青少年教程 (使徒行传*第4课) | 不可阻挡的力量*初期教会面对的阻碍
- 羊之门-编译组
- 1 day ago
- 12 min read
编者按
这是一套在美国很受欢迎的教材，按年龄共分三部分：0-6岁学龄前儿童教程，6-12岁学龄儿童教程，和12岁以上青少年教程。我们将陆续翻译成中文，分享给大家。
这套教材里的每一篇，无论是教程还是各种活动，都独立成篇，没有先后顺序，大家可以按需要和负担选择使用。
*更多内容：thedoorofsheep.com/青少年 课程目的
帮助学生对初期教会的生活有基本的认识
帮助学生看见，为基督而活会面对很大的困难
激励学生为了福音忍受艰难
主题
勇气、困难、忍耐、跟随耶稣、影响力、阻碍、逼迫
背诵经文
使徒行传 4:13
开始祷告(5-10分钟)
团队建立(10分钟)
利用手边现有的物品，设置一个简单的障碍赛道。可以让学生从桌子下面爬过去，越过沙发，在走廊中奔跑时让其他人向他们投掷卷起来的袜子，绕过家具等。你只需要设置一条起点线、一条终点线，以及途中要经过的一些障碍。
如果小组人数较少，可以让学生逐一完成赛道；如果人数较多，可以进行比赛，看看谁获胜。给赢得比赛或最快完成赛道的人一份奖品，然后提出下面的问题。
开始(5分钟)
一般讨论：
• 障碍赛道中最困难的部分是什么？（让学生讨论。）
• 为什么障碍赛跑比没有障碍的赛跑更困难？（因为途中有东西挡路！）
• 假如我们让你通过同样的障碍赛道，同时还要求你读一本书或完成另一项任务，你认为容易完成吗？（不容易，单单完成赛道已经够困难了。）
• 是什么使你在遇到障碍时仍然继续前进？（别人的加油、终点的奖品等。）
今天，我们要谈教会在耶稣复活之后传扬福音时，必须克服的各种阻碍。在使徒行传中，我们会看见一些与刚才相似的情形：过程很困难，但值得坚持，因为终点有奖赏。
现在就开始吧！
深入学习(35分钟)
初期教会面对了许多阻碍。今天我们要集中来看其中三个：逼迫、种族偏见和领导问题。
逼迫
读 使徒行传 8:1-3
讨论问题:
第1节一开始说：“扫罗也喜悦他被害。”他们杀害了谁？（可能需要回看第7章，是第一位基督徒殉道者司提反。）
以后我们会进一步学习司提反的故事。他被杀引发了什么？（整个教会遭遇大逼迫。）
有多少基督徒四散到各地？（成千上万的人，“除了使徒以外”全都分散了。）
这些基督徒分散到了哪里？（犹太和撒玛利亚，这也帮助实现了耶稣所说的话。）
扫罗怎样逼迫教会？（他挨家挨户搜捕基督徒，把他们关进监牢。）
逼迫从教会建立之初，就一直是教会经历的一部分。我们在圣经中读到逼迫时，往往觉得它离我们很遥远，因此不会带来太大的震动。然而，今天逼迫仍然存在。
• 人们普遍认为，二十世纪因信仰被杀的基督徒人数，比此前所有世纪加起来还多。
• 每年有超过十万名基督徒殉道。
• 目前有超过一亿名基督徒正在遭受逼迫。
这些数据来自主流新闻来源，是可信的。逼迫并没有消失，只是许多人看不见它。
一般讨论：
• 逼迫会怎样伤害教会？（它确实可能杀害教会成员、把他们关进监牢、烧毁教堂或书籍等。）• 你认为神可以怎样使用逼迫，使它带来益处？（逼迫使教会更勇敢地发声。个别传福音的人可能被噤声，但福音的信息无法被消灭。）
令人惊奇的是，教会增长最快的地方，往往正是逼迫发生的地方。
教会一直面对的另一个巨大阻碍，是种族偏见。
种族偏见
读 使徒行传 11:1-3
这里的张力存在于犹太基督徒和非犹太基督徒之间。在初期教会中，这两个群体原本互不来往。当两边的人都归信基督以后，他们必须学习怎样彼此相处。
讨论问题：
这段经文中，哪些人感到不满？（“奉割礼的门徒”，也就是犹太人。）
他们为什么不满？（因为彼得与外邦人，也就是非犹太人来往。）
为什么这是一件如此严重的事？（因为他们的传统不同。）
在使徒行传第10章中，使徒彼得亲眼看见外邦人归信基督，我们以后会学习这段经文。然而，那些不接纳外邦人的犹太信徒，因为彼得与外邦人一同吃饭、进入他们的家而感到不满。
我们可能很难理解这种情形，但犹太人与外邦人之间的冲突，很可能是世界历史上最严重的种族对立之一，甚至比美国黑人与白人之间的对立，以及世界其他地方的种族冲突更加紧张。这并不是唯一的例子。
读 加拉太书 2:11-13
讨论问题：
加拉太书的作者保罗在这里怎样批评彼得？（他在某些人面前采取一种做法，在另一些人面前又采取另一种做法。）
第13节怎样称呼这种行为？（“装假”。）
你认为彼得为什么这样做？（也许是出于惧怕，也可能种族偏见已经深深植根在他里面。）
你认为今天种族偏见仍然是教会中的问题吗？（很可能在世界几乎每一个国家，种族偏见在教会中仍然是一个问题。）
初期教会的带领人面对着两个巨大的阻碍：逼迫和种族偏见。除此之外，他们还必须摸索教会的带领应当是什么样子！
带领
阅读使徒行传 6:1-7
讨论问题：
这段经文中的基本问题是什么？（有些人觉得自己没有得到教会带领人应有的照顾。）
“十二使徒”怎样处理这个问题？（他们设立了更多带领人。）
根据第7节，紧接着发生了什么？（神的道兴旺起来。）
要使事工不断增长，就需要更多带领人。然而，事工增长得越大、带领人越多，带领方面的问题也可能越多。
读 使徒行传 15:36-41
讨论问题：
这里涉及哪四位带领人？（保罗、巴拿巴、约翰·马可和西拉。）
他们为什么产生分歧？（保罗认为约翰·马可还不够成熟，不适合同行；巴拿巴却想带他一同踏上宣教旅程。）
最后的结果是什么？（保罗和西拉走一条路，约翰·马可和巴拿巴走另一条路。）
经文怎样形容他们的争执？（“甚是争论”。）
你认为这样的事情在带领人之间多久发生一次？（可能相当经常。）
联系实际（15分钟）
面对带领的争执、种族偏见和逼迫，我们很容易怀疑，初期教会究竟怎样还能成就任何事情，甚至继续增长。然而，正如我们上周所谈的，他们的确做到了。这把我们带到一个无法否认的真理：
无论人的失败或外在压力怎样伤害教会，神仍然会成就祂的工作。
我不想用剩下的时间继续谈论问题。相反，我要谈的是，无论发生什么，初期教会怎样坚持下去，继续跟随耶稣。
读 使徒行传 8:4
讨论问题：
这是紧接在我们刚才所读逼迫经文之后的一节。它说了什么？（人们无论走到哪里，都传扬福音。）
逼迫是否吓得他们放弃了信仰？（没有。）
逼迫没有吓倒他们，反而使他们变得无所畏惧。
读 使徒行传 11:4、18
讨论问题：
