Acts Chapter Four

 Act 4:1  The apostles were still talking to the people, when some priests, the captain of the temple guard, and some Sadducees arrived. 

Act 4:2  These men were angry because the apostles were teaching the people that the dead would be raised from death, just as Jesus had been raised from death. 

Act 4:3  It was already late in the afternoon, and they arrested Peter and John and put them in jail for the night. 

Act 4:4  But a lot of people who had heard the message believed it. So by now there were about five thousand followers of the Lord. 

Act 4:5  The next morning the leaders, the elders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses met in Jerusalem. 

Act 4:6  The high priest Annas was there, as well as Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other members of the high priest's family. 

Act 4:7  They brought in Peter and John and made them stand in the middle while they questioned them. They asked, "By what power and in whose name have you done this?" 

Act 4:8  Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and told the nation's leaders and the elders: 

Act 4:9  You are questioning us today about a kind deed in which a crippled man was healed. 

Act 4:10  But there is something we must tell you and everyone else in Israel. This man is standing here completely well because of the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth. You put Jesus to death on a cross, but God raised him to life. 

Act 4:11  He is the stone that you builders thought was worthless, and now he is the most important stone of all. 

Act 4:12  Only Jesus has the power to save! His name is the only one in all the world that can save anyone. 

Act 4:13  The officials were amazed to see how brave Peter and John were, and they knew that these two apostles were only ordinary men and not well educated. The officials were certain that these men had been with Jesus. 

Act 4:14  But they could not deny what had happened. The man who had been healed was standing there with the apostles. 

Act 4:15  The officials commanded them to leave the council room. Then the officials said to each other, 

Act 4:16  "What can we do with these men? Everyone in Jerusalem knows about this miracle, and we cannot say it didn't happen. 

Act 4:17  But to keep this thing from spreading, we will warn them never again to speak to anyone about the name of Jesus." 

Act 4:18  So they called the two apostles back in and told them that they must never, for any reason, teach anything about the name of Jesus. 

Act 4:19  Peter and John answered, "Do you think God wants us to obey you or to obey him? 

Act 4:20  We cannot keep quiet about what we have seen and heard." 

Act 4:21  The officials could not find any reason to punish Peter and John. So they threatened them and let them go. The man who was healed by this miracle was more than forty years old, and everyone was praising God for what had happened. 

Act 4:22  (SEE 4:21) 

Act 4:23  As soon as Peter and John had been set free, they went back and told the others everything that the chief priests and the leaders had said to them. 

Act 4:24  When the rest of the Lord's followers heard this, they prayed together and said: Master, you created heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. 

Act 4:25  And by the Holy Spirit you spoke to our ancestor David. He was your servant, and you told him to say: "Why are all the Gentiles so furious? Why do people make foolish plans? 

Act 4:26  The kings of earth prepare for war, and the rulers join together against the Lord and his Messiah." 

Act 4:27  Here in Jerusalem, Herod and Pontius Pilate got together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel. Then they turned against your holy Servant Jesus, your chosen Messiah. 

Act 4:28  They did what you in your power and wisdom had already decided would happen. 

Act 4:29  Lord, listen to their threats! We are your servants. So make us brave enough to speak your message. 

Act 4:30  Show your mighty power, as we heal people and work miracles and wonders in the name of your holy Servant Jesus. 

Act 4:31  After they had prayed, the meeting place shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and bravely spoke God's message. 

Act 4:32  The group of followers all felt the same way about everything. None of them claimed that their possessions were their own, and they shared everything they had with each other. 

Act 4:33  In a powerful way the apostles told everyone that the Lord Jesus was now alive. God greatly blessed his followers, 

Act 4:34  and no one went in need of anything. Everyone who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money 

Act 4:35  to the apostles. Then they would give the money to anyone who needed it. 

Act 4:36  Joseph was one of the followers who had sold a piece of property and brought the money to the apostles. He was a Levite from Cyprus, and the apostles called him Barnabas, which means "one who encourages others." 

Act 4:37  (SEE 4:36) 

ACTS CHAPTER FOUR  -  PETER CONTINUES HIS SERMON/JAIL

Verses 1-4: Peter continues preaching in the temple. Some officials hear of it and are angry over their teaching. They throw Peter and John in a holding cell overnight since it was late in the day.

1. Why would the Sadducees have a problem with Peter’s teaching? (2) - The Sadducees did not believe in life after death. This seems oxymoronic to someone who has been raised Christian. Why would anyone raised in the OT scriptures form a belief system that excludes a spiritual dimension?
Historical Notes:
The Sadducees were a strict sect of the priestly class that dominated  temple worship (although the Pharisee held more power arguably). They relied solely on the Pentateuch and refused to acknowledge oral tradition. They were typically well educated and wealthy. They also were friendly with Rome to a large degree which bolstered their secular status.    

