NIC Bible Study: Acts Week One

[Tanya~]

Welcome to the New in Christ study in the book of Acts! We’re just getting started so now would be a great time to join us if you are interested in growing along with us. For more information about the study, please read the Study Notes sticky. Believers at all levels of Bible knowledge are wanted and welcome! New believers who have little or no Bible knowledge will learn a lot, and those who have been Christians for a longer time will also be welcome as an example and for the encouragement of others, as well as for your own benefit. It really doesn’t matter how much you already know of Scripture, we always learn something new when we study His word together!

This is an easy, but also in-depth study of Acts. The questions themselves will be easy because the answers are straight out of the Bible verses, but we’re going to go slowly and try not to skip over anything. By the time we are finished, we should all have a much better understanding of the early history of the church as recorded in Acts. I pray that the Lord will open our understanding so that we can know the ways of God as He works in and through the body of Christ, the church.

Let’s Get Started! If you haven’t already, please read the study notes (use link above) for information on how we do this study. Also feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Acts 1:1-3

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
NKJV

~~ Question numbers below correspond to verse numbers above ~~



1.
a. From this verse and Luke 1:1-3, note everything you can discover about the author and the recipient of this account.
b. What else can you learn about the author from Col 4:14?
c. What kind of information did the author cover in this former account?

2.
a. Where did that former account leave off? (Also see Luke 24:50-51)

2-3.
a. What did Jesus do between the time He suffered and the time He was taken up?
b. How many days was Jesus with His disciples after His suffering was over?
c. Specifically, about what things did He speak to them?
d. What do we learn here about the proof of Jesus’ resurrection?
e. Why is this important?

Now read comments for this passage here.

[RoadWarrior]

Hi Tanya, thanks for doing this study!

1.
a. From this verse and Luke 1:1-3, note everything you can discover about the author and the recipient of this account.

The author does not give his own name, but addresses his writings to Theophilus. He says that he had perfect understanding of the events that have transpired, that other people have written their version, and he wants to write his own, in an orderly way.

b. What else can you learn about the author from Col 4:14?

Luke is called "the beloved physician"

c. What kind of information did the author cover in this former account?

He told of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.

2.
a. Where did that former account leave off?

The former account, called the gospel of Luke ends with Jesus ascending to heaven.

Lk 24:50-53

50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.
NKJV

2-3.
a. What did Jesus do between the time He suffered and the time He was taken up?

He presented Himself alive to the apostles, presenting many infallible proofs, and being seen by them for 40 days before He was taken up.

b. How many days was Jesus with His disciples after His suffering was over?

40 days

c. Specifically, about what things did He speak to them?

He spoke of things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

d. What do we learn here about the proof of Jesus’ resurrection?

Jesus provided proof to the disciples. They saw him over a period of 40 days.

e. Why is this important?

The disciples had gone back to their former lives, fishing or whatever, and if Jesus had not come back to them, they would have gone on doing so. It would have been just a story to them, a strange interlude in their lives. But having the proof of His resurrection, changed their lives completely.

[grptinHisHand]

Hi, Tanya, I am excited about this study. Thanks for the invite to join! I am interested in seeing the members of the Church of today live as did the first church - as in having that kind of passion for the Lord's work.

1. a. The author is writing for the purpose of having a document of all that Jesus 'began to do and teach' The receiver was Theophilus.
b. Author is Luke, a beloved physician.
c. He covered Jesus' life, actions, and teachings. (see my answer on a.)

2. a. The time of Jesus' ascension, 'after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen'.

2-3 a. gave commandments, presented Himself alive by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during
b. Forty days he was with them between His suffering and His ascension.
c. He spoke of things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
d. Many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
e. This is important because it is what the apostles based their faith on, and part of what we base our faith on as well.

Sorry if it seems that I keep repeating myself. But I am not sure how you want the answers (straight from text or put into my words - so I did some of both.)

[tango]

Luke, the author of the book of Acts as well as the book of Luke, was writing to Theophilus. He uses the title "most excellent", a formal title of respect. Luke was a physician, and was possibly a former slave of Theophilus. The former account (the book of Luke) was a record of all the things Jesus did and taught until he was taken up into heaven, after he had given his final commandments to the disciples.

Between his suffering and ascension Jesus showed himself to many people - Luke refers to "infallible proofs", presumably talking about being seen by enough people to ensure that the sightings could not be attributed to the delusions of someone subject to either extreme wishful thinking or too much wine. He spent 40 days with the disciples, being seen by many people and talking about things relating to the kingdom of God.


