The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus1
Acts 1:1-8
I had the privilege of sharing the first half of the book of Acts at the most recent Awana
Scholarship Camp in Bogg Springs, Arkansas. And I came away with a deep appreciation
for the book and what it could do for us as a church. And I’m excited to see how God
uses the book of Acts in our midst over the next months.
As you know the book of Acts is the story of the growth of the early church.
And to study the book of Acts is to be reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 16: I will
build my church Jesus said, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
To study the book of Acts is to be reminded that the gospel is indeed the power of God
unto salvation both for Jews and Gentiles.
To study the book of Acts is to see that God really does win in the end and His sovereign
purposes are always accomplished.
And to study the book of Acts is to be reminded that the church is indeed the hope of the
world and that it behooves us to throw all of our energy into the work of the church. We
are used to despairing about the health of the church. We are used to discounting the
work of the church. We are used to being critical of the health of the church. We are
used to highlighting the flaws of the local church but it’s time to turn the corner and do
everything we can to make the church all that Christ intended the church to be.
The book of Acts can help us with our identity as a church. What should we look like as
a church? What things should we prioritize? What activities should we give ourselves
to? Why should the word of God be central to everything we do? (The spread of the
Word of God is a central theme in the book of Acts and when the Word of God spreads
the church grows2).
But the book of Acts can help us with our identity as individual Christians too. It’s very
clear that God saved us to make us members of His family. But there’s more to the story
than that. God saved us to involve us in his purposes. Family members care about the
Father’s purposes.
Look at Ephesians 2:10 on the screen
POWERPOINT
Ephesians 2:10
Or “The Acts of the Sovereign God through the Lord Messiah Jesus by His Spirit on Behalf of the Way” (Bock, page 50). Bock
writes, “Traditionally, the title of the book has been ‘The Acts of the Apostles’ but this ignores the role of God as the main player.
“Acts of the Holy Spirit” is a second suggestion, but this title overemphasizes the Spirit when Jesus is also at work over his new entity,
not to mention the direction of the Father over all of these events. Stott has suggested the title “The Continuing Words and Deeds of
Jesus by His spirit through the Apostles”. More appropriate would be “The Acts of the Sovereign God through the Lord Messiah Jesus
by His Spirit on Behalf of the Way.” (Bock, page 50)
2
Acts 4:4, 29, 31; 6:7;12:24; 13:5-12, 46-48; 14:3; 17:13; 18:5; 19:20
1
1
10 For
we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
In context, the point in the first ten verses of Ephesians 2 is that we were once spiritually
dead and God made us alive to walk in good works. We were dead in tresspasses and
sins. We walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of
the air. But God made us alive together with Christ and raised us up with Him. In fact
we are his workmanship. We are the focus of His attention. We are his workmanship, his
‘art pieces’, new creations ‘in’ Christ Jesus…Why?...we were created to walk in good
works, good works which God prepared beforehand.
And so here’s the bottom line—there are good works that God has in mind for you and
me to do specifically. Good works next year and good works up till the day we take our
final breath.
And the book of Acts will give us an opportunity to explore that idea.
We’ll meet Dorcas in Acts 9 who the bible describes as ‘full of good works’.
When we get to the story of Cornelius, the Roman Centurion, in Acts 10, and we see how
God moved mountains so that a believer, Peter, could share the gospel with this gentile,
God fearing unbeliever, we’ll ask and answer the question, “Why is it that God wants us
to be involved in sharing the gospel? Why is it that He wants us to be involved in His
mission? Or even more ironically, why did He give his disciples a mission and then take
off? He could have done it many different ways. Why does He call us to be involved with
Him in His mission?”
In Acts 13 we’ll look in on a eclectic group of believers in the Gentile-dominated church
in Antioch who were worshipping and fasting and we’ll hear the Holy Spirit say, “Set
apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work (there’s the word from Ephesians 2:10)
to which I have called them.”
God had created some good works for Barnabas and Saul to walk in. And as they did
those good works they were fulfilling God’s call on their lives.
Similarly God has created some good works for you and I do to be involved in. And
more and more I become convinced that it is in getting involved in those good works, that
we find the abundant life that Christ promised.
I remember being struck by a line in the introduction to ‘Follow Me’, the book we
recently read together as a congregation. It’s Francis Chan writing there in the
introduction of the book by Platt and Chan writes, “When people say they don’t feel close
to Jesus, I ask them if they are making disciples. After all his promise to be with us in
Matthew 28:19-20, is tied to his command to make disciples.”3
3
Platt, Follow Me, page xvi
2
The abundant life comes from our involvement with Him in His mission.
