SCHEME OF WORK CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE JSS3 FIRST TERM
WEEKS TOPICS
1. The Promise of The Holy Spirit
2. The Coming of The Holy Spirit
3. The Effect of The Holy Spirit on The Early Believers
4. Fellowshipping in The Early Church
5. Early Days of The Church
6. Persecution
7. The Church in Samaria
8. The Church in Caeserea
9. Persecution of The Early Believers (1)
10. Persecution of The Early Believers (11)
11. Revision
12. Examination
WEEK ONE: THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is the third personality of the Trinity. Before the ascension of Jesus, He promised to send the Holy Spirit to His disciples. He told them that when they are filled with the Holy Spirit they would be empowered and the Holy Spirit would teach them everything. Jesus prayed to God to give them the Spirit to make them continue in faith and He left them with the Great Commission of preaching the gospel around the nations of the world in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. He ordered them not to leave Jerusalem until the arrival of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes they would be filled with power to witness in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth
THE ASCENSION OF JESUS CHRIST
At Mount Olive, after Jesus had promised the disciples of the coming of the Holy Spirit, He ascended into heaven. The heaven opened and Jesus was taken up into heaven. The disciples were filled with awe watching Him going to heaven until He was covered by the cloud. After that they returned to Jerusalem waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit as promised by Jesus Christ.
FUNCTIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
1.Teaching
2.Guidance
3.Counseling
4.Comforting
5.Advocating
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
1.The presence of the Holy Spirit creates awareness that man cannot go far with God without the power of the Holy Spirit.
2.Holy Spirit becomes the source of all provision to any man who wants to walk with God.
3.The Holy Spirit is man’s vehicle of inspiration for guiding man into all truth.
4.The Holy Spirit is the facilitator of evangelism, the spread of the message of God.
5.The Holy Spirit is the one that propels man to thirst and hunger after God.
6.The Holy Spirit the deliverer of man in this wicked world.
WEEK TWO: THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
On the day of Pentecost, the disciples of Jesus Christ were in the upper room in Jerusalem praying when the Holy Ghost came upon them. While they were together praying, a sound suddenly came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind and filled the house. Then the Holy Spirit descended like a tongue of fire and rested on each of them. Consequently, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak in different languages.
At that time, the Jews and many other people from various culture, countries and languages were living in Jerusalem. Each of these people was able to hear the disciples speaking his own language. Some were amazed and mistook the disciples for drunkards. They were amazed about how the disciples who were Galileans could be speaking in so many languages including the languages of the Parthians, Medes, Elemites, Phrygia, Egypt and parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene. These were all visitors from Rome, Crete and Arabia who were undoubtedly overwhelmed and were marveled at the wonderful work of God.
The coming of the Holy Spirit greatly influenced the disciples who were now called the apostles. They gained boldness and were filled with extraordinary power and courage to witness Jesus Christ without fear and trembling. Peter was the first to address the people. He explained to them that the apostles were not drunk and that it was just the third hour of the day. He went further by saying that what they saw was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Prophet Joel.
Peter thereafter preached the gospel of Jesus Christ and about three thousand people gave their lives to Christ and became members of the church.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
1.It showed that God is faithful to keep to His promise.
2.The coming of the Holy Spirit changed the perspectives of the apostles about their believe.
3.The Holy Spirit empowered them to preached the gospel.
4.The Holy Spirit gave them boldness and courage’
5.He came to power, credibility and relevance to the church of Jesus Christ in the collective relationship with God.
6.He came to give spiritual gifts to the body of Christ.
7.The coming of the Holy Spirit marked the beginning of the Church of Jesus Christ.
8.It showed that without Holy Spirit Christians are nothing.
9.He brought the presence of God to mankind.
10.He brought restoration of lost hope to mankind.
WEEK THREE: THE EFFECTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ON THE EARLY DISCIPLES
THE EFFECTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ON THE EARLY DISCIPLES
The presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the early disciples was so significant that it was impossible for people to deny the power of God. The followings were so glaring that generations after the disciples are still referring to them as points of reference.
