
dwelling within the church. How do we differentiate between the two groups?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: “Follow the light you have. Set your heart to obey
what you do know of the word of God. His power, His very life, dwells in
His word. . . . You are building on God’s word, and your character will be
builded after the similitude of the character of Christ.”—Ellen G. White,
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessings, p. 150.
Thought/Application Questions:
 What does it mean to be a Christian? How does this affect becoming
and being a faithful church member?
 How does our relationship with the Word of God affect our life within
the church?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Consider the differences in character between

Barnabas and Ananias and Sapphira. Discuss the following:
1. Assuming all three individuals were exposed to the truth in the
same degree, why did they bear different fruits in life?
2. How can the best of intentions turn into spiritual disasters?
43
The First Church Leaders
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 6, Acts 7:48, Heb.
5:11–14, Micah 6:1–16, Acts 7, Acts 8:4–25.
Memory Text: “The word of God continued to spread; the num-

ber of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great
many of the priests became obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7, NRSV).
M
any converts at Pentecost were Hellenistic Jews; that is,
Jews from the Greco-Roman world who now were living in
Jerusalem (Acts 2:5, 9–11). Despite being Jews, they were
different from Judean Jews—the “Hebrews” mentioned in Acts 6:1—in
many respects, the most visible difference being that usually they were
not acquainted with Aramaic, the language then spoken in Judea.
There were several other differences, too, both cultural and religious.
For having been born in foreign countries, they had no roots in Judean
Jewish traditions, or at least their roots were not as deep as those of
Judean Jews. They were presumably not so much attached to the temple
ceremonies and to those aspects of the Mosaic law that were applicable
only to the land of Israel.
Also, for having spent most of their lives in a Greco-Roman environ-
ment and having lived in close contact with Gentiles, they naturally
would be more willing to understand the inclusive character of the
Christian faith. In fact, it was many Hellenistic believers that God used
to fulfill the command of bearing witness to the entire world.
44
S unday July 22
The Appointment of the Seven

Read Acts 6:1. What was the complaint of the Hellenistic believers?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
“The cause of complaint was an alleged neglect of the Greek widows
in the daily distribution of assistance. Any inequality would have been
contrary to the spirit of the gospel, yet Satan had succeeded in arousing
suspicion. Prompt measures now must be taken to remove all occasion for
dissatisfaction, lest the enemy triumph in his effort to bring about a division
among the believers.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 88.
The solution proposed by the apostles was that the Jews choose seven
men from among themselves to “serve [diakoneo] - tables” (Acts 6:2),
while they would spend their time in prayer and the “ministry [diako-
nia] of the word” (Acts 6:4). Since diakoneo- and diakonia belong to
the same word-group, the only real difference is between “tables” in
Acts 6:2 and “the word” in Acts 6:4. This, together with the adjective
“daily” (Acts 6:1), seems to point to the two main elements of the early
church’s daily life: teaching (“the word”) and fellowship (“tables”), the
latter consisting of the communal meal, the Lord’s Supper, and prayers
(Acts 2:42, 46; 5:42).
That is, as the authoritative trustees of Jesus’ teachings, the apostles
would occupy themselves mostly with the believers’ doctrinal teaching
and with prayer, while the seven would be in charge of the fellowship
activities, in the several house-churches. Their duties, however, were
not limited to those of deacons as this term is understood today. They
were in fact the first congregation leaders of the church.
Read Acts 6:2–6. How were the seven chosen and commissioned to
service?
_____________________________________________________
The candidates were to be distinguished by moral, spiritual, and prac-
tical qualities: they should have an honorable reputation and be filled
with the Spirit and wisdom. With the community’s approval, the Seven
were selected and then commissioned through prayer and laying on of
hands. The rite seems to indicate public recognition and the bestowal
of authority to work as deacons.
It’s so easy to sow dissension in the ranks, isn’t it? How can we do
all in our God-given power to keep peace among us and to focus,
instead, on mission?
45
M onday July 23
Stephen’s Ministry
After their appointment, the Seven engaged not only in church minis-
try but also in effective witnessing. The result was that the gospel con-
tinued to spread, and the number of believers kept increasing (Acts 6:7).
This growth started, of course, to bring opposition to the early church.
The narrative then focuses on Stephen, a man of rare spiritual stature.
Read Acts 6:8–16. What do these verses teach us about Stephen and
his faith and character? Also, what was Stephen preaching that so
enraged his opponents?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
As a Hellenistic Jew, Stephen shared the gospel in the Hellenistic
synagogues of Jerusalem. There were several such synagogues in the
city; Acts 6:9 probably refers to two of them, one of southern immi-
grants (Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria) and one of northern immi-
grants (those from Cilicia and Asia).
Jesus was no doubt the central issue of the debates, but the charges
raised against Stephen indicate an understanding on his part of the
gospel and its implications that perhaps surpassed that of the Judean
believers. Stephen was accused of speaking blasphemies against Moses
and God; that is, against the law and the temple. Even if he was misun-
derstood on some points—or his words were deliberately twisted—and
false witnesses were induced to speak against him, the charges may not
have been totally false, as in the case of Jesus Himself (Mark 14:58,
John 2:19). Stephen’s explicit condemnation of the Sanhedrin for the
idolatrous veneration of the temple (Acts 7:48) reveals that he under-
stood the deeper implications of the death of Jesus and where it would
lead, at least in regard to the temple and its ceremonial services.
In other words, while perhaps many Jewish believers of Judean origin
were still too attached to the temple and other ceremonial practices
(Acts 3:1; 15:1, 5; 21:17–24) and were finding it difficult to abandon
them (Gal. 5:2–4, Heb. 5:11–14), Stephen, and perhaps the other
Hellenistic believers as well, quickly understood that Jesus’ death signi-
fied the end of the entire temple order.
Why must we be careful not to be so locked into some of our cher-

ished notions that we close out new light when it comes?
_____________________________________________________
46
T uesday July 24
Before the Sanhedrin

Read Acts 7:1–53. What was Stephen saying to his accusers?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The charges raised against Stephen led to his arrest and trial by
the Sanhedrin. According to Jewish tradition, the law and the temple
services were two of the three pillars upon which the world rests—the
last being good works. The mere insinuation that the Mosaic ceremo-
nies had become outdated was truly considered an assault on that
which was most sacred in Judaism; hence, the charge of blasphemy
(Acts 6:11).
Stephen’s response is the lengthiest speech in Acts, which by itself is
an indication of its significance. Though at first sight it seems nothing
more than a tedious recital of Israel’s history, we should understand
the speech in connection with the Old Testament covenant and the way
the prophets used its structure when they stood up as religious reform-
ers to call Israel back to its requirements. When that happened, they
sometimes employed the Hebrew word rî b, - whose best translation is
probably “covenant lawsuit,” to express the idea of God as taking legal
action against His people because of their failure to keep the covenant.
In Micah 6:1, 2, for example, rî b- occurs three times. Then, following
the pattern of the Sinai covenant (Exodus 20–23), Micah reminds the
people of God’s mighty acts on their behalf (Micah 6:3–5), the stipula-
tions and violations of the covenant (Micah 6:6–12), and finally the
curses for the violations (Micah 6:13–16).
This is probably the background of Stephen’s speech. When asked
to explain his actions, he made no effort to refute the charges nor to
defend his faith. Instead, he raised his voice in the same way the ancient
prophets did when they brought God’s rî b- against Israel. His long
review of God’s past relationship with Israel was intended to illustrate
their ingratitude and disobedience.
Indeed, by Acts 7:51–53 Stephen is no longer the defendant but
God’s prophetic attorney presenting God’s covenant lawsuit against
these leaders. If their fathers were guilty of slaying the prophets, they
were even more so. The change from “our fathers” (Acts 7:11, 19, 38,
44, 45) to “your fathers” (Acts 7:51) is significant: Stephen broke his
solidarity with his people and took a definite stand for Jesus. The cost
would be enormous; yet, his words reveal neither fear nor regret.
When was the last time you needed to take a firm and uncompro-
mising stand for Jesus? Did you, or did you waffle instead? If the
latter, what needs to change?
47
W ednesday July 25
Jesus in the Heavenly Court

Since by definition a prophet (in Hebrew, na-bî) - is someone who
speaks for God, Stephen became a prophet the very moment he brought
God’s rî b- against Israel. His prophetic ministry, however, was rather short.
Read Acts 7:55, 56. What was the meaning of Stephen’s vision?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
“When Stephen reached this point, there was a tumult among the
people. When he connected Christ with the prophecies and spoke as
he did of the temple, the priest, pretending to be horror-stricken, rent
his robe. To Stephen this act was a signal that his voice would soon be
silenced forever. He saw the resistance that met his words and knew that
he was giving his last testimony. Although in the midst of his sermon, he
abruptly concluded it.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 100.
While Stephen stood before the Jewish leaders discharging God’s case
against them, Jesus was standing in the heavenly court—that is, in the
heavenly sanctuary, next to the Father, an indication that the judgment on
earth was but an expression of the real judgment that would take place in
heaven. God would judge the false teachers and leaders in Israel.
This explains why the call to repentance, a common feature in the previ-
ous speeches in Acts (2:38, 3:19, 5:31), is missing here. Israel’s theocracy
was coming to an end, meaning that the world’s salvation would no longer
be mediated through national Israel as promised to Abraham (Gen. 12:3,
18:18, 22:18), but through the followers of Jesus, Jew and Gentile, who
were now expected to leave Jerusalem and witness to the world (Acts 1:8).
Read Acts 7:57–8:1, 2. How does Luke report Stephen’s death?

_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Stoning was the penalty for blasphemy (Lev. 24:14), though it is not
clear whether Stephen was sentenced to death or lynched by a crowd
of fanatics. At any rate, he was the first recorded believer in Jesus to
be killed because of his faith. That the witnesses laid their garments at
Saul’s feet suggests he was the leader of Stephen’s opponents; yet, when
Stephen prayed for his executioners, he prayed for Saul, as well. Only
a person with a superior character and unwavering faith could do such
a thing, a powerful manifestation of his faith and the reality of Christ
in his life.
48
T hursday July 26
The Spread of the Gospel

The triumph over Stephen ignited a massive persecution against the
believers in Jerusalem, no doubt instigated by the same group of oppo-
nents. The leader of the group was Saul, who caused no small damage
to the church (Acts 8:3, 26:10). The persecution, however, was turned
to good effect.
Indeed, scattered throughout Judea and Samaria, the believers went
about preaching the gospel. The command to witness in those areas
(Acts 1:8) was then fulfilled.
Read Acts 8:4–25. What lessons are revealed in this account?

_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The Samaritans were half-Israelites, even from the religious stand-
point. They were monotheists who accepted the first five books of
Moses (the Pentateuch), practiced circumcision, and expected the
Messiah. To the Jews, however, Samaritan religion was corrupted,
which means the Samaritans had no share whatsoever in the covenant
mercies of Israel.
The unexpected conversion of Samaritans astounded the church in
Jerusalem, so the apostles sent out Peter and John to assess the situa-
tion. God’s withholding the Spirit until the coming of Peter and John
(Acts 8:14–17) was probably meant to convince the apostles that the
Samaritans were to be accepted as full members of the community of
faith (see Acts 11:1–18).
It didn’t stop there, however. In Acts 8:26–39, we have the story of
Philip and the Ethiopian, a eunuch, who after a Bible study requested
baptism. “Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water
and Philip baptized him” (Acts 8:38, NIV).
First there were the Samaritans, then the Ethiopian, a foreigner who
had come to Jerusalem to worship, and was now on his way home. The
gospel was crossing the borders of Israel and reaching the world, as
predicted. All this, though, was just the beginning, as these early Jewish
believers would soon travel all over the known world and preach the
great news of the death of Jesus, who paid the penalty for their sins and
offers everyone, everywhere, the hope of salvation.
Peter told Simon that he was “poisoned by bitterness and bound

by iniquity” (Acts 8:23, NKJV). What was the solution for his
problem, and for anyone who might be in a similar situation?
_____________________________________________________
49
F riday July 27
Further Thought: “The persecution that came upon the church in

Jerusalem resulted in giving a great impetus to the work of the gospel.
Success had attended the ministry of the word in that place, and there
was danger that the disciples would linger there too long, unmindful
of the Saviour’s commission to go to all the world. Forgetting that
strength to resist evil is best gained by aggressive service, they began
to think that they had no work so important as that of shielding the
church in Jerusalem from the attacks of the enemy. Instead of educat-
ing the new converts to carry the gospel to those who had not heard it,
they were in danger of taking a course that would lead all to be satis-
fied with what had been accomplished. To scatter His representatives
abroad, where they could work for others, God permitted persecu-
tion to come upon them. Driven from Jerusalem, the believers ‘went
everywhere preaching the word.’ ”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the
Apostles, p. 105.
 Read carefully the Ellen G. White quote above about the
dangers the early church faced in regard to being satisfied with
themselves and what was accomplished through them. First, it
means that, contrary to popular notions, many Jews did indeed
accept Jesus as the Messiah. But even more important, what warn-
ing should we as a people take away from this today? How can we
be sure that we aren’t getting too caught up in protecting what
we already have, as opposed to doing what we really should be
doing—reaching out to the world?
 By the time of the apostles, the relations between Jews and

Samaritans were marked by centuries of fierce hostilities. What
can we learn from the fact that Philip, likely a Jew, bore witness
of Jesus in Samaria? Even as Seventh-day Adventists, we are not
immune to cultural and ethnic biases. What should the Cross
teach us about how we are all the same before God? What, too,
should the universality of Christ’s death teach us about the infi-
nite value of every human being?
 How did Philip approach the Ethiopian (8:27–30)? How can we

be more open to opportunities to share the gospel with others?
 What have we learned from Acts 6–8 that might help us to

fulfill the church mission more effectively?
50
i n s i d e
Story
Converting a Girlfriend
Yamaji Hiroshi, a 25-year-old pastor’s son, was deeply in love. There
was a problem: his girlfriend, Sakiko, wasn’t a Seventh-day Adventist.
Hiroshi met Sakiko at an Adventist nursing school outside Japan’s
capital, Tokyo. After that, they worked together at the Adventist Medical
Center on the Japanese island of Okinawa. It was there that they started
dating.
Hiroshi tried to convince Sakiko to become an Adventist. He invited
her to church every Sabbath. He asked the pastor to give her Bible stud-
ies. He praised the truthfulness of the Bible and the virtue of becoming a
Christian.
“But she was not willing to become a Christian,” Hiroshi said. “She
emphatically told me, ‘I will never become a Christian!’ ”
Hiroshi gave up. He realized that he could not convince Sakiko to accept
Christ and that maybe they should break up. “But I still liked her,” he said.
A passage sprang to mind from Ellen White’s Messages to Young
People, a book that he had read thoroughly as a teenager at an Adventist
high school. The passage says, “If men and women are in the habit of pray-
ing twice a day before they contemplate marriage, they should pray four
times a day when such a step is anticipated” (page 460).
Hiroshi packed his Bible and an Ellen White book and retreated up a
nearby mountain for three days of prayer and fasting. “I asked God, ‘What
should I do?’ ” he said. “I read and kept a daily prayer journal.”
After the fast, Hiroshi accepted a job at a nursing home far away on
the Japanese mainland. He reckoned that the distance would destroy or
strengthen the relationship, and he prayed that the outcome would align
with God’s will. The distance was difficult for him.
“I couldn’t be with her, take her to church, or give her Bible studies,” he
said. “I couldn’t do anything but pray. I prayed a lot.”
It was then that God intervened, he said. In just a few weeks, Sakiko
announced that she wanted to be baptized. Her heart had been converted
fully, he said. Sakiko was baptized, and the couple later got married.
Hiroshi, now 56, has never forgotten Sakiko’s
conversion story, and it has become the basis for
his work as a leader of the Adventist Church in
Japan. His positions include Adventist Mission
director, health ministries director, and assistant
to the president for evangelism.
“As a pastor, I give Bible studies, I preach, and I love people,
but that is all I can do,” says Hiroshi (pictured left), the father
of five. “To change people’s hearts to accept Jesus is God’s
work. That’s God’s business.”

teachers comments
The Lesson in Brief

Key Text: Acts 6:7
The Student Will:

Know: Realize that God has a never-failing path in the movement of His
mission.
Feel: Appreciate how God raises up leaders and guides His redemptive
mission in history.
Do: Seek to be an active participant in God’s redemptive purposes.
Learning Outline:
I. Know: God’s Never-Failing Mission
A What is God’s one never-failing mission, and how does this affect
your life?
B What are some of the major examples in God’s method of fulfilling
His mission?
II. Feel: Historic Mileposts in How God Guided His Mission

A How does the appointment of deacons show the varying characteris-
tics of leadership in the church?
B Who are the leading characters in the narrative Stephen gives, trac-
ing how God guides His purposes through history? What lessons can you
learn from these leaders?
III. Do: Being Part of God’s Mission

A Examine your own commitment to God’s mission. What would you do
to advance the interests and movements of that mission better?
Summary: From dawn to the culmination of human history, God is concerned that
His purposes for His people are made known and fulfilled. How do you per-
ceive your role in that divine plan?
52
teachers comments
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: Some scholars have estimated

that, by the time of the events of Acts 6, the church in Jerusalem had
grown to about 20,000 believers. This remarkable growth came mainly
from two groups: Hebrew-speaking Jews living around Jerusalem,
and Greek-speaking Jews, or converts to Judaism, from the Jewish
diaspora. When the Grecians accused the Jewish Christians of par-
tiality in the distribution of welfare, the apostles perceived that the
complaint was posing several dangers: it threatened church unity; it
diverted the apostles from their main mission of study, prayer, and
evangelism; and it engendered disputes within the developing church.
What did the apostles do to resolve this controversy? What charac-
teristics were the apostles seeking in the team members who were to
attend to this emerging problem? (See Acts 6:3–7.)
Just for Teachers: Growth in any area of life brings its own problems.
Be it population, science, communication, education, politics, economics,
family, or whatever, growth needs to be managed and piloted carefully
to avoid problems that threaten to damage the positive nature of develop-
ment. Thus, it was in the early church: “When the number of the disciples
was multiplying, there arose a complaint” (Acts 6:1, NKJV). Contention
between Hebrew and Hellenistic Christians became so strong and divisive
that the apostles had to find a way to resolve the dispute to ensure the
unity and growth of the church. Begin your teaching this week with the
thought: No problem should be allowed to hinder the mission and growth
of the church.
Discussion Questions: Every crisis is an opportunity. New situations

demand new approaches and new persons to provide new solutions. How do
we know that the solution at which the apostles arrived was the right one?
What is the meaning of “laying on of hands” (see Acts 6:6)? How did the
election of the seven affect the church? (Acts 6:7).
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: Of the seven-member team that was selected by

the Jerusalem church, Luke records the significant contributions of the
first two, Stephen and Philip, in the historic development of the church.
53
teachers comments
Stephen was the first martyr. He was the first, in the millions to follow
from then to now, to leave the perpetual challenge and immortal lesson
that a Christian’s life has meaning only within the context of the suffer-
ing Savior. The Cross must be the definer of a Christian, for only then
will Christians be able to “ ‘see the heavens opened and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God’ ” (Acts 7:56, NKJV). Stephen was an
extraordinary Christian. He knew Jesus. He knew biblical narrative and
its history. He understood what Jesus did. He knew what it means to live
a Christian life. No wonder Luke, the learned author of Acts, spoke of
Stephen in superlatives (Acts 6:3–15, Acts 7). Stephen was full of the Holy
Spirit, faith, wisdom, grace, and power; he also was a person of prayer,
miracles, truth, light, and forgiveness.
Philip was known for his evangelistic zeal in Samaria. At the height
of his success in Samaria, an angel ordered him to go south and fol-
low the Jerusalem-Gaza desert road, where the Holy Spirit used him
in the conversation with, and conversion and baptism of, the Ethiopian
official—perhaps the first convert to take the gospel to his homeland
(Acts 8:26–38). Mission accomplished, Philip was directed by the Spirit to
preach in every city from Ashdod in the south to Caesarea in the north on
the Mediterranean route.
From these two heroes of faith, Stephen and Philip, we can learn
some weighty lessons: the importance of knowing our faith history
and of proclaiming our faith.
Bible Commentary
I. Knowing Our Faith History (Review Acts 7 with your class.)
Acts itself is a book of history: a history of the beginnings of the church,

its unshakeable commitment to Jesus, its struggles and sufferings, its
heroes—men and women, deacons and apostles, preachers and evange-
lists, prophets and pastors. Acts informs us that the early church’s growth
should be seen as the fulfillment in Jesus of the Old Testament’s prophetic
hope that “ ‘the stone which was rejected . . . has become the chief corner-
stone’ ” (Acts 4:11, NKJV). The major sermons recorded in Acts—
namely, of Peter, Stephen, and Paul—never failed to underscore that God
has revealed Himself in Old Testament history through such people as
Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, and others. It is in this march of
biblical history that the Christian church has inherited its responsibility to
present to the world the culmination of God’s saving plan in Jesus.
In his defense of the gospel of Jesus, Stephen presented a panoramic
view of redemptive history and drew a time line from God’s calling of
54
teachers comments
Abraham (Acts 7:2) to Jesus, at the right hand of the Father (Acts 7:55).
This historic time line traces the ups and downs, the rise and fall, the
faithfulness toward, and the betrayal of, God by His chosen people as the
mighty milestones in the redemptive history of humanity. On that time
line, Stephen erected milestones of men, women, and events—the call of
Abraham; the giving of the covenant; the faithfulness of Joseph; Moses
the deliverer and the predictor of a “ ‘prophet like me’ ”; the wilderness
tabernacle; David; Solomon and the temple; and then, more recently, the
betrayal and the murder of the “Just One.” It is this history of fulfillment
and betrayal that formed the major portion of Stephen’s testimony that
“cut to the heart” (Acts 7:54, NKJV) of his audience. When Stephen’s faith
took that tumultuous journey of history, “being full of the Holy Spirit,
[he] gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus” (Acts 7:55,
NKJV). The church from then on understood that Jesus is the inescapable
fulcrum of history and the propeller of the onward movement of the faith-
ful until the community of faith merges with the community of heaven.
Consider This: Read Acts 7:51. What do the following expressions mean:
“stiff-necked people”; “uncircumcised in heart and ears [NKJV]”? What are
some ways in which we seem to be faithful in the externals and rituals of reli-
gion while denying the power of true faith?
II. Proclaiming Our Faith (Review Acts 8 with your class.)
“God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform!” So we sing, but

in the experience of the early church, God’s outworking was a powerful and
visible reality. Note two facts. First, Saul, one of the men responsible for
Stephen’s stoning and for the subsequent mass persecution of Christians (Acts
8:1–3, 26:9–11), became the most powerful proclaimer of Jesus. Second,
because of the persecution unleashed after Stephen’s martyrdom, Christians
“were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria” (Acts 8:1,
NKJV).
One of those scattered Christians was Philip the deacon. Philip headed
for Samaria, where Jesus once had ministered to a woman of ill-repute
(John 4). Philip’s work marked a wondrous leap forward for the gospel,
so much so that Peter and John journeyed all the way from Jerusalem to
verify for themselves that the gospel had indeed found a fertile ground in
Samaria. The apostolic presence brought to Samaritan believers the assur-
ance and power of the Holy Spirit. Even as the church found its rooting and
growth in Samaria, the pioneer of that mission was asked to move on. An
evangelist is constantly on the move to find a new territory for the gospel,
and Philip soon found himself riding in a chariot with an Ethiopian official
who was on his way home from Jerusalem. Marvelous is the working of
55
teachers comments
the Holy Spirit. Philip’s study with the Ethiopian led to his baptism on
the Gaza highway and opened up Ethiopia to the gospel. Then Philip
the evangelist received new orders from the Holy Spirit, and he took
the Mediterranean route to Caesarea, preaching in every town from
Ashdod to his final destination of the Roman-Greek city of Caesarea.
An evangelist is a preacher of the gospel with shoes ever on, marching
to the orders of the Holy Spirit. That truth has lain behind the story of
Christian mission ever since.
Consider This: Between Philip and the Ethiopian official, there were
many walls of separation: race and nationality, religion, social status, eco-
nomics, color, and so on. Philip could have avoided the Ethiopian for any
number of reasons, but he was first and foremost an evangelist. He is the
bearer of good news. He had no option but to run and begin a conversation.
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: The seven disciples elected to look after the
needs of the widows and the poor were called to “serve” (Acts 6:2).
The Greek word for “serve” is diakonein, from which comes the word
diakoneõ, the derivative word for “deacon” and “deaconess.” “The
appointment of the seven to take the oversight of special lines of work,
proved a great blessing to the church. These officers gave careful
consideration to individual needs as well as to the general financial
interests of the church, and by their prudent management and their
godly example they were an important aid to their fellow officers
in binding together the various interests of the church into a united
whole.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 89.
 How does your local church view the office of the deacon/deaconess?
How are deacons and deaconesses considered equal partners in the minis-
try? How can their contribution to the life and ministry of your church be
bettered?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Ask members to list what they perceive to be the
qualifications for deacons/deaconesses and the responsibilities of deacons/
deaconesses. Then discuss how you can better appreciate the ministry of
deacons and deaconesses in your church. If feasible, include a deacon/
deaconess or an elder of your church in your class discussion on this topic.
56
L esson 5 *July 28–August 3
The Conversion of Paul
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 26:9–11, Deut. 21:23,
Acts 9:1–20, 1 Cor. 9:1, Gal. 1:1, Acts 9:20–30.
Memory Text: “ ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim

my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel’ ”
(Acts 9:15, NIV).
T
he conversion of Saul of Tarsus (who became Paul) was one
of the most remarkable events in the history of the apostolic
church. The importance of Paul, however, goes way beyond con-
version itself, for Paul is certainly not the only enemy of the church to
have become a genuine Christian. The issue, instead, relates to what he
ended up doing for the sake of the gospel. Paul had been an incorrigible
opponent to the early believers, and the harm he could have done to the
infant church was enormous. He had both determination and official
support to destroy the church. Yet, he responded faithfully to God’s
call on the road to Damascus and became the greatest of the apostles.
“From among the most bitter and relentless persecutors of the church
of Christ, arose the ablest defender and most successful herald of the
gospel.”—Ellen G. White, Sketches From the Life of Paul, p. 9.
Paul’s previous actions in persecuting the early church always would
bring him a deep sense of his own unworthiness, though he could say
with a still deeper sense of gratitude that God’s grace to him had not
been in vain. With Paul’s conversion, Christianity changed forever.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 4.
57
S unday July 29
Persecutor of the Church

Paul was a Hellenistic Jew. His birthplace was Tarsus, the capital of
Cilicia (Acts 21:39). Notwithstanding, to a certain extent he deviated
from the Hellenistic stereotype, for he was brought to Jerusalem, where
he studied under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), the most influential Pharisaic
teacher at the time. As a Pharisee, Paul was strictly orthodox, though
his zeal bordered on fanaticism (Gal. 1:14). This is why he led Stephen
to his death and became the key figure in the ensuing persecution.
Read Acts 26:9–11. How did Paul describe his actions against the
church?
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_____________________________________________________
Paul says elsewhere that the gospel was a stumbling block to the
Jews (1 Cor. 1:23). Besides the fact that Jesus did not fit the traditional
Jewish expectation of a kingly Messiah, they could by no means accept
the idea that the One who had died on a cross could be God’s Messiah,
for the Scripture says that anyone who is hung is under God’s curse
(Deut. 21:23). To the Jews, therefore, the crucifixion was in itself a
grotesque contradiction, the clearest evidence that the church’s claims
about Jesus were false.
Acts 9:1, 2 shows Saul of Tarsus in action against believers.
Damascus was an important city about 135 miles north of Jerusalem,
and it had a large Jewish population. The Jews living outside Judea were
organized in a kind of network whose headquarters were in Jerusalem
(the Sanhedrin), with the synagogues functioning as supporting centers
for the local communities. There was constant communication between
the Sanhedrin and such communities through letters normally carried
by a shaliah, “one who is sent” (from the Hebrew shalah, “to send”).
A shaliah was an official agent appointed by the Sanhedrin to perform
several religious functions.
When Paul asked the high priest, the Sanhedrin’s president, for letters
addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, he became a shaliah, with
authority to arrest any followers of Jesus and bring them to Jerusalem
(compare with Acts 26:12). In Greek, the equivalent to shaliah is
apostolos, from which the word apostle derives. Thus, before being an
apostle of Jesus Christ, Paul was an apostle of the Sanhedrin.
When was the last time you were zealous for (or against) some-
thing you later changed your mind about? What lessons should
you have learned from that experience?
58
M onday July 30
On the Damascus Road

Read Acts 9:3–9. What happened when Paul was approaching
Damascus? What is the significance of Jesus’ words in Acts 9:5 (see
also Acts 26:14)?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
As Paul and his companions neared Damascus, the unexpected hap-
pened: about noon they experienced an intensely bright light from
heaven and a voice speaking. This was not merely a vision in the pro-
phetic sense but a divine manifestation, aimed somewhat exclusively
at Paul. His companions saw the light; yet, only Paul was blinded;
they heard the voice; yet, only Paul understood it. The light was the
divine glory of the risen Jesus, who personally appeared to Paul at that
moment (Acts 22:14). Elsewhere Paul insists that he had seen Jesus,
which made him equal to the Twelve as a witness of His resurrection
and apostolic authority (1 Cor. 9:1, 15:8).
The ensuing dialogue with Jesus struck Paul infinitely more than the
light itself. Paul absolutely was convinced that, by attacking the follow-
ers of Jesus of Nazareth, he was doing God’s work in purifying Judaism
from that dangerous and dreadful heresy. To his dismay, however, he
learned not only that Jesus was alive but also that by inflicting suffering
on His believers he was attacking Jesus Himself.
When speaking to Saul, Jesus used a proverbial saying supposedly of
Greek origin that Paul certainly was familiar with: “ ‘It is hard for you
to kick against the goads’ ” (Acts 26:14, NKJV). The image is that of a
yoke ox trying to move against the sharp stick used to guide it. When
that happens, the animal only hurts itself even more.
This saying may point to a struggle in Paul’s mind—the Bible refers
to this as the work of the Spirit (John 16:8–11)—that could go back
to what happened with Stephen. “Saul had taken a prominent part in
the trial and conviction of Stephen, and the striking evidences of God’s
presence with the martyr had led Saul to doubt the righteousness of the
cause he had espoused against the followers of Jesus. His mind was
deeply stirred. In his perplexity he appealed to those in whose wisdom
and judgment he had full confidence. The arguments of the priests and
rulers finally convinced him that Stephen was a blasphemer, that the
Christ whom the martyred disciple had preached was an impostor, and
that those ministering in holy office must be right.”—Ellen G. White,
The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 112, 113.
Why is it wise to pay heed to your conscience?