J Campbell White, involved with the Laymen’s Missionary Movement wrote this about
100 years ago:
“Most men are not satisfied with the permanent output of their lives. Nothing can wholly
satisfy the life of Christ within his followers except the adoption of Christ’s purpose
toward the world he came to redeem. Fame, pleasure, and riches are but husks and ashes
in contrast with the boundless and abiding joy of working with God for the fulfillment of
his eternal plans. The men who are putting everything into Christ’s undertaking are
getting out of life its sweetest and most priceless rewards”4
White makes an interesting point. As a Christian, Christ lives in me. Would He be
satisfied if I lived a life of leisure? Would he be satisfied with any life that I might
choose to live where His purposes were not prioritized?
So the book of Acts can help us with our identity as a church but also with our identity as
individual Christians saved by grace.
The book of Acts can also put fresh wind in the sails of a group of people who are in the
trenches and about to ramp up ministry to a needy world. I’m talking about you and me.
Summer is almost over. We’re gearing up to welcome back our college students. We’re
gearing up to start up Awana again. The Bocks are heading back to Guam. We’ll pray
for them at the end of the service. The Owens are praying about getting on the field in
India. It’s right that we would give ourselves to these efforts. It’s right that we should
live sacrificially to see that the gospel is spread. It’s right that we would lift up our eyes
and see that the fields are white unto harvest. 5 And it’s right that we would be reminded
from the book of Acts that we are involved in God’s mission, a mission that will most
certainly be accomplished. I will build my church, Jesus said. You see our efforts in
the church are a response to the powerful initiative of God in our lives and His
empowering presence in our lives in the Holy Spirit.
So the book of Acts, can remind us of our true identity as a church and our true identity
as individual Christians. It can put wind in our sails as we gear up for another year of
ministry and we draw confidence that we’re on task and we have His full support to
accomplish the mission.
Finally the book of Acts can help us as we continue to pursue our 2013 church goal…
POWERPOINT
2013 Church Goal
…that we would be sacrificially discipling others
4
5
Piper, Desiring God, page 186
John 4:35
3
One writer says it this way: “Any Christians wanting to know how to be a disciple of
Christ in this world should turn to Acts to see how how the first Christians lived.”6
____________
Well what do we believe about the book of Acts?
POWERPOINT
What do we believe about the book of Acts?
We believe the author is Luke…
HIT ENTER-- Author: Luke
What do we know about Luke?7 He was a physician.8 Paul considered him a ‘fellow
worker,’ Philemon 24. It seems that he was Paul’s ‘sometime companion’ on the
missionary journeys Paul took in the book of Acts. Why do we believe that? Four
different times9 the story in Acts is written from the perspective of ‘we.’ Finally, we read
in 2 Timothy 4 that Luke alone was with Paul in Paul’s final imprisonment in Rome. So
Luke was a beloved and trusted fellow-worker of Paul’s.
Some, based on the content of the book of Acts, have assumed Luke was a Jewish
Christian. It seems to me that the evidence points the other way—he was probably a
Gentile Christian.10 When we studied the gospel of Luke we argued that point.11 And if
he was indeed a Gentile Christian he would be the only Gentile author of a book of the
New Testament.
6
Fernando, page 21
From the preface of Luke, “it appears that (he) was a second generation Christian who was not personally involved in the ministry of
Jesus but who had contact with ‘those who from the first were eye witnesses and servants of the word. His native tongue was
Hellenistic Greek, and he seems to have progressed ‘to the higher levels of Greco-Roman education.’(which would fit with the idea
that he was a physician). At the same time, from the beginning of his narrative he betrays a great interest in Judaism, a knowledge of
the Jewish Scriptures in their Greek translation (the so-called LXX) and some Semitisms in his Greek writing.” Peterson, page 2
8
Colossians 4:14
9
The we passages: Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1-28:16.
10
Why he may have been a Gentile Christian, Schnabel, page 23 “On the basis of the superior quality of the Greek language, the
avoidance of Semitic words, the omission (in the third gospel) of traditions about Jesus’ controversies with the Pharisee’s
understanding of the Mosaic law and about the distinction between clean and unclean and other factors.” Why he may have been a
Jewish Christian-- Schnabel, page 23 “On the basis of the substantial influence of the LXX on the language and style of Luke’s
Greek, the way in which Jesus is described in the book of Acts, the references to Israel as the people of God, the emphasis on the
fulfillment of promises to Israel, and the depiction of Paul as a missionary to the Jews.”
