Acts Book 1 rev 3-06.qxp - Explorer's Bible Study

THE BOOK OF ACTSLESSON 1Daily Bible Study QuestionsStudy Procedure: Read the Scripture references before answering questions. Unless otherwise instructed, use theBible only in answering questions. Some questions may be more difficult than others but try to answer as many as youcan. Pray for God’s wisdom and understanding as you study and don’t be discouraged if some answers are not obviousat first.FIRST DAY: Read the Introduction1. What did you learn from the Introduction that encourages you to study Acts?2. What do you expect from this study? Write your answer as a prayer to God. Perhaps youcould begin your study time with this thought each week.SECOND DAY: Read Acts 1:1-14; Luke 1:3,4; and Luke 24:44-533. What similarities do you find in the following references:(a) Luke 1:3,4 and Acts 1:1?(b) Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:4,5?(c) Luke 24:46-48 and Acts 1:8?(d) Luke 24:50,51 and Acts 1:9-11?(e) Luke 24:52,53 and Acts 1:12-14?Page 3

LESSON 1 THE BOOK OF ACTS4. How did Jesus spend the forty days on earth after His resurrection?THIRD DAY: Continue in Acts 1:1-85. What do the following references tell about the Promise of the Father? (verses 4,5)(a) John 14:16,17(b) John 14:26(c) John 15:266. (a) What did the disciples ask in verse 6?(b) What was Jesus’ reply?7. Memorize verse 8. It provides an outline for the book of Acts and will prove helpful to youin studying Acts.8. (a) What does one receive when the Holy Spirit comes? (verse 8)(b) For what purpose is this given?(c) What does a witness do? (You might think of a courtroom witness.)(d) What is the four-fold geographic sphere for witnesses? Try to locate the first three onthe map “New Testament Palestine” in the Appendix.Page 4

LESSON 1 THE BOOK OF ACTS(b) Were there occasions in the past when the disciples were NOT in one accord? SeeJohn 7:5, Luke 9:46, and Luke 22:24.(c) What could happen in your church if all were “in one accord”? How can you facilitatethis?SIXTH DAY: Read Acts 1:15-2614. What did Peter explain from his understanding of Scripture in verses 16,17? ReadPsalm 41:9.15. What details about Judas’ death did Luke add in verses 18,19? See Matthew 27:3-10.16. (a) What did Peter understand from what was written in the Book of Psalms?(b) What were the requirements for one filling the twelfth position?(c) Who were proposed?(d) How was the decision made?(e) Why is it important to have a God-chosen person in ministry rather than someone ofmere talent and ability?17. How can the same two means used by the disciples (Scripture and prayer) be your guide fordecision-making? Give examples from your life.Page 6

