ACTS LESSON 1
The Book of Acts was penned by Luke, the physician. Many people
call Acts the Acts of the Apostles, but really, if you are wanting to
add to the name Acts, perhaps, a better name would be the Acts of the
early church. Really, very little is written about the apostles in
Acts.
In Colossians 4:14 Luke is called, the beloved Physician. In
verse 24, Paul speaks of Luke as a fellow laborer. In Second Timothy
4:11 Paul says, that only Luke is with him. My own personal belief is
that Luke and Paul were very good friends and, perhaps, Luke being a
physician was of some assistance to Paul with his (thorn in his side)
illness. Paul had prayed three times for God to heal him, and the Lord
had said no.
The Book of Luke (penned by Luke) and the Book of Act (penned by
Luke) were both addressed to Theophilus. The word Theophilus means
friend of God. If there was a real Theophilus, he was probably a
person high in government. I personally believe that for fear of the
letter being intercepted and getting in the wrong hands, Luke wrote
this to a friend of God (unnamed). At the time this was written, many
Christians were being killed for their belief. Perhaps, Luke was
trying to protect whoever this was.
There are many who feel that Acts is one of the most important
Books in the Bible, because it shows the struggles of the early
Christians, and how many of the practices of the church were
established.
In Acts, we see the departure and promise of the return of our
Lord Jesus Christ. We, also, see teachings on the power to minister
or witness that the Spirit gives to the believers. We will see home
missions and foreign missions dealt with, as well. A great deal of
Acts deals with Paul's journeys.
We see in the Book of Acts how the gospel of Jesus Christ is
spread not only to the Hebrews, but to the entire world through the
empowering of the Holy Spirit of God. One thing peculiar to Acts is
that, Luke reassures in this letter that Christians are not trying to
overthrow the Roman government.
Now we will begin with Acts 1:1 "The former treatise have I made,
O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,"
We see, here, that Luke is speaking of the Book of Luke which he
had written prior to this Book of Acts. We see that Luke is
explaining that the first letter was written about what Jesus taught
and did. This Book will be written more about how the Christians
handle the ministry after Jesus goes to heaven.
Acts 1:2 "Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he
through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom
he had chosen:"
Jesus walked with the apostles forty days after His resurrection
from the dead. He gave exact instructions for what they were to do
after His departure. Jesus had promised He would send the Comforter
(Holy Ghost) to teach them all truth. This Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit,
would be their teacher and guide. As we said before, the purpose of
having the Holy Ghost was to give them power and courage to be
effective witnesses to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Acts 1:3 "To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion
by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking
of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:"
In the Book of John we saw where Jesus even showed the disciples
the nail prints in His hands and His side which was pierced after He
had risen from the grave. St. John tells of three very dramatic
appearances to the apostles of Jesus after His resurrection. Perhaps,
the most vivid one is where Jesus is on the side of the Sea of Galilee
and prepares a meal for His followers. In this particular incident,
Peter and the others had fished all night and caught none. Jesus told
them to cast their net on the right side of the boat and they caught
one hundred and fifty-three large fish. During this forty days after
the resurrection, Jesus prepared His followers for the trial they
would face. It is nothing for God who breathed the breath of life in
man in the first place to rise again. We will read just a few verses
down, a very important appearance when some of the apostles see Jesus
go to heaven on a cloud in front of their eyes. Our hope of
resurrection is because He rose again.
Acts 1:4 "And, being assembled together with [them], commanded
them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the
promise of the Father, which, [saith he], ye have heard of me."
This is saying that while Jesus was gathered with the disciples
(followers of Jesus), not just the eleven but one hundred and twenty.
He not only asked, but commanded them to stay in Jerusalem until the
Comforter, the Holy Spirit of God, came to them. In St. John, Jesus
had told them of this Comforter, John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my
commandments." John 14:16 "And I will pray the Father, and he shall
give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;"
John 14:17 "[Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,
because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he
dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."
Acts 1:5 "For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be
baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."
John the Baptist's baptism was the baptism of repentance as we
will see in chapter 19 of Acts verse 4. This baptism of the Holy
Ghost, spoken of here, is the baptism of fire. It will set you on fire
to work for Jesus. I Mark 1:8 John the Baptist tells us, "I indeed
have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy
Ghost." In Matthew 3:11 John the Baptist goes into these two baptisms
a little further. Matthew 3:11 "I indeed baptize you with water unto
repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose
shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy
Ghost, and [with] fire:"
Acts 1:6 "When they therefore were come together, they asked of
him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to
Israel?"
The disciples expected Jesus to set up His Kingdom immediately.
They were like so many people today, who want to know the exact day
and hour when Jesus will take over as King of kings and Lord of lords.
Acts 1:7 "And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the
times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power."
We see here, that even though we are to remain ready at all
times, no one, except the Father will know the exact time.
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."
We see, in verse 8 above, why we need to receive power from God.
It is not for our own use so that we can brag to someone else, it is
to make our witness of Jesus more powerful. We can see here, that the
message of the gospel is not just for Israel, but to all nations. We
read in Revelation how people of every nationality will be represented
in heaven.
Acts 1:9 "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld,
he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight."
If there had ever been any question as to who He was, this should
answer it. They were looking at Jesus as He rose up into the cloud
before their very eyes.
Acts 1:10 "And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he
went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;" Acts 1:11
"Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into
heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall
so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."
So many people who read the Bible try to rationalize how Jesus is
going to be in our heart and therefore He has already come back. This
is not what this Scripture above says. It says that while we are
gazing into heaven, someday we will see the clouds open up and we will
see Jesus coming in the clouds. These two men in white apparel were
angels. They could possibly even be departed saints. They are wearing
white, which is the garment of the redeemed. The robes we Christians
shall wear in heaven will be white linen washed in the blood of the
Lamb to make them whiter than snow. Steadfastly means that they did
not look around, but kept their eyes on Jesus as long as they could
see Him. In I Thessalonians 4:13-17 we read of Jesus when He comes I
Thessalonians 4:13 "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,
concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others
which have no hope." I Thessalonians 4:14 "For if we believe that
Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will
God bring with him." I Thessalonians 4:15 "For this we say unto you by
the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the
coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep."
I Thessalonians 4:16 "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of
God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:" I Thessalonians 4:17
"Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever
be with the Lord."
Notes
Acts 1 Questions
1. Who wrote the Book of Acts?
2. What earthly occupation did he have?
3. What extended name do most call Acts?
4. What would be a better extension to the name?
5. What is Luke called in Colossians 4:14?
6. In Philemon, what does Paul call Luke?
7. What other Book of the Bible was written by Luke?
8. What does the Book of Acts show about the Christians?
9. Name several things the Book of Acts show us?
10. Who is the Book of Acts addressed to?
11. Jesus taught the disciples until when?
12. How many days did Jesus walk with the apostles after His
resurrection?
13. What was possibly the most vivid time Jesus showed Himself to the
disciples?
14. What did Jesus command the disciples to do in verse 4?
15. What do we read in John 14 about the Comforter?
16. What is another name for the Comforter?
17. In verse 5, we read that John baptized with what?
18. Give a more vivid explanation from the Scriptures on the baptism
of the Holy Ghost?
19. In Matthew 3:11, we find that John baptized with what?
20. What did the disciples ask Jesus if He would now do ?
21. What was His reply to them and us?
22. What is the Power of the Holy Ghost for?
23. Where were they to witness?
24. When Jesus had spoken these things, what happened?
25. What received Jesus out of their sight?
26. Who appeared to the disciples as they looked up?
27. What did they tell the disciples?
28. Where can we find a very descriptive explanation of Jesus' return?
Notes
Home