In the Waiting Room: A Study of Acts 1

A Small Group Bible Study for Mobberly Baptist Church

January – February 2015

WEEK 1 – INTRODUCTION ACTS 1:1-8

Photo: theresurgence.com

Introduction: Most of us have been in a waiting room at some point in our life. Usually, this was when a friend or loved one was at the hospital, and we were asked to wait outside. Waiting rooms are never fun. They are full of people who are eagerly hoping for good news or anxious about a bad report from the doctor.

ASK: Do you remember the last time you were in a waiting room? Where was it, why were you there, who were you there for?

ASK: What thoughts do you think go through people’s minds when they are in a waiting room? How would they pass the time during the wait? How have you passed the time waiting for a doctor to come back with news on your loved one?

While the wait is never easy, sometimes it allows us to refocus our priorities and spend time in prayer. These experiences are never wanted, but each can be very rewarding if we take our focus off our circumstances and on to our almighty God. We never take our loved one off our mind but simply ask God to take control and give peace despite our emotions.

The apostles had a similar experience in Acts Chapter 1. Jesus was about to leave them and asked they spend time waiting for the Holy Spirit. He ordered them not to depart Jerusalem, and in a way the Upper room became one of the first “waiting rooms.”

ASK: How do you think the disciples would have felt having to wait on the Holy Spirit to come? What do you think they did to pass the time and prepare for his arrival?

WEEK 1 – BACKGROUND AND TEXT ACTS 1:1-8

Main Idea: Pray patiently to see the Lord’s promises fulfilled.

Background: The Acts of the Apostles opens with a few words about the resurrected Lord Jesus, reminding us of Luke’s Gospel and the true leader of the church. Before this, the apostles and all of the other disciples had endured a long night of the soul, terrified that Jesus had died and they would be abused for following him or would be kicked out of the synagogue. Before Easter came, they had worried that everything which seemed to come from God, everything which seemed to demonstrate Jesus’ claim to being the Messiah, was a lie. They had waited in fear while Jesus was in the tomb, but now he is with them.

READ Acts 1:1: In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach…

Luke’s first book told us what Christ Jesus began to do, not all the work he did as if he had completed it. As the people of Christ’s church and members of Christ’s body, our purpose is to continue his work. What Jesus began, we practice and expand throughout the world.

ASK: When we pray, do we assume God wants to continue Christ’s work in our lives? When we pray to know God’s will, do we limit our options to our twenty-first century lives or do we open ourselves to following in the footsteps of the apostles?

READ Acts 1:2–3: until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 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.

Our prayers should reflect our confidence in the Lord’s work in our world. He has not left us to fend for ourselves. He hasn’t slipped away, hoping we will figure out how to carry on. He gave us many reasons to know he is alive, and more than that, he praised those who would believe without seeing.

ASK: How you ever felt it hard to believe with seeing? Does faith come very naturally to you or is it something you need to ask God to give you more of daily? Explain why.

If you are one who feels faith doesn’t come naturally then you are not alone. Thomas, walked and spoke with Jesus yet even he found it hard to believe. His mistake of voicing his doubt helps us today to see Jesus’ view of faith in his believers.

READ John 20:28–29: Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Our Lord knows our weaknesses, so he has given us many reasons to believe while praising those who will believe simply upon hearing his word. He praises those who trust the word of

God and will believe an impossible event like Jesus’ physical resurrection on that basis alone. But lest we believe such faith is a peculiar quality of some people, Jesus explained to Peter it is the work of God.

READ Matthew 16:16–17: Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.”

ASK: If God praises faith like this, what should we do with our worries and doubts? Has he called us to blindly believe whatever we think we see in Scripture? Why or why not?

Most Christians today say they struggle with prayer. Part of the struggle may be that we are talking to someone we can’t see or hear. No nod of the head. No sympathetic reaction to the news we share. It’s hard to talk to someone you aren’t sure is listening. The struggle may also be the same one we have with waiting for anything. We want results quickly. We want evidence of progress. If we can at least count the days until a promised delivery date, the waiting will feel more like movement, but when we have no date or order confirmation, we don’t know if we’ve even been heard.

ASK: Have you ever felt your prayers weren’t leaving the room or that God wasn’t listening to you? What made you feel like that? What causes a person to feel distant from God or that they can’t even approach their heavenly Father?

To the believer who has felt helpless, who has worried about anything, even God’s faithfulness, and cried out to him for an answer, praise the Lord! That helpless feeling is exactly what the disciples felt before the resurrection and after the Lord’s ascension. If God wanted them to tell their city about Jesus, they had no idea how to do it. What was this kingdom of God Jesus told them about if the Christ wasn’t on earth to lead it? They were scared of their circumstances and felt helpless to exercise their faith. This is where God wants us. He wants us to recognize we can’t live the Christian life without him.

Thomas Merton said, “Prayer is an expression of who we are . . . We are a living incompleteness. We are a gap, an emptiness that calls for fulfillment.”

ASK: Do you agree with this quote? How does viewing ourselves as a vessel that needs to be filled increase our prayer life? How can our prayer life then increase our faith?

In his book A Praying Life, Paul Miller quotes Merton and explains the need for Christian helplessness. “We received Jesus because we were weak, and that’s how we follow him (Colossians 2:6). . . . We forget that helplessness is how the Christian life works.”

ASK: When you feel helpless, do you pray more than when you feel comfortable and safe? Are we in the habit of relying on ourselves first and crying out to God only when we have no other options?

