Walking Thru The Bible

ACTS

Introduction

AUTHOR: Acts is indeed a continuation of Luke's Gospel. We could well refer to the Gospel as Volume One and Acts as Volume Two. In Acts 1:1 "the former treatise" addressed to Theophilus (Luke 1:3) is a reference back to Luke's Gospel.

Internal evidence, particularly the "we" passages of Acts (16:10-17; 20:5-21; 18; 27:1-28:16) confirm Luke as the author. Luke by profession was a physician. He is the only gentile author in the New Testament. He was an eyewitness to many of the events in the book and was Paul's co-worker.

BACKGROUND: The book of Acts begins where the gospel left off at the resurrection and ascension of Jesus into heaven. It takes up the story there and shows the establishment of the Kingdom (the church) and its growth. It is often called "the book of conversions" because it shows how people in the first century became Christians.

Various titles given the book include:

"The Acts of the Apostles"

"The Acts of the Holy Spirit"

"The Ecclesia Established, Evangelizes and Expands"

"The Message and Method of New Testament Evangelism"

"The Great Commission In Action"

"How To Get Into Christ"

Luke's Gospel	= Christ

Luke's Acts	= How to get into Christ

The Epistles	= How to stay in Christ

"A Book of Beginnings"

"Book of Conversions"

"Acts of Apostles" (Some Acts of Some of the Apostles)

CHARACTER: The book is historical and written in narrative form. The history of the Bible is HIS STORY and the pivot point of the Bible around which all things revolve is the Cross.

Cross

Creation	Consummation

One "over-all" outline of the Bible is:

The Old Testament says "Someone is coming."

The Gospels say "Someone has come."

The Epistles say "Someone is coming again."

The Book of Acts is a very important book in the New Testament. From the book we glean much background material for the epistles. We see the important theme of early preaching (the resurrection), fulfillment of prophecy and a number of miracles.

DESIGN: The book shows the progress of Christianity from Jerusalem to all Judea, and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. The commission of the risen Lord had already been reported by Luke (Luke 24:46-49) and here is the description or how it was accomplished.

The key verse of the book is Acts 1:8. This verse is actually like Luke's Table of Contents, or outline for the book.

The book was probably composed in about AD 61/62. It begins with the history of AD 29/30, the year of our Lord's death, and ends following two years of Paul's imprisonment at Rome about AD 62.

OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF ACTS:

I.	Spread of the Gospel in Palestine with Peter as leader.

Ch. 1-12

II.	Spread of the Gospel Outside Palestine with Paul as leader. Ch. 13-28

PART I (Ch 1-12)	PART II (Ch 13-28)
• Jerusalem - the center

• Peter - main character

• Gospel - to Jerusalem, Judea

and Samaria

• Peter Imprisoned	• Antioch - the center

• Paul - main character

• Gospel - to "uttermost" parts of

the world, Rome

• Paul Imprisoned

ACTS

35 Years of Church History

Key Verse:	Acts 1:8	Author:	Luke

Key Word: "Witness"	Date written: A.D. 62

DATE: PLACE PERIOD	Chapter

29	Jerusalem	Birth of the	1	Jesus taken back up into heaven

church	2	Pentecost - Holy Spirit

Growth	3	Gate Beautiful - lame man healed

thru	4	Peter & John arrested

Testing	5	The lie told

"	6	Widows neglected

"	7	Stephen

33	Judea	Great	8	Philip's preaching

and	Persecution	9	Saul's conversion

Samaria	Gospel to	10	Cornelius' conversion

the Gentiles	11	Peter reports

12	Herod

45	1st	Paul & Barnabas	13	Cyprus & Antioch

Journey	14	Lystra & Derbe

Jerusalem	15	Jerusalem council

2nd	Paul & Silas	16	Philippi

Journey	17	Athens

18	Corinth

3rd	Paul & Silas	19	Ephesus

Journey	20	A farewell address

Jerusalem	21	Paul arrested in Jerusalem

"	22	Stairway sermon

23	Plot on Paul's life

Caesarea	24	Felix

"	25	Festus

"	26	King Agrippa

62	To Rome	27	Shipwreck

ROME	28	Rome

An Ideal Audience

In almost every audience listening to the gospel there are people with all kinds of attitudes toward the gospel. This is also the way it was in the first century when the apostles preached.

I.	We can see this is true from looking at some of the audiences of the Gospel in the book of Acts.

A.	FELIX -- Acts 24:24-25 -- Notice his response. Indifferent - a spiritual deficiency on the hearer's part.

B.	STEPHEN'S AUDIENCE -- Acts 7:51-60 -- Response -- rebellious. Stephen laid bare their sins-- sinners not ready to repent did not like it then and people do not like it today. Isaiah 30:9-10.

C.	PENTECOSTIANS -- Acts 2 -- Response -- receptive; (Acts 2:38-
47)

D.	ETHIOPIAN TREASURER -- Acts 8 -- Response -- seeking (Acts 8:31); A very sincere man.

II.	In Acts 10:33 we have the setting for what might be called the Ideal Audience. The story of Cornelius is related to us in the passage. God is willing to bless us as he was Cornelius if we respond the same say. Note elements of the response:

A.	"ALL HERE" -- Not only Cornelius there, but he had invited his family and friends to meet with him to hear words of Life from Peter. Matthew 11:28. No discord among them, united in their purpose (10:24)

B.	"PRESENT" -- Notice the "promptness" they were on time. Rom. 10:13-17.

C.	"IN SIGHT OF GOD" -- It was a "devotional" or "reverent" audience, they realized they were gathered "before God" and that helped them to be serious. Rom. 2:16

D.	"TO HEAR" -- There were attentive audience.

E.	"ALL THINGS" -- They were an "unprejudiced" audience, they want to hear "all" things, not just what tickled their ears. Acts 20:27; Matt. 6:19-24.

D.	"COMMANDED OF GOD" -- Yet they were a "discriminating" audience, for they were not interested in Peter's opinions, but God's commandments. Matt. 17:5; Deut. 18:15.

Conclusion

1.	Both the preacher and audience was ready for the service.

2.	Sincere people responded and obeyed the gospel and became a part of the Lord's church.