Lessons Archive

Stephen Preaches and Becomes the First Christian Martyr (Acts 6:8-7:60)

Here we listen to one of the greatest speeches in all of Scripture: Stephen’s bold speech to the Sanhedrin. In it, Stephen lays out the long history of their Jewish forefathers rejecting God’s deliverers and concludes, “You are just like your fathers!” After delivering his blistering rebuke, Stephen is stoned to death. In this lesson we

Stephen Preaches and Becomes the First Christian Martyr (Acts 6:8-7:60) View Lesson

We Must Obey God Rather than Men; Selecting the Seven (Acts 5:29 and 6:1-7)

Should Christians follow the commands of religious or government leaders, when such commands contradict the words of God? We see the apostles' attitude in Acts 5: “We must obey God rather than men”. We consider how this principle was applied by David Lipscomb and other Christians in the Restoration Movement at the time of the

We Must Obey God Rather than Men; Selecting the Seven (Acts 5:29 and 6:1-7) View Lesson

Boldly Proclaiming the Message (Acts 5:12-42)

The apostles boldly proclaim the gospel message, getting them arrested twice, thrown in prison, and beaten. Jesus was courageous. The apostles were courageous. Are we courageous? In this lesson we consider the bold message that was preached, examples of courage in the Scriptures, and why God expects His people to be bold. We also consider

Boldly Proclaiming the Message (Acts 5:12-42) View Lesson

Struck Dead for Lying (Acts 4:32-5:11)

Here we encounter Ananias and Sapphira, a married couple who brazenly lie to Peter in connection with a gift they gave to the church. They are each struck dead by God for lying, provoking great fear of God in the church. We take this graphic story as an opportunity to take a good look at

Struck Dead for Lying (Acts 4:32-5:11) View Lesson

Psalm 20 - Help in Time of Affliction

In Psalm 20, David writes of one facing affliction and the hope and protection available to this afflicted person. We consider the honest question: does God hear our prayers in times of trial? We also look at what it means to put our trust in "the name of the Lord" and the protection this brings.

Psalm 20 - Help in Time of Affliction View Lesson

The Stone the Builders Rejected (Acts 4:1-31)

After healing a lame man, Peter boldly preaches the resurrection of Jesus to the Jewish high priest and religious leaders. He explains that in rejecting Jesus, they fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 118: “the stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone". Jesus had used the same prophecy to explain His role as the Son,

The Stone the Builders Rejected (Acts 4:1-31) View Lesson

A Prophet Like Moses; the Hours of Prayer (Acts 3:1-26)

This story begins with Peter and John going to the temple to pray at the ninth hour (approximately 3 pm), referred to as “the hour of prayer”. We consider the ancient Christian custom of praying multiple times during the day, and how those hours relate to the Passion of Christ. After Peter heals a crippled

A Prophet Like Moses; the Hours of Prayer (Acts 3:1-26) View Lesson

Four Characteristics of the First Church (Acts 2:42-47)

The first church is marked by devotion to four things: the apostles teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers. Examining each one gives us an opportunity to evaluate our own spiritual communities and to identify opportunities for growth. We also consider how miraculous signs and wonders confirmed the gospel message in the beginning. We conclude

Four Characteristics of the First Church (Acts 2:42-47) View Lesson

Seated at the Right Hand of God (Acts 2:33-41)

Peter concludes his Pentecost message by explaining that Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God, based on the prophecy of Psalm 110. In this lesson we explore why this provoked the strong, “cut to the heart” response from Peter’s audience, and why it still matters for us today. When the people ask what

Seated at the Right Hand of God (Acts 2:33-41) View Lesson

Four Prophecies Fulfilled: the Resurrected Christ and Eternal King (Acts 2:30-32)

We have come to the powerful core of the message Peter preached on the day of Pentecost. Here Peter ties the resurrection of Jesus to four kingdom prophecies connected to an ancient promise made to David. Since these prophecies are alluded to (rather than directly quoted), most Christians miss the significance of Peter’s words. In

Four Prophecies Fulfilled: the Resurrected Christ and Eternal King (Acts 2:30-32) View Lesson