Acts: The Mission of God (Part 1)

How to Use this Guide

Study the Scriptures

In the first section “Study the Scriptures,” you personally get the chance to read Scripture for yourself. You don’t need an expert to teach you the Bible. All followers of Jesus have the Holy Spirit to teach you the Bible as you study it for yourself (John 14:26).

Go Deeper

In addition to spending time studying the scriptures for yourself, the study will then guide you into a section called “Go Deeper.” This is a time where we can learn from people who have devoted their lives to the Book of Acts. Some of their observations and insights will help us see things we might not have seen on our own.

Learn Together

Once we have studied scripture on our own and gone deeper into the text we will come together and “Learn Together.” We are meant to read the Bible on our own, but we are also just as much designed to learn the Bible in community. Growth and maturity in the Christian life does not happen in isolation, but in community with God’s people. This section of the booklet will guide our time together in Community Groups, in particular our Family Meals and Discipleship Groups.

Family Meals are missional gatherings in multiple neighborhoods all across your city. In these regular gatherings, we enjoy a meal together as a family that follows Jesus. We share the messiness of life, weep and laugh, give and receive. We point each other to Jesus and care for one another. This is where we experience true gospel community. The questions provided in this booklet shape our time together, allowing us to apply the book of Acts to our daily life.

Discipleship Groups are smaller, gender-specific gatherings of three to five people that create a space where you can be honest and authentic with each other, where you can celebrate, encourage, and challenge each other with the Word of God. A space where we invite the Holy Spirit’s presence to meet us and transform our hearts. We pray that this time together would form a deeper, authentic community where we can help each other to grow in intimacy and understanding of Jesus. Here are some exercises that you could use in your discipleship group to make it more beneficial.

• Checking In: Most of us will be stepping into our discipleship groups with our thoughts, emotions, and hearts drawn in different directions from the busyness and demands of the day. Those of you that are comfortable with this, spend some time checking in with others in the group and talk through where you are spiritually and emotionally.
• Stay Gospel-Centered: As we enter this space, it would be helpful to spend some time focusing your heart on the gospel. Our goal is not to make each other moral. Our goal is to be changed by the grace of God with the truth of the gospel.
• Rely on the Spirit and the Word: In our discipleship groups, we need to meet with Jesus and hear him speak to us. We must continually go to the Holy Spirit and his Word and listen to him. Throughout your time together, pray for one another and encourage each other. Worshipping together will also be helpful to recalibrate our heart’s focus on Jesus.

Integrate Into Life

After studying the Bible for ourselves and in community, we must “Integrate into Life” by applying what we’ve learned into our heart, mind, soul and strength. It’s a shame to focus on such great truths from Scripture and then stop short of actually doing anything about it. None of us want to waste our time spent in scripture and community. The “Integrate into Life” section will help us to apply what God is teaching us each week into our life.

Most people will not go through all four sections in the same day. You can go through the booklet however you like, but we recommend you go through the “Study the Scriptures” and “Dig Deeper” sections before the sermon each week. Take notes in your booklet during the sermon, and then go through the “Learn Together” section during your Community Group time. After you have processed the verses together in community don’t forget the crucial “Integrate into Life” step.

Resources

At the end of this booklet, there are various resources laid out for the Book of Acts, including all the sources we quote in this booklet. Feel free to utilize these resources to deepen your study of Acts.

Please use this moment in the life of the church to be all-in for what God wants to do in and through us during this series. The time spent in this booklet will not return void. The Lord will use it in your life and in the life of our Church.

All across Oklahoma and beyond, people from various cultures and contexts go about their daily lives without knowing or experiencing the risen Jesus. We live in daily interaction with friends, family, and co-workers who are far from God. People all across Oklahoma live in darkness and confusion. The physical and spiritual needs of people, both locally and globally, is more than we can wrap our heads around, let alone fix. Thankfully, God is on a mission to do something about it.

"All across Oklahoma and beyond, people from various cultures and contexts go about their daily lives without knowing or experiencing the risen Jesus."

Since the dawn of humanity, the mission of God has always been to have his people, in his place, for his glory. The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is the grand and beautiful story of God accomplishing his mission of drawing all people from all places to himself. This mission, pointed to on every page of the Old Testament, culminates in the coming of Jesus Christ who lived perfectly, died brutally, and rose again victoriously. But what happened after the resurrection of Jesus? Did Jesus have any impact on the society of the 1st century? Even more importantly, does the resurrection of Jesus have any bearing on our world today? The answer to these questions (and many others) is found in the book of Acts.

When Jesus ascended into heaven, his mission didn’t stop or slow down. Far from it. The book of Acts (formally known as “the Acts of the Apostles”) tells the story of Jesus continuing his mission from heaven through his Church. In Acts, Jesus takes a small, fledgling group of about 120 disciples living in a hostile, pluralistic society, and turns the entire world upside down in only about a thirty year time period.

What we see Jesus doing in the book of Acts, he continues to do today through his Church. Jesus is still changing lives. Jesus is still expanding his kingdom on the earth. Jesus is still bringing physical and emotional healing. Jesus is still drawing all people from all places to himself. Jesus is still growing his Church. Jesus is still on mission today, and the mission of God that we read about in the book of Acts is not yet finished. In the words of Arthur T. Pierson:

"Church of Christ! The records of these acts of the Holy Ghost have never reached completeness. This is the one book which has no proper close, because it waits for new chapters to be added so fast and so far as the people of God shall reinstate the blessed Spirit in his holy seat of control." - (Pierson, The Acts of the Holy Spirit, 141-142)

An unlikely man named Luke is chosen by God to write the New Testament books we know today as Luke and Acts. These two books together make up twenty-seven percent of the entire New Testament. So who is this man God uses to communicate such a large and important portion of the New Testament?

From what we can tell, Luke is a well-educated and well-traveled doctor. We know he is well-educated based on the high level of Greek vocabulary he uses in his writing. Colossians 4:14 tells us Luke is a beloved doctor. The way he describes people, places and concepts lets us know Luke is well traveled. The Sea of Galilee, for example, is called a “lake” by Luke because he has travelled the Mediterranean and knows it is far larger and truly a “sea.”

Luke, interestingly, is not an eye witness to the events of Jesus. At the time of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection Luke is not a follower of Jesus. He more than likely is a committed follower to one of the many gods of the Roman empire while Jesus is dying for the sins of the world. Luke possesses no spiritual pedigree to make his resume look good as a New Testament writer. Except one thing, Jesus becomes his Savior. It is very likely Luke met Jesus in the 40’s or 50’s AD through the ministry of Paul, but we do not know exactly how or when Luke comes to put his faith in Jesus. Paul and Luke are close companions and will minister together for the rest of their lives.

"There are many genres of writing in the Bible: poetry, narrative, wisdom literature..."

There are many genres of writing in the Bible: poetry, narrative, wisdom literature, etc… Luke uses the genre of history to communicate God’s truths found in the book of Acts. Luke has a great purpose in writing this historical book.

In the late 60’s AD, the apostle Paul is thrown into prison and will sit in his cell for more than two years on the western coast of Israel in a town called Caesarea. While Paul is in prison, his friend, Luke, is staying close to Paul but is totally free to move throughout Israel. Luke tells us what he decides to do, presumably during these two years:

"Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eye-witnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught." – Luke 1:1-4

During his two years spent traveling Israel, Luke tracks down the truthfulness of every story about Jesus. He most likely interviews Jesus’ mom, Mary, to get intimate details no one else would know about the birth of Jesus. He is able to interview John Mark, Philip, the apostles Peter and John, and James, the Lord’s brother. These people all would have provided first hand details to this precise historian.

Why did Luke write Acts? With his mentor in prison, and the persecution of Christians sweeping the Roman world, all details point to Luke writing this book to officials in the Roman Empire letting them know they have nothing to fear about Christianity. Instead of fearing and persecuting Christians, they should embrace this ancient, peaceful, and powerful faith. Luke writes as an historian, diplomat, and theologian showing the Roman Empire the beauties of this great news that has happened and is happening in their midst.

Spanning roughly thirty years of early Church history and covering dozens of unique stories, geographical locations, and complex theological realities, the book of Acts is what John Calvin called “a kind of vast treasure” (Calvin, The Acts of the Apostles: Vol. 1, 20).

"a kind of vast treasure" - John Calvin

Although it is incredibly immense, the twenty-eight chapters of the book of Acts can be divided into four major sections.

Part 1: Foundations For Mission

Based on Acts 1:1 - 6:7

The beginning of Acts picks up the narrative where the gospel of Luke left off. Jesus commissions his disciples into the mission of God and then ascends into heaven. The disciples are commanded to wait in the city of Jerusalem until Jesus pours out the Holy Spirit in power. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit comes in a dramatic way and fills 120 disciples with power and boldness for mission. The Apostle Peter stands up and proclaims the gospel, resulting in over 3,000 people meeting Jesus. The early Church grows into a multiplying gospel community that loves God, loves people, and pushes back darkness. As the Church grows and expands, suffering and persecution begin to set in. In addition, the messiness of real discipleship in a growing church becomes more and more of a reality, reminding us that the early Church was far from perfect. Despite the Church’s struggles from within and from outside struggles, “the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem” - Acts 6:7.

Part 2: Stories of Mission

Based on Acts 6:8 - 12:24

By the grace and power of God, the Church experiences much missional success in Jerusalem. But the command to take the gospel to Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth hasn’t been attempted. In preparation for the Church to become a trans-local movement, a few key events take place. The first key event is a powerful sermon preached by Stephen, one of the first deacons in the Church. Stephen’s sermon, recorded in it’s entirety in Acts 7, leads to his brutal martyrdom by the Jewish religious leaders of the day who were deeply offended by the truth he proclaimed. In addition, the uproar surrounding Stephen’s sermon sparks the largest amount of persecution the Church had encountered to date, causing the Church to scatter throughout parts of Judea and Samaria. As the people of God scatter, so does the mission of God. The second key event is the conversion of Saul, arguably the fiercest human antagonist of the early Church. Saul, who is also called Paul, becomes perhaps the greatest missionary the Church has ever seen. The third key event is the conversion of Cornelius, a prominent Gentile soldier. Through the conversion of Cornelius and a large group of Gentiles, Peter comes face to face with God’s desire for all people from all cultures and backgrounds to come to know Jesus.

