Acts: Intro
THE BOOK OF ACTS IS A REMARKABLE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE GOSPELS AND THE EPISTLES.
THIS BOOK AND THE GOSPLE OF LUKE ARE BOTH DEDICATED TO A MAN NAMED THEOPHILUS, WHOSE NAME MEANS “GOD LOVER” OR “BELOVED OF GOD”.
IN LUKE HE IS NOTED AS ‘MOST EXCELLENT” WHICH SEEMS TO BE A CLUE THAT HE WAS A HIGH OFFICIAL WHO MAY HAVE BEEN A BELIEVER WITH LUKE PROVIDING HIM
A LENGTHY REPORT ON ALL THINGS HAPPENING WITHIN THE NEW SPIRITUAL TIMES AND THE NEW CHURCH FOUNDED IN ACTS.
SOME WRITERS HAVE SUPPOSED THAT BECAUSE LUKE WAS A PHYSICIAN, HE MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN THE PERSONAL DOCTOR TO THIS OFFICIAL.
THE GREAT MISSIONARY COMMISSION, WHICH APPEARS IN CONCEPT IN ALL FOUR GOSPELS, IS CONFIRMED IN THE BOOK OF ACTS.
ACTS GIVES THE HISTORY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCHES TO WHICH THE EPISTLES ARE SENT.
THE THEME OF ACTS IS SEEN IN 1:8:
“But ye shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.”
THE FIRST SEVEN CHAPTERS RECORD THE WORK BY THE HOLY SPIRIT IN JERUSALEM.
CHAPTERS 8-12 RECORD THE WORK BY THE HOLY SPIRIT THROUGH THE APOSTLES IN JUDEA AND SAMARIA.
THE REST OF ACTS RECORDS THE WORK BY THE HOLY SPIRIT UNTO THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH AT THAT TIME.
ACTS IS SAID TO BE INCOMPLETE AS IT TRULY IS NEVER FINISHED AS THE WORK OF THE LORD’S HOLY SPIRIT CONTINUES UNTIL HIS RETURN.
SPECIAL FEATURES OF ACTS ARE CLEARLY EVIDENT:
FOCUS UPON THE WORK OF CHRIST AFTER HE ASCENDED AND ARRANGED THE PROMISED COMFORTER’S ARRIVAL.
FOCUS UPON THAT NEW PERSON OF THE TRINITY TO BE AN INDWELLING POWER TO ALL IN FAITH.
FOCUS ON THE POWER GIVEN TO THE CHURCHES AND THE APOSTLES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO PLANT THEM.
FOCUS UPON MANY NEW BELIEVERS. LUKE MENTIONS 110 PEOPLE BY NAME AND EACH HAD A ROLE IN THE GROWTH OF THE CHURCHES.
FOCUS UPON THE RESURRECTION WHICH IS THE CENTER HEART OF THE GOSPEL, ESPECIALLY IN THE PREACHING OF PAUL.
FOCUS IS STRONGLY UPON PETER IN THE FIRST PORTION OF ACTS AND PAUL IN THE REMAINDER OF THE BOOK.
A PREVIEW OF THE STUDY OF ACTS IS INSTRUCTIVE:
PREPARATION FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT (CHAPTER 1):
40 DAYS OF MINISTRY BY JESUS AFTERTHE RESURRECTION.
HIS ASCENSION AND PROMISE OF RETURN.
WAITING FOR THE SPIRIT.
APPOINTMENT OF A NEW APOSTLE.
DAY OF PENTECOST (CHAPTER 2):
COMING OF THE SPIRIT AS PROMISED.
FIRST SERMON OF THE NEW CHURCH.
THE BELIEVING OF THE 3,000.
FIRST MIRACLE AND SECOND SERMON (CHAPTER 3):
HEALING OF THE LAME MAN.
PETER’S ADDRESS.
THE BELIEVING OF THE 5,000.
FIRST PERSECUTION (CHAPTER 4)
DEATH OF ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA (CHAPTER 5)
APPOINTMENT OF DEACONS AND WITNESS OF STEPHEN, A DEACON (CHAPTER 6)
STEPHEN’S ADDRESS AND HIS DEATH (CHAPTER 7)
GOSPEL IN JUDEA AND SAMARIA (CHAPTERS 8-12)
GOSPEL IN THE UTTERMOST PARTS (CHAPTERS 13-28)
ACTS DETAILS THE REMARKABLE RAPID SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL FROM JERUSALEM TO ROME AND BEYOND.
IT CLEARLY SHOWS THE OBEDIENCE TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
GENTILE BELIEVERS ARE ACCEPTED INTO THE CHURCHES WITH EQUALITY TO THE JEWS WHO BELIEVE WITHOUT HAVING TO BECOME JEWS FIRST.
ACTS REVEALS TO US THE WILL AND PLAN OF GOD FOR THE SPREAD OF HIS WORD EVEN AFTER JESUS ASCENDED AND THE HOLY GHOST WAS GIVEN TO ALL WHO SHALL BELIEVE.
THAT FACT HAS NOT CHANGED FROM THE DAY OF PENTECOST UNTIL TODAY AS WE AS BELIEVERS CONTINUE HIS WILL AND PLAN IN OUR WITNESS OF OUR WORDS AND LIVES.
MANY CENTURIES LATER SAINT FRANCIS RECONFIRMED THIS COMMAND WHEN HE SAID:
“Preach the Gospel daily and use words if necessary.”
