OPPOSITION TO THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

SUBJECT :

CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES

CLASS  :

JSS 3 / BASIC 9

TERM :

FIRST TERM

WEEK :

Week 6

REFERENCE MATERIALS :  .

• ONLINE MATERIALS
• SCHEME OF WORK
• TEXTBOOKS
• THE HOLY BIBLE

TOPIC:  

OPPOSITION TO THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE :

The pupils have previous knowledge of

MURMURING IN THE EARLY CHURCH. ACTS 6:1, 2

BEHAVIOURAL OBJECTIVES :  At the end of the lesson, the pupils should be able to

• Explain  meaning of the opposition to the gospel message
• say the reasons for the opposition of the gospel message
• list how the opposition to the gospel message was shown to the disciples in the Bible
• Narrate Peter’s defence

CONTENT :

WEEK 6

DATE: ……………………………………………………

SUBJECT:  CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES

TOPIC:   OPPOSITION TO THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

BIBLICAL REFERENCES   Acts 3: 11 – 44; 4: 5 – 31

 CONTENT:

• Meaning of opposition

• Reasons for the opposition to the Gospel

• Manifestation of the opposition

• Why Peter and John were arrest

• Reasons for the arrest of Peter and John

• Defense of Peter.

Sub-Topic 1: Meaning of opposition; Reasons for the opposition to the Gospel

INTRODUCTION

Meaning of opposition

When two things are opposed to each other, they are different from each other and usually in conflict. Opposition can be political, like the opposition between Republicans and Democrats in the United States. It can also describe the conflicting forces at work in a situation, like the opposition of good and evil. And sometimes people use “opposition” to talk about the act of opposing something, like when you raise objections to a plan.

From the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit gave the apostles the strength and courage to preach, they never stopped preaching the good news about Jesus. Jesus was the expected Messiah and Saviour whom the Jews rejected. But, God raised Jesus up so that whoever believes in him would be saved and have eternal life.

The Jews in the early church strongly opposed the gospel message. They did not want to believe that Jesus was the Messiah and they used various methods to try to stop the Christians from preaching about him. Sometimes they resorted to violence, like when they stoned Stephen to death (Acts 7:54-60). Other times they used false accusations and propaganda to turn people against the Christians (Acts 6:11-14).

The opposition to the gospel message was not just from the Jewish religious leaders. It was also from ordinary Jews who were influenced by them. In Acts 4, we read about how some of the Jews threatened the apostles and told them not to preach anymore in the name of Jesus.

The opposition to the gospel message also came from Gentile sources. The Roman authorities did not like the fact that the Christians were preaching about a king who was not Caesar. So they persecuted the Christians and even put some of them to death (Acts 8:1-3; 12:1-5).

REASONS FOR THE OPPOSITION TO THE GOSPEL

 The Jews opposed the Gospel Message for two reasons:

 1. First, some of them rejected the good news about Jesus because they did not see Jesus as the expected Messiah and Saviour.

 2. Second, some of them like the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead.

THE MANIFESTATION OF THE OPPOSITION TO THE GOSPEL

The opposition manifested in the arrest of Peter and John; the arrest and martyrdom of Stephen, the persecution by Paul, the martyrdom of James, and the arrest of Peter and his miraculous escape from prison.

ARREST OF PETER AND JOHN (Acts 3: 11 – 44; 4: 5 – 31)

On their way to worship in the temple at Jerusalem at the ninth hour of the day, Peter and John met a cripple at the Beautiful Gate. Peter healed the cripple in the name of Jesus.

Many people followed Peter and John into the temple at Portico of Solomon. Peter explained to them that the cripple was healed in the name of Jesus, whom they killed but God raised him from the dead. 

As Peter was speaking, the priests, the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came and arrested him and John.

WHY PETER AND JOHN WERE ARRESTED (Acts 4: 1 – 4) 

All the three groups had their reasons for arresting them.

1.The priests were the temple authorizes and the apostles had no right to preach in the temple   without their permission.

2. The captain of the temple was in charge of the temple police and his duty was to maintain law and order in the temple. The commotion caused by the healing of the cripple was likely to disturb the peace in the temple leading to the breakdown of law and order.

3. The Sadducees were a religious party in the time of Jesus. They did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. And so, they were not happy that the apostles were preaching the fact that Jesus died but God raised him from the dead.

THE DEFENCE OF PETER (Acts 4: 5 – 31)

The following day, Peter and John were brought before the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish Council for trial, that is the Supreme Court of the Jews. In attendance, among the Jewish leaders, elders and scribes, were Annas the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the members of the High Priests family. They were asked to explain the means by which thee cripple was healed. Peter told them that it was by the name of Jesus, whom they crucified but God raised from the dead. Peter made it clear that, apart from the name of Jesus, there is salvation in no other name.

The members of the Sanhedrin could not deny the miracle that had taken place, and so agreed to warn the apostles not to preach in the name of Jesus again. But Peter insisted that they would continue to preach in Jesus’ name. After threatening them, the Sanhedrin released the apostles.

After their release, Peter and John went back to the company of the early Christians. Together they prayed to God to give them the strength to preach the gospel with boldness in spite of the opposition from the Jewish authorities:

‘’ And now look upon their threats and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with boldness.”

Stephen’s speech and his defence before the authorities

Stephen’s speech is a defence of the Christian faith and a condemnation of the Jews for their opposition to it. He starts by recounting the history of Israel, from their time in Egypt up to the present day. He then goes on to accuse the Jews of being stiff-necked and rebellious, and of always resisting the will of God. Finally, he tells them that they are guilty of the death of Jesus, even though they had no hand in his actual crucifixion. This so infuriates the Jews that they drag him out and stone him to death.

EVALUATION   

1. Give two reasons why the Jewish leaders opposed the gospel message.
2. Mention three occasions in which the gospel message recorded stiff oppositions in Acts of  Apostles.

3. Who arrested Peter and John and why were they arrested?
4. The highest Jewish Council is called ……………….
5. What is the meaning of opposition
6. Give two reasons for the opposition to the Gospel
7. List two ways by which the opposition to the gospel was manifested
8. Why were Peter and John arrested?
9. Give two reasons for the arrest of Peter and John
10. Explain the defence of Peter.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

Read Acts 17: 1 – 60, in three sentences, summarize Stephen’s speech and his defence before the authorities.

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PRESENTATION 

The topic is presented step by step

Step 1:

The class teacher revises the previous topics

Step 2.

He introduces the new topic

Step 3:

The class teacher allows the pupils to give their own examples and he corrects them when the needs arise

CONCLUSION :

The class teacher wraps up or conclude the lesson by giving out short note to summarize the topic that he or she has just taught.

The class teacher also goes round to make sure that the notes are well copied or well written. He or she does the necessary corrections when the need arises.