1.The disciples were empowered to speak in new tongues. This had never happened before, so people were amazed and critical about it.
2.The apostles became so bold in defending the gospel even to the point of death.
3.Signs and miracles began to follow them. The healing of the lame man at the beautiful gate was the first demonstration of the power of God by the apostles.
4.Death and authority could no longer scare them. The trial and death of Stephen was a major confirmation of this. Stephen was one of the seven deacons that were ordained by the apostles to take care of the sharing of foods and other items among the believers. He was full of power and wisdom of God and he performed many miracles. He was summoned before the high priest and was condemned to death. He was stoned to death, yet he prayed for his accusers.
5.The Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to continue in faith and their service to God in the midst of stiff opposition and severe persecution. This religion (Christianity) would have died if not for the backing of the Holy Spirit.
6.The Holy Spirit empowered them with different spiritual gifts to enabled to carry on with the divine assignment.
7.The Holy Spirit increased them in number. People began to give their lives to Jesus and became members of the church.
8.Holy Spirit made provision for them. And there was love, peace and unity among them.
MORAL LESSONS
1.Christians should learn from these effects that if they repent of their sins and allow the Holy Spirit to work in them, God can do the same things in their lives as He did in the lives of the apostles.
2.The Scriptures identify the Holy Spirit as third Divine Personality in the Godhead or the Trinity. So we must see the Holy Spirit as God dwelling In the midst of men.
3.God’s promise is very certain, Christians must be rest assured whenever God promise of a thing that He will surely fulfil it. God is not a man that He should lie, whatever He says, He will do.
4.Christians must strive to appreciate the significance of the ascension of Jesus Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit.
5.Christians should the Holy Spirit knowing fully that Holy Spirit is backing them up just the same way He assisted the early disciples.
WEEK FOUR: FELLOW SHIPPING IN THE EARLY CHURCH
PETER’S SPEECH ON PENTECOST DAY
The coming of the Holy Spirit made a great impact in the spiritual life and psyche of the apostles. They were filled boldness, courage and power to witness Christ to people. Peter who had been afraid and had denied Jesus before now demonstrated boldness and courage to defend the disciples against mockery of drunkenness. He was empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak to the multitude that the apostles were not drunk but were filled with the power of the Holy Ghost. He told them that the hour was in third hour (9 am) of the day. He made them to see that what they just experienced was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and that their speaking in tongues was a fulfillment of the prophecy which was made by Prophet Joel. Peter then preach the gospel of Jesus to them and about three thousand people repented and gave their lives to Christ. Henceforth they all became members of the church.
COMMUNAL LIFE IN THE EARLY CHURCH
Jesus Christ established the church while He was here earth during His three and half years ministry on earth. Peter became the leader of the church and he was assisted by other apostles. The early believers stayed together as a family, praying and doing things together. The whole church devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles on the kingdom of God. The communal living and strong fellowship was such that torched every area of their lives and interests. As a result of these they had everything in common. This meant that nobody claimed ownership of anything, it was a collective ownership of everything. Those that were rich ensured that nobody lacked food and necessities of life. The Bible says that they were increasing day by day.
WEEK FIVE: EARLY DAY OF THE CHURCHTOPIC
FRAUD IN THE CHURCH
There’s no human organisation without shortcomings, hence the early church had its challenges. There were people who wanted to take advantages of others because of the collective ownership of everything. In the early church the human errors and weaknesses shook the unity and peace of the church. But the apostles were able to manage the situations very well. The problems that confronted the early church include: dishonesty, falsehood, lack of commitment, deceit, fraud and household conspiracy, but the damage was quickly and decisively halted by the apostles.