59
T uesday July 31
Ananias’s Visit
When he realized he was talking to Jesus Himself, Saul asked the
question that would give Jesus the opportunity He was looking for:
“ ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ ” (Acts 22:10, NKJV). The question indicates
contrition in view of his actions up to that moment, but more important,
it expresses an unconditional willingness to let Jesus guide his life from
then on. Taken to Damascus, Saul was to wait for further instructions.
In Acts 9:10–19, the Bible reveals how the Lord was working to
prepare Saul of Tarsus for his new life as the apostle Paul. In a vision,
Jesus gave Ananias the assignment to visit Saul and lay his hands on
him for the restoration of his sight. Ananias, however, already knew
who Saul was, as well as how many of the brethren had suffered and
even lost their lives because of him. He was also well informed of the
very reason why Saul was in Damascus, and so, surely, he did not want
to become Saul’s first victim there. His hesitation was understandable.
Yet, what Ananias did not know was that Saul had just had a personal
encounter with Jesus that changed his life forever. He did not know
that, instead of still working for the Sanhedrin, Saul—to Ananias’s
astonishment— just had been called by Jesus to work for Him, which
means that Saul was no longer an apostle of the Sanhedrin but Jesus’
chosen instrument to take the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles.
Read Galatians 1:1, 11, 12. What special claim does Paul make with
regard to his apostolic ministry?
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_____________________________________________________
In Galatians, Paul insists that he received his message and his apos-
tleship directly from Jesus Christ, not from any human source. This
does not necessarily contradict the role performed by Ananias in his
call. When visiting him, Ananias just confirmed the commission Saul
had already received on the Damascus road from Jesus Himself.
In fact, the change in Saul’s life was so dramatic that no human cause
can be assigned to it. Only divine intervention can explain how Jesus’
most obsessive opponent would suddenly embrace Him as Savior and
Lord, leave everything—convictions, reputation, career—behind, and
become His most devoted and prolific apostle.
In what ways does Saul’s conversion illustrate the operation

of God’s wonderful grace? What can you learn from his story
concerning those in your life whom you doubt will ever come to
true faith?
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W ednesday August 1
The Beginning of Paul’s Ministry

Acts 9:19–25 gives the impression that after his conversion, Paul
remained in Damascus for a while before returning to Jerusalem (Acts
9:26). In Galatians 1:17, however, Paul adds that, before going to
Jerusalem, he went to Arabia, where he apparently lived in seclusion
for a certain period. “Here, in the solitude of the desert, Paul had ample
opportunity for quiet study and meditation.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts
of the Apostles, p. 125.
Read Acts 9:20–25. How does Luke describe Paul’s ministry in

Damascus? How well did it go?
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_____________________________________________________
Paul’s original target when he left Jerusalem with letters from the
high priest was the Jewish believers who had presumably sought refuge
in the synagogues of Damascus (Acts 9:2). Now, after coming back
from Arabia, he finally made it to the synagogues, not to arrest believ-
ers but to increase their number; not to slander Jesus as an impostor but
to present Him as the Messiah of Israel. What must have gone on in the
minds of those who, having heard of him only as one of their persecu-
tors, now hear him witness about Jesus? What could they do but marvel
at what Saul of Tarsus had become and at what he was doing for the
church? (They probably had no idea of the influence this new convert
would eventually have!)
Not able to contradict Paul, some of his opponents conspired together
to take his life. Paul’s account of the episode (2 Cor. 11:32, 33) suggests
that his opponents denounced him to the local authorities in order to
achieve their intent. However, with the believers’ help, Paul was able
to escape in a basket, possibly through the window of a house built on
the city wall.
Paul knew from the start that he would face challenges (Acts 9:16).
Opposition, persecution, and suffering from various sources would be
a constant in his ministry, but nothing would shake his faith or sense of
duty, despite the hardships and trials that he faced practically at every
step of his new life in Christ (2 Cor. 4:8, 9).
Despite struggles and opposition, Paul didn’t give up. How can
we learn to do the same when it comes to faith—that is, how to
persevere amid discouragement and opposition?
_____________________________________________________
61
T hursday August 2
Return to Jerusalem
Having escaped from Damascus, Paul returned to Jerusalem for the
first time since he had left as a persecutor. This happened three years
after his conversion (Gal. 1:18). It was not an easy return, as he faced
problems both inside and outside the church.
Read Acts 9:26–30. What happened to Paul when he arrived in

Jerusalem?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
In Jerusalem, Paul tried to join the apostles. Though by that time he
already had been a Christian for three years, the news of his conversion
sounded so incredible that the apostles, like Ananias before them, were
rather skeptical. They feared it was just part of a carefully elaborated
plot. It was Barnabas, a Levite from Cyprus (Acts 4:36, 37), thus a
Hellenist, who broke the apostles’ resistance and introduced Paul to
them. They, too, must have marveled at what God had done to Paul;
that is, once they realized that he was genuine.
Such resistance, however, would never entirely disappear, if not
because of Paul’s past actions in persecuting the church, then at least
because of the gospel he preached. As in the case of Stephen, the
Judean believers, including the apostles, were quite slow to understand
the universal scope of the Christian faith, a faith no longer based in the
Old Testament ceremonial system, especially in the sacrificial system,
which had lost its validity with Jesus’ death on the cross. Paul’s closest
circle of relationship within the church in Judea would always be the
Hellenistic believers: besides Barnabas himself, it included Philip, one
of the Seven (Acts 21:8), and Mnason, also from Cyprus (Acts 21:16).
Several years later, the Jerusalem church leaders would still accuse Paul
of preaching basically the same doctrine Stephen had preached before
(Acts 21:21).
During the fifteen days he stayed in Jerusalem (Gal. 1:18), Paul
apparently decided to share the gospel with the same nonbelieving
Jews whom he had incited against Stephen some time before. As with
Stephen, however, his efforts met with strong opposition, posing a
threat to his own life. In a vision, Jesus told him to leave Jerusalem for
his own safety (Acts 22:17–21). With the help of the brethren, he went
down to the city port of Caesarea and from there to his hometown in
Cilicia, where he would stay for several years before starting his mis-
sionary journeys.
62
F riday August 3
Further Thought: “A general slain in battle is lost to his army, but

his death gives no additional strength to the enemy. But when a man
of prominence joins the opposing force, not only are his services lost,
but those to whom he joins himself gain a decided advantage. Saul of
Tarsus, on his way to Damascus, might easily have been struck dead by
the Lord, and much strength would have been withdrawn from the perse-
cuting power. But God in His providence not only spared Saul’s life, but
converted him, thus transferring a champion from the side of the enemy
to the side of Christ.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 124.
“Christ had commanded his disciples to go and teach all nations; but
the previous teachings which they had received from the Jews made it
difficult for them to fully comprehend the words of their Master, and
therefore they were slow to act upon them. They called themselves the
children of Abraham, and regarded themselves as the heirs of divine
promise. It was not until several years after the Lord’s ascension that
their minds were sufficiently expanded to clearly understand the intent
of Christ’s words, that they were to labor for the conversion of the
Gentiles as well as of the Jews.”—Ellen G. White, Sketches From the
Life of Paul, p. 38.
 Dwell more on Jesus’ question to Paul on the Damascus road:
“ ‘Why do you persecute me?’ ” (Acts 9:4, NRSV). For Paul, this
question was an indication that Jesus of Nazareth had indeed been
resurrected from the dead. But, more than that, it was also an indi-
cation of the spiritual identification that exists between Jesus and
His church (see also Matt. 25:34–45). The implication is obvious:
any harm done to the church is harm done to Jesus Himself. In
practical terms, what does this mean to us today?
 Witnessing for Jesus involves suffering for Jesus. It is not by

chance that the Greek word for “witness” (martys) came to be
associated with “martyrdom.” What does it mean to suffer for
Jesus?
 There’s an old Latin saying, Credo ut intelligam, which means,

“I believe in order that I may understand.” How does this idea
help us understand what happened to Saul of Tarsus? That is,
before his conversion, before Paul became a believer in Jesus, he
didn’t understand. Only after his experience was he able to com-
prehend. What lesson can we draw from this for the times when
we may find ourselves frustrated with those who don’t believe in
truths that seem so clear to us?
63
i n s i d e
Story
Facebooking the Gospel
South Koreans are among the most diligent Seventh-day Adventist
gospel workers. Visit the Middle East, and you will find faithful Koreans
in Turkey and Lebanon. Koreans live in Africa and South America. Even
remote places in Bangladesh and India have an active Korean presence.
But despite this mission spirit, some young people in South Korea are
struggling. The problem is connected with a cultural generation gap and
career challenges in a country where Saturday is a workday. But derision
from other Christians also hurts. While more than a quarter of South
Korea’s population of 51 million is Christian, Adventists represent a tiny
minority. The Adventist Church is dismissed as a cult, and members are
mockingly referred to as “sdas,” a play on the church’s acronym, SDA.
Six Adventist university students decided that they had seen enough.
They created a Facebook group and an online radio station aimed at
nurturing young fellow Adventists. “Our focus is to reach young people
who feel that they don’t belong to mainstream Adventism,” said project
cofounder Hansu Hyun, 27, a graphic design student at church-owned
Sahmyook University in South Korea’s capital, Seoul.
Young Adventists have taken notice. The Facebook group, opened in
2014, has about 900 followers, a significant number for the Adventist
Church in South Korea. It offers colorful memes with vegetarian recipes
and testimonies. For the testimonies, administrators interview young adults
or sometimes a national actor who is Adventist, and the testimony is spread
across five or more memes. A big hit was made with memes about Adventist
war hero Desmond Doss during the theatrical release of Hacksaw Ridge.
“We have found that informal content like this is easy for young people
to embrace,” said project cofounder Taegyun Bong, 25, a theology major
at Sahmyook University. “Young Adventists who have left the church have
told us that they are finding healing through our ministry.”
The radio station, linked to the Facebook group, has the cheeky name
RadioSda in a nod to the slur toward Adventists, and it offers a two-hour
weekly broadcast. Topics have included church youth leaders talking about
how they spend Sabbath afternoons and a law school student discussing
Sabbath challenges. Some 700 to 2,000 people
tune in every week.
“Our whole project can be described in one
word: willingness,” said cofounder Hyunho
Kim, 27, an English literature student. “It’s easy
to become passive in our Christian life, but we
are young people who are willing to act to have
an impact on the Adventist community.”

teachers comments
The Lesson in Brief

Key Text: Acts 26:8–19
The Student Will:

Know: Identify the steps in the conversion of Saul.
Feel: Appreciate the responsiveness of Saul to the directions of God.
Do: Share the resoluteness of Saul in the service of God.
Learning Outline:
I. Know: The Steps in the Making of Saul
A What were the primary motives directing the life of Saul before his
conversion?
B What made it possible to turn the life of a persecutor into the life of
an apostle?
II. Feel: The Responsiveness and Obedience of Saul

A What led to Saul’s responsiveness to God’s call?
B What is the connection between God’s command, “ ‘Arise and go’ ”
(Acts 9:6, NKJV) and Paul’s later declaration, “ ‘I was not disobedient to
the heavenly vision’ ” (Acts 26:19, NKJV)?
C How did Saul remain truthful to God’s declaration that he was His
“chosen vessel” (Acts 9:15)?
III. Do: Serving God Resolutely

A How can you be a chosen vessel for God in the community where you
live?
B What are some things you need to give up and other things you need
to take on in order to experience true conversion?
Summary: The transformation of the most intense persecutor of Christianity

into its most passionate advocate illustrates that total change is available
to all of us.
65
teachers comments
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Gal. 1:1, 1 Cor. 9:1

Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: Paul was a man of great faith,
assurance, and courage—all because of his unreserved commitment
to Jesus, whom Paul encountered on the road to Damascus. That
single incident had a lifelong impact on Paul. It made Paul the coura-
geous and Spirit-filled messenger he was. So, Paul could write with
confidence to the church at Corinth about the Source of his strength
in the midst of conflict: “Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I
not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?” (1 Cor. 9:1, NKJV). Today’s lesson
shows us that our Christian confidence and courage come only from
our obedience to the calling to be Jesus’ disciples.
Just for Teachers: Paul described himself as “the least of the
apostles” (1 Cor. 15:9, NKJV). But no single person was as influen-
tial as Paul in taking the good news about Jesus to the world. This
“least of the apostles” crossed the most frontiers to spread the gospel,
established the most churches, and wrote the most texts in Christian
theology. Paul testifies to his calling as “not from men nor through
man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father” (Gal. 1:1, NKJV).
It was Jesus who, confronting Paul on the road to Damascus, changed
Paul’s life forever. The making of that great apostle is the focus of
our lesson today.
Discussion Questions: Even though Paul excelled in so many areas of
life and service, why did he describe himself as “the least of all the saints”
(Eph. 3:8, NKJV)? What role does humility play in being effective follow-
ers and witnesses for Jesus? Think of someone who has left an indelible
impression on you. How are you a better person because of it?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: “When Christ revealed Himself to Paul, and
he was convinced that he was persecuting Jesus in the person of His
saints, he accepted the truth as it is in Jesus. A transforming power
was manifested on mind and character, and he became a new man
in Christ Jesus. He received the truth so fully that neither earth
nor hell could shake his faith.”—Ellen G. White, Selected Messages,
book 1, p. 346.
66
teachers comments
Today’s lesson explores Saul the persecutor, the convert, and the
apostle.
Bible Commentary
I. Saul the Persecutor (Review Acts 7:58; 8:1, 3; 26:9–11 with your class.)
The first four references to Saul in Acts trace his life as a persecutor
of the early Christians. In the first reference, Saul stands guarding
the clothes of the men who dragged Stephen off to death (Acts 7:58).
Second, Acts 8:1 records that Saul gave consent to Stephen’s death—an
act that led to his election as “a member of the Sanhedrin council.”
—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 102. The search for
power often begins with silent compromise and then speedily moves
to embrace the path of self-promotion. One act of evil leads to another
even more daring act. Each act of evil, step by step, leads to the sale
of one’s conscience to the highest bidder. Third, in Acts 8:3, Saul
makes his diabolic move in Jerusalem, making “havoc of the church,
entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing
them to prison” (NKJV). Fourth, Acts 9:1 shows that Jerusalem was
not enough to satisfy the young Pharisee’s oppression of the believers.
Saul’s zeal for wiping out the church propels him to go to Damascus,
where a sizable number of the followers of Jesus lived. His mission
of death has now the seal of the high priest in Jerusalem (Acts 9:1).
“For a time he [Saul] was a mighty instrument in the hands of Satan
to carry out his rebellion against the Son of God.”—Ellen G. White,
The Acts of the Apostles, p. 102. Then came that blinding vision on the
Damascus road.
Consider This: Gamaliel was a leading Pharisee and a renowned teacher

of Judaism. It was Gamaliel who restrained the Pharisees from their plot
to kill the apostles by his sane advice that if Christianity “ ‘is of God, you
cannot overthrow it’ ” (Acts 5:39, NKJV). Saul was Gamaliel’s brilliant
student. What, then, caused Saul to go against his teacher’s counsel and
pursue his death mission against Christians?
II. Saul the Convert (Review Acts 9:1–19, 22:1–10, 26:12–18 with your class.)
When God needs a person to fulfill a mission, He finds His chosen one.
Hence Abraham out of Ur, Moses in the wilderness, Daniel in Babylon,
Esther in Media-Persia, the Baptist in the wilderness, Peter from
Galilee’s fishing trade. And Saul of Tarsus. The conversion of Saul from
being the destroyer of Christianity to being its foremost evangelist and
67
teachers comments
global missionary is of rare importance. The Jesus encounter and the blind-
ing vision on the road nearing Damascus turned Saul from Christianity’s
sworn enemy to its foremost advocate. The Damascus road swerved from
becoming a pathway to murder to becoming instead an appointment with
the risen Jesus. “ ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ ” came the
voice from heaven (Acts 9:4, NKJV). “ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ ” the persecu-
tor wanted to know (Acts 9:5, NKJV). The answer astounded Saul: “ ‘I am
Jesus’ ” (Acts 9:4, NKJV). Jesus is ever the Interrupter in human life—from
the life of Nicodemus the Pharisee, Jairus the synagogue ruler, the widow
of Nain, the nameless woman at the Samaritan well, the centurion with a
sick servant, Lazarus and his sisters, Simon the leper, Annas and Caiaphas,
Herod and Pilate, to the life of Saul and innumerable others. Blessed is the
one who yields to that divine interruption. Saul did yield to Jesus, asking
that most important question in life, “ ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ ”
(Acts 9:6 NKJV). Saul’s conversion was over, and in Damascus he was to
be told of his future.
Consider This: The risen Jesus asked Saul the pointed question, “ ‘Why
are you persecuting Me?’ ” (Acts 9:4, NKJV). The question’s implication is
far ranging: any activity done or any word spoken against a person that dimin-
ishes that person is viewed by Jesus as done against Him. How does Jesus’
question to Saul inform the relational aspects of your life?
III. Saul the Apostle (Review Acts 9:26–30, 26:12–19 with your class.)
The transformation of Saul from being the most feared persecutor of the
church to becoming its most passionate defender is a story without parallel.
What happened after the Damascus road encounter with Jesus can be gath-
ered from the accounts in Acts 9 and Galatians 1:15–24: (1) When Ananias
utters those warm welcoming words, “ ‘Brother Saul,’ ” Saul the persecu-
tor’s hostility against Christians collapses (Acts 9:17). Ananias baptizes
Saul. (2) Saul preaches in Damascus convincingly about Jesus. (3) Saul
goes to Arabia (Gal. 1:17) for prayer and reflection and for divine revelation
on how best to serve his Lord. (4) Saul goes back to Damascus and minis-
ters there for three years. (5) Saul returns to Jerusalem to join the disciples
(Acts 9:26). (6) The apostles are not sure of Saul’s conversion, and it takes
another convert—Barnabas—to declare to the apostles how Saul “had seen
the Lord on the road . . . and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the
name of Jesus” (Acts 9:27, NKJV). (7) Saul stays in Jerusalem, preaching
boldly, but the Hellenists are after his life. (8) Saul flees to his native place,
Tarsus. (9) Perhaps Saul would have been the forgotten man of Christian
history, except for the wonder of how the Holy Spirit works. The apostles,
hearing of a marvelous, multicultural growth taking place in the Antioch
68
teachers comments
church, sent Barnabas to investigate. Barnabas’s arrival further expanded

the church, and Barnabas traveled all the way to Tarsus to recruit Saul
to assist him at Antioch (Acts 11:25, 26). Soon the Saul-Barnabas team
marched out on the first missionary journey of the church—a journey
that still keeps circling the globe, awaiting the Master who promised
to return when the “ ‘gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the
world’ ” (Matt. 24:14, NKJV).
Consider This: The blood of martyrs is the seed of the church. Take a
few moments to discuss how the martyrdom of Stephen, and the persecu-
tion that followed, helped facilitate the fastest possible growth of the early
church.
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: In the book of Acts, Luke uses the name
“Saul” 25 times (NKJV) and “Paul” 129 times (NKJV). What is the
significance of the two names? The apostle himself gives a clue in
Acts 26:14: “ ‘I heard a voice speaking to me, saying in the Hebrew
language, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” ’ ” (NKJV).
As a Pharisee, Saul was well versed in Hebrew (or the more com-
mon form, Aramaic), and in that language his name was Saul. But
the Greek name is Paul. Given that his call is to be an apostle to the
Gentiles, many of whom spoke Greek, the apostle seemed to have
preferred to take the Greek form of the name. The apostle was a
master in contextualization: “I have become all things to all people
so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9:22, NIV).
Thought Question: What are some of the ways we can contextualize

the preaching of the gospel?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: After narrating his conversion story before King
Agrippa, Saul laid out the compelling motto of his life since the
Damascus road experience: “ ‘I was not disobedient to the heavenly
vision’ ” (Acts 26:19, NKJV). This one brief sentence packages the
entire life, witness, and martyrdom of the great apostle. Encourage
each student to say or write down a single statement that summarizes
his or her life and purpose as a Christian.
69
United by
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W hat do these three

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L esson 6 *August 4–10
The Ministry of Peter
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 9:32–43, Acts 10:9–16,
Eph. 2:11–19, Acts 11:1–26, Acts 12:1–18.
Memory Text: “Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly under-

stand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who
fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him’ ” (Acts 10:34,
35, NRSV).
W
ith Paul’s departure to Tarsus, Peter is again the main character
in Luke’s narrative of the early days of the Christian church.
Peter is portrayed in a sort of itinerant ministry throughout
Judea and the surrounding regions. Acts here tells two brief miraculous
stories, the healing of Aeneas and the resurrection of Tabitha (Dorcas),
which are then followed by the story of Cornelius in chapter 10.
The conversion of Gentiles was the most controversial issue in the
apostolic church. Though the discussions that followed Cornelius’s
baptism were far from solving all the difficulties, the outpouring of
the Spirit, reminiscent of what had happened at Pentecost, helped to
convince Peter and the brethren in Jerusalem that the blessings of the
gospel were not restricted to Jews. Meanwhile, the church in Antioch
had already started moving toward the Gentiles, as well.
This week’s study also includes the rise of a new, short persecution—
this time under King Herod—and its impact on the apostles, who had
been spared in the persecution carried out by Paul.
72
S unday August 5
At Lydda and Joppa

Peter was visiting the Christian communities through the coastal
region of Judea. His purpose was probably to give them doctrinal
instruction (Acts 2:42), but God used him powerfully to perform mira-
cles in the same fashion as those performed by Jesus Himself.
Read Acts 9:32–35. What similarities do you see in the miracle of Jesus
in Luke 5:17–26 and the healing of Aeneas?
_____________________________________________________
Despite the brevity of the account, the miracle reminds us of the
well-known story of the Capernaum paralytic healed by Jesus (Luke
5:17–26). Even the detail about the bed is similar. More important,
however, was the impact of Aeneas’s cure, not only in Lydda but also in
the coastal plain of Sharon. Having verified for themselves the reality
of the miracle, many people turned to the Lord.
Read Acts 9:36–43. Review the story of Tabitha’s resurrection. What

was so special about her?
_____________________________________________________
Tabitha—the Aramaic for “gazelle;” in Greek, Dorcas—was a
believer very dear in her neighborhood because of her works of
Christian charity. The story of her resurrection also parallels a miracle
performed by Jesus, the resurrection of Jairus’s daughter (Luke 8:41,
42, 49–56), which Peter had witnessed. Following Jesus’ example, he
asked everybody to leave the room (see Mark 5:40). Then he knelt
down and prayed, after which he called to the dead woman, “ ‘Tabitha,
get up’ ” (Acts 9:40, NRSV).
The apostles performed many miracles; yet, in fact, these were God’s
actions through the apostles’ hands (Acts 5:12). The similarities with
Jesus’ own miracles were perhaps to remind the church, including us
today, that what matters most is not so much who the instrument is but
the measure of his or her surrender to God (see John 14:12). When we
fully allow God to use us for the gospel’s cause, great things can hap-
pen. Peter not only resurrected Tabitha, but the miracle also led to many
conversions in Joppa (Acts 9:42).
Some people think that if only they could see a real miracle, such
as what happened here, then they would believe. And though at
times miracles helped lead some people to faith, the Bible is filled
with stories of those who saw miracles and still didn’t believe. On
what, then, should our faith be based?
73
M onday August 6
At Cornelius’s House
In Joppa, Peter stayed with a certain Simon, a tanner by trade (Acts
9:43). Meanwhile, in Caesarea, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) from
Joppa, there lived a Roman centurion named Cornelius. He and his
household were devout worshipers of God, though they had not yet
formally adhered to Judaism, meaning that Cornelius was still an
uncircumcised Gentile. In a God-given vision, he was instructed to
send messengers to Joppa and invite Peter to visit him (Acts 10:1–8).
Read Acts 10:9–16, 28, 34, 35. What did Peter experience, and how did
he interpret it?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
It is important to know that Peter’s vision was not about food but
about people. Yes, it was around noon, Peter was hungry, and the voice
told him to kill and eat; yet, God used the vision, not to remove the
distinction between clean and unclean animals but to teach Peter about
the inclusive character of the gospel.
The vision was explicitly intended to break Peter’s resistance against
Gentiles. Peter’s view was that if he entered Cornelius’s house and fel-
lowshiped with him, he would defile himself and so become unfit to
worship in the temple or to come before God’s presence. First-century
Jews from Judea and the surrounding areas did not associate with
uncircumcised Gentiles.
The problem was with the contemporary theology, which excluded the
Gentiles from the commonwealth of Israel, even though this view had
become a perversion of the whole point of Israel’s existence as a nation,
which was to reach out to the world with a knowledge of the true God.
Because circumcision was the sign of the Abrahamic covenant,
uncircumcised Gentiles came to be segregated and treated with con-
tempt. They could have no part whatsoever in the blessings of the
covenant unless they accepted circumcision and became Jews. Such a
concept, though, was incompatible with the universal scope of Jesus’
death, as the early believers, over time, were coming to understand.
Read Titus 2:11, Galatians 3:26–28, and Ephesians 2:11–19.

What do these texts teach us about the universality of the gos-
pel message? What should they tell us about how wrong it is
for Christians to harbor prejudice against any group based on
ethnicity?
74
T uesday August 7
The Gift of the Spirit

Acts 10:44–48 reveals a critical moment in the early church’s
history. It was the first time that the gospel was being preached to
uncircumcised Gentiles by one of the apostles. Unlike the Hellenistic
believers, the apostles and other Judean believers were not ready to
receive Gentiles in the church. Since Jesus was the Messiah of Israel,
they thought that the gospel was to be shared only with Jews from near
and far. The Gentiles would first have to be converted to Judaism and
then be accepted into the community of faith. In other words, before
Gentiles could become Christians, they first had to become Jews. That
was the thinking that needed to be changed among these early Jewish
believers.
The gift of tongues given to Cornelius and his household was added
as a clear, observable sign that such a concept was mistaken, that God
has no favorites, and that in terms of salvation both Jews and Gentiles
stand on equal footing before Him.
Read Acts 11:1–18. How did the church in Jerusalem react to Peter’s
experience at Caesarea?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The long-established Jewish prejudice concerning Gentiles led the
believers in Jerusalem to criticize Peter for having eaten with uncir-
cumcised people. It seems that they were more concerned with Jewish
ceremonial scruples than with the salvation of Cornelius and his family.
They might have feared that if the church broke with such practices it
would represent a denial of Israel’s faith; they would lose God’s favor,
and become liable themselves to the same accusations—from their fel-
low Jews—that had led to Stephen’s death.
“The time had come for an entirely new phase of work to be entered
upon by the church of Christ. The door that many of the Jewish con-
verts had closed against the Gentiles was now to be thrown open. And
the Gentiles who accepted the gospel were to be regarded as on an
equality with the Jewish disciples, without the necessity of observing
the rite of circumcision.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles,
p. 136.
As at Pentecost, here, too, they spoke in languages previously
unknown to them, rather than in ecstatic or heavenly languages. Only
the purpose was different: while for the apostles the gift aimed at the
church’s world mission, for Cornelius it functioned as a confirmation
that God’s grace was operating even among the Gentiles.
75
W ednesday August 8
The Church in Antioch

Motivated by Cornelius’s conversion, Luke briefly interrupts his
account of Peter’s ministry to show the gospel’s initial progress among
the Gentiles.
Read Acts 11:19–26. What happened when some Jerusalem refugees

came to Antioch?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
This section of Acts 11 refers back to Paul’s persecution in chapter
8. Thus, while the previous developments were taking place in Judea
and elsewhere, some of the Hellenistic believers who were forced to
leave Jerusalem were spreading the gospel way beyond the borders
of Judea.
Luke gives special attention to the great city of Antioch, in Syria,
where refugees began to preach to their fellow Jews and to the
Hellenists, and many of them were accepting the faith. Jesus’ commis-
sion in Acts 1:8 was then being realized through the efforts of these
Hellenistic Jewish Christians. They were the ones who became the real
founders of the mission to the Gentiles.
Because of the church’s success in Antioch, the apostles in Jerusalem
decided to send Barnabas to evaluate the situation. Noticing the great
opportunities for the advancement of the gospel, Barnabas sent for Paul
in Tarsus, feeling he could be a vital helper.
Barnabas was right. During the year he and Paul worked together,
large crowds, mostly Gentiles, heard the gospel. The enthusiasm
with which they spoke about Jesus Christ made the believers there
become known for the first time as “Christians” (Acts 11:26). That
they “were called” Christians indicates the term was coined by those
outside the church, probably as a form of mockery, while the believers
preferred to refer to themselves as “brethren” (Acts 1:16), “disciples”
(Acts 6:1), or even “saints” (Acts 9:13). By the time Acts was writ-
ten, “Christian” had become a common designation (Acts 26:28),
and Luke seems to approve of it. “Christian” means a follower or an
adherent of Christ.
What does it mean to you to be called a “Christian”? What about

your life is truly Christian? That is, how differently do you live
from non-Christians in the things that really matter?
_____________________________________________________
76
T hursday August 9
Herod’s Persecution
Turning again to Judea, we are faced now with the account of King
Herod’s executing James, the brother of John and son of Zebedee (Mark
1:19). He also wanted to do the same with Peter.
Read Acts 12:1–4. What does this teach about the challenges the early
church faced?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The King Herod mentioned here is Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod
the Great (Matt. 2:1); he ruled Judea from a.d. 40 to 44. As a result
of his show of piety, he earned popularity among his Jewish subjects,
especially the Pharisees. His attempt to win the favor of the Jews by
attacking some apostles fits perfectly with what we know of him from
other sources.
Because James’s execution was effective in fulfilling Agrippa’s
agenda, he planned to execute Peter, as well. Peter was arrested and
delivered to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, one squad
for each of the four watches of the night. Peter had four soldiers at a
time with him: he would be chained to two soldiers, one on each side,
and two would guard the entrance. Such extreme precaution was cer-
tainly taken to try to avoid what had already happened to Peter (and
John) some time before (Acts 5:17–20).
Read Acts 12:5–18. What happened in response to the brethren’s

prayers?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The night before the day that Agrippa had planned to put Peter on trial
and execute him, Peter was once again miraculously released by an angel.
Next, we find the story of Agrippa’s death at Caesarea (Acts 12:20–
23). Attempts have been made to identify the cause of his death (peri-
tonitis, an ulcer, even poison); yet, Luke is clear in saying that the king
died because of a divine judgment.
James is killed, Peter is delivered, and Herod faces divine judg-

ment. In some cases, we see justice; in others, it doesn’t appear
that way. What should this teach us about how we just don’t have
all the answers to all our questions and why we need to live by
faith regarding what we don’t understand?
77
F riday August 10
Further Thought: “In the tenth chapter of Acts we have still another
instance of the ministration of heavenly angels, resulting in the conver-
sion of Cornelius and his company. Let these chapters [8–10] be read,
and receive special attention. In them we see that heaven is much nearer
to the Christian who is engaged in the work of soulsaving than many
suppose. We should learn through them also the lesson of God’s regard
for every human being, and that each should treat his fellow man as one
of the Lord’s instrumentalities for the accomplishment of His work in
the earth.”—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 1059.
“When the church prays, the cause of God will go forward, and His
enemies will come to naught, even if this does not exempt the church
from suffering and martyrdom; Luke’s belief in the victory of the
gospel is thoroughly realistic and recognizes that though the word of
God is not fettered, its servants may well have to suffer and be bound.”
—I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1980), pp. 206, 207.
 Cornelius is described as “a devout man who feared God
with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and
prayed constantly to God” (Acts 10:2, NRSV). It is evident that
God’s Spirit was already working in Cornelius long before he met
Peter. Could it be that his devotional life was an opportunity for
God to reach him with the gospel message? What lesson is there
for us in his story?
 In class go back to Monday’s final question and ask yourselves

this question: What is the cultural, social, and political context
in which you live that breeds the kind of ethnic tension that
Christians are not supposed to harbor? In other words, when we
need to, how can we all as Christians rise above our culture and
background?
 Despite their damage, Paul’s efforts to persecute turned out to

good effect: the refugees who came to Antioch started preaching
to Jews and to Hellenists. In class share a personal experience of
pain and suffering that God turned into a blessing.
 James was one of Jesus’ closest disciples (Mark 5:37, 9:2,

