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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Previous Study 05:  Psalms

Search The Scriptures — Study 05 — Psalms 7— Psalms 8

Study 05 From The Psalms Is:

Psalms 7 — Psalms 8

    1.    In Ps. 7 David is experiencing persecution. On what grounds does he make his appeal to God (verses 1-11) in what two ways does he see judgement will overtake the wicked (verses 12-16)? Learn from verse 17 how prayer should end.

    2.    Ps. 8. What two truths here make the psalmist worship and wonder? And, more particularly, what is here declared concerning the place of man in the mind and purpose of God? Cf. Heb. 2:5-10.

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Previous Study 04:  Psalms6

Search The Scriptures — Study 04 — Psalms 6

Study 04 From The Psalms Is:

Psalms 6

Another example of prayer. David seems to have suffered both from sickness and the taunts of his enemies.  His sickness gave them occasion to point to him as one ‘smitten of God’.

    1.       Verses 1-7. Explain in your own words the state of David’s heart and mind as he made his prayer.  What does he (a) confess to God, and (b) expect from God?

2.      Note in verses 8-10 how David has come to an assurance of answered prayer and certain deliverance-an assurance which he openly confesses before God and men.  Have you had any similar experience?

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Previous Study 03:  Psalms 5 

The Scriptures — Study 03 — Psalms 5

Study 03 From The Psalms Is:

Psalms 5

    1.      What does this psalm reveal about God? Write out a list of the truths which you discover here, and let them inform your responsive worship.

     2.      The psalm is an example of David at prayer.  When, how, why and for what does he pray? Do my prayers express the same urgent concern and expectant faith? 

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Previous Study:  Psalms 2 and 3