2. Note the word “hold” (KJ) or “jail” (NAS) means “to keep silence, hold one’s peace.... to be kept in silence, be concealed”. Peter and John were not placed in a public jail, but rather, a place where they could not be heard. What was the motive to “hold” Peter and John? We must not lose sight of the fact that Israel is a Theocratic state. They are controlled by Rome, but their government is structured in their belief in God. Those who are deemed "pious" hold power over the people. There was a balancing act to perform to hold this position before the people and with the nation that is occupying the land.
Israel was conquered and subjugated by Rome. Once peace was established, a puppet government was put in place that was "friendly." This ensured continuity of taxes and peace. Anything that disrupted the "status quo" structure could spell trouble for any/all of the authorities involved. The changing of religious belief was a direct assault against power. (Jesus was the origin of this.)
The apostles are political prisoners and censorship is the first line of defence in the eyes of these authorities.
As in the case of Jesus, it begs the question, "were these leaders true believers in God, or were they afraid of losing their status/power?"

Verses 5-12: After a night in a holding cell, the temple leaders get together to question Peter and John, They by what authority they are doing these things. Peter implicates to them that questioning them about the healing misses the main point. The bigger issue is that the man was healed by the power of Jesus. He is the messiah who affords salvation, and they killed Him!

3. You are Peter and John, what is going on in your mind? First, I would be concerned and/or fearful. These people have power over me. They have already crucified Jesus. Next to Him I am even less in their eyes. Second, what we see is "Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit." That statement changes everything. How does that work? We know for sure that Peter knows the truth. That is where he looks for courage. Also, as stated, there was a great miracle which reveals this is all from God.

   a. What was Peter's accusation in verses 10-11? Their execution of Jesus was murder. Peter has done this over and again, not just to accuse, but to reveal the truth to those who will respond. Simply put, they just got it wrong.

4. Detail the characteristics it takes to stand before those who despise you and stand your ground. As stated, understanding that what wee hold is God's truth should give us he courage to speak it. Peter was already in jail for the truth and having that faith gave him the courage to confront those who were against it.
It's important to note that the delivery of the gospel is void of animosity. There is only truth and sometimes that truth seems harsh or confrontational. That is not for the bearer of it to worry about. If anything, the bearer should have a large dose of concern for the condition of those spoken to. They have a soul too. Maybe that soul is in grave jeopardy with God.

Verses 13-22: The council is impressed with the bravery and boldness of Peter and John. The remove them from the room. They discuss what is to be done with them since they cannot deny the miracle. They tell the apostles not to teach about Jesus any more. Peter answers "Do you think God wants us to obey you or to obey him? We cannot keep quiet about what we have seen and heard." 
Since there were no formal charges to be had, they threaten the apostles then release them. Everyone (else) was praising God for the healing of the man. 

5. You are a council member; 

   a. What is your predicament? You are in a position of governmental and religious power. Jesus withstood both the Pharisee and Sadducee. If Jesus is God's will for a new order, my power, my place in society, my tradition, my wealth, my family, stands to lose some or all of it. 

   b. How would you handle it? If I have a heart toward God and the truth, I need to go with that. If I have a heart towards earthly gain, I will fight it tooth and nail.  

Verses 23-31: Once released, Peter and John report everything to their people. They pray and parallel the experience with David. Just as David, a messiah was attacked by enemies, so too was Jesus. They are filled with the Holy Spirit and encouraged to continue speaking/preaching about Jesus.

6. Peter and John had been severely threatened by the authorities; what did they do? They get together with the church and pray for courage.
KJ- "boldness" G3954 παῤῥησία parrhēsia par-rhay-see'-ah From G3956 and a derivative of G4483; all out spokenness, that is, frankness, bluntness, publicity; by implication assurance: - bold (X -ly, -ness, -ness of speech), confidence, X freely, X openly, X plainly (-ness).
What is interesting is that they seek boldness through the Holy Spirit. It is not necessarily an intrinsic characteristic. The implications of this should encourage every Christian. 

Verses 32-37: There was a strong sense of unity among the people. Everything was shared between the body. Some members were selling property and giving it to the church to support the cause. One of them is named Barnabas.

7. What seems to be the first order of business of the early church? Unity. The sharing of wealth reveals just how important these believers regarded the gospel. 

ADDITIONAL: What was the work of the Holy Spirit in verse 31? In this section we see the Holy Spirit is looked to for unity and to embolden these first Christians. The work of the Holy Spirit has not changed. Today we seek to know the word to embolden us and unify us. The mission we have today is nuanced a little differently. These first Christians were attempting to change a culture entrenched in tradition. then they were going to change the world. Our mission today is to change people's hearts wherever we are.

Should Christians today sell their possessions for the Church? No. Not in the sense that it may bring poverty to the seller. The point is made in this context to put context into the next chapter. That doesn't mean that if a member decides to do this it is not ok. It's just not a rule. It does reveal just how dedicated the first Christians were for the church.

Acts Chapter Three

 Act 3:1  And Peter and John were going up on the same day into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth. 

Act 3:2  And a certain man, being lame from his mother's womb, was being carried, whom day by day they put at the door of the temple, being called Beautiful, to ask alms from those going into the temple; 

Act 3:3  who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked alms. 

Act 3:4  And with John, looking intently toward him, Peter said, Look to us! 

