Discussion Questions: April 12
Opening
What stood out to you from Sunday’s message?
Summary
Read Acts 1:12-26
Jesus had commanded the Apostles to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. While they waited, there was something really important that needed to happen before the Spirit came. It was really important that Judas be replaced and that there be 12 apostles again, representing the 12 tribes of Israel. The Apostles are the foundation and witnesses of God’s new community, the restored Israel.
Discussion Questions
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Why is it so important that there are 12 apostles? What does this tell us about the nature of the church and how it relates to the Old Testament?
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Reading the text closely, what is the role of an apostle and what are the qualifications of an apostle?
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Later the church is devoted to the “Apostles’ teaching” (2:42). How can we be devoted to the same thing?
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How do we discern what in Acts is prescriptive for us today and what is simply descriptive of what happened then? What principles should we apply?
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What do the Apostles do here to discern God’s will? Which practices should we imitate and which should we not? And if not, why not?