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Chapter 1
God Is the One Who Acts
Luke 4:18-19; 24:34-49; Acts 1:1-3
The
Acts of the Apostles is one of the most exciting
and vital of the books that comprises our New
Testament. Without it, we would be left with
gaping holes in our knowledge of early church
history, for, apart from the letters of Paul, we
have no other accounts, sacred or secular, of
these events. The title, the Acts of the Apostles,
was not given until about A.D. 150. The apostles,
however, are really incidental to the purpose of
the author. He has given us an account of the
mighty acts of God in faithful men and women. At
center stage, through his Holy Spirit, is God
himself-as Paul states, "God to whom I belong and
whom I worship" (Acts 27:23). The apostles enter
and exit the stage as they point to the central
figure; at times they drop out completely. If the
author had had only human deeds in mind, he would
have written much differently.
"O
Most Excellent Theophilus"
Luke-the beloved, Gentile
physician, companion of Paul, and writer of the
third Gospel-is the author. Between A.D. 62 and
64, he wrote Acts, the second volume of these
dramatic events as he had thoroughly investigated
and experienced them. These dates are chosen by
scholars because the book contains (1) no record
of Paul's death or of the result of his
imprisonment, and (2) nothing of Emperor Nero's
persecuting of the Christians in Rome following
the fire in A.D. 64, and (3) no mention of the
destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
Some
believe that Luke was planning a third volume. If
he did write such a work, it has been lost in
history. We have no record of such a book. We are
indebted to him, however, for the excellent
account we have in Luke and Acts.
We
must remember that Luke is not strictly an
historian. This fact confuses many people who
attempt to apply twentieth-century standards of
history writing to the Book of Acts. Luke is a
theological historian. He is concerned not only
with the facts, but also with the meaning of those
facts. He does not include every detail; he gives
the information that fits into his purpose, which
is to inspire faith. He is witnessing to God at
work within the lives of men and women.
Luke
addresses both volumes of his writing to "most
excellent Theophilus," probably a young Gentile
who has been introduced to the message about
Christ. Luke implies that he has done careful
research and is writing so that this man, whose
name means "the one who loves God," might know the
whole truth about Jesus and his followers.
Some
believe that Theophilus was not a real person but
was rather a name that represents all believers.
It appears more likely, however, from this term of
address typical of the first century, that
Theophilus was an actual person.
Whether Luke intended to
address one person or many, his audience is
actually the vast Gentile world, including even
us. Luke's purpose is to offer salvation to all
persons like Theophilus, bringing to them the
truth that God was in Jesus, that he raised him
from the dead, and that that resurrection means
salvation and new life. Luke writes in order to
inspire within his readers faith in Jesus as the
risen Lord of history. The Resurrection is God's
great "act" around which all else revolves. This
message represents far more than a narrow segment
of Judaism; it is universal truth for all people
everywhere. The truth was given birth in
Jerusalem, but it was to travel to Antioch, to
Athens, to Rome, and far beyond in ever-widening
circles.
In his
first volume, Luke had dealt with the life and
ministry of Jesus Christ. He had begun even prior
to Jesus birth with those events surrounding the
preaching of John the Baptist, who played such an
important role in announcing Jesus. Luke wrote of
Jesus' birth, teachings, acts of mercy, miracles,
suffering, death, crucifixion, and resurrection.
In Acts 1:1 he sums up all of this as "all that
Jesus began to do and teach." The Book of Acts
then continues the dramatic account, witnessing to
the good news of Jesus and his followers. The crux
of the message is that the same spirit that lived
in Jesus lives in his followers. The church in
Acts is a continuation of the ministry of Jesus as
he expressed it in Luke 4:18-19, reading from
Isaiah 61:1-2:
The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has
anointed me to
preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the
captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
The
same impulse to reach out to the hurting, the same
healing and restoring ministry, the same power of
God's Holy Spirit now reside within the life of
each believer. Just as Jesus was anointed and
sent, so also are his people sent to preach good
news, to announce release, recovery of sight, and
wholeness. To understand the driving motivation
and contagious spirit of the characters in Acts,
one must first look at those same qualities in
Jesus. Jesus taught that God was about to act; the
Apostles proclaimed that God had acted. So the
religion of Jesus was developed into the religion
about Jesus, and more specifically, about the God
who acted within Jesus and who raised him to new
life.
