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Bible Studies / New Testament / Acts
Verse-by-Verse Bible Study

Acts 1:1–14

Introduction to Acts (5 things)

ActsNew TestamentEnglishHiligaynon Version Available
These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
  • 1st – Through the Bible…
    • 1st – Context…
      • We teach through the Bible INDUCTIVELY – book by book and verse by verse…
      • FIRST – because TOPICAL Bible studies [picking a topic – then backing it up with verses]
      • Has the danger of NOT knowing the CONTEXT of those verses…
      • It is easy to change the meaning of a single verse when taken out of CONTEXT!
      • Where TWO or more are gathered has NOTHING to do with prayer – Matthew 18:20
      • It is about church DISCIPLINE – removing someone because of SIN – CONTEXT!
      • One of the most important concepts in understanding the Bible is CONTEXT…
      • That is why we study the whole Bible – teachings chapter by chapter…
      • We learn the Bible in CONTEXT – to have an accurate understanding of the Word!
    • 2nd – Whole Counsel…
      • Every part…
      • If we teach TOPICALLY [or just certain books] we miss the WHOLE counsel…
      • Pastors will tend to teach on certain topics they LIKE and overlook ones they DISLIKE!
      • Every part of the Bible is Gods inspired Word – all of it is necessary…
      • By teaching through the whole Bible – book by book – chapter by chapter…
      • We learn ALL of the 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.”
      • Old and New Testament…
      • The New Testament included approximately 250 Old Testament quotations…
      • If we include indirect or partial quotations – the number jumps to more than 1000!
      • We study through the New Testament every Sunday morning – from Matthew to Revelation
      • And during the Midweek we study through the Old Testament – Genesis to Malachi
      • Because if we only hear the NT – we will miss out on about 75% of the Bible…
      • A good encouragement to get into both the Old and New testaments!
  • 2nd – The Author…
    • 1st – Luke…
      • Three times…
      • LUKE [Λουκᾶς] – one who gives the LIGHT…
      • He is only mentioned by name THREE times in the New Testament!
      • Colossians 4:14 – “Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you.”
      • Philemon 1:24 – “Luke my fellow laborer.”
      • I Timothy 4:11 – “Only Luke is with me.”
      • Evidence…
      • The authorship of Acts has been traditionally credited to LUKE …
      • This comes from EXTERNAL evidence – the testimony of the church fathers is unanimous…
      • Christians have accepted this tradition as early as the SECOND century up to modern times…
      • But also INTERNAL evidence – the pronoun WE – Acts 20:13-15 – Acts 21:1-6 – Acts 27-28
      • 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.”
      • Notice the pronoun WE – suggesting the writer of ACTS joined Paul on his trip…
      • Luke joined Paul on his SECOND missionary journey – stayed with him to the end of his life!
    • 2nd – Gentile…
      • Luke is the only non-Jewish author in the Bible [except for perhaps Job]
      • He refers to the Jewish language as THEIR language – NOT his – Acts 1:19
      • 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…
      • Meaning he wrote more than ANY other author – including the Paul – John – or Peter…
      • Making Luke [a gentle] the most prolific author of the New Testament!
    • 3rd – Physician…
      • Luke was a physician – Colossians 4:14
      • When we think of a doctor today – we think wealthy…
      • But that was NOT necessarily the case in the times of the Romans Empire…
      • Wealthy men had many SLAVES – sometimes one of those SLAVES might be a doctor…
      • The master would pay one of his SLAVE 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!
  • 3rd – Where and when…
    • We are NOT certain WHERE – but perhaps from Rome while Paul was in PRISON…
    • We are NOT certain WHEN – but possibly between the years 50-60 A.D.
    • There is NO mention of the destruction of the temple – 70 A.D.
    • There is NO mention of the martyrdom of Paul – 62 A.D.
  • 4th – Theme…
    • 1st – Holy Spirit…
      • The full title of the book is – the Acts of the APOSTLES…
      • The reason is because it 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 might be – the Acts of the Holy SPIRIT!
