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Somewhere along the way, Satan began to work on Judas, as he had tempted Jesus and desired Peter “that he might sift you as wheat.” (Luke 22:31b). Judas allowed himself to be enticed away. He “fell.”

It is not enough for Christians to have faith in the Lord; they must also have faith in one another.

They continued daily in prayer and supplication. The use of two words which speak of much the same activity adds weight to what those in the upper room were doing.

The eleven had received direct instruction. They were to “wait and then go.” In obedience they came to this place to “wait.” Their waiting was not sitting quietly and folding their hands. Instead they took spiritual action. They prayed.

The apostles carried out Jesus’ instructions. They did not scatter, but went at once to the upper room where they abode. It seems this was a temporary residence that had been used when Jesus and His closest followers were in Jerusalem.

The main difference between John and the book of Acts disciples was that the disciples had experienced a personal Pentecost – they had been filled with the Holy Ghost.  Empowered by the Holy Ghost, the disciples could exclaim, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

With Jesus there was action and doctrine. A bird must have two wings in order to fly. The church must also have the two wings of “action” and “instruction.” Seek balance – “to do and teach.”  Both are necessary. To be over-balanced toward one or the other leaves the church weak.

Began . . . a word that calls for a continuation. Luke was volume one of a saga that could not be contained in one writing,. God's approach is different, the tools being employed are different, but what He started has not concluded.

Christianity is a point of departure as well as a point of arrival. The acts and words of Jesus are a beginning, a center from which to journey.

The four gospels funnel into Acts. Acts is then a too oft ignored bridge from the life of Christ into practiced and practical Christianity.

The book of Acts covers approximately thirty years. Understanding the time involved gives a sense of the time in Paul becoming a convert, a disciple, and then a student of the scripture. It helps see the development of Peter as the apostle preaching the first gospel message to the Jews and nine years later to a Gentile.

 

Acts contains an experiential theology of salvation whether dealing with those who conspired to commit murder (Acts 2); a prayerful and honest-hearted Roman military official (Acts 10), or an Ethiopian who had traveled to Jerusalem to worship (Acts 8). How to be saved is found in the book of Acts!

 

The Acts of the Apostles is unique. It is the only God-inspired history of the early church. Acts tells the story of the church's progress. It also reports failure, dissension, and error.