Introduction to Acts

Acts: An Introduction

Introduction

New series

We will go to distant lands, visit many diverse cities

We will meet many different people from a wide variety of backgrounds

We will meet governors, rabbis, philosophers, soldiers, magicians, both honorable and dishonorable

We will see unjust imprisonments, experience riots, meet corrupt religious leaders and officials

No, we aren’t taking a trip to Portland or Chicago

We will see miracles take place, hear some of the greatest sermons ever preached

We will see many conversions of guilty sinners

Jews, gentiles, military leaders, pagan magicians, religious zealots

People who once hated Jesus will turn from their wicked ways and give their lives to him

Our new series will be through the book of Acts

This message will serve as an introduction where we will cover some of the background details

We’ll look at the title, Acts

We’ll meet the author, and see where he fits into the biblical narrative

We’ll look at the original audience

We’ll talk about why it was written

We’ll see the scope of Acts

We’ll look at why it’s important for us to study it today

Title

Ancient manuscripts and earliest traditions simply refer to it as “Acts.”

The question is acts of who?

No title is given by the author, as with most books of the Bible

Often called “Acts of the Apostles”

Most traditional title

However, not entirely accurate

While all of the apostles are named at the beginning, it only follows a select few

Peter for the first 12 chapters, and then Paul for the rest of the book

We see John, James his brother, and James the brother of Jesus featured in small episodes, but they aren’t focused on

Most disciples are only named once at the beginning, and then leave the narrative

Matthias is selected as the 12th apostle at the beginning, but never mentioned again

This title is also man centered, omitting the divine power by which they acted

We might call it “Acts of the Apostle Paul” or “Peter”

We run into the same problem of man centeredness

Peter leaves the spotlight at chapter 12, and isn’t prominent for the rest of the book

Though he becomes the central figure, Paul isn’t even introduced until Acts 7

This also would not be appropriate for the reasons stated above

A variation of “Acts of the Holy Spirit” would be an appropriate title

“The History of the Acts of the Holy Spirit.” R.C. Sproul

Sproul: Since it was inspired by the Holy Spirit and is a record of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the apostolic church and on the ministry of that church, one could even go so far as to call it “The Autobiography of the Holy Spirit.”

“The Acts of the Holy Spirit Through the Apostles.” John MacArthur

In many ways, this is the Holy Spirit’s book, as he is featured prominently from beginning to end

Acts 1:4-5 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Ends with Paul referencing the words of the Holy Spirit in Scripture Acts 28:25And when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word, “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers,

One cumbersome, but accurate, title put forth is “The Continuing Words and Deeds of Jesus by his Spirit through his Apostles”

This takes into account that Acts is a continuation of the narrative about the deeds and teachings of Jesus, as stated in 1:1

John Stott: “True, he finished the work of atonement, yet that end was also a beginning. For after his resurrection, ascension and gift of the Spirit he continued his work, first and foremost through the unique foundation ministry of his chosen apostles and subsequently through the post-apostolic church of every period and place. This, then, is the kind of Jesus Christ we believe in: he is both the historical Jesus who lived and the contemporary Jesus who lives. The Jesus of history began his ministry on earth; the Christ of glory has been active through his Spirit ever since, according to his promise to be with his people ‘always, to the very end of the age’.”

Author

There is almost universal agreement that the same author of Luke’s Gospel also authored Acts

Greatest evidence is the introductions of each

Luke 1:3 It seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus;

Acts 1:1 The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach,

This former book being Luke

They are written to the same person, Theophilus

The end of Luke ties directly to Acts, with the apostles

It sums up the theme of Acts, “the waiting in Jerusalem until clothed with the power of the Spirit, the preaching to all the nations beginning with Jerusalem, and the fulfillment of the Scriptures in the death and resurrection of the Messiah.”

Acts begins with a prologue, picking up the narrative right where Luke left off after a brief recap

Luke and Acts are seen as a continuous work, one story split into two volumes

Why the split? Perhaps because it could not all fit onto one scroll

Luke intended for them to be two parts of the same story, the story of Jesus and all that he did and taught

This story does not end at the end of Acts, but is open ended

Luke, the companion of Paul, is almost universally credited with Acts

We meet Luke during Paul’s travels, though he isn’t named

Beginning with Paul’s travels from Troas to Philippi, from there to Jerusalem, amd then Paul’s journey to Rome

While Paul was imprisoned for two years in Caesarea in Acts 24:27, Luke would have had plenty of time to travel around Israel and compile data for his writings

See 16:10-17, 20:5-21:18, 27:1-28:16

A traveling companion of Paul

We see that Luke traveled and then stayed with Paul while he was in Rome

A trusted and close friend Colossians 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas.

