WEEK 8
NEW LIFE IN CHRIST (2)
i. Characteristics of the new life (Galatians 5:22-24)
New life is the life that we life now when we confess and believe in the gospel. It is a life lived in accordance to the teaching of Jesus Christ. It is a life that recognizes the God-factor and purpose for our life.

In Galatians 5:22 – 24, Paul when writing to the Galatians stated that New life is characterized by the following, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

ii. Need to Stick to the New Life (Romans 6:12 – 19)
While writing to the Romans, Paul states the reason why we should be committed or stick to the new life. He warned in Romans 6:12-19 that we should “not let sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not yield your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but yield yourselves to God as men who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
He says that sin makes us to obey the passions of the body which is condemn for death
Sin is an instrument of wickedness and also the reward of wickedness is death
God has bought us over from death to life
Sin keeps us under the law
New life puts us under grace
New life makes us instruments of righteousness to God.

Slaves of Righteousness
He further states in Romans 6:15 – 19, that “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to any one as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification.”

This implies that we are slaves to whosoever we yield to or obey. One will become slave to sin which leads to death if you obey the passions of the body against the will of God, which is sin and also we become slaves to righteousness in God which leads to life everlasting. To this end, we need to stick to the New Life and discard the Old Life.

WEEK 8
NEW LIFE IN CHRIST (2)
i. Characteristics of the new life (Galatians 5:22-24)
New life is the life that we life now when we confess and believe in the gospel. It is a life lived in accordance to the teaching of Jesus Christ. It is a life that recognizes the God-factor and purpose for our life.

In Galatians 5:22 – 24, Paul when writing to the Galatians stated that New life is characterized by the following, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

ii. Need to Stick to the New Life (Romans 6:12 – 19)
While writing to the Romans, Paul states the reason why we should be committed or stick to the new life. He warned in Romans 6:12-19 that we should “not let sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not yield your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but yield yourselves to God as men who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
He says that sin makes us to obey the passions of the body which is condemn for death
Sin is an instrument of wickedness and also the reward of wickedness is death
God has bought us over from death to life
Sin keeps us under the law
New life puts us under grace
New life makes us instruments of righteousness to God.

Slaves of Righteousness
He further states in Romans 6:15 – 19, that “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to any one as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification.”

This implies that we are slaves to whosoever we yield to or obey. One will become slave to sin which leads to death if you obey the passions of the body against the will of God, which is sin and also we become slaves to righteousness in God which leads to life everlasting. To this end, we need to stick to the New Life and discard the Old Life.

WEEK 7
NEW LIFE IN CHRIST

i. Meaning of old life as living in Sin
Old life means the life we live in sin. It is characterized by the life without the consciousness of the God-factor or the real purpose of existence. This may also refer to the life one carelessly live without recourse to how God wants us to live our lives.

ii. Characteristics of old life (Galatians 5:19-21, Colossians 3:5-7)
According to the Bible in Galatians 5:19 – 21, the Bible records that, “Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness(debauchery – living in such a way that ignores societal standards of living), idolatry, sorcery(witchcraft or magic), enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension (discord), party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing (wild life often with alcohol), and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Anyone who lives in such behaviours as listed above is said to live an old life. That is why the Bible states in Colossians 3:5-7, that, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you once walked, when you lived in them.” The Bible recognizes the fact that while we were ignorant of God’s standard, we have lived in one or two of these lifestyles. But now, we should do away with these characters, which represent old life and embrace the Jesus’ Way of life.

iii. Need for change (Romans 6:1-4)
Paul highlighted the need to live a better live when he wrote to the Romans in Romans 6:1-4 where he said, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we, who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Paul stated that grace doesn’t increase in sinful characters. Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ dies with Him and will inherit eternal life in Him also. The death in Him means that we are no longer conscious of the dictates of our flesh. Rather, we are united with the spirit of Christ. So, we should walk in the newness of this life. The baptism represents dying in our old life when dipped in the water and resurrecting in the new life as we are lifted up from the water.

