RADIANT LIFE (TEACHERS GUIDE) TEENS 28TH MAY 2023 TOPIC WHY THE SPIRIT CAME

PENTECOST SUNDAY

Text: John 14:15-18,26; 15:26-27; 16:7-11; Acts 1:1-8; 2:37-39; Romans 8:26-27

Key Verse: John 15:26

“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. (NIV)

>>Focus

At Christmas, we consider how God became a man for our sake, and gave us hope of redemption. At Easter, we consider how Jesus died and rose from the dead, making the great sacrifice to redeem us. At Pentecost, we consider how God sent the Spirit, so we can do Jesus’ work in the world. Although Pentecost does not seem to attract the fanfare of Christmas and Easter, it is a very important day for understanding God’s wok in and through us.

The Holy Spirit gives you power to be a witness for Christ. His gifts empowers you for service, so you can be used by God to build up the body of Christ and evangelize the lost. If, as you’ve considered these things, you’ve realized that you’re falling short in some areas, spend time in prayer seeking God’s help. Also commit to seeking God’s power for greater exploits starting today.

•WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?

God wants Christians to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

•WHY DOES IT MATTER?

The Holy Spirit empowers people to better serve Christ and to make the gospel known to the world.

•HOW DOILIVE IT?

We must rely on the Spirit’s help so we can live for God and be witnesses for Jesus.

>>Activity Option: FUNCTION DYSFUNCTION

Bring a hammer and a paint brush to class. Hand out the items to volunteers. Ask each volunteer to do a job with the item he or she has, but it should be a job for which the item is not intended to function – e.g., students with a hammer could be asked to write a letter. Then have the class discuss how having the right tool for the job makes a huge difference.

>>Guide: Explain that God gives the Holy Spirit to us. We first receive the Spirit when we put our faith in Christ (Rom 8:9). The baptism in the Holy Spirit is s an experience that gives us power to better fulfil the job Jesus assigned to us: telling others about Him.

>>Study Overview: Explain that today’s study considers

•God’s promise to baptize believers in the Holy Spirit:

•How the Holy Spirit helps believers; and

•How the Holy Spirit convinces the lost of their need to believe in Christ.

>>Inform and Discuss

a). The Spirit is promised to you

1. Read or have a volunteer read John 14:15-18. Does loving Jesus make obeying Him automatic? Why the need for “another Comforter”? [Hint: Though we do love Jesus, we may not always find it easy to do what He said. Knowing this, Jesus promised to give us help. He and the Father would send a Friend who would be with us always (v16). This Friend, the Holy Spirit, helps us to do what Jesus told us to do.]

2. Read or have volunteers read Acts 1:1-8. Why do you think Jesus repeated His promise about the Holy Spirit? [Hint: While the Bible doesn’t say, perhaps Jesus wanted to set the stage for His instruction to go into the world. As such, it would emphasize the importance of their having the Spirit’s power.]

3. Read or have volunteers read Acts 2:37-39. What does this passage indicate about the baptism in the Holy Spirit? [Hint: This passage plainly indicates that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is for all Christians. In Peter’s words, the gift is “for all whom the Lord our God will call”-V39.]

b). The Spirit helps you

1. Read or have a volunteer read John 14:26. How does the Spirit help believers?

>>Hint: First, The Spirit instructs us about all we need to know to live for Christ. We can trust the Spirit to help, and count on Him for wisdom and knowledge. Second, the Spirit teaches by helping us remember what we’ve already learned-He helps us remember what we’ve learned from the Bible.

2. Read or have a volunteer read Romans 8:26-27. How does the Holy Spirit help us when we don’t know how to pray? [Hint: The Spirit is with us. He prays according to the will of God for us and for the situation that we are concerned about. Then He guides us in the direction that will give true, godly answers to our problems.]

c). The Spirit Convicts people of sin

1. Read or have a volunteer read John 15:26-27. How do you feel when you’ve sinned? How is that feeling related to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life? [Hint: The Spirit comes to teach us and the world about Jesus and to draw people to Jesus. This involves showing people where their lives violates God’s rules]

2. Is it possible to become insensitive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit? Explain.

3. Read or have volunteers read John 16:7-11. What does the Holy Spirit do in the lives of people who don’t know Jesus? [Hint: He convicts people of their guilt, and of their need to put Christ first. If we trust in Jesus, He forgives our sin and helps us live God’s way. But if we don’t believe we need Christ, our sin remains because we refuse to trust Him to forgive us.]

4. What is the judgment Jesus mentioned in verse 11? [Hint: The “prince of this world” is Satan. He was defeated and judged when Jesus died on the cross. He and His followers are condemned. Satan has no more power over those who trust in Jesus.]

Have one or two students be prepared to share a brief testimony of how they were saved because of the work of the Holy Spirit. Then have the class discuss this question:

•How would you define our part and the Spirit’s part in telling people about Jesus?

>>Hint: We do not save people. We are Christ’s messengers, telling others the good news by how we live and with our words. The Spirit takes that testimony and convinces the lost people of the truth about Jesus. It’s our privilege to play a part in leading people to a saving faith in Jesus Christ!

>>Guide: Explain that we should renew our determination to rely on the Spirit’s help for Christian living and telling others about Jesus every day. We can trust the Spirit to help us take the gospel to the world.

>>Involve Them: Discuss with students this question:

•Is there anything we can do to help Christians who want to be baptized in the Holy Spirit?

>>Hint: The best way to help others is to pray with them. We can tell them about how we were baptized in the Spirit so they can have an idea of what to expect. And just because it doesn’t happen the first time a person seeks it doesn’t mean anything is wrong. We need to trust God with the timing.

>>Inspire Them: Remind students THE BASIC MESSAGE of this study (pg 94), explaining WHAT the Big Idea behind the study is; WHY it matters; and HOW we can live the lesson captured in this study.

>>Ministry Activity: Read Luke 11:13 to the class: “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Encourage students who have not received the baptism in the Holy Spirit to ask God for this gift. Have a time of prayer with those who would like to receive this wonderful gift from our Heavenly Father.

Conclude by encouraging students to seek the Holy Spirit and rely on the Spirit’s help in living for God. Also challenge them to trust His power to make them better witnesses for Jesus.

>>Ask Yourself…

1. Do students understand that God wants them to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit?

2. Do they realize that the Holy Spirit enables them to live for Christ and tell others about Jesus?

3. Are they relying on the Spirit’s help so they can fulfil God’s plan for their lives?

>>Daily Dew Drops

Mon: Unfathomable – Rom 11:33-36

Tues: The Reason for the Season – Dan 2:20-23

Wed: Though Chastened – Psalm 118:16-18

Thurs: It’s All In Love – Heb 12:5-11

Fri: He’s the strength of Your life – Isa 40:29-31

Sat: He’ll Not Leave You – Heb 13:5-6