There Arose Such a Clatter

 This is the study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting December 9, to study Acts 2. And it's late...sorry about that.

Read through the chapter a few times and note details of action. There is a lot of speech in this chapter but try to focus on the action. Make notes of who's doing what. That should help you put yourself into the scene in different places. Jot down what you think about what's happening. And write down questions about the text. What Luke wrote, why that particular way, and so on. You will have more questions if you read the chapter in more translations.

Once you have your notes, go back through with a commentary or study Bible and make any modifications to your own notes and questions. You may have more questions after looking at a commentary. Bring these to the study group.

After you go through a commentary, go back through with the questions below:

• The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit who then gives them the ability to speak clearly in other languages. Why do you think it was important for the Holy Spirit to enable them to speak clearly? And yet, everyone seems to know they are Galileans. If it wasn't their accent, then how do you think the people knew?
• Some think they're drunk. If all could hear clearly spoken things of God in their own language, why do you think that would suggest drunkenness? When does drunkenness increase intelligibility?
• Peter draws from the end of Joel, who prophesies about the "Great Day of the Lord". How do you think Jesus' life and ascension is the "Great Day of the Lord"? How did His life, death, resurrection, and ascension match the description Peter quotes?
• So, of those from all over (see verses 9 to 11) join the 120, adding 3,000 to their number, how many stayed in Jerusalem? Did some go back to those areas? What can you find out about the Jewish pilgrimage process in the first century AD?
• If the group of disciples grew from 120 to 3,000, what sort of problems do you think that would cause? What do you think of their solution in verses 44 and 45?

I'll stop there. I have lots more questions. The chapter makes my head spin. Bring your clarity and prayer requests.

See you Thursday!

Moving fron Son-Powered to Wind-Powered Lives

This is the study page for this Thursday, August 23 (possibly).  We will be looking over Acts 2, which may take us more than a week.

As you read Acts 2, look for things that are out of place, or unexpected in a familiar story.  Ask yourself questions, and write them down to share Thursday.  Once through it, go back over it, prayerfully considering what might be God's point for inspiring this story (don't assume), the role of His Spirit in these events, and then what is the central event on which the others turn.  Then, on your third time through, consider the questions below.

• What does Pentecost celebrate (there's a link, but also look in any resources you have as well)?
• What senses (of the 5) are used to describe the Holy Spirit's arrival?
• Look up the word "filled" in Strong's (G4130).  What does it add to the English word, "filled"?
• What connection do you see between verses 4 and 5 if any?  Or is 5 just a transition?
• What does the assembled crowd tell you about the "sensory" details of the event?
• There is one popular area of the Mediterranean Sea missing in this list of peoples.  Which one?
• Two words are used in verse 7 for the "feelings" of the crowd, "amazed" (G1839) and "astonished" (G2296). How are they different, and what do you imagine the crowd doing?
• How did they know they were all Galileans? So what if they are?
• In verse 12 there are two others (or one different), "amazed" (G1839 again) and "perplexed" (G1280). How is this different from "astonished"?
• The term "new wine" is the translation of this word (G1098).  What seems odd about this suggestion?
• Look up Joel 2.  What is this chapter about?  Is that what's happening here?  How is it similar?
• What is the core claim of Peter about Jesus in verses 22-24?
•  Look up Psalm 16:8-11.  How does the meaning of the Psalm change if it's applied to Jesus?  What does that mean for its application in David's day?
• Peter makes a good case for not applying it to David.  How would the people of Israel understood it?
• The people respond with, "What do we do?"  What is Peter's answer?  Is that enough?
• What is church like in verses 42-47?  What's the core quality they have?
• What would it be like for our church to be like this?  What stops us?

That should do for now.  Remember to bring your questions.  Pray for each other this week.  Pray especially for Lyndsay.  She will be really busy preparing for Sunday because it's going to be all music all the time (except for Communion); very tiring, both preparing and performing.

I look forward to seeing you all Thursday!