The Story Chapter 28 Reflection Questions

In today’s terminology we would call them wimps or maybe men with no backbone. All the disciples, except the “Beloved disciple,” ran when the going got tough. Now Jesus was alive, they had followed marching orders and had waited in Jerusalem until “the gift” arrived. What would the gift look like?

They had no clue. They just knew that they would know it when it came. Scripture tells us it came with the rush of a mighty wind. Maybe it sounded like one of those deadly tornados that frequent the plains of the mid-west. Instead of hiding, as their pattern had been, they came out into the open. Then the most amazing thing happened to them. It seemed like tongues of fire were falling upon them, but it was the manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

These men, who had literally been cowards were now empowered in ways they had never been before, and they were speaking in languages they had never learned.  The purpose of the languages–to share the Good News of the resurrection of Jesus the Christ. They were empowered by the Spirit to build the kingdom of God.

The Good News doesn’t stop there. They the Holy Spirit continues to empower us today. Have you been baptized in the power of the Holy Spirit? Wonderful things can happen and gifts of the Spirit are given when you are willing to make yourself available for God’s use.

Use these study questions (taken from the Adult Study Guide) to enhance your reading this week.

1. Look up Ex. 3:2, 3:21, and 19:18. Why do you suppose the Holy Spirit was portrayed as tongues of fire that came to rest on each believer at Pentecost and how does His relationship to believers change after this event?
2. According to Peter’s Pentecost sermon (p. 325 or Acts 2:22-24, 36), who was responsible for Jesus death?  As a group, discuss the tension we experience between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will.
3. What marked the community life of the believers (p. 326, 328)?  Discuss ways your church and small group help foster a similar community.  Share what is most meaningful to you personally.
4. The church grew rapidly from the beginning even in spite of growing opposition and persecution.  What factors might account for such growth then?
5. God the Father was the most visible person of the Trinity in the Old Testament.  Jesus, God the Son, was most visible in the gospels and now God the Holy Spirit becomes prominent in Acts.  For most Christians, the Holy Spirit is the least understood person of the Trinity.   List all you learned about the Holy Spirit from this chapter. What did you learn about the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for your own life?
6. How did Stephen’s martyrdom help fulfill God’s mandate of Acts 1:8 (p. 323) beginning with Philip?  If you are comfortable, share an example from your own life of God fulfilling an Upper Story work out of a Lower Story tragedy.
7. What accounts for the dramatic change in Saul of Tarsus from persecutor to preacher?  Do you know anyone personally who has gone from being a Christ-hater to a Christ-follower?  (Please be sensitive to privacy by refraining from mentioning names.)
8. God intended to teach Peter something even more profound than a lesson about foods through the vision of unclean animals (p. 333-334).  What was it and why was Cornelius’ conversion such a big turning point in the life of the early church?  (See Acts 11:1-3, Acts 11:15-18, Rom. 10:12-13 and Eph. 2:11-13 for further insight.)
9. What did you learn about suffering from Peter’s flogging (p. 329-330) and imprisonment (p. 334-336), and Stephen’s martyrdom (p. 330-331) that you could apply personally?