Jesus’s disciples boldly proclaim His Word and serve others.
Scripture: Acts 3:1-7,11-20
Central Truth
Jesus’s name is like no other. His name doesn’t hold some magical power; the power is in the person of Jesus. As the Son of God, He has the power to heal and forgive our sin, and when we call on His name, we call on that power.
Key Question
What does it mean to be refreshed? Describe a time you were refreshed by God’s Spirit (His presence)?
Keep in Mind
Forgiveness is at the core of our faith. But some students may think God’s forgiveness isn’t available to them. Many of us have heard Jesus is willing to forgive us if we’ll ask and repent of our sin. We see examples of Him extending this forgiveness in the Gospels.
But sometimes we hold on to certain sins because we think they’re too terrible for God to forgive. Students may believe their sin is the exception. They may allow this sin to continue to cause shame, no matter how much they want to be free from it. But we can’t argue with this truth: if we confess our sin, God is faithful to forgive us from all unrighteousness (see 1 John 1:9). All sin—not just some—was paid for through Christ’s sacrifice.
APPLICATION
Can any of us be godly enough to do good things (see v. 12)? What did Peter want the crowd to realize?
THE WIN
FOR THE STUDENT: Apart from God, we have nothing good to offer. As harsh as this sounds, only God is good. It’s only by grace we are able to do good works, and this results from faith in Christ. It’s only through Jesus we can come close to God. He enables us to live godly lives.
FOR THE LEADER: Even the most godly Christian experiences spiritually dry seasons. While the Holy Spirit does live within us, we also have to position ourselves to hear from Him and to feel Him near to us. Straying from God’s presence can lead to us needing to be refreshed spiritually. Walking through tough circumstances can also contribute to us feeling spiritually dry. But we know God’s presence never leaves us, and if we draw close to God, then He comes close to us (see James 4:8).
