Acts

The Birth of the Church

Dr. David Jeremiah

• Publisher: HarperChristian Resources
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9780310091615
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Studies

God guides our witness and our walk...

Follow Dr. Jeremiah through the book of Acts in a chapter-by-chapter study that will help you understand what it meant to the people at the time it was written, and what it means to Christians today.

In the book of Acts, we have a record of the most fertile period of outreach in the history of Christianity. Churches were planted near and far as Jesus' followers proclaimed the message of Christ. Luke's record in Acts reveals that God places a premium on the spread of the gospel. He blesses our efforts to make disciples of all nations, one person at a time, and sends us His Spirit to guide our words, give us wisdom, and bolster our courage.

We also learn that God is with us even during times of persecution and opposition--and He uses those times to sharpen us and make us effective instruments for His work.

Each of this study's twelve lessons is clearly organized to include:

• Getting Started: An opening question to introduce you to the lesson.
• Setting the Stage: A short reflection to explain the context of the study.
• Exploring the Text: The Scripture reading for the lesson with related study questions.
• Reviewing the Story: Questions to help you identify key points in the reading.
• Applying the Message: Questions to help you apply the key ideas to their lives.
• Reflecting on the Meaning: A closing reflection on the key teachings in the lesson.

—ABOUT THE SERIES—

The Jeremiah Bible Study Series captures Dr. David Jeremiah's forty-plus years of commitment in teaching the Word of God. In each study, you'll gain insights into the text, identify key stories and themes, and be challenged to apply the truths you uncover to your life. By the end of each study, you'll come away with a clear and memorable understanding of that Bible book.

Each study also contains a Leader's Guide.

LESSON one
THE DAY OF PENTECOST
Acts 1:1–2:47

GETTING STARTED

How do you respond to times of waiting in your life? Why do you think God so often calls His followers to wait before He directs them to the next steps to take?

[Your Response Here]

SETTING THE STAGE

The Gospel of Matthew records that after Jesus’ death and resurrection, He gathered His followers together and instructed them to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (28:19–20). In the Acts of the Apostles, we are a given a glimpse into how these followers of Christ began to act on these words and spread the gospel “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (1:8).

Jesus knew, however, that His followers would not be able to carry out this great commission in their own strength. So, before He ascended into heaven, He told them “not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father” (1:4). Once Jesus had left the earth, these followers dutifully gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem . . . and waited. Little happened until the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit suddenly descended on them, inflaming their hearts and transforming them into bold witnesses of the gospel.

The power of the Holy Spirit on that first Pentecost must have been both terrifying and exhilarating for those who experienced it. The sound of the rushing wind and the appearance of fire served as physical evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power among the believers. However, as we will see later in Acts (and in our own lives), the Holy Spirit often works quietly, subtly transforming the lives of believers without great fanfare.

It is clear from Jesus’ own words that God longs to share His Spirit with people, if only they will ask: “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13). It is also clear the Holy Spirit can transform the trajectory of our lives and enable us to glorify God.

EXPLORING THE TEXT

Jesus Ascends to Heaven (Acts 1:4–14)

⁴ And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; ⁵ for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” ⁶ Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. ⁸ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

⁹ Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, ¹¹ who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

¹² Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. ¹³ And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴ These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

1. John the Baptist had said, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming. . . . He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16). What promise concerning this baptism of the Holy Spirit was Jesus now giving (see Acts 1:7–8)?

[Your Response Here]

2. What did Jesus’ followers do after He ascended to heaven? What evidence does Luke provide that they obeyed His final command to them (see verses 12–14)?

[Your Response Here]

The Arrival of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1–13)

¹ When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

⁵ And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. ⁷ Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” ¹² So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”

¹³ Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

3. What signs accompanied the arrival of the Holy Spirit in the upper room in Jerusalem (see verses 1–4)?

[Your Response Here]

4. How did the people in Jerusalem respond when they heard the followers of Jesus speaking in their language (see verses 7–13)?

[Your Response Here]

Peter’s Sermon (Acts 2:14–24)

¹⁴ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. ¹⁵ For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. ¹⁶ But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

¹⁷ ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,

That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

Your young men shall see visions,

Your old men shall dream dreams.

¹⁸ And on My menservants and on My maidservants

I will pour out My Spirit in those days;

And they shall prophesy.

¹⁹ I will show wonders in heaven above

And signs in the earth beneath:

Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.

²⁰ The sun shall be turned into darkness,

And the moon into blood,

Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.

²¹ And it shall come to pass

That whoever calls on the name of the Lord

Shall be saved.’

²² “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—²³ Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; ²⁴ whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.”

5. Peter had been so fearful when Jesus was arrested that he denied even knowing his Lord...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Ebook Instructions
• Contents
• Introduction to the Acts of the Apostles
• Lesson 1: The Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:1–2:47)
• Lesson 2: Suffering In Jesus’ Name (Acts 3:1–4:37)
• Lesson 3: Complete Commitment (Acts 5:1–6:15)
• Lesson 4: Persecution and Trials (Acts 7:1–8:40)
• Lesson 5: The Hunter Becomes the Hunted (Acts 9:1–43)
• Lesson 6: The Gospel Comes to the Gentiles (Acts 10:1–11:30)
• Lesson 7: The Power of Prayer (Acts 12:1–14:28)
• Lesson 8: The Church In Conflict (Acts 15:1–16:40)
• Lesson 9: A Courageous Life (Acts 17:1–20:38)
• Lesson 10: Persevering for Christ (Acts 21:1–23:35)
• Lesson 11: The Trials of Paul (Acts 24:1–26:32)
• Lesson 12: The Voyage to Rome (Acts 27:1–28:31)
• Leader’s Guide
• About Dr. David Jeremiah and Turning Point
• Stay Connected to Dr. David Jeremiah