C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL FOR OCTOBER 2 & 9, 2022 UNIT TWO, LESSON 6 : TOPIC – HOLY SPIRIT’S PLACE IN REVIVAL (I)

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

JULY – DECEMBER, 2022

Unit Two: The Process And Progress of Revival

OCTOBER 2 & 9, 2022

LESSON: 6

TOPIC: HOLY SPIRIT’S PLACE IN REVIVAL (I)

MEMORY SCRIPTURE

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8).

The Holy Spirit convicts, rebukes and corrects. For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives… (Heb. 12:6-11).

The disciples of Jesus were more concerned about the actual timetable for setting up for the kingdom of God, and that here on earth to finally overthrow the Roman Empire (Acts 1:6), whereas, they didn’t want to miss the opportunity of establishing it there and then, with themselves installed as the ministers of this kingdom. Even though they were right that God would have had no problem in setting up His kingdom at that time; their perspective on the type of kingdom God wanted to set up was still far too narrow. They were still limiting the kingdom of God to Israel. If Jesus had done what they wanted, there would have been no place for a universal church. Jesus’ world-view encompasses the whole world. The disciples’ selfish interest could not influence the future. God will establish His kingdom when it pleases Him.

The disciples however, still have a part to play in the establishment of the Kingdom. They were to be witnesses to Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus had said that before the end, the message of the gospel must be preached among all nations (Mk. 13:10). Acts 1:8 aligns with this statement; the disciples would be Jesus’ witnesses among all nations. The route to the establishment of the kingdom of God is making Jesus known among all nations — literally to the ends of the earth.

The task facing the disciples is so vast that they would only be able to perform it through the power of the Holy Spirit. He would stay with/in those who received Him, and empower them. The rest of the book of Acts recounts the mightily acts performed by the disciples in the power of the Holy Spirit. The church today needs further revival; reliance only upon the Holy Spirit is the sure way to the much-needed revival. The Holy Spirit is the cause and force of revival; we must allow Him in our lives.

DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READINGS FOR WEEK ONE

Mon. Sept. 26: Holy Spirit Regenerates Believing Souls (Jn. 3:5)

Tue. Sept. 27: Holy Spirit Revives Our Mortal Bodies (Rom. 8:11)

Wed. Sept. 28: Holy Spirit Convicts As To Righteousness (Gen. 6:3)

Thur. Sept. 29: Holy Spirit Liberates Totally (Rom. 8:2)

Fri. Sept. 30: Holy Spirit Reveals Mysteries (Jn. 16:14)

Sat. Oct. 1: Holy Spirit Enlightens The Believers (Job 32:8)

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

1. The Holy Spirit continues to convince and convict today, through the Word of God.

2. The Holy Spirit is your inner umpire, Who will tell you inwardly whether you are “safe” or not, concerning all decisions that arise in your mind. And you will experience His prompt intervention the more, when you are ready to cooperate with God through Him.

BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Joel 2:28

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

AIM: This lesson is aimed at emphasising the place and work of the Holy Spirit in revival

OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson, it is expected that the learners should be able to:

i. explain the place of the Holy Spirit in revival;

ii. differentiate between the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer and sinner;

iii. appreciate God’s grace in sending the Holy Spirit to the world; and

iv. show signs of having developed inner hunger for more infilling of the Holy Spirit (Rev. 3:20).

INTRODUCTION

TEXTUAL SOURCE: JOHN 16:7-11; Acts 2:14-39; 8:26-39; 9:1-6,36-42; 2 TIMOTHY 3:16,17; HEBREWS 12:5-11

We appreciate our good God for His manifold blessings bestowed on us in the course of the previous lesson. As we continue to appreciate Him for exposing us to fundamental revelations about revival, we pray that His grace will help us to long for, and position ourselves for the much-anticipated end-time revival, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Revival is the work of the Holy Spirit wherein He moves amongst God’s people and those who are not. The Holy Spirit works in God’s people to equip them and give gifts to them for the work of spreading the Gospel and building up the Church. The Holy Spirit gives apostles, pastors, prophets, evangelists and teachers to the church. Also, He moves in the world to convict sinners of their wicked ways and need for God.

This lesson has a message for both believers and unbelievers alike, in that, it calls all to recognise the grace of God in giving His spirit to the world. May God grant us the grace to understand and fully enjoy the benefits of Holy Spirit fuelled revival in Jesus’ name

Amen.

INTRODUCTION TO EACH DIVISION

This lesson is divided into two sections, I and II. Each of the sections is further divided into A and B, respectively.

DIVISION I — HE CONVICTS:

This division, discussed in two parts, bothers so much on the convicted work of the Holy Spirit as part of His place in revival. It answers the question; Of what does the Holy Spirit convict? Why does the Holy Spirit convict? What are the means of conviction? May we receive and embrace life- transforming conviction as we study, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

DIVISION II — HE REBUKES AND CORRECTS:

The Holy Spirit has a responsibility to rebuke and correct. The way He does these, is the focus of this division. May we receive grace to embrace the rebuke and correction of the Holy Spirit, for our betterment, in Jesus’ name. Amen

LESSON OUTLINE

I. HE CONVICTS

A. CONVICTION: OF, AND FOR WHAT?

B. CONVICTION: THE MEANS OF WHAT?

II. HE REBUKES AND CORRECTS

A. THE WAY THE HOLY SPIRIT REBUKES

B. THE WAY THE HOLY SPIRIT CORRECTS

LESSON EXPOSITION

I. HE CONVICTS (John 16:7-11; Acts 2:14-39; 8:26-39; 9:1-6, 36-42)

The issue of conviction is a powerful one that has to do with the functioning of our heart, conscience, our spirit, and the Spirit in us. The Bible has instructed the believer to guard his heart with all diligence because issues of life flow from it (Prov. 4:28). So, heart is instrumental to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works through our conscience to either justify or condemn our actions, thoughts and speeches. How open to the Holy Spirit’s conviction is your heart?

