Church-Lesson04

THE FIRST-CENTURY CHURCH
Based on the book, Acts of the Apostles

LESSON FOUR

DAY ONE:

Chapter 7

Stephen Reviews O.T. Leading up to Jesus

BACKGROUND:� Stephen stood before the Sanhedrin and reviewed history of the Jews to try to prove Jesus is the Savior, the King, that was prophesied through Jewish prophets all those centuries.�� This is an excellent quick Old Testament survey

VERSE 2�� Abraham's early life was where? _______________ __________________________________________

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�� NOTE:� He lived in the city of Ur.� Ruins of Ur have been located near where the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers join before entering the Persian Golf.� Genesis 2:14 says this meeting place of rivers was where the Garden of Eden was.

VERSE 3�� God told Abraham to _______________ his country and _____________, and go to a land God would show him.� (Remember, there were no maps in those days.)

VERSE 4�� So Abraham left the land of the _________________.� This land was later known as Babylon.� Today it is known as Iran.

�� b.�� Abrahm settled in _________________.� Genesis 11:28 says Abraham's brother, who had died earlier, was named Haran.� Perhaps this is a city his brother had founded.� It was located in the SE corner of Turkey not far from Mt. Ararat where Noah's ark landed eight generations earlier.

�� c.�� After Abraham's father's death, he moved to "the land where _____________ are _____________� _____________________."� (Remember, Stephen was talking to the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem.)� What "land" was that? __________________________

VERSE 5�� Abraham never owned land here, but God promised him his ________________ would, even though at the time Abraham did not have a ________________.

VERSE 6-7�� God predicted Abraham's descendants would go to a country _______ theirs and be _______________ and __________________ for _________________ years.� But God would later punish that country for treating God's people bad.� (Stephen rounded out the years, because Exodus 14:40 said they would be in Egypt 430 years.)

�� NOTE:� This prediction was made when Abraham was 85 years old.� Abraham died when he was 175.� Ten years later (100 years after the prediction), his descendants entered Egypt where they were treated well as long as Abraham's great grandson, Joseph, was prime minister there.� But when he died, the Egyptians made the Jews slaves.� This would have occurred 150-200 years after the prediction.

VERSE 8�� Abraham's son was _________________________.� Abraham's grandson was ______________ whose name was later changed to Israel.� Israel had ____ sons who became the patriarchs of the Jewish nation later known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

VS. 9-10�� Abraham's great grandson Joseph was sold as a _______________________ to Egypt, but later was made ______________ of Egypt by _____________.�

VS. 11-16�� During a famine, Joseph's brothers went to Egypt to get ___________.� After their reunion and forgiveness, Joseph sent for his father ___________ to move there.�

�� b.�� Including his brother's families, how many (the original Jewish nation) moved to Egypt?� ________

VS. 17-20�� After Joseph and his memory died, Egypt's Pharaohs dealt more and more ________________ with the Jews.� (This lasted about 150 years)

�� b.�� Eventually, fearing the Jews' growing population, the Egyptians even killed their _________________.� During this time, _________________ was born.

DAY TWO:

VS. 21-22�� Moses was adopted by _______________________ ____________________ and educated with the ___________________.

VS. 23-25�� When Moses was ______ years old, he killed an __________________________ for mistreating a _______________.� He thought the Jews would understand he was trying to ___________ them.

VS. 26-28�� Instead, the Jews didn't trust him and thought he'd want to _________ them too.

VERSE 29�� When Moses realized it was known he'd killed an _______________, he went into exile in _________.� This country is today's Arabia.

�� b.�� While there, Moses married and had ________ sons.

VS. 30-33�� After another ________ years, God spoke to Moses out of a __________ bush near Mount __________.� (Later at that same mountain, God would give Moses the Ten Commandments - Exodus 19:18 and chapter 20.)

�� So, 150 years from the promise to Abraham until death of Joseph.� Another 200 years of slavery.� Another 40 years for Moses to grow up.� Another 40 years for Moses to live in and learn the wilderness he will lead the Jews through some day.� Now, the 430 years predicted to Abraham was up.

VERSE 34�� God had _____________ the oppression all along.� God had __________ their groanings all along.� Now God was ready.��

�� Exodus 12:37 said there were now 600,000 Jewish men at this time.� Doubling this for wives would be 1,200,000.� Multiplying 4 children per couple would give over 4,000,000 Jews by this time.

�� THOUGHT QUESTION:� God had heard their prayers all along.� But they were not strong enough yet.� Many died believing their prayers had not been answered.� They were answered in a much better way generations later.� Are you praying for something you don't think God is answering?�

VERSE 35�� But Moses objected saying his people had _______ __________________ him.� God insisted he lead them out of Egypt anyway.

