The Acts of the ApostlesThe Acts of the Apostles

Acts 1-11Acts 1-11

Friday, April 21, 2023Friday, April 21, 2023

Session 7: The Acts of the ApostlesSession 7: The Acts of the Apostles

Flow of Each Period

a. Key People (See Worksheet)

b. Role of Church Hierarchy (See Worksheet)

c. Key Events

d. Activity of the Holy Spirit

e. Issues and Implications for the life of the Church

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The Periods to be Discussed:

a. Preface to the Acts of the Apostles

b. From the Ascension to Pentecost

c. The Gospel in Jerusalem

d. The Conversion of St. Paul

e. The bringing of the Gospel to the Gentiles

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Session 7: The Acts of the ApostlesSession 7: The Acts of the Apostles

1. Preface to Acts of the Apostles (1:1-5).

a. Key Events:

i. Continuation of Gospel of Luke (1:1).

b. Activity of the Holy Spirit:

i. Not yet arrived.

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Session 7: The Acts of the ApostlesSession 7: The Acts of the Apostles

1. Preface to Acts of the Apostles (1:1-5).

c. Issues and Implications for the life of the Church:

i. Prepared to be baptized in the Holy Spirit (1:5).

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2. From The Ascension and Pentecost (1:6-2:13).

a. Key Events:

i. Ascension of Jesus (1:9).

ii. Waiting for the promised Holy Spirit (2:1)

iii. Pentecost (2:1ff).

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2. From The Ascension and Pentecost (1:6-2:13).

b. Activity of the Holy Spirit:

i. Descended on disciples in Upper Room.

ii. Enabled disciples to speak in different tongues.

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2. From The Ascension and Pentecost (1:6-2:13).

c. Issues and Implications for the life of the Church:

i. Jesus is physically gone (1:9).

ii. Disciples called to be witnesses to Judea and Samaria and the ends of the earth (1:8).

iii. Because of hiding, there are potential hostilities from the authorities (1:13).

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2. From The Ascension and Pentecost (1:6-2:13).

c. Issues and Implications for the life of the Church:

iv. Need to be in prayer and unity among believers (1:14).

v. Foundation of apostolic succession (1:24-26).

vi. Needed the Holy Spirit to begin.

vii. Indwelling of the Holy Spirit among the disciples.

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3. The Gospel in Jerusalem (2:14-8:3), with an emphasis on the role of St. Peter as the head of the Apostles.

a. Key Events:

i. Peter’s speech at Pentecost (2:14-36).

ii. Baptism of first converts (2:37-41).

iii. Communal life of the believers (2:42-47).

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Session 7: The Acts of the ApostlesSession 7: The Acts of the Apostles

3. The Gospel in Jerusalem (2:14-8:3), with an emphasis on the role of St. Peter as the head of the Apostles.

a. Key Events:

iv. Signs and wonders of Apostles (5:12-16).

v. Institution of deaconate (6:1-7).

vi. Martyrdom of St. Steven (6:8-15; 7:54-60).

vii. Persecution of Church by Saul (8:1-3).

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Session 7: The Acts of the ApostlesSession 7: The Acts of the Apostles

3. The Gospel in Jerusalem (2:14-8:3), with an emphasis on the role of St. Peter as the head of the Apostles.

b. Activity of the Holy Spirit:

i. Came on those baptized (2:38).

ii. Unified the Body of Christ (2:42-47).

iii. Selection of deacons (6:5).

iv. Filled Steven at moment of his martyrdom (7:55).

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Session 7: The Acts of the ApostlesSession 7: The Acts of the Apostles

3. The Gospel in Jerusalem (2:14-8:3), with an emphasis on the role of St. Peter as the head of the Apostles.

c. Issues and Implications for the life of the Church:

i. Conversion of initial believers (2:14ff).

ii. Life of the early Christian Community marked by four-fold unity (2:42ff).

a. Teaching of the Apostles

b. Fellowship

c. Breaking of Bread

d. Prayers

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Session 7: The Acts of the ApostlesSession 7: The Acts of the Apostles

3. The Gospel in Jerusalem (2:14-8:3), with an emphasis on the role of St. Peter as the head of the Apostles.

c. Issues and Implications for the life of the Church:

iii. Need for assistants to the Apostles as community grows (6:1ff).

iv. Beginning of martyrdom and persecution with St. Steven by the Sanhedrin (7:54ff).

v. Persecution by Saul 8:3.

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4. The conversion of St. Paul (8:4-9:31).

a. Key Events:

i. Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation (8:14-17).

ii. Appearance of Jesus to Saul (9:1-9).

iii. Saul’s baptism (9:10-19a).

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4. The conversion of St. Paul (8:4-9:31).

a. Key Events:

iv. Saul debating the Jews in Damascus (9:19b-25).

v. Saul visits the Church leaders in Jerusalem (9:26-31).

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4. The conversion of St. Paul (8:4-9:31).

b. Activity of the Holy Spirit:

i. Was given more deeply to the believers by the Apostles (8:14-17)

ii. Filled Saul (9:17).

iii. Comforted believers as the Church grew (9:21).

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Session 7: The Acts of the ApostlesSession 7: The Acts of the Apostles

4. The conversion of St. Paul (8:4-9:31).

c. Issues and Implications for the life of the Church:

i. The fiercest persecutor of the Church was now a fierce follower of Jesus.

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Session 7: The Acts of the ApostlesSession 7: The Acts of the Apostles

5. The bringing of the Gospel to the Gentiles (10:1-11:18).

a. Key Events:

i. Cornelius’ vision of an angel (10:1-5).

ii. St. Peter’s trance and vision (10:9-16).

iii. St. Peter goes to Caesare’a and meets Cornelius (10:17-33).

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Session 7: The Acts of the ApostlesSession 7: The Acts of the Apostles

5. The bringing of the Gospel to the Gentiles (10:1-11:18).

a. Key Events:

iv. St. Peter proclaims the Gospel to the Gentiles (10:34-43).

v. The Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit (10:44-48).

vi. St. Peter defends his actions to the Church of Jerusalem (11:1-18).

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Session 7: The Acts of the ApostlesSession 7: The Acts of the Apostles

5. The bringing of the Gospel to the Gentiles (10:1-11:18).

b. Activity of the Holy Spirit:

i. Directing St. Peter to go to Cornelius (10:19).

ii. Fell on those who heard the word of God preached by St. Peter (10:44-48).

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5. The bringing of the Gospel to the Gentiles (10:1-11:18).

c. Issues and Implications for the life of the Church:

i. The Holy Spirit is for all the world, not just the Jews.

ii. The Kingdom of God is world-wide.

iii. Baptism admits both Jew and gentile into the Church.

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6. The Gospel begins to spread to the end of the Earth (13:1-28:31), as seen in the following key events:

1. St. Paul’s first mission (13:4ff).

2. Council of Jerusalem (15:1ff).

3. St. Paul in Athens and his speech at Areopagus (17:16ff).

4. St. Paul’s second mission (15:36-18:22).

5. St. Paul’s third mission (18:23-21:16).

6. St. Paul’s journey to Rome (27:1-7).

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7. In summary, we read in Acts 1-11:

a. After Jesus ascended, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles at Pentecost.

b. Though he was the fiercest opponent of the Church, Saul is converted and becomes the Apostle to the Gentiles.

c. St. Peter brings the Word of God to the Gentiles, who are now admitted to the Church as full members.

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Discussion Questions:

1. Who is Holy Spirit? What roles does He have in the early Church?

2. How does the Holy Spirit establish the Kingdom of God? How is the Church the Kingdom of God?

April 21, 2023April 21, 2023