WEEK SIX:
DEBORAH AS LEADER – Judges 4:1-24
Deborah was the wife of Lapipidoth. She was a judge and a prophetess in Israel at that point. She always sat under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill of Ephraim. She sits there to listen to cases between or among the children of Israel and administers justice to them.

DEBORAH LEAD THE PEOPLE TO VICTORY
At this time, Israel was under a the cruel leadership of Jabin, king of Canaan, whoreinged in Hazor. The king had nine hundred chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel for twenty years. By the words of the Lord, Deborah sent and summoned Barak, the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking ten thousand from the tribe of Naph′tali and the tribe of Zeb′ulun. And I will draw out Sis′era, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.” Barak retorted and said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” Deborah surprisingly agreed and told him that she would surely go with him. She said however that, “….nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sis′era into the hand of a woman.” Then Deb′orah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh. Barak summoned Zeb′ulun and Naph′tali to Kedesh. Ten thousand men went up at his heels and Deb′orah went up with him.

When Sisera heard that Barak had mustered an army and had gone to Mount Tabor, he called out all his chariots of iron to meet himfrom Harosheth-ha-goiim to river Kishon. Then Deborah charged him to advance his troops because the Lord has gone ahead of them to give them victory. Barak marched on on with the ten thousand men after him and the Lord routed Sisera and all his army and their chariots. Sisera alighted from his chariots and ran away on foot while none of his men remained alive.

Sisera ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber, the Kenite. Jael ran to him and invited him into her tent because there was peace between Jabin and the house of Heber. She covered him with a rug and when he asked for water because he was thirsty. Jael opened a skin of milk and gave him to drink. He charged Jael not to let anyone know that he was there and then he fell asleep. However Jael took a tent peg with a hammer and quietly went to where he was lying. Discovering he was deep in sleep due to his tiredness, she drove the peg into his temple and he died instantly.

Jael went out and saw Barak. She invited him to coma and see the dead Sisera with the tent peg in his temple. That was how the people of Israel became stronger and stronger until they destroyed Jabin, king of Canaan.

QUALITIES OF DEBORAH
1. She was a resourceful person, being a wife, a judge and a prophetess
2. She was a courageous woman
3. She was a leader by example
4. She loved and obeyed God
5. She cared for the people and was concerned about their well being

WEEK SIX:
DEBORAH AS LEADER – Judges 4:1-24
Deborah was the wife of Lapipidoth. She was a judge and a prophetess in Israel at that point. She always sat under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill of Ephraim. She sits there to listen to cases between or among the children of Israel and administers justice to them.

DEBORAH LEAD THE PEOPLE TO VICTORY
At this time, Israel was under a the cruel leadership of Jabin, king of Canaan, whoreinged in Hazor. The king had nine hundred chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel for twenty years. By the words of the Lord, Deborah sent and summoned Barak, the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking ten thousand from the tribe of Naph′tali and the tribe of Zeb′ulun. And I will draw out Sis′era, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.” Barak retorted and said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” Deborah surprisingly agreed and told him that she would surely go with him. She said however that, “….nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sis′era into the hand of a woman.” Then Deb′orah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh. Barak summoned Zeb′ulun and Naph′tali to Kedesh. Ten thousand men went up at his heels and Deb′orah went up with him.

When Sisera heard that Barak had mustered an army and had gone to Mount Tabor, he called out all his chariots of iron to meet himfrom Harosheth-ha-goiim to river Kishon. Then Deborah charged him to advance his troops because the Lord has gone ahead of them to give them victory. Barak marched on on with the ten thousand men after him and the Lord routed Sisera and all his army and their chariots. Sisera alighted from his chariots and ran away on foot while none of his men remained alive.