A fellow worker with Paul in bringing the gospel to the world Philemon 23-24 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.

Luke was with Paul up to the end of Paul’s life 2 Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me.

External evidence

Any early church father that comments on the subject credits Luke with the writing of Acts

Shortly before A.D. 200, Irenaeus referred to it as “Luke’s witness to the apostles.” Tertullian shortly after A.D. 200 called it “Luke’s commentary”

Muratorian Fragment “Moreover, the Acts of all the Apostles are comprised by Luke in one book, and addressed to the most excellent Theophilus, because these different events took place when he was present himself”

About Luke

A learned gentile believer

Luke is not named with the Jews in Paul’s letters

Luke refers to the language of the Jews, Aramaic, as “their” language in Acts 1:19, implying that it was not his language

Luke is referred to as a doctor, or physician

Some evidence that points to this is his care in describing physical conditions and miraculous healings

An example is Acts 3:7, where the mans specific ailment and healing are highlighted

Another is found in Luke 4:38, where Peter’s mother-in-law’s condition was described as a high fever, rather than simply saying she was ill

An avid historian

At the beginning of Luke we see his intentions in his writing: to accurately write the facts so the readers would know the exact truth about Jesus

In doing so, it’s like Luke took the role of an investigative journalist

We see Luke’s use of resources, from eyewitnesses to secular history to possible use of other gospel writings

It would be reasonable to believe that Luke was acquainted with Mary, the mother of Jesus, and to have used her personal testimony in his writing

A detailed and sophisticated writer

We see Luke’s impeccable detail in correctly naming cities, rulers, titles, etc.

His vocabulary considerably exceeds that of the other Evangelists: he has about 180 terms which occur in his Gospel alone and nowhere else in the New Testament; while Matthew has only about 70, Mark 44, and John 50 peculiar words. Luke’s Gospel has 55, the Acts 135 ἅπαξ λεγόμενα, and among them many verbal compounds and rare technical terms.

He was equally familiar with navigation, not indeed as a professional seaman, but as an experienced traveller and accurate observer. He uses no less than seventeen nautical terms with perfect accuracy. His description of the Voyage and Shipwreck of Paul in Acts 27–28, as explained and confirmed by a scholarly seaman, furnishes an irrefragable argument for the ability and credibility of the author of that book.

Well versed in the Scriptures

Luke recognized his Gospel and Acts were a direct continuation of the OT, starting right where it ended off with the foretelling of the forerunner to the Messiah, with the first OT reference being Malachi 4:6

Luke is familiar with Jewish practices and traditions, such as sacrifices, fasts, feasts, and Messianic hopes

Luke stresses that the Scriptures foretold the sufferings and glorification of the Messiah

Luke recognizes the worldwide benefits of the work of the Messiah, and that the OT pointed to that as well

Date

Written between 63-65 AD

Most likely written before persecution from Rome under Nero, as it is never mentioned

Luke may have been written in Caesarea when Paul was imprisoned, giving him free reign of Judea

Luke probably wrote Acts during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, where Acts ends

The audience

Theophilus

David Glock had some insight on where he may have gotten his name

Means loved by God, or lover of God

This could indicate that it is written primarily to Christians as a whole

Though it is for Christians, it is likely that this was an individual recipient

A Gentile official

Theophilus is addressed as most excellent in Luke, a title given to some secular leaders

A modern equivalent: your excellency

It is a title given to Felix and Festus in Acts

Acts 23:26 Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix, greetings.

Acts 24:3 we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.

Acts 26:5 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth.

A Christian convert

Luke is writing to confirm what he has learned

The content of Luke and Acts is clearly directed to a Christian audience

Purpose

We can see Luke’s purpose in his opening statements in both Luke and Acts

The preface of the Gospel can act as a preface for Acts as well

Luke 1:1-4 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.

Luke is compiling what he has learned through fulfilled prophecy of the Old Testament, what he has learned from eyewitnesses, what he has learned through his own investigations, and what others had already recorded and compiled

So the reader would know the exact truth about the things we have been taught

Luke isn’t here to give us fiction or help spread the wild ideas of a new Jewish sect

Luke is recording these events as historical, factual, and verifiable. There is no hint at all that he is only giving allegory or writing historical fiction

The Holy Spirit used Luke to give us an accurate account of the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus

Luke has sought after the truth, and now wants to share it to confirm what his audience has already heard

Just as Luke meticulously sought out the truth in researching for his Gospel, he without doubt was just as concerned about the truth in Acts

To give a history of the early church

How did Christianity grow from a little over 100 disciples to the very ends of the earth?