11
Paul is writing to the Colossians in Colossians 4:10-11 and he mentions six men who are with him. 10 My fellow prisoner
Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to
you, welcome him.) 11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. And this next line is the point…. These are the only Jews
among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me. Paul says very explicitly that Aristarchus,
Mark and Jesus who is called Justus are the only three Jews with him. He then goes on to mention three more men that stand at his
side. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you. He is
always wrestling in prayer for you that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. 13 I vouch for him that he
is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. Verse 14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send
greetings. 11
7
4
It is thought he came from Antioch in Syria.12 (Antioch, we’ll learn in Acts 11, is the
location for the first primarily Gentile church)
Secondly when was the book of Acts written?
HIT ENTER- Date: Written in the Early 60’s13
There is admittedly disagreement about that date but we won’t spend any time on the
various views.
But if we believe that the book was written in the early 60’s then the book was written
within 30 years of Christ’s death and resurrection. And we can trust the fact that Acts is
reliable history.
What about the purpose of the book?14
A place to begin for this, interestingly enough is in the prologue to Luke.
If you have your bible, turn with me to Luke 1:1-4.
(As you’re turning to Luke 1:1-4, John Stott tells us “it was common in antiquity
whenever a work was divided into more than one volume—and that’s what we’re arguing
for Luke and Acts…that it really is one work divided into two volumes—it was common
to prefix to the first volume a preface for the whole. So that would mean that Luke 1:1-4
would be the preface for both (Luke and Acts)’15 And since the New Testament books
were written on parchment scrolls, it was typically practical to have a scroll that was no
no longer than 35 feet long. When it got any bigger it was too bulky to carry around.
Matthew, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans were about this long.16
Let’s see how long 35’ is. (Use audience here) Again the scrolls of Luke and Acts and
would be about this long…17
So what is the point here? The point is that Luke/Acts is really one work in two volumes
and the preface or prologue in Luke probably applies to Acts also.
Peterson, page 1 “The Anti-Marcionite prologue to the Third gospel describes Luke as an ‘Antiochene of Syria, a physician by
profession’”
13
Schnabel, page 27, notes that most scholars assume that Luke wrote the book of acts between AD 80-90.Peterson argues, page 4,
that if you argue for a late date (80s or 90s) then Paul’s travel companion (the subject of the ‘we’ sections) would need to be quite
young when he met Paul and why would he end the story in 62 AD if there was more to the story? Why wouldn’t he include what
happened from 62 AD on to the time of writing? Bruce argues for a period after AD 70. Peterson goes on to argue, page 5, that a
good case can be made for a date as early as 62-64, given Luke’s apparent ignorance of he letters of Paul, his portrayal of Judaism as a
legal religion, and his omission of any reference to the Neronian persecution of Christians, let alone his failure to say anything about
the outcome of Paul’s imprisonment in Rome.
14
Bock comments that many suggestions have been made for the purpose of the book of Acts. Is it a political apologetic on behalf of
the church or Paul? This was once a popular view. Was it written in response to the delay of the parousia? This is overdrawn. Was it
written to counter the Gnostics? The Gnostics were not organized as a movement this early. A place to begin is the prologue of Luke
which says that the goal is to reassure Theophilus about what he was instructed.
15
Stott, page 22
16
Boice, page 13-14
17
Boice makes this comment
12
5
Luke 1:1-4
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have
been accomplished among us…In the word accomplished, Luke is making the point that
God’s purposes were being fulfilled…we’ll see this over and over in the book of Acts,
that the events of Acts are the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies… 2 just as those
who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered
them to us,… Luke apparently had been given many eye-witness accounts.
We know, for example, that Paul and Luke met James, Jesus’ brother in Acts 21 so Luke
could have picked up childhood remembrances from James.
“Hey James”… we can imagine Luke asking… “did Jesus really remain behind at the
temple when he was 12? Did your parents really have to go back for him?”
