Acts - Week 1

Week 1 Acts 1 

Day 1 

READ 

Acts 1:1-2 

In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 

The human author of the book of Acts is Luke, also known as “the physician.” The first book to which he refers is the Gospel of Luke. Acts picks up where Luke ends and is like volume II of what Luke is writing. Little is known about the recipient “Theophilus” whose name means “friend of God.” If you were taking a college course on Church History, you would begin with the book of Acts. 

REFLECT 

Have you wondered about the early church and the transition from the Gospels to the Epistles that are later in the Bible? Acts is that transition.  

RESPOND 

Hopefully you have a disciple as you progress through the book of Acts. Together, read Luke 24:44-53 to see how the end of Luke connects with the beginning of Acts.  

Day 2 

READ 

Acts 1:3 

3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. 

Jesus rose from the dead on the third day and then spent another 40 days proving to others that He was alive. Even the disciples did not believe in Him until after His resurrection. He invited them to touch Him and He even ate with them. Finally they were convinced He was alive. Regarding the Kingdom of God, they already understood that God ruled over all, so this seems to be His teaching that He would someday return to rule on the earth.  

REFLECT 

Are you convinced that Jesus rose from the dead? The Bible gives eyewitness reports and you can believe them. 

RESPOND 

Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-9 to learn about the eyewitnesses of the resurrection of Jesus. When in doubt about spiritual questions you cannot answer, return and read this passage for confidence in the resurrected Christ. 

Day 3 

READ 

Acts 1:4-5 

4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 

Jesus promised to send the gift of the Holy Spirit who would baptize them. Although the baptism of the Holy Spirit is mentioned elsewhere, it is never explained until one reads 1 Corinthians 12:12-13. The fact that Jesus contrasted the baptism of the Spirit with the water baptism by John the Baptist, it indicates the baptism of the Spirit does not involve water. Jesus commanded His followers not to leave Jerusalem until they received this Spirit baptism. This is what Luke recorded at the end of his gospel. 

REFLECT 

Imagine what it would have been like for Jesus to have joined you and your friends and actually ate with you. This would certainly be a convincing proof that He had risen from the dead. 

RESPOND 

Take the time now to read 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 that tells about the Holy Spirit baptizing believers into the body of Christ. 

Day 4 

READ 

Acts 1:6-7 

6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” 7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.” 

The Jewish people had expected the Messiah to deliver them from the rule of the Roman Empire. Apparently the apostles were still thinking about this and wondered if that would occur now. Jesus told them that was not something they needed to know at that time. You will see as Luke developed the history what Jesus had in mind for the present time. This evidences human curiosity: people often want other questions answered, which is not necessary at the time. 

REFLECT 

Does this remind you of yourself? Do you sometimes wonder why God didn’t answer certain things in the Bible to satisfy your curiosity? 

RESPOND 

Talk to your disciple about how to handle questions the Bible does not comment about. There is no need to try to give an answer if the Bible has not. 

Day 5 

READ 

Acts 1:8-9 

8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 

Verse 8 is considered to be the key verse in the book of Acts. It serves as a guide for what is later recorded about the Holy Spirit coming on them; witnessing to those in Jerusalem (the home area); Judea (the larger surrounding area),; Samaria (considered as unclean by the Jewish community); and the rest of the world.  Having said this, Jesus then disappeared into a cloud where He could no longer be seen.  

REFLECT 

How are you doing in witnessing to those near you and to those farther away? Supporting others who are doing this is good, but a personal witness is even better. 

RESPOND 

Pray together with your disciple about the outreach of the gospel in your hometown, surrounding area, to those not socially accepted, and to the world.