14:33); yet, he was the first of the Twelve to suffer martyrdom.
What other examples do we find in the Bible of faithful people suf-
fering unfairly? What lessons should we draw from these accounts
for ourselves about the whole question of suffering?
78
i n s i d e
Story
A Reoccurring Nightmare
The dream scared Helen Yen, a retired housewife in Taiwan’s capital,
Taipei. In the dream, she would go someplace and then realize that she
couldn’t find her way back home. The nightmare tormented her nightly.
The daylight hours were more pleasant. Helen spent time with her
husband, adult children, and granddaughter. She began attending free
menopause classes at Taiwan Adventist Hospital.
In the classes, Helen heard that the nearby Sung Shan Seventh-day
Adventist Church was seeking volunteers for a new community outreach
program. The church planned to offer Tuesday classes on Alzheimer’s dis-
ease, a major challenge in the local community, as well as cooking classes
and Bible studies on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
“I had always wanted to volunteer in the community,” Helen said in an
interview at the church. “I had never heard of Adventists before. But I
just came to this church, and the pastor invited me to help in the kitchen.”
Helen went to the church at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesdays to bake bread to sell
at the Alzheimer’s classes. The bread, also offered to the church’s 180 mem-
bers, helps supplement outreach funding from the Taiwan Conference.
Helen said volunteering gave her a new sense of fulfillment and joy.
She began to visit the church every weekday and soon was attending Bible
classes led by the pastor’s wife, Brenda Huang, who oversees the outreach.
Helen, a Sunday churchgoer, heard about the seventh-day Sabbath.
“I felt something strange in my heart,” Helen said. “I couldn’t go on with
the way I was living after discovering this new information.”
She started to worship at the Adventist church every Sabbath. “Before, I
thought, I’m very blessed because I have a husband, children, and a grand-
daughter,” she said. “Then, I realized that there is something more to life.”
Nearly two years after Helen started volunteering, she is preparing to
join the church through baptism. “She is our first fruit,” said the church’s
pastor, Raymond Ko. In all, 300 people have visited the church’s Sabbath
services as a result of the outreach program, he
said.
Helen had had the reoccurring nightmare
about not being able to find her way back home
for a year. “But after I came to this church, I
stopped having this dream,” she said. “I realized
that the Seventh-day Adventist truth is the way
home—to heaven.”
Your Sabbath School mission offerings help support com-
munity outreach programs such as the one that led Helen
Yen, left, to baptism.

teachers comments
The Lesson in Brief

Key Texts: Acts 9:32–43, Acts 10
The Student Will:

Know: Recognize the pastoral and administrative gifts of Peter.
Feel: Appreciate the courage and boldness that characterize Peter’s min-
istry.
Do: Apply lessons from Peter’s life and ministry to strengthen his or her
personal life and church life.
Learning Outline:
I. Know: The Strength of Peter
A What made a vacillating person like Peter become a bold and coura-
geous witness for Jesus?
B How did prayer play a prominent part in Peter’s life and ministry?
How did Peter face the expectations of believers in various places where
he ministered?
II. Feel: The Chief Characteristics of Peter

A Even though Peter was a prominent leader of the church, how did he
make himself available to the common people in the church? What does
this tell us about Peter’s character as a pastor and leader?
III. Do: Learning From Peter

A What can we learn from Peter’s approach to meet the needs of the
individual and of the congregation?
Summary: Peter as a church member, prayer warrior, evangelist, and church

leader has left a model for Christians to follow.
80
teachers comments
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: After the Resurrection,

Jesus took time to prepare His disciples for their ministry ahead.
Peter had denied Jesus three times before His death. The risen Jesus
asked three times whether He could count on Peter to shoulder the
responsibilities of discipleship. “The question that Christ had put to
Peter was significant. He mentioned only one condition of disciple-
ship and service. ‘Lovest thou Me?’ He said. This is the essential
qualification.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 815.
Just for Teachers: Begin the class with a review of Peter’s failures
and successes prior to the Resurrection.
With the supper over and Gethsemane ahead, Jesus looked at
Peter and said, “ ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you,
that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your
faith should not fail’ ” (Luke 22:31, 32, NKJV). Peter wasn’t quite
sure what to make of these words, but he swore his undying alle-
giance to Jesus with the readiness to defend Him and, if need be, to
go “ ‘both to prison and to death’ ” (Luke 22:33, NKJV). However,
all along, Peter had been a vacillating figure. At one moment, he con-
fessed that Jesus is the Christ of God; at another, Peter denied ever
knowing Jesus. Peter walked on water, but faith gave way to doubt,
and the miracle almost became a disaster. Jesus shared Gethsemane
with Peter—a rare privilege—but Peter chose to sleep. Peter did cut
off an ear, but could not muster the courage to face a maid’s query
regarding Jesus. The rooster crowed, and Peter wept. For Peter’s sins
and the sins of the world, Jesus stood crucified outside Jerusalem.
On the third day, Peter saw the risen Jesus. His life was never the
same again. The Lord turned Peter into a new person, one who could
preach with a firm heart from the Pentecost pulpit.
Discussion Questions: Christian discipleship is both a privilege and a

responsibility. What are some of the privileges and responsibilities? How do
we often fall short in meeting the responsibilities?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: Jesus said to Peter, “ ‘When you have returned
81
teachers comments
to Me, strengthen your brethren’ ” (Luke 22:32, NKJV). Peter was a

sad paradox of opposing elements—strength and weakness, daring
and timidity, loyalty and betrayal. But the prayer of his Master was
ever with him, and Jesus assured Peter that he would return to Him.
Peter may deny, but that denial is not the termination point. It is only a
temporary failure, for the Lord has assured him with His prayers. The
hope the Lord had in Peter will not be in vain: Peter will strengthen his
brethren. Thus, we have the powerful Peter, soaked in Scripture and
filled with the Spirit to interpret it, a man through whom God’s Spirit
moves the multitudes to repentance from sin and acceptance of Jesus
as their Savior. And this powerful, daring, and fearless apostle fortified
believers—the needy, the doubting, the dying, the stranger—in fulfill-
ment of the hope Jesus had in him to “ ‘strengthen your brethren.’ ”
This week’s lesson focuses on Peter, who strengthened the laity and
who broke down racial barriers so that the church could grow.
Bible Commentary
I. Peter: The One Who Cared for the Laity (Review Acts 9:32–35 with your class.)
In the history of missions and church growth, we often note a strange

phenomenon. The principal evangelist behind the advance often seems
so deeply engrossed in membership growth, development, and fund-
raising that the need for personal touch and membership visitation gets
neglected or assigned to others. While division of labor is an important
concept in ministry, leaders must not lose touch with grass roots. Peter,
whose preaching shook Jerusalem and was foundational in the great
surge of church growth, set us a good example in pastoral visitation:
“Peter went through all parts of the country” (Acts 9:32, NKJV) to
strengthen and encourage the believers. He came down to Lydda, where
he met Aeneas, paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. To him Peter
brought healing with the words, “ ‘Jesus the Christ heals you’ ” (Acts
9:34, NKJV). The apostle-pastor-evangelist did not want the believers
in Lydda to miss the main point: healing is important, but more impor-
tant is to affirm that Jesus Christ is the Healer. In Him is the Creator’s
“wonder-working power.”
Soon another miracle occurs. Eleven miles northwest of Lydda in
Joppa, the church suddenly experiences a painful vacuum in its midst:
Dorcas, a woman “full of good works and charitable deeds” dies (Acts
9:36, NKJV)—a woman who took her faith and calling seriously, and
made the gospel speak through the language of “tunics and garments”
82
teachers comments
(Acts 9:39, NKJV). Jesus restores Dorcas to her ministry of needle and thread
and makes the brokenhearted widows of Joppa smile again.
Consider This: Then a third miracle: “So it was that he [Peter] stayed
many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner” (Acts 9:43, NKJV). A tanner
works with leather, handling the skin of dead animals—an occupation that
put Simon the tanner at risk of becoming ceremonially “unclean” (Lev. 11:24,
25), hardly the kind of company a conscientious Jew would keep. How did the
walls of partition begin to break down in this encounter?
II. Peter: The One Who Crossed the Frontiers (Review Acts 10 with your class.)
“God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform” (The Seventh-day

Adventist Hymnal, No. 107). So He worked long ago in the lives of Peter
and Cornelius. The story tells us how God broke down the walls of partition
between Jew and Gentile so that one united body of Christ could emerge.
Divisive factors—Jew or Gentile, male or female, slave or free, white or
black, rich or poor—have no place in the communion of the crucified and
risen Savior. Peter was not yet fully proclaiming that Christ is “our peace,
who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation
. . . so as to create in Himself one new man from the two” (Eph. 2:14, 15,
NKJV). But Peter was beginning the learning process: he chose to stay with
a leather worker in Joppa.
The Holy Spirit wanted Peter to understand more about Christian rela-
tions, and through that midday vision in the tanner’s terrace, the apostle
was shown that he had neither the authority nor the right to call any person
unclean or untouchable. That was the core intent, as Peter was to learn later,
of the vision of the clean and the unclean creatures that Peter was com-
manded to “ ‘rise . . . kill and eat’ ” (Acts 10:13). God instructed Peter to
go down and meet with the new reality that the gospel had brought about:
Cornelius’s emissaries were at the door. Peter was quick to get the message:
“ ‘God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean’ ”
(Acts 10:28, ESV). The apostle was ready to breach the great barrier between
Jew and Gentile, and enter Cornelius’s home. God did the rest.
Earlier, Cornelius, a Roman centurion at Caesarea, was in prayer. A
devout, God-fearing, generous, and prayerful man (Acts 10:2), Cornelius
was on his knees for the 3:00 p.m. appointment with God. In response to his
persistent search for truth and his earnestness to know more about God, an
angel directed Cornelius to fetch Peter from Joppa, some 40 miles south of
Caesarea. No search for the gospel truth goes unattended by the One who is
the Truth and the Life. Earnest search for truth immediately makes way for
heavenly agencies to come to the aid of the seeker.
Peter’s very first words in Cornelius’s home were oneness in the gospel:
83 83
teachers comments
God shows no partiality between Jew and Gentile, and Jesus Christ is
Lord of all (Acts 10:34–36). Where oneness and unity become an essen-
tial insistence of the gospel, it is the most affirmative signal that the
Holy Spirit is in action. And so it was, even before Peter could finish his
preaching, “the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word” (Acts
10:44, NKJV). “All those” included the circumcised and the uncircum-
cised, Jews and Gentiles, men and women. In the face of such undeniable
approval from heaven, who are mortals to continue clinging on to walls
that divide? The centurion’s home became the first place where such
walls of hatred and partition were torn down by the Holy Spirit.
Consider This: The Creation account announced that humanity, cre-

ated in God’s image, had inherited a common oneness (Gen. 1:26). The
Cross affirmed that in Christ there is “neither Jew nor Greek . . . slave
nor free . . . male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal.
3:28, NKJV). Why, then, do we still have divisiveness within Christian
communities? How do we deal with this problem? Where must the solu-
tion begin?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Peter knew Jesus personally. Peter could speak
about the art of fishing, whether the catch was fish or people. With Christ
as the focus, Peter could speak about the healing of his mother-in-law, the
feeding of the 5,000, the mount of transfiguration, the man at the pool, the
10 lepers, the walk on the sea, Lazarus, his own denial of Jesus, the kiss of
Judas, the cross, and the Resurrection. To Peter, life was not a narrative of
events, but the sharing of a certainty. His life was an eyewitness account of
what the Lord did and can do!
 Peter was often a person of ambiguities and contradictions. The dividing
point can be noted as Peter before Pentecost and Peter after Pentecost. What
really happened to Peter that made the change in his life authentic? How
does the reception of the Holy Spirit affect one’s spiritual life?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Bring slips of paper to class. On each slip, write
down one incident in Peter’s life or one text from the gospel that relates
to him. At the close of the lesson study, pass out the slips in a small bas-
ket or bag. Ask each member to pick one slip and share with the class
his or her first thoughts about the incident or text.
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Paul’s First Missionary

Journey
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 13, 2 Cor. 4:7–10, Rom.
10:1–4, Rom. 3:19, Acts 14:1–26, Romans 9–11.
Memory Text: “ ‘Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that

through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through
him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification
you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses’ ” (Acts 13:38,
39, NIV).
M
ost certainly, the gospel was to go to the Gentiles as well as
the Jews. This was a message that, slowly but surely, the early
Jewish Christians were starting to grasp.
Our first explicit report of Gentiles joining the faith in large scale
relates to Antioch. In other words, it was in Antioch that the first
Gentile church was founded, even if it also had a substantial contingent
of Jewish believers (Gal. 2:11–13). Due to the missionary zeal of its
founders and the new impetus provided by the arrival of Barnabas and
Paul, the church there grew rapidly, and it became the first important
Christian center outside Judea. In fact, in some aspects it even sur-
passed the church in Jerusalem.
With the apostles still stationed in Jerusalem, Antioch became the
birthplace of Christian missions. It was from there, and with the initial
support of the local believers, that Paul left on all three of his mis-
sionary journeys. It was because of their commitment that Christianity
became what Jesus had intended: a world religion, one in which the
gospel would be spread to “every nation, tribe, tongue, and people”
(Rev. 14:6, NKJV).

85
S unday August 12
Salamis and Paphos

In Acts 13, Luke shifts the scene back to Antioch in order to intro-
duce Paul’s first missionary journey, which occupies two entire chap-
ters (Acts 13, 14). From here through the end of the book, the focus is
set on Paul and his Gentile missions.
This is the first missionary endeavor in Acts that is intentional and
carefully planned by an individual church; yet, Luke is careful in high-
lighting that such endeavor originated in God, not in the believers’ own
initiative. The point, however, is that God can operate only when we
willingly place ourselves in a position where He can use us.
Read Acts 13:1–12. What main points does Luke want to stress con-
cerning Barnabas and Paul’s activities in Cyprus?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
A period of intercessory prayer and fasting preceded the departure of
the missionaries; in this context, the laying on of hands was basically
an act of consecration, or a commendation to God’s grace (Acts 14:26)
for the task at hand.
The island of Cyprus is in the northeastern corner of the Mediterranean
Sea, not far from Antioch. It was a natural place to start, as not only
was Barnabas from Cyprus but the gospel had also already reached the
island. Yet, certainly there was still much to be done.
Once in Cyprus, Barnabas and Paul—and John Mark, Barnabas’s
cousin (Acts 15:39, Col. 4:10), who was with them—preached in the
synagogues of Salamis. This was Paul’s regular practice: to preach first
in the synagogues before turning to Gentiles. Because Jesus was Israel’s
Messiah, it was more than natural to share the gospel with Jews first.
After Salamis, they moved westward, preaching (we can assume) as
they went, until they came to the capital, Paphos. The narrative then
revolves around two individuals: a Jewish sorcerer named Bar-Jesus,
also known as Elymas, and Sergius Paulus, the local Roman governor.
The story provides a good example of how the gospel was met with
contrasting responses: on one hand, open opposition; on the other,
faithful acceptance even by highly prestigious Gentiles. The language
of Acts 13:12 clearly implies conversion.
Think how, in this case, it was a Jew who resisted the truth while
a Gentile accepted it. How might this help us understand why
sometimes those of other Christian denominations are harder to
reach with “present truth” than are those of no faith at all?
_____________________________________________________
86
M onday August 13
Pisidian Antioch: Part 1

From Cyprus, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga, in Pamphylia,
on the southern coast of modern Turkey. Before they moved on to
Pisidian Antioch, Luke reports two significant incidental changes: Paul
becomes the leading figure (up until here, Barnabas always is mentioned
first) and Luke stops using Paul’s Jewish name (“Saul”) and starts refer-
ring to him only as “Paul” (Acts 13:9). This is probably because from
now on Paul finds himself mostly in a Greco-Roman environment.
Acts 13:13 records John Mark’s going back to Jerusalem. We are not
informed in the texts themselves of the reason for John Mark’s desertion.
Ellen G. White wrote that, faced with fear and discouraged because of
the hardship ahead of them, “Mark was intimidated and, losing all cour-
age, refused to go farther and returned to Jerusalem.”—The Acts of the
Apostles, p. 170. God never promised it would be easy. On the contrary,
Paul knew from the very beginning that his service for Jesus would
involve much suffering (Acts 9:16), but he learned to rely entirely on
God’s power, and in that lay the secret of his strength (2 Cor. 4:7–10).
Read Acts 13:38. What was the essence of Paul’s message in the
Antioch synagogue?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Acts 13:16–41 contains the first of Paul’s sermons recorded in the New
Testament. It was not, of course, the first sermon Paul gave, and there
is no question that it represents only a brief summary of what he said.
The sermon is divided into three main parts. It begins with shared
beliefs about God’s election of Israel and the kingship of David (Acts
13:17–23); this part is intended to establish a point of contact with his
Jewish audience. Next, it presents Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s
promises of a descendant of David who could bring salvation to Israel
(Acts 13:24–37). The concluding part is a warning against rejecting the
salvation that is offered through Jesus (Acts 13:38–41).
The climax of the sermon is verses 38, 39, which enclose the core of
Paul’s message on justification. Forgiveness and justification are avail-
able only through Jesus, not through Moses’ law. This passage does not
say that the law has been abrogated. It only highlights its inability to
perform what the Jews expected it to do; namely, justification (Rom.
10:1–4). Such prerogative rests solely with Jesus Christ (Gal. 2:16).
What does it mean that salvation is only through Jesus? How do

you reconcile the necessity to keep God’s moral law with the fact
that the law is unable to justify?
87
T uesday August 14
Pisidian Antioch: Part 2

Acts 13:38, 39, presents the issue of the law’s inability to justify, an
important doctrinal concept. Despite the binding character of its moral
commandments, the law is unable to bring justification because it can-
not produce perfect obedience in those who observe it (Acts 15:10,
Rom. 8:3). Even if the law could produce perfect obedience in us, that
perfect obedience cannot atone for past sins (Rom. 3:19; Gal. 3:10,
11). This is why justification cannot be earned, not even partially. We
can receive it only by faith in Jesus’ atoning sacrifice (Rom. 3:28, Gal.
2:16), a gift that we do not deserve. However central it may be to the
Christian life, obedience cannot earn us salvation.
Read Acts 13:42–49. How did the synagogue receive Paul’s message?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Notwithstanding the harsh way Paul ended his message, the reac-
tion of most in the synagogue was highly favorable. The following
Sabbath, however, things changed drastically. It is highly probable that
“the Jews” who were rejecting the gospel message were the synagogue
leaders, those who represented official Judaism. Luke ascribes their
ruthless attitude toward Paul to jealousy.
In the ancient world, several aspects of Judaism, such as monothe-
ism, lifestyle, and even the Sabbath, exerted a strong attraction among
non-Jews, and many of them joined the Jewish faith as proselytes.
Circumcision, however, was a serious hindrance, as it was considered
a barbaric and disgusting practice. Consequently, many Gentiles would
attend the synagogues to worship God but without formally converting
to Judaism. These were known as “God-fearers,” and it might have been
the God-fearers, as well as the proselytes, of the Antioch synagogue
(Acts 13:16, 43) who helped to spread the news about Paul’s message
among the people in general, and they came in great numbers. The
possibility to experience salvation without first having to adhere to
Judaism was no doubt particularly attractive to many.
This may help to explain the jealousy of the Jewish leaders. In any
case, by rejecting the gospel they were not only excluding themselves
from God’s salvation but also liberating Paul and Barnabas to turn their
full attention to the Gentiles, who rejoiced and praised God for includ-
ing them in His saving plan.
88
W ednesday August 15
Iconium
Under the instigation of the Jewish leaders in Antioch, the local
authorities incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out
of town (Acts 13:50). The disciples, however, were filled with joy and
the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52). The missionaries then headed to the city
of Iconium.
Read Acts 14:1–7. What was the result of Paul and Barnabas’s activi-
ties in Iconium?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
In Iconium, Paul and Barnabas continued their practice of addressing
first the Jews before turning to the Gentiles. Paul’s sermon in Antioch
(Acts 13:16–41) offers the main reason behind the Jewish priority in
their ministry: the election of Israel, with all that it involved (Rom. 3:2;
9:4, 5), and God’s fulfillment of His promise of a Savior from David’s
lineage. Despite the fact that many Jews were rejecting the gospel, Paul
never lost hope of a substantial Jewish conversion.
In Romans 9–11, Paul makes it clear that “not all who are descended
from Israel are Israel” (Rom. 9:6, NIV) and that it is only because of
God’s mercy that some of the Jews believe at all. God has not rejected
His people, but “at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace”
(Rom. 11:5, NIV). Paul continued to preach the gospel to Gentiles,
though he believed that one day more Jews would come to faith in
Jesus.
“Paul’s argument in Romans 9–11 offers a further explanation of
the mission strategy he pursues in the narrative of Acts and confronts
every generation of Christians with the theological importance of bear-
ing witness to unbelieving Jews.”—David G. Peterson, The Acts of the
Apostles (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009), p. 401.
The situation was not much different from that in Antioch. The first
reaction of both Jews and Gentiles to Paul’s gospel was highly posi-
tive, but again the unbelieving Jews, possibly the leaders of the local
Jewish community, stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds
against the missionaries, causing a division among the people. As the
opponents were planning to attack and lynch Paul and Barnabas, the
two missionaries decided to leave the town and move to the next one.
More than just hearing the gospel, Jewish people need to see it
lived among those who profess the name of Jesus. If you have
Jewish acquaintances, what kind of witness are you presenting
to them?
89
T hursday August 16
Lystra and Derbe

The next place Paul and Barnabas visited was Lystra, an obscure vil-
lage some 18 miles (about 29 km) southwest of Iconium. Though they
spent some time there (Acts 14:6, 7, 15), Luke reports only one story
and its developments: the healing of a lame man, probably a beggar,
who suffered from that malady from birth.
Read Acts 14:5–19. What did their reaction to Paul reveal about just
how steeped in ignorance the people were?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The crowd was so impressed by the miracle that they mistook Paul
and Barnabas for gods—Barnabas for Zeus, the supreme god of the
Greek pantheon, and Paul for Hermes, Zeus’s attendant and spokesman.
In fact, the people wanted to offer them sacrifices.
Latin poet Ovid (43 b.c.–a.d. 17/18) had earlier recorded a legend of
these same two gods disguised as humans visiting a town in the same
area (“the hills of Phrygia”) and seeking a place to rest. According to
the legend, a humble, elderly couple treated them kindly and with hos-
pitality; the rest of the people were indifferent. Because of their kind-
ness and hospitality toward the incognito visitors, the couple had their
house transformed into a temple and themselves into priests, while the
rest of the town was completely destroyed (Metamorphoses 611–724).
With such a story circulating in this region, the reaction of the people
to Paul’s miracle comes as no surprise. The story also helps to explain
why the crowd assumed that the missionaries were those two gods, and
not Asclepius, for example, the god of healing. Paul and Barnabas,
however, were able to stop their false worship of themselves. In the end,
some opponents from Antioch and Iconium caused a complete reversal
of the situation, and Paul was stoned and left for dead.
Read Acts 14:20–26. Where did Paul and Barnabas finish their journey?
And what did they do on their way back?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Paul said: “ ‘We must through many tribulations enter the king-
dom of God’ ” (Acts 14:22, NKJV). What does that mean? How
have you, perhaps, experienced what he is saying there? Most
important, how can you learn to grow in faith from whatever
“tribulations” you are facing?
90
F riday August 17
Further Thought: “During the life of Christ on earth he had sought

to lead the Jews out of their exclusiveness. The conversion of the centu-
rion and of the Syrophenician woman, were instances of his direct work
outside of the acknowledged people of Israel. The time had now come
for active and continued work among the Gentiles, of whom whole com-
munities received the gospel gladly, and glorified God for the light of an
intelligent faith. The unbelief and malice of the Jews did not turn aside
the purpose of God; for a new Israel was grafted into the old olive-tree.
The synagogues were closed against the apostles; but private houses were
thrown open for their use, and public buildings of the Gentiles were also
used in which to preach the word of God.”—Ellen G. White, Sketches
From the Life of Paul, p. 51.
“In all their missionary endeavors Paul and Barnabas sought to fol-
low Christ’s example of willing sacrifice and faithful, earnest labor for
souls. Wide-awake, zealous, untiring, they did not consult inclination
or personal ease, but with prayerful anxiety and unceasing activity they
sowed the seed of truth. And with the sowing of the seed, the apostles
were careful to give to all who took their stand for the gospel, practical
instruction that was of untold value. This spirit of earnestness and godly
fear made upon the minds of the new disciples a lasting impression
regarding the importance of the gospel message.”—Ellen G. White,
The Acts of the Apostles, p. 186.
 Dwell more on the story of John Mark’s fleeing when things
got hard. Paul and Barnabas later had an argument over John
Mark, when Barnabas wanted to use him again and Paul didn’t
(see Acts 15:37). Years later, however, Paul wrote: “Get Mark and
bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry” (2 Tim.
4:11, NKJV). What lessons are here for us regarding those who, in
certain circumstances, prove unfaithful to their calling?
 Review Paul and Barnabas’s response to the Lystrians when

they were mistaken for gods (Acts 14:14–18). How can we respond
when tempted to take credit for what God has done?
 Read Acts 14:21–23. Based on Paul and Barnabas’s example,

what can we individually and as a church do to nourish or
strengthen the faith of new converts?
 How can we make sure that we don’t let man-made traditions,

or even beliefs that we have held for a long time, get in the way of
advancing in truth, as did the religious leaders who opposed Paul?
91
i n s i d e
Story
Pornography vs. Gospel
By Takahashi Toru
The day was long and disappointing as I went door to door to
sell Seventh-day Adventist books in the southern Japanese city of
Shizuoka. No one wanted to buy a book.
Near the day’s end, I suddenly found myself on a strange, dark
street. Uneasily, I walked over to the nearest house. Pornographic
magazines were strewn around the yard. Piles of the magazines were
stacked up near the front door. The magazines were everywhere.
I backed away. Fear seized me, and I wanted to run. Then I pan-
icked.
“Hello, my name is Takahashi Toru!” I yelled at the house. “I’m
from the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and I have some books that
will change your life!”
The words came from a speech that we are trained to give by Youth
Rush, a student literature evangelism program. When I panicked, I
began to blurt out the speech.
The front door opened, and a severely obese man stepped out. Still
following my speech, I asked, “Would you like a health book?”
I expected the man to say, “No,” and I was prepared to run.
But the man, his voice rumbling in a deep bass, said, “Yes, I’d like
a health book.”
I nervously held out a small missionary book. The man took it and
opened it with interest.
“Yes, I want to get this,” he said, pulling out some money.
After the sale, I fled. I was scared, and I wanted to get far away.
As I ran, I prayed for the man and thanked God for His protection.
Then I stopped in my tracks. I had an epiphany. My heart was just
as filthy as that man’s yard. Still, Jesus had walked into my heart and
offered hope. Jesus said, “I will give you a new heart and put a new
spirit within you” (Ezekiel 36:26, NKJV).
As I stood on the street, gratitude overwhelmed me. I felt so thank-
ful that Jesus had dared to enter my heart.
With that newfound appreciation, I marched
over to the nearest house and immediately
sold a book.
Takahashi Toru, left, a 21-year-old media-journalism
student, received his Youth Rush training at Tokyo’s
Setagaya Church, which trains Adventist young people
from across Japan to share the gospel message. Part
of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help
the church expand its work.

teachers comments
The Lesson in Brief

Key Text: Acts 13
The Student Will:

Know: Identify the places, objectives, and methods of Christian mission.
Feel: Appreciate that success in mission depends on reliance upon, and
the guidance of, the Holy Spirit.
Do: Involve himself or herself in the mission task of local churches.
Learning Outline:
I. Know: The Why, the Where, and the How of Missions
A How does your church support your mission? Have you got a work-
able plan? If so, what is it?
B What kind of team have you selected to assist you in your mission
work? What financial and organizational provisions have been made for
your mission?
II. Feel: Executing the Mission

A Even before you start your mission work, why must you seek the guid-
ance of the Holy Spirit? Why must your team members experience the
power of unity among themselves before they can reach out in mission?
B Consider including in your mission plan a support point in the sites
that you plan to visit. Who are the people in those sites that you could
count on for assistance?
III. Do: Involving the Believers

A How do you plan to involve the believers in the cities that you intend
to visit?
Summary: Success in mission depends on the reliance of the Holy Spirit, the back-
ing of a sending church, and the dedication of the missionaries to the planned
task.
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teachers comments
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: Gospel mission does not tran-
spire at the initiative of any human being. Our Lord made that very
plain just before His ascension: “ ‘You shall receive power when the
Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth’ ”
(Acts 1:8, NKJV). The plan to leave Ur did not originate in Abraham’s
mind. Moses did not issue on his own the call for freedom. Joshua did
not choose to split the Jordan River. Isaiah did not pick his career as a
prophet. Daniel did not invent the prophetic telescope. Esther did not
choose to deliver the Jews. Peter didn’t leave the fishing net on his own.
Neither did Saul become Christianity’s first great missionary on his own.
In each case, the Holy Spirit made the call.
Just for Teachers: Before we consider Paul’s first missionary

journey, we would do well to note how the Holy Spirit planned Paul’s
missionary task. It all began in Antioch of Syria. The church there
was founded by believers who fled the persecution that followed
the stoning of Stephen (see Acts 11:19). Antioch was among the first
congregations to envision a church without walls. Although the gos-
pel was first preached to the Jews, it was embraced by other ethnic
groups. All received the gift of the Holy Spirit. This news, so unbe-
lievable, shocked the church at Jerusalem. The headquarters decided
to send a dependable leader to investigate the Antioch phenomenon.
The man they chose was Barnabas. Barnabas saw what the Holy
Spirit had done in Antioch. A new creation had emerged, resulting
in an expanding multiethnic church. Barnabas needed assistance
to minister to this growing church, and he went out to Tarsus and
brought Paul. Together they ministered to the Antioch congrega-
tion. It was not exclusively Roman, Greek, or Jewish. No name could
describe this new community. A new name emerged: “The disciples
were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:26).
Along with growth, the Antioch church had in its midst prophets,
teachers, and high government officials (Acts 13:1–3). As these believ-
ers ministered, fasted, and prayed, the Holy Spirit commanded them:
“ ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I
have called them’ ” (Acts 13:2, NKJV). Thus, the first missionary
journey commenced.
94
teachers comments
Discussion Questions: Have you ever felt a tug at your heart, a whis-
per in your ears, or a direct command to get involved with mission? How
can you plot your mission journey? Where does it begin, and where might
it end? Share with your class your experience in witnessing.
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: The risen Jesus charged the disciples to take
the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth. The Pentecostal outpouring and the powerful witness of Peter,
Stephen, and others have already shaken Jerusalem and Judea with
the message that, in Jesus, the Old Testament hope of the Messiah
has been fulfilled. A strong foundation for the Christian church
has been established in Jerusalem, and an equally strong opposi-
tion to the Jesus Way has initiated waves of persecution, beginning
with Stephen’s death. But this opposition and persecution led to
the spread of the gospel to Samaria and to the adjoining pagan
territories of the Roman Empire. The Antioch church recognized
that it was now time to let the Jesus mission reach out to the ends
of the earth. Paul, Barnabas, and their missionary team readied to
proceed.
Bible Commentary
I. Mission to Cyprus (Review Acts 13:4–12 with your class.)
1. Cyprus had already received the gospel from those fleeing the per-
secution unleashed after the stoning of Stephen, and it is from Cyprus
that the first preachers of the gospel descended on Antioch (Acts 11:19,
20). Eventually, Antioch’s faith community, with the promptings of the
Holy Spirit, aimed to turn a city known as the “Queen of the East” into
a global center for the good news of Jesus Christ. And so, Barnabas, the
native son, and Paul, the former persecutor, arrived in Cyprus to begin
their first missionary journey.
2. Paul’s presentation of the gospel to Sergius Paulus, the governor of
Cyprus at Paphos, was the first known such presentation of the gospel
made to a Roman governor. Satan was determined to disrupt Paul’s
effort. To Satan’s aid came a sorcerer in Paulus’s court, a man by the
name of Bar-Jesus (son of Jesus). Paul confronted the magician for
what he was: the son of the devil, an instrument in the hands of Satan
in preventing the light of truth from reaching Paulus. The immediate
miracle of the magician going blind convinced the governor of the
veracity of Paul’s message. Paulus was “astonished,” not so much at
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teachers comments
the magician going blind but at the “teaching of the Lord” (Acts 13:12,
NKJV).
Consider This: The mission to Cyprus marks an important transition.

