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• It’s yard work season! Some people love it; others, not so much. How about you? Is yard
work a blessing or a burden?
Bible Study/Discussion Questions
Watch the Video
Read 1 Peter 3:15
1. says you should, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason
for the hope that you have.” What steps can you take to ensure that you are fully prepared to give an
answer for the hope that you have in Christ?
Read Acts 7:1-50.
2. A marriage engagement is one of the closest things we have to a covenant in our culture. When the
marriage happens, the engagement is fulfilled. Stephen is making an argument that Jesus didn’t
destroy the covenant with God, but that he fulfilled it. The same way that a wedding ceremony doesn’t
destroy an engagement, but rather fulfills it. What did the religious leaders miss?
3. Stephen’s detailed historical account was presented to a group of highly educated religious leaders.
Wouldn’t they have already known this information? Why do you think he took the time to spell it out to
them in such detail? What was he trying to show them or what message was he trying to convey? Look
back at Acts 6:13-14. What were the charges against him, and how did his response address them?
What narrative was Stephen trying to build?
4. It must have been very challenging for Jews in those days who were so deeply engrained with the strict
tenets of the law to understand and accept this new covenant Christians were preaching. They were so
accustomed to sacrificing, rule following and working to earn God’s favor; this new idea of grace and
forgiveness apart from works and sacrifices was a tough pill for them to swallow. Some Christians still
struggle with this today. Discuss some ways the members of your group may struggle with feelings of
falling in and out of God’s favor as a result of good or bad behaviors.
5. In verses 39-43 Stephen explains why God sent Israel into exile in Babylon. What was the main cause?
Is this still a danger to people that follow God today?
Acts 7
Empowered to Keep Faith
April 7, 2019
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