NT Come Follow Me 29
Introduction:
“What Wilt Thou Have Me to
Do?”
Acts 9:13
Ananias was concerned about meeting with Paul, because Paul was persecuting the
saints. (He had been part of the martyrdom of Stephen.)
The Lord new Paul’s heart and the strength that he’d add to the Kingdom. Paul’s
devotion, at that time, was unfounded; he was acting upon what he believed to
be right.
Acts 9:15
The Lord told Ananias to listen and go meet Paul, saying, “Go thy way: for he
is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and
the children of Israel.”
Paul was a great apostle or messenger to the world in proclaiming Jesus Christ
and spreading His gospel. He continues to be today as well. Much of our gospel
understanding comes from the writings of Paul.
Acts 9:17 Ananias hearkened to the Lord and went to give Paul the blessing the Lord asked him to give. “And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.”
Personal Study: My heart needs to be “right in the sight of
God.”
Acts 8:21–22 Am I seeking to make my heart right before God? Are there things that are amiss? Am I willing to turn to Him and change? To repent? Am I willing to make the necessary changes in my life and adjustments in my time to be His servant?
Personal Study: Resisting the Holy Ghost can lead to
rejecting the Savior and His servants.
Acts 7:51
Be very careful that you do not resist the Holy Ghost. Through Him, the Lord
can guide you in the way you should go and teach you the things you should
know.
The Jewish leaders resisted the Holy Ghost, probably because they didn’t
understand that their authority was nothing without Jesus. They had a
responsibility to prepare the people for the Coming of the Messiah, but they
themselves were not prepared to receive Him.
How does resisting
the Holy Ghost lead to rejecting the Savior and His servants?
Personal Study: The Holy Ghost will help me guide others
to Jesus Christ.
Acts 8:31 30 And
Philip ran thither to him, and
heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou
readest? 31 And
he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that
he would come up and sit with him.
How is sharing the gospel with others like being
a guide?
We are taught by the Spirit, and when we help
others learn through the Spirit, as we teach and testify what we believe and
know to be true, the Spirit can also witness to them.
Elder Ulisses Soares said that this account “is a
reminder of the divine mandate we all have to seek to learn and to teach one
another the gospel of Jesus Christ. … We are sometimes like the Ethiopian—we
need the help of a faithful and inspired teacher; and we are sometimes like
Philip—we need to teach and strengthen others in their conversion.”
How can the Holy Ghost help you become a better
learner and teacher of the gospel?
Personal Study: When I submit to the Lord’s will, I can become an instrument
in His hands.
Saul’s conversion was very quick. Why was he willing to
change? How can greater understanding help us overcome disbelief?
Acts 13:9
Saul’s name was changed to Paul. (The marked a newness of life and purpose for
Paul.)
Paul’s conversion: Acts 22:1–16 and 26:9–18
22:6-9 Jesus appeared in glory to Paul and asked why he was persecuting Him. When Paul asked who He was, He told Him straight away, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
Vs 10-11 Paul asked what the Lord would have Him do. He told Saul to go to Damascus, and there he’d be told what to do. Paul’s eyes were blinded because of the brightness of Jesus’s appearing.
Vs 12-14 Ananias blessed Paul to receive his sight, told Him
Jesus had a work for him to do as His witness, and invited him to be baptized.
23:9-11 Saul was on his way to persecute more Christians.
Vs 13-15 Paul again tells of Jesus appearing with great light and calling Saul to repentance.
Vs 16-18 Jesus called upon Paul to be His minister and
witness, to open the eyes of the blind and bring them out of darkness into the
light, that they also might receive forgiveness of their sins and an
inheritance with those who are sanctified through faith in His name.
Will you more quickly accept rebuke and confess your faults and ask, “What will
you have me to do?” It’s tough. How can you make yourself ready to be able to
ask, “What will you have me to do?” and then have faith in Jesus Christ and do
it?
What inspires you about Tabitha’s example?
Waiting on the Road to Damascus
Family Study: Stephen
Followed Jesus’s Example
Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
Acts 7:51–60 Stephen was put to death for His testimony of truth.
Luke 23:1–46 Jesus only did His Father’s will and for that He was hated and put to death. Stephen was also a martyr for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Family Study: The
Holy Ghost Blessed Stephen While He was Persecuted
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
“And they stoned Stephen, and he, calling upon God, said, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Joseph Smith Translation, Acts 7:59 [in Acts 7:59, footnote c]).
Family Study: How is
being pricked by the Spirit a blessing to us?
Acts 9:5
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the
Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick
against the pricks.
If we can humbly take rebuke, we can repent and be healed and not feel pained
any more.
Family Study: Tabitha
did good works.
If we are doing good
works, how can we bless the lives of others and help them come back to the
Lord?
What opportunities do
you have to serve others?
Video: Peter Brings Tabitha Back to Life
https://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/acts/6?lang=eng
The
Apostles choose seven to assist them—Stephen is tried before the council.
