July 24–30

Acts 16–21

“The Lord Had Called Us for to Preach the Gospel”

Before looking at this outline, prayerfully read Acts 16–21 with your class members in mind. The following ideas can supplement the inspiration you receive from the Spirit.

Invite Sharing

Consider inviting class members to share a passage from Acts 16–21 that reminded them of an experience they had sharing the gospel.

Teach the Doctrine

Acts 16–21

As members of the Savior’s Church, we testify of Him and share His gospel.

• One prominent message in Acts 16–21 is the importance of the Holy Ghost in sharing the gospel. For one example, class members could read about how the Holy Ghost helped Paul and Silas in Acts 16:6–15. Why do we need the Holy Ghost when we share the gospel? (see 2 Nephi 33:1; Doctrine and Covenants 33:8–10; 42:14; 100:5–8). Perhaps class members could share experiences when the Holy Ghost guided their efforts to share the gospel.

• How can Paul’s experiences help class members have courage when they are prompted to share their testimonies? Consider asking each class member to review one of the following accounts: Acts 16:16–34; 17:16–34; 18:1–11. Ask them to share evidence they find of Paul’s courage and boldness. What truths did Paul teach (and understand) that gave him confidence in his message? Why are we sometimes hesitant to share the gospel, and how does the Savior help us? Encourage class members to think of one way they can follow Paul’s example and share their testimony of Christ more often (the video “I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go” [ChurchofJesusChrist.org] can help).

Acts 17:16–34

We are the offspring of God.

• On Mars’ Hill, Paul taught about Heavenly Father to a group of people who knew little about God’s true nature. To explore these teachings, class members could read Acts 17:24–31 and write on the board the truths they find about Heavenly Father, our relationship with Him, and our relationships with each other. They could then share experiences in which they have felt the truth of Paul’s statement that God is “not far from every one of us” (verse 27).

• As you examine these verses together, consider discussing the truth taught in verse 29: “We are the offspring of God.” You could write on the board Because we are children of God, … and If we did not know we are children of God, … Invite class members to suggest ways to complete these sentences. For example, what does the fact that we are children of God teach us about ourselves and about the way we should treat each other? How would our lives be different if we did not know about our true relationship with God? What does the statement by President Dallin H. Oaks in “Additional Resources” add to this discussion?

  

  Each of us is a child of God.

Additional Resources

We are all children of God.

“The Family: A Proclamation to the World” shares eternal truths about our relationship to God: “All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

President Dallin H. Oaks spoke of the importance of seeing ourselves first and foremost as spiritual children of God:

“Be careful how you characterize yourself. Don’t characterize or define yourself by some temporary quality. The only single quality that should characterize us is that we are a son or daughter of God. That fact transcends all other characteristics, including race, occupation, physical characteristics, honors, or even religious affiliation. …

“We have our agency, and we can choose any characteristic to define us. But we need to know that when we choose to define ourselves or to present ourselves by some characteristic that is temporary or trivial in eternal terms, we de-emphasize what is most important about us, and we overemphasize what is relatively unimportant. This can lead us down the wrong path and hinder our eternal progress” (“Be Wise” [Brigham Young University–Idaho devotional, Nov. 7, 2006], byui.edu).

Improving Our Teaching

Invite youth to be part of your lesson. If you teach youth, remember that they often are able to understand the things their peers are going through. When a young person bears testimony or teaches doctrine, other youth may be touched in a way that you cannot replicate. Give youth opportunities to teach each other. (See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 28.)