Bible Stories for Adults

Pentecost

Acts 1-2

Next Week - Elijah's Ascension (2 Kings 1-2)
Bible Words to Remember:
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

What caused the downfall of the great nation of Israel?
1 Kings 14:15-16 = Israel's kings led people away from God
What caused the downfall of the more faithful nation of Judah?
2 Chronicles 36:14-16 = Became unfaithful, mocked God's messengers (rejected grace)
What hope did the Jews have to look forward to?
Jeremiah 23:5-6 = A just & faithful king like David to restore Israel to greatness
How did the Jews refer to this promised one?
Daniel 9:25 = The Anointed One - Messiah

Who was this Messiah for whom the Jews were looking?
John 1:41-42a = Jesus
Did Jesus spend His ministry telling everyone that He was the promised Messiah?
Matthew 16:20 = No, He even forbade His disciples from telling others
Why did Jesus tell His disciples not to tell others who He was?
Luke 9:45 = They wouldn't understand, they expected the messiah to be different
When would they understand?
John 14:25-26 = When the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, came and explained all things
Did Jesus ever explain His mission and kingdom?
John 18:36 = My kingdom is not of this world ...

Did Jesus' closest followers, the apostles, understand His mission?
Acts 1:6 = No, after He rose, they asked if He would restore Israel
How did Jesus respond to His disciples' lack of understanding?
Acts 1:7, 9 = Raised His hands and rose into heaven
Was Jesus gone for good? = Ascended from Mt of Olives (Gethsemane)
Acts 1:10-11 = No, He will return the same way He left

What final instructions did Jesus give His disciples before He ascended?
Acts 1:4 = Go to Jerusalem & wait for the gift the Father promised
What was this gift?
Acts 1:5 (also Luke 3:16) = They'd be baptized with the Holy Spirit
Why did Jesus reference John's baptism?
Luke 3:16 = John foretold Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit
Why was this gift so important and valuable?
Acts 1:8 = Empower them to witness in Jerusalem, Judea & Samaria, & to the ends of the earth

Who were the apostles and what did they do after Jesus ascended?
Acts 1:12-14 = 11 disciples (minus Judas) returned to Jerusalem & prayed constantly
How many Christians were there at this time?
Acts 1:15 = About 120

How did Peter explain why Judas betrayed Jesus and then killed himself?
Acts 1:16-20 = To fulfill the Scriptures as spoken through David
Had any disciples besides the 12 apostles followed Jesus from the start?
Acts 1:21-23 = 2 others - Barsabbas (Son of the Sabbath) & Matthias
How had the original twelve become apostles? = apostle - one sent forth
Mark 3:13-14 = Jesus personally chose & called them from His disciples
How could another apostle be selected if Jesus had ascended into heaven?
Acts 1:24-26 = Prayed for Jesus to select & show them through lots

What major festival arrived while the disciples were still waiting for the Counselor?
Acts 2:1 = Pentecost
What was the festival of Pentecost? = Greek for 50 days
Leviticus 23:15-16 = Feast of Weeks, 50 days after Firstfruits
50 days after Passover = Rabbis said the Law was given 50 days after Passover
Whitsunday = From white clothes of people seeking baptism 50 days after Easter
How long had the disciples been waiting?
Acts 1:3 = 10 days (50 - 40)

What happened when the disciples were gathered together on Pentecost?
Acts 2:2-4 = Wind from heaven, tongues of fire, filled with Spirit, speak in tongues
Pneuma & Ruach = Greek & Hebrew words used for both Spirit and wind
Genesis 1:2 = The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters
What did the tongues of fire represent?
Psalm 29:7 = The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.

Did anyone else hear the sound of the wind? = People from all over were visiting for festival
Acts 2:5-6 = A crowd came in response to the noise
Why were people amazed to hear their own languages besides Greek & Aramaic?
Acts 2:7-8 = These men from Galilee wouldn't know these languages
What nationalities heard their own language? (See map on Page 4)
Acts 2:9-11 = All areas of the known world
Moody: When God set forth His fiery Law (Deut 33:2) He proclaimed it in one tongue, but the story of grace was told in the language of every nation under heaven.

Did the people understand what had happened?
Acts 2:12-13 = No, they were perplexed. Some said they were drunk
Can we expect non-Christians to understand the truths God has given us?
1 Corinthians 2:12-14 = No, they are spiritually discerned

Did any of the Christians recognize that the crowd didn't understand? = Peter did & spoke up
Acts 2:14-15 = 9:00 am - Jews wouldn't break fast on festival day until 10:00 or so
How did Peter explain so the gathered Jews would understand?
Acts 2:16-21 = He quoted Joel 2:28-32 and said this prophesy was being fulfilled
Why had Jesus performed miracles, been crucified and then resurrected?
Acts 2:22-24 = God was carrying out His plan through Jesus

What other old Testament prophesy did Peter use to explain who Jesus was?
Acts 2:25-28 = Psalm 16:8-11 form David
What points were Peter making by quoting Psalm 16?
Acts 2:29 = David wasn't speaking of himself since he was dead & buried
Acts 2:30-31 = David was speaking of his promised descendant, the Messiah (Christ)
Acts 2:32 = Jesus is this resurrected Messiah (Christ)
Acts 2:33 = Today's wonders of the Holy Spirit are evidence of this
How did Peter use Psalm 110:1 to wrap up his explanation?
Acts 2:34-36 = Jesus is also the Lord that David so often spoke of & God exalted

Did Peter's message have any effect on the crowd that had gathered?
Acts 2:37 = They were cut to the heart & asked, What should we do?
How are God's people to respond to His great gospel (Good News)?
Acts 2:38 = Repent & be baptized to receive forgiveness & the Holy Spirit

Was this promise of the Holy Spirit and salvation only for those gathered on Pentecost?
Acts 2:39 = No, it is for all whom the Lord will call
Did any of the crowd accept salvation and join this group of 120 believers?
Acts 2:40-41 = About 3000 were added that day
How did this first preaching of God's grace contrast with the first presentation of God's Law?
Exodus 32:25-28 = 3000 died the day God's Law was brought to the people

What did the religious life of this initial Christian church consist of?
Acts 2:42 = Teaching by apostles, fellowship, Communion, prayer
Did the power of the Holy Spirit go away after Pentecost?
Acts 2:43 = No, God continued to give & show His power
How close did this group become personally?
Acts 2:44-45 = They were constantly together & shared everything
How often did they meet and where?
Acts 2:46 = Met in temple courts daily, ate together in homes
Who was in charge of the group's membership drive and how effective was he?
Acts 2:47 = God added members daily