彼得怎样为自己向外邦人传福音的行为作出解释？（第4节紧接在我们刚才所读的三节经文之后。彼得说明了神怎样呼召他向外邦人传福音。）
在第18节中，众人最后得出了什么结论？（他们胜过了自己的种族偏见，承认神正在呼召各族的人归向自己，并为外邦人的归信而欢喜。）
种族偏见没有拦阻他们。他们奉耶稣的名胜过了它。
读 使徒行传 15:41
讨论问题：
保罗和西拉与巴拿巴、约翰·马可产生争执之后，做了什么？（他们走遍各地，坚固众教会。）
他们是否闷闷不乐、散布关于巴拿巴的谣言，或把自己的不满发到社交媒体上？（没有，他们只是继续传道。）
整卷使徒行传中，我们不断看见阻碍。但真正激励我们的，是那些我们没有看见的事。我们看见意见不合，却没有看见教会因此分裂；我们看见种族偏见，也看见和好；我们看见逼迫，也看见福音继续被传扬。
一般讨论：
• 你看见今天的教会面对哪些问题？（逼迫、种族偏见、领导问题、不合一、对贫穷人的需要缺乏体恤、对社会议题的误解等。学生可能提出许多问题。不要否定他们所说的问题，只要承认这些确实是问题。）
• 你认为这些问题正在给教会带来正面的影响，还是负面的影响？（让学生讨论。）
• 你认为大多数教会处理这些问题处理得好，还是不好？你会怎样采取不同的做法？（让学生讨论。）
• 持续存在的偏见、逼迫和其他阻碍，是否会伤害我们的使命？我们可以怎样效法初期教会，在试炼中坚持下去？（信靠神、在艰难中不给撒但留地步、继续传扬福音、彼此沟通、更好地处理冲突等。）
今天，让我们以一节经文结束。这节经文似乎表达了初期教会在所有处境中的心跳。
请一位学生朗读使徒行传 4:13，然后大家一起背诵。
勇气能够胜过阻碍。勇气使人看见终点的奖赏。勇气使人无论发生什么都坚持到底。让我们祷告，求神赐给我们这样的勇气，使我们无论面对什么阻碍，都能继续前进。
结束祷告(10分钟)
邀请一至两位学生为小组祷告。
****** 英文版 *******
Acts: The Unstoppable Force
Lesson 4: Early Obstacles
LESSON OBJECTIVES
Goals
1. To give students a basic understanding of the life of the early Church
2. To help students see that there is great difficulty associated with a life lived for Christ
3. To motivate students to endure hardship for the sake of the Gospel
Topics
Courage, Difficulties, Endurance, Following Jesus, Influence, Obstacles, Persecution
Scripture Memorization
Acts 4:13
OPENING PRAYER (5 minutes)
GROUP BUILDING (10 minutes)
Set up a simple obstacle course, using stuff you have lying around. Have students crawl under a table, climb over a couch, run down a hallway while people throw rolled up socks at them, go around a piece of furniture, etc. All you need is a starting line, a finish line, and some obstacles to encounter along the way. If you have a small group, have the students take turns running the course one by one. If it is a large group, make it a race and see who wins. Award a prize to the person who wins the race or completes it the fastest. Then ask the questions below.
GETTING STARTED (5 minutes)
General Discussion:
• What was most difficult part of the obstacle course? (Allow for discussion.)
• Why are obstacle courses harder than races without obstacles? (Because there are things that get in the way!)
• Imagine we gave you the same obstacle course, but asked you to read a book as you went through it or complete some other task. Do you think that would’ve been an easy task to complete? (No, it was hard enough to do as it was.)
• What kept you going through the hurdles? (People cheering, a prize at the end, etc.)
Today we are going to talk about the obstacles the Church had to overcome as word was spread about the Gospel after the resurrection of Jesus. We will hear some of those same things in the book of Acts—it was difficult, but worth it, because there was a prize at the end.
