An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 26:19-19, with the title, “Respond,” for Sunday, November 17, 2024. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:
INTRO: Evangelist Billy Graham was called the “pastor to presidents.” He met with every U.S. President, from Harry Truman in the 1940s, to Donald Trump in 2016. When he met with them, Graham always sought to share the gospel with these most powerful men in the world. He is an example of one who “spoke truth to power” — which can be a very difficult thing to do!
After sharing that introduction, you could ask your class: ??? Has anyone here ever have the opportunity to “speak truth to power” — or know someone who did?
In our lesson for today from Acts 26, the Apostle Paul “speaks truth to power,” and shares the Gospel with some rulers and kings.
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 22:6-21, with the title of “Witness” for Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:
INTRO: ??? Has anyone in our class ever been called to testify as a witness in a trial??? Then you could say: today in Acts 22 we are going to see how the Apostle Paul testified to his faith before the Jews …
OR: ??? Has the Lord given anyone an opportunity to share a witness with someone recently??? You/your group can share your experiences, then you can say, this morning in Acts 22 we see how Paul took advantage of an opportunity to share the gospel, in the midst of a very difficult situation. (Or even if none of you can share a recent opportunity, you could say: We probably DID have some opportunities, but missed them! But here in our passage in Acts 22 this week, we see how the Apostle Paul did take an opportunity to share, even in a difficult situation.)
(Testimony shared 10/27/24; the Sunday Cheryl & I first returned to church after her stroke)
August 31, 2024 is a day that Cheryl & I will never forget. It’s the day when after a week of Cheryl having unusual physical difficulties, going to the doctor, getting medication, watching things get progressively worse until she couldn’t stand or walk to the bathroom, that we finally went to the emergency room and discovered to our shock and dismay that she was in the process of an ongoing and devastating stroke. This totally upended our lives. Cheryl was left with what the hospital doctor called “severe damage,” unable to move anything on her left side, her arm or leg. We are here to tell you today, the last two months has been a dark, dark valley for us.
But we are also here to tell you that in the dark valleys — God is with us! He HAS been with us. A couple of years ago I learned that in the exact middle of Psalm 23 — a significant place for the Hebrews — is the phrase “for You are with me.” God inspired David to put that phrase right in the middle of that great Psalm, to show us that THIS is what it’s all about; THIS is our hope; THIS is our comfort in “the valley of the shadow of death,” and “in the presence of our enemies” — what is it? “For YOU are with me.” That’s our hope, that’s our comfort — that God is with us. And we are here to tell you today that He IS. In the darkest valleys of your life — and we’ve been in a dark one — God is with us.
He’s been with us, and He’s been walking with us, doing His work in us, and He’s been teaching us. And so this first Sunday back with you, I felt led to just share with you a testimony of some of the things we’ve learned and experienced these past weeks. They’ve been costly lessons for us, but they’ve been good ones. I hope you can learn from some of them today:
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Acts 20:18-32, with the title “Commit,” for Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:
INTRO: You could use one of the two following suggestions for an introduction to the lesson:
— George Washington’s farewell dinner with his officers, December 4, 1783. It’s a bit long, but it’s very touching. You might share all or part of, or summarize it for your class: “At Fraunces Tavern the invitees milled about awaiting Washington’s direction. … With glass raised, Washington waited until all had filled their own. ‘With a heart filled with love and gratitude,’ he began in a choked voice, ‘I now take leave of you. I most devoutly wish that your later days may be as prosperous and happy as your former ones have been glorious and honorable.’ … Blinded by tears, his voice still faltering, Washington resumed, ‘I cannot come to each of you, but shall feel obliged if each of you will come and take me by the hand.’ As the senior office present, Henry Knox stepped forward silently and proffered his large cannoneer’s fist. Weeping openly, Washington embraced his burly longtime chief of artillery and kissed him…. In turn, and by rank, each officer, Van Steuben following, came forward to be clasped, ‘suffused with tears,’ and unable to utter an intelligible word. ‘Such a scene of sorrow and weeping, ‘Tallmadge recalled, ‘I had never before witnessed. … tears of deep sensibility filled every eye … The simple thought that we were about to part from the man who had conducted us through a long and bloody war, and under whose conduct the glory and independence of our country had been achieved, and that we should see his face no more in this world seemed unsupportable.’ The General’s parting band of brothers seemed like ‘grieving children.’ Each realized that they had all lived through something that would not be replicated in their lives, and that in the 1,600 mile length of the vast new nation, distance and time made it wholly impossible that they would share another such moment. Once the most junior office had received Washington’s embrace, and men never known for tears were still dabbing at their eyes, he strode across the Long Room. With what seemed like a strenuous effort, he raised his right arm in a silent farewell and walked out the door without looking back … most officers followed, Tallmadge remembered, ‘in mournful silence.’ … No one would return for Samuel Fraunces’ carefully laid out collation of cold meats for which Washington had paid the bill in advance.” (Stanley Weintraub, General Washington’s Christmas Farewell, pp. 85-87)
— OR: Have your class members to write (or just share): “If you were going to leave your family/loved ones a last message, what would you tell them?” Write down 2-3 things, and we’ll ask for some volunteers to share in a couple of minutes.
Whichever introduction you use, then say: in our lesson this morning we’ll look at the last words the Apostle Paul shared with the leaders of the church at Ephesus when he left them for the last time.
