The Story of Acts

INTRODUCTION

     His Story, Our Story

     The Unity of Luke-Acts

THE MESSAGE OF ACTS: ACTS 1:1-5

     Story of Jesus is Incomplete w/o Story of the Church

          The “Body of Christ”

     Story of the Church Completes Story of Jesus

          The Kingdom of God

     Story of Jesus Sets the Pattern for Story of the Church

          Cruciformity

DISCIPLESHIP GROUP QUESTIONS

EQUIP

• Read aloud the texts from Sunday (Acts 1:1-5; 17:6-7; 7:54-60). What do you remember most from the teaching? Discuss what stood out as you read through the passages this time.
• What do you think the church is “for” … put another way, what—in your understanding—is the purpose and mission of the church? Where did you get that idea?
• In what sense is the story of Jesus “complete”? In what sense is the story of Jesus “incomplete” without the story of the church?

ENCOURAGE

• Would you say you tend to have high, low or average expectations of God? Explain.
• Given what we discussed on Sunday, what kinds of expectations should we have of God? Why?
• What do you think it might cost you to follow wholeheartedly after Jesus? Consider the example of the early church. Put another way, what suffering or sacrifice are you either consciously or unconsciously avoiding in your walk with Jesus?

CHALLENGE

• On Sunday it was said that, “the body of Christ” is not (merely) a metaphor? Discuss.
• If the above idea is true, one implication is that God may be asking you to be the answers to the very prayers you pray. What are you asking/hoping for God to do [directly] that He might actually use you [indirectly] to accomplish? Finish your time by praying into these things.