Sisera ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber, the Kenite. Jael ran to him and invited him into her tent because there was peace between Jabin and the house of Heber. She covered him with a rug and when he asked for water because he was thirsty. Jael opened a skin of milk and gave him to drink. He charged Jael not to let anyone know that he was there and then he fell asleep. However Jael took a tent peg with a hammer and quietly went to where he was lying. Discovering he was deep in sleep due to his tiredness, she drove the peg into his temple and he died instantly.

Jael went out and saw Barak. She invited him to coma and see the dead Sisera with the tent peg in his temple. That was how the people of Israel became stronger and stronger until they destroyed Jabin, king of Canaan.

QUALITIES OF DEBORAH
1. She was a resourceful person, being a wife, a judge and a prophetess
2. She was a courageous woman
3. She was a leader by example
4. She loved and obeyed God
5. She cared for the people and was concerned about their well being

WEEK FIVE
JOSHUA AS A LEADER

JOSHUA IS CHOSEN AND EQUIPPED TO LEAD: Numbers 13:16-34
Joshua, in Hebrew is Hoshea. He was the son of Nun. He was one of the spies that were sent to spy out the land of Negeb in Canaan. He was from the tribe of Ephraim among the twelve tribes of Israel. When the spies came back with the discouraging report, it was Joshua and Caleb that gave a contrary view and were convinced that they could take over the land, if God were with them. Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes and said in Numbers 14:7 – 9, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. Only, do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us; their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.”
The people were enraged and they almost stoned them but God intervened.

Moses in Numbers 27:15-23 prayed that God should appoint a man over the congregation of Israel, who shall lead them and that the people would not be as sheep without shepherd. It was at that point that God asked him to “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him.” – Numbers 27:18. He was commission before Ele’azar in the presence of the people and invested some of his authority in him so that all the people of Israel may obey him. Numbers 27:22-23

FALL OF JERICHO – Joshua 6
The people of Jericho shut themselves within the walls of the city so that none goes in or out of the city because of the Israelites. The Lord instructed Joshua to lead the children of Israel around the city once in a day for six days and on the seventh day, they should march round the city seven times with seven prophets marching with trumpets of ram’s horns in front of the ark. After the seventh time, the priest should blow the trumpet. Then people of Israel would give a loud shout and the walls would fall flat. Joshua did according to God’s directed and he instructed the armed men to march in from before others coming behind them. They moved round the city once each day and camped at night in their camp. They kept on blowing the trumpet as they march along.

On the seventh day, they marched round the city seven times and at the seventh time, when the priest blew the trumpet, Joshua instructed the people to shout for God has given them the city. Everything and person was marked for destruction except Rahab and her household because they hid and assisted the messengers Joshua sent to spy the land. He also directed that all silver and gold, vessel of bronze and iron should be kept scared for the Lord in the treasury of the Lord. As they shouted, the walls of Jericho fell down flat while the people went into the land and utterly destroyed every living thing found in the land. Only Rahab, her father, mother, brothers and everything that belonged to her were spared before they burned down the city with fire.

Then Joshua laid a curse on the land saying, “Cursed before the Lord be the man that rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho. At the cost of his first-born shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates.” Joshua became so famous in all the land.

JOSHUA ADMONISHES HIS PEOPLE – Joshua 1:10-15

All the times Joshua led the people, he was careful to instruct the people according to the words of the Lord and the direction of Moses. He said in Joshua 1:13-15, “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest, and will give you this land.’ He stated that all the young men shall be charged with the duty of protecting the women and children and all the properties of the Israelites until they possess the land and inherit God’s promises.

In Joshua 24:1-28, Joshua further admonishes the people on the choice of whom to serve; whether the gods of their fathers or the Lord God who brought them out of Egypt. He reminded of the various miracles the Lord has done in their midst. He stated that the Lord brought Abraham out from his father’s (Terah’s) land, where they served other gods. God gave him Isaac and gave Isaac Jacob and Esau. God gave Esau the hill country of Seir while Jacob went down to Egypt. God sent Moses and Aaron to bring the Israelites out of Egypt having plagued them and perform a lot of signs. He continued and said, “when the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea, and they cried to the Lord, He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did to Egypt; and you lived in the wilderness a long time.”