As you read Acts 6–7, look for other messages that Stephen taught the
Jews. What attitudes was he warning against? Do you detect any similar
attitudes in yourself? What do Stephen’s words teach you about the consequences
of resisting the Holy Ghost? How can you be more sensitive and responsive to
the promptings of the Holy Ghost in your life?
As you read Acts 6–8, note how these qualities, and others, were
demonstrated in people like Stephen and Philip. What was lacking in Simon, and
what can we learn from him about being willing to change?
According to Acts 6:1–5, what qualities were the Twelve Apostles looking
for in those who would serve with them?
Vs 3-7 The presidency of the Seventy were called.
These seven were ordained by the apostles. They added strength to the Church.
Vs 7 And the word of God
increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and
a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Vs 8 And Stephen,
full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
For this Stephen was
hated, and many sought to destroy him.
Vs 15 And all that
sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the
face of an angel.
While everyone was
trying bearing false witness against Stephen, he was fixed in His purpose, and
God was with him.
https://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/acts/7?lang=eng
Stephen
recounts the history of Israel and names Moses as a prototype of Christ—He
testifies of the apostasy in Israel—He sees Jesus on the right hand of
God—Stephen’s testimony is rejected, and he is stoned to death.
As you read Acts 6–7, look for other messages that Stephen taught the
Jews. What attitudes was he warning against? Do you detect any similar
attitudes in yourself? What do Stephen’s words teach you about the consequences
of resisting the Holy Ghost? How can you be more sensitive and responsive to
the promptings of the Holy Ghost in your life?
Vs 2-53 Stephen recounts much of Israel's history, from
Abraham and then Moses, and the prophesies of Jesus coming. He told the leaders
that they were making the same mistakes their fathers did, resisting the Holy
Ghost and persecuting the prophets, and betraying the Just One. "Who have
received the law by the dispositions of angels, and have not kept it.
54 ¶ When they heard
these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their
teeth.
Vs 55-58 Stephen saw the heavens open, and saw the God
the Father and Jesus standing on His right hand. He testified of what he saw.
They wouldn't hear it, but rushed upon him; then cast him out of the city and
stoned him. His clothes were laid at Saul's feet.
Vs 59-60 Stephen was
gracious, like His Lord Jesus.
59 And they stoned
Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled
down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And
when he had said this, he fell asleep.
https://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/acts/8?lang=eng
Saul
persecutes the Church—Philip’s ministry in Samaria is described—Philip performs
miracles and baptizes men and women—Peter and John come to Samaria and confer
the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands—Simon seeks to buy this
gift and is rebuked by Peter—Philip preaches about Christ and baptizes an
Ethiopian eunuch.
Vs 1-4 We will probably see this
in our day too--those who are fighting against the Lord's Church, and then are
converted and become His leaders and testifiers. How will you receive them?
Vs 5-8 Philip performed the works of Christ in His
name umong the people.
Vs 12-13 Simon was also converted, but He still did
understand the Gifts of the Spirit and the working of miracles.
Vs 14-17 Peter and John
came to confer the Holy Ghost on the newly baptized converts by the laying on
of hands
Vs 18-24 Peter explains
that God’s gift cannot be purchased for money. He tells Simon to repent, and
Simon asks Peter to pray for him.
What do you learn
about sharing the gospel from the account in Acts 8:26–39? How did the Holy Ghost help Philip?
Vs 29-39 Those who are studying the gospel need others to help them
understand and to testify of Jesus. The eunuch was so ready to receive the
truth, and he asked Philip to baptize him. Philip said he could be baptized if
he believed with all his heart. The eunuch replied "I believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God."
They stopped the chariot and Philip baptized him. And he went on
his way rejoicing.
https://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/acts/9?lang=eng
Jesus
appears to Saul—Saul is a chosen vessel—Ananias restores Saul’s sight—Saul is
baptized and begins his ministry—Peter heals Æneas and raises Dorcas from death.
Vs 3-6 When the Lord
revealed Himself to Saul, he was ready to do the Lord's bidding.
Vs 10-20 Annanias was obedient to the Lord's will, when the Lord told Him
that He called Saul to be His disciple. After He blessed Saul, he was filled
with the Holy Ghost and his blindness was cured.
He was baptized, and he straightway taught that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God in the synagogues.
Vs 21-25 The Jews were not happy that Saul had been
converted unto Jesus Christ and they sought to kill him.
Vs 26-31 The disciples did not trust Saul at first, knowing he had sought
to destroy them. Barnabas stood up for Paul and told them how he had boldly
preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus.
From then on Paul taught with the disciples. Through their
teaching, the churches were edified, the people were obedient and humbly walked
in the fear of the Lord; and they had the comfort of the Holy Ghost with them.
Vs 32-35 Peter pronounced a healing of Jesus Christ upon
Aeneas, who was made whole. And the people in Lydda and Saron believed and
turned to the Lord.
As you read Acts 9:36–42, consider how Tabitha was an instrument in God’s
hands. What can you learn about discipleship in these versus?
Vs 39-42 Tabitha (Dorcus) was brought back to life
through a priesthood blessing received from Peter and through the power of Jesus
Christ. Many in Joppa believed in the Lord.
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