Scripture: Acts1:1-13 [Acts 1:1] In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach[Acts 1:2] until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. As we are heading toward Pentecost, let us look at the book of Acts deeply together. Who is Theophilus? People are interested in knowing who he is. In Luke, the writer referred to him as "most excellent." When we look at this title, we can see that he must have been one with a high position in Rome. But in Acts, he is simply referred to in title as "Theophilus." Luke was known as a doctor. But In those days, doctors did not hold positions of high status. The ones with high social positions would take the doctors around with them as their personal physicians. Luke must have been a doctor who was attached to someone 's house. And so Luke must have evangelized Theophilus and changed him. Luke wanted to testify the faith of of apostle to him. "Theophilus" consists of two syllables in Greek, meaning "Loving God."theos(God) + philein (love) : the one who loves God. The name of the person Luke evangelized holds the meaning of "the one who loves God." Therefore, in his name lies the meaning, "the one who loves God." It can therefore be said that underlying Acts is a dedication to the ones who love God. 1) you will receive baptism of the Holy Spirit. [Acts 1:3] After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave
Acts 8:26-40 confirms that Missio Dei – is literally and unambiguously God’s mission. It was God who had previously drawn the Ethiopian eunuch to himself in preparation for the message (v.27) he would receive. It was God who knew the Ethiopian was returning from worship in Jerusalem and would be reading Isaiah (v.27-28). It was God who instructed Philip via an angel where to go (v.26) and via the Spirit, when to approach the chariot (v28). This passage teaches us that evangelism is an important part of mission (v.31) but it doesn’t mean we should “imagine ourselves as those responsible to spread or expand the reign of God.” It was God that initiated all facets of the encounter and conversion. Conversion from Luke’s perspective, Gaventa affirms, is God’s gift “it is not an act of the church nor
Acts of the Apostles chronicles the rapid advancement of the Gospel by way of the gift of the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit in the Acts of the Apostles: The Charismatic Community in Mission” takes into account the narratives succeeding Pentecost including Spirit Baptisms from Samaria to Ephesus (Acts
This is found by comparing Acts 1:1 with Luke 1:3-4. Acts 1:1: "In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen." Luke 1: 3-4: " (3) Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, (4) so that you may know the certainty of things you have been taught." Because Luke's first book was written to Theophilus as was Acts, Luke must be the author of both.
Book of Acts. The Mighty God in Christ doctrine is in fact the doctrine of the early church. This
Statement # 1(From The Cradle, The Cross, and The Crown Chapter 8, Loc 10638 of 28382, 1st Paragraph) “There are several significant human agents, but there is one, and only one, major divine agent underlying the entire plot of the book of Acts: the Holy Spirit. For this reason, rather than identifying the book as presenting the “Acts of the Apostles,” it may be more accurate to say that at its heart are the “Acts of the Holy Spirit.” I believe that the book of Acts is a great depiction of how the Holy Spirit can and will move through dedicated people. Without the Holy Spirit, Paul and all the great men in the book of Acts are just great men.
The unique experience of the Jerusalem church at Pentecost in Acts 2 occurred in similarly public and significant ways for
I believe that Luke wrote the book of Acts to allow Christians to see the early history of the Church. Also, it was the place in the bible where to Holy Spirit arrived. The Holy Spirit is first mentioned when the Lord tells His people that He will send The Holy Spirit soon. Then later after Jesus told them that He was sending the Holy Spirit to guide the disciples, the Holy Spirit came. When the Holy Spirit came the Disciples, they were able to experience God on a whole new level. It allowed them to preach the gospel with much more power because it wasn't them speaking, it was God. Luke's purpose in writing the book of Acts was to make clear of what the early church history looked like and the arrival of the Holy Spirit. It was also written
It is also important to see their obedience Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem (acts 1:12) Jesus told them to return to Jerusalem and wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit, and that is exactly what they did. They heard what he had sad and responded to what Jesus told them to do, even though He was no longer physically present with them. This was major key in ushering in the power of the holy Spirit.
Luke begins his Gospel, which was written in Greek, with a dedication to Theophilus, “It seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write and orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus…”(Luke
In reading Howard I. Marshall, “Acts”, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. He implied, the most significant for studying and interpreting the book of Acts is how a reader gets out of what he is reading and how he approaches it (Marshall, 17). He states that, “an average reader studies the books of Acts as a history book of the early church” (Marshall, 17). Readers should use critical thinking to seek a deeper revelation. For example: recognizing the authorship to the Gospel of Luke. And seek for what the author’s purpose of writing Luke-Acts (Marshall, 19). Accurate information gives better understanding. In fact, if a reader did not know the culture or customs of the first-century Christian writers of the early church. They would not know the first-century Christian writers were only known to write Letters and Gospels, and not large history literature, as the author did in the book of Acts (Marshall, 18). Who was the author addressing with his literature (Marshall, 18)? With these considerations, it is most significant to have accurate information to be able to study and interpret the true of the book of Acts.
After these events took place, Jesus leaves to begin his preaching. In doing so, he also chooses his disciples while walking along the Sea of Galilee. Jesus took his disciples with him through Galilee and began his preaching there. He healed the sick and suffering, and also performed
Our source of knowledge of the apostolic work of Paul comes first from the Book of Acts. The epistles written by Paul serve to further our knowledge of his mission. These letters were written to churches that he had founded or churches that were known to him. Luke’s account of Paul introduces us to the basic facts about this important biblical figure. A more complete understanding of Paul’s journeys can be gleaned from his letters. These epistles were written almost at the time they occurred and they comprise some of the earliest works contained in the New Testament.
The New Testament is characterized by the existence of imperative Biblical figures, with the likes of Jesus Christ, the Apostles, among many others. Peter was among Jesus’ first disciples. From his turning point, as manifested in the book of John 21, to his progress as a dedicated leader as manifested in Acts, to his final emergence as a co-elder as manifested in the Epistles of 1st and 2nd Peter, Peter exhibited traits of a transformational and charismatic biblical figure (Neil & William 409).
The book of Acts describes how Paul was ministering in Antioch with Barnabas, when he was directed by the Holy Spirit to be released from his Church duties. The Holy Spirit had another assignment for Paul, and that was to go and take the Gospel more widely. Some believe that this notion came from the Holy Spirit through fasting and prayer. Paul began his first missionary in the town of Antioch. Throughout Paul’s first missionary journey he was accompanied by Barnabas and Barnabas cousin John Mark.
Luke and Acts tells the story of what Jesus did and taught during his ministry, first in his earthly life and then as the exalted Christ and Lord through his disciples. This essay will outline the various titles Luke used to portray or described Jesus in his two-volume narrative, in doing this we hope to get a better understanding and a complete picture of who Jesus was. Luke in his two volume work described Jesus in numerous ways and I am only going to be discussing four which referred to him as Christ, Lord, Prophet and Savior. The main Christological themes that appear in Luke-Acts highlighted and emphasised on the concept of the “Lord 's Christ”, meaning the coming ruler of God 's people, who will serve as their Savior and performing prophetic work [2 pg. 123-143]. Moreover, Jesus’s role was not assumed on his own initiative, but rather it was the work of God. Thus we can say that God’s work and plans were at the center of the Book of Acts and Luke’s gospel [1 pg 22].