For the first time, Luke mentions “Saul, who also is called Paul” (Acts
13:9, NKJV). From then on, the name Saul disappears, as if to note that
Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, had arrived. But the most virtuous
moment in the narrative is Barnabas’s submissive and humble response
to Paul’s advancement. Up until that moment, Barnabas was number one,
and without him, perhaps Paul would have been a forgotten factor. But the
man who brought Paul to join him now meekly takes second place without
a murmur. For Barnabas, whose name means “the son of encouragement,”
the mission is more important than who does it. What lessons can we learn
from Barnabas?
II. Mission to Antioch of Pisidia (Review Acts 13:14–52 with your class.)
Paul’s sermon at Antioch of Pisidia is perhaps the most complete sermon

of the apostle on record. The sermon asserts that history is not an accident,
but rather is God’s action plan to fulfill His will. This philosophy is in keep-
ing with the thinking of other, earlier apostolic leaders, namely Peter and
Stephen. Through all the sermons, one theme dominates: God is a God of
history and the Lord of the universe. His universal message is that His love,
mercy, and grace are applicable to all—both Jews and Gentiles—and this
news has been transmitted from age to age from the time of Abraham to the
time of Christ Jesus. Paul argues that the link from the old to the new, from
the prophets to the gospel, from hope to fulfillment, is found in the life and
ministry of Jesus. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Messianic hope of Israel,
and in Him the national history of the Jews reaches its culminating point.
From then on, salvation of both Jews and Gentiles is dependent on how these
people groups relate to the saving grace of Jesus.
Paul’s sermon reaches its apex in Acts 13:26–39 with these salient
points: (1) God has revealed, through Jesus, His salvation plan; this
revelation is central to the history of Israel from Abraham to Christ. (2)
Although the people for whom Christ came rejected Him and crucified
Him, God could not be defeated. Indeed, in God’s plan the Crucifixion
was the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world. (3) Not only did Jesus
offer Himself as a sacrifice for sins, but He rose from the dead victorious
over sin and death. He is the ultimate victor. (4) Jesus’ victory over sin
and His resurrection power are made available to everyone who believes
in Him—both Jew and Gentile—in order that all may enjoy the fellowship
of the newness in Jesus.
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teachers comments
Consider This: As the missionary team arrived in Perga on the way

to Antioch of Pisidia, a sad event occurred: John Mark decided to quit
the mission and return home to Jerusalem. No reason is given. However,
Mark’s departure became so contentious that, when the apostles planned
the second missionary journey some three years later, Paul refused to
take Mark. Barnabas, however, insisted on taking Mark. The dispute
became so hot that the missionary pair broke up. As for Mark, the Holy
Spirit eventually used him in a task no less important: he wrote the
Gospel that bears his name, the first Gospel to be written incidentally.
Years later, Paul, an aged prisoner in Rome, wrote to Timothy: Bring
Mark “with you, for he is useful to me for ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11,
NKJV). It took a long while for Paul to recognize that grace means giv-
ing second chances. A believer may fail at one moment, but to the one
who “dwells in the secret place of the Most High” (Ps. 91:1, NKJV) none
of our falls need be permanent.
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Antioch provided to its inhabitants safety,

wealth, and the security of religious indifference. But the fleeing
believers settled down in Antioch with a higher purpose: to make the
impossible become possible. Antioch showed that Christianity could
be a home without walls. It did become such. But it was not the work
of the Jew that made it so. Nor was it the persistence of the Gentile,
or the combined goodness of both. No, it was the “evidence of God’s
grace” (Acts 11:23, CEB).
 How can such grace be seen at work in your church or community?
What are some concrete ways that your church can personally foster an
appreciation in your community for the outworking of God’s grace?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Take a few moments to share testimonies. The

members of the Antioch church fled to Antioch to escape persecution
and oppression. Ask your members if they have ever been victims of
anything that insults or diminishes one’s humanity. Ask them how
they faced, or felt that they should have faced, such a problem. How
can we make the Antioch experience more than a dream of the wish-
ful and, indeed, an experience of the faithful?
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The Jerusalem Council
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 15; Gal. 2:11–13; Exod.
12:43–49; Rom. 3:30; Lev. 18:30; Rev. 2:14, 20.
Memory Text: “ ‘We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus
that we are saved, just as they are’ ” (Acts 15:11, NIV).
A
fter more than two years, Paul and Barnabas returned to Syrian
Antioch. Because the whole church there had been involved
in sending them out as missionaries, it was natural that they
would give a report to the church. The report’s emphasis, however, was
not on what they had accomplished but on what God Himself had done
through them.
The object of the report, of course, was the success of the mission
among the Gentiles, though many Jews had also come to faith. Since
the episode of Cornelius, however, the conversion of uncircumcised
Gentiles had become an issue (Acts 11:1–18), but now that large
numbers of them were being admitted to church membership, things
became particularly complicated. Many believers in Jerusalem were
not happy. For them, Gentiles would need first to be circumcised, that
is, to become Jewish proselytes in order to become part of God’s people
and have fellowship with them.
Acts 15 is all about the Gentile problem reaching a critical level and
about the church working together to find a solution. The Jerusalem
Council was a turning point in the history of the apostolic church in
relation to its worldwide mission.
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S unday August 19
The Point at Issue

From the beginning, the church at Antioch consisted of both
(Hellenistic) Jews and uncircumcised Gentiles (Acts 11:19–21, Gal.
2:11–13) who apparently lived in peaceful fellowship with each other.
That fellowship, however, was shattered by the arrival of a group of
believers from Jerusalem.
Read Acts 15:1–5. What was the problem the church was facing?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Traditionally called Judaizers, those individuals from Judea were
possibly the same ones identified in verse 5 as believing Pharisees.
The presence of Pharisees in the church should not surprise us, as
Paul himself had been a Pharisee prior to his conversion (Phil. 3:5).
This group seems to have gone to Antioch on their own initiative (Acts
15:24), though another episode that also took place in Antioch some
time later shows that most Jews, including the apostles, were not very
comfortable with the presence of uncircumcised Gentiles in the church
(Gal. 2:11–13).
In his Epistle to the Galatians, Paul does not speak positively about
the Judaizers, dubbing them as troublemakers (Gal. 1:7, 5:10, ESV)
and “false brothers” (Gal. 2:4, ESV) whose real motive was to under-
mine the spiritual freedom of the gospel and bring the Gentile converts
into the slavery of legalism.
Their point was rather simple: unless the Gentiles were circumcised
and kept all the other Jewish ceremonial laws, they could not be saved.
Salvation—so they believed—was to be found only within God’s
covenant community and, according to the Old Testament, there was
no other way to become part of God’s chosen people except through
circumcision (Gen. 17:9–14, Exod. 12:48). In short, Gentiles could be
saved only if they first became Jewish proselytes.
Paul and Barnabas, of course, could not agree with such require-
ments, which went against the very nature of the gospel. The aggressive
approach of the Judean visitors, however, generated a heated discus-
sion; the word in Acts 15:2 (stasis) has the sense of “conflict” or “dis-
sension.” Yet, the matter was too important to be dealt with at the local
level only. The unity of the church was at stake. The brethren of Antioch
then decided to send a number of delegates to Jerusalem, including
Paul and Barnabas, to find a solution.
Put yourself in the position of the Judaizers. What arguments

could you make for your case?
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M onday August 20
Circumcision
One of the great issues in this conflict was circumcision. This was
not a human institution (contrast Matt. 15:2, 9). Rather, it had been
commanded by God Himself as a sign of His covenant with Abraham’s
descendants as His chosen people (Gen. 17:9–14).
Read Exodus 12:43–49. In addition to Israelite males, who else was

supposed to be circumcised?
_____________________________________________________
The blessings of the covenant were not restricted to born Israelites
but were extended to any slave or sojourning stranger who wished to
experience it, as long as he were to be circumcised. After circumci-
sion, the stranger would have the same status before God as the born
Israelite: “He shall be as a native of the land” (Exod. 12:48, NKJV).
Circumcision, therefore, was indispensable (for a male) to be a full
member of God’s covenant community. And because Jesus was the
Messiah of Israel, it seemed natural that the Judaizers would insist that no
Gentile could benefit from His salvation without first becoming a Jew.
Read Romans 3:30, 1 Corinthians 7:18, and Galatians 3:28, 5:6. What
was Paul’s understanding of circumcision?
_____________________________________________________
By saying that no Gentile could be saved without first joining
Judaism, these men were mixing up two distinct concepts: covenant
and salvation. Being a member of God’s covenant community did not
guarantee salvation (Jer. 4:4, 9:25). In addition, Abraham himself was
saved (justified) by faith, which happened before, and not because, he
was circumcised (Rom. 4:9–13). Salvation has always been by faith,
whereas the covenant was a gracious provision through which God
would make Himself and His saving plan known to the entire world.
Israel had been chosen for this purpose (Gen. 12:1–3).
The problem, however, was that by too closely associating covenant
and salvation, these believers came to view circumcision as meritori-
ous. God’s saving grace, however, does not operate where human works
operate. So, to impose circumcision on believing Gentiles as a means
of salvation was to distort the gospel’s truth (Gal. 1:7, 2:3–5), nul-
lify God’s grace (Gal. 2:21), and make Jesus of no benefit (Gal. 5:2).
Furthermore, it was a denial of the universal character of salvation
(Col. 3:11, Titus 2:11). Paul could never agree to this type of thinking.
What’s the danger of thinking that salvation comes from merely

being a member of the right church?
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T uesday August 21
The Debate
Read Acts 15:7–11. What was Peter’s contribution to the debate in
Jerusalem?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Luke, of course, does not report all the proceedings of the meeting.
It would be interesting to know, for example, the supporting arguments
of the Judaizers (Acts 15:5), as well as Paul’s and Barnabas’s responses
(Acts 15:12). The fact that we have only Peter’s and James’s speeches
shows the importance of these men among the apostles.
In his speech, Peter addressed the apostles and elders, reminding
them of his experience with Cornelius years before. In essence, his
argument was the same one that he had used before the brethren in
Jerusalem (Acts 11:4–17). God Himself had shown His approval of
Cornelius’s conversion (even though he was an uncircumcised Gentile)
by giving him and his household the same gift of the Spirit that He had
given the apostles at Pentecost.
In His divine providence, God had used no less a person than Peter
to convince the Judean believers that He makes no distinction between
Jews and Gentiles with regard to salvation. Even if they lacked the
purifying benefits of Old Covenant rules and regulations, the believing
Gentiles could no longer be considered unclean, because God Himself
had cleansed their hearts. Peter’s final statement sounded very similar to
what we would expect from Paul: “ ‘We believe it is through the grace
of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are’ ” (Acts 15:11, NIV).
Read Acts 15:13–21. What solution to the Gentile problem did James
propose?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
James’s speech suggests he was in a position of authority (compare
with Acts 12:17; 21:18; Gal. 2:9, 12). Irrespective of what he might
have understood by the rebuilding of David’s tabernacle, which in
Amos’s prophecy refers to the restoration of David’s dynasty (Amos
9:11, 12), James’s main purpose was to demonstrate that God had
already provided for Gentiles to join, in a sense, a reconstituted “people
of God,” and thus they could be incorporated into Israel.
Because of this, his decision was that no further restrictions should
be imposed on Gentile converts, other than those that normally would
be required from foreigners who wished to live in the land of Israel.
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The Apostolic Decree

Read Acts 15:28, 29. What four prohibitions did the council decide to
impose on Gentile converts?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The main issue for which the council had been convened was satisfac-
torily resolved. Because salvation is by grace, believing Gentiles were
exempted from circumcision when they joined the church. Yet, they should
abstain from four things: (1) meat offered in sacrifice to idols in pagan
rituals and then served in a temple feast or sold in the market; (2) blood
consumption; (3) meat of strangled animals, that is, meat whose blood had
not been drained; and (4) sexual immorality in its various forms.
Most Christians today treat the dietary prohibitions (prohibitions 1–3)
as temporary recommendations. Because those things were particularly
repulsive to Jews, the prohibitions—they argue—were intended only
to bridge the gap between Jewish and Gentile believers. It also often is
claimed that all other Old Testament laws, including the Levitical food
laws (Leviticus 11) and the Sabbath commandment (Exod. 20:8–11),
which are absent from the list, are no longer binding for Christians.
The so-called apostolic decree, however, was neither temporary nor
a new code of Christian ethics that excluded everything else related to
the Old Testament. In fact, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Acts
15:28), the apostles and elders of the church reproduced the regulations
of Leviticus 17–18 only concerning Israel’s resident aliens.
In the context of Leviticus, these prohibitions mean the renunciation
of paganism. Any foreigner who wished to live in Israel had to abdicate
those pagan practices to which he or she had grown accustomed (Lev.
18:30). Likewise, any believing Gentile who wished to join the church
was required to take a firm stand against paganism.
This, however, was just the first step. Once in, he or she naturally
was expected to do God’s will by obeying those commandments that
are universal, pre-Mosaic, and not intrinsically ceremonial, such as the
Sabbath (Gen. 2:1–3) and following the differentiation between clean
and unclean food (Gen. 7:2).
That the decree was not temporary is clear, for example, from
Revelation 2:14, 20, where the first and the last prohibitions are
repeated, implicitly contemplating the other two, as well. In fact, his-
torical evidence shows that the decree was still considered normative
by Christians long after the New Testament period.
When disputes arise, how can we learn to sit together, to listen to

each other, and in a spirit of respect and humility work through
the issues?
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T hursday August 23
The Letter From Jerusalem

Read Acts 15:22–29. What additional measures were taken by the
Jerusalem church concerning the council’s decision?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The first measure was to write a letter to the Gentile believers in
order to inform them of what had been decided. The letter, written
in the name of the apostles and elders of Jerusalem, was an official
document that reflected the ascendancy of the Jerusalem church—
certainly because of the apostles’ leadership—over the other Christian
communities. Written in a.d. 49, which is the most probable date of
the council, this letter is one of the earliest Christian documents we
have.
The Jerusalem church also decided to appoint two delegates, Judas
Barsabas and Silas, to accompany Paul and Barnabas to Antioch; their
assignment was to carry the letter and confirm its content.
Read Acts 15:30–33. How did the church in Antioch react to the letter?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
When the letter was read, the church was filled with great joy because
of the encouraging message: circumcision was not to be required from
Gentile converts. They also raised no objection to the demands of the
letter (the fourfold apostolic decree). The first most serious division in
the early church was thus reconciled, at least in theory.
At the close of the council, Paul’s gospel was fully recognized by the
church leaders in Jerusalem, who extended to him and Barnabas the
right hand of fellowship as a sign of acceptance and trust (Gal. 2:9).
Yet, those Jewish Christians who continued to live by the Jewish law
would still find it highly problematic to have table fellowship with the
Gentiles, who, for all intents and purposes, did remain ritually unclean.
This issue is shown, for example, by the incident involving Peter in
Galatians 2:11–14. “Even the disciples,” says Ellen G. White, “were not
all prepared to accept willingly the decision of the council.”—The Acts
Be honest with yourself: how difficult is it for you to have fellow-

ship with believers from other races, cultures, and even social
classes? How can you be purged of this decidedly anti-gospel
attitude?
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F riday August 24
Further Thought: “The Jewish converts generally were not inclined to

move as rapidly as the providence of God opened the way. From the result
of the apostles’ labors among the Gentiles it was evident that the converts
among the latter people would far exceed the Jewish converts in number.
The Jews feared that if the restrictions and ceremonies of their law were
not made obligatory upon the Gentiles as a condition of church fellowship,
the national peculiarities of the Jews, which had hitherto kept them distinct
from all other people, would finally disappear from among those who
received the gospel message.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles,
p. 189.
“The Jewish Christians living within sight of the temple naturally
allowed their minds to revert to the peculiar privileges of the Jews as a
nation. When they saw the Christian church departing from the ceremo-
nies and traditions of Judaism, and perceived that the peculiar sacred-
ness with which the Jewish customs had been invested would soon be
lost sight of in the light of the new faith, many grew indignant with Paul
as the one who had, in a large measure, caused this change. Even the
disciples were not all prepared to accept willingly the decision of the
council. Some were zealous for the ceremonial law, and they regarded
Paul with disfavor because they thought that his principles in regard to
the obligations of the Jewish law were lax.”—Page 197.
 In class, go back to Monday’s final question. How do we
understand the fact that belonging to the “right” church does not
guarantee salvation? For example, certainly ancient Israel was the
“right church,” but that does not mean everyone in it was saved. If
being in the true church does not guarantee salvation, then what
is the advantage of being a part of it?
 How to accept uncircumcised Gentiles into the community of

faith was one of the first most important administrative issues
faced by the early church. What might be some comparable issues
in our church today, and what does the example of Acts 15 teach
us on how to deal with them?
 In class, have some people take the position of the Jews who
insisted that Gentiles must become Jewish proselytes first before
joining the church, which they saw (and rightly so) as an extension
of the covenant promises made to Israel. What are their argu-
ments, and how can you respond? How could a debate like this
show us why issues that today seem so clear-cut could, in a differ-
ent time, seem much more difficult than they do to us now?
104
i n s i d e
Story
One More Question
Byongju Lee looked with puzzlement at the poem that someone had
texted him. He didn’t recognize the phone number. Many people might
have deleted the message as a wrong number, but not Lee. He texted
back, “Who is this?”
His cell phone rang. “Who is this?” a woman’s voice asked. “You
texted me first,” Lee replied. It turned out that the caller had wanted to
text the poem to a friend but had misdialed the number by a single digit.
Many people might have hung up at that point, but not Lee. He asked
one more question, “Are you a poet?”
“No, I’m an elementary school teacher. I write poems as a hobby.”
“Oh really?” Lee said. He thought he recognized her accent and asked
one more question. “Do you live in Busan?” he said, referring to South
Korea’s second-largest city.
“No, I live in Jinju,” the woman said.
“I actually graduated from high school in Jinju,” Lee said.
The woman asked which one and eagerly shared that she had studied
up the street from his school. Then the woman asked, “What do you do?”
“I’m a church pastor,” Lee said.
“Which denomination?”
The question made Lee think that the woman wasn’t a Buddhist, the
second-largest faith group, comprising 15 percent of the population.
Christians account for 27 percent of the population of 51 million.
“I’m a Seventh-day Adventist pastor,” Lee said.
“I see,” the woman said. “Do you know Noah’s Ark?”
Lee was surprised. Noah’s Ark is a local Adventist offshoot.
The woman explained that she had worshiped briefly with a Noah’s
Ark group two decades earlier. She had left the group convinced of one
thing—that the biblical Sabbath is not on Sunday.
That evening, Lee sent the woman a follow-up text message. “It was
great to meet you today!” he wrote. A year later, she was baptized.
Evangelism is easy, Lee said. “If I had
ignored the text message, maybe she wouldn’t
have become a church member,” he explained.
“But I tried to form a relationship by asking
just one more question.”
Byongju Lee, 51, left, is the Sabbath School and Personal

Ministries director for the Adventist Church’s Korean Union
Conference in Seoul, South Korea.

teachers comments
The Lesson in Brief

Key Text: Acts 15:8, 9
The Student Will:

Know: Observe how changing the criteria for being part of God’s covenantal
family can be a challenging experience.
Feel: Emotionally identify with the struggle to allow into God’s family
those whom he or she once thought it was his or her religious responsibility
to avoid.
Do: Apply lessons learned from the Jerusalem Council that align with
both the inclusivity of the gospel and the maintenance of holiness.
Learning Outline:
I. Know: Gentiles Can Stay Gentiles.
A How does the Jerusalem Council shape our theology of mission to
people groups radically different from our own?
B What are some situations today that parallel the Gentile/circumcision
issue of the early church? What are some invalid comparisons?
II. Feel: No Difference Between Us and Them

A As Adventists, how can we avoid a superiority complex while still
counting ourselves a privileged people?
B Knowing that change is difficult, how can we let the Spirit keep our
emotions in check?
III. Do: Keeping Pace With God

A Some Christians can hinder the mission of the church in the name of
purity. What response can be given to this subtle pitfall?
B To maintain unity, what would have been the respective responsibili-
ties of the “winners” and the “losers” at the Jerusalem Council?
Summary: God’s church must always strive to keep in step with Him in order to
be an extension of His will. Outdated applications and egos must be put
aside for the sake of the Spirit’s saving activity.
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teachers comments
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: Even amid crisis, God’s will
can triumph through His people as they listen to, and heed, the tes-
timony of the Spirit’s activity and the confirmation of the prophetic
scriptures.
Just for Teachers: Something remarkable took place at the

Jerusalem Council that you as a teacher should strive to com-
municate to your class. Ingrained theological, biblical, and
sociological principles and practices that had been reinforced for
millennia were now about to “officially” shift. God had been pro-
gressively altering His people’s view of the Gentile world from the
time of Jesus’ ministry up through the experiences of Peter’s and
Paul’s witness of the Spirit’s baptism of Gentiles. It could be said
that the Jerusalem Council is the climactic miracle of how God
changes (and continues to change) the heart of a people.
Opening Discussion: If we could read the whole Bible through in

one sitting, we might become more aware of just how differently God and
humans have been engaging each other throughout history: direct contact
in the Garden of Eden; offering sacrifices on personally built altars; ceas-
ing sacrifices on personally built altars (Lev. 17:3, 4); meeting God in
His temple; the cessation of all temple services, from old covenant to new
covenant; God’s revelation of Himself in Jesus, thereby superseding all
past revelations; and the list goes on. The change God made by dropping
circumcision as a covenantal requirement for Gentiles was not out of char-
acter in light of salvation history. The events leading up to, and enacted,
at the Jerusalem Council demonstrate how God’s larger intentions inform
church practice.
Discussion Question: What principles from Acts 15 help us understand

what is permanent versus what is temporary in Scripture?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: Acts 15 may present some challenging themes

for Sabbath School students. There are explicit commands in the Old
Testament to circumcise Gentiles (and of course, those of Hebrew
107 107
teachers comments
lineage). The fact that these commandments are now overturned in

the New Testament era reveals that Scripture is not to be understood
simply as a compilation of commandments. Help your class appreci-
ate how the broader perspective of the story of Israel informed the
Jerusalem Council’s decision.
Bible Commentary
I. The Debate (Review Acts 15:1–7 with your class.)
One can almost hear the list of Scriptures the believing Pharisees must
have marshaled as they debated the Gentile/circumcision issue (Acts
15:5, 7). The texts on circumcision are clear, imperative, and often spe-
cifically include the “foreigner” (Gen. 17:12–14, 27; Exod. 12:44, 48;
Josh. 5:4–9). There are no texts to the contrary. Textually, their argument
would appear airtight. Also, common sense could argue that Jesus was
the Jewish Messiah, coming to the Jewish nation as foretold in the pro-
phetic scriptures of the Jewish religion. Is it so farfetched to say that one
must become a Jew in order to benefit from a Jewish Savior? The rite of
circumcision would accomplish just that.
Consider This: If the Pharisees had been Protestants, they might have
appealed to sola Scriptura for their support. How would you respond to
this reasoning?
II. Testimony, Scripture, and the Story of Israel (Review Acts 15:7–21 with your
class.)
For first-century Jews, the inauguration of God’s kingdom on earth in the

last days coincides with the coming Messiah (Mark 1:14, 15; Heb. 1:1,
2), the restoration of the Davidic monarchy (Isa. 9:6, 7; Matt. 21:9), the
renewal of the covenant (Jer. 31:31–34), and the spiritual/national salva-
tion of the nation of Israel (Isa. 66:17–24, Acts 1:6). The end-time activity
of the Holy Spirit was integral to that collage of events (Isa. 32:14–18,
Luke 4:17–21; compare with Isa. 61:6, Acts 2:17). So, when Peter testi-
fied that the Holy Spirit had been given to the Gentiles (Acts 15:8), it
reinforced the idea that God’s last-day salvation for Israel was operative
and was miraculously sweeping in the nations (that is, the Gentiles) as
prophesied. The drawing and influx of Gentiles into Israel (Isa. 49:6,
60:1–3, Jer. 33:9, Mic. 4:2, etc.), and thereby into her saving covenant
relationship with Yahweh, is well attested in the prophets (which James
is about to reference). So, although Peter is not quoting any specific text,
his testimony regarding the giving of the Holy Spirit to Gentiles invokes
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teachers comments
the entire salvific story of Israel and places the event in context. In effect, the
story of Israel had moved way beyond circumcising a Gentile here or there,
or compassing “sea and land to make one proselyte” (Matt. 23:15). God’s
kingdom was about to become a worldwide phenomenon, bursting the con-
fines of any ethnic or national boundaries (Acts 1:8), and the Pharisee may
still have been hung up on the fact that Abraham circumcised all those in
his household. God was initiating the “last act” of the great drama of Israel’s
prophetic destiny; conversely, some of the believers were still theologically
stuck in “Act 1.”
Salvation is expressed historically and prophetically, but also internally. It
was always meant to include the heart. Peter brings God into the conference
proceedings because only He can testify concerning the heart. God “bore wit-
ness to them [the Gentiles], by giving them the Holy Spirit” (Acts 15:8, ESV).
But what was He testifying about them? Precisely that their hearts had been
“cleansed . . . by faith” (Acts 15:9, ESV). This “cleansing of the heart,” in con-
junction with the question of circumcision, reverberates with the ancient call
for circumcised hearts (Deut. 10:16, 30:6, Jer. 4:4). Paul would later high-
light this connection in referring to the true Jew as possessing a circumcised
heart “in the Spirit” (Rom. 2:29, NKJV). But if God already had testified that
the Gentiles had been circumcised/cleansed in heart and the evidence of this
spiritual circumcision was no less than a Gentile Pentecost, it is no wonder
Peter warns against “putting God to the test,” as though God had not disclosed
His intentions in the matter.
Peter ends on a theme he began with. God put “no difference between us
[circumcised Jews] and them [uncircumcised Gentiles]” in the giving of the
Spirit. Likewise, both the circumcised and the uncircumcised will be saved
“through the grace of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 15:9, 11).
The evidence had been given. Peter, Paul, and Barnabas had testified that
the prophetic drama of God among Gentiles was being fulfilled in their min-
istries. It was James, however, who would confirm that their testimony was
aligned with the prophetic script by citing the prophets. God would take from
the Gentiles “a people for his name” (Acts 15:14, ESV).
Consider This: Testimony, Scripture, and the story of Israel were in full
display in the debate at Jerusalem. How is a narrative reading of the Old
Testament (that is, reading the Old Testament as a story) superior to an all-
or-nothing approach to understanding Scripture, which advocates that either
all Old Testament requirements are still in force or none are?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Some Christians rely more heavily on a subjec-

tive “spirit” experience to know God’s will. Others take an objective
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teachers comments
approach and rely more heavily on the Bible. Acts 15 shows us that
these two principles need to coordinate. Though the Pharisee party
probably had more explicit texts regarding circumcising Gentiles, the
apostles had both witnessed the Spirit baptism of Gentiles and had
scriptures to contextualize and interpret that experience. Challenge
the class to think hard about balancing personal experience with bib-
lical interpretation and vice versa.
Thought Questions: Picture yourself sitting at the Jerusalem Council,

listening carefully to the arguments. Pretend you don’t know the “right”
position. Be honest: do you possess a view on the relationship between
Scripture and experience that fits better with the pro- or anti-circumcision
party? What does that view tell you about yourself?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Because we as Seventh-day Adventists hold

to Sabbath and dietary laws that the majority of the Christian
world considers obsolete, we will continually be in the position of
proposing and defending a hermeneutic that shows we are “rightly
dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Understanding God’s
will in terms of the developing story of God’s people (a narrative
approach) has been suggested here as being helpful to clarify the
thorny issue of Old Testament law application. The fact that an “all
or nothing” approach to Old Testament law cannot be sustained is
made plain by an honest reading of the New Testament use of the
Old Testament. Even James in Acts 15, though adjudicating that
circumcision is obsolete, affirmed four other Torah requirements
as binding on Gentile converts (Acts 15:20). Present to the class that
the multiple angles emerging from the Jerusalem Council support
Adventist hermeneutics, and find out from the class whether any of
the principles discussed here would have helped them in their past
witnessing.
Activity: Sabbath, pork, jewelry, tithing, Ellen G. White, the heavenly

sanctuary . . . let’s face it, Adventists believe a bunch of things that
most other Christians don’t. Think of a discussion you had defending
a uniquely distinctive or, relatively speaking, controversial position we
hold. How could you have used lessons learned from the Jerusalem
Council to bolster your position?
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The Second Missionary

