Introducing Acts

Acts 1:1-12

The writer of Acts. Luke, was physician. He wrote the book of Luke in an effort to clearly detail the main events of Jesus’ life and ministry as accurately as possible. While both Matthew and John were with Jesus almost from the beginning and could draw on their own observations, both Mark and Luke had to depend largely on the memories of others.

Luke was apparently not a Jew, and he wrote to a Greek man by the name of Theophilus, in an effort to enable him to understand Christ and his teachings, and establish his credibility. As a result Luke focuses, perhaps more than any of the other gospel writers on the historical events of Jesus ministry. He brings the same approach to detailing the development of the church, and of Paul’s creditability as an apostle, and authority on what the church should be taught.

The other apostles’ authority is clearly established in the other gospels, as having been chosen by God. Luke establishes his credibility as an author by the care with which he details Jesus’ ministry, and validates the accuracy of the other gospels, establishing his authority about Christianity and the church. Because of his close association with Paul, he is qualified to judge Paul’s ministry.

The book of Acts details the development of the early church in Jerusalem, and of the outreach to the Gentiles. While it demonstrates many aspects of church polity and practice, it’s most important contribution is certifying Paul’s writings as inspired of God, and approved by the other apostles. Unlike hundreds of apocryphal writings, we have a basis for accepting Paul’s writings, because we know Paul’s qualifications. Luke starts the book by connecting it to the book of Luke as a continuation of the same story.

“The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” (Acts 1:1-5)

The book of Luke established that Jesus was in fact the Messiah, going into more detail about his birth than any of the gospels, and giving great detail about the spiritual aspects of his ministry, and of his execution and resurrection. It closed with a brief description of his commission to the Apostles. The first chapter of Acts establishes the transition from Jesus ministry to that of the church, beginning with the forty days after his death, reviewing the commission he gave them, and promising the anointing of the Holy spirit he had described in John 14-16.

After his crucifixion and resurrection, the disciples realized that there was far more to God’s plan than they had understood, and that much of what they had been taught ignored or distorted a lot of the prophecies. They could no longer just assume that the Lord was going to come bail them out of all their problems when they wanted him to. They began to question him about some of those things.

“When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:6-8)

Jesus made it clear that the time of his return and establishment of his earthly kingdom was not really any of our business, but belongs to God alone. It is not for us to know the times, or even the seasons, contrary to what many teach today. They had a job to do, and rather than worrying about when he would come they needed to focus on accomplishing that job. Part of the Holy Spirits job was to empower them to be witnesses, and as I Corinthians 4:20 stresses, “For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.” They were not to go out until the Holy Spirit’s power was present.

Matthew 28:18-20 gives a very concise statement of the Great commission. “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Because of the Spirit’s power in their lives, they were to go and do three things, throughout the entire world. First, they were to go and teach all nations. The Greek word translated teach is Matatheno, meaning to disciple or to cause to become a student. Literally, the first part of the job is to lead them to Christ, to cause to believe in him. The second thing is to baptize them, by the authority and power of God the Gather, of the Holy Spirit, and of Jesus Christ. Finally, they are to teach them to obey everything Jesus taught us. This final teach is not a form of the word disciple but is the word didasko, meaning simply to teach.

The book of Acts is the record of how the apostles set out to accomplish these jobs. The focus throughout the book is on depending on the Spirit’s power rather than on man’s effort and strength. The Holy Spirit only focuses attention on the things of Christ according to John 14:13-14. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.”

Paul determined to know nothing else so that the Christian’s faith would rest wholly in God, as he tells us in I Corinthians 2:5. “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” It is crucial that we witness in the power of the Spirit so people’s faith is in God, rather than in Man. Acts demonstrates how to.