Act 3:5  And he paid heed to them, expecting to receive something from them. 

Act 3:6  But Peter said, There is no silver and gold to me, but what I have, this I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, rise up and walk! 

Act 3:7  And taking him by the right hand, he raised him up. And immediately his feet and ankle-bones were made firm. 

Act 3:8  And leaping up, he stood and walked, and went with them into the temple, walking and leaping, and praising God. 

Act 3:9  And all the people saw him walking, and praising God. 

Act 3:10  And they recognized him, that it was the one who was sitting for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. And they were filled with amazement and ecstasy at the thing that happened to him. 

Act 3:11  And the healed lame one was holding to Peter and John, and all the people ran together to them on the porch called Solomon's, greatly amazed. 

Act 3:12  And seeing this, Peter answered to the people, Men, Israelites, why do you marvel at this one? Or why do you stare at us, as if by our own power or godliness we have made him to walk? 

Act 3:13  The "God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob," "the God of our fathers," (Ex. 3:15) glorified His child Jesus, whom you delivered up, and denied Him in the presence of Pilate, that one having decided to set Him free. 

Act 3:14  But you denied the Holy and Just One, and asked for a man, a murderer, to be granted to you. 

Act 3:15  And the Author of Life you killed, whom God raised up from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 

Act 3:16  And on the faith of His name, this one whom you see and know was made firm by His name, and the faith which came through Him gave to him this complete soundness before you all. 

Act 3:17  And now, brothers, I know that you acted according to ignorance, as also did your rulers. 

Act 3:18  But what things God before proclaimed through the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ should suffer, He fulfilled in this manner. 

Act 3:19  Therefore, repent, and convert, for the blotting out of your sins, so that times of refreshing may come from the face of the Lord, 

Act 3:20  and that He may send forth the One before proclaimed to you, Jesus Christ, 

Act 3:21  whom Heaven truly needs to receive until the times of restoration of all things, of which God spoke through the mouth of all His holy prophets from the age past. 

Act 3:22  For Moses indeed said to the fathers, "The Lord your God will raise up to you a Prophet from among your brothers, One like me; you shall hear Him according to all things," whatever He may speak to you. See Deut. 18:15-16, 19 

Act 3:23  And it shall be that of every soul, whoever should not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. 

Act 3:24  And also all the prophets, from Samuel and those following after, as many as spoke, also before announced these days. 

Act 3:25  You are sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God appointed to our fathers, saying to Abraham, "Even in your Seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed." Gen. 22:18 

Act 3:26  Having raised up His child Jesus, God sent Him first to you, blessing you in turning away each one from your iniquities. 

ACTS CHAPTER THREE - THE HOLY SPIRIT DEMONSTRATED

Verses 1-10: Peter and John  notice a man begging for alms. They get his attention. Peter says to him he has no money to give him but tells him to walk in the name of Jesus the Christ. He does! He continues to follow them walking and leaping and praising God. 

1. What was Peter and John doing, according to verse one? They are headed to the temple to pray (at the traditional 9th hour of the day - about 3o'clock. It's good to see that even though Jesus had been executed by those who controlled the temple, these brothers insisted on continuing to go there. That by itself took faith.

2. Describe the condition of the beggar at the gate. He had been lame his entire life. HE was placed there daily to beg for alms. The term alms is broad but in this context means a charitable contribution.
Alms: G1654 ἐλεημοσύνη eleēmosunē el-eh-ay-mos-oo'-nay From G1656; compassionateness, that is, (as exercised towards the poor) beneficence, or (concretely) a benefaction: - alms (-deeds).

   a. Where was he looking when Peter spoke to him? We don't know, but he wasn't looking at the brothers. This would not be unusual in that this man would not feel worthy to look people in the eye while begging. Beggars/infirmed were typically viewed as being judged by God for their sin(s). 
The bigger picture is him being OUTSIDE the temple before the power of God is blessed on him. Once "cleansed" he actually goes right into the temple! The miracle is too much for anyone to pass judgment on him. From a traditional sense he needed to go before the priest after his infirmity was removed to be declared "clean" enough to go in. 
This action had a positive affect on the people, but there were also people there that had their feathers ruffled over this incident.

3. Could there be any question to the validity of this miracle?     Why, or why not?
     No question that this was a miracle. His condition was from birth. He was a fixture at the gate.

4. What were the results of the miracle? In this section we read: "...they were filled with amazement and ecstasy at the thing that happened to him."

 amazement/wonder: G2285 θάμβος thambos tham'-bos Akin to an obsolete τάφω taphō (to dumbfound); stupefaction (by surprise), that is, astonishment: - X amazed, + astonished, wonder.

 ectasy/amazement G1611 ἔκστασις ekstasis ek'-stas-isFrom G1839; a displacement of the mind, that is, bewilderment, “ecstasy”: - + be amazed, amazement, astonishment, trance.

Verses 11-16: The cured man hangs on to John and Peter and everyone ran up to them marveling. Peter asks why they are so amazed. He tells them that it was Jesus who cured the man (not the apostles).