      • 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!
    • 2nd – Example…
      • History of the church…
      • Acts records the first THIRTY years of the history of the church…
      • From the birth of the church [Pentecost] – to the imprisonment of Paul…
      • The example given becomes a PATTERN for how the church should work TODAY!
      • Acts 2:42 – “They devoted themselves to the study the Bible and fellowship – sharing in the Lords Supper and in prayer.”
      • Model church…
      • People have a lot of funny ideas about what a church is…
      • There are those who think it is a building – with chairs and a sound system…
      • There are those who think it is traditions – Sunday morning dressed up…
      • But what we rarely see – is a church that is reaching the WORLD for Jesus!
      • That is why it is so important for us to study the book of ACTS…
      • We want to see what God says His church should look like [not men]
      • Because when the church is done His way – God uses us to change the world!
  • 5th – Outline…
    • 1st – Overview…
      • The book of ACTS has 28 Chapters and 1006 verses…
      • Only the books of MATTHEW and LUKE are longer in the New Testament…
      • Much like MATTHEW – it will take us about a year to go through the book of ACTS!
    • 2nd – Breakdown…
      • Chapters 1-12 – Birth of the Church
      • Jerusalem – Acts 1-5
      • Judea – Acts 6-7
      • Samaria – Acts 8-12
      • Chapters 13-28 – Into all the world
      • First Journey – Acts 13-14
      • Second Journey – Acts 15:1 – Acts 18:22
      • Third Journey – Acts 18:23 – Acts 21:15
      • Trials of Paul – Acts 21:16 – Acts 28:31
      • Ascension of Jesus…
  • 1st – Introduction… vs. 1-3
    • 1st – Theophilus… vs. 1
      • Friend of God…
      • Luke wrote ACTS to Theophilus – THREE possibilities as to who this was…
      • FIRST – Theophilus [Θεόφιλος] means a friend [φίλος] of God [θεός]
      • It is possible Luke was writing to anyone who wants to be a FRIEND of GOD…
      • A less likely possibility because of the introduction to the same person in the book of LUKE…
      • There he is given the TITLE – most excellent [κράτιστος] – Luke 1:3
      • Master…
      • SECOND – the TITLE most excellent – could suggest Theophilus was the master of Luke…
      • And Luke wrote his Gospel to tell his master about Jesus…
      • When he presented it to Theophilus – he addressed him with the TITLE [most excellent]
      • But when Luke wrote the Book of Acts – the TITLE is gone…
      • Perhaps suggesting Theophilus received Jesus upon reading the Gospel of Luke!
      • Judge…
      • THIRD – Theophilus was the judge presiding over the case of Paul…
      • More than HALF of the book of Acts focuses solely on the life of Paul…
      • And concludes with Paul imprisoned in Rome – awaiting his TRIAL before Caesar…
      • Then book of Acts seems to end very abruptly [there is no conclusion]
      • Luke could have written the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts as a DEFENSE for Paul!
    • 2nd – The Continuation … vs. 1-3
      • The Gospel… vs. 1-2
      • The former account I made – O Theophilus – of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.
      • Until the day in which He was taken up after He through the Holy Spirit…
      • Had given [the] commandment to the apostles whom He had chosen!
      • Luke begins the book of ACTS – by connecting it to the book of LUKE…
      • The FIRST [πρῶτος] book [λόγος] that he had written [ποιέω]
      • That documented ALL [πᾶς] of the things Jesus had DONE [ποιέω] and TAUGHT [διδάσκω]
      • Until Jesus gave the final COMMAND [singular] to the APOSTLES – Matthew 28:19-20
      • The APOSTLES [ἀπόστολος] He had chosen through the Holy [ἅγιος] SPIRIT!