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 19:11-20, with the title “Motives,” for Sunday, October 27, 2024. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:
INTRO: Last week we suggested to open the lesson by asking your group for the most sinful/worldliest place they’d even been. This week you could ask your class what is the biggest city you’ve ever visited?
(Some might say New York, or Chicago, or London — I’ve been on mission trips to New York, Istanbul, and Delhi, India — HUGE cities: Delhi has almost 30 million population!)
This week we see how the Apostle Paul went to one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire, the city of Ephesus, on his 3rd Mission Trip.
On Saturday, August 31, my wife Cheryl suffered a massive stroke that crippled her left side, leaving her at least temporarily unable to use her left arm or leg. This was totally unexpected, and was devastating to us. As with every difficulty, it drove us anew to rely on the Lord and His word. But even in the midst of the stroke and its related problems, we found a lot of humor along the way, that helped us keep our sanity — or maybe you should be the judge of that!
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 18:1-11, 18-21 for Sunday, October 20, 2024, with the title, “Together.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:
INTRO: Ask your group: ??? What’s the most “worldly”/sinful city you have ever visited???
(You/your class members can share your experiences. For example: when I was in college a group of us went to Paris on mission; and although it is called “The City of Lights,” it was a very dark place spiritually. Later as a pastor I also attended the Southern Baptist Convention when it was held in Las Vegas. I definitely saw some things there that I have never seen before! These are very worldly places.)
So after you/your group share your experiences like that, and some of the things you saw, then you could say something like: in our lesson for today we see how the Apostle Paul came to a very worldly place to minister, the city of Corinth, Greece!
About five weeks ago, tragedy struck in our home. My wife of 42 years, Cheryl, suffered a massive stroke that left her paralyzed on her left side. Leaving the ER in Angleton, she was sent to Jenny Sealy Hospital in Galveston, where she was treated for a week in the stroke unit there. This was a total shock to our family. I have been in ill health for years, but Cheryl has always been healthy. She walked three miles a day. She told the doctor that she was disappointed that her daily exercise routine did not forestall the stroke. He said, “Your walking saved your life. Most people with this kind of stroke are either dead or in a coma.” Her walking had not been wasted — a good lesson for many of us! Several of our friends and family members are now walking daily, just one of many good outcomes God has brought out of Cheryl’s stroke.
But what happens when tragedy strikes? Where do you turn? Cheryl & I are Christians: that is, we have admitted that we are sinners, and have trusted Jesus Christ as our Lord & Savior. This means not only that we have an eternal home in heaven, but also that we have a real Lord who is with us in every situation. Being a Christian does not mean that you never face difficulties; rather it means that the God of the Universe walks with you through your difficulties. When tragedy strikes, genuine Christians turn to the Lord, and learn to walk with Him more closely than ever before. The central teaching of Psalm 23 (both literally in the middle of the Psalm and its most important truth) is: “For You are with me.” When we turn to Him in our tragedies, we find He really IS with us. And I can say that we have discovered this to be true.
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 17:22-34, with the title of “Believe,” for Sunday, October 13, 2024. A video version of this lesson is available on YouTube at : (pending publication today)
INTRO: On June 26, 1963, during the height of the Cold War, John F. Kennedy gave a speech in Berlin Germany, while Berlin was surrounded by the Soviet Union and East Germany. Twice in his speech Kennedy used the phrase, “Ich bin ein Berliner” (pronounced “ish bin ein Bear-leener” as Kennedy had it in his notes!) “I am a Berliner”. Why would he do that? He was seeking to “connect” with his audience, of almost half a million citizens of the embattled city.
It’s the same reason that Kamala Harris, J.D. Vance, and Tim Walz keep saying things like: “I grew up in middle class family.” They’re using that phrase attempting to “connect” with their audience.
Today in our passage from Acts 17 we see how the Apostle Paul used something he saw in the culture around him in Athens Greece to connect with his audience there.
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 16:11-15, 29-40, for Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024 with the title, “Every Opportunity.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:
INTRO: As many of you know, about four weeks ago, my wife Cheryl experienced a serious stroke that left her unable to use her left side. The doctor told her that had she not been walking three miles a day, this was the kind of stroke that would have either killed her, or left her in a coma. Needless to say, we are thankful that she is still with us, and after a week in the hospital, we have spent the past 3 weeks in a rehab center in Pearland, TX. I’m not going to downplay this; these have been the most devastating and difficult days in our lives. But we are thankful that Cheryl is slowly working her way back; she is taking baby steps in a walker, and getting some of her strength back in her left side. And we also know that God is using us, even at the hospital, and now in rehab. We have had numerous opportunities to share testimonies, and scripture verses that God is using to get us through this, with people here at the center. Cheryl has quoted Isaiah 48:11, her “lean on” verse in this time, to several people. Wherever we are, God wants us to use “every opportunity” He gives us, to share His word with others.
??? You might open the lesson by sharing a personal testimony like that, and then ask your group: Can you share a time when you/someone you know had an opportunity to share the gospel/His word with someone???
After that discussion you can then say something like: In today’s lesson in Acts 16, we see how Paul & Silas shared the gospel in some different situations in their lives.
I'm a retired Southern Baptist pastor of almost 40 years. My wife Cheryl & I moved to Norman, OK in March of 2025. I share a weekly overview for Sunday School teachers of the weekly Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, as well as texts of my sermons and other articles.
shawnethomas 