Sermon Series Autumn 2007
Christian Discipleship
A Study of Acts 2 v 42-47
42: They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the
fellowship, to the
breaking of bread and to prayer.
43: Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs
were done by
the apostles.
44: All the believers were together and had everything in common.
45: Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had
need.
46: Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They
broke bread in
their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
47: praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people.
And the Lord added to their
number daily those who were being
saved.
they devoted themselves to…………….
Week 1:
Sunday 7 October the apostles teaching……
Readings: Galatians 1 v 6-24 and Acts 2 v 42-47
Week 2: Sunday 14 October and to the fellowship…..
Readings: Ephesians 2 v 11-22 and Acts 2 v 42-47
Week 3: Sunday 21 October to the breaking of bread and to prayer
Readings: Psalm 25 and Luke 22 v 14-20
Week 4: Sunday 28 October
Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and
miraculous signs were done by the apostles….
Readings: 1 Corinthians 12 v 1-13 and Acts 2 v
42-47
Week 5: Sunday 4 November
All the believers were together and had everything in
common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
Readings: Psalm 133 and Philippians 2 v 1-11
Week 6: Sunday 18 November and the Lord added to their number daily those who were
being saved.
Readings: Acts 2 v 42-47 and Mark 4 v 1-9, 26-32
Study resources
The following study guides have been prepared for use by Home
Groups, or individuals, to help with a more in depth exploration of the weekly
teaching. If you have any questions about these studies which you would like
answered, please email them to vicar@st-barnabas-cray.org.uk
and we will try to respond promptly.
Week 1:
They devoted themselves to
the apostles teaching
Read Acts 2 v 42
- What do you think Luke is getting at when he writes "they devoted
themselves… …."?
(the translation from the Greek used here is "they continued
steadfastly")
- What was the source of the apostles teaching? – read what Paul says in
Galatians 1 v 6-24
- Where do we, in 2007, find the record of the apostles’ teaching?
- What might it mean for us to devote ourselves to the apostles' teaching?
How would such devotion work out in practice in our lives as individuals and
as the St Barnabas branch of the body of Christ?
- What are we already doing and what might we need to do that we are not
doing at the moment?
- A church based on the love of God and the truth of his Word. How do we
express this statement that is on our church logo?
[
Back to Summary ]
.
Week 2:
They devoted
themselves to… and to the fellowship
Read Acts 2 v 42 - 47
1. From the context in Acts what do you think
Luke means when he talks about “the fellowship”?
Read Ephesians 2 v 11 - 22
2. What do we learn in this reading about the
basis of the Christian fellowship?
3. What is the difference between relating to
someone as part of the fellowship and simply being
friends with them?
4. In Acts 2 v 42 - 47 how did the commitment of
the first Christians to the fellowship show itself?
5. How can we reflect that sort of commitment in
the life of St. Barnabas?
6. How can we ensure that both newcomers to St
Barnabas and those who have been part of the
church for a long time, find
appropriate forms of giving and receiving encouragement and
support, particularly if they find it
difficult to get to our midweek or weekend activities?
[
Back to Summary ]
Week 3:
They devoted
themselves to… the breaking of bread and to prayer
Read Luke 22 v 14-20
1. We learn from Acts and other sources that for the
early Christians the breaking of bread was
something central to their
existence as a community.
a. Why do you think
this was the case for the early church?
b. What is the
evidence that this is still true for us?
c. If we never
celebrated Holy Communion again, why would we miss it?
2. What can we learn from the practice in the
Early Church of having regular communal meals?
Read Psalm 25
3. How does this prayer differ from or reflect the way
we pray at home?
4. In Acts 4 v 31 we read:
"After they prayed, the
place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with
the Holy Spirit and spoke the
word of God boldly."
What do we expect to happen
when we meet with others to pray?
[
Back to Summary ]
Week 4: Everyone was filled with awe, and many
wonders and miraculous signs were done by the
apostles …
Read Acts 2 v 42 & 43
- In verse 43 Luke says the people were ‘filled with awe’. Other
translation use the word ‘fear’ instead of ‘awe’. Why do you think
they reacted like this?
- How might this reaction (awe or fear) have been different among the new
believers and the onlookers?
- Think of situations in which your reaction to God’s activity has been
awe or fear. Why did it happen?
Read 2 Corinthians 12 v 12 and Acts 3 v 1-10
4. Why do you think these wonders and
miraculous signs were important?
Read 1 Corinthians 12 v 1-13
5. Look at the range of spiritual
gifts mentioned. What makes them belong together? How should
we expect to
recognise them among the congregation of St. Barnabas?
[
Back to Summary ]
Week 5: All the believers were together and had
everything in common. Selling their possessions and
goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
Read Psalm 133
-
In verse 1 we read "how good and pleasant it is when
brothers live together in unity!"
What does it mean to say that Christians should have unity with each other?
Does this mean we should all be the same?
Read Philippians 2 v 1-11
- What do you think Paul means when he says that we should be
"like-minded" (NIV)
"of one mind" (RSV) "thinking the same thing" (Greek)?
Does this mean we always have to agree with each other?
Read Acts 2 v 44, 45
- What do you think Luke means when he says in v 44 that the believers ...
had everything in common?
- What do you think motivated the Early Church to behave in this way?
-
How can we, in our own situations, express the commitment
to care for and serve one
another that is reflected in v 44 and 45?
- Some people have suggested that what is described in Acts 2 was a short
lived experiment limited to the earliest days of the church. Whilst others
have seen it as providing model for how all subsequent generations of
Christians should behave. Which of these views do you find most convincing
and why?
[
Back to Summary ]
Week 6: "...and the Lord added to their number
daily those who were being saved."
Read Acts 2 v 42-47
-
Given the context of v 47 in Acts 2, what do you think
were the reasons that the first Christians were praising God?
-
Do you think we should expect to have `favour with all the
people' in St. Paul's Cray today? Why, or why not?
-
Why is it an encouragement to read that `the Lord added to
their number daily'?
-
If it is the Lord who adds people to his Church, what, if
anything, is our part in the process?
Read Mark 4 v 1-9 and 26-32
-
The story of the sower is very well known, but what might
it mean for us at St Barnabas in this coming year? What might our ears
need to hear (v 9)?
-
The fascinating image of a tiny seed growing to a big
plant feels very comforting but what about the issue of the birds o` the
air who will perch in its shade? (v 32) What might that be about and what
relevance does it have for St. Barnabas at its current stage in life?
[
Back to Summary ]