Acts connects the church that began at Pentecost in Jerusalem to the church that spread throughout the earth

We are given a context for other letters in the New Testament, for their authors and their recipients

For example, without Acts, we would have no clue who Paul is, where he came from, or if his teaching was valid

We would have no idea how Christianity went from a mostly Jewish sect to a church made up of both Jews and Gentiles

It connects the church established by the Apostles to the church that we have today

We are living in light of the events of Acts

One suggestion: Give an apologetic for the rising new religion

Luke demonstrates that the Roman authorities have nothing to fear from Christianity

They do not seek to subvert the authorities in place

Rather, they are a benefit to society as a whole

Luke presents positive interactions between Christianity and the Roman government

Some prominent Romans are even shown as becoming Christians, such as the Centurion at the cross and Cornelious

Luke demonstrates that there is no fault to be found in either Jesus or his apostles

Roman imprisonments that Paul experienced are demonstrated as wrongful, and that Paul was in the right

Just as Jesus was pronounced innocent by the secular government, Paul is also pronounced innocent of wrongdoing a number of times

The magistrates at Phillipi apologized for his imprisonment, and while in custody after the incident in Jerusalem the roman leaders admit that he would have been released had he not appealed to Caesar

To continue the account of all that Jesus began to do and teach

Acts 1:1

The church cannot be seen apart from the work of Christ

It flows from the work of Christ on Calvary

His sacrifice accomplished the salvation of God’s people. The spreading of the church is the application of that finished work

Christ is active in building his church

Matthew 16:18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

Scope of Acts

A dense book

It is fast paced, full of action

It’s key figures are always on the move

Acts covers around 30 years of history

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles after Pentecost

The conversion of Paul

Paul’s missionary journeys

The council in Jerusalem

Paul’s journey and imprisonment in Rome

We see the greatest growth of the church

From 120 people to over

During the time of Acts, much of the New Testament was written

Galatians, James, and the Thessalonian epistles perhaps being some of the earliest

Romans was written in anticipation to Paul traveling to Rome, before he had been there

There was likely at least one gospel account written, perhaps Mark, which is considered the earliest

The prison epistles were written during Paul’s stay in Rome at the end of the book

Acts perhaps has the broadest geographical scope of any book of the bible

Acts 1:8 “You shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

This verse can be seen as an index for the book of Acts

We see the spreading of the Gospel to all of these areas, starting with the outpouring of the Spirit in Jerusalem

Jews from all over the world are present and believe, and take the gospel to their respective locations

We later see the apostles go to Samaria, and the Spirit indwells believers there

Peter meets with the Gentile Cornelius, and the Spirit falls on him and other Gentile believers as well

The gospel is shared with an Ethiopian, who undoubtedly takes it home

The gospel precedes Paul in Rome, and there are believers already in the area when he arrives in Italy

Significance for us

We can see our connection to the church that Jesus established

Acts has an open ended ending. The church that was established and spread in acts is the church that we have inherited today

The Holy Spirit that indwelled the early Christians is the same Spirit that indwells us today

The Jesus that ascended into heaven is the same Jesus that is seated at the Father’s right hand and rules us today

We live in a similar time

There are vast differences

Technology has advanced, we don’t live in the same ancient context, we have the completed canon of Scripture, there are no living apostles today

However, it isn’t as different as we might think

Human nature hasn’t changed

False religions still abound in our world today

The rebellion against God may be in different forms in our day, but it comes from the same type of heart

The gospel hasn’t changed

Humanity is still fallen in Adam

We have rebelled against the God who created us

Jesus died to save sinners and rose again from the dead

The gospel that the apostles preached is the same gospel that we believe today

We need the example of Acts

In Acts we see 120 men and women take the simple message of the gospel and change the world

They were not limited by their lack of formal education, influence, position, or anything else

God demonstrated his power to change the world with the simple message of the good news of his Son

We live in a world today that needs the gospel more than ever

Our nation and world around us is ignorant of the things of God

Our churches are filled with people who don’t believe in the power of God

Jesus’ great commission hasn’t changed

We have the same mission that Jesus gave the apostles when he ascended into heaven

Go into all the world and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

We have the same Spirit living within us

We have the same gospel that has changed the world, and will continue to do so until our Lord comes again in the same way that he left

Conclusion

As we study Acts let’s be encouraged by the work that God has done thorough his people

Let us see how God began the work of building his church, recognizing that we stand on the shoulders of that same church

Let’s see the Word of God as living and breathing, as the reality it is

Just as the Apostles first preached right where they were at in Jerusalem, let us bring the gospel to our own Jerusalem, Atlantic, Iowa, with our goal for God’s truth to be proclaimed far and wide to the ends of the earth