Jesus’ friends had similar struggles once the Lord left. He had reminded them of the kingdom of God before he ascended, and they thought they knew what he meant, but in his absence they worried.

READ Acts 1:4–5: 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; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

At one time, Jesus told his followers, “apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). How many of them remembered or mentioned this in the upper room while hiding from the Pharisees after he ascended? Maybe none of them, but even if they all talked about it, they would have also remembered the promise in Acts 1:5. Jesus is sending the Holy Spirit, the comforter, soon. “Wait for the promise of the Father.”

ASK: When have you prayed while waiting confidently for a promise from God? How was your prayer answered?

Jesus was clear in this passage. He said the Holy Spirit was coming in a few days. They had no opportunity to ask whether they understood what was promised, but many times we do. We often twist God’s promises to fit our personal agendas. For instance, Psalm 37:4 states, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” This is not a formula for getting the stuff we want. It doesn’t say we can impress God enough that he will give us the things our hearts really desire. It says that when we delight in God himself, he will give us more of himself, the object of our delight. This is a promise we need never doubt. God will not hide from us, even in the dark times. He loves us and will walk with us all the way through our lives.

Acts 1:6-8: So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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.”

The disciples didn’t understand the nature of the kingdom of God at this time, and Jesus didn’t take the time to explain it to them. He only reassured them that they would gain power from the Holy Spirit to carry on the work he began. They could trust their Lord with mysteries. They didn’t need everything explained in advance, but having confidence in his everlasting faithfulness, they could trust him with the future.

ASK: Do you do well waiting on God? What can you take away from this text so that prayer and faith are your focus? How can you trust the Lord more when called to wait on Him?

Again, we are in the same place they were in. We can trust the Lord with a future we feel powerless to control. We can remember his promises to guide us like a shepherd, even through the valley of the shadow of death.

WEEK 1 – APPLICATION ACTS 1:1-8

Children and Grandchildren: In James 5:17-18 we are told of Elijah and his powerful prayers. For 3 ½ years Elijah’s prayers kept it from raining, and then when he asked for rain, it came. This story is in 1 Kings 17-18 and within these chapters are great stories to read with children; even the great Mt. Carmel story is contained within these chapters. Read the stories and focus on the power of God that is demonstrated clearly throughout, but also remind the children that God worked mightily in response to the prayers of a man of God. The purpose of the stories is not to exalt Elijah over God, but rather to remind us how a mighty God will work through even the smallest of human prayers. “Elijah was a human just like us,” but God worked mightily through his prayers, and the same can happen for us today!

Students: Lessons on prayer are the perfect time to talk with your teenager about one of the most frustrating aspects for young believers: unanswered prayers. In John 14:13-14 there seems to be the promise that anything asked in Jesus’ name will be given, and in Matthew 7:7-11 there seems to be a similar promise. Read those verses and ask your youth what they think about the promises of God there? Listen to frustration and encourage if they feel they have asked God for something, and have received no answer. And then focus on the promises of the two texts: 1) God will do anything that brings Him glory, and 2) God is better than any earthly father and will only give good gifts to His children. Any “no” we ever receive in prayer must fall outside of those two categories, and therefore we trust the promise of Romans 8:28, that even the “no’s” are for our good.

Application for Everyone: Both of the texts mentioned above further the main idea from this lesson in Acts that we must pray patiently to see the Lord’s promises fulfilled. We all need patience in prayer, and patience comes when we trust the One who has made the promises, and all of the promises from Him are for our good, and never our harm.

WEEK 2 – INTRODUCTION ACTS 1:9-14

Photo: theresurgence.com

Introduction: When we’re forced to wait on something important, we often distract ourselves to help the time go by. In our waiting rooms, we usually have televisions with cartoons or the national news and a choice of magazines with countless articles to read. We may have even brought headphones and our smart phone to pass the time. All of these distractions, really just give us the illusion of being stable or strong, when we should be still and relying on God.

ASK: What is a diversion you go to when having to wait for an extended period of time?

Whether you distract yourself with TV, Facebook or news, we need to see the opportunity God has given us to redeem free time. Do you find yourself as someone who keeps yourself distracted until you hear from God, or do you find times to be still? What would your life look like if you learned to be more still than busy, strong and confident?

ASK: When you’ve had to wait for a long time, have you developed new patterns of living in reliance on God? Explain. Have your daily routines changed to allow for more prayer or more Scripture reading? How?

The old British preacher Thomas Brooks wrote, “The mercies of God are not styled the swift, but the sure mercies of David; and, therefore, a gracious soul patiently waits for them.” (See Acts 13:34 for the reference.)

ASK: Do you find yourself more swift or patient when waiting on God? Why?

WEEK 2 – BACKGROUND AND TEXT ACTS 1:9-14

MAIN IDEA: Remember to be still and wait on God.

READ Acts 1:9–11: 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. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 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.”

Jesus promised the disciples they would receive the Holy Spirit soon, and then he flew into the clouds. No doubt, they were stunned and would have stood there a long time, wondering what would happen. But God gave them a kind, tangible encouragement to go home and wait. He sent two angels to appear among them.

ASK: What tangible encouragements has your heavenly Father given you? What kind words or reminders have you heard from God that helped you forward with your life? What events have happened to you that were clear indications of God speaking to you?