God also brought them to the land of Amorites, who fought against them and gave them victory. God also delivered them from Balak who invited Balaam to curse them, blessing them through the same Balaam. God also took them through to Jericho, though the Jordan and conquered the Amorites, the Per′izzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Gir′gashites, the Hivites, and the Jeb′usites; and I gave them into your hand. God gave them victory they never fought for and the land they never labored over.

He charged them that having witness all these miracles, they should choose whom they will serve; whether the gods which their fathers served or the gods of the lands they conquered or they would serve the Lord God. He stated in Joshua 24:15 that “And if you be unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” The people gave their pledge to serve the Lord our God who brought them and their fathers up from the land of Egypt, and has performed a lot of signs and wonders in their sight. Joshua also reminded them in Joshua 24:19-20, that God is a jealous God and would harm and consume anyone who forsakes Him to follow other gods. He called on the people to be witnesses of their own decision and also the stone in the place where he spoke.

The qualities of Joshua as a leader:
1. He was humble leader who believed and followed God and God’s servant Moses
2. He was a courageous leader
3. He was a man of integrity but not he never imposes his ideology on the people.
4. He is a detailed follower who followed God’s instruction to the letter.
5. He is an intelligent leader and a custodian of the people’s history

ENGLISH GRAMMAR

What is a verb?

A verb has two definitions: one, A verb is an ‘action word’ or a ‘doing word’. Example, dance, sit, sing, walk, read and so on.
The second definition: A verb is a word which indicates the state of being of a noun. Examples are; is, are, am, has, have and so on.

A verb can be singular or plural:

Singular verbs has ‘s’ added to it. It is used with a singular person (noun or pronoun) except with you or I. It is the subject of the verb or sentence that determines whether a verb will be singular or plural.
Examples: is, has, sings, dances, comes
Tunde goes to school.
– Tunde is the subject and it is singular. So it goes with a singular verb
She buys snacks for her children
– She is the subject and it is singular. So it goes with a singular verb

Plural Verbs do not have ‘s’ at the end. It is used with plural persons (noun or pronoun) and it is also used with ‘I’ or ‘You’.
Examples: are, have, sing, dance, come
Tunde and Bola go to school late
– ‘Tunde and Bola’ is subject and they are plural. So, it goes with a plural verb
They buy snacks for their children
– ‘They’ is the subject and being plural, it goes with a plural verb
I dance to the music
You read the newspaper daily
‘I’ is a singular person however it is followed by a plural verb
– I go to school always
‘You’ may be singular or plural. So it is also followed by a plural verb.
– You do your homework always
(These are the only two exceptions to the general rule on the agreement of singular and plural pronouns with singular and plural verbs)

Simple Exercises:
1. I ____________ to school with my friends (go goes)
2. The children ___________ by the school gate every afternoon (play plays)
3. Tayo __________ snacks from the school shop every morning (buy buys)
4. The cat ___________ three kittens (has have)

Verb Tenses:

Present Tense Past Tense Perfect Tense

go went gone

sing sang sung

put put put

say said said

cast cast cast

play played played

Basically there are three categories of tenses which are:

1. Present tense:
a. Simple Present go
b. Present Continuous tense is going
c. Present perfect tense has gone

2. Past tense
a. Simple past tense went
b. Past Continuous tense was going
c. Past Perfect tense had gone

3. Future tense
a. Simple future tense will go
b. Present future tense will be going,
c. Perfect future tense would have gone

TENSES WITH EXPLANATION AND EXAMPLES:

Present tense (a) Bola goes to school.
It happens everyday.

Present continuous tense: (b) Bola is going to school.
It is happening now.

Present Perfect Tense: (c) Bola has gone to school.
It is an already completed action. It indicates that presently, Bola is not here due to that already perfected action.

