Acts 1:1
Theme: Acts is the second in a two-volume set. This seems evident in
that both books are directed to Theophilus \\#Luke 1:3, Acts 1:1\\
and Acts begins with a reference to its first volume.
The overall goal of both of the writer was "to set forth in order
a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among
us." \\#Luke 1:1-4\\ That is, the writer wanted to give us a clear
and orderly account of what happened relating to Jesus Christ and the
early church.
Since the Book of Acts means the Book of Actions or Events, it seems
clear that the two volumes detail for us…
1. Luke - The Acts of Jesus Christ
2. Acts - The Acts of the Holy Spirit
The Book of Acts is primarily a historical book, detailing…
1. The Ministry of God’s Servants
a. Peter \\#Acts 1:1-8:4\\
b. Philip \\#Acts 8:5-12:24\\
c. Paul \\#Acts 13:1-28:31\\
2. The fulfillment of the Great Commission
a. Jerusalem \\#Acts 1:1-8:4\\
b. Judea and Samaria \\#Acts 8:5-12:24\\
c. Uttermost Parts of the World \\#Acts 13:1-28:31\\
However, Acts contains within it doctrine, exhortation, and prophecy.
Author - It has always been believed to be Luke.
1. His name is not given as the author in Acts or Luke, rather
this is what tradition teaches and it seems to have always
been accepted.
2. Luke (or Lucas) is only mentioned by name four times.
a. Luke was a doctor.
Col 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas,
greet you.
b. Luke was a companion of Paul.
2Ti 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and
bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me
for the ministry.
Phm 1:24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my
fellowlabourers.
c. Luke is mentioned as one of the scribes for Paul.
2Co 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God, and the communion of the
Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. «The second
epistle to the Corinthians was written from
Philippi, a city of Macedonia, by Titus and
Lucas.
3. It is supposed that Luke was a Gentile, but there appears to
be no definitive evidence that he was. The main reason for
that speculation seems to be his name, Luke, which is from
the Latin; however, other Jewish people had non-Jewish names
(i.e. Marcus and Justin of \\#Col 4:10-11\\ are also Latin
names, but Paul stated they were of the circumcision ,Jews
\\#Col 4:11\\.
Time:
a. Date: Since the book does not mention the destruction of
Jerusalem (70 AD), Paul’s death (around 68 AD), or Nero’s
persecutions (64 AD), the best date for the book of Acts is
around 62 to 64 AD.
b. It is estimated that the book of Acts records events over a
period of around 30 years.
(1) \\#Acts 1:1-8:4\\ 2 years (AD 33-35)
(2) \\#Acts 8:5-12:24\\ 13 years (AD 35-48)
(3) \\#Acts 13:1-28:31\\ 14-16 years (AD 48-64)
Outline:
I. \\#Acts 1:1-8:4\\ God’s Work in Jerusalem
A. \\#1:1-3\\ The Introduction
B. \\#1:4-26\\ Jesus’ Departure
II. \\#Acts 8:5-12:24\\ God’s Work in Judea and Samaria
III. \\#Acts 13:1-28:31\\ God’s Work in Uttermost Parts of the World
I. \\#Acts 1:1-8:4\\ Jerusalem
A. \\#1:1-3\\ The Introduction - The introduction not only
begins the book, it also ties us to the first volume.
1. \\#1\\ "Theophilus" - While the author’s name is NOT
mentioned, the person to whom the letter was being
written is. We know little of the man.
a. His name means "friend of God."
b. He had some knowledge of the Jesus \\#Luke 1:4\\.
c. Both Luke and Acts were written to detail accurately
the events relating to Jesus and the church
\\#Luke 1:3\\.
2. A review of the first volume
a. …"all that Jesus began both to do and teach Until
the day in which he was taken up" \\#1-2\\
b. Including…
(1) …"commandments unto the apostles" \\#2\\
(2) …"shewing himself alive" \\#3\\
(3) …"many infallible proofs"
3. "seen of them forty days" - The time period from Jesus’
passion to His ascension covered a time period of 40
days.
a. The Jewish holy days were pictures of the coming of
Jesus Christ. My belief is…
(1) Jesus died on Thursday, the Passover.
(2) Jesus was being buried that evening and lie in
the tomb on Friday, the Day of Unleavened Bread.
(3) Jesus arose on Sunday, the First Fruits.
(4) Pentecost was 50 days after the First Fruits or
the resurrection. It was originally a
celebration of the harvest, but is also the day
the Law was given. While the Law contrasts with
the Holy Spirit on some levels, both are to
guide the believers.
b. Jesus taught the disciples for 40 days, then they
remained in Jerusalem \\#Acts 1:4\\, largely in the
upper room for 10 days (50 days - 40 for teaching).
B. \\#1:4-26\\ Jesus’ Departure
1. \\#1:4-8\\ His Last Command
a. The command is where the writer started adding to the
his first volume. He starts by giving more detail to
what he had recorded in Luke, then continues with all
new information.
Acts 1:4 …wait for the promise of the Father,
which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5. For John truly baptized with water; but ye
shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many
days hence.
(1) The apostles were to wait for the coming of the
Holy Spirit. Apparently during the 40 days,
Jesus gave more specific but unrecorded teaching
on the Holy Ghost.
(2) The coming of the Holy Ghost was…
(a) …promised by the Father.
(b) …taught by Jesus.
(c) …and pictured by John’s baptism.
b. \\#4\\ The Assembly - The church was together for the
ascension of Jesus.
Acts 1:4 And, being assembled together…
c. \\#6\\ The Question - The Jewish disciples were still
thinking of the Jewish kingdom.
Acts 1:6 …Lord, wilt thou at this time restore
again the kingdom to Israel?
d. \\#7-8\\ The Clarification
(1) "It is not for you to know" - Jesus did not even
tell the apostles when He would return for the
church or to establish His kingdom. They were
told that the kingdom was the Father’s business.
(2) "But ye shall receive power" - It was not a
kingdom but power that Jesus was now offering
to them.
(3) "after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you"
The power is the result of being filled with the
Holy Ghost.
(4) "ye shall be witnesses unto me" - This is why the
power of the Holy Ghost is given.
(5) "in Jerusalem …all Judaea …Samaria …uttermost
part of the earth." - This is the extent to
which the gospel was to be carried by these men
and the church.
2. \\#1:9-11\\ The Ascension and Promised Return
a. \\#9-10\\ The Ascension
(1) WHERE? \\#12\\ "from the mount of Olivet"
(2) WHEN?
(a) After "he had spoken these things" and
(b) "while they beheld…." \\#9\\
(3) HOW? "he was taken up …a cloud received him out
of their sight \\#9\\ …he went up…." \\#10\\
(4) THEN WHAT?
(a) "two men stood by them in white apparel"
(b) It seems logical to assume that these were
two angels who appeared to be men.
b. \\#11\\ The Promised Return
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.
(1) The Clues
(a) "this same Jesus" - Although it has been
2,000 years, we are looking for the same
Jesus who left to return.
(b) "is taken up …into heaven" - Jesus ascended
back to heaven where He will abide
fulfilling His role as High Priest until He
returns for us.
(c) "shall so come in like manner"
i. He left by ascending into the heavens.
He will return by descending from the
heavens.
ii. He left from the Mount of Olives. He
will return to the Mount of Olives.
\\#Zech 14:4\\
(2) A Challenge
Acts 1:11 …why stand ye gazing up into heaven?
(a) The question implied that the disciples had
better things to do than to stare at the
empty skies.
(b) Jesus was gone and it was now time for these
men to get to work, preparing for Jesus’
return.
3. \\#1:12-26\\ The Wait for the Holy Ghost
a. \\#12-13\\ WHERE?
(1) \\#12\\ "unto Jerusalem from the Mount of Olivet"
(2) "a sabbath day’s journey" - There was no command
from God concerning the distance that could be
traveled on the Sabbath but the Rabbis created
the limit in an attempt to keep the Jews from
being too worldly on the Sabbath. The distance
was around 2,000 yards or around 1/2 mile.
http://www.internationalstandardbible.com/S/sabbath-days-journey.html
(3) \\#13\\ "unto an upper room" - The Bible does not
say this is the same upper room where the Last
Supper was eaten \\#Matt 14:15, Lu 22:12\\, but
it is supposed that it was.
b. \\#13-15\\ WHO?
(1) \\#13\\ 11 disciples - Peter (Simon), James and
John (brothers), Andrew (Peter’s brother),
Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew (Nathaniel),
Matthew, James, Simon Zelotes, Judas (Thaddeus).
(2) \\#14\\ "Mary, the other of Jesus, and with his
brethren"
(a) By this time, Jesus’ earthly family had
accepted who He was.
(b) Jesus’ earthy brothers were James, Joses,
Juda, and Simon. \\#Mark 6:3\\
(c) Jesus also had sister who are not named but
if they were unmarried, they were likely
there as well.
(3) \\#15\\ "the number of names together were about
an hundred and twenty" - The crowd grew.
c. \\#14-26\\ WHAT did they do?
(1) \\#14\\ "These all continued with one accord"
They stayed in one mind and heart.
(2) "in prayer and supplication" - They prayed and
sought God.
(3) \\#15-26\\ They sought a replacement for Judas.
(a) To my knowledge, there is nothing in the
Bible that says there had to be 12
apostles except that was the number that
Jesus selected. After Judas’ betrayal and
death, the disciples believed they should
select a replacement.
(b) That decision was based on a Bible prophecy,
apparently two Old Testament verses joined
into one thought.
Acts 1:20 For it is written in the book of
Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let
no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let
another take.
Ps 69:25 Let their habitation be desolate; and
let none dwell in their tents.
Ps 109:8 Let his days be few; and let another
take his office.
i. The thought as to whether it was up to
the disciples to select the
replacement (Matthias) or let God do
it later (Paul) has been debated.
aa. On the "they should have waited"
front, Matthias will not be
mentioned as an individual after
this chapter (although that is
true of many of the apostles.)
bb. On the "God was in it" front, the
Bible has two references to "the
twelve."
(1) \\#Acts 2:14\\ "Peter,
standing up with the
eleven" - Peter plus the
eleven equals the twelve.
(2) \\#Acts 6:2\\ - "the twelve
called the multitude of the
disciples"
ii. In truth, once the believers begin to
move beyond the borders of Israel
\\#Acts 8:1\\, "the twelve" really did
not matter.
aa. As far as we know, the twelve
would scatter and never be
together again.
bb. All who saw or experienced any
part of Jesus life, death,
resurrection, or salvation, were
equally commanded to go share it
with a lost world.
cc. By \\#Acts 12:2\\, James would be
killed and the number of apostles
would continue to decrease.
(c) \\#21-22\\ The disciples believed an apostle
had to have been with them from the
beginning of Jesus’ ministry (His baptism)
through His resurrection. Paul considered
himself to be the exception, not the rule.
1Co 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me
also, as of one born out of due time.
(d) \\#24-26\\ The disciples then prayed and
cast lots to select the correct man. While
we do not exactly how "lots" worked, it is
obvious that it either had an even chance
to win, allowing the Lord to effect the
outcome as He desired.
<Outline
Index> <Close Window>
