THE PURPLE BOOK STUDY GUIDE

Teacher’s Manual

Contents
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER 1 – SIN AND SALVATION...................................................................................................5
CHAPTER 2 – LORDSHIP AND OBEDIENCE..................................................................................13
CHAPTER 3 – REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM..................................................................................20
CHAPTER 4 – THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS...........................................................28
CHAPTER 5 – SPIRITUAL HUNGER AND GOD’S WORD.............................................................36
CHAPTER 6 – DISCIPLESHIP AND LEADERSHIP..........................................................................43
CHAPTER 7 – SPIRITUAL FAMILY AND CHURCH LIFE................................................................48
CHAPTER 8 – PRAYER AND WORSHIP...........................................................................................55
CHAPTER 9 – FAITH AND HOPE......................................................................................................61
CHAPTER 10 – BIBLICAL PROSPERITY AND GENEROSITY......................................................68
CHAPTER 11 – EVANGELISM AND WORLD MISSIONS..............................................................73
CHAPTER 12 – RESURRECTION AND JUDGMENT......................................................................78
ANSWERS...............................................................................................................................................84

Helpful Headings in this Teacher’s Manual

OBJECTIVES
LOGISTICAL NEEDS FOR THIS SESSION
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
MEMORY VERSE
TEACHING TIP/S
EXPLANATION
ILLUSTRATION
TRANSITION POINT
SUGGESTION
MINISTRY MOMENT
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
REFERENCES
ENDNOTES
INTRODUCTION
OBJECTIVE
As part of establishing biblical foundations, through this class, we desire for each believer to be
established in the Word. At this point, participants have finished Victory Weekend. Through this
class, we want to see each participant go deeper in the Word and build lasting foundations
through spiritual disciplines and the habits of loving, reading, studying, and applying God’s
Word.

EXPLANATION
Foundations are developed with different tools and in different scenarios, and a variety of these
are needed so that the foundations are really deep: face-to-face (ONE 2 ONE), personal (The
Purple Book), classes (like this), and different tools (like Faith to Live By, etc.)

BACKGROUND
This class explains the points of each lesson in The Purple Book in a simplified manner. The
participants should have worked on The Purple Book on their own before coming to class, and
this is the environment to process what they have learned through individual study.

We encourage participants to go through The Purple Book every so often, or even every year.
Many of our pastors do so.

NOTES
Refer to this class as The Purple Book class.

All verses in the manual are from ESV, but you may supplement by using different versions.

SUGGESTIONS
 Books such as Faith to Live By by Pastor Paul Barker, Wikichurch and 100 Years from
Now, both by Pastor Steve Murrell, can be made available for sale at the class. These
are some of the tools that are available for our church, written by those in our ministry
that can help establish biblical foundations.
 Give a Bible reading calendar for the duration of the class or make online options
available. Through this class, we want to help each participant develop the daily
discipline of reading the Bible.
 The key verse of each chapter could also serve as a memory verse that the participants
can memorize, so that at the end of the foundations class, they would have memorized
twelve verses. Reinforce this by asking them to share the memory verse in front or write
it at the start of the next session.
47
"Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48he
is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood
arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49But
the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a
foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
Luke 6:47-49
Foundations matter.

A structure is only as good as its foundation, and much time and resources are spent to build a strong
foundation. As followers of Jesus, our foundation should be Jesus—our Rock. If we build on Him, the
storms and earthquakes of life will not bring us down.

This class is one way to establish biblical foundations. Time, study, and devotion to God’s Word are
needed. Since the responsibility to develop strong and deep foundations lies with us—not a pastor or
Victory group leader—we need to develop spiritual disciplines in our lives. These include devotion to
the Word, prayer, fasting, and a lifestyle of faith, spiritual growth, and generosity.

The Purple Book is the personal study guide that accompanies this material, and participants are to
complete each chapter before the class.
CHAPTER 1 – SIN AND SALVATION

Introduction

LOGISTICAL NEEDS FOR THIS SESSION

 Uno Stacko, Jenga, or a similar game
 Packs of softdrink straws

MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
 Uno Stacko, Jenga, or a similar game featuring four to five groups
 Alternative: Divide the class into groups, with four participants in each group. Give each
group a bundle of straws (one whole pack of softdrink straws). In five minutes, each
group is to build a structure. The team with the highest standing unsupported structure at
the end of the session will win.

Welcome the class and explain the goals. Provide a brief intro of the teachers. Then go over the
schedule quickly and remind the class to work on The Purple Book before each session.

MEMORY VERSE

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

The primary story of the Bible is how God saved man from sin. Because we are sinners, we
can’t save ourselves. But because God is loving, He made a way to save us through Jesus
Christ.

TRANSITION POINT
Since the Fall of Adam and Eve, man has been hiding and God has been seeking. He sought us
first.

REFERENCES
You may refer to the summary on page 11 of The Purple Book.
LESSON 1

THE ORIGINAL STORY

In the beginning, God created us to have a personal relationship (1) with Him, but man chose to
rebel against God.

7
Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig
leaves together and made themselves loincloths. 8And they heard the sound of the Lord God
walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the
presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9But the Lord God called to the man
and said to him, “Where are you?”
Genesis 3:7-9

TEACHING POINT
God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to have perfect fellowship with Him. But
Adam and Eve chose to rebel against God by eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6).

EXPLANATION
Life in the Garden

Man’s life in the garden was to be characterized by worship and obedience. He was a
worshiper, not merely a worker and keeper of the garden.1

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:8) were in the middle
of the garden. God wanted Adam and Eve to experience life by knowing only good, and not evil.
However, the devil, disguised as a snake, deceived, lured, and tempted Eve, along with Adam,
to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Three Desires of Man

The English Standard Version says:

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the
eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and
she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

All natural and moral evil come from these three desires. They are exactly what the apostle
John was referring to 1 John 2:16:

For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life
—is not from the Father but is from the world.

 The fruit was good for food – the desires of the flesh
 The tree was a delight to the eyes – the desires of the eyes
 The tree was to be desired to make one wise – the pride of life

Covering up Sin

After Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they lost their moral innocence and had a new awareness
of themselves and of each other, in their nakedness and shame.2 So they sewed fig leaves
together to make something to cover themselves.

The fig leaves here represent man’s attempt to cover up his sin. Religion is man’s effort to reach
God. At best, our good works are like fig leaves that cover up our guilt. Isaiah 64:6 says that all
of our righteous acts are like filthy rags. Our best efforts are like grease-stained rags and dirty
pieces of cloth.

The Lord then asked Adam: “Where are you?” This question does not mean God did not know
where Adam was. Rather, it was God’s way of drawing Adam out of hiding.

Adam did two wrong things here:

 He hid—rather than facing the truth and admitting his sin (verse 10). His fear drove him from
God, rather than to God.
 He blamed Eve and he blamed God. Adam refused to admit that even connivance was a way
of being involved in wrongdoing.

Eve also looked for a scapegoat, so she blamed the serpent (verse 13). Both Adam and Eve
refused to accept personal responsibility for their actions.3

ENDNOTES
1
John Sailhammer, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Volume 2 (Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 1990), 45.
2
The NIV Study Bible Notes (Zondervan, 1985), 10.
3
Victor Hamilton, Genesis: Evangelical Commentary on the Bible. 14.
LESSON 2

TRANSITION POINT
God commanded Adam to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because on
the day he eats from it, he will surely die (Genesis 2:17). So after Adam and Eve sinned against
the Lord, He banished them from the Garden of Eden. He stationed a mighty winged creature
wielding a flaming sword to keep anyone from the tree of life (Genesis 2:23,24).

THE RESULTS OF SIN

The consequence of sin is death (2) —spiritual and physical.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
Romans 6:23

EXPLANATION
Separation from God

Adam and Eve were separated from God—that is spiritual death. Then they later died a physical
death.

Inherited Sin

Romans 5:12 (Amplified Bible) says:

“Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as the result of sin, so death
spread to all men, [no one being able to stop it or to escape its power] because all men sinned.”

Through the sin of Adam “all men sinned.” This means that God thought of us all as having
sinned when Adam disobeyed (see also Romans 5:13,14). Adam represented all of mankind in
the time of testing in the Garden of Eden. As our representative, Adam sinned, and God
counted us guilty as well as Adam (Wayne Grudem. The Doctrine of Inherited Sin. Chapter 24C:
Systematic Theology.)

Thus, Romans 6:23 says:

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The wages that sin pays is death—both physical and spiritual (separation from God in
hell), but God’s gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

TEACHING TIP
The teacher is encouraged to share a two-minute version of his/her personal testimony.
DISCUSSION
Obviously, God takes sin very seriously. What about you? What do you think you deserve for
your sin? (from The Purple Book, page 5)

REFERENCES
You may refer to the summary on page 4 of The Purple Book.

LESSON 3

GOD’S SOLUTION FOR SIN: JESUS’ DEATH AND RESURRECTION

Christ paid the penalty for our sins and reconciled (3) us to God.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the
righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21

EXPLANATION
Reconciliation

God does not have to be reconciled to man because Christ accomplished that on the cross. It is
sinful man who must be reconciled to God. “Religion” is man’s effort to be reconciled to God—
efforts that are bound to fail. It is Jesus Christ who reconciles us to God. He reconciles us
through His cross.

Imputation

Another key idea in this section is imputation. This is a word borrowed from banking; it simply
means, “to put to one’s account.”

ILLUSTRATION
Imputation

When you deposit money in the bank, the computer (or the clerk) puts that amount to your
account, or to your credit. When Jesus died on the cross, all of our sins were imputed to Him—
put to His account. God treated Him as though He had actually committed those sins. The
result? All of those sins have been paid for.

Reconciliation is based on imputation: because the demands of God’s holy law have been fully
met on the cross, God can be reconciled to sinners. Those who believe in Jesus Christ as their
Savior will never have their sins credited against them again. As far as their records are
concerned, they share the righteousness of Jesus Christ.1
OUR SINS HAVE BEEN PAID FOR AND GOD NO LONGER HOLDS THEM AGAINST
US BECAUSE WE HAVE TRUSTED CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR. BUT EVEN MORE:
GOD HAS PUT TO OUR ACCOUNT THE VERY RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST!

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23

DISCUSSION
What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?

ENDNOTES
1
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: New Testament (Colorado Springs, CO:
David Cook, 2007), 219.

You may refer to the summary on pages 6 and 8 of The Purple Book.

LESSON 4

RECEIVING GOD’S GIFT: A NEW HEART

In Christ, we are made new (4).

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the
new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17

EXPLANATION
The New has Come

The new has come means we receive new-covenant blessings written in Jeremiah
31:31-34, namely:
 all believers have a new obedience—the Law written on their hearts
 a new relationship—that God would be their God and they His people
 a new knowledge—they would all know Him
 a new forgiveness—for God would remember their sins no more1

When someone is born again, s/he becomes a partaker of the divine nature and escapes the
corruption in the world (2 Peter 1:4), which becomes part of him/her. Thus, the new believer is
indeed a “new creation.”
DISCUSSION
What would you do if someone could offer you a brand-new start in life? Have you received
God’s gift of new life? (from The Purple Book, page 19)

ENDNOTES
1
R. Kent Hughes, 2 Corinthians: Power in Weakness (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2006),
121.

You may refer to the summary on page 9 of The Purple Book.

LESSON 5

GRACE THROUGH FAITH

We are saved by grace through faith in Christ’s finished work (5), not by our good works.
8
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift
of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8,9

INTRODUCTION
It is by God’s gift of grace that we are saved, not by our good works. If man could be saved by
good works or by performing religious rituals, then heaven would be the noisiest place because
proud people would be boasting about what they had done on earth.

We are saved by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross. Christ’s
redemptive work on the cross is complete and sufficient to save us from all of our sins.

EXPLANATION
It is Finished

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, He declared, “It is finished.” (John 19:30). When Jesus
uttered the words “It is finished” (in Greek, tetelestai), He proclaimed the completion of His
sacrifice and the full payment of debt for the forgiveness of our sins.1

Justification

Justification is something completely undeserved. It is not an achievement or attainment. Even

faith is not some good work, which God must reward with salvation. It is God’s gift. It is not the
cause of our salvation, but the means by which we receive it.2
TEACHING TIPS
Activity: Departures from the Gospel

Refer to pages 101-104 of 100 Years from Now by Pastor Steve Murrell. Include the three
departures from the gospel by Professor John Gerstner and what the gospel really is. Give the
four sets of formula first (without identifying if it’s a departure or not) and ask the participants to
choose which one is the gospel. This will encourage the participants to think on their own and
correct unbiblical understandings of the gospel.

