Seeds of Faith Podcast

 

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The text for this lesson is Acts 2:1–21; John 14:23–31.

Key Point

• At Pentecost, God sent the Holy Spirit to His Church. Through Word and Sacrament, God gives us His Holy Spirit to create and sustain saving faith in Jesus.
• Law: I sin when I believe that I can understand and trust in God on my own.
• Gospel: By the power and work of the Holy Spirit through His Word, the Spirit grants me faith in Jesus and empowers me to will and do that which is good and God pleasing.

Discussion Points

1. With the previous discussion in mind, compare John 19:34; 20:20–23 with 1 John 5:6–8. What connections between Jesus’ death and the Holy Spirit can we draw from these passages? How would Jesus later hand over the Holy Spirit to His followers?
2. Jesus told His disciples not to leave Jerusalem and start their evangelization of the whole world until they were “clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). They were to wait for the promise of His Father (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4), the Holy Spirit with which they would be baptized (Acts 1:5). Even before Jesus’ ministry began, the disciples were being taught to anticipate Pentecost.
   How does Acts 2:1–4 describe the fulfillment of this prophecy? What does the wind symbolize? What does the fire symbolize? Why is the traditional liturgical color of Pentecost red?
3. We are familiar with Peter’s previous failures to confess Jesus. Immediately after confessing that Jesus was the Christ, he denied Jesus His right to be the suffering Messiah (Matthew 16:13–23).
   Right before Jesus’ death, Peter lied instead of risking the chance of suffering for the sake of our Lord, denying that he even knew Him (Matthew 26:69–75). Yet on Pentecost, we see a different side of Peter. How does Acts 2:14 portray him? What could account for this change? See 2 Timothy 1:6–7.
4. In John 14:26, Jesus tells His disciples that “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” Keeping in mind that John’s Gospel was written several years after Jesus had risen and ascended, how do John 2:18–22 and 12:12–16 illustrate the working out of this promise?
5. As we noted, the Holy Spirit allowed the disciples to, in retrospect, understand the true meaning of the words or works of Jesus and of the Old Testament. How does the Spirit work in our lives to accomplish what Jesus did for His disciples in Luke 24:44–47?
   According to 2 Corinthians 3:12–18, why can’t the Jews truly understand the Old Testament? How are Christians enabled to interpret the true meaning of the Old Testament?
6. Even though we celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, what we emphasize in our teaching on this day should be governed by the contents of Peter’s sermon in Acts 2. Peter had received the Spirit, and what did the Spirit lead him to proclaim in Acts 2:22–24, 32–33, 36?
   According to 2 Corinthians 2:1–5, what does Paul say should be the emphasis in our preaching if we want it to make a “demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:4)?
7. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Since we live “by every word that comes from the mouth of God,” we had better have a dependable source for obtaining that Word.
   According to 2 Timothy 3:16–17 and 2 Peter 1:21, what role did the Holy Spirit have in leaving the Word of God to the Church? How does the Spirit ensure that the Word continues today?
8. Often the Pentecost account in Acts is used as an example of why speaking in tongues should be done in the Church. But the speaking in tongues of Acts 2 was a unique, one-time gift of the Holy Spirit so that the Galilean apostles could be miraculously understood by people who spoke different languages. The goal in this case was intelligibility, not incomprehensibility, as is so often the case in churches that speak in tongues.
   Rather than focusing on speaking in tongues as a spiritual gift, we should contemplate the fruit of the Spirit that Paul describes in Galatians 5:22–26. What does he encourage there?
9. It seems to be an oxymoron, but we are truly born dead, as Ephesians 2:1 tells us, “You were dead in . . . trespasses and sins.” What does the Holy Spirit do to give us new life according to John 3:5–6 and Titus 3:4–6?

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Key Point

• At Jesus’ Baptism, God sent the Holy Spirit and announced that Jesus is His Son. At Baptism, God makes us His children through the work of the Holy Spirit.
• Law: Because of God’s wrath and anger over sin, I and all people need a Savior.
• Gospel: At Jesus’ Baptism, God said that Jesus is His Son. In Baptism, God grants me faith in Jesus, my Savior, and declares me His child.

