Pastor Ray Preaches From the Book of Acts Chapter 2

In one paragraph

Pastor Mark walked through Acts 2, the birth of the church, on the day of Pentecost. He wanted to present the text plainly, without hedging it to fit a particular theological camp, and let it say what it says. Pentecost was not originally a Christian word. It simply means "fiftieth," as in the fiftieth day after Passover. The Jews gathered in Jerusalem that day were celebrating the Festival of...

Read together

1. Acts 1 Jesus tells disciples to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit, John baptized with water but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit
2. Acts 2 the main passage being preached, the day of Pentecost and birth of the church
3. Joel 2:28-32 Peter quotes Joel predicting the pouring out of the Spirit on all people, sons and daughters prophesying, visions, dreams, and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved
4. Psalm 16:8-11 Peter quotes David saying the Lord is always with me, my body rests in hope, you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave
5. Psalm 110:1 Peter quotes David saying the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool
6. Luke 4 Jesus preaching in Nazareth, reading the acceptable year of the Lord but stopping before the day of vengeance
7. Acts 2:42 believers devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer

Talk about it

1. The pastor said the birth of the church is something we should tell and tell again, the way families tell the story of a child being born. What does it mean to you personally that the church has a birthday, and how often do you think about yourself as part of that ongoing story?
2. The pastor pointed out that the devout Jews who came running were 'confused because they understood.' When has God made something clear to you in a way that was surprising or unexpected, and what did that do to your faith?
3. Peter stood up in front of people who may have been in the crowd crying 'crucify him' fifty days earlier and told them plainly, 'you nailed him to the cross.' The pastor added, 'I'm the one that killed him.' How does taking personal ownership of that change the way you think about what Christ did?
4. Acts 2:42 describes the early believers devoting themselves to the apostles teaching, fellowship, shared meals, and prayer. Which of those four things comes most naturally to you, and which one do you find yourself neglecting?
5. The chapter ends with the Lord adding to their fellowship each day those who were being saved. The pastor asked whether that kind of growth sounds like the natural result of everything described just before it. Do you think it is, and what does that mean for how we live together as a church?