The Church’s Generosity, Discipline, and Growth

Acts 4:32-5:14

Sermon Notes:

1) Great Power | 4:32-35

2) Great Grace | 4:33-37

3) Great Deception | 5:1-11

4) Great Gear | 5:5-14

Reflection questions:

1) Why might it be easier if we were commanded as Christians to relinquish our private property? What difficult decisions could we avoid? (No, I am not suggesting we should or that the Bible says we should.)

2) Does this passage say why Ananias lied? How do you think Satan tempted him to lie? What reward was he seeking? (Cf. Matthew 6:2-4 for one possibility.)

3) Is the great fear that fell upon the church an encouraging note to you? What does it mean to fear God? See Hebrews 12:18-29.

Praise Amidst Persecution

Acts 4:23-31

Sermon Notes:

1) The Servants released | 23

2) The Servants raise their voices | 24

3) The Nations rage | 25-27

4) The Lord reigns | 27-28

5) The Lord responds | 29-31

Reflection questions:

1) What aspects of the disciples’ prayer stick out to you? How can the circumstances and the words of this prayer teach us to pray?

2) Read Psalm 2. What parallels do you to the story of Acts 3-4 (see vv. 25-27 for a hint) as well as the story of the entire Bible?

3) The disciples prayed for boldness to speak God’s Word, and their prayer was answered. (In a way, it’s answered again at the end of Acts – see Acts 28:30-31.) Is there one person (or more) to whom you want courage to speak God’s Word?

But the Word of God is Not Bound

Acts 4

Sermon Notes:

1) The Word is not bound | 1-4

2) There is no other name | 5-12

3) We cannot help but speak | 13-22

Reflection questions:

1) What do you notice in vv. 1-4 about the opposition to the church and its message and the spread of the church’s message?

2) What hard truth does Peter speak to the Jewish authorities (vv.8-12)? What comfort is contained in his words, for those who have ears to hear it?

3) Can you see some respect to authority in Peter’s answers (vv8-12, 19-20)? Is there also a limit to his respect? What command will Peter not obey?

Times of Refreshing

Acts 3

Sermon Notes:

1) A Man who Received Grace not Gold | 1-10

2) A Group who Received Guilt They Deserved | 11-16

3) A Chance to Receive Restoration from Sin | 17-21

4) A Group who Received Grace not Guilt | 22-26

Reflection questions:

1. Can we do for others what Peter did for the nameless lame man? Can we follow Galatians 6:10? What is the significance of the following phrases in that verse: “as we have opportunity … everyone … especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

2. How responsible are you for the death of Jesus? (See vv.13-16 and notice all of the you’s.) How responsible was Jesus for your salvation, your deliverance from death? See 2 Cor. 5:21; Acts 3:19-20.

3. Would you describe repentance as a decisive turning from sin to salvation in Christ (see 2 Cor. 7:10)? Would you also acknowledge that repentance is followed by a greater awareness of sin, and a greater realization of our need to fight against sin daily? See Rom. 6:15-19; 7:7-25.

A Trustworthy Saying, a Valuable Training, and a Living Hope

1 Timothy 4:6-16

Sermon Notes:

1) When your pastor hopes in the Living God, he can focus on godly doctrine, 6-7, 10.

2) When your pastor hopes in the Living God, he can strive for godly discipline, 7- 10.

3) When your pastor hopes in the Living God, he can maintain a godly demeanor, 10-12.

4) When your pastor hopes in the Living God, he can maintain a godly devotion,10, 13-16.

Reflection questions:

1. Why did God include a letter from one pastor to another in the Bible? Is this letter only for pastors? What does Paul’s benediction (1 Tim. 6:16, and be sure to check the footnotes) have to say about that?

2. Is physical training pointless? Is it valuable? How valuable? What’s more valuable, and why? (See 1 Tim. 4:7-10; 1 Cor. 9:22-27; Phil. 3:12-14; 2 Tim. 2:1-7; 4:6-8.)

3.In what sense does Paul mean that Timothy can save himself? Compare this verse to the following: 2 Tim. 4:6-8; 1 Tim. 1:15; Phil. 2:12-13; Phil 3:1-9; Eph. 2:8-10.

Poured Out

Acts 2:1-41

Sermon Notes:

1) A Sound | 1-2

2) The Spirit | 3-4

3) A Curse Reversed | 5-12

4) A Priest’s Error Repeated | 13-15

5) A Prophecy Fulfilled | 16-21

6) A Romans Preview | 21

7) A Gospel Review | 21-24

8) A Resurrection in the Old Testament | 25-35

9) A Searing Conclusion | 36-37

10) A Spirit-filled Encore | 38-41

Reflection Questions:

1) Compare and contrast Acts 2 (especially vv.1-11) with Genesis 11:1-9; pay attention to the language(s), the goals, where the people dwell. Then compare them both to Revelation 5, especially vv. 8-14.

2) Is every aspect of Joel 2:28-32 (which Peter quotes in Acts 2:16-21) fulfilled in Acts 2? When should we expect to see the rest of it fulfilled, according to the Bible? Also, when are “the last days”? (See I John 2:18)

3) What is the main focus on Peter’s sermon (Acts 2:14-41) – tongues/languages, the Spirit, or the Resurrected Savior?

Broken but Bold - All that Jesus Continued to Do and Teach

Acts 1

Sermon Notes:

1) Apostolic Empowerment | 1-11

2) Apostolic Oblivion | 3-8

3) Apostolic Apostasy | 12-20

4) Apostolic Succession | 15-26

Reflection Questions:

1) Acts 1:3 says that Jesus spoke about the Kingdom of God during the 40 days before He ascended into heaven. What is the Kingdom of God? And what is the “good news of the Kingdom of God” (Luke 4:43)?

2) What does Jesus say will happen after His people receive the power of the Holy Spirit? What are all the ways you are currently witnessing (in small or large ways) about the good news of Jesus and its (current and future) impact upon your life?

3) Does Acts record the casting of lots in chapter 1 to encourage us to use similar methods in our decision making? What about the presence of prayer? How can we know which parts of Acts are prescriptive (prescribing what we should do) and which ones are descriptive (merely describing what happened)? How can the rest of Scripture help us decide?

A Light to the Nations

Acts 13:44-49; Isaiah 49:6

Sermon Notes:

1) The "religious" disrupted (v.44-45)

2) The "religious" thrust aside (v.46-47)

3) The mission continues (v.48-49)

Reflection Questions:

1. How might being on mission for God disrupt our life?

2. What does it mean to be the people of God?

3. How can be we salt and light in our lives?

4. How does God's sovereignty spur us on toward mission?

5 Prayers for Forestgate Growth

Acts 2:42–47

Sermon Notes

  1. Growing in worship
  2. Growing in fellowship
  3. Growing by God’s Grace, v.47b

Reflection questions

  1. James Montgomery Boice writes (of Acts 2:42): “The closer men and women come to God the closer they want to get to where he speaks to their hearts, and that is in the Bible.” Is your devotion to God’s Word growing noticeably stronger, or is it the opposite?
  2. Can you grow in love for God and (at the same time) not grow in love for His body of believers? Consider the following: John 14:15; I John 4:20–21; I John 5:3; Eph. 3:20–21.
  3. In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul makes the same point as Acts 2:41, 47 – God alone must give growth to His church. But if God gives the growth, what are we supposed to do? Read 1 Corinthians 3:5–9 and 1 Cor. 9:19–27 to see Paul’s answer.