Introduction to Acts

Luke picks up the book of Acts where he left off in the book of Luke.  The Gospels end with a great commission to make disciples in all nations.  Acts begins with the disciples continuing to ask about the timing of the kingdom.  Jesus does not scold them for the hope of the kingdom but informs them that the kingdom’s timing is not of their concern but that their focus needs to be on being His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth.  The book of Acts is Luke’s description of how the Holy Spirit empowered these same disciples to accomplish exactly that.  As we read the early part of the book of Acts we cannot help but to stand in awe of the difference that the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and empowering made in the lives of the Apostles.  All through the Gospels we see them being slow to understand Jesus’ teachings, inconsistent in their obedience and fearful in the face of opposition.  In Acts they are laser focused on the mission, fully submissive to the Word of God and boldly proclaiming the Gospel in face of great opposition.  Luke gives us a description of how they went about doing the task they had been given.  Apart from the Holy Spirit, there are two main characters: Peter and Paul.  Luke was close companions of both of them so was highly qualified to write this historical record of the birth and growth of the church.  Peter’s ministry was primarily, not exclusively, focused on Jews in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria.  Paul’s ministry was primarily, not exclusively, focused on the Gentiles living in the ends of the earth.  That which the Apostles started, we have been called to continue in the same power of the Holy Spirit. 

THE EXPANSION OF THE GOSPEL TO JEWS UNDER PETER: Once the Holy Spirit comes on the disciples the expansion of the church in Jerusalem begins to take place immediately.  The festivities for the celebration of Pentecost had many people from all over in the city.  Peter stands up and boldly presents the Gospel and thousands come to know Christ and are baptized.  The church is a close knit group of people who are marked by the love of Jesus for one another and great generosity for one another.  However, it was also marked by holiness and the fear of the Lord.  When Ananias and his wife lied about the amount they were giving from the sale of their property they both fell dead.  Multitudes were turning to Christ and the religious leaders began to become jealous and decided to try to shut them up.  As persecution increases the disciples demonstrated great boldness and refused to give into their threats.  God used them to heal the sick and to save sinners from eternal condemnation through faith in Christ.  They experience divine empowerment as well as supernatural protection and deliverance from prison.  The Gospel spreads to Samaria and God uses Philip to bring this city to faith and then takes him to evangelize a man from Ethiopia in the middle of the desert.  God also demonstrates to Peter that the Gospel would come to the Gentiles through the conversion of Cornelius.  As persecution increases the Gospel expands to more and more people in more and more places.  This was the promise of God and His purpose for the church.  Persecution has always been the means by which God spreads the Gospel to new places.  We naturally seek for comfort and stability but the spread of the Gospel usually involves just the opposite of this.  If we are engaged with God’s mission of reaching the nations we must be prepared to give up comfort and face persecution.

THE EXPORTATION OF THE GOSPEL TO GENTILES UNDER PAUL: The history of the church is a story of transformation in the lives of men.  We are first introduced to Paul, then named Saul, at the stoning of Steven.  He was terrorizing the church on behalf of the Jewish leaders.  In the midst of one of his journeys Jesus appeared to him in the form of a bright light and speaking to him audibly.  He was called as an instrument of God to export the Gospel to the Gentile nations.  It took a while for the church to trust him but eventually he became the central figure in the accomplishment of the commission that Jesus gave to His disciples.  Paul’s ministry is marked by suffering as we see him constantly being persecuted by the Jews as well as the Roman Empire, besides suffering hardships in the way of shipwrecks, earthquakes, constant travels and poverty.  His ministry is also marked by a constant stream of disciples that traveled with him and to whom he entrusted great responsibility.  Paul, like Jesus, prepared men to carry on the work after he was gone and multiplied his efforts through these key leaders.  Paul was blessed by God with a sharp mind and fierce dedication which he fully employed in the proclamation of God’s Word for the growth of God’s church.  As we follow Paul’s ministry all over the various nations to which he traveled we can see a pattern of proclaiming the Gospel, preparing leaders, planting churches and persecution that forces him to move on to the next location.  In some ways it may seem like God was out of control because of all of the suffering and yet we clearly see His power miraculously working in and around all that Paul does.  In or minds we automatically equate suffering with a lack of control by God.  This is clearly not the way that God sees things.  In fact suffering is one of His most used instruments to promote the character of His children and the advancement of His kingdom.  God’s commission of our lives continues to be the same as it was in Acts.  He wants us to make disciples in all nations all the way to the ends of the earth.  For that task He was empowered us with His Spirit and He has called us to be willing to suffer as we spread the fame of Christ to the nations of the world.