VERSE 36�� These Jews had minds of slaves.� God had to have time to teach them to think for themselves and stand up for right.� So God gave the Jews time to develop a new generation.� This lasted for ________ years.

VS. 37-38�� Moses predicted to the Jews, "God will send you a ______________ like me" (Deuteronomy 18:18-19).�

�� NOTE:� Just as Moses had officially started the new nation of the Jews, giving it the commandments to go by, there would some day be a prophet who would start the new nation of God.� John 14:5 indicates early believers recognized Jesus to be the prophet Moses had predicted.

�� After Jesus came back to life, he explained all this, ?beginning with Moses and all the Prophets?concerning himself? (Luke 24:27).

VS. 39-41�� This first generation who left slavery in Egypt was still too influenced by Egypt.� They actually told Aaron, Moses' brother to _____________________ ______________ to lead them.� So they made an idol that looked like a ________________________.

�� NOTE:� The Hindu religion still reveres/worships cows.

DAY THREE:

VS. 42-43�� From then on, the Jews never completely quit worshipping idols.� Finally, centuries later, God sent them into ________________ in ____________________.

VERSE 44�� Under Moses' direction, the ___________________ was made according to God's pattern.� These minute directions are found in Exodus 35-40.� It was a large tent.� Its contents were overlaid with sheets of pure gold.� They worshipped in this tent structure until the time of David (see v. 45).

VS. 45�� It was General ____________ who finally led the Jews into the Promised Land, taking it from the nations God ________________________________ __________________________________________.

�� NOTE:� Wasn't it cruel for God to have the Jews kill all those people and take their land from them?�

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�� ANSWER:� The reason God waited 430 years to give the land to Abraham's descendants was because "the sins of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure" (Genesis 15:16).� Further, God through Moses said that, just as God drove the inhabitants before the Jews out of the land because of their sins, God would drive out the Jews from the same land if they commit the same sins (Leviticus 18:24-28).� The sins were idol worship (paganism) and sexual immorality.� Indeed, the Jews were later driven out.

�� THOUGHT QUESTION:� Do you think our nation is headed in that direction today?

VS. 46-50�� David's son, King _______________, replaced the tent place of worship, the Tabernacle, with a building place of worship, the Temple.

�� b.�� With all our beautiful church buildings today, does God actually dwell in them? ______

�� c.�� Where does God dwell?� (See Ephesians 1:22-23 and 2:20-22)� ____________________________

VS. 51-52�� Finally Stephen recalled all the Jews through the centuries who ______________ and ____________ the Old Testament __________ for teaching truth.�

�� b.�� Then he said, "___________ have betrayed and murdered" the righteous One predicted by those prophets.

VERSE 53�� Last, he calls them hypocrites because they _________________ the Law [of Moses] and taught it, but in reality never ________________ it.

VERSE 54�� The furious Sanhedrin ___________________ their teeth; that is, they became more stubborn, possibly the blood vessels throbbed in their neck, and their fists were clinched in defiance.

VS. 55-57�� Stephen probably knew he was about to become the first Christian martyr.� He had to be brave.� Since the New Testament was not written yet and he did not have that to call to memory in difficult times, what did God do to encourage him?� ___________ __________________________________________

�� b.�� Colossians 3:1 says Jesus is ____________ at the right hand of God.� But, watching the courage of Stephen, Jesus in heaven did what?� ____________

DAY FOUR:

VERSE 58�� An inconspicuous young man who held everyone's coats so they could _____________ Stephen was named ___________________.� Later in Acts, he was converted, and still later became an Apostle.

�� THOUGHT QUESTION:� Does that give you hope for friends or relatives who are right now defying God?

VERSE 59�� As they began stoning him, Stephen prayed the same thing Jesus had said on the cross.� Look up Luke 23:46.� What did they both say?� __________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________

VERSE 60�� Just before he died, Stephen said one more thing Jesus had said on the cross.� Look up Luke 23:34.� What did they both say? ______________________ __________________________________________

Chapter 8

Deacon Philip Spreads the Word

VERSE 1-2�� Saul approved of Stephen's what? ______________

�� b.�� On that day a great _____________________ broke out against the church.� Christians scattered.� Only the _____________________ stayed in Jerusalem.

VERSE 3�� Determined to completely ____________________ the church was the young man, ___________, who went _____________ to ______________________ dragging off men and ________________ and putting them in _____________________________.

VERSE 4-5�� Philip, one of the Christians who fled Jerusalem, was one of the original what in the church?� (See� Acts 6:5)� __________________________________

b.� �� Notice, Philip proclaimed THE Christ.� According to John 1:41, Christ was a title meaning what?

