His APRIL–MAY LESSONS - ADULT STUDENTS parents DEEP ROOTS BEARING FRUIT went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He was His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. 43 When they had finished the days, as theyAPRIL–MAY returned,2021 the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; 44 but supposing Him to have been in LESSONS ng the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought to the Him among their ADULTrelatives and STUDENTS acquaintances. 45 So when ustom of they didALFRED not STREET findBAPTIST CHURCH Him, they returned to Jerusalem, Rev. Dr. Howard-John46 Wesley, Senior Pastor the feast. seeking Him. Now so it was that after three43 days When1 they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them His parents ALFRED STREET BAPTIST CHURCH went to Jerusalem every year at the CONTENTS Feast of the 1.THINGS UNSEEN: Passover. 42 AndTHE EVIDENCE OF GOD IN HISTORY . .3 when He was 2. EYES OF UNDERSTANDING . .8 3. STEPHEN’S WITNESS . .. 14 twelve years 4.PHILIP AND THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH: old, they went A PATH TO EVANGELISM . 19 5. WHAT ABOUT MOMMA N’EM? up to Jerusalem THE OVERLOOKED DILEMMA OF His parents went to Jerusalem every year ataccording the to THE SALVATION OF THE BLACK WOMAN . 25 Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He wasthe twelvecustom 6. NO OTHER GOSPEL! . 30 years old, they went up to Jerusalem accordingof the to feast. 7. ONE IN CHRIST . 35 TONGUES OF FIRE/FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT . .39 . the custom of the feast. 43 When they had 43finished 8. When they 9. A FORK IN THE ROAD: the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus hadlingered finished RIGHTEOUSNESS OR WICKEDNESS . 43 behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His motherthe days, did as 44 not know it; but supposing Him to havethey been returned,in Scriptures marked KJV are taken from the KING JAMES VERSION (KJV): KING JAMES VERSION, public domain. Scripture taken from the Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Used by permission. All rights the company, they went a day’s journey, andthe soughtBoy Jesus reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International V ersion®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 45 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” Him among their relatives and acquaintances.lingered So when behind and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™ Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem,in Jerusalem. permission. All rights reserved. 46 Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, seeking Him. Now so it was that after Andthree Josephdays and1993 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scriptures marked THE VOICE are taken from the THE VOICE (The Voice): Scripture taken from THE VOICE TM. Copyright© they found Him in the temple, sitting in theHis midstmother did 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. of the teachers, both listening to them and notasking know them it; 2 44 but supposing His APRIL–MAY LESSONS - ADULT STUDENTS parents Lesson 1 wentApril to THINGS UNSEEN: Jerusalem4 THE EVIDENCE OF every2021 year at Story: Lesson the GOD IN HISTORY Feast Luke 24:1–12 (KJV) Luke 24:1–12 (NIV) of | 24:1–12 Luke the Now upon the first day of the week, very early Jesus Has Risen in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, On the first day of the week, very early in the bringing the spices which they had prepared, and morning, the women took the spices they had Passover. certain others with them. prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found 42 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when And sepulchre. they entered, they did not find the body of the 4 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about Reading: Old Testament this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed when the Lord Jesus. like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed the women bowed down with their faces to the He was thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you shining garments: look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek of Man must be delivered over to the hands of ye the living among the dead? sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he again.’” 8 Then they remembered his words. Psalm 118:17, 21–24 21–24 Psalm 118:17, spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 9 When they came back from the tomb, they told 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of third day rise again. James, and the others with them who told this to the 8 And they remembered his words, apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had 10 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the happened. mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. ng 11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. to the 12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by ustom of themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. the feast. 43 When3 His parents ALFRED STREET BAPTIST CHURCH went to Jerusalem every What is your physical response to the story? year at the Feast of the 42 Passover. AndWhat is your emotional response to the story? when He was twelve years old, they went What are the key terms, phrases, and numbers? up to Jerusalem His parents went to Jerusalem every year ataccording the to Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He wasthe twelvecustom years old, they went up to Jerusalem accordingof the to feast. Re-create the story through an outline, image, poem, lyrics, or any other medium inspired . the custom of the feast. 43 When they had 43finished When they the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus hadlingered finished behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His motherthe days, did as How do you imagine or how has the story actually been told among different groups? not know it; 44 but supposing Him to havethey been returned,in the company, they went a day’s journey, andthe soughtBoy Jesus Him among their relatives and acquaintances.lingered 45 So when behind How did you read or how have you traditionally read, interpreted, and been presented the story? they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem,in Jerusalem. seeking Him. 46 Now so it was that after Andthree Josephdays and they found Him in the temple, sitting in theHis midstmother did of the teachers, both listening to them and notasking know them it; 4 44 but supposing His APRIL–MAY LESSONS - ADULT STUDENTS parents OPENING readers, through the proclamation of the angels that Jesus has risen as He promised. went to In 1987, PBS aired a 14-part documentary Luke 24:1-12 brings us into the story at a point chronicling America’s journey with civil of victory, one worthy of great jubilation and rights from 1954 through 1983. The celebration, that comes on the heels of a series of Jerusalem documentary explores countless stories of bitterly painful, anger-inspiring, terrifying, and grief- heinous crimes, unfathomable hate, small inducing moments. Though these moments can be every year hard for us to reflect upon and were much harder to victories, and unshakable faith on the road be experienced at the time, this story is incomplete to racial equality for African Americans without them. at the in the United States. It sheds light on moments of terrible grief, anger, and pain EXAMINING THE STORY Feast along with those of great celebration and jubilation. However, the first eight episodes The Crucifixion of the show leaders, citizens, and allies of the In the previous chapter, Luke 23, we find Jesus being African American community fighting brought before Pilate, governor of Judea, where Passover.