Reflection Guides
Advent Week One Reflection Guide
We hope this reflection guide will help you and your family prepare your hearts for Christmas by taking some time each week to reflect on what Christmas truly means for us and our world. The traditional theme for the first week of Advent is hope. This week’s guide considers how the first title given to…
Read MoreFull of Faith and Spirit – Acts 6:8-7:60: Reflection Guide
Reflection Guide Key Terms Covenant of circumcision – A term used to refer to the covenant God made with Abraham in Genesis 17 that Abraham would have a son with Sarah and become the father of a multitude of nations; circumcision was a sign to the people of this promise. Son of Man – A…
Read MoreHeroes in the Church – Acts 6:1-15: Reflection Guide
Reflection Guide Key Terms Hellenists – Jews whose families had previously lived outside of Jerusalem, and therefore spoke Greek and were largely influenced by Greek culture, but who were now living in Jerusalem. Daily distribution – Only mentioned in Acts 6:1, but evidently a regular practice of the Early Church to care for widows, who…
Read MoreThe Hero of the Church – Acts 5:12-42: Reflection Guide
Reflection Guide Key Terms An angel of the Lord – Greek angelos kyriou (“a messenger of the Lord”); although the word angelos simply means “messenger,” in the New Testament the term angelos kyriou always refers to angels, not merely human messengers. Gamaliel – A prominent Pharisee who was a member of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish…
Read MoreBuilt Up or Broken Down? – Acts 4:32-5:11: Reflection Guide
Reflection Guide Key Terms The resurrection of the Lord Jesus – A historical event in which Jesus was raised from the dead. This event is central to the teaching of the apostles in the book of Acts (see Acts 1:22, 2:31, 4:33, 23:6, & 26:23). One heart and soul – The first century Greco-Roman hearer…
Read MoreWhat Do You Believe About Jesus? – Acts 4:1-22: Reflection Guide
Reflection Guide Key Terms The priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees – Some of the most influential people in Jerusalem. The captain of the temple was the second highest ranking priest (after the Chief Priest) and was responsible for policing the temple. The Sadducees were a group of rabbis and priests who…
Read MoreHow Pierced Hearts Become Glad Hearts – Acts 2:14-41: Reflection Guide
Key Terms Peter – One of the original 12 disciples and the writer of 1 & 2 Peter; Peter famously confessed Jesus as the Christ (Mt 16:16) but later denied knowing Jesus three times after Jesus’ arrest (Mt 26:69-75). However, Jesus restored Peter and chose him to be one of the prominent leaders in the…
Read MoreDescent of the Spirit, Ascent of the Church – Acts 2:1-13: Reflection Guide
Key Terms Pentecost – The Greek name for the Jewish Feast of Weeks (Ex. 34:22; Lev 23:15-16; Deut 16:9) that occurred 50 days after Passover (pentecost literally means “fiftieth”); many Jews travelled to Jerusalem to celebrate the festival. Galileans – People from the northernmost region of Israel, called Galilee; Galileans were often thought of as…
Read MoreReadiness for the Mission – Acts 1:12-26: Reflection Guide
Key Terms The women – In addition to Jesus’ twelve male disciples, Jesus also had several female disciples including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna (Luke 8:1-3), Mary and Martha (Luke 10:48-42), and likely others who are not explicitly named in the gospels. Baptism of John – John the Baptist was sent by God to prepare…
Read MoreGlad Hearts, Bold Church – Acts 1:1-11: Reflection Guide
Key Terms Theophilus – The recipient of the book of Acts and also the recipient of the gospel of Luke. Kingdom of God – The rule of God over his people in his creation, which is now present in the physical world, but is awaiting completeness (or fullness) at the second coming of Christ; however,…
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