Liberalism Works = Justification – Faith

Antinomianism Faith = Justification – Works
Legalism Faith + Works = Justification
The gospel Faith = Justification + Works

Allow for a short discussion on faith, works, and justification. There may also be a Q&A portion
here.

DISCUSSION
 Discuss with your seatmate: How can we be sure of our salvation?
 Are you convinced that the good news of salvation is the most important message we
can share to our loved ones and friends? Who are the people you are praying to be
saved and plan to share the gospel to?

ENDNOTES
1
Mark Edwards. John Through the Centuries (Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing), 2004, 184.
2
Millard J. Erickson. Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1985), 959.

REFERENCE
Steve Murrell, 100 Years from Now
CHAPTER 2 – LORDSHIP AND OBEDIENCE

Introduction

LOGISTICAL NEEDS FOR THIS SESSION

 Pieces of paper for origami (optional)

MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
 Do you follow instructions well? Recall an instance explaining this.
 Alternative: Get two volunteers and give them instructions on how to create something
(e.g. origami). Then make them do it. Did they follow the instructions? Did they get the
desired result?

MEMORY VERSE

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?"
Luke 6:46

Lord means Master, Sovereign, Ruler, and God. Because Jesus is Lord, He calls the shots, He is the
boss, and He is to be followed completely. Every area of our lives should be submitted to Him.

REFERENCES
Read the portion on “Theological Malpractice” (pages 91-92) in 100 Years from Now by Pastor
Steve Murrell.

You may refer to the summary on page 14 of The Purple Book.

LESSON 1

JESUS IS LORD

Jesus is Lord (1) of all.

"Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and
Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Acts 2:36

INTRODUCTION
The Lordship of Christ is emphasized in the Bible. While the title “Savior” is mentioned 24 times
in the New Testament, the title “Lord” is mentioned 616 times in the New Testament.

EXPLANATION
Jesus is Fully God

In Acts 2, the apostle Peter was speaking to the Jews and spiritual pilgrims from different
nations who came to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem. He said that Jesus, who
was crucified and raised from the dead, is both Lord and Christ—both Master and Messiah.
The title “Lord” (Greek, kurios) means supreme in authority, the controller, God, and Master.

The New Testament authors used the term Kurios to describe the full Deity of Christ to mean
that Jesus is fully God, or the full God-man. Jesus is 100% God and He became 100% man—
not 50-50.

(Include a short primer on the humanity and divinity of Christ.)

Jesus is the Messiah

“Christ” was the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew term Messiah, which means “the Anointed
One” (cf. Acts 2:31,36; 3:18,20; 4:26; 5:42; 8:5; 9:22; 17:3; 18:5,28; 26:23). It implied “one
called and equipped by God for a specific task.”1

Public Confession

The phrase “Jesus is Lord” was the public confession of those who professed their faith or when
someone was getting baptized (see Acts 8:36-39; Romans 10:9-13; 1 Corinthians 12:3). 2

Jesus is Lord of all—every area of our lives.

When you confess Jesus as Lord, you’re saying, “Jesus is the One calling the shots for my life.
He is my God, my Savior, and the Supreme Authority in my life. Jesus is the One who tells me
how I live my life. Jesus is the One who has all authority in my life, not me. I am not an
autonomous, independent, and self-directed creature. I live to serve, obey, and glorify my Lord
and Master.”
ENDNOTES
1
Bob Utley. “Acts 2,” Free Bible Commentary,
http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/new_testament_studies/VOL03B/VOL03B_02.html.
2
Ibid.

LESSON 2

THE NARROW DOOR

Lordship demands obedience (2) to God and His Word.

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?"

Luke 6:46

Obedience is the hallmark of Jesus' followers—the proof that they love God.

TIPS
Emphasize obedience because of love and a relationship with Christ.

EXPLANATION
John 14:15,23,24
15
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. . . . 23 Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves
me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our
home with him. 24Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you
hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me."

Jesus told His disciples that if they loved Him, they would show it by doing what He commanded
them to do.

John 14:21 (HCSB) is an expansion of what Jesus said in verse 15:

“The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who
loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him.”
ILLUSTRATION
Search Warrant

What if one day the police came to the house of your neighbor and said, “Sir, this is our search
warrant. We received information that you are hiding unlicensed firearms. Can we search your
house?”

Your neighbor then says, “Ok chief, you may go inside my house, but don’t look under my bed.”

Now, where do you think the police will look first? Under his bed, right? In the same way, Jesus
wants you to surrender that area in your life that you are not willing to surrender under His
Lordship.

DISCUSSION
What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?

(A short time of prayer and ministry may be appropriate here.)

REFERENCES
You may refer to the summary on pages 15,17, and 18 of The Purple Book.

LESSON 3

LORDSHIP AND RELATIONSHIPS

Lordship governs (3) our relationships.

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with
lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
2 Corinthians 6:14

INTRODUCTION
Our relationships reflect our obedience to Christ. As children of God, we are now the temples of
the living God because the Holy Spirit lives inside of us (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19,20). And
because God lives in us, we are to honor Him with our bodies. We have to let people see the
reality of God in and through our lives, which are intertwined with our circle of relationships.

EXPLANATION
2 Corinthians 6:15-18
15
What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?
16
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as
God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people. 17Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them,
says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18and I will be a father to
you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty."
Being Unequally Yoked
The idea of not being unequally yoked together is based on Deuteronomy 22:10, which
prohibited plowing with two different animals that are harnessed or yoked together. It speaks of
joining two things that should not be joined. A yoke is a wooden bar that joins two oxen to each
other and to the burden they pull. An “unequally yoked” team has one stronger ox and one
weaker, or one taller and one shorter. The weaker or shorter ox would walk slower than the
taller, stronger one, causing the load to go around in circles. When oxen are unequally yoked,
they cannot perform the task set before them (gotquestions.org.).

Application
In what ways can Christians become unequally yoked together with unbelievers? How can we
apply this? In a partnership between a Christian businessman and an unbeliever, their opposite
worldviews, values, and morals will affect their business decisions. The same principle applies
when a Christian marries an unbeliever. Evangelist Billy Graham put it very succinctly when he
said that if you take an unbeliever for a mate, you also get the devil for a father-in-law.

But Paul means much more here than only marrying an unbeliever. It really applies to any
situation where we let the world influence our thinking. When we are being conformed to this
world and are not being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2), we are
joining unbelievers in an ungodly way (2 Corinthians 6. David Guzik’s Commentary on the Bible.
studylight.org).

To “touch no unclean thing” (2 Corinthians 6:17) means that as followers of Christ, we will not
draw life from people who can morally pollute us. Rather, we are to let the light of God’s glory
shine through our lives so that will influence others toward righteousness (Matthew 5:14-16).

DISCUSSION
What do you think it means to be in the world but not of the world (See John 17:15-18)? (from
The Purple Book, page 20)

ENDNOTES
1
“What does it mean to be unequally yoked?” GotQuestions.org,
http://www.gotquestions.org/unequally-yoked.html.
2
David Guzik. “David Guzik Commentary on the Bible: 2 Corinthians 6,” studylight.org,
http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/guz/view.cgi?bk=46&ch=6.

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on pages 18-20 of The Purple Book.
LESSON 4

CAN YOU PASS THE TEST?

Lordship transforms (4) our walk with God and with others.

6
If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice
the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:6,7

NOTE: Be careful how this is taught. We don’t want to confuse genuinely saved people.

As Christians saved by God’s grace, we are expected to live in a new way—in relation to God
and each other.

EXPLANATION
Sadly, there are many people who claim to be Christians, but whose lives have not been
changed. If we claim that we share in life with God but go on living in spiritual darkness, we are
liars and do not follow the truth. But if we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ
is, we are all united with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from every
sin.

Some may ask if they’re still saved if they sinned yesterday, and they may doubt their salvation.
Remember that salvation is based on what Christ did for us—not how well we live every day.
Christ passed the test for us since we can never pass it on our own. Even though we have
failed, and will still sin, we are saved because of what Christ did for us. Repentance is about
direction—walking with God—not perfection.

The book of 1 John clearly describes the righteous lifestyle of the true followers of Christ. True
disciples of Christ are walking in the light, they follow God’s commands, and they love God and
other people, as shown by their actions. Walking in the light means that we are in fellowship
with the Holy One who is the light. Walking in the light is a continuous and genuine relationship
with God.

ILLUSTRATION
Illustrate the difference between a step and walk. Walking is a journey. It doesn’t happen once
—that’s a step. It’s continuous.

Walking in the Light

John used the idea of walking in the light because walking involves progress. So John is telling
us, “Hey, if you are going to be in the light, you must be making some progress.” Walking
involves progress, so if you are in the light, it also necessarily involves progress.

What kind of progress are we talking about here? If you are in the light, then there should be
some progress evident in you from when you started your spiritual journey. If your exercise
regimen includes a morning walk or a twenty-minute jog, you do need to make some effort and
be committed to wake up early or go to the gym. When we look at our relationship with God, we
should see that we are becoming more like Christ. Our attitude, actions, and the way we treat
other people should be different and more like Christ.

DISCUSSION
 What are the noticeable changes in your life ever since you became a Christian?
 What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on pages 20-21 of The Purple Book.
CHAPTER 3 – REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM

Introduction

MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
Why do you think some people have a hard time saying ‘sorry’?

MEMORY VERSE

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Acts 2:38

Our response to Jesus’ sacrifice should involve repentance and baptism. Repentance is
being truly sorry for our sins and desperate to restore our relationship with our Heavenly
Father. Baptism is a public declaration of this repentance and putting our faith in Christ alone.

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 23 of The Purple Book.

LESSON 1

WHAT SHALL WE DO?

Repentance is a change (1) of mind that results in a change of direction.

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Acts 2:38

INTRODUCTION
The men and women in Jerusalem whom Peter spoke to had refused to accept Jesus as Lord
and Messiah. They passively participated in His execution. Now they were asked to make a
clear-cut commitment and symbolize their faith by public baptism. The Son of God lived and
died and was raised again, so that He might bring forgiveness and power for a new life to all
who repent and respond to Him as Lord and Christ.

EXPLANATION
Repentance vs. Penance
The word “repent” is a military term meaning to do an about-face.

Majority of Filipinos grew up with a mixture of Roman Catholic devotion and Filipino folk beliefs
about Christ. Some devotees reenact the sacrifice of Jesus Christ by whipping their own backs
or getting crucified during Holy Week. Devotees undergo hardships in the belief that such
extreme sacrifices are a way to atone for their sins, attain miracle cures for illnesses, or give
thanks to God. Alex Laranang, a 58-year-old vendor who was the first to be nailed to a cross on
a Good Friday in Pampanga (March 29, 2013), said he was doing it "for good luck and for my
family to be healthy."

Repentance is not penance. Penance involves acts of self-mortification or devotion performed

by a penitent to show sorrow for a sin or other wrongdoing. Repentance, on the other hand, is
the changing of our mind about who Jesus is and what He did for us. If we truly believe that
Jesus has fully accomplished the work of redemption through His death and resurrection, then
we have to repent and change our belief that we have to personally suffer and add to His
sacrifice in order for our sins to be forgiven by God.

Repentance and Restitution

Also, there are times that repentance should lead to restitution—making things right, like in the
story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:2-10). It should be a result of repentance, not something that
makes God forgive us.

ENDNOTES
1
Lawrence Richards, The Teacher’s Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1988), 767.
2
news.yahoo.com

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 25 of The Purple Book.
LESSON 2

REPENTANCE: TURNING FROM SIN

Repentance is turning away (2) from everything the Bible calls sin.

"'. . . to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of
Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are
sanctified by faith in me.’"
Acts 26:18

TRANSITION POINT
Jesus came to break the power of sin and begin God’s personal reign in the lives of people on
earth.1 In order for people to belong to the kingdom of God, they have to repent and believe the
good news.

To repent means to have a change of mind, which produces godly sorrow for past sins and a
godly lifestyle.

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may
come from the Lord . . .
Acts 3:19

EXPLANATION
Our Sins are Wiped Out

Peter commanded the crowd in Jerusalem to repent, renounce the sinful lives that led to Jesus’
death, and turn to God so that their sins may be wiped out. The phrase “wiped out” means that
the Lord will obliterate, erase, pardon, and blot out all of our sins.2

Change of Attitude and Behavior

Repentance has to do with a change of attitude toward your sins: you feel sorry for having
committed them.

Turning around has to do with a consequent change in behavior: you stop committing those
sins.3 Repentance is a genuine change of heart that makes a sinner turn away from sin.

People Belonging to God

2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows
those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from
wickedness.”

