Acts 1 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Acts 1 in 5 Minutes

WHEN:

• The events in the first chapter of the Book of Acts took place between 29-30 A.D.

• These events all occurred within 50 days of Jesus’ resurrection.

CHARACTERS:

• Jesus - The Messiah. At the end of Luke’s gospel, He died and resurrected the 3rd day.

• 11 Apostles - Jesus’ students and witnesses of His resurrection.

• 2 Men at the Ascension - Two men (likely angels) dressed in white robes who spoke to the Apostles after Jesus ascended to Heaven.

• Matthias - The man chosen to replace Judas Iscariot as the 12th Apostle.

WHERE:

• The major events of Acts 1 happened in-and-around the city of Jerusalem.

• Jesus ascended near the town of Bethany, just east of Jerusalem (Luke 24:50).

OUTLINE:

• INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK (1:1-5):

  • Luke addressed the Book of Acts to a man named Theophilus.

  • Luke’s previous book (Luke) was also addressed to Theophilus and it recorded the major events of Jesus’ life.

  • After His resurrection, Jesus told the Apostles to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit.

• JESUS ASCENDS TO HEAVEN (1:6-11):

  • The Holy Spirit would empower the Apostles to be Jesus’ witnesses to the world.

  • While talking to the Apostles, Jesus was lifted up into the air and taken to Heaven.

  • 2 men appeared next to the Apostles and told them Jesus would one day return.

• A NEW APOSTLE IS SELECTED TO REPLACE JUDAS (1:12-26):

  • After Jesus left, the Apostles went back to Jerusalem.

  • They stayed in an upper room along with Mary, Jesus’ mother, and his brothers.

  • One day, Peter stood up and addressed a group approximately 120 believers.

  • He told them the betrayal of Judas Iscariot had been foretold by the Jewish prophets.

  • Judas, one of the 12 Apostles, betrayed Jesus to the Jewish authorities in Luke 22.

  • Afterwards, he regretted his decision and killed himself.

  • The Holy Spirit directed Peter to select a new man to replace Judas as the 12th Apostle.

  • Candidates for selection were required to have been with the Apostles from the time of John’s baptism to Jesus’ ascension into Heaven.

  • Two men’s names were put forward, Joseph called Barsabbas and Matthias.

  • After praying and casting lots, Matthias was selected as the 12th Apostle.

APPLICATIONS:

• The Apostles were told to wait in Jerusalem until God empowered them with His Holy Spirit. It was only after receiving the Spirit that they could move forward.

• Dependence on God’s power and guidance are essential for the success of the Church.

• Just like the Apostles, our ambitions should be grounded in the power of God working through us, not on the cleverness of our own plans and ingenuity.

• We should always pray before making big decisions.

• Even though the 11 Apostles must have been familiar with Matthias and Joseph, they didn’t rely solely on their assessments of their character to make their decision, they asked God for insight.

• When making decisions, even when the answer seems clear, we should ask God for help.