Discussion Points

1. Why is the Baptism of Jesus such an appropriate lesson for the Epiphany season?
2. God’s Word does not prescribe a certain style or location for a baptismal font in a church. Yet some congregations have large, beautifully designed fonts, and some put the font in a prominent location, such as right inside the entrance to the sanctuary. Why would they do these things? How could the style or location of the font communicate what a congregation believes about Baptism?
3. How does John make it clear that he is not the Christ (Messiah)? See Luke 3:15–16 and John 3:28–30. In what way are pastors like John the Baptist?
4. What did John’s Baptism do for those who received it? See Luke 3:3. Jesus was born sinless and never sinned. Why would He, the sinless One, need such a Baptism? See Matthew 3:14–15. What does His Baptism mean for us? See 2 Corinthians 5:17–21.
5. What do we learn from the Old Testament passage that provides the background for Luke 3:22? See Isaiah 42:1. What is the significance for us of the Spirit’s descent upon Jesus in the form of a dove? See Luke 3:16 and John 3:5. Based on the Holy Spirit’s name, how do we know what He does?
6. How does Christ’s Baptism provide insight into the mission of the apostles and their successors in the Church? See Matthew 28:19–20 and Acts 2:38.
7. Read Luke 3:17. What does this passage say is part of Jesus’ mission? Why is this message unpopular today? Why is it important that we continue to proclaim this aspect of Jesus’ work?
8. In the early days of Christianity, some churches would not allow people to pray the Lord’s Prayer until they were baptized. This might sound strange to us, but if we read the Lord’s Prayer closely, we might understand their practice better. Compare the following parts of the Lord’s Prayer with the corresponding verses and try to find the connection between them.
   “Our Father who art in heaven.”
   See Galatians 3:26–27 and Luke 3:22.

   “Hallowed be Thy name.”
   See Matthew 28:19–20 and John 1:12–13.

   “Thy kingdom come.”
   See John 3:5.

   “Forgive us our trespasses.”
   See Acts 2:38.

em>The text for this lesson is Joshua 3:3–5:12.

Key Point

• Led by Joshua through the Jordan River, Israel left the desert and entered the Promised Land; led by Christ through the water of our Baptism, we leave behind the desert of sin, death, and Satan and enter into the promised land of His heavenly kingdom.
• Law: In sin, I wander in the desert of death, complaining and unrepentant, determined to go my own way.
• Gospel: In Baptism, Christ lifts me from the grave, joins me to His own Baptism and Body, the Church, and leads me into the land of rest.

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Discussion Points

1. Think back to the last graduation ceremony you attended. What ceremonies and symbols marked the end of one phase of life and the beginning of the next? Was the focus on the past or on the future?
2. Read Joshua 3:1–6. Note the importance of the ark of the covenant. What did this ark represent? How do these instructions reflect the Israelites’ relationship with God?
3. Read Joshua 3:14–17. What is the significance of the Jordan River? What is the role of the ark of the covenant during the crossing?
4. Read Joshua 4:1–8. What was the purpose of this act commanded by God? How did it represent an end and a new beginning? Are there memorial “signs” that you can identify at church? in the liturgy?
5. Read Joshua 5:2–9. What was the significance of circumcision? Why was this an appropriate occasion for all of Israel to be circumcised?
6. Read Joshua 5:10–12. What is the significance of the Israelites’ celebration of the Passover?
7. This story is filled with connections to other passages in the Bible. Skim Genesis 7–8; Exodus 14; 2 Kings 5; and Matthew 3. How do these Scripture passages use water to mark an end and a new beginning? Skim Exodus 12; 2 Chronicles 35; and Luke 22. How do these passages concerning the Passover mark significant occasions in the restoration of God’s people to the life that God intended for them?
8. The Israelites began a new life surrounded by symbol and ceremony. When do Christians begin their new life? What symbols and ceremonies surround this event? What part of this event is not symbolic?
9. God instructed the Israelites to create a memorial to remember the day they entered their new life. How are Christians to do the same thing with respect to their Baptism?

The text for this lesson is 2 Kings 5:1–14.

Key Point

• Just as the Lord used an ordinary servant girl and ordinary water to heal Naaman, He cares for us through the ordinary people and ordinary means He chooses.
• Law: We too often want or even expect God to work in dramatic and exciting ways, such as pulsating worship, spectacular results to our witnessing, or giving us personal signs.
• Gospel: God gives forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation through ordinary water, through bread and wine, and through the voice of humble servants, all by the power of His simple Word.

