G’day everyone. I aim to put out two posts this week. This one is a simple orientation of the book of Acts and the resources we have to study it together.
Leading up to Easter and then for a few weeks after that, we’ll be looking at Acts chapters one to eight. Here is a link to the sermon and Growth Group program for 2015.
Each of the Growth Group posts will follow the COMA routine of reading God’s word. This is a methodical way of viewing the scriptures which lead us to a clearer understanding of the meaning of the text and what we are to do about the message. Here is a link to the 2015 Growth Group guide – page 16 covers the COMA method of preparing a bible study.
And here is an example of the COMA method from our Roman series.
As you begin studying together as a group this year, remember to create plenty of space for people to feel at home where you are meeting and that everyone knows one another. Starting the year well is very important.
The following is for you as a leader to have some background knowledge to the book of Acts. You may use this material in your group or just have it for future reference.
Who wrote Acts?
Dr Luke (Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 24) has been thanked for writing this book since the 2nd century. His name does not appear in the pages anywhere but the author of the book did join Paul on his journeys – see Acts 16:10-17 for an example of the author being part of the history. Luke was certainly a missionary companion of Paul.
The gospel according to Luke is not only a second book by the same author, it is part of a two-volume collection. That is, Luke-Acts is by the same author and intended to be read as part of the one story. Luke follows the eye-witness accounts of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus – ending in Jerusalem. Acts continues the history of how these eye-witnesses began to take the gospel message beyond Jerusalem and into the rest of the world. So, Luke leads us to the events at Jerusalem and Acts takes those events from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
At an early date, the two volumes were split and Luke was packaged with the other three gospels, a collection known as ’The Gospels’, while Acts was bundled with the letters of the New Testament, a bundle known as ‘The Apostles’.
Why is it called Acts?
The two-volume set of Luke-Acts may have originally been called ‘History of Christian Origins’ (FF Bruce, NICNT commentary, p3) and when the two volumes were separated, the second half was referred to as the Acts of the Apostles.
The Purpose of the book.
Luke begins the book of Acts in a very similar way to the book of Luke. It should be recognised, however, that the introduction to the book of Luke is intended to cover both volumes. So Luke’s purpose is that we might know the certainty of the things we have been taught (Luke 1:4). The book of Acts picks up the story from when Jesus ascended into heaven but continues the same aim.
Acts 1:8 provides a kind of overview or trajectory of where the book of Acts will lead us: ‘…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.’ The purpose of the book is to describe the spreading of the gospel by eye-witnesses from Jerusalem where the resurrection took place and out to the ends of the earth.
The Importance of this book
Here are a couple of things that we would miss if this book was not written or preserved:
- How the early church was formed would be left to myth and legend. This could then lead Christ’s church into all sorts of superstition and heresy.
- The letters from Paul which make up a third of the NT would be missing his credentials as an apostle. His conversion, his passion in preaching, his suffering – all would be absent.
- The struggles of the early church – religious debate, persecution, heresy, mischief in the church – show us that the eye-witnesses of Jesus’ death and resurrection were met with great opposition right from the start.
- The churches and places which Paul writes about in his letters are given further historical setting in the book of Acts.
- The Christian movement originated from Jewish people living in Jerusalem and started immediately after the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Christian faith is not the result of an evolved or elevated view of Jesus, but a grass roots celebration of God’s work in bringing true and eternal salvation to all who would hear the good news of Jesus and believe.
How to read the book
Like most of the Old Testament and just like the gospels, Acts is full of narrative – descriptions of what has happened. Narratives are not like laws or commands nor even like songs and poetry. They don’t tell us what we must do. They tell us what has happened. They are not prescriptive but descriptive. When Moses is talking to a burning bush, this is not a prescription for us to go and find miraculous trees to talk to. But in all the narratives of the bible, we read of the great works and words of our God to his people. We hear of his promises and intentions. We do see the example of faithful witnesses and we learn of those who live to oppose the work of God.
So, like any narrative,
listen out for changes in scenery or time – these generally mark the beginning of a new message and lesson for us.
Listen carefully to the speeches and quotes within the story – these often take us to the heart of the message.
Watch for what problems are being faced in the narrative and how they are resolved.
Check out the blog on Jonah chapter one for some more guidance on how to read narrative.
That’s all from this post. I hope that you will read through the book of Acts – all of it – as often as you can to become familiar with the book. It can be really helpful to listen to an audio version of the bible. In the next post, we’ll take a look at Acts chapter one.