The Book of Acts

Overview

The book of Acts is named as such because it details the acts of the Apostles as the gospel was taken from Jerusalem outward to the surrounding Mediterranean world. It’s an account of what they did to make that happen.

However, it could just as easily be labeled as the Acts of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles, because Luke often described the leading of the Spirit. Many decisions made by believers was not a result of their own will, but of the Spirit’s will:

Acts 13:2–4 ESV

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

Acts 16:6 ESV

And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.

While we don’t always get to peek behind the curtain to see exactly what the Holy Spirit is actively doing in our life and in our world, this is a great reminder that the same Spirit that was leading and guiding the early church is the same Spirit that lives in and who is guiding us today. Don’t miss that.

James Montgomery Boice says this about the book of Acts:

Acts: An Expositional Commentary A Great Historian

Luke’s history opens up and embraces the entire church age. At the beginning, we are in contact with the risen Christ and a world of miracles. This is a world we have very little contact with today. But then, as the book progresses, we have the feeling that it becomes increasingly like the kind of world we know. At the end, we find the Christians bearing witness, just as we are called to bear witness, and being persecuted, just as we are often persecuted. As we study this book we find sound principles of church growth and see the way in which temptation and trials are overcome by the grace of God.

So, before we get into the details, I want to help orient us to this book. If this book were a house, we are going to step into the engineer’s blueprint to see where the load-bearing walls and rooms are, and why they have been placed there.

Author

Luke, Paul’s traveling companion as seen later in Acts. He was not among the 12 original disciples, but rather a Gentile physician and historian, which is likely why he is so descriptive, meticulous, and exact in the way he writes.

In fact, because he is so prolific in his detailed accounts, Luke gets the gold star as the one who wrote most of the New testament!

Many of us were taught that Paul wrote more of the NT than any other author and if you were counting by the number of books/letters, you would be correct, but if you calculate by word count, Luke is the clear winner. He wrote down 37,932 words in the Greek, which beats Paul’s cumulative total of 32,408 greek words. This makes him the clear winner of the NT writers.

Isn’t it amazing that one NT author who wrote more than the others was a gentile believer? Even in the way the NT was orchestrated, God was showing his desire to break down the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile and bring the light of his salvation to all men!

Purpose

Acts is part 2 of a 2 part series

Luke and Acts both would have filled up a Papyrus scroll and is one of the reasons it is in 2 volumes, each scroll being about 35 feet in length, which was the most common so that it wasn’t too bulky to carry from place to place.

Purpose- Historical account of how Christianity expanded throughout the known world and the edification of believers.

A Secondary purpose is likely an evangelic/apologetic work, creating a defense of the faith in the eyes of the Romans. (Apologetics doesn’t mean to give an apology, but to explain the reasons why you believe what you believe). Luke wanted to prove to Roman citizens that Christianity was not to be feared and should be embraced. This can be seen in the narrative by how many Roman officials choose not stand in the way of the movement:

Roman official apologizes for imprisoning Paul.

The Proconsul (provincial governor) Gallio will not forbid the Christian message in Corinth

King Agrippa II and Festus (Governor of Judea) both declare Paul hasn't done anything wrong

3rd purpose is that this is a record of Jesus’ work through his new body

When

Before 70 AD and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Likely in the early 60s AD during Paul’s imprisonment, because that is where Paul is when the book ends.

Main Divisions

Geographically – epicenter with outward ripples (like a rock thrown into a pond). Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, ends of the earth.

Operationally – Church operated from 2 bases of operations: Jerusalem & Antioch.

Relationally - Peter & Paul - 2 main sections: 1-12 & 13-28. The first focuses on Peter and the initial expansion of the church. The 2nd focuses on Paul and his missionary journeys.

Outline of Acts

Prologue 1:1 - 2:13

Jerusalem 2:14 - 7

Judea & Samaria 8 - 12

Ends of the earth 13 - 28

Today, we are going to just get a little taste… a little preview of this incredible story and look at the first few verses. Verses 1-3.

Acts 1:1–3 ESV

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

Theophilus

A summary of his first work: To detail the life and events of Jesus, addressed to a man named Theophilus.

Acts 1:1 ESV

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,

The name Theophilus means ‘friend of God.’

