Week 24 Questions for Discussion June 11 to 17

1. In Acts 6, when there is a problem because they Grecians Jews complained against e Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food, the apostles choose 6 men – all of them Greeks – to take charge of the distribution. What lessons can we learn from their method of handling a potentially church dividing conflict?

2. Acts 7: 55 “Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” How do we hold on to the doctrine of the Trinity when a mortal man looks into heaven and clearly sees Jesus distinct from God the Father?

3. Psalm 73: 12-13 “This is what the wicked are like – always carefree, they increase in wealth. Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.” Truth be told, many of us experience the same reality – that those whom we know who have no regard for God seem to live an easy life abounding in material prosperity while we feel the struggle to make. Do you feel that way? How do you resolve it and continue to serve Christ?

4. Acts 8: 14-17 seems to confound our understanding of how and when the Spirit enters into the life of all believers at or before baptism with the profession of faith in Jesus? How do we resolve this seeming conflict?

5. Acts 8: 36 It is not to say that they did not ever sprinkle for baptism but this is one of the more clear allusions to baptism – if not by immersion – at least with a fair amount of water. What Scriptures would those who argue for baptism of infants use to bolster their position? Does it matter?

6. Proverbs 14:30 “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones?” Most of us can personally attest to the truthfulness of that statement. Do you wrestle with envy in your life? Do you think age has anything to do with how much envy is an issue for us?

7. Acts 9: 31 Is it the absence of Saul (Paul) as a persecutor that brings about this time of peace in the life of the church? What brings such periods of peace in the life of the church today?

8. In II Samuel 24 David sets Joab to the task of counting the fighting men of Israel? He is rather severely punished for this act. Why? What difference is there between such an enrollment and the Pentagon reporting the size of our armed forces today? If the answer revolves around pride, how do we personally, as a church, as a nation battle against pride?

9. Acts 10: 34 “God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right?” Peter makes this realization upon entering the house of Cornelius and the events that follow. Was there a moment in your life when you became conscious that God does not show such favoritism?

10. Acts 12 recounts several executions and one that was prevented by the direct intervention of God? Herod puts James, the brother of John to death. Peter is spared when God sends an angel to rescue him. And the guards who “allow” his escape are also sentenced to death. Why do you think God intervenes to save Peter but not James? And how do you feel about the fact that his saving Peter cost these poor guards their lives?