LESSON 4

BOLDNESS (Courageous)

lNTRODUCTION: Bottom Line:

God uses ordinary people who are bold to do amazing things

Bible: Acts 4:1-15

1 Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them,

2 being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

5 And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes,

6 as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?"

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:

9 "If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well,

10 "let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.

11 "This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.'

12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

Blind Draw

HOW TO PLAY THE GAME

Fill the empty soda bottles halfway with water. Divide the group into two equal numbered teams.
Choose a space about the size of half a basketball court OUTSIDE to play. Explain: Each team will have a chance to set-up bottles in the shape of a maze. Use the tape to make a single line the team has to follow throughout your maze.
You will have these balls which you can use to roll through the maze to try and get the other team wet.

BUT, your team has to stay outside of the maze while the other team goes through it.

If the team going through the maze tags one of you, you are out and have to sit on the side-which means it might be easy to lose teammates or balls in the maze.

The other team is going to begin at the starting line of your maze and try to run through the maze (marked with the tape) one at a time, without getting wet.

If they get wet, that person has to start back at the beginning.

Each team will have a chance to set-up a maze and also to run through the other team's maze.

Each team will be timed and the team that goes through the other team's maze the fastest-wins!

OPENING GAME: BOLD BOWLING MAZE

SUPPLIES

·Empty 2-liter soda bottles
·Balls that are soft and can be used for water fun
·Water
·Masking tape
·Timer

TEACH

Share a time in your life when it was easier not to be bold about your faith-maybe a time when fear got in your way.

Life can feel a lot like this maze game we just played.
You are going along, following a certain path, and then you get hit. Now, I don't know about you, but sometimes it can be tough to be bold.
It's tough to be confident in who you know you should be and not to bow to fear.

Today's scripture is a story about two men who were anything but bold in the first part of their lives.

Peter was a disciple of Jesus and he actually denied even knowing Jesus three times!!

Peter was truly afraid for his life and needed to be because being friends with Jesuswas dangerous.

But, let's check in on Peter and John following the death and resurrection of Jesus.

They have some serious words for the religious loaders... and it's important to remember these are the same religious leaders who killed Jesus.
They had every reason to be fearful.

Read Acts 4:1-17.

1 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
3 And they laid hands on them, and put in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.
4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,
6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny .
17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

Now, let's put this situation into modern day.

Sure, we are really lucky that knowing Jesus doesn't put our lives in danger, but remember that around the world being a Christian can also mean you could be killed.

I'm going to ask you to get in groups of three or four people.
Come up with some examples of situations in which it is easy to let fear get the best of you and influence your decisions.
Give the groups 5-10 minutes to come up with their own scenario. If they need help, below are some suggestions:
Their friends are making fun of someone and although they feel they should stick up for them, they don't.
Your friends are making decisions they shouldn't, but you just go along with it. Give the groups a chance to share their scenarios.
What are some reasons that it can be easier to be silent and not be bold in your faith?
Give the students a chance to answer.

One thing we see in the life of Peter is that even though he wasn't bold when he denied Jesus, not once, but THREE times, Jesus forgave him.
At that point, Peter stood before all the religious leaders and BOLDLY spoke for Jesus. And what did the leaders think?
They were amazed because they knew Peter and John and knew they were 'just ordinary ‘men-and the same is true for us.

Is it easy?

No.

Could it cost you your reputation?
Well, I guess it depends on who's opinion of you matters: others or Jesus'.

Your own opinion-because even if you are simply silent in situations in which you could stand up - nobody else might know... but you will know.
Be bold. Speak up for what is right.

Don't be ashamed to share the difference Christ has made in your life. And get ready for people to see Christ in you.

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Why is it difficult to be bold in your faith sometimes?
2. Share a situation in which you were silent when you should have spoken up.
3. Share situations the group can pray for you to bold about your faith in and commit to pray for one another.
4. If you lived in a country where Christians are killed for their faith, what would you do?