There are a lot of theories explaining who this man is. Some say he was Emperor Vespasian’s nephew. Others say he was actually Herod Agrippa II. Some say he was Paul’s defense attorney during his appeal to Caesar. Much of this speculation stems from the real possibility that he was a Roman Official, since the title he was given in the Gospel of Luke is the same title is used of other Roman officials like Festus in Acts 26:25.

In the Gospel of Luke:

Luke 1:1–4 ESV

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

So here, Theophilus’ title is “Most Excellent.” This is indeed likely because he held a prominent position in the community and/or that he was wealthy. Does this then prove that he was a Roman official? Not necessarily. It could be an honorary title or one given that is outside the political realm. It could come as a result of wealth. Whatever the case may be, if you combine the wealth, stature, and curiosity, it is likely that he the Patron for Luke’s two volumes. And what really matters is that this man played a key role in the commissioning of a large portion of God’s holy and inspired word that was written down by Luke and we praise God for his involvement!

It is about what he did with what he had.

The Point of Luke’s Gospel

Because Luke was a Historian and Physician, he was incredibly detailed. If you look closely at the way he describes his work to Theophilus in both volumes, it is clear that his intention was to write it as an apologetic work for the events of Jesus. Why do I say that? In the gospel account, Luke tells Theophilus outright that he wants him to have certainty concerning what he had been taught about Jesus’ life and events. Here in Acts, Luke confirmed that he dealt with all that Jesus BEGAN to do and teach. So, either Theophilus was a non-believer who was curious and Luke sought to persuade him, or he was a believer and the account was written to provide a firm foundation for his faith.

And if that was true of Theophilus in the first century, then it is true for us in the twenty-first century. Luke is so detail-oriented in his descriptions of people and places that archeology continues to prove him right.

I want you to know that what you hold in your hand is objective truth and you too can have certainty that it accurately represents the same Jesus who is alive today and who is the only way to be reconciled to the God of all creation.

Now, I want you to pay attention to that word BEGAN. This word in the Greek is archḗ and according to the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, it signifies the new beginning of a temporal sequence.

That is a curious way to explain it, since the very next verse describes Jesus’ ascension. Wouldn’t it have been better to just leave that word out, saying he is dealing with all Jesus did and taught until he was taken up? When Jesus returned to his heavenly throne, he was done with his job on earth, right?

Absolutely not! Remember, this book could also be called the Acts of the HOLY SPIRIT through the Apostles. To say that Jesus began something until he was taken back up, means that it must continue on afterward. In essence, Jesus had only begun to roll up his sleeves for the work of the gospel during his earthly presence and the point of Acts to to show how he continues the work through his people.

Church - this is a direct charge to you and me! What Jesus began to do and teach 2,000 years ago is still being done through us today! We continue to do what Jesus did and teach what Jesus taught. The work of spreading the gospel to the nations is not over!

This temporal sequence is not describing Jesus’ earthly ministry. It is describing the Great Commission from the time of Jesus’ first coming to the second coming!

The Command to the Apostles

Acts 1:2 ESV

until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

The next verse says that Jesus began this work until the day he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles, whom he had chosen.

But what commands? All the gospel accounts record something concerning Jesus’ final words to the apostles. Matthew records the Great Commission, for example. But as Luke records it, (FIRST) the post-risen Jesus had a conversation with two Jewish men on the road to Emmaus (which is a conversation that we all wanted to be a part of), and then (SECOND) a conversation with his disciples, where he said:

Luke 24:44–49 ESV

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 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. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

So, we see that Jesus reiterated the prophetic nature of his life and ministry, saying that the proclamation of the repentance of sins will go to all nations. That is the long-term mission. This was to fulfill what was written from long ago.

But, if you look carefully, the only two imperative verbs given to the apostles at that time were to look and stay. Look and see that Jesus is sending what the Father promised, and stay in Jerusalem until you receive it. An equipping was coming. An empowerment from on high was on the horizon.

Could you imagine how badly the apostles must have wanted to get going? As I read this over and over this past week, I kept thinking about my dog. There are times where he either hears or sees something out in the yard that he desperately wants to investigate, so he begs at the door until I open it for him. As I walk toward the door, he gets restless and when I finally open it, he bolts down the stairs and toward whatever has captured his attention.

