Acts Of The Apostles Bible Study Course Dr James Stone

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
BIBLE STUDY COURSE
(Part One: 1:1-12:25)

The book that many call the Acts of the Apostles is the major historical account of the primitive Christian period from a Christian point of view. As the church spread from Jerusalem to Rome, this recorded history leaves no question to the progress and development of the church. It was not the product of human achievement, not even the efforts of a Peter or a Paul, but the manifestation of Jesus Christ in the lives of the apostles. With its many references to the Holy Spirit, the Acts of the Apostles reveals the development of early Christianity as being beyond the control of human endeavor. God was manifesting Himself among the people.

Introduction - Part 1

The Acts of the Apostles is the recorded history of the continuing work of Jesus in His disciples. The history of that early time, however, does not attempt to gloss over the difficulties that were existing in the church. For example, evidently there were selfish, dishonest people in the church that kept to themselves that which should have been given to others (Acts of the Apostles 5). Immorality was being manifested in some of the local assemblies (1 Corinthians. 5). There were people who murmured and complained because they thought they were being unfairly treated (Acts of the Apostles 6). Some of the local churches were being carried to extreme behavior because of erroneous beliefs (1 Corinthians 12). Erroneous understanding also caused some to shut down their lives and stop working for they thought the Lord was physically returning to the earth immediately (1 Thessalonians 5). Most of Paul's letters, if not all, were written to correct some error that existed in the local churches.

In spite of the limitations of the people, however, the Acts of the Apostles records the supernatural manifestation of Jesus. There are listed thirty-six definitely divine interventions: people are healed as the shadow of Peter passes over them; Phillip is transposed from one location to another; a young girl is raised from the dead; a man was made blind because he was causing problems among the people; to name just a few. In thirty years, there were over thirty-six recorded times where Jesus manifested Himself in spectacular interventions of His divine power.

The Acts of the Apostles reveals six definite visions and five other experiences that would be called visions today. Eleven times the manifestation of Jesus in the lives of the people produced fresh, new, and vital inspiration for their day: the visions of Cornelius, Peter, Ananias, Paul and others. The people were being directed by God's intervention into their lives.

There is more. Fourteen distinct times the believers, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, heard in an audible voice the voice of an angel of the Lord. Seven times different events occurred that could only be called signs and wonders. Thirty six times in a thirty year period Jesus was manifested in a spectacular superhuman way.

Although the wonder of the thirty-six marvelous miracles is astonishment enough to keep us mystified, it is actually the "ordinary" daily manifestation of Jesus that needs to be emphasized. Perhaps, the most striking characteristic of the Acts of the Apostles is the revelation of the extreme joyfulness that is seen in those early Christians. As Peter would later say, the way of Christ is always "joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Pet.1:8)

Their joy developed out of the experience and understanding of the work of Christ in their lives. He was the Lord, the Christ, the servant of the Father, the son of the Father, the Savior, the Prince of Life, the Righteous One, and the Lord of all. The Acts of the Apostles is the record of the manifestation of Jesus in and through His disciples, with the ultimate characteristic of that manifestation being the joy of the Lord.