Why Study Acts?

This morning we begin… Because it picks up where The Gospels leave off and we learn in this book that there is more to the story of Christianity… exhalation .

Theophilus ().

a new study in The Acts of the Apostles. Its a long book, and Lord willing we’ll be here a while, a couple of years or less. Why did I chose this book? Why study Acts? Luke’s introduction answers this question for us. Why study Acts? Because it picks up where The Gospels leave off and we learn in this book that there is more to the story of Christianity than Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. There is also his exhalation . That “first book” is Luke’s gospel. Luke wrote Acts too. He addressed it to the same Theophilus (). Theophilus was a Christian who was “taught” or “catechized,” in the faith but needed more. He needed Luke’s gospel, which dealt with the beginning of Jesus’ ministry . “Began” is a key word, Jesus began his work in the gospel and finishes it in Acts. Jesus ministry was word and deed, which began in the Gospels and continues in the Acts of the Apostles. We are studying this book to learn about the continuing ministry of Christ.

Beginning of Jesus’ ministry .

Word and Deed began and continues

Drama continues (continuing ministry)

His ministry began in the Gospels… redemption. How? He lived a sinless life, died for sinners, and rose again for our justification (cf. ).

His ministry began in the Gospels… redemption. The Gospels show us how… redemption. How? He lived a sinless life, died for sinners, and rose again for our justification (cf. ).

Christ’s ascension completed our redemption.

More than redemption, so Luke wrote two books.

Why? Because Theophilius needed confidence, assurance of faith, so Luke wrote his gospel and then the Acts of the Apostles. Do you need confidence in the faith? It picks up where the Gospels leave off.

What we will learn in Acts is that Jesus’ ministry did not end in .

Jesus left us… but his ministry on earth is not over.

Jesus’ word and deed continues through the life of the Apostles .

Jesus ascended into heaven;

Jesus’ commanded his apostles;

Jesus chose his Apostles.

The Acts of the Continuing Ministry of Jesus Christ. This is a book about Jesus Christ’s ministry on earth. Yet he’s gone, ascended… how… continuing ministry? The answer is why we need this book.

permanent government in his church.

Paul shows this clearly from Ephesians, JSV, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers to perfect the saints by the work of the ministry…”

Through … continue his ministry on earth. Jesus’ word and deed will now go through these men .

Second: because its history (verifiable, resurrection)

You can assume… “Is history unverifiable?” Reasons are more important than votes, we want truth, we want facts.

The empty tomb is a proof of history. We have the gospel accounts… non-Christian accounts, even hostile witness that corroborate the same claims as the Bible.

The Toledoth Jesu, an anti-Christian Jewish document, tells of a plot by Jesus’ disciples to steal… explain the empty tomb.

Facts: many theories

The question we must answer by reasoning backwards is this, “what theory is most plausible?”

When someone says, “It’s improbable that Jesus rose from the dead” she is speaking logically. The fact is that probability strongly…

Improbability cannot be examined without examining the concept of whether or not God exists.

After all, if He does exist, the resurrection of Christ is certainly possible. So when someone says “No, what they are really saying is, ‘I believe...” Statistically, its not normal, but statistical improbability does not mean impossibility. We need to go with the facts.

frightened men

For forty days, after his death Jesus lived with the apostles . He continued his ministry .

For forty days, after his death Jesus lived with the apostles . He continued his ministry . These were the most important forty days ever. If I could have attended any moment with Jesus in the Bible its probably here or on the Emmaus Road. I would chose the Emmaus road, because there Jesus taught his disciples about himself from all the OT. They got to hear Christ preach Christ from all the Scripture. I would probably however chose this moment, because here the King of kings taught his subjects about his Kingdom.

Important Days (attended)

Jesus taught about the Kingdom because the disciples were still ignorant. They asked ().

Jesus taught about the Kingdom because the disciples were still ignorant. They asked Jesus: “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (). Calvin famously observed here, “There are as many errors in this question as there are words.” First off the Kingdom was established. Second problem, it had nothing to do with ethnic-geographical Israel. The disciples were, like many Christian’s today, nationalists at heart. We like to make the state our god. Christ’s death on the cross troubled the disciples, because Kings don’t die, they conquer and reign. But now he has risen, so conquering the state was now in order, right? No, the Kingdom had come through Christ’s Word and Deed. The Kingdom of God was realized the day Christ died and rose again. On the cross Christ defeated the kingdom of darkness and gave rise to his glorious Kingdom of light and life. It is a Kingdom of justification, its powers now extending through out all the earth as the gospel penetrates the lives of fallen men, regenerates them, and makes them new creatures in Christ. This is the story of Acts. Acts is a story about the expansion of the Kingdom of God to the ends of the earth. This is the third reason we are studying this book that we might learn more about the Kingdom of God.

“There are as many errors in this question as there are words.”

First… established. Second… ethnic-geographical Israel. The disciples were, like many Christian’s… But now he has risen, so conquering… No, the Kingdom had come through Christ’s Word and Deed.

Realized: Christ died and rose again.

Cross Defeat (Resurrection set up)

It is a Kingdom of justification, its powers now extending through out all the earth as the gospel penetrates the lives of fallen men, regenerates them, and makes them new creatures in Christ. This is the story of Acts. Acts is a story about the expansion of the Kingdom of God to the ends of the earth. This is the third reason …

It is a Kingdom not of this world. It is a Kingdom of the Word and sacraments. The rule and reign of Christ is now and forever.

Born eneimes

We are born again by the Holy Spirit into the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is now taking over every facet of your life. This is the truth of The Acts of the Apostles. Its the story of God domination of your life. Its a study about our home… heavenly home? This is why we are studying Acts.

The Kingdom of God began in Jerusalem .

Theological and covenantal significance. We were promised in the last days, that the nations would be drawn to Zion to learn of Israel’s God and that “the word of the Lord” would go out from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth (; Mi. 4:2).

We are in the last days, and here lies the fourth reason…

Finally, the last reason we are studying .

Not about Baptism

His baptism is effective because he baptizes with his own blood and Spirit. Here’s the point, the sacraments are not what man does as…

Its about Christ and his Holy Spirit.

God makes the sign powerful and effective.

When we say that baptism is “the washing...” away of sins, a clothing… we are not talking about us. It’s all about Christ and him crucified.

This ministry continue in Acts through the ordinary and extraordinary ministry of the church.

We are going to study the extraordinary works of the Holy Spirit in Acts. What we will find is what we expect to find in Scripture… person.

We are going to hear about Christ and his continuing work on earth from heaven.

Main reason: Christ crucified and exalted

We will find that Christ is the author of grace and the finisher of faith. We are studying Acts because we want to hear about the ministry of Christ Jesus and him exalted. To the King, eternal, invisible, immortal, be power and glory from now on and forever. Amen.