The Acts of the Apostles (hereinafter referred to as the Book of Acts) is a sequel to the Gospel of Luke in that Luke continued where he left off at the end of his gospel. Here, he elaborates on how, after the ascension of Jesus into heaven, the Great Commission was carried out from Jerusalem to the “ends of the earth” as commanded by Jesus.
While the Book of Acts has been given many titles, like the Acts of the Holy Spirit, and they are all appropriate in many ways, we shall attempt to study this book from the angle of how this Great Commission was carried out by the apostles, from Jerusalem to Rome, as part fulfillment of the command of Jesus.
(1) Luke opened this book with recounting where he left off in the Gospel of Luke. Why did he allude to Jesus’ parting words to the apostles as “through the Holy Spirit”? What might be its significance?
(2) How did Luke emphasize the fact that Jesus is really alive?
(3) For forty days, what was the main content of Jesus’ message? How does this help us in putting our trust in the writings of the various apostles?
(4) Jesus asked them to wait in Jerusalem, to wait for the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” which happened in chapter two as the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and bore witness to Jesus’ resurrection in many tongues. How then will you understand the term, "baptism of the Holy Spirit"? What is it and what is it not?
(5) Contrast v. 6 with the end of
v. 3. The focus of Jesus’ content was about “the Kingdom of God” and yet the
apostles’ focus appeared to be the “kingdom of Israel”. What does this tell you
about the mindset of these apostles at the time? (John Stott’s comment on this
verse:
“the verb, the noun and the adverb of their sentence all betray doctrinal confusion about the kingdom. The verb restore shows that they were expecting a political and territorial kingdom, the noun Israel that they were expecting a national kingdom, and the adverbial clause at this time that they were expecting its immediate establishment." (Stott, Acts, 41)
(6) How did Jesus’ reply seek to adjust their mindset? What are the restated contents of the Great Commission?
a. What were they commissioned to do?
b. Where were they commissioned to do it?
c. How would this mission be made possible?
d. What then is your Great Commission today?
(7) As Jesus was taken up, they were naturally amazed and looked intently at this glorious sight, yet two men in white (probably angels) challenged them, “Why do you stand here looking into the sky?” What does this question imply?
(8) Jesus was likely taken up in the Mount of Olives (Lk. 24:50). Compare v. 11 here with Zechariah 14:4. What is the message conveyed to us by these two verses, one from the O.T. and one from the N.T.?
(9) What can you learn about the heart of the Lord from today’s reading and reflection?
(1) After receiving the Great Commission, how did the apostles “wait for the gift” promised by Jesus in v. 4?
(2) How then should you wait in order to prepare yourself for ministry? Why are prayers so important in waiting? Why is praying together even more important in this respect?
(3) Luke highlighted Jesus’ mother and his brothers as part of those taking part in this waiting and praying. What theological significance can you derive from it?
(4) How many did Luke say was the size of the first core group of believers? How many Christians are there today in the world? What has accounted for this growth in 2,000 years? What lesson or encouragement can you learn from it?
(5) Now that Peter took up the
leadership position assigned earlier by Jesus (Lk. 22:32), he understood from
Psalms 69:25 and 109:8 that Judas got what he deserved and that he needed to be
replaced.
Did he also derive from the Scriptures that
a. he and this core group had the responsibility to choose this replacement? (Who chose the original Twelve?)?
b. the method of choosing would be by casting lots?
(6) Before the casting of lots, they did pray and set the following criterion for choosing: The person had to be with them the whole time, i.e. from John’s baptism of Jesus to the witnessing of His ascension. This criterion, from a human perspective, sounded logical. Did the Apostle Paul fit this criterion? Since Jesus chose him personally by appearing to him on the road of Damascus (Acts 9:15), what does it say about Peter’s action here?
(7) What is the main lesson to you today? What glimpse you might have about the heart of the Lord today?
Acts has thirty two speeches and this is the first public, evangelistic speech. We can learn much about how the gospel was presented, their emphasis through these speeches and how the OT was being interpreted through these speeches.
(1) The Pentecost, as its name suggests, marks the 50th day after Passover, and it celebrates the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest, when the people are to bring gifts before the Lord (Exod. 23:14-17). How long did the apostles have to wait before the promised “baptism of the Holy Spirit”?
(2) Try to piece together the actual description of how the filling of the Holy Spirit happened, and distinguish what actually happened from what “appeared” to have happened. Why did such an incident have to happen with such fanfare? Is there any significance attached to the fact that the Holy Spirit descended upon them “separately”?
(3) At this significant first public appearance of the apostles after the death of Jesus, what significance is attached to the fact that these apostles were “Galileans”? What does it say to God’s wisdom and way of choosing people for such an important mission, the bearing of witness of Jesus’ resurrection?
(4) From this miracle, what can you learn about tongue-speaking in terms of:
a. What it is (v. 8)
b. Its purpose (v. 12)
c. How it happens (v. 4)
d. What might its contents be (v. 11)
(5) Who were the majority of the first listeners and why do you think God picked them as the first listeners?
(6) With such a clear case of miraculous tongue-speaking, how could there be people who mocked them as drunkards? What does this tell you about evangelism?
(7) What might be the lesson for you today and how would you put it into practice?
Let’s learn from Peter’s sermon together:
(1) How did Peter turn the opposition and mockery of the people into an opportunity to witness?
