Over the coming months, we will be studying the book of Acts chapter by chapter, but as an introduction to the book, here are some of the common themes we find within that book.

1. Jesus, who was crucified, is alive! (Acts 2:32-33) The apostles were astonished by the news of the resurrection and took every opportunity to speak about this Christ, crucified by the authorities, but raised to life by God the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit. The resurrection and exaltation of Jesus stand at the centre of the preaching in Acts.
2. Jesus is the Messiah and Lord, the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy. (Acts 2:16-39, Acts 17:2-3) It’s impossible to understand the book of Acts without an understanding of the Old Testament prophecies concerning God’s Messiah. The apostles use prophetic names and apply these to Jesus (e.g. Messiah, Lord, Saviour, Lamb of God, Son of David), being convinced that Christianity is the fulfilment of pure Judaism (see Acts 7:2-53 and Acts 21:9-28:28).
3. The Holy Spirit does the miraculous as the message of Jesus goes forward. Truly, this is a book dominated by the Holy Spirit (He is mentioned over fifty times in the 28 chapters). Keith Ferguson says, ‘the narrative of Acts makes the case that both the witness of the church and the miraculous power of the Spirit are required for gospel to spread’, noting that miraculous signs accompany the preaching of the Word (see Mark 16:20). Miracles abound in this book – healings (e.g. Acts 3:6-9), deliverances (e.g. Acts 19:12), even the raising from the dead (e.g. Acts 20:7-10), and it is noteworthy that Luke records these miracles happening to both Peter and Paul:

• Peter heals a lame man (Acts 3:2-8), so does Paul (Acts 14:8-10)
• Peter’s shadow has healing power (Acts 5:15); Paul’s handkerchiefs do too! (Acts 19:12)
• Peter exorcises demons (Acts 5:16); so does Paul (Acts 16:18)
• Peter has a victorious encounter with a sorcerer (Acts 8:18-24); so has Paul (Acts 13:6-11).
• The Holy Spirit comes on believers when Peter lays hands on them (Acts 8:17); the same happens with Paul (Acts 19:6)
• Peter raises the dead to life (Acts 9:36-41); so does Paul (Acts 20:9-12)
• Peter has a miraculous escape from prison (Acts 12:6-11); so has Paul. (Acts 16:25f)

4. The apostles boldly proclaim the truth about Jesus to all regardless of consequences. The power of the Holy Spirit turned cowards to crusaders, ‘wimps’ to witnesses! There was much persecution and opposition to be faced (Acts 4:2-3, Acts 5:17-18, Acts 9:1, Acts 12:1-2, Acts 13:50, Acts 14:5, 19, Acts 16:16-40, Acts 17:5, Acts 18:12), but the apostles spoke out fearlessly, astonishing those in authority. (Acts 4:13)
5. God’s power can turn the most unlikely of sinners to Him. The story of the conversion of Saul to Paul (see Acts 9) is a reminder that no one is beyond the reach of God. Paul was God’s ‘chosen instrument’ to take the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15), but this story of how the one who persecuted the early church became its most powerful advocate reminds us that with God, nothing is impossible. (Matt 19:26)
6. The gospel is for everyone, regardless of ethnicity, religious background or moral values. The inclusion of the Gentiles in the story of salvation is one of the great themes of Acts, showing us ‘that God does not show favouritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.’ (Acts 10:34-35) Salvation is seen as part of God’s sovereign plan (Acts 2:23-24), bestowed by Christ (Acts 13:38-39) and offered to all people, not just Jews (see Acts 2:17, 39).
7. God has chosen to and will build His church through His people. (Matt 16:18, Eph 1:22-23) We may despair at times over the state of the church in our nation, but God remains committed to the church and so should we.

Luke undoubtedly wrote as a historian and as a Christian apologist, defending the Christian faith against accusations of sedition. He reminds us that history is not random, but is directed by God Himself, His acts being witnessed by people who can give an eyewitness account to others. As John was later to put it, ‘That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. ² The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. ³ We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.’ (1 John 1:1-3)

Gossip is defined as ‘casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details which are not confirmed as true’ and as such, is often condemned in the Bible (Prov 11:13, Prov 20:19, Prov 26:22). When we gossip, we usually talk about people (often in critical or destructive ways) and do not necessarily speak the truth, passing on rumour and supposition as fact. Gossip can be hurtful and leaves us wary and suspicious of people, unable to talk freely because we are not sure if a person can be trusted.