      • The Keys…
      • This opening to ACTS gives us the KEYS to the whole book…
      • The COMMAND [singular] of Jesus was to make DISCIPLES of all nations…
      • The APOSTLES [ἀπόστολος] – were who Jesus SENT to share the MESSAGE…
      • The Holy SPIRIT – was how simple FISHERMEN had the POWER to share it!
      • The book of ACTS is not separate book from LUKE – it is the CONTINUATION…
      • Because it was NOT enough for the DISCIPLES to see and hear the life of Jesus…
      • They needed to step out and FOLLOW the example Jesus had given to them!
      • If all we do is LISTEN to Bible studies – we are missing the POINT…
      • The Bible is NOT stories we listen to – it is INSTRUCTIONS we are to follow!
      • James 1:22 – “Be doers of the word and not hearers only!”
      • Forty Days… vs. 3
      • To whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs.
      • Seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God!
      • Jesus stood [παρίστημι] with the APOSTLES for FORTY days after His crucifixion [suffering]
      • Where they SAW [ὀπτάνομαι] Him – and HEARD Him talk about the Kingdom of God…
      • The emphasis is that there is NO question Jesus had RISEN from the dead…
      • He was WITH the APOSTLES – they could SEE Him – and HEAR what He said to them!
      • FORTY in the Bible is a number that is always associated with TRIALS…
      • It rained for FORTY days during the FLOOD of Noah – Genesis 7:4
      • Israel wandered for FORTY years in the wilderness – Numbers 14:33
      • Jesus was tempted by satan after FORTY days in the desert – Matthew 4:2
      • The TRIAL in this instance was that Jesus was about to LEAVE…
      • They were NO longer going to be WITH – SEE – or HEAR the Lord…
      • They were going to have to WALK by FAITH – and learn to depend on someone else!
  • 2nd – Final Teaching… vs. 4-8
    • 1st – Baptism of the Spirit… vs. 4-5
      • Wait… vs. 4
      • Being assembled together with them He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem.
      • But to wait for the Promise of the Father which – He said you have heard from Me!
      • As the DISCIPLES were gathered around Jesus [on the Mount of Olives]
      • He gave them final INSTRUCTIONS [παραγγέλλω]
      • They were NOT to leave Jerusalem – but instead WAIT [περιμένω] or ABIDE [μένω]
      • Until they received the PROMISE of the Father that Jesus had told them about…
      • The PROMISE was for the DISCIPLES to receive the HELPER [παράκλητος]
      • The Holy SPIRIT who He would CALL [κλητος] to come alongside them [παρά]!
      • John 14:26 – “The Helper – the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name – He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
      • If the disciples had tried to start the church on their own – if they had NOT waited…
      • The book of Acts would have ended here – there would be NO church…
      • But because of the PROMISE of the SPIRIT – the Gospel went out into the world!
      • While PREPARATION has its place – it is good to be a student of the WORD – II Timothy 2:15
      • The disciples had the BEST training ever [Bible college] – THREE years with Jesus…
      • But that was NOT enough – in order to be used they needed the PROMISE of God…
      • We can have all the training and degrees – but if God is NOT with us – NOTHING will happen…
      • We can have NO education – if God is working through us – we are UNSTOPPABLE!
      • Baptism of water… vs. 5
      • For John truly baptized with water!
      • John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus – he came to prepare the way…
      • He BAPTIZED people in WATER – as they CONFESSED their sins…
      • He used the picture of needing a BATH – so show people they were spiritually DIRTY…
      • But John was LIMITED to water BAPTISM – it could ONLY change the EXTERNAL!
      • Baptism of Fire… vs. 5
      • But you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now!
      • The APOSTLES would be BAPTIZED [passive] with [instrumental] the Holy SPIRIT…
      • There are THREE prepositions that are used to define the WORK of the SPIRIT…
      • PARA [παρά] – the Spirit comes ALONGSIDE and convicts the world of their SIN – John 16:8
      • EN [ἐν] – the Spirit comes and lives INSIDE of the believer – I Corinthians 6:19
      • EPI [ἐπί] – the Spirit comes UPON the believer to set them on FIRE!
