ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
BIBLE STUDY COURSE
(Part One: 1:1-12:25)
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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.
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Introduction
- Part 1
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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.
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The
Acts of the Apostles
Bible Study Course Lessons
(Part One: Acts 1:1-12:25)
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Schedule