Scripture/Text: Acts 1:1-14; The sermon from last Sunday, "Acts 1:15-26--The Restoration of God's People," recounts a transitional period for the early church, just before the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1ff). We see the Lord leading the church to appoint Matthias as Judas Iscariot's replacement in answer to the gathered church's communal prayer and faithful deliberations--from which the sermon draws its Main Idea: Prayerfully trust in the Lord who restores His people through fulfilling His promises, executing judgment, and answering faithful prayer made to and through Him.
Sermon Outline:
• God restores His people through His promises (vv. 15-17, 20)
• God restores His people through judgment (vv. 18-20)
• God restores His people through prayer and trust…in Jesus (vv. 21-26)

Discussion Questions:
• What stood out to you the most from the reading and/or the sermon?
• Compare and contrast the early church's practice of prayer, Scriptural discussion, and application with how faithful Jewish people in the Old Testament practiced faithfulness. What remains the same? What's different?
• What's significant about the similarities? What's significant about the differences?
• Looking at Judas Iscariot's aftermath, how would you caution yourself and others about "belly idolatry"? (Cf. Philippians 3:18-19) How can we combat belly idolatry with the gospel?
• Should we start casting lots to make church decisions? Why or why not?
• How should we decide on which practices to keep doing or have as a biblical example that we can learn from that need not be applied to the letter today?
• How does God use prayer and the gathering of His people to accomplish His plans and will today? How can we cultivate this pattern in our personal lives and the church?