The case of Ananias and Sapphira was an example of this problem. The couple, Ananias and Sapphira were anxious to receive honour but were not ready to give what it takes. They sold their land but unlike other donors, they conspired to keep to themselves part of the money and brought a part of it to the apostles. They pretended as if had they donated everything. But Peter gull of the Holy Spirit confronted Ananias for his dishonesty to the Holy Spirit. Peter rebuked him strongly for defrauding and deceiving them. Out of fear and shock, Ananias collapsed and died. Some members buried him instantly. Later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened to her husband, she also confirmed to the lie of her husband. She too fell down and died immediately and was buried beside her husband. The aftermath of this was fear among the believers, they became so afraid of the power of the Holy Spirit and were living in honesty among one another.
THE APPOINTMENT OF SEVEN DEACONS
The next challenge that confronted the early church was that of inequitable distribution of food items. This was brought about by nepotism and favouritism on the part of the officers of the church charged with the responsibility of distributing food items. This accusation got to the apostles that some of the ethnic groups among the believers were agitating and murmuring against the Hebrews. They complained that the widows among the Greeks and their foreign counterparts were neglected in the daily distribution also got to the apostles.
The apostles took the matter very seriously. Consequently, they called a meeting of the community elders to resolve the issues decisively. This led to the appointment of seven deacons namely:
1.Stephen
2.Philip
3.Prochorus
4.Nicanor
5.Timon
6.Parmenas
7.Nicolas
These men were full of faith and the Holy Spirit and were fit for job they were appointed for. They were presented to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them and commissioned them for the task. After this the church made progress because the problems of partiality, favouritism and nepotism were resolved.
QUALITIES OF A DEACON
1.A deacon is expected to be a strong believer in God and Jesus Christ the Son of God.
2.He or she must be full of faith and strong will.
3.He or she must be a person of virtues, dignity, credibility, and accountability.
4.He or she must be gentle, kind, lovable and humble.
5.The person must not be questionable in areas of money, sex and other social issues.
6.The person must be married and the marriage must be monogamous.
7.The person must be fully engaged in prayer, evangelism, church services and missions.
8.He or she must have sound knowledge of the word of God.
WEEK SIX: PERSECUTION
MEANING OF PERSECUTION
Persecution is an act of treating people in a cruel and unfair way especially because of their religion, race or political beliefs. In the case of the early church, persecution was the stiff opposition to the gospel of Christ in a severe manner to stop the propagation of the gospel. There were several acts of persecution against the early church. One of such was the killing of Stephen, a vibrant deacon in the days of the apostles. This persecution was basically from the religious class who were majorly the upper class in the society to stop the disciples from spreading the gospel. This religious class constitute the priests and the scribes who didn’t want to lose their reputation and relevance in the society. Saul, one of the major persecutors was a scribe and he was the one who supervised the killing of Stephen. The disciples experienced terrible persecution in the early days of the church, some died and some had to run away from Jerusalem. Some were arrested and detained in prison, some were beaten mercilessly and left half dead. But to the glory of God they survived this and were able to pass Christianity to next generation.
REASONS FOR PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS
1.The religious and political leaders in Jerusalem did not want to lose their reputation and relevance in the society.
2.The Elites wanted to maintain status quo in their religious and political settings.
3.The leaders did not believe in Jesus Christ. They knew Him as the son of Joseph the carpenter and they also knew Mary as the wife of Joseph. To them, both parents were poor and were not significant in the society.
4.They were expecting a political and economic leader who would liberate Israel from the oppression of the mighty nations around them.
5.They also persecuted the Christians because of the financial gains they have being gaining from their present political and religious settings.
6.To oppose and stop the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
7.To frustrate and intimidate the disciples.
8.To maintain the religious dominance of Judaism as the best and accepted religion by God over others.
WAYS TO CURB PERSECUTION
1.The number one way to curb persecution is to have the mind of God towards others. To love people just the way God loves them.
2.Another way to curb persecution is to pray for the persecutors because the Bible says that we do not wrestle against blood and flesh.
3.Knowledge is an inevitable tool in curbing persecution.
4.Total submission to the will of God is a necessary tool to curb persecution.
