Exploring The Ministry of Christ

Leaders Guide
Exploring the Ministry of Christ
A 13-Week Adventure
in the NIV Discovery Study Bible
Objectives
Through this 13-week course your group members will:
Read the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts
Trace the ministry of Jesus Christ on earth and through the early church
Grow closer to God as they come to better know and respond to his Son
Why teach the NIV

Discovery Study Bible?
You teach the Bible
just the Bible!
Materials
FOR THE LEADER
You get your group

members into Gods
Word!
An NIV Discovery Study Bible

A notebook for recording study insights
This free on-line Leaders Guide
You can teach the

whole Bible in eight
13-week courses!
FOR EACH GROUP MEMBER
An NIV Discovery Study Bible

A notebook for recording study insights
Procedure
During the week before each group session, group members will be asked to complete the Assignments in
one or two of the Study Centers built into the NIV Discovery Study Bible and record their discoveries in a
notebook. During the group session, you will ensure that your group members understand the significance
of what they have studied and help them grasp contributions to their personal relationship with the Lord.
Lesson Plans
Each lesson plan for Exploring the Ministry of Christ states specific goals for that group session and lays out
a variety of activities that will help you reach those goals. The group session will usually include five segments: Introduce, Inform, Interact, Internalize and Inspire.
Introduce
You will choose
from several activities that will get
the group session
started.
Inform
You will provide
input (such as a
mini-lecture or
chalkboard illustration) that will bring
the significance of
the Bible passages
into clear focus.
Interact
You will actively
involve your group
members in probing the passages
they have studied.
Each lesson plan
gives you several
activities to choose
from.
Internalize
You will provide
your group members with an opportunity to explore
their own experiences and personalize the truths
studied. (This is
an optional section
that may be used
for groups that
meet for longer
than one hour.)
Inspire
You will encourage
personal application of the truths
studied and motivate your group
members for the
following weeks
fresh discoveries
in Gods Word.
Getting Started
WITH AN ESTABLISHED GROUP
Six weeks before the first group session, tell your group members about the exciting opportunity they have
to explore Gods Word by using the unique NIV Discovery Study Bible. Determine how many NIV Discovery
Study Bibles you will need to order.
Two weeks before the first group session, distribute NIV Discovery Study Bibles and inexpensive looseleaf or spiral-bound notebooks. Ask your group members to read the Introduction to Luke (page 1330 in
the NIV Discovery Study Bible) and the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 8283 and complete Assignments 14 in Study Center 82 and Assignments 13 in Study Center 83 in preparation for the
first group session. Encourage them to use their notebooks to record their discoveries, thoughts and any
questions they may have.
WITH A NEW GROUP
Eight weeks before the first group session, begin promoting the NIV Discovery Study Bible and the new
elective on Exploring the Ministry of Christ. Encourage potential group members to sign up immediately.
Five weeks before the first group session, order NIV Discovery Study Bibles for those who have signed
up. You may also wish to order additional Bibles for late enrollees.
Two weeks before the first group session, distribute the NIV Discovery Study Bibles and inexpensive
loose-leaf or spiral-bound notebooks. Ask your group members to read the Introduction to Luke (page
1330 in the NIV Discovery Study Bible) and the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 8283 and
complete Assignments 14 in Study Center 82 and Assignments 13 in Study Center 83 in preparation for
the first group session. Encourage them to use their notebooks to record their discoveries, thoughts and
any questions they may have.
A 13-Week Overview
The NIV Discovery Study Bible contains 20 built-in Study Centers to be used in conjunction with this
Exploring the Ministry of Christ course. You will cover the 20 Study Centers in 13 group sessions. Your
group members will complete selected Study Center Assignments before each group session. In this
process they will read through the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts, and they will examine key passages that are essential for gaining an understanding of Jesus ministry on earth. The following chart provides a preview of the course.
Exploring the Ministry of Christ

LESSON
STUDY CENTER
REFERENCE
FOCUS
8283
Lk 14
Meet the Founder
8485
Lk 58
New Community Principles
8687
Lk 912
Glimpses of the New Community
8889
Lk 1315
New Community Relationships
9091
Lk 1619
New Community Loyalties
92
Lk 2023
Defeat . . .
93
Lk 24
. . . and Triumph
103
Ac 12
Birth of a New Community
104
Ac 35
Established in Jerusalem
10
105106
Ac 612
Expanding to Regions Beyond
11
107
Ac 1315
Mission to the World, Part 1
12
108
Ac 1619
Mission to the World, Part 2
13
109110
Ac 2028
The Mission Continues
LESSON 1
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Meet the Founder

LESSON AIMS
To provide a preview of the course

To establish the credentials of Jesus as founder of a new human community of the saved
To see in Jesus example the way to victory over our temptations
PREPARATION
Read the Introduction to the Gospels (page 1241 in the NIV Discovery Study Bible).
Read the Introduction to Luke (page 1330 in the NIV Discovery Study Bible).
Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 8283.
Complete Assignments 14 in Study Center 82 and Assignments 13 in Study Center 83.
Develop your own lesson plan by selecting from the options below.
Duplicate The Ministry of Jesus, located after Option 3 of Introduce (below).
Pray daily for your group members.
Introduce
Option 1
Meet and Greet. If this is a new group, take a few minutes to let your group members introduce themselves and explain why they decided to take this course. Be sure to introduce yourself as well.
Option 2
Discuss. Give your group members copies of the article The Ministry of Jesus (located after Option 3 of
this section). Let them silently read the article. Then lead a brief discussion. Encourage your group members to keep Jesus seek and save ministry in mind as you study Luke and Acts together. They are to keep
in mind the fact that a vital aspect of Jesus ministry was to form a new community that would reject the
values and ways of the world and live out Gods values in this world.
Option 3
Mini-Lecture. Luke went to great pains in the opening chapters of his Gospel to establish Jesus status as a
VIP (a Very Important Person). This was essential to Lukes purpose, for Luke was about to relate the story
of Jesus challenge to the way things were in first-century society and Jesus mission of setting a course for
a new community whose ways and values were in direct conflict with that societys ways and values. Only a
person whose credentials were impeccable and whose authority was undisputed could initiate the radical
changes in the human community that Jesus exemplifiedand requires.
The Ministry of Jesus

