“Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 .)
"Lesson 28: “We Are Witnesses”," New Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, (2002)Purpose
To remind us of our responsibility to be witnesses of Jesus Christ and to help us see how the gift of the Holy Ghost helps us do so.
Preparation
- 1.
Read, ponder, and pray about the following scriptures:
- a.
Acts 1. After ministering among his disciples for 40 days, the resurrected Lord ascends into heaven. Matthias is chosen to fill the vacancy left by Judas in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
- b.
Acts 2. On the day of Pentecost, the Apostles are filled with the Holy Ghost and speak in many languages. Many who hear them are converted.
- c.
Acts 3–4. Peter and John heal a lame man and testify that the man was healed by the power of Jesus Christ. The Apostles pray for and receive great power through the Holy Ghost.
- d.
Acts 5:12–42. The Apostles continue to preach and heal with great power. They are arrested and jailed but are released from prison by an angel. They declare to the chief priests that they obey God rather than men. Gamaliel counsels the Pharisees not to kill the Apostles.
- a.
- 2.
Additional reading: Mark 16:19–20; Luke 24:49–53; Joseph Smith—History 1:21–25.
The following is an excerpt from a talk
BY PRESIDENT HAROLD B. LEE, Stand Ye in holy places- Healing Sick Souls
The great call has come now in the sermons of the Brethren to aid those who are in need of aid, not just temporal aid but spiritual aid. The greatest miracles I see today are not necessarily the healing of sick bodies, but the greatest miracles I see are the healing of sick souls, those who are sick in soul and spirit and are downhearted and distraught, on the verge of nervous breakdowns. We are reaching out to all such because they are precious in the sight of the Lord and we want no one to feel that they are forgotten.
I read again and again the experience of Peter and John as they went through the gate beautiful on the way to the temple. Here was one who had never walked, impotent from his birth, begging alms of all who approached the gate. And as Peter and John approached, he held out his hand expectantly, asking for alms. Peter, speaking for this pair of missionaries—Church authorities—said, “Look on us.” And, of course, that heightened his expectation. “Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk” (Acts 3:4, 6).
Now in my mind’s eye I can picture this man, what was in his mind: “Doesn’t this man know that I have never walked? He commands me to walk.” But the biblical record doesn’t end there. Peter just didn’t content himself by commanding the man to walk, but he “took him by the right hand, and lifted him up” (Acts 3:7).
Will you see that picture now of that noble soul, that chiefest of the Apostles, perhaps with his arms around the shoulders of this man, … saying, “Now, my good man, have courage; I will take a few steps with you. Let’s walk together, and I assure you that you can walk because you have received a blessing by the power and authority that God has given us as men, His servants.” Then the man leaped with joy.
You cannot lift another soul until you are standing on higher ground than he is. You must be sure, if you would rescue the man, that you yourself are setting the example of what you would have him be. You cannot light a fire in another soul unless it is burning in your own soul. You teachers, the testimony that you bear, the spirit with which you teach and with which you lead, is one of the most important assets that you can have as you help to strengthen those who need so much, wherein you have so much to give. Who of us, in whatever station we may have been in, have not needed strengthening?
Introduction to Religion 212 “Ye Shall Be Witnesses unto Me”What Should I Seek to Accomplish As I Take This Course of Study?
Two major objectives lie at the heart of a study of the latter half of the New Testament. First, to draw closer to Christ and feel increased spiritual power. Secondly, a study of Acts to Revelation is especially valuable for Latter-day Saints because we face many of the same problems that faced those early saints. In our dispensation, the church of Jesus Christ has once again been organized, and our commission is the same as was theirs: to take the blessings of the Church and the witness of the resurrected Christ to all the world ( D&C 1:17–23 ).
There are 3 BYU Scripture discussions that cover this one lesson.Acts 1–5
•How did the gift of the Holy Ghost help the Apostles in their responsibility to be witnesses of Jesus Christ? (See John 15:26–27; 1 Corinthians 12:3.) What is the role of the Holy Ghost in our efforts to teach the gospel? (See 2 Nephi 33:1; D&C 42:14.)
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How did Peter respond to those who mocked the Apostles for speaking in tongues? (See Acts 2:14–24, 36.) What impresses you about Peter’s response? Why is it important to have a testimony of Jesus Christ and his divine mission? How can the Holy Ghost help us share our testimonies?
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Peter used a miracle as an opportunity to testify of Jesus Christ (Acts 3:12–26; 4:5–12). What opportunities do you have to testify of Christ? How have you been blessed as you have been a witness (or have heard others be witnesses) of Jesus Christ?
Suggestion for Family Discussion
Read Mosiah 18:8–9, giving close attention to the instruction to “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.” Ask family members how they can follow this instruction. Have a family
member relate an experience he or she has had in being a witness of Jesus Christ and his gospel. Encourage family members to be witnesses of the Savior in the things they say and do during the coming week.
Words to live by: You cannot lift another soul until you are standing on higher ground than he is. You must be sure, if you would rescue the man, that you yourself are setting the example of what you would have him be. You cannot light a fire in another soul unless it is burning in your own soul.
ReplyDeleteI love that quote from President Lee. I had an institute teacher who would share that quote often in our classes. It is such a profound thought to have deep in our psyce. When we see others around us, especially our children, making choices that will take them in the wrong direction, let us look in the mirror and see if there is not something more we could do to seek God's blessing on our own life. Let us BE what we want to see in others.
We can make a difference. We can be the change we want to see in the world.
This scripture hit me profoundly:
ReplyDeleteActs 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
To get the full effect, read the whole story in Acts 5. After 40 days spent learning from the resurrected Lord, the apostles are teaching preaching and working miracles in Jerusalem when the powers that be take them and throw them in prison, telling them to stop preaching in the name of Jesus who the same persecutors had just crucified.
Then an angel lets them out of prison and tells them to go preach in the temple so they do. The authorities capture the apostles again and interrogate them, beat them and let them go again.
At which point the record says:
Acts 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
How the heck do you rejoice that you were worthy to be beaten and humiliated for the Lord's sake? But that's what they did. I checked out all the cross references to rejoicing from that verse. The scriptures testify of our ability to - with divine help - rejoice when we are persecuted.
Wow! How many of us clam up with fear that somebody might look at us funny if we reference the church? And these men, who saw the resurrected Christ and spent 40 days with him, knew that even if they were persecuted, the information they had to share was too important to worry about all the people who didn't want to hear it. They spoke out for the ones who did want to hear their message. Their Lord and Savior gave His life for them and they laid down their lives to share their testimonies of Him.
Powerful stuff! That bolsters my courage. I know there are people in my sphere of influence who are seeking truth. I pray that I will have the boldness and courage to speak up so that those seeking will be able to hear, instead of keeping quiet for fear of riling all those who don't want to hear.