Part 3: Places Of Mission

Based on Acts 12:25 - 20:38

The key events that take place between Acts 6-12 lay the foundation for the mission of God to become a radically diverse trans-local movement. The church at Antioch sends out Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey in Church history. In Acts 15, a crucial conference is held in Jerusalem to discuss the conditions for Gentile membership in the Church. This becomes the watershed moment for the Church as the gospel is made crystal clear and God’s mission to have a people from every tribe, tongue, nation, and language is preserved. Paul launches out on his second and third missionary journeys, strengthening existing churches along the way.

Part 4: A Life Of Mission

Based on Acts 21:1 - 28:31

As the book of Acts comes to a close, the focus zooms in on the Apostle Paul. The scene, however, moves away from Paul on the offensive and moves towards Paul on the defensive. While in Jerusalem, Paul is assaulted, arrested, and experiences a total of five trials. The first trial takes place in Jerusalem in front of a Jewish crowd at the Temple, the second before the Supreme Jewish Council in Jerusalem, the third and fourth before Felix and Festus (procurators of Judea) in Caesarea, and the fifth, also in Caesarea, before King Herod Agrippa II. Paul spends two years in prison and is then transferred to Rome where he spends an additional two years under house-arrest. During this time he is writing New Testament letters such as Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, and proclaiming the gospel to all who will listen. This somewhat anticlimactic ending reminds us that the story that started in Acts 1 doesn’t end in Acts 28. Jesus is continuing his mission on planet earth through his Church.

While Acts is a record of history, Luke weaves many theological themes into these stories to teach us about God and his mission. He shows us how God is working and speaking in this story and our own stories. Here are some of the key themes that Luke highlights for us.

The Mission of God

This is the major theme of Acts. In the Gospel of Luke, we see that Jesus came to the earth to advance the mission of God. His mission was to see his kingdom spread to the ends of the earth by drawing people to himself through his life, death, and resurrection (Luke 24:46-47). When Luke begins writing Acts, he says that what “Jesus began to do and teach” in his earthly ministry, he is continuing to do now from heaven (Acts 1:1-2). Acts is a story about men and women encountering the resurrected Jesus, who is alive and reigning in heaven.

It is Jesus who pours out the Spirit on the Church on Pentecost (Acts 2:33). It is Jesus who saves men and women as they hear the gospel (Acts 2:47; 16:14). It is Jesus who reveals himself to the unbelieving Saul, simultaneously protecting his people and sending out one of the greatest missionaries our world has ever seen (Acts 9:1-6). It is Jesus who establishes his Church and gives direction to church planters (Acts 1:24-25; 16:6-10). In other words, Jesus is still advancing the mission of God.

The Gift of the Holy Spirit

The work of the Holy Spirit is so prevalent in Acts that many commentators have suggested the book should be titled “The Acts of the Holy Spirit” rather than “The Acts of the Apostles.” The Holy Spirit empowers the Church to continue the ministry and mission of Jesus (Acts 1:8, 2:1-4). By the power of the Holy Spirit, men and women come to faith in Jesus. Signs and wonders are performed, such as healing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead. People are filled with the Holy Spirit, moving them to preach the gospel with boldness, speak in tongues, and prophesy. The Holy Spirit is the one driving and empowering the Church for everything.

Acts emphasizes our need for the Holy Spirit. He is not reserved for a special class of people. Instead, the gift of the Holy Spirit is promised to everyone who repents and trusts in Jesus (Acts 2:17-18, 38). By the power of the Spirit, every Christian gets to participate in the mission of God, no matter their education, age, or occupation.

The Birth of the Church

Before he ascended into heaven, Jesus commissioned his disciples to “be [his] witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:3, 8). He sent them out on the mission of God, but told them to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit. Then on Pentecost, Jesus poured out the Spirit, and the Church was born. Taking up the call of Jesus, the Church lives on mission by multiplying gospel communities. By the end of Acts, the Church has preached the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome, to Jew and Gentile.

The Church in Acts shows us the true nature of gospel community. We see believers living life together, reading the Bible together, worshipping together, praying together, and reaching their city together. They are now a family, giving their time and money to support one another (Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-37). They help other local churches with finances and prayer. They are actively planting other churches, raising up leaders to shepherd, lead, and protect the church. In Acts, we see the foundations of the Church and how we should love God, love people, and push back darkness.

But the early Church was not perfect. Acts also gives us a glimpse behind-the-scenes into the messiness of the Church. We see lying, cheating, and arguments (Acts 5:1-11; 6:1; 15:36-41). We see the church wrestle through what it means to live in light of the gospel. They debate how the gospel applies to the Temple, the Law, and the non-Jewish believer (Acts 15). When we look at the early Church in Acts, we are confronted with both the beauty and the messiness of gospel community.

Persecution & Providence

As Jesus advances the mission of God, the world and culture violently oppose this. In Acts, we see the Church going through times of intense persecution and suffering. The Apostles are threatened and beaten by the religious authorities (Acts 5:17-42). Many Christians were imprisoned for their faith (Acts 8:3). Stephen is killed because of his faithfulness to preach the gospel (Acts 7:54-60). The Apostle James is killed for political favor with the Jews (Acts 12:3). We can especially see this theme of suffering as we follow the life of Paul. He is beaten, left for dead, arrested on multiple occasions, and even shipwrecked. The final seven chapters of Acts are devoted to Paul’s imprisonment and trials because of his faith in Jesus. When we live on mission for Jesus, persecution is a reality.

But behind all of this suffering is the providence of God. God uses this persecution to advance his mission. It is because of the persecution following Stephen’s martyrdom that the gospel spread to the Samaritans and the Ethiopians (Acts 8). Paul’s imprisonment allows him to preach the gospel to jailers, governors, and kings (Acts 16:25-34; 24:1-27; 26:1-32). And it is his unlawful imprisonment that leads to the spreading of the gospel to Rome (Acts 28:11-31).

As we dig into this book, we have three big hopes for you. It is these three hopes that are driving us to pray, preach, study, and lead you through the book of Acts.

Our first hope is that you would get a vision for what God is able to do and what God desires to do through Frontline Church, locally and globally. Jesus took a small group of average disciples and empowered them with his Spirit for radical mission. We are praying that God would give Frontline Church confidence, power, and enthusiasm for his mission that rivals that of the early Church in the book of Acts.

Our second hope is that you would play your role. Like the Church in the first century, Jesus has called us to himself and called us to be his witnesses. God’s mission moves forward with God’s people. The book of Acts is filled with ordinary people doing extraordinary things through God’s power, including Peter, Paul, Stephen, Priscilla, Aquila, Barnabas, Lydia, etc. Our prayer is that the book of Acts would give you a grid for what it means to play your role in the mission of God.

Our third and final hope is that you would experience the fullness of the Triune God — Father, Son, and Spirit — in your day to day life, as the early Church did. The book of Acts reminds us that God is not on vacation in some distant land, oblivious to the sufferings, needs, and concerns of his people. Rather, God is actively involved in the daily affairs of life. The Father is still comforting and healing people. Jesus is still saving and changing people. The Spirit is still filling and empowering people for mission. Our prayer is that our theology of God would translate into actually experiencing God more and more.

An Overview

The book of Acts tells us the story of Jesus continuing his mission from heaven through his Church. What is the missio Dei (mission of God) all about? It’s about God having people from every nation, language, and culture brought back into right relationship with himself. Jesus left heaven and came to earth to fulfill this mission by living perfectly, dying sacrificially, and rising victoriously. The book of Acts continues the story of God’s mission through his Church. The twenty-eight chapters of Acts chronicle the early church going from a relatively small, unimpressive group of disciples to an explosive, global religion that turned the world upside down. And all of this happened in about thirty years time.

Read through the passages - Acts 1:6-11, Acts 28:23-31

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” - (Acts 1:6-11 ESV)

When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:

“‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’

Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.” He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. - (Acts 28:23-31 ESV)

Think Through the Text

• What exactly is Jesus asking the twelve disciples to do in Acts 1:8? What do you think is going through their minds? In what ways or places is Jesus calling you to live on mission?
• As you turn to Acts 28:23-31, the very end of the book, what do you learn about the mission of God? What does it look like? How far did it expand?
• Do you ever feel too old to be used by God? Too young? Jesus sends the disciples out on a radically global mission. Roughly thirty years later, the gospel has spread all across the known world. What does that tell you about what God could do in and through you in the next thirty years?

Write it Out

Capture, chart, outline your thoughts - whatever works best for you:

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture.

The book of Acts is filled with a variety of rich and beautiful theological themes. But the most central theme in the book of Acts is what is called the missio Dei, a Latin theological term that is translated as the “mission of God.” This should not surprise us, since the mission of God is not only the central theme of the book of Acts, but also of the whole Bible itself. As Dr. Christopher Wright notes:

The Bible renders to us the story of God’s mission through God’s people in their engagement with God’s world for the sake of the whole of God’s creation. The Bible is the drama of this God of purpose engaged in the mission of achieving that purpose universally, embracing past, present and future, Israel and the nations,’life, the universe, everything,’ and with its center, focus, climax, and completion in Jesus Christ. Mission is not just one of a list of things that the Bible happens to talk about, only a bit more urgent than some. Mission is, in that much-abused phrase, “what it’s all about.” (Wright, The Mission of God, 22)

The Beginning

To understand God’s mission, let alone the breathtaking beauty of Acts, one must return to the very beginning. In Genesis 1, God sets out on a mission to create a people for his glory. God’s original design was for humanity to live in peace and joy in the presence of God. Devastatingly, the story goes awry in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve choose to reject God, both as a good Father and the Divine Creator, choosing instead to become their own gods and pursue pleasure in their own way. Genesis 3 ends with God kicking Adam and Eve out of his presence while also making them a hope-filled promise that he would send his Son to right their wrong, cover their shame and guilt, and bring them back to himself. This first announcement of the gospel in Genesis 3:15, referred to by theologians as the “Protoevangelium,” sets in motion the events of the rest of the entire Bible. God goes on mission to bring his people back into his presence for his glory.

