The Holy Spirit gives us power
key words
biblical reference
Acts 1:8; 6:1-15; 7:1 and 51-60.
lesson objective
To help preadolescents appreciate the power that the Holy Spirit gives to Christians to proclaim the message of salvation and defend their faith.
memory verse
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NIV*).
prepare yourself to teach
It is impressive to observe what today’s society is willing to do to obtain power. In short, our society is hungry for power. From all social levels, people struggle to dominate the lives of others and thus have control of situations. No doubt, your students have experienced it, or at least they have seen it in others.
In this lesson, your students will learn that God gives power and courage to Christians through the Holy Spirit. However, this power is completely different from what the world aspires to, because it does not seek its own benefit but that of others. It does not destroy to get its own way, but gives in so that God may fulfill his will.
biblical commentary
Read Acts 1:8. In this verse, we find Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit to believers. He would empower them to be witnesses and perform miracles. Jesus knew that his disciples could not be witnesses by their own strength, so he asked them to wait for “the promise of the Father.” As described in this biblical passage, the disciples were to be witnesses not only in Jerusalem, but even to the last corner of the earth.
The Greek word for “witness” is “martus,” the same word used for “martyr.” A witness must be willing to be a martyr, and this kind of strength can only come from the Holy Spirit.
Read Acts 6:1-15. When the church began to grow, a dispute arose between the Greeks and the Hebrews over the distribution of help for the needy. The Greeks complained because their widows were not looked after. The apostles did not want to neglect preaching, so they prayed that the Lord would help them choose special people for the task. Therefore, they appointed seven deacons to take care of spiritual and material needs. These men were to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
This reminds us that the Holy Spirit transforms ordinary people into powerful witnesses of Christ.
Read Acts 7:1 and 51-60. The story of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, is a clear sign of the power of the Holy Spirit in the believer, although in reality, it seems a contradiction, because Stephen died helpless at the hands of an angry mob. However, his heart and spirit were strengthened and full of power and love.
In this passage, there are three key points that we must highlight:
The secret of Stephen’s strength was his total dependence on Christ. This kind of power can only come from the Holy Spirit.
Stephen followed the example of Jesus. Instead of attacking his aggressors, he prayed that God would forgive them.
We learn what it means to be witnesses of Jesus Christ regardless of the consequences. The power of the Holy Spirit was working in Stephen, even at the moment of his death.
introduce the lesson
Could you do this?
To better understand the role of the power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christians, we will reflect on two real-life stories. One happened in Jerusalem in the first century and the other in South America in this past century.
Distribute Student Activity Sheet #348, and allow time for the preadolescents to silently read the story of Jim Elliot.
When everyone is finished, discuss these two questions: “What enabled Elizabeth Elliot to do what she did? What do you think you would have done in that situation?”
Allow everyone to participate and write the conclusions in the worksheet. Explain that in today’s lesson they will learn what it means to live filled with the Spirit of God.
teach the lesson
Before this session study Acts 1:8; 6:1-15; 7:1 and 51-60 and be ready to lead this lesson.
Why didn’t he defend himself?
Divide the class into pairs or small groups, and assign each one of the following questions.
Did someone ever tell a lie about you? How did that change your relationship with that person?
How do you react when someone mistreats you?
Based on the passage, how would you describe Stephen?
In what ways are you like Stephen?
Why did Stephen call the Sanhedrin “stiff-neck people”? What does it mean?
What does it mean to “resist the Holy Spirit”?
Why did Stephen’s words make members of the council so angry?
According to verse 60, what characteristics do you see in Stephen?
Why could Stephen respond like he did?
Why didn’t Stephen defend himself?
What can you do this week to be more like Stephen?
To find the answers, ask them to read Acts 6:8-15; 7:1 and 51-60. Each group must appoint a representative who will be the one to give the answer to the rest of the group. Be alert to correct any incorrect answers and supplement the information when necessary.
connect the lesson
The Holy Spirit is...
Give the preadolescents a piece of cardboard and pencils. Ask them to draw a picture, or write a thought about what the Holy Spirit represents for their lives, after having studied this series of lessons.
Prepare a wall to make a mural collage of their drawings, and if you wish, invite parents to see the work their children did.
practice the memory verse
By now most of the group already knows the memory verse. Have your children sit in a circle and place yourself in the center. Throw them something soft such as a small plastic ball. The child who receives it should stand and say the verse by heart (Acts 1:8). Repeat this exercise so all of your children participate. Help any children who are struggling with memorization.
wrap-up
Pray
Form a prayer circle and pray for each of your students. Pray for the Holy Spirit to fill them, empower them, and guide them to live the Christian life. If any of the students have not yet accepted Christ as their personal Savior and Lord, it would be a good time for you to invite them to do so.
Encourage
Encourage your class to trust and depend on the guidance of the Holy Spirit at all times in their lives.
Invite
Remind the group that the next session will begin the study of a new unit of lessons. Remind them that this is a good time for new people to join the group.
* Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™