Acts 1

Acts 1:1-4 (ESV2011)

(1) In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,(2) until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through 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.(4) 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;

Note: Luke wrote both this book and the Gospel of Luke.  So when he refers to the first book, he is probably meaning the Gospel he wrote.

  • Acts 1:1-4 – Read Luke 24:13-27, 36-53
    • After Jesus resurrection, how did He teach the disciples and prepare them for their work?
    • Are we taught the same way today?  Can you think of personal experiences?
    • In Luke’s narrative, can you list a few of the “many proofs” that demonstrated Jesus was alive?

Acts 1:4-8 (ESV2011)
(4) 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;(5) for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”(6) So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”(7) He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.(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 did Jesus tell the disciples to wait?
  • Read John 7:37-39 and John 16:7
    • What did Jesus have to do in order for the Holy Spirit to well in the disciples?
    • Side Journey about the Holy Spirit

Rom 8:9 (ESV2011) (9) You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

Rom 8:14-16 (ESV2011) (14) For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.(15) For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”(16) The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

1Cor 12:13 (ESV2011) (13) For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

2Cor 1:21-22 (ESV2011) (21) And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us,(22) and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Gal 4:6 (ESV2011) (6) And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

  • How does the Spirit come into us and what is the purpose of the Holy Spirit?
  • What did Jesus promise the disciples through the Holy Spirit?
  • Does this also apply to us?

Acts 1:9-11 (ESV2011)
(9) 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.(10) And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,(11) 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.”

  • What did the disciples see?
  • Can you imagine what it must have been like?  What do you think verse 9 proves about Jesus?
  • Where did these 2 men come from, who were they?
  • What was their message?
  • What does this mean to you, today?
  • Also, read Matt 24:30-31 (ESV2011)(30) Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.(31) And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
  • What similarities in Jesus words from Matt 24:30 and what the two men from Galilee said do you see?

Acts 1:12-26 (ESV2011)
(12) Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.(13) 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.(14) All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.(15) In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said,(16) “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.(17) For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.”(18) (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.(19) 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.)(20) “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.’(21) So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,(22) beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”(23) And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.(24) And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen(25) to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”(26) And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

  • How did they choose a replacement for Judas?  Should we follow that same model today?

What from Acts 1 do you think applies most to your life?

What did you learn that was new or reinforced what you already knew about Jesus and the Holy Spirit?