Book of Acts: Becoming a Church on Mission
Introduction.
1. Acts is the second of two volumes written by the Luke. Both focus on Jesus, but each in a different way. The first, the gospel of Luke, is biographical, telling of Jesus’ life and ministry. The second, the book of Acts, provides a detailed history of the life and growth of the missionary movement that spread the news about Jesus throughout the world of that day and this.
2. Clearly this is an action-filled book. But whose acts were they? The book itself is entitled, “Acts of the Apostles” but it also records the acts of the first disciples, apostles, Holy Spirit and first missionaries. So, it might as well be called simply, the “Acts”.
3. The Holy Spirit did not reduce the writers of the Bible to puppets; rather He utilized their personalities, background and experiences in their writings. For example, Luke, a physician, wrote as one trained for research, observation and recording of factual information without fanfare or embellishment. Luke based the gospel and the first part of Acts on research and the last part of Acts on personal experience. What we have, surviving all these years is a first-hand account of the early church and the start of the mission efforts by Christians.
4. In both writings, Luke emphasized that the good news about Jesus was for everyone, everywhere. He organized Acts in such a way as to make this truth absolutely clear. The outline of the book is shown in Acts 1:8, as the three main sections of the book are about the gospel in Jerusalem, the gospel in all of Judea and Samaria, and the gospel “to the ends of the earth.”
5. The Book of Acts tells the story of how the Holy Spirit empowered a small group of ordinary people, steeped in their own religious traditions and social culture and used them to overcome prejudice, opposition, persecution to become the start of a world-wide movement. This is a book of incredible excitement: the power of God in the form of the Holy Spirit is placed on the ones chosen to spread this message to all of mankind.
6. While the Acts, as written by Luke begin and ends with this book, in reality, the story of Acts is on-going. The missionary spirit and the many mission initiatives through the years are an on-going part of the Acts of the Apostles, and we are a part of that today, just as this small band of believers were so many years ago.
Session 1: Focused on Jesus
A Review at the Beginning (1:1-3)
1. What “former” book is the writer referring to? _________________________
2. Who is Theophilus? ______________________________________________
3. Why are the words “do and teach” describing Jesus’ ministry significant?
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4. Why is Luke’s description of the crucifixion and resurrection so brief?
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5. Luke mentions “many convincing proofs” of Jesus being alive between the resurrection and ascension. What are some of these? ____________________
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The Christian Mission Explained (1:4-8)
6. What is the significance of the phrase, “While he was eating with them”?
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7. Why did Jesus want the disciples to remain in Jerusalem? ________________
8. What was the gift he intended for them? ______________________________
9. Why was the gift important to them for their future ministry? _____________
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10. What does it mean to be “baptized with the Holy Spirit? ___________________
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11. What does the question posed by the disciples in 1:6 tell you about their understanding of Jesus and the coming kingdom? _____________________________
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12. Considering that many times throughout history, up until today, persons have attempted to find the exact date and time of Christ’s return. Using only two words, how would you characterize these attempts in view of 1:7? _________ _______________
13. What is the promise and the mission Jesus gave to the disciples in 1:8?
Promise: ____________________ Mission: ____________________________
14. How does this mission relate to us today? _____________________________
15. How are some ways we can be witnesses right here in the ministry area of our church? ___________________________________________________________
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A Challenge and a Promise (1:9-11)
16. Why do you think Jesus left them without any more instructions or information?
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17. Why were the disciples “looking intently up into the sky?” _________________
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18. Who were the “two men dressed in white”? _____________________________
19. What was the promise the disciples received from the angels? ______________
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The Beginning of the Mission (1:12-14)
20. What was the significance of the disciples return to the city after Jesus’ ascension?
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21. Who were in the group gathered in the upper room? ________________________
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22. What did the group do while they were waiting? ___________________________
This meeting in the upper room has a great deal of significance because it showed:
1. ____________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________________
After the ascension of Jesus the disciples had the facts of the gospel story which included:
- The sinless life of Jesus.
- His teachings.
- His wondrous works.
- His atoning death.
- His resurrection and ascension.
- His promise to return.
- His instructions to win the world for Him.
- His assurance of His presence.
Yet, the disciples were not ready to begin their work. They needed a better understanding of what all of these meant – they needed a synthesizer to put it all together.
One other item of business remained for them to do – replace the traitor Judas as one of the apostles.
22. Who had begun to assume leadership of the group? __________________
23. What was the qualification for the one to be chosen as an apostle by the group?
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24. What two men were nominated for this office? ____________________________
25. What process was followed for the election? ______________________________
26. Who was elected to fill the place left vacant by Judas’ actions? ________________
(The names of Matthias as well as Bartholomew and Matthew are not mentioned again in the Bible.)
As we complete this first session, it is important to note that the name of Jesus is associated with each aspect of the process of His church becoming a mission for Him. This truth remains: we are the body of Christ, the extension of the resurrection, fact we are the hands and feet ministering to the needs of people world-wide.