WEEK SEVEN: THE CHURCH IN SAMARIA
THE CHURCH IN SAMARIA
Philip was the founder of the church in Samaria. His going to Samaria was as a result of the great persecution of the church in Jerusalem. After the death of Stephen, the members of the early church were persecuted severely and the church became disorganised. As a result, the members were scattered to different nations around Jerusalem. Some went to Judea, some to Samaria but the apostles remained in Jerusalem.
Philip went to Samaria and preached the gospel there, he also worked wonders among the people. He healed the sick and cast out demons. As a result, many of the people of Samaria accepted the gospel and were converted. He baptised them in the name of Christ, when the apostles in Jerusalem heard this, they were happy and sent Peter and John to join Philip in establishing the church. When Peter and John arrived, they laid hands on the believers and they all received Holy Spirit.
PHILIP AND THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH
An angel of the Lord appeared unto Philip and instructed him to go south on the road of Jerusalem that led to Gaza and he did so. On his way, he met an Ethiopian Eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, Queen of Ethiopians. The man was just coming from Jerusalem where he had gone to for worship. He sat in his chariot and was reading the book of Isaiah. The Spirit of the Lord told Philip to go to that chariot and stay near it. When he got to him, he asked if he understood the book he was reading. The man answered that he didn’t and that he needed someone to explain to him. Philip filled this gap and later baptised him. After this the Spirit of the Lord took Philip and he appeared in Azotus, he travelled about preaching the gospel in all the towns until he got to Caesarea.
THE CHURCH IN LYDDA AND JOPPA
Peter the head of the apostle was the founder of the church in Lydda as well as in Joppa. As the churches in Judea , Galilee and Samaria continued to grow, Peter also continued to move to the neighboring towns and villages preaching the good news, converting and healing people. At Lydda, Peter healed a man called Aeneas who had been paralysed for eight years. As a result of this miracle, people of Lydda accepted the gospel and were baptised.
Peter again moved forward to the neighboring town, Joppa. The visit was an invitation of a disciple to raise a woman who was dead. The disciples believed that if Peter could come the woman would be raised from dead. Peter came, prayed before the dead body of the woman and said to her “Tabitha rise” and immediately, Dorcas opened her eyes.
WEEK EIGHT: THE CHURCH IN CAESAREA
CORNELIUS CALLS FOR PETER
The church in Caesarea started by the invitation Peter got from Cornelius to come to his house and preach the gospel. Peter was still on mission in Joppa when Cornelius sent for him. Cornelius was a Roman army officer living in Caesarea, he was a devout religious man and he worshiped God faithfully with all the members of his household. One day he had a vision in which an angel asked him to send for Simon Peter who was in Joppa at that time. After the vision, Cornelius sent his servants and soldiers to look for Peter.
PETER’S VISION AND HIS PRESENCE IN CORNELIUS’ HOUSE
While the messengers of Cornelius were still on their way to Joppa, Peter who was already hungry went into prayer and fell into trance. The heaven opened and he saw a vision of a vessel descending from heaven like a sheet and containing various kinds of animals. Then a voice said to him “Peter, kill and eat” Peter replied, “No Lord, for I have never eaten anything unclean.” The voice cautioned Peter not to call anything God has done unclean. This happened three times and the sheet disappeared unto heaven.
As Peter’s vision was over, the messenger also arrived Joppa and Peter went down to welcome them. In obedience to the Holy Spirit Peter and some brethren in Joppa went with them to Cornelius’ house in Caesarea. In Caesarea crowd was waiting to receive them and Cornelius came out to welcome him and they both narrated the vision they had. Peter prayed for Cornelius and his household and people that were present, many accepted Christ and were baptised. Peter laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
WEEK NINE: PERSECUTION OF THE EARLY BELIEVERS (1)
ARREST OF PETER AND JOHN
After the Holy Spirit had descended upon the disciples, they preached the gospel with power and authority. They performed miracles in the name of Jesus Christ. One of the miracles was the healing of the lame man at the beautiful gate of the temple. When Peter and John got to the temple to pray the lame man gazed at them in expectation to receive alms. But Peter looked at him back and said, “Silver and gold, I have not but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus stand up and walk.” Peter then grab the man and pulled him up. Immediately the man got up, limped and began to run.
