Acts 1 niv jesus taken up into heaven bible gateway. Acts was written in greek, presumably by the evangelist luke, whose gospel concludes where acts begins, namely, with christs ascension into heaven. Lukeacts is an attempt to answer a theological problem, namely how the messiah of the jews came to have an overwhelmingly nonjewish church. Acts is not trying to say, remember what the church used to be and do. The book of the acts of the apostles was written by saint luke toward the end of the first century, as the second part of his history for theophilus about christ and his church. The book of acts shows that each local church is to care for its own people with a local leader to supervise and care for them. Its initial chapters describe the church s founding and early years. The book of acts tells how the multiethnic, international. The offering sent by barnabas and saul to the jerusalem elders. Albert mohler guides groups through the first half of the book of acts, showing how the ascension of christ, the coming of the spirit, and the birth and growth of the church. Ministers in the body of christ are to visit these local fellowships and strengthen them with gods word as god works mightily in those ministers. The book of acts the book of acts recalls the sending of the third person of the trinity the holy spirit given, granted to every born again believer in order to glorify christ. The book of acts and modern church life reading acts.
In it is story after story of the lords hand in the growth of. We saw that were not supposed to model our behavior after everything some biblical character does. In it is story after story of the lords hand in the growth of the church through missions and church planting. Its initial chapters describe the churchs founding and early years. It is a wonderful church, populated with a very large number of new christians. The recipe for church planting from the book of acts. This is the word of the lord for the body of christ in all times and all places. Whereas the gospel of luke focuses on the life and ministry of jesus christ, the acts of the apostles builds upon what jesus did and taught see acts 1. The book of acts, also called acts of the apostles, does not specifically identify its author.
It alone presents an extensive picture of early church life and history. The record from the book of acts couldnt be clearer. Acts 1 new international version niv jesus taken up into heaven. It could also have been titled the acts of jesus christ, because it describes what jesus continued to do and teach through the church after he was taken up to heaven acts. The book begins with an account of the lords ascension and the election of matthias to take the place of judas as a member of the twelve apostles. Acts one acts is the book that reveals the history of the new testament church. The book of acts is a key historical record of what the early church believed and practiced. Acts was apparently written in rome, perhaps between ad 70 and 90, though some think a slightly earlier date is also. It is the only book dedicated to telling the story of how jesus church began. The book of acts sermon series hope bible church oakville. There are 4 books in the bible that tell the story of. The book of acts is the closest thing we have to a manual for church planting and missions in the new testament.
Acts shows what the early church believed and practiced united. The death of james and the deliverance of peter acts 12. Acts shows the gospel going to jerusalem, judea and samaria, and then to the ends of the earth. This growth, from the center out, is what was supposed to happen back in the garden of eden.
To reduce spam, please enter the word share in the box below. When i began to preach in the late 1940s, i soon encountered a colloquial expression voiced by both those in churches of christ, and those not in the church. Acts is the only biblical book that chronicles the history of the church immediately after jesuss ascension. The church was not to be patterned after the old earthly israelite kingdom acts 1. Acts begins with jesus teaching the apostles about the kingdom of god outside jerusalem, and ends, about thirty years later, with paul teaching gentile christians about the kingdom of god in rome. Verse 42 lists four of the activities to which the church devoted itself. The acts of the apostles, abbreviation acts, fifth book of the new testament, a valuable history of the early christian church. How to have an acts church part one the christian post. Some have estimated that the early church in jerusalem had 100,000 members half the size of the city.
Ludlowthe book of acts was written by luke after his gospel as the second part of a great twovolume work on jesus christ and the early christians. The book of acts for the church today kindle edition by robinson, anthony b download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Learning how to be the church in todays world through learning from the book of acts. The book of acts was penned by the apostle paul and teaches many concepts. Its narrative supplies a bridge connecting the life and ministry of jesus to the life of the church and the witness of the earliest believers. The book of acts the church of christ in zion, illinois.
The real question is whether the church in the book of acts is a model for the modern church to follow. The church is born eight studies for groups or individuals by dr r. A church striving to live the new testament experience and be as close to jesus christ as possible. Stay connected amidst social distancing receive weekly bible studies to share with family and friends. The acts of the apostles is a unique and therefore crucial book of the new testament. The book of acts links jesus life and ministry to the life of the early church. Acts shows what the early church believed and practiced. Luke and acts together make up about 28% of our new testament. The church has a mission, a work, a worship, and an organization, and there is no better place in the bible to find these things described and proscribed than in the book of acts. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading called to be church. Church growth statements in the book of acts barnes bible charts 2. Jesus represented by the media married, aquarian, selfclaims, jesus and satan brothers, jesus a created god, etc. The supernatural gospel everything about the death, life and resurrection of christ was supernatural.
The book of acts is important because it shows what the first actions of the early church were as they were the ones closest to the teachings of jesus. The book of acts provides a detailed, orderly, eyewitness account of the birth and growth of the early church and the spread of the gospel immediately after the resurrection of jesus christ. The book of acts provides a bridge for the writings of the nt. As a second volume to lukes gospel, it joins what jesus began to do and to teach 1. As such, it provides us with a valuable account of how the church was able to grow and spread out from jerusalem into the rest of the roman empire. Book of acts church shepherds of grace international. The book of acts tells the story of the beginning of the church of jesus christ. The beheading of james and the imprisonment of peter. It might seem strange to even ask of the book of acts ought to apply to the modern form of the church. Book of acts overview insight for living ministries.
Last week, we talked about how to read the book of acts. In only three decades, a small group of frightened believers in jerusalem transformed. Activities for kids from the early church in the book of acts. The early church in the book of acts gives us a great model for a growing church. Within its pages are found the establishment of the church, the conversion of one of christianitys most ruthless converts, the conversion of the first gentile to the gospel and pauls sermon to the grecians from mars hill. Book of acts paw church is a nondenominational church located in zip code 29455. Acts, then, shows us that gods purposes for humanity, that he. Ten days after jesus ascended back into heaven acts 1. Actus apostolorum, often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament. The book of acts details the beginning of the church and its miraculous spread through the power of the holy spirit. All scripture is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. The traditional title for the book of acts is the acts of the apostles because of its focus on the ministries of peter and paul and the development of the early church. The book of acts church is what the world needs today and it is what followers of christ are called to be todays church is not producing the same. The book of acts is totally unique in all of the bible.