1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey. 13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. Acts 1:1-14

1. Who is the author of Acts of the Apostles? Why do we say so? Cf. Acts 1:1ff.; Luke 1:1ff. What ties these two books together?

2. What does the Bible tell us of Luke? See Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 24. Who penned the largest part of the New Testament?

3. How are the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles like a two-volume set giving us the history of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection and a partial history of the work of the apostles after Jesus’ death and resurrection? How does this fit together with the epistles of the Apostle Paul and of James?

4. Who is Theophilus? What does the name mean? What does Luke’s address in his Gospel, “Most excellent Theophilus,” imply?

5. What does Luke say is covered in his first treatise? Where does he continue in the Book of Acts?

6. To whom did Jesus appear over a period of 40 days following His resurrection? Did Jesus provide undeniable proof of His resurrection? What are some examples? Why is this important? Cf. Mark 16 and 1 Corinthians 15; John 20 and 21; Luke 24, etc.

7. About what did Jesus speak to His chosen apostles during those 40 days? Why?

8. What command had Jesus given to His apostles? Why? What did He promise?

9. With what did John baptize? With what would Jesus baptize His apostles? Cf. Acts 2:38-39. How do we partake of this promise?

10. When pastors baptize with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, with what does Jesus baptize and cleanse our hearts and souls? Explain. Cf. John 3:3-6; Titus 3:3-7; Acts 22:16.

11. What did the apostles ask Jesus in verse 6? How did Jesus answer? Did they yet fully understand the Scriptures at this point? Cf. Luke 24:44ff. Did Jesus come to establish an earthly kingdom in Israel or a heavenly kingdom made up of believers from all over the earth? Cf. Daniel 2:34-35,44-45.

12. What did Jesus promise His apostles in verse 8? Compare this to Jesus’ great commission in Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:14-16; Luke 24:44-49; John 20:19-23. How were Jesus’ disciples to be witnesses? What did Jesus commission them to do? Who is called to carry on this work today? Cf. Ephesians 4:10-16.

13. In whose power were the apostles to carry out this great work? See verse 8. Cf. Matthew 10:19-20; Mark 13:11; John 14:26; 15:26-27.

14. What happened after Jesus had spoken these things to His apostles? See verse 9. Cf. Luke 24:50-53; Mark 16:19-20; Ephesians 1:15-23; Philippians 2:9-11.

15. Who appeared to Jesus’ disciples as they stood gazing up into heaven? What did they say? See verses 10-11. How will Jesus’ return? See Revelation 1:7; Matthew 24:29-31; Luke 21:25-28; Mark 13:24-27; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10.

16. From which mountain did Jesus ascend? See verse 12. How far was this from Jerusalem? Cf. Joshua 3:4. What does the Bible say in Zechariah 14:4?

17. Where were the disciples staying in Jerusalem? Who was there in Jerusalem? See verse 13.

18. What does verse 14 tell us about the activity of the apostles between Jesus’s ascension on the 40th day after Easter and the Day of Pentecost, the 50th day after Jesus’ resurrection? Who all was participating in this? Cf. Acts 2:41ff. How did the church meet in Jerusalem?