Let’s get started!
DIGGING IN (35 minutes)
The Church faced many obstacles in its earliest years. We are going to focus on three: persecution, racism, and leadership issues.
Persecution
Read Acts 8:1-3
Discussion Questions:
1. The very first verse says, “Saul approved of their killing him.” Whom did they kill? (You may have to look back to chapter 7, but it is the first Christian martyr, Stephen.)
2. We will talk about Stephen’s story more in a couple weeks, but what did his killing spark? (Great persecution among the Church as a whole.)
3. How many Christians were scattered throughout the area? (Thousands, “all except the apostles.”)
4. Where were these Christians scattered? (To Judea and Samaria, which helps to fulfill what Jesus said would happen.)
5. What was Saul’s process in persecuting the Church? (He went house to house to imprison Christians.)
Persecution has been a part of the Church since the beginning. When we read about it in the Bible, it seems distant and doesn’t make a huge impact on us. However, persecution still happens today.
• It is widely accepted that there were more Christians killed for their faith in the 1900s than in every other century before it combined.
• Over 100,000 Christians are martyred annually.
• Currently, over 100,000,000 Christians are persecuted
These statistics are taken from mainstream news sources and are trustworthy. Persecution has not gone away; it is just invisible to many of us.
General Discussion:
• How can persecution harm the Church? (Very literally it can kill its members, shut them up in prison, burn their buildings or books, etc.)
• How do you think God can use persecution for good? (It emboldens the Church to speak out. Individual messages can be silenced, but the message cannot.)
It is incredible to see the Church growing fastest in places where persecutions are occurring.Another huge obstacle the Church has always battled is racism.
Racism
Read Acts 11:1-3
The tension here is between Jewish Christians and non-Jewish Christians. In the early Church, those two groups did not associate with each other. As both groups converted to Christianity, they had to learn to live with each other.
Discussion Questions:
1. Who is upset in this passage? (“Circumcised believers,” that is, Jews.)
2. Why are they upset? (Because Peter interacted with Gentiles/non-Jews.)
3. Why was this such a big deal? (They did not have the same traditions.)
The apostle Peter saw Gentile conversions in Acts 10, which we will study at another time, but Jewish believers who disapproved of Gentiles were upset that Peter ate with Gentiles and entered their homes.