God encourages us in many ways: a memory of his grace, an applicable verse from your daily reading, or an unsolicited offer of help from a friend. Lest we think the Lord is only spiritual and does not interact with us physically, he gives us many tangible encouragements to help us remember his everlasting faithfulness.

Though angels are spiritual beings, they appeared to Jesus’ disciples as two men—unusual men in white, yes, but not terrifyingly glorious beings as they appeared at other times in history. They came to encourage them, because apparently the group needed someone to say, “Don’t worry. Jesus is coming back.”

One way that Christians remind themselves of Jesus’ promise is to practice the Lord’s Supper. This is a set time to remember his words to us, repent and rely on his promises.

ASK: Do you see the Lord’s Supper as one of God’s tangible encouragements? Has it ever been just a church ritual for you? Is it a special blessing from the Father? Why or why not?

When we celebrate communion, we celebrate God’s presence among us and the Holy Spirit within us. Jesus asked us to eat the bread as if it were his body and to drink from our cups as if it were “the new covenant in my blood” (1 Corinthians 11:23–26). This cracker and juice are meant to be moments of tangible grace, in which our Lord says, “Remember me in the common, ordinary things of your life, because I’m with you now in spirit and I’m coming again in the flesh.”

ASK: How well do you remember God’s presence and interest in your daily life? What distracts you from thinking of him? What kinds of things tempt you (or even convince you) to believe you are alone and forgotten by God?

Keeping a journal or memory box are two good ways to help remember God’s faithfulness over a lifetime. Part of a deep faith, is remembering how God has proved himself over and over.

One of the many repeated themes in Scripture is God’s everlasting faithfulness. He knows how hard it can be to remember him when we’re waiting for an answer or for relief. That’s why he gives us specific, gracious reminders of his love. Don’t worry, he says. I have sent you my Spirit, and remember that Jesus is coming back just as your forefathers saw him leave.

READ Romans 8:14–17: For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 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!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Our Father in heaven has sent his all-powerful Spirit to live with us, a constant, intimate reminder that we are children of God. And as children who are waiting on our father, sometimes suffering as we wait, we naturally cry out to him. The Holy Spirit is with us to assure us that we have been adopted into God’s family. We need not fear our Father has rejected us, disowned us, or ignored us, because we are not his slaves. We are his sons and daughters, royal heirs with Christ Jesus.

ASK: How do you see yourself in relation to God? In what specific ways, do you remember the Holy Spirit living within you?

In one sense, the Bible does call us slaves of God. That may be an important concept for modern Americans who tend to see themselves as God’s employees, earning a heavenly paycheck and guarding their free time afterhours. But neither slaves nor employees are loved and rewarded as richly as children and heirs, and that’s what we are for the Most High God.

READ Romans 8:31-32: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

ASK: How do you respond to these verses in Romans? Whatever you’re waiting on, have you considered the fact that God did not spare even his own Son for you? Do you hesitate to believe that God is wholeheartedly for you because of Christ death?

Some will suggest that all doubting is sinful, but God appears to have great patience with those of us who worry or doubt that he will provide. He tells us he will provide so often in Scripture because he knows we will have a hard time with it, especially while we’re waiting.

READ Acts 1:12-14: Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 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. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Having been encouraged by the angels, Jesus’ disciples and family gathered again to spend days in prayer. This was their kingdom work, their service to God. If someone had asked them if they had anything else to do, they would have said no. Prayer was their work, for the foreseeable future. Though this was a special time in the history of the world, they were not unfamiliar with long seasons of prayer. Jesus had modeled it for them, sometimes praying through the night.

ASK: How comfortable are you with praying for more than five minutes? How well do you handle praying with others? What has helped you learn to pray?

Jesus’ disciples devoted themselves to prayer for ten days until Pentecost. Sure, they ate, discussed Scripture, and talked about what they had experienced, but their primary work was prayer. Perhaps the primary reason most of us would have no idea how to manage ten full days in prayer is that we can’t imagine the need for it. We don’t desperately long to see God work in our lives, in our families, in our churches, or in the world. We don’t see our ministry or our personal comforts as being completely dependent on the Most High God.

ASK: If you struggle to pray, would you say it’s true that you do not desperately long to see God work? Do you believe you need God’s direct interaction in your life to get through the day or do you see God as managing life from a distance? Explain.

Just as we say at Christmas, so it is every day. God is with us, standing beside us in every party, trial, ballgame, and conversation. The grace that saved us and made us God’s child is the grace that sustains us and helps us rely on him in prayer.

ASK: If you struggle to pray, do you fear God will criticize you for being unwilling to pray in the past? Do you believe he will welcome your prayers now?

“Christ’s sheep are weak sheep, and lacking in something or other,” writes Richard Sibbes in his book, The Bruised Reed. “He therefore applies himself to the needs of every sheep. He seeks what was lost, and brings again what was driven away, and binds up what was broken, and strengthens the weak (Ezek. 34:16).”

Never hesitate to pray because you haven’t prayed much in the past. By putting your faith in the work of Christ Jesus, you are more righteous in God’s eyes than you can even imagine. Therefore, boldly confess your sins. Boldly seek the Lord in prayer, because he will welcome you as if you were Jesus Christ himself.

WEEK 2 – APPLICATION ACTS 1:9-14

Children and Grandchildren: Read the story of Noah together again. In fact, you might not have to read it, rather, let them tell you the story! They will remember some parts more than others, and you can fill in the gaps where needed. But as they tell the story there is probably one question they might not be able to answer, because we often overlook it: how long did it take Noah to build the ark?

