JESUS’ SCRIPTURE: Acts 1:12-26

SCRIPTURE

Acts 1:12-26 ¹²Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. ¹³And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

¹⁵In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, ¹⁶“Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. ¹⁷For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” ¹⁸(Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. ¹⁹And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ²⁰“For it is written in the Book of Psalms,
‘May his camp become desolate,
and let there be no one to dwell in it’;
and
‘Let another take his office.’

²¹So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²²beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” ²³And they put forward two, Joseph calledBarsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. ²⁴And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen ²⁵to take the place in this ministry andapostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” ²⁶And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

BIG IDEA

How did the disciples begin executing the biggest mission in the history of the world? The Bible says that while waiting for the Holy Spirit, they devoted themselves to prayer—they talked to Jesus. They spent 10 days praying, a few hours preaching, and the result was 3,000 people saved by Jesus. Jesus wants us to be people who pray and act, but he wants us to pray before we act. Do you want to see people saved by Jesus? Pray. The Apostles led the church by following Scripture, because it is the very Word of God. Ultimately, it is Jesus who chooses leaders and guides leaders through His Word.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Was there anything from Sunday’s Sermon or the Big Idea that was new to you or had an affect on you? Did you hear anything that raised more questions in your mind?

2. What stands out to you in Acts 1:12-26 and why? What remaining questions do you have about the passage?

3. Spend time taking turns praying for your city. Pray, asking Jesus to save people in your city. Next, do the same for your workplace and your neighborhood.

4. Spend time taking turns praying for Jesus to give each of you strength through the Holy Spirit to be a bold witnesses of Jesus’ gospel- telling others the good news and encouraging them to trust Jesus for salvation.

5. Spend time praying for one another’s personal prayer requests. Praises, or besetting sins, sicknesses, various kinds of struggles, worries, doubts, fears, etc.

GOOD WORD

Jesus, said “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:28-29)

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