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Welcome back, I’m glad you’re here, my friend! I just want to remind you I’m sharing my answers in these posts to provide an example of the treasure that can be discovered through this process. If you’re working with the Holy Spirit and are seeing different results, know that you’re on the right track, even if your findings are different from mine.
That’s because He knows what each of us needs in our faith journey. How awesome is God that He provides our own personal Bible tutor—and the more we study, the more we will develop the skills to hear the Spirit’s voice. So, let’s keep studying!
Last Week’s Work
MY PRAYER
The first task from last week was to develop a prayer I promised to pray every time I sit down to study this section of Scripture. Here’s mine:
Father God, thank You for Your Word and for clear steps to help me see, understand, and apply it to my life now. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, who opens my eyes, ears, and heart, and brings to mind all that you have taught me about Your Word so far. Bless this study of Acts 1:6-11 and all those who are studying with me. May we see You in all that we encounter here! In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.
Because I’m still sometimes forgetting to pray before I start digging, I copied this onto a colored notecard I use as a bookmark in my study journal. It really is hard to teach this old dog new tricks!
HUH? and WOW! MOMENTS
Next, I slowly read through the study text, focusing on my reactions, and noting the parts that caught my attention. Here are my responses:
- HUH? Verse 6 reads, “… they asked him, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?’” What does the bold text mean?
- WOW! Jesus told the disciples in verse 8, “… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”
- WOW! Verse 9: “… he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.”
- WOW! and HUH? Verse 11: “This Jesus… will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” What does the bold text mean?
I’m not sure what to think about this story. There isn’t a lot of detail: who is “they” with whom Jesus met as these things happened? The 11 remaining disciples? Others? Where did this take place? When did it take place? We have a lot of fact-finding to do in the next few weeks, and it appears we’ll have to look to the verses’ context to see if we can find any of this out.
I’m looking forward to it! I hope you are, too.
Dig-In Challenges
Next week, I plan to:
- Read my prayer bookmark each time I start studying this passage!
- MINE: Identify which aspect of this study I feel the Spirit leading me to dig deepest into right now. It could be one (or more) of the Huh? and Wow! Moments I wrote about this week, or some other item the Spirit hasn’t yet called to my attention.
- MINE: See if I can find out more about the setting of the scene in Acts 1:6-11 (who’s involved, where and when did the action take place), and note anything the Spirit emphasizes.
See you again soon!