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Discussion Points

1. Read 2 Kings 5:2–6. How does God use the injustice of the enslaving of the young Israelite girl to accomplish His divine purpose?
2. Why do you suppose the king of Israel tore his clothes when the Syrian king’s letter asked him to cure Naaman of his leprosy?
3. Why was Naaman angry when he received Elisha’s words?
4. Read 2 Kings 5:15. What is the purpose of Elisha’s prescription for healing?
5. Who helped Naaman realize that God was able to heal him through Elisha? How does God work through Christian neighbors to share His love?
6. Naaman was healed with simple water, directed by God’s Word. What does this remind us of today? What do we receive through Baptism?
7. Read Ephesians 2:1–5, 10. Describe the change that takes place in us through Baptism. What effect does that change have on us? Read also 1 Peter 2:9–12. What examples can you give of Christians demonstrating these effects in their lives?
8. How does God demonstrate that His ways are beyond human thought and understanding?
9. God works through simple means to heal Naaman. How does God continue to work through simple means today to provide healing and strength to sinners?

The text for this lesson is Acts 16:16–40.

Key Point

• Just as God freed Paul and Silas from prison, granting them life out of death, so Christ by His crucifixion and resurrection frees me from the prison of my sins and grants me life eternal.
• Law: The world hates Christ and His followers and painfully rejects me because of Him.
• Gospel: The Spirit pours the peace of Christ into me, forgiving, strengthening, and sustaining me in Christ.

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Discussion Points

1. Revisit Acts 16:16–20. Paul and Silas meet a woman with a spirit of divination, or a “Pythian” spirit. The word resembles our word python. What kind of imagery comes to mind when you think of a python spirit? The girl was specifically called a slave girl. How might her social status reflect her spiritual status? How might Paul and Silas offer her freedom?
2. In Baptism, we receive the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38–39). In fact, our baptismal liturgy asks each candidate for Baptism to renounce the devil and all his ways (LSB, p. 270). How do the actions of the slave girl reflect our own sinful condition prior to Baptism, and how does her attitude after the exorcism serve as an example for our own lives as baptized children of God?
3. The Gospel is “the power of God for salvation to all who believe,” and because of that, it has powerful enemies. These enemies are sometimes described as the world, the devil, and our own sinful flesh. Once Paul casts out a demon from the girl, how does the world react? Does he receive praise from the world for his kind act?
4. Read Acts 16:25. What kept the disciples’ spirits up while they were in prison? Reflect upon sacred hymns. How does singing influence your faith?
5. The earthquake is certainly a divine sign that God does not want to see His apostles in chains for the time being. The escape would have been so much easier for Paul and Silas if they had remained hidden and allowed the guard to fall on his sword. What motivates their desire to save the prison watchman?
6. Paul and Silas save the guard’s life. This good work inspires the guard to ask for an even greater gift: the way to save his life for eternity. Our good works in no way factor into our own salvation. Nothing but faith saves. However, how can our good works encourage others to seek salvation?
7. The guard asks, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul responds, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:30–31). Each must believe for himself, but how can we use our vocations as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or children to help others in our households to believe?
8. Why does Paul risk his freedom again by insisting upon a visit to Lydia before he leaves Philippi (v. 40)?

The text for this lesson is Acts 16:11–15.

Key Point

• Just as God worked His miracle beside the river, clothing Lydia with Christ in Baptism, so God works His miracles in pulpits and fonts around the world today, destroying the work of Satan, ripping believers from the jaws of death, washing away sins in water tinged with Jesus’ blood, and clothing believers with His righteousness.
• Law: Full of pride and guided by my emotions and experiences, I look for God and His works where I think He is, instead of humbly following His Word.
• Gospel: Christ locates Himself and His saving gifts for me in specific places: His baptismal font, His pulpit, His altar—wherever His Word is spoken, sung, poured, eaten, or drunk.