The term ‘gossipping the gospel’ does not refer to this kind of gossip, but means the passing on of the gospel by ordinary people through simple conversation. It’s a reminder that whilst the apostles (especially Peter, John and Paul) may have been responsible for many of the speeches in Acts, the spread of the gospel was not down to one or two ‘learned’ people.

The gospel spread partly as a result of persecution and opposition. Stephen was the first Christian martyr and ‘on that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.’ (Acts 8:1) What was undoubtedly the cause of great sorrow to the church actually became the springboard to great growth, for ‘those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.’ (Acts 8:4) Throughout Acts, we see that there was opposition and persecution (Acts 4:2-3, Acts 5:17-18, Acts 9:1, Acts 12:1-2, Acts 13:50, Acts 14:5, 19, Acts 16:16-40, Acts 17:5, Acts 18:12 etc.), but in all these instances, ‘opposition becomes an occasion for evangelism.’ (L. Howard Marshall, P 29)

Persecution is never seen as the ultimate deterrent for Christians. Jesus Himself taught His disciples ‘Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’ (Matthew 5:11-12) Paul told Timothy, ‘everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.’ (2 Tim 3:12) Trials are to be welcomed with joy (James 1:1-3); they refine our faith. (1 Pet 1:7)

Whatever comes our way, we can be like the early Christians who preached the word wherever they went. They gossipped the gospel. They told their stories of what Jesus had said and done. We too can do the same – on the cancer ward, in the gym, at the shops, at work, wherever we find ourselves. Ps 107:2 says ‘let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.’ Evangelism isn’t for the select few, Acts teaches us. It’s for everyone, and even in inauspicious circumstances!

How did Christianity become a global religion? In 2015, Christians were the largest religious group in the world, making up nearly a third (31%) of Earth’s 7.3 billion people[1] and this animated map shows the spread of the gospel from the 1^st century to the 21^st century. The book of Acts gives us our first glimpse into this growth, telling the exciting story of the beginnings of the church in Jerusalem, its spread throughout the wider areas of Judah and Samaria, and then its rapid movement from Antioch in Syria through Asia Minor and Macedonia and Greece, until eventually the arrival of Paul in Rome symbolises the presence of the gospel in the central city of the ancient world. (see Tyndale commentary on Acts, L. Howard Marshall, P 17)

Some of the place names found in Acts are now familiar holiday destinations to us: Athens in Greece, Rome in Italy, the Mediterranean islands of Malta and Cyprus, for example. But if we are to answer the question ‘How did Christianity become a global religion?’, we have to look beyond the simple geographical spread, interesting though that is.

The ‘How?’ of this phenomenal growth, from a group of eleven men who followed a local Jewish preacher to a religion with over 2 billion followers worldwide in 2019, cannot be ascribed to marketing strategies, social media or even personal charisma. The clue to this growth is found in one of the pivotal verses in 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)

The power of the Holy Spirit is the explanation behind the explosive growth of the church in the 1^st century (and which continues to be the reason behind any church growth nowadays.) Prior to the Day of Pentecost, the disciples were staying in Jerusalem and were not really getting very far with the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20). It was only after the Holy Spirit came upon them (Acts 2) that we see a boldness and courage in witness which turned the world upside-down. Whatever the demographics and geographical situations of the 1^st century, the explosive growth of the church was because of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the followers of Jesus, and we need the Holy Spirit just as much as they did, for we too are called to be witnesses to all that Jesus has said and done – in Goldthorpe, in Thurnscoe, in Bolton-on-Dearne, in Wath, in Barnburgh, in Great Houghton and beyond… The mission continues; the Holy Spirit is still here. Are we willing to wait for the gift the Father has promised? (Acts 1:4) Are we willing to step out in faith as those first disciples did?

[1] ww.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/04/05/christians-remain-worlds-largest-religious-group-but-they-are-declining-in-europe/

When studying the Bible, John Stott says we need:

• observation (the basic facts: who, what, when, where and how)
• interpretation (delving into the meaning of the passages studied)
• application (what are the implications of the text for growing in Christ? – see Matt 7:24-27, James 1:22)

Bible study is never simply theoretical, for the word of God is living and active (Heb 4:12) and therefore has a relevance to the modern day beyond its historical record. If we are to study it correctly, we need to understand its place in the whole of Scripture (Acts is a history of the beginnings of the church, giving us vital information about the spread of the gospel, the works of the apostles, and the person and acts of the Holy Spirit, who is Himself God) and to see the purposes Luke had in writing it. These are stated at the beginning of Acts (Acts 1:1-2, see also Luke 1:1-4) and remind us that our faith has a firm historical foundation (it’s not simply the product of fanciful minds or over-emotional hysterics.) Luke wants ‘to supply trustworthy information about the beginnings of Christianity’ (F. F. Bruce), giving us an assurance that we can fully rely on the things we have been taught. (Acts 1:2, The Voice)