God moves forward with his mission in Genesis 12 by taking a moon-worshipping pagan named Abraham and lavishing his love and blessing on him and his family. Eventually, God blesses Abraham to the point that his posterity turns into a nation of people called the Israelites, the special people of God. But from day one, God’s desire was not simply to rescue and redeem a small group of people from one nation in one place. Repeatedly, God communicates his heart for the nations scattered across the globe (Genesis 22:18, Psalm 22:27, Psalm 46:10, Isaiah 11:12, Isaiah 42:6, Malachi 1:11). The story of the Old Testament is ultimately God moving forward with his mission by redeeming the people of Israel so that they might be a light for the surrounding nations.

The New Testament

The New Testament opens with the coming of Jesus into the world. God himself as Christ steps into human history and becomes a man to rescue and redeem people from every nation, language, and culture. Jesus does this by living a perfect life, dying on a cross, and rising from the dead - all in our place. On the cross, Jesus bore our sin, shame, and guilt, and through his resurrection, Jesus lovingly gives us his perfect righteousness. Jesus came to fix what was broken at the Fall. Jesus came to bring his people back to his presence.

Into Acts

We finally arrive at the book of Acts. The resurrected Jesus calls his disciples to join in on the missio Dei by becoming witnesses of his finished work. Jesus ascends into heaven and eventually pours out the Holy Spirit in a powerful way, thrusting his disciples into God’s mission of redemption. Redemption, in the words of Tim Keller:

"…is much more than simply saving souls. It will ultimately entail the complete healing of creation, including social justice, the reunification of all humanity, and the end of physical decay and death (Isa. 11:1-10). But even now it means bringing the health and coherence of Christ’s lordship back into every aspect of human life. The Christian church is to be a new society in which the world can see exhibited what family, business practices, race relations, and all of life can be under the kingship of Jesus Christ." - (Keller, “The Church’s Call to Steward God’s Mission in the World”)

This mission that began in Genesis powers forward in dramatic ways in Acts. And this is the mission that God has given us to carry out until his return. Record any insights from this deeper study...

Discuss the following questions during Family Meal and Discipleship Group (see How To Use This Booklet).

Family Meal

The book of Acts tells us the story of Jesus continuing his mission from heaven through his Church. What is the missio Dei (mission of God) all about? It’s about God having people from every nation, language, and culture brought back into right relationship with himself. Jesus left heaven and came to earth to fulfill this mission by living perfectly, dying sacrificially, and rising victoriously. The book of Acts continues the story of God’s mission through his Church. The twenty-eight chapters of Acts chronicle the early church going from a relatively small, unimpressive group of disciples to an explosive, global religion that turned the world upside down. And all of this in about thirty years time.

• Where in our city is there an obvious need for mission? What places are not as obvious, but equally in need?
• If you knew your mission would be a success, what would you do to push back darkness in our city?
• Based on the answers given, discuss ways that as a group you can engage the mission of God.

Prayer: Spend some time together praying for your city, your area, and your neighborhood.

Discipleship Group

• In what ways have you successfully engaged the mission of God in the past? What was your experience?
• What obstacles are holding you back from living on mission today? If you were to talk yourself out of mission, what would be the reasons? (Do you feel too old? Too young? Inexperienced? Insecure?)
• How do you think Jesus would respond to these reasons?
• What specifically is God inviting you into, as it relates to his mission?

Prayer: Spend some time together praying that God would move you towards faith instead of fear in this invitation to mission.

Record any insights from family meal and/or discipleship groups...

Take what you have learned and apply it to your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Review

Review everything you’ve gone through thus far. What did the Lord show you? Record your thoughts...

Integrate

Spend some time prayerfully journaling about how God is leading you to engage his mission.

• What role should you play?
• What’s holding you back?
• What steps do you need to courageously take?

As you wrestle through these questions, create a plan for how you can engage the mission of God. Record your thoughts...

An Overview

In a shocking series of events, Jesus had risen from the dead after being executed on the Roman cross. Over the course of forty days, Jesus physically appeared to various disciples, proving to them that he was truly alive. On the last day Jesus spent on planet earth, he calls them into the greatest mission of all time. The mission? Tell everyone on the planet about Jesus. And then Jesus left planet earth and ascended into heaven.

Tell everyone on the planet about Jesus.

Read through the passages - Acts 1:1-11

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands ethrough the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, jwill you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive npower when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, the was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two wmen stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will acome in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” - (Acts 1:1-11 ESV)

Think Through the Text

• In Acts 1:6, the disciples ask Jesus when he is going to restore the kingdom to Israel. What do you think the disciples are expecting Jesus to do for the people of Israel at this point in the story? In what ways did they possibly misunderstand why Jesus came in the first place?
• Jesus commands the disciples to go into Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the end of the earth as witnesses of his resurrection. This must have felt simultaneously overwhelming and invigorating. But then Jesus commands them to wait in the city. Why? What is it that the disciples need in order to carry out this great mission?
• The call to live on mission for Jesus started in Jerusalem, the hometown of the disciples, and moved out in concentric circles from there (Judea, Samaria, end of the earth). What do you think your “Jerusalem” is? What might the concentric circles be going out from your “Jerusalem”?

Write it Out

Capture, chart, outline your thoughts - whatever works best for you:

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture.

The opening scene in Acts focuses on the risen Jesus surrounded by his disciples. Jesus is giving his disciples missional directives that they don’t fully grasp or understand. As we read Acts 1:6, we start to realize that the disciples are very confused as to what is going on and what is about to happen. To fully comprehend the confusion that the disciples felt, one must understand their misunderstandings of why Jesus came to the earth in the first place.

Jesus’ disciples had all grown up under the harsh Roman rule over Israel. At the same time, they were incredibly familiar with the Old Testament and it’s many promises about a future Messiah who would come to establish his kingdom and destroy his enemies. This Messiah, it was assumed, would be akin to the powerful warrior-king David and would reestablish the Jewish monarchy and lead his people into a golden era of peace. When Jesus showed up on the scene, the twelve disciples genuinely thought that he would destroy Rome and liberate the Jewish people once and for all. In short, the disciples had a completely wrong view of the kingdom. John Stott explains:

In the English language, of course, a “kingdom” is usually a territorial sphere which can be located on a map, like the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan, the Hindu kingdom of Nepal, the Buddhist kingdom of Thailand, or the United Kingdom. But the kingdom of God is not a territorial concept. It does not — and cannot — figure on any map. Yet this is what the apostles were envisaging by confusing the kingdom of God with the kingdom of Israel…They were still dreaming of political dominion, of the re-establishment of the monarchy, of Israel’s liberation from the colonial yoke of Rome. (Stott, The Message of Acts, 41-42)

The response given by Jesus to his apostles must have shocked and dazed the disciples:

It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:7-8)

Rather than Jesus sending his apostles to destroy Israel’s enemies, Jesus sends his apostles to proclaim the good news to them, starting in Jerusalem and eventually taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. The kingdom of God was very different than what anyone could have anticipated. John Stott comments:

The kingdom of God is his rule set up in the lives of his people by the Holy Spirit. It is spread by witnesses, not by soldiers, through a gospel of peace, not a declaration of war, and by the work of the Spirit, not by force of arms, political intrigue or revolutionary violence. (Stott, The Message of Acts, 42)

What happened next was even more unexpected. After Jesus calls his disciples into this radical mission and commands them to wait in the city for power from the Holy Spirit, Jesus ascends into heaven. The importance of the ascension is impossible to overstate. Jesus doesn’t float away into the sky, disappearing from the earth, never to be seen again. Rather, Jesus ascends into heaven where he takes his rightful seat at the right hand of God. Jesus is overseeing, directing, and orchestrating his mission from the throne of heaven as the King over every king.

Nonetheless, the disciples did not immediately understand what was taking place. Luke records them staring off into space, confused and unsure as to where Jesus could possibly be going. John Stott, again, is helpful on this point:

There was something fundamentally anomalous about their gazing up into the sky when they had been commissioned to go to the ends of the earth. It was the earth not the sky which was to be their preoccupation. Their calling was to be witnesses not stargazers. The vision they were to cultivate was not upwards in nostalgia to the heaven which had received Jesus, but outwards in compassion to a lost world which needed him. It is the same for us. Curiosity about heaven and its occupants, speculation about prophecy and its fulfillment, an obsession with “times and seasons” — these are aberrations which distract us from our God-given mission. Christ will come personally, visibly, gloriously. Of that we have been assured. Other details can wait. Meanwhile, we have work to do in the power of the Spirit. (Stott, The Message of Acts, 51)

Discuss the following questions during Family Meal and Discipleship Group (see How To Use This Booklet).

Family Meal

In a shocking series of events, Jesus had risen from the dead after being executed on the Roman cross. Over the course of forty days, Jesus physically appeared to various disciples, proving to them that he was truly alive. On the last day Jesus spent on planet earth, he calls them into the greatest mission of all time. He tells his disciples in Acts 1:8,

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

• Why do you think Jesus told them to wait on the power of the Holy Spirit before they went out on mission?
• By telling them to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth, Jesus was showing them that the mission is local and global. They were to be witnesses in their city, their region, neighboring regions, and to all the earth.
• What is your Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, end of the earth? How has God called you to be on mission locally and globally?
• Do you tend to focus on the local mission or the global mission? What comes easiest for you? Where do you need to grow?