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Discussion Points

1. What does the “we” in Acts 16:11 mean? What do Luke 1:1–4 and Acts 1:1–2 tell us about these two books of the New Testament?
2. Some scholars think the reason there was no Jewish synagogue in Philippi was that Jewish practice at the time required at least ten worshiping men in the community to establish one. In any case, at Philippi, the true faith of Old Testament Israel—with its hope for the Messiah’s coming—was being carried on primarily or exclusively by women who gathered regularly for prayer, Lydia being the most prominent (Acts 16:13–15). What similar theme is present in 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14–15?
3. Often, a preacher uses the physical elements of his liturgical setting to illustrate themes (e.g., the font, altar, or crucifix). Paul delivered his sermon to the women at “the riverside” (Acts 16:13). How might Paul have connected their location at the riverside to draw out biblical themes in his message? See Genesis 2:9–10; Joshua 3:17; Mark 1:4–5, 9–11; John 7:37–39; 19:33–34; Revelation 22:1–2.
4. As Paul preached the Gospel, “The Lord opened [Lydia’s] heart to pay attention to what was said” (Acts 16:14). After coming to faith, she was baptized (v. 15). How was Lydia converted? Did her human will play any role in her conversion? Why or why not? See John 3:5–6; 6:44, 63; Romans 10:17.
5. The Lord opened Lydia’s heart so that she would believe the Gospel (Acts 16:14). According to Genesis 3:7, after the fall into sin, what have we opened by our own efforts? What are some things we must totally depend on God to open? See Luke 3:21–22; 24:44–49.
6. Lydia was baptized after hearing the Word (Acts 16:15). Similarly, the Ethiopian eunuch was baptized after Philip “told him the good news about Jesus” (8:35). Based on these apostolic examples, Christians have customarily baptized adults only after they have received proper instruction in God’s Word and have professed their faith in the Gospel. What are some benefits given to those who are baptized? See Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3–4; Titus 3:4–7. Should rebaptism ever be performed?
7. Lydia’s household was baptized (Acts 16:15). Were there infants or toddlers among those baptized? Why should Christians baptize infants? See Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 2:38–39; Luke 18:15–16; Matthew 18:1–6.
8. One friend says to another, “I know that I am saved because I believe in Jesus.” The other friend replies, “I know that I am saved because I am baptized into Christ.” Which of these statements best articulates our Christian hope?
9. In Acts 16:13, “on the Sabbath day,” Paul and his companions sought “a place of prayer” because they knew those faithful to the Old Testament would observe the Third Commandment: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). According to Colossians 2:16–17, were Paul and his companions still required to observe the literal requirement of that commandment? What does the Third Commandment mean for us? See Acts 2:42 and Hebrews 10:24–25.
10. How would you characterize Lydia’s response to the Gospel in Acts 16:15? What are ways that we can follow her example? Also see Romans 12:13; 3 John 5–8; 1 Corinthians 9:14.

The text for this lesson is John 9

Key Points

• Jesus healed the blind man with mud and spit to show the work of God. Jesus shows the work of God in us as He heals us of sin with water and His Word.
• Law: All sickness is a result of sin in the world.
• Gospel: Jesus has power to heal all sickness. He opens my eyes to see who He really is and heals me of my sin with water and His Word.

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Discussion Points

1. Who were upset that Jesus healed the man born blind on the Sabbath? Why?
2. What healed the man’s blindness? Why did Jesus tell him to go wash in the pool of Siloam?
3. What are the similarities between what Jesus did for the blind man and what God does for us in our Baptism?
4. How do you think the man changed after Jesus gave him sight?
5. How did the man’s physical blindness help him understand his spiritual blindness?
6. How did he come to see God at work in his life? What has Jesus done to bring us all into the light of God’s love?
7. How did Jesus’ use of dirt and saliva show who He was and work His plan of salvation?
8. How is Jesus the light of the world?

The text for this lesson is 2 Kings 5:1-14

Key Points

• God poured His grace on Naaman, telling him to wash in the Jordan so that he would be cleansed of his disease. He pours His grace on us through water and His Word in Holy Baptism and cleanses us from our greatest sickness—sin. God cares for us and has power to heal our diseases according to His will.
• Law: As Naaman was sick with leprosy, so I am sick with sin.
• Gospel: Because of Jesus, God cares for me and has power to heal my sicknesses according to His will. He pours His grace on me through water and His Word in Holy Baptism and heals my sin-sickness.

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Discussion Points

1. Why was an Israelite girl living in Naaman’s house in Syria?
2. Did the dirty Jordan River water wash away Naaman’s sickness? Who healed Naaman? Who heals us?
3. What sickness do all people suffer from?
4. How are we cleansed from sin and given saving faith?
5. How did God use the natural element water to bring about His plan of salvation for Naaman?
6. Did the river water cleanse or heal Naaman of his sickness? Was it the power of Elisha?
7. How does baptismal water work forgiveness of sins, rescue from death and the devil, and give eternal salvation?
8. How did Jesus’ blood cleanse us?