5. Who does Peter credit the miracle to? He credits it to Jesus but he takes all the way to the authority of Jehovah. This was the linchpin they misunderstood about Jesus when He was alive on earth.

6. What is Peter’s accusation in verses 13-15?
    (13) God glorified Jesus and you gave Him over to execution
    (14) You denied the Holy and Just one and asked for a murderer!
    (15) The author of Life....you killed

Again, like chapter two we see Peter pulling no punches in his revelation. He is telling them God sent His Son and you executed Him! It may seem harsh, but it is true and Peter is trying to break through hundreds and hundreds of years of indoctrination and misunderstanding of Jehovah and His overall plan. 

 Verses 17-26: Peter preaches to them that he knows they acted ignorantly. He then goes on to cite old testament verses that prophecy Jesus as the Christ. He states that Jesus fulfills these prophecies. He also lays down the charges for those who ignore it (if they do not listen). He also speaks of the restoration of all things, prophecy is of "these days," their covenant with God is to bless all families of the earth, His blessing is to turn them from sin. 

7. Identify one of Peter’s main points from verses 19 and 26. Verse nineteen says to repent and convert that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Verse twenty-six says God sent Jesus to them first - blessing them by turning them each one from their iniquities.
The implication is that they are on the wrong side of God (in sinful state). Jesus is the catalyst by which they were to turn from this lifestyle.  

Repent: G3340 μετανοέω metanoeō met-an-o-eh'-o From G3326 and G3539; to think differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feel compunction): - repent
Convert: G1994 ἐπιστρέφω epistrephō ep-ee-stref'-o From G1909 and G4762; to revert (literally, figuratively or morally): - come (go) again, convert, (re-) turn (about, again)
Sin: G266 ἁμαρτία hamartiaham-ar-tee'-ah From G264; sin (properly abstract): - offence, sin (-ful).
Iniquity: G4189 πονηρία ponēria pon-ay-ree'-ah From G4190; depravity, that is, (specifically) malice; plural (concretely) plots, sins: - iniquity, wickedness.

a.      Is repentance a one-time act, or is it continual? Be ready to discuss your thoughts on why or why not Christians (who are saved) need to repent or continue in repentance. As we see above, repentance means to think differently. That mindset never changes, or if it does, it needs fixing to stay straight with God. Once we make up our mind to follow Jesus, we do it and don't look back. The act of conversion or changing course happens when we make up our minds to repent. There might be a time when a Christian sins and because he/she is in that state of repentance (following Jesus) the realization is the need of a course correction (conversion). 

Additional: Describe Peter’s argument/teaching style in verses 17-26. What is he appealing to? Why would he cite Moses? This is a Jewish audience, so, he uses Jewish historical references because they would have the most impact on them. He takes it back to Abraham and he includes the prophets. These were the icons Judaism used to trace their ancestry to God and His covenant. 
This was absolute out-of-the-box thinking because Jesus was not the physical king they were expecting. The bigger problem for them was Peter's teaching could not be refuted. It could be challenged, but not refuted. It fit perfectly within the spiritual dimension of God, and that was new for them.

 

 

 

Acts Chapter Two

 

Act 2:1  And in the fulfilling of the day of Pentecost, they were all with one mind in the same place. 

Act 2:2  And suddenly a sound came out of the heaven, as being borne along by a violent wind! And it filled all the house where they were sitting. 

Act 2:3  And tongues as of fire appeared to them, being distributed, and it sat on each one of them. 

Act 2:4  And they were all filled of the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave ability to them to speak. 

Act 2:5  And Jews were living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation of those under the heaven. 

Act 2:6  But this sound occurring, the multitude came together and were confounded, because they each heard them speaking in his own dialect. 

Act 2:7  And all were amazed and marveled, saying to one another, Behold, are not all these, those speaking, Galileans? 

Act 2:8  And how do we hear each in our own dialect in which we were born, 

Act 2:9  Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and those living in Mesopotamia, both Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 

Act 2:10  both Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the regions of Libya over against Cyrene, and the temporarily residing Romans, both Jews and proselytes, 

Act 2:11  Cretans and Arabians; in our own languages we hear them speaking the great deeds of God? 

Act 2:12  And all were amazed and puzzled, saying to one another, What would this wish to be? 

Act 2:13  But ridiculing, others said, They are full of sweet wine. 

Act 2:14  But standing up with the Eleven, Peter lifted up his voice and spoke out to them, Men, Jews, and all those living in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words: 

Act 2:15  For these are not drunk, as you imagine, for it is the third hour of the day. 

Act 2:16  But this is that which has been spoken by the prophet Joel, 

Act 2:17  "And it shall be" in the last days, God says, "I will pour from My Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy;" "and your young men shall see visions," "and your old men shall dream dreams;" 

Act 2:18  "and also I will pour out My Spirit on My slaves and slave women in those days," and they shall prophesy. 

Act 2:19  "And I will give wonders in the heaven above," and miraculous signs "on the earth below, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. 

Act 2:20  The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the" "coming of the great and glorious" "day of the Lord." 