Near the end of his public ministry, Jesus explained his mission to a crowd of onlookers. As Jesus was
passing through Jericho, he looked up in a tree and saw a man named Zacchaeus. The man was well
known in Jericho, for he was a chief tax collector, a man who bid for the privilege of collecting taxes in
an area and made his profit by collecting more than he was required to pay the government. Such
men were considered sinners, exploiters of their own people, and they were both hated and feared.
But Jesus called for Zacchaeus to come down from his perch, and he announced that he would
spend that day at the chief tax collectors home.
Naturally, the onlookers were scandalized. But Zacchaeus cried, Look, Lord! Here and now I give
half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four
times the amount (Lk 19:8).
Before the crowd could react, Jesus observed, Today salvation has come to this house (Lk 19:9).
Then he added, For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost (Lk 19:10).
We typically think of the term saved in view of eternity. People are saved by having their sins
forgiven and being assured of a place in heaven. This certainly is a central element in salvation. But as
the story of Zacchaeus illustrates, salvation has a more immediate impact. Through his contact with
Jesus Christ, Zacchaeus experienced an immediate inner transformation. The wealth for which he had
exchanged the respect of his community and his personal integrity no longer seemed to matter to
him. Rather than extorting from the poor, a changed Zacchaeus immediately gave half of all he had
to the poor. And, in keeping with Old Testament law, he committed himself to paying back four times
over anyone he had defrauded. Zacchaeus had not only been lost in an eternal sense, but he had
also been lost in the sense that he lived his life governed by corrupt and confused values. Jesus
intervention saved him and set him on a new path.
In a sense, Zacchaeus represents all of us. We are lost in cultures in which corrupt and confused
values govern our choices and mar the communities in which we live. In seeking and saving Zacchaeus, Jesus reminds us that his mission was, and is, not only to give believers eternal life, but also to
transform human beings and save them from a corrupt way of life. And in transforming human
beings, Jesus also intends to create a new communitya community that demonstrates Gods character as members of that community live new lives governed by Gods values and priorities, lives governed by Jesus Christ as Lord.
While Johns Gospel focuses our attention on eternal salvation without in any way undermining
the eternal impact of Gods forgiveness of sins, Lukes Gospel and the book of Acts focus our attention on present-tense salvation. Through the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts, we meet a Jesus
who seeks us out where we live, a Jesus who saves us from an empty, meaningless life. He does this
by setting us on a new course and by making us a new community of saved men and women who
choose to live by Gods values and by Gods will alone.
Inform
Review. Look together at the Introduction to the Gospel of Luke (page 1330 in the NIV Discovery Study
Bible). Stress the importance of honor, or status, in first-century society. Be sure your group members
understand the difference between ascribed honor and acquired honor. Only a person of highest honor
who was able to defend his honor in every social situation could hope to be heard when espousing the
kinds of radical social change that Jesus modeled and called for in others.
Interact
Option 1
Team Bible Study. Divide your group into teams of five or six persons. Each team is to look at an assigned
chapter and determine how the events described position Jesus in terms of honor or reputation, either
ascribed or acquired.
Team(s)
Team(s)
Team(s)
Team(s)
1:
2:
3:
4:
Luke
Luke
Luke
Luke
1
2
3
4
(see
(see
(see
(see
Assignments 13 in Study Center 82).

Assignment 1 in Study Center 83).
Have each team report its findings to the group. Point out that, as the Son of God, Jesus had the highest possible ascribed honor, for his Father was God! This relationship was confirmed by John, an acknowledged prophet. And in every incident reported, Jesus acquired more honor, whether in skillfully answering
the scholars questions when he was 12 years old or in defeating three challenges by Satan himself! Surely
Jesus is someone special, someone all must respect and listen to!
Option 2
Landmark Study. Read the Landmark Satan at Job 2 with your group. Assign individuals to read aloud the
verses or passages referred to in the article. Discuss these verses to help your group members develop a
picture of the ancient enemy of God and humankind.
Inspire
Option 1
Brainstorm. Have someone read aloud Lukes account of Jesus temptation. Then have the group brainstorm what is really significant in the details of this account. List group members suggestions and ideas on
the chalkboard.
Read the Closer Look The Temptation of Jesus at Matthew 4:111. Compare this article with the list
on the chalkboard. Talk about why and how the account of Jesus victory over these temptations is helpful
for Christians today. For instance, Jesus met the temptations in his human nature as a man, using resources
that are also available to us. His victory reminds us that we can overcome our temptations. Also, the way
he overcame the temptations teaches us how we can overcome our temptations.
Option 2
Apply. Have each group member mentally identify a temptation he or she finds difficult to overcome. Each
group member is to determine whether his or her temptation is more like the first, second or third temptation of Jesus as described by Luke. Each is then to determine how he or she might apply the principle acted on by Jesus to overcome his or her personal temptation and defeat Satan.
Group members may or may not wish to share their temptation with other group members. Allow time
for sharing. Then close in prayer, asking that each of you might overcome any temptations you face as
Jesus didby choosing to live by principles expressed in Gods Word.
ASSIGNMENTS
Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 8485. Complete Assignments 13 in Study
Center 84 and Assignments 13 in Study Center 85.
5
LESSON 2
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New Community Principles

LESSON AIMS
To identify foundational principles and values of Jesus new community

To understand the opponents challenges to Jesus honor
To see how Jesus actions invariably added to his honor and diminished the honor of his opponents
PREPARATION
Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 8485

Complete Assignments 13 in Study 84 and Assignments 13 in Study Center 85.
Introduce
Review. Jesus said his mission was to seek and to save what was lost (Lk 19:10). The term save has both
eternal and contemporary aspects. Johns Gospel makes it clear that Jesus provides eternal life to be
enjoyed with God forever. Lukes Gospel makes it clear that Jesus saves us from an empty life here and
now and provides a totally new life for us to live as members of his new community.
Luke 14 establishes the fact that Jesus is a person of highest honor (status, reputation). As Gods Son,
Jesus owns an ascribed honor witnessed to by the Old Testament prophets, by his unique birth and by the
testimony of God the Father, as testified to by John the Baptist. Jesus has also acquired honor by meeting
and overcoming Satans temptation. In defeating Satan, who terrified first-century Jews, Jesus established
himself as a person whose heritage and personal character merit the greatest respect.
Inform
Option1
Chalkboard Preview. As Jesus launched his public ministry, situations provided opportunities for him to
either gain or lose honor and reputation. This was especially true when he was challenged by the religious
leaders of his time, who saw Jesus as a threat and as a person in competition with them for the respect of
the people.
Illustrate with the diagram below that the focal point of Luke 58 is Jesus presentation of foundational
principles of a new society that were radically different from the principles operating in other first-century
societies. This presentation is preceded by Lukes report of a number of negative honor challenges that
Jesus successfully met, and it is followed by his report of a series of positive honor challengessuccessful
healings through which Jesus continued to gain honor.
Negative
Principles
Positive
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 0 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
honor challenges
Presentation
honor challenges
Option 2
Quiz. Give your group members the following quiz. Then go over the answers together. Your goal is not to
record grades, but to make sure your group members understand these important concepts.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Define honor in first-century terms.

