“HAPPY TO SUFFER FOR GOD”
YEAH! CHURCH - SUNDAY, JULY 17, 2022
"Doing Life with Jesus”
Today’s Lesson - “Happy to Suffer for God”
Video Story/Resource:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKjWlETMYxc (Saddleback Kids – The Apostles and the High Council)
Mistreated for Obeying God
Acts 5:17-42, NLT
“17 The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, 20 “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!” 21 So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching.
When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council—the full assembly of the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought from the jail for trial. 22 But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported, 23 “The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!”
24 When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. 25 Then someone arrived with startling news: “The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!” 26 The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them. 27 Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. 28 “We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” he said. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”
29 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross. 31 Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. 32 We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.” …[The council members were so mad that they wanted to kill the apostles, but after talking it over decided that this might not be their best option. So instead, they had the apostles flogged.] Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.
41 The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. 42 And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”
The apostles were happy about suffering for Jesus…What? Why? Because they knew that they had obeyed God. They had been healing people, but then got arrested because the religious leaders were jealous. Then God sent an angel to rescue them and told them to go back to the Temple to teach the people about Jesus. When the high council met to hold the trial against the apostles, they discovered they were no longer in jail where they had left them, but they were once again teaching in the Temple.
The religious leaders desperately wanted to put an end to the influence that the apostles were having on the people—more and more people were believing in Jesus—and so wanted to kill them. But after discussing it, realized that this might not be the best decision, so instead had them beat and again told them not to teach about Jesus.
Did the apostles go quietly? NO! They were happy because they were obeying God and God was helping them even when others were trying to stop them. They left more determined than ever to keep telling people about Jesus…no matter what.
Engage:
• The apostles healed many people and taught them about Jesus. Why did they get arrested?
• God proved to the apostles that they were to continue to teach people about Jesus. What happened when they were in jail?
• The high council wanted to put an end to the teaching about Jesus. What did they want to do?
• The high council had the apostles flogged and told them not to talk anymore about Jesus. What did the apostles do?
Weekly verse:
Acts 4:19-20, NLT – “But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”
2022 Theme verses:
Colossians 2:6-7, NLT – “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
Prayer – Dear God, help us to be as brave as the apostles were. It is too important for people to know about Jesus for us to quiet about him. Help us continue to tell people about God’s love even when others tell us not to.
~ Pastor Jane