Act 2:21  "And it shall be that everyone who shall call on the name of the Lord will be saved." Joel 2:28-32 

Act 2:22  Men, Israelites, hear these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a Man from God, having been approved among you by works of power and wonders and miraculous signs, which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know, 

Act 2:23  this One given to you by the before-determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you having taken by lawless hands, having crucified Him, you killed Him. 

Act 2:24  But God raised Him up, loosing the throes of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it. 

Act 2:25  For David said as to Him, "I always foresaw the Lord before Me, because He is at My right hand, that I not be moved. 

Act 2:26  For this reason My heart rejoiced, and My tongue was glad; and My flesh also will dwell on hope, 

Act 2:27  because You will not leave My soul in Hades, nor will You give Your Holy One to see corruption. 

Act 2:28  You revealed to Me paths of life; You will fill Me with joy with Your face." LXX-Psa. 15:8-11; MT-Psa. 16:8-11 

Act 2:29  Men, brothers, it is permitted to say to you with plainness as to the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is among us until this day. 

Act 2:30  Being a prophet, then, and knowing that God swore with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loin, as concerning flesh, to raise the Christ to sit on his throne, see Psa. 132:11 

Act 2:31  foreseeing, he spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, "that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption." LXX-Psa. 15:10; Mt-Psa. 16:10 

Act 2:32  This Jesus, God raised up, of which we all are witnesses. 

Act 2:33  Then being exalted to the right of God, and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 

Act 2:34  For David did not ascend into Heaven, but he says, "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand 

Act 2:35  until I place those hostile to You as a footstool for Your feet." LXX-Psa. 109:1; MT-Psa. 110:1 

Act 2:36  Then assuredly, let all the house of Israel acknowledge that God made Him both Lord and Christ, this same Jesus whom you crucified. 

Act 2:37  And hearing, they were stabbed in the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men, brothers, What shall we do? 

Act 2:38  And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized, each of you on the name of Jesus Christ to remission of sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

Act 2:39  For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all those afar off, as many as the Lord our God shall call. 

Act 2:40  And with many other words he earnestly testified and exhorted, saying, Be saved from this perverse generation. 

Act 2:41  Then truly the ones gladly welcoming His Word were baptized. And about three thousand souls were added that day. 

Act 2:42  And they were continuing steadfastly in the doctrine of the apostles, and in fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 

Act 2:43  And fear came to every soul, and many wonders and miraculous signs took place through the apostles. 

Act 2:44  And all the believers were together and had all things common. 

Act 2:45  And they sold possessions and goods and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need. 

Act 2:46  And continuing steadfastly with one mind day by day in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they shared food in gladness and simplicity of heart, 

Act 2:47  praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the assembly, the ones being saved from day to day. 

Verses 1-4: The apostles are together (likely with others present) for Pentecost. Suddenly a sound like a violent wind brings the Holy Spirit which descends on them and they begin speaking in different languages.

1. Describe the scene. We must be ready to put ourselves in the moment. It has been seven weeks after Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead. Jesus has ascended to heaven. He is not the physical king they expected. All they know is that they are to wait for the Holy Spirit. Whatever they were doing, talking, praying, eating, whatever it was, had to stop for this power that was falling on them. The great sound alone would unify their attention. Then, for them to teach in a strange language that they did not know had to lift them up. For the to see their brothers speaking also had to have an uplifting effect. 

Verses 5-13: The great sound attracts many from the city to come investigate. There were many visitors in Jerusalem from near and far, They are amazed to see these men speaking/preaching in their own languages. They are amazed because they understand the men speaking as simple country folk, untrained and unschooled, The apostles are accused of being drunk, Peter begins to speak, refuting the accusation.

2. From verse five; Why was this a perfect opportunity to start the church? Multiple visitors were there for religious reasons. They represented the region as a whole, including the epicenter of power. Once they learn of the Christ, they could take that message to their homeland and spread the word. These people likely already knew some things about Jesus. His ministry spanned three years. The requirement to go to Jerusalem for these religious festivals would have put them in contact with Jesus in one way or another. 

3. What were the reactions of the men (crowd)? They were amazed and puzzled. They wondered why it was happening. "Others" made an accusation that these speakers had been drinking.

   a. Has anything changed in 2000 years? Not really. We will see this same pattern throughout this book. Some people will believe, some will want to look into it later, others will attempt to discredit or stop it.

Verses 14-21: Peter stands up and refutes the accusation of drinking. He then cites Joel, who speaks of signs and wonders God will send among the people "in those days" (of the Christ).

4. What do the “last days” refer to in verse 17? Or, "these days." The reference is to Joel's prophecy of the people turning back to God:
Joe 2:21  Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice, for Jehovah is doing great things.
Within that chapter we read: "And My people shall not be ashamed forever." (2x) - In this context, forever implicates a thing more lasting than anything done before. Israel has a long history of coming to God, then leaving Him (spiritually). The "forever" context brings about a deeper meaning. I would encourage anyone to read that chapter in Joel to understand the full power of what was happening in the time of the apostles and the power of the prophecy. What are the implications for us?