We aren’t for certain but at the end of Genesis 5 Noah is 500 years old, and when the floods come in 7:6 he is 600; so an easy estimate is 100 years. He worked for 100 years, and waited that long, for the promise of God to come true. In Hebrews 11, Noah is said to have built the ark “by faith” meaning that he believed what God said, and acted accordingly. This is what we do as Christians. It may take longer than we ever imagined, but God always fulfills his promises, and it’s never a bad idea to wait patiently on Him.

Application for Everyone: In 2 Peter 3:1-13, we are given a great perspective on “waiting” for the Lord. It predicts that eventually the world will begin to taunt believers, asking ‘where’ God is, and why hasn’t he come back to judge the world. Our first encouragement as we “wait” is to “remember” that God has already judged the world once before: at the flood (building off the story of Noah above). So one way we wait patiently is by “remembering” what God has done before, both in our own lives, and in the history of the world.

Another encouragement from 2 Peter 3 is the fact that “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” We can never judge God based on a timetable; He is infinite and is not restricted by time. Never become impatient with the One who “is, and was, and is to come.” He is never late, and He never forgets His promises. Even if you don’t see the results, God is faithful, and it is never a bad idea to wait for Him.

WEEK 3 – INTRODUCTION ACTS 1:15-26

Photo: theresurgence.com

Introduction: If you’re used to calling the shots as you see them and making decisions quickly, you will likely find the waiting room the biggest trial of your life. You just want to get all of the pertinent information and make a decision, but the Bible isn’t a procedural list for every situation. Despite the longstanding accusation that the Christian life is merely a list of dos and don’ts, God’s Word can’t be distilled to such a list. The resounding theme of Scripture is that the Most High God seeks relationship not good deeds.

ASK: Would you rather have a list of action steps from God or a faithful relationship with him? Which one is easier? Why?

God gave us waiting rooms because spending time with him is important, not only for information we might learn during that time. Humble worship of the Almighty takes time. Just as it takes time to sing or listen to a song, just as it takes time to enjoy a well-cooked meal, it takes time to walk with Jesus.

ASK: Would you rather have God tell you what to do in life or walk with you through your life?

The stories of the Bible tells us many things about world history and God’s interaction with people, but one of the biggest truths it gives us is God’s undying faithfulness to his people. He is our refuge in the storm. He will fight on our behalf. He will lead us through the desert into the Promised Land, not because we are perfect followers, but because he loves us as his adopted children for his name’s sake.

WEEK 3 – BACKGROUND AND TEXT ACTS 1:15-26

MAIN IDEA: God desires a relationship with us, and gives us relationships to better know Him.

READ Acts 1:15-17: In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, “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. For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.”

During the ten days between Jesus’ ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit, Peter discussed their situation in the light of Scripture, making a profound point for modern Christians to consider: Judas Iscariot chose to betray Jesus under the sovereign rule of the Almighty. The Bible doesn’t reveal Judas’ motives for his betrayal. It does say he stole from the disciples’ ministry funds, but nothing about why he wanted to turn Jesus over to the high priest. He even regretted his choice quickly and turned to suicide instead of repentance (Matthew 27:4). But here, Peter says, “The Scripture had to be fulfilled.”

READ Luke 22:47-48: While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”

It is important to remember that Judas was a close friend to Jesus and the other eleven disciples. He betrayed our Lord with a sign that showed loyalty and affection. For this reason, we should guard ourselves and each other in love and wisdom. We should never allow ourselves to think that a high church or community status makes us incapable of self-serving acts like Judas’ betrayal. When we remove ourselves from community, we are more likely to follow our ways and not God’s.

Spurgeon said in a sermon on Judas, “God give us grace to see the vision of his nailed hands and feet, and remembering that all this came from the treachery of a friend, let us be very jealous of ourselves, lest we crucify the Lord afresh and put him to an open shame by betraying him in our conduct, or in our words, or in our thoughts.”

ASK: How does the body of believers help us stay faithful to Christ? What can we do as Christians to encourage one another’s faith and obedience?

Judas’ story is one of many examples we have of our deep unfaithfulness to our Lord, and yet the Lord never gives up being faithful to us. In Isaiah 53, the prophet describes the horrors Jesus suffered because we “despised and rejected” him, but the fruit of that pain is this: “Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:11). No one has despised or rejected Christ Jesus more than he is willing to forgive. Even Judas, had he cried out for forgiveness as Peter did after his betrayal, would have remained a disciple.

READ Acts 1:18-26: “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.’ So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 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.” And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Notice what Peter is doing here.

1. He draws out the Bible’s explanation.2. He describes the Bible’s application.3. He appeals to a Bible-based community for confirmation.4. He prays for God’s specific direction.

Peter uses Scripture to explain the situation Judas has put them in. Though we are given only a couple verses, we know he isn’t proof-texting (taking Scripture out of context). He’s coming to grips with Judas’ betrayal in the new light of Jesus’ resurrection. He brings a strong knowledge of God’s Word to the table.

Even in the church today, some believers practice the age-old superstition of taking a line from the Bible and claiming it as God’s specific direction for their life. They claim Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me,” to mean they can do anything they set their mind to, which is far from Paul’s intent when he wrote those words. When we barely know the Bible’s context, we will easily misapply a single verse from it.

ASK: Have you ever reflected on Scripture and applied it to your situation and decisions as directly as Peter does? Have you ever wanted to but couldn’t discern what to do? When you weren’t sure what God says about your decisions, where have you turned for help?

