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(click on a study, copy and paste it---and it's yours)The Story of the World (and Us) Part 5: Life in Jesus' Community
A blessing to the nations
A. Acts 1:1-11 (p.1153 NIrV) Jesus’ last (physical) meeting with his disciples
- For what are the disciples to wait? —vs. 4
a. What is that “gift?”
b. What is the power that Jesus talks about in verse 8?
- Where will that power come from?
- Is the Holy Spirit’s power available to us, too?
B. Acts 2:1-13 The Spirit of the Lord comes upon the disciples
Remember Luke 3:21-22: When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened. The Holy Spirit came down on him….
Remember also, Luke 4:18-19 where Jesus says: The Spirit of the Lord is on me. He has anointed me to tell the good news to poor people. He has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners. He has sent me so that the blind will see again. He wants me to free those who are beaten down. And he has sent me to announce the year when he will set people free.
- Is that the same Spirit that comes on the disciples?
- What was the first thing the Spirit enables the disciples to do? —Acts 2:6
- What did the people who heard them think? —Acts 2:12-13
- Peter then spoke to the crowd about Jesus—who he is, what happened to him, how God raised him from the dead. How did the people respond to Peter’s explanation? —Acts 2:37
- What is Peter’s response to them? —Acts 2:38
What does baptism mean here?
- What two things will be given to those who are baptized? —Acts 2:38
a.b.
- What is the response of the people ?! —Acts 2:41
C. Acts 2:42-47 A Summary of the Spirit-directed life of Jesus’ Community
- What 4 things did the community do according to verse 42?
a. ______________________________
b. ______________________________
c. ______________________________
d. ______________________________
- Are these things important for Jesus’ community today?
D. Paul writes letters to several of Jesus’ communities
*Romans 5:1-11 (p.1192 NIrV): Paul celebrates what God has done for us through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
- What 2 things does Paul celebrate in Romans 5:1?
a.b.
- What does it mean to “stand in grace?” —Rom. 5:2
- How can followers of Jesus be full of joy when they suffer? —Rom. 5:3-5
- How has God shown us his brand of love? —Rom. 5:8
- How can Jesus’ followers know that they will be saved? —Rom. 5:9-11
Colossians 1:19-14 (p. 1245 NIrV) Paul urges us to live lives worthy of the Lord.
- What does Paul ask God to fill us with? —vs. 9
- What is the difference between spiritual wisdom and understanding and scientific wisdom and understanding?
- Why does Paul want us to have spiritual wisdom and understanding?—vs. 10
- What might that mean?
- What examples of “living a life worthy of Jesus” does Paul give? —vs. 10-11
1. _______________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________
Galatians 5:16-25 (p.1233 NIrV) The Holy Spirit helps us be faithful disciples of Jesus.
- What is the “sinful nature” like? —Gal. 5:19-21
- What is the fruit of the Holy Spirit? —Gal. 5:22-23
- Is there an order to them?
- Can the “sinful nature” and the fruit of the Spirit coexist? —vs. 17
- What has happened to those who have committed their lives to Jesus? —Gal. 5:24
- What must they therefore do? —vs. 25