Journey
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 16, Rom. 3:28, Gal. 2:16,
Acts 17, 1 Cor. 1:23, Acts 18:1–10.
Memory Text: “ ‘Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be

silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you,
because I have many people in this city’ ” (Acts 18:9, 10, NIV).
B
ack in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas nurtured the church and
engaged in further evangelistic work. This was seemingly the
last time they worked together, as a sharp disagreement led to
their separation. The reason for Paul and Barnabas’s disagreement was
Mark, Barnabas’s cousin (Col. 4:10). When Paul invited Barnabas to
return to the places they had evangelized in their previous journey,
Barnabas wanted to take his cousin along, but Paul was against it
because of Mark’s past failure (Acts 13:13).
Paul and Barnabas’s separation, however, was turned into a blessing,
because in dividing their efforts they could cover a wider area than
they had first planned. Barnabas took Mark and returned to Cyprus,
Barnabas’s homeland (Acts 4:36). Meanwhile, having invited Silas
to join him, Paul went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the
churches there. Before coming to Antioch the first time, Paul had spent
several years in Tarsus (Acts 9:30; 11:25, 26). Now he had the opportu-
nity to revisit the congregations he had established there. Nevertheless,
God’s plan for him was much greater than Paul first conceived.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 1.
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S unday August 26
Back in Lystra
Luke’s selective choice of events brings Paul almost straight to Derbe
and Lystra. About Syria and Cilicia, the only thing he says is that Paul
went through those regions confirming the churches (Acts 15:41).
Read Acts 16:1–13. What does Paul’s action here teach us about how
sensitive he was in seeking to reach others?
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_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Though Timothy’s father was a Gentile, his mother was a Jewish
Christian; her name was Eunice. Despite being uncircumcised, Timothy
knew the Scriptures from childhood (2 Tim. 3:15), implying he was also
a pious person. As a Christian, he already had earned the respect and
the admiration of all the local believers.
Because Jewish identity was passed on through the mother’s line
rather than the father’s, Timothy was a Jew. He had not been circum-
cised on the eighth day after birth, perhaps because his father, a Greek,
viewed circumcision as barbaric.
Wishing to have Timothy as a co-worker and knowing that, as an
uncircumcised Jew, he would be forbidden to enter the Jewish syna-
gogues under the charge of apostasy, Paul had him circumcised. Paul’s
motivation for doing so, therefore, was entirely practical and should not
be seen as a contradiction to the gospel he preached.
After revisiting the places that he had been in his first journey, Paul
decided to go southwest, possibly to Ephesus, in the province of Asia,
but the Holy Spirit prevented him from doing so. He then moved north,
trying to go to Bithynia, but again in some undisclosed way the Spirit
prevented him from going there. Because he already was passing
through Mysia, Paul’s only option was to go westward to the seaport of
Troas, from where he could sail in a number of directions.
In a night vision, however, God showed him he should sail across
the Aegean Sea to Macedonia. When his companions learned about the
vision, they concluded that God had indeed called them to share the
gospel with the Macedonians.
Think about why Paul circumcised Timothy. What should this

teach us about being willing to do certain things that we might
not always agree with or deem necessary, but that will serve a
greater cause?
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M onday August 27
Philippi
Once in Macedonia, Paul and his companions traveled to Philippi,
where they established the first Christian congregation in Europe.
Read Acts 16:11–24. Where did the missionaries go on Sabbath, and

why? What ultimately happened to them there?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Whenever Paul arrived in a city, his practice was to visit the local
synagogue on Sabbath in order to witness to the Jews (Acts 13:14, 42,
44; 17:1, 2; 18:4). That in Philippi he and his group went to a riverside
to pray—together with some women, both Jewish and Gentile worship-
ers of God—probably means there was no synagogue in the city. The
significance of this is that Paul did not go to Jewish synagogues on
Sabbaths only for evangelistic purposes, but also because this was his
day of worship.
Read Acts 16:25–34. Review the story of the jailer’s conversion. What
did he need to do to be saved?
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_____________________________________________________
Paul and Silas’s answer to the jailer’s question is in full harmony with
the gospel, since salvation is entirely through faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:28,
Gal. 2:16). What we cannot conclude from the episode, however, is that
belief in Jesus is all that is necessary for baptism, at the expense of the
proper doctrinal and practical instruction.
What do we know about the jailer? Was he a Jew or a Jewish prose
lyte? In either case, what he needed was to believe in Jesus as Lord and
Savior. What if he were a Gentile who already knew and worshiped
God, such as Cornelius, Lydia (Acts 16:14), and several others in Acts?
What if he previously had attended Paul’s evangelistic meetings in the
city? Whatever the facts about him, the brevity of the account should
not be used as an excuse for quick baptisms.
Read Acts 16:31–34. What does this teach us about just how com-
plete and full Christ’s sacrifice was for us? How can you learn,
day by day, to rest in the assurance of Christ’s righteousness
covering you as your only hope of salvation?
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T uesday August 28
Thessalonica and Berea

When Paul and Silas were released from prison, the missionaries
departed from Philippi (Acts 16:35–40). From Philippi, Paul and his
companions went straight to Thessalonica, the capital city of Macedonia.
Read Acts 17:1–9. How did the Thessalonian Jews react to Paul’s suc-
cessful preaching among the Gentiles?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Once again we see Paul looking for the synagogue where he could
share the gospel. Many devout Greeks and not a few prominent women
were persuaded by Paul’s message. That these converts “joined Paul
and Silas” (Acts 17:4, NKJV) seems to mean they formed a separate
group and met apart from the synagogue, probably in Jason’s house.
Moved with jealousy, their opponents started a riot. Their intention
was to bring Paul and Silas—Timothy is not mentioned—before the
city’s assembly and accuse them. As they could not find the missionar-
ies, Jason himself and a few other new believers were dragged to the
local authorities under the charge of sheltering political agitators.
Read Acts 17:10–15. What was the response of the Berean Jews in
comparison to that in Thessalonica?
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_____________________________________________________
The term eugenes - (Acts 17:11) originally meant “well born” or “of
noble birth” but came to denote more generally a “fair-minded” atti-
tude, which is likely the case here. The Jews from Berea are praised
not simply because they agreed with Paul and Silas but because of their
willingness to examine the Scriptures for themselves and on a daily
basis to see if what the missionaries were saying was correct. A merely
emotional response to the gospel, without the necessary intellectual
conviction, tends to be superficial and short-lived.
Before long, however, persecution interrupted Paul’s productive min-
istry in Berea, compelling him to move farther south, to Athens.
When was the last time you diligently searched the Scriptures
in order to find out “whether these things [whatever they were]
were so”?
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114
Paul in Athens
Athens, the intellectual center of ancient Greece, literally was given
to idols. Marble statues of persons and gods were found everywhere,
especially at the entrance of the agora (public square), which was the
hub of urban life. Paul was so distressed about such dominant idolatry
that he changed his usual practice of going first to the synagogue, and
pursued a dual course of action: he disputed weekly in the synagogue
with Jews and devout Gentiles, and daily in the public square with the
Greeks. (See Acts 17:15–22.)
As the Athenians were always ready to hear something new, some
philosophers took interest in Paul’s teaching and invited him to address
the Areopagus, the high council of the city. In his speech, Paul did not
quote from the Scriptures or recap the history of God’s dealings with
Israel, as he did when speaking to a Jewish audience (compare with
Acts 13:16–41); this approach would not make much sense with this
audience. Instead, he presented some important biblical truths in a way
that cultured pagans could understand.
Read Acts 17:22–31. In his Areopagus speech, what great truths about
God and salvation and history and humanity did he preach to these
people?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Most of Paul’s words sounded ridiculous to that sophisticated pagan
audience, whose concepts about God and religion were distorted
greatly. We do not know how Paul intended to end his message, for he
seems to have been interrupted the very moment he referred to God’s
judgment of the world (Acts 17:31). This belief collided head on with
two Greek concepts: (1) that God is utterly transcendent, having no
dealings whatsoever with the world or concern in human affairs, and
(2) that when a person dies there can be no resurrection at all. This
helps to explain why the gospel was foolishness to the Greeks (1 Cor.
1:23), and the number of converts in Athens was small.
Yet, among those who came to believe were some of the most influ-
ential people of Athenian society, such as Dionysius, a member of the
Areopagus, and Damaris, whose mention by name implies she was of
some status, if not also a member of the council herself (Acts 17:34).
Paul’s different approach before the Areopagus shows his aware-

ness of social and cultural differences. He even quoted a pagan
poet (Acts 17:28) in order to make his point. What should this
teach us about how we can use different methods to reach dif-
ferent people?
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T hursday August 30
Paul in Corinth
Acts 18:1–11 recounts Paul’s experience in Corinth, where he would
stay for one and a half years. Aquila and Priscilla would become Paul’s
lifelong friends (Rom. 16:3, 2 Tim. 4:19). The account implies they
were already Christians when they came to Corinth, probably because
of the deportation of Jews from Rome by the Emperor Claudius. Roman
historian Suetonius seems to indicate that the deportation occurred due
to disturbances in the Jewish community associated with the name of
“Christ” (Claudius 25.4), which would perhaps be the result of the
preaching of the gospel by local Jewish believers. Thus, it is possible
that Aquila and Priscilla themselves had been involved in such activi-
ties. In any case, besides sharing the same faith and the same Jewish
background, Paul and his new friends also shared the same trade.
Read Acts 18:4–17. What was the result of Paul’s missionary activities
in Corinth?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, they brought
some financial support from the churches there (2 Cor. 11:8, 9), which
allowed Paul to devote himself entirely to preaching. Paul’s policy was
to live at his own expense during his ministry, though he also taught
that “those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel” (1 Cor.
9:14, NKJV).
Despite the strong Jewish opposition to Paul’s message, some Jews
did believe, as well as some Gentile worshipers of God. Among the
converts were Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire house-
hold. Many Corinthians also believed and were baptized. The situation
among the Jews, however, was rather tense, as the following episode
demonstrates (Acts 18:12–17), and Paul possibly was planning to leave
Corinth soon, but in a night vision he received divine encouragement
to stay on (Acts 18:9–11).
On his way back to Antioch, Paul took Aquila and Priscilla with him
and left them in Ephesus, where he spent a few days before resum-
ing his trip. While there, he had the opportunity to preach in the local
Jewish synagogue, whose positive response made him promise that,
God willing, he would come back (Acts 18:18–21). This happened right
in his next journey.
Paul, frustrated by his reception, needed encouragement from

the Lord in regard to the salvation of souls in Corinth. What do
the Lord’s words to him (Acts 18:10) say to us when we might feel
something similar to what Paul felt?
116
F riday August 31
Further Thought: “Those who today teach unpopular truths need

not be discouraged if at times they meet with no more favorable recep-
tion, even from those who claim to be Christians, than did Paul and his
fellow workers from the people among whom they labored. The mes-
sengers of the cross must arm themselves with watchfulness and prayer,
and move forward with faith and courage, working always in the name
of Jesus.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 230.
“If, in the closing scenes of this earth’s history, those to whom testing
truths are proclaimed would follow the example of the Bereans, search-
ing the Scriptures daily, and comparing with God’s word the messages
brought them, there would today be a large number loyal to the precepts
of God’s law, where now there are comparatively few. . . .
“All will be judged according to the light that has been given. The
Lord sends forth His ambassadors with a message of salvation, and
those who hear He will hold responsible for the way in which they treat
the words of His servants. Those who are sincerely seeking for truth
will make a careful investigation, in the light of God’s word, of the
doctrines presented to them.”—Page 232.
 In the context of the last paragraph of Monday’s study, discuss
in class the implication of the following statement: “There is need
of a more thorough preparation on the part of candidates for bap-
tism. . . . The principles of the Christian life should be made plain
to those who have newly come to the truth.”—Ellen G. White,
Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, pp. 91, 92.
 Dwell more on Wednesday’s final question. How can we as a

church show the same understanding Paul had of cultural differ-
ences and the same willingness to meet the people where they are
without compromising the gospel or our own religious identity?
 Read Acts 17:32–34. What can we learn from the three responses
that met Paul’s message in Athens? “(1) Some mocked. They were
amused by the passionate earnestness of this strange Jew. It is pos-
sible to make a jest of life; but those who do so will find that what
began as comedy must end in tragedy. (2) Some put off their decision.
The most dangerous of all days is when a man discovers how easy it is
to talk about tomorrow. (3) Some believed. The wise man knows that
only the fool will reject God’s offer.”—William Barclay, The Acts of
the Apostles, rev. ed. (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1976), p. 133.
 Paul actually quoted a pagan writer (Acts 17:28) in order to

make his point with the Athenians. What should that tell us about
how, at times, using sources like this could be of value? What dan-
gers are there, as well?
117
i n s i d e
Story
Not Rich, Not Poor
Chang dreamed of money and wealth in China.
He thought his backpack-producing factory would make him rich, so he felt
perplexed when the business fell on hard times. An online friend offered some
unusual advice: “Go to church.”
Chang was too busy for church until after his factory went bankrupt, but he
was not impressed with what he saw on his first visit. Then someone told him
that if he went to church, God would bless him. “I wanted God to bless me
with more money, so I went back a second time,” he said.
Around that time, Chang was hired to work as a restaurant cook in another
city. Upon his arrival, he immediately began to look online for a church. “I
wanted to find a church so I could earn more money,” he said.
He found the addresses of two churches—a large Sunday church and a
small Seventh-day Adventist house-church. “I don’t know why, but I decided
to go to the small church,” he said.
One day, a church member spoke with Chang about the Sabbath. “If you
keep the Sabbath, you will get more blessings,” he said.
Chang wanted more money, so he asked the church to pray for him to keep
the Sabbath. The next day, he told his manager that he wanted Sabbath off or
he’d quit. “Don’t quit,” the manager said. “Keep your Sabbath.”
When the restaurant owner heard about the arrangement, he angrily ordered
Chang to work on Sabbath. Chang promptly quit. Remarkably, all the restau-
rant’s employees also quit in a show of solidarity.
Almost immediately, church members proposed that Chang take health
courses at an Adventist sanatorium. Chang liked the idea. With a nutritionist
certificate, he could land a high-paying job. But he also had a growing desire
to know God. He prayed for Bible training. The next day, two people from dif-
ferent churches called him separately to recommend that he attend an upcom-
ing Bible training in another city. The training changed his heart. He lost his
desire for money and became a Bible worker.
Chang, 34, said his life can be summed up by Isaiah 55:8, which says, “ ‘For
My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your
ways My ways,’ says the Lord” (NKJV).
“I don’t feel rich now, but I don’t feel poor,
either,” he said. “A preacher once told me that she
lacks nothing. I said, ‘Really, you have so much
money that you lack nothing?’ Now I can under-
stand what she meant. I lack nothing.”
Your Sabbath School mission offerings help support
Global Mission pioneers such as Chang.

teachers comments
The Lesson in Brief

Key Texts: Acts 16:6–10; 18:9, 10
The Student Will:

Know: Recognize the cooperation between God and Paul in their missionary
work: God encourages Paul and directs him as to where he should minister,
and Paul shares and fine-tunes the gospel message according to his diverse
audiences.
Feel: Sense the thrill and confidence in knowing God was present every
time he or she shared the gospel.
Do: Move confidently but sensitively in his or her respective mission
field.
Learning Outline:
I. Know: A Thrilling Partnership
A Even though God granted Paul visions for direction and encourage-
ment, what do we have that can give us both of those elements?
II. Feel: Never Alone

A Like Paul and Silas singing to God in the Philippian jail, how can we
feel that close to God in difficult settings, missionary or otherwise?
B Which part of Paul’s second missionary journey particularly motivates
you and gives you the confidence to follow in his footsteps?
III. Do: Just Go.

A What is the top reason you can think of right now that keeps you from
actively sharing your faith in Christ?
B Whatever the above answer may be, why not pray with a friend that
God would remove such an obstacle?
Summary: Knowing we are coworkers with God can move us from fear or lack of
confidence to courage in sharing the gospel. In addition, we can learn prin-
ciples of sharing from the record of Paul’s mission trips.
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teachers comments
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Acts 16:1–4, 22–24
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: Paul’s second mission trip is

worth our attention for at least two reasons: (1) that he continued to labor
under extreme circumstances is motivating, and (2) how he ministered to
diverse audiences is instructive.
Just for Teachers: Paul’s second missionary journey is filled with

a fascinating array of diverse experiences: exorcisms, quiet witness-
ing on a riverside, beatings, conversions, rejections, public evange-
lism, jail time, chaotic mob attacks, and so on. There’s a tendency to
assess God’s presence and His will in our lives based on a spectrum
of good or bad results. The chronicle of Paul’s exploits challenges that
notion and shows that we, like Paul, can be at the center of God’s will,
and yet still be undergoing horrendous challenges and outright pain.
Share the story below, and afterward reinforce that, as much as we
like to see ourselves as the wise old man, we instinctively respond like
the neighbors.
Opening Discussion: An ancient parable tells of an old man whose

horse escaped from his stables. His neighbors came to console him.
“Such bad luck,” they bemoaned. But the old man seemed unaffected
and replied, “Whether it is a bad or good thing, I cannot tell.” A bit
confused, the neighbors went home. Later that afternoon, the neigh-
bors returned upon hearing the news that the escaped stallion had
returned, bringing with it a herd of horses that filled the old man’s
stalls. “What amazing good luck you have,” gushed the neighbors. The
old man again mused, “Whether it is a bad or good thing, I cannot
tell.” Again, the neighbors went home, only to return later to console
the man because his son had injured his foot riding one of the new
horses. The neighbors and the old man exchanged the same meta-
physical reflections as before over the latest happening. Finally, the
local army marched through town, compelling all able-bodied young
men to join them in a dangerous tribal assault. The old man’s son was
exempt because of his injury. The neighbors once again returned and
congratulated the old man’s good fortune, but of course, they were met
again with a wisdom they did not possess.
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teachers comments
 Imagine being Paul’s companion and having the “neighbors’ ” men
tality; how long do you think you would last on any of his mission trips?
 Do we have to nuance our description of God’s character to accommo-

date the fact that He allowed Paul to be stripped and beaten with rods (Acts
16:22)?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: This lesson engages two relatively different themes
in Paul’s experience: (1) reflection on the hardships he endured and (2)
an underlying strategy of missions he used. Feel free to focus on one or
both of these themes. Thus far, Paul’s personal trials have been the topic.
For the sake of keeping in biblical sequence, his missionary strategy
will be discussed first in the Bible Commentary section, followed by the
difficulties he endured.
Bible Commentary
I. Removing Unnecessary Obstacles (Review Acts 16:1–5 with your class.)
The irony is conspicuous as one moves from the circumcision verdict

of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:19, 20) to the very next mention
of circumcision (Acts 16:3). With a letter nullifying the need for the
covenantal rite in one hand, and a cutting instrument in the other, Paul
performs Timothy’s circumcision. The reason given is “because of the
Jews” (Acts 16:3). It was one matter to release believing Gentiles from
circumcision, but an entirely different matter to release Jews them-
selves from the ancient rite. Paul, on the other hand, personally holds
circumcision as a nonissue, repeating in multiple letters that neither
circumcision nor uncircumcision “counts for anything” (1 Cor. 7:19,
Gal. 5:6, 6:15). However, Paul certainly doesn’t want the reputation of
being someone who told the Jews “not to circumcise their children”
(Acts 21:21).
But right here, at the nexus of theological conviction and missionary
practice, Paul shows that he is ever cognizant and considerate of the
convictions of his audience. With an assumed recognition of essentials
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teachers comments
and nonessentials, Paul invokes a criterion of offense in a number of issues.

Paul and Timothy clearly believe circumcision unnecessary, but for the sake
of not offending their target audience, they comply with convictions other
than their own. Should one eat food offered to idols? Theologically, Paul
knows that “an idol is nothing” and admits that one is no “better” if they eat
or “worse” if they abstain from such food (1 Cor. 8:4, 8). However, not all
Christians are convinced, so Paul explicates that it is not what you eat, but
whom you eat with, that becomes determinative (Romans 14).
Being sensitive to another’s conscience, not unilaterally exercising your
own convictions, not being a stumbling block—these are the considerations
that undergirded the effective ministry of the apostle Paul.
Consider This: Timothy deserves recognition too. He was the one who
endured real physical pain for the sake of simply not offending fellow Jews.
Can you think of analogous ways Timothy’s example needs to be followed
today?
II. Finding Providence in Chaos (Review Acts 18:9, 10; 2 Cor. 11:16–29 with your
class.)
We have no doubt that God accompanied Paul throughout his missionary

journeys. If Paul had had any doubt, it would have dissipated before God’s
visionary affirmation, “ ‘I am with you,’ ” which Paul received in Corinth
(Acts 18:10, ESV). This unadorned construction of God being “with” some-
one is a hallmark of divine intimacy and providence. Jacob’s son Joseph is
abused by “the patriarchs,” but Stephen reassures that “God was with him”
(Acts 7:9). Peter’s explanation to Cornelius and his family of Jesus’ miracu-
lous healing power and good works was that “God was with him” (Acts
10:38). Like bookends in the New Testament, Jesus comes as Emmanuel, that
is, “God with us” (Matt. 1:23), and foreshadows the eternal new heaven and
new earth, where “God himself shall be with them” (Rev. 21:3).
But what can one expect in a “with God” life? Does such partnership con-
vey special protection, divine leading, or inner peace? Perhaps all three, but
note Paul’s summary of what his “with God” ministry included: five whip-
pings, each including 40 lashes minus one; or put another way, 200 lashes
minus five, totaling one 195 lashes; three beatings with rods; one stoning;
three shipwrecks, including a night and day adrift at sea; multiple dangers;
sleeplessness; hunger; thirst; cold and nakedness (2 Cor. 11:24–27) . . . and
eventually martyrdom.
The extensive description of Paul’s life in Acts, a life that is known to be
under the care of God, provides opportunity to rightly align our expectations
of Christian service with the reality of a “with God” life. First, it should be
noted that Paul’s extensive suffering does not negate the personal protective
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teachers comments
care of God. Unfortunately, we are mostly ignorant of the events that God
prevents. It is interesting to note that God did promise Paul in Corinth that
“ ‘no one will attack you to harm you’ ” (Acts 18:10, ESV). Letting Paul’s
wounds from Philippi heal and providing a psychological reprieve from—
by today’s standards—torture shows that God can, and does, set limits on
suffering. (Compare with Job 1:12, 2:6.)
Second, suffering can serve greater ends. Paul’s beatings and imprison-
ment in Philippi led to the conversion of an unnamed Roman jailer and
his family. Additionally, Paul’s afflictions set up a chain of events that led
Roman magistrates to apologize to a Christian apostle (Acts 16:39). In
effect, Caesar paid homage to Christ. Last, suffering can serve to authen-
ticate our commitment to Christ. Paul recounts a litany of sufferings that
he endured, defending his ministry against the attacks of false apostles
(2 Cor. 11:13–29). Words are cheap, and religious profession can be
transient. Jesus predicted that “rocky ground” hearers who immediately
and joyously receive the “word of the kingdom” can just as readily “fall
away” when tribulation or persecution arises. Inversely, enduring tribula-
tions would serve to prove authenticity. Paul passes the test, and by God’s
grace, we will too.
Discussion Question: How would you answer someone who felt

that trials were the result of God’s displeasure?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Pain and suffering in the world is the number one
fact used to deny the existence of God. Though Christians may not suc-
cumb to that exact argument, they may similarly deny God’s presence in
their lives because of pain and suffering. Communicate to the class that
suffering is a complex issue and that we should be slow to assume that
suffering means being abandoned by God.
Application Question: How many reasons for suffering can you

think of, and how is God involved in each case?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: If the mood is right, foster an environment of vulner-

ability in which you volunteer first to do the activity below.
Activity: Share an experience of personal suffering that you now see

differently in light of God’s providence.
123
L esson 10 *September 1–7
The Third Missionary

Journey
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 18:24–28; Acts 19; Acts
20:7–12, 15–27; 2 Cor. 4:8–14; Acts 21:1–15.
Memory Text: “I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I

may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord
Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24, NRSV).
L
uke’s account of Paul’s third journey starts rather abruptly. The
text says only that after spending some time in Antioch, the
center of Paul’s missions, the apostle set out on another jour-
ney, passing successively “through the region of Galatia and Phrygia,
strengthening all the disciples” (Acts 18:23, NRSV). So, the first 1,500
miles of the journey are covered in one sentence.
This is because the focal point of the journey was Ephesus, where
Paul spent more time than in any other city in the course of his jour-
neys. From the evangelistic standpoint, the ministry in Ephesus was
very fruitful; the impact of Paul’s preaching reached the whole prov-
ince of Asia (Acts 19:10, 26). It was probably during this time that the
churches of Colossae, Hierapolis, and Laodicea were founded, perhaps
through Epaphras (Col. 4:12, 13), one of Paul’s co-workers (Col. 1:7,
Philem. 23).
A remarkable thing about this journey is that it is the last one of
Paul’s recorded in Acts. Paul undertook it as a free man. Luke records
yet another journey, this time to Rome, but as a prisoner.
124
S unday September 2
Ephesus: Part 1
Acts 18:24–28 records that while Paul was still on his way to Ephesus, a
Jewish believer named Apollos came to that city. He was an eloquent man
and well-versed in the Scriptures. That Apollos was a follower of Jesus is
clear from the way Luke describes him: “he had been instructed in the way
of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accu-
rately” (Acts 18:25, NIV). Yet, he knew only John’s baptism. Having been
baptized by John the Baptist, Apollos became acquainted with Jesus during
Jesus’ earthly life, but he must have moved away from the area—probably
back to Alexandria—before the Passion/Pentecost events.
This explains why Aquila and Priscilla would give him further
instruction. Though being able to show from the Scriptures that Jesus
was the Messiah of Israel (Acts 18:28), Apollos needed to be updated
as to the developments of Christianity since Jesus’ ministry. However,
Aquila and Priscilla did more for Apollos: with the other believers
in Ephesus, they gave him a recommendation letter addressed to the
churches in Achaia (Acts 18:27), which allowed him to have an effec-
tive ministry in Corinth (1 Cor. 3:4–6, 4:6, 16:12).
Read Acts 19:1–7. What happened to Paul when he arrived in