When the apostle Paul wrote 2 Timothy, what he originally meant by “turn away from
wickedness” was for Timothy to remind the believers to avoid the false teaching and godless
discussions of Hymaneus and Philetus.4 The Lord knows the people who belong to Him, and
everyone who claims that s/he is a Christian must avoid, abstain, and flee from all evil, injustice,
unrighteousness, dishonesty, and wrongdoing.

Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a changed lifestyle.

ILLUSTRATIONS
Making a Mess5

One little boy prayed, “Dear Jesus, I’m so sorry I made such a mess in my room today.” Then
he added, “But I sure had fun doing it!”

Some people enjoy making a mess of their lives. Eventually, the consequences make life more
miserable than fun. But repentance means you’re sorry enough to quit the behavior that’s
causing the mess.

Repentance and Restitution

About thirty years ago, newspapers carried the story of Al Johnson, a man from Kansas who
came to faith in Jesus Christ. What made his story remarkable was not his conversion, but the
fact that as a result of his newfound faith in Christ, he confessed to a bank robbery he had
participated in when he was nineteen years old. Because the statute of limitations on the case
had run out, Johnson could not be prosecuted for the offense. Still, he believed his relationship
with Christ demanded a confession. And he even voluntarily repaid his share of the stolen
money!6

DISCUSSION
What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?

ENDNOTES
1
Life Application Bible, NIV Edition (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1991), 1727.
2
NET Bible, http://classic.net.bible.org/strong.php?id=1813
3
Robert H. Gundry, Commentary on Acts (Baker Academic, 2011).

4
Gordon D. Fee, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus. Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1988).
5
Kent Crockett. “Sermon Illustrations,”
http://www.kentcrockett.com/cgi-bin/illustrations/index.cgi?topic=Repentance.

6
Today in the Word. April, 1989, 13. http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/r/repentance.htm

REFERENCES
You may refer to the summary on pages 26-28 of The Purple Book.
LESSON 3

REPENTANCE: TURNING TO GOD

Repentance is turning to God (3) in faith.

. . . they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.
Acts 26:20

EXPLANATION
Two Sides of Faith

True conversion is like the two sides of the coin. One side is repentance; the other side is faith
towards God.

Acts 3:19,20
19
"Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20that times of refreshing
may come from the presence of the Lord . . ."

Change of Heart

Repentance is a change of heart that enables us to turn towards God, from a sinful life to a life
that honors Him. It involves the turning from idolatry to the worship of the true and living God (1
Thessalonians 1:9), a turning from the love of evil to the love and obedience of God.

Acts 26:18,20
18
". . . to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of
Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are
sanctified by faith in me.' . . . 20but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and
throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to
God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance."

Paul stresses the radical about-face involved in embracing the good news.1 He kept declaring
that a life-change—a radical turn to God and everything it meant in everyday life is the proof of
the genuineness of a person’s repentance.
1 John 5:4,5
4
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has
overcome the world— our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who
believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Christ’s grace and presence in us is more powerful than our past mistakes or our current
challenges.

EXPLANATION
Overcoming the World

To be born of God means to have a living relationship with God, not just to be biologically alive,
but to be spiritually alive. And only the Spirit of God can make us spiritually alive.

Every Christian will overcome the world when he enters heaven’s gates, but the real issue here
is overcoming the world while we live on earth. No one can overcome the sinful world system
unless he believes that Jesus is the Son of God. The person who believes that Jesus is God
overcomes the world. Victory results from faith in Christ.2

It is through our faith in God and through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in us that we
overcome and become victorious over the pleasures, desires, and seductions of this sinful
world.

ILLUSTRATION
Pastor Rice Broocks on repentance:
When you turn around, God is just right there behind you.

QUOTES
“Repentance means we love our Savior more than we love our sin.”
—Kent Crockett

“Repentance is siding with God against self.”

― Todd Nibert

ENDNOTES
1
"The IVP New Testament Commentary Series - The Prisoner's Defense Part 2," Bible
Gateway, https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/ivp-nt/Prisoners-Defense-Part-2.
2
Grant C. Richison, 1 John (Austin, TX: Grace Notes) 143.

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on pages 28-29 of The Purple Book.
LESSON 4 – Water Baptism

Through water baptism, we identify (4) with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
3
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into
his death? 4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as
Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of
life.
Romans 6:3,4

EXPLANATION
What is Baptism?

The word “baptism” comes from the Greek word baptizo, which means to immerse, to engulf
(i.e. fully wet), and to cleanse by submerging.1

Baptism is the first act of obedience. It demonstrates our repentance—we die to sin and live by
faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 6:1-7).

Baptism demonstrates that Christ’s cleansing work is not superficial; we are changed from the
inside out. It also demonstrates that our repentance is not partial—we cannot be “a little” dead—
we must completely die to sin. For these reasons, we practice full immersion baptism. The
completeness of our death is the assurance of the completeness of our resurrection life in
Christ.

Water Baptism

Through water baptism, we identify with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection towards
newness of life. Water baptism is a public declaration of Christ’s work in our lives. It is an
external display of our faith and commitment to God.

Through baptism, we vicariously experience Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. The word
“vicarious” is an adjective that means “experienced in the imagination through the feelings or
actions of another person.” Through baptism, we share in Christ’s death, burial, and
resurrection. When we are lowered into the water, it is like burying the old sinful nature behind.
When we are raised out of the water, we rise as He did so we can live a new life.

ILLUSTRATION
Vicarious Experience

When your favorite NBA/PBA/UAAP/NCAA team wins the championship, you rejoice and share
in their victory even though you aren’t on the team and you didn’t make a single shot.

DISCUSSION
What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?
ENDNOTE
1
NET Bible, http://classic.net.bible.org/strong.php?id=907

REFERENCES
You may refer to the summary on pages 30-33 of The Purple Book.
CHAPTER 4 – THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS
Introduction

LOGISTICAL NEEDS FOR THIS SESSION

 Objects to wrap and gift wrappers (optional)

MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
 What’s the best gift you’ve ever received? Why did you like it so much?
 Alternative: Get volunteers to wrap gifts/items as quickly as possible. You can make this
a relay game.

MEMORY VERSE

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:8

It is impossible to live the Christian life apart from the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.
From the moment we are born again, God’s Spirit supplies the power we need to be a
consistent witness for Christ.

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 36 of The Purple Book.
LESSON 1

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

The Holy Spirit is the Helper (1) and the Spirit of Truth.

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever . . ."
John 14:16

EXPLANATION
Who is the Holy Spirit?

He is God Himself. He is co-equal, co-eternal, and co-existent with the Father and the Son. He
is the same in every attribute of God; same in substance, equal in power and glory. But He
differs from the other two Persons in His function and role.

(Emphasize that as Christians, we can have a relationship with the Holy Spirit.)

The Holy Spirit in the Bible

The Holy Spirit is mentioned more than 90 times in the Old Testament and more than 260 times
in the New Testament.1 This shows how knowing the Holy Spirit is so significant. He goes by
different names in the Bible (18 in the Old and 39 in the New Testament), describing His work
as He relates with the believer. Therefore, if we are to understand the role of the Holy Spirit, we
will know Him better as we know the names by which He revealed Himself.

The Holy Spirit is not a force, ghost, an “it,” a power, or influence. Most cults falsely teach that
the Holy Spirit is an impersonal divine influence of some kind, but the Bible teaches that He is a
real person, just as are the Father and the Son.2 If the Holy Spirit were merely a force, then He
could not speak (Acts 13:2), He could not be grieved (Ephesians 4:30), and He would not have
a will (1 Corinthians 12:11).3

The Names of the Holy Spirit

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever . . .”
John 14:16 (ESV)

The Greek word parakletos is translated in English as counselor, helper, or comforter. In other
contexts, parakletos often referred to a legal assistant, an advocate, or simply a helper (e.g. a
witness or a representative in court). The verbal form of this word, parakaleo, literally means to
call alongside and, therefore, to encourage or to strengthen.4

Let us compare this verse with other Bible translations:

 The English Standard Version (ESV) and New American Standard Bible (NASB)
translate parakletos as Helper.
  The NIV 1984 translates Helper as Counselor.
 The New Living Translation (NLT) and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
translate Helper as Advocate.
 The King James Version (KJV) translates Helper as Comforter.

All these Bible translations give us a more complete picture of the Holy Spirit. He is our Helper,
Advocate, Counselor, and Comforter.

 Helper - the Holy Spirit empowers us with a desire and strength to follow Christ.
 Advocate - He reminds us that God will defend and support us.
 Counselor - He is our Teacher who guides us on how to understand and apply God's
Word to our everyday lives. He leads us to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth.
 Comforter - He is our greatest and most-compassionate encourager in our time of need.

The Holy Spirit as Our Teacher

John 16:13 (NIV)

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his
own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.”

The twelve disciples felt sad when they learned that Jesus was leaving them. But Jesus
promised His disciples that the Holy Spirit will guide, teach, and lead them to the truth. The Holy
Spirit will help them understand the truth about God’s Word.

The Holy Spirit’s ministry as the teacher of present-day followers of Jesus consists in leading
them to understand and apply the normative truths of Scripture.5 Jesus will continue to speak to
us through the Spirit, who has come to live inside every believer.

ENDNOTES
1
Kevin Conner. Foundations of Christian Doctrine.

2
christiananswers.net
3
Matt Slick, “The Holy Spirit,” Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry, http://carm.org/holy-
spirit.
4
Thomas Constable, Dr. Constable’s Notes on John, 2012 Edition.
5
Bruce Milne, The Message of John: The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity
Press, 1993), 232.
LESSON 2

THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The fruit of the Holy Spirit is Christlike (2) character.

22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23
gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22,23

ACTIVITY
Show slides of pictures of colorful, healthy, and large fruits. Ask: “What does it take for a branch
to bear such fruit?” and “How much effort does it take?” Desired answer: It takes the branch to
remain, stay, or stick to the tree for it to bear fruit.

EXPLANATION
What is the Fruit of the Spirit?

The fruit of the Spirit is the result of the Holy Spirit’s presence and working in the lives of
maturing believers.1 It is a physical manifestation of a transformed life of being a disciple of
Christ. In order to mature as believers, we should learn, understand, and develop the attributes
of the nine-fold fruit.

What does it mean to live by the Spirit?

God’s Word exhorts us to live by the Spirit. This means that we are to live not according to our
flesh or to worldly desires but rather according to what pleases the Spirit of God. This lifestyle
will bring about the fruit of the Spirit. Notice that the text says “fruit,” not “fruits.” This means that
the nine nouns mentioned in Galatians 5 are part of one and the same fruit. And like in the
discussion question earlier, it does not take striving or an active effort (work) to bear such fruit.
The fruit of the Spirit is a natural by-product of living according to what pleases the Holy Spirit.

When Paul followed the list of the fruit of the Spirit by saying, “against such things there is no
law,” he was talking about the fact that the religious authorities and the Hebrew Torah (law)
were positive toward behavior that reflects these characteristics. Even a staunch enemy of the
church will likely find these qualities appealing. These are known to be positive characteristics
by almost everyone, anytime, anywhere.2

DISCUSSION
(from The Purple Book, page 39)
 Do you see evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in your life? Which ones do you have?
Which ones do you still need to develop?
 What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?

ENDNOTES
1
Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
2
“The Fruit of the Spirit,” spirithome.com, http://www.spirithome.com/fruits-of-the-spirit.html.

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on pages 37-39 of The Purple Book.

LESSON 3

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Spiritual gifts are given to every (3) believer.

4
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5and there are varieties of service, but
the same Lord; 6and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers
them all in everyone. 7To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
1 Corinthians 12:4-7

EXPLANATION
For Every Believer

When we are born physically, we possess certain natural abilities. When we are born again
spiritually, God takes these natural abilities and turns them into the means by which He can
work through us supernaturally.1

Spiritual gifts are for every believer, not just the pastors or Victory group leaders.
God gives every Christian a spiritual gift as soon as s/he becomes born again. At that very
moment, the Holy Spirit will unite with that person’s spirit (Romans 8:16,17).

The purpose of spiritual gifts is specific—for the common good of the body of the church. The
Greek word for “common good” is sumphero, which means “to bring together, to benefit, and to
be advantageous,” which is experienced as the body is strengthened in its life together and
expanded through its ministry of evangelism. These nine gifts are specifically available to every
believer as the Holy Spirit distributes them (1 Corinthians 12:11). They are not to be merely
acknowledged in a passive way, but rather are to be actively welcomed and expected (1
Corinthians 13:1; 14:1).

