Introduction to Acts (5 things)

• 1^st – Teaching through the Bible…
  • Our desire to is to teach through the whole Bible Genesis to Revelation…
  • If we only teach certain passages – or certain books – we miss out on all of God’s Word…
  • We will tend to teach on certain topics we ‘like’ and overlook ones we ‘dislike’…
  • When was the last time you heard a teaching from Obadiah or Zephaniah…
  • But every part of the Bible is God’s inspired Word – all of it is necessary…
  • By teaching through the whole Bible – book by book – chapter by chapter…
  • We learn ALL of God’s word – and we focus on the topics God deems important!
  • Acts 20:27 – “For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.”
    
• 2^nd – Outline of Acts…
  • 28 Chapters / 1,006 verses – only the books of Matthew and Luke are longer in the NT…
  • Much like the Gospels – it will take us about a year to go through the book of Acts…
  • Chapters 1-12 – The Birth and Establishment of the Church
  • Chapters 13-20 – Missionary Journeys
  • Chapters 21-28 – Trials of Paul and Journey to Rome
• 3^rd – The Author of Acts:  Luke
  • 1^st – Internally anonymous – the authorship has been traditionally credited to the Luke…
    • The surviving testimony of the church fathers is unanimous in this view…
    • Christians have accepted the tradition as early as the 2nd century up to modern times
  • 2^nd – Luke is only mentioned by name three times in the New Testament…
    • Colossians 4:14 – “Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you.”
    • II Timothy 4:11 – “Only Luke is with me…”
    • Philemon 1:24 – “…Luke, my fellow laborer…”
  • 3^rd – Luke is the only non-Jewish author in the Bible (except for perhaps Job)
    • Acts 1:19 – Luke refers to the Jewish language as ‘their’ language – not his…
    • Thought to be the author of both the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts…
    • Together ‘Luke’ and ‘Acts’ make up 28% of the entire New Testament…
    • More than that of any other author – including the Apostle Paul / John / or Peter!
    • Making Luke – a gentle – the most prolific author of the New Testament!
  • 4^th – Luke was a physician – Colossians 4:14
    • When we think of a doctor today – we think wealthy – well educated…
    • That was not necessarily the case in the times of the Romans Empire…
    • Wealthy men had many slaves – often one of those slaves would be a doctor…
    • The master would pay one of his slaves to go to school – to become his doctor…
    • Luke ‘the beloved physician’ – used a lot of medical terms in his writings…
    • His education and vocabulary makes him a very detailed and descriptive writer
  • 5^th – Luke was a traveling companion of Paul…
    • Acts 16:10-11 – “After they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia… and after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia…”
    • Also in Acts 20:13-15, Acts 21:1-6, and Acts 27-28 
    • Notice the pronoun ‘we’ – suggesting the writer of ‘Acts’ joined Paul on his trip…
    • Luke joined Paul on his 2^nd missionary journey – stayed with him to the very end!
      
• 4^th – Where and when was it written…
  • Where – uncertain – perhaps from Rome while Paul was imprisoned there…
  • When – uncertain – but possibly between the years 50-60 AD
  • There is no mention of the destruction of the temple – 70 AD
  • There is no mention of the martyrdom of Paul – 62 AD
    
• 5^th – What is the key theme: The power of the Spirit / the model for the church…
  • 1^st – The full title of the book is ‘The Acts of the Apostles’…
    • The reason is because is follows the lives of the Apostles after the ascension of Jesus…
    • But the book is really about what the Holy Spirit did through the Apostles…
    • So the better title for the book would be ‘The Acts of the Holy Spirit!’
    • Acts 1:8 – “When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere…”
    • Acts was written to show us how important the Spirit is in our daily lives!
    • That without God working in and through us – there is nothing to write about!
• 2^nd – Acts is also a history book of the early church…
  • The first 30 years – from the birth of the church to the imprisonment of Paul…
    • The example given becomes a pattern for how the church should operate today…
    • Acts 2:42 – “They devoted themselves to the study the Bible and fellowship, sharing in the Lord’s Supper and in prayer.”
  • People have a lot of funny ideas about what a church is…
    • There are those who think it is a building / with pews and a sound system…
    • There are those who think it is traditions – Sunday morning dressed up…
    • But the model church laid out in the book of Acts is simply all about Jesus…
    • A church should take the time to study the Word of God – learning about Jesus…
    • Make sure there is fellowship with believers – pointing one another to Jesus…
    • The church should regularly have communion  – remembering the sacrifice of Jesus
    • The church should set aside time to pray – talk with Jesus!