Ephesus?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Apollos’s story is connected to the account of the twelve men Paul
met in Ephesus upon his arrival in that city, because their situation was
very similar. Their description as “disciples” (Acts 19:1) and Paul’s ques-
tion to them (Acts 19:2) clearly indicate that they were already believers
in Jesus. At the same time, their answer to Paul shows that, similar to
Apollos, they were former disciples of John the Baptist who had become
followers of Jesus without having experienced Pentecost. They were to
have an opportunity to enjoy a deeper experience with the Lord.
“On his arrival at Ephesus, Paul found twelve brethren, who, like Apollos,
had been disciples of John the Baptist, and like him had gained some knowl-
edge of the mission of Christ. They had not the ability of Apollos, but with
the same sincerity and faith they were seeking to spread abroad the knowl-
edge they had received.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 282.
We should view their new baptism in light of this unique situation. They
were not coming from another Christian denomination, nor were they
experiencing conversion. They were only being integrated into mainstream
Christianity. That they received the Spirit and spoke in tongues probably
means they, like Apollos, were Christian missionaries who now were being
empowered fully to witness about Jesus Christ wherever they went.
125
M onday September 3
Ephesus: Part 2
In Ephesus, Paul followed his practice of preaching in the synagogue
first. When opposition arose, he and the new believers moved to the
lecture hall of a certain Tyrannus, where Paul preached daily for two
years (Acts 19:8–10). Luke’s summary of Paul’s Ephesian ministry is
that the entire province was intensely evangelized (Acts 19:10, 26).
In Acts 19:11–20, Luke adds a few miracle stories describing the
triumph of God’s power in a city where magic and other superstitious
practices were rather common. There is no doubt that God could heal
through Paul, but that even handkerchiefs and aprons touched by the
apostle had healing power (Acts 19:12) may sound strange to some,
though this bears resemblance to Jesus’ healing of the woman with the
hemorrhage (Luke 8:44). The Ephesian superstitious beliefs may have
led God to perform “extraordinary” miracles, as Luke says (Acts 19:11,
NIV). This is, perhaps, an example of God’s meeting the needs of the
people at their own level of understanding.
Satisfied with the results of his mission in Ephesus, Paul decided
to go to Jerusalem (Acts 19:21). Luke does not give a reason for this
trip, but we know from Paul’s own writings that he wished to deliver
the funds he had collected to relieve the poverty of the Jerusalem
church (Rom. 15:25–27, 1 Cor. 16:1–3). The pooling of goods of the
first years, and a severe famine in the days of Claudius, impoverished
the Judean believers, and Paul saw in their appeal for help (Gal. 2:10)
an opportunity to strengthen both their trust in his apostleship and the
unity of a now transcultural church, despite knowing the risks to which
he would be exposed (Acts 20:22, 23; Rom. 15:31).
Read Acts 19:23–41. What was the real reason for the opposition to
Paul that arose in Ephesus at the end of his stay there?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The opposition had to do with pagan worship, which severely was
threatened by Paul’s ministry. Demetrius’s real motivation was clearly
financial, but he was able to turn it into a religious matter because the
temple of Artemis (or Diana), reckoned as one of the seven wonders of
the ancient world, was located in Ephesus.
Read Acts 19:27. Notice how artfully Demetrius was able to bring
in religious “piety” in his attempt to keep the money flowing in.
Why must we as Christians be careful not to use our faith, or a
pretended piety in regard to our faith, in the same way?
_____________________________________________________
126
T uesday September 4
Troas
After the riot (Acts 19:23–41), Paul resolved to leave Ephesus. But
he took an extended detour through Macedonia and Achaia instead of
going straight to Jerusalem (Acts 20:1–3). On this journey, representa-
tives of some Gentile churches were with him (Acts 20:4).
Read Acts 20:7–12. What’s wrong with the common argument that
these verses help prove the Sabbath was changed to Sunday?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Paul’s stopover in Troas ended with a church meeting “on the first
day of the week” (Acts 20:7). They gathered together “to break bread,”
which probably refers to the Lord’s Supper, with or without the fellow-
ship meal that often was combined with it since the early days of the
Jerusalem church (Acts 2:42, 46). That there is no mention of a cup nor
of any prayers does not rule out this possibility. The point, however, is
that this episode often is mentioned as evidence that in Paul’s time, at
least Gentile churches already had replaced Sabbath with Sunday as a
day of worship.
Yet, before making such a claim, it is necessary to establish the
precise day on which the meeting took place, as well as the nature of
the meeting. The reference to the use of lights (Acts 20:8), together
with the fact that Paul’s message continued until midnight (Acts 20:7),
and then until daybreak (Acts 20:11), not to mention the deep sleep of
Eutychus (Acts 20:9), makes it clear it was a night meeting.
The question, though, is whether it was the night before Sunday or
the night after Sunday. The answer depends on what system of time
reckoning Luke is using, whether the Jewish system from sundown
to sundown or the Roman one from midnight to midnight. If it is the
former, then it was Saturday night; in case of the latter, it was Sunday
night.
Either way, the context of Acts 20:7–12 indicates that, even if the
meeting was on a Sunday night, it was not a regular church meeting but
a special one due to Paul’s departure the following morning. It is hard
to see, then, how this isolated and exceptional episode affords support
for Sunday keeping. The fact is, it doesn’t.
Dwell more on all the reasons for the validity of keeping the
seventh-day Sabbath. How does the powerful biblical support
for the Sabbath help affirm us in our identity as Seventh-day
Adventist Christians and the calling that we have been given to
spread the three angels’ messages to the world?
127
W ednesday September 5
Miletus
On his way to Jerusalem, Paul made another stop, this time at
Miletus, where he had the opportunity to convey his farewell address
to the Ephesian church leaders.
Read Acts 20:15–27. What was Paul’s emphasis in the introductory

part of his speech?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Since he already had made plans for a new journey, which included
Rome and Spain (Rom. 15:22–29), Paul believed that he would never
return to Asia. So, he started his speech with a kind of account-
ability report of the years spent in Ephesus. Such a report, however,
aimed not only at the past, that is, the way he had lived among the
Ephesians, but also at the future, for he feared what could happen to
him in Jerusalem.
Paul’s fear was not unfounded. The Jerusalem church viewed him
with some skepticism, if not hostility, due to his past as persecutor
and the circumcision-free gospel he preached (Acts 21:20–26). To the
Jewish authorities, he was nothing but a traitor and an apostate from
their religious traditions (Acts 23:1, 2). By mid-first century, especially
on account of Roman misrule, Judea also was gripped by revolution-
ary and nationalistic ideals. This atmosphere influenced all segments
of Jewish society, including possibly the church. In such context, the
activities of that former Pharisee among the Gentiles must have made
him a figure of notoriety (Acts 21:27–36).
Paul also had more concerns. In Acts 20:28–31, Paul focused on
how the church leaders in Ephesus should handle the subject of false
teachers, whom he compared to savage wolves who would try to mis-
guide and pervert the flock. So even in the church itself, and even in
the earliest days of the church, the danger of false teachers was real.
As Solomon said in another time and another context: “There is noth-
ing new under the sun” (Eccles. 1:9, NKJV). A history of the Christian
church reveals the incredible damages that false teachers have brought
to the church. The problem will exist until the end (2 Tim. 4:3), too.
No question, Paul had a lot of things on his mind, a lot of concerns;
and yet, his faithfulness and his diligence never wavered.
Read 2 Corinthians 4:8–14. What is Paul saying here that we

need to apply to ourselves, especially when trials come? Where
does Paul put his ultimate hope?
_____________________________________________________
128
T hursday September 6
Tyre and Caesarea

After Miletus, Luke records Paul’s journey in some detail. Still en
route to Jerusalem, the apostle spent a week in Tyre, on the Phoenician
coast, where the ship was to be unloaded (Acts 21:1–6). However, while
he was there, the believers urged him not to go to Jerusalem. That the
believers were led by the Spirit to warn Paul not to go to Jerusalem is
not necessarily in contradiction to the apostle’s earlier guidance. The
Greek etheto en to- pneumati in Acts 19:21 likely should be rendered
as “resolved/purposed in the Spirit” (ESV, NRSV, NKJV), rather than as
if Paul had come to this decision all by himself. The point is that the
Spirit may have shown the Tyrean Christians the dangers that lay ahead
of Paul; and so, out of human concern, they recommended that he not
proceed with his intent. Paul himself was not sure about what would
happen to him in Jerusalem (Acts 20:22, 23). Divine guidance does not
always make everything clear, even for someone like Paul.
Read Acts 21:10–14. What special incident took place in Caesarea

concerning Paul’s trip to Jerusalem?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Agabus was a prophet from Jerusalem who had already been intro-
duced in the famine episode in Acts 11:27–30. In a way similar to some
Old Testament prophecies (for example, Isa. 20:1–6, Jer. 13:1–10),
his message was an acted one; it functioned as vivid illustration of
what would happen to Paul when he arrived in Jerusalem and how his
enemies would hand him over to the Gentiles (the Romans).
Those who were with Paul apparently took Agabus’s message as a
warning, not as a prophecy, and so they tried by all means to convince the
apostle he should not go up to Jerusalem. Though deeply touched by their
reaction, Paul was determined to accomplish his mission, even at the cost
of his own life. For him, the integrity of the gospel and the unity of the
church were more important than his own personal safety or interests.
“Never before had the apostle approached Jerusalem with so sad a
heart. He knew that he would find few friends and many enemies. He
was nearing the city which had rejected and slain the Son of God and
over which now hung the threatenings of divine wrath.”—Ellen G.
White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 397, 398.
Misunderstood, maligned, mistreated, and often reviled, Paul

nevertheless pressed on in faith. How can we learn to do the same
in discouraging circumstances?
_____________________________________________________
129
F riday September 7
Further Thought: “The success attending the preaching of the gospel

aroused the anger of the Jews anew. From every quarter were com-
ing accounts of the spread of the new doctrine by which Jews were
released from the observance of the rites of the ceremonial law and
Gentiles were admitted to equal privileges with the Jews as children of
Abraham. . . . His [Paul’s] emphatic statement, ‘There is neither Greek nor
Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision’ (Colossians 3:11), was regarded by
his enemies as daring blasphemy, and they determined that his voice should
be silenced.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 390.
“And he could not count upon the sympathy and support of even his
own brethren in the faith. The unconverted Jews who had followed so
closely upon his track, had not been slow to circulate the most unfavor-
able reports at Jerusalem, both personally and by letter, concerning him
and his work; and some, even of the apostles and elders, had received
these reports as truth, making no attempt to contradict them, and mani-
festing no desire to harmonize with him.”—Page 398.
 The twelve disciples Paul met in Ephesus were former fol-
lowers of John the Baptist who already had become disciples of
Jesus (Acts 19:1–7). Why do you think that it is correct to use this
passage to require rebaptism of Christians—already baptized by
immersion—from other denominations who join the Adventist
faith? Is there any significance in the fact that Apollos was not
rebaptized?
 Think about Paul’s situation. He is rejected by his own coun-

trymen who don’t believe in Jesus. Even of the Jews who do
believe in Jesus, many view Paul with great suspicion, even dis-
trust, because they think he is perverting the “landmarks.” Many
of the pagans hate the gospel he is proclaiming. And yet—what?
Why did Paul press on, despite all this opposition? Though we are
not Paul, what can we take away for ourselves from his story?
 Think about some of the other arguments that people use to

try to prove either that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday or that
it is no longer binding. How do we answer those arguments and do
it in a way to show that obedience to the Sabbath is no more legal-
ism than is obedience to any of the other nine commandments;
that is, if we obey by faith and with the understanding of where
our only hope of salvation lies?
130
i n s i d e
Story
“Just Go!”
Kiyong Kwon, owner of a private accounting business, is known in South
Korea for leading more people to Christ than perhaps any Seventh-day
Adventist pastor. But he almost didn’t.
The story started in late 2000 when Kwon began to study Bible prophecy.
He realized with new urgency that each prophecy in Daniel had been fulfilled
except Jesus’ second coming. He wondered what Noah would do if he were
alive today. Perhaps Noah, regardless of his career, would dedicate his life
to a single mission: to proclaim Jesus’ return. Kwon grew convinced that
he should devote his life to proclaiming Jesus’ return by becoming a church
planter.
One morning as he prayed, he felt God say, “Just go!” The command scared
him. He began giving excuses: “I don’t have any experience. I am not a pastor.
I’m already 40. I’m afraid I’ll fail.”
“But every morning God’s calling was so clear that it was painful for me,”
Kwon said.
So, he prayed, “If You really want me to go, show me what to do from
beginning to end. Then I’ll go.”
Kwon thought this was a reasonable prayer, but he didn’t receive an answer.
He prayed for seven days straight. On the seventh day, after praying, he
opened Church Compass, the magazine of the Adventist Church’s Korean
Union Conference. He saw a quotation from the book Life Sketches of Ellen
G. White that shocked him. It read: “God will have men who will venture
anything and everything to save souls. Those who will not move until they can
see every step of the way clearly before them, will not be of advantage at this
time to forward the truth of God. There must be workers now who will push
ahead in the dark as well as in the light, and who will hold up bravely under
discouragements and disappointed hopes, and yet work on with faith, with
tears and patient hope, sowing beside all waters, trusting the Lord to bring the
increase. God calls for men of nerve, of hope, faith, and endurance, to work
to the point” (pages 213, 214).
“That was my answer from God!” he said. “I
was not supposed to pray to know what to do from
the beginning to the end. I had to push ahead.”
Kwon gave up and planted a church.
“Surprisingly,” he said, “I didn’t have to do any-
thing. When God works, there are miracles.”
Kiyong Kwon, 56, left, has planted three churches in South
Korea. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will
help plant the first Adventist church in Sejong, South Korea.
Read more about Kwon in next week’s lesson.

teachers comments
The Lesson in Brief

Key Text: Acts 20:24
The Student Will:

Know: Meditate on the fact that Paul was willing to sacrifice life itself for
the sake of spreading the gospel of God’s kingdom.
Feel: Appreciate that Paul discovered his life’s purpose in service to God.
Yearn for the Spirit to show him or her the same.
Do: Pursue God’s call on his or her life with focused energy and invoke
Paul’s memory if the sacrifices to be made feel too great.
Learning Outline:
I. Know: Paul Never Gave Up.
A Can we be as sure of our ministry calling as Paul was even though he
had visions and we may not?
B If most of our ministry is in the workplace, how can we still apply
Paul’s worldwide ministry strategies to our own situation?
II. Feel: Singularity of Purpose

A Why is it realistic to think happiness could be found in pursuing a life
like Paul’s?
B How would you explain to a nonbelieving family that sacrifices for
ministry are worth it?
III. Do: No Regrets

A Thinking of all who know you, what steps must you take so you could
testify as Paul did to the Ephesians, “I am innocent of the blood of all, for
I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts
20:26, 27, ESV)?
Summary: Paul’s third missionary journey was fraught with obstacles and fore-
bodings of future affliction, but Paul steadfastly performed his mission
and expressed that even death could not deter him.
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teachers comments
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Acts 19:11–16, 23–28
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The enemies of the kingdom

of God are in full display in Paul’s last missionary campaign. Despite
the secular and spiritual forces arrayed against Paul in Ephesus, the
“word of the Lord” sweeps through Asia (Acts 19:10). Money, magic,
paganism, and politics cannot halt the spread of the gospel or deflate
the gospel messenger, who is ready to surrender his life “ ‘for the
name of the Lord Jesus’ ” (Acts 21:13, NKJV).
Just for Teachers: The following extended missionary story shows

that even in this day and age, God can and does work miracles, especially
when divine miracles serve to undercut peoples’ reliance on magic or
pagan systems of worship.
Opening Discussion: The late Bill Liversidge told of his mission

experience among an unreached and dangerous tribe near Papua New
Guinea. Reuben, a young man and the only convert to Christianity
from that tribe, accompanied Bill to the island during the night, but
they were quickly caught by the tribesmen. They were allowed to spend
the night with the expectation that they would be kicked off the island
the next morning. After sleeping a bit, they heard a call ring out in the
jungle, “You fella seven day, you fella come!” The tribe was calling
for Bill and Reuben, the Seventh-day Adventists. Bill sent Reuben to
find out what was going on. Reuben returned and relayed that almost
everyone on the island was all together in the village, because a young
mother’s 18-month-old child was sick with the “fever,” that is, malaria.
Bill thought realistically, “That’s not unusual.” With a 70 percent child
mortality rate, though, children were dying all the time from malaria.
But Reuben continued excitedly, “Usually, the witch doctor would be
there with all his magic and potions, but this mother has called out
for the two Christians who arrived in the middle of the night to come
and pray to their God.” They enthusiastically made their way to the
village, realizing that God had opened a door. However, their hopes
of a potential healing were soon dashed as they approached the crowd
of villagers and heard the chaotic wailing and grieving. They were
too late. A young “doctor” boy, who worked out of a makeshift clinic,
informed them that the child had died 20 minutes earlier. Disappointed
and questioning God, Bill planned on offering condolences to the
133 133
teachers comments
mother. Perhaps God had intended him to perform a Christian funeral.

Suddenly, Reuben lunged forward and gently took the lifeless child
out of the mother’s hands and held it straight above his little body.
Bill stood dumbfounded. The entire village became silent as all eyes
locked on Reuben. And then Reuben did an unexpected thing. He
prayed. “Papa, You touch all You put’n life long this fella pikinini, You
kisim kambek.” [Translation: You’re the giver of life. You’re the One
who has taken life back.] “Now Papa, long-high up him, name belong
You [in order to glorify You] kisimi kambek [bring life back].” The two
dangling legs of the child started to flicker with life. The mother ran
to her crying child and stared at him with utter amazement. The whole
island became Seventh-day Adventist as a result.
Discussion Question: Why do you think God works miraculously in

some instances and not in others?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: The trio of paganism, magic, and money are often
present today just as they were 2000 years ago. Explain this fact to show
how relevant the Bible remains as you study the following.
Bible Commentary
I. Miracles Versus Magic (Review Acts 19:11–20 with your class.)
Sadly, it is not uncommon today to find many world religion courses try-
ing persuasively to convince the reader that the miracles wrought by, and
through, Peter and Paul were no different from those of other shaman/
pagan traditions, and therefore should be properly termed magic. There
are similarities: both divine miracles and magic channel power from an
unseen world; both often use touch or words to harness spiritual forces;
both produce extraordinary results such as healing or special knowledge,
et cetera. Understanding the differences between authentic divine miracles
and magic will benefit Christians engaged with cultures influenced by
spiritualistic and occult practices.
The supernatural healing power investing Paul’s ministry stands in
stark contrast to the Jewish exorcists’ attempts. The contrast was not to
be missed. So potent was Paul’s healing gift that even “handkerchiefs or
aprons” (Acts 19:12) that had touched his skin could heal the sick who
received the articles. These extraordinary feats motivate the Jewish com-
petitors’ mimicry of Paul. Their utter failure and consequent abuse by the
demons provided an unintentional endorsement of Paul and his mission,
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teachers comments
resulting in “the name of the Lord Jesus [being] magnified” (Acts 19:17).
Furthermore, the fact that “believers” themselves burned their books of magic
showed that syncretistic practices in Ephesus could have infected the high
priest’s sons as well.
This exorcism account demonstrates the most fundamental principle
of Christian supernaturalism that differentiates Christian supernatural-
ism from all other forms of supernaturalism. That principle in one word
is intent. When the Jewish exorcists invoked the name of “Jesus whom
Paul proclaims” (Acts 19:13, ESV), their subject may have been released,
but only at the expense of the exorcists themselves being demonically
subjugated. The demons maintained control and the name of Jesus proved
impotent in that incident. Why? Because these Jewish healers had not
personally aligned their lives with the gospel of God by exercising faith
in the Lord Jesus; therefore, their intentions were out of sync with the
Messianic-kingdom movement Paul announced. They could speak of
Jesus only secondhanded, that is, as the one “whom Paul proclaims” (Acts
19:13, ESV, emphasis author’s). The name “Jesus” is meaningless as a
talisman or incantation.
Peter’s words to Simon are relevant here. Simon the (ex)sorcerer, though
baptized, offered money to be able to affect the Holy Spirit and was discern-
ingly rebuked: “You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is
not right before God ” (Acts 8:21, ESV). The heart, the intent, the motive, all
come to bear on whether God does “extraordinary miracles by the hands of
Paul” or anyone else (Acts 19:11, ESV).
It should be noted that none of the points thus far negate the reality that
supernatural evil can be mediated through humans. It can. But the assurance
of the believer is found in God’s unquestionable authority and power. Even
though Pharaoh’s magicians could turn rods into snakes, they couldn’t pre-
vent them from being consumed by God’s snake (Exod. 7:12). God’s “snake”
always wins.
These occasions exhibit the marked contrast between magical practices
that appease or manipulate spiritual forces and the miraculous practices of
the New Testament church as the body of Christ, carrying on His healing/
prophetic/kingdom ministry.
Consider This: New Age philosophies are still popular in the West, where
Jesus is just another wise sage, side by side with other religious figures. How
would you explain to a New Age friend the uniqueness of Christ and His king-
dom?
II. Money Matters (Review Acts 19:23–27 with your class.)
Curiously, money often plays a role in pagan interests, and both Peter and
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teachers comments
Paul were acquainted with this unholy alliance. (To this day, money and
the occult are often tied together. When was the last time you heard a
fortune-teller offer free services? Compare that to ever hearing a Christian
offer prayer for cash.) The exorcism narrative ends with the Ephesians
choosing God over magic and money as they watch an extraordinarily
costly collection of magic books go up in smoke (Acts 19:19, 20). This
foreshadows the next narrative, in which pagan and economic interests
again confront and react against the threat of the gospel. A mob ensues
but fizzles, and Paul moves on to Macedonia (Acts 19:21–20:1). Though
this account is often correctly characterized as a selfish pagan fearing the
loss of his idol-manufacturing business, other points can be made. It is
important to realize that in some circumstances, converts to Christ must
sacrifice income sources and sometimes make entire career changes as
a result of their faith. Especially as Sabbathkeeping Adventists, we as a
church can be sensitive to these economic challenges as we guide and
provide for those in transition.
Consider This: What do you think Paul would have said to the mob that
shouted, “ ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians’ ” (Acts 19:28, ESV) for two
hours if he had had a chance to speak?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Depending on your location, magic and pagan-

ism will have different cultural influences. Comment and adapt your
questions specifically to address your class’s context.
Application Questions:
 How could you help a fellow believer who was participating in syn-
cretistic “Christian” magic?
 What assurance could you give to someone who fears economic col-
lapse upon his or her conversion?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Testimonies such as in the following activity

suggested below can be a blessing or an embarrassment if someone
takes up all the class time. Gently guide the discussion to keep it
appropriate and within limits.
Activity: Many of us can testify to a supernatural experience involving

God or the devil. Share a short, edifying story of God’s power over evil.
136
Arrest in Jerusalem
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 21; Rom. 2:28, 29; Gal.
5:6; Acts 22; Acts 23:1–30; Matt. 22:23–32.
Memory Text: “The following night the Lord stood near Paul and
said, ‘Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so
you must also testify in Rome’ ” (Acts 23:11, NIV).
S
oon after Paul’s first missionary journey, it became clear that there
was a fundamental disagreement in the church on how the Gentiles
were to be admitted into the faith (Acts 15:1–5). Perhaps sensing a
growing conflict, Paul conceived a plan to promote unity in the church.
Because at the council he was asked to remember the poor (Gal. 2:10),
he decided to invite the Gentile churches to provide financial aid to the
brethren in Judea, the “collection for the saints” (1 Cor. 16:1), perhaps
hoping that it could help build bridges between the two groups.
This could explain his determination to go to Jerusalem at the end
of his third journey, despite the risks. On one hand, he had a genuine
love for his fellow Jews (Rom. 9:1–5); on the other, he longed for a
united church (Gal. 3:28, 5:6). As Jews and Gentiles were equally
saved through faith, not through the works of the law (Rom. 3:28–30),
any social alienation between them based on the ceremonial require-
ments of the law was against the inclusive nature of the gospel (Eph.
2:11–22).
Let’s follow Paul as he enters this new phase of his life and mission.
137
S unday September 9
Meeting the Jerusalem Leaders

When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, he warmly was received by believ-
ers associated with Mnason, with whom he was to stay (Acts 21:16,
17).
In Acts 21:18–22, James and the Jerusalem elders expressed their
concerns about Paul’s reputation among local Jewish believers zeal-
ous of the Mosaic law. They had been informed that he was teaching
the Jewish converts who lived abroad to forsake Moses, telling them
“not to circumcise their children or observe the customs” (Acts 21:21,
NRSV).
This, of course, was not really true. What Paul did teach was that,
in terms of salvation, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision meant
anything, as both Jews and Gentiles were equally saved by faith in Jesus
(Rom. 2:28, 29; Gal. 5:6; Col. 3:11). This is different from explicitly
encouraging Jews to disregard the law and its requirements. Obedience
is not, of course, in itself a synonym for legalism, though it could delib-
erately be twisted to mean just that.
Read Acts 21:23–26. How was Paul to demonstrate he still was a faith-
ful Jew?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Paul was advised to be politically correct. He should show the falsity
of the rumors about him by doing something very Jewish: sponsor the
Nazirite vow of some Jewish believers. This vow was a special act of
piety through which a Jew would consecrate himself to God.
Unfortunately, Paul yielded. Heroes, including the biblical ones, have
their flaws, as we can see in the lives of Abraham, Moses, Peter, and
several others. It could be argued that Paul was just following his prin-
ciple of behaving like a Jew when dealing with Jews (1 Cor. 9:19–23),
or that he himself is reported to have taken a vow not long before (Acts
18:18), though the precise nature of this vow is not clear. This time,
however, it was a compromise, as it signified his endorsement of the
legalistic motives behind the recommendation. The implication of such
an attitude was exactly the one the apostle vigorously tried to oppose:
that there are two gospels, one for Gentiles, of salvation by faith, and
another for Jews, of salvation by works. “He [Paul] was not authorized
of God to concede as much as they asked.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts
In our attempts to be relevant, how can we be careful not to make

a similar kind of error?
138
M onday September 10
Riot in the Temple

Having accepted the church leaders’ suggestion, Paul would need to
undergo a seven-day ritual purification to assist the completion of the
men’s vow (Num. 19:11–13). At the same time, Jewish tradition stipu-
lated that any person coming from Gentile lands would be unclean and
so unable to enter the temple. This is why Paul had to purify himself
before going to the priests to give notice of his purification process
related to the Nazirites (Acts 21:26).
Read Acts 21:27–36. What happened to Paul at the end of his seven-
day period of purification?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
A riot ensued, caused by those who stirred up the crowd against Paul,
accusing him of attacking the most sacred symbols of Jewish religion,
in particular of having desecrated the temple. As one of Paul’s travel
companions was a Gentile believer from Ephesus named Trophimus
(Acts 21:29), they thought the apostle had introduced him into the
temple’s inner court, where only Jews could enter. If the accusation
were legitimate, Paul would be guilty of a most serious offense. Along
the wall that separated the outer from the inner court, there were signs
in Greek and Latin warning Gentile visitors not to enter farther in,
otherwise they would be personally responsible for their ensuing death.
“By the Jewish law it was a crime punishable with death for an uncir-
cumcised person to enter the inner courts of the sacred edifice. Paul
had been seen in the city in company with Trophimus, an Ephesian, and
it was conjectured that he had brought him into the temple. This he had
not done; and being himself a Jew, his act in entering the temple was no
violation of the law. But though the charge was wholly false, it served
to arouse the popular prejudice. As the cry was taken up and borne
through the temple courts, the throngs gathered there were thrown into
wild excitement.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 407.
When the news of the riot reached a Roman fortress, the Roman
commander, Claudius Lysias (Acts 21:31, 32; 23:26), came with troops
and rescued Paul before the crowd could kill him.
As the target of the attacks, Paul was arrested and bound with chains
while the commander tried to inquire about what was going on. At the
hysteric shouting of the crowd, he ordered the apostle to be taken to
the fortress.
Rumors, false ones at that, helped start this riot. Why must we
be so careful with the kinds of rumors we listen to or, even worse,
spread?
139
Before the Crowd

Acts 21:37–40 tells what happened next. As Paul was being taken
into the Roman fortress for interrogation, he asked the commander for
permission to address the people, who were still frantically clamoring
for his death.
As he addressed the commander in the Greek language, the lat-
ter thought Paul might have been a certain Jew from Egypt who had
some three years before initiated a revolt in Jerusalem against Roman
occupation. The revolt, however, was put down by the Roman forces;
many of his followers were either killed or arrested, while the Egyptian
escaped.
After saying that he was from Tarsus, not from Egypt, Paul was
granted permission to speak. In his speech, he did not offer a detailed
response to the accusations raised against him (Acts 21:28) but told
them the story of his conversion, highlighting his devotion to Judaism,
to the point of having persecuted believers in Jesus. When confronted
with a number of revelations from the Lord, he had no choice but to
follow them. This explained the complete turnaround in his life and his
call to preach to the Gentiles. Rather than get into a theological discus-
sion, Paul recounted to them his own experience and why he was doing
what he did.
Read Acts 22:22–29. How did the mob react to Paul’s statement that
he was an apostle to the Gentiles?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The decision to let Paul speak did not work out well. By referring
to his commitment to the Gentiles, Paul seemed to be confirming the
truth of the charges against him (Acts 21:28), and the crowd got riled
up again.
The Roman commander may not have understood everything
Paul said; so, he decided to have him examined by flogging. Yet,
besides being a pure-blooded Jew (Phil. 3:5), Paul also had Roman
citizenship, and when he mentioned this, the commander had to
back down. As a Roman citizen, Paul could not be subject to that
kind of torture.
Read Paul’s speech (Acts 22:1–21). What evidence do you see that
besides defending himself Paul was also preaching to his fellow
Jews? Why would he tell his conversion story? What is it about
conversion stories that can have so much power?
_____________________________________________________
140
Before the Sanhedrin

When the Roman commander realized that Paul did not represent any
threat to the empire; that is, that the issue involved internal disputes of
the Jews, he asked the Sanhedrin to take up the case (Acts 22:30; 23:29).
Read Acts 23:1–5. How did Paul start his defense before the Sanhedrin?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Paul’s introductory statement was met with a slap on the mouth, per-
haps because, as a prisoner, his reference to God sounded blasphemous.
His impulsive reaction gives us a glimpse of his temperament. By call-
ing the high priest a “whitewashed wall” (Acts 23:3), he could be echo-
ing Jesus’ condemnation of the Pharisees’ hypocrisy in Matthew 23:27.
Yet, since Paul did not really know he was addressing the high priest,
the possibility that he had bad eyesight is not to be entirely ruled out.
Read Acts 23:6–10. How did Paul ingeniously try to disrupt the pro-
ceedings?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The Sanhedrin was composed of both Sadducees and Pharisees who
were opposed to each other on a number of issues, doctrine being one
of them. The Sadducees, for example, whose scriptural canon included
only the first five books of Moses (the Pentateuch), did not believe in
the resurrection of the dead (Matt. 22:23–32).
Paul’s statement (Acts 23:6), however, was more than a clever tactic
to distract the Sanhedrin. Since his encounter with the resurrected Jesus
on the Damascus road lay at the foundation of his conversion and apos-
tolic ministry, belief in the resurrection was the real issue for which he
was being judged (Acts 24:20, 21; 26:6–8). Nothing else could explain
how he had changed from his former zeal to become what he was now.
If Jesus had not been raised from the dead, then his ministry was point-
less, and he knew it, too (1 Cor. 15:14–17).
That night, as Paul was in the fortress, the Lord appeared to him
with this encouragement: “ ‘Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you
have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness
at Rome’ ” (Acts 23:11, NKJV). Given the circumstances, such
a promise might have been particularly meaningful to Paul. His
long-cherished wish to preach in Rome (Acts 19:21, Rom. 1:13–15,
15:22–29) would still come to pass.
141
Transfer to Caesarea
Upset with the fact that they had not yet gotten rid of Paul by legal
means, a group decided to orchestrate a plan through which they would
ambush and kill him on their own.
Read Acts 23:12–17. What was their plan, and how was it thwarted?
What does this teach us about how passionate people can be for
causes that are wrong?
_____________________________________________________
That more than forty Jews conspired together against Paul and bound
themselves with an oath reveals how much hatred the apostle had
aroused in Jerusalem. Luke does not give us the identity of these men,
but they were extremists willing to do whatever it took to protect the
Jewish faith from its alleged traitors and enemies. Such a level of reli-
gious fanaticism, coupled with a revolutionary and nationalistic fervor,
was not uncommon in first-century Judea and its environs.
In some providential way, however, the news about the plot reached the
ears of Paul’s nephew. It is somewhat disappointing that we know almost
nothing about Paul’s family, but apparently he and his sister had been
brought up in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3), where she married and had at least
one son. Anyway, Paul’s nephew—the diminutive neaniskos (Acts 23:18,
22) and the fact that he was taken “by the hand” (Acts 23:19) imply he was
still a teenager—was able to visit him in the fortress and tell him the story.
Read Acts 23:26–30. What message did commander Lysias send gov-
ernor Felix about Paul?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The letter provided Felix with a fair report of the situation. In addi-
tion, it shows how Paul was benefited by his Roman citizenship. The
Roman law fully protected its citizens, who had the right, for example,
to have a legal trial, in which they could appear before the court and
defend themselves (Acts 25:16), and the right to appeal to the emperor
in case of an unfair trial (Acts 25:10, 11).
Irrespective of Felix’s reputation, he treated Paul in the proper legal
manner. After a preliminary interrogation, he ordered him to be kept
under guard until the accusers arrived.
Think about God’s providence in Paul’s life. How often have you
humbly acknowledged God’s providence in your own life despite
the trials and suffering you might have gone through?
142
F riday September 14
Further Thought: “On this occasion, Paul and his companions formally
presented to the leaders of the work at Jerusalem the contributions for-
warded by the Gentile churches for the support of the poor among their
Jewish brethren. . . .
“These freewill offerings betokened the loyalty of the Gentile converts
to the organized work of God throughout the world and should have been
received by all with grateful acknowledgment, yet it was apparent to Paul
and his companions that even among those before whom they now stood
were some who were unable to appreciate the spirit of brotherly love
that had prompted the gifts.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles,
pp. 399, 400.
“Had the leaders in the church fully surrendered their feeling of bitter-
ness toward the apostle, and accepted him as one specially called of God
to bear the gospel to the Gentiles, the Lord would have spared him to them.
God had not ordained that Paul’s labors should so soon end, but He did not
work a miracle to counteract the train of circumstances to which the course
of the leaders in the church at Jerusalem had given rise.
“The same spirit is still leading to the same results. A neglect to appreci-
ate and improve the provisions of divine grace has deprived the church of
many a blessing. How often would the Lord have prolonged the work of
some faithful minister, had his labors been appreciated! But if the church
permits the enemy of souls to pervert the understanding, so that they mis-
represent and misinterpret the words and acts of the servant of Christ; if
they allow themselves to stand in his way and hinder his usefulness, the
Lord sometimes removes from them the blessing which He gave. . . .
“After the hands are folded upon the pulseless breast, when the voice of
warning and encouragement is silent, then the obdurate may be aroused
to see and prize the blessings they have cast from them. Their death may
accomplish that which their life has failed to do.”—Pages 417, 418.
 By going to Jerusalem despite knowing he would not be wel-
come, Paul put the interests of the church above his own personal
interests. To what extent should we follow his example?
 What can we learn from Paul’s compromise in Jerusalem?

