May 28, 2023

Pentecostal Chaos

Confronting the Chaos Series

Primary Text:  Acts 2:1-41                                     

Last Teaching: The Image of God

1)  Image & Likeness

Genesis 1:26:  Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

DQ 1)  What does it mean that humans are created in the “image” and “likeness” of God?

DQ 2)  Did original sin (the fall of man) abolish the “image of God” in human beings?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This Week’s Teaching: 

1)  The Promise

John 14:15-17:  If you love me, you will obey what I command.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--the Spirit of truth.  The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 

John 14:25-27:  All this I have spoken while still with you.  But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.

DQ 1) What is the meaning of the Holy Spirit being called the Counselor?

DQ 2) What is the significance of the Holy Spirit being known as the Spirit of  Truth?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2)  The Day

Acts 2:1-6:  When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.  Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.  When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 

DQ 3) What are possible reasons God chose to demonstrate the Holy Spirit’s presence through something akin to wind, the appearance of what seemed like fire, and utterances in tongues?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3)  In the Last Days

Acts 2:14-21:  Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say….  No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.  Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy….  And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”

DQ 4) What are the implications of God pouring out His Spirit on both men and women?

DQ 5)  What does it mean to “prophesy”?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4)  Jesus of Nazareth

Acts 2:22-24:  Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.  This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.  But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

DQ 6) Why was it impossible for death to “keep its hold” on Jesus?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5)  The Gift

Acts 2:36-41:  "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."  When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"  Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…."  Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. 

DQ 7)  Why is the Holy Spirit a special gift?

DQ 8)  In what ways does the gift of the Holy Spirit manifest in the lives of Christians?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________