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Apostle
Literally, “one sent out”
The Way
Christianity
Dogma
Truths that are widely accepted as absolute certainties (i.e., Jesus died on the cross and resurrected on the third day)
Doctrine
A belief held by a church; outside of dogma, the absolute certainty of doctrine is debatable.
Prescriptive Scripture
An instance in which Scripture commands action by the modern reader.
Descriptive Scripture
An instance in which Scripture is describing an event, and does not command action by the modern reader.
Church
The body of Christ as a whole
church
A building with a congregation
The Book of Acts is ________?
The most important source of information for the history of the church from AD. 30-60/61
The sequel to Luke
Written by Luke
Written to Theophilus: Luke’s literary patron
Written for anyone interested in learning the astonishing rise of Christianity
The Books of Acts is structured on a cyclic principle?
Christian leaders arise and preach the Gospel
Listeners are converted and added to the church
Opponents (often Jewish but sometimes Gentile) begin to persecute the Christian leaders.
God intervenes to rescue the leaders or otherwise protect the church.
Important Events in Acts ________?
Promise of the Holy Spirit (1:8)
Ascension of Jesus (1: 9)
Promise of the Second Coming (1: 11)
Pentecost and Receiving of the Holy Spirit (2:1-4) Came in two parts:
The coming of the Spirit on the believers
The reaction of the Jewish crowd to the spirit filled Christians.
All the info for the Pentecost :|
Pentecost is the New Testament name for the Feast of Weeks.
Just as Passover is associated with the exodus from Egypt, so is Pentecost associated with the renewal of the covenant with Noah and then with Moses.
When the Holy Spirit came the wind filled the house it definitely brings to mind Old Testament Theophanies (a visible manifestation to humankind of God) (Especially when the Red Sea split)
The second symbol of the Holy Spirit was fire. Again the analogy reminds us of Old Testament Theophanies (Especially from Sinai/burning bush))
Now we must assume that the disciples moved outside from the upper room and came in contact with the crowd that had assembled in Jerusalem for the feast.
The sound that the disciples were making probably confused the crowd since they could not understand how they could understand each other.
Now the two main languages spoken at the time would be Aramaic and Greek. Which the disciples would have spoken both of these languages.
What was significant was that the various vernacular languages of these people were being spoken.
Luke gives us a list of the different nations present from the Roman Empire:
Persia(modern Iran), Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), Judea, Asia Minor (modern Turkey), Egypt, Rome, Crete, and Arabia.
Now all of the people present were either Jews or converted Jews (Proselytes - A person who has converted from one religion to another)
The primary reaction was one of incomprehension. This gave Peter the prime opportunity to address the crowd and share the Gospel.
All the info of Peters sermon :\
Peter’s sermon is the first in a series of a multiple of different sermons that set off the growth of Christianity.
We see that at the beginning of the sermon Peter is trying to explain what the people were struggling with was the incomprehensible and that these people were not drunk.
What was actually happening was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel (2:28-32)
The first and main theme of the prophecy is that God is going to pour out his Spirit upon all people.
The second element in the prophecy is the occurrence of cosmic signs of the type associated with apocalyptic events of the end of the world. (19)
The third element in Joel’s prophecy is the event which these signs point to the day of judgement. (21)
The fourth element concludes with a promise that “everyone that calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”
Peter then combines a clear affirmation of God’s sovereignty over world events and human responsibility for evil deeds.
Although Jesus was delivered to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God showing that God had both foreknowledge and foreordained that Jesus would be crucified. Even this did not forgive those that were complicit in the murder of Jesus both Jew and Roman. Did God use man to complete His predetermined plan? If so what does this mean?
Peter then quotes from Psalm 16:8-11 pointing to the resurrection of Jesus.
Peter then hears the response of the people’s heart as they call out what are we to do?
Peter’s response is simple “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Establishment of the 1st church (2: 42-47)
The Christian Community shares a life in common.
The early church is devoted to the apostles teaching
Which included Jesus’ earthly teaching plus what He taught the apostles 40 days of resurrection appearances.
The early church is devoted to fellowship
Included the sharing of material goods
The early church is devoted to breaking of bread
This covers the Lord’s Supper as well as larger fellowship meals
The early church is devoted to praying
They pray in house meetings and possibly in the Temple.
The early church shared everything:
This is NOT the early form of communism
The giving was voluntary and not compelled by the government.
People still had personal possessions, because they still met in their homes and
How did Peter know what Ananias and Sapphira had done?
Peter knew instantly that Ananias was lying
What doomed Ananias and Sapphira?
They didn't just lie to Peter, they also lied to God
Why did God kill Ananias and Sapphira?
God’s reasons for bringing about the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira involve His abhorrence of sin, the hypocrisy of the couple, and the lesson for the rest of the church, both then and now. It can be easy today to gloss over the holiness of God, to forget that He is righteous and pure and that He hates sin wholeheartedly. This particular sin of hypocrisy in the church was dealt with swiftly and decisively.
The Martyrdom of Stephen
At the end of Stephen’s speech he declared that the Jewish people rejected and killed the prophets and now they have rejected the Savior of the World.
After he said that they took him out of the town and stoned him.
While they were stoning him he prayed for those that were killing him.
Saul who became Paul was the one holding the coats of the men that stoned Stephen.
The stoning of Stephen embolden others to persecute Christians on a wider scale and gave birth to Saul the persecutor of Christians.
All of the info of Saul’s Conversion 9:1-19
The story begins by reminding us of the persecuting activity of Paul. (Acts 8:1-3)
Paul hated Christians even to the point that he would murder them.