"You
Are Witnesses of These Things"
To
understand properly Luke's second volume, we need
also to look at Jesus' last words recorded in Luke
24:34-49. He appeared in the midst of his
disciples, startling them. In the moments that
followed, he replaced their fear with faith by
demonstrating that he was their risen Lord. When
they saw his hands and feet and watched him eat,
the fact of the Resurrection was forever fixed in
their minds. This conviction that Jesus was risen
was to be their strength through persecution and
even death.
He
went on to teach them-familiar words, but suddenly
filled with new meaning. The Law of Moses, the
Prophets, and the Psalms now came to life.
Understanding dawned as the suffering, the
Crucifixion, and the promise of resurrection were
placed in perspective. The disciples sensed the
power for the forgiveness of their own sins. Here
was something that the world must know!
Then
Jesus spoke words they must have found at the same
time inspiring and frightening-in the Greek, a
crisp three words meaning, "You are witnesses of
these things" (Luke 24:48). They were entrusted
with sharing the message with the world. Whether
that world received them or not, whether they lost
their lives, they were to go and tell what they
had seen and heard. Seeing and hearing impelled
telling.
But
they were not to be alone or powerless; neither
were they to embark immediately. Jesus instructed
them to wait in Jerusalem until they were endued
(clothed) with power from God himself. Can you
imagine their joy as they returned to Jerusalem
from Bethany where he had blessed them before his
ascension? I would like to have heard their words
of praise in the Temple that day: "Praise God; the
Master is alive!" "Praise to the God who has all
power, even over death!" "Bless the Lord for this
glorious day!"
From
that point on, the disciples' lives would never be
the same. They were witnesses to history's
greatest act, the resurrection of Jesus. The Book
of Acts does not make sense without this great
event. Why would these men be willing to preach,
to suffer, and to die for the cause? Because they
had seen the risen Lord!
"God
Still Acts"
In
establishing his church, God acted decisively. All
through Acts, it is God acting-empowering the
believers, proclaiming the message, healing the
sick, forgiving sin, adding to the church,
encouraging, strengthening, guiding his people.
These
are the events Luke captured in writing. His book
witnesses to the faith and testimonies of the
apostles, the actual eyewitnesses. Luke's writing
has inspired generations of Christians since those
early days, prompting similar dramatic examples of
God's still acting as he did then. God inspired
believers to collect the canon of Scripture. He
led persons like Augustine and Juliana of Norwich
in their personal searches for faith. He called
forth reformers like Martin Luther and Ulrich
Zwingli to maintain his people. He led some to be
scholars and translators of the original biblical
languages so that this message could be translated
afresh for each new generation. He called forth
wise leaders, ably equipped by the Spirit, to
guide the church in spiritual growth and in
ministry. The same God whose acts are recorded by
Luke is alive and at work in his people today.
This book is intended to be read in accompaniment
to the Book of Acts. Nothing should replace the
reading of the Bible itself. Certainly the study
of the Scriptures is worth all of the diligent,
individual effort we can bring to it. I hope that
you will find the Book of Acts exciting and
inspiring, and that you find this book helpful in
guiding your understanding.
May I
suggest this procedure? First, read the Book of
Acts all the way through. Then return to each
chapter and study it more carefully. Do not rush
or skip over sections. Read thoroughly. Ask
questions. Enter into dialogue. Come to terms;
that is, come to understand how Luke uses words
and phrases. Draw out the implications inherent in
the text. Seek to apply the truth and the spirit
of the truth in your daily life.
Let
the book speak to you. Its message is exciting and
life-changing. It is just as true and applicable
today as it was when the apostles first proclaimed
it.
After
you have read a chapter in this book, then study
the passage in Acts indicated at the beginning of
the chapter. Notice that the Scripture passages
are not of uniform length. One chapter (Chapter
7-The Conversion of Paul) draws from accounts in
three different chapters in Acts.
Make
notes as you read, keeping paper and pencil close
by. Make it a real study experience. Don't be
satisfied with surface impressions. Look
specifically for principles that can be applied to
the life of the church today.
Chapter 2
Preparation for Witness
Acts 1
As we
have noted in the first chapter, Luke's purpose in
writing Acts is evangelistic. He continues the
story of the gospel of Christ as it was spread by
the apostles in order to inspire belief in his
Gentile readers. His method is to alternate
pictures of the believing community with the
church's points of contact with outsiders.
