N T SURVEY // UNIT - III // LESSON - 2 // ACTS Of the Apostles //

 

ACTS

Of the Apostles

The book: Originally, The Acts was viewed as the second volume of the book of Luke and carried no title of its own. It was only in the second century when this volumes began to be independently circulated that it was given the title it now bears. The best estimate of its penning was the early to mid-sixties AD, probably AD 63-64, and recounts the early events of the Church established by Christ during His ministry here on earth. The events described begin with His ascension and the empowering of the Church on Pentecost and continues until the end of Paul’s two-year imprisonment at Rome.

Penman: The penman of Acts can be no other than Luke. From the connection between the end of Luke and the beginning of Acts, to the style of both books, to the traditional belief of all of the early and latter churches, all point to Luke as the divinely commissioned penman of the book of Acts.

Purpose: The purpose of the book is to give an account of the expansion of the Church started by Jesus and its inclusion of the Gentiles after the Jewish rejection of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It does not claim to be a comprehensive account of the Acts of the Apostles, although it is an account of their labours. Included in great measure are the labours of one of the first twelve Apostles, Peter, and of the latter Apostle, Paul. The narrative also gives accounts of the earliest persecutions and martyrs, and of the first Gentile converts.

Spiritual cohesiveness: As a part of the divinely inspired whole, the Bible, Acts serves as a delineator to mark the beginning of a new segment in spiritual agency.

1. Old Testament - God the Father is the active agent.

2. The Gospels - God the Son (Jesus) is the active agent.

3. Acts (and following) - God the Holy Spirit is the active agent.

He is mentioned over seventy times in the book of Acts alone. He was the active agent that empowered the Church on Pentecost; and then from that point on, the power of the Holy Spirit is seen and recorded in Acts in the actions of the members as they became bold and effective in the work. Thus the book of Acts marks a demarcation point concerning which person of the Godhead is the active agent in the remaining portion of the Bible. In John we witnessed the giving of the Holy Spirit to the disciples; and from that point on we will see Him in action as He operates through various people.

The main message/key verse of Acts: This is found in Acts 1:8.

Outline of the book:

Acts naturally divides itself into two parts, predominantly centered around two main characters, Peter and Paul, and two centers of activity, Jerusalem and Antioch. This same division gives the two spheres of missionary activity. One: from Jerusalem, through Judea to Samaria. Two: from Antioch to the uttermost parts of the earth.

 

The end of the book of Acts: The book of Acts ends with Paul in prison. Undoubtedly he was released from that imprisonment sometime shortly after that time. You will notice that there is no real conclusion of the book of Acts. This is because it is a record of the beginning of the spread of the Church and its expansion into the Gentile Church centered in Antioch. This expansion process is still going on. Also the book is a record of the Acts of the Holy Spirit in the Church- this is also still going on. Therefor, it is fitting that although the book of Acts does indeed end here, there is no real conclusion to it since such a conclusion is not really possible until the Rapture when the Lord will bring an end to these processes of expansion and an end to the working of the Holy Spirit through the Lord’s churches as He takes them out of the world and returns to that portion of His plan that concerns the Jews.

Outline of Acts

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH (1)

A. THE LORD PREPARES THE DISCIPLES (1:1-11)

B. THE LORD RE-ESTABLISHES 12 APOSTLES (1:12-26)

II. THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM (2-8:3)

A. THE CHURCH IS BORN (2:1-11)

B. SUMMARY OF THE YOUNG CHURCH (2:42-47)

C. THE CHURCH MINISTERING IN JERUSALEM (3-8:3)

D. STRUGGLE FROM WITHIN AND WITHOUT

E. THE CLIMAX OF THE PERSECUTION IN JERUSALEM: STEPHEN KILLED (6:8-8:3).

F. THE CHURCH IS SCATTERED (8:1-3)

III. THE CHURCH SCATTERED INTO PALESTINE AND SYRIA (8:4-12:25)

A. THE MINISTRY OF PHILIP (8:4-40). 

B. THE CONVERSION OF SAUL (9:1-30). 

C. A SUMMARY REPORT OF THE CHURCH (9:31)

D. THE MINISTRY OF PETER (9:32-11:18)

E. THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH: A NEW CENTER OF OPERATIONS (11:19-30)

F. GOD CONTINUES TO PROTECT JERUSALEM CHURCH (12)

G. A SUMMARY REPORT OF THE CHURCH (12:24, 25)

IV. THE CHURCH ADVANCING TO THE END OF THE EARTH (12-28)

A. THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY (13, 14)

B. THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL (15:1-35)

C. THE SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY (15:36-18:22)

D. THE THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY (18:23-19:19)

E. PAUL IN JERUSALEM (21:15-23:22)

F. PAUL IN CAESAREA (23:23-26:32)

G. PAUL IN ROME (27, 28)

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