MEMORY VERSE: ‘Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, What shall we do?’ Acts 2:37.
LESSON AIM: To show that one of the works of the Holy Spirit is to bring to the disobedient a desire to do the right thing.
‘“When He [the Spirit of truth] is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement.” The preaching of the word will be of no avail without the continual presence and aid of the Holy Spirit. This is the only effectual teacher of divine truth. Only when the truth is accompanied to the heart by the Spirit will it quicken the conscience or transform the life.’ Desire of Ages, page 671.
1. What gift has God placed within us, so that we have a sense of right and wrong? Acts 9:4-6.
NOTE: ‘No doubt entered the mind of Saul that the One who spoke to him was Jesus of Nazareth, the long-looked-for Messiah, the Consolation and the Redeemer of Israel. And now Jesus who, during His earthly ministry, had often spoken in parables, likened the work of Saul, the persecutor, to kicking against the pricks. “Saul, Saul,” he inquired, “why persecutest thou me? ... It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”’ Review & Herald, March 16, 1911.
2. What is the role of God’s prophetic messengers in showing us our iniquities? 2 Samuel 12:7.
NOTE: ‘Nathan fixed his eyes upon the king, then solemnly declared, “Thou art the man... Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight?” The guilty may attempt, as David had done, to conceal their crime from men, to bury the evil deed forever from human sight, but “all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:13. Nathan declared: “Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house... Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour... For thou didst it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.” The prophet’s rebuke touched the heart of David; conscience was aroused; his guilt appeared in all its enormity. With trembling lips he said, “I have sinned against the Lord.” David had committed a grievous sin, toward both Uriah and Bathsheba, but infinitely greater was his sin against God.’ From Eternity Past, page 523.