Verses 22-36: Peter uses David's words as prophecy of Jesus being the Christ. He also iterates that those in the audience are the one's who killed him.

5. What is the accusation in verses 23 & 36? The death of Jesus was performed through proper legal Roman channels. Ultimately, it was an unjustified execution. In essence, they murdered God's chosen one.

6. Identify the highlights of the gospel in the following verses:

   a. 21; Calling on the name of the Lord will lead to salvation.

   b. 22; Jesus, a man, was from God and He proved it through miracles and signs.

   c. 24; God raised Jesus away from death. 

   d. 36; God made Him the Christ

Additional: Look up the word “devout” from verse 5. Look up Pentecost. What is it?
G2126 εὐλαβής eulabēs yoo-lab-ace' From G2095 and G2983; taking well (carefully), that is, circumspect (religiously, pious): - devout.

The root words imply to seize good. Among the crowd were very religious people seeking God. 

G4005 πεντηκοστή pentēkostē pen-tay-kos-tay' Feminine of G4004; fiftieth (G2250 being implied) from Passover, that is, the festival of “pentecost”: - Pentecost.

Pentecost was a time to bring in “first fruit” sacrifices to God.

If Jesus reflects Passover, how is God’s wisdom made manifest in the parallel of Pentecost? The feast of tabernacles? 

Pentecost is one of the three main religious festivals the Jews celebrated.
The giving of the law was part of the celebration (tradition). It was also a first fruits (harvest) thanksgiving.
It was highly anticipated after Passover, the celebration of deliverance.

It makes sense that the first conversions would happen during Pentecost (first fruits). The correlation is too strong to ignore. Here are the first fruits of the Christian era. The deliverance has occurred through the Christ, Jesus. Now is time for the harvest. The gift of a new system of grace will overcome the need for the system of law. 
The reading of Ruth also becomes a tradition of Pentecost. Ruth was a gentile. 

The feast of booths was to remind them that they were once slaves and had to escape that slavery in a hurry, as well as spend a period of time wandering. During that wandering, they learned to rely on God. He gave them everything they needed for abundant life. The gospel fulfills this as well.

Verses 37-41: Some of the listeners are so moved they ask what they need to do. He tells them to repent and be baptised. They do. 3000 do.. 

7. The word “pricked” or “pierced” in verse 37 means “to tire down with toil, exhaust with labor, to make trouble for, to treat roughly”. (Strongs, Thayers)

 What part of Peter’s sermon would make them feel that way? Peter has twice inferred hat those present had wrongfully executed Jesus....the Messiah, the Son of God! A true follower of God would and should have been terrified. They were terrified. What is also likely is some did not respond to this revelation. These actions speak directly to the conditions of each person's heart toward God.

8. Compare verse 5 with verse 40 and the descriptions of the men and the generation. Were they one and the same? (Devout/Perverse) As we saw, many here were seeking God. They were there for the religious festival to offer first fruits sacrifices. By now, the crucifixion of Jesus was about two months old. Likely a brief memory for them. Also likely, many of them approved of the crucifixion. Some may have even been involved in mob. Peter's accusations moved those with more honest hearts. 
There had to be some thought to what they did or saw. There had to be some conclusions in their own minds about how they had been convinced to approve of the injustices against Jesus. And it is the injustice that put them within the frame of a "perverse" generation. 
Mob mentality can be easily influenced and manipulated.
What is happening here is opposite of that. Each one has to take a few steps back and see the truth in th events and decide on a conclusion.
The honest ones are converted. The honest ones are devout, and hopefully a little wiser not to be manipulated again.   

 Verses 42-47: The gospel finds success with the people. They gather daily and share all things with one another. Some of them even sell their possessions/property to sustain others. They even meet in the temple. New conversions are happening daily.

9. List the word and phrases in the following verses that describe the feelings and actions of those first affected by the gospel.

42: continuing steadfastly in the doctrine of the apostles, and in fellowship, and in the breaking of
       bread, and in prayers. 

43: fear came to every soul, and many wonders and miraculous signs took place through the apostles. 

44: the believers were together and had all things common

45: hey sold possessions and goods and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need. 

46:  continuing steadfastly with one mind day by day in the temple, and breaking bread from house to
       house, they shared food in gladness and simplicity of heart

47:  praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the assembly, the ones
        being saved from day to day

 a. Why, would you say these were the initial reactions to the gospel? For those that understood, it was a BIG DEAL! The messiah had come which signals a return to God. A time to be united to Jehovah. It would be equal to Jesus' second coming for the Christian.
Also, we see the revelation of God's grace yet again! In just a few minutes, they were told -you murdered Jesus, but God will forgive you. As always, there is a path to redemption and it's called Jesus.

