Book of Acts- Pt 1 Acts 1:1-11

Back Ground of Acts Acts 1:1

To start to understand the Book of Acts, we need to dig into the History and Backstory of the Book. 

Background- Book of Acts

In the book, there are much struggles, issues, and even persecution recorded.

Acts was written by a man named Luke. He was a doctor and an educated man. 

Luke was hired by a man named Theophilus. Theophilus tradition says he hired Luke to research and see who is this Jesus person and what about all his followers. Luke Does much research and records it in the book of Luke and Acts. 

Luke was the guy that went around and interviewed people first hand and wrote down what was said. He would have interview John, Mary, Paul , Peter, James, Soldiers, Priest, etc. 

The Book of Acts is history of the first 33 years of the church, Luke himself joins in the journey in acts 16 on. It records 32 countries, 54 cities, 9 islands, 95 different people along with my governing officials and prominate people that even to today we are confirming of their existence. All this helps support the history recorded in Acts as fact. 

Acts 1:8 Even summaries the whole book of acts. 

Jerusalem 1-7

Judea 8-12

Ends of the Earth 13-28

Acts isn't just History of the early church tho, it is a hand book for the christian life and spirit filled church. 

A Beginning- Acts 1:2-3 

Every Story has a beginning. For Jesus it was his birth. For the church it was his ascension. 
Even this church has a beginning. Sometime as organizations and fellowships age, we forget our roots and why we were made to exists in the first place. The churches start was recorded in the beginning of Acts. 

Instructions with a Promise Acts 1:4-6

1. Wait in Jerusalem for the gift
1. Who likes to wait. If you knew God had a gift for you, would you wait? How long?
2. John Baptized with Water
1. This is a physical Baptism. 
1. Symbalism of Christ and his forgiveness of sins. 
2. It is an outward statement to the world on your decision to follow Christ
3. Baptized with the Holy Spirit. 
1. Spiritual Baptism
1. Following Salvation- 
2. It is an experience that one must ask, seek, and find. 
3. It is a free gift like salvation but it is something one must seek and wait for.

A New Mission Acts 1:7-8

1. But you will receive POWER
1. What type of Power? - Dunamis- more than strength and ability- operations and actions
1. Power of Boldness
2. Power to stand up to sin
3. Power to Do Miracles
4. Power to Fight the Evil
5. Power to testify
2. When the holy spirit come on you
1. We know this is not salvation but something that happens after salvation. We believe that if someone seeks and ask God for this he will give it. 
2. This gift of Holy Spirit Baptism is for all who seek it. It wasn't just for the church of that day. We are in period of the church and until Jesus raptures the church, we are in that period.  
3. MY WITNESSES
1. What is a witness?
1. Someone who testifies of what the Lord is doing. a person who sees an event and testifies. 
2. What has the Lord do in you? what is your witness to the world. 
2. When we have a close personal relationship with Jesus we naturally want to spead the good news. 
3. The Holy Spirit witnesses to righteous and truth which brings glory to God. 
4. Baptism of the HS is when people get Power to do miracles and wonders
5. BOHS can only be given to those whose hearts are turned toward God and away from their evil ways. It is about a relationship with God. 
4. In Jersusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth
1. Jesus is telling them how to spred the Gospel.
2. Local- Jerusalem- Brookhaven/Chester/Parkside/Aston/Media/Marcus Hook, ETC
3. Spread out further Judea/Samaria- Philadelphia, King of Prussia, Wilmington, PA/NJ/DE/Maryland 
4. TO the ends of the earth- World mission field. 

A Promise Acts 1:9-11

            The Angels said that in the same way he left, he will return. Jesus made a similar promise to his disciples and now the angel make the same promise after he ascended into heaven. Jesus ministry on the earth ended with him being taken up into heaven,  but the Church start here. The end of Jesus on earth is the start of the church on earth. 

Be Encourage, Jesus will return but in his time away he will send a Helper, the Holy Spirit. So...

BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.