Acts 1:11 – Embracing God’s Call to Action: A Memory Verse

A Memory Verse

After Jesus’ resurrection, he appeared to the disciples for 40 days, teaching them all sorts of really cool things. When Jesus decided that the disciples had learned enough, he was bodily taken up into heaven and left the disciples standing stunned. It took two angels to get them moving again! As we consider the tasks that Jesus has given to each one of us, do we choose to stand stunned and staring into space, or do we choose to get moving and do what he asked? Acts 1:11 is a great memory verse that will remind us that God is a God of action and that through the Holy Spirit, he asks us to be people of action.

“You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky, will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky.”
Acts 1:11b (WEB)

Don’t you wish that the things that he told the disciples were written down for us. Unfortunately, most of them were not, but the disciples were told to go out into the world and teach these things to the people. As we read the book of Acts and many of the New Testament letters, we will see glimpses of these teachings.

Reflection Questions

Reflection Questions for Christians

Think of an example of a time that you were certain that the Holy Spirit wanted you to do a particular task. How did you respond?
Is there a task that the Holy Spirit has asked you to complete that you have not started? What is holding you back?
What do you think that the Holy Spirit wants you to do today? Tomorrow? A month from now? A year from now?

Reflection Questions for non-Christians

With which teachings of Jesus do you agree? Why?
Which teaching of Jesus are hard for you to swallow? Why?
Name some things would you like to know about Jesus? How might you be able to learn these things?
Are you listening for promptings from the Holy Spirit? If so, when have you felt one of these promptings and what makes you think it was the Holy Spirit? If not, have you considered how the Holy Spirit might talk to Christians even though we cannot see him?

Reflection Questions for Kids

When have you felt certain that a particular action was the correct thing to do? Did you do it? How do you think God felt about your choices?
When have you felt certain that a particular action was the wrong thing to do? Did you do it anyway? How do you think God felt about your choices?
Have you ever listened for promptings from the Holy Spirit? Even though you cannot see him, how might he communicate with you?

Reflective Prayer

Use this memory verse to pray using the ACTS method: Adoration, Confession, Thankfulness, Supplication

Adoration: Praise God. Does this verse bring any specific characteristics of God to mind?
Confession: Tell God that you are sorry for specific sins. Does this verse bring any specific sins to mind?
Thankfulness: Show gratitude towards God. Does anything from this verse inspire gratitude?
Supplication: Make requests for yourself and for others. Does anything from this verse inspire a prayer?

If helpful, you can use a prayer journal template.

Respond

As you consider the themes of taking action when God gives us a task, are there any Bible verses that came to mind? If so, add a comment at the end of this post!