What constituted a negative honor challenge?
What constituted a positive honor challenge?
How were honor challenges significant in the first century?
Your group members should understand that honor had to do with a persons reputation, or status,
within a community, which depended on the way others perceived him. A negative honor challenge
involved a dare or a provocation by someone attempting to diminish an individuals honor. A positive honor
challenge was a request or petition by someone who counted on an individual to provide help. In successfully meeting a negative or positive honor challenge, the individual added to his reputation in the community and diminished the reputation of the person or persons who challenged him. In successfully meeting a
positive honor challenge, a person also gained reputation.
Interact
Option 1
Team Bible Study. Divide into teams of five or six persons. Each team will look at one of the positive or
negative honor challenges Jesus successfully met before laying out principles on which his kingdom society,
or new community, would operate. Each team is to identify the honor challenge as positive or negative and
identify the elements in the negative honor challenges.
Teams (1): Luke 5:1216; Luke 5:1726; Luke 5:2732
Teams (2): Luke 4:3137; Luke 5:3339; Luke 6:111
Have the teams report their findings for each incident. Then discuss the ways these successful responses to both positive and negative changes might have prepared the people to hear what Jesus was about to
teach.
Option 2
Mini-Lecture. Briefly go over some of the events recorded in Luke 78, pointing out how the miracles that
continued to contribute to Jesus honor demonstrated his authority over sickness (Lk 7:110), death (Lk
7:1117), sin (Lk 7:3650), nature (Lk 8:2225), the demonic (Lk 8:2639), and again over sickness and
death (Lk 8:4056).
Internalize
(OPTIONAL)
Chalkboard Discussion. On the chalkboard, make two lists drawn from Luke 6:2026. One is a list of persons who are perceived in most societies as those who have honorthose who are admired, envied,
respected, and who count for something. The other is a list of persons who are perceived as those having
little honorthose who are neither admired nor envied and who count for little or nothing in society.
PEOPLE WHO COUNT
PEOPLE WHO DONT COUNT
The rich
The well fed
Those who laugh
Those who are accepted
and spoken well of
The poor
The hungry
Those who weep
Those who are rejected
and insulted
Jesus turns the value system reflected in human society upside down and announces that the people
who count are cursed, while the people who dont count are blessed.
Discuss the implications of these radical concepts on a society or a community. What would happen if
we took these concepts to heart? Which of our values would change? Which choices would we make differently? What priorities would change in our churches? In our personal lives?
Let your group members explore the implications together for as long as the discussion seems fruitful.
As you sum up, point out that Jesus was speaking with his disciples (Lk 6:20). It takes an inner transformation for anyone to abandon the values of this sinful world and wholeheartedly adopt the values implicit in
Jesus teachings. For such a transformation to take place, a person must be saved.
Inspire
Option 1
Sing. Have the group sing a song that expresses a commitment that is fitting in view of who Jesus is. A
song like Follow, I will follow you, my Lord would be appropriate.
Option 2
Challenge. Jesus calls us to turn the world upside down. Were not to live by the values of humankind. Our
lives are to be lived by Gods values and priorities. Read the challenging commands from Jesus found in
Luke 6:2736 and ask your group members to take them to heart. Then close in prayer.
ASSIGNMENT
LESSON 3
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Glimpses of the New Community

LESSON AIMS
To explore some of the radical changes Jesus seek and save mission implies
To better understand the resources God provides for Jesus followers
To encourage complete allegiance to Jesus and his mission
PREPARATION

Obtain a wall map of first-century Palestine.
Introduce
Option 1
Map Study. Display a large map of first-century Palestine. Explain something of the significance of the shift
in location of Jesus ministry from Galilee to Judea.
In the first century, the people of Judea considered themselves the guardians of authentic Judaism. The
temple was in Jerusalem, and most of the rabbis of the Pharisee party, as well as the chief priests, lived in
Judea. Judean Jews were more strict in religious observances and tended to look down on the less observant Galileans. So Jesus travel to Judea (Lk 9:51), the stronghold of conservatism and the home of his religious opponents, is significant. Also, as noted in the Mastery Keys in Study Center 86, most of what Luke
records of Jesus mission in Judea (Lk 9:5119:27) is not found in the other Gospels.
Option 2
Identify. Ask your group members to quickly reread Luke 9:16 and imagine they were among the Twelve
or among the 72 (Lk 10:112). What would have been most exciting? What would have been most challenging or difficult? What would it take for you to undertake such a mission today?
Inform
Preview. In Luke 912 we see a shift in the focus of Jesus ministry. He began to speak of the cross. And
he no longer called on the nationwhich saw him as a prophet but rejected him as the Messianic king (Lk
9:1819)to acknowledge his right to rule. Instead Jesus called on those individuals who acknowledged
him as the Christ to take up their cross, give up their old life in exchange for a new life, and follow him
(Lk 9:2026).
There is more in these chapters than we can look at in detail. But what is particularly important is that
a number of incidents powerfully illustrate the radical changes that truly following Jesus impliedchanges
in the attitudes and values of individuals and changes in the community to be formed by Jesus disciples.
In the kingdom-community that Jesus established (see the fourth Mastery Key in Study Center 86), the
old insiders became outsiders. Bethsaida and Capernaum were excluded. The priest and Levite were dismissed and the merciful Samaritan was honored. Mary left the kitchen to join the men at Jesus feet. In a
world in which identity was defined by the group to which one belonged (Jew, priest, woman, etc.), the
community forming around Jesus smashed stereotypes and was radical indeed!
In this study well focus on one of those radical social changes that Jesus mission to seek and to save
called for.
Interact
Option 1
Team Bible Study. Have group members read the Closer Look Jesus and Women at Luke 10:3842 and
the Closer Look Lukes Portrayal of Women at Luke 13:1017. Then divide into teams of five or six persons. Each team will compare and contrast one man-woman combination paired by Luke in his Gospel.
Each team is to compare the status, role or insider-outsider positions of the two individuals in first-century
society and determine which of the two was valued and which was dismissed in first-century society. What
does Lukes report of each incident suggest about the true value or status of each individual? What are the
negative or positive qualities each individual displayed? What does each one do that either adds to or
diminishes honor in Gods sight? (See Assignment 3 in Study Center 86.)
Team(s)
Team(s)
Team(s)
Team(s)
1:
2:
3:
4:
Compare
Compare
Compare
Compare
Zechariah and Mary (Lk 1).

the Pharisee and the sinner (Lk 7:3650).
the synagogue ruler and the crippled woman (Lk 13:1017).
the rich and the poor widow (Lk 21:14).
After teams report, ask the following questions: What do these comparisons and Lukes other descriptions of Jesus interactions with women imply for us today? How far along are we in being saved in this
area from the worlds attitudes and values, so we might reflect Gods own attitudes and values in our
churches?
Option 2
Q & A. The lesson plan suggested above selects passages that are directly related to Jesus mission to seek
and save (i.e., transform) individuals and communities. There is much more of interest and value in these
chaptersfor instance, the familiar story of the Good Samaritan. You might select other incidents to highlight. Alternatively, you could entertain any questions your group members might have from their reading.
Internalize
(OPTIONAL)
Discuss. Discuss Jesus woes (judgments) against the Pharisees in Luke 11:3752 (Assignment 2 in
Study Center 87). Remember that these religious pacesetters had not only decisively rejected Jesus claims,
but they had also lodged the counterclaim that Jesus miracles were energized by Satan (Lk 11:1428).
Examine each woe to determine the underlying attitude or value that merited judgment. Which of these
attitudes is most likely to show up in todays Christian community? How do we guard against it?
Inspire
Option 1
Group Bible Study. Jesus calls us to follow him by adopting the radical way of life he exemplified and
espoused. That way of life is far beyond our ability to live unaided. But Christ did not leave us on our own.
One of the great resources he has provided for us is prayer.
Read Luke 11:113. Then read the Landmark Prayer at Luke 11, asking group members to look up
and read aloud the verses referred to in the article. List and discuss basic principles of prayer that your
group members developed in completing Assignment 1 in Study Center 87. Then close in prayer.
Option 2
Challenge. Luke 12:159 reflects the fact that allegiance was expressed publicly in the first century. Without
public identification of a person with a movement or a leader, there simply was no allegiance or commitment.
Briefly challenge your group members to openly identify themselves with Jesus and with his new community by: (1) living out Jesus values daily and (2) readily explaining to others that their commitment to
Christ is the reason they are sometimes out of step with the people around them. Then close in prayer.
ASSIGNMENT
1 0
LESSON 4
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New Community Relationships

LESSON AIMS
To explore the bases of relationships in Jesus new community

To examine our attitudes toward others
To commit to relating to others as Jesus expects
PREPARATION

