Acts 1-9 – Key Points/Aims

These hopefully give you a guide as to some of the main points of the passage and possible applications. Do speak to JT or me to chat through your particular talk. Please do look through all the below passages, even if you’re not speaking on them so you can know where the term’s teaching is going and equip you to deal with particular questions that come up.

Acts 1:1-11

  • Explain the book of Acts: Luke’s 2nd volume – of all that Jesus continues to do and teach (the continuing Acts of Jesus!)
  • During the 40 days after his resurrection Jesus encouraged & instructed his disciples – their job is to witness with the help of Holy Spirit(1:1-8)
  • Jesus is now in heaven and one day he will return – in the meantime get on with the work he’s given us to do (1:9-11)

Possible application: This is why we do club – it’s the work the risen Lord Jesus has given us to do!

Acts 2:1-41 (JT has notes on this passage)

  • Pentecost – the incredible outpouring of the Holy Spirit – but what does this mean? (v12) (v1-13). Peter explains what it means in his sermon….
  • A new era has arrived – all believers will receive the Holy Spirit (unlike in the OT) and so we can all personally know God (v14-21) – because…
  • A great king has been enthroned – Jesus was killed but God raised him from the dead (as OT promised, witnesses saw the risen Jesus) and so he is now the King who pours out the spirit (v22-35)
  • The right response is to repent & believe and you will be forgiven & receive Holy Spirit! (v36-41)

Application: what will you do with this message of Jesus – will you repent & put your trust in Jesus?

Acts 2:42-47

Marks of a Spirit filled church:

  • Devoted to God – to apostles’ teaching, breaking of bread, prayer, praise
  • Devoted to each other – meeting up with each other, practical love & care: give practical examples of how you or others have received practical love & care from the church family
  • Open to the world – Lord added to their number daily

Application: if we’re committed to God, we’re be committed to each other. Church, Pathfinders, CYFA may seem boring and irrelevant – but great place to express our love for God & others and to receive that love ourselves. Try it & see!

Acts 3:1-26

  • An amazing miracle – a crippled beggar is healed in the name of Jesus (v1-10)
  • Peter uses the miracle to focus attention on Jesus – he was killed but God raised him to life (v11-16). It is because of the risen Jesus that this man has been healed
  • Now repent and turn back to God – so you will be forgiven (v17-26) [NB 4:10-12 shows that the healing of the man is a pointer to Jesus’ ability to save people]

Application: Again – will you put your trust in Jesus? Yes, we’ve told you this before – but it is so important that the disciples in Acts & therefore us keep urging you to do this!

Acts 4:1-31

  • Persecution – teaching about Jesus brings great opposition: arrest of Peter & John (v1-7)
  • Perseverance – nothing can stop Peter & John from talking about Jesus – it is such good news, v20! (v8-22) v12 – salvation is found in no-one else, only trust in Jesus will save you
  • Prayer – disciples trust in sovereign God and pray that God will help them to speak the word of God boldly (v23-31)

Application: if you’re thinking about becoming a Christian be aware that you will face a tough time for this – eg mockery from those around us (don’t talk about persecution overseas etc – that will come up in a later study). And if you’re not a Christian and wonder why we keep going on about this even though you may give us a tough time – it’s because it is such good news we cannot stop speaking about it!

Acts 4:32-5:11

  • A great example for us – the generosity of the believers, eg Barnabas (4:32-37)
  • A chilling warning for us – God punishes Ananias & Sapphira for their hypocrisy (pretending that they had given all the money to the disciples, when they only gave some – hence ultimately lying to God!). Shows that God treats sin seriously! A significant “one-off” warning – cf with the story of Achan in Joshua 7 (executed for taking treasure he shouldn’t have done). As the people entered the promised land then God warns them right at the start that he takes sin seriously. Similarly, at the beginning of the life of the Spirit-filled church, God warns them from the outset that sin is serious!

Application: How seriously do we treat sin? Do we think it is a bit of a laugh? It’s only a white lie, only a bit of gossip, only nicking an apple etc…

Acts 5:12-42

  • Persecution continues – apostles arrested again: expect opposition as we talk about Jesus
  • Proclamation continues: God enables this to happen (release from jail, v19-20) and the apostles obey (v29, v42)

Application: Think through the persecution Christians face overseas – how would you respond? In groups perhaps look at some case studies

Acts 6:1-7:60 (JT has notes on this passage)

Stephen is a spirit-filled preacher – 2 key points in the sermon:

  • God’s presence is not limited to the temple – for us, we can know God anywhere!
  • The law was never kept/obeyed by Israel – they rejected Moses, they’ve rejected Jesus

-Stephen is stoned at the end!

Apply: Churches are not a holy place – just a building. We can the presence of God anywhere we are (but don’t therefore tell people that they don’t need to go to church!).

Acts 8:1-25

  • Gospel advances - the church is persecuted – but the gospel now spreads to Samaria, enemies of the Jews! So significant that the giving of the Holy Spirit is delayed until the apostles arrive in Samaria (unique event). Gospel is for everyone!
  • But there are still wrong responses to the gospel, as evidenced by Simon – he’s just interested in power (Simon either has not genuinely believed, or he has come to belief but with lots to learn – either way, there is a wrong response and misunderstanding in seeking the Spirit for his own ends)

Apply: Is there a danger of becoming a Christian for just what we can get out of it?

Acts 8:26-40

  • God takes the gospel to all sorts of unlikely people – an Ethiopian eunuch; he takes the gospel to you today!
  • Gospel is good news about Jesus and his death

Application: Will you respond like the Ethiopian – trust in Jesus!

Acts 9:1-31

A great conversion story!

  • The man he was – a persecutor (v1-2)
  • The man he met – the Lord Jesus
  • The man he became - a changed person: meeting with the other disciples, commissioned to tell others about Jesus

Application: Anyone can become a Christian – no matter how bad they’ve been. None of us are outside God’s love.