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THE FIRST-CENTURY CHURCH Based on the Book, Acts of the Apostles
LESSON ONE
Chapter 1 ~ c. AD 30 |
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DAY ONE: |
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Jesus Returns to Heaven |
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VERSE 1-2 Acts was written by the same man who had written a life of Jesus to Theo-philis ~ Luke. Luke's life of Jesus was written to Theo-philis. Therefore, who was the author of Acts? ________________ (By the way, a letter written to Christians in Turkey, Colossians 4:14, says this author was a physician.) |
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VERSE 3�������� A letter written to the church in Corinth, Greece, much later, states Jesus appeared to over 500 people after he came back to life (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).� For how many days after Jesus came back to life did he show himself to people before returning to heaven?� ____________________ |
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VERSE 2-5����� To whom did Jesus say they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days? _________________ ___________________________________________ |
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| VERSE 6-7����� When the Apostles asked Jesus when he would restore the kingdom, he said it was not for them to know the ________________ and _______________ God has settled on. |
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VERSE 2,8����� To whom did Jesus say they would receive power from the Holy Spirit? ________________________ |
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VERSE 8�������� Jesus predicted that within their lifetime, they would preach to the ends of the _____________________.� (We will see later how the two - power of Holy Spirit and radius of their ministry - are connected.) |
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VERSE 9-11��� After saying this, Jesus started rising up into the sky.� Those who saw him do this were who? _____ of _____________________________.� (Galilee was one of about five provinces in Palestine at that time.� All the Apostles were from Galilee except Judas Is-cariot (Joshua 15:25 says Cerioth was in Judah to the south) and he was now dead (see Matthew 26:14 & 27:5). |
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| ����������� a.�������� How will Jesus return some day?� ______________ ____________________________� A letter written to the church in Thessalonica, Turkey, (1 Thessalonians 4:17) says Christians will meet Jesus where?� __________________________ |
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| DAY TWO: |
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Jesus' Followers Await Instructions |
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VS. 12-13������� This same group of men returned to Jerusalem to a room they were apparently renting.� Compare the list of men here with the list in Matthew 10:2-4, the first book of the New Testament.� As a group these men were called the _________________________. |
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VERSE 14������ Who joined them in that room? ________________, ____________________________________, and his _______________________________.� What were the names of Jesus' brothers (see Matthew 13:55-56)? _______________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ |
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| ����������� b.�������� Before Jesus' crucifixion, had his brothers believed he was the Son of God?� (See John 7:5) _________ |
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| VS. 15-20������� Jesus was crucified during Passover Week (John 19:14), and came back to life at the end of that week.� Pentecost means the 50th day after Passover.� It was after the 40 days Jesus showed himself (verse 3) and during the next ten days that the Apostles waited for the Holy Spirit to come.� It was during those ten days before the Day of Pentecost that Peter stood among a group of _________________ (how many) and said who among the Apostles should be replaced?� ______________ |
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| VS. 21-22������� The qualifications to be an Apostle were that this person must have been with "us" the ____________ time from John [the Baptist's] __________________ until Jesus was ______________________________. |
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| VS. 23-26������� Who was chosen to take Judas' place as an Apostle?� __________________________________________ |
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Chapter 2
The Apostles and the Holy Spirit |
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VERSE 1�������� Then, on another day, what day arrived? _________ _________________________________________ |
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����������� a.�������� Who did "they" refer to as being all together in one place?� |
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����������������������� vs 7:���� ____________ from ____________________ |
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����������������������� vs 14:�� _______________________ and the Eleven |
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| ����������������������� vs 15:�� These _______________________________ |
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| ����������������������� vs 37:�� Peter and the _________________________________________________________________ |
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VERSE 2�������� What sound did "they" hear? ____________________________________________________________ |
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VERSE 3�������� What did "they" see? __________________________________________________________________ |
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DAY THREE: |
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| VERSE 4�������� When "they" were filled with the ______________ ______________________, they began to speak in _____________________ _____________________.� (These were known languages, not unknown.) |
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VERSE 5-8����� Who was speaking so everyone could hear in their own language (verse 7)?� _____________ from ________________________ |
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VS. 9-12��������� How many countries were represented by the crowd who heard them speak?� _______ |
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����������� 1.�������� Parthia (Iraq)������������������������� |
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} First Language
} Second Language
} " (same)
} Third Language
} Fourth Language
} Fifth Language
} Sixth Language
} Seventh Language
} " (same)
} " (same)
} Eighth Language
} Ninth Language
} Tenth Language
} Eleventh Language
} Twelfth Language |
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����������� 2.�������� Media (Iran)�������������������������� |
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| ����������� 3.�������� Elam (Iran)������������������� |
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| ����������� 4.�������� Mesopotamia (Syria)������ |
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����������� 5.�������� Judea (Palestine)���������� |
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����������� 6.�������� Pontus (North Turkey)������� |
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����������� 7.�������� Asia (West Turkey)�������������� |
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����������� 8.�������� Cappadocia (East Turkey)��� |
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| ����������� 9.�������� Phrygia (SE Turkey)��������������� |