Duplicate the outline of Luke 1315 (Relationships in Jesus New Community), which is located
following Option 3 of Interact (below).
Introduce
Option 1
Brainstorm. What is important to most people in their relationships with others? How do they choose the
people they want to build a relationship with? List your group members suggestions on the chalkboard and
leave them there.
Option 2
Preview. Most human relationships are rooted in the norm of reciprocity, which means we tend to relate
to others as we expect them to relate to us. We invite a couple to a party and expect that theyll invite us in
return. And we dont invite a couple we expect will be unable or unwilling to invite us in return! Typically
we develop relationships with those whom we assume are able and willing to reciprocate.
Luke 1315 relates several incidents that illustrate interpersonal relationships and the attitude individuals display toward others who are unable to reciprocate. In the process Jesus challenges his followers to
adopt a totally different approach to interpersonal relationships.
Inform
Outline. Hand out the outline of Luke 1315 (Relationships in Jesus New Community), which is located
following Option 3 of Interact (below). Quickly go over the outline with your group members to trace the
flow and significance of the incidents recorded.
Interact
Option 1
Group Bible Study. As a group, talk through the passages listed on the outline, reading them aloud and listing any implications your group members see for interpersonal relationships.
Option 2
Team Bible Study. Divide into teams of five or six persons. Each team will examine one or more incidents.
Questions to discuss include: What is the status of each person involved in this relationship? What is the
basis of the relationship? How do Jesus words or actions suggest a different basis for a relationship? Why
would the people of his day be likely to resist or reject Jesus words?
1 1
Team(s) 1: The synagogue ruler and the crippled woman (Lk 13:1017)
Team(s) 2: The Pharisee and his guests (Lk 14:114)
When the teams are finished, let each team report its insights and ideas to the group.
Option 3
Mini-Lecture. Point out that Jesus followed each incident with stern warnings. After the confrontation in the
synagogue, Jesus warned that no superficial relationship with him will do (Lk 13:2230). Those who sat
with Jesus at the Pharisees dinner party were warned that they were to respond to Gods invitation or be
excluded. In fact, they would be replaced by the poor and the crippled, who were never invited to the parties but were welcomed by God (Lk 14:1524). Yes, there is a price to pay to live as Jesus disciple (Lk
14:2535), but that price must be measured against the terrible cost of continuing to relate to others in a
merely human way, which is a rejection of the new community of the saved fashioned by Jesus.
Relationships in Jesus New Community

Prologue (Lk 13:19)
Israel (the fig tree) has failed to produce the fruit God expects.
Israel must repentor perish
Whats wrong with relationships in Israel (Lk 13:1014:35)?
First illustration (Lk 13:1035):
Religion has become more important than people (Lk 13:1014).
Caring for a daughter of Abraham is less important to the religious than caring for their
cattle (Lk 13:1517).
Listeners must choose Jesus narrow way or face judgment (Lk 13:2230).
The unresponsiveness of Jerusalem causes Jesus to weep (Lk 13:3135).
Second illustration (Lk 14:135):
Guests at a Pharisees banquet seek the place of honor (Lk 14:111).
Jesus tells his host to invite the poor and crippled, who cant reciprocate (Lk 14:1214).
Jesus words are Gods invitation to his banquetan invitation rejected at a persons peril
(Lk 14:1524).
There is a cost associated with being a disciple, but it is nothing like the price a person
pays for refusing Gods invitation (Lk 14:2535).
What principles are foundational for relationships in Jesus new community (Lk 15:132)?
First illustration (Lk 15:17):
Like sheep, people are prone to go astray and are lost.
The lost are to be actively sought.
When found they are to be welcomed home without recriminations.
Second illustration (Lk 15:810):
People are Gods prized possessions.
The lost are to be actively sought.
Third illustration (Lk 15:1132):
God as Father is eager to welcome even those who have rejected him.
Those who are unwilling to welcome the lost are out of touch with Gods heart.
Conclusion: Every person has worth and value to God and each one is to be welcomed
into Jesus new community without regard to his or her social status.
1 2
Internalize
(OPTIONAL)
Share. In the first century, the lost sons actions were an affront not only to the father, but also to the community in which the family was embedded. Have your group members list lessons implicit in the familiar
story of the lost son (Assignment 3 in Study Center 89). Record these lessons on the chalkboard. Then
compare these lessons with the list of things that are important to most people in their interpersonal relationships (from Option 1 of Introduce).
Challenge your group members to evaluate their own relationships and determine how they can better
reflect Gods values in the ways they relate to others.
Inspire
Challenge. Review the list made on the chalkboard at the beginning of the group session (Option 1 of
Introduce). Ask your group members to (1) evaluate each item and (2) accept, change or replace each
item with a relationship principle that is in harmony with Jesus expectations for his followers.
Challenge your group members to evaluate their own relationships and determine how they can better
reflect Gods values in the ways they relate to others. Then close in prayer.
ASSIGNMENT
1 3
LESSON 5
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New Community Loyalties

LESSON AIMS
To explore competitors for believers loyalties

To emphasize the necessity of complete loyalty to Jesus
To encourage group members to a deeper personal commitment
PREPARATION

Introduce
Option 1
Discuss. How easy or difficult is it to make a commitment and stick to it? What are some factors that help
us stick to our commitments?
Option 2
Brainstorm. What pressures do you feel are most likely to hold Christians back from total loyalty to Jesus?
Which of these pressures is greatest on people like us?
Inform
Option 1
Preview. Jesus clearly established himself as a person of highest honor, a person worthy of not only respect,
but also allegiance. Yet the religious leaders were committed to opposing him, and despite the fact that
Jesus had defeated them in every negative honor challenge, the people still wavered, unwilling to commit
themselves to Christ. Jesus can seek us, but without our willingness to commit ourselves to him, he cannot
save us. Thus the issue of loyalties becomes vitally important.
In Luke 1619 Jesus looked at factors that influence loyaltyfactors ranging along a continuum from
pure materialism on the one hand to total reliance on God on the other. The materialist sees this world as
the primary reality, and his primary concern is for worldly wealth. But the person who sees eternity as the
primary reality relies on God, and his loyalty to God is expressed in the way he uses material possessions.
Option 2
Recall. Option 1 (above) concluded by describing the contrast between materialism and reliance on God.
After explaining this contrast, ask your group members to recall stories or incidents from Luke 1619 that
illustrate this reality.
Interact
Option 1
Bible Talk-Through. Lead your group members through Luke 1619, letting them point out how various
incidents relate to the loyalty theme. Your group members should identify the significance of each of these
incidents.
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Luke 16:118:
The shrewd manager manipulated money to ensure himself a welcome in this world.
Believers should be wise enough to use money in view of their future in eternity.
Luke 16:1931:
The rich man loved money so much that he was unwilling to relieve the suffering of
Lazarus, despite many commands in the law to care for the poor. The rich mans
choice reflected his loyalty to money rather than Godwith terrible consequences.
Luke 17:110:
When they were told to keep on forgiving, the disciples begged for more faith! Jesus
reminded them that while faith may perform miracles, the issue in this case was one
of obedience. Their Lord had given them a command. Would they now be loyal and
simply obey?
Luke 17:2037:
Gods kingdom is comingbut Jesus reappearance will be a shock to those whose

minds and hearts are set only on life in this world. The materialist who gains the
whole world and loses himself truly loses everything!
Luke 18:117:
Unlike the unjust judge in Jesus parable, we who are needy can appeal to God, being
confident that he cares and will act on our behalf. But only those who base their
prayers on Gods mercy (unlike the Pharisee) and respond to God as little children will
experience his blessing.
Luke 18:1830:
The rich ruler who was forced to make a decision chose loyalty to money over loyalty
to Jesus. The events that followed illustrate how wrong this choice was.
Luke 18:3543:
Jesus can give the blind their sight. What can mere money do?
Luke 19:110:
As the story of Zacchaeus shows, Jesus can transform the heart of a human being and
save him or her from bondage to materialism. What can mere money do?
Luke 19:1127:
Jesus would soon depart, and his servants would be responsible to use their resources
in his service. Those who faithfully use material resources for him while he is gone will
be rewarded when he returns.
Luke 19:2848:
The Triumphal Entry reminds us again of who Jesus is, and his anger at those who
defiled the temple to make money reminds us that we, too, must make a choice
regarding our loyalty.
Option 2
Team Bible Study. Divide into teams of five or six persons. Each team is to look at Luke 1617 and share
the insights they developed in completing Assignments 12 in Study Center 90. How does the story of the
rich man and Lazarus illustrate the point Jesus made in Luke 16:113, and in view of the social justice laws
established in the Old Testament, how might Lazaruss life have been different if the rich man had loved
God rather than money?
Inspire
Option 1
Test Case. Divide into teams of five or six persons. Have half of the teams look at the identity that the Pharisee Paul lost by choosing Jesus (see Php 3:38). What honor, or status, did Pauls identity as a Pharisee
provide for him within first-century Judaism?
Have the other half of the teams look at the identity the apostle Paul gained by choosing to be committed to Christ (see 1Th 2:520). What honor, or status, did Pauls identity as a Christian provide for him
in the new community that formed around Jesus?
Have teams report their findings and insights to the group.
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Internalize
(OPTIONAL)
Personalize. Ask each group member to briefly list what he or she would lose (or has already lost) by total
commitment and loyalty to Jesus. Then ask each to briefly list what he or she would gain (or has already
gained) by total commitment and loyalty to Jesus.
Give your group members a time to consider the two lists. Then ask each one to pray silently. Then
close with a brief prayer.
ASSIGNMENT
Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 92. Complete Assignments 14 in Study Center
92. Review Luke 912 and select one incident or teaching that has personal significance for you. Be prepared to tell which incident you selected and why it is significant for you.
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LESSON 6
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Defeat . . .
LESSON AIMS
To trace events leading up to Jesus crucifixion

To revisit the role of honor and honor challenges
To share personally significant incidents or teachings in Luke
PREPARATIONS
Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 92.

Complete Assignments 14 in Study Center 92.
Select a teaching or incident from Luke 912 that has personal significance for you.
Introduce
Preview. The acclaim of the crowds during Jesus Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem terrified the religious leaders. Their first response was to launch a series of negative honor challenges, hoping to discredit Jesus. But
Jesus foiled each attempt and rather than lose reputation with the people, Jesus reputation and honor
grew. When Jesus launched his own challenge, asking these authorities to explain a passage in the
Psalms, they slunk away.
At this point Judas offered to betray Jesus, and the leaders determined to strip Jesus of his honor by
manipulating a judicial murder that would involve total humiliation. The events that follow show how successful the leaders seemed to be. They succeeded in turning the crowds who had cheered Jesus against
him. They succeeded in causing his death. They succeeded in stripping him of his honor, for the Old Testament states, Anyone who is hung on a tree is under Gods curse (Dt 21:23). And they even succeeded in
silencing those who had publicly committed themselves to Jesus. When Jesus was arrested on the Mount
of Olives, his disciples abandoned him and fledand Peter, the leader of the Twelve, disowned Jesus when
Peter was challenged not by Israels leaders, but by mere slaves of the leaders. From every cultural standpoint, Jesus defeat was complete.
Yet during the hours leading up to his death, Jesus remained in control. He continued to teach in the
temple and to speak privately to his disciples about the future. He interpreted his coming death as the
making of the new covenant promised by Jeremiah the prophet. And he himself remained totally loyal to
the Father, fully committed to doing the Fathers will. Jesus never lost his dignity when he was dragged for
judgment before the Sanhedrin, Herod and the Roman governor Pilate. He remained in total control,
despite appearances. And no one took his life from him. Rather, on the cross he chose when to die, saying,
Father, into your hands I commit my spirit (Lk 23:46).
The religious leaders in Jerusalem viewed the cross as a great victory and as Jesus ultimate defeat.
From a human point of view, this was exactly what the crucifixion seemed to be: defeat. But the cross was
instead a prelude to Christsand ourultimate triumph.
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Inform
Option 1
Group Bible Study. The Preview (above) links Luke 2023 to the theme of Jesus honor and reputation.
Jesus presented himself as one who came to seek and to save what was lost (Lk 19:10)not simply for
eternity, but also for the here and now. Select the following verses and ask volunteers to comment on their
significance in view of both Jesus honor and reputation and his mission.
Luke 20:2026
Paying taxes to Caesar.
Luke 20:4147
Whose Son is the Christ?
Luke 21:3436
Jesus exhorts his disciples to watch.
Luke 22:46
Judas agrees to betray Jesus.
Luke 22:5462
Peter disowns Jesus.
Luke 23:2831
Jesus warns the daughters of Jerusalem.
Option 2
Team Bible Study. Divide into teams of five or six persons. Team members are to share what they found
in completing Assignments 13 in Study Center 92. Teams will then report to the group.
Team(s) 1: Identify and explain the honor challenges (Assignment 1).
Team(s) 2: List Jesus teachings under five topics (Assignment 2).
Team(s) 3: Identify reactions that indicate the leaders successfully undermined Christs
popular support (Assignment 3).
Internalize
(OPTIONAL)
Share. Give each group member an opportunity to share a passage or incident from Luke 912 that has
personal significance for him or her.
Inspire
Encourage. Encourage your group members not only to understand the theme of Lukes Gospel and relate
incidents to Jesus mission to seek and to save, but also to be alert and apply incidents and teachings to
their own lives. Then close in prayer.
ASSIGNMENT
Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 93. Complete Assignments 13 in Study Center
93. Read Luke 1318 and select one incident or teaching that has personal significance for you. Be prepared to tell which incident you selected and why it is significant for you.
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LESSON 7
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. . . and Triumph!
LESSON AIMS
To see the resurrection as Gods ultimate affirmation of Jesus

To understand the resurrection as the key to accomplishing Jesus seek and save mission
To share personally significant incidents or teachings in Luke 1318
PREPARATION

Select a teaching or incident from Luke 1318 that has personal significance for you.
Introduce
Option 1
Brainstorm. List all the ways you can think of that life would be different if Jesus had not been raised from
the dead.
Option 2
Share. Ask volunteers to express how their lives would be different if Jesus had not been raised from the
dead.
Inform
Preview. The apostle Paul makes it clear that Jesus bodily resurrection is decisive proof of Jesus identity; it
is an event that firmly establishes who he is and the honor that is due him. Paul wrote in Romans that
Jesus was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead (Ro 1:4). Jesus
supposed defeat at Calvary was transformed by resurrection into victory.
Not only that, but the resurrection is also the key to the accomplishment of Jesus mission to seek and
to save. His death won our forgiveness, and his resurrection released the resurrection power that is able to
transform our lives. It is the transforming power of Jesus resurrection that we will look at in this study.
Interact
Option 1
Report. Ask volunteers to share their answers to the question raised in Assignment 1 in Study Center 93.
Option 2
Group Bible Study. Look at the passages listed in Assignment 3. Read each passage aloud and together list
the ways that Jesus resurrection affects our lives here and now.
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Option 3
Team Bible Study. Divide into teams of five or six persons. Give each team the following passages to
review. Each team should develop a list of the ways that Jesus resurrection affects our lives here and now.
Team(s) 1: Romans 6:45; 7:4
Team(s) 2: Romans 8:11,34; 2 Corinthians 1:9
Team(s) 3: 2 Corinthians 1:9; Ephesians 2:6
Have each team report its findings and insights to the group.
Inspire
Option 1
Share. Give each group member an opportunity to share a passage or incident from Luke 1318 that has
personal significance for him or her. Then close in prayer.
ASSIGNMENT
Jesus resurrection was not the end of his seek and save mission. In one sense it was only the beginning. When Jesus returned to heaven, he committed his mission to his followers. The story of the continuing mission of Jesus that is related in the Gospel of Luke is continued in the book of Acts, which Luke
also wrote. That is the next book we will examine as we continue our study of the ministry of Jesus.
Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 103. Complete Assignments 15 in Study
Center 103.
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LESSON 8
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Birth of a New Community

LESSON AIMS
To realize that Jesus continues his seek and save mission through the church
To introduce the church as a new community of the saved
To clarify members understanding of the gospel message
PREPARATION

Introduce
Mini-Lecture. Read Acts 1:48 and explain the significance of Jesus commission. Jesus pointed out that
God did not intend to establish at that time the kingdom predicted by the Old Testament prophets. Rather,
the apostles were to be empowered to witness to Jesus and continue his seek and save missionfirst in
Jerusalem and then gradually to the whole world.
Inform
Landmark Study. Read the Landmark The Church at Ephesians 2. Then ask individuals to point out
ways in which the church is to be a new community in which Christs power to save is powerfully demonstrated.
Interact
Option 1
Detect. Divide your group members into teams of five or six persons. Challenge each team to take the role
of Bible detectives and develop evidence for or against the proposition that the day of Pentecost was the
birthday of the church (see Assignment 3 in Study Center 103). When the teams have developed their
evidence, let each team state the reasons for their conclusion.
Option 2
Quiz. Ask each group member to write down from memory the main points made by the apostle Peter in
his first gospel sermon (Assignment 5 in Study Center 103). As you go over the quiz, have your group
members suggest why each point is a significant element in presenting the gospel message.
Option 3
Presentations. Invite one or two volunteers to present the outline of a gospel message they might present
to a modern audience.
Inspire
Mini-Lecture. Point out that Christians have two basic challenges in seeking to be the agents through which
Jesus continues his seek and save mission. First, they must seek out those to whom they can present
Christ as Savior. Second, they are to live out the salvation Christ provides by being the new community that
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Jesus came to createa new community that lives out Gods values and priorities in a corrupt world. We are
not only to convey the Good News of Jesus with our words, but we are also to communicate the Good
News by the lives we live together.
Internalize
(OPTIONAL)
Introspection. Have group members silently reread the Landmark The Church at Ephesians 2. Ask them to
search their hearts as they read. Then ask volunteers to close in prayer.
ASSIGNMENT
Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 104. Complete Assignments 14 in Study Center 104.
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Established in Jerusalem
LESSON AIMS
To familiarize group members with the early Jerusalem church

To evaluate the role of the early Jerusalem church as a model for modern church life
To apply the model and Biblical principles to our own church
PREPARATION

If you choose to open with a debate, contact proponents ahead of time.
Introduce
Option 1
Debate. Have two group members take the pro side and two members take the con side of the following proposition: The Jerusalem church sets the standard by which every local church should be judged.
Option 2
Share. Invite your group members to share what most impressed them about the Jerusalem church. Which
aspect of that church is most needed in our twenty-first-century churches?
Inform
Preview. The book of Acts is descriptive, not prescriptive or normative. That is, Luke described what actually
happened in a particular place and time. Acts is a history. While the events recorded in Acts challenge us
and lead us to think seriously about our own church experience, Acts does not contain Gods prescription
for every church of every age and culture. What happened in and around Jerusalem in the years immediately following Jesus death is not necessarily supposed to happen everywhere at every time. Acts does not
establish norms. For instance, the fact that the apostles and Jerusalem deacons performed miracles does
not mean that church leaders of every time and place must perform miracles. On the other hand, the New
Testament Epistles are both normative and prescriptive. They define the teachings that are to be affirmed
and applied by all Christians of all times, and they describe how Christians are to live.
How, then, are we to read Acts? It should be read as a history of what God the Holy Spirit was doing in
and through the lives of those whom Jesus had sought, saved and commissioned to continue his mission.
How are we to use Acts? Acts is not to be taken as a fixed blueprint for church life or mission today. But
Acts certainly reveals how principles of church life and mission were expressed in the early church. And in
showing us one model, God challenges us to look at our own lives as his people and evaluate how effectively those same principles are expressed in our experience today.
In this course on Exploring the Ministry of Christ, weve chosen as our key Christs statement that he
came to seek and to save what was lost (Lk 19:10). In Acts we want to examine how Christ now seeks
the lost through saved people. And in Acts we want to examine what being saved involvesnot just being
saved for eternity, but being saved for the here and now, both individually and as a community of faith. This
community of faith is a community no longer governed by the values and priorities of a lost world, but one
that has been saved to live out the values and priorities of God.
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Interact
Option 1
Team Bible Study. Divide into teams of five or six persons. Team members are to compare what they discovered in completing Assignments 12 in Study Center 104.
Team(s) 1: Assignment 1 in Study Center 104
Team(s) 2: Assignment 2 in Study Center 104
Option 2
Mini-Lecture. Read Ephesians 4:1725, which describes saved in the present-tense sense we have
emphasized in this study of Exploring the Ministry of Christ. Point out that salvation involves inner transformation, the loss of an old self and the putting on of a new self. Salvation is experienced as we actually
live out this new life with others in Jesus new community.
Have your group members take turns reading one verse at a time of Ephesians 4:265:21. God does
not call us to a life together that is marked by any specific form or program, but he calls us to a life together that is marked by closeness, intimacy and a love that is expressed practically day by day.
Option 3
Group Discussion. Read Acts 2:447 and Acts 4:3137. These passages are Lukes description of the shared
life of the early Jerusalem church. What impressed you about these descriptions? Where is our church now
in terms of shared life? How might shared life be strengthened in our church?
Inspire
Challenge. Neither the prescription in Ephesians 4 nor the description in Acts 2 and Acts 4 are intended to
make us critical of the church. They are given to reveal something of what we are called to experienceand
what we can experience.
The one thing that we can do to bring our church closer to the ideal is to take Gods Word to heart and
act on it ourselves. We cant change how others feel or what they do. But we can change how we feel and
what we do. In listening to and obeying Gods words about how to live with other believers, we each can
experience that present-tense salvation that Jesus came to provide. And together we will become a new
community that draws others to our Lord.
ASSIGNMENT
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LESSON 10
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Expanding to Regions Beyond

LESSON AIMS
To familiarize group members with the early expansion of the church

To explore several of the theological issues raised by recorded events
To continue to affirm the unity of the saved
PREPARATION

