INTRODUCTION TO ACTS
What do we need to know before starting our study of Acts? Here are some things to get you started as you approach this awesome book of adventure, wonder, & God’s glory.
BACKGROUND:
Acts is really the gospel of Luke part 2!
Luke is the author of a book that once was Luke-Acts all together. It was written to Luke’s friend Theophilius. We don’t know if he was a believer or if Luke was writing to convert him, but he was a very influential Roman leader.
The book is thought to have been broken up into 2 books because if you put Luke and Acts together, the scroll would have been too big to carry around and read.
THE THESIS OF ACTS:
Acts 1:8, “But you will receive POWER when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my WITNESSES in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
KEY THEMES TO LOOK FOR:
There are 2 major themes to look for in Acts that will impact your life and walk with Christ tremendously.
You will receive POWER from the Holy Spirit in your life and ministry.
God uses normal people to be WITNESSES to spread the gospel and establish his church in the world.
What’s the application?
God will use you in tremendous ways to spread his gospel, establish his church, and make disciples if you will die to self, yield yourself to God’s purpose, and be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit will give you POWER to do great things in your life!
God uses WITNESSES to establish his church through your friends, family, and throughout the world.
GETTING STARTED:
Try to pull everything you know about Christ and the disciples from our study in THE GOSPEL CENTERED LIFE. Think about how awesome Christ is. Think about the time he spent bonding with the disciples. Imagine the intense love for each other. NOW, imagine you are a disciple, and your fearless leader just left and told you to go change the world! Feeling a little overwhelmed? I’m sure the disciples were too. Let’s sit in on the story and watch how this amazing drama unfolds. Here we go!!!!!