      • Matthew 3:11 – “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. He who is coming after me is mightier than I… He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire!”
      • If something is washed on the outside – it can still be DIRTY on the inside…
      • But when something is exposed to HIGH heat – it is purified all the way through!
      • This THIRD aspect of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is the most misunderstood…
      • It can be called the BAPTISM of the Spirit – being FILLED with the Spirit…
      • What it describes is something that happens AFTER salvation…
      • Setting a believer on FIRE – so that we can be PURIFIED and used by the Lord!
    • 2nd – Times and Seasons… vs. 6-7
      • The Kingdom… vs. 6
      • Therefore when they had come together they asked Him saying:
      • Lord will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?
      • As the DISCIPLES were gathered around Jesus [on the Mount of Olives]
      • They continually [imperfect] said to the Lord [κύριος]
      • This is [indicative] the TIME [χρόνος] to RESTORE [ἀποκαθίστημι] the Kingdom to ISRAEL!
      • Speaking of the MILLENNIAL Kingdom – Revelation 20:4
      • When Jesus will rule and reign the world from Jerusalem for THOUSAND years…
      • But this does NOT happen until the END of the TRIBULATION…
      • Meaning the DISCIPLES were at least TWO thousand years early!
      • No one knows… vs. 7
      • He said to them: It is not for you to know times or seasons.
      • Which the Father has put in His own authority!
      • Jesus corrected them – it was NOT for them to KNOW [γινώσκω]
      • TIMES [χρόνος] – speaking of the specific DAY or HOUR…
      • SEASONS [καιρός] – speaking of the more general period of history!
      • I Thessalonians 5:1-2 – “Concerning the times and the seasons… you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.”
      • The DAY of the LORD – starts with the RAPTURE of the church – I Thessalonians 4:17
      • But NO one but the FATHER knows when the RAPTURE will occur – Matthew 24:36
      • It will happen like a THIEF in the NIGHT – all we can do is be READY!
      • Matthew 24:44 – “Be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect!”
    • 3rd – Witnesses… vs. 8
      • Power of God…
      • You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you!
      • They did NOT know when Jesus would ESTABLISH the KINGDOM…
      • [ἀλλά] – BUT they did know what would happen in a FEW days…
      • The DISCIPLES would receive POWER [δύναμις] – explosive power [dynamite]
      • Through the SPIRIT God would TURN timid fishermen into unstoppable FISHERS of MEN…
      • But because the DISCIPLES wanted the kingdom NOW – they were missing the POINT…
      • There was still work to be DONE – and Jesus had to GO to get that work started!
      • John 16:7 – “It is to your advantage that I go away for if I do not go away – the Helper will not come to you – but if I depart I will send Him to you.”
      • If Jesus did NOT leave – then He could NOT send the Holy Spirit…
      • Not that the Holy Spirit was NOT there – He was in them – John 20:22
      • The problem was the DISCIPLES – with Jesus there they did NOT need the SPIRIT …
      • They looked for Jesus to do everything – Jesus had to leave so they looked for the SPIRIT!
      • If we are honest – we do not want responsibility – let someone else do it…
      • It takes NO faith to let someone else serve the Lord – be used by the Spirit…
      • What takes a step of faith is to believe that God can use me!
      • Spread of the Gospel…
      • You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem – and in all Judea and Samaria.
      • And to the end of the earth!
      • Once the Holy SPIRIT had come UPON [ἐπί] the DISCIPLES…
      • They would become [indicative] WITNESSES [μάρτυς] for Jesus Christ…
      • FIRST – they would spread the Gospel in Jerusalem [their city]
      • NEXT – it would spread out into ALL [πᾶς] of Judea [their country]
      • THEN – it would overflow to the SAMARITANS – Acts 8:5
      • FINALLY – it would move to FARTHEST parts of world!
