Edgewood Bible Church

Main idea: The gospel is not Jesus plus something—it is grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus alone. The Danger of a Distorted Gospel—v.1-5 The Encouragement of a Clear Gospel—v.6-11 The Grace of a Shared Gospel—v.12-21 Discussion Questions: 1. How can you tell the difference between faithful obedience to Christ and slipping into legalism? 2. If grace saves us, what role does the law play in the Christian life today? 3. Where are you tempted to add to the gospel in your own life—whether through spiritual performance, cultural expectations, or personal convictions? 4. How might our church better display the humility, love, and unity that flow from the shared gospel of grace?

Main Idea: The gospel does not advance in comfort, but through costly obedience. 1. Courageous Preaching and Mistreatment (v.1–7) 2. Confirmed Power and Misplaced worship (v.8–18) 3. Constant Perseverance and Making disciples (v.19–28) Discussion Questions: 1. What encouragement can we take from knowing that the gospel itself—not our eloquence—is what God uses to save people? 2. Why was Paul and Barnabas’ response (tearing their clothes, emphatically refusing worship) so important? What danger would there have been if they had passively allowed it? 3. Why do you think so many Christians (especially in the West) are surprised when faith is costly? 4. How does God use trials to strengthen His church, and how can we encourage one another to endure faithfully until we see Christ?

Main idea: The gospel divides but it also multiplies The Gospel Proclaimed (13-41) The Gospel Divides (42-45) The Gospel Advances (46-52) Discussion Questions: 1. What does Paul emphasize by retelling Israel’s history before pointing to Jesus? 2. Paul ends with both a promise of forgiveness and a warning. How should we respond when we hear the gospel? 3. Why do you think opposition to the gospel is often stirred up, even when the message brings joy and life to others? 4. How can we hold on to joy in Christ when our circumstances are hard or when people resist the gospel?

The guest preacher is Bryan Winchester from Saving Grace Church in Milwaukie, OR

BIG IDEA: The Holy Spirit Makes Straight the Way to the Lord 1. Look to the Holy Spirit to Send 2. Look to the Holy Spirit to Speak Discussion Questions 1. How should we make significant ministry or life decisions today? How might we be tempted to skip this step? 2. What are some practical signs that apathy has set into our walk with God? How can fasting, prayer, and community help revive our zeal for Him? 3. What are some ways we can train ourselves to recognize and obey the “voice” of the Holy Spirit through Scripture and godly counsel, especially when the path ahead is confusing? 4. What are some modern “Elymas”-like influences that oppose the gospel today, and how should the church respond to such deception? 5. How does this passage challenge our tendency to elevate a few “superstars” in ministry rather than value the role of the whole body?

Big Idea: Trust in the word of God not in the word of man 1. Pray when the word of man suppresses God’s word. (v.1-5) 2. Remember his word and wait expectantly (v.6-17) 3. Trust in the word of God, not man (v.18-24) Discussion Questions: 1. It is likely the early church prayed before James was executed, yet he was still killed. How might we avoid hopelessness in our prayer in the face of disappointment? 2. Rhoda believes; the prayer meeting doubts. Why is it sometimes hardest to recognize God’s intervention when we’re in the middle of pleading for it? 3. What practical indicators help us discern when we’re seeking God’s glory versus our own? How can we cultivate humility that resists the subtle pull of self-exaltation? 4. Where have you seen God advance His gospel despite opposition—globally, locally, or personally? In light of that track record, what specific step of faith or obedience is He calling you to take this week?

Big Idea: God’s grace grants life, gives time, and gathers generosity. God’s grace grants life (1-18) God’s grace gifts time (19-26) God’s grace gathers generosity (27-30) Discussion questions 1. How has God personally shown His generosity to you—whether in creation, the Word, salvation, or the church—and how does that shape your worship and life. 2. Peter said, “Who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” (Acts 11:17). Have there been times when your assumptions or traditions got in the way of sharing God’s grace with others? 3. In what ways can you, like Barnabas and Saul, give the gift of time to help others grow in faith? Who has done that for you? 4. What needs—spiritual, physical, or emotional—do you see around you, and how can you take part in “seeing needs and meeting them” as the Antioch church did?

Main idea: Our prejudices will not stop an unstoppable Gospel from going to all people 1. The Setup: God’s Sovereign Initiative 2. The Encounter: Gospel proclaimed without prejudice 3. The Implication: The church must GO to all people Discussion Questions: 1. What does Peter’s vision reveal about God’s attitude toward Gentiles and the future of the gospel? 2. Why is it significant that Peter was hungry during the vision? 3. How might we today, like Peter, “bundle up whole groups of people” into the metaphorical unclean sheet? 4. When was the last time you intentionally shared a meal or had a meaningful gospel conversation with someone different from you culturally, politically, or economically?

Main idea: Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit brings Gospel growth. 1. The Persecution of Saul 2. The Ministry of Peter

Main idea: God sovereignly sets the assignment for his servants God confounds Saul God calls Ananias God converts Saul Discussion Questions: 1. Saul was passionate, disciplined, and sincere—but still wrong. How can we guard ourselves from sincerely following the wrong path? 2. What does this story teach us about God's sovereignty and His right to interrupt our lives? 3. “Man is God’s method.” How does this statement challenge our thinking about how God spreads the gospel?

Big Idea: Opposition scatters seeds to Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. 1. (1-25) Seeds scattered: The good news is scattered through spirit filled proclamation 2. (26-40) Seeds Sprouted: Personal ministry in the word bears fruit Discussion Questions: 1.How does Saul’s attempt to stamp out the church (8:1-4) end up amplifying the gospel, and where do we see a similar dynamic today? 2.Compare Philip’s Spirit-empowered ministry with Simon’s magic (8:5-13, 18-24). How can we discern and guard against bad motives in our own service? 3.Why do you think God delayed the Spirit’s arrival until Peter and John laid hands on the Samaritans, and what does that teach us about church unity across cultural lines? 4.Philip obeys a Spirit nudge that reaches one Ethiopian official—who then carries the gospel toward “the ends of the earth.” Where might God be nudging you to open your mouth or change your route this week?

