CONNECT: Who is one person, on your front line, you can pray for, share the good news with, and disciple this year?

WARM-UP  Questions

1. Have you ever considered the ascension of Jesus to be critical? Why or why not?
2. Have you ever had a moment where you suddenly understood who Jesus is more clearly? Have you ever shared that with anyone else?

READ Acts 1:1-11

1. As you read the introduction to Acts, what gives credibility to this report?
2. Why does Luke both finish Luke and commence Acts with the ascension account? If the ascension didn’t happen, what are the implications?

READ Hebrews 7:23-27

1. What are the implications of Jesus being alive? What does it mean that he is our permanent priest?
2. In what was does the living Lord Jesus intercede for us? What gives you confidence to run to him with both your greatest need (for forgiveness) along with all other needs?
3. What does it mean to you that you can not only know ‘about’ Jesus, but actually know him?
4. In what way is Jesus both the perfect High Priest and perfect sacrifice? How does that make him worthy of our praise and our devotion?

READ Luke 24:45-53

1. What is the significance of the disciples worshipping Jesus immediately after the ascension?
2. What is different about Jesus’ assumption into heaven compared to Enoch’s or Elijah’s?
3. What exactly were the disciples to be witnesses to? How about us?
4. Why did the disciples have to wait until Pentecost to continue Jesus’ mission on earth? How are we equipped for this mission too?
5. How should Jesus’ return motivate us to go into the world as witnesses of Jesus?

APPLY This Week: What is one key opportunity for you to connect with or pray for your ‘one key person’ who are hoping becomes a Christian?

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On Your Frontline This Week: Invite someone along to discover different ways that we can pray for our community, city, and world at the Prayer Night.

For Families 

• ‘The Rescue Begins’ by the Gospel Project for Kids

Audio and Video

• “The Ascension of Jesus” by Tim Keller (Redeemer, New York)
• Acts 1:1-11 part of the “To the ends of the earth” series at St Helen’s Bishopsgate
• Videos by the Bible Project overviewing Acts
• ACTS Study Guide can be accessed in a a number of ways including Podcast and eBook:
• You might like to revisit our series on the Apostles’ Creed
  

Other Helpful Articles and Courses

• Chapter 11 (“Believing that Jesus Reigns”) in “What Christians Ought to Believe” by Michael Bird
  

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