Past Tense: (a) Bola went to school.
It happened in the past.

Past Continuous Tense: (b) Bola was going to school…..
This sentence is a subordinate clause because it is not complete. It suggests that something happened when Bola was going to school.
Thus it may be complete as….
Bola was going to school when she saw the old man

Past Perfect Tense: (c) Bola had gone to school.
This is another incomplete clause. It suggests that an already completed action took place when Bola was not around.
It can be written to make a complete sense thus:
Bola had gone to school before the mail man arrived.

Future Tense (a) Bola will go to school
It has not happened yet. It will still happen

(b) Bola will be going to school

(c) Bola would have gone to school.
This sentence is not a complete clause. It suggests that by the time you are set to carry out the next action which has not been carried out, Bola would have left for school.
So, it can be fully written as:
Bola would have gone to school before the food is ready.

Verb Phrase or Phrasal Verbs:

This is a combination of a verb and a preposition to make a different meaning from the normal verb if it stands alone:

Example:

Break means to fracture or crack an item apart by a process that cannot easily be reversed
Break in means to forcefully enter an apartment
Break up means to end a relationship
Break away means to cut oneself away from a group
Break off means to disconnect something or someone from a source or a whole.
All these have capacity of having different meanings depending on the circumstances of each.

Write out ten phrasal verbs of:
1. ‘give’
2. ‘take’
3. ‘bring’

WEEK THREE:
THE EFFECT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ON THE EARLY DISCIPLES ACTS 3:1-10, ACTS 6: 4 – 15
When the early disciples received the Holy Spirit, a lot of things happened to them. They were no longer the way they used to be. Something about them changed. Some of the changes will be examined in the following stories.

THE HEALING AT THE BEAUTIFUL GATE ACTS 3:1-10
At the hour of prayer about the ninth hour, Peter and John were going up to the temple. Then they saw a man lame from birth being carried. He was laid daily at that gate of the temple, which is called Beautiful to ask alms of those who entered the temple. When he saw, Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. Peter directed his gaze at him, with John, and said, “Look at us.” As he fixed his attention upon them, expecting to receive something from them, Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” He then took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. He stood, leaped and walked and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising God and when they recognized him as the one who sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

THE APPOINTMENT OF THE SEVEN DEACONS – ACTS 6:4-15
There was an issue among the believers concerning the welfare of the people. Some people felt neglected. The Disciples asked the people to appoint trustworthy people to take charge of the distribution while they devote themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. The whole multitude was pleased and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Proch′orus, and Nica′nor, and Timon, and Par′menas, and Nicola′us, a proselyte of Antioch. The apostles prayed and laid their hands upon them. The word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, even a great number of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Stephen, who was full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyre′nians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cili′cia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen. When they discovered that they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke, they secretly instigated men, who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” They stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council. They set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” Gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

EFFECTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ON THE DISCIPLES
1. The Disciples were no longer afraid to declare the name of Jesus publicly
2. The Disciples could perform miracles that are notable
3. The Disciples also showed compassion on people who were afflicted.
4. The Disciples became prayerful and zealous about the word of God
5. The Disciples were able to raise more devout men as disciples, who became deacons
6. The Disciples increased in great wisdom of God that people, even the nobles could not withstand

MORAL LESSONS OF THE EFFECTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ON EVERY DISCIPLES
1. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we become representatives of Christ on earth
2. We must devote ourselves to prayer and the word of God
3. We must show concern about the welfare of the people.
4. We must be fearless and courageous in the face of opposition
5. We must speak the truth at all times.

LESSON NOTE FOR CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES JSSTHREE
FIRST TERM

WEEK ONE:

TOPIC: THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: ACT 1:6-11, JOHN 14:15-26

THE ASCENSION OF JESUS CHRIST – ACTS 1:1 – 11
Ascension is the act of ascending, meaning going up. In Acts 1:1-11, the Bible records the ascension of Jesus to heaven. After the resurrection from the dead, Jesus appeared to the disciples during the period of forty days and He spoke to them about the kingdom of God. He instructed them not to leave Jerusalem but wait until they received the promise of God, which is the Holy Spirit.

