LESSON 4

THE BOOK OF ACTS

Introduction:
  • In the Introduction to these lessons we mentioned that Luke was the author of two books in our New Testament; The Gospel of Luke (which in many ways is similar to The Gospel of Matthew) and The Book of Acts.
  • We also mentioned that these two books are the only ones written by a non Jewish Christian, for Luke was ethnically a Greek.
  • Luke’s Gospel was written for Christians and other Gentiles of a Greek background.
  • The Address of both the Gospel of Luke and The Book of Acts begins in similar fashion, addressed to someone by the name of Theophilus.
  • Luke 1:1-4 – Addressed to Theophilus – the Gospel explaining accurately and truthfully the story of Jesus.
  • Acts 1:1-5 – Addressed to Theophilus explaining how what began in the story of Jesus was continued in the church and by the Apostles and other apostolic men and women.
  • From the language of both The Gospel of Luke and The Book of Acts we learn that Theophilus was most likely a prominent official – "most excellent Theophilus" (Luke 1:3) being a title of respect for those in authority.
     
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    • The Story of Acts:
  • The above two introductory statements regarding the Gospel of Luke and The Book of Acts set the scene for the story of Acts.
    • Acts explains in some detail how the story that began in the life and ministry of Jesus was carried out by the Apostles and the church.
    • Acts begins by explaining how Jesus after his resurrection appeared to the disciples and confirmed his resurrection with powerful proofs.
    • Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the power of the Holy Spirit to descend on them before they carried out the Great Commission of the Gospel of Mark, Matthew, and Luke.
    • Acts 1:6-11 outlines the story of The Book of Acts
    • The disciples were concerned about the beginning of the Kingdom.
    • Jesus told them to wait for the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, for the activity of the Holy Spirit was a sign of the presence of the Kingdom (refer to Matt 12:28).
    • When the Holy Spirit was poured out this would be the sign for the disciples to carry out the Great Commission, and preaching of the Gospel of Christ.
    • The Gospel was to be preached beginning in Jerusalem, then in Judea, then in Samaria, then to the ends of the earth.
    • This would explain to Theophilus that Christianity was a response to the saving action of God in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and the powerful pouring out and working of the Spirit of God.
    • The Gospel and Christianity was not simply for the Jews, but for the Jews, the Samaritans, and for all men including the Greeks and Romans.
    • From this story of the Acts of the Apostles and early church Theophilus could see that Christianity was not a threat to the Roman Empire, and that the church preached only a gospel of peace.
       
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    Great Themes from the Book of Acts:
  • Both The Gospel of Luke and The Book of Acts were in the form of a defense of Christianity and an explanation of what Christianity was all about – Acts is simply the wonderful saving Story of Jesus carried out in life by the church!
  • From the very first verses of Acts we learn that this Story of Jesus has to do with:
  • the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus,
  • the powerful saving activity of God through his Holy Spirit,
  • and the ministry of witnessing to this by the church.
  • Acts 2 sets all of this in motion when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Apostles and they began to speak in many different tongues (the tongues were not ecstatic utterances, but known dialects of the people attending the Passover (Acts 2:8 native languages - as in the RSV and NIV – the Greek uses dialektos - dialects]) .
  • Peters sermon in Acts 2 which follows on the pouring out of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues is powerful - 3000 respond:
    • This sermon is paradigmatic (forms an outline) of the preaching of the Apostles and early church.
    • It begins out of Scripture – Joel 2 and Psalms 16.
    • It develops the story of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
    • It explains that God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ (Messiah).
    • When the hearers believe the story (that is, believe in Jesus as the Christ) they respond immediately with the question "What shall we do?"
      • Believing or having faith is not simply something of the mind but is of the heart – it is trusting in God and Jesus for their powerful working and salvation.
      • They are told, every one of them, to "repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins".
      • Repentance is a dramatic change of heart that leads to a dramatic change of lifestyle.
      • Being baptized is being immersed in water.  Paul later tells us that baptism is trusting in the saving work of God (Col 2:12).
      • In the name of Jesus implies that the one being baptized is trusting in the person of Jesus. It also carried the meaning of being baptized into the person of Jesus. Baptism is not a work the person being baptized does, but is the working of God through Jesus (Col 2:12).
      • For the forgiveness of sins indicates the purpose of the belief, repentance, and baptism. It is for forgiveness that one is baptized!
      • Peter adds one more important ingredient to this story – "the gift of the Holy Spirit". If the Holy Spirit is not involved in the new birth of the Christian there is no rebirth and no salvation! (see John 3:3-5 and Titus 3:3-7).
      • In Acts 9 Luke tells of the story of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus who later became the Apostle Paul. Saul saw the resurrected Jesus (1 Cor 15:8), believed that the Jews had crucified the Lord, and calling on the name of the Lord was baptized for the forgiveness of his sins (See Acts 9:1-19; 22:16).
      • Acts 10 and 11 tells the story of the conversion of the first Gentile, Cornelius. He believed that story and was baptized in the name of Jesus, demonstrating that salvation is on the same grounds for both Jew and Gentile. The Holy Spirit was present in this conversion event just as he was in Acts 2.
      • This same story of Jesus, or story of salvation, is repeated by the Apostles and early church throughout the Book of Acts.
      • When the Story of Jesus is preached with the power of the Holy Spirit:
        • People believe and repent (Acts 2:38)
        • People are baptized in the name of Jesus (Acts 10:47; 16:33).
        • They are added to the saved or the Lord (Acts 2:27).
        • The church grew and multiplied greatly (Acts4:4; 6:7).
        • The Holy Spirit was active in this process (Acts 5:32; 10:47; 11:15-18)
        • This same message was preached effectively in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, throughout the world, and even in Rome.
           
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    Summary of Luke-Acts:
  • We include the Gospel of Luke here with The Book of Acts in that Acts is a continuation in history of the Story of Jesus which began in the Gospel of Luke.
  • It is noteworthy that Luke in his Gospel and in Acts mentions salvation more than the other Gospel writers.
    • The Gospel of Matthew speaks of inheriting the kingdom.
    • The Gospel of John speaks of receiving eternal life.
    • Luke speaks of salvation.
    • The Book of Acts records the spread of the Story of Jesus and the Gospel which began in Luke, demonstrating to Theophilus that the Story which began in Jesus life and ministry continues in the life of the church.
    • The focal point of the Book of Acts is the preaching of the Story of Jesus, namely, the gospel of Jesus, the response in faith of those who heard the Story, the resultant baptism of the believers, and the pouring out and receiving of the Holy Spirit without which no salvation in the name of Jesus can take place.
    • In the Book of Acts Luke traces for Theophilus the beginning of the Story in Jerusalem, and then its spread into Judea, Samaria, and eventually to Rome and beyond.