HIGHS AND LOWS: (15 minutes)
Write down one high and one low from your week in your prayer journal and share them with the group. Pastor Breen or another student will gather them in prayer as we light our candles.
REVIEW: (3 minutes)
What sticks with you from last class? You may refer to your one sentence summary from last week if you are stumped. What questions remain about the trial of Peter and John?
EXPERIENCE THE WORD: (7 minutes)
Today, we will watch a scene from the miniseries “AD: The Bible Continues” which shows the community of new believers. I do not recommend the whole series because much of the material is fictional, but when they do get to the Bible sections of Acts, it is visually stunning and impactful. Begin on disc two, and choose “play all.” Fast-forward to 17:15 and watch until 19:18.
CONNECT BIBLE ACTIVITY: (5 minutes)
Turn to page 1255 in your Connect Bible and complete the activity entitled “Grace.” Make a copy of your work for Pastor Breen is you are doing this for homework.
What does it mean that “great grace fell upon them all”?
DEFINITIONS: Here are some definitions that will help you to understand this week’s story from Acts:
grace: undeserved love
apostles: people who spread the good news about the love of Jesus. The disciples become the apostles when they received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
testimony: eyewitness account
resurrection: brought back from the dead to live forever
Levite: a member of the tribe of Levi, usually a priest or a priest’s assistant
DWELLING IN THE WORD: (25 minutes)
First, read Acts 4:32-37 from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (take turns reading aloud, verse by verse). Answer the following questions about the whole story as completely as possible (group activity: do this with your parents)
Comprehension Questions:
- In what ways were the whole group one? (verse 32)
- No one claimed private ownership of what? (verse 32)
- How was everything they owned held? (verse 32)
- In what way did the apostles give their testimony? (verse 33)
- What was upon them all? (verse 33)
- What was not among them? Why? (verse 34)
- Where did they lay their possessions? (verse 35)
- How was it distributed? (verse 35)
- What was Joseph’s new name? What did it mean? (verse 36)
- What did he do? (verse 37)
Content Questions:
- What scares, confuses, or challenges me in this text?
- What is my favorite part of this text? Why?
- What stories or memories does this text stir up in you? You might remember a time when gave something that you had to someone else who needed it, for example.
- What is God doing in this text? What is God up to?
TAKING IT HOME (3 minutes)
- During this week, in your prayers, try using “God of Grace” as your title for God. You might choose to pray all of your prayers out loud this week.
- Write a one sentence summary in your prayer journal. In this sentence, describe your answer to the question “What did you learn about in Confirmation class this week?” in as much detail as possible.
OUT LOUD PRAYER: (2 minutes)
Song Meditation: To get a sense of what it was like to have great grace upon us, we are going to do a song meditation based on the song “Spirit of the Living God.” Find a comfortable place to sit. Place your palms face up and open on your knees or in your lap. Close your eyes and listen to the song. Concentrate on receiving the gifts that God is giving to you. This is a prayer where you listen instead of speak, and may be uncomfortable at first. Practice makes progress! Learning to listen takes time.
You can find the music on youtube here: https://youtu.be/BagH-zTfnsQ
Conclude your time together with the Lord’s Prayer.
Deep Roots Confirmation 