      • If we throw a stone into a pond – the ripple quickly SPREADS outwards…
      • In the same way when we share the Gospel with others – it SPREADS…
      • The person we shared Jesus with – goes and tells their family or friends…
      • It is NOT just one person who comes to Jesus – it RIPPLES out into the whole world!!
  • 3rd – New Beginning… vs. 9-14
    • 1st – Ascension of Jesus… vs. 9-11
      • Taken up… vs. 9
      • Now when He had spoken these things while they watched.
      • He was taken up and a cloud received Him out of their sight!
      • While Jesus had given this these final INSTRUCTIONS [wait]
      • He was taken up [passive] from the Mount of Olives [flying]
      • Until the DISCIPLES could NO longer see Him as He passed into a CLOUD!
      • Looking up… vs. 10
      • While they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up.
      • Behold two men stood by them in white apparel!
      • The disciples stood watching till Jesus was out of sight…
      • After He was gone – the disciples just stood there staring [present] up to heaven…
      • They were in shock – perhaps not wanting the moment to end…
      • That is when they noticed two ANGELS standing next to them dressed in WHITE!
      • Coming back… vs. 11
      • Who also said: Men of Galilee why do you stand gazing up into heaven?
      • This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven.
      • Will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven!
      • The Angles had ONE question – why are you still STARING up into heaven…
      • Jesus would come back one day – to the same place He just left from…
      • But until that day – there was WORK that needed to be DONE!
      • Zechariah 14:4 – “In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives.”
      • There is only ONE gate on the east side of Jerusalem [Golden gate]
      • It was sealed by the Muslims – and they put a graveyard in front of it…
      • Because it is forbidden for a PRIEST [כֹּהֵן] to touch a GRAVE – Leviticus 21:1
      • All because the Bible said Jesus would come back to the Mount of Olives!
      • There is nothing wrong with a powerful WORSHIP service…
      • Our hands and lifted high – our eyes fixed on HEAVEN…
      • But we are NOT called to STAY – we are called to GO and tell others…
      • After the service there is WORK to be done – people need to hear about Jesus!
    • 2nd – Upper room… vs. 12-14
      • The Eleven… vs. 12-13
      • Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet.
      • Which is near Jerusalem a Sabbath day’s journey.
      • And when they had entered they went up into the upper room where they were staying:
      • Peter – James – John – and Andrew. Philip and Thomas. Bartholomew and Matthew.
      • James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James!
      • The disciples return to the Upper Room [first time in NT]
      • It was a Sabbaths day journey [one kilometer] from the Mount of Olives…
      • We are given a full list of the ELEVEN remaining APOSTLES…
      • The FOURTH and final list in the NT: Matthew 10:2-4 – Mark 3:13-19 – Luke 6:12-16
      • The ORDER of the list varies with each account [as do what some of them are called]
      • But as in EVERY list – [ὁ] Peter [Πέτρος] is the FIRST…
      • And unlike the other THREE lists – Judas is NO longer around!
      • One Accord… vs. 14
      • These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication.
      • With the women – Mary the mother of Jesus and with His brothers!
      • The APOSTLES – and the WOMEN who had stood with Jesus…
      • Including MARY the mother of Jesus [last mention in the Bible]
      • As well as the HALF brothers of Jesus [who had previously NOT believed] – John 7:5
      • They ALL [πᾶς] were [imperfect] continually in prayer to God…
      • Which allowed them to be in ONE accord [ὁμοθυμαδόν] – first time in NT!
      • A unique word used TWELVE times in the NT – ELEVEN of them in the Book of Acts…
      • Describing a great orchestra with many instruments – different sounds…
      • But as they follow one CONDUCTOR – then they blend together in beautiful harmony!
      • If we want to be effective for Jesus – witnesses to the world – it starts with PRAYER…
      • Because if we are NOT listening to the CONDUCTOR – we will NOT have HARMONY…
      • Only as we come together in UNITY – full of the SPIRIT…
      • Can we become a church that God uses powerfully to spread the Good News!