Welcome!

These questions are sermon-based, dealing with ideas we explored in this weeks sermon at Philpott
Memorial Church. If you missed church this week, its okay. Its not about sermon review. Our goal is to discuss the
weeks Big Idea and relevant Scriptures and wrestle together with how to apply these in our lives.

Sermon Text: Acts: 2:1-47 Preached: Sunday, February 16th 2014 by Lane Fusilier
Big Idea: By the end of chapter 2, Luke wants us to see that the Lord Jesus' plan for His Church is being fulfilled. Here, the Church is marked
by four key commitments: the powerful presence of the Spirit, the preaching of the Gospel, the sharing of resources with the community, and
growth. When these are evident in a local church, we can know that they've owned Jesus' mission for the Church, and they won't be stopped.

! DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
!
1. In Acts 2:42, Luke reports that after Peter's sermon, "that day about It is incorrect to call the Day of Pentecost the birthday of
3,000 people were added to them." It's astonishing when you think the church. For the church as the people of God goes
about it. Today, some folks are drawn to large churches - they're back at least 4,000 years to Abraham. What happened
energized by having lots of like-minded people worshiping together. at Pentecost was that... Gods people became the Spirit-
Some prefer small churches - they'd rather know the people we're filled body of Christ. ~John Stott
worshiping with personally. How would you fare in a church of 3,000 people? Explain.
!
2. In our culture, repentance, baptism, and being 'saved' aren't common or popular topics of conversation. Yet these are
essential elements of Peter's sermon (Acts 2:38-40). Now suppose those verses weren't in your Bible, and after sharing your
faith with them, some friends ask you the same question as in v.37: "What must we do?". How would your answer compare
with Peter's? Explain.
! The church is not simply an aggregation of
3. Have a read of Acts 2:42-47 which describe what sorts of things happen individuals who are saved, but it is a pilot plant of
when Christians live so as to embody the Church. what humanity would look like under the Lordship
a. From these verses, make a list (perhaps on the back of this page) of Christ. We are to show the world a whole new
of the characteristics or functions of the Church. In other words, way of being human. ~Tim Keller
had you been there as an outside observer, what sorts of things
would you see happening, that are expressions of the mission of the Church?
b. To what degree do you see these functions present in our local church? Where? Explain.
!
4. Peter's sermon quotes extensively from the Old Testament. Please read the following verses from Peter's sermon, then go
back and read the Old Testament text he's quoting from.
Acts 2:17-21, cf. Joel 2:28-32. Acts 2:31, cf. Psalm 16:10
Acts 2:25-28, cf. Psalm 16:8-11. Acts 2:34-35, cf. Psalm 110:1
a. In some of these places, Peter seems to quote kind of loosely from the Old Testament passage. Is that okay? Explain.
b. When these OT passages are read in context, it might seem like Peter's interpretation is a bit of a stretch. How do you
explain Peter's interpretation of these Old Testament passages? How is it that he can say texts like Psalm 16, 110 are
about Jesus? Or, is this even an issue for you? Explain.

Where the church today finds itself stagnant, unattractive, humdrum and shrinking - and, sadly, there are many churches, in the Western
world at least, of which that has to be admitted - it's time to read Acts 2.42-47 again, get down on our knees, and ask what isn't
happening that should be happening. The gospel hasn't changed. God's power hasn't diminished. People still need rescuing. What are
we doing about it? ~N.T. Wright

The unstoppable Church Acts: Their unstoppable Gospel