NotesJESUS RETURNS TO HEAVEN (ACTS 1)Prologue (Acts 1:1-3)Verses one through three form a prologue bythe author. Luke begins with an appropriate greetingto the recipient, Theophilus. Luke’s gospel accountof Jesus’ earthly life was a beginning; Actscontinues the story. Most biographies end when themain character dies, but Luke’s story is one of akind. Jesus is not dead, but alive! The resurrectionof Christ is the great fact on which the truth of thegospel is established.Eyewitnesses testify to this as Jesus appearedalive over a span of forty days, teaching andexplaining “the things pertaining to the kingdom ofGod” (verse 3). Imagine what an interested audienceHe would have addressed!Last Words (Acts 1:4-8)Jesus told the disciples to await the Promisefrom the Father. John’s gospel records more of whatJesus had instructed the disciples about the Promise:“And I will pray the Father, and He will give youanother Helper, that He may abide with youforever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannotreceive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him;but you know Him, for He dwells with you and willbe in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will cometo you” (John 14:16-18). “But when the Helpercomes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, theSpirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He willtestify of Me” (John 15:26).Acts Chapter 1 is a waiting period as thetransition is made from Jesus’ bodily presence onearth to the Holy Spirit’s presence in those whobelieve. Throughout the forty days after Hisresurrection, Jesus “presented Himself alive…bymany infallible proofs” (verse 3). He told them “notmany days from now” (verse 5) they would bebaptized with the Holy Spirit. And so they waited.Are you obedient, as the disciples were, to thedirection of Jesus?Every Jew also awaited Israel’s earthlykingdom—the time in which Israel would receivethe many glorious promises of the Old Testament.The first and second comings of Jesus are ofteninterwoven in Bible prophecy, and so the disciples’question, “Lord, will You at this time restore thekingdom to Israel?” is understandable. Jesusreplied that only the Father knows the times andseasons (verse 7), but they could expect to be Hiswitnesses in expanding spheres: Jerusalem, Judea,Samaria, and the end of the earth. Rather thanspeculate about things not in their control, Jesusgave a practical commission of vast scope to thissmall band: witness while you await my secondcoming. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they wouldturn the world upside down. Are you sharing todayin such a ministry?Ascension (Acts 1:9-11)Luke 24:50,51 also records the ascension ofJesus to heaven. Jesus’ ascension into heaven is aguarantee of His return in like manner. Hisascension is necessary. John 14:2,3 explains thatJesus went ahead to prepare a place for us. JesusChrist is at the right hand of God, interceding for us(Romans 8:34). He is our Advocate with the Father,forgiving sin (1 John 1:9-2:1). Hebrews 4:14,16says, “Seeing then that we have a great High Priestwho has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Sonof God, let us hold fast our confession. Let ustherefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that wemay obtain mercy and find grace to help in time ofneed.” From His position of power, He governs theuniverse as Head over His Body, the Church.Obedience (Acts 1:12-14)Christ had commanded His disciples to wait atJerusalem to receive the Promise of the Father. Byimmediately returning to Jerusalem (verse 12) theywere acting in obedience to Christ. This was adisplay of the fearless faith of the disciples, forJerusalem was the home of those who had insulted,persecuted, tortured, and murdered their Master.With unity of purpose the group met for prayer.The group included disciples who had argued overwho would be greatest in the kingdom; Peter, whohad denied knowing Jesus; and Jesus’ brothers whoearlier didn’t believe in Him (John 7:5). As theyPage 7

LESSON 1 THE BOOK OF ACTSwaited, they were not accusing or blaming oneanother; they “continued with one accord inprayer.” What a wonderful testimony to the unifyingpower of Jesus! Believers today could experiencethis same unity, talking to God in prayer rather thanrehearsing past sins.Twelve Again (Acts 1:15-26)Since Judas had betrayed the Lord and therewas a vacancy in the number of twelve apostles,Peter felt led to take care of this appointment. Peterhad repented and as Jesus predicted (Luke 22:32) hecould now strengthen the brethren. Psalm 41:9,“Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted,who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel againstme,” is alluded to in verse 16. As Peter said,“Judas...became a guide to those who arrestedJesus.”The parenthetical explanation in verses 18,19compliments the Matthew 27 account of Judas’death. The money Judas threw back to the priestswas used to buy a field, referred to as the Field ofBlood, since it was purchased with money thatbetrayed an innocent man. Judas’ hanging corpseevidently fell to the ground as garishly recorded.Peter applied Psalms 69:25 and 109:8 to thecurrent situation. Acting on the basis of the Word ofGod, the new member should be one of those whowas most intimate with Christ and an eyewitness ofHis life and resurrection. This should be a rulingprinciple in our churches today: officers in thechurch should have a vital relationship with JesusChrist.Two men were nominated; then the groupprayed for direction: “You, O Lord, who know thehearts of all, show which of these two You havechosen...” (verse 24). This was recognition ofdivine omniscience. They had a desire to have theirchoice regulated by God. This should be the desireof all true prayer. Matthias was elected to take theplace of Judas and completed the apostolic circle.The same two tools of decision-making usedby the early believers can be our tools today: theWord of God and prayer. How important that allchurch meetings be ruled by this model. Gatheredfor important business, we should conduct meetingsin the spirit of united prayer with a desire for God’swill in all our decisions.Page 8

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