What is the most surprising thing you’ve ever seen? Something that made you have to look twice?

Read Luke 24:33-49

Why are the disciples so freaked out when Jesus popped into the room with them?

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!

What’s their first reaction to Jesus when he suddenly appears?

How does Jesus calm their fears and prove that he’s no ghost?
(lets them touch him, shows his hands and feet, eats some fish!)

There are some books about Jesus that he mentions. What are they? (v. 44)

Where are these books found?
How can these books talk about Jesus if he hadn’t come to earth yet?

What job does Jesus give to the disciples? (vv. 47-48)

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)

How do the disciples react when Jesus is taken up into heaven?

Something has changed! The disciples do something here that they haven’t done anywhere else in the Gospels. What is it?

(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.)

Why do you think the disciples worship Jesus now?

Big things to remember as we look at Acts next:

The disciples worship Jesus as God now -- they finally get that he is God’s Son.
The have a big job to do -- but they have to wait for the Spirit to come first.

Read Acts 2:1-24, 32-41

Twice in a row the disciples have a crazy experience in an upper room. What’s going on this time?

This is pretty good timing. What big event is about to happen in Jerusalem?

Where are all the people from who come for Pentecost?

What crazy thing happens when the disciples start to speak to the crowd?

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.

When people make fun of the disciples, how does Peter answer them? What reason does he give for this language miracle?

According to the prophet Joel that Peter quotes, what will God send “on all people”? (v. 17)

According to Joel, when is this supposed to happen?
(“last days,” v. 17; “before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord,” v. 20)

So… what does this say about what’s happening at the Pentecost festival?

How do the people respond to what Peter says? (v. 37)

How does Peter answer? What are people supposed to do when they realize the truth about Jesus?

How many people respond to Peter? (v. 41, 3000!)

Peter repeats a promise that Jesus made back in Luke 24. What is it? (v. 38, gift of the Holy Spirit)

Putting it together

So, people who follow after Jesus are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. What does the Spirit do?

What kinds of things does the Spirit help people to do? (fruit - Galatians 5:22-23)

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?