10. Does our congregation seem different than this first congregation? Yes/No

   a. How, Why?  This first congregation is not a permanent fixture type of congregation. It was made up of many visitors from outlying areas. Remember, Pentecost is a first-fruits sacrifice festival. That means that harvest might still be going on. If you farmed, you needed to get back to it to oversee it. You likely did not expect to stay over so your supplies were limited. 
This first congregation saw the need and took care of it. Our church today is made of of local residence people. For the most part we have jobs to care for ourselves. If someone falls on hard times, we help as needed, but the need does not reflect what was happening in this first century instance.
Everything else is about the same. Like them we are in awe of what God has done. We are grateful for His love, grace, and mercy. We share spiritual and physical fellowship with one another. 

   b. What can an individual do to become more like those first Christians? Having a watchfulness for anyone who becomes needy or disheartened. 

Additional: What IS the gift of the Holy Spirit, especially within the context of this chapter? Did baptism alone save these souls? How should we view baptism in God’s plan of salvation? How should we explain it to others? 
Peter says, "Repent and be baptized, each of you on the name of Jesus Christ to remission of sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." This was in response to their question "what must we do?" They ask the question because they had just been informed that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God and they were responsible for His death.
1) They understood that they stood condemned before God for what they did.
2) They were seeking redemption from that sin.
Peter's answer addresses that specifically. Then see: "the ones gladly welcoming His Word were baptized. And about three thousand souls were added that day." 
There is a direct connection between belief, the act of baptism, the gift of the Holy Spirit and "being added." All of these work together to manifest forgiveness and equally important being added to something. Many will say they are added to the church. That is true, but the word church can be limiting sometimes. We are added to the body of believers worldwide is more accurate. Both terms are interchangeable yet church can carry a local congregational meaning.

The arguments concerning baptism saving or not typically do disservice to the word. We cannot dissect the word of God as we see so many times. All of these things are connected and should stay that way when we approach someone's path of salvation. Baptism in Acts is evidenced as a requirement. Literally, every instance of baptism is seen as an urgent need. Two thousand years does not change that. We are not better off than they were that we can have a lax view of baptism. We will more thoroughly investigate what baptism meant to them and how we should view it as well.

Peter says: 1Pe 3:21  Which antitype now also saves us, baptism (not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ ...
Peter's argument marries the action of baptism to the resurrection of Jesus (who is now reigns in heaven). It is the answer of a "good conscience." His overall teaching is that the Christian will be persecuted but that persecution will be based on the good things Christian do. Before God, those accusations are a positive testimony. 

Paul expounds: Rom 6:3  Or are you ignorant that all who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?  
Paul's argument here condemns the idea that since we are forgiven of sin, it's ok to keep sinning. Again, we see how we are joined in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Acts Chapter One

 Act 1:1  Indeed, O Theophilus, I made the first report concerning all things which Jesus began both to do and to teach, 

Act 1:2  until the day He was taken up, having given directions to the apostles whom He elected, through the Holy Spirit, 

Act 1:3  to whom also He presented Himself living after His suffering, by many infallible proofs, being seen by them through forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God. 

Act 1:4  And having met with them, He charged them not to leave Jerusalem, but to await the promise of the Father, "which you heard of Me; 

Act 1:5  for John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days after."

Act 1:6  Then, indeed, coming together they questioned Him, saying, Lord, do You restore the kingdom to Israel at this time? 

Act 1:7  And He said to them, It is not yours to know times or seasons which the Father placed in His own authority; 

Act 1:8  but you will receive power, the Holy Spirit coming upon you, and you will be witnesses of Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. 

Act 1:9  And saying these things, as they looked on, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him from their sight. 

Act 1:10  And as they were intently looking into the heaven, He having gone, even behold, two men in white clothing stood by them, 

Act 1:11  who also said, Men, Galileans, why do you stand looking up to the heaven? This Jesus, the One being taken from you into the heaven, will come in the way you saw Him going into the heaven. 

Act 1:12  Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount being called Of Olive Grove, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath's journey away. 

Act 1:13  And when they went in, they went up to the upper room where they were waiting: both Peter and James, and John and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alpheus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the brother of James. 

Act 1:14  These all were continuing steadfastly in prayer and in supplication with one mind, with the women, and with Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. 

Act 1:15  And in these days, standing up in the middle of the disciples, (and the number of names together being about a hundred and twenty), Peter said, 

Act 1:16  Men, brothers, it was necessary for this Scripture to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke before through David's mouth concerning Judas, the one having become guide to those seizing Jesus; 

Act 1:17  for he was numbered with us, and obtained a portion of this ministry. 

Act 1:18  Indeed, then, this one bought a field out of the reward of unrighteousness; and falling headlong, he burst in the middle, and poured out all his bowels. 

Act 1:19  And it became known to all those living in Jerusalem, so as that field to be called in their own dialect, Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood. 

Act 1:20  For it has been written in the scroll of Psalms, Let his estate become forsaken, and he not be living in it. And, "Let another take his overseership." (LXX-Psa. 68:26; Psa. 108:8; MT-Psa. 69:25; Psa. 109:8) 

Act 1:21  Therefore, it is right that men being together with us all the time in which the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us, 

Act 1:22  beginning from the baptism of John until the day when He was taken from us, one of these to become a witness of His resurrection with us. 