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����������� 10.������ Pamphylia (SC Turkey)������ |
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����������� 11.������ Egypt (Egypt)���������������� |
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����������� 12.������ Cyrene (North Africa)����� |
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����������� 13.������ Rome (Italy)���������������� |
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| ����������� 14.������ Crete (Greece)����������������� |
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����������� 15.������ Arabia (Arabia)�������������������� |
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����������� a.�������� It is believed the native tongues of some of these countries were alike since they were so close to each other.� In that case, how many different languages would have been spoken on that day by the Twelve Apostles?� __________________ |
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VS. 14-15������� In that case, all twelve spoke to the crowd, which far exceeded the _____________ who were saved that day (see verse 41).� However, whose sermon is recorded?� ____________________ |
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VS. 16-17������� The last days or latter days started when? THE DAY OF ___________________________________ |
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VS. 18-20 About 830 B.C. the prophet Joel predicted that in the latter days miracles would be performed as evidence that the glorious ________________ of the ___________________ had arrived. |
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The First Church Sermon |
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DAY FOUR: |
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VERSE 22������ Jesus was authenticated or proven to be telling the truth by the ________________________________, _______________________________________, and _________________________ God did through him. |
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VERSE 23������ Peter, who denied even knowing Jesus during his trial, now put his own life on the line by accusing the crowd of what?� _________________________ ___________________________________________ |
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VERSE 25-28 About 1500 years earlier, King David Predicted that God's Holy One would not be abandoned to the __________ _______________ or see _____________________.
VS. 29-36 Peter explained David had predicted the resurrection of the _________________ (which means the anointed high priest, the crowned king).
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VERSE 36������ Since the Christ is a title, who did Peter say the Christ was (see also 32)?� _____________________ and _______________________________________ |
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| VERSE 37������ Realizing they had murdered the Son of God, many in the crowd were __________________ to the heart and begged Peter and the other Apostles, "What _______________________________ we do?" |
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VERSE 38������ Peter replied, "_____________________________ and be ____________________________________, __________________________________________of you for the __________________________ of your ___________________.� Then you will _______________________ the ____________ of the _________________ _____________________." |
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DAY FIVE: |
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| VERSE 39������ Peter said this command and gift apply to everyone who heard him that day "and for your __________ ______________, and all who are ______________ __________________."� Since he was referring to generations, who do you think are the people who are far off? _________________________________ |
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VS. 40-41������� What did those who accepted the message do that same day?� _________________________________ |
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����������� b.�������� How many were there who did so? _____________ |
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����������� c.�������� Since the sermon began at 9:00 AM (verse 15), and assuming the sermon ended at 10:00 AM and dark arrived about 6:00 PM, that would give _________ hours to baptize everyone.� With 12 Apostles and 3000 people, each Apostle would have to baptize ___________ each hour, or one every two minutes.� (This doesn't count meal breaks.) |
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������������d. Although just an opinion, do you believe those baptized earlier in the day might have helped baptize people after them?� In that case, would they have required someone who was "ordained" in order to make their baptism valid?� |
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VERSE 42������ Since the New Testament was not written yet, what did the first Christians rely on to know if they were in the will of God (see verse 42)? ______________ __________________________________________ |
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����������������������� NOTE:� The word "devoted" in verse 42 is from a Greek word meaning "addicted." |
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| VERSE 43������ Did everyone who became saved perform miracles?� _______� Who performed the miracles?� ________ __________________________________________ |
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DAY SIX: |
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VS. 44-45������� So much love developed among the believers, the first Christians, that many sold their _____________ so they could give to those in _________________. |
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VERSE 46������ Compare the breaking bread sentence in verse 42 with the breaking bread sentence in verse 46.� List below the other things they did or felt in connection with breaking bread, one column for verse 42 and a second column for verse 46. |
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| ����������������������� *��������������������������������������������������������� * |
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����������� |
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| ����������� ����������� *��������������������������������������������������������� * |
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| ����������� |
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| ����������� ����������� *��������������������������������������������������������� * |
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| ����������� b.�������� Might one "breaking bread" have been for religious purposes and the other for physical health purposes?� ____________� (For help, read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).�� |
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| VERSE 47������ The other people of the community thought how of the new Christians?� _________________________ ___________________________________________ |
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| ����������� b.�������� Who made the decision whether someone was added to "the number" of the saved?� ____________� Who should make that decision today?� ______________ |
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����������� c.�������� The new movement of Christians grew in number how often?� ________________________ |
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If you have questions about this or any other lesson, feel free to join our Godfind Discussion Group. |
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