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011021SS-Book Of Acts.mp3

Posted on 10 Jan 2021, Pastor: Dr Gregg Nash

An overview of the book of Acts

Maps to help you as you read in the book of Acts

Books of the Bible – Lesson 44

ACTS

“THE ACTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THROUGH THE APOSTLES”

KEY VERSE: ACTS 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

KEY WORDS: WITNESS – 30 x

THEME: SPIRIT FILLED SOUL WINNING AND SPIRIT DIRECTED CHURCH PLANTING

DATE: 63 A.D. Covers a period of thirty-two years.

WRITER: LUKE (Acts 1:1; Luke 1:3; 2 Timothy 4:11)

WRITTEN: TO THEOPHILUS (Lover of God – Friend of God)

FROM: ROME

THE BOOK: NO. IN BIBLE: 44th Book

OF CHAPTERS: 28
OF VERSES: 1,007
IN ORDER OF WRITING: Fifth book in New Testament

PURPOSE: TO SET FORTH GOD’S PLAN FOR WITNESSING TO THE LOST AND PATTERN FOR PLANTING CHURCHES.

In the key verse (1:8) the disciples were told to witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost part of the earth.

The witness in JERUSALEM recorded (ch. 1-7)
The witness in JUDEA AND SAMARIA recorded (ch. 8-12)
The witness in UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH recorded (ch. 13-28)

DIVISIONS:

PETER and the Church at Jerusalem (ch. 1-12) JEWS

PAUL and the Church at Antioch (ch. 13-28) GENTILES

OUTLINE: INTRODUCTION

God’s Apostle to the Jews – Peter (Simon)
God’s martyr – STEPHEN
God’s Apostle to the Gentiles – Paul (Saul)
THE CHURCH EMPOWERED IN UPPER ROOM (1:12-2:47)
THE CHURCH ESTABLISHED IN JERUSALEM (ch. 3-7)

III. THE CHURCH EXTENDED TO JUDEA AND SAMARIA (8:1-9:43)

THE CHURCH ENLIGHTENED CONCERNING PLANTING GENTILES CHURCHES (ch. 10-12)
THE CHURCH ENLARGED TO UTTERMOST PARTS (ch. 13-28)

MISCELLANEOUS:

GIVE PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING IN THE BOOK OF ACTS:

Starts with predominately Jews and ends with predominately Gentiles

Book of Transition – (4 phases of transition 8:1; 13:46; 18:6; 28:28)

Be careful about the doctrine you pull from Acts because it is a book of transition.

The 7 P’s of Acts

The PERSON: LORD JESUS CHRIST

The POWER: HOLY SPIRIT

The PREACHERS: PETER, STEPHEN, PHILLIP, PAUL

The PASTOR’S MODEL: PAUL

The PLACES: JERUSALEM, ANTIOCH, ROME

The PROGRAM: SOUL WINNING

The PATTERN: CHURCH PLANTING THE BOOK OF ACTS:

Covers a thirty-two year span of time.
Records the Acts of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles.
Contains twenty-two sermons on the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
Is a record of actual history.
Is an instruction manual for Christians.
Has a strong Church Planting Emphasis
Records several notable conversion stories.
Stirs revival and builds up those who read it.

POSSIBLE CHAPTER CONTENT:

ASCENSION 11. ANTIOCH CHRISTIANS 21. ARREST
PENTECOST 12. PRAYER 22. TESTIMONY
TEMPLE 13. CHURCH PLANTING 23. SANHEDRIN
PERSECUTION 14. ICONIUM 24. FELIX
ANANIAS 15. COUNSEL 25. FESTUS
DEACONS 16. PHILLIP 26. AGRIPPA
STEPHEN 17. ATHENS 27. SHIPWRECK
ETHIOPIAN 18. CORINTH 28. ROME
CONVERSION 19. EPHESUS
CORNELIUS 20. ELDERS

SEVERAL CHURCH PLANTERS IN ACTS:

BARNABAS Church Planting EXHORTER (11:22, 23)
SAUL Church Planting TEACHER (11:26)
JOHN MARK Church Planting HELPER (13:5)
SILAS Church Planting EVANGELIST (15:40, 41)
TIMOTHY Church Planting PASTOR (16:1)
LUKE Church Planting DOCTOR (16:10-13)
APOLLOS Church Planting ORATOR (18:24, 27, 28)
AQUILLA Church Planting TENT MAKER (18:18)
PRISCILLA Church Planting ASSISTANT (18:2, 18, 26)

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE BOOK OF ACTS

Christians are mentioned as being filled with Holy Ghost ten (10) different times.