Paul had been given papers by the High Priest to extradite members of “The Way”. Meaning that Paul could take these Christians from Damascus and bring them back to Jerusalem to face the Sanhedrin for trial.
At about noon a light from heaven(22:6) and Jesus speaks and says “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Now I want to point out that Jesus’ reference to Saul’s “persecuting me” shows His close identity with His followers. To persecute Christians was to persecute Christ.
Saul responded saying “Who are you Lord” this allows us to see that Saul knows he is speaking to a heavenly figure but has no idea who it is.
Jesus announces Himself to Saul and tells him to go to Damascus.
Saul’s companions see nothing but they help escort Saul to Damascus where he remains blind for 3
The Lord sends Ananias to go meet with Saul.
Now the name of Saul was not unknown to Ananias, and he protested that all that he knew of this man indicated that he was an enemy of the church.
Now Ananias’ comment might have been taken as an expression of disobedience to God.
However, the Lord has already decided to call Saul to His service; God has chosen him to bring His name before Gentiles, kings and the people of Israel.
Through the Divine blessing and commissioning that Saul received from God through Ananias we see that Saul receives the Holy Spirit and is baptized.
Peter and Cornelius…
This incident between Peter and Cornelius will put Peter at the center of the mission to the Gentiles.
Cornelius is a God-fearer which is a Gentile who worshiped Israel’s God and was in some way attached to a synagogue but had not submitted to Jewish conversion rites especially circumcision.
Cornelius is visited by an angel and lets him know that God has taken note of his prayers and his deeds of charity.
The angel tells him he is supposed to send for Peter So he sends a group of three messengers, two servants and a military orderly, who shared his faith.
Peter is found on top of a roof praying and since it was noon he was probably waiting for something to eat.
As he is waiting he falls into a trance. Three factors may have guided his vision:
The fact that Peter was praying means that he was in a condition to receive a divine message
Peter’s hunger may also have shaped the nature of his vision
The awning over the roof of the house, may have helped to create in Peter’s mind the image of a large sheet.
As Peter dreams a great sheet filled with all types of all animals mostly that were unclean falling from Heaven
God tells him to rise and go, kill and eat. This command did not make sense to Peter since it would have violated Jewish food laws.
Yet, God was overturning the old clean/unclean distinction, and dietary laws. Previously it was impossible for Jews to associate with Gentiles without becoming unclean.
This is God allowing Peter to be free of guilt to associate with Gentiles and to eventually share the Gospel with them.
As Peter enters the house Cornelius wants to know what Peter has to say.
Peter recognizes that God will accept anybody of any race who reverences Him and lives righteously.
Peter tells the listeners who Jesus is, what He has done and what He has said. Peter concludes with “That everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
We see that the Holy Spirit fell upon this group of Gentiles showing that they had all come to genuine saving faith in Christ.
It is important to see that they had not followed any Mosaic ceremonial law, yet they were accepted into the family of Christ.
Paul’s 1st Missionary Journey
Paul is accompanied by Barnabas on this first of three missionary journeys.
They leave the port of Antioch and sail to Cyprus. Once they arrive on Cyprus they receive some help from John-Mark.
Then they travel to Perga where John-Mark leaves them (This upsets Paul).
They travel onto Pissidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe.
Then Paul and Barnabas retrace the route they had just taken to ensure the churches that had been established are prospering.
They leave from Attalia to go back to Jerusalem.
Paul’s 2nd Missionary Journey
Paul, Silas and Timothy begin the second missionary journey.
By land they travel from Antioch and pass through Paul’s hometown of Tarsus and then they begin to check on the churches that had been established in the first missionary journey.
They continue west all the way to the port city of Troas.
They then make their way down the coast of Greece seeing cities such as Philippi, Thessalonica, Berrea, Athens and Corinth.
They then travel to Ephesus and then from Ephesus to Jerusalem.
Paul’s 3rd Missionary Journey
Paul spends two years in prison at Caesarea Maratime.
Paul leaves from Antioch and again visits the churches of Galatia and then continues west Ephesus and then visits the churches that he had started on the Greece coast.
He then leaves from Miletus to Caesarea Maritima and from there to Jerusalem.
He is arrested in Jerusalem and is eventually sent to Rome to stand trial before Caesar.
He spends time in Rome under house arrest and is later executed by Nero around 64-67AD.
Important Events in Acts!
Establishment of the 1st church (2: 42-47)
Stephen is martyred (7:54-60)
Saul’s conversion (9:1-19)
Conversion of Gentiles (9:32 – 35)
Structure of Acts!
Foundations for the Church and its Mission
The Church in Jerusalem
Wider Horizons for the Church
Peter and the First Gentile Convert
Paul Turns to the Gentiles
Spreading Further into the Gentile World
On to Rome
Theological Themes of Acts!
Salvation History
the unfolding of God’s salvation plan
tracing the movement of God’s plan to the Gentiles
demonstrates God’s sovereignty
Universal Scope of the Gospel
The Gospel is for all nations
Salvation includes the restoration of Israel through Jesus: “..to the Jew, and also to the Gentile.”
The Holy Spirit
The agent of the Church’s life and growth
Sovereignly directs (empowers) the Christian mission
The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus
The pivot point of history and the culmination of God’s plan from long ago.
The Plan for Salvation Throughout History was…
Commanded by God (Acts 4: 23)
Predicted by the Prophets (26:22)
Accomplished in Christ (13:28-39)
Proclaimed by faithful witnesses (4:33)
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