Book: Acts of the Apostles
Author: Luke
- Author of Gospel of Luke
- Doctor
- Only non-Jewish person to write a New Testament book
- Historian
Historian A.N. Sherwin-White, “In all, Luke names thirty-two countries, fifty-four cities, and nine islands without error. For Acts the confirmation of historicity is overwhelming. . . . Any attempt to reject its basic historicity must now appear absurd.”
Oxford Professor & Archeologist, Sir William Ramsey, “Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statement of fact trustworthy; …He seizes the important and critical events and shows their true nature at greater length, while he touches lightly or omits entirely much that was valueless for his purpose. In short, this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians.”
Purpose:
- to tell the history of the early church
- to show how God builds His Church
Outline:
Acts 1:8, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The Church is Where People Discover God
Acts 2:47, And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Luke 15:29, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
Luke 15:32, The father responds, But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Luke 19:10, Jesus said, For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
The Christian says, ‘Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. – C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Matthew 7:13-14, Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
John 14:6-7, Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.
John 3:16-17, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already
Acts 2:22-23, Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. … and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
Acts 2:36, Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
Acts 2:37-38, When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:40-41, With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
New Life Creates Safe Places Where People Discover God
The Church is where People Develop Spiritually
Four Ways They Developed Spiritually
- The Grew By Learning The Apostle’s Teaching
Acts 2:42, They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching
Acts 2:46 says, Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.
Matthew 4:4, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
John 17:17, Jesus prayed, Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
Matthew 22:37-38, Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.
Hebrews 4:12, For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Mark 4:26-28, Jesus said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.
- They Grew in Relationships
Acts 2:42, They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship
Acts 2:44, All the believers were together and had everything in common.
Acts 2:46, They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
- They Grew Through the Breaking Bread together
Acts 2:42, They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread
Acts 2:46, Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts, They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
Acts 4:4, many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
Acts 5:12, it says And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade
Acts 20:7, On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people.
- They Grew By Being Devoted to Prayer
Acts 2:42, They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
James 5:16b, The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Acts 4:31, After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Acts 2:43, Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles
Acts 2:47, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
The Early Church Deployed Purposefully
Matthew 20:28, Jesus said, Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give…
John 13:4-5, he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
John 13:12-15, “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them…. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
Acts 2:44, All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
Acts 4:34-35, that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
Matthew 25:40, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matthew 25:45, “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
