Acts 1-5

On Sunday August 9 we will discuss Acts 1-5 (Here is the link to the gospel doctrine instructor's manual).

The Ascension (Acts 1.1-14)
-Any particular significance to the fact that Christ was with the disciples for 40 days?
-Can it be argued that the ascension was necessary for Christianity to really take off?

Pentecost (Acts 2.1-13)
-What is God teaching through the Pentecostal experience of the disciples? In other words, what do you think is the primary message of this passage?
-Why did this happen on the day of Pentecost (what is the symbolic importance of the day)?

Peter's Discourse (Acts 2.14-40)
-Why does Peter quote scripture?
-What pattern does Peter establish for a Christian discourse? How might this be applied in our sacrament meeting talks?
(Look at verses 37-47 to see the impact of the experience and of Peter's talk in the lives of those to whom he spoke.)

The Healing and its Aftermath (Acts 3-5)
-What do Peter's healing words imply about human values and expectations?
-What is the cost of this healing to Peter (see chapters 4 and 5) and what does this teach us both about discipleship and about the atonement?
-How is Peter's discourse like the one he gave in chapter 2?