Untitled Sermon (5)

A TEACHING OUTLINE OF ACTS

1. Introduction to Luke (Acts 1:1-4)

Acts 1:1–4 NASB95

The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. 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;

a. Before reading any book it is helpful to know the author’s purpose in writing it

1.So why did Luke write?

a. For Historical purposes

1) Luke calls them certain ‘things that have been fulfilled among us’ (1)

a) Luke 1:1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,

b) Luke mentions the contemporary eyewitnesses, for the things ‘fulfilled among us’ were then ‘handed down to us by those who from the were eyewitnesses and servants of the word’ (2). Here Luke excludes himself, for although he was an eyewitness of much that he will record in the second part of the Acts, he did not belong to the group who eyewitnesses ‘from the first’.

c) he says, and now ‘it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account’ (3)

d) so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught’ (4). Thus the events which had been accomplished, witnessed, transmitted, investigated and written down were (and still are) to be the ground of the Christian faith and assurance.

e) that he was a travelling companion of Paul’s.

i) Changed from first to third person-

I’ from Troas to Philippi, where the gospel was planted in European soil (16:10–17)

Ii’ Philippi to Jerusalem after the conclusion of the last missionary journey (20:5–15 and 21:1–18)

Iii’and the third from Jerusalem to Rome by sea (27:1– 28:16)

Iv’namely his residence in Palestine. It happened like this. Luke arrived in Jerusalem with Paul (21:17) and left with him on their voyage to Rome (27:1). In between was a period of more than two years, during which Paul was held a prisoner in Caesarea (24:27)

V’ It would be reasonable to guess that he travelled the length and breath of Palestine, gathering material for his Gospel and for the early Jerusalem-based chapters of the Acts

b. Theological purposes:

1. Salvation- a term used often

a) Three fundamental truths stand out

1) salvation has been prepared by God

I’ salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people’ (Lk. 2:30–31)

Ii’ salvation is bestowed by Christ who had been ‘born a Saviour’ (Lk. 2:11)

a-(Lk. 15:1–32) Three parables about lostness

b- salvation was to be found in no-one else (Acts 4:12)

b. Who is Luke?

1. four points about him:

a. Paul considered him a coworker.

Philemon 24 (NASB95)24as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.

b. He was a physician.

Col. 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas.

c. He was a Gentile.

d. He was occasionally one of Paul’s traveling companions. 2 Tim 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.

c. Date of writing: 80-85

2. Introduction to the Acts (Acts 1:1–5)

1. Name of the book- The book of Acts, Acts, The Acts of the Holy Spirit, the Acts of the Apostles

a. Throughout Luke’s narrative there are references to the promise, gift, outpouring, baptism, fullness, power, witness and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

2. V-2 Luke says Jesus only began his. 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.

b. The foundation ministry of the apostles

1. Literal- ‘until the day when, having instructed his chosen apostles through the Holy Spirit, he was taken up.

2. Jesus deliberately made provision for its continuance, still on earth (through the apostles) but from heaven (through the Holy Spirit)

3. Jesus deliberately prepared the Apostles in 4 ways:

a.V-2 Jesus chose them

1.) ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you … You will be his witness …’ (22:14–15).

2) Anninas to Paul: Ananias as ‘my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles Acts 9:15

3) No apostle was chosen by man but by God Himself

b. V-2 Jesus showed himself to them

c. V-4 Jesus commanded or commissioned them

d. Jesus promised them the Holy Spirit

1.) Joel 2: 28 “aIt will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;And your sons and daughters will prophesy,Your old men will dream dreams,Your young men will see visions.“Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.[1]

A. In Jerusalem (1:6–6:7)

1. 50 days of waiting in Jerusalem-

a. 40 days until the ascension and 10 days until Pentecost

1. Waiting for Pentecost (1:6–26)

a. Luke records 4 events that were accomplished during the waiting period:

1) First, they received their commission (1:6–8).

a. V-3 Jesus taught them about the Kingdom of God

i) V-6 “For if the Spirit was about to come, as he had said, did this not imply that the kingdom was about to come too?”

ii) V-6 Apostles misunderstood the NATURE OF THE KINGDOM- “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to ISRAEL?”

iii) The apostles were expecting an earthly kingdom

iv) 7–8) Jesus corrected their mistaken notions of the kingdom’s nature, extent and arrival.

vi) Lk. 23:51 Emmaus, they hoped that Jesus was going to be the one to restore a literal kingdom for Israel.

b.Vs 4-5 he told them to wait for the gift or baptism of the Spirit, which had been promised by him

Secondly, they saw Christ go into heaven (1:9–12).

Thirdly, they persevered together in prayer, presumably for the Spirit to come (1:13–14). Fourthly, they replaced Judas with Matthias as the twelfth apostle (1:21–26).

2. The Day of Pentecost (2:1–47)

3. The outbreak of persecution (3:1–4:31)

4. Satanic counter-attack (4:32–6:7)

B. Foundations for world mission (6:8–12:24)

5. Stephen the martyr (6:8–7:60)

6. Philip the evangelist (8:1–40)

7. The conversion of Saul (9:1–31)

8. The conversion of Cornelius (9:32–11:18)

9. Expansion and opposition (11:19–12:24)

C. The apostle to the Gentiles (12:25–21:17)

10. The first missionary journey (12:25–14:28)

11. The Council of Jerusalem (15:1–16:5)

12. Mission in Macedonia (16:6–17:15)

13. Paul in Athens (17:16–34)

14. Corinth and Ephesus (18:1–19:41)

15. More about Ephesus (20:1–21:17)

D. On the way to Rome (21:18–28:31)

16. Paul’s arrest and self-defense (21:18–23:35)

17. Paul on trial (24:1–26:32)

18. Rome at last! (27:1–28:31)