Acts Overview for tomorrow

The New Testament is divided just like the Old Testament was.  The NT consists of:

• The Gospels
• Acts
• Letters
• Prophecy

Why is it called Acts?  Well, some have said it is the Acts of the Apostles, others have said it is the Acts of Peter and Paul, well both are wrong.  It is the Acts of the Holy Spirit.  The Apostles have had 3 years of one-on-one Discipleship with Jesus himself, and He still says to them “Stay right where you are until you get the Holy Spirit”.  Without Him, in us, we truly are without purpose.

Acts is the book of Purpose with the Holy Spirit.  Forwarding the Gospel to the ends of the earth is not a “calling” it is the purpose of the Church.  Stop thinking of the Church as the building which we sit in, or that the Church is for believers.  The Church is the Body of Believers for the Non-Believers.   So stop pointing the finger and start looking in the mirror.

The book of Acts was most likely an extension of the book of Luke.  Acts is written by Luke giving him the most written Word in the NT (not Paul).  This book is the LINK between The Gospel and the Letters.  In other words, Christ’s life and the Church.

Acts will be divided into two distinct categories.

• The first 12 chapters will be Peter (yes the man who denied Jesus  3 times) witnessing to the Jewish nation.  Why?  They need to CHANGE their way of thinking of the Messiah.  THEREFORE, you will hear Peter say REPENT (change direction) directly to the Jews.
• Chapters 13-28 will be Paul preaching to the Gentiles with a word of “Believe”.  Why not Repent?  We didn’t need a change in direction, we need THE direction.  We needed to BELIEVE to begin with.  We were not taught the Scriptures till now.

This book has the most archeological proof and confirmed findings.  However, I will not blog about any of that.  I hold to Hebrew 11:1

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  Heb 11:1