We must guard ourselves against misunderstanding or misapplying Scripture to our lives. Our pastors and other elders who are steeped in Scripture can help us gain a healthy perspective and point us to the redeeming work of Christ.

Peter believed Jesus had established their core leadership group as a twelve-member team. He points to Psalm 109:8, “Let another take his office,” as direction to choose another man to replace the one they lost.

He doesn’t take these steps alone. He presents his thoughts to a large group of people who know the Old Testament very well and sat under Jesus’ teaching for three years. No doubt, they have been talking about Judas and other matters for a while, reminding each other of Old

Testament scripture and the things Jesus said. So they agreed with him and took the matter to God in prayer.

ASK: What matters do you take to the Lord in prayer, and how do you pray? Do you keep your worries and big decisions to yourself, asking others to pray only for “silent requests”? Do you allow others to remind you of God’s Word and bear your burdens with you? Are you faithfully bearing the burdens of others? Share with the group the struggles of deep prayer.

We may cry out to God over our situation, but minimize it around fellow believers. Some of us suffer needlessly because we are too proud to share our concerns with others. Some of us hurt others because we are too proud to bear their burdens faithfully. In this community of God’s family, let’s work to love and respect everyone who claims the name of Christ, never gossiping about them or trivializing their concerns, so that when critical choices arise we will support each other through it.

READ Acts 1:24-26: And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Peter and the other disciples prayed for God’s specific direction, fully acknowledging God’s understanding and authority in their choice. Some teachers criticize them for trying to replace Judas, saying Paul was God’s replacement apostle, not Matthias, who is not mentioned in Scripture again. But Scripture doesn’t give us any reason to believe the disciples are not following God’s direction to the best of their knowledge. Church tradition says Matthias served with Andrew on missionary journeys and preached the gospel as far as Macedonia and what is now Western Georgia.

ASK: When you pray over your decisions, how do you ask God what you want? How can we worship him through this decisions? How can we focus more on the relationship than request?

The disciples’ prayer may seem a simple request for God’s will, like many we have prayed, but don’t forget all the meditation on Scripture and council of Bible-saturated friends that went before it. They weren’t asking God to fix an embarrassing hole in their ministry team so they don’t lose face with their community. They are asking him to lead them into new roles as apostles. They were about to start the church of God on earth, a completely new movement in the world. They didn’t know how, but they did know they would become the emissaries of Christ Jesus, witnessing what they knew to everyone in their city, their region, “and to the end of the earth.”

When we pray, let’s dwell on the Word and take counsel from godly friends so that, like the disciples, we will have a lot of God’s direction before and during our prayers. We will have God’s character and authority in mind when we pray, so that we will truly pray like Jesus did, wanting God’s will on earth just as it is in heaven.

WEEK 3 – APPLICATION ACTS 1:15-26

Children and Grandchildren: A passage that is often quoted, and important for us to understand, is the importance of Godly community: “where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them” (Matt. 18:20). Just like in Acts, the passage in Matthew is referring to Christians gathering and making decisions together. There is importance in gathering with Christians in order to make decisions. Talk with your children about the importance of praying about difficult decisions, but also the benefit of praying with other Christians. When we involve others, and aim our prayers together toward the Lord, we are given the promise of his presence.

Students: The importance of Godly community cannot be stressed enough to teenagers and is most profoundly demonstrated by 1 Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’” This is Scripture, and therefore true, but there is a chance that Paul was even quoting a secular reference, which means that even non-Christians understand this to be true! The purpose of his quote is given in the next verse, when the command is “to not go on sinning.” It will be impossible to fight sin when you surround yourself with people committed to sin. Godly community is needed in order to make Godly decisions.

Application for Everyone: The importance of surrounding ourselves with Godly community is certainly what Scripture teaches, and if we are honest with ourselves, we understand the truth even without the influence of Scripture. But perhaps what we need to remember most often, is that our Godly community needs us. If the body of Christ (the Church) is to function at its highest potential, it needs every member present at all times. Each week a fellow member might need you to pray with them, and help them discern the will of God. We can’t always use the community of Christians when we need them, but we’ve also got to be available for other believers who may need us.

WEEK 4 – INTRODUCTION ACTS 2:1–5

Photo: theresurgence.com

Introduction: Perhaps you’ve heard this from coaches or midwives: When there’s a purpose to the pain, it’s much easier to bear. Tumbling down a hill and banging up your legs hurts, and it’s easy to complain about your own clumsiness or the unstable trail you were on. Running laps around a track also hurts, but it’s a pain you hope will make you faster and stronger. Keeping your goal in mind helps you endure the pain of getting there.

Understanding the purpose of waiting may be the biggest challenge to enduring our time in the waiting room. We don’t know the reason for the wait, and the more it hurts, the longer the wait feels.

ASK: What goals have you pursued that required an amount of pain to reach? Was achieving your goal worth the effort?

ASK: What goals have you pursued as a member of a team? How has the team helped you endure the pain of reaching your goals?

Christ Jesus brought a new life to mankind with the establishment of his church. It wasn’t a life free from pain, but it was one where the Almighty would be known to everyone who believes as their Heavenly Father. Christ was building a new temple of the Lord God, using himself as the cornerstone, and the Pentecost festival would celebrate his rich mercy with intimate fellowship in his Holy Spirit. As the fledgling church grew, they needed to rely on each other as they ran into trouble, and they discovered a unity of spirit they had never known before.