Only 3 of the 10 times do they speak in tongues

Acts 1:8 Preaching Soul winning
Acts 2:4 Speaking in one of the languages present (Acts 2:9 11)
Acts 4:8 Preaching Jesus Soul winning
Acts 4:31 Soul winning
Acts 7:55 Enduring persecution and preaching
Acts 11:24 Preaching
Acts 13:9 Preaching
Acts 13:52, 9 Direction and witnessing
Acts 10:45 Tongues
Acts 19:6 Tongues

Practical Lessons From The Book of Acts

Acts Emphasizes the Growth of the Church Through Spirit Filled Soul Winning

Only 120 people were the workers at Pentecost

Acts 2 is not the starting of the New Testament Church, it is the empowering of the church.

It was only an event in the Book and if a church will have the ingredients, they can have Pentecost.

The Church was started in Matthew 10

Ephesians says the church started with two things.

Jesus was the Chief cornerstone – foundation stone, perfectly square stone

He is the Stone by which every other stone is measured.

(If you can’t walk on water then live holy.)

Then it is built upon the Apostles and Prophets

When He called out the 12 it was the beginning of the church.

Ecclesia – church – to call out for the purpose of an assembly of preaching

The Evidence of Holy Spirit Filling Was Boldness in Witnessing to Lost People and That Brought Persecution

Spiritual Gifts Were Given to Help Soul Winners

Anytime anyone spoke in tongues or healed anybody.

Acts 2:4-6 – The result of tongues were confusion

Acts 2:14 – Peter interrupted the things in his preaching

Acts 3:1-6 – Acts 4:4 – 5,000 men got saved as a result

Acts 10 – Cornellus spoke in tongues then his family got saved

Acts 19

God only gave gifts to soul winners

God said in going to give the soul winners some help

Spiritual Gifts

Tongues is the least important!

Tongues were given to convince prejudice Christians that the Gospel is for everyone

Acts 15:7 Then Jesus said that if any man would get saved he had to become a Jew first then a Christian from there.

Acts 10:44-48

Spiritual Signs Are Used For Immature and Unbelieving People

The Apostle Paul is our example

One of the mistakes we have made is using Paul as only a model Missionary. Paul is not only the model Missionary…

PAUL IS THE MODEL CHRISTIAN AND THE MODEL PASTOR!

His question when he got saved should be our question

Acts 9:1-6 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Paul is the pattern for the New Testament Christian

1 Timothy 1:12-16 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

The Apostle Paul is to be followed

Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

Romans 15:15-17 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,

16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

17 I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.

As Peter was Apostle to the Jews you could say God robbed Peter to pay Paul.

1 Corinthians 4:15-16 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Philippians 3:14-17 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

1 Thessalonians 1:5-6 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

Paul was a church planter

Titus 1:5-9 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

then he lists the qualifications of a pastor to look for…

6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or

unruly.

7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not

given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine

both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

Acts was penned by Luke and its theme is “The Continuation of Jesus’ Ministry by His People.” This is the same Luke who wrote the Gospel of Luke. In the book of Acts, he continues his account of Christianity begun in the book of Luke. Notice in Acts 1:1 the words, “former treatise.” In the “former treatise,” or the Gospel of Luke, he tells what Jesus BEGAN both to do and teach. In the book of Acts he tells what Jesus CONTINUED to do and teach through His people. Though our Lord went back to Heaven, He left His work in the hands of godly men who were to continue what He began.

THE KEY VERSE OF THE BOOK OF ACTS IS ACTS 1:8

In fact, this verse can outline the entire book of Acts. Since the job of the church is to carry the Gospel, Acts 1:8 tells the church where she is to carry the Gospel.

