reading Acts

For those participating in the SOAP Bible Reading schedule, here is an introduction to the readings from Acts (Taken from GotQuestions.org).

Author: The Book of Acts does not specifically identify its author. From Luke 1:1-4 and Acts 1:1-3, it is clear that the same author wrote both Luke and Acts. The tradition from the earliest days of the church has been that Luke, a companion of the Apostle Paul, wrote both Luke and Acts (Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11).

Date of Writing: The Book of Acts was likely written between 61-64 A.D.

Purpose of Writing: The Book of Acts was written to provide a history of the early church. Acts emphasis (emphasizes or Acts’ emphasis is) the importance of the day of Pentecost and being empowered to be effective witnesses for Jesus Christ. Acts sheds light on the ministry gift of the Holy Spirit, which empowers, guides, teaches, and serves as our Counselor. When reading the Book of Acts many of the readers will be enlightened and encouraged by the many miracles that were being performed during this time by the disciples Peter, John, and Paul. The Book of Acts emphasizes the importance of obedience to God’s Word and the transformation that occurs as a result of knowing Christ. There are also many references to those that rejected the truth that the disciples preached about in Jesus Christ. Power, greed, and many other vices of the devil or (are) evidenced in the book of Acts. Acts 1:8 serves as a good summary of the Book of Acts. Acts records the apostles being Christ’s witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the rest of the surrounding world.

Brief Summary: The book of Acts has a total of twenty-eight chapters and it’s (its) primary purpose was to give the history of the Christian church and thereby to equip the church to reach people for Christ. Many faithful servants carried out the work of God in the earth. Although many faithful servants were used to preach and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Saul, whose name was changed to Paul, was the most influential. Before he was converted, Paul took great pleasure in persecuting and killing Christians. After his conversion he went to the ultimate extreme of loving God and preaching his word with power, fervency and the Spirit of the true and living God. In this book the main emphasis was in Acts 1:8, when the disciples were told by Jesus to wait until they had been empowered by the Holy Spirit from on high to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts chapters 1-7 record the apostles being Christ’s witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea. Acts chapter 8 records the apostles being Christ’s witnesses in Samaria. Acts chapters 9-28 record the apostles being Christ’s witnesses “to the ends of the earth.”

Practical Application: God can do amazing things through ordinary people. God essentially took a group of fisherman and turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6). God took a Christian-hating murderer and changed him into the greatest Christian evangelist, the author of almost half the books of the New Testament. God used persecution to cause the quickest expansion of a “new faith” in the history of the world. God can and will do the same through us if we fully submit ourselves to Him.