Today’s passage: Acts 2:1-13

Helpful thoughts:

• The Day of Pentecost is the fiftieth day after Passover.  It was one of the three festivals per year for the Jewish people.  Every year at Pentecost, the Jewish people celebrated the first fruits of their harvest.
  • The Spirit was given to the church as a first-fruits, a guarantee of our full inheritance in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:5, Ephesians 1:11-14).
• Characteristics of tongues:
  • People who heard them could understand what they were saying in their own native language.
  • They were given as a sign as they marked the transition from Israel to the Church…from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant.
  • And, they were given to convince those who were in unbelief (1 Corinthians 14:22).  Meaning, when tongues are being spoken, it is an indication that there is a LACK of belief present and that there would be people present who speak a different language who could hear and understand what was being spoken.
    • They are seen/heard here in Acts 2 as the Church begins to spread.
    • They are heard in Acts 10 to show that Gentiles are included in the Church.
    • They are heard in Acts 19 to confirm that Christ was the Messiah as John the Baptist had prophesied.
    • The Apostle Paul spoke different tongues as a missionary to the Gentile world (1 Corinthians 14:18), though it is never recorded specifically when this occurred.
• The mocking accusation of drunkenness was not a response to the Apostles acting erratically, because they weren’t.  It was a rejection of the truth they were hearing clearly in their own language.

Questions to consider:

1. Why was the celebration of the harvest such a great day for this event?  What was God indicating?
2. Were the Apostles trying to speak in tongues?  Were they waiting for tongues to happen and encouraging each other to try and have more faith to make it happen?  How are tongues in the Bible so much different than what so many people are trying to do today?
3. How do the mockers respond to what they are seeing and hearing?  Do amazing miraculous things convert people?  How does faith come to people (Romans 10:17, John 3:6-8)?

Today’s passage: Acts 1:12-26

Helpful thoughts:

• According to Jewish tradition, they were only allowed to travel about half a mile on the Sabbath day.  This was believed to be the furthest distance anyone traveled to get to the tabernacle in the wilderness during the Exodus.
• Only 10 days passed between the ascension and Pentecost.  The first meeting consisted of the disciples, the women who had accompanied them (such as Mary Magdelene, Mary and Martha, and the apostles’ wives), and Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers (James, Joses, Jude, and Simon).
  • Within those ten days, other followers of Christ joined them, including Barsabas and Matthias.
• The casting of lots was used at different times in the Old Testament.  This is the last time the use of lots is recorded in Scripture…the Spirit of God came in the next chapter, followed by the apostolic ministry and the writing of the New Testament.

Questions to consider:

1. How did David write the Psalms (Verse 16)?  Who is the Author of the Scriptures?
2. What kinds of things did the disciples of Jesus do while they waited for the promise of Christ to come happen?  In what ways was their waiting a time of preparation for what was to come?  How can this guide us as we await Christ’s return?
3. How did Peter confirm or give evidence for his assertions? How did he prove that Judas’ betrayal was not an accident or a failure on God’s part?  How did he convince the rest that it was best to have another man take Judas’ place as an Apostle?  What was his source of information?

Today’s passage: Acts 1:1-11

Helpful thoughts:

• The Gospel of Luke and Acts are both written by Luke.  Both addressed to Theophilus.
• Jesus’ body didn’t simply come up missing.  He presented Himself alive by many infallible proofs!
• The Holy Spirit baptized over 3,00 souls (Including the Apostles) into the body of Christ at the day of Pentecost, which we will read about in Acts 2.  Since then, that baptism has occurred in each person at their conversion (1 Corinthians 12:13, Romans 8:9, Titus 3:5-6).
• The timing of the coming kingdom remains a mystery.  However, the power to expand the kingdom is here.
• Christ is coming again!

Questions to consider:

1. What are some of the infallible proofs of Jesus’ resurrection? How do they show that our Savior and Lord is alive?  (See John 20:19, Luke 24:39, 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 for examples)
2. What was the mission which the Holy Spirit empowered the Apostles to do?  Was the power most evidenced in the signs they did or in the spread of the Gospel and converted souls?
3. How is the Gospel still going forward today?  Who shared Christ with you?  Who can you share the message with today?