Search The Scriptures — Study 08 — Acts 4:32-5:16

Study 08 From The book of Acts Is: 4:32-5:16

In this insight into the fellowship of the early church the sincere self-sacrifice of Barnabas is compared with the hypocrisy and greed of Ananias and Sapphira.

    1.     In 4:32-37 what essentials of fellowship are demonstrated? See one result of them in verse 33.

2.     What made the sin of Ananias and Sapphira so grave and what led to it?  Why was such a divine judgement necessary? What result did it produce?

3.     What example can you follow from the action of Barnabas and what danger can you avoid from the attitude of Ananias and Sapphira?

Notes

1.     5:4. This verse shows that the giving spoken of in 4:34-37 was entirely voluntary.

2.     5:9 ‘Tempt: the word means to put God to the test, to challenge or provoke Him.  Cf. Ex. 17:2,7; Acts 15:10

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Search The Scriptures — Study 07 — Acts 4:1-31

Study 07 From The book of Acts Is: Acts 4:1-31

    1.   Verses 1-22. Persecution. The leaders of organized religion now openly persecute the disciples.  What caused the arrest (verse 3) and the release (verse 21) of Peter and John? What verbal and visible evidence did Peter offer in their defense? Does fear of men sometimes makes us silent when we ought to speak?

2.   Verses 23-31. Prayer. Going back to their fellow-Christians, the disciples pray.  Trace the threefold reason (verses 24-28), request (verses 29, 30) and result (verse 31) found in their prayer. Could you pray with such boldness and willingness in a similar tough situation?

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Search The Scriptures — Study 06 — Acts 3:1-26

Study 06 From The book of Acts Is: Acts 3:1-26

     1.     The cripple’s physical cure (verses 1-11) is a picture of the spiritual truths of the gospel of salvation. Note how it shows (a) man’s need, (b) the necessity of faith, (c) the importance of personal witness, (d) the assurance of salvation, (e) the miracle of salvation itself. (Peter explains how it happened in verses 12-16.) Have you been the link between Christ and a person in need as Peter was that day?

2.     In addressing the people of his own nation, what sins does Peter charge against them? What promises does he make to them and on what conditions? How far are his words applicable to us who are not Jews?

Notes

1.      Verse 6 ‘in the name of Jesus’ means ‘by the authority’ ‘with the power’ of Jesus. Cf. verse 16:4-12.

2.      Verses 13, 26. ‘Servant’: cf. Is. 52:13 (also 42:1-4; 49:5, 6; 50:1-10).  Peter is making a fearless proclamation of the Lord’s Messiahship. Cf. 4:27, 30

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Search The Scriptures — Study 05 — Acts 2:37-47

Study 05 From The book of Acts Is: Acts 2:37-47

   1.     What twofold offer is made in verse 38, and on what condition?

   2.     What features marked the lives of these new believers and of the early church according to verses 42-47? How many of these are true in your experience?

Note.  The receiving of the Holy Spirit in 2:4 is an extraordinary event. The receiving of the Holy Spirit in 2:38 is the ordinary New Testament pattern.

Note how baptism with water symbolizes the two gospel benefits of cleansing from sin and of new life from above by the baptism of the Spirit.

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Search The Scriptures — Study 04 — Acts 2:14-36

Study 04 From The book of Acts Is: Acts 2:14-36

   1.     What three passages of the Old Testament does Peter quote in his address and what facts of the gospel does he support by them? What may we learn from this concerning the place and use of the Old Testament today?

 2.     What characteristics does Peter show in his preaching? Remember what he had been like eight weeks earlier. Wherein lay the change? Can this apply to your Christian service?

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Search The Scriptures — Study 03 — Acts 2:1-13

Study 03 From The book of Acts Is: Acts 2:1-13

   1.     What three signs were given in connection with the coming of the Spirit? See verses 2-4, and 6, 8, 11. They express in symbol what our Lord had already stated in word (Cf. 1:8), that the coming of the Spirit would lead to power, inspired utterance and universal testimony. What purposes of God was the Spirit thus given to fulfill?

2.     What was the reaction of the disciples, the crowd and the mockers to the coming of the Holy Spirit?  What do you think your reaction would have been?

Notes

1.     Pentecost was the Greek name for the feast called in the Old Testament ‘the feast of harvest’ (Ex. 23:16), or ‘the feast of the weeks’ (Dt. 16:9, 10).  It marked the end of the grain harvest, and began on the fifteenth day from the day after the Passover Sabbath (Lv. 23:15, 16).  The season of the year being favourable for travelling, Jerusalem was crowded with Jews from all parts (Acts 2:9-11). 

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Search The Scriptures — Study 02 — Acts 1:12-26

Study 02 From The book of Acts Is: Acts 1:12-26

     1.     What two actions did the disciples take during this waiting period? Can you suggest reason why?

    2.     Compare Judas (especially verses 16, 17) with Jesus’s brothers (verse 14). Cf. Jn. 7:5.  What warning and encouragement do they give you?

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Search The Scriptures — Study 01 — Acts 1:1-11

Today we are starting with the book of Acts.

The book of Acts falls into two main parts: Chapters 1-12, which give the story of the rise of the Church in Jerusalem and its extension to Judea, Samaria and Antioch; and chapter 13-28, which describe Paul’s three missionary journeys, his arrest in Jerusalem, imprisonment in Caesarea, and journeys to Rome.  A more accurate analysis, however, reveals that there are (apart from the introductory paragraph, 1:1-11) six divisions or periods, each concluding with a brief summary of progress.

Study 01 From The book of Acts Is: Acts 1:1-11

1.    What did Jesus teach His apostles about their future work before He ascended? Does this still apply to us today?

2.    What is said in these verses about (a) the authority of God the Father, (b) the agency of God the Holy Spirit, and (c) the activity of Jesus the Son of God?  The whole story of this book flows from these facts.  Are they transforming your life? 

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Previous Study 7:  Psalms11 and 12

Search The Scriptures — Study 07 — Psalms 11 — Psalms 12

Study 7 From The Psalms Is:

Psalms 11 — Psalms 12

As I mentioned to you previously, the book of Psalms is spread throughout the span of this study.  So, with the study of psalms 11 and 12 we will stop for now and start the book of Acts tomorrow.

     1.    In Ps. II why does David not follow the advice of those who see the situation as hopeless (verse 3) and suggest flight?  What gives him confidence to stand firm? Do you have this confidence?

2.    How are the word of man and the Word of God contrasted in Ps.12?

Note. 11:3. See RV mg.  The righteous have not been able to effect any change for the better; why then remain in the midst of danger?

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Previous Study 06: Psalms 09 — Psalms 10

Search The Scriptures — Study 06 — Psalms 09 — Psalms 10

Study 06 From The Psalms Is:

Psalms 09 — Psalms 10

These psalms were probably originally one, as is shown by the fact of their common ‘alphabetic’ structure. In the ixx they are one psalm.  The contents are, however, different. Ps. 9 is mainly a song of praise, celebrating victory over foreign nations; but Ps. 10 consists mainly of prayer, pleading for the overthrow of the wicked within Israel.

   1.    Make a detailed list of the truths we may learn about the Lord from these psalms.

2.    From Ps. 9 what do we learn of the actions and longings of David, and of his experience of the Lord? Contrast this with the thoughts and actions of the wicked as described in Ps. 10. To what extent is your own action, experience and longing similar to David’s?

Note. 9:17. The meaning is that through the judgments which God is executing the life of the wicked will be cut short by death.

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