How can we be politically correct without surrendering the prin-
ciples we live by? Or can we?
 Church unity is always so important. How can we learn to work

together, unified, even when we have different views of things?
143
i n s i d e
Story
Claiming 100 Baptisms
Kiyong Kwon had 20 church members when he planted his first church
in South Korea, and he was delighted to see a young stranger show up for
the first Sabbath service.
“Why did you come to this small church?” Kwon asked.
“I just don’t have any luck,” the guest replied. “But someone told me
that if I went to a new church, it would bring me luck.”
Kwon offered Bible studies, and the young man was baptized.
But Kwon wanted even more members. One day, he prayed from morn-
ing to evening, “Please give me people. Give me souls to fill this church.”
The next day, a neighbor stopped Kwon. “Yesterday, I felt like going to
church,” she said. “Please take me to your church.”
The day after that, Kwon got a phone call. “My sister is an Adventist
who has wanted me to go to church for 10 years, but I have never gone,”
the caller said. “But now I feel like going.”
Kwon studied the Bible with both women, and both were baptized.
More than 40 people were baptized that first year. A year later, when the
98th person was baptized, Kwon prayed for 100 baptisms. He then remem-
bered a woman whom he hadn’t seen in three years. He found her running
a children’s art school, and he visited her with flowers. “You should be that
100th person to be baptized at my church,” he told her.
When the woman agreed, Kiyong informed her that she needed Bible
studies first and to expect him at her home the next evening. “Make sure
your husband is there, too,” he said.
After Kwon left, the woman called her husband, a devout Buddhist and
a business owner, who recently had decided to learn English. He had pur-
chased several English-language books, including a Bible, and had been
struggling to read the Bible at his office. In desperation, he prayed, “If You
are the real God, send someone to teach me the Bible.”
At that moment, his wife called and announced, “Elder Kwon will come
to our house tomorrow to teach us the Bible.”
“Her husband was shocked beyond words,”
Kwon said.
The next day, Kwon found the married couple
and their adult children eagerly waiting to study
the Bible. The whole family was baptized.

Read more about Kwon in last week’s and next week’s les-
sons.

teachers comments
The Lesson in Brief

The Student Will:

Know: Understand that the providence of God doesn’t always look the way
he or she thinks it will.
Feel: Find a sense of peace regarding the difficulties in life and a desire
to persevere for the sake of the kingdom of God.
Do: Seek God for wisdom in how to communicate with those around him
or her.
Learning Outline:
I. Know: The Providence of God Is Sure.
A What was Paul told by the Spirit when he started his journey toward
Jerusalem?
B Why did he go anyway, despite these warnings?
C Was it God’s providential will for Paul to go to Jerusalem and be
arrested? Explain.
II. Feel: Find Peace and Perseverance in God’s Work.

A How have you been challenged in your call to share the gospel with
others?
B Does this challenge come more from other people or from your own
insecurities? Why is that so?
C How can Paul’s story help you to continue in the work of sharing the
gospel?
III. Do: Seek Wisdom and Words From God.

A How can we know what to say to others when our faith is challenged?
B Is there an area in your life right now where you need wisdom or
words from God?
Summary: When we do the right things in the service of God, there is no guarantee
that we will be kept safe. But we can know that God does not abandon us.
Instead, He gives us the courage we need to persevere.
145
teachers comments
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: Recognize God’s providence

in our lives, even in the midst of challenges to our physical safety and
comfort.
Just for Teachers: Focus on the fact that at the end of the Jerusalem
experience, Paul receives encouragement from heaven that he has done
well and will do so in Rome also, despite all the challenges he will face.
Opening Discussion: Many times, when we accept the call of God upon
our lives and follow in the direction that we have been convicted to go,
we end up meeting challenges. When called and convicted to leave a full-
time position as a conference pastor in order to pursue a PhD at Andrews
University, Cory followed his calling. He believed that he could finish the
classwork and comprehensive exams in two and a half years and then be
given a church to pastor while he wrote his dissertation. Now five years
into the process, as he writes the finishing chapters of his dissertation, Cory
finds himself questioning his choice because of financial strains that have
placed his family in a stressful situation. And yet, Cory knows that God led
him here. If he lets the worries overwhelm him, he will not be able to stay
faithful to the task that God has given him to finish. Cory must trust in the
providence of God and faithfully finish his degree, because it is what God
has asked him to do.
 Describe a time in your life when you followed God’s call and how the
hardship that followed made you question if you were still doing the right
thing.
 How can we know when we are working within the providence/will of

God?
146
teachers comments
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: The narrative of Paul’s journey to, and time in,
Jerusalem is focused on his attempt to identify with the Jews and to
tie the Christian faith to its Jewish roots, hoping to share the gospel
with the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem one more time. Help your class
to recognize that every step that led up to Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem
is part of his faithful fulfillment of the call upon his life to share the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
Bible Commentary
The story of Paul’s journey at the end of his third missionary journey, in which
he returns to Jerusalem and the events thereafter, are all in line with God’s call
upon Paul’s life to share the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 9:19–22, Paul says that he
has become many things in order that he might reach out to as many different
people groups as possible for the sake of the gospel. There are three different
points in Acts 21–23 in which we can see Paul’s commitment to the gospel.
First, in his journey back to Jerusalem. Second, in his meeting with the lead-
ership of the church in Jerusalem. And third, during the process of his arrest.
I. Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem (Review Acts 21:7–14 with your class.)
Paul is finishing the last stage of his third missionary journey, and the
partings from the people he has ministered to there are very sorrowful.
This sorrow is augmented by the words from the Spirit that Paul will be
arrested and persecuted in Jerusalem. Notice, however, that the prophetic
message from Agabus does not prohibit Paul from going to Jerusalem. It
speaks only to what will happen to Paul when he goes. The people beg
him not to go, but Paul is set on his work for the gospel. As Jesus set His
face as flint to go to Jerusalem, Paul also is determined to go, whether it
means imprisonment or death for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
And in a similar use of words to that of Jesus in Gethsemane, the people
reply to Paul’s statement that the will of the Lord be done. (See Darrel L.
Bock, Acts: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament [Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Academics, 2007], pp. 638, 639.)
 Why does God’s will sometimes include suffering in service to the gospel?
147
teachers comments
 When have you experienced suffering for the sake of the gospel?
 If Paul is called as the apostle to the Gentiles, why should he bother return-
ing to Jerusalem at all?
II. Paul Meets With the Church Leadership in Jerusalem (Review Acts 21:17–26
with your class.)
Paul is accountable to the leaders of the church, just as any gospel worker
is today. When he returns to Jerusalem, Paul, therefore, gives a report on
the work, which he was commissioned, and sent out, to do on his third
missionary journey. He also brought an offering back to the church in
Jerusalem that he had been collecting throughout his journey. Paul is faith-
ful in his gospel commission, both to those to whom he is reaching out and
to those recognized as the leaders of the Christian church: James, as the
leader of the Christian church who has a desire to see the gospel accepted
by both the Jews and the Gentiles, makes a proposal to Paul. In order to
build a bridge with the Jewish community in Jerusalem, James suggests
that Paul go through a rite of purification and pay for the completion of
a vow for several young men. Rumors have been circulating that Paul has
been committing and teaching apostasy regarding a disregard for the law
of Moses. (See Darrel L. Bock, Acts: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the
New Testament, p. 646.)
Consider This:
1. Is the suggestion for Paul to go through this law-based ritual a compromise
to the freedom of the gospel? Why, or why not?
2. Have you ever done something you deemed “unnecessary” in order to build
a relationship with someone for the sake of the gospel? If so, what was it that
you did? Share the results of your experience.
3. How does 1 Corinthians 9:20 relate to this situation?
III. Paul’s Arrest and Defense (Review Acts 22:3–22 with your class.)
Paul is arrested during a riot in which the Jewish leaders are sure that Paul has
148
teachers comments
desecrated the temple by bringing a Gentile into the Israelite court of the
temple. When Paul is given his chance to talk to the crowd, he identifies him-
self with the Jewish faith in several ways. He addresses them most likely in
Aramaic, the common language of the Hebrew people. (See Darrel L. Bock,
Acts: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, p. 658.) Paul
testifies of his upbringing as a well-educated Pharisee who was a persecutor
of the Way. He then tells of his conversion in the fashion of a vision from
heaven, which is part of the Pharisaic faith system. (See Darrel L. Bock, Acts:
Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, pp. 673, 674.) Each of
these points is done with the hope of sharing the gospel. And even though his
testimony inspires more violence, culminating in an attempt on his life, Paul
is commended by the Lord, in Acts 23:11, for testifying in His name.
Consider This:
1. In what ways can we build bridges with different people groups in
order to share the gospel?
2. How does God use hardships to strengthen our trust in Him?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: It is important to help your class recognize that
hardships that come because of honoring the gospel call are not the
same as other hardships in life.
 What is the difference between general hardships and hardships that come
because of the gospel?
 How can we know what we are supposed to say and do for the sake of
the gospel?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Help your class to think about different kinds
of people groups and how they might build bridges to them for the
sake of the gospel.
Activities:
 Brainstorm about the different types of people groups that you encoun-
ter during the week. Make a list of these groups.
 Think of some specific strategies you could use to connect with them
for the sake of the gospel.
149
Confinement in Caesarea
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 24, Acts 25, Acts 26, 1 Cor.
1:23.
Memory Text: “ ‘Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only
you but also all who are listening to me today might become such as
I am—except for these chains’ ” (Acts 26:29, NRSV).
P
aul’s transfer to Caesarea began a two-year imprisonment in that
city (Acts 24:27), more precisely in Herod’s praetorium (Acts
23:35), which was the official residence of the Roman governor.
During those years, he had several hearings in which he would appear
before two Roman governors (Felix and Festus) and a king (Agrippa
II), thus further fulfilling the ministry that God gave him (Acts 9:15).
In all the hearings, Paul always claimed innocence, alleging that no
evidence could be produced against him, as the absence of witnesses
demonstrated. In fact, the whole narrative is intended to show that Paul
had done nothing worthy of arrest and that he could be released had he
not appealed to Caesar (Acts 26:32). These hearings, though, did offer
him opportunities to witness about Jesus and the great hope found in
the promise of the resurrection.
Yet, those were still years of deep anxiety, as well as of tedious
confinement in which the apostle seems to have had no support of
any kind from the church in Jerusalem, whose leaders “still cherished
a feeling that Paul should be held largely responsible for the existing
prejudice.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 403.
150
S unday September 16
Before Felix
Five days after Paul’s transfer to Caesarea, a group of important
Jewish leaders—the high priest, some members of the Sanhedrin, and a
professional lawyer named Tertullus—came down from Jerusalem and
formally laid before Felix their case against the apostle (Acts 24:1–9).
This is the only trial in Acts in which the accusers employed a law-
yer. In his speech, Tertullus tried an interesting strategy to win the
governor’s favor. It was simply not true that, under Felix, the Jews had
enjoyed a long period of peace. In fact, no other governor had been
so repressive and violent, and this repression generated an enormous
antagonism among the Jews toward Roman rule. With a lot of inge
nuity, Tertullus used the governor’s own administrative policy to con-
vince him that he would achieve political stability in this case also only
by means of severe repression.
Then, he went on to press three specific charges against Paul: (1) that
Paul was an agitator who constantly was fomenting unrest among Jews
throughout the empire (Acts 24:5); (2) that he was a ringleader of the
Nazarenes (Acts 24:5), which implicated Christianity as a whole as a
kind of disruptive movement; and (3) that he had attempted to defile
the Jerusalem temple (Acts 24:6).
Read Acts 24:10–19. How did Paul answer each one of the charges?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Two further points raised by Paul were devastating to the accusers’
case: (1) the absence of the Asian witnesses (Acts 24:18, 19), which had
the potential of rendering the trial invalid, and (2) the fact that the Jews
there could speak only about Paul’s hearing before the Sanhedrin the week
before (Acts 24:20), and as such they had nothing to accuse him of except
that he believed in the resurrection of the dead (compare with Acts 23:6).
Felix immediately understood the weight of Paul’s arguments, also
because he was somewhat acquainted with Christianity, probably
through his Jewish wife, Drusilla. The fact is that he decided to adjourn
the proceedings until further notice (Acts 24:22).
Felix’s response (Acts 24:24–27) revealed much about his character:
he procrastinated, he was able to be bribed, and he was opportunistic.
Paul had little chance of a fair hearing with someone like Felix.
Read Acts 24:16. Paul said that he strove always to have a “con-
science void of offence toward God, and toward men.” What does
that mean? What, if anything, would you have to change in order
to say the same thing?
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Before Festus
After two years holding Paul in prison just to win the favor of the
Jews, Felix was replaced by Porcius Festus as the governor of Judea
(Acts 24:27). Festus ruled from a.d. 60 to 62.
Read Acts 25:1–5. How does this help reveal the hatred that preaching
the truth can cause in those who don’t want to believe it?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Probably because they already had failed once in their attempt to
convince Felix of the charges against Paul, the leaders did not want to
take any chances again. In what appears to have been Festus’ first visit
to Jerusalem, they requested, as a favor to them, a change of jurisdic-
tion, asking him to hand Paul back to them so he could be tried by the
Sanhedrin in accordance with Jewish law.
Yet, the request was only a camouflage to conceal their real intent:
to kill Paul. Although Festus was willing to reopen the case, he said
that the hearing would take place in Caesarea, not in Jerusalem, which
means that Paul would be tried by Roman law.
As soon as Festus was back in Caesarea, he convened the tribunal,
and Paul’s opponents started laying out the charges against Paul (Acts
25:7). This time Luke does not repeat the charges, but based on Paul’s
answer (Acts 25:8) we can see that they were similar to the ones
brought two years before, perhaps with the further emphasis that, for
being an agitator, Paul also represented a threat to the empire.
Read Acts 25:9–12. When sensing that Festus could use him for politi-
cal reasons, how did Paul react?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
In the end, Festus turned out not much different from Felix with
regard to his political strategies (Acts 24:27). Unwilling to lose the
Jews’ support so early in his administration by declaring Paul innocent,
he thought of granting them their original request: to have the apostle
tried by the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem.
This, however, was not acceptable to Paul, who knew he could not
expect to be treated fairly there, left to the whim of his enemies. So,
capitalizing on his Roman rights, he insisted that he was entitled to
be tried by a Roman tribunal, and envisaging no other way out of that
precarious situation, he resolved to appeal to the highest instance of
Roman justice, which was the emperor himself.
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Before Agrippa
Festus agreed to grant Paul’s request to be sent to Rome (Acts 25:12).
Meanwhile, the governor took advantage of a state visit by Herod
Agrippa II to consult him concerning Paul’s case, in particular regard-
ing what kind of information he should send to the emperor in his offi-
cial report. Festus was not yet acquainted enough with Jewish affairs,
and Agrippa could certainly help him (Acts 26:2, 3).
Read Acts 25:13–22. What did Festus tell Agrippa about Paul, and how
did the king respond?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Agrippa II, the last of the Herodians, came to Caesarea with his sister
Bernice to salute the new governor.
In his description of Paul’s case, Festus revealed his surprise that the
charges against him were not related to any capital offense, whether
political or criminal. Instead, they had to do with matters concerning
Jewish religion, in particular a certain Jesus, “who was dead, but whom
Paul asserted to be alive” (Acts 25:19, ESV). Paul had already stated
before the Sanhedrin that he was on trial because of his belief in Jesus’
resurrection, and now Festus made it clear that this was indeed the real
point at issue.
Read Acts 25:23–27. How does Luke describe the ceremony in which
Paul appeared before Agrippa?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
“And now Paul, still manacled, stood before the assembled company.
What a contrast was here presented! Agrippa and Bernice possessed
power and position, and because of this they were favored by the world.
But they were destitute of the traits of character that God esteems. They
were transgressors of His law, corrupt in heart and life. Their course
of action was abhorred by heaven.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the
Apostles, p. 434.
What should this story teach us about how outward appearances,

which may be pleasing to human sight, can often be deceptive
about the reality behind the appearance? What about ourselves,
too? How different is the appearance from the reality?
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Paul’s Defense
With the scene set and the royal guests seated alongside the gov-
ernor, the prisoner was brought in to present his defense, which was
aimed primarily at Agrippa, as Festus had already heard it before (Acts
25:8–11).
Read Acts 26:1–23. What was Paul doing in his speech before Agrippa?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Paul’s speech was in fact an autobiographical report of his life both
before and after his conversion. In terms of content, it recalls the one in
Acts 22:1–21, which he spoke before the crowd in Jerusalem.
The apostle began by trying to secure Agrippa’s favor. He acknowl-
edged his gratitude for the opportunity to state his case before such an
eminent person, all the more so because Agrippa was well acquainted
with all the customs and issues related to Jewish religion. For that
reason, Agrippa could be of great assistance in helping the Roman
governor understand that the charges brought against him had no merit
and were false.
The speech can be divided into three parts. In part one (Acts 26:4–
11), Paul described his former Pharisaic piety, which was widely known
among his contemporaries in Jerusalem. As a Pharisee, he believed in
the resurrection of the dead, which was essential to the fulfilment of
Israel’s ancestral hope. The Jews, therefore, were being inconsistent in
opposing his teaching, for there was nothing in it that was not funda-
mentally Jewish. But he understood their attitude quite well, and that
was because he himself had once found it so incredible that God could
have raised Jesus that even he persecuted those who believed that way.
In part two (Acts 26:12–18), Paul reported how his perspective had
changed since his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus and
the call that he received to take the gospel message to the Gentiles.
Paul says, finally, that the impact of what he had seen (Acts 26:19–23)
was such that he had no choice but to obey and to carry out his mis-
sionary activity, the only reason that he was now on trial. The real issue
behind his arrest, therefore, was not that he had violated the Jewish law
or desecrated the temple. Rather, it was because of his message of Jesus’
death and resurrection, which was in full harmony with the Scriptures
and allowed believing Gentiles to have an equal share in salvation.
Read Acts 26:18. According to that text, what happens to those

who have salvation in Christ? How have you experienced this
reality?
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Paul Before the Leaders

Although Paul was speaking to Agrippa, Festus was the first to react,
as seen in Acts 26:24. Festus would have had no problem if Paul had
spoken about the immortality of the soul, but even the ancient Greco-
Romans knew that both concepts—immortality and resurrection—do
not go along well with one another. Thus, they kept the former and
rejected the latter. This is why Paul says elsewhere that the gospel was
foolishness to Gentiles (1 Cor. 1:23).
In a respectful manner, Paul defended the sanity of his ideas and
turned to Agrippa, a Jew who could not only understand him but also
who could confirm that what he was saying was in agreement with the
Hebrew prophets (Acts 26:25, 26).
Read Acts 26:27, 28. What was Agrippa’s response to Paul’s pressing
question?
_____________________________________________________
Paul’s question put Agrippa in a difficult position. As a Jew, he
would never deny his belief in the Scriptures; on the other hand, if he
gave an affirmative answer, there would be no option but for him to
accept Jesus as the Messiah. His reply was a clever escape from the
logical trap he was in: “ ‘Are you so quickly persuading me to become
a Christian?’ ” (Acts 26:28, NRSV; compare with ESV, NIV)—this is a
better translation of the Greek than the traditional, “ ‘You almost per-
suade me to become a Christian’ ” (NKJV).
Paul’s rejoinder reveals an impressive level of commitment to the gos-
pel: “ ‘Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also
all who are listening to me today might become such as I am—except for
these chains’ ” (Acts 26:29, NRSV). In his last words in that hearing, the
apostle did not plead to be free, as were those listening to him. Instead,
he wished they could be like him, except for the chains that bound him.
Paul’s missionary zeal greatly surpassed his care for his own safety.
Read Acts 26:30–32. How did Agrippa express his conviction of Paul’s
innocence?
_____________________________________________________
Festus needed Agrippa’s help only to fill in the report (Acts 25:25–
27). Paul’s appeal to Caesar had already been formally granted (Acts
25:12). The prisoner was no longer under the governor’s jurisdiction.
Read Acts 26:24–28. What did Paul ultimately appeal to, and
what should this tell us about what our final authority in matters
of faith should always be?
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Further Thought: “Did the mind of Agrippa at these words revert to

the past history of his family, and their fruitless efforts against Him
whom Paul was preaching? Did he think of his great-grandfather
Herod, and the massacre of the innocent children of Bethlehem? of his
great-uncle Antipas, and the murder of John the Baptist? of his own
father, Agrippa I, and the martyrdom of the apostle James? Did he see
in the disasters which speedily befell these kings an evidence of the
displeasure of God in consequence of their crimes against His servants?
Did the pomp and display of that day remind Agrippa of the time when
his own father, a monarch more powerful than he, stood in that same
city, attired in glittering robes, while the people shouted that he was a
god? Had he forgotten how, even before the admiring shouts had died
away, vengeance, swift and terrible, had befallen the vainglorious king?
Something of all this flitted across Agrippa’s memory; but his vanity
was flattered by the brilliant scene before him, and pride and self-
importance banished all nobler thoughts.”—Ellen G. White Comments,
The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, pp. 1066, 1067.
 In class, discuss Paul’s decision to appeal to Caesar. Was this
decision correct (compare with Acts 25:25; 26:31, 32)? To what
extent can we legitimately make strategic decisions to protect our-
selves instead of relying entirely on God’s care?
 Reflect on Paul’s statement to Agrippa: “ ‘Therefore, King

Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision’ ” (Acts
26:19, NKJV). What does it tell us about Paul? How faithful are
we to our missionary calling as Christians (1 Pet. 2:9, 10)?
 Paul had a passion for people—not for numbers, but for

people. In his final hearing in Caesarea, he said to his audience
that his heart’s desire was that all of them would be like him; that
is, saved by God’s grace (Acts 26:29). He did not wish his own
freedom or justice more than he wished them to experience God’s
salvation. What can we learn from his example here? How much
are we willing to sacrifice in order to see the gospel spread?
 Agrippa had a chance to hear the gospel right from the mouth
of Paul. And yet, he rejected it. How can we be careful not to miss
great opportunities when they appear right before us? That is,
how can we stay spiritually attuned to the realities around us?
156
i n s i d e
Story
Going House to House
Kiyong Kwon, a business owner in South Korea, decided that he and other
church members needed to go house to house to share the gospel and fill a
church that he had planted. “House-to-house work is difficult,” Kwon said.
“Most people are not home during the day. Those who are usually don’t want
to talk. But I obeyed Ellen White’s advice.”
That advice is found in Ellen G. White’s book Christian Service, page 113,
and reads, “Of equal importance with special public efforts is house-to-house
work in the homes of the people. In large cities there are certain classes that
cannot be reached by public meetings. These must be searched out as the
shepherd searches for his lost sheep.”
So, every Thursday, Kwon and other church members went from house
to house. They didn’t carry religious literature or offer Bible studies. Instead,
they asked, “How can we help you and your family?”
One day, Kwon pressed many doorbells without any response. But the front
door swung open at one house, and a woman said, “Come in.”
Kwon entered the house but expressed shock at the instant invitation. “Do
you know who I am?” he said. “Why did you let me in?”
“I know that you are evangelizing,” she said.
“But most people reject me,” he persisted. “Why are you welcoming me?”
The woman explained that she had dreamed that night that a tall stranger
would visit. In the dream, the tall man had opened her front door and told her,
“Come out! Hurry!”
“When you pressed the door bell,” she said, “I saw you on the intercom TV
screen, and you looked tall. So, I let you in.”
Kwon, growing more surprised by the minute, asked whether he could be of
help. “My daughter is depressed,” the woman said. “Please help her.”
“Bring your daughter to the living room,” Kwon said.
“No, my daughter refuses to come out of her room.”
“It will be different this time,” Kwon said. “Just tell her to come out.”
Surprisingly, the daughter came to the living room, and Kwon prayed and
read the Bible with her.
He returned the next Thursday and read the
Bible with her again. The daughter started attend-
ing church and was baptized.
“This has been my experience repeatedly,”
Kwon said. “It is God who does the mission.”
Read more about Kwon in last week’s and next week’s lessons.

teachers comments
The Lesson in Brief

The Student Will:

Know: Realize that sometimes sharing the gospel will include making a
defense for himself or herself.
Feel: Feel a sense of responsibility to share the gospel in whatever way
makes the most sense.
Do: Share the gospel in various contexts, making use of logical defense
and testimony.
Learning Outline:
I. Know: Christians Are, at Times, Called to Defend Themselves.
A Do you more often find yourself apologizing for your faith or defend-
ing your faith? What is the reason for your answer?
B Does the current culture of sharing the gospel in love allow for us to
defend our faith? Why, or why not?
C What are the appropriate contexts for defending your faith?
II. Feel: Responsibility to Share the Gospel

A What are some of the various ways in which we can share the gospel?
B What different contexts call for different kinds of sharing?
C How do we know which way is the best way to share the gospel for a
given situation?
III. Do: Share the Gospel With Logic and Testimony.

