 |
Acts—A History of the Kingdom The book of Acts is a book of the history of the church in the first century that ties together the gospel accounts and the hope of our eternal home for those in the Lord’s Church. |
Acts—A History of the Kingdom
- This Same Jesus (Acts 2:36, 1:11): We have a history account that shows us how to link the events of the past and the hope of the future.
- Ties to the history of the past as this is the same Jesus that dwelt among us, the Messiah, God in the flesh, the one we read of in the prophets and the gospel accounts; the one who died, rose again, and now reigns (Acts 2).
- Also looks forward that this Jesus is the same they have known and that will one day come again. (John 14:1-3; Rev. 1:8; 1 Thess. 4:16-17).
- The Kingdom of God — this is the theme that “bookends” the whole account (Acts 1:3 & 28:31)
- The kingdom, which is the church, is now being established (Acts 2)—prophecies and promises are now coming to pass; this is not something new or surprising but ties in to all that God purposed (Isa. 2:2-3; Dan. 2:44; Matt. 3:2, 4:17, 10:7; 16:18; Mark 9:1, Luke 24:46-49, Acts 1:8; 2:16, 23; Eph. 3:10-11 ; Col. 1:13).
- The Church then spread to all people—that which starts with the Jews in Jerusalem spreads to all people with its account ending in Rome (Acts 1:8, 2:47, 5:4; 5:14; 8:1; etc.; Matt. 28:19; Gal. 3:28).
- The Church grew by way of conversions—this is a book of conversions, it is the account of those who were converted by the gospel message and added to the church (Acts 2:38, 41, 47; …; 26:18).
