THE FIRST CHURCH IN JERUSALEM
Acts 3:1 – 7:60
Key Verses 4:32.33
* The work of the Holy Spirit in the first church (3:1 – 5:42)
1. How did Peter and John heal a well-known lame beggar in front of the temple? (3:6-7) What did Peter testify about Jesus and the power of Jesus’ name? (3:9-19) What testimony did Peter give before the sanhedrin? (4:10-12) How did Peter respond to the demand of the Sanhedrin? (4:18-20) To what extent was the door of evangelism opened for the early church? (3:19.26; 4:4)
2.What reactions did the first believers show when they heard the apostles’ report? (4:29) How did they form the body of Christ Jesus? By what and why was the fellowship endangered and how did Peter solve this problem? (5:1-11) What did the apostles do despite their arrest? (5:19,20,29) What protection from God did Gamaliel give them? What made the first church so strong and influential? (5,40-42)
* The tribulations and hardships in the first church (6:1 – 7:60)
3.What challenges did the first church face as the number of disciples increased? What wise decisions did the apostles make? (6:4) What qualifications and tasks did the deacons have? What was the effect of the apostles’ decision for the first church? How was Stephen accused? What spiritual insight can we learn regarding the incident of the accusation against Stephen? (6,5.8-15)
4.Why did Stephen tell the whole story of the Israelites? What was the main point of his defense speech? (7:51-53) What did he see in the midst of the accusations? What prayer did Stephen have for his persecutors in the midst of his martyrdom? Why did the author mention a young man, Saul? (7:59, 60) What effect did his martyrdom have on Saul and on the early church? What counsel of God can we find in the martyrdom of Stephen?
with Elementor