The beginning verses of acts make it clear that acts is a sequel of the story started in luke and written to the same man named theophilus, generally a title ascribed to highranking roman officials. A basic overview of the structure for the book of acts. Acts concerns the very vital period in christian history between the resurrection of jesus and the death of the apostle paul, the time when christian ideas and beliefs. The book of acts the acts of the holy spirit the bible teachers commentary an outline and map survey paul j. In acts, jesus sends the holy spirit to empower his disciples as they carry. To guide the church in its continuing mission by describing how the holy spirit empowered the apostles to spread their witness on christs behalf to the gentile world. Listen to chuck swindoll s overview of acts in his audio message from the classic series gods masterwork. The ending of acts plays an important role in route of determining the books date.
Acts records the apostles being christs witnesses in jerusalem, judea, samaria, and the surrounding world. The book picks up where the gospels four accounts of jesus life and ministry leave off. This summary of the book of acts provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the. All 66 books of the bible in easy, onesentence summaries. They will learn to understand the importance of church involvement and some of the principles the church operates by. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of bible. The acts of the apostles, fifth book of the new testament, a valuable history of the early christian church. As such, it provides us with a valuable account of how. Book of acts 8 week series download ministry to youth. Preparations for worldwide witnessing, jesus ascension, outpouring of holy spirit, persecution of disciples, sauls conversion, paul and barnabas, missionary tours. The book of acts records three of pauls missionary journeys by which the church was established, the people of god, the christians who would change the world. Jan 02, 2020 the emphasis of the book is the fulfillment of the great commission.
The following outline is intended to be used while studying the book. In this video i want to share with you an overview of the book of acts. Acts concerns the very vital period in christian history between the resurrection of jesus and the death of the apostle paul, the time when christian ideas and beliefs were. Such identifications were not made in any of the other three biblical gospels either. Luke recorded three rejections by the jews to peter and the apostles associated with him to the message of repentance and proclamation of the kingdom. In the book of acts, we discover how gods multiethnic, international church grew through persecution and missionary journeys throughout the world. If you look at acts, youll notice that the first section covers peter acts 112 and the second section covers paul acts 28. Like luke, acts is addressed to the unknown reader theophilus, and in the introduction to acts, it is made clear that it is a continuation of luke. The gospels each, in their own way, present accounts of jesus life, death, and resurrection. Listen to chuck swindoll s overview of john in his audio message from the classic series gods masterwork. The book of acts also describes the work of the two apostles peter and paul.
Here is a summary and overview of the book of acts. Whereas jesus is the chief character in the gospels, the holy. These lessons were designed for older elementary children, but you could modify them for a broader range of kids. The book of acts clearly focuses on the beginnings of the church, and two people. This summary of the book of acts provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of acts. The book of acts books of acts christian inconnect. This summary of the book of acts provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of acts. In this episode we do a quick overview of the entire book, working through each of the sections, observing how they all fit together. A summary, synopsis or recap is a shortened version of the original.
Acts of the apostles, the second part of the work that begins with the gospel according to luke, is the story of the early church after jesuss martyrdom. Summary the book of acts, which continues the narrative that luke began in his gospel, is especially important because it was the first written history of the c. The book contains only a few of the acts of some of the apostles, primarily peter and paul. Acts overview the title acts of the apostles is a bit misleading. Historical background material for the book of acts. The book of acts begins with the ascension of jesus and the coming of the holy spirit, and goes on to show how the apostles preached christ to the. The book of acts ends with paul in house arrest waiting to. The book of acts in the bible, written around 6263 a. Bradd words in boldboldbold and underlined are the answers to the blanks on the acts study guides acts 1 the book of acts was written by luke to a man named theophilus. The acts of the apostles often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament. Book of john overview insight for living ministries.
Since luke is the author of acts, any date between ad 60 and 100 is reasonable as conzelmann points out. Preteens will identify the holy spirit as god, who is with us, to help us. Our story starts off where the gospel of luke left offjesus is back now that hes resurrected, jesus decides to hang out and chat with his disciples whom luke calls apostles for forty days. Luke and acts the gospel of luke and the acts of the apostles are both parts of the same story with one following directly after the other. Students will identify the holy spirit as god, who is with us, to help us. This is an 8week series that takes students on a journey through the book of acts.
The book of acts ends with paul in house arrest waiting to present his case before caesar. The ending of acts plays an important role in route of determining the book s date. The book of acts, which continues the narrative that luke began in his gospel, is especially important because it was the first written history of the christian church. It is more a story of the expansion of the church from jerusalem to rome.
This page is the index to our series of lesson plans that follow the book of acts. The book of acts is one of the most exciting and challenging of the new testament, filled as it is with the works of the early church, empowered by the holy spirit, the tongues of fire and rushing wind on the day of pentecost ch. The book of acts sheds light on the gift of the holy spirit, who empowers, guides, teaches, and serves as. An overview of the book of acts the life of the early church is recorded and preserved for us in the book of acts and the epistles. Overview of the book of acