Monday, June 23, 2008

Paul: Total Commitment, Acts 9:1-31

Usually, the most anxious times in teaching for me is getting my lesson started, and having to answer a tough question. Getting started last Sunday (yesterday) was made easy by using the “job interview” idea proposed by S. Wiley of Carmel Baptist Church. My class had a ball with the questions and it grabbed everyone’s attention.

Answering a tough question was made easier by anticipating it and preparing for it. Sure enough I got a question about the Holy Spirit’s involvement being a two-step process. Another person pointed out the lack of mention of the issue in the Quarterly, so I was even more glad to be prepared.

How did your lesson go on Sunday? What’s "the hook" for your lesson this coming Sunday, “Paul:Total Commitment”. What tough questions do you anticipate when you cover Acts 9:1-31?

Consider showing a picture, for example this one, and asking members to say what’s wrong in the picture. Get around to the point that the person is not totally committed to driving!

Also, prepare for greater discussion about Paul’s conversion, and how he was changed.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I too had several in the class who pointed out how lifeway side-stepped some of the 'tough' issues...like yourself I was prepared and we covered them anyway. We never made it to part 3 of the lesson.

I liked John Piper's explanation about Simon likening his experience to that of pointing out a bird in a window to a baby. The baby feels your excitement and may even try to imitate your pointing and hand gestures; but never sees the bird, only the gesture. I also liked MacAuthor's commentary on the same section pointing out the 'false faith' of Simon and evidence of Satan's first 'tare' in the church from the 'wheat and the tare' parable.

Not exactly sure what to do this week...at least not yet.

VR,
kaf

servingHim said...

Thanks kaf,

Another interesting point is how the Samarians reacted to Philip compared to how they responded to Simon. Simon amazed them, entertained them, and perhaps counselled some of them. However, when they heard Philip, they believed and were baptized! In other words, they took action because they really believed as a result of his preaching.

We managed to cover all the verses, and all of the lesson, but I had about 45 minutes.

Appreciate your comments, and I'm sure they are helpful to others including myself.

Ronnie
P.S. When I read Acts I'm always amazed by the open, visible display of the Holy Spirit's work in the early Church.