In the previous verses, Peter has just explained to the crowd in Jerusalem that the Holy Spirit is working through the disciples. Now he shifts to preaching about Jesus Christ. He addresses his audience a second time, Men of Israel, to draw attention to what he is about to say: listen to these words. The words he will speak are for the Men of Israel specifically, because they have a firsthand connection to the subject of his sermon, Jesus the Nazarene, who is Israel’s promised Messiah.

Peter preaches that Jesus’s death was part of God’s plan, and that He has been resurrected from death by God. King David had prophesied this resurrection in his psalms.

Speaker: Revanth T

Scripture: Acts 2:22-28

Notes: Acts - Jesus is Lord and Christ.pdf

This passage is about Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit. You cannot overstate how important this event is in the history of the church. Pentecost means 50; it was a festival that came 7 weeks or 50 days after Passover. The Lord commanded the Jews to observe it in order to give thanks for the first fruits of their harvest, which pointed to the fuller harvest to come.

This pointed to the coming of the Holy Spirit and the fruit he would give. We see 3000 souls converted in verse 41 following Peter’s sermon. These souls who entered into Christ’s kingdom were the first fruits of souls who will enter from all over the earth, making up the full harvest of the Lord.

Speaker: Pradeep Daniel

Scripture: Acts 2:1-13

Notes:

Luke begins Acts by reminding readers of his previous book, the Gospel of Luke, and the situation he had described at the end of that book. Jesus suffered and died and was raised from the dead. He appeared to the disciples and gave them a dramatic new understanding of the Scriptures (Luke 24:25-27, 45). The Old Testament had not only predicted the Messiah and his suffering, but it also predicted that “repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations” (verse 47).

How would this prophecy be fulfilled? Jesus reminded the disciples that they had seen the fulfillment of Messianic prophecies (verse 48) — and in this Jesus implied that the disciples would be involved in fulfilling the biblical prediction about preaching.

How could the disciples preach to all nations? The Gospel of Luke does not tell us. But it tells us that Jesus told the disciples to “stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” (verse 49). What is this power, and what is it for? This is where Acts picks up the story. Jesus taught his disciples about the kingdom of God and told them to wait in Jerusalem for a special gift from God (Acts 1:4). “In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (verse 5). Luke, the inspired story-teller, is setting the stage for the dramatic events that will soon be narrated.

Speaker: Charles Mathew

Scripture: Acts 1:1-11

Notes:

How do you talk matter-of-factly about an event so mind-boggling as the raising of a person from the dead, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ? Hollywood would use special effects to impact the viewer. Novelists would employ powerful prose. But the Scripture just tells the story of the disciples, both male and female, as they discover this unexpected and life-jolting joy. And the Scripture tells it simply, clearly, and convincingly.

Scripture: Luke 24

Speaker: George Mattackal

Notes: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AtZn-btopJYtqAAP7tF8WacA5wng?e=fte9fb

The Biblical titles of Jesus Son of God, Messiah, and King have been so thoroughly absorbed as words for church and worship that their simple, earthly force is largely lost. Jesus’ crucifixion, however, did not occur on an altar between two candles, but outside the city between two convicts on a dismal executioner’s hill, called “The Skull.” The Gospel is the story of how Jesus the Messiah of God brought God’s reign of justice and mercy to earth, and Luke’s account presents the crucified Messiah enacting God’s reign, surrounded by mocking, brutal violence.

Scripture: LUKE 23:33–56

Speaker: Dr. Alias K. Eldhose

Notes: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AtZn-btopJYtpwTUDG7ZTOKu6PmD?e=BkhH92

Jesus and his disciples were leaving the temple when one of them commented about how impressive that building was. By all accounts, it was a magnificent structure. At that time, it had been under construction for about 50 years. According to Jewish historian Josephus, some of the stones measured 35 feet long, 12 feet high, and 18 feet wide. Today, Israel's Western Wall (or Wailing Wall) is a part of the foundation of that temple structure. Its white marble walls rose about 200 feet above the Kidron Valley. The brilliance of those white walls and the gold trim in the morning sun was no doubt dazzling. The courtyard was about 400 by 500 yards square, enabling thousands of worshipers to gather there.

"Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God" (v. 5). The disciples were likely nodding in agreement when Jesus shocked them by saying prophetically, "The time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down" (v. 6). That was unthinkable! To their credit, the disciples didn't doubt Jesus' words, but they did ask when these things would take place and what signs would precede this momentous event. Jesus responded with his lengthy discourse on future things.

Jesus was showing his followers how to hold on not only to their sanity, but to their faith, when the world around them becomes chaotic and seemingly out of control. When the whole world goes crazy, God's people can remain sane by knowing that all things are under God's righteous, sovereign control. His purpose was not to satisfy curiosity about the end times. Rather, he was trying to instill assurance and faith in his disciples so that they wouldn't fall away under intense persecution or world chaos.

Speaker: Charles Mathew

Scripture: LUKE 21: 5 - 37

Notes: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AtZn-btopJYtpTBqwX_uqXM2a-oH?e=qaumUY

In this portion, we see Jesus in the temple. At the temple, Jesus drove out the merchants because they have made the House of Prayer into a den of thieves. Never mind if businesses serve the material needs of pilgrims who came from faraway places. The temple is sacred and for Jesus, it should never be a place to commit sin like profiteering and scamming in addition to the noise and foul smell that distracted the worshippers. In our time, church administrators should learn the lessons from Jesus.

There will be dire consequences for those who reject God’s authority and attempt to live independently from His sovereign rule. The Jewish nation had been carefully and lovingly cultivated as God’s choice vine. The religious leaders were privileged to receive numerous prophetic warnings leading up to the culmination of God’s revelation in John the Baptist who served as the forerunner to God’s only beloved Son – the living Word. Yet they consistently failed to humble themselves and submit to God’s authority. The patience and forbearance of God has been stretched beyond any imaginable limits. The day of reckoning is upon them. This is their last chance to respond with respect and obedience to the Promised Messiah.

Speaker: Benjamin Mathew

Scripture: LUKE 19:45-48 & 20:9-18

Notes:

As we look at this portion and what happened 2000 years ago when Jesus enter Jerusalem, it is not what any of us would have done.Luke 19:28-44 sets the scene. This passage contains the first event in Christ’s final week—the event known as the Triumphal Entry. But as we will see, it is anything but “Triumphal.” A Triumphal Entry would be what the Jews were looking for. A Triumphal Entry would have included Jesus defeating Satan and overthrowing the Roman domination of Israel. A Triumphal Entry would have had Jesus set up as King and Ruler and Judge. But none of those things happened. This event is called the Triumphal Entry, but it happened very differently from what everyone thought would happen.

Speaker: Jerry William

Scripture: LUKE 19:28-44

Notes: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AtZn-btopJYto38LueHqR8G6T1XY?e=Aggs8U

Confusion and Uncertainty have long surrounded the topic of the coming kingdom of God. This was true when Jesus walked the earth and it remains true today. Yet the Bible offers abundant revelation about many specific aspects of the kingdom. Here the Pharisees kick things off with a question (cloaked in skepticism) about the timing of the kingdom promised in the OT. Jesus focuses their attention on their ignorance of His First Coming. If they don’t submit to the King when He is present among them, what is the use of investigating the topic any deeper?

Speaker: Revanth T

Scripture: LUKE 17:20-37

Notes: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AtZn-btopJYtozr58f4dQBDlsgYb?e=dkk2Qb

In this portion, We see how God deeply loves and pursues us. He values us, being made in His image and pursues us. He invites us into a life with Him, as we love and pursue others.

Series: The Acts of Christ And The Apostles

Speaker: Pradeep Daniel

Scripture: LUKE 15:1-32

Notes: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AtZn-btopJYtom0H9us3ZoDXvegO?e=yi4NyS