The historian Sir Walter Ramsey suggested that Luke may have interviewed Mary for the
material in the birth narratives in Luke 1 and 2.18 (Where do we go for Christmas
program material? Luke. Only Luke has the birth stories and Ramsay suggests that Luke
got it from Mary)
So Luke was given eyewitness testimony….and 3 it seemed good to (him) also, having
followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you,
most excellent Theophilus, (the name Theophilus shows up in Acts 1 and ties the books
together and we’ll discuss the name more when we get into the text of Acts) But Luke felt
called, it seems, to write an orderly account of Jesus’ life and ministry and death and
resurrection, one that’s not confused or haphazard.
But it’s in verse 4 that we come to the purpose of Luke writing 4 that you may have
certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
Luke wants Theophilus to have certainty, real assurance regarding the life, death, and
resurrection of Jesus and His saving purposes. And with respect to the book of Acts, he
wants Theophilus to have certainty, real assurance that God’s saving purposes continue-Jesus is still building his church.
HIT ENTER- Purpose: Luke writes to provide reassurance to believers about the
nature of the events surrounding Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension.
And He writes to provide reassurance that a resurrected, ascended Jesus continues
to build His church.
Well let’s do 2 more things before we look at the text—let’s overview some distinctive
features of the book of Acts and then some key themes.
First some distinctive features of the book of Acts. We’ll look at three of them…
18
William Ramsey believed this (Cairns, Luke as Historian)
6
Some Distinctive Features of Acts

1. Acts is the only New Testament book that
tells about the ministry of the apostles.

2. Acts is full of speeches.

3. Places play a key role in the book of Acts.
The first distinctive of the book of Acts is…
1. Acts is the only New Testament book that tells about the ministry of the apostles.
And that probably is why it was given the traditional name, ‘Acts of the Apostles.’ The
manuscript evidence is all over the board on the name of the book and it’s conceivable
that the titles were added by later copyists.19 Interestingly enough, only two of the
original twelve apostles are highlighted in the book of Acts--Peter and John. And their
stories give way to Paul who considers himself an apostle born abnormally on the road to
Damascus in Acts 9.20
What’s the point? A more appropriate title for the book would feature God as the main
actor. More on that in a minute.
A second distinctive feature of the book of Acts is….
2. Acts is full of speeches.
Fully 1/3 of the book is speech material—300 of its 1000 or so verses are speech
material.21 Why? We’ll talk about that.
Ten of the speeches are major (three by Peter, one by Stephen, and six by Paul).
Of Paul’s six major speeches, three are his defense speeches after he was arrested in Acts
21 and was on his way to Rome. The other three speeches consist of one speech on each
of his three missionary journeys—to Jews on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:1647), to Gentiles on his second missionary journey (Acts 17:22-31), and to Christian
leaders on his third missionary journey, (Acts 20:18-35).22 What’s the point? There
The title ‘Acts of the Apostles” is found in the early Greek manuscripts of the book. If the title goes back to Luke then Luke is out
to show that Peter and Paul were apostles ‘par excellence’. In manuscripts ‫ ﬡ‬and B (both from the fourth century) and P74 (from the
seventh century), the title is given at the end of the book. In the Muratorian Canon (AD 150-200), the book has the title ‘Acts of All
the Apostles’ The word ‘all’ is intended perhaps to include Paul as an apostle among the twelve.” Schnabel, Acts, page 21
Manuscript 1175 has only “Acts” as the title. Other MSS, such as 33, 189, 1891 and 2344 mention Luke the evangelist in a longer
version of the title (“Luke the evangelist’s Acts of the Holy Apostles”) Bock, page 1
20
Apostles are mentioned 28 times in the narrative of Acts 1-16. After that the term is no longer employed.
21
Polhill as quoted by Bock, page 20. Interestingly enough the numbers vary widely. Fitzmeyer, 1998 (as quoted in Bock, page 20),
lists 28 speeches. Aune, as quoted by Fernando, page 28 says that there are 32 speeches in Acts which make up to 25% of the
narrative.
22
ESV Study bible, page 2075-6
19
7
seems to be some artistry in the use of speeches. We’ll talk about the function of the
various speeches as we move through the book.
A third distinctive of the book of Acts…
3. Places play a key role in the book of Acts.
And places take on symbolic significance. The book begins in Jerusalem symbolizing the
Jewish religion from which Christianity emerges. The book ends in Rome which
symbolizes the Gentile world to which Christianity gravitates as the early history of the
church unfolds.23 In fact, it’s common to outline the book geographically. More on that
in a few minutes
How about some key themes from the book?
