Luke opens Acts, his second book, with a review of the ascension of Jesus. The twelve apostles chose Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot.

Acts 1:1-26

PICTURE

Reminder: Pray to God to set your heart right as you engage His word. The text you are about to study was not written to you but is written for you. So, before applying, we must ask the following questions:

What did it mean to the original reader or original audience?

READ THE SCRIPTURE (Multiple times & translations, and notice the words that stand out)

Biblegateway (NIV, CSB, NLT) (My choice of all-round site. It is a great app, better on computers or on a smartphone)

Biblia.com (New Century Version) (Great on a computer, especially if you have a Logos account)

Summarize the main story: Describe the events and context of the chapter in your own words.

Review and retell the story.

Themes

Topics

Hashtags:

#Hashtags

Topical Bible Search Tool

Kevin's Teaching Blog About Acts 1

Intro Questions to get us thinking:

OBSERVATIONS (Reflect on the topic and build the concept the writer is trying to communicate to the original audience)

Pericopes and links to deeper study

Chapter Outline:

SECTION OUTLINE ONE (ACTS 1)

Luke opens Acts, his second book, with a review of the ascension of Jesus. The twelve apostles choose Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot.

I. The Action on the Mount of Olives (1:1–11)

A. The assurance from Jesus (1:1–8)

1. The confirmation (1:1–3)

a. The recorder (1:1b): Luke the physician wrote the book of Luke and is the author of the book of Acts.

b. The recipient (1:1a): He writes to someone named Theophilus.

c. The reason (1:2–3): He writes to confirm the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

2. The command (1:4–5): The disciples (called “apostles” in Acts) are to remain in Jerusalem until they are baptized with the Holy Spirit.

3. The confusion (1:6): The apostles want to know if Jesus will establish his kingdom at this time.

4. The clarification (1:7): Jesus tells them that the Father will determine when that will occur.

5. The commission (1:8): Meanwhile, they are to witness for Jesus in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and throughout the whole world!

B. The ascension of Jesus (1:9–11)

1. The action (1:9): Jesus is taken up before their eyes.

2. The attendants (1:10): Two white-robed men suddenly stand beside them.

3. The assurance (1:11): The two men tell the amazed apostles that Jesus will return someday just as he left!

II. The Action in the Upper Room (1:12–26)

A. The prayer meeting (1:12–15): Those present are:

1. The eleven apostles (1:12–13)

2. Mary the mother of Jesus and other godly women (1:14a)

3. The half brothers of Jesus (1:14b)

4. In all, 120 people (1:15)

B. The business meeting (1:16–26)

1. In regard to the defection of Judas (1:16–20)

a. The suicide (1:18–19): Luke records graphically how Judas died.

b. The Scriptures (1:16–17, 20): Peter quotes from Psalms 69:25 and 109:8, which predicted Judas’s death and replacement.

2. In regard to the election of Matthias (1:21–26)

a. The conditions (1:21–22): The new apostle has to be a longtime believer and one who saw the resurrected Christ.

b. The candidates (1:23): Two men are nominated—Barsabbas and Matthias.

c. The counsel (1:24–25): The disciples seek God’s will in prayer and by casting lots.

d. The choice (1:26): The lot falls on Matthias.

ebible (NLT) (Best for having Bible sections divided by "pericope" or sections by thought)

Bible Project (NLT) (Helpful videos and instructions for the bigger picture)

Thematic Bible (Books and Chapters Structure)

Bible Hub = Outline, Themes, Topics, People, Locations, and Questions

Aria

STUDY RESOURCES (This takes some work, and here are more resources than you can go through completely)

Rhys N. Thomas @ Thomas Theology Hub has written on Acts.

Going Deeper: Go to the "Pericope" for more specific study.

God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?

Link to More Questions

APPLICATION (God wants us all to arrive at action, life-changing faith)

ESV (English Standard Version) Good translation with some helpful resources.

Biblegateway (CSB, NLT, The Message, ERV, CEV) has some application resources.

Virtual Bible Study

Heartlight (Great for practical application of scripture)

Precept Austin Devotionals

Verse of the Day

Scripture Graphics

Bible.org search site

https://www.openbible.info

I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
What transformative move needs to be made?
You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

Take Away Challenges

What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?
Whom do you know who needs to hear this?
What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts, or actions need to be addressed or changed?

PRAYER: In the Name of Jesus.