The ascension of Jesus…

• 1^st – Who was Theopholis… vs. 1

• 1^st – Friend of God…
  • Luke wrote Acts to ‘most excellent Theopholis’ – 3 possibilities…
  • Theos – Philos – means ‘friend of God’ – general rather than a specific person…
  • It is possible Luke was writing to anyone who wants to be a ‘friend of God’…
  • A less likely possibility because of the title ‘most excellent’ before Theopholis name
• 2^nd – Theopholis could have been judge…
  • A second possibility is Theopholis was the judge presiding over the case of Paul…
  • The Book of Acts ends with Paul imprisoned in Rome – waiting his trial…
  • More than ½ of the book of Acts focuses solely on the life of Paul…
  • Luke could have written the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts as Paul’s defense…
• 3^rd – Theopholis could have been Luke’s rich master…
  • The introduction of Theopholis as – ‘most excellent’ is thought to be a title…
  • When Luke is presenting the Gospel (1^st book) to Theopholis – there is the title…
  • But when Luke writes the Book of Acts (2^nd book) – no more title…
  • Perhaps suggesting Theopholis received Jesus upon reading the Gospel…
  • And the Book of Acts was given to encourage him in his newfound faith!
    

If we want to be used by God – share Jesus with a lost world – it starts on our knees!

2^nd – Jesus’ final teaching… vs. 2-8

1^st – Forty Days… vs. 2-5

Jesus remained here on earth for 40 days after the Resurrection…

During that time He appeared to the Apostles 10 times teaching them…

Jesus’ final appearance / teaching to the disciples was on the Mt. of Olives…

The Disciples had 3 years of living / following / being taught by Jesus…

They had witnessed His crucifixion and resurrection…

And had even been taught by Jesus 40 days after the resurrection…

But that is not enough – they were still to wait to bring the Good News to the world!

Wait for the promise of the Father – the baptism of the Holy Spirit…

If the disciples had tried to build the church on their own – if they had not waited…

The book of Acts would have ended with chapter 1 – there would be no church…

But because of the POWER of the SPIRIT – the Gospel went out into the world!

We often think in order to be used by God – we need to be trained / prepared…

That is why churches require men to have a college degree – preparation…

Preparation had its place – it is good to be a student of the Word – II Timothy 2:15

The disciples had the BEST Bible College the world – 3 years with Jesus!

But that was not enough – in order to be used they needed the power of God!

You can have all the training and degrees – but if God is not with you – nothing…

You can have no education – if God is working through you – you are unstoppable!

2^nd – Times and seasons… vs. 6-7

The disciples had one pressing question – was it time to restore the kingdom to Israel…

They were looking for Jesus to overthrow the Roman rule – set up His Kingdom!

The Disciples wanted Jesus to establish His throne in Israel – now!

One day God will establish His Kingdom here on earth – Millennial reign…

At the end of 7 years of tribulation – when Jesus returns – Revelation 19:11

All of the Jews will see Jesus coming in the clouds – realize who He is – and believe…

Zechariah 12:10 – “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on all the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son.”

God will save the nation of Israel – and rule from Jerusalem – Revelation 20:4

But this way not that day …

And Jesus told the disciples it was not for them to know ‘the times and seasons’…

Speaking of the 2^nd coming of Jesus Christ – I Thessalonians 5:1-2

No one knows when Jesus will return / set up His Kingdom – Mark 13:32

But though we cannot know when – but we can be ready…

Are we ready – if Jesus came back today – what would He find us doing…

It could happen next week – today – it could happen right now – be ready!

3^rd – The Disciples were missing the point… vs. 8

They were only thinking about themselves / Israel…

Jesus points the disciples not to when – but what to do until Jesus returns…

They would receive Power – dunamis – Dynamic power – Dynamite

The Power from the Holy Spirit – so they would be witnesses for Jesus…

Jesus takes the disciples focus of themselves – and put it on others!

We tend to think that life revolves around us – we only think about our needs…

We do not think about the millions who do not know Jesus – lost in their sin…

But when we are filled with the Spirit we become others centered…

We receive the power of the Spirit to open our eyes and see a lost world…

We receive the Spirit to GO – Matthew 28:19 – and share the Hope of Jesus!

To Jerusalem – Judea – Samaria – Uttermost parts…

The disciples did not start by going to the Philippines (they never made it this far)…

They started in their backyard – Jerusalem – they went out from there…

They went from the ‘Bukid – to Negros – to the Philippines – into the world’!

Starting in our own backyard – beginning with our family and friends…

By the Power of the Holy Spirit we are called to go and give the world Jesus!

3^rd – The ascension of Jesus…  vs. 9-14

1^st – Into Heaven…

Jesus gave this final teaching – and ascended back up into heaven…

The disciples stood watching till Jesus was out of sight…

After Jesus was gone – the disciples just stood there staring up to heaven…

They were in shock – perhaps not wanting the moment to end…

Two angels brought them back around – Jesus will come back – Zachariah 14:4…

The 3 years they had been with Jesus was over – it was time to get to work!

Following Jesus is not about Sunday mornings – this is just the training…

Serving Jesus is about getting to work letting the world know the Good News!

2^nd – Upper Room… vs.

The disciples return to the upper room…

A Sabbaths days journey – about I kilometer from the city…

All of the disciples were there (minus Judas – more on that next week)…

Including Mary the mother of Jesus – the last mention of Mary in the Bible…

They do not run out to evangelize – instead with prayer seeking the Lord!

The disciples started the church in the best place – on their knees!

There is no limit to what you can do for God after you have prayed…

But there is nothing God can do through you until you have prayed!