Acts Chapter 1 - questions for discussion

The birth of the Church happens in Acts 2 with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. A timid Peter is transformed into a bold evangelist whose first preach sees about three thousand souls added to the church (Acts 2: 41 - 42). Contrast this with what happened when God first gave the law to Moses in Exodus 32:1-7, 27-28. This should give you some understanding of what it means to live under the 'grace of God'.

Acts Chapter 1
Questions

1. Who wrote the Book of Acts? Acts 1:1-2; Luke 1:1-4 (The 'we narratives - Acts 16:10-17; 20:5 - 21:18; 27:1 - 28:16;), Paul refers to Luke (Col. 4:14; 2 Tim 4:11).

2. Which other Book(s) did he write in the bible?

3. What striking similarities can you see between the beginning of Jesus ministry in the gospel of Luke and the start of the Apostles ministry in Acts?
Luke 3:21-22, Acts 1:7-8, Acts 2:1-3.

4. Was Luke one of the twelve disciples of Jesus?
Luke 6:12-16.

5. Do you have to be anyone 'special' to be used by God?
Discuss

6. Who did Jesus appear to during the 40 days after his resurrection?
Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:1-9; John 20:11-18; John 20:19-31; John 21: 1-14.

7. Try and give an estimate of how many people Jesus appeared to after his resurrection?
Why is Jesus resurrection so important?

8. What did Jesus mean by saying?
".. you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit"? Acts 1:5

9. Judging from the disciples question in Acts 1:6 what was of more importance to them - God's kingdom or their position in it?

10. What thoughts do you think would have been going through the disciples mind during the incident of Acts 1:9-11?

11. Have you ever felt like Jesus has left you 'high and dry'?

12. What was the condition of the disciples as they waited for the "Promise of the father"?
Acts 1:14

13. How can we 'wait on God' today?

14. Peter preached his first anointed sermon after the death of Jesus in Acts 1:15-22.
What scriptures did he quote from?

15. How can we use Old Testament scriptures in our prayer / ministry life today?

16. Judas "fell" from his ministry (Acts 1:25).
Is it possible for a Christian to "fall away" from the truth of the Gospel?
1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 4:10

17. What do you think was the most important factor that lead to the choosing of Matthias?
Acts 1:23-26

18. What can we use to 'aid us' in making good choices today?
(See article over-leaf on 'Casting lots')