I can only imagine the electricity flowing thought their veins as the listened to their risen Lord speak. Just days earlier, they had witnessed his gruesome death, mourned over him, likely feeling completely lost and helpless. They had dedicated three years of their life to this man and now, every future victory and hope they dreamed of was dead along with Jesus. What now?

BUT, now, these hopes and dreams were re-ignited! Not only was Jesus alive, but eternally alive! Their Lord and King claimed victory of death and the grave and now, they followed a leader who could never be conquered by those things again! How on earth could they stand still? Look and stay? Impossible!

I am getting antsy as I look at all the possibilities in this church. So many ministries are ripe and ready to begin, but we can’t do it all at once, I have to plan and roll it out over time. I can’t imagine what the apostles felt!

Little did they know that 10 days from that command (40 days from resurrection to ascension… 10 days from ascension to Pentecost), Jesus would send the Holy Spirit upon them, finalizing this promise and the expansion of the Kingdom would begin.

While this is thrilling as it makes me dream big about what God is about to do in and through this church body, it also serves as a warning that we cannot afford to miss. You see, the apostles could have gone out the minute Jesus ascended into heaven to tell everyone around them that Jesus was alive. And it’s very possible that it would have stirred up a lot of buzz and excitement (along with a lot of persecution), but it would have been void of spiritual power. We cannot afford to work and labor here without the Spirit of God empowering our work. Some plant seeds, some water, but it is God who provides the growth. We must take the time to follow God’s leading and spend the necessary time with him in prayer, worship, and the study of his Word so that we are filled with the power of the Spirit to do His work. Only then will we be truly effective as builders of his Kingdom.

I also want to point out that this new work is through the Holy Spirit to those whom He had chosen. You will see a constant thread of God’s sovereignty throughout the book of Acts and we need to see it. We are chosen and empowered by God to do his work. In the passage from Luke 24, it was Jesus who opened their mind to understand the scriptures he was speaking. At the beginning of the sermon, we heard about how the Spirit wouldn’t allow Paul to enter Asia.

Does this diminish our own work? Absolutely not. Are we still responsible to follow the leading of the Spirit to accomplish His will? You bet, but we also need to see just how active God is in our daily lives, in the world we live and interact in, and how nothing is outside of his control. God is sovereign, and we can take great comfort in knowing that he is ultimately bringing history along to its intended destination.

We take our Commands from a living King

Acts 1:3 ESV

He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

If you want to read about the post-resurrection appearances, you can find them in: Matt. 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; and John 20; 21.

As I said earlier, Luke’s two-volume set is an apologetic work and he is so detailed in his descriptions that it gives confidence in the reliability and truthfulness of what he is writing.

Was Jesus a historical person who walked this earth? Yes. That wasn’t a question then, but some of us need to hear that today.

Did Jesus actually die? Yes. Again, Luke is addressing people who witnessed that significant event firsthand. They wouldn’t have questioned that, just like we wouldn’t question the fact that Roe v Wade was overturned in June of 2022. No issue here either.

But, the big question come next… did Jesus rise from the dead or is he still dead?

That was the key question then, and it still is now. Why?

Because, if Jesus was indeed a historical figure and died, then at best, he simply had good ideas and valuable wisdom, but that’s all. Maybe he got a little weird and claimed some things he shouldn’t have toward the end (like being God), but overall, he did some great things and helped a lot of people. He left the world in better shape than he found it. Good for him.

However, if he died and resurrected, then that completely changes the story. Jesus claimed to be God during His earthly life. He predicted His death and claimed authority to raise himself from the dead. Those are big claims that you can’t just ignore. You have to do something with that. If, after suffering and death, he presented himself alive and spent a month and a half with his disciples… that means his authority and teaching was real and still remains. It lasts for as long as He does. So, if he died once and cannot die again, that means the term for his rule is forever!

Do you see how that doesn’t just pertain to a group of people from 2,000 years ago? Can you see how this is a direct application to your life in 2022? Jesus lives. Jesus holds all authority in heaven and on earth. Jesus is active in the world today through a group of people called the Church, who is described as His beloved bride and who is His very body who carries out His will and they are empowered by the Spirit. Do you now see how this book is relevant to how you live your life today… this week… this year?

And what was this message he taught during those 40 days? It was the Kingdom of God. What are we to proclaim? The Kingdom of God. His rulership, His grace, His salvation, and our inclusion for all who accept Jesus as Savior and as Reigning Lord of this Kingdom.