WEEK 1 - PREPARATION - Part 1 Read the following verses and summarize in the space provided. WEEK 1 - PREPARATION - Part 2

Transcription

1 WEEK 1 - PREPARATION - Part 1 Read the following verses and summarize in the space provided. WEEK 1 - PREPARATION - Part 2 What do these passages teach me about God? Primary: Acts 1:1-11 Secondary: Luke 24:44-53 John 7:37-39 What should I do in response? John 16:7-14 Isaiah 49:6

2 WEEK 1 - REFLECTION (Part 1) What stood out to you from the message on Sunday? WEEK 1 - REFLECTION (Part 2) As we begin this study of Acts together, take some time to consider where you are at with regard to the first target: SPENDING TIME WITH JESUS. What are some personal goals that you can create in order to grow in this area? Read Acts 1:1-11. Mark in your Bible (or make a note separately) every time Jesus (or a pronoun referencing Jesus) is used. What do you learn about Jesus in just these 11 verses? According to the author of Acts, what were Jesus last words on earth? Why are these significant? In verse 9, the author of Acts describes Jesus as taken up before their very eyes. In light of this, what does the Bible teach about where Jesus is now and what He is doing? - John 14:2-3 PRAYER - Ephesians 1: Romans 8:34 Why is this valuable information? Verse 8 outlines the geographic locations of the mission that Jesus has given. Consult Where are we currently at in reaching the ends of the earth? What is your role in this task?

3 WEEK 2 - PREPARATION - Part 1 Read the following verses and summarize in the space provided. WEEK 2 - PREPARATION - Part 2 What do these passages teach me about God? Primary: Acts 2:1-41 Secondary: Acts 1:8 John 14:15-21 What should I do in response? 2 Corinthians 5:16-18 Matthew 28:18-20

4 WEEK 2 - REFLECTION (Part 1) What stood out to you from the message on Sunday? WEEK 2 - REFLECTION (Part 2) Consider the goal(s) you have set on SPENDING TIME WITH JESUS. How has this been going? What are obstacles in your way? Prayerfully consider how to overcome these obstacles. If someone was to ask you what Acts 2 is about, what would you say? Jesus taught that the disciples would receive power (Acts 1:8). How is this power evident in Peter? If you were to create an outline of Peter s sermon (Acts 2:14-36), what would be included? PRAYER How do the people respond to the sermon (Acts 2:37-41)? How would you prepare a gospel presentation? What elements would you include?

5 WEEK 3 - PREPARATION - Part 1 Read the following verses and summarize in the space provided. WEEK 3 - PREPARATION - Part 2 What do these passages teach me about God? Primary: Acts 2:42-47, 4:32-35 Secondary: Luke 12:33, 14:33 What should I do in response? John 17:20-26 John 15:12-13

6 WEEK 3 - REFLECTION (Part 1) What stood out to you from the message on Sunday? Read Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 4:32-35 again. Make a list of the activities you see these believers doing. WEEK 3 - REFLECTION (Part 2) Christian growth is designed to happen in community and we recognize that COMMITTING TO A COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS is an essential part of spiritual development. Consider the ways that you are both giving and receiving from a group of people committed to spiritual growth. How are you investing in others and being invested in? Are there areas of your intentionality that need to change? Make a list of other biblical passages that speak a similar theme. Need help getting started? Check out 1 John, Colossians 3, Luke 10, etc. Which of these activities stands out to you? Why? PRAYER Which of these activities are you currently engaged in? These passages describe what church community looked like in the first century. How are these passages relevant for today?

7 WEEK 4 - PREPARATION - Part 1 Read the following verses and summarize in the space provided. WEEK 4 - PREPARATION - Part 2 What do these passages teach me about God? Primary: Acts 2:43, 3:7, 5:12-16 Secondary: Luke 10:1-12 What should I do in response? John 20:30

8 WEEK 4 - REFLECTION (Part 1) What stood out to you from the message on Sunday? Read Acts 5:12-16 again. What are you told in these verses that you have seen before? List your insights. We ve read a number of times in Acts that believers were added. Look back at each of these passages and note the factors that caused the number of believers to increase. - Acts 1:8 WEEK 4 - REFLECTION (Part 2) Jesus followers are guided by, empowered by, and comforted by the Holy Spirit. WALKING BY THE HOLY SPIRIT means listening to his promptings and acting on them, knowing that the Holy Spirit will always exalt Jesus and speak truth. Consider your own walk with the Lord this week. Where do you need to be guided, empowered and comforted by the Holy Spirit in your own life? Take some time to pray, wait, listen, and journal what you sense from the Lord. - Acts 2: Acts 2:47 - Acts 4:4 Read Luke 17: What does Jesus value above physical healing according to this passage? PRAYER Read Acts 16:14. Note that some miracles are invisible. Based on the passages we have studied so far, what then is the point of miracles? Someone once said, Don t let your experiences dictate who God is, let truth dictate who God is. What truths about God are unchanging, regardless of our circumstances? Why is this important to remember?

9 WEEK 5 - PREPARATION - Part 1 Read the following verses and summarize in the space provided. WEEK 5 - PREPARATION - Part 2 What do these passages teach me about God? Primary: Acts 4:23-31 Secondary: Ephesians 6:18-20 Philippians 4:4-7 What should I do in response? 2 Kings 18:17-19:37

10 WEEK 5 - REFLECTION (Part 1) What stood out to you from the message on Sunday? Read Acts 4 to gain some context for the prayer in 4: What initiates this prayer? WEEK 5 - REFLECTION (Part 2) The Gospel means good news. Jesus followers have been given the exciting task of SHOWING AND SHARING THE GOSPEL (good news of salvation!) with every people group (every community) on the planet. Who are people that God has given to you, in your community, in your circle of influence, that need to know the GOOD NEWS? List them below, spend time praying for them by name this week, and prayerfully ask the Lord to give you opportunities to share with them. What is the product of this prayer? What elements in this prayer do you note to be similar to the Lord s prayer in Matthew 6:9-13? What is Paul s instruction on prayer in Colossians 4:2-6? How can this guide your prayer life this week? PRAYER What are you currently praying that only God can answer? Spend some time this week declaring what you know to be true of God first, and submitting this situation to the Lord.