Acts
1, focusing on the believing community, is easily
divided into two parts: (1) happenings before
Jesus' ascension (verses 1-11), and (2) the
activities of the believers in the ten days
between the Ascension and Pentecost (verses
12-26).
For
forty days after his resurrection, Jesus
accompanied his followers (verse 3), restricting
his appearances to believers. Whereas other
passages of the New Testament record Jesus'
appearances to individuals, Acts 1 emphasizes his
manifestations to the group. Here was the Lord of
the church teaching his church, drawing together
all that he had told them before and preparing
them for the life of witness on which they were to
embark. They would be together, and he would be
with them in the Holy Spirit. Had he not already
promised that he would be with them always
(Matthew 28:20)? During these forty days,
resurrection faith was being born in the
disciples.
Now
Jesus' words carried special weight and
importance. Their lives became inseparably
intertwined with him and his truth in a way that
had not been true before. If Jesus had spoken the
words of Acts 1:8 before the Crucifixion, he would
not have been heard as he was heard now.
How
graphically these forty days demonstrate to us
Jesus' message of reconciliation and restoration
to wholeness! He returns to these shattered
disciples, accepting them, placing all his
confidence in them, entrusting to them the
salvation of the whole world. A preacher once
pictured Jesus returning to heaven, explaining to
the eager angels all that had transpired during
his years on earth. "What!" the astonished angels
gasped, "You left your message in the hands of
eleven weak men, mortals who failed you miserably
in your hour of greatest need?" "That's right,"
answered Jesus.
"But
what if they fail?" one angel dared to ask.
"Then," replied Jesus, "I have no other plan."
Certainly the disciples were
lifted by this trust. These were days of great
joy-almost too good to be true, but too true to
ignore.
What
were the emphases of Jesus' teaching during these
vital forty days? Basically, there were three. He
opened the secrets of the kingdom of God; he
promised the presence of the Holy Spirit; and he
charged his disciples to be witnesses of all they
had experienced.
"Will
You Restore the Kingdom"
Jesus'
teaching of the Kingdom centered on the reign or
power of God. The Kingdom was also to become the
heart of the apostles' preaching. (See Acts 20:25;
28:31.) These early Christians were finding
themselves in the middle of a tremendous operation
of God, the spiritual kingdom. No doubt they had
looked forward with great anticipation to the
consummation of the Kingdom. So they asked the
question, "Lord, is it in this time that you will
restore the kingdom to Israel?" Their question
still showed some of the long-held Jewish
misunderstanding of the Kingdom-that it would be a
political restoration of Israel's golden age.
But
Jesus' reply in effect was, Don't worry about when
God will exercise his authority. God alone sets
the agenda for his people. Your job is to wait, be
patient, and receive God's power for the work you
are to do. God has promised to baptize you with
the Holy Spirit.
With
increasing clarity the realization came that God's
kingdom was within his church, that to be "in the
kingdom" was to be "in Christ," to be baptized
with the Holy Spirit.
"Baptized with the Holy
Spirit"
It is
not possible to understand the Book of Acts
without understanding what Luke meant when he used
the term the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the
Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Christ are one
and the same, but the expression Holy Spirit is
the most common.
The
word spirit in both Hebrew and Greek also means
"wind" or "breath." The Holy Spirit is the breath,
the very essence, of God. It cannot be seen, but
it can be felt, and its effects can certainly be
seen. It comes upon us, moves into us, and changes
our lives.
The
Holy Spirit was not new to these believers. They
knew that the Holy Spirit was God. Moreover, they
knew also that it was more than God-afar-off; it
was the mysterious power of God-at-work in the
life of a faithful person. It was God-with-us and
God-in-us, characterized by knowledge, wisdom,
courage, love, and power.
The
Holy Spirit was known in antiquity, emerging in
the earliest writings of the Hebrews and referred
to throughout the Old Testament. The Hebrews wrote
of the Spirit's coming upon persons and enabling
them to have extraordinary strength, energizing
them from within (Judges 6:34). It inspired
leaders like David, making them wise and just
(Isaiah 11:2). Time and again God revealed truth
through his Spirit, making prophets out of
ordinary persons (Micah 3:8).
The
Spirit was understood to be the presence of God.