WEEK 4 – TEXT ACTS 2:1–5

MAIN IDEA: The Spirit of God is the pledge of our salvation and the redemption of the world. He will unify us like nothing else.

READ ACTS 2:1–5: When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

We think of Pentecost as the day the Holy Spirit came to us, but before that, the day was an important feast in Israel. It was the day of firstfruits and the Feast of Weeks (Numbers 28:26). It was a celebration of the Lord’s provision for his people. They were to praise the Lord for a new harvest season, remembering that though they worked in the fields God delivered the food. The day of firstfruits was a way of hearing God say, “Look at what I’ve brought you. This will be a good year.”

ASK: We live in wealthy times, particularly in this country, and it’s easy to forget that our God provides for us. What do you do to remind yourself that it isn’t your work, but God’s love, that gives you food, clothing, and shelter?

This is a personal question, and people will have many different answers, but if you find that you don’t do anything specific to remember the Lord’s active faithfulness in your life, take time today to find something that fits your personality. The Lord set up large feasts for the Israelites, because he knew it was easy for us to forget him and rely on our own talent, skill and strength. This natural self-reliance will break us apart, because we can’t act as the unified body of Christ if we are just a group of individual bodies. Make plans to remember the Lord’s specific provision for you and answers to your prayers.

READ ROMANS 8:23–25: And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

The Holy Spirit rushed in from heaven on Pentecost, giving us a spiritual firstfruits of God’s divine harvest. The hope we have is not merely a verbal promise. We have a pledge on God’s awesome intentions for this world in the Holy Spirit. The one Christ Jesus promised would come to us, has come with great power in order to sustain our hope for the future when the harvest comes in full.

ASK: How do you view the Holy Spirit in your life? Is he a constant friend for you or a distant relative? What has helped you lean on him more than you did when you first believed?

READ 2 CORINTHIANS 5:5: He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

ASK: In your own words, what is the Spirit guaranteeing us? What he done in your life already?

The Holy Spirit is guaranteeing us total redemption. The hope we have now is pinned on the new life we have seen and felt in our present salvation. We are redeemed now, as believers in Christ, but we are headed toward a day when sin will wither away and all creation, including our bodies, will be gloriously transformed by the Father. What we have now should taste like this somehow, because the Spirit is God’s firstfruits pledge to us.

This was the beginning of a bold new movement of God. No longer would God’s people be tied to a system of sacrifices in a physical temple in Jerusalem. They would be free to worship God in the temple of their hearts. The presence of God would not be like a flame or pillar of smoke at the temple. They would have a sacred fire within them.

READ ACTS 2:42–47: And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,

praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

This is how the first disciples of Christ Jesus responded to being filled with the Holy Spirit. They wanted to understand the mysteries of the Old Testament concerning their Messiah. They were in awe at the work of God through his chosen leaders. They shared generously with each other, taking care of orphans and widows, making sure no one they knew had unmet needs. They were unified and passionate for the gospel.

ASK: Though God was doing something new when he launched his church on Pentecost, the Spirit of God has not changed since that time, so many speakers and pastors have tried to call the church back to this kind of bold Christian lifestyle. Do you believe such a lifestyle is possible in today’s world? Is this a lifestyle we should seek or simply learn from? What would it take to move you into living with a spiritual purpose like this?

Almost everyone who went to Sunday School knows that the fruit of the Spirit is love. That’s the difference—bold, honest love for God more than anyone else, and Jesus told us that when we love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, we will also love each other like family. Our perspective is caught up in the hope we have in Christ, being united in a common spirit. We don’t love each other because all of our comfort zones overlap and no one disturbs us much. We love each other because we love Christ Jesus far, far more than ourselves or anyone else.

READ GALATIANS 5:16, 22–24: Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. . . . The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

When the Holy Spirit came in power, like he did on that Pentecost Sunday, he brought this spiritual fruit with him. Where this fruit grows, there will be unity. Where there is faithful love, there will be purposeful living.

ASK: How do you look at the fruit of the Spirit? If you want more of this fruit in your life, how do you think you can get it?

In his book on the Holy Spirit, Francis Chan writes, “None of us can ‘do goodness’ on our own, much less all the other elements that make up the fruit of the Spirit. But despite our inability to change ourselves . . . we expend a great deal of effort trying. We focus on what God wants us to do and forget the kind of people He wants us to be. . . . Let’s take the time to ask God to put the fruit of His Spirit into our lives. And let’s spend time with the One we want to be more like.”

We may have a problem with thinking of righteousness as character traits and not goals to work toward. Some of us are geared toward personal growth activities. But if the fruit of the Spirit is something we have in Christ, not something we try to obtain by faith, then in order to be more loving, peaceful, and faithful, we must surrender our affections, our desires, and our mental habits to our Lord. Through humble surrender, we resist the world and are “transformed by the renewal of [our minds]” (Romans 12:2).

READ AGAIN ACTS 2:4–5: And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

This awesome outpouring of the Holy Spirit was a miracle to establish Christ’s church, and whereas the Jerusalem temple was for the Jews only, the new church was for everyone everywhere. The Spirit gave his followers the ability to speak in many languages that day, in order to break down cultural barriers to the gospel, starting with the Jews. God-fearing men from many nations were gathered for Pentecost, and the Lord wanted them to hear the good news.

