The book of acts is unique because it is the only book of church history in the new testament. Acts of the apostles chapter five objectives in studying this chapter 1 to examine the sin of ananias and sapphira in lying to the holy spirit 2 to note the amazing signs and wonders that were done by the apostles, in which all were healed 3 to consider the apostles response when government seeks to stifle the preaching of the gospel. Acts chapter 1 explained discover the 66 books of the bible. This would indicate it was matthew, mark, luke, or john. The beginning verses of acts make it clear that acts is a sequel of the story started in luke and written to the same man named theophilus, generally a title ascribed to highranking roman officials. Learn the book of acts with free interactive flashcards. The book of acts provides a bridge for the writings of the nt. He included it as part of his bible studies in the book of acts.
And in the gospel of john the last recorded fact is the second coming of christ. The book of acts course a, lesson 1 free bible study. Outline studies in the book of the acts of the apostles. It was practical to have a scroll about thirtyfive feet in length.
This and the preceding verse show that homosexual and lesbian acts are out of harmony with gods purpose for humans. Book two concludes with the summary statement, so the word of god spread. The gospel will be preached in jerusalem and judea acts chapters 17, in samaria chapter 8, and eventually all the way to rome chapters 28. The book of acts picks up where the gospel of luke left off with the account of jesus and continues the account of jesus from that point. As the second book luke addressed to theophilus see luke 1. Recipient both the gospel and acts were written to one man. Preparation for the coming of the spirit, chapter 1 1. T he book of acts in the bible, written around 6263 a. Harley howard undoubtedly, the book of acts is one of the most pivotal books in the entire new testament. The recipient of the book, theophilus, is the same person addressed in the first volume, the gospel of luke see introduction to luke. A history of the early church gene taylor2an outline of the book i. It contains many particulars concerning the apostles peter and paul, and of the christian church from the ascension of our saviour to the arrival of st. The genre of the book of acts is narrative history with several sermons. Ancient books were generally written on papyrus scrolls.
Besides linking the gospel narratives on the one hand and the apostolic letters on the. This content is part of a series the book of acts introduction and chapter 1. The disciples being empowered by the holy spirit to be missionary witnesses 3. Many people call acts the acts of the apostles, but really, if you want to add to the name acts, perhaps, a better name would be the acts of the early church. An overview of the book of acts the life of the early church is recorded and preserved for us in the book of acts and the epistles. Both books are most easily tied to the geography of the book. Gods view of homosexual acts is made clear in the hebrew scriptures at le 18. The book of acts books of acts christian inconnect. As i said, the book revolves around the apostles, peter and paul. The book ends with luke accompanying paul to his imprisonment in rome 28.
The holy spirit coming in power shows that this too is the day the kingdom is established 1. Book of acts read, study bible verses online bible study tools. One may divide the book as acts 1 12 peter and acts 28 paul. This is the shortest book in the bible a mere sentences. Our story starts off where the gospel of luke left offjesus is back now that hes resurrected, jesus decides to hang out and chat with his disciples whom luke calls apostles for forty days. In this passage, luke is restating the great commission challenge jesus gave in luke 24. Introduction to the book of acts study resources blue letter bible. The waiting period introduction the gospel story has a sequel. Author internal and external evidence point to luke as the spiritinspired author of acts. In those two years, luke had plenty of time to research and write his gospel and the book of acts. Intro to acts biblica the international bible society. Luke was from antioch but traveled with paul all over southern europe and the middle east. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Has been titled acts or acts of the apostles since ad 150 the evangelization of the world and the expansion of the churc how does acts 1.
The book of acts clearly focuses on the beginnings of the church, and two people the apostle peter, and the one who actually possessed the courage to go to the farthest parts of the known world with the gospel of jesus christ, his name was paul the apostle. As a second volume to lukes gospel, it joins what jesus began to do and to teach 1. I told you, theophilus, about everything jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the holy spirit. If the book of acts were taken out of our new testament, we would never understand the rest of it. It traces christianity from its beginnings in jerusalem, following jesus resurrection, to the arrest of the apostle paul in rome, the heart of the empire. To make the picture abundantly clear, god has given us a hand picked record of the activities of the early church. The events of this chapter begin as the 12 apostles 1.
Acts sequel to luke the structure of the books of luke and acts are closely tied. The book of acts was penned by luke, the physician. He was called by jesus to follow him at matthew matt. But ye will receive power, the holy spirit having come upon you, and ye shall be my witnesses both in jerusalem and in all judaea and samaria and to the end of the earth. In chapter 1, we saw that the early church believed that jesus was risen, ruling, and retuning. Name from the time of the septuagint, this book has been called the acts of the apostles. Acts chapter 4 explained discover the 66 books of the bible.
Purpose at least three purposes seem to clearly emerge for the composition of acts. Paragraphbyparagraph outline for the book of acts josh. It is the bridge between the gospels and the epistles. Acts 8 king james version 1 and saul was consenting unto his death. It is the greatest sequel ever written, the sequel of sequelsthe sequel to the story of christ see 1. The baptism of the great commission was a command required of all people throughout the whole world. It will help to keep the whole of the book before you as you work your way through each section. At the end of each section is a summary statement 6. The book of acts is the first history of the christian church. As his gospel ends, luke introduces the themes reiterated here in acts 1. The gospel being preached to all nations beginning at jerusalem 2. This summary of the book of acts provides information about the title, authors.