Some Themes in Acts

The “Now, But Not Yet”
Yet” Kingdom has arrived


Witnesses will suffer like Christ
The spread of the Word during opposition

The Holy Spirit is a “game changer”
changer”

Strengthening churches is important

God’
God’s purposes will be accomplished

Jesus, the Lord of all for a gospel sent to all
1. The ‘Now, But Not Yet’ Kingdom has arrived
In the first few verses of the book we’ll see that the kingdom of God is a topic of
discussion between Jesus and his disciples. In the forty days that Jesus was present
between his resurrection and ascension (and only the book of Acts actually tells us about
the 40 day time period) Jesus did two things… he gave them convincing proofs that he
had indeed been resurrected and he spoke about the kingdom of God. So that’s the first 3
verses of chapter 1.
What’s interesting is that the book of Acts ends with the topic of the kingdom of God.
Listen to Acts 28:30-31, the last two verses in the book-- He lived there two whole years
at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom
of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without
hindrance.
So the idea of the kingdom of God kind of “frames” the book of Acts.24 And I think that
that’s an important observation. In fact I think that Luke tells us in the book of Acts that
23
ESV Study bible, page 2077
The phrase “kingdom of God” is present in Acts 1:3; 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 28:23, 31. The phrase ‘the kingdom’ is present in Acts 1:6
and Acts 20:25
24
8
the kingdom of God has in fact been inaugurated; it has come in a spiritual form, “it’s
now” but it’s also ‘not yet.’ And that fits our experience of life doesn’t it? We know that
Jesus reigns in some way and yet we’re pretty sure that His reign only goes so far. In
other words there will be a future time, when Jesus comes again, when the kingdom will
be present with power. I would say that that will be the millennium. But in the mean time
the kingdom of God in its spiritual form is spreading as the word of God is shared and
people put their faith in King Jesus.
So The ‘Now, But Not Yet’ Kingdom has arrived
A second theme present in Acts is…
2. Witnesses will suffer like Christ.
Here’s the point--suffering is inevitable in this ‘now but not yet’ form of the kingdom.
One author says it this way, “Acts has no purpose, no plot, no structure, and no history
without suffering. Therefore, proper interpretation of Acts depends in part on the
(reader’s) grasp of suffering’s importance in Acts.”25
Witnesses will suffer like Christ. Let me briefly illustrate this theme from the book. So
we hear this line from Stephen’s mouth, ‘Receive my spirit’ (Jesus prayed that didn’t
he? Yes. Luke 23:46) and ‘Don’t hold this against them’ (Jesus prayed a similar prayer
from the cross…Luke 23:34). Haven’t you read Stephen’s story in Acts 7 and thought it
sure seemed to echo the experience of Jesus on the cross? That’s intentional…
Witnesses will suffer like Jesus suffered.
How about the conversion of Paul in Acts 9? Listen to what the Lord shared with
Ananias who was elected to welcome the former enemy Saul. Acts 9:15-16…
15
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my
name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him
how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”
Paul’s a chosen instrument to carry my name…Paul’s a chose instrument to suffer for my
name…. You see that’s the way it is in ‘Now but Not Yet’ time of the kingdom.
One last example from Acts--In the last few chapters of Acts the cries of the crowd to
Paul, “Away with him” (Acts 21:36) and “Rid the earth of him, he’s not fit to live!”
(Acts 22:22) are much like the cries from the crowd against Jesus before his death (Luke
23:18).26
My wife had a camper at camp this past week who completely rejected her. Keon, out at
Alert, had a recruit that rejected everything Keon was offering in the way of Christianity.
Should we be surprised at this? No. The gospel goes forth amidst suffering.
25
26
House, as quoted by Thompson, page 54
This observation from Thompson,page 61
9
We shouldn’t be surprised when we bear the gospel and suffer for it.
A third theme in Acts….
3. The spread of the Word in the midst of opposition
More than just a few times in the book of Acts, difficulty and opposition and the spread
of the Word are immediately juxtaposed. Let me share one example with you. Acts 4
verses 3 and 4
Listen to Acts 4:3… they arrested them (Peter and John) and put them in custody
until the next day, for it was already evening.
Listen to Acts 4:4…. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the
number of the men came to about five thousand.
Again this happens many times in Acts.27 I went to a conference Thursday and Friday of
this past week and in one video segment, church leaders from the Middle East were
sharing. One said this: “I don’t focus on the opposition. That’s God’s problem. I focus
on the opportunity” That was exactly the apostle’s perspective in the book of Acts.