ASK: How do you think early Jewish disciples felt about people from other cultures coming to faith in Christ? Do you think some were excited and others scared of what it might do?

Christians today seem to be too ready to criticize other churches, both in this country and around the world. We even complain about each other when things don’t go how we like them. We tend to think true followers of Christ are just like us with only minor variations. But the Holy Spirit gave himself to Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles of all types without requiring them to conform to Jewish customs. We too must be willing to accept each other through the Holy Spirit.

WEEK 4 – APPLICATION ACTS 2:1–5

Children and Grandchildren: Receiving the Holy Spirit is one of the greatest gifts the Father has ever given to the believer. But yet it might be one of the least felt and well understood gifts that we have; children can’t ‘feel’ the Holy Spirit necessarily. But one of the best ways to help them understand the role of the Holy Spirit in their lives is to remind them that the Spirit is our “helper” from John 14:26. In that verse we are told specifically what He will help us with, “He will teach us all things and remind us of everything we’ve been taught.” So as children learn Scripture, and are able to ‘recall’ stories and truths we can remind them that this is one way in which the Spirit is with us and is helping us.

The second way in which the Spirit helps us is by convicting us of sin (John 16:8). So often we are taught that our ‘consciences’ help us discern right and wrong, but the Bible very explicitly says that there is nothing good within us (Romans 3:10-18), so when we feel a leaning toward doing the right thing, it is again the work of the Holy Spirit in our life. So remind your kids about the work of the Holy Spirit and how He is helping us all today, by teaching us and guiding us toward righteousness. This is why throughout the New Testament we are commanded to learn to “walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16).

Application for Everyone: One of the greatest promises in Scripture is that even in the most difficult times, when our faith is being tested, if we will just continue to believe the Holy Spirit will speak for us. The work and comfort of the Holy Spirit are incomprehensible and we should never neglect to be thankful for our pledge of salvation and redemption that God has given us. When the Holy Spirit came in Acts 2, the life of believers was forever changed, and it was a change for the better, as we were given just a down payment on the glorious promises of the future. Be thankful and mindful of the Spirit’s work in your life today.

WEEK 5 – INTRODUCTION ACTS 2:6–13

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When we find ourselves waiting on God, sometimes that’s all we know. We don’t know exactly what we’re waiting for, but we do know we don’t have it. We’ll stop waiting when we get it, whatever it is—some comfort, some direction, some sign from God that will tell us what we’re missing. It’s as if we’ve heard from several doctors that, while they can see we have a problem, they don’t know what it is. So we still don’t have an answer or even a change in our status.

In these times it is good to remember that we are a friend of God. And when God’s friends suffer, he meets their needs in love.

ASK: Have you ever had a friend of yours who was suffering? What were they experiencing? How did you rush to their aid? What did you feel for them?

If we are quick to rush to aid of a friend in need, how much quicker will the Holy Spirit respond to our suffering? The Christian life is a journey in trusting our Lord. Throughout our lives we will respond to people and circumstances in our own strength or in faithful hope in the Lord’s strength (or a combination of those two). All the while our Lord is telling us of his faithfulness, sufficient grace and love for us.

Remember how committed Peter was at the Lord’s Supper. He couldn’t imagine a situation that would press him to deny Jesus, but he did several hours later. It was probably the darkest hour of his life. But the Lord did not shame him or make him work his way back into favor. He restored him and challenged him to love his God and the people of God without reservation.

WEEK 5 – TEXT ACTS 2:6–13

MAIN IDEA: The Spirit of God may take us into surprising, difficult situations, but he will equip us in love along the way.

READ ACTS 2:5: Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

We backed up a verse this week to remember who the disciples were speaking to. Their city was prepared to celebrate Pentecost, and thousands of devout Jewish men from all around the region, some from many miles away, had gathered to worship the Lord on this day of firstfruits. They were not believers yet, but they may have been God-fearing men like Simeon, the man who praised the Lord to see the Messiah born. He was called “righteous and devout” (Luke 2:25). Practically speaking, God had prepared these men to hear the good news of Christ.

ASK: Do you spend time praying the Lord would prepare people to hear? Share an example of when you asked God to open someone’s ears and it happened.

READ ACTS 2:6: And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

The sound they heard was the rushing wind God created when the Holy Spirit pouring himself onto the disciples. The Spirit is often thought of as a wind or even the breath of God, perhaps because of similarities in the Greek words (pnoe for wind or breath, pneuma for spirit). We see God painting the picture himself here (also in Job 33:4). This divine wind blew down the walls of all language barriers, not as a mere demonstration of power (which the Lord never does), but to declare the gospel for the glory of God and the establishment of his church.

ASK: We have been told to expect great things from God, but do we take the time to prepare ourselves for a work of God that bewilders us? Have you ever asked God to work mightily in your life or your church or city, no matter what it takes? Describe a time where you saw God move greatly in your life.

At Pentecost, God overwhelmed everyone, and he still does that in many ways, but often our Lord will work in ways we don’t understand. One commentator wrote, “Sometimes what most hinders our perception of what God is doing is our own expectation of what God should do or would do.”

READ ACTS 2:7–11: And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own

tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

The multitude was astonished both at the diversity of languages being spoken and that they were being spoken by Galileans, who were considered “rude, unpolished, and unlearned men,” as John Gill tells us. They “had never been brought up in any school of learning and had never learned any language but their mother tongue. The apostles were inhabitants of Galilee and so very likely were the greatest part of those that were with them; hence the Christians afterwards, by way of contempt, were called Galileans.”

