Peter and John Before the Council
To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here.
To view a .docx version of this guide, click here.
Introduction
Last week, we talked about Peter and John healing a man who had been crippled from birth and then preaching about Jesus to the Jews in the Temple. We talked about how we can be bold in our faith by inviting others to follow Jesus.
During the “Apply” section last week, everyone was encouraged to write down specific action steps they will work on throughout the week. Take some time to share how everyoneâs experience with those action steps went since last week.
This week we will be discussing Peter and John before the council of the religious leaders.
First, begin your meeting in prayer for Godâs blessing over this time with your group.
Connect
- What is your normal reaction to someone challenging you on something? What is usually your motivation within these kinds of conversations?
- When is a time youâve felt you needed to be bold about your beliefs, even when it wasnât the popular thing to do at the time?
Opening Thought
Sometimes, we might have times where we know we should be bold in our daily lives. In those moments, weâre reminded that courage often comes from more than our own willpower to step into those moments. Instead, it looks like living how we are being led by the Holy Spirit. Through this weekâs story, weâll see how God invites his followers to rely on his strength, power, and clarity as we live our lives.
This leads us to our main idea for this week:
Main Idea for the Week
We can be bold in our faith by relying on the Holy Spirit.
Hereâs where we are this week
The Holy Spirit has just come and dwelt in the first disciples of Jesus shortly after Jesus was resurrected and ascended to be with God the Father. Afterward, Peter and John were in Jerusalem and went to the Temple, saw a man crippled from birth, and healed him. While the people watching this were amazed, Peter stood before the Jews gathered there and told them about who Jesus is; as a result, many people became followers of Jesus that day, which caused friction with the religious leaders in the Temple.
Unpack
Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:
Read
Acts 4:1-22
Unpack
- Why do you think the religious leaders cared so much about what Peter and John were teaching the people?
- Why did they care that they healed the lame man (Acts 3âlast weekâs story: a man was lame from birth and Peter and John, through the Holy Spirit, healed him)?
- How does this reflect what their main priority was, considering the religious leaders admitted that something miraculous had happened?
- Why did they care that they healed the lame man (Acts 3âlast weekâs story: a man was lame from birth and Peter and John, through the Holy Spirit, healed him)?
- How do you think you would respond if you were in Peter and Johnâs place, being commanded to stop speaking about Jesus?
- How does Peter rely on the Holy Spirit in his defense to the religious leaders?
- What do you think this says about how we should respond to opposition when it comes to sharing our faith?
- When have you met opposition to what you felt God was calling you to do?
- How can we know if the Holy Spirit is inspiring you to do/say something instead of our own personal desires?
- How can we cultivate these (our own desires and the Holy Spiritâs inspirations for us) to become the same in our everyday lives?
- If comfortable, share a time in your life where what you felt you should do seemed to align with what the Holy Spirit was asking you to do?
- Why is alignment with the Holy Spirit important to
- How can we cultivate these (our own desires and the Holy Spiritâs inspirations for us) to become the same in our everyday lives?
- What do you think this says about how we should respond to opposition when it comes to sharing our faith?
- What does Peter and John’s example in this story teach us about the importance giving God credit for what he does to those around us?
- What fears or hesitations do you have about sharing the story of Jesus with those around you?
- How does this story confront and/or address these feelings?
- What fears or hesitations do you have about sharing the story of Jesus with those around you?
Read
Acts 4:23-31
Unpack
- Why do you think the first response the believers had to Peter and Johnâs report about their arrest was prayer?
- What is your normal response when you hear about the ways God is moving in othersâ lives?
- How can we prevent ourselves from becoming apathetic about the good things God is doing in our lives and those of others?
- What is your normal response when you hear about the ways God is moving in othersâ lives?
- Why do you think the early believers prayed for boldness rather than protection after hearing about Peter and Johnâs experience with the religious leaders?
- How does the believers’ prayer show how we should view the Holy Spiritâs role within our lives?
- What does this story teach about the relationship between prayer and action?
- Within this story, we see that, despite persecution, Christianity continued to spread. How does this show the way God uses all circumstances to bring people to know him?
- How does this encourage you to trust Godâs plan for your life?
Apply
Take a moment to discuss these questions, based on the verses above, as a group to decide what your personal action steps for the week can be:
- How will you evaluate and recalibrate what you value when it comes to living out your faith, so it aligns more with how the Holy Spirit is calling you to live?
- What is one step you will take this week to be bolder in how you pray and live out your faith?
- How will you try to cultivate your trust in Godâs plan for your life this week?
- How will we as a group help each other cultivate our trust in God’s plans for our lives?
Closing
Read the first section to your group, then read the verse out loud to the group, and finally, move to the Prayer and Verses section:
Following Godâs direction isnât always a big leap, sometimes itâs just following the next small step in front of you. Thankfully weâre not asked to take that step alone. As we head into the rest of the week, letâs pay attention to where boldness might be needed, not the kind that comes from trying harder, but the kind that comes from listening closely, trusting deeply, and letting the Holy Spirit lead the way.
Prayer and Verses
Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer then share the Key Verse for the Week and Daily Devotional Verses with the group.
Thematic Reflection Verse for the Week
*Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week.
Galatians 5:25
âSince we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spiritâs leading in every part of our lives.â
**When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.
Daily Devotional Verses
Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.
Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well.
Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read?
Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read?
Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what youâve learned.
Day 1: Acts 1:8
Day 2: John 16:13
Day 3: Romans 8:14
Day 4: 2 Timothy 1:7
Day 5: Psalm 143:10
Day 6: 2 Corinthians 3:17