A. CONVICTION: OF, AND FOR WHAT? (Jn. 16:7-11)

And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (v..

i. The world is a sinful place, and one of the Holy Spirit’s tasks is to convict the world of its sinfulness. No amount of preaching, pleading and persuasion would work, if the Holy Spirit does not convict.

ii. vv. 7-11: No one is truly saved, if he has not been convicted by the Spirit of God. It is very imperative to secure the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, if spiritual results are to be produced following soul-winning efforts.

iii. Man’s salvation is God’s initiative (Gen. 3:9; Jn. 15:16), because if He doesn’t seek man, man would never seek after God (cf. Rom. 3:11; cf. Jn. 5:6; 6:44). That is the extent of depravity in man (Rom. 1:28).

iv. vv. 8-9: And when He has come. The purpose God is not just sending the Holy Spirit for fun. He has target and specific objective to achieve–conviction of the whole world. Open up your heart to Him (Rev. 3:20).

v. He will convict the world of sin. Why? All have sinned (Rom. 3:23) and need redemption–product of God’s orchestrated revival.

vi. …God so love the world and has given us His only begotten Son. The Holy Spirit convicts and eventually would condemn the finally impenitent sinner for rejecting God’s offer of salvation–Jesus (Jn. 3:16,18,36; 16:9).

vii. v. 10: …and of righteousness. The Holy Spirit, like any judge, either convicts, discharges or acquits the accused, depending on whether he is guilty or not. No one is righteous; Christ’s righteousness is imputed in us (Isa. 64:6).

viii. v. 11: …of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. The Holy Spirit convinces man that man that Satan, and all who belong to him, are already doomed (cf. Heb. 2:14; Rev. 12:7-9; 20:10).

ix. Knowing and relying on the Holy Spirit is the sure way to experience revival.

B. CONVICTION: THE MEANS OF WHAT? (Acts 2:14-39; 26-39; 9:1-6; 9:1-6, 36-42)

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart… (v.37)

i. 2:14-39: The Holy Spirit convicts through the preaching of the gospel. He uses the Word of God (Acts 20:27; Rom. 10:17; Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12) to effect our salvation (Rom. 1:16).

ii. v. 37: During Peter’s preaching on the Day of Pentecost, his hearers were sharply convicted of their sins (v.23), of righteousness (vv. 24,33), and of judgment (vv. 19-20).

iii. 8:26-39; cf. Mk. 16:15: Personal witnessing efforts is another means of conviction by the Holy Spirit. The Ethiopian eunuch had no option than to be baptised. Felix and Agrippa resisted His conviction (24:24-25; 26:26-29), to their own detriment.

iv. 9:1-6, 36-42: He also does conviction through special providences and interventions. For example, Paul, on his Damascus expedition, was brought down to realise his errors and need for Christ. The jailer too, realised his helplessness and need for God by the miraculous happening (16:25-30).

v. From Matthew. 18:19, it is clear that the Holy Spirit’s work of conviction is done in answer to the prayers of God’s people. Prayer of agreement for the salvation of sinners’ souls has actually led to the conversion of many sinners (cf. Psa. 107:20).

vi. In addition, the Holy Spirit convicts through cleansed, yielded and Spirit filled vessels. For instance, Saul first became convicted when he heard the testimony of Stephen and his Christ-like spirit while being stoned to death (7:54-60).

viii. The Holy Spirit bears witness of Christ and Calvary through the testimony of believers as He operates on the conscience of men through the Word of God. Did not our hearts burn within us… (Lk. 24:32), strong conviction by the Word of God. The Word of God is the veritable instrument of convicrion by the Holy Spirit.

LESSONS DERIVED

1. No one can get saved at will; the Holy Spirit is the agent. We must allow Him in order to experience the much-anticipated revival.

2. The Word of God is powerful and irresistible to the force of sin; it liberates the willing heart.

WORK TO DO

The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins, because His work is to make us like Jesus. Discuss.

SUGGESTED ANSWER TO WORK TO DO

i. There is no doubt that sin pisses God off our lives, even when, He constantly and continuously loves the sinner to depart from sin. Sin kills and holds the impenitent sinner back from God.

ii. When we sin, the Holy Spirit through His convicting power brings our errors to our attention. Thereby, a sinner cannot justify himself.

iii. Temptation in itself is not a sin (Jas. 1:12ff). Jesus was tempted and did not sin (Matt. 4:1-11). Giving in to temptation is what brings sin. The Holy Spirit will nudge your heart before you make the move. Listen to Him.

iv. The conviction also comes before the sin happens. The Holy Spirit will start to tap on your heart once temptation comes.

v. Conviction is our best friend. If we stop feeling convicted, then we have bigger problems (cf. Jn. 16:8).

vi. It is our responsibility to respond to the Holy Spirit’s conviction.