“… in Jerusalem.” This covers chapters 1-7. In these chapters the church stayed in Jerusalem. They did not take the Gospel outside Jerusalem until they had filled the city (Acts 5:28) with the Gospel of Christ and until they had gone to every house (Acts 5:42) with the Gospel.

“… in Judæa and in Samaria.” In Acts 8-12, we have the carrying of the Gospel throughout Judæa and Samaria. Up through chapter 12, no missionaries were sent out; no one was sent overseas; no one was sent to another country. Before they went to Judæa and Samaria, they filled Jerusalem. Before they went around the world, they were to fill Judæa and Samaria.

“… unto the uttermost part of the earth.” This covers chapters 13-28. Now that the Gospel has filled Jerusalem, Judæa and Samaria, it can go to the uttermost part of the earth. This is real foreign missions. The church that sends missionaries around the world but not around the block, across the ocean but not across the street, is not a real missionary church. The real mission program is to fill the city, then fill the state, then fill the country, then fill the uttermost parts of the earth.

Hence, Acts 1:8 is an outline of the entire book of Acts. (Teacher, talk to the pupils about what he is doing to fill his own area with the Gospel. God is simply telling us here that we are to begin where we live. Our Jerusalem is our own area, our own town, our own family. God is saying we should win the ones closest to us first, then those in nearby areas, then those farther away, until we get the Gospel around the world. That means that the pupil in school is to spread the Gospel first to the people in school. The member of the family should win his own family first. We are to start where we are and carry the Gospel of Christ.)

WE ARE TO CONTINUE DOING WHAT JESUS DID

The Bible is full of Scriptures that tell us that we are to continue being and doing what Jesus was and did when He was on earth. He has gone back to Heaven, so He needs us to carry out His commission. This is basically what the Great Commission means. In Mark 16:15, He tells us, “Go … preach the gospel to every creature.” In Matthew 28:19-20, we are told, “Go … and teach all nations.” Then He says, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Notice we are to teach them what He commanded us. He just commanded us to go, teach, and get people baptized. Hence, before He goes back to Heaven, He tells us that He wants us to do what He did. When we finish getting someone saved and baptized, we are to tell him to continue doing what Jesus did. In other words, I am to get someone saved and baptized and then teach him how to get someone saved and baptized, that he may teach him how to get someone saved and baptized, that he may teach him how to get someone saved and baptized. The book of Acts is simply a continuation.

There are many Scriptures that teach us that we are to do what Jesus did.

We are to have the same mind that Jesus had. Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
We are to be what Jesus was on earth. I John 4:17, “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”
We are here in Christ’s stead. II Corinthians 5:20, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
We are to do the work that Jesus did while He was here. John 14:12, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”
We are to love as He loved. John 15:12, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”
We are to go as He went. John 20:21, “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”
We are to do what He did, be humble as He was, love as He loved, serve as He served. John 13:15, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.”

In other words, we are representatives of Jesus. Each of us is to be a “little Jesus” on earth, doing what He would do if He were here, teaching what He would teach, preaching what He would preach, etc.

III. WE ARE TO CONTINUE RUNNING THE RACE

The book of Acts is the second leg in a relay race. A man runs the first leg of a relay race. He then gives the baton to another. In the mile relay, a person runs one lap around the track; he then gives the baton to the second fellow; he runs the same lap, does exactly what the first person did, stays in the same lane, and comes back to the same place; he gives the baton to another who runs the same race, etc. Jesus had ministered on earth for 3½ years. He said to His people, “Now I am going back to Heaven. I want the work that I have done to continue. I want the teachings that I have taught continued.” He gives to us the continuation of what He began to do and teach.

TWO GREAT PERSONS IN ACTS

Acts is basically centered around two great men – Peter and Paul. Peter was given the ministry to the Jews (circumcised). Paul ministered to the Gentiles (uncircumcised). The word “circumcision” was a word for the Jews. The word “uncircumcision” was another word for the Gentiles. In other words, Peter was given to the Jews, and Paul was given to the Gentiles. The book of Acts is basically built around the ministries of these two great men and their carrying out of the Gospel of Christ according to the will of God.

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