Gifts of the Spirit and Fruit of the Spirit

The Spirit-filled experience is more than just “speaking in tongues.” In reality, it is coming into
the fullness of the gifts and fruit of the Spirit as outlined in the New Testament. In 1 Corinthians
12:8-11, the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit are listed.

Many Christians today seek the gifts without having the fruit in their lives. We must have the fruit
of the Spirit at work if we want God to entrust us with the gifts of the Spirit. 2 Every believer
should know and exercise the spiritual gifts that God has entrusted him/her so that the church
will be encouraged and built up.
 Gifts of the Spirit Fruit of the Spirit
1 Corinthians 12 Galatians 5:22-23
1. Word of Wisdom 1. Love
2. Word of Knowledge 2. Joy
3. Faith 3. Peace
4. Healings 4. Patience
5. Working of Miracles 5. Kindness
6. Prophecy 6. Goodness
7. Discerning of Spirits 7. Faithfulness
8. Different Kinds of Tongues 8. Gentleness
9. Interpretation of Tongues 9. Self-Control

ILLUSTRATION
The Parable of the Spilled Coffee (kentcrockett.com)

A small group met in a home to study how various ministries should work in the body of Christ.
One member commented, “I don’t understand how different gifts can work together.”

At that moment, a woman accidentally dropped her cup, which broke and spilled coffee all over
the floor. Each group member responded differently to the mishap, according to their spiritual
gifts.

The teacher gave some advice. “Next time if you will put your cup on the coffee table, that won’t
happen again.”

The administrator responded by organizing a clean-up committee. “Bill, please go find a mop.
Sally, could you help him with a towel?”

Bill, who had the gift of service, hurried to get the mop.

Sally, who had the gift of helps, followed Bill and said, “I’ll help you!”

The person with the gift of exhortation said, “We all make mistakes so don’t let it get you
down.”

The person with the gift of mercy put her arm around the woman, patted her hand and said, “I
feel so badly for you.”

The person with the gift of giving exclaimed, “I’ll buy a new set of coffee mugs to replace the
broken one!”

They all used their various gifts together to resolve the situation.
DISCUSSION
 (from The Purple Book, page 39)
Have you experienced the Spirit’s power in your life? How?
 What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?

Additional Questions—Optional
 What do you believe are the spiritual gifts that God has given you?
 How are you using them today in the church and in reaching out to pre-believers?

ENDNOTES
1
“Gifts of the Holy Spirit,” Christ Centered Mall,
http://www.christcenteredmall.com/teachings/gifts/
2
“The 9 Gifts Compared to the 9 Fruits.” The Holy Spirit,
http://www.theholyspirit.com/HolySpiritGiftsFruits.asp.

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 39 of The Purple Book.
LESSSON 4

THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is given to those who ask (4) in faith.

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will
the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Luke 11:13

Acts 19:1-6
1
And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and
came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2And he said to them, "Did you receive the
Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy
Spirit." 3And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism." 4And
Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one
who was to come after him, that is, Jesus." 5On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of
the Lord Jesus. 6And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and
they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.

EXPLANATION
What is the baptism in the Holy Spirit?

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is the moment after conversion when the Lord Jesus baptizes a
believer with the Spirit of God to empower him/her to be a witness (Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:4,5,8).
At that moment, a Christian is immersed in the Spirit's presence and power (Ephesians 5:18).

ILLUSTRATION
To illustrate, if we drank water from a glass, then the water would be inside us. However, if we
went to the beach and stepped into the ocean, then we would be in the water. We receive, as it
were, a drink of the Holy Spirit when we are saved, but when we are baptized in the Spirit, it is
as if that initial drink becomes an ocean that completely surrounds us.1

EXPLANATION
Why do we need to be baptized in the Holy Spirit?

We need to be baptized in the Spirit so that we can be clothed and filled with power from
heaven, which will enable us to do the works for service and ministry. We need supernatural
power beyond ourselves in order to fulfill the command of Christ to go and make disciples of all
nations (Luke 24:47-49; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:1-17).

How can I receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is given to those who ask in faith.

Luke 11:11-13
11
"What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12or
if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, who are evil, know how to give
good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those
who ask him!"

When we ask the Lord in prayer to baptize us in the Spirit, we must ask in faith and let go
of our doubts, fears, and hesitations.

DISCUSSION
(from The Purple Book, page 47)
 Have you asked to receive God’s Holy Spirit?
 What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?

ENDNOTE
1
cbn.com

CHAPTER 5 – SPIRITUAL HUNGER AND GOD’S WORD

Introduction

LOGISTICAL NEEDS FOR THIS SESSION

 Prizes
 Food (e.g. pizza, ice cream, or cake)

MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
 Recall the previous memory verses and give a prize to someone who has memorized all.
 Alternative: Have food that’s normally a favorite (e.g. pizza, ice cream, or cake) and ask
the class if they want some. If they say yes, ask if they would dance or sing in front of
the class to get it. Have music ready for this. Then give the food away after some
volunteers present onstage.

MEMORY VERSE

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from
the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:4

The Bible is more than an instruction manual or a rule book. It is more than a random collection of
stories, poems, and letters. It is the voice of God communicating with us. That is why the Bible is often
referred to as “the Word of God.”
REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on pages 45 of The Purple Book.

LESSON 1

THE AUTHORITY AND THE POWER OF GOD

God’s Word is the final authority (1) for our conduct and life.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for
training in righteousness . . .
2 Timothy 3:16

TIP
Emphasize All Scripture and breathed out by God. Include a primer on the canonicity of God’s
Word.

EXPLANATION
All Scripture is breathed out by God

Breathed out by God means that every part of speech and every word used in the Bible is
divinely breathed or inspired by God. It means God’s active involvement in the writing of
Scriptures through the lives of the men who wrote the books of the Bible. The Lord did not
produce the Bible by merely stimulating the minds of the writers or by suggesting ideas to them.
He did it with direct action and interconnection with the writers.1

When we say the Scriptures are inspired, we mean that every word of the original autographs of
Scripture is the very word God chose to use. The Scriptures were originally written in Hebrew,
Aramaic, and Greek, and have since been translated into hundreds of other languages. Most
Bible translators have a high regard for the Scriptures and do their best to accurately translate
the Word of God into the language of the people. As we read these translations, we are reading
the Word of God and should respond accordingly.2

The Bible

 a collection of 66 different books (39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New
Testament)
 written by 40 different authors
 written in three different languages (Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic)
 written over a period of 1,600 years
 written in various literary forms, such as historical writing, poetry, prophecy, gospel
biography and narratives, and letters

Yet, within each of the 66 books, we observe an amazing united theme of God’s redemption
that is progressively revealed from Genesis through Revelation.
Authenticity, Preservation, and Reliability of the Bible
The Dead Sea Scrolls prove the authenticity, preservation, and reliability of the Bible. These
refer to ancient Hebrew scrolls that were accidentally discovered in 1947 by a Bedouin
shepherd boy in Israel’s Judean Desert in the hillsides of Qumran overlooking the Dead Sea.
Eventually, the scrolls found their way into the hands of some Israeli scholars. They looked in
the caves and found over 20 caves full of scrolls. These scrolls were identified to be the oldest
manuscripts of every book in whole or fragments of the Old Testament (except Esther). These
scrolls would answer the question: Is our Bible today the same Bible that they used in the Old
Testament?

When Old Testament scholars compared the text of Isaiah with the earliest existing copy of
Isaiah (Masoretic text dating to AD 980), they proved to be word-for-word identical with our
standard Hebrew Bible in more than 95% of the text! The 5% of variations consisted mostly of
slips of the pen or variations in spelling.3

What is the implication of this discovery? It means that the Bible read today is made from
manuscript copies that are extremely accurate—that are practically exact duplicates of the
originals. God has done His part in giving us a reliable message.

Carried along by the Holy Spirit

Second Peter 1:20,21 says that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own
interpretation or human impulse, but men spoke from God as the Holy Spirit carried them along.
The phrase “carried along” originally means to be moved and driven along, just like a sailboat is
being brought forward by a mighty wind. The Holy Spirit prompted, influenced, and guided men
and women to speak and write God’s Word. The human authors were consciously involved in
the writing process—they weren’t robots, but behind the process God “carried them along” to
ensure that the end result would be what God wanted to say.

The Holy Spirit breathed God’s life, wisdom, and power into the authors of the Bible, who wrote
what God spoke to them using their own words, culture, and personality. The writers were so
inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit that they faithfully recounted the words and deeds of God.
Moreover, God providentially ensured the accurate copying of the original manuscripts, so that
His message through the Bible might be preserved.

The Final Authority

Psalm 119:89
Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.

Because we believe that God inspired all the 66 books of the Bible, they are true, reliable, and
trustworthy. Its laws, commands, principles, and truths are eternal and therefore applicable to us
today. The Bible shows us how to discover, discern, and do the will of God.

Because the Bible is the Word of God, we take the Holy Scriptures as the supreme and final
authority in all matters concerning our conduct, faith, and life.
DISCUSSION
Spend some time thinking about what God’s Word means to you. (from The Purple Book, page
48)

ENDNOTES
1
Vincent Cheung. Reflections on Second Timothy. Boston, MA: 2010. 73.
2
Elmer Towns. Foundational Doctrines of the Faith. Elkton, MD: Church Growth Institute, 1992.
8.
3
Gleason Archer. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction. Chicago: Moody Press, 1994. 29.

LESSON 2

THE BENEFITS OF THE WORD

God’s Word is essential (2) for spiritual growth.

16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for
training in righteousness, 17that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16,17

There are many benefits of God’s Word, but it is essential for our spiritual growth.

EXPLANATION
Why should we read and study the Bible?

God primarily speaks to us through His Word. One of the vital ways we can grow in our walk
with God is by reading His Word every day.

TIP
Emphasize the importance of reading the Bible every day.

EXPLANATION
There are at least three tangible benefits of studying the Word of God.

1. God’s Word helps us grow. Second Peter 3:18 says that we are to grow in the grace
and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We will grow in the knowledge of
God as we grow in the knowledge of His Word.

2. God’s Word equips us. The Bible will enable us to be proficient, competent, and able to
meet all demands. God’s Word is useful for teaching (showing what is right), for rebuking
(exposing what is not right), for correcting (how to get right), and for instruction in
 righteousness (how to stay right). A Christian who studies the Bible and applies what he
learns will grow in holiness and avoid many pitfalls in this world.1

3. God’s Word helps us walk in victory. It takes faith to overcome the challenges,
temptations, pressures, and troubles in this world.

1 John 5:4
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has
overcome the world—our faith.

So how does a Christian grow in his/her faith? Faith comes and grows by listening and hearing
the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

DISCUSSION
What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your lfe?

ENDNOTE
1
The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: New Testament. 782.

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 48 of The Purple Book.
LESSON 3

SPIRITUAL HUNGER

God’s Word satisfies (3) the spiritual hunger and thirst of every person.

I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than
my portion of food.
Job 23:12

EXPLANATION
More than necessary food

Job valued and esteemed the Word of God more than his necessary food.

Matthew 4:4
But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes
from the mouth of God. '"

Jesus answered the devil’s temptation in the desert by quoting a passage from Deuteronomy,
which says that it takes more than bread to stay alive.

God’s Word satisfies the spiritual hunger and thirst of every believer. The Word of God is our
spiritual food.

ILLUSTRATION
A person who loves food may eat around five to six times a day (breakfast, snack, lunch,
merienda, dinner, and midnight snack) to satisfy his/her hunger.

ADDITIONAL VERSES
 The prophet Jeremiah wrote that when God’s words came, he ate them; they were his
joy and his heart's delight (Jeremiah 15:16).
 God’s Word is sweeter than honey (Psalm 119:103).
 We must crave, desire, and yearn for the pure spiritual milk of the Word like a baby cries
for milk so that we can grow into the fullness of our salvation (1 Peter 2:2).

If we have a daily intake of the Scriptures by reading, meditating on, reflecting, studying,
praying, and speaking it, then we will be spiritually strong and healthy.

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 49 of The Purple Book.

LESSON 4

OBEDIENCE
 God’s Word is to be obeyed (4).
22
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. . . .25But the one who looks into
the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he
will be blessed in his doing.
James 1:22,25

EXPLANATION
Doers vs. Hearers

James makes a contrast between the person who only listens to the Word and the one who
both hears and obeys it, by means of a simile. The “hearer only” is compared to someone who
looks at his face in a mirror, walks away, and forgets his appearance. The doer of the Word, on
the other hand, “looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a
forgetful hearer but one who does good works” (James 1:25, HCSB).