On the day Jesus was to be taken up, the disciples asked whether He was going to restore the kingdom to Israel (at this time, Israel was being ruled by the Romans). Jesus answered and said, “It is not for you to know times and seasons which had been fixed by God.” However in Act1:8, He said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.”

Immediately He finished saying this, as they were looking on, He was being lifted up and a cloud took Him out of their sight. While they were looking into heaven, two men in white robes asked them why they stand looking into heaven. They said Jesus, who was taken up to heaven, will come back in this same way.

THE NEED FOR THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: JOHN 14:15-26
The Holy Spirit is very important to every Christian. Jesus speaking in John 14:15-26, stated that we need the Holy Spirit for the following reasons.
1. The Holy Spirit will be with us forever
2. The Holy Spirit will teach us all things
3. The Holy Spirit will remind us all that Jesus had said

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The promise of the Holy Spirit is very important to Christians for the following reasons.
1. It gives us hope that God is with us
2. It gives us confidence that we will not be confused as we journey along
3. It gives increases our faith in God.
4. It keeps us focus, expectant and always looking up to God.

WEEK TWO:
TOPIC: THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (THE PENTECOST) ACTS 2:1-39

PENTECOST
Pentecost is the Jewish festival of Shavuot. It comes up 49days after the resurrection of Jesus on the Jewish Day of First fruits. It was the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles with miraculous effects.

THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
After the resurrection of Jesus, He appeared to the disciples for forty days and after which he ascended to heaven. He instructed the Apostles to wait in Jerusalem until they receive the Holy Spirit. Ten days after the ascension, was the Pentecost day.

The Apostles were all gathered in one place. Then suddenly, a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Tongues as of fire appeared and rested on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. When people heard this sound, they went to where the Apostles were gathered. They were bewildered when they heard the Apostles speaking their languages fluently. They were amazed and asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?” They were all declaring the mighty works of God in different tongues. Some other people said they were drunk.

It was at that point Peter stood up and addressed the crowd. He said, Men of Judea and you who live in Jerusalem listen. These men are not drunk as you suppose. It is only the third hour of the day. But this is the fulfillment of the prophesy of Prophet Joel which states,
“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; yea, and on my menservants and my maidservants in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. ….”

Then he said, Jesus of Nazareth was a man confirmed by God with mighty works, signs and wonders which God did through Him and which you all witnessed. But you delivered him up to be crucified and killed by lawless men even though it was predestined by God. God raised Him up loosing the pangs of death because it was impossible for Him to be held by death. This confirms what David said concerning Him.
‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will dwell in hope. For thou wilt not abandon my soul to Hades, nor let thy Holy One see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou wilt make me full of gladness with thy presence.’

Many of you thought David was talking about himself but David died and his tomb, where he was buried, is there as a proof. He foresaw that one of his descendants whom God has set on the throne forever, who is Christ, would not be abandoned to rot in the grave nor His flesh see corruption. It is the same Jesus that was raised up and exalted at the right hand of God and since He has received the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured it out on us and this is what you are witnessing today.

David wouldn’t have spoken about himself when he said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I make thy enemies a stool for thy feet.’ He talked about this same Jesus whom you crucified and God has made Him both Lord and Christ.

After Peter had finished his speech, the people asked him and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him.” After he had said these among other things, a lot of people believed and were baptized. Those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

THE ROLES PLAYED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL
The Holy Spirit played crucial role in the propagation of the gospel and this can be enumerated as follows:
1. The Holy Spirit gave the Apostles wisdom to understand the scriptures and prophecies
2. The Holy Spirit gave the Apostles boldness to speak these words of truth, the gospel
3. The Holy Spirit convicted those who listened to the words, the gospel
4. The Holy Spirit gave hope and empowered those who believed and received the gospel