The people who witnessed this miracle gathered together around Peter and John. Peter quickly used the opportunity to preach to them in the name of Jesus Christ. The authority got angry at the apostles’ preaching because they were preaching about the resurrection of Jesus. This made the religious leaders to arrest Peter and John and put them in prison for one night. Many people who received the message became Christian converts and their number increased to five thousand. The following day Peter and John were brought into the presence of the elders, the scribes, Annas, the high priest, Caiaphas, Alexander and members of the high priest family to face the charge brought against them. After serious questioning, Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, declared publicly that they performed the miracle in the name of Jesus Christ. The religious council, not knowing what to do and also seeing the man that was healed, they warned the apostles not to preach in the name of Jesus again. But Peter replied them whether it right to listen to man instead of God.
MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN
Stephen, a man full of the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit was one of the seven deacons appointed by the apostles to distribute food items and other materials. He preached the gospel with zeal and great power of God. But this displeased the Sadducees and some religious sectional leaders. They attacked him verbally but they were not able to silence him. When they could not flaw him, they accused him of the following:
1.Blasphemy against God and Moses.
2.Contradiction against the temple and the law.
3.Declaration that Jesus would destroy the temple in Jerusalem and change the laws of Moses.
In the law of Moses this is punishable and the penalty is death. But Stephen full of the power of God traced the long history of the Jews to the point of Jesus crucifixion. At this juncture the people became enraged and furious that they dragged Stephen out of the city and stoned him to death. Stephen demonstrated exceptional grace here as he prayed to God for the for the forgiveness of his accusers.
WEEK TEN: PERSECUTION OF THE EARLY BELIEVERS
PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH BY SAUL
Saul was a Hebrew youth, adventurous and vibrant, a native of Tarsus, born of Jewish parents of the tribe of Benjamin. He was highly educated and studied law under Gamaliel, the great Hebrew teacher. He was also a Roman citizen by birth. He spent most of his life in Jerusalem and was a zealous member of the strictest Jewish religious party.
Saul was very active in the persecution of Christians in Jerusalem and cities around him. Stephen was stoned to death in his presence. After the death of Stephen, he moved from house to house forcing the Christians out of their hiding places and clamping them into prison. During his time, he crippled several activities of the Christians and caused lots of havoc to the Christian community. As a result of this, many believers were killed and lots more were insecure in Jerusalem which led to flight of many Christians out of Jerusalem to other places outside the region. Saul was so zealous to bind all Christians and put them in prison. This prompted him to obtain permission from the high priest to travel to Damascus to bind the Christians there and bring them to the council for crucial legal judgement. It was on his way to Damascus that he had an encounter with Jesus who struck him down. He became blind and this led to his arrest. On the third after his blindness, God used one of the disciples in Damascus named Ananias to minister to him. He regained his sight and subsequently was conscripted into the army of the Lord. He became an apostle who won many nations unto the Lord.
THE KILLING OF JAMES
Another thorn in the flesh of the disciples was King Herod (Aggripa 1). He was a Jew by birth and he was appointed king of the Jews by the Roman authority that governed the Jews at the time. He was one of the major persecutors of the church. Herod was so violent and aggressive in his opposition to the gospel and was ready to anything to please the status quo of the religion of the Jews. He arrested and imprisoned James the brother of John (the sons of Zebedee). To satisfy the desire of his daughter, he killed James with the sword in a most gruesome manner. He beheaded him and released the head to his daughter as the birthday gift. He killed James in this manner purposely to intimidate the apostle and believers and to demonstrate to them the brutal way they would be killed if they continue in their belief. When Herod saw that, the Jews were happy that he killed James one of the key apostles of the gospel, he proceeded to arrest Peter and put him in prison. To ensure that Peter would not escape or that his companions would not rescue him he placed him under the surveillance of four squads of soldiers. Herod’s intention was to put him on trial before the Jewish authority after the feast of Passover.
