We have the privilege of starting a new series here at Grace in the adult Sunday school class, and that is the study of the Book of Acts. different than what we've often done. We're going to be using a book as our guide, but we're really going to be studying the scriptures section by section, verse by verse, phrase by phrase, front to back, from beginning to end of the Book of Acts. And we as your elders have been discussing and praying and thinking about this is good for us to be in the scriptures regularly, and then this is an opportunity for all of us to do it together, not just an individual Bible reading, but we will read the scriptures. My hope for you is that you will read, you will be encouraged, you'll be during the week on your own, and then come here and receive additional edification, instruction, and guidance. So the title of the book is Let's Study Axe. It's part of a series by Banner of Truth, and they have different authors, a variety of authors in the series. This author for Axe is Dennis E. Johnson, published in 2003. I'll just say the book is well laid out. We're really using it as a structure. I think there's 70 lessons for the Book of Acts. The layout is excellent. We'll look at the outline that he uses. A godly and experienced man that has taught this book in seminary for many, many years. And the book is a little bit difficult to find. I think they're planning a reprint, So the books that I've ordered for our teachers are coming in dribs and drabs, so you'll have to be patient as you're looking for a copy. So how do we use all the books that we have here at Grace, all man-written books that are not inspired by the Holy Spirit? Well, this is how we do it. similar to when Paul and Silas leaving Thessalonica and came to the next city, Berea. The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. And when they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. And that's what was their normal practice. And we're going to see that throughout the Book of Acts. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica. They received the word with all eagerness examining the scriptures daily to see if these things were so. That's how we're going to use any of the assertions we get and the help that you receive from the teachers in this series is open your Bible and make sure you know where it says that in the scriptures to be sure that you know what is the truth that you're trusting in or believing in. And then Acts and all the references, we're gonna get into that. There are many references to the Old Testament and to the book of Luke and other parts of the New Testament that are referenced. All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching. for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." And so I use this progression to remind us, remind myself, this is not purely an academic exercise, what we're doing here at Grace. This is not some kind of degree course. We're not interested solely that our minds would be increased in knowledge. Knowledge is good. Especially knowledge of the truth is good. But we can't stop there. That's not what we're here for. If that's what we're here for, we would just be nothing more than Pharisees. We would just be academics. We would be puffed up with a lot of knowledge. You always have an answer. Know everything. Know what Bible verse references what Bible verse. But if it doesn't lead to understanding who we are worshiping and the work that we are expected to do, the training for righteousness, the morality based on the academics that we have learned. The truths we have learned should translate into heart convictions and eventually to words and actions that look like Christ. If we're going to be disciples, we can't just learn about him. We need to be like him. And that's our desire as we together as a body go through this journey front to back of the Book of Acts. Here's the outline. There's many kinds of outlines. Obviously, it's not inspired. A lot of outlines you see from other books on the study of Acts. They may break it up into the predominant ministry of Peter in the beginning, kind of like the first 13, 14 chapters, and then the rest, the predominant ministry of the Apostle Paul and his little gang of fellow workers. There are other ways to break it down. We're going to generally stick to this. The first 20 lessons are in section one. The Lord's Word in Jerusalem, and you'll see where this outline comes from even in today's lesson, this geographic breakdown of the spread of the gospel. Jerusalem, and then you see Samaria and Judea, and then the rest of the world, predominantly going from synagogue to synagogue in the Gentile world there of the Greco-Roman world. So let's turn to Acts chapter one. And this is just a overall introduction. I won't spend a lot of time here. But I thought it'd be useful just to touch on introduction of the book as it's laid out by the author for us, because here we start to see the hints of the themes that are going to carry us throughout the whole book. The whole book has these themes, and we should be looking for them. In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day when he, that's Jesus, was taken up after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. Now you'll notice just in the first few words of this book, were directed immediately to another book, another book. And it's referenced here, the first book by the same author to the same audience. And that's important for us, and if there was a homework assignment, not that we, we don't give many homework assignments here at Grace, so the homework assignment would be to read the Gospels, specifically Luke, to be prepared for, and I'll take you to some passages in Luke, but it was really, really helpful to read the book of Luke to get the background of what it is the audience is already reviewed, comprehended, and is coming into when they begin reading this book or letter, really a book, because that's what he calls it, a book. And it's quite extensive. You'll notice the author makes commentary comparing all the epistles of Paul even in words or length, doesn't add up to these two books that Luke writes for us. It's very extensive, and we'll see that's really to our profit, to our benefit, and one of the reasons, not the only reason, one of the reasons is actually here in the first passage of Acts chapter one. And so, the author. The author. And I just left that passage there of Luke chapter one, verses one through four. Maybe I'll read it to you before we go to the author. Luke chapter one, verses one through four. And the reason why I read this is because he references the first book, he references the first book, and my reading of this assumes that the recipient already understands this two-part series, already understands the purpose and introduction in the first four verses of Luke. I'll read them to you. Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, things that have been accomplished among us, this narrative, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and this is an important word, we're gonna see this word eyewitnesses or witnesses throughout the beginning and used many times in the, throughout the New Testament, and ministers of the word have delivered them to us. It seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, same name as we had in Acts 1, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. The assumption here is that the writer is taking eyewitness accounts and putting them down in a narrative, a narrative, a narrative. And it's said here that it's compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished, and then Later on in verse three, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus. The narrative or orderly account. And we're going to find that throughout not only the writing of Luke as you go back and read it, but as we go through Acts. Very, very orderly. Very organized. very, very easy to follow, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. Certainty, or increasing his faith in what he has been taught about Christ, his works, his word, are true. The author, there's been a lot of speculation on this, but Church history is generally agreed the author of Acts and the author of the book of Luke is Luke the physician, Luke the beloved physician, as he's referred to in Colossians 4.14 by the Apostle Paul. Luke, the beloved physician, greets you as does Demas. And he's not mentioned in Acts. He doesn't identify himself in Acts. He doesn't identify himself in Luke. But it is based on church tradition. It's that we come to the conclusion, and we believe, that Luke, the physician, is the author. He's also mentioned in 2 Timothy 4, Luke alone is with me, or Philemon 1 also writing to Philemon, the Apostle Paul. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner, closing Philemon in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you. And so do Mark, Aristarchus, these are names we would recognize as those who are with Paul, Demas, again, just like in Colossians, and Luke, my fellow workers. If you turn to Acts 16, It ties into this theme of eyewitnesses. You can see there's transition there in Acts where the author is taking eyewitness accounts and writing them down, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and then there's a personal plural pronoun gets injected there. Then you realize, wow, He's actually not recounting and writing down what he heard. He was actually there. He was actually there. Acts 16.10, and when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. And you jump down to verse 13. And on the Sabbath day, we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. We supposed, we sat down, we sought. God called us to preach. All of a sudden, the author is actually a part of the story because he is the eyewitness inspired by the Holy Spirit to write down a portion of what he experienced while being in the group with fellow workers with the Apostle Paul. The recipient. Before I say that, Luke, assuming it is Luke, and that's what we're going to assert here, is that he was a Gentile. And you see by the writing, he was proficient in the Greek language and very, very accomplished at the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint. We see that in how he references and weaves in the scriptures in Greek throughout the Book of Acts, the Old Testament scriptures. The recipient, Theophilus, we introduce to him both in the first couple of verses of Luke, and the first verse of Acts chapter one. In the first book, O Theophilus, and in Luke one, it seemed good to me, verse three, also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus. It's a Greek name translated literally, Theo, God, Phelous, friend. It's kind of an interesting name for a Gentile. We don't know if this was his birth name or this was now a new title he took on after salvation, but he is a friend of God and Most likely, from what we see, this title, Most Excellent, this kind of phrase, is not just a platitude, but it's a title used both in the secular Greek and in our Bibles for those who are in authority, in political office, in government. I'll just read to you a few references. Luke 1.3, Most Excellent Theophilus. Acts 24.2. And when he had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him. This is him accusing the apostle Paul, their attorney, saying, since through you we enjoy much peace. He's talking to a leader. And since by your foresight, most excellent Felix, reforms are being made for this nation. talking to, Tertullus is talking to Felix, calling him most excellent Felix. And then in Acts 26, 25, Paul defending himself before Festus, but Paul said, I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, same phrase used here. but I am speaking true and rational words." So the little bit that we do can extract here is he is a Gentile. He has this interesting Greek name, which we're not sure whether he was born with it or transferred it after his salvation. But he is a friend of God, and he is most likely the one receiving this and the book of Luke. receiving this as a political figure, political figure. And there's all kinds of speculation, we won't get into that, of why Luke is writing specifically to him, but it is for our benefit, no doubt, this orderly account. So this first section, let's look at the first three verses together. Looking back and forward, I thought that was a good heading for this section. Looking back and forward, and really, this is interlaced. You cannot read the first three verses without reading the first four or five verses, four verses of the Book of Luke, and then looking at all the scriptures in the Gospels about these key themes. Let's read it one more time. In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach. So he's summarizing, he's summarizing now the entire book of Luke and really all the gospels, all four gospels, until the day when he was taken up after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. and I'll just stop there and we'll get into it later, but the themes he's summarizing entirely are specifically chosen to direct our thoughts, so he's extracting key themes from all four Gospels and pointing us to what is going to be important, those important threads going forward not only in the Book of Acts, but for the whole period of the church age. And I should have mentioned that earlier, but this is really where we are. This is really why the Book of Acts is so important