The Book of Acts

The Book of Acts was written by the Luke a companion of the Apostle Paul. Luke also wrote the third gospel. Acts is the second half to the gospel and was meant to read in continuation from the gospel. The two books are to be a record of the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. The first book introduces Jesus life and work, and the second book (Acts) reaffirms the ongoing ministry of Jesus. Jesus is ascended as the King of Heaven and Earth and his ruling through the Gospel which is proclaimed by Spirit empowered disciples.

The authors intents is found at the beginning of the Gospel According to Luke. Luke 1.4 says that he writes the book do that the followers of Jesus “may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.” Luke asserts the truth of the life of Jesus and the church by careful investigation of eyewitnesses and by affirming the prophesies of the Old Testament which are being fulfilled in the life and continual work of Jesus the Christ.

The main story line is guided by the spread of the gospel message from “Jerusalem to the ends of the earth”. We the power of God in the transformation of people and communities in which the gospel penetrates. The book also records that the Gospel had opposition in the pagan communities which it penetrated.

The Book of Acts also offers insight into the operations of the church. (See 2.42-47, 4.32-37) These insights include - fellowship with the apostles and their teaching, the sharing of goods, prayer meetings, the role of the elders in the church, the place of the main Jerusalem church in relation to the other churches, the role of prophets and teachers, the role of home churches, and the team work of missionaries. We also see something of the type of sermons that were preached to both Jewish and Gentile audiences, One of the main issues that the book of acts is dealing with is the place of the Gentiles amongst the Jewish Christians and the purposes of God. The book of Acts shows zero tolerance toward racial discrimination. This is associated with the missionary effort Peter (Act8-11) and the commissioning of the Apostle Paul.

In contrast to the letters of the Apostle Paul which often deal with the inner working of the church, the book of Acts deals more with the outer working and mission of the Church and thus offers both a balance to the epistles and a confirmation of their historicity.

Finally, the book of Acts reminds us of the ultimate triumph of the gospel, At the same time however, the triumph of the gospel will only be achieved through the sufferings and martyrdom of is servants. The book of Acts is an historical account of how the early church followed in the footsteps of their Lord and Savoir and suffered for work of God by the proclaiming the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our goal in studying the book of Acts is to be continue in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his disciples.

Steve Soldatos