INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF ACTS

Background

The book of Acts is written by Luke the physician, the companion of the Apostle Paul. It chronicles the birth and spread of the church. It starts with the ascension of Jesus and spans a period of about 30 years. In the 1st chapter, we see 120 disciples in the upper room. By the end of the book, we see the Gospel has spread all over the Roman Empire.

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

The Gospels pointed to the coming of the Holy Spirit, while Acts records His arrival.

Matthew 3:11 ““I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

John 14:16–17 “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.” (see John 7:37-39, 15:26, 16:7)

Believers were going to be baptized with the Spirit and indwelt by the Spirit.

Titus 3:5 “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,”

1 Corinthians 12:13 “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”

The Birth and Growth of the Church

Jesus had promised that He would build His church.

Matthew 16:18 “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

His church is going to be built with believers from all nations.

Genesis 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.””

See John 10:14-16, John 17:17-23, Galatians 3:7-9, and Ephesians 2:11-22...

Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

See Revelation 7:9–10...

The Spread of the Gospel

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

All 4 Gospels and Acts records a version of the Great Commission.

Matthew 28:18–20 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

Mark 16:15 “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”

Luke 24:46–48 “and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”

John 20:21 “Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.””

The Gospel spreads from a small number of believers in Jerusalem to the ends of the Roman Empire.

Acts 1:15 “In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said,”

See Acts 28:28–30...