Thoughts on Study Questions from Acts Ch 1 from 6/10

My Sunday school class/Life Group is studying the book of Acts. Monday, I posted the questions we discussed the day before. Today, I’m posting some of the comments from the class discussion.

If you’d like a PDF file of the questions, email me at crd.author@gmail.com

Chapter 1

V1-11

List "other proof" that He [Jesus] is alive.

Jesus ate food with disciples on the shore of Lake Galilee. [John 21:1-14]
He might have eaten food with the disciples on the Road to Emmaus. [Luke 24:30]

Is Christ's prediction for the first appearance of the Holy Spirit?

No.

If not, when was a previous appearance?

1. The Holy Spirit was present when Mary went to visit Elizabeth and John the Baptist 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Luke 1:41
2. At Jesus baptism. Luke 3:20-22
3. One commentary reports that the Holy Spirit is mentioned 100 times in the Old Testament. I could not verify that number but I found this:

• The Spirit participated in creation (Gen. 1:2; Job 26:13; Is. 32:15).
• The Spirit gives life to humanity and the other creatures (Ps. 104:29, 30). When Genesis says God endows people with life by breathing into their nostrils the “breath of life” (Gen. 2:7), the word for “breath” is the same word translated elsewhere as “spirit.”
• The Spirit strives with sinners (Gen. 6:3).
• The Spirit came upon certain judges, warriors, and prophets in a way that gave them extraordinary power: for example, Joshua (Num. 27:18), Othniel (Judg. 3:10), Gideon (6:34), Samson (13:25; 14:6), and Saul (1 Sam. 10:9, 10).
• The Spirit played a prominent role in the long span of Old Testament prophecy. (2 Sam. 23:2, Ezek. 2:2).
• The Spirit inspired holiness in Old Testament believers (Ps. 143:10, Ezek. 36:27).

https://www.thomasnelsonbibles.com/the-holy-spirit-in-the-old-testament/

What do Nazarenes call the "baptism of the Holy Spirit"?
Most churches based on the teachings of John Wesley, including The Church of the Nazarene, use the term SANCTIFICATION or TOTAL SANCTIFICATION.
Synonymous terms include: Giving all to God and Total surrender of mind and heart to God.

Why would the disciples need the Holy Spirit?
Keep track of this photo. We'll be revisiting this answer as we go through this study. My writing on the board skills were never all that great. Since I don't do it often since I retired they have diminished.

The question in verse 6 shows that some (many?) disciples still did not "get it." What is it about this question that indicates they had missed the point of Jesus' ministry?

Their focus was on 
earthly things, particularly the government.
being right, that is in charge.
being The Chosen People.

How does Jesus leave Earth?
Rises toward heaven and enters (or is enveloped by) a cloud

1. Who appears? 2. What do they say? 3. What is significant about their words?

1. Two angels. (Hmmm. Two angels were at Jesus empty tomb.)
2. They ask why the disciples are looking up. (They had instructions on what to do.)
3. The words promise Christ's second coming.

Why do you think there was a cloud?

To get the disciple's attention.

Evidence of the presence of God's Spirit like the Mount of Transfiguration [Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, Luke 9:28–36]

When will what the angels predict come true?

That's not for anyone to know.

"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

 Matthew 24:36/Mark 13:32

Even Jesus did not know.

At any time. The requirements were fulfilled on the day of Pentecost.

We got this far this week. 

This Friday, my Expression of Faith is Acts Ch 2. Pentecost.

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