Luke begins with a global perspective, dating the birth of jesus to the reign of the roman emperors in luke 2. It is the unanimous testimony of church tradition that luke authored the book of acts. The kingdom would come with power in that generation mark 9. Some have concluded that theophilus was the magistrate who heard pauls case in rome and that acts and luke was a legal brief in pauls defense isbe, theophilus 3. This is a geographical outline of the book based largely on what appears to be the organizing verse in acts.
The book of acts, then, is his second written account, or word. The acts of apostles gives us a unique insight into how the church began. We will explore how luke used summary statements for six periods of time in his history. He begins his gospel with a preface addressed to theophilus luke 1. Acts 1 new international version niv jesus taken up into heaven. Acts reveals a progression of the gospel that divides the book into six parts. The early chapters, set in jerusalem, describe the day of pentecost the coming of the holy spirit and the. There is no single chapter that does not exhibit gods power and wisdom in operation. Here is a summary and overview of the book of acts.
In the prologue to his gospel in luke chapter 1 verses 1 through 3, luke. Really, very little is written about the apostles in acts. The following outline is intended to be used while studying the book. By carefully noting the use of we and they in the book of acts, we glean that luke joined paul at troas 16.
Luke wrote the book of acts acts of the apostles to record how believers were empowered by the holy spirit, worked to spread the gospel of christ, and are a model for the future church. Made to make a difference acts 6 sermon by scott bayles. The book of acts is also the history of the birth, the founding, and the spread of the church from jerusalem to rome. You will have approximately 20 minutes to complete this homework assignment. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at jerusalem. The recipients of this book were jewish believers who had been dispersed 1. He decides to hang around with all his favorite disciples for forty days. A chapter bychapter bible study of the book of acts 2 acts the beautiful, amazing, powerful, weak, dysfunctional church table of contents scripture passage page 1.
The office of priest in the old testament began with aaron and his sons lev. While there are some areas of great detail of the acts of the apostles, many times you must use cross references to the gospels of matthew, mark, luke and john as well as some other epistles in the new. The greek manuscripts title it acts, and many add of the apostles. What originally appeared as one work was separated in our bible by the church fathers in order to keep the. A chapterbychapter bible study of the book of acts 2 acts the beautiful, amazing, powerful, weak, dysfunctional church table of contents scripture passage page 1. To continue the story begun in the gospel of luke ac 1. Comparing these passages to acts 1, we can learn that holy spirit baptism and the baptism of the great commission were two separate baptisms. The gospel of luke is the only record that meets this condition. Mar 14, 2012 these last few weeks, weve explored the stories of the early church as told in the first few chapters of acts. Acts 1 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. Luke gives us the key to the book of acts at the front door of this book, in acts 1. The importance of the book of acts the importance of this second of lukes twovolume work can. In order to ascertain the purpose of the book of acts, we must start with the realization that acts is the second part of a two part work. After the thirteenth chapter, the pronoun we indicates that the writer was a traveling companion of paul.
It is titled acts to emphasize that this book records the acts of the apostles through the work of the holy spirit. Commentary on the book of acts bible study lessons. Thus we might consider lukes gospel volume 1 and his book of acts volume 2. Acts of the apostles 1, new living translation nlt the. Luke, the author of the gospel of luke, was a doctor and gentile. This prohibition was one of the many moral laws given to the nation of israel. The acts of the apostles is a historical narrative of the work of the holy spirit in the early church. The acts of the apostles, fifth book of the new testament, a valuable history of the early christian church. It also may be divided around the expansion of the gospel in acts 1.
Chapters 17 focus on the early church in jerusalem. It is as if the four gospels had been poured into a funnel, and they all come down into this jug of the first chapter of the book of acts. Acts does feature the notable figures in the early years. Internal evidence is found largely in the we sections of the book. Its subject and intention is nicely summarised by the words of the lord in chapter 1.
We know the first part of this work as the gospel of luke. The apostles had the holy spirit come upon them acts 2. Acts concerns the very vital period in christian history between the resurrection of jesus and the death of the apostle paul, the time when christian ideas and beliefs. We will see many examples of this baptism in the book of acts and will learn much more about it. Choose from 500 different sets of the book of acts flashcards on quizlet. The first purpose was to complete what luke began in his gospel. The opening of the acts of the apostles outlines the entire book while also showing that evangelization starts within the context of the authority of the church. The book of acts is the link between the gospels and the epistles. The lord jesus christ at work by the holy spirit through the apostles human instrumentalities. The prologue is a literary recapitulation of the last paragraphs of the book of luke. The book of acts, which continues the narrative that luke began in his gospel, is especially important because it was the first written history of the christian church.
Anyhoo acts starts with jesus already back in black. The lord jesus christ at work by the holy spirit through the apostles in jerusalem, chapters 1 7 a. Peter used the most compelling proof, scripture, to reassure the believers that judas defection and the choice of his replacement were both in god. Watch our overview video on the book of acts, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. The greek word translated acts praxeis was often used to describe the achievements of great men. By chapter 3, they taught us to share the work, see the wound, and serve the weak. The recipient of the letter, theophilus, is identified and the resurrection of christ and his on going ministry through the apostles is confirmed. It opens with a greeting to theophilus, who was also the intended recipient of lukes gospel. We hope this outline of 2 john will help you as you investigate the pages of gods holy word his personal letter to you. Acts with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. Acts of the apostles executable outline study resources.
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