(2) As Peter tied the miraculous phenomenon to the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32, he highlighted the arrival of the Last Days: The NT’s interpretation of the Last Days as having begun with the appearance of Jesus, with its consummation marked by the 2nd coming of Jesus. As such, the contents of Joel’s prophecy should likely be viewed in terms of this time frame.
a. Sons, daughters, young, old, men and women will prophesy, see visions and dream dreams: How was this fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost?
b. Wonders and signs are revealed from heaven and earth: How had this been fulfilled according to Peter?
c. Has the last part of the entire prophecy been fulfilled?
(Note: In any case, the Last Days have begun, “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”: This is the main message that Peter zeroed in on as he delivered his gospel message which followed.)
(3) As Peter hammered home both their sin of crucifying Jesus and the fact of Jesus’ resurrection, how did he forcefully use Psalm 16:8-11 to prove that it speaks of Jesus’ resurrection (vv. 29-33)?
(4) While Peter could say, “we are all witnesses of the fact” (v. 32), we are not eyewitnesses to Jesus’ resurrection. How then can we bear witness to it?
(5) How did Peter use Psalm 110:1 to prove Jesus as Lord when he said that Jesus is both Lord and Christ (v. 36)? (Look at v. 39 as well.)
(6) If we are to share the gospel today, what can we learn from Peter’s first public sermon in terms of
a. Approach?
b. Content?
(7) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it in your life?
(1) Is it always necessary for genuine repentance to be a response to the hearts being cut? Why or why not?
(2) As the hearers asked, “Brothers, what shall we do?”, without looking at Peter’s reply, what might you have said in response if you were asked? Write down your reply and compare it to Peter’s. What are the main difference(s)?
Would
one of the main differences be that of baptism? Why did Peter demand “instant”
baptism? (Note this comment from F.F. Bruce,
“It is against the whole genius of biblical religion to suppose that outward rite (referring to baptism) would have any value except insofar as it was accompanied by the work of grace within.” Bruce, NICNT, Acts, 70)
(3) The sermon recorded here by Luke was necessarily a summary of a much longer sermon (as we could finish reading the summary in less than 3 minutes), and Luke added that Peter warned them with many other words and pleaded with them. As much as it is right to emphasize the need to be skillful in our gospel presentation, what might be the attitude we are missing compared to that of Peter?
(4) What were the immediate life-changing signs of the first converts (v. 42)? List them out one by one.
- What is meant by “devoted themselves to”?
- How were they different from most new converts of our days?
- What might the reasons for the difference be?
(5) Vv. 46-47 describe the church life of this first community of faith in Christ. Again, list their spiritual routines one by one. How different was this community life from our church-life today? What can we learn from them?
(6) This section ends with saying that their number grew on a daily basis. What do you think accounted for such daily growth? What needs to be changed in you and your church in order that such growth can happen?
(7) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it in your life?
(1) Do you think Peter and John were expecting this and were fully prepared or rehearsed to perform this miracle and say this famous line, “Silver or gold I do not have…”? What do you think happened at that moment to the apostles?
(2) What is the significance of invoking the name of Jesus? Why did Peter choose, of all names of Jesus, to call him, “Jesus Christ of Nazareth”? What might be the significance of such a description to this crowd who had a part in the crucifixion of Jesus?
(3) Peter mentioned in v.16 that this miracle of healing came about because of two things: The name of Jesus and the man’s faith. While nothing was mentioned about his faith at the time of healing, how did the man express his faith after his healing?
(4) How can we emulate Peter and John in a situation like this today?
- What do we have that Peter and John did not?
- What did they have that we may not have?
- What did they have that we also possess?
- We may not be able to perform a miracle like this, but we still can do something to cause a man like this to believe in and praise God. How?
(5) Why did this man, a beggar, still hold on to Peter? What did he want?
(6) How does today’s reading and reflection speak to you? How may you apply what you have learned in your life?
This is the 2nd public evangelistic sermon of Peter. Let’s learn from Peter how the gospel should be presented:
(1) How did Peter use this miracle to point them to Jesus?
(2) For God to use us to perform something miraculous, what might be the normal assumptions of the average Christian? How does Peter’s statement in v. 12 serve to clarify such assumptions?
(3) The sermon of Peter could be analyzed as below. Try to reflect on each of the main points, and see
(A) what
must be preached as an essential part of the gospel, and
(B) what might be the necessary points to be brought out if you were to share the gospel with a Jewish audience.
a. It was addressed to “Men of Israel”
b. Jesus was glorified by the God of Abraham
c. Their sins were highlighted, which included that they
- handed Him over to be killed
- disowned Him before Pilate who wanted to let Him go
- killed Him but
- acted in ignorance
d. God raised Him from the dead
e. The apostles were eye-witnesses
f. Christ’s suffering was foretold by the prophets, i.e. it was part of God’s plan
g. It highlighted who Jesus is: The Christ, the author of life, the Holy and Righteous One
h. They should turn to God and repent
i. The results of repentance include:
- Sins wiped out
- Times of refreshing may come
j. The reason why Jesus is still in heaven: He is waiting to be sent again by God to restore all things as promised by prophets
k. Consequence of disbelief: Being completely cut off from among His people, as Moses warned (Deut. 18:15, 18, 19)
l. They were blessed because of being heirs of Abraham and to them Jesus was first sent
What might still be the essential points of the gospel message as we share the gospel with Gentiles?
(5) What is the main message to you today? How may you apply it to your life?