Prayer: Spend some time together praying for the local mission and the global mission. Pray for specific friends and family to know and meet Jesus.

Discipleship Group

One of the most important first steps in living on mission is to identify your core three people. These are three non-Christians within your sphere of influence for whom you will commit to pray for and engage in intentional gospel relationships. These people could be your children, family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, or others.

• Discuss in your group your core three people (or who these people should be). How are you currently engaging them?
• Sometimes there are areas of sin in our life that can hold us back from living on mission. Where do you need the grace of God in your life to repent and change so you can better live on mission with your three core people?

Prayer: Spend some time together praying for your core three people.

Record any insights from family meal and/or discipleship groups...

Take what you have learned and apply it to your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Review

Review everything you’ve gone through thus far. What did the Lord show you? Record your thoughts...

Integrate

• Write down your core three people. Create a plan in the space below on how you personally can pray for them, as well as ideas on how to share the gospel with them.
• This week, begin praying every day for your core three people. Pray that they would meet Jesus and that God would open up opportunities to share the gospel with them.
• Also, over the next week, intentionally engage them. Just talk to them, see how they are doing, and see if God opens up an opportunity. Maybe invite them to church or ask if there is any way you could pray for them.

An Overview

Waiting is not something humans do well. At the beginning of one of the most action-packed books of the Bible we find a time of waiting. They’re not waiting for bureaucratic paperwork to be approved before they can go out to start the church. Instead, they’re waiting for the power to come that they’ll need to carry out the mission God is giving to them.

Read through the passages - Acts 1:12-26

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, lwho became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in nthis ministry.” (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and “‘Let another take his office.’

So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when whe was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. - (Acts 1:12-26 ESV)

Think Through the Text

• These people have spent the last 3 years of their life with Jesus. They’ve just seen Jesus ascend to heaven. They are all gathered now “devoting themselves to prayer.” What do you imagine they were praying about?
• What is Peter’s first “order of business” when he stands up to address the 120 believers gathered? What are some other things he could have talked about instead? Why do you think he chose to talk about what he did?
• What were the qualifications Peter mentioned to replace Judas?

Write it Out

Capture, chart, outline your thoughts - whatever works best for you:

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture.

In Acts 1:14 the text says, “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer…” Bible scholar Dr. Darrell Bock states:

The gathered community is of “one mind” as it prays. Ten of the eleven NT occurrences of this term appear in Acts. The word refers to a group acting as one (“with one accord” in KJV, ESV, RSV translations; “With one mind” in NASB, NET translations; “met together continually” in NLT translation; “continually united” in HCSB translation). Often it describes Jews or others acting in protest against something (Acts 7:57; 12:20; 18:12; 19:29). In other cases it describes the disciples who are in accord about something (2:46; 4:24; 5:12; 15:25). As the examples concerning the disciples show, it is a term that points to the fundamental unity within the church. Here the group is operating in obedience, waiting for the Spirit and praying in preparation as they wait. The nascent church (“the just coming into existence church”) is showing some of its most fundamental characteristics: gathered, seeking the Lord’s will with one mind in prayer, and assembled to carry out God’s mission. (Bock, Acts, 78)

It’s so easy for us as a church to not be of “one accord” nor of “one mind.” Every person in the church can have their own passionate opinions about their church and what the direction of the church should be. It’s so refreshing to have 120 people gathered together, waiting for the power for the mission to come, and all 120 are described as being of one mind. Additionally, they are not simply staring at a wall together, they are actively devoting themselves to prayer.

Luke uses the imperfect verb tense when writing “devoting” which specifically means their prayer is described as ongoing. This was not a short time of prayer; this is a persevering type of prayer. Why pray like this? John Stott explains:

There can be little doubt that the grounds of this unity and perseverance in prayer were the command and promise of Jesus. He had promised to send them the Spirit soon (Acts 1:4, 5, 8). He had commanded them to wait for him to come and then begin their witness. We learn, therefore, that God’s promises do not render prayer superfluous. On the contrary, it is only his promises which give us warrant to pray and the confidence that he will hear and answer. (Stott, The Message of Acts, 54)

Record any insights from this deeper study...

Discuss the following questions during Family Meal and Discipleship Group (see How To Use This Booklet).

Family Meal

The church, being born in the first chapter of Acts, had a clear mission and needed clear power from God to fulfill that mission. We are about 2,000 years removed from that specific time and place. Our God, however, has not changed. He is the same yesterday, today and forever and is just as alive and well today as he was on that day. We have the same God. We also have the same mission. The 120 people who heard the mission and then gathered to pray are all long dead. We are the people living to carry out the mission of our living God. We have the same God. We have the same mission. Remarkably, we also have the same power they prayerfully waited to receive.

In Acts 1:14, it says of the disciples,

All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

For this Family Meal, put into practice what the disciples did in Acts 1. Pray together and wait on the power of God. As you pray, focus on the following things:

• Pray that your group and Frontline Church would be of one mind and one accord.
• Pray for your group and Frontline Church to walk in its mission to multiply gospel communities that love God, love people, and push back darkness.
• Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to drive us on mission.

Discipleship Group

Discuss how you prayed for and engaged your core three people in the past week. (If you didn't meet, refer to Discipleship Group questions under “The Great Mission.”)

• Did you engage the mission this week out of your own power and strength, or in the power of the Holy Spirit?
• Where have you personally seen God’s power working in the past? How has he shown up when you were waiting on him?
• Where do you need God’s power most in your life right now? Where are you currently sensing your weakness and inability?

Prayer: Spend some time together praying for God’s power to meet you in those areas of need.

Record any insights from family meal and/or discipleship groups...

Take what you have learned and apply it to your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Review

Review everything you’ve gone through thus far. What did the Lord show you? Record your thoughts...

Integrate

The disciples were commanded to wait on the power of the Spirit, but waiting doesn’t mean standing still and doing nothing.

• Write down what it looks like in your current season of life to actively wait on God?
• What actions do you need to take in your waiting?
• Spend some time in prayer waiting and listening for what God would have you do.

Record your thoughts...

An Overview

The events recorded in Acts 2 are among not just the most important events in the book of Acts alone, but also one of the most important events in the history of redemption. Jesus sends the fullness of the Holy Spirit to empower his people for mission. The same Spirit that empowered Jesus throughout the course of his earthly ministry now rests upon every follower of Jesus. Ministry, maturity, and mission is now made possible by the Holy Spirit.

Read through the passages - Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants3 and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus,4 delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him,

“‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. - (Acts 2:1-21 ESV)

Think Through the Text

• Read Acts 2:1-4. What do you think this experience was like for the 120 disciples gathered together on the day of Pentecost? Have you ever experienced the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in a supernatural and unexplainable way?
• Read Acts 2:5-13. What does this tell you about the role of the Holy Spirit and mission? What seems to be the purpose of verses 5-13?
• In Acts 2:14, the apostle Peter stands up and in the fullness of the Spirit unpacks a section of Scripture from Joel 2:28-32. What does this section of Peter’s sermon tell you about the events of Pentecost? Is this a unique, unrepeatable event or is this an event that we should expect to frequently happen throughout church history?

Write it Out

Capture, chart, outline your thoughts - whatever works best for you:

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture.

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture passage.

The events that took place on Pentecost in Acts 2 are among the most important events recorded for us in the entire Bible. Unfortunately, Acts 2 is also among some of the most confused and misunderstood sections of holy scripture as well. To get a clear grasp of what this particular day of Pentecost meant for the early Church, one must understand the nature of the Holy Spirit both in the Old Testament and in the earthly life and ministry of Jesus.

In the Old Testament, the presence of God most often dwelled in a particular place. While it’s true that God is omnipresent, we see him choosing to dwell in a special way in special places. In the early part of Genesis, the presence of God dwells in the Garden of Eden. In Exodus, the presence of God dwells in the Tabernacle. In 1 Kings, the presence of God dwells in the Temple. Therefore, during the era of the Old Testament, if someone wanted to encounter the presence of God, they would have to go to a particular place.

In the New Testament, Jesus (God in the flesh) enters into human history. Luke’s gospel account makes multiple explicit references to Jesus being empowered with the Spirit of God. Jesus began his earthly ministry “full of the Holy Spirit”, “led by the Spirit”, “in the power of the Spirit”, and “anointed” by the Spirit (Luke 3:21-22; 4:1; 14, 18).

As the events of Pentecost begin to unfold, the risen and ascended Jesus sends the fullness of the Holy Spirit to dwell not inside of a place but inside of God’s people, the Church. This movement, from place to people, marks out a new era in redemptive history, the era of the Holy Spirit.

The events in Acts 2, then, can be better understood in the following ways. First, the sending of the Spirit is the final saving act of Jesus until his promised return. Jesus had lived, died, risen, and ascended into heaven. But at Pentecost, Jesus gives power, life, and boldness to his Church. Secondly, the Day of Pentecost gave the early Church everything she needed to carry the mission of God forward in the world. Thirdly, and finally, because of the events of Acts 2 all Christians everywhere can enjoy the fullness and power of the Spirit in the ways we see happening throughout the book of Acts. In fact, the Spirit-filled life of Jesus that we read about in Luke is now available to every follower of Jesus.

Were the disciples in Acts 2 already Christians? Yes. Did they possess the Holy Spirit? Yes, to some degree (see John 20:19-23). But something unique and altogether more powerful was given them on the Day of Pentecost. Jesus baptized the Church with the Spirit of God. What the disciples received in Acts 2 now happens at conversion for followers of Jesus after Pentecost.

It cannot be stated enough. No ministry or mission of eternal value is possible apart from the Spirit of God. Notably, Jesus did not begin his public ministry until the day of his baptism when the Spirit was sent from heaven to rest on him. Likewise, the Church is not able to do any public ministry without the Spirit of God. In the words of John Stott:

Without the Holy Spirit, Christian discipleship would be inconceivable, even impossible. There can be no life without the life-giver, no understanding without the Spirit of truth, no fellowship without the unity of the Spirit, no Christlikeness of character apart from his fruit, and no effective witness without his power. As a body without breath is a corpse, so the church without the Spirit is dead. (Stott, The Message of Acts, 60)

Record any insights from this deeper study...