Apologetics is the branch of Christian theology which defends the faith against objections and accusations. (It has nothing to do with being sorry for something, which is the more usual meaning of the word ‘apologetic’ these days.) Luke clearly wants to show us that our faith is robust and can stand scrutiny, objections, accusations and persecutions. As well as being a historical narrative which can be corroborated in many ways (not least his use of accurate official titles for Roman officials and verifiable landmarks and other geographical signposts), we find embedded in Acts a record of Christian defences made to both Jews (e.g. Acts 4:8–12) and Gentiles (e.g. Acts 25:8–11), with the underlying purpose of conversion. It shows how the early church coped with pagan and Jewish thought, the Roman government and Hellenistic society, and as such is a useful tool for us nowadays as we seek to continue the mission to make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:18-20).

‘Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; Acts and Romans follow on,’ goes the children’s song which teaches us the books of the Bible in order. The book of Acts, following on from the 4 Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, is the sequel to the Gospels that precede it and the background to the Epistles (letters) that follow it. Written by Luke, a doctor (Col 4:14) and travelling companion to Paul on many of his missionary journeys recounted in Acts, it forms the sequel to the Gospel bearing his name: Henry J. Cadbury reminds us that Acts is ‘neither an appendix nor an afterthought’; it forms, with the gospel, ‘a single, continuous work.’ John Stott reminds us that ‘in Luke, we read about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven. In Acts, we read about what Jesus continued to do and to teach after His ascension, especially through the apostles. Thus, Jesus’s ministry on earth was followed by his ministry from heaven, exercised through His Holy Spirit by His apostles.’ Because of this, the title of the book (often called ‘Acts of the Apostles’) has often been described as ‘Acts of the Holy Spirit’; John Stott suggests the longer, more accurate  (if more cumbersome!) title ‘the continuing word and deeds of Jesus by His Spirit through His apostles.’

It’s always a mystery, how God’s sovereignty and our free will work together, how Christ lives through us (see Gal 2:20). To emphasise God’s sovereignty can minimise the role people play in spreading the gospel – and Acts shows us a whole catalogue of people witnessing to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to great effect, seeing the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem throughout the whole world as far as Rome in a matter of thirty years. To emphasise people’s efforts without acknowledging the tremendous, transformative power of the Holy Spirit again leaves us lopsided. All throughout the book, we see how it was the power of the Holy Spirit which thrust people out to witness and how the signs and wonders performed were the confirmation of the message of salvation proclaimed by the apostles (see Acts 1:8, Mark 16:20, Acts 5:12, 42). God has chosen to work in partnership with people (see Phil 2:12-13), a mystery still to us all, but one which Acts demonstrates as powerful and effective. God’s plan is for the church to witness to the works God has done in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. In a nutshell, that’s what it’s all about – now, as much as then!

On Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m., we meet for prayer and Bible study, alternating prayer meetings with Bible study. These meetings are generally not well attended, but are essential to the life of the church, for it’s as we pray and study God’s word together that we connect to God, hear His voice and learn from His manual, the Bible. We can, of course, pray anywhere and at any time and can (and should) read the Bible individually, but there is great encouragement from doing this with other Christians on a committed and regular basis.

In 2019, we shall we starting to study the book of Acts, that second part of Luke’s contribution to the New Testament. In his gospel, he writes of all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven (Acts 1:1-2); in Acts, the story of Jesus continues, even after His ascension to heaven, as He continues to work through His Holy Spirit by means of His church. It’s a book, therefore, which not only gives us a historical record of the birth of the church and its early years but also acts as ‘contemporary inspiration’ (in the words of John Stott) for every believer and local church.

The church does not exist simply to encourage and build up believers; it is the instrument through which God reaches out to the world. We have a mission to make disciples of all nations, baptising people in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and teaching everyone to obey all Jesus commanded. (Matt 28:18-20) The book of Acts gives us insights into how to do this, and for every church, we need to understand more of the ways and power of the Holy Spirit if we are to fulfil the mission Jesus gave to us.

Come along to the Bible study on Thursday 10^th January at 7:30 p.m. as we begin to explore this book and learn more of the plans, purposes and strategies of God.