.jpg)
Song: Faith Of Our Fathers
Scripture: Acts 1:1-11
The name Acts of the Apostles may give the impression that this sequel to Luke’s gospel is a detailed summary of the deeds of each apostle. It is not that, but it does record the following:
The Acts of Jesus. Luke and the other gospels give the account of “all that Jesus began to do and teach.” Acts records all that Jesus continued to do and teach from His throne in heaven.
The Acts of the Holy Spirit. In His ongoing work as Exalted King, Jesus sends the Spirit as His agent to give heaven’s approval to the opening of His kingdom to the Jew “in Jerusalem and Judea,” to the circumcised non-Jew “in Samaria,” to the uncircumcised Gentile at “the ends of the earth.” Acts tells of the Spirit’s work on all these occasions.
The Acts of Resurrection Witnesses. The work of two apostles, primarily, is the focus of Acts: Peter and Paul. Their message is the same: “God raised Jesus from the dead. We saw Him alive. He now reigns and is returning to save and to judge.”
The Acts of the Early Christians. Acts records the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Rome. It shows how the gospel was preached, how the saved were added, how churches were planted, how saints worshiped and behaved, how problems were solved, how persecution was overcome.
All of the acts recorded in the book so titled are written to give us confidence in our own work because the same Jesus reigns, the same Spirit opens doors (albeit not miraculously), the same message is needed, the same simple Christianity works. Try it today and see!
Jason Moore