“There will be opposition (which our God will handle) but we will take advantage of
every opportunity”
Just some other themes quickly…
4. The Holy Spirit is a game changer
The church father John Chrysostrom said that Acts is the ‘gospel of the Holy Spirit’
because the Spirit is so present in the book.28
5. Strengthening churches is important
6. God’s purposes will be accomplished
7. Jesus, the Lord of all for a gospel sent to all29
_______________
Well with that introduction, let’s begin in Acts 1…
1 In
the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and
teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through
the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
Luke refers to his gospel in verse 1… 1 In the first book, O Theophilus…
27
See Thompson, page 56-57
Bock, page 36
29
Bock, page 35
28
10
The name ‘Theophilus’ means ‘friend of God’ or ‘loved of God.’30 It was a common
name well attested from the 3rd century BC onward. Because in the gospel of Luke,
Luke calls Theophilus, ‘most excellent Theophilus’ (Luke 1:3) some think that
Theophilus may have been a high government official.31 We really can’t be sure.
1 In
the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and
teach.
Notice Luke’s words in verse 1, ‘all that Jesus began to do’. It seems to imply that in
this book, the book of Acts, Luke will document what Jesus continued to do.32 And it’s
that idea that led to the title of the sermon, The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus. Jesus did
say in Matthew 16, I will build my church.
I think that Luke is actually hinting that Jesus is the key actor in the book of Acts.33 Let
me spend a minute tracing that out a bit.
Look down at the end of chapter 1, the disciples replace Judas with Matthias. How did
they do it? They cast lots. But before they did it, who did they pray to? Look at verse
24… And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show
which one of these two you have chosen to take the place of this ministry … Now we
can’t be dogmatic here, but they could be praying to Jesus here who chose the original
apostles. Scholars are actually divided about that. 34 There are few if no examples where
prayer is made to Jesus.
But let’s trace out Jesus’ activity in the building of his church here in Acts:
Acts 2:33…It’s Jesus that pours out the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Acts 2:47…It’s the Lord who adds believers to the church.35
Acts 5:31…Jesus grants forgiveness and repentance.
Acts 9… Jesus confronts Paul on the way to Damascus
Acts 11:21 Jesus is acknowledged as one responsible for the growth of the church.
Acts 16:41 The Lord opened Lydia’s heart.
Acts 18:9-11 The Lord spoke to Paul in a vision, “I am with you, no one will attack you
to harm you”36
30
Fernando, page 50
Most excellent Theophilus…could suggest that a high government official is being addressed, but it was also used as a ‘form of
polite address.’ In those days, it was common for books to be dedicated to distinguished persons. (Fernando, page 50) Most
excellent is used for provincial governors in Acts 23:26; 24:3; 26:25. (Stott, page 27)
32
Stott (page 32) and Thompson (page 48) and Schnabel (page 70) argue for this; Bock is open to it, page 52-53.
33
Jesus did say, “I will build my church”
34
Schnabel writes, “The address ‘Lord’ may refer to Jesus, described in v. 2 as the one who had chosen the apostles and called “Lord
Jesus’ in verse 21. More likely the believers address their prayer to God” (Schnabel, page 102). Bock adds, “Normally the Father
performs the action and Jesus mediates in Acts (Bock, page 89); Peterson writes, “The Lord addressed here is almost certainly the
Lord Jesus” (cf. vs. 21;7:59-60) (Peterson, page 127)
35
Thompson says this, “In view of the overwhelming emphasis throughout Acts 2 that Jesus is ‘the Lord’ upon whom we must call
(cf. 2:21 and 34-36), then the Lord at the end of chapter 2 who is adding believers to the church is the Lord Jesus”. (Thompson, page
52)
36
Both Bock, page 579 and Schnabel, page 760 agree that this is the Lord Jesus.
31
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John Stott writes this about Jesus continuing his ministry from heaven…
“Other religions regard their founder as having completed his ministry during his
lifetime. Luke tells us in the first two verses here in Acts that Jesus only began his
ministry during his lifetime….For after his resurrection, ascension and gift of the Spirit
he continued his work first and foremost through the unique foundation ministry of his
chosen apostles and subsequently through the post-apostolic church of every period and
place. This, then, is the kind of Jesus Christ we believe in; he is both the historical Jesus
who lived and the contemporary Jesus who lives. The Jesus of history began his ministry
on earth; the Christ of glory has been active ever since through his Spirit according to
his promise to be with his people, ‘always to the very end of the age’”37
Verse 3…3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs,
appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
Notice verse 3 seems to emphasize two activities of Jesus with his disciples over the 40
days between his resurrection and ascension. And the idea is probably not that Jesus
stayed on the earth for 40 days with his disciples ‘but that he appeared at intervals within
the 40 days as the appearances in the gospel indicate.’38
He presented himself alive to them as proof of his resurrection and He spoke about the
kingdom of God.