This is important because the resurrection of Jesus is one of the fundamental bedrocks of the Christian faith. If there were any credibility in the allegation that the resurrection had never happened and the only people who claimed to have seen Jesus were drunk and/or delusional then the entire foundation of the faith would have been unstable. By making sure many people saw him alive after the crucifixion, Jesus could ensure that the events would not be dismissed out of hand.

[Tanya~]

Welcome g! I'm so glad you have joined with us.

Sorry if it seems that I keep repeating myself. But I am not sure how you want the answers (straight from text or put into my words - so I did some of both.)

You did great! The idea is to get the answers from the text, and then let that work in your heart. By putting it in your own words, it shows that you have gotten an understanding and this can now begin to work application in your life. After answering the questions, you go away from it and some of the things might come to mind, giving you more to think about. This is how it works its way into your life. Over time the word of God will gradually transform your thinking. This is a process and it doesn't come out the moment you answer the questions, necessarily.

I like to use the analogy of eating a meal. You sit down and have dinner, and it tastes great when you eat it, and you aren't hungry any more, but satisfied until the next meal. But the real nourishment comes when your body processes that food over a period of time, and the nutrients are incorporated into your cells. Our daily time studying God's word is like eating our daily bread.

I hope you get a lot out of this study, and I will keep you in prayer along with the rest of us. I hope you will pray for this study and for all of us participants as well!

[grptinHisHand]

Yes, I see. I like the way Tango answered. I look forward to learning a lot in this study.
g

[tango]

Yes, I see. I like the way Tango answered. I look forward to learning a lot in this study.
g

Hi grpt, I prefer to answer Tanya's questions using blocks of narrative, simply because it forces me to read deeper into the text. I find that if I simply answer each question as it stands I tend to slip into giving short answers, which leads me into taking shortcuts and not getting much out of the study. (Sometimes getting a short answer from me is a blessing )

The thing to do is answer however you feel comfortable. I prefer blocks of text, others prefer question-answer pairs. What we all learn from the study is more important than how we present our answers

[menJesus]

Here I am - this is a great study, and a most interesting book! Just sittin` in here...

[Tanya~]

Tango also brings in additional information from his studies, which is encouraged. If you can cite your sources for the information, even better!

Re: Tango's comments, I found it interesting that nothing is known about Theophilus, other than his name and the suggestion of rank in Luke's address as "most excellent." But he really does have a cool name with a wonderful meaning! Don't forget to read the summary page at my blog. The link is in my signature and also on the questions page. If anyone has suggestions on how to make it more obvious so it doesn't get overlooked. let me know.

Everybody got the point about the importance of Jesus' resurrection. G. highlighted the word Many, in regard to the infallible proofs of Jesus' resurrection; RW points out that if it weren't for Jesus' resurrection and *proof* of it, the whole thing would just be a story; and Tango refers to it as one of the fundamental bedrocks of the Christian faith. Paul the apostle might even say it is THE fundamental bedrock of the Christian faith, because without the resurrection, the rest of it collapses.

1 Cor 15:3-8

3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
NKJV

He goes on to say this about the importance of the RISEN Christ:

1 Cor 15:12-19
Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up — if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
NKJV

I'm glad you're all here!

Tango, are we going to see Phroggie?

[Phroggie]

1.
The author of the book of Acts, we learn, is Luke. This is his '2nd book', the first being the Gospel of Luke which was his account of the life and teachings of Jesus during His time on earth.

As for the recipient, I really wracked my brain here thinking 'Who on earth is Theophilus?' My study notes helped me out with this one. I'd like to share what I found:

"Theophilus means "one who loves God." The book of Acts, also written by Luke, is likewise addressed to Theophilus. This preface may be a general dedication to all Christian readers. Theophilus may have been Luke's patron, who helped to finance the book's writing. More likely, Theophilus was a Roman acquaintance of Luke's with a strong interest in the new Christian religion." (NLT Study Bible)

b. In Col 4:14 we learn that Luke was a doctor by profession.

2. The former account (Luke's Gospel) leaves off with Jesus' ascension in to heaven.

2-3.
a. In the time between his suffering and ascension in to heaven, Jesus
showed himself to the chosen apostles, giving them many convincing proofs that he was (IS!) alive.

b & c. Jesus spent 40 days with the disciples after his suffering was over, talking to them about the kingdom of God.

d. What do we learn about the proof of Jesus' resurrection?

e. Why is this important

RoadWarrior, I found your answers to these questions very helpful. Thank you!