The Word, through which we are born into a new life (James 1:18) and which becomes
implanted in us (v. 21), is a Word that has to be put into practice. Those who fail to do the Word,
who are hearers only, are guilty of a dangerous and potentially fatal self-delusion.1

Hearing and believing the Word of God is important, but the Word is not truly received unless
someone applies what s/he has heard or learned.

DISCUSSION
Do you have a time and place for daily bible reading?

Make a commitment to read the whole Bible in one year. Here’s a schedule of a Chronological
Bible Reading Plan: http://www.bibleplan.org/ch/esv/

ENDNOTE
1
Douglas J. Moo. James: Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Grand Rapids, MI:
Eerdmans, 1985. 82.
CHAPTER 6 – DISCIPLESHIP AND LEADERSHIP
Introduction

MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
 Who preached the gospel to you? Who helped you grow in your relationship with God?
Why do you appreciate him/her so much?
 Alternative: Show pictures of great leaders and ask why people admire them.

MEMORY VERSE

18
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit . . ."
Matthew 28:18,19

Jesus calls us to “go and make disciples of all nations.” This charge propelled the early followers of Christ
into a strategic mission that turned the world upside down—not just by preaching the gospel, but by
training new believers as well. To be a Christian is to be a disciple—a lifelong learner and follower of
Jesus.

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 53 of The Purple Book.
LESSON 1

THE CALL: MAKE DISCIPLES

Discipleship is a call to follow (1) Jesus.

And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Matthew 4:19

TIP
In this chapter, emphasize page 58 of The Purple Book—both the cross of Christ and the cross
we have to carry.

EXPLANATION
The Starting Point of Discipleship

Discipleship is first and foremost about meeting and following Jesus. It is about building a
lifelong relationship with Jesus. If we miss this starting point, the discipleship process breaks
down into just another religious system of legalistic good works. Being a disciple means to
follow Jesus. Making disciples is helping people to follow Jesus (Steve Murrell. The Call to
Discipleship. stevemurrell.com).

In Matthew 4:18-22, we can read about how Jesus called His first batch of disciples. Before
Simon, Andrew, James, and John were called to fulfill any mission, they were first called
to follow Jesus. They were called to be with Jesus. In the same way, we too are called to
follow Jesus first before everything. Following God means heeding the call to follow Him first
above all else.

Fishers of Men

When Jesus called Peter and Andrew, He challenged them to become fishers of men. Peter and
Andrew, being commercial fishermen, understood that the call to follow Christ meant fishing or
catching men. To become the kind of men who could catch men, they had to pay a price. The
price was to follow Jesus. They paid that price immediately. Mark 1:18 tells us, “And
immediately they left their nets and followed him.”

DISCUSSION
Describe in your own words what you think it means to be a disciple. (from The Purple Book,
page 56)

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 57-58 of The Purple Book.
Lesson 2

THE COST: ABSOLUTE SURRENDER

Following Jesus is denying (2) self.

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and
follow me."
Luke 9:23

TIP
Emphasize that there is a price to pay to follow Jesus—our cross.

EXPLANATION
Taking up Your Cross

Luke 9:23,24 tells us that whoever wants to follow Jesus must take up his cross. Taking up your
cross means self-denial. It means denying your selfish wants and desires in order to obey
God’s will and commands. We have to lose our life to save it, meaning we should be ready to
give up our own personal will for His own. This form of self-denial is not a one-time decision
—Jesus is calling us to deny ourselves and follow Him daily. A perfect example of self-
denial was when Jesus was praying to the Father at the Garden of Gethsemane: Jesus said,
“not my will, but your will be done.”

Discipleship is dying to self and living for Christ.

REFERENCES
You may refer to the summary on page 57-58 of The Purple Book.
LESSON 3

DISCIPLESHIP AND THE CROSS

Following Jesus is relying (3) on what Jesus did for me on the cross.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now
live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

TIP
Emphasize the cross of Christ.

EXPLANATION
Paul insists that the focus of the believer’s attention is to be on the fact that “Christ lives in me.” 1
Discipleship involves being crucified with Christ—not physically or literally, but by dying to one’s
own ego or self-importance. Being crucified with Christ also means that we should no longer
trust in the righteousness that can be gained through the law, but on Christ’s finished work on
Calvary. It is Christ, and not our human ego, that controls the direction of our lives.

Discipleship is trusting in the power of the cross daily.

DISCUSSION
(from The Purple Book, page 62)
 What do you think it means for you to be crucified with Christ?
 What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?

ENDNOTE
1
Richard N. Longenecker. Galatians: World Biblical Commentary. Volume 41. Dallas, TX: Word
Books, 1990. 92.

REFERENCES
Read the context of Galatians 2:15-21.

You may refer to the summary on pages 58-59 of The Purple Book.
LESSON 4

CHRISTIAN CHARACTER

Following Jesus develops Christlike character (4) in us.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of
him who called us to his own glory and excellence . . .
2 Peter 1:3

EXPLANATION
Discipleship involves a lifetime response and commitment to follow Jesus Christ. As we interact
with other people, we will develop and grow in our character. Everything that a disciple believes
and does should make him/her grow into Christ-likeness in every aspect of life. We have been
saved so we can conform to the image and likeness of God’s Son (Romans 8:29).

In 2 Peter 1:5-8, the apostle Peter exhorts us to grow in our character:

5
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness,
knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to
perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
8
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being
ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit produces character in us but uses discipleship to do so.

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on pages 60-62 of The Purple Book.
LESSON 5

DISCIPLESHIP AND LEADERSHIP

Following Jesus is a call to help others (5) follow Jesus.

18
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you
always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20

EXPLANATION
Discipleship means that we reach out to other people as we follow Jesus. When Jesus told His
disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, He was not telling them to find people who
were already following Him to help them become better followers. He was telling them to find
lost people who were not following Him at all, to introduce them to Him, and to help them obey
His commands.

When Jesus called Peter to follow Him, Peter had to follow along with Andrew, James, and John
(Matthew 4:18-22). One of the most difficult aspects of discipleship is learning to build
relationships with other disciples. If we want to follow Jesus, we must learn to get along with
others who are following Him.1

Biblical discipleship starts with evangelism and requires us to build relationships with
people who do not know Jesus.

DISCUSSION
What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?

ENDNOTE
1
Steve Murrell. The Call to Discipleship. stevemurrell.com

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on pages 62-64 of The Purple Book.
CHAPTER 7 SPIRITUAL FAMILY AND CHURCH LIFE

MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
 What is one thing you love about the church? Why?
 Alternative: Show some photos of the local congregation and give a short history of how
it started. Or show a recent video about Victory.

MEMORY VERSE

“… I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

Matthew 16:18

The church is God’s instrument for advancing His kingdom. He has no “plan B.” The church is the only
legitimate setting for living the Christian faith. No long-term “lone ranger” can be a true disciple of Christ.
All who truly desire to follow Christ must find their place in a church family.

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 66 of The Purple Book.

Lesson 1

THE VICTORIOUS CHURCH

Jesus (1) is building His Church.

“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it.”
Matthew 16:18

EXPLANATION
Our job is to make disciples, and His job is to build the church. (Unpack what the church is.) The church is
God’s idea. The church is victorious.

A Christ-centered church is a church where Jesus is the builder, the focus, the foundation, and His Word
is taught and practiced. The church is destined to be victorious because Christ is the cornerstone.

The Church founded on Christ will be an overcoming and victorious church. “The gates of Hades” will not
conquer the church. Satan and his demons will never prevail against the church, but will on the contrary
be vanquished by the Lord by building His church (Walter A. Elwell. Evangelical Commentary on the
Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1989. 742.).
ILLUSTRATION
Gates are meant to protect a house or property. The kingdom of darkness is on the defensive, while the
church is on the offensive—conquering and prevailing over the enemy.

The “gates of Hades” is a familiar Semitic expression for the threshold of the realm of death. The words
used here suggest that death itself assaults Christ’s church, but death cannot crush us. The church will
endure until Christ’s return, and no opposition, religious persecution or political oppression can prevent
the ultimate triumph of God’s purposes in history (The IVP New Testament Commentary Series.
biblegateway.com).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(from The Purple Book, page 69)
 Are you part of a church community?
 If so, how is your church similar to the one described in Acts 2:43-47 and 4:32-37? How is it
different? What can you learn from the early church?

Lesson 2

THE BODY OF CHRIST

Belonging (2) to a church community is a vital part of following Jesus.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
1 Corinthians 12:27

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 68-69 of The Purple Book.

EXPLANATION
In our modern world, some may think that listening to a podcast is enough. Emphasize the importance of
being part of a church.

A lot of people today refer to the church as a physical building. But the word “church” originally comes
from the Greek word ekklesia, which is defined as an assembly of people consisting of all those who
belong to God (Geoffrey W. Bromiley. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI:
Eerdmanns, 1985. 398.). Thus, the essential meaning of “church” pertains to people, not to a religious
structure. Church means a calling to assemble—it’s a face-to-face meeting, not just listening to the
preaching of the Word.

1 Corinthians 12:14-27
14
Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, “Because I am not a
hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the
ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease
to be part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole
body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the
body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body
be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don't need you!”
And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don't need you!” 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that
seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with
special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our
presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has
given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its
parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part
is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

The church is the body of Christ on earth—His heart, His mouth, His hands and feet—reaching out to the
world. The church is the main vehicle through which God carries out His plan and purposes on earth.

The church is one body made up of many parts. In order for the body to function properly, the members
must act and move in unity and interdependence with one another. Within the church, there should be no
room for pride, arrogance, comparison, competition, insecurity, inferiority, or superiority complex.

ILLUSTRATION
The Wooden Rule (Cindy Hess Kasper. Our Daily Bread. October 16, 2011. odb.org)

Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden had an interesting rule for his teams. Whenever a
player scored, he was to acknowledge the person on the team who had assisted. When he was coaching
high school, one of his players asked, “Coach, won’t that take up too much time?” Wooden replied, “I’m
not asking you to run over there and give him a big hug. A nod will do.”

To achieve victory on the basketball court, Wooden saw the importance of teaching his players that they
were a team—not “just a bunch of independent operators.” Each person contributed to the success of
everyone else. Coach Wooden’s rule and 1 Corinthians 12 are both rooted in the principle of seeing our
need for one another. Let’s use our gifts within the body of Christ to build up, strengthen, and help to carry
out God’s purposes (vv.1-11).

TEACHING TIPS
Explain the local church and the universal, global, and holy catholic Church.

Victory is a local church with fifteen different locations in Metro Manila, and we are part of the bigger
Church—the body of Christ. We are a member of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC),
an umbrella group, and also the Philippines for Jesus Movement (PJM). There are many different
denominations of churches and ministries, and we, Victory, have tried to cross denominational barriers by
being part of both the PCEC and PJM. Bishop Manny Carlos is on the board of both these organizations,
as a representative of Victory. Dr. Jun Escosar, on the other hand, is on the board of the Asian
Theological Seminary.

Victory is also part of a worldwide family of churches and ministries called Every Nation.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(from The Purple Book, page 70)
 What role do you believe God is calling you to serve in His church?
 How has He gifted you? Try asking a Christian friend who knows you well what he or she thinks
your gifts may be.

Lesson 3

CHURCH LEADERSHIP

Church leaders equip (3) members for ministry.

 11
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12to equip the
saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness
of Christ . . .
Ephesians 4:11-13

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 70-71 of The Purple Book.

BACKGROUND
Here is how verse 12 is translated in several Bible versions:
 . . . for the equipping of the saints for the work of service . . . (NASB)
 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work . . . (NLT)
 . . . to train Christ’s followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body . . . (MSG)
 For the training of the saints as servants in the church . . . (BBE)
 . . . to equip the saints for the work of ministry . . . (NRSV)
 . . . for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry . . . (NKJV)

The main job of pastors and leaders in the church is to prepare and equip the believers to do the work of
the ministry. The five-fold ministers (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers) are not to do
all the works of ministry. Professional ministers should be spending most of their time teaching, coaching,
and equipping God’s people for ministry, not ministering directly themselves.

ILLUSTRATION
In a living organism, every cell contributes. The body’s health depends on each member fulfilling its
special function. No one person can carry out the functions of the living organism the Scripture describes.
The role of leaders within the church has always been to help the members of the body grow in capacity
to minister, to help each individual find and use his/her spiritual gifts (Lawrence O. Richards. The
Teacher’s Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1987. 923.).
Lesson 4

CHURCH DISCIPLINE

Church discipline is meant to encourage repentance (4) and restoration (5).

9
Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. . . . 10For they
disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may
share his holiness. 11For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields
the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12:9-11

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 73-74 of The Purple Book.

