The Book of Acts Series #7 7/25/21
The Birth and Expansion of the Church of Jesus Christ “…you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 (NASB)
Introduction – The transitional nature of the Book of Acts 1:1-5 I. Christian witness in Jerusalem 1:6-8:3
A. The Risen Lord – The 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection & ascension 1:6-26 B. Pentecost – Outpouring of the Holy Spirit – The birthday of the Church 2:1-47 C. Healing the lame man in the Temple, Peter’s 2nd Sermon 3:1-26
- The miracle – Healing a man lame from birth 3:1-10
a. Background – a man lame from birth who lived by begging 3:1-2
b. The sign-miracle of healing “in the name of Jesus Christ” – Walk! 3:3-8 c. The initial reaction of the people – wonder and amazement 3:9-10 - The message – Conviction of sin and a call to repentance 3:11-26
a. The people are directly confronted with the reality of their sin 3:11-16
b. The people are called to repentance for the forgiveness of their sin 3:17-26
D. The beginning of persecution 4:1-37
E. Purging from within, more persecution from without 5:1-41 F. Choosing co-laborers – The first deacons 6:1-7
G. Stephen, the first martyr 6:8-8:3
II. Christian witness in Palestine and Syria 8:4-12:25 A. The Christians Scattered 8:4-40
B. The Conversion of Paul 9:1-31
C. The Conversion of Gentiles 9:32-11:30
D. The Christians Persecuted by Herod 12:1-25
III. Christian witness to the uttermost part of the earth 13:1-28:31
A. The First Missionary Journey 13:1-14:28
B. The Council at Jerusalem 15:1-35
C. The Second Missionary Journey 15:36-18:22 D. The Third Missionary Journey 18:23-21:26 E. The Journey to Rome 21:27-28:27
Conclusion 28:28-31
Key Verse(s) – God authenticated the transitional truth of Acts by sign-miracles Acts 3:6 (NASB) *A clear and undeniable sign-miracle of God’s power
But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!”
Acts 3:9-10 (NASB) *But the initial reaction of amazement doesn’t actually save! And all the people saw him walking and praising God; and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”
“…the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit .” Acts 13:52 (NASB)
Acts 3:1-10 “A Sign-Miracle of Healing” (“knee”-healing the lame man)
“…‘what must I do to be saved?’ They said,
‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” Acts 16:30-31 (NASB)
Key x-References – Jesus is the ONLY way for sinners to get back to God
Acts 14:8-18 (excerpts NASB) *Another man lame from birth healed by God’s power “At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked…he had faith to be made well…And he leaped up and began to walk. When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice…‘The gods have become like men and have come down to us…’ 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God…18 Even saying these things, with difficulty they restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.” Note:
John 9:1-34 (excerpts NASB) * A similar story of man blind from birth who was healed “As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him…’ 25 He then answered, ‘Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.’”
Acts 10:42-43 (NASB) *Prophetic voices consistently point to Jesus the Messiah “And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
1 Timothy 2:3-6 (NASB) *Only ONE mediator between a sinless God and sinful men “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all…”
Acts 4:3-12 (excerpts NASB) *There is NO other way of salvation but through Jesus! “…let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health…And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
Key Terms (most words have a ‘field of meaning’ —> various translations) “amazement” (v.10) Greek #1611 (7x), NASB ekstasis ; a displacement (of the mind),
i.e. bewilderment, ecstasy:– amazement (1), astonishment (2), trance (3)
Note: cf. English ecstasy, late 14c., “elation,” “rapture,” from Greek ekstasis “entrancement”
“So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace,
being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the
Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.”
Acts 9:31 (NASB)