Big Idea: When God-given means become self-exalting ends, faithful men become martyrs. 1. (6.8-15) Stephen accused: You want to destroy the temple and change the law 2. (7:1-53) Stephen’s defense: God is never confined, you resist his spirit 3. (7:54-60) Stephen’s Sentence: Public Stoning in false Zeal because of true testimony Discussion Questions: 1. What practices or “good things” in our church life today are in danger of slipping from means to ends, and how can we guard against that shift? 2. Stephen charges the council with always resisting the Spirit (7:51). What are practical signs that we might be resisting the Spirit’s leading in our own lives? 3. Saul watched Stephen die and later became Paul. How does this long-range impact of Stephen’s witness encourage us when our own faithfulness seems fruitless or costly? Share examples where perseverance eventually bore unexpected fruit.

Main idea: A rightly ordered church will preserve unity and foster growth. 1. Growing churches will have conflict 2. Growing churches will have opportunities to serve 3. Growing church will have leaders who lead Discussion Questions: 1.What are the dangers of assuming motives versus stating facts in church conflict? 2. How can you personally contribute to the unity of the church? 3. How can we practically protect and prioritize the preaching of the Word and prayer? 4. Why is Christ's sacrificial death the ultimate motivation for serving others?

Main idea: Obeying God will result in more persecution but always ends in joy. 1. Obeying God instead of men will result in envy 2. Obeying God instead of men might result in death 3. Obeying God instead of men will result in persecution Discussion Questions: 1. What does it mean to obey God rather than men in your current context (work, school, family, etc.)? 2. Why is it significant that Peter mentions both repentance and forgiveness of sins as gifts given by the exalted Jesus? 3. What might it look like for a Christian today to obey God rather than men—especially when there’s real cost involved? 4. When persecution or opposition arises, is your natural response fear, silence, compromise—or joy?

Main idea: True unity in the Spirit results in a true reputation 1. Barnabas—Son of encouragement 2. Ananias and Sapphira—Children of Hypocrisy Discussion Questions: 1. What do we learn about Barnabas in this passage? 2. What parallels can we draw between the early church's practices and how we can pursue unity in the church today? 3. What was the real sin of Ananias and Sapphira? 4. The sermon pointed out that the real marvel in this story is not just God’s judgment but also His mercy to us in Christ. How does the gospel give us hope, even in the face of our own sin?

Big Idea: Faith fuels boldness by the Spirit to proclaim the name of Jesus. 1. (v.1-4)The Spirit gives boldness… in the face of opposition 2. (v. 5-22)The Spirit gives boldness… no matter your station 3 (v.23-31) The Spirt gives boldness to…pray for more boldness Discussion Questions 1. How have you seen God use opposition in your own life—to advance the gospel? 2. Why is the exclusivity of Jesus still a stumbling block today, and how can we communicate this truth with both conviction and compassion? 3. Where do you feel least qualified to speak about Christ, and how does the Spirit’s filling (4:8, 31) reshape that sense of inadequacy? 4. What might change in our prayers—and our expectations—if we prioritized bold witness over comfort or security?

Big Idea: The name of Jesus brings healing, truth, and salvation. 1. The name of Jesus brings healing for the broken (v.1-10) 2. The name of Jesus brings truth for the ignorant (v.11-18) 3. The name of Jesus brings salvation and refreshment (v.19-26) Discussion Questions: 1. What does it mean to act or pray “in the name of Jesus”? 2. How does the healing of the lame man demonstrate the gospel message—not just physically but spiritually? 3. Peter confronts the people’s ignorance and calls them to repentance (vv. 17–19). Why is willful ignorance so dangerous? 4. What kind of “refreshing” does repentance bring (v. 20)?

Main idea: A healthy church loves teaching, fellowship, communion, and praying together. A healthy church loves teaching A healthy church loves fellowship A healthy church loves communion A healthy church loves praying together Discussion Questions: 1. What does the repeated phrase “the word of God increased and multiplied” suggest about how the church grows? 2. How does the biblical definition of fellowship (koinonia) differ from how we often use the word today? 3. Why is it important for the church to be intentional about meeting together for meals in homes, not just for formal gatherings? 4. Why is praying with and for others in your local church essential to spiritual unity and growth?

Main idea: The coming of the Holy Spirit brings together a people through the power of preaching. The Coming of the Holy Spirit The Preaching powered by the Holy Spirit The Repentance because of the Holy Spirit Discussion Questions: 1. What does this passage teach us about God’s heart for the nations and the global mission of the church? 2. What does it mean to “call upon the name of the Lord”? How would you explain that to someone unfamiliar with Christian faith? 3. Why is it important for us to understand that Jesus’ death was not a mistake or miscalculation? 4. What is the difference between repentance, regret, and remorse? How can we know if we’ve truly repented?

Main idea: Man is God’s method to reach the world. The Classroom of God - v.1-11 The 12th Man - v.12-26 Discussion Questions: 1. What is the significance of the name “Theophilus”? How might it shape how we read Luke and Acts? 2. What does it mean that “man is God’s method” for spreading the Gospel? How should that impact how we live? 3. What comfort should we draw from knowing Jesus is our High Priest who intercedes for us right now? 4. In your own life, can you share a time when God asked you to wait? How did it shape your faith? 5. Why do we no longer cast lots to know God's will? How can believers seek God's guidance today?