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To Proclaim and Practice the Living Christ Acts 1-2 November 17, 2024 Joel Miles With a friend, your family or in your small group, discuss the following questions: Summary of Acts 1–2 Overview Reflection: How would you summarize Acts 1–2 so far? Practices of the Early Church Identifying Practices: Read Acts 2:42–47. What specific practices or elements of the early church are mentioned in this passage? The Significance of the Four Practices (Acts 2:42): Why does the text begin with the four practices listed in verse 42 (teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer)? How do these practices remind us of: Who God is What He has done Who we are What we are called to do Building Community: How can the four practices in Acts 2:42 shape us into a community that meets each other's needs? Mission and Distinction The Growing Community (Acts 2:47): Why is it significant that the passage ends with others joining the community? How does this demonstrate that the church is both distinct from the world and on mission within it? Descriptive, Not Prescriptive Understanding the Narrative: Why is it important to recognize that Acts 2:42–47 is descriptive (what happened), not prescriptive (commands)? How does this passage show that the early church's life was the result of God giving the Holy Spirit? How does this realization lead us to humility, recognizing our dependence on God? Application and Commitment Becoming This Kind of Church: What would it take for us to become a church like the one described in Acts 2:42–47? How can you personally pray and commit to working toward this vision?

To Proclaim and Practice the Living Christ Acts 2:14-21 November 10, 2024 Trish Haq With a friend, your family or in your small group, discuss the following questions: 1. Acts 2:14-21 is a sermon, given by the apostle Peter at Pentecost. Take time to read this passage out loud together. Consider reading it twice: a). The first time through, simply listen to hear the whole story, and take in the big picture. b.) The second time through, be sure to follow along in your own bible. Take time to make note of any words, phrases, or ideas that God draws your attention to. 2. As you read through this passage together: a.) What words, phrases, or ideas stood out to you, and why? b.) Did anything encourage or inspire you? c.) Did anything confuse you or bring up any questions? 3. When the Spirit came on Pentecost, the disciples who were gathered together began to speak in many different languages, declaring the wonders of God. Some people in the crowd questioned whether they were sober. Peter responded to this question by quoting the prophet Joel. In what way does Joel 2:28-32 help answer this question? 4. Look more closely at Acts 2:22-24. What does Peter say here about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? 5. In Acts 2:25-36, Peter makes a case for how the events of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and the coming of the Holy Spirit, can be seen as the fulfillment of the Hebrew scriptures. How does his quotation of David, from Psalm 16, demonstrate the connection between Old Testament prophesy and the good news of Jesus that He has shared with the crowd? 6. Read Revelation 21:3-5. This passage offers a picture of God’s intended plan for the world. N. T. Wright explains that “The last scene in the Bible isn’t about ‘saved souls’ going up to heaven. It is about the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven to earth as the centre piece of the ‘new heaven and new earth’ promised by the prophets and reaffirmed by Jesus himself and his first followers.” a.) How does it change your understanding of God’s mission, to reflect on His intention and desire to come and dwell with us? b.) In what ways is the coming of the Holy Spirit a fulfillment of God’s mission to dwell with his people? 7. “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37). In what ways has the good news of the gospel stirred your own heart in the past? Does it still stir you today? 8. Peter instructed the crowd in how they should respond to the good news they just heard, telling them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus, for the forgiveness of sins. a.) What attitudes exist in our society when it comes to repentance, forgiveness, and the reality of sin? b.) Reflect on your own life. Do you recognize a need for repentance and forgiveness? Does anything ever hold you back from turning to Jesus and receiving his forgiveness and grace? 9. Acts 2:38 offers this promise to those who turn to Jesus; that they will receive forgiveness and the Spirit. How does the promise of the Holy Spirit hold the potential to change our lives here and now? 10. Peter’s Spirit-empowered message turned the hearts of about three thousand people towards Jesus. But from what we know about Peter, he was quite a flawed character (he denied Jesus 3 times, was known to be hot-headed, and was often getting things wrong). a. Why do you think God chooses to partner with imperfect people, in order to carry out His mission? b. In what ways does the impact of Peter’s sermon despite his own flaws and failings, offer us hope and encouragement in times when we ourselves are feeling imperfect or inadequate? c. What hope does this give you for the future of the Church? Pray for one another out of the points discussed. Pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit. Ask for God to deepen your understanding of the good news of Jesus and stir your heart to respond with repentance and faith. Pray for God’s Spirit to lead and equip you to proclaim this good news to others.