Introduce
Option 1
Discuss. What do you feel are most disputes in the church about? Do disputes about theology have to lead
to church splits? How should Christians deal with disputes in the church?
Option 2
Preview. At first the Christian movement affected only Jerusalem and nearby communities in Judea. But the
execution of a deacon named Stephen led to intense persecution of Christians. Most members of the
Jerusalem church were driven out of the city, and wherever they went, they told people about Jesus. But
the spread of the news about Jesus created problems. Samaritansa people the Jews despisedresponded
to the gospel and believed in Christ. Then something even more shocking occurred: the apostle Peter went
to the home of a Gentile, and a Roman centurion believed in Jesus with his whole household! The natural
assumption made by the first Christiansthat the church was to be Jewishwas challenged and shattered.
God had accepted Samaritans and even Gentiles into the body of Christ and had made this clear by repeating some of the same visible signs that had marked the initiation of the church at Pentecost! Acts 612
describes many issues that arose within the church, illustrates ways for meeting different kinds of challenges in a godly way, and demonstrates the need for maintaining unity in the church, especially when it is
under stress.
Inform
List. Either list, or ask your group members to list, challenges to the early church described in these chapters. The list should include:
Acts 6:17
Charges of favoritism
Acts 6:87:60
False accusations by outsiders
Acts 8:125
Integration of the Samaritans
Acts 8:2640
Individual versus mass evangelism
Acts 9:131
Acceptance of a former persecutor
Acts 10:123a
Role of the law
Acts 10:23b11:18
Salvation of Gentiles
Acts 11:1930
A predominantly Gentile church in Antioch

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Ask your group members to briefly comment on each of these challenges and describe how each challenge was resolved. Then invite group members to suggest similar challenges that could occur in churches
today.
Interact
Option 1
Team Bible Study. Your group members looked at some of the challenges to the early church in completing
the Assignments in Study Centers 105106. Divide into teams of five or six persons based on each group
members interest in the issues listed below. Each team is to go over the passages they studied, tell what
they learned from them, and prepare to report conclusions to the group.
Team(s) 1: The charge was discrimination against Greek-speaking widows in the church.
The solution was to appoint godly leaders to take responsibility for this ministry. What are necessary qualifications for such deacon ministries? (See
Assignment 1 in Study Center 105.)
Team(s) 2: The Samaritan response to the gospel was a surprise. Samaritans and Jews
were deeply hostile to each other. How could these historic antagonists be
integrated into the one church and be led to accept the leadership of the
apostles? What was the significance of God giving the Spirit to Samaritan
believers through the laying on of the apostles hands? (See Assignment 3
in Study Center 105.)
Team(s) 3: Peters vision when praying (Ac 10) is taken to indicate that Old Testament law
no longer provides guidance for holy living. How did Peter interpret the vision?
How did he later justify entering the house of Cornelius? What does Pauls
comment in Romans 14:14 add? (See Assignment 3 in Study Center 106.)
Team(s) 4: The conversion of Cornelius stunned the church. The initially hostile reaction
to Peters visit to this Gentiles house turned to amazement as Peter recounted
what had happened (Ac 11). What did the speaking in tongues by those at
Cornelius house demonstrate? Why was it significant in that situation? (See
Assignment 4 in Study Center 106.)
Option 2
Summarize. After teams have reported, summarize their findings. In each of these situations, unexpected
conflicts emerged. Individuals were hurt by perceived discrimination, unexpected events violated expectations, and strong opinions rooted in theological convictions were challenged by events. What is important is
that in each case the conflict was resolved in a spirit of love and through listening. This does not mean that
everyone came to full agreement on every matter. But it does mean that the believers respected each others concerns and honestly tried to resolve the conflicts. If we maintain this attitude in our churches today,
we may not all agree on every detail, but we will maintain the unity of the body in the bond of love.
Internalize
(OPTIONAL)
Express. If individuals in your group have experienced conflict with each other, give those who wish to do
so a chance to say, Weve disagreed about . . . but I want you to know that I love and respect you, and Im
glad youre part of our fellowship.
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Inspire
Pray. Conclude in prayer, asking for a continuing spirit of unity in your church as you meet future conflicts
and challenges together.
ASSIGNMENT
Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 107. Read the Landmark The Apostle Paul at
Acts 9 and the Landmark The Missionary Movement at Acts 13. Complete Assignments 15 in Study
Center 107.
This might be a good time to describe other Exploring courses based on the NIV Discovery Study
Bible. Ask if your group members are interested in following up this course with one of the other seven
courses.
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LESSON 11
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Mission to the Word, Part 1

LESSON AIMS
To familiarize group members with the early missionary movement

To understand Pauls missions strategy
To realize the challenge posed by the Gentile response to the gospel
PREPARATION

Read the Landmark The Apostle Paul at Acts 9 and the Landmark The Missionary
Movement at Acts 13.
Display a large map showing Pauls missionary journeys.
Optional: Arrange for a missionary to share the strategy of his mission.
Introduce
Preview. The Christian message spread rapidly through the Roman Empire, spearheaded by a team led by
the apostle Paul. Paul developed an effective strategy for outreach that involved going to major population
centers. There he presented the gospel in synagogues where both Jews and Gentiles who had been drawn
to Judaism gathered. After a company of believers was formed and taught by the apostle, Pauls team
would move on to another city. Local evangelism was left to the new believers, who continued to receive
instruction from Paul through letters and through group leaders Paul sent to them.
There were a number of features of the Roman world that made Pauls approach effective. There was
a common language (Greek). There were established routes for land and sea travel. And there was a common government, making it possible to travel over what had once been closed borders between hostile
nations. Pauls missionary strategy, as well as his bold decision to trust the young churches he founded to
the Holy Spirit and to emerging local leadership, led to the explosive expansion of Christianity.
Interact
Option 1
Map Study. Display a large map, and trace Pauls first missionary journey on it. Ask your group members
what they notice about the journey.
Option 2
Brainstorm. Read and discuss the Landmark The Missionary Movement at Acts 13. Also read 1 Thessalonians 1:410. Then invite your group members to identify mission principles that these sources suggest
(Assignment 2 in Study Center 107). List their ideas on the chalkboard.
Option 3
Discuss. Your group members studied Acts 15 in completing Assignment 4 in Study Center 107. Discuss the
questions raised in that assignment.
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Inform
(OPTIONAL)
Guest Speaker. Invite a missionary supported by your church or available in the area to speak for 1520
minutes. The missionary should not only share his or her own missionary work, but also explain the strategy adopted by the mission with which he or she is associated.
Internalize
(OPTIONAL)
Apply. As a group select a relatively nearby neighborhood with which you are familiar. List everything you
can that characterizes the selected neighborhood. Is it a bedroom community for commuters? What age
group is predominate? What is the major socioeconomic group? What do most families who live there do
for recreation, activities? After youve listed all the factors your group members can think of on the chalkboard, divide into teams of five or six persons. Each team is to develop a strategy for reaching that neighborhood with the gospel, applying any principles from Pauls missionary method that seem appropriate.
Each group can then report its strategy to the group.
Who can tell? God may move some in your group to undertake their own local missions project.
Inspire
Interact. If you invited a missionary to speak to your group, consider giving him or her more time to answer
questions from your group members. Ask your guest about various ways to participate in missions, from
praying and giving, to short-term missions trips.
ASSIGNMENT
Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 108. Complete Assignments 14 in Study Center 108. Review the Self-Tests for Studies 103108. Be prepared for a quiz.
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LESSON 12
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Mission to the Word, Part 2

LESSON AIMS
To familiarize group members with Pauls continuing missionary journeys

To further reinforce the seek and save theme of Jesusand ourmission
To review key themes in the book of Acts
PREPARATIONS