BACKGROUND
Hebrews 12:8-11
8
If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not
true sons. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it.
How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10Our fathers disciplined us for a
little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
11
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of
righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

EXPLANATION
Church discipline is the biblical process of meeting and correcting church members who fall into open and
blatant sin. This ministry is usually done by discipleship group leaders, church leaders, pastors, or the
entire church. Some churches use the term excommunication instead of church discipline to refer to the
formal removal of a person from church membership. Scripture gives particular examples to erring
believers who are engaged in matters of sexual immorality, those creating discord or strife between
members, those spreading false teachings, and believers in direct rebellion to the spiritual authorities
appointed by God in the church (Mary Fairchild. What Does the Bible Say About Church Discipline?
christianity.about.com).

The purpose of church discipline is to encourage repentance, healing, and restoration in the life of an
erring believer (Galatians 6:1). The word “discipline” in Greek is paideia, which means disciplinary
correction or child training. It refers to the whole training and education of children, the cultivation of mind
and morals, and for this purpose employs commands, admonitions, warning and punishment
(classic.net.bible.org).

The readers of the book of Hebrews were reminded that divine discipline is an evidence of God’s love.
They should not lose heart when disciplined but should regard it as an evidence of sonship. They are
being trained for future glory and reward. In the Roman world, an illegitimate child had no inheritance
rights (John F. Walvoord & Roy B. Zuck. The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books,
1983. 810).

Lesson 5

HOLY COMMUNION
 Communion is celebrating (6) the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
23
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was
betrayed took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for
you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This
cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26For as
often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26


REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on pages 75 of The Purple Book.

EXPLANATION
When we participate in the Lord’s Supper, we commemorate the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.
When the bread is broken, it symbolizes the breaking of Christ’s body, and when the cup is poured out, it
symbolizes the pouring out of Christ’s blood for us. This is why participating in the Lord’s Supper is also a
kind of proclamation. Verse 26 says, “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim
the Lord's death until He comes.”

ILLUSTRATION
The Supreme Sacrifice by Dick Innes (lifehelp.org)

Leslie Weatherhead, in his book, Key Next Door, told about a benevolent ruler named Goho who,
centuries ago, lived on the island of Taiwan. One ritual he desperately wanted stopped was the ancient
custom of offering humans for sacrifices. He wanted them to substitute an ox or a pig for their annual
offering.

For many years he succeeded. However, after one extremely poor harvest, the tribal leaders complained
that the animal sacrifices weren't working and they needed a human sacrifice to appease the gods, whom
they believed to be angry at them.

Unfortunately, Goho failed to convince his tribe of the error of their way and finally gave in to them. He
said. “Go into the forest tomorrow morning. There you will find a victim tied to a tree. He will be wearing a
red robe of sacrifice and a red cloth over his face and head. Strike! For this is your next victim.”
The following morning the men went to the forest and found the victim, just as Goho said. In a crazed
frenzy they rushed in and decapitated him. When they uncovered his head, they realized what they had
done. They had killed Goho, their leader!

According to the story, Taiwan has never again had a human sacrifice. Goho accomplished through his
death what his teaching failed to do.

And about 2000 years ago, Jesus’ death on the cross at Calvary accomplished what all of man’s own
efforts could never do. He died to pay the penalty for our sins so we could be fully forgiven and given the
gift of eternal life.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?

PRAYER
CHAPTER 8 PRAYER AND WORSHIP

MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
 Why do you think some people don’t pray? Why does the Bible tell us to pray?
 Alternative: Begin the session with a short time of praise, worship, and prayer. (Or you can end
with this instead.)

MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The
prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
James 5:16

Christianity is a relationship between God and humanity. Just as other relationships grow through
communication, our relationship with God grows through listening to Him (through His Word) and talking
to Him (prayer and worship). We respond to Him through obedience, and He responds to us by listening
and with action.

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on pages 77 of The Purple Book.

Lesson 1
PERSONAL PRAYER
Prayer is communicating (1) with God.

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place,
and there he prayed.
Mark 1:35

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 78 of The Purple Book.

EXPLANATION
We can see from the life of Jesus that long before daybreak, our Lord got up and went to a secluded and
quiet place to pray to the Father. (Emphasize the importance of praying and reading your Bible first thing
in the morning.)

Prayer is an expression of our devotion to God. It is our fellowship, relationship, and intimacy with Him.
Prayer is conversation. It’s dialogue (two-way), not monologue (one-way). Prayer is both talking to God
and listening to Him (Andrew Wommack. A Better Way to Pray. Colorado Springs, CO: Harrison House
Publishers, 2007. 89).

How then should Christians pray? Jesus gave us a pattern to follow when He taught His disciples how to
pray. (Look up Matthew 6:6-13 and Luke 11:1-4).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(from The Purple Book, page 79)
 Think about the role prayer plays in your own life.
 Do you have specific time set aside for daily prayer? When?
 Do you have a private place for prayer? Where?

Lesson 2

THE POWER OF PRAYER

Prayer is trusting (2) God for everything.

. . . do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:6

EXPLANATION
Pray for everything—the possible and the impossible.

James 5:17,18
17
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for
three and a half years. 18Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

The power of prayer is witnessed when believers pray and trust the Lord to do the impossible. It doesn’t
mean that we only pray when we have failed in all of our attempts or endeavors. Prayer works when we
seek God first and trust Him to lead us, to provide for us, to purify and to protect us.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:16). Elijah was a human being like
us, and he prayed hard (intensely, fervently) that no rain would fall in Israel during the reign of the wicked
king Ahab and his wife Jezebel. There was no rain on the land for three years and six months!

James assumes that his readers know this story of Elijah. Elijah’s prayer that the drought would end
happened after the Mount Carmel incident (1 Kings 18), which stands as a marker of God's judgment
against idolatry and the restoration of righteousness in Israel (Dan McCartney. James: Baker Exegetical
Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009. 259.). When Elijah
prayed again, the showers of rain came and the land produced crops again.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(from The Purple Book, page 81)
 What did you learn from this lesson about the power of prayer?
 How has God answered your own prayers?

Lesson 3

CORPORATE PRAYER

The Bible teaches us to pray together (3).

18
”Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on
 earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask,
it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered in my name, there
am I among them.”
Matthew 18:18-20

EXPLANATION
Praying together brings in God’s presence and power. When two believers pray in agreement on earth,
God the Father in heaven goes into action. He brings the answer to their prayer. And when two or three
disciples are together because of Christ, we can be sure that Jesus is in the midst of them.

The Greek word for “agree” (verse 19) is sumphoneo, which comes from two Greek words—sum,
meaning “together,” and phoneo, meaning “to sound.” Sumphoneo is to sound together, be in accord, and
be in harmony. The word “symphony” comes from sumphoneo. Metaphorically, the word means to agree
together in prayer that is concordant (Jonathan David Huntzinger & Gary Matsdorf. New Spirit-Filled Life
Bible. Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2002. 1324.).

TEACHING TIP
In Victory, we have twice-a-year prayer and fasting, monthly, and weekly prayer meetings. (Show the
schedule of the prayer and worship nights in your congregation.) And every Victory group should spend
time praying together.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(from The Purple Book, page 83)
 What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?
 Do you have a community of believers with whom you can pray regularly?
Lesson 4

A BIBLICAL PRAYER LIST

The Bible teaches us to pray for others (4).

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert
and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:18

EXPLANATION
The apostle Paul regularly prayed for God’s people. He would often begin and end his letters in the New
Testament with specific prayers for them. We can use the prayers he wrote as a pattern when we pray for
other believers.

There is more than one way to pray: prayer, supplication, intercession, thanksgiving (see Philippians 4:6;
1 Timothy 2:1). The believer who prays only to ask for things is missing out on blessings that come with
intercession and thanksgiving. In fact, thanksgiving is a great prayer weapon for defeating Satan. “Praise
changes things” as much as “prayer changes things.” Intercession for others can bring victory in our own
lives (The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: New Testament).

Do you have a prayer list? Who do you pray for (e.g. classmates, spouse, parents, children, pastors)?
(Teach them to have a prayer list.)

How do we know that our prayer is in line with the will of God? Pray according to the Scriptures. Praying
according to God’s will is praying according to His Word, because the Word of God expresses the will of
God.

1 John 5:14,15
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears
us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

Psalm 119:170 (NASB)

Let my supplication come before You; deliver me according to Your word.

When we pray according to the Scriptures, it means that our prayers are based on the promises of God’s
Word, and not just our own whimsical desires or impulsive ideas. It would be helpful to have our Bibles
open when we pray so that we can declare the promises of God upon our lives and those we are praying
for.

TEACHING TIPS
Some practical tips for prayer:
1. Have a prayer focus or prayer list.
2. Write your prayer requests in a notebook, planner, or journal.
3. Place a verse or promise from God beside your prayer item.
4. Have a designated time and place for prayer and commit to pray daily.

DISCUSSION QUESTION
(from The Purple Book, page 85)
What does your prayer list look like compared to the lists of Paul and the early believers?

MINISTRY MOMENT
Spend some time praying for each other.

Lesson 5
WORSHIP
God seeks true worshipers (5).
23
”But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and
truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24God is spirit, and those who worship him
must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:23,24

EXPLANATION
True worshipers worship God in spirit and truth. When Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman to explain
true worship, He told her that it did not matter where people worshiped God, but how they worship Him.
True worship is not about going to the right place, but having the right attitude.

In His conversation with the Samaritan woman, Jesus reminded her that “God is Spirit.” The phrase
means that God is invisible (Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:27) as opposed to the physical
or material nature of man (John 1:18; 3:6). God the Father seeks worshipers who will worship Him in spirit
and truth. The word “spirit” does not refer to the Holy Spirit but to the human spirit. Jesus’ point here is
that a person must worship not simply by external conformity to religious rituals and places (outwardly)
but inwardly (“in spirit”) with the proper heart attitude. The reference to “truth” refers to worship of God
consistent with the revealed Scriptures (The MacArthur Daily Bible. Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2003. 477.).

TEACHING TIP
Talk about weekly corporate worship.

Come on time. Get yourself to church and participate, not evaluate or see what you like or don’t like.

Is God going to find a true worshiper in you?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(from The Purple Book, page 86)
 What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?
 In what ways do you express your love for God?

MINISTRY MOMENT
You can end with a short time of praise, worship, and prayer.

CHAPTER 9 FAITH AND HOPE

MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
 Recall the memory verses from the previous sessions. Give a prize to someone who can recall all
(or the most).
 Alternative: What are some of the things that are real that we can’t see?
MEMORY VERSE

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live
by faith.”
Romans 1:17

Once we become followers of Jesus, we continue to live each day by faith in the one who saved us.

Lesson 1

WHAT IS FAITH?

Faith is being convinced (1) of what we do not see.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on pages 88-89 of The Purple Book.

EXPLANATION
Discuss the answers to the question above: What are some of the things that are real that we can’t see?
(e.g. air, North Pole, God)

Hebrews 11:1 is one of the few verses in which the Bible defines for us. The Bible tells us that faith deals
with the unseen. In fact, this verse says the same thing twice. It’s a form of Hebrew parallelism to
emphasize the point: Faith is being sure of what we hope for and it is being certain of what we do not see.

I can see things in the natural, but that’s not faith. Faith deals with what I can’t see. I can’t see how God
will heal my wife, for example, but I have faith for it. I don’t see it, but it’s true.

The Amplified Bible translates Hebrews 11:1 as:

Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things we hope for, being the proof of
things we do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to
the senses].

Faith is having a sense of assurance within us (being sure of what we hope for) and a certainty that there
are realities which we cannot see with our physical eyes (certain of what we do not see; Ray C. Stedman.
Hebrews: The New Testament Commentary Series. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1995.).
The unseen can be unnerving. But faith goes beyond what I can see and feel, and I can trust God and
have faith for what I don’t see.

You may not have a job yet, you may not have a spouse yet, you may not have a child yet, but you have
faith to see it.

Faith is trusting God—it’s not positive thinking. There is an object to faith—and that is God.
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he
exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Faith is based on a relationship with God—wanting to please Him. We must believe that He exists and He
rewards. Our faith is in God—not faith in others, or faith in faith. The object of the faith is crucial. Because
God is who He is, we can trust Him and put our faith in Him.

MINISTRY MOMENT
What are some things you are in faith for?

Lesson 2

SAVING FAITH

We have been justified (2) through faith.

1
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ. 2Through him we have also obtained access by faith into his grace in which we stand, and we
rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:1,2

EXPLANATION
Justification is the act of God pronouncing righteous those who have put their faith in Christ alone for their
salvation. This status is based on Christ’s righteousness being credited to those who have surrendered
their lives to Christ as their Lord and Savior.