There were at least ten different post-resurrection appearances of Jesus: to the women at
the tomb, to Mary Magdalene, to the Emmaus disciples, to Peter in Jerusalem, to the ten
disciples at one time, to the eleven disciples at one time, to seven of the disciples fishing
in Galilee, to eleven disciples in Galilee, to the five hundred, and to James the Lord’s
brother.39
Besides giving proof that He was resurrected, Jesus spoke about the kingdom of God.40
4 And
while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to
wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John
baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days
from now.”
when they had come together…and we learn in verse 12 that they were together on
the Mount of Olives…they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the
kingdom to Israel?”
6 So
37
Stott, page 34
Bock,page 55
After Kistemaker (1990) as quoted by Bock, page 56
40
The kingdom of God was a central theme in the Luke’s gospel: Luke 4:43, 6:20; 8:1, 10; 9:2, 11; 11:20; 17:20-21; 18:16-17, 24-25;
21:31; 22:16. And the kingdom of God is mentioned in strategic points in Acts (8:12, 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23,31) indicating that
this remains an important way to represent the message of the gospel. (Peterson, page 105)
38
39
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Now some think that Jesus would have been very disappointed at the disciples’
question.41 But the question was a natural one for Jews who had embraced the messianic
hope.42
7 He
said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has
fixed by his own authority.
Notice, in verse 7, that there isn’t any indication in Jesus’ reply that anything they asked
was wrong except that they seem to be excessively concerned about when it would all
take place. Jesus says, “It’s not for you to know the timing when the kingdom will be
restored to Israel…in fact, there are things to do in the meantime, verse 8.”
In the meantime, verse 8, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon
you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and
to the end of the earth.”
Now I want to come back to this important verse next week and explore some Old
Testament connections with it. But let’s just spend a few minutes observing what Luke
says in the verse.
The disciples will receive ‘power’. Power is the Greek word “dynamis” or “dunamis”
from which our English word dynamite comes.
The story goes like this. The Greek word “dynamis” entered the English language when
the Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel made the discovery that became his
fortune. He discovered a power stronger than anything the world had known up to that
time. He asked a friend of his who was a Greek scholar what the word for ‘explosive
power’ in Greek was. His friend answered ‘dynamis.’ And Nobel said, “Well I’m going
to call my discovery by that name.” So he called his explosive power dynamite.43
you will receive dynamite, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the end of the earth.”
We could easily make Acts 1:8 the key verse for the book of Acts. Several have pointed
out that it actually gives provides an outline for the book.
In Acts 1-7, the action takes place in Jerusalem.
In Acts 8-12, the action moves to Judea and Samaria.
And then in Acts 13-28, the action moves to the end of the earth.
More on that in upcoming messages…
Stott sees the question as full of errors. In Stott’s view, they should not have asked about restoration, since that implied a political
kingdom; nor should they have asked about Israel, since that anticipated a national kingdom; nor should they have asked about ‘at this
time’ since that implied the kingdom’s immediate establishment.
42
Bock, page 61
43
Boice, page 25
41
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___________
At the beginning of the message I said this…
To study the book of Acts is to be reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 16: I will build
my church Jesus said, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
To study the book of Acts is to be reminded that the gospel is indeed the power of God
unto salvation both for Jews and Gentiles.
To study the book of Acts is to see that God really does win in the end and His sovereign
purposes are always accomplished.
And to study the book of Acts is to be reminded that the church is indeed the hope of the
world and that it behooves us to throw all of our energy into the work of the church.
I also said the book of Acts can help us with our identity as a church and as individual
Christians.
Well we got our first ‘identity installment’ in Acts 1:8
We are to be Spirit empowered witnesses in our Jerusalems (our homes and families), in
our Judeas and Samarias (our neighborhoods, our workplaces, the state of Texas) and to
the end of the earth.
We have the privilege of praying for some of our own missionaries that are going to the
end of the earth… Larry and Sharon Bock
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