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Acts Overview

Acts Overview. Author: Luke. “We” passages Second of a two-part work to Theophilus Book of Luke: “ In my former book, Theophilus , I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach ” (Acts 1:1).

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Acts Overview

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  1. Acts Overview

  2. Author: Luke • “We” passages • Second of a two-part work to Theophilus • Book of Luke: “In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus beganto do and to teach” (Acts 1:1). • Book of Acts: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

  3. Key Verse • “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (1:8).

  4. Another Key Verse • Gamaliel: “For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God” (5:38-39). • The book of Acts answers Gamaliel’s question.

  5. The Message of Acts • The gospel of Jesus Christ advances • by the power of the Holy Spirit • through the witness of the apostles • to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, Antioch, Cyprus, Galatia, Asia Minor, Macedonia, Achaia, and as far as Rome.

  6. The Outline of Acts • The gospel advances in Jerusalemthrough the apostles’ preaching and the Spirit (1:1–8:1a). • The gospel advances beyond Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria through persecution and the Spirit (8:1b–9:31). • The gospel advances to Gentilesthrough the work of the apostles and the Spirit (9:32–12:25). • The gospel advances to Cyprus, Galatia, Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Achaiaby Paul’s journeys (13:1–21:16). • The gospel advances to Romeby means of Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem (21:17–28:31).

  7. Movement of the Gospel Jerusalem (Jews) (1-7) Judea and Samaria (borderline Jews) (8-9) Gentiles (10-12) Cyprus, Turkey, Greece (13-20) Rome (21-28)

  8. Focus of Paul’s Journeys 2 Central Turkey (13-14) Greece (16-17) Western Turkey (18-20) 1 3

  9. Some Important Place Names • Galatia • Asia Minor • Macedonia • Achaia

  10. Some Important Place Names • Galatia = Central Turkey • Asia Minor = Western Turkey • Macedonia = Northern Greece • Achaia = Southern Greece

  11. Galatia = Central Turkey

  12. Asia Minor = Western Turkey

  13. Macedonia = Northern Greece

  14. Achaia= Southern Greece

  15. Paul’s Journeys

  16. Paul’s Journeys

  17. Paul’s Journeys

  18. Paul’s Journeys

  19. Paul’s Letters

  20. Paul’s Letters

  21. Paul’s Letters

  22. Paul’s Letters

  23. Paul’s Letters

  24. Peter and Paul in Acts Peter Paul • Heals lame man (13) • His handkerchief heals (19) • Long message to Jews recorded (13) • Arrested and imprisoned for preaching (16) • Confronts a sorcerer (13) • Raises a dead man to life (20) • Miraculously released from jail (16) • Brought before rulers (24-26) • Opponent physically punished for resisting (13) • Brings gospel to new areas (13, 16) • Heals lame man (3) • His shadow heals (5) • Long message to Jews recorded (2) • Arrested and imprisoned for preaching (3) • Confronts a sorcerer (8) • Raises a dead woman to life (9) • Miraculously released from jail (12) • Brought before rulers (3-5) • Opponent physically punished for lying (5) • Brings gospel to new areas (10)

  25. Persecution • Though the gospel can never be stopped by the powerful opposition, its messengers are not spared from suffering and even death. • Peter and John arrested (4) • Apostles arrested (5) • Stephen stoned (7) • Believers flee (8) • James put to death with sword (12) • Paul stoned but survived (14)

  26. The Progress of the Gospel • Israel confronted with sin of the crucifixion • 2:47 “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” • Peter and John arrested • 4:4 “But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.” • Peter and John released • 4:31 “And [the believers] were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” • Ananias and Sapphira killed • 5:11 “Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.”

  27. The Progress of the Gospel • Believers highly regarded and feared • 5:14 “Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.” • Apostles flogged and released • 5:42 “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” • Deacons selected • 6:7 “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.”

  28. The Progress of the Gospel • Stephen’s lynching and persecution of church in Jerusalem • 8:4 “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” • Saul’s persecution and salvation • 9:31 “Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.” • Peter heals Aeneas • 9:35 “All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.”

  29. The Progress of the Gospel • Peter raises Tabitha from the dead • 9:42 “This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.” • Persecution led disciples to travel far and to speak to Gentiles • 11:21 “The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.” • James’ execution and Herod Agrippa’s death • 12:24 “But the word of God continued to increase and spread.”

  30. The Progress of the Gospel • Paul’s preaching in Antioch of Pisidia • 13:49 “The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.” • Plot to stone Paul and Barnabas • 14:6-7 “But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, where they continued to preach the good news.” • Paul stoned and left for dead • 14:20-21 “The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples.”

  31. The Progress of the Gospel • Conflict at the Jerusalem Council • 15:35 “But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.” • Paul returned to churches he had founded • 16:5 “So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.” • Earthquake destroys jail in Philippi • 16:32 “Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.”

  32. The Progress of the Gospel • Paul chased out of Thessalonica • 17:12 “Many of the Jews [in Berea] believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. • Paul preached at Areopagus in Athens • 17:34 “A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.” • Isaiah 55:11 (NIV) — 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. • Cf. Acts 2:23-24, 41;

  33. Theological Progress • Samaritans accepted into church (8) • Jewish proselytes accepted into church (8) • Gentiles accepted into church (10-11) • Gentiles not required to observe Mosaic Law (15)

  34. The Kingdom: Still Future • Jesus not now restoring kingdom (1) • Jesus now at right hand of God waiting for submission of nations (2) • Peter: Jesus “must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets” (3:21) • Right now we’re in Psalm 2:1-3, awaiting God’s judgment in 2:4-9 (4:25-26)

  35. Jesus is the Expected Messiah • David predicted resurrection of Messiah (2:25-32) • Crucifixion of Jesus was how God fulfilled predictions of suffering of Messiah (3:18) • Moses predicted that God would raise up a prophet like him (3:22-23) • “All the prophets…foretold these days” (3:24) • Jesus is the descendant of Abraham through whom all peoples will be blessed (3:25) • Jesus is God’s servant (3:26)

  36. Jesus is the Expected Messiah • The leaders and peoples are raging against the Messiah (4:25-26) • Jesus is the Servant of Isaiah who died for others (8:30-35) • More…

  37. Jews and Gentiles • Gospel goes first to Jews • Then first Gentiles are admitted into church • Paul’s pattern in a new city: • Preach to Jews in synagogue, showing them from the OT that Jesus is Messiah • Rejected by Jews • Gospel given to Gentiles • Jews grow jealous and chase Paul out • Book concludes with Paul preaching to Jews who reject Jesus as Messiah. Paul says they are blinded.

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