A How does sharing our story help in the defense of the gospel?
B In what ways can we use logic to help people understand the gospel?
C Is it possible to defend ourselves as we defend the gospel? Give rea-
sons for your answer.
Summary: In Acts 24–26, Paul defends himself and his faith three different
times before three different groups of people. We learn from this what
it might look like for each of us to stand up for ourselves and what we
believe.
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teachers comments
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: Being able to stand up for

yourself in defense of the gospel is, at times, necessary and can be
done respectfully.
Just for Teachers: Help your class to identify the current moral or
political issues that are relevant to their current context in whichever
part of the world they live. Some of the issues mentioned below may
not apply to your class’s context, so replace them with other relevant
issues if you need to.
Opening Discussion: In today’s world, we often view “defending the

faith” as standing up for specific political positions or moral issues. We
say things such as, “Are you pro-life?” “Do you want prayer in schools?”
“Shouldn’t our science curriculums include intelligent design?” “Make
sure to write to your government representative so that you can voice
your moral concern.” These statements and questions are all worth asking
about and taking an active interest in. It seems, however, that too often,
defending the Christian faith is transferred to holding these different posi-
tions. The lesson this week helps to draw us back to what it really means
to defend the faith. Paul is being held in captivity, and when he gets his
opportunity to speak, his goal is not to call out the moral inconsistencies
of those who are governing (of which there are plenty). Instead, his goal is
to present Jesus in such a way that those listening might become Christian
as he is, minus the chains.
 What are the moral/political positions in your country that Christians are
“supposed” to defend?
 In what ways are these positions similar to, or separate from, the gospel?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: In the Greek, the term for defense is apologia.
Paul gives three different apologias, or defenses, in these three chap-
ters. Help your class to notice the differences in the defenses and to
ask why Paul uses the different tactics that he does.
159 159
teachers comments
Bible Commentary
Paul is being held in captivity in Caesarea. He is called three different times
to defend himself against the accusations of the Jewish leaders. Each time he
defends himself, and in whatever way he finds possible, Paul also defends the
gospel. Paul is first brought before Felix, then before Festus. Then Festus calls
Paul before Agrippa and his sister Bernice.
I. Paul Brought Before Felix (Review Acts 24:10–21 with your class.)
Paul has been brought from the holding cell in Jerusalem to Herod’s prae-
torium in Caesarea. Five days after his transfer, the Jewish leaders present
themselves along with a legal representative to bring accusations against
Paul. The accusations in general paint Paul as a troublemaker and disturber
of the peace. The speech is made in legal rhetoric and meant to impress Felix
with the seriousness of the charges brought against Paul. After listening to
the accusations, Felix gives Paul the signal to speak in his own defense. Paul
meets each challenge with a direct “apology,” which means defense. (See
Darrel L. Bock, Acts: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament
[Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007], p. 692.)
Paul in his defense asserts that he was not causing trouble in Jerusalem, but
rather completing a religious rite of cleansing. Perhaps some of the Jews in
Asia could have brought real accusations against him, but they are not there,
and the current representatives have no evidence of their concerns. Paul is one
of the first apologists, and defenders, of the Christian faith. In the second cen-
tury, Christian defenders of the faith are called apologists. Men such as Justin
Martyr and Tertullian write letters to the members of the Roman government,
defending Christians as model citizens who are not hurting the Roman gov-
ernment and should not be persecuted. Paul makes sure to demonstrate that
he is not a civil troublemaker, but rather shows that the accusations from the
Jews are over religious matters and not state concerns.
 In what ways might we make our own “apology,” or defense, today regard-
ing Christians as ideal citizens?
 Do Christians act in such a way as to validate this defense? Why, or why
not?
II. Paul Before Festus (Review Acts 25:8–12 with your class.)
Felix returns Paul to prison, although he brings him before himself sev-
eral times in the next two years, hoping for a bribe. In order to continue
160
teachers comments
with favor from the Jewish leaders, Felix leaves Paul in prison after he leaves
office. Festus is the new proconsul, and before he comes to Caesarea, he visits
Jerusalem to meet with the Jewish leaders. When they bring their concerns to
him about Paul, Festus sees this matter as a possible political opportunity to
garner favor with the Jews. He follows the Roman law and invites the Jewish
leaders to present their case in Caesarea so that Paul may face his accus-
ers. (See Darrel L. Bock, Acts: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New
Testament, p. 700.) The comments are abbreviated for this encounter, but the
sentiments are the same. The Jews make the same accusations, and Paul once
again defends himself. Festus, still trying for the political favor of the Jews,
suggests that Paul go to Jerusalem for a trial. Paul refuses, knowing he will be
killed, and instead appeals to the higher Roman court, to be taken to Caesar.
Paul once again states his innocence, which Festus knows to be true; Festus
thus determines that to Rome Paul will go.
Consider This:
1. Why do you think Paul makes his appeal to Caesar now? Why didn’t he
make it earlier?
2. What do you think the Lord’s message in Acts 23:11 has to do with Paul’s
motivation to get to Rome?
III. Paul Before Festus and Agrippa (Review Acts 26 with your class.)
Festus knows that Paul is innocent, which complicates the matter of crafting the
letter that Festus must send along with Paul to Rome. Because Festus doesn’t
know what to write in the letter, he seeks advice from Agrippa. Paul is brought
before Agrippa and Bernice, Agrippa’s sister. These are the grandchildren of
Herod the Great, and some scholars suggest that they are incestuous lovers as
well. (See Darrel L. Bock, Acts: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New
Testament, pp. 709, 710.) Paul could have gotten up to defend himself and called
out the wrongs in the rulers’ lives, as John the Baptist once did with Herodias.
But this is not his purpose. Paul is thrilled with the opportunity to share the gospel
with Agrippa, knowing that he is a believer in the Old Testament prophets. This is
Paul’s longest defense in Caesarea; he once again shares his testimony as he did in
Jerusalem. Festus interrupts Paul, exclaiming that all of Paul’s education has made
him crazy. Paul picks up his thread once again, defending both himself and his
faith. He connects Christianity to its Jewish roots and the hope of the resurrection,
demonstrated in Jesus. Paul uses such words as “us” and “our” to connect Agrippa
with the truth and then wraps up his defense with a call for Agrippa to accept
Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. It is interesting the Paul does
not call Jesus “Lord” in this context, but simply describes Him as the Resurrected
One and therefore the center of the completed hope of Israel. (See Darrel L. Bock,
Acts: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, p. 714.)
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teachers comments
Consider This:
1. What is Agrippa’s response to Paul’s call for him to believe?
2. How does Festus respond to Paul’s testimony and reasoning?
3. Why does Paul choose to add his testimony to his defense before
Agrippa?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: For application of this lesson, it will be helpful

to assist your class in recognizing their own testimonies as a defense
of the Christian faith. It also will be important to help class members
discover current contexts in which they might need to defend their
faith for the purpose of sharing the gospel.
 What different ways are there for us to defend our faith?
 What kinds of accusations regarding our faith do we face today? How
are they similar to, or different from, Paul’s situation?
 How can we use our testimonies as a defense for our faith?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Using Paul’s testimony before Herod as an

example, help your class to craft and shape their own testimonies
for the purpose of sharing the gospel. It would be good for you to
do this yourself beforehand, so that you can give your students an
example. Keep the steps that Paul used in mind: (1) What was your
life like before you gave your life to Christ? (2) How did you encoun-
ter Christ? (3) How did your life change after you accepted Christ?
Activities:
 Get into pairs of two and share your testimony with your partner.
 Help each other to give shape to your testimonies in such a way that your
testimonies give you the full opportunity to share the gospel and invite some-
one to accept that gospel.
 In what ways might you need to make changes to your testimony for dif-
ferent situations?
 In what way could you defend Christianity with this testimony?
 Is there any room for logical argument within your testimony to strengthen
it? If so, where?
162
Journey to Rome
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 27, Acts 28, Rom. 1:18–20.
Memory Text: “ ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before
Caesar’ ” (Acts 27:24, ESV).
P
aul had long wished to visit Rome, but his arrest in Jerusalem
changed everything. By giving in to the legalistic pressure of
the Jerusalem church leaders, he ended up in Roman custody
for almost five years, including the time he spent on the sea journey to
Italy. This change represented a severe blow to his missionary plans.
Despite the setback, Jesus Himself promised that the apostle would
still testify of Him in Rome (Acts 23:11). Even when we fail Him,
God may still give us another chance, though He does not always spare
us from the consequences of our actions. Not only was Paul taken to
Rome as a prisoner, but there is no biblical evidence that he ever went
to Spain, as he had hoped to do (Rom. 15:24). After being released
from what is known as the first Roman imprisonment, Paul would be
arrested again, this time to suffer martyrdom (2 Tim. 4:6–8) under Nero
in a.d. 67.
Yes, Paul made it to Rome, and while waiting in his house-prison to
be tried before the emperor, he spoke, despite his chains (Eph. 6:20,
Phil. 1:13), without hindrance to whoever came to him (Acts 28:30,
31), including important figures from Caesar’s household (Phil. 4:22).
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S unday September 23
Sailing to Rome
After about two years of confinement in Caesarea (Acts 24:27), Paul
was to be sent to Rome. Judging by the first person plural and the rich-
ness of details used to describe the long and turbulent sea journey to
Italy (Acts 27:1–28:16), Luke was accompanying Paul, as was another
Christian named Aristarchus (Acts 27:2). Another important character
in the story was the Roman centurion, Julius, who had other prisoners
as well in his charge (Acts 27:1).
It was late summer when they departed. The Fast (Acts 27:9) refers
to the Day of Atonement, in the second half of October. Because of the
winter conditions, travel in the Mediterranean was normally avoided
between November and March. This time, however, they faced diffi-
culties from the beginning, and only after much delay they reached the
small bay of Fair Havens, in the island of Crete (Acts 27:8).
Read Acts 27:9–12. While in Fair Havens, how did Paul intervene in
the story, and how was his intervention received?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Paul’s warnings went unheeded, and so they decided to sail westward
another 40 miles to a harbor (Phoenix) where they could winter with safety.
Unfortunately, with a sudden change in the weather, they were caught in such
a violent tempest that the crew had no option but to let the ship be driven
southwest by the wind, away from land. Soon they began to throw the cargo
overboard and even some of the ship’s gear in a frantic attempt to lighten it,
as it was already taking on water. The situation was dramatic. After several
days of scant daylight, poor visibility, heavy rain, and raging winds, without
knowing where they were and in complete exhaustion, they “finally gave up
all hope of being saved” (Acts 27:20, NIV).
Read Acts 27:21–26. What was Paul’s second intervention in the story?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
In prophetic words, Paul told the crew a message he had just received
from God. There was no reason to despair or lose hope. There would
still be danger and loss, but all of them would survive.
Why would such a faithful and dedicated servant of the Lord like
Paul have to suffer through so much? What lessons can we learn
from his experiences?
164
The Shipwreck
In his second intervention in the story, Paul assured all who were on
board—276 people altogether (Acts 27:37)—that, though not every-
thing would come out fine, there would be no casualties; only the ship
would go down (Acts 27:22). Fourteen days later, the apostle’s words
were fulfilled. Still under a terrible storm and with the ship completely
adrift, the sailors sensed land was near, possibly because they could
hear the noise of breakers (Acts 27:27). After a series of soundings,
and fearing the ship would be driven against the rocks along the shore,
they dropped four anchors from the back of the ship in order to reduce
their speed; meanwhile, they desperately asked their gods for daylight
to come (Acts 27:28, 29).
Read Acts 27:30–44. What lessons are here for us in this story?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
In the beginning of the journey, the centurion treated Paul well but
had no reason to trust the apostle’s nautical judgment earlier in the
trip. After two weeks, however, things were different. Paul had already
gained the centurion’s respect with his prophetic intervention about the
shipwreck (Acts 27:21–26), which was heading now to its fulfillment.
Paul urged the people on board to eat, otherwise they would not
have the strength to swim and get ashore. Divine providence does not
necessarily exempt us from doing what would normally be our duty.
“Throughout this narrative a nice balance is maintained between God’s
assurance of their safety and the efforts of the people involved to ensure
it.”—David J. Williams, Acts (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1990), p. 438.
As morning approached, the sailors came in sight of land; it was
a bay with a beach, where they decided to run the ship aground. The
ship, however, never reached the beach. Instead, it struck a sandbar and
ended up breaking apart by the force of the waves. The soldiers’ plan
to kill the prisoners to prevent them from escaping was stopped by the
centurion, mainly because of Paul. In the end, as God had promised, not
a single life was lost.
What should it say to us about the power of Paul’s witness, and

his character, that in a desire to keep Paul alive the soldiers were
forbidden to kill any of the prisoners?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
165
In Malta
It was only upon reaching the shore that the survivors learned they
were in Malta, a small island in the center of the Mediterranean, just
south of Sicily. In the two weeks they had been adrift in the sea, yielded
to the force of the wind, they had covered about four hundred seventy-
five miles since Fair Havens, in Crete. Now they would have to wait out
the three months of winter before continuing their journey (Acts 28:11).
Read Acts 28:1–10. What happened to Paul on the island of Malta, and
how was God able to use him?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The people of Malta were very friendly and hospitable, and their first
action toward Paul and his group, who were all wet and cold, was to
light a fire to warm them up; the temperature in Malta at this time of
the year would not be higher than about 50°F.
The incident of the snake drew the people’s attention to Paul. At first,
the local pagans viewed the fact that he was bitten as an act of divine
retribution. They thought Paul was a murderer who had managed to
escape from death by drowning but was still caught by the gods, or
perhaps the Greek goddess Dike, - the personification of justice and ven-
geance. Because the apostle did not die, he was hailed as a god, as had
happened in Lystra several years before (Acts 14:8–18). Though Luke
does not dwell on the episode, it is probably safe to assume that Paul
took advantage of this situation to bear witness of the God he served.
Publius was either the Roman procurator of Malta or just a local dig-
nitary, but he welcomed Paul and his companions for three days until
they found a more permanent place to stay. At any rate, the healing of
this man’s father gave Paul the opportunity to engage in a sort of heal-
ing ministry among the Maltese people.
In Luke’s account, there is no mention of a single convert or of any
congregation Paul left behind when he departed from Malta. Such
omission might be entirely coincidental, but it illustrates the fact that
our mission in the world goes beyond baptisms or church planting; it
also involves concern for people and their needs. This is the practical
aspect of the gospel (Acts 20:35; compare with Titus 3:14).
How fascinating that these islanders, who were ignorant about

God’s law, had a sense of divine justice. Where, ultimately, did
that come from? See Rom. 1:18–20.
_____________________________________________________
166
Paul in Rome, Finally

After three months in Malta, Paul and his companions were finally
able to continue their journey (Acts 28:11). They arrived in Puteoli
(Acts 28:13)—modern Pozzuoli, in the Bay of Naples—from where
they would travel to Rome by road (see Acts 28:11–16).
The news of Paul’s approach quickly reached Rome, and from there
a group of believers traveled several miles south to welcome him.
Though he had never been to Rome, the apostle had numerous friends
in the city: co-workers, converts, relatives, and many others who were
very dear to him (Rom. 16:3–16). The meeting on the Appian Way must
have been particularly moving, especially in view of the shipwreck
and the fact that Paul was now a prisoner. As a result of such a unique
demonstration of love and care on the part of his beloved friends, the
apostle thanked God and felt deeply heartened as he was about to face
trial before the emperor.
In his official report, Festus certainly must have written that accord-
ing to Roman law, Paul was not guilty of any significant crime (Acts
25:26, 27; 26:31, 32). This probably explains why he was allowed to
rent a private dwelling (Acts 28:30) instead of being sent to a regular
prison or military camp, though after Roman fashion he was chained
to a soldier the whole time. That Paul was at his own expense implies
he was able to carry on his own trade (Acts 18:3).
Read Acts 28:17–22. What did Paul do as soon as he settled down?

_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Though Paul could not go to the synagogue, the synagogue could
come to him. So, soon after his arrival, following his policy of going
first to the Jews (Rom. 1:16), he called together the local Jewish leaders
to state his innocence and explain, as he had done before, that he had
been arrested for no reason other than the hope of Israel (Acts 23:6,
24:15, 26:6–8). His intention was not so much to defend himself as
to create an atmosphere of trust that allowed him to preach the gospel,
showing how Jesus’ resurrection was the fulfillment of Israel’s ances-
tral hope. Surprised that they had not received any information from
Jerusalem about Paul, the Jews decided to hear him.
Read Acts 28:22. What does this tell us about the hostility against
the believers still at this time? How can we stay faithful even
when others are talking against our faith?
_____________________________________________________
167
The Victory of the Gospel

On a set day, the Jews came in large numbers to hear Paul’s presenta-
tion of the gospel (Acts 28:23).
Read Acts 28:24–31. What was Paul’s point in quoting Isaiah in this
context?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The quotation from Isaiah 6:9, 10 describes what happens when peo-
ple refuse to accept the divine message. Though some Jews believed,
others didn’t, and so, because of this great dispute, the apostle had no
choice but once again to turn to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46, 47; 18:6).
Paul had to wait two years to be tried by the emperor. Meanwhile,
though restricted to his house-prison, he was still able to share the
gospel without hindrance with those who came to him. The last scene
of Acts is one that emphasizes the victory of the gospel, as no force,
whether Jewish or Roman, had been able to stop its progress.
It is not clear why Luke finishes his book at this point, as there is
evidence that, due to the weakness of the case against Paul, he was
released from this imprisonment, went on another missionary journey,
and was again taken to Rome and executed (2 Tim. 4:6–8). Perhaps,
from the standpoint of Luke’s literary purpose, by having preached
even in distant Rome, the gospel already had reached the “ends of the
earth” (Acts 1:8, NIV).
“Paul’s patience and cheerfulness during his long and unjust impris-
onment, his courage and faith, were a continual sermon. His spirit, so
unlike the spirit of the world, bore witness that a power higher than
that of earth was abiding with him. And by his example, Christians
were impelled to greater energy as advocates of the cause from the
public labors of which Paul had been withdrawn. In these ways were
the apostle’s bonds influential, so that when his power and usefulness
seemed cut off, and to all appearance he could do the least, then it was
that he gathered sheaves for Christ in fields from which he seemed
wholly excluded.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 464.
From the standpoint of the church’s mission, however, it could be said
that the book of Acts—or the history of the spreading of the gospel—
is not yet finished, and it is here that each one of us enters the picture.
Many more exciting and dramatic chapters have been written through-
out the centuries, sometimes with the blood of God’s faithful witnesses.
Now it is our turn to add one more chapter, the last one (we hope!), and
bring the mission Jesus left with the disciples to its full completion—
“and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14, NKJV).
168
Further Thought: “Christ has given to the church a sacred charge.

Every member should be a channel through which God can communi-
cate to the world the treasures of His grace, the unsearchable riches of
Christ. There is nothing that the Saviour desires so much as agents who
will represent to the world His Spirit and His character. There is nothing
that the world needs so much as the manifestation through humanity of
the Saviour’s love. All heaven is waiting for men and women through
whom God can reveal the power of Christianity.”—Ellen G. White, The
Acts of the Apostles, p. 600.
“Long has God waited for the spirit of service to take possession of
the whole church so that everyone shall be working for Him accord-
ing to his ability. When the members of the church of God do their
appointed work in the needy fields at home and abroad, in fulfillment
of the gospel commission, the whole world will soon be warned and the
Lord Jesus will return to this earth with power and great glory.”—Page
111.
 How does Luke portray Paul’s faith in God throughout the
whole journey to Rome? How were others affected by such uncon-
ditional faith?
 Despite everything he had gone through, Paul never gave up
his faith or his mission. In Rome, he continued to preach despite
his limited freedom. What can we do when tempted to give up on
our proclamation of the gospel to someone?
 Read Romans 1:14, 15. Why did Paul feel himself under
obligation—or a debtor—to preach the gospel to everybody? Are
we less obligated than he was? Consider this statement: “To save
souls should be the lifework of everyone who professes Christ.
We are debtors to the world for the grace given us of God, for the
light which has shone upon us, and for the discovered beauty and
power of the truth.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church,
vol. 4, p. 53.
 Read again the passage from Isaiah that Paul used. How could
this idea apply to us? Yes, we have been given a great deal of truth,
but if we harden ourselves to it, or even to aspects of it that might
conflict with our own wishes or desires, what danger could we face
spiritually?
 Imagine being the soldier chained to Paul. What do you think
he saw in the man to whom he was so closely tied?
169
i n s i d e
Story
Healthy Church for the Rich
Kiyong Kwon, a business owner and church planter, chose an affluent
suburb of South Korea’s capital, Seoul, to open his second church. His first
church, opened in a rural area four years earlier, was filled to overflow-
ing, and he wanted a new challenge. “When God first called me, I said, ‘I
can’t,’ ” Kwon said. “But after I witnessed God’s power, I became bolder.”
He reasoned that impoverished people can accept God more easily than
the wealthy. He wondered how to share the gospel with those who have
everything and decided that even the wealthy need good health. So, he
opened the Bundang NEW START church and a vegetarian restaurant
in an office building in the suburb of Bundang. “I decided God’s health
message is the way to share the last-day gospel,” he said. The new church
began organizing health seminars, cooking classes, and Bible studies.
Among the first attendees was a pharmacist who seemed to enjoy the
weeklong health seminar. After the seminar finished, participants inter-
ested in more information were invited to attend Bible studies on Daniel
and Revelation. But the pharmacist didn’t come. Kwon made some inqui-
ries and learned that the pharmacist had taken a week of vacation to attend
the health seminar. She didn’t have free time for Bible studies. So, Kwon
made audio recordings of the Bible studies and sent them to her.
“The woman was really shocked by what she heard, but she didn’t want
to leave her Sunday church,” Kwon said.
The pharmacist’s mind began to change as she continued to listen to the
Bible studies. She thought about keeping the Sabbath and worshiping at
the church. As she pondered what to do, she began to suffer a bad head-
ache. She worried that she might have brain cancer, but doctors couldn’t
find anything wrong. Still, the pain persisted.
Finally, her 24-year-old daughter said, “Do you know why you have the
headache? It’s because you know what’s right but you aren’t doing it. I’ll
go to the Sabbath church with you.”
The pharmacist and her daughter showed up
at church the next Sabbath, and they are faithful
members today.
“From these kinds of experiences, I realize
that this is God’s business,” Kwon said. “Hearts
are not changed because of anything that people
do.”
Read more about Kwon in last week’s lesson.

teachers comments
The Lesson in Brief

The Student Will:

Know: Understand that circumstances, dangers, and trials cannot stop the
spread of the gospel. Only a closed heart can do this.
Feel: Find courage in the call that has been placed upon the life of every
believer to share the gospel.
Do: Open his or her own heart to the gospel and recognize the places in
which he or she can share it.
Learning Outline:
I. Know: Circumstances Cannot Stop the Spread of the Gospel.
A What different circumstances did Paul go through that could have
stopped him from spreading the gospel?
B What can stop the spread of the gospel in the life of an individual?
II. Feel: Find Courage to Share the Gospel.

A When have you found yourself too overwhelmed with life’s circum-
stances to share your faith in God? Talk a little bit about what that experi-
ence was like.
B How do these feelings limit the gospel?
C How can you take courage from Paul’s story?
III. Do: Be Open to the Gospel in Your Life and in the Lives of Others.
A Why is it important for believers to be open to the gospel in order for
it to go forward?
B How might a believer discover an opening in another’s life in which
the gospel can be shared?
Summary: Acts ends with the story of Paul’s journey to Rome. He encounters
many difficulties along the way, including being put in chains, surviving a
shipwreck, and experiencing rejection by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem.
Paul perseveres through all this adversity in sharing the gospel. The one
way the message is stopped is in the individual lives of those who reject it.
171
teachers comments
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: Never stop sharing your faith,
even when circumstances and rejection discourage you from doing so.
Make sure that you are always open to the gospel in your own life and that
you are looking for ways to share it with others.
Just for Teachers: Throughout this lesson, your class members

will have the chance to explore the limitations that there may be for
the sharing of the gospel in each of their lives. It is important to rec-
ognize that the only limitation to the gospel is our willingness to share
and another’s willingness to hear it. If we will share, there are always
people who will listen, and life’s circumstances cannot stop the spread
of the gospel.
Opening Discussion: One of the most limiting things for the gospel
today is the openness of the people to the gospel message. This limiting
factor holds true for both the believer who could share the message and
for the listener who could receive it. One of the hindrances that, as a pas-
tor, Cory would face with preaching the gospel was his own unworthiness.
He would at times find himself in his office preparing for a sermon and
think to himself, What right do I have to share this good news? My life is
far from perfect. But Cory would turn this concern over to God in prayer
and find the same answer again and again: Your unworthiness does not
make the gospel unworthy of being heard. Imagine if Paul had given in to
discouragement from the accusations of the unbelieving Jews or from the
hardships that he faced. His witness could have been silenced, but he per-
severed and remained open to sharing the gospel. Even though the gospel
may have been stopped at the doors of the hearts of those who rejected it,
Paul continued to spread the gospel to those who would receive it.
 What are the things that have stopped you from sharing your faith in the
past?
 Have you ever felt unworthy of sharing the gospel? Why, or why not?
STEP 2—Explore
172
teachers comments
Just for Teachers: As you lead out in the study of the story of Paul’s
journey to Rome, help your class to think through the various kinds of
obstacles that they, too, might encounter in spreading the gospel.
Bible Commentary
In this final lesson, we will take a look at Paul’s difficult journey to Rome
and the response of the Jewish leaders in Rome. The study will look at the
different obstacles that Paul faced and the ways in which he persevered.
I. The Difficulties of Paul’s Journey (Review Acts 27:1–28:16 with your class.)
Paul has been held in Caesarea for two years as a prisoner. Both Felix and
Festus have found Paul to be not guilty of any civil crime, but in order
to escape the murderous intentions of the religious leaders in Jerusalem,
Paul appeals to Caesar. It is finally time for Paul to begin that journey.
This journey is a significant voyage of several hundred miles to be made
by sea. This journey is made even more difficult by inclement weather
conditions and the coming winter. The journey from Alexandria to Rome
could take as little as 10 days, but with adverse conditions, this voyage
could extend to 45 days. The wisdom of the day told sailors to avoid the
sea from November through mid-March, and the slow progress of Paul
and his fellow 275 shipmates meant they would need to stop for the win-
ter. (See Darrel L. Bock, Acts: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New
Testament, p. 733.)
The port they were in was less than ideal. Most likely it was partially
open to the sea, and, therefore, the ship was not safe to stay in port.
(See Darrel L. Bock, Acts: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New
Testament, p. 733.) Despite Paul’s warnings, the captain and the Roman
centurion decide to try for the next port. This maneuver does not work,
and the crew find themselves tossing cargo and ship tackle in order to
survive as they are blown off course. The failed attempt to reach the
next port shipwrecks them on the isle of Malta. After wintering with
the friendly natives on the island, the crew makes it to port on another
ship, only to have another 494 miles to travel before reaching Rome.
(See Darrel L. Bock, Acts: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New
Testament, p. 745.)
 What kind of travel hazards have you faced in your life?
 How is the cause of sharing the gospel great enough for you to keep
going?
 Have you ever made a difficult journey for the sake of the gospel?
173
teachers comments
II. Paul’s Effort to Win Hearts on the Journey (Review Acts 27:9–11, 21–26, 33–36;
28:3–6, 7–10 with your class.)
The circumstances of the journey were difficult enough. Paul, however, had other
difficulties to face in the midst of the storm and the shipwreck. Paul, for the sake
of the gospel, had to earn the trust of those with whom he was traveling. When
the decision is to be made as to whether the ship should stay in the semi-safe port
for the winter or move on, Paul counsels the centurion that if they try to continue
the journey, it will not go well. The centurion does not listen to him. Once they are
lost in the midst of the storm, the whole crew is more open to listening to Paul as
he reminds them of his warning to them not to go in the first place.
Paul then steps into the role of the spiritual advisor for the whole ship, let-
ting them know that an angel has appeared to him and said the ship will be lost,
but not a single soul will perish. (See Darrel L. Bock, Acts: Baker Exegetical
Commentary on the New Testament, p. 738.) Paul has won the centurion over
enough so that the centurion is able to stop a plot by his soldiers to kill all the
prisoners so they will not escape. After they are shipwrecked, the natives help to
build fires. Paul throws some wood on the fire, and a viper latches onto his hand.
The natives are sure that Paul is a murderer and will soon die. When Paul does
not, however, the natives decide he must be a god. Then Paul heals the chief’s
father and many others in the village. The natives are so grateful that they provide
all that is needed to continue the journey to Rome.
Consider This:
1. What kinds of things hold us back from trusting one another?
2. Suppose someone cannot trust the person who is sharing the gospel. What
effect does that distrust have on the person listening to the gospel and that indi-
vidual’s receptivity to the good news?
3. Which is easier to overcome when it comes to sharing the gospel: physical
circumstances or matters of trust? Explain.
III. Paul Meets With the Jewish Leaders in Rome (Review Acts 28:17–31 with your
class.)
Finally arriving in Rome, Paul is still in chains, most likely chained to a Roman
guard, but apparently under house arrest. (See Darrel L. Bock, Acts: Baker
Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, p. 757.) People are allowed to
come and visit with Paul, and the Jewish leaders accept the invitation. Paul pres-
ents the gospel to them. Letting them know that he has not broken any of their
traditions but holds to the same hope as Israel (the resurrection of the dead), Paul
presents Jesus Christ as the longed-for Messiah. Some of the leaders are convinced,
and others are not. They leave Paul, arguing among themselves, and Paul quotes
174
teachers comments
Isaiah 6:9, 10 to warn them of the hardness of their hearts. (See Darrel L.
Bock, Acts: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, pp. 754,
755.) He then declares the gospel of Jesus Christ to be unstoppable. Even if
the Jews reject it, the message will go on to the Gentiles. Paul has made it to
Rome, and he will testify to the highest officials of the land.
Consider This:
1. Why is the gospel truly unstoppable? Does the rejection of the gospel cease
its progress? Explain.
2. If Paul is martyred after testifying in Rome, does this mean that his testi-
mony is stopped? Why, or why not?
3. What are the successes of the early church in sharing the gospel as related
in the book of Acts?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: The only obstacle that can actually stop the gospel
is an individual’s refusal to accept it. It is essential to think through the
obstacles of the heart for the sharer and the receiver.
 What obstacles has the gospel faced in your own heart and mind?
 How can understanding these “heart problems” help us in sharing the
gospel with others?
 What circumstantial obstacles have you seen the gospel overcome?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Do as many of the listed activities as time, space,

supplies, and preference will allow.
Activities:
 Have your class act out the story of Paul’s journey to Rome for the next
children’s story in your church.
 Set up an obstacle course with different obstacles, representing Paul’s
struggles.
 Create a large painting of the shipwreck, using a bedsheet and house
paint.
 What insights into Paul’s journey do these activities help you to find?
How do these activities encourage you never to allow any obstacle to stop you
from sharing your faith?
175

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Contents

1 You Will Be My Witnesses—June 30–July 6 5

Principal Contributor Associate Editor Pacific Press® Coordinator

Wilson Paroschi is a professor of New Testament interpretation at Brazil Adventist

* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 7.

The Restoration of Israel

The Disciples’ Mission

He Will Come Again

Preparing for Pentecost

The Twelfth Apostle

Read Acts 1:23–26. How was Matthias chosen?

Further Thought: “The whole interim period between Pentecost and

 Someone once said: “God needs witnesses more than lawyers.”

 What was the role of prayer in the early church? Is it a coinci-

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.

The Lesson in Brief

The Student Will:

II. Feel: The Power of the Early Beginnings of the Church

III. Do: Be Involved in the Growth of the Church.

Spotlight on Scripture: Luke 24:50–52, Acts 1:6–8

Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The book of Acts constantly

Opening Discussion: Acts 28:24 makes a remarkable statement:

I. The Disciples’ Query

the kingdom reference occurs, there is a sense of newness, urgency, and

Consider This: “This kingdom is not, as Christ’s hearers had hoped, a

Consider This: “The gospel commission is the great missionary charter of

Discussion Question: How do we fill the vacancy that may arise in

* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 14.

The Coming of the Spirit

Read Acts 2:1–3. What supernatural elements accompanied the out-

What evidence do you have of the Spirit’s working in your life?

The Gift of Tongues

A powerful manifestation of God is happening before their eyes,

With death all around us, always threatening us or our loved

The Exaltation of Jesus

Read Acts 2:33–36. What is the connection between Jesus’ exaltation

Why is the realization that we have “the remission of your sins”

Further Thought: The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost

 Dwell more on the fact that Peter made the resurrection of

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.

The Lesson in Brief

The Student Will:

II. Feel: The Preparation and the Proclamation

Acts 10:19; 11:12

Just for Teachers: Though a Gentile, Luke had a commanding grasp of

open tomb—were imbued with a deeper meaning and significance.

II. Spirit-Filled Preaching (Review Acts 2:14–19 with your class.)

Thought Question: From the beginning of their history, Adventists have

Just for Teachers: Among some Christian groups, speaking in tongues

Life in the Early Church

Memory Text: “Every day they continued to meet together in the

* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 21.

Teaching and Fellowship

The Healing of a Lame Man

The Rise of Opposition

Ananias and Sapphira

Read Acts 5:1–11. What are the lessons of this story?

Why must we be careful about pushing the limits of grace, as

The Second Arrest

Further Thought: “We are stewards, entrusted by our absent Lord

 Someone once said: “We should be ready as if Jesus would

 Why must the life, death, resurrection, and return of Jesus be

 What should the story of Ananias and Sapphira teach about