Jesus provided proof to the disciples. They saw him over a period of 40 days.

The disciples had gone back to their former lives, fishing or whatever, and if Jesus had not come back to them, they would have gone on doing so. It would have been just a story to them, a strange interlude in their lives. But having the proof of His resurrection, changed their lives completely.

Tanya, thanks for starting another study, I've missed our daily group discussions!

[Phroggie]

Tango, are we going to see Phroggie?

I'm here, I'm here!!!!

[RoadWarrior]

Now read comments for this passage here.

Thanks Tanya! It is good to read your thoughts, after we have done our own study.

[Tanya~]

Acts 1:4-8

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."
NKJV

~~ Question numbers below correspond to verse numbers above ~~
* Questions marked with an asterisk are optional for extra study.

4.
a. Who was gathered together? (Review Acts 1:1-3)
b. What did Jesus command His apostles (2 things)?
c. Whose Promise does Jesus speak about here?

5.
a. Jesus alludes to a comment made by John the Baptist. What did John say about this promise? (See John 1:29-34)
b. When would this promise be fulfilled for them?

6. What did the disciples want to know?
* Why do you think they asked this question? (Compare. Acts 1:3)

7. How did Jesus respond to this question?

8.
a. What prediction did Jesus make about the things that would happen to them?
b. What is the purpose of the power of the Holy Spirit?
c. Where would this take place?

Now read comments for this passage here.

[grptinHisHand]

I enjoyed this second lesson, as I felt I better understand the way to handle the questions.
4.
a. The apostles, whom Jesus had chosen and called, were gathered together.
b. Jesus commanded His people not to depart, to wait for the Promise He, Jesus, had given to them
(c.) from God the Father.
5.
a. The mentioned promise John had made was that Jesus, Who would come after him, would baptize them with the Spirit. In this passage Luke records Jesus saying that the day was near for this Holy Spirit baptism to take place.
b. This promise was to be fulfilled soon – within a matter of days.
6. The disciples wanted to know if the ‘kingdom of Israel’ would be restored at the time of the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
* During His forty days with them He spoke of things concerning the Kingdom. I think they still expected to see an earthly kingdom - that they still couldn’t imagine what we now know and understand (somewhat) that the Kingdom is His rule in our hearts.
7. Jesus responded that it wasn’t for them to know the dates because God had set them. He understood that they were talking about His “ruling” them like He will when He returns. He said that what they were to be concerned about was their spreading word about Him to everyone.

8. a. Jesus predicted that when the Holy Spirit came upon them they would be filled with power and would tell all people about Him - there in their hometown, their region and all over the world.
b. The purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit as revealed in these verses is to give His followers power to do God’s will in spreading the good news of Jesus, Who He is.
c. This sharing of the message of Him was to take place everywhere, to the ends of the earth.
Who, what when where how:
Who - Jesus and his followers
what - Jesus conversation, His instructions, His promise
when -during the near the end of the 40 days He was present with them following His resurrection
where - Jerusalem
how - they were to receive power by the coming of the Holy Spirit, Who God would send

[RoadWarrior]

4. a. Who was gathered together? (Review Acts 1:1-3)

Jesus and the disciples.

b. What did Jesus command His apostles (2 things)?

Don't leave Jerusalem.
Wait for the Promise of the Father.

c. Whose Promise does Jesus speak about here?

The Father - God.

5.
a. Jesus alludes to a comment made by John the Baptist. What did John say about this promise? (See John 1:29-34)

John had said that he baptized with water, but that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit.

b. When would this promise be fulfilled for them?

"not many days from now" - from the time when Jesus would leave them.

6. What did the disciples want to know?
* Why do you think they asked this question? (Compare. Acts 1:3)

The disciples are still wondering when Jesus will restore the kingdom to Israel - in other words, to kick out the Romans. He had been talking about the kingdom of God for 40 days, and they might have begun to understand it, but they still find it mysterious. Like many of us, when we want something, we want it now. We don't like having to wait to get what we really want.

7. How did Jesus respond to this question?

Jesus tells them that the timing of events is not an important thing for them to know.

8.
a. What prediction did Jesus make about the things that would happen to them?

He promises that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit would come upon them.

b. What is the purpose of the power of the Holy Spirit?

They they will be witnesses for Jesus.

c. Where would this take place?

This will be done in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth.