Today, we begin a study,
which is of utmost importance to every true Christian in the 21st
Century. It is an expositive consideration of the book of Acts. I say it is of
supreme importance, especially in these days, because the church is living in an
age, prophesied by the apostle Paul, when he wrote the second letter to his
son, in the faith, Timothy: “Know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves… having a form of
godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (2 T. 3:1, 2, 5).
First
of all, I want to point to the word power, reading from the Amplified
New Testament: “For [although] they hold a form of piety (true
religion), they deny and reject and
are strangers to the power of it.” The word power, of course,
is the same word we read in Acts 1:8… “You shall receive power…” The
Greek dictionary, Strong’s, defines it: Dunamis… gr. Force (literally or
figuratively); specifically miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle
itself): ability, abundance, meaning, might… and Strong’s continues with a
full page of definitions, due to the common usage of the word.
At
the time, when humanity comes to the end of its history, there will be a period
that is especially dangerous. Now, let’s look at the word perilous in 2
Timothy 3:1 (NKJV). Curiously, this word is only used here and one other time,
in Matthew 8:28, in the New Testament. Strong’s defines the Greek word,
chalepos, difficult, that is dangerous, or (by implication) furious: -
fierce, perilous, and Matthew uses this word to describe the Gadarene
demoniacs.
One
of the reasons that this time will be dangerous or fierce is because “men
will be lovers of themselves… having a form of godliness but denying its power.”
It is typical that in the formality of his religion, an individual will not
abandon it, but in a practical sense, what he or she believers, becomes inert
and dead. However, the faithful members will continue to defend it, violently
and fanatically, as the prophets of Baal before Elijah on Mount Carmel (1
K.18:25-29).
There
is a good deal of teaching these days, which could easily bring believers to
that state, by assuming that miraculous power ended with the apostles and
today, the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit have been annulled. They teach
the book of Acts, as purely historical. And precisely for that reason, I want
to begin a study of this book, to see it as something more than history, as it
relates to the works of the apostles, but as a model to show, what the church
should be anywhere, at any time.
The Book of
Acts
The writer. Luke was the only Gentile
writer in the entire Bible. He became a companion of the apostle Paul and
undoubtedly came under the influence of the gospel through him. He was a Greek
and a doctor, who gave, in his book, many accounts of physical healings.
However, we do not have one lone example in the book of his own profession.
Instead, it relates the supernatural, spiritual, and heavenly ways, in which
the work of God was achieved. Therefore, throughout the book of Acts, God, Who
does the work, receives the glory.
Also, Luke writes one of the Gospels,
and therefore the book of Acts, tends to be a continuation of the gospel story.
The two books were written specifically to one individual, Theophilus. His name
signifies, friend of God, and for that reason some think that it was a
symbolic name, given to any reader of his writings. I do not believe that, principally
because in Luke 1:3, he defines Theophilus with the adjective phrase most
excellent, showing a title for nobility. Those words would never define a
normal Christian.
The time, in which the book was
written. The book of Acts begins with the
ascension of Jesus, after His death and 40 days after His resurrection. One
hundred-twenty people were in an upper room, praying and awaiting the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit. From that occasion, the book covers the events
in the early church, until the apostle Paul arrives in Rome for the first time.
He was a prisoner, and the book comes to an end, relating that he was there for
two years.
Experts have determined that Paul
arrived there in the early part of the 60s A.D., calculating the time, in which
Felix and Festo governed in Caesarea. Of course, they could also know when Nero
was Caesar in Rome. Obviously, the book of Acts could not have been written
before the two years, in which Paul was in Rome. Also, it is unreasonable that
Luke would have written his account at a later date, without describing the
events that happened after the two years… especially, when Paul was set at
liberty.
History to accompany the
epistles. The book of Acts gives history
to the epistles of Paul. The entire history of the gospel was related to Luke
by others, but he personally testified of many events in this book, and when he
did not, he was very close to those who did personally testify of them. Luke
wanted to be very precise with the background of secular history and had good
knowledge of them, when he wrote his anointed accounts. You can look at Luke
1:5, 2:1 and 2, but let us look together especially at 3:1 and 2: “Now in the fifteenth year of the reign
of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being
tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of
Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas
were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the
wilderness.” The book of Acts is entirely interlaced, as we have already
seen, in part, with the history of governors and governments in different
places.
The Spirit of God and prayer. Luke is a person, who was very alert to the work of the Holy Spirit,
especially evident in Acts, because the entire book is a history of people,
full of the Spirit. From the beginning of his Gospel, in the first chapter,
verse 41, he told how Elizabeth was full of the Spirit and in verse 68, how
Zacariah also spoke after he was filled.
Also in his Gospel, he emphasizes
the need of prayer, in order to carry out the work and will of God on the
earth. His Gospel, more than the other three, tells of the prayer life of Jesus, and in chapters 11 and 18, Jesus gives
teaching, concerning prayer. The first chapter of Luke introduces the theme: “The whole multitude of the
people was praying outside at the hour of incense” (v.10) and then in
verse 13,“The angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias,
for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son.” The
book of Acts recognizes that prayer is connected to the moving of the Holy
Spirit, beginning in the first chapter. Concerning the 120, who waited for the
outpouring of the Spirit, it states: “These all continued with one accord in
prayer and supplication (Ac.1:14).
The
plan of the book. In chapter 1, verse 8, the
plan of the book is clearly written, indicating that the gospel will be
preached in all the world, beginning in Jerusalem. The second purpose is to
show how the gospel will develop in the non-Jewish world. The first seven
chapters show how it progressed in Jerusalem. Chapter 8 shows the persecution
in that city and how the believers fled, arriving in Judea and Samaria,
announcing the word. In the same chapter, Philip encounters an Ethiopian
eunuch, who, in turn, takes the gospel to the continent of Africa.
In
chapter 9, Saul of Tarsis is converted with a calling to preach to the
Gentiles. In chapter 10, Peter arrives at the house of a Roman centurion and
the Gentiles in his house. In chapter 11, the headquarters of the mission of
the church is transferred from Jerusalem to Antioch in Syria, totally outside
of Israel. In chapter 13, prophets and teachers come to Antioch, preparing the
church for the missionary work that is to extend from the city. From this chapter
on, the entire story tells how the gospel spread, more and more, until it
arrived in Europe.
How
should we view the book of Acts? Adam Clarke comments: “All the promises which
Christ gave of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit are shown here to have
been fulfilled in the most eminent manner.” Also, Adam Clarke recognized
two of Luke’s purposes…
1. To relate in what
manner the gifts of the Holy Spirit were communicated on the day of Pentecost,
and the subsequent miracles performed by the apostles, by which the truth of
Christianity was confirmed.
2. To deliver such
accounts as proved the claim of the Gentiles to admission into the Church of
Christ; a claim disputed by the Jews, especially at the time when the Acts of
the Apostles were written.
Perhaps the question, that we
should first consider, would be: How should we not view the book of
Acts? 1. It is not sufficient to see it strictly as a historical book that
points to a period between the Gospels and, what some would like to call the normal
church history. These are people, who would like to convince us that we
should not attempt to be like the church of Acts, because the time of the
apostles has now passed. Therefore, the period of miracles and signs died with
them. 2. I have heard another argument that claims that we still see these
great works today, but they are spread over a longer period. With only 28
chapters, they would argue, Luke condensed his book and history into a short
time, therefore it would seem that more was happening in his time, that what is
taking place today.
I am not convinced of either
position and I see, in both, a kind of arrogance, that claims that the church
today is as neo-testamentary, as it can expect to be. First, I see nowhere in
Scripture, where there is even a hint that things would change after the
apostolic period. Secondly, to say that we are experiencing today, all that the
early church witnessed, is to presume too much. The truth that I see in Acts,
is that they knew much greater works of the Holy Spirit than what takes place
in the 21st Century. Perhaps, where revivals unfold, there are many
more great signs and wonders and a greater reality of the work of a
supernatural God than usual. I think, we still fall short of seeing, the things
that took place in the primitive church. At the same time, I believe that the
church that formed in the book of Acts is a model for the church at any period
of history in any place that it comes into being. An elderly man in Romania
approached me after I gave a message from a text in Acts and commented: “Brother,”
he said to me, “I just finished a study of Acts, and I see how far we
fall short of it in the church today.” Amen, my brother, I stand with you!
This is the correct conclusion, after mulling over this book. We are not living
at the same level; let us recognize the truth and confess it.
An organism that was
powerful, yet simple. The account of the
gospel in Acts, tells us much more than a pagans and Jews changing their viewpoints,
concerning their former religions, and learned a new approach through Christianity.
It is much more than people interested in learning new doctrines. It is true
that the doctrines of Christianity were novel to the pagan and the Jew, but we
see, as the apostles went from one place to another, that they saw mighty
transformations in the lives of the new believers, who were reached through the
gospel. There was a change from that which was animal, earthly, and diabolical,
to that which was holy, spiritual and divine. The religion of the triune God,
whether it manifested itself in the Old or New Testament, was built on the
principle of Zechariah 4:6: “‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
says the Lord of hosts.” It can only function through His mighty power. That
is what the church must manifest to the world around it.
We must return to the
simplicity of the primitive church, without luxurious ceremonies… without
anything, really, to arouse man’s physical senses. Only the Holy Spirit can
communicate and maintain heavenly fire. Through the Spirit, we worship the
Father and Son, as He leads and as He enables. It will fulfill that which the
Father seeks, as Jesus said, “True worshipers will worship the Father in
spirit and truth” (Jn.4:23). This is impossible through human capacities.
Two key verses. As I study this book, I see two defining verses, which reveal
the entire teaching in these 28 chapters. One is in the first chapter, verse 8,
to which I have already briefly referred: “You shall receive power when
the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the
earth." Without a doubt, this verse gives a summary of all that takes place in
the book of Acts.
The
second verse, which I believe is key, is found in Acts 15:28: “It seemed
good to the Holy Spirit, and to us.” Someone may ask, “Why do you think
that this verse is key?” I would answer, that it is because it shows the
principle behind the power of Acts 1:8. It shows the intimate relationship
between the Holy Spirit and the apostles. They were one with God, in plan and
purpose. It shows a conjunction between heaven and heavenly-minded people on
earth. The gospel spread mightily throughout the world, because those who
preached it, were sensitive to the direct leading and wisdom of the Spirit of
God.
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