Discuss the following questions during Family Meal and Discipleship Group (see How To Use This Booklet).

Family Meal

The events recorded in Acts 2 are among not just the most important events in the book of Acts alone, but also one of the most important events in the history of redemption. Jesus sends the fullness of the Holy Spirit to empower his people for mission.

• Imagine if Jesus was a part of your community group. What would your level of boldness, excitement, and faith be for the mission of God? What implications does fullness of the Spirit have for this?

The same Spirit that empowered Jesus throughout the course of his earthly ministry now rests upon every follower of Jesus. Ministry, maturity, and mission is now made possible by the Holy Spirit.

• Spend some time planning how as a group you are going to live out the mission of God. Come up with clear, actionable, and timely next steps for the group. For example, plan out a Third Space with specific next steps.

Prayer: Spend some time together praying for the Spirit to empower your group to push back darkness.

Discipleship Group

Have you ever experienced the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in a supernatural or unexplainable way? Explain your story of this experience.

• Do you walk in the expectation that the Holy Spirit has the power to show up in miraculous ways? Do you regularly ask him for this?
• While all believers have the Holy Spirit, there are things we can do to either quench the Spirit or pursue the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21). In what ways are you quenching the Spirit? In what ways are you pursuing the Spirit?
• How do you think God views you when you quench the Spirit? What does the gospel speak to this?

Prayer: Read Luke 11:5-13. Spend some time together praying for God to fill you with the Holy Spirit.

Record any insights from family meal and/or discipleship groups...

Take what you have learned and apply it to your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Review

Review everything you’ve gone through thus far. What did the Lord show you? Record your thoughts...

Integrate

• Write what steps you need to take to pursue the fullness of the Spirit.
• Also, write what steps you need to take to repent of quenching the Spirit.
• Spend some time praying to the Spirit. Ask him to forgive you and to change you.

Record your thoughts...

An Overview

By the work of the Spirit, Peter now has the attention of men and women from all over the world. He continues his sermon by boldly declaring the death, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus. The people are struck to the heart, and as a result, three thousand people are brought to faith in Jesus and baptized. The Mission of God is advancing.

Read through the passages - Acts 2:22-41

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him,

“‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe5 came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. - (Acts 2:22-41 ESV)

Think Through the Text

• This is a big moment. The Holy Spirit has come and drawn thousands of people to hear what Peter has to say. What does he decide to tell them? What are the main points of Peter’s sermon?
• Peter proudly proclaims that Jesus has been raised from the dead. But where is he now? And what does this mean for those hearing Peter’s sermon?
• The people are cut to the heart with conviction. How does Peter respond to them? What are they to do in response to this conviction?

Write it Out

Capture, chart, outline your thoughts - whatever works best for you:

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture.

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture passage.

In Peter’s first sermon, he keys in on the good news of Jesus. What does he include in his gospel message? John Stott summarizes:

Here, then, is a fourfold message — two events (Christ’s death and resurrection), as attested by two witnesses (prophets and apostles), on the basis of which God makes two promises (forgiveness and the Spirit), on two conditions (repentance and faith, with baptism). We have no liberty to amputate this apostolic gospel, by proclaiming the cross without the resurrection, or referring to the New Testament but not the Old, or offering forgiveness without the Spirit, or demanding faith without repentance. There is a wholeness about the biblical gospel. (Stott, The Message of Acts, 81)

In particular, it is striking how much attention Peter gives to the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. He spends one verse talking about the death of Jesus, and the rest of his sermon is focused on the resurrection and ascension. This is not to minimize the work that Christ did on the cross. Rather, Luke wants to highlight the importance of the resurrection in God’s purposes.

In Acts the resurrection is the climax of God’s saving purposes, and it is on the basis of the resurrection that the blessings of salvation may be offered. (Thompson, The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus, 79)

In the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, he is now “exalted at the right hand of God” as “both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” It is a terrifying thing when someone you murder comes back from the dead. It is even more terrifying when this man is now exalted as Lord and Christ and King of all. No wonder they were cut to the heart and asked “what shall we do?” But rather than pouring out judgment on them, Jesus offers to give them “forgiveness of sins” and “the gift of the Holy Spirit,” if they repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Baptism, or being immersed in water, is the first step a believer takes after coming to faith in Jesus. It is the way we profess our faith, demonstrating our union with Christ. It is a visible picture of what he has done for us, washing us clean of all our sin. Today when someone meets Jesus, they may not even hear about baptism for months to come. They may delay (or be delayed) until they understand it better or become a mature Christian. But in Acts 2, on that very day, over 3000 people were baptized. Coming to faith in Jesus and being baptized were inseparable. It was the very first act of the new believer.

…the idea of an unbaptized Christian is simply not entertained in the New Testament. (Bruce, The Book of Acts, 77)

Record any insights from this deeper study...

Discuss the following questions during Family Meal and Discipleship Group (see How To Use This Booklet).

Family Meal

By the work of the Spirit, Peter now has the attention of men and women from all over the world. He continues his sermon by boldly declaring the death, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus.

• Read Acts 2:22-36. How does Peter’s gospel message differ from how we would share the gospel? What did Peter mention that you probably would have left out?
• What about Peter’s sermon is most jarring or offensive to our current culture?
• Read Acts 2:37-41. How do you think Peter felt towards the people he was preaching to? Do you think he felt anger or love? How do you feel towards the people that need Jesus around you?

Prayer: Spend some time together praying, thanking God for the gospel, and asking him to give you a heart of love toward non-Christians.

Discipleship Group

• What in Peter’s sermon does one of your three need to hear? What does Peter talk about that you are most afraid to share?
• Have you been baptized since you became a Christian? If so, share your story. If not, explain why not.

Record any insights from family meal and/or discipleship groups...

Take what you have learned and apply it to your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Review

Review everything you’ve gone through thus far. What did the Lord show you? Record your thoughts...

Integrate

Many times, we hesitate to share the gospel because we don’t know how or haven’t thought about it. One of the easiest ways is to share our own story, how God rescued us, and what Jesus did to save us. Write out how you would share the gospel through your story.

If you haven’t been baptized since you became a Christian and would like to sign up or get more info, go to frontlinechurch.com/baptism.

An Overview

The life of the earliest church members looks very different from the normal American church experience. This week we position ourselves under the Lord asking him to teach us what he wants for us through Acts 2:42-47.

Read through the passages - Acts 2:42-47

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. - (Acts 2:42-47 ESV)

Think Through the Text

• Look closely at how Luke describes the local church in verses 42 and 43. He doesn’t mention their building, their service times, or the upcoming sermon series. List out in your Bible or in the space below a list of what Luke mentions to describe the early church when it gathers.
• Verses 44 through 45 describe the radical way Christians lived at this time. At least 3,500 people were living this way. What are some pros you can think of for Christians to live this way? What are some cons?
• Do verses 46 and 47 speak to your list of pros and cons at all?
• Verse 47 ends, “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Imagine yourself alive at that time, what would you have liked about being part of it all? Can you think of anything that could have been hard about living during verse 47?

Write it Out

Capture, chart, outline your thoughts - whatever works best for you:

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture.

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture passage.

These new converts, along with the disciples, gave ("devoted") themselves to two activities primarily: the apostles' teaching and fellowship. The grammar of the Greek sentence sets these actions off as distinct from the following two activities that define fellowship. The apostles' teaching included the Jewish Scriptures as well as the teachings of Christ on earth and the revelations He gave to the apostles from heaven. This means the early Christians gave priority to the revealed Word of God. (Constable, Notes on Acts, 63)

In verse 43 it says, “And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.” Scholar Eckhard Schnabel points out:

The result of these miracles, of which Luke will give one example in 3:1-10, is “awe”, which affected everybody. The term, which can mean “panic, fear, terror,” also denotes “reverence, respect, awe.” Since Jesus did not perform miracles of judgment, we can assume that the apostles did not perform miracles in which people were harmed; thus the meaning “respect, awe” should be used here. The two imperfect tense verbs indicate that this was a continual state of affairs among the population of Jerusalem. (Schnabel, Acts, 180-181)

As Christians at the time were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing to those in need, it brings up interesting questions for how Christians should live today. John Stott provides some helpful commentary:

It is important to note that even in Jerusalem the sharing of property and possessions was voluntary. According to verse 46, they broke bread in their homes. So evidently many still had homes; not all had sold them. It is also noteworthy that the tense of both verbs in verse 45 is imperfect, which indicates that the selling and the giving were occasional, in response to particular needs, not once and for all. Further, the sin of Ananias and Sapphira, to which we shall come in Acts 5, was not greed or materialism but deceit; it was not that they had retained part of the proceeds of their sale, but that they had done so while pretending to give it all. (Stott, The Message of Acts, 84)

Record any insights from this deeper study...

Discuss the following questions during Family Meal and Discipleship Group (see How To Use This Booklet).

Family Meal

Acts 2:42-47 is a small section of the Bible, yet it provides such a vivid description of what the early church was like. They didn’t meet in a shallow way. They were characterized by being devoted to the apostles’ teaching and also devoted to fellowship. They had to hear from God and be in close community with God’s people. They were all blown away with how God was miraculously working in their midst. They considered the needs of others greater than amassing their own personal fortunes. People were praising God and having favor with each other. The Lord has preserved these verses for 2,000 years, keeping them safe, so we can hear, learn, and change to be the church God wants us to be through these verses.

• Read Acts 2:42-47 out loud. What are the elements of community here? As a community, where are we doing well? Where are we sensing an invitation to growth?

As all this was happening, the Lord added new people every single day to the church. The early church was a close-knit group, but not a closed group.