This presence had enabled Ezekiel to understand
the message of doom upon Israel, had given Joseph
the power to interpret the dreams of the pharaoh,
had given God's word (Zechariah 7:12) and warning
(Nehemiah 9:30) through the prophets, and had
passed from Moses to Joshua and from Elijah to
Elisha. It was this Spirit that David prayed to
retain (Psalm 51:10-11). Isaiah connected the
Spirit to the Servant of the Lord (Isaiah 42:1;
61:1) and John the Baptist pointed to Jesus as the
one who would baptize with the Spirit and with
fire. Is it a different Spirit in Acts-a magical
personage who appears for the first time? No, it
is the same Spirit, God's Spirit, existing from
the beginning of time.
Why
does Luke write "be baptized" with the Holy
Spirit? Because it was at Jesus' baptism that he
was anointed by the Spirit and declared to be the
Son of God. This was the great turning point in
Jesus' life and in biblical history. Peter refers
to it (Acts 10:38) as the beginning of the gospel,
of all that Jesus began to do and teach, of the
manifestations of God's power through him. This is
also the point at which Mark begins to record the
gospel.
At his
baptism Jesus was not only immersed completely in
the waters of the Jordan; he was also saturated
completely with the Spirit. So it must be for each
of his followers. For the church in Acts to be
baptized in the Spirit is for them to participate
in Christ's baptism. It is to be filled with the
same Spirit of truth, power, and love that resided
in Jesus.
The
Spirit was to come now, as the Spirit always does,
for a very specific purpose. That purpose: to bear
witness convincingly, through the disciples, to
the acts of God in Christ. The disciples were now
to become witnesses for Christ.
"You
Shall Be My Witnesses"
The
core of the Book of Acts is 1:8: "But you shall
receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon
you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem
and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the
earth."
To be
a witness is to do more than to see something
happen; it also involves telling what happened.
Both aspects must be present; the witness must see
and tell.
Peter
said that the disciples were chosen by God to be
witnesses (Acts 10:41) and that he was a witness
to the sufferings of Christ (1 Peter 5:1). Ananias
spoke for God to Paul, "You will be a witness for
him [God] to all men of what you have seen and
heard" (Acts 22:15).
The
word witness also gathered to itself the meaning
of one who was faithful in telling the Good News,
even if it led to death. The English word martyr
comes from the Greek word for witness. Paul spoke
of "Stephen, thy witness," in referring to
Stephen's martyrdom. John wrote in Revelation 2:13
of "Antipas my [God's] witness, my faithful one,
who was killed among you," and in 17:6 of "the
blood of the saints and the blood of the martyrs
[witnesses]." To be a witness meant to be willing
to die for the cause of the truth. Indeed, the
very fact that these disciples were willing to die
testifies to the truthfulness of their claim that
God, the mighty God, had acted in history in the
birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ,
and that he continues to act through all time.
Again
we look at Acts 1:8 to see that here is God's
agenda, not human, and for all time, not only for
the first century. God's agenda called for his
followers to go and tell the truth, what they had
seen and heard. They did not have to add to it;
the truth was powerful by itself. The
first-generation Christians took these words
seriously and set out to do as Jesus had said.
Their
witness would travel outward from Jerusalem in
concentric circles, like rings of water set into
motion by a pebble tossed into the lake. Each
circle represented another great challenge.
Jerusalem was the city where Jesus had been
crucified. Judea was the home of Judas, the
traitor. The Samaritans beyond felt no love for
Jews. The ends of the earth were the homes of
pagan Gentiles far removed in thought and
life-style from this humble band.
During
the interim between the Ascension and Pentecost,
perhaps the most difficult task was to wait as
Jesus had commanded. Luke restates the command in
Luke 24:49, to stay in Jerusalem until God
fulfilled his promise. They were filled with eager
anticipation, ready to explode; but had they
failed to wait, that explosion would have been the
mere popping of a balloon, its energy quickly
dissipated, rather than the tremendous rush of the
Spirit whose energy would never diminish.
They
returned from Mount Olivet, the mount of the
Ascension, to the Upper Room in Jerusalem, where
they unanimously persisted in prayer. The
disciples were all there except Judas, for whom
they sorrowed. Altogether there were one hundred
and twenty. The eleven were there, Peter quickly
assuming leadership. The women were there-Mary
Magdalene, Mary, and Martha. Jesus mother was
there and so were his brothers. Imagine! Jesus'
own family had come to worship him as the
resurrected Lord. Their presence among the
believers greatly strengthened the witness to
Israel, which placed great stress on the family.
They
were all there, of one mind, in prayer. This is
the setting on the eve of Pentecost.
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