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Acts 1/1- 26

INTRODUCTION:  The Risen Christ spends 40 days with His disciples before His ascension to heaven. The final orders of the Commander-in-Chief before the invasion that is recorded in Acts 2 begins give us an idea as to what is most important to Him.

[1]  THE PRE-INVASION BRIEFING (vs.1-8)

Make a list of what Jesus said and did with His disciples during that 40 day period.

Here’s an example   e.g. v.2 – He gave further instructions through the Holy Spirit

V3. ____________________________________v.3___________________________________

v.4____________________________________v.5_________________________________

v.7___________________________________v.8___________________________________

He appeared to the apostles from time to time. So He wasn’t with them in a 24/7 X 40 day sense. But when He was with them, He proved in many ways that He was actually alive. Are there any clues in the passage as to how He might have done that? The fact that He needed to do that tells us ‘what’ about the disciples? It seems that some of the disciples still needed convincing about the Resurrection!!

There is one key phrase that summarises His teaching during this period. It’s in v.3

See if you can find a command and a promise in vs.4,5. You may have them in the list above.

When Jesus spoke about the Kingdom of God, He obviously understood the nature of that Kingdom very differently to the way in which the disciples understood it. They thought of it in terms of power and politics, rule and authority and the overthrow of their Roman oppressors. Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God had more to do with the empowering of this brand new, fledgling community of faith; that the coming invasion would be an invasion of love enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit.

[2]  THE PROMISE OF THE SECOND COMING (vs.9-11)

A huge life change is about to unfold in their lives. Many of them will die as martyrs. The assurance of Jesus’ return will keep them steady and stable whatever may come their way. Take time to unpack vs.9-11. What do they tell you about Jesus’ return?

[3]  THE PEOPLE GOD USES  (vs. 12-26)

(A)   One hundred and twenty people (v.13) constantly united in prayer. That doesn’t seem many people after 3 years of Jesus’ ministry, does it? But these are the “plain vanilla” Christians who will be at the beginning of a movement that will spread around the world. Read 1 Corinthians 1/26-29

(B)  What do we learn about Judas from vs.15-20?

(C)  Are there any warnings for us in the story of Judas?

(D)  Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

(E) But we never hear of him again. Any ideas why that might be?

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