• How does this growth make multiplication a necessity? How do you think people felt about their changing relationships as the church grew?
• What things need to be put in place so this group could multiply? (apprentice, future leader, plan, commitment, etc.)

Prayer: Spend some time together praying that God would continue to bring more people into community.

Discipleship Group

• In what ways is God calling you to partner with Frontline Church in multiplying gospel communities that love God, love people, and push back darkness? (for example, telling more people about Jesus, starting a new community group, leading, helping plant a new congregation, etc.)
• What are your expectations for community? Is this realistic? In what ways does this match up with Acts 2? In what ways does it not match up with Acts 2?
• Our “dream” of community actually destroys true community. How can we truly love what the community is now despite their failures?

Prayer: Read Acts 2:42-47. Spend some time together praying that this would become a reality in your group and in the church.

Record any insights from family meal and/or discipleship groups...

Take what you have learned and apply it to your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Review

Review everything you’ve gone through thus far. What did the Lord show you? Record your thoughts...

Integrate

• Write down what ways you can step into and engage gospel community better over the next month.
• Ask God to reveal ways that you are holding back from true community and ways that you have unrealistic expectations on community.

An Overview

Peter and John show the two sides of mission: kingdom demonstration and gospel proclamation. First, they demonstrate the power of the kingdom by healing a man who was lame from birth. Then, as everyone is astounded at this ministry, they proclaim the gospel and call men and women to repentance. As the Church takes up the Mission of God, around 5000 people up to this point have trusted in Jesus.

Peter and John show the two sides of mission: kingdom demonstration and gospel proclamation.

Read through the passages - Acts 3:1-26; 4:4

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's. And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

“And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.” - (Acts 3:1-26 ESV)

But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. - (Acts 4:4 ESV)

Think Through the Text

• This man was lame from birth (for over forty years), and in one moment, he is healed. What do you think he was feeling when this happened? How does he respond to being healing?
• What is the response of the people when they see this man healed? How does this act of kingdom demonstration help support gospel proclamation?
• What are the big ideas in Peter’s sermon? How does this differ from how you would share Jesus?

Write it Out

Capture, chart, outline your thoughts - whatever works best for you:

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture.

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture passage.

Peter and John encounter the man who was lame from birth at the Beautiful Gate. Darrell Bock explains:

It is often associated with the Nicanor Gate… The Nicanor (or Corinthian) Gate was bronze, larger than the other gates, and heavily adorned. Josephus describes the elaborate nature of these gates; eight were overloaded with gold and silver and one with bronze. When opened for special occasions, this gate was a popular way to reach the temple, an important consideration for those seeking alms… It allowed access to the Court of Women and Gentiles. (Bock, Acts, 160)

The man stations himself at this gate so he could ask alms of as many people as possible. This included women and Gentiles (non-Jews) who would go to the outer courts of the temple. It is in this heavily trafficked area that Peter and John perform this miracle. This man is known to many of the people because surely they had seen him there day after day.

Luke in his medical expertise draws particular attention to this man’s healing.

Then instantly, Dr Luke continues, the man’s feet and ankles became strong (7b) — so strong and agile that he jumped to his feet and began to walk, which he had never done before. Not only so, but he now accompanied the apostles into the temple courts, and all the time walking and jumping, and praising God (8). It was an outstanding fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy: “Then will the lame leap like a deer.” A crowed quickly gathered. For they saw him walking and praising God (9). This is the fourth time that Luke describes the man as walking, as if to emphasize the incredible fact that his poor crippled legs and feet were now for the first time fully operational. (Stott, The Message of Acts, 91)

This miraculous display of power gathers a crowd of people to whom Peter begins preaching. He tells them that it is not his power that healed this man. Rather, Jesus is the one who healed him. Again, this hints at the fact that Jesus is continuing his mission from heaven through the Church. In his gospel message, he again highlights their responsibility for killing “the Author of Life,” Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, and a call to repentance.

In his sermon, Peter also points to the day Christ returns. He tells us that Christ will remain in heaven “until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.” In talking about this restoration, John Stott says:

[This word] is more naturally understood of the eschatological “restoration,” which Jesus called “regeneration,” when nature will be liberated from its bondage to pain and decay and God will make a new heaven and earth. This final perfection awaits the return of Christ. (Stott, The Message of Acts, 94)

Record any insights from this deeper study...

Discuss the following questions during Family Meal and Discipleship Group (see How To Use This Booklet).

Family Meal

Peter and John demonstrate the power of the kingdom by healing a man who was lame from birth. They actually take notice of this man as he is begging. He was asking for money, but he needed something more than money. Likewise, we need to have gospel eyes for those around us who are broken, hurt, and in need.

• What are the surface level needs of our area? What are the greater gospel needs of our area? Do you have an awareness of the needs around you?

Through this miraculous healing, everyone is astounded. Peter and John proclaim the gospel and call men and women to repentance. The act of kingdom demonstration led to an opportunity for gospel proclamation.

• In what ways have you seen God miraculously work in the past? How did God use that to advance his mission?
• After hearing these stories of God’s power, read Acts 3:11-26. As this is read, let your heart just take in the beauty of the gospel.

Prayer: Spend some time together praying that God would display his power in miracles that would lead to more people coming to know Jesus.

Discipleship Group

• Who do you know around you that is hurting in such a way that you would walk up to them and heal them, if God gave you the power to do it? What is holding you back from taking a risk and praying over that person for them to be healed?
• In Acts 3, we see a connection between the works of Jesus (kingdom demonstration) and the words of Jesus (gospel proclamation). Which do you lean towards? Where do you need to grow?

Prayer: Spend some time together praying for healing and miracles in specific situations.

Record any insights from family meal and/or discipleship groups...

Take what you have learned and apply it to your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Review

Review everything you’ve gone through thus far. What did the Lord show you? Record your thoughts...

Integrate

• Write down people that you would want to see God heal or perform a miracle for (especially any non-Christians). Begin praying for God to heal them.
• This week, if possible, pray over that person as an open-door for the gospel.

An Overview

Even when you are exactly where God wants you to be and doing what God wants you to be doing and God is blessing what you are doing, you may still experience extreme opposition, suffering, and persecution. This is what happens to Peter and John in Acts 4. God uses the situation, however, to continue building his church in amazing ways.

Read through the passages - Acts 4:1-31

And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’—

for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. - (Acts 4:1-31 ESV)

Think Through the Text

• There were probably 40,000 people living in Jerusalem at this time. 5,000 have already come to Jesus in such a short time. Many of the Jewish leaders want to stop this viral growth. What is the first thing Peter and John are asked in chapter 4?
• How would you describe what Peter says in verses 8-12?
• What do we learn about Peter and John in verses 13-22?
• What are the believers praying for in verses 23-30? Why do you think they are praying for this after Peter and John have just been so bold?
• What does verse 31 show happens when the Holy Spirit moves powerfully in a person?

Write it Out

Capture, chart, outline your thoughts - whatever works best for you:

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture.

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture passage.

Chapter 4 begins with the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees being greatly annoyed at Peter and John. Dr. Tom Constable points out a few reasons why they were so frustrated:

Two things disturbed these leaders. First, the apostles were teaching the people. This was the Sadducees' function, since they were the recognized leaders of the Jews. Second, the apostles were teaching that Jesus had risen from the dead and that there was a resurrection from the dead. (Constable, Notes on Acts, 81)

The Sadducee group in Israel were ultra Jewish people who were proud to be the teachers of the Old Testament. They were convinced by the reading of the Old Testament that there was no such thing as a resurrection. The Sadducees had no room in their lives to learn from someone else and also no room in their lives for a resurrection. The evidence for Jesus’ resurrection didn’t matter. Their hearts and minds were already made up. The one thing they couldn’t deny, however, is that something incredible has been happening in their city. Their first question to Peter and John is not connected to what they’re saying. They see the numbers of people flocking to Jesus. They see the continual stream of miracles. Their first question is to ask them where all this power is coming from? It is clear from chapters 1-4 of Acts that the Holy Spirit is empowering Peter and John and the entire church.

Peter wraps up his message by saying salvation is found in no one else, there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Peter starts with a negative very non-politically correct statement; salvation is found in no one else besides Jesus. He then positively identifies the greatness of Jesus being given to people to be saved. The boldness of Peter in John is staggering.

As Peter and John spoke with complete openness and eloquent confidence, the members of the Sanhedrin realize that these two men are not priests trained to use the law in the context of their ritual duties in the temple, or wealthy aristocrats who have enjoyed the privileges of education… The Jewish elite here regard them as “amateurs”, as people who have no standing as priestly, political, or scribal experts. (Schnabel, Acts, 243)

They’re amateurs indeed, but they’re amateurs backed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Upon being released they go straight to a prayer meeting. Peter and John have just been incredibly bold, oddly enough however, they pray for more boldness. They need the Holy Spirit’s power every time they walk out their door. They never want to be the professional religious elite without any power. They always want to be amateurs backed by the power of God. As they pray the place is shaken; God is happy to grant these prayers.

Record any insights from this deeper study...

Discuss the following questions during Family Meal and Discipleship Group (see How To Use This Booklet).

Family Meal

Even when you are exactly where God wants you to be and doing what God wants you to be doing and God is blessing what you are doing, you may still experience opposition, suffering and persecution. This is what happens to Peter and John in Acts 4. God uses the situation, however, to continue building his church in amazing ways. At their best the professional religious leaders try to be powerful by their elite positions. Peter and John, however, are amateurs. Their power must come from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit graciously pours out his power to amateurs seeking to make much of Jesus.

• Read Acts 4:1-31. What does the Lord bring to your mind as we read this passage?
• What does this passage teach about receiving suffering yet being in God’s will? Do you tend to think that you are living inside of God’s will when opposition, persecution, and suffering strike?

Prayer: Spend some time together praying that the power that made Peter and John bold in the face of opposition would upon us as well.