ASK: Do you or have you felt unqualified to share the gospel or talk about Jesus with anyone? What do you think of the example we see here? Is the Holy Spirit hindered by the natural qualities of men?

We should remember the variety of men the Lord chose to be his apostles to the world. His closest disciples were fishermen, not biblical scholars or influential leaders. That doesn’t give us a reason to shun education or healthy influence, but it should encourage us when we feel unqualified to talk about our love and knowledge of Jesus. Because the Holy Spirit convicts and compels us to respond to the gospel, we only need to follow the disciples’ example by waiting in prayer, biblical meditation, and earnest expectation for the Helper to work.

READ 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4–7: Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

It’s important to recognize that the Spirit does not call every believer to the same task. He gives us a variety of skills, talents, and character traits which he intends for us to use together. We are unified in him for the common goal of serving in God’s kingdom, but we aren’t to the same tasks. Some are given particular wisdom. Some have spiritual skills in teaching. Some have remarkable faith, and others are used to work healing. We are to work together as a united body of Christ, relying on each other by faith.

ASK: Do you know how the Holy Spirit has equipped you for his church? How did you determine your gifts? Share your gifts with your small group.

Many people have put together lists of activities to ask what you like to do or where your comfort zone lies and then line that up with the lists of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians and Romans. The goal of such lists is to get people engaged, but a better way to determine your spiritual gifts may be to begin to pray that the Spirit will show you how he wants to use you and after a couple weeks look around for where you can volunteer. Volunteering for ministry outside your comfort zone or perceived area of gifting is a great way to learn a humble reliance on the Holy Spirit.

READ 1 CORINTHIANS 12:31–13:5: And I will show you a still more excellent way. . . . Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.

Paul talks about spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12-14 and makes his strongest point in the middle of it. More excellent than any of the gifts described in chapter twelve is love. More excellent than wisdom, knowledge, speaking in tongues, or prophesy is love shown in patience, kindness, and gentleness.

ASK: Is love the ultimate spiritual gift that should color everyone who follows Christ? Can you suggest practical ways we can (or do) value love over more attention-grabbing gifts?

Everyone knows the church is meant to be a loving place. That’s the main reason unbelievers call us hypocrites, because we have (or they think we have) failed to love them. Paul appears to say love perseveres and succeeds, though other gifts will fail (1 Corinthians 13:8–10). Preachers may give many brilliant sermons, but if they are unloving people, their words will ring hollow and eventually fade away. Believers may serve a meal or a charity function very well, but if they are overheard gossiping cruelly behind the guests’ backs, they won’t be welcomed back. Love is the way all spiritual gifts work most efficiently and completely.

READ PHILIPPIANS 1:9–11: And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Notice how Paul prays for the believers in Philippi to abound in Spirit-filled love, bearing the fruit of the Spirit in excellence and purity. He knows they will follow what they love, and so he prays they will continue to love Christ Jesus and proclamation of the gospel.

ASK: What kinds of things replace our love for people? What things are crowding out love in our lives today? Are these the same things that crowd out our love for Christ? What do you suggest we do to love God more?

We may tend to think that if we can just feel more love for God than we’ll actually love God more and maybe our lives will change. But feelings are not love. Real love is devotion and commitment, which shows itself in service. Loving God isn’t something we can work up by following a short list of practical steps. It’s the result of being transformed by the renewing of our minds and hearts.

The psalmist writes, “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God,” he’s coming from a deeply humble place (Psalm 42)”. He doesn’t merely enjoy the idea of God or thank him for a rich, comfortable life. He longs for God as a deer longs for water after running from the hounds and hunters. He pants for the comfort only the Holy Spirit can give. Nothing else will satisfy him.

WEEK 5 – APPLICATION ACTS 2:6–13

Children and Grandchildren: The Lord never promised that living the Christian life would be easy, but he has always promised he would be there to help; the Holy Spirit is our helper today. As we think about difficult situations and the promise that the Holy Spirit will help us through love, there is not a more difficult situation presented to the believer in all of Scripture than the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. The story is used to teach ‘what’ love means, and what it means to love others. No doubt it is difficult to help others in need, and sometimes it will cost us our own comfort and time, but everyone knows that the only one in the story who ‘loved’ the man who had been robbed was the Samaritan, and Jesus’ words in verse 37 are to us all: ‘Go and do the same.’

Read the story together and talk about the definition of love. The story presents a picture and example of love that is often hard to follow, but remind everyone that we are not alone; the Holy Spirit has promised to help us in all things. He will help us to show the love for others that Scripture requires of us. Through the week, look for opportunities to point out examples of love to your children, or point out situations where they have the opportunity to ‘show’ love to others; ask them if they will be the Good Samaritan that Jesus has asked us to be!

Application for Everyone: At times we have probably thought of the story of the Good Samaritan as an outrageous example. A hypothetical situation that has placed love out of reach for many of us. But the reminder from 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 is sobering: ‘without love…we are nothing, and we gain nothing.’ A lack of love forfeits the benefits of the Christian life. This would place love and faith on the same level, because without faith there are no benefits, only future judgment. Don’t make the mistake of minimizing love, because even if you ‘donate all your goods to feed the poor,’ if you don’t have love, you gain nothing. Let love be abundant in your life today. Love others, and fulfill the calling that God has placed on your life. Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and let him produce the fruit of love in your life today.