C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER 10, 2023 : LESSON 9: TOPIC – BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR BELIEVERS WITH SIGNS FOLLOWING

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

THEME: UNDERSTANDING OUR APOSTOLIC FOUNDATION

EPHESIANS 2:20

JULY – DECEMBER 2023

UNIT TWO: THE LORD SUSTAINS US

10TH SEPTEMBER 2023

LESSON 9

TOPIC: BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR BELIEVERS WITH SIGNS FOLLOWING

MEMORY SCRIPTURE

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11).

God has sent His Spirit to His Church, to help us become His best in our lives and all our endeavours.

BRIEF COMMENT:

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit places the believer in the body of Christ and sets The the stage for the infilling of the Spirit. The infilling is an experiential work that has to do with living a Christian life with signs. Like water baptism that normally leads to a relationship with Christ, the Holy Spirit baptism unites converted ones to Christ, thereby receiving extraordinary power for manifestation in serving the Lord Jesus Christ (Act 1:8). Referring to the prediction by Prophet Isaiah 40:3, John, emphasised that the Messiah to come would baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire therein. For the Holy Spirit has been absent from the people for generations. The fact that the Messiah would baptise those who would repent, shows that the Holy Spirit will be a promised fulfilled of the great power to come.

DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READINGS

Mon. 4: The Spirit’s Coming Is A Must (Jn. 14:16,26)

Tue. 5: The Promise Of The Father (Acts 1:4,5)

Wed . 6: The Powerful Launcher Of The Church (Acts 2:1-4)

Thur. 7: The Spirit-Baptised Are Specially Gifted (1 Cor. 12:7-11)

Fri. 8: The Spirit-Baptised Are Commissioned (Acts 13:1-4)

Sat. 9: The Spirit-Baptised Are To Do Exploits (Acts 16:11-19)

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS: 1. Christ endues us with His power from on high to effectively occupy for Him till His glorious Coming, no jokes!

2. Only believers who have got the experience of Holy Spirit baptism can bear the fruit of the Spirit. It is required of believers to humbly do the work of Jesus in this world while awaiting His glorious return.

BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Joel 2:28

AIM AND OBJECTIVES:

AIM: To declare the fact that without the baptism of the Holy Spirit, stage can’t be set for the infilling of God’s Spirit in the believers.

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

i. show that the baptism of the Holy Spirit emboldens the believer for the work of Christ; and

ii. show that with a regular fellowship in the Holy Spirit, His fire will continually purify the believer with accompanying signs.

INTRODUCTION

TEXTUAL SOURCE: JOHN 4:14; 15:26; ACTS 1:4,5; 1:8; 2:1FF; 4:31; 5:12A; 1 CORINTHIANS 12:1-13; GALATIANS 5:22-26

We thank God for the previous lesson that concluded our discourse on our fourth tenet. In the last fortnight, the Holy Spirit has helped us to better understand what Believers’ justification is, as well as what it means to be sanctified through the finished work of Christ. May we not lose this priceless position. Amen.

This week, we are dealing with our fifth tenet: The Baptism Of The Holy Spirit For Believers With Signs Following. We cannot talk about Baptism of Holy Spirit without first talking about the Holy Spirit Himself, the Baptiser into one body, the Body of Christ, at conversion (1 Cor. 12:13). He is so indispensably important in the matters of our salvation, heaven-ward journey and eventual eternity with Christ in His holiness. We are privileged to have such a timeless article of faith among our tenets. This shows the commitment of our church fathers to Pentecostalism that God desires for us as His own people.

INTRODUCTION TO EACH DIVISION:

This lesson is divided into two divisions: I and II. It draws our attention to Holy T Spirit Baptism, which is thought to occur after conversion and is received through simple faith in Christ Jesus. It is recognised as a component of the sacrament of initiation into the Church. These believers have been incorporated into the body of Christ. Believers, with the means, are purposefully prepared. It also explores the effects of Holy Spirit baptism on the life of a believer. A believer who has been baptised in the Holy Spirit is established in his personal relationship with Christ. It is also an ultimate expectation that he exhibits the fruit of the Spirit, which reflects a truly transformed life.

LESSON OUTLINE

I. BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

II. BELIEVERS’ ACCOMPANYING SIGNS

LESSON EXPOSITION

I. BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Jn. 4:14; 15:26; Acts 1:4,5; 1:8;2:1ff) But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life (Jn. 4:14).

a) In. 15:26: The Holy Spirit, the 3rd Person of the Trinity, is…

* Our Seal (2 Cor. 1:21,22; Eph. 1:13;4:30) and Advocate, Defender, Protector, Helper, Counsellor, Comforter, etc (Grk. Paraclete’; Latin Paracletus) (In. 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7), like Jesus (cf. 1 Jn. 2:1).