Discipleship Group

• What is the greatest challenge you are facing in your life right now? (for example, your marriage, job, parenting, relationship, etc.)
• In what ways can this be used as an opportunity for the expansion of the mission of God?
• When we read Acts 4, we see that their insecurities did not hinder them, but rather drove them to prayer and action. What are the things in your life which could bring about insecurity towards being on mission?

Prayer: Spend some time together praying, inviting God into your insecurity and asking for the same boldness he gave to the Apostles.

Record any insights from family meal and/or discipleship groups...

Take what you have learned and apply it to your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Review

Review everything you’ve gone through thus far. What did the Lord show you? Record your thoughts...

Integrate

• Write out your insecurities.
• Spend some time praying that the Lord would meet you in those insecurities.
• In specific, pray Acts 4:24-31 over those things.

An Overview

The mission of God impacts every part of our lives, including our finances. In this passage, we get a glimpse into the financial generosity and unity within the Church of Jerusalem. They radically provided for the needs of others, even at great cost to themselves. We see an example of this gospel generosity in Barnabas.

Read through the passages - Acts 4:32-37

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. - (Acts 4:32-37 ESV)

Think Through the Text

• What does this passage tell us about the Church? In what ways has the Holy Spirit begun to shape the people of God?
• What drives the Church to have such a radical view of their possessions?
• What kind of role do the Apostles take in this passage? In what ways are they leading the Church?

Write it Out

Capture, chart, outline your thoughts - whatever works best for you:

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture.

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture passage.

As the Church grows and is shaped by the gospel, we are told once again that they are “of one heart and soul.” This deep unity drove them to deep generosity.

Luke makes it clear that the willingness to share possessions was based on a powerful sense of unity. This provided the inspiration for refusing to insist on the right to retain what one had received by inheritance or toil. It was not a matter of legislation, as in the Qumran community, where sharing of goods was imposed on its members. According to the Qumran sect such renunciation was necessary in order to purify the mind in the truth of God. With the Christian community, however, the sharing was not a means to the end of personal edification but rather was the expression of the love of the Spirit… (Harrison, Acts, 90)

The Spirit of God was shaping a people living under the rule and reign of King Jesus. And this meant that they expressed radical generosity in meeting needs. There are inevitably needs in the Church.

In the New Testament, some of the likely needs they were facing here we read about in church letters, that there were widows whose husbands that had provided for them died, there were orphans who didn't have parents to care for them, and there were those with disabilities who couldn't work to make ends meet. Needs. On top of [this], there was and is expense in running a church. The design Jesus gave was that a few men, who labor in preaching and teaching and those who help them be able to do that, ought to be paid for their time and their work (1 Cor 9:8-14; 2 Cor 9:1-15; 1 Tim 5:17-18). And there are costs involved with food, tables and buildings. Needs. Needs are real. It's part of life. It's a part of church life. We as a church do and will face needs. The question is how do we do that? What ought our approach be? (Smets, “The Church and Money”)

The early Church responded to these needs with radical generosity and love. They are truly an example for us to follow. This doesn’t mean that we are commanded to go sell our homes right now.

What we should surely do, instead, is to note and seek to imitate the care of the needy and the sacrificial generosity which the Holy Spirit created. (Stott, The Message of Acts, 108)

How should we respond to this passage? John Calvin sums it up best:

We must have hearts that are harder than iron if we are not moved by the reading of this narrative. In those days the believers gave abundantly of what was their own; we in our day are content not just jealously to retain what we possess, but callously to rob others… They sold their own possessions in those days; in our day it is the lust to purchase that reigns supreme. (Calvin, The Acts of the Apostles: Vol. I, 130)

Record any insights from this deeper study...

Discuss the following questions during Family Meal and Discipleship Group (see How To Use This Booklet).

Family Meal

The Mission of God impacts every part of our lives, including our finances and possessions. In this passage, we get a glimpse into the financial generosity and unity within the Church of Jerusalem. They radically provided for the needs of others, even at great cost to themselves.

• If your house was on fire and all your family was safe, what one thing would you grab? Why?

In Acts 4:32, we read,

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

• What drove the disciples to sell their homes and have such a radical view of their possessions?

Again, in Acts 4:34-35, it says,

There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

• As you read this passage, what excites you? What makes you feel nervous?
• Are there any needs in your community group by which you could put radical generosity to practice? Make a plan to meet those needs.

Prayer: Spend some time together praying that God would give us the same heart of generosity to meet the needs of those among us.

Discipleship Group

• Out of their abundance, the disciples gave to those in need among them. Name a time when God blessed you financially. How did you give (or not give) in light of that?
• All of our possessions and money belong to God. He is generous to us, fueling our radical generosity. How are you doing in this area?
• What fears and insecurities do you have in regards to finances? What do these things tell us about where your hope is?
• One of the biggest lessons we can learn from the early Church is that those in need actually communicated their need and were willing to receive help. Are there any needs you have for which you need to ask for help?

Prayer: Spend some time together praying that God would loosen our grip on our possessions so that we could be generous stewards.

Record any insights from family meal and/or discipleship groups...

Take what you have learned and apply it to your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Review

Review everything you’ve gone through thus far. What did the Lord show you? Record your thoughts...

Integrate

• Write out what steps you can take to be more generous. Include any insecurities or sinful motivations you have in the area of finances.
• Spend time praying that God would create in you a generous heart.
• As you pray, be reminded of the generous grace that God has given to you.

An Overview

As the gospel is spreading throughout Jerusalem, we see Satan on the prowl trying to stall the mission of God. Within the Church, Ananias and Sapphira act deceitfully with their giving, threatening to cripple the church by falsehood and breeding division. Outside the Church, the Jewish authorities once again arrest the Apostles, beat them, and charge them to stop preaching Jesus. Yet despite these attacks, the Mission advances as more and more people believe.

Read through the passages - Acts 5:1-42

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.

Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. - (Acts 5:1-42 ESV)

Think Through the Text

• In what ways did Ananias and Sapphira disobey King Jesus? What motivated them to act this way?
• How do the people respond when they hear about Ananias and Sapphira?
• Why did the Jewish authorities arrest the Apostles? How did the Apostles respond to this persecution?

Write it Out

Capture, chart, outline your thoughts - whatever works best for you:

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture.

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture passage.

When we encounter the story of Ananias and Sapphira, we may end up confused or offended. In many ways, the story of Ananias and Sapphira point us back to a story in the Old Testament about a man named Achan. In Joshua 7, the people of God are experiencing immense blessings from the Lord as they conquer the Promised Land. The walls of Jericho crumbled and they were commanded to devote everything in the city to the Lord, but Achan secretly kept a few things for himself. As a result, the people of Israel unexpectedly started losing battles. They were no longer experiencing the blessing of the Lord. Achan’s sin had stalled the Mission of God. Achan is killed, and God once again blesses his people and gives them success. In the same way, Ananias’ deceit threatened to stall the Mission of God and bring judgment, instead of blessing, upon the Church.

The story of Ananias is to the book of Acts what the story of Achan is to the book of Joshua. In both narratives an act of deceit interrupts the victorious progress of the people of God. It may be that the author of Acts himself wished to point to this comparison; at any rate, when he says that Ananias “kept back” part of the price (v. 2), he uses the same Greek word as is used in the Septuagint of Josh. 7:1 where it is said that the children of Israel (in the person of Achan) “committed a trespass” by retaining for private use property that had been devoted to God. (Bruce, The Book of Acts, 110)

It is also worth noting that Satan is credited with “filling [Ananias’] heart” to commit this sin. He is violently opposing the Mission of God, even from within the Church. But instead of stalling the Mission, it is said that “more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.” What Satan meant to cripple the Church was used by God to flourish her.

Satan also attacked the Church from the outside, by persecution and violence. The Apostles are arrested, and once again, they stick with their message: you killed Jesus, but he is now alive and reigning in heaven. At this point, they are so “enraged” that they “wanted to kill them.” But through the council of Gamaliel, they decide to threaten and beat them. By “beating,” it probably means they were flogged by receiving 39 lashes. But what was the result of this attack of Satan? Did this stall the Mission of God? No.

The apostles’ reaction arouses our admiration. They left the Sanhedrin, their backs cruelly lacerated and bleeding, yet rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name… They were in fact doing what in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus had told them to do, namely rejoicing in persecution. (Stott, The Message of Acts, 118-119)

They continued to preach the message of Jesus, not only in houses but also in the temple. In fact, the Greek text “indicates that the refusal to stop speaking about Jesus was a permanent disposition of the apostles.” (Schnabel, Acts, 320)

At this point, there is a growing schism between the Jewish leaders and the followers of Jesus.

The fact that the apostles defy the Sanhedrin’s ban and continue to proclaim Jesus as Israel’s Messiah and Savior implies the “parting of the ways” of Jews and followers of Jesus… As the apostles preach Jesus as Messiah in the temple, despite the ban on speaking imposed by the Jewish leaders in the highest court of the land, Luke “has answered for his readers the question concerning the leadership over Israel. Not the faithless members of the Sanhedrin but the Twelve are truly ‘ruling over the twelve tribes of Israel.’” (Schnabel, Acts, 320)

Record any insights from this deeper study...

Discuss the following questions during Family Meal and Discipleship Group (see How To Use This Booklet).

Family Meal

As the gospel is spreading throughout Jerusalem, we see Satan on the prowl trying to stall the Mission of God. Within the Church, Ananias and Sapphira act deceitfully with their giving, threatening to cripple the church by falsehood and breeding division. One of the core sins behind the story of Ananias and Sapphira was a desire to look better than they were.

• In what ways do you present yourself as better than you are? In what ways do you show people a “false self”?

Think about the brokenness and struggles within the Church and out in culture. In Acts 5, we read about the sin of Ananias and Sapphira and the persecution from the Jewish authorities. Yet despite these attacks, the Mission advances as more and more people believe.

• Read Acts 5:14. What hope can we draw from this passage?

Prayer: Spend some time together praying that God would take off our masks of “false self.”