The text for this lesson is Luke 5:1-11.

Key Points

• Jesus chose ordinary, sinful men to follow Him and be His disciples. In Baptism, Jesus chooses us to be His children.
• Law: In my sin, I want to hide from Jesus. Because of sin, I doubt that Jesus is who He says He is. Because of my sin, my work is hard and often unfruitful.
• Gospel: In Jesus’ forgiveness, I find peace and favor with God. Jesus shows His power over sin and makes my work productive, giving forgiveness, new life, and salvation through His Word and Sacraments. God’s Word testifies repeatedly and consistently that Jesus is God’s Son.

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Discussion Points

1. Read Matthew 4:18–22. Does Matthew refer to the same event as Luke 5:1–11? What are the key differences between these stories? What is the difference between Jesus saying, “I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19) and “From now on you will be catching men” (Luke 5:10)?

2. The people had been astonished by the authority with which Jesus proclaimed the Word (Luke 4:32). Note that in Luke 5:1, the people are gathered around Him to “hear the word of God.” Luke is making it clear that, from Jesus’ time onward, hearing the Word of God is the same as hearing the Word of Jesus. Read Luke 8:21 and 11:28. What does Jesus say about those who receive His Word in faith? How does this message apply to us?

3. Read Isaiah 6:1–7. How was Isaiah’s experience similar to Peter’s? How were Isaiah and Peter both comforted? What do these stories tell us about God?

4. In Luke 5:10, Jesus tells Simon that he will begin catching men. In order to catch fish, you need a net and a boat. To catch men, Peter needed a means of catching people and a way to keep them alive. Read Acts 2:14, 36–42. What net does Peter use to catch people? Where were the people kept alive? How does this fishing expedition continue today?

5. Read Matthew 13:47–50. Though this parable is not a direct parallel to the story in Luke 5, it uses similar fishing imagery. What sobering fact does it teach us about the Church’s catch of men?

6. In today’s story, the fishermen fished with nets, not lines and hooks. Why is the image of a net bringing us into the Church more comforting than a hook?

7. Jesus brought about the miraculous catch of fish by His almighty power. In fact, the Greek does not say that the fishermen caught the fish but that the nets enclosed them. It was not an active accomplishment on the part of the fishermen. What comforting fact does this tell us about the mission of the Church?

8. Why would it not make much sense if every person was a professional fisherman? Why isn’t every Christian specifically called to be a fisher of men in the Office of the Holy Ministry?

The text for this lesson is 2 Kings 5:1–14.

Key Points

• Just as the Lord used an ordinary servant girl and ordinary water to heal Naaman, He cares for us through the ordinary people and ordinary means He chooses.
• Law:We may consider ourselves to be too young, too unimportant, or too poorly prepared to do anything valuable for God’s kingdom.
• Gospel: God constantly creates opportunities for us to share His love with others, and He brings miraculous results from our small efforts.
• Law: We may delude ourselves into thinking we are so important that God owes us special attention.
• Gospel: Though we do not deserve it, God cares for each one of us.
• Law: We too often want or even expect God to work in dramatic and exciting ways, such as pulsating worship, spectacular results to our witnessing, or giving us personal signs.
• Gospel: God gives forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation through ordinary water, through bread and wine, and through the voice of humble servants, all by the power of His simple Word.

Context

Elisha succeeded Elijah as Israel’s chief prophet. They both worked great wonders, but their main purpose was to exhort people to trust in and worship the Lord alone. Their miraculous signs were meant to turn people from false gods and lead people like Naaman to the conclusion, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel” (2 Kings 5:15).

In the Old Testament, leprosy describes various skin conditions that made a person ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 13–14). A common misunderstanding of the Old Testament ritual system is that “uncleanness” equates to sinfulness or condemnation. The book of Leviticus shows that this was not so; states of cleanness had to do with determining which people were eligible to enter God’s holy presence in the sanctuary.

Leprosy caused discomfort and had serious social consequences. People avoided lepers and considered them cursed by God for some particular sin. Elijah’s healing of Naaman previews Christ’s healing of lepers, which fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases” (Matthew 8:17). Jesus accomplished eternal healing for all people when He died for the sins of all (2 Corinthians 5:14).

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