11 WEEK 6 - PREPARATION - Part 1 Read the following verses and summarize in the space provided. WEEK 6 - PREPARATION - Part 2 What do these passages teach me about God? Primary: Acts 4:36-5:11 Secondary: 1 Peter 1:13-25 Ephesians 5:3 What should I do in response? Philippians 2: Thessalonians 4:7-8

12 WEEK 6 - REFLECTION (Part 1) What stood out to you from the message on Sunday? What does the name Barnabas mean and what did he do? WEEK 6 - REFLECTION (Part 2) Each of us has individuals that have been entrusted to us (family members, neighbours, coworkers, friends). PURSUING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS means identifying and prioritizing the needs of these people as of special importance. Are there changes that need to happen in your day to day activities to prioritize this target? Write these changes that need to happen down below. What prompted Ananias to lie? What affect did this incident have on the church? Why? PRAYER What lessons do you learn from comparing Ananias and Barnabas?

13 WEEK 7 - PREPARATION - Part 1 Read the following verses and summarize in the space provided. WEEK 7 - PREPARATION - Part 2 What do these passages teach me about God? Primary: Acts 6:1-7 Secondary: Romans 12:3-8 James 1:27 What should I do in response? 1 Corinthians 12

14 WEEK 7 - REFLECTION (Part 1) What stood out to you from the message on Sunday? Why was there conflict in this church? WEEK 7 - REFLECTION (Part 2) The idea of BUILDING UP THE CHURCH recognises that each person has been given gifts and passions that are intended to contribute to the larger body of believers. 1. What gifts are you aware that you have? The selection of the seven men was a new concept. What qualifications were necessary? Why would these have been important? 2. How are you using these to build up the church? 3. What steps can you take this week to grow in this area? The disciples and this group of men have distinct responsibilities. What is the separation of these tasks? PRAYER What do you note about the specific demographic that come to faith in verse 7? Why do you think these two things are related? Read Ephesians 4: What is the purpose of the different gifts? How are you currently utilizing your gifts for this same purpose?

15 WEEK 8 - PREPARATION - Part 1 Read the following verses and summarize in the space provided. WEEK 8 - PREPARATION - Part 2 What do these passages teach me about God? Primary: Acts 5:17-42, 6:8-7:60 Secondary: Luke 9:23-26 What should I do in response? Matthew 5: Timothy 3:12

16 WEEK 8 - REFLECTION (Part 1) What stood out to you from the message on Sunday? Look back on Acts 5: You will note that vs. 17 starts with the word but (or some translations then ). There is an important transition taking place. What was happening before vs. 17 that caused the religious leaders to be jealous? WEEK 8 - REFLECTION (Part 2) When you consider SHOWING AND SHARING THE GOSPEL, what fears and concerns come to mind? Write these down and spend time committing each item to the Lord, who not only sympathizes with us in our weaknesses, but gives us power to overcome. Read Acts 5: How were the apostles punished for witnessing about Jesus? What was their response? What do you learn about Stephen in Acts 6:8-7:60? PRAYER What in Stephen s speech (Acts 7) was offensive? In what ways does the Spirit of God bring both power and suffering simultaneously?

17 WEEK 9 - PREPARATION - Part 1 Read the following verses and summarize in the space provided. WEEK 9 - PREPARATION - Part 2 What do these passages teach me about God? Primary: Acts 8:1-40 Secondary: Luke 24:44-49 Matthew 28:19-20 What should I do in response? John 4:1-42

18 WEEK 9 - REFLECTION (Part 1) What stood out to you from the message on Sunday? How is Acts 1:8 being accomplished in Acts 8:1-40 (note the geographical locations mentioned and events taking place)? WEEK 9 - REFLECTION (Part 2) Consider the fears and concerns that you wrote down last week in regards to SHOWING AND SHARING THE GOSPEL. Has your study this past week given any encouragement in this area? What stimulated the spread of the gospel (see Acts 8:1-4)? What are important observations to make about Simon? What does this teach about the human heart and the reception of the gospel? PRAYER Some people would consider the miracles that took place in this passage as specific to Philip while other people would see them as demonstrating a norm for evangelism. What do you believe and why?

19 WEEK 10 - PREPARATION - Part 1 Read the following verses and summarize in the space provided. WEEK 10 - PREPARATION - Part 2 What do these passages teach me about God? Primary: Acts 10:1-11:18 Secondary: Mark 4:1-20 What should I do in response? Ephesians 2:11-22

20 WEEK 10 - REFLECTION (Part 1) What stood out to you from the message on Sunday? Read Acts 10:1-11:18. How does God prepare both the messenger and the recipient? WEEK 10 - REFLECTION (Part 2) Philippians 1:6 reminds us that as believers, we can be confident that he who began a good work in [us] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. During this study, what has the Lord revealed to you about these six targets for spiritual development? Is there a particular area that you have seen growth? A particular area that you feel committed to for further growth? What do you learn about the difference between Jews and Gentiles? Read Acts 10:10-16 and 10:28 again. What did God want Peter to know and how did God make His point? PRAYER Why do you think the Spirit of God had Luke go into so much detail in Acts 10:1-11:18, even repeating Peter s visit to the house of Cornelius? How does this type of passage apply to us today? What are we to learn or take away from Peter s experience?