<p>What is the most surprising thing you've ever seen? Something that made you have to look twice?</p> <h3>Read Luke 24:33-49</h3> <p>Why are the disciples so freaked out when Jesus popped into the room with them?</p> <p class="well">He wasn't with them at the time -- last time Jesus was spotted, he was with a different group of people. He just appeared in the room -- out of nowhere!</p> <p>What's their first reaction to Jesus when he suddenly appears?</p> <p>How does Jesus calm their fears and prove that he's no ghost?<br>(lets them touch him, shows his hands and feet, eats some fish!)</p> <p>There are some books about Jesus that he mentions. What are they? (v. 44)</p> <p>Where are these books found?<br>How can these books talk about Jesus if he hadn't come to earth yet?</p> <p>What job does Jesus give to the disciples? (vv. 47-48)</p> <p>It sounds like Jesus is going to send them something in the mail. What are they supposed to wait for? (v. 49) (John 15:26-27)</p> <p>How do the disciples react when Jesus is taken up into heaven?</p> <p>Something has changed! The disciples do something here that they haven't done anywhere else in the Gospels. What is it?</p> <p>(The disciples worship Jesus after he goes up to heaven! So far they've been treating him like an impressive teacher, but they've never worshipped him before.)</p> <p>Why do you think the disciples worship Jesus now?</p> <p>Big things to remember as we look at Acts next:</p> <p>The disciples worship Jesus as God now -- they finally get that he is God's Son.<br>The have a big job to do -- but they have to wait for the Spirit to come first.</p> <h3>Read Acts 2:1-24, 32-41</h3> <p>Twice in a row the disciples have a crazy experience in an upper room. What's going on this time?</p> <p>This is pretty good timing. What big event is about to happen in Jerusalem?</p> <p>Where are all the people from who come for Pentecost?</p> <p>What crazy thing happens when the disciples start to speak to the crowd?</p> <p class="well">Everyone can understand what the disciples are saying in their own languages! Galileans probably spoke a dialect of Hebrew or Aramaic -- they likely wouldn't have known Greek or Latin or Babylonian or all the other languages of the people at the Pentecost festival.</p> <p>When people make fun of the disciples, how does Peter answer them? What reason does he give for this language miracle?</p> <p>According to the prophet Joel that Peter quotes, what will God send “on all people”? (v. 17)</p> <p>According to Joel, when is this supposed to happen?<br>(“last days,” v. 17; “before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord,” v. 20)</p> <p>So… what does this say about what's happening at the Pentecost festival?</p> <p>How do the people respond to what Peter says? (v. 37)</p> <p>How does Peter answer? What are people supposed to do when they realize the truth about Jesus?</p> <p>How many people respond to Peter? (v. 41, 3000!)</p> <p>Peter repeats a promise that Jesus made back in Luke 24. What is it? (v. 38, gift of the Holy Spirit)</p> <h3>Putting it together</h3> <p>So, people who follow after Jesus are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. What does the Spirit do?</p> <p>What kinds of things does the Spirit help people to do? (fruit - Galatians 5:22-23)</p> <p>What kinds of giftings do you think God has given you? What kinds of giftings do you think God has given the other people in our group?</p>
January 1, 2013 | Luke Johnson
