An Introduction To Acts Series

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF ACTS

“In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:1-4).

W. Graham Scroggie said concerning the Book of Acts, “Christ is the theme, the church is the means, and the Spirit is the power.” J.B Phillips declared that at no other time in human history has “any small body of ordinary people so moved the world that their enemies could say, with tears of rage in their eyes, that these men ‘have turned the world upside down!’ ”

The Apostles and other servants in the early church certainly turned the world upside down in the name of Jesus Christ. Likewise, you and I have the opportunity and the responsibility to have an impact for Christ in our own specific “spheres of influence”. I can think of no better way for us to prepare for this task than by studying the Book of Acts.

Acts is foundational to the Christian faith. It gives us a detailed account of the birth, growth, purpose and proper organization and function of the Church. Writing to Theophilus, Luke said of his Gospel account: “it seemed good to me, since I have carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in an orderly sequence, most honorable Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed. (Luke 1:3-4 CSB)

Luke continues his narrative of the works of Jesus in The Book of Acts. Whereas the Gospel of Luke details the ministry of Jesus as He walked the earth, Acts shows us how Jesus continued to move in the lives of His followers even after His ascension. We are encouraged by the reality that our Lord is still moving in the lives of His people today.

Before examining the contents of chapter one, it would be beneficial for us to take some time to do a brief overview of the book and to preview the themes that we will cover in this study of Acts. Let us begin with:

AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF ACTS

Just as a single spark can start a wildfire, the descending of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost ignited a fire that began to spread throughout the world and it is a fire that is still burning today.

The Church began with a small group of faithful Christ followers and it has grown to an innumerable multitude and that number continues to increase, and it will do so until the Lord returns in great power and glory. Just as Jesus predicted, the process of growth began in “Jerusalem”, and spread to “Judea”, then “Samaria” and to the “uttermost parts of the earth”. Jesus declared that His followers would be empowered by the Holy Spirit and they were to be His witnesses. That promise was fulfilled and the Apostles preached the Gospel, baptized, made disciples, performed miracles and demonstrated the love of Christ throughout the land.

This great process of evangelism continues today with faithful followers of Jesus sharing their faith and proclaiming the Gospel all over the world. We are privileged to be a part of Christ’s Church and we are responsible for continuing the work that began over two thousand years ago.

Not only is this book a historical record of the birth, establishment and growth of the Church, it is also a book of theology. It tells us how to live and what we should to until Christ returns. Acts begins with the ascension of Jesus; it contains proof of His resurrection and evidence of His great work in the establishment of His Church. This book chronicles the proper methods for: church planting, church growth, church organization and church revitalization.

Acts also shows the intense persecution that will come when God’s people are vibrant and fervent witnesses of the risen Savior. The Apostles and other members of the early church faced extreme opposition and persecution. The enemies of Christ sought to destroy the church in its infancy; however the opposite happened. As the persecution spread, the Christians scattered and so did the life changing message of the Gospel.

We also see a major transition take place in the early days of the church. In the beginning the Gospel was sent to the Jews; however, the Jewish people rejected the Gospel just as they rejected Christ when He walked among them. There was a remnant of Jews who heard, received, and accepted the Gospel message, they surrendered to Christ and lived the remainder of their lives with and for Him.