All believers are justified, declared righteous, at the moment of our salvation. Our righteousness comes
from placing our faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. His sacrifice covers our sin, allowing God to
see us as perfect and unblemished (gotquestions.org).

“Justification is the declared purpose of God to regard and treat those sinners who believe in Jesus Christ
as if they had not sinned, on the ground of the merits of the Savior. It is not mere pardon. Pardon is a free
forgiveness of past offenses. It has reference to those sins as forgiven and blotted out. Justification has
respect to the law, and to God’s future dealings with the sinner. It is an act by which God determines to
treat him hereafter as righteous—as if he had not sinned. The basis for this is the merit of the Lord Jesus
Christ, merit that we can plead as if it were our own. He has taken our place and died in our place.”
—Albert Barnes

Lesson 3

FAITH AND OBEDIENCE

Faith leads to faithfulness (3).

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an
inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
Hebrews 11:8
REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 91 of The Purple Book.

EXPLANATION
It takes faith for us to do what God says.

Many Jews believe that they were right with God on the basis of their race (nationality) and their keeping
the Law of Moses (legalism). But Abraham was declared right with God before circumcision and before
the Mosaic Law (cf. Genesis 15:6), based solely on God’s grace. Yet he had the appropriate faith
response when he offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God on the altar (cf. Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6).
James 2:17-24
17
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But someone will say, “You
have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
19
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder. 20You foolish
man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham
considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith
and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the
scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”
and he was called God’s friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith
alone.

James was writing to church people who were professing Christianity as a belief system only without the
proof of a changed life (Dr. Bob Utley. The Study Bible Commentary Series, New Testament: James 2.
bible.org).

James corrected them by pointing out that faith without the accompanying good works is dead and
useless. He explained that faith and deeds can’t be separated. Genuine saving faith expresses itself in
good deeds. Faith without deeds is false, since it does not work; it fails to accomplish its purpose (David
P. Nystrom. James: The NIV Application Commentary. Zondervan, 2011).

One of the results of our faith in the Lord Jesus is a changed life. Since we’re no longer held captive to sin
and to the things of this world, our faith will be demonstrated and proven by our obedience to God and His
Word.

ILLUSTRATION
A young man may court a young lady, telling her that he loves her. But if he never asks her to marry him
and be committed to love her for the rest of his life, then his love is not really meant for a lifetime
relationship. Likewise, works are a means of demonstrating the genuineness of our faith and our love for
God. If we do not obey God, we do not really love him or have faith in Him.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(from The Purple Book, page 93)
 How has your faith in God led to faithfulness?
 What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?

Lesson 4

MOUNTAIN-MOVING FAITH
 Faith deals with the impossible (4).

He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of
mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will
be impossible for you.”
Matthew 17:20

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 94 of The Purple Book.

EXPLANATION
When the disciples came to Jesus in private to ask Him why they could not cast out the demon from the
epileptic boy, Jesus said it was because they had little faith. But if they had faith the size of a mustard
seed, they could say to a mountain, ‘Move!’ and it would move. Mustard seeds are the small round seeds
of various mustard plants. A mustard seed is about 1/20th of an inch in size. It is one of the smallest seeds
in the world.

When Jesus spoke about moving mountains, He was using a phrase that the Jews knew well. Jesus
never meant this to be taken physically and literally. What He meant was: “If you have enough faith, all
difficulties can be solved, and even the hardest task can be accomplished.” Faith in God is the instrument
that enables men to remove the hills and mountains of difficulty that block their path (William Barclay. The
Gospel of Matthew, Volume 2. Philadelphia, PA: The Westminster Press, 1975. 167-168.).

God honors mountain-moving faith. He is able and willing to answer our prayers of faith. (Explain
mountain-moving and mountain-climbing faith.)

Share a testimony/story of how the Lord responded to mountain-moving faith.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(from The Purple Book, page 95)
 How have you seen the power of faith demonstrated in your own life? In the lives of others?
 (Alternative: What are some of the mountains you’re facing right now?)

Lesson 5

FAITH AND HOPE

Faith makes our hope sure (5).

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 96 of The Purple Book.

EXPLANATION
Hebrews 6:19,20
19
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the
curtain, 20where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest
forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Hope is likened to an anchor, a metal device that is used to connect a ship or boat to the bed of a body of
water to prevent the vessel from drifting away due to wind or current. Hope holds up our soul to be sure,
fixed, and certain on God and His Word. Our hope is a confident assurance rooted in faith based on the
promises of God.

Our hope goes into the place where Jesus has gone ahead of us in heaven. Because Jesus rose from the
dead and ascended to heaven, He functions as our Intercessor, our Mediator, our Advocate, and High
Priest before God (Romans 8:34; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:1; Hebrews 7:24-27). Because Jesus has gone
to be with God the Father, we know that we also shall go there one day (easyenglish.info). Our hope for
tomorrow, for the future, is made certain by our faith in Christ today.

What is the believer’s great hope in the future? Here’s the assurance given by the apostle John in 1 John
3:2,3:
2
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we
know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3Everyone who has this
hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

Through faith in Christ we are now God’s children. When Jesus returns, we will be completely like Him.
As we look forward to Christ’s Second Coming, we will prepare ourselves to live morally clean, just as
Jesus lived during His earthly life and ministry.

ILLUSTRATION
An expectation of Christ’s future and sure return has a spillover effect on how we live today. One might
liken this to a person who is expecting a large tax refund in the mail or dollar remittances from a relative
abroad, and who, with expectant assurance, makes plans on how to save or spend the money. The
arrival of the fund, after all, is just a matter of time (Robert Yarbrough. 1-3 John: Baker Exegetical
Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008. 180.)

PERSONAL APPLICATION
What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?

Prayer

(Optional for next session: Ask the class to bring something they can share or give to others. It doesn’t
have to be complicated—e.g. chocolate or candy for one person will do.)
CHAPTER 10 BIBLICAL PROSPERITY AND GENEROSITY
MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
 Who is the most generous person you know?
 Alternative: Ask the class to share or give something that they brought. Ask them
to share how they felt as they were giving and after they gave. Why is it more
blessed to give than receive?

MEMORY VERSE

“. . . give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be
put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Luke 6:38

As followers of Jesus, we are to serve God as His stewards and use what we have for His glory. Money is
not our master—Jesus is.

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 99 of The Purple Book.

Lesson 1

THE DANGERS OF WEALTH

Money is dangerous (1).

9
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful
desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.
It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many
pangs.
1 Timothy 6:9,10

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 100 of The Purple Book.

EXPLANATION
Who’s eager for money? That seems to include many people, if not everyone. So we need to handle
money properly.

Money is something generally accepted as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of

payment. Money refers also to a person's wealth (merriam-webster.com). Money is valuable if we know
how to use it appropriately, but is dangerous if it is not handled properly.

Take note that in the text it does not say that money is the root of all evil, but the love—the greed, the
self-indulgent desire—of money.
The Message Bible renders verse 10 as follows:
Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in
the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after.

ILLUSTRATION
Fire is useful for cooking, but dangerous when it is uncontrolled, spreads wildly, and destroys everything
along its path.

DISCUSSION QUESTION
(from The Purple Book, page 102)
What did you learn about the dangers of wealth?

Lesson 2

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES OF PROSPERITY

God is our source (2).

“You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may
confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”
Deuteronomy 8:18

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 100 of The Purple Book.

EXPLANATION
God gives us the power and means to produce wealth. It is God who gives us the strength and wisdom to
earn, make a living, and create a business so we can prosper and be a blessing to many. Just like what
God promised to Abraham, the Lord blesses us so we can be a blessing to many people and even to the
nations (Genesis 12:2-3; Galatians 3:9, 13-14,28). The purpose of prosperity is not so we can accumulate
too much wealth for ourselves, but so that we can finance the kingdom of God and take the gospel to the
nations of the world (Galatians 3:8; Mark 16:15).

How did God provide for the Israelites? He gave them manna, the heavenly bread. Their clothes and
shoes did not wear out for forty years. For how long do your shoes last? God humbled the Israelites in the
sense that He taught them to depend on Him for all their needs. This provision of manna and clothing
should have taught the people that they were dependent on His provision for all their needs, not just for
food and clothing (Notes on Deuteronomy 8 by Dr. Thomas L. Constable. soniclight.com).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(from The Purple Book, page 104)
 How has God blessed you with abundance?
 How can you use that abundance to bless others?

Lesson 3

PUTTING GOD FIRST

 Giving (3) honors God.
9
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 10then your barns will be filled
with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.
Proverbs 3:9,10

EXPLANATION
As Christians, we want to honor God in everything we do. This includes money and generosity. We give
because we want to honor God. Honoring God is the issue here.
8
"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. 9You
are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me. 10Bring the whole tithe into the
storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I
will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room
enough for it. 11I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast
their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12"Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a
delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.
Malachi 3:8-12

Tithing is putting God first and puts us in a position to receive His blessings. The tithe is a tenth of
everything we earn or produce (Leviticus 27:30).

We give the tithe to God to thank Him for His provision and to help us remember that He is the owner of
everything (Psalm 24:1; 50:14-15). It is a way of training us to know and remember that God must be our
first priority (Deuteronomy 14:22,23). The purpose of tithing is to teach us to put God first in our lives. We
are to return what belongs to God first—before we start spending money on other things (Proverbs 3:9;
bibleinfo.com).

God’s people in the Old Testament were encouraged to change their sinful ways and return to the Lord by
turning over their hearts and possessions to Him. They were challenged to put God first by bringing the
whole tithe into God’s storehouse. Whenever God’s people tested Him by faithful tithing, they discovered
that He did bless them abundantly (2 Chronicles 31:10,11; Herbert Wolf. Haggai & Malachi: Everyman’s
Bible Commentary. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1976. 108-109.).

Tithing puts us in a position to receive God’s overflowing blessings. God promises for those who tithe that
He will open the floodgates and windows of heaven (just like what happened during the worldwide flood in
the time of Noah) and pour out a blessing so great we won’t have enough room to take it in!

ILLUSTRATION
God’s storehouse is where you receive your spiritual food.
For example, when you eat in a restaurant, you pay for your food there. Does anyone eat in Jollibee but
pay in McDonald’s? The Bible tells us to bring the tithe into God’s storehouse.

Lesson 4

EXTREME GENEROSITY

Grace (4) produces rich generosity.

1
We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of
Macedonia, 2for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have
 overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
2 Corinthians 8:1,2

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on pages 106-107 of The Purple Book.

EXPLANATION
2 Corinthians 8:7
But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in
your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

Extreme generosity is a response to God’s extravagant grace to us. Just as we can excel in many ways—
in our faith, speech, knowledge, enthusiasm, and love, God wants us to excel also in the gracious act of
giving. The Greek word for “excel” is perisseuo, which means:
 to exceed a fixed number of measure
 to super abound, overflow, be in excess
 to have more than enough and to spare (classic.net.bible.org)

We have to remember that grace is not a negation of the Law, but rather a divine enablement for
believers to fulfill the Law.

We can see the example of joyful and generous giving among the churches of Macedonia (2 Corinthians
8). They gave sacrificially because they understood the riches of God’s grace through Christ. Although
our Lord Jesus Christ was infinitely rich, He became poor when He left heaven to come to earth for our
sake, so that we could become rich through His poverty (2 Corinthians 8:9).

APPLICATION AND REFLECTION

(from The Purple Book, page 107)
What did you learn from this lesson and how will you apply it to your life? What kind of a giver are you?
Less than you can afford
As much as you can afford
More than you can afford
CHAPTER 11 EVANGELISM AND WORLD MISSIONS
MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
 If you could be a missionary in any nation, where would you go? Why?
 Alternative: Show the most recent missions video.

MEMORY VERSE

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to
the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16

Jesus has given His followers a job—to boldly share the gospel. This means telling people about who
Jesus is, what He has done, and how our lives have changed—so that many others may know Him and
be saved.

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 109 of The Purple Book.

Lesson 1

EVERYONE IS A MINISTER

Every believer is a minister (1) of reconciliation.

18
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of
reconciliation; 19that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses
against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:18,19

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 111 of The Purple Book.

EXPLANATION
You are a minister, and your ministry is to reconcile people to God.

God has given every believer the task of reconciling people to Him.

Concerning the ministry of reconciliation, Dr. Rice Broocks, in his book Every Nation In Our Generation,
wrote:

“Winning people to Christ is the goal of the ministry of reconciliation. In order to win people to Christ, we
must have a clear understanding of what salvation means. If we understand our desperate need for a
Savior and the miracle of Christ’s death and resurrection, it gives us the necessary revelation and
motivation that men like Paul the Apostle had.”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(from The Purple Book, page 111)
 What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?
 With whom—friends, loved ones, or even enemies—is God calling you to share the gospel?

