Acts 1-2
This Week’s Main Idea:
God’s people receive power from God’s Spirit for the purpose of fulfilling God’s mission.
Icebreaker:
What is the most dramatic thing you have ever witnessed? Did it impact your life in some way?
Introduction:
In the resurrection story we see that the disciples did not understand God’s plan until after the resurrection, when Jesus explained to them all He had come to do. Peter and the rest of the disciples were forever changed by Christ and went forth proclaiming who He was… but not right away.
This week we’ll look at how the Church was established in the first two chapters of Acts, but we’ll specifically focus on three passages: Acts 1:4-8, Acts 2:1-3, and Acts 2:42-47.
Read Acts 1:4-8.
- Why was it necessary for the disciples to wait on the power of the Holy Spirit?
- What does it mean to be Jesus’ witness?
- Jesus told the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit before beginning to spread the gospel. If you had been there, how easy would it have been for you to wait?
Read Acts 2:1-3.
- What is the significance for Luke that the believers were “all together in one place” (v. 1)?
- How does being filled with the Holy Spirit relate to bearing witness to Jesus?
Read Acts 2:42-47.
- According to these verses, what are the marks of a healthy church?
- What did the people demonstrate by selling their possessions?
- How are these connections strengthened by living in community?
Taking it Home:
- What would change if we saw ourselves (first and foremost) as those sent by God on His mission?
- Would people outside of our church say we model the characteristics of the Acts 2 church?
Suggested prayer:
Thank you, God, for the plan to send Christ to earth as a human to die for us and be raised. Please build up our faith so that we may love You with all our being, and that we might truly demonstrate love for one another.
Other Scriptures to Engage with this week:
Isaiah 63:7-64:4; Psalm 25; Psalm 62; Micah 7; Isaiah 59:14-21; Ezekiel 36:22-32.