1. What are some of the key features of Pauls encounter with the resurrected Christ in chapter 9 (e.g., the nature of Saul’s commission, etc.)?
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Compare this account with Acts 22:3-16, 26:9-18; Gal. 1:11-24; and I Tim. 1:12-17. What do these various passages tell us about Gods purpose for Saul of Tarsus? For the Gentiles?
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Why do you think Luke chose to record this event?
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2. In Acts 9:32-43, Luke discusses the apostle Peter once again as a key figure and then in 10:1-48 records Peters activity among the household of Cornelius, a Gentile.
What steps does God take in order to prepare Cornelius for Peters visit?
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How did God prepare Peter to visit Cornelius?
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What evidence does Peter set forth in order to convince the Jerusalem believers that God has made salvation available also to the Gentiles?
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3. In Acts 15 we see how the early church dealt with a very complex issue.
What are some of the arguments employed by Peter and James in this chapter regarding the Gentiles and their relationship to Mosaic legislation?
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4. Acts says very little about the other apostles, and yet so much about the apostles Peter and Paul. Note that there is a major shift in emphasis from Peter to Paul in chaps. 9-16.
What is Luke’s purpose in this shift?
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