Introduction
Jesus instructed his Apostles in Acts 1:8 to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit was poured out.  When this happened they were to begin witnessing for him.  They were to begin in Jerusalem and spread out through Judea and Samaria until the reached the ends of the earth.  By this we understand that Jesus intended the Gospel message to be for all nations, not only the Jews.  The Gospel message is universal for all people.

In this lesson we will follow the Apostles and other disciples as they carry out this mandate and charge to preach the Gospel first in Jerusalem, then in Judea and
Samaria, then throughout Asia and into Macedonia and Achaia.  In a later lesson we will follow Paul as he teaches and preaches in Rome.

We will notice that when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Apostles in Acts 2 the immediately preached Jesus to the crowd that had gathered on the day of Pentecost.  Following this we will notice the interaction of the preaching of the Gospel message and the action of the Holy Spirit.

This lesson will explore the nature of the Apostolic witness, or in other words, just what it was that the Apostles preached in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the world "out there."  We will notice that the content of the preaching was uniform, that it focused on the same issues with the same instructions, and that it produced the same results.  For a map of Palestine showing Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and then the Roman World beyond Palestine, click here. (These maps are copyrighted by manna@biblemaps.com and www.biblemaps.com and are used by kind permission of Biblemaps.com.)

ACTS 2
In  the very first sermon (witnessing) preached by the Apostle Peter, we will notice that the focus of his lesson was on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  However, in preaching this lesson, Peter made some interesting observations!

2:23 Jesus was delivered up to the Jews according to the plan and foreknowledge of
       God, and that because of this he was crucified.

2:24 God raised Jesus from the dead.

2:29 David had prophesied that God would set one of his descendents on his throne.

2:31 By foreknowledge, David had spoken of the resurrection of Jesus of Christ.

2:32 God had raised Jesus and the Apostles were witness to this.

2:33 Jesus was exalted to the right hand of God from where he has poured out the
       Holy Spirit.

2:36 God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ (Messiah, king).

ACTS 3
3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has glorified his servant Jesus whom the
       Jews had delivered up and denied.

3:15 The Jews had killed the Author of Life whom God had now raised from the dead. 
       The Apostles were witnesses to the death and resurrection.

3:18 God had foretold that Christ would suffer.

3:26 God had raised up his servant, Jesus.

ACTS 4
4:10 God had raised Jesus Christ whom the Jews had crucified.

4:12 There is salvation in no one else than Jesus.

ACTS 5
5:30 God had raised Jesus, whom the Jews had hanged.  The Apostles were witness to the crucifixion and resurrection.

ACTS 8
8:12 Philip, the evangelist, preached the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ to Simon and the Samaritans.  They believed this good news and were baptized.

8:35 Philip preached to the Ethiopian eunuch while in the desert.  He began at the Scripture the eunuch was reading and told him the good news concerning Jesus.  The eunuch believed this and was baptized.

ACTS 10
10:34 Peter preaches the first sermon to a Gentile, Cornelius a Roman.  He preaches the good news, that Jesus had been put to death by being hanged on a tree, but that God had raised him from the dead.  Cornelius and his household believed this and were baptized.

ACTS 17
At Thessalonica, Paul went to the synagogue and explained from the Scriptures (the Old Testament) that it was necessary for Jesus to suffer (die) and be raised from the dead, and that Jesus was indeed the Christ (Messiah).  Some of the Jews were persuaded and believed, as did many of the Gentiles present.

SUMMARY OF THE WITNESSING IN ACTS
We notice the striking uniformity of emphasis in the Apostolic witnessing and preaching:
1.   The Jews had crucified Jesus.
2.   God had raised Jesus from the dead.
3.   This was good news!
4.   God had exalted Jesus to his right hand.
5.   God has made Jesus Lord and Christ Messiah (king).
6.   Those who believed were told to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins.
7.   Those who still were unbelievers were told to believe in Jesus in order to be
      saved.  They were then baptized.

Summary and Discussion
1)  Summarize briefly what this lesson teaches.
2)  What was the core message preached by the apostles and apostolic church?  It
     can be expressed in three words, beginning with D, B, R!
3)  Why was this message called "good news" or "gospel" by the early church?  It has
     to do with the concept of grace!
4)  According to Peter's first sermon in Acts 2:36, what did God do for  Jesus, and
     what role did Jesus then take fully on himself?  You can express this in one word
     beginning either with M, or K!
5)  What does the word Messiah mean?
6)  What were people told to do, or what did they do in order to be saved when they
     believed in Jesus?
7)  Was there any difference in the gospel that was preached to Jews and that was
     preached to Gentiles?  What was that gospel message?
8)  Were the Gentiles told to do anything different fro what was told the Jews?
9)  What were they told to do about the gospel they heard?  This can be expressed in
     three words beginning with B, R, B!