Discipleship Group

• Talk about the current brokenness in the Church and in culture. Read Acts 5:14. In what ways does this passage keep us from having a defeatist mentality?
• One of the core sins behind the story of Ananias and Sapphira was a desire to look better than they were. In what ways are you being deceptive or hiding sin? In this, think through ways you try to deceive God, others, and even yourself.
• How does the gospel speak to these sins? How does God feel towards you? How does this empower you to take off the mask of the “false self”?
• What do you need to confess to those closest to you (spouse, roommate, friend, family)? Are there ways you are deceiving them and putting your relationship at risk?

Prayer: Spend some time together praying that God would take off our masks of “false self” and give us boldness to confess hidden sin.

Record any insights from family meal and/or discipleship groups...

Take what you have learned and apply it to your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Review

Review everything you’ve gone through thus far. What did the Lord show you? Record your thoughts...

Integrate

• Write out hidden sins that you don’t want to admit, even to yourself.
• What must you do to live in the light of the gospel?
• If it involves someone else, go make it right with them.

In all of this, remember the gospel. How does God feel towards you? How does this empower you to be more open?

An Overview

Chapter 5 ends with the apostles rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus. People from outside the church are increasing their persecution of Christian leaders. Now, however, there is a complaint from inside the church. The complaint, however, is not written about in a negative light. The facts are simply presented, a solution appears, and the Lord is honored through it all. God will end up making the church healthier and grow the church through this conflict.

Read through the passages - Acts 6:1-7

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. - (Acts 6:1-7 ESV)

Think Through the Text

• The Hellenists were Jewish-background Christian widows who only spoke Greek. The other widows only spoke Hebrew. Apparently, the Hellenists were not being treated the same as the Hebrew speaking widows. How did the church leaders address the problem?
• Based on verses 1-4 what is the new job description for the twelve? What is the job description for these seven men being chosen?
• What ends up happening based on this conflict inside the church? How does God use it in verses 5-7?

Write it Out

Capture, chart, outline your thoughts - whatever works best for you:

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture.

The following comments are designed to help you better understand the passage and stimulate your thinking on the implications of the scripture passage.

Chapter 6 begins with a conflict inside of the church. B. W. Winter explains the conflict:

The Hebrews and the Hellenists had their own separate synagogues in Jerusalem. But when they became Christians, they came together in one fellowship. As the church grew, some of the Christians believed that the church leaders were discriminating against the Hellenists unfairly (cf. Eph. 4:31; Heb. 12:15). The conflict ("complaint") arose over the distribution of food to church "widows" (cf. 2:44-45; 4:32—5:11). Care of widows and the needy was a priority in Judaism (Exod. 22:22; Deut. 10:18; et al.). The Jews provided for their own widows weekly—in their own synagogues— along with the poor. (Winter, “Providentia for the Widows of 1 Timothy 5:3-16,” 89)

The twelve disciples realize they need to continue preaching the Word of God and praying so they ask the community to select seven godly men. These men are not second class ministry leaders. Marshall states:

It is not necessarily suggested that serving tables is on a lower level than prayer and teaching; the point is rather that the task to which the Twelve had been specifically called was one of witness and evangelism. (Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles, 126)

Furthermore, Longnecker points out:

The 12 apostles wisely delegated responsibility for this ministry to other qualified men in the congregation, so that it would not distract them from their primary duties. This is the only reference to "the Twelve" in Acts (cf. 1 Cor. 15:5), though Luke referred to the Eleven earlier (Acts 2:14). "Serving tables" probably involved the organization and administration of ministry to the widows, rather than simply serving as waiters or dispensers (cf. Matt. 21:12; Luke 19:23). (Longnecker, “The Acts of the Apostles,” 331)

All seven men whom the congregation chose had Greek names. The community seems to have raised up seven Hellenist men to help solve the conflict making sure Hellenist widows are provided for – a wise solution indeed. Stephen and Philip come to the forefront through this conflict and will end up playing significant roles in things coming up in the book of Acts.

Many of the priests, we are told, start coming to Jesus at this time. Schnabel points out:

Most of the priests worked in a trade, except for two weeks every twelve months when they served in the temple. Josephus relates that during the time of Herod, there were quarrels between the chief priests and the ordinary priests living in the countryside; the chief priests were so shameless that they “send slaves to the threshing floors to receive the tithes that were due to the priests, with the result that the poorer priests starved to death.” If similar animosities existed in the 30s, it is perhaps not surprising that many priests came to faith in Jesus and joined the congregation of believers. (Schnabel, Acts, 336)

Record any insights from this deeper study...

Discuss the following questions during Family Meal and Discipleship Group (see How To Use This Booklet).

Family Meal

If you’ve been part of a church for any amount of time, you have encountered a conflict inside of the Church. So many times, unfortunately, these conflicts end up splitting a Church. If the Church survives in one piece without a split, however, it usually has been damaged by the deep conflict.

• Talk about your experience of conflict in churches. Was the conflict handled poorly or well? Don’t use names; just share your experience.
• In Acts 6, we see a conflict actually take the Church into a better place and more people come to Jesus. It wasn’t clean, it was a messy process, but it led to the furthering of the mission. What a glorious thing if that happened in our churches today!
• Read Acts 6:1-7. What does this passage show us about conflict in the Church?

Sometimes it is easy for us to notice when the Church has messed up, but we don’t step in and contribute to the health of the situation.

• What are ways that God is inviting you to work towards the health of the Church? Where can you commit to work towards growth?

Prayer: Spend some time together praying that the power that deepened the Church through conflict would deepen our Church today as well.

Discipleship Group

• Talk about your experience of conflict in churches. Was the conflict handled poorly or well? Don’t use names; just share your experience.
• How do you personally handle conflict? Do you lack humility and forgiveness? Do you fail to press into the tension and confront? What drives you in this?
• How are you sensing the Church needs to grow? How are you going to work toward health?

Record any insights from family meal and/or discipleship groups...

Take what you have learned and apply it to your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Review

Review everything you’ve gone through thus far. What did the Lord show you? Record your thoughts...

Integrate

• Write out your tendencies with conflict, especially within the Church.
• Spend time praying that God would give you courage and humility, repentance and forgiveness.
• Ask God what he is calling you to do to contribute to the health of the Church.

Commentaries

• The Message of Acts (Bible Speaks Today Series), by John Stott
• Acts (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), by Darrell Bock
• Acts (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), by Eckhard Schnabel

Books

• The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus: Luke’s Account of God’s Unfolding Plan, by Alan Thompson
• The Mission of God, by Christopher Wright
• Kingdom Outposts, by Dru Dodson
• Surprised by the Power of the Holy Spirit, by Jack Deere
• The Spirit-Filled Church, by Terry Virgo
• The Presence and the Power, by Gerald Hawthorne
• The Beginners Guide to Spiritual Gifts, by Sam Storms

Articles / Blogs

• Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Part 1), by Sam Storms http://www.samstorms.com/all-articles/post/baptism-of-the-holy-spirit---part-i
• Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Part 2), by Sam Storms http://www.samstorms.com/all-articles/post/baptism-of-the-holy-spirit---part-ii
• Are Miraculous Gifts For Today (Part 1), by Sam Storms http://www.samstorms.com/all-articles/post/are-miraculous-gifts-for-today---part-i
• Are Miraculous Gifts For Today (Part 2), by Sam Storms http://www.samstorms.com/all-articles/post/are-miraculous-gifts-for-today---part-ii
• Gifts In Church History, by Sam Storms http://www.samstorms.com/all-articles/post/gifts-in-church-history
• The Filling and Anointing of the Holy Spirit (Part 1), by Sam Storms http://www.samstorms.com/all-articles/post/the-filling-and-anointing-of-the-holy-spirit---part-i
• The Filling and Anointing of the Holy Spirit (Part 2), by Sam Storms http://www.samstorms.com/all-articles/post/the-filling-and-anointing-of-the-holy-spirit---part-ii
• The Power of Pentecost, by Sam Storms http://www.samstorms.com/all-articles/post/the-power-of-pentecost
• The Purpose of Pentecost, by Andrew Wilson http://thinktheology.co.uk/blog/article/the_purpose_of_pentecost
• What Is A “Word and Spirit” Church?, by Andrew Wilson http://thinktheology.co.uk/blog/article/what_is_a_word_and_spirit_church
• Becoming Charismissional, by Andrew Wilson http://thinktheology.co.uk/blog/article/becoming-charismissional

References

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Bock, Darrell. Acts. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007.

Bruce, F. F. The Book of Acts. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988.

Calvin, John. The Acts of the Apostles: Vol. 1, edited by D. W. and T. F. Torrance. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1965.

Constable, Thomas L. Notes on Acts: 2016 Edition. Sonic Light, 2016. Accessed March 1, 2016. http://soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/acts.pdf.

Harrison, Everett F. Acts: The Expanding Church. Chicago: Moody Press, 1975.

Keller, Tim. Quoted in Stephen Grabill. “The Church’s Call to Steward God’s Mission in the World.” Accessed March 1, 2016. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/the-churchs-call-to-steward-gods-mission-in-the-world.

Longnecker, Richard N. “The Acts of the Apostles.” In John-Acts, vol. 9 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein and J. D. Douglas. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.

Marshall, I. Howard. The Acts of the Apostles. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1984.

Pierson, Arthur T. The Acts of the Holy Spirit. New York: Revell, 1896.

Schnabel, Eckhard. Acts. Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012.

Smets, Duane. “The Church and Money.” Accessed March 1, 2016. http://theresolved.com/resources/sermons/the-church-and-money/.

Stott, John. The Message of Acts. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1990.

Thompson, Alan J. The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus: Luke’s Account of God’s Unfolding Plan. New Studies in Biblical Theology. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2011.

Winter, B. W. “Providentia for the Widows of 1 Timothy 5:3-16.” Tyndale Bulletin 39 (1988): 89.

Wright, Christopher. The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006.