to us, because it's not like Revelation, where we are looking forward. We're looking forward to Christ coming back, and a new heaven, and a new earth, and eternity. And it's not like, chronologically, it's not like before Christ came down on earth, where we look back and we see like Ryan's taking us through, all these heroes of strong faith in God's Word and how they lived out their lives and looking back on those ages, we are in that age. Chronologically, in God's timeline, we The Church of God are in the same time as the Book of Acts. We share that with our brothers and sisters, even though they're a couple of thousand years separated from us. From God's perspective, we and they have the same mission. We're living in the same epoch. We're living in the same sphere. We have the same Holy Spirit. We have the same expectation from the Lord of why we are here. why we are here. That's why it's so important for us to grasp this, because in many ways, though not exactly, in many ways, we are them. You can see yourself, even though we don't, you know, we can't really imagine what going back in time and say, oh, well, you know, there's no technology, there's You know, there's no communication, there's no travel is so hard, but the church, the purpose of the church between Christ's ascension and Christ coming back again is the same, is the same. He presented himself, verse 3, alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during 40 days and speaking about the kingdom. So these are the themes I'd like us to extract out of here, and we will start to see them repeated time and time again. The Gospels is about what Jesus began to do and teach. Notice that word, Jesus began to do and teach. And it was really the beginning before he sent the Holy Spirit. Until the day he was taken up. Now this new phase in God's timeline begins. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during 40 days. We get an insight there between Resurrection Day, where Mary Magdalene saw him, and the day of his ascension, which we'll read about again 40 days speaking about the kingdom of God. And that phrase, kingdom of God, is used several more times in Acts, about 30 times in the New Testament, word for word. An important concept that even the disciples were confused about. Matthew 4.17, from that time Jesus began to preach saying, this is the beginning of his ministry from the book of Matthew, repent for the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God is at hand. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. This is the Christ's ministry, his work and his word. Let's turn to 1 Corinthians 15, three through eight. 1 Corinthians 15, three through eight, the Apostle Paul here summarizes for us a history of appearing to them during 40 days. Appearing to them, over those 40 days, and a little bit beyond that. For I delivered, starting in verse three, for I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried and he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared, now notice this succession of appearances of the resurrected Lord and Savior before he ascended. that he appeared to Cephas, then to the 12, then he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, and at this writing, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me, the apostle Paul. Eyewitnesses, that's the theme here, eyewitnesses. Let's go on. Promise of the Holy Spirit, a key theme in the church. now that Christ has left. And he promised that in the upper room. We're going to read that. He promised that. In fact, he told them, don't do anything. Stay in Jerusalem until I send the promise of the Father. Acts 4 through 8. Let's read this section. And that's really the two themes I want us to extract. Much could be said here. Maybe a third theme is the geography, which you'll see is where our author gets the outline. And while staying with them, starting in verse four, he ordered them, that's the disciples, not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father. Promise of the Father, what is that? which he said, You heard from me. For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days from now. Now imagine the disciples, they walked with Christ three plus years, they saw his ministry, his miracles, they saw him working power by the Holy Spirit, but they didn't have it like we do. They didn't have it still at that point. So when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? Notice this confusion over the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Israel. He said to them, it is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses. Very similar term to eyewitnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. So Luke 24, 44 to 53, very similar language. Notice this is, you could see the similarity in the writer. He doesn't just assume that The audience, Theophilus and others, remember exactly what he wrote, but he summarizes exactly what he had in Luke 24. And the question I ask is why? And my answer is because this is thematically important for the church age. That's why he's repeating. He's not repeating the whole book of Luke or all the Gospels, but this particular section in Luke 24, 44 to 53. You'll see the similarities. Then he said to them, these are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you. This is Christ, the resurrected Savior, speaking to his disciples before he ascended, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms, notice, same language as the Apostle Paul, according to the scriptures, must be fulfilled. that he, then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, same word, and said to them, thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations beginning from Jerusalem. Now notice the next word. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father, the promise of the Father, upon you. But stay in the city, that's Jerusalem, until you are clothed with power from on high. The exact phrase here, but you will receive power, verse eight, when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. So here are the themes here in this section. The Holy Spirit is promised to them and to all those who will follow after. In bodily form, in us, while we're human and sinful, we are going to receive the Holy Spirit. John 16, seven through 15, I'll read a portion of that to you. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away, Christ speaking, in the upper room, for if I do not go away, the helper will not come to you. You can't get the Holy Spirit until Christ goes away. You can't have both. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, and it continues on what his work will be to convict, the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. So that's the first theme, the promise of the Holy Spirit. The second theme is witnesses. Why do we receive the Holy Spirit? Why do we receive the Holy Spirit? Well, there's many reasons, but here it's clear that we are to be witnesses for Christ, witnesses for Christ. That is why to receive this power that is heavenly power, not earthly power, we don't get any stronger, we don't run any faster when we receive the Holy Spirit, we don't see farther, we don't hear any more accurately. We receive spiritual power to be witnesses. And notice the geography, the progression of geography. And I believe this is directly related to their misunderstanding of the kingdom of God. This other theme that was introduced in verse 3, the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God. What does that look like relative to political or geopolitical power and influence? Well, it looks very different than what we think of when we think about politics and nation-state relations. He's saying, you're going to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, predominantly a Jewish area, kind of the center of Judaism at the time, that was left remaining. That's where the temple was. And then all Judea, the Jewish region, predominantly Jewish. But then notice the next word, Samaria, not Jewish. Not Jewish. That area, remember where Christ met the woman by the well and Samaritans, they were, and the parable, they were despised. They were somewhat seen as half breed, you know, kind of, you know, defiled group of people. They believed in Jehovah, but, you know, they weren't the same. And you see the gospel growing in its influence and to the end of the earth, which was, by definition, predominantly Gentile. Predominantly Gentile. This image of the kingdom of heaven, or the kingdom of God, being made up of Jews converted by grace and Gentiles converted by grace, this was a radical concept for them. And that's what we benefit from here on Earth. God's plan for his kingdom was much bigger than the biological descendants of Abraham. And then in this next passage, departure and promised return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 1, 9 through 11. And that's how he closes this section, which completely summarizes the life of Christ, the mission of Christ, his words and his work, and his directive to his disciples on what they should do and how they should live in this age, in this age We are in the last days, you will hear that term, or in this age. We're still in the same age that they received the Holy Spirit. Acts 1, 9 through 11. And when he, as Christ, said these things, as they, notice Luke wasn't there, as they. So now he got eyewitness account. We're still in the eyewitness transcription phase here of the book of Acts. As they were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, Behold, two men stood by them in white robes. And here's the promise that Christ gave in the upper room, repeated by these angels, and said, men of Galilee, Why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. We have the same account, not with the angel's words in Luke 24 50 to 53. and they worshiped him after he went up and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple blessing God. And you'll notice that Luke 24-53 points us exactly to what Luke is going to tell us about in the next few verses and chapter of the book of Acts. Mark 16-19, so then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God." Very typical of Mark. He summarizes big ideas into very few words. Let's turn to 1 Thessalonians 4, 15 through 18. This promise from the angels, we should encourage one another. That is what we are looking forward to as we journey through this church age on the portion, this little inch of time that the Lord has given to us in the last days here at Grace Baptist Church as brothers and sisters in Christ here in this local body. We should regularly be reminding ourselves as we are striving, struggling, and fighting, what is it that we hope for or look forward to? For this we declare, starting in verse 15, to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, that means those who are left alive, will not precede those who have fallen asleep or died. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven, just like he promised, just like the angels promised, with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds. Notice there's more clouds when Christ comes back, just like those men said. To meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore, encourage one another with these words. It is our privilege and our duty to encourage one another to look forward, whether one of us passes away while we're on this journey, and some of us are still left alive when Christ returns. Regardless of what state we are in, whether they have gone on into eternity, or we are still here, when the Lord returns, he will fulfill his promise. And this struggle, and this trial, and this difficulty, and the need for the Holy Spirit's power, all of that will be put aside. So it's just a short time that we have to fight, to struggle, to witness, to be used as instruments in the expansion of the kingdom of God, Or as he, the author Luke puts it, there in Luke chapter one, the work that was done among us, among us. This is really one of the themes is that the power of the Holy Spirit, the power of God working through us is doing God's work to expand the kingdom of heaven. My hope is that you're starting to get a little excited about us going through this passage. And then when we are a year and a half from now, having gone through it all, you will say, oh, I wish we could start again. I wish we could start again. Let's pray. Father, you are good to us, your children, that while we're here, You leave us with many promises, comforts, and encouragement. Your word and your Holy Spirit that guides us, directs us, comforts us, strengthens us, gives us clarity, helps us make decisions, gives us wisdom, keeps us from temptation and evil, helps us to fight the world, the devil, and the sin that's still within us. Lord, we pray that we would grow in our vision of what you desire us to be as believers, as witnesses, as disciples, as a body of believers, as a church here in Canton. Lord, help us to see the glory of your church and your kingdom. seeking the lost, encouraging the faint-hearted, and building up one another. Lord, we pray that this may not be just an academic exercise, but we would gain knowledge which would translate into truth, which would translate into greater love for you, and greater zealousness for good works. We pray, Lord, that we would fulfill our mandate and our purpose here in this life until you come back to take us home. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.