�� ___________________________

�� According to Daniel 9:25, Messiah means Prince or anointed one.� What other titles does the Messiah wear?� Isaiah 9:6 syas he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

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VERSE 6-8�� Philip got the power to perform miracles in the same way Stephen did.� What was it?� (See Acts 6:6)� ______________________________________ __________________________________________

�� 2 Corinthians 12:12 said the mark of an Apostle included _____________________________________

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�� In Romans 1:11 the Apostle Paul said he longed to visit the Roman Christians so he could impart some ___________________ _____________.

DAY FIVE:

A Convert Falls

VERSE 9-11�� Simon was a ______________________ who practiced _______________.

VS. 12-13�� Many people of Samaria as well as Simon _______ ___________________ and were ____________.

VS. 14-17�� Some time later, perhaps months, when the Apostles in Jerusalem heard the Samaritans (half-breed Jews) were converted, who was sent to them?� _________

�� b.�� In Matthew 28:19,� Jesus commanded that people be baptized in the name of the ___________________, the ________________, and the ________________

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�� Peter himself had said in the first gospel sermon that upon baptism, they would receive the gift of the __________________ ________________________ (Acts 2:38).

�� c.�� But these people hadn't understood that, and had omitted being baptized in the name of the _______ _____________________.

�� d.�� So when the Apostles learned that, rather than have them be baptized again, they were able to lay their

�� ___________________ on them (just like they had the deacons in Acts 6) and they received the Holy Spirit.

VS. 18-25�� Although verse 13 specified that Simon truly believed and was baptized, when he tried to buy the power the Apostles had to give the _____________ ___________________, Peter said his attitude was going to cause him and his money to do what? _________________________________________________________

�� Notice, only the Apostles had the power to give the Holy Spirit separate from baptism.

�� b.�� Peter told Simon his heart was captive to sin.� The original Greek word for captive and sometimes translated bondage is "desmos."� This same Greek word is used in Jude 6 describing the angels who fell from heaven.�

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�� c.�� Although Simon was perishing, Peter told him all he had to do was _______________ to receive God's _____________________.� He did not have to be baptized all over again.

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VS. 26-27�� Then Philip moved on to teach elsewhere.� On the road, he met a _________________ from Ethiopia (Africa).�

�� b.� �� THOUGHT QUESTION:� Eunuchs could not have children, sometimes naturally and sometimes because they had been castrated.� But Isaiah 56:3b-5 says their name given at the time of their salvation will be better than having sons and daughters, for their God-given name will last forever.� Do you know anyone who cannot have children who might be in some way encouraged with this passage in the Old Testament?

�� c.�� What position of authority did this man hold under Candace, Queen of Ethiopia? _____________________

d.�� We may conclude he had been converted to Judaism because he'd just come from ___________________ where he'd been _______________________.

DAY SIX:

VS. 28-31�� Sitting in his chariot resting, he was reading what Old Testament book?� _____________

�� b.�� Because the New Testament had not been written yet explaining how the Old Testament had been fulfilled in Jesus Christ, this man did not understand the prophet Isaiah unless someone ______________ to him.

�� c.�� Romans 10:1-2 says people cannot be saved if they only have zeal for God.� Their zeal must be based on what?� ______________________

�� d.�� Romans 10:9 & 17 say we must believe to be saved, and belief comes from _________________ (or reading) the ______________ of _______________.

VS. 32-35�� The eunuch was reading the Old Testament, Isaiah 53:7-8, where it says a man was led like a sheep to the _______________________________________.

�� John 1:29 says, "Behold, the __________________ of God who takes away the _____________ of the world."� Mark 14:61 says at Jesus' trial he remained ________________________.

�� NOTE:� Back in Isaiah 53, verse 5, it predicts this lamb will be pierced for our sins.� There are many prophecies in Isaiah about Jesus, all written about 700 years before Jesus was born.� Jesus couldn't possibly have purposely caused everything to happen in his life that had been prophesied unless he had been the Son of God.

NOTE:� USE PROPHECY FULFILLED TO PROVE TO� YOUR AGNOSTIC, ATHEIST OR NEW AGE FRIENDS THAT JESUS WAS THE SON OF GOOD.

VERSE 36�� After being taught by Philip, the eunuch wanted to be what?� _________________________________

VS. 37-40�� To accomplish this, both Philip and the eunuch went _________________ into the __________________.

�� b.�� Then they came ___________ ___________ of the _________________________.

�� c.�� Look at Romans 6:4.� Do you see a comparison?� What?� ____________________________________ ___________________________________________

�� d.�� Once that was done, what was his reaction?� _____________________

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