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Bible Study notes for weeks beginning 19th, 26th April and 3rd May


Bible notes – Week Beginning 19th April
The Bible study notes are looking at the bit of the Bible we will next look at in club... so you get to think about it first!

Day one – Read Acts 1:1-8 (The Message) To the Ends of the World Dear Theophilus, in the first volume of this book I wrote on everything that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he said good-bye to the apostles, the ones he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. After his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days. In face-to-face meetings, he talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God. As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but "must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me. John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon." When they were together for the last time they asked, "Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?" He told them, "You don't get to know the time. Timing is the Father's business. What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world."

Question one: What did Jesus tell the disciples to do?
Question two: the disciples were in a hurry to see the present difficulties pass and for Israel to be restored. In your own words, what did Jesus tell them?

Day Two – Think What are the things you want in your life right now? Is there anything you think God might be asking you to wait for? What is it he wants you to do this week, this month?

Day Three – Explore/Do Make a list of your hopes and ambitions for the future. Make a second list with all the things/subjects you are good at or enjoy. What do these lists tell you about the way God has made you and what he might want you to do for him both NOW and in the future?



Bible notes – Week Beginning 26th April
The Bible study notes are looking at the bit of the Bible we will next look at in club... so you get to think about it first!

Day one – Read Acts 2:1-24 (Contemporary English Version) Read it HERE

Question one: What did Peter do when Jesus was arrested?
Question two: How is Peter different now the Holy Spirit has come?

Day Two – Think Peter was a good man, but he wouldn’t have had the strength to tell everyone about Jesus that day, without the Holy Spirit giving him the power and bravery to do it. What do you need bravery for at the moment?

DayThree – Pray It is the Holy Spirit that empowers us to do God’s work and to grow more like Jesus. The more we give our lives over to God, the more we will seem him in our lives. This week, ask the Holy Spirit to come into your life and ask Him what it is he wants you to be doing for him.



Bible notes –Week beginning 3rd May
The Bible study notes are looking at the bit of the Bible we will next look at in club... so you get to think about it first!

Day one – Read: Galatians 5:16 and 22-23 “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves ... But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Question 1 – How can we let the Holy Spirit guide our lives? (Hint: how do you know if something is right or wrong?). Question 2 – How do you think the Holy Spirit goes about producing the “fruit” in your life? Have a guess even if you are not sure...

Day Two – Think Can you list all the things people have said or done to you which you think are LOVE? List all the things you can think of which have brought you JOY...

Day Three - Pray As God to help you be open to the Holy Spirit and the things he is wanting to teach you. Ask God to help you show more love and bring more Joy to other people.

Lent - Week 6 Good Friday

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Here we are at the end of Lent. We are at a point, which for the disciples, must have been the darkest day of their lives. Surely it wasn't so long ago that had this conversation:

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.

Matthew 16:13-17

Where had all that gone? They thought he was to be King and now he was dead. They must have felt such despair. How blessed we are to be able to stand at Good Friday, knowing that the Glory of Easter Day will soon be upon us.

We can stand and see both the loving sacrifice of Jesus which paid for all our sins, and His mighty resurrection which is victory over death and a pathway to restoration.

All through lent, in these thoughts, we have been thinking about giving up consumerism. Consumerism says, life is about you, your happiness. You should have all these things you see, by right. Consumerism says your material comfort is of the utmost importance and it is unjust for you not to have these things.

The cross says "not my will but yours". Not even my life, but Yours.

And as we stand in awe of what Jesus gave, we can look back and hear his words:

“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:37-40

We know we are called to more than just our own needs, our own comfort. And then we look forward to the words of the risen Jesus:

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-21

Life really is all about Jesus. About being agents of His Kingdom here on earth and about drawing people into the knowledge of his love, sacrifice and great victory.

I wonder what this Easter will bring us? I wonder how the Spirit might speak to us through our Bible reading and the services we attend? I wonder what commission Jesus will give us for the weeks and months to come.

We can be sure of this, if we lay down our own wants and take up His, we will find Him true to His word: And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.