Act 1:23  And they set out two: Joseph, he being called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 

Act 1:24  And having prayed, they said, You, Lord, knower of all hearts, show which one You chose from these two, 

Act 1:25  to take the share of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas fell, to go to his own place. 

Act 1:26  And they gave their lots. And the lot fell on Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. 

Verses 1-5: This accounting is written to Theophilus and appears to connect to another account. That previous writing documented the life of Jesus until He was taken up. At that point, Jesus ordered the disciples to stay in Jerusalem, awaiting the promise of God, the Holy Spirit.

Note: Read/compare the first four verses of Luke. We have a very strong indication of Luke writing the book. Theophilus us an unknown person to us today. There are a few strong speculations. In the gospel he is addressed as "most excellent," inferring a station of power (nobility).

1. What important event(s) took place in verse 3? The resurrected Jesus is plainly seen by many. He spends an extended period of time with His people.

    Why was it so important? It is a "proof" against those who seek to discredit the Christian movement. It would be easy for one person to make such an outlandish claim. One person could lie and try to stay consistent with that lie with other lies. It is impossible for so many witnesses to do that. 

2. What was the “promise” they were to wait for in Jerusalem?
Act 1:4b/5  "which you heard of Me; for John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days after."

Note:
a) What is the difference between these two baptisms? We will see later (as well as in the gospels) that the baptism of John is a baptism of repentance. Chapter two reveals what this baptism is. In that moment when the Spirit "falls" on them, they gain the full understanding of the message/mission of Jesus. His life was not given for material gain as was the false expectation. He is the catalyst by which God would draw His children back to Him in a more meaningful, spiritual dimension. 

b) There is no small significance to this city Jerusalem. If we compare verses like 2Kings 21:7 and 2Chronicles 6:6, we see God's spiritual plan was to center and go forth from here.

Verses 6-11: Jesus is taken up to heaven. The disciples are looking up and two "men" question them as to why they are looking up to heaven.

3. What did the disciples expect to happen (vs.6)? ...they questioned Him, saying, Lord, do You restore the kingdom to Israel at this time? 
Like the differences in baptisms the disciples had not yet been given the gift of the Holy Spirit for full understanding of what the mission of the Messiah really was.

4. What is the prophecy about Jesus in verse 11? ...the One being taken from you into the heaven, will come in the way you saw Him going into the heaven. 
SEE:
Mat 24:30  And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the heavens. And then all the tribes of the land will wail. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and much glory. (Dan. 7:13) 
Rev 14:14  And I saw; and behold, a white cloud and on the cloud One sitting like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 

 The implication in both of these texts is judgment.

Verses 12-26: Those who are the first members of His church are staying together. They include the eleven disciples, Jesus. mother and His brothers. Peter rises and uses scripture to point out that since Judas had fallen, they need a replacement for his position. They put forward two who are qualified, cast lots and choose Matthias.

5. How many were present when Matthias was chosen? 120

    a. What were the requirements for the one who was to be chosen? He had to be one who was with them the entire time from the beginning to His ascension.

6. Who ultimately chose Matthias? The act of casting lots was an act of faith. The belief was that God was the one going the choosing.

7. Did the disciples understand what Jesus purposed to do?  (6) - No not exactly.

    a.  What was Christ’s instructions to them on the matter? Wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit. To gain insight of what this means we must first know the purpose of the Holy Spirit.

    b. How can we know what Christ has purposed for us? See answer 8a. 

8. How did the disciples exercise their faith in choosing of Matthias? Casting lots.

a.      Identify some times in your life when you needed to exercise your faith. As a young person, it was difficult to see how God is going to provide a life on this earth. This issue comes from trusting my own strengths and not relying on God. God teaches us to focus on Him and His ways in our every day lives. The rest of life becomes second in our living. As time goes by, we grow and His faithfulness is revealed.

Additional: Why were the disciples still together? Describe this assembly of faithful people, who are they? Why is it important that Jesus’ brothers are there?  The ministry of Jesus lasted about three years. The main characters in this part of the story are those who were closest to Him during that time, They heard His words and witnessed His signs. Many of them were likely already put out onto the fringe of Jewish society. There was a big cost for following Jesus. 
More important to the moment is that Jesus was not what they expected. He was executed in a shameful manner. He was not an earthly king. Israel was not lifted up above all other nations.
But, He did raise from death. And He ascended to heaven. So they faithfully waited for what was to happen next. They waited for God to do things in God's time.

Word study:
Verse (2) apostles - 652 ἀπόστολος apostolos ap-os'-tol-os From G649; a delegate; specifically an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ (“apostle”), (with miraculous powers): - apostle, messenger, he that is sent.
649 - ἀποστέλλω apostellō ap-os-tel'-lo From G575 and G4724; set apart, that is, (by implication) to send out (properly on a mission) literally or figuratively: - put in, send (away, forth, out), set [at liberty].
Verse (25) apostleship- 651 ἀποστολή apostolē ap-os-tol-ay' From G649; commission, that is, (specifically) apostolate: - apostleship.

Verse (15) disciples - μαθητής mathētēs math-ay-tes' From G3129; a learner, that is, pupil: - disciple.