Lesson 2

BOLDNESS

Every believer is empowered with boldness (2).

29
”And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with
all boldness, 30while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the
name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered
together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God
with boldness.
Acts 4:29,30

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 112 of The Purple Book.

Every believer is empowered by the Spirit to preach the gospel boldly. But boldness doesn’t mean being
loud or that we’re not afraid.

The Sanhedrin threatened and intimidated the apostles to not teach anything about the name of Jesus
(Acts 4:18). So the apostles prayed that they themselves might have courage to proclaim their message
without fear, and that God would place the seal of His public approval on their message by granting
mighty works of healing, signs, and wonders through the same name that healed the lame man (in Acts 3)
—the name of Jesus (F.F. Bruce. The Book of Acts: The New International Commentary on the New
Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1985. 99.).

Similar to what happened on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit filled the disciples and sent them
onward to proclaim the good news with renewed confidence (Op. cit., 100.).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(from The Purple Book, page 113)
 What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?
 Take a moment to ask God to give you boldness to share the message of salvation with others.

MINISTRY MOMENT
Pray for every believer to be empowered to preach the gospel with boldness.

Lesson 3

SPIRITUAL CONFLICT AND EVANGELISM

Evangelism (3) involves spiritual warfare.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the
 cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 114 of The Purple Book.

EXPLANATION
When you preach the gospel, there is spiritual conflict. Even though the devil has spiritually blinded the
unbelievers, the message of the gospel shared in the power of the Holy Spirit can bring salvation to the
lost (Romans 1:16,17; 2 Corinthians 4:4-6). Jesus came to earth to destroy, abolish, and put an end to the
works of the devil.

Because Christ is victorious over the devil in His death and resurrection, He can bring daily victory in the
lives of His followers (Hebrews 2:15). This means that God’s people are assured that Christ is behind
them in their battle against the forces and ideas of the enemy (Robert Yarbrough. 1-3 John: Baker
Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008. 188-189.).

Lesson 4

MIRACLES, SIGNS, AND WONDERS

Miracles (4) follow the preaching of the gospel.

15
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16Whoever
believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these
signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new
tongues; 18they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt
them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Mark 16:15-18

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on pages 115-116 of The Purple Book.

Jesus told His disciples that signs and wonders would accompany them as they preach the gospel to
everyone everywhere (Mark 15:15,17,20). The disciples obeyed Christ’s command to preach the gospel
to all creation and they performed many miracles and wonders. Because Jesus is the same yesterday,
today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), we can be assured that He can bring healing and deliverance to
people today just as He did when He was physically here on earth 2,000 years ago.

Acts 2:43
Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.

Acts 8:6-8
6
When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what
he said. 7With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8So
there was great joy in that city.

TEACHING TIP
After you have preached the gospel to someone, pray for the person and expect a miracle to happen
(whether it is physical or emotional healing, financial provision, or restoration of family).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(from The Purple Book, page 117)
How have you seen the power of God at work in your life? Think of a time when you boldly proclaimed the
gospel. How did God act?

Lesson 5
TO THE END OF THE EARTH
Every believer should be involved in world missions (5).
19
”Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with
you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19,20

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 118 of The Purple Book.

REFERENCE
Jesus commissioned us to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth. And Jesus promised His disciples
that they would receive mighty power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them.

Acts 1:8
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The book of Acts is the story of how the early church understood and obeyed the Great Commission.
Because they obeyed the Lord, the church grew, multiplied, and spread throughout the known world. This
command that Jesus spoke to the original disciples is also for us today.

It is estimated that of the 7.13 billion people alive in the world today, 2.9 billion of them live in unreached
people groups with little or no access to the gospel of Jesus Christ. According to Joshua Project, there
are approximately 16,804 unique people groups in the world, with about 7,289 of them considered
unreached (joshuaproject.net). The vast majority of these least reached groups exist in the 10/40 Window
and less than 10% of missionary work is done among these people (globalfrontiermissions.org).

As Christians, there are many ways we can be involved in the Great Commission:
 Pray—We can all pray and we should all pray.
 Give—We can support the work of the ministry. We may not all go, but we can help others go.
 Go—We can go (on short-term Ten Days trips or long-term if God calls us to do so). (You may
want to show the upcoming list of Ten Days trips and how the class can be involved.)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(from The Purple Book, page 119)
 What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life?
 What part is God calling you to play in fulfilling His command to reach every nation with the
gospel?

MINISTRY MOMENT
Spend time in prayer for the nations and also how the class can respond to the Great Commission.
CHAPTER 12 RESURRECTION AND JUDGMENT
MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
 Why do you think some people are afraid of death? Before you became a Christian, what did you
think would happen to you after you died?
 Alternative: Show a clip of one movie about the end of the world (e.g. 2012, Armageddon, etc.) or
discuss why some people are obsessed with the end of the world.

MEMORY VERSE

27
And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28so Christ, having been
offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those
who are eagerly waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:27,28

According to the Bible, all of us have three inescapable appointments: death,

resurrection, and judgment. And we are destined to either be with God in heaven or be
without Him in hell.

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 121 of The Purple Book.

Lesson 1

DEATH AND RESURRECTION

Everyone will die (1).

And just as it is appointed for man to die once . . .

Hebrews 9:27

EXPLANATION
All of us have three unavoidable and inescapable appointments: death, resurrection, and judgment.

We will all die one day. We will all be judged. But, how will we appear before the judgment throne of God?
As a disembodied spirit? No, because between death and judgment there will be a resurrection.
(You may refer to the summary on page 116 of The Purple Book.)

There are three basic views of death:

1. Annihilationism = human existence is terminated by physical death

Annihilationism is the belief that the final fate of those who are not saved is literal and final death and
destruction. In contrast to the more traditional view, which holds that the wicked will remain conscious in
hell forever, annihilationism teaches that whether or not God may use hell to exact some conscious
punishment for sins, He will eventually destroy or annihilate the wicked completely, leaving only the
righteous to live on in immortality (theopedia.com).
(e.g. Terminator – when you’re dead, you’re gone)

2. Reincarnation = upon death the souls of men animals pass into new bodies of the same or different
species as punishment or reward

Reincarnation, also called transmigration, is rebirth of the aspect of an individual that persists after bodily
death—whether it be consciousness, mind, the soul, or some other entity—in one or more successive
existences. Depending upon the tradition, these existences may be human, animal, spiritual, or, in some
instances, vegetable (Encyclopædia Britannica. 2013. global.britannica.com).
(e.g. A human, after living an unsatisfactory life, can be reincarnated as a dog, frog, or ant.)

3. Resurrection = the Christian teaching that the dead shall all rise and be judged with eternal damnation
or eternal rewards.

The Greek word for “resurrection” is anastasis, which comes from two words—ana, which means up, and
stasis, which means to stand or be in position. Thus, anastasis means to stand up, recover moral and
spiritual position, and be raised to life again (Kimball McKee. The Meaning of the Resurrection.
tnnonline.net).
15
. . . and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the
righteous and the wicked. 16So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
Acts 24:15,16

The resurrection of the dead is the hope of every believer.

Lesson 2

THE JUSTICE OF GOD AND THE SINFULNESS OF HUMANITY

Everyone will be judged (2).

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment . . .
Hebrews 9:27

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 125 of The Purple Book.

EXPLANATION
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God is a just and righteous God who punishes the wicked, yet a loving God who rescues sinful men.
(Discuss verse in Romans, explaining God as the judge.)
God's justice is the integrity of His nature, by which he is committed to doing that which is righteous and
equal. The righteousness of God demands that He will not only do what is good, fair, and right, but that
He will reward the righteous and punish the wicked. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His
throne; faithful love and truth go before Him (Psalm 89:14).

Romans 6:23 (Amplified Bible)

For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union
with) Jesus Christ our Lord.
We may summarize the verse by noting its three contrasts:
 the master that is served—sin versus God
 the outcome of that service—death versus eternal life
 the means by which this outcome is attained—a wage earned versus a gift received
(Douglas J. Moo. The Epistle to the ROMANS: The New International Commentary on the New
Testament, 408.)

Lesson 3

THE JUDGMENT OF SINNERS

Hell (3) is a place of eternal suffering.

“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers,
idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second
death.”
Revelation 21:8

REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 127-128 of The Purple Book.

EXPLANATION
Hell is an eternal and conscious torment for the wicked where all wicked humanity and demonic spirits are
thrown into after judgment. (Unpack these words: eternal, conscious, torment.)

Sinners can run away from God but they can’t hide from His coming judgment.
At the final judgment, those who have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ will go to hell, a place of eternal
torment and punishment. The Bible describes hell as a place of eternal fire, originally prepared for the
devil and his fallen angels (Matthew 25:41; 2 Peter 2:4). It is a fiery lake of burning sulfur where the “worm
does not die and the fire is not quenched” (Revelation 21:8; Mark 9:48). It is a place of eternal torment for
unbelievers, along with the devil and demons (Luke 16:28; Revelation 14:10).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(from The Purple Book, page 129)
What did you learn from this lesson? How will you apply it to your life? How do you “fear God” in your
daily life?

Lesson 4
THE JUDGMENT OF SAINTS
Heaven is a place of eternal rewards.
7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Henceforth there is laid up for
me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not
only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
2 Timothy 4:7,8
REFERENCE
You may refer to the summary on page 129 of The Purple Book.

EXPLANATION
The righteous will be resurrected to eternal life and rewards. Heaven is not a reward you earn—you get
there by grace. How you live doesn’t save you.

But once you’re in heaven, you will get rewards for serving God. (Don’t miss the rewards side.) Eternal
rewards await the righteous in the resurrection.

The apostle Paul competed well and completed the task that God gave him because he believed that the
Lord, the righteous Judge, will award him a prize––the crown of righteousness on that great day of His
return. And the prize is not just for him but for all believers who eagerly look forward to His glorious return.

As believers, we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of ourselves to God and
receive our rewards from God for what we have done on earth (Romans 14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:9,10).
Every sin we have committed has been eternally paid for by Christ and therefore eternally forgiven by
God (John 5:24; Romans 8:1; Jude 24). Although there will be degrees of reward in heaven, everyone’s
joy will be complete. This is because our joy will not come from what we possess or our status but from
our relationship with God. In heaven, our joy in fully delighting in God, our joy in being in His presence
and falling down before his throne to worship Him, will be greater than the joy found in any reward
(Revelation 4:10,11; Wayne Grudem. Christian Beliefs: 20 Basics Every Christian Should Know. Grand
Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. 131).

PERSONAL APPLICATION
How should you live in light of eternal life and the rewards God will give believers?

Alternative: Recall all the memory verses in the last twelve sessions and ask for someone to recite all of
them. Give a prize to the person who can recall all (or the most).

CLOSING
WHAT’S NEXT IN YOUR DISCIPLESHIP JOURNEY?
Continue establishing biblical foundations:
 Reflect on the foundational truths you’ve learned and continue to read your Bible daily.
 Be part of a Victory group and be involved in your church community.
 Attend a Church Community class.

MINISTRY MOMENT
Pray that everyone would have biblical foundations and fulfill God’s plan for their lives.
ANSWERS
CHAPTER 1 1. Jesus
Sin and Salvation 2. Belonging
1. Relationship 3. Equip
2. Death 4. Repentance
3. Reconciled 5. Restoration
4. New 6. Celebrating
5. Finished work
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 2 Prayer and Worship
Lordship and Obedience 1. Communicating
1. Lord 2. Trusting
2. Obedience 3. Together
3. Governs 4. Others
4. Transforms 5. Worshipers

CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 9
Repentance and Baptism Faith and Hope
1. Change 1. Convinced
2. Away 2. Justified
3. God 3. Faithfulness
4. Identify 4. Impossible
5. Hope sure
CHAPTER 4
The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts CHAPTER 10
1. Helper Biblical Prosperity and Generosity
2. Christlike 1. Dangerous
3. Every 2. Source
4. Ask 3. Giving
4. Grace
CHAPTER 5
Spiritual Hunger and God’s Word
1. Authority
2. Essential
3. Satisfies
4. Obeyed

CHAPTER 6
Discipleship and Leadership
1. Follow
2. Denying
3. Relying
4. Character
5. Help others

CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 7 Evangelism and World Missions
Spiritual Family and Church Life 1. Minister
2. Boldness
3. Evangelism
4. Miracles
5. World missions

CHAPTER 12
Resurrection and Judgment
1. Die
2. Judged
3. Hell
4. Heaven