Beyond the Gospels

Background Information

Since we are truly reading someone else’s mail, it’s important to get the cultural and historic context of the writing to accurately understand the book

The New Testament opens with the narrative of the life of Jesus

2 of them record His birth

The most complete, the only one recording the details of the birth of John the Baptist, is the Gospel of Luke

Acts is a continuation of that account, with a short bit of overlap, starting with a summary and then a more detailed account of Jesus’ ascension

The book most likely written during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome;

Most date Paul’s death between 66-68; it is not mentioned here

Certainly not after 70 AD—the destruction of the Temple would have been mentioned

Preaching narrative texts is fun…sometimes we cover large passages, sometime, dealing with “propositional truth,” they may be short

The first few will be short, setting up the rest of the book

The Writer

Dominant view of conservative Biblical Scholars; no valid reason to vary from that thought

Internal and external evidence

Early tradition was in agreement as to its authorship

It is Luke—a physician (Paul references him as the “beloved physician, Col. 4.4”’ also in 2 Tim 4 11 and Phlm 24;

”Quincy” to make a report of the circumstances regarding this Jesus

Scholarship is nearly universal that he was the same as the writer of the Gospel of Luke

He was (most likely) not of Jewish descent

However, some scholars suggest he was among the 72 sent out as missionaries in chapter 10 of Luke’s Gospel

His name has a Greek look: Loukas

He may have been from Colassae

Well educated, articulate, skillful in description of persons, places, events and circumstances

By his own statement in Luke, he relied on other sources

Likely that continued in the early portion of Acts

May have used written accounts or interviews of eye-witnesses

Both books are well-researched, well-organized, and well-written

He was part of the story in at least 4 places in this narrative 16-10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1-28:16

He was under the patronage of, possibly the slave of...

The Recipient

Theophilus—A Greek-sounding name as well: Thophilos

His name indicates or suggests Roman or Greek origins—likely a convert from paganism to Christianity

Probably resided somewhere in Asia, though Italy is possible—clues as to detailed descriptions of places

Mentioned in Luke as the recipient of that report, mentioned here again as the recipient

Thankfully both accounts were and continue to be spread abroad for the entire world to see

The Reason

It’s the “rest of the story” …the logical thing for Luke to do was continue the narrative so that Theophilus

With that, we set up for the coming...

The Revelation

Not John’s Revelation, revelation with a lower case r

He tells us what his first report was about and then opens the door to not the words Jesus taught the disciples so much as the concepts that He apparently taught—and the outworking of those concepts as the Church spread

Jesus had told the disciples, in the garden, that he would send the Comforter John 14 16-17

John 14:16–17 ESV

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

A few lessons down the road, we’ll see where the Spirit comes upon them in power

Some scholars/writers have suggested that the title of this book be the “Acts of the Holy Spirit”

In fact, all that they did was empowered by the Spirit

We see the formation, through the power of the Spirit, of

…the church of Jerusalem from chapt 1-8:3

…the church in Judea and Samaria 8:4-12:25

…Paul’s mission to the Gentiles 13:1-21:16

With the establishment of churches in cities/regions

…Paul in Jerusalem 21:17-26:32

…Paul’s Journey to Rome 27:1-end

We can connect the dots between the ministry of Peter, John and Paul to the letters they wrote to the churches—passing on the revelation the Spirit had given them

Here we are in a 21st Century church, “reading the mail” sent to early Christians

A Couple Lessons for Today

A Lesson for the Church

A bit of an excursus…at least an extrapolation of the teachings

Drawing conclusions based upon the outcomes (sanctified speculation??)

One of many things taught us throughout these epistles is the governing and operation of the churches

First is the issue of true faith and godliness as it relates to the church

Many issues of morality, their impact on the church

Issues of personal behavior, their impact on the church

They often relate to character

Character relates to governing the church

We see right from the beginning that it was godly people of good character that had the key roles in the churches

Choice of Matthias, choice of the servants of chap. 6

We’re about to (as we do each year) elect officers

In each, we strive for people of godliness and of high character

Acts 6 gives us the first listing of requirements for some men chosen to serve—and they were not even given titles—just a job to do

For deacons and elders we have specific qualifications given—1 Tim. 3 and Titus 1—those letters written as follow-up to the work of the players of this great book--give us specific qualifications for deacons and elders

We attempt to have our deacons meet the qualification of elders—though they may not be assigned to the positions we consider elder positions…that of pastor/associate

A Lesson for Each of Us

Let’s look back at a piece of Luke’s narrative mentioned earlier—it’s years down the road from where we’re starting, but proves a point, Acts 16 10-11

Acts 16:10–11 ESV

And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis,

If we were to read further—and we will— we find He was not just along for a boat ride—we’ll see that he was “on mission”

Put yourself in the position of Luke

Coming to Palastine, maybe a believer, maybe not—we don’t know

Starting many years after the beginning of the events

Doing an accurate and complete investigation of the facts; ultimately being convinced of them

Wrote the first report to Theophilus

Working his way into “real-time;” catching up to the story

Now we see him among the players in the story; he writes himself into the story

(the first time I really studied the book of Acts I was dumbstruck at this)

He got into the boat

If nothing else proves the veracity of Luke’s account, this should

We have the entirety of God’s Word before us—going to some of Peter’s writing to some among the church spread abroad, 2 Peter 1 3-4

2 Peter 1:3–4 ESV

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Doing a diligent job of searching the Scripture—like the Bereans whom we’ll meet in a future lesson, we should come to the point of Luke

Are You in or Ready to Get in the Boat?

Ready to be “on mission”