Sunday, October 18th, 2015
This week we studied Acts 9:32-10.
As you begin your study each week, pray that God will speak to you through His Word. Come each week prepared for discussion. Be willing to participate and ask questions. As much as possible, stick to the topic at hand. Be sensitive to the other members in your group and listen attentively.
Intro To ACTS:
In the book of Acts, we see God birth the church by sending the Holy Spirit to indwell followers of Jesus. A great way to frame the entire book of Acts is in the following themes:
The beginning of the church (1:1 – 2:47)
The church and the Jewish authorities (3:1-5:42)
The church begins to expand (6:1-9:31)
The beginning of the Gentile mission (9:32-12:25)
The mission to Asia Minor and its aftermath (13:1-15:35)
Paul’s missionary campaign in Macedonia and Achaia (15:36-18:17)
Paul’s missionary campaign in Asia (18:18-20:38)
Paul’s arrest and imprisonment (21:1-28:31)
As we read and study Acts together, our prayer is that deep study of the Word of God would result in changed hearts and renewed spirits to pursue the things of God in our day and time.
“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”
Romans 8:11
Questions for this week:
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Through the conversion of Cornelius, God demonstrated irrevocably that He does not make distinctions in His kingdom. Therefore we have no right to make distinctions either. When have you felt separated from people because of cultural or racial differences?
- Read Acts 9:32-43. How was the power of God demonstrated in this passage? What were the results? What does it look like for you to declare and demonstrate the gospel in your spheres of influence?
- Read Acts 10:1-9. What evidence was there in the character of Cornelius that the Holy Spirit was working in him? (see verse 2). Can you think of a time where God was preparing you for something and you realized it after the fact?
- In Acts 9:32-43, think of the power granted to Peter. Think of the other healing he had done. What does he say when he heals others in this part of Acts? In what name does he heal? Discuss the humility of Peter, given his water-walking, his denial, restoration and now prominent place in God’s church. Is this the same Peter that said “God forbid it, Lord, this shall never happen to you” in Matthew 16 or the same Peter who swung a sword in Jesus’ defense? How has he changed?
- Throughout Acts 10, though Peter and other disciples were healing and performing great miracles, they didn’t seem that particular about ministering to Gentiles. How has God worked through unexpected people in your life? Have you experienced a time when someone you judged as an unbeliever or a sinner, turned out to be a saint? How did it affect you?
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Discuss Jewish identity with the Temple and the Law and the nation of Israel. Even after the disciples saw the resurrected Christ what earthly thing were they concerned about in Acts 1:6? Why do you think God had to be so insistent for Peter to move past his personal traditions and tastes? Has there been a time when God moved you out of your comfort zone? Discuss this time, your enthusiasm or reluctance, and how that experience changed you.