It is hard for us to wrap our minds around it, but the battle between Jews and Gentiles is probably the most tense racism in the history of our world—even more than the black/white divide in the United States or other examples of racism around the world. This passage is not the only example.
Read Galatians 2:11-13
Discussion Questions:
1. What is Paul’s, the author of Galatians, critique of Peter in this passage? (He acted one way around certain people and another way around others.)
2. What is this labeled in verse 13? (“Hypocrisy.”)
3. Why do you think Peter acted that way? (Perhaps fear and racism were engrained in him.)
4. Do you think racism is still a problem in the Church today? (It is likely that in almost every country in the world racism in the Church remains an issue.)
The leaders of the early Church were faced with two huge obstacles: persecution and racism. To top it all off, they also struggled with figuring out what the Church’s leadership should look like!
Leadership
Read Acts 6:1-7
Discussion Questions:
1. What is the basic issue in this passage? (Some people felt like they were not getting the attention they needed from Church leaders.)
2. How did “The 12” handle it? (They appointed more leaders.)
3. What happened immediately following according to verse 7? (The Word of God spread.)
It takes more leaders for things to grow. However, the more things grow and the more leaders you have, the more leadership problems you can have.
Read Acts 15:36-41
Discussion Questions:
1. Who are the four leaders involved here? (Paul, Barnabas, John Mark, and Silas.)
2. What was the disagreement? (Paul thought John Mark was too immature to go along, but Barnabas wanted to take him on their missionary journey.)
3. What was the eventual result? (Paul and Silas went one way, John Mark, and Barnabas went another.)
4. How does the passage describe their disagreement? (It was “sharp.”)
5. How often do you think things like this happened among the leaders? (Probably pretty often.)
MAKING IT REAL (15 minutes)
With the leadership disputes, racism, and persecution affecting the Church, it is not unreasonable to wonder how they ever managed to accomplish anything or to grow. Still, they did, as we talked about last week. This leads us to this undeniable truth:
No matter what failure of man or external pressure may hurt the Church, God still gets His work done.
I do not want to spend the rest of our time talking about the problems. Instead, I want to talk about how the early Church persevered and kept following Jesus no matter what.
Read Acts 8:4
Discussion Questions:
1. This is the verse right after the verses we read earlier on persecution. What does it say? (Wherever people went, they preached.)
2. Did the persecution scare them out of their faith? (No.)
The persecution did not scare them; it made them fearless.
Read Acts 11:4, 18
Discussion Questions:
1. How did Peter defend his actions regarding the Gentiles? (Verse 4 is right after the three verses we read earlier. He explained the story of how he was called to preach to the Gentiles.)
2. In verse 18, what was the conclusion? (The others overcame their racism and recognized that God was drawing all people to Himself, regardless of race, and celebrated the Gentile conversions.)Racism did not hold them back. They overcame it in the name of Jesus.
Read Acts 15:41
Discussion Questions:
1. What did Paul and Silas do after the disagreement with Barnabas and John Mark? (They traveled around strengthening churches.)
2. Did they pout, spread rumors about Barnabas, or post their frustrations on Facebook? (No, they just kept preaching.)
All through the book of Acts, we see obstacles. What we do not see is what is so inspiring. We see disagreement, but we do not see division. We see racism, but we also see reconciliation. We see persecution, but we also see preaching.
General Discussion:
• What are some of the issues you see facing the Church today? (Persecution, racism, leadership issues, disunity, lack of empathy for the poor, misunderstandings around social issues, etc. There is lots of stuff they may see. Do not discredit what they say is an issue, just acknowledge that they are issues.)
• Do you see these issues affecting the Church positively or negatively? (Allow for discussion.)
• Do you think most churches deal with these issues well or poorly? What would you do differently? (Allow for discussion.)
• Do you think it hurts our mission that so much prejudice, persecution, and other obstacles continue? How can we model the first church’s attitude to persevere through trials? (Trust God, don’t let Satan get an advantage when we go through tough stuff, keep preaching, talk things out, handle conflict better, etc.)
Let’s finish today with a memory verse that seems to have been the heartbeat of the Church through it all.
Have someone read, and then work together to memorize, Acts 4:13
Courage overcomes obstacles. Courage recognizes the prize in the end. Courage endures no matter what. Let’s pray we can have that kind of courage to press on, no matter what the obstacles are.
CLOSING PRAYER (10 minutes)
Invite a student or two to pray for your group.
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