Duplicate the quiz located at the end of this lesson plan for distribution to your group members.
Introduce
Preview. The Jerusalem council affirmed Pauls ministry to Gentiles and agreed that it was not necessary for
Gentile believers to adopt a Jewish lifestyle to be authentic Christians. The apostle Paul immediately went
on the road again, eager to spread the gospel and carry on Christs seek and save mission. Acts 1619
describes some of Pauls adventures and illustrates the transformation of individuals and society that the
gospel affected.
In Philippi the first convert was a woman named Lydia, who opened her house as a meeting place for
the infant church (Ac 16:15). In several cities the gospel aroused such hostility that Paul and his team were
forced to move on. In Corinth Paul developed a close relationship with a couple name Priscilla and Aquila,
and Lukewho often named Priscilla first when mentioning the couplepictured them as instructing a gifted believer named Apollos (Ac 18:2426). In Ephesus the gospel had such a powerful impact that many
turned from occult practices and burned their books of sorcery. In fact the impact of the gospel was so
powerful that the livelihood of the silversmiths who fashioned and sold religious medals was threatened.
Through the gospel presented by his followers, Jesus was seeking out individuals and transforming
them and the cultural ideas that had held them in bondage. Women were being given leadership roles in
the church, and whole cities were abandoning evil and idolatry, despite the active opposition of those who
fought to maintain the status quo.
Inform
Quiz. Distribute copies of the quiz located at the end of this lesson plan. The quiz questions are taken from
the Self-Tests for Study Centers 103108 (located in the back of the NIV Discovery Study Bible).
When your group members have finished the quiz, discuss the answers together as a review of Acts
and its report of the continuation of Jesus seek and save mission.
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Interact
Option 1
Team Bible Study. Divide into teams of five or six persons to discuss the passages that illustrate the hereand-now saving aspects of the gospel. Focus on the new place given to women in the Christian community.
Team(s) 1: Review and discuss what was discovered in completing Assignment 2 in Study
Center 108.
Team(s) 2: Review and discuss what was discovered in completing Assignment 3 in Study
Center 108.
After the teams have reported to the group, discuss the following questions: Have women been
saved in the churches your group members are familiar with? What challenges still lie ahead, and how
can we best meet them?
Option 2
Q & A. Ask group members if they have any questions on other issues raised in Acts 1619.
Inspire
Challenge. As you conclude the group session, remind your group members that the mission undertaken
by Jesus and continued by the apostle Paul and others in the early church is now our mission. Invite volunteers to close in prayer.
ASSIGNMENT
Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 109110. Read Acts 1619. Invite group members to complete any Assignments in these two studies that interest them. Be prepared to share the
most important and the most relevant things learned from the book of Acts.
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LESSON 12 QU IZ
1. List three of the themes found in Peters Acts 2 gospel presentation.
2. What qualities marking a saved church are found in Acts 2 and Acts 4?
3. What does the word deacon mean?
4. Why was the giving of the Spirit to the Samaritans delayed?
5. What was the significance of Corneliuss household speaking in tongues?
6. Describe Pauls missionary strategy.
7. Name two women who served as leaders in churches founded by Paul.
8. What was the issue discussed in the Jerusalem council?
9. Describe the spread of the gospel beyond Jerusalem.
10. Where was the first predominantly Gentile church established?
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LESSON 13
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The Mission Continues

LESSON AIMS
To
To
To
To
familiarize group members with Acts 2028

provide an opportunity for group members to share what they have learned
celebrate Gods work in and through the church
emphasize the fact that the continuing seek and save mission is now our mission
PREPARATIONS
Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 109110

Optional: Ask several group members to bring desserts or refreshments to this final group session.
Introduce
Preview. Go over the unusual structure of this group session with your group members.
Interact
Share. Divide into mini-teams of three persons. Each person is to share with his or her teammates either
(1) the most important thing he or she has learned from this study in Acts or (2) the most personally relevant thing he or she has learned from Acts. After each member has shared, give volunteers the opportunity
to share truly significant things with the whole group.
Inform
Q & A. Your group members may have questions about one or more of the Assignments they chose to
complete. You may wish to give them the opportunity to ask questions. Provide brief answers.
Inspire
Option 1
Refreshments. Optional: Let your group members take the last quarter of the hour to share refreshments
and chat.
Option 2
Summarize. In the last three months your group has examined the ministry of Christ as described in Lukes
Gospel and the book of Acts. This study has been organized around a theme stated by Jesus himself: He
came to seek and to save what was lost (Lk 19:10).
Lost humanity did not look for God. God, in the person of Jesus, had to come looking for the lost, just
as the shepherd in one of Jesus stories went out into the fields looking for a lost lamb.
When Jesus came, his goal was to save. We saw that in Luke and Acts save has both eternal and
contemporary implications. The person who believes in Jesus is saved in an eternal sense, that is, his or her
sins are forgiven and as a believer that person is guaranteed a place in heaven for eternity. But the person
who believes in Jesus is also saved in a contemporary sense, that is, God sets out to transform him or her
and to reshape the new community formed by believers. Members of such communities are no longer to
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be governed or guided by the values, ways and priorities that mark sinful human societies. Believers are to
be governed and guided by new values, new ways and new priorities that are in harmony with Gods values, ways and priorities. We are saved from a life in bondage to corrupt desires for a life that is truly good.
And we are to be saved from our lost state, both individually and corporately. In the process we are to
become an expression of Gods intent for humanity: a people who reflect him in all that we are and do.
What is significant about this seek and save ministry is that it continues today. It did not end with
Jesus death. The mission was taken up after Jesus resurrection by the apostles. It did not end with the
death of Paul or the death of Peter. Generation after generation has taken up the challenge. That challenge
is ours todaynot just the challenge of reaching out to share the gospel with the unsaved, but also the
challenge of being saved ourselves, of being freed from the values, ways and priorities of the world around
us to build together a community that lives out Gods values, ways and priorities. May we take up this challenge, and as we experience Gods transforming power, may we become a truly loving, transformed community of faith.
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Exploring The Ministry of Christ

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Leaders Guide

Exploring the Ministry of Christ

Why teach the NIV

You get your group

An NIV Discovery Study Bible

You can teach the

FOR EACH GROUP MEMBER

An NIV Discovery Study Bible

Exploring the Ministry of Christ

Meet the Founder

New Community Principles

Glimpses of the New Community

New Community Relationships

New Community Loyalties

Birth of a New Community

Expanding to Regions Beyond

Mission to the World, Part 1

Mission to the World, Part 2

The Mission Continues

Meet the Founder

To provide a preview of the course

The Ministry of Jesus

Assignments 13 in Study Center 82).

New Community Principles

To identify foundational principles and values of Jesus new community

Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 8485

Define honor in first-century terms.

PEOPLE WHO DONT COUNT

Glimpses of the New Community

Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 8687.

Zechariah and Mary (Lk 1).

New Community Relationships

To explore the bases of relationships in Jesus new community

Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 8889.

Relationships in Jesus New Community

New Community Loyalties

To explore competitors for believers loyalties

Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 9091.

Gods kingdom is comingbut Jesus reappearance will be a shock to those whose

To trace events leading up to Jesus crucifixion

Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 92.

Paying taxes to Caesar.

Whose Son is the Christ?

Jesus exhorts his disciples to watch.

Judas agrees to betray Jesus.

Peter disowns Jesus.

Jesus warns the daughters of Jerusalem.

To see the resurrection as Gods ultimate affirmation of Jesus

Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 93.

Birth of a New Community

Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 103.

To familiarize group members with the early Jerusalem church

Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Center 104.

Expanding to Regions Beyond

To familiarize group members with the early expansion of the church

Read the Background and Mastery Keys in Study Centers 105106.

False accusations by outsiders

Integration of the Samaritans

Individual versus mass evangelism

Acceptance of a former persecutor

Role of the law

A predominantly Gentile church in Antioch

Mission to the Word, Part 1