Adam Owens – Stockton - Acts 2:41-47
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Mark Thompson – Acts 2 – The Holy Spirit: Evidence of a Spirit Filled Life
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Joshua Kehler – Stockton – Acts 2:22-47
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Mark Thompson – Lodi – Acts 2 - The Holy Spirit: Baptism and Filling
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Acts 2:1-21

Discuss and recap the specific events of Pentecost found in vs. 1-21, as the church was baptized in the Holy Spirit.

1. In what ways throughout the Bible, does God make his presence manifest? 

2. What was the significance of what happened on that day? How is Pentecost utterly important to the Story of God? 

3. What does it mean to be “filled with the Holy Spirit”(v.4)? 

• What are the visible effects?

4. What does it mean that the Holy Spirit empowers us to proclaim mighty works(or mega-deeds) of God? How does that look on a practical, daily basis?

5.  How can we grieve the Holy Spirit?

6. How does the powerful filling of the Holy Spirit and the Gospel Message crush racism and other ethnic superiority? 

7. Discuss the beauty of God’s far-reaching grace, that through his disciples, was proclaimed to the nations(vs. 5-11).

Note:

What biblical events did Pentecost simultaneously undo and inaugurate?

• The reversal of the ‘curse of Babel’ (Genesis 11:7-9)
• The inauguration of the Great Multitude from every nation before the throne of God (Revelation 7:9-12)

• In Genesis 11, the people gathered together saying: “Come… let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”

• In Acts 2, the people gather to make known “the mighty works of God” and make known the name of Jesus, whilst speaking the gospel to “men from every nation under heaven”

Acts 2:1-21

Joshua Kehler – Stockton – Acts 2:1-21
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Mark Thompson – Lodi – Acts 2:1-21
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Acts 1:12-26

1. In light of Jesus’ instruction and promise to the disciples in verses 4-5 and 8, what do they do in preparation of receiving the Holy Spirit? (vs.13-14) 

2. What are some of the key words found in verse 14 that give us insight into the dynamic of the disciple’s corporate prayer?  

• “one accord… devoting… together”

“There can be little doubt that the grounds of this unity and perseverance in prayer were the command and promise of Jesus… We learn, therefore, that God’s promises do not remove the need for prayer. On the contrary, it is only his promises which give us the warrant to pray and the confidence that he will hear and answer” -John Stott(1)

3. What other ways did they prepare for the mission? (vs.15-26) 

• They studied and spoke scripture (vs. 16-20)
• They prayed dependently for God to chose the leadership (v. 24) and established leadership accordingly (v. 26). (2)

4. The apostles recognized that the necessary qualification of “a witness” was that an individual had been with Jesus(vs. 21-22). How does this apply to us as witnesses, today? 

Full and fruitful ministry is only the outflow of intimate relationship with Jesus. Oswald Chambers once said “(we) slander God by our very eagerness to work for Him without knowing him”.

5. Take some significant time to talk through the joy and necessity of devotion with Christ. Discuss what devotion looks like and consider how to stir one another up toward deeper relationships with Christ.  

Notes:

(1) Stott, Acts: Seeing the Spirit at Work, pg. 12

(2) “Many have pointed out that this was before Pentacost, and after the giving of the Spirit to the church there was no record of this kind of decision-making again, even when great decisions are made (cf. Acts 6:1-6; Acts 13: 1-3; Acts 15:6-21). It is important to note Peter’s remark that an apostle is to be chosen by the Lord, not by the disciples (v. 24), and so the drawing of lots was a way to let Jesus make the final choice. There have been those who have felt that the choosing of Matthias was illegitimate, and that Paul was God’s choice to “complete” the Twelve. But there is no comment in the text that indicates that.” (Timothy J. Keller, and Redeemer Presbyterian Church 2005)

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Community Groups Acts 1:12-26

Joshua Kehler - Acts 1:12-26
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Acts 1:1-11

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Community Groups – Acts 1:1-11

Joshua Kehler - Acts 1:1-11
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No matter how many times we say or hear it, the power and truth in this wonderful statement remains glorious and unchanging!

But unfortunately we face the temptation to hear and respond to the Easter message with the mentality that “this is old hat” or “its obviously just an evangelistic message”.

What we can’t forget is that the resurrection changes everything!…  both in eternity and in our present lives. As scripture reminds us, not only was Jesus raised from the dead, but all of us- his children, have been raised up as well.

So this week in our community groups, we’ll talk through the Resurrection and it’s implications. The fact that we (you and I) have been raised with Christ. We will pose questions, but also open up the discussion for testimonies of God’s transforming work within our lives. Just hearing these accounts of God’s work of making us new stokes hearts like you wouldn’t believe.

He is risen!! My mind spins hearing that! And it also raises questions in my mind:

What exactly does that mean to be “raised up with Christ”? (Eph. 2:6-7)

What does it mean to be a ‘new creation’?

How did the resurrection accomplish that?

Wait… if i’ve been raised with Christ, why do i still sin?

What does it mean to “put on the new self, created in the likeness of God”(Eph. 4:24)?

How does this effect my relationship with God, my relationship with others, and my engagement in the city God has called me to?

What is our, and all of creation’s, present hope of the resurrection?

Then what  is the future hope of the resurrection?

We look forward what God will do this week through Community Groups!

Pastor Christian

*Here are some quotes and scripture to help with convo or to formulate some more resurrection-centered questions. 

“The work of the church is to implement the resurrection of Jesus and thereby to anticipate the final new creation…Our task in the present is to live as resurrection people in between Easter and the final day.” -NT Wright

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”  2 Corinthians 5:17

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”   Romans 6:1-4

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”  1 Peter 1:3-5

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Stockton – Joshua Kehler - John 20:1-29
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Lodi – Mark Thompson - 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
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