* Our Rabbi’ (Master, Teacher, Lord), in praying (our Intercessor) (Rom. 8:26-27) and understanding the Scripture (Psa. 143:10; In. 6:63), guiding us into the Truth (n. 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:10ff).

b) 1 Cor. 12:12-13: At conversion, the Holy Spirit moves upon one, bringing him to faith and uniting him to Christ and His Body.

c) In. 4:14: Jesus’ words here describe how eternally indispensable and imperative the Holy Spirit Baptism is, for every believer. No wonder He charged His Apostles to patiently wait for Him (Lk. 24:49b; cf. Acts 1:4).

d) Acts 1:5: These very post-resurrection words of Christ (Lk 24:49a) refer to John the Baptist’s earlier prophecy (Matt. 3:11)-the promise of the Father (Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:16,17b).

e) Acts 1:5; Lk. 3:16: The Spirit’s Baptism, being immersed (Grk. baptizo) in the Spirit, means to be endued with extraordinary power for Christ-glorifying ministry. It may come in an unusual, decisive experience, after conversion. It should be a recurrent experience.

f) Acts 2:1ff: The fulfilment at Pentecost. It must be a repeated experience in the believer’s life. Acts 1:8 implies the purpose of this baptism as being for effectively taking Christ’s message to all the world; not for frivolities!

h) The baptism of the Holy Spirit, which was predicted and has now been fulfilled, comes as anointing power upon believers to establish a Spirit-filled life at the best for what Christ may call someone to. It is purposeful and directive, as the Apostles demonstrated in their own time. We could both strive for it and establish it as our spiritual priority.

II. BELIEVERS’ ACCOMPANYING SIGNS (Acts 2:42-47; 4:31; 5:12a; 1 Cor. 12:1-13; Gal. 5:22-26) And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues (Mk. 16:17). a) Gal. 5:22-26: Part of the accompanying signs of the Spirit’s baptism in the believer’s life is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It isn’t possible to be Spirit-

baptised and still lack character (cf. Matt. 5:16; 12:33,34; In.7:37-39).

b) Acts 2:42-47: The Spirit’s baptism breeds unity among the brethren, enhanced by the true love (Agape) that characterises them (cf. Rom. 5:5; 1 Cor 13:1ff).

c) The Spirit’s baptism distinguishes the saints from the rest of the world interms of character and culture (Acts 11:25,26). d) 1 Cor. 12:1-13: God’s Power (cf. Lk. 24:49) in the Spirit-baptised manifests spiritual gifts for effective ministry (cf. Eph. 2:10). e) Manifestation of spiritual gifts as evidence of the Spirit’s baptism continues today as the Spirit still gives utterances (cf. 10:44ff; 19:6).

f) Acts 4:31: Just as it happened here, continued infilling of the Spirit (cf. Eph. 5:18) boosts continued spiritual relevance and effectiveness in bold worldwide witnessing (cf. Matt. 28:18ff; Acts 1:8), and God chooses to do signs and wonders through, and in the Spirit-baptised Christian (Acts 3:1ff; 4:30; 6:8; 14:3;15:12; 16:16-18).

h) There is no doubt that signs and wonders assist believers in bringing people to Christ. These are events that demonstrate God’s glory and love for His people. Signs are actions that point people to God. The Church today has been divinely endowed with supernatural spiritual gifts and empowerment to function at various levels and places that will edify His body.

LESSONS DERIVED

1. It is erroneous to claim that the Holy Spirit no longer manifests as He did in the early Church (cf. Heb. 13:8).

2. The signs of being Spirit-baptised are not limited to speaking in tongues. God cannot be limited. He manifests in diverse ways.

QUESTIONS

1. Why is the presence of the Holy Spirit so indispensable in the believer’s life?

2. “Manifestation of signs and wonders stopped with the early Apostles.”What is the Pentecostal belief about this assertion?

SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS:

ANSWER TO QUESTION 1:

• We are under the dispensation of the Holy Spirit

• Christ promised to send Him to us and He already did.

* For us to know all about the Father, the Son and what worth knowing

* That He may testify of Jesus to us for assurance of faith (John 15:26)

* The world through Him might get conviction of salvation He is the Christian ownership

* To reveal things to come unto us who believed Him That He may sanctify us

• He will always intercede on our behalf

* We need Him for our companion.

ANSWER TO QUESTION 2:

* Signs and wonders refer to the miracles produced by the Holy Spirit as portrayed in many places in the Scripture

• Irrespective of controversies, the Bible gives no indication that the signs and wonders have stopped, they may be rare, but they still happen.

* In view of this, what needs to be done is to seek what the scriptures say regarding signs and wonders.

* In this day’s religion, many seek excitement and run after miracles instead of seeking Christ.

* Signs and wonders from the rightful source are permanent, magic performed are just temporal and of the devil. Signs and wonders are not the saving Word of grace; they are God’s secondary testimony to the Word of His grace.

LIFE APPLICATION:

Spiritual life is found in Christ, but it is given to those who trust Christ as Saviour by the Holy Spirit. To enter God’s kingdom, a person must be born of the Spirit, by His miracle that people are made right with God. Today, many testimonies abound, such as the conversion of Apostle Paul, who was sometimes a chronic enemy of the Christ’s gospel. However, after receiving the Holy Spirit baptism, they became firebrand evangelists for Christ, working tirelessly for His kingdom.

CONCLUSION:

We thank God for the completion of lesson 9 in this series. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, believers are saved, filled, sealed and sanctified. The Holy Spirit reveals God’s thought, teaches, and guides believers into all truth. The Holy Spirit also helps Christians in their weakness and intercedes for them. Considering the saying of Billy Graham “the Holy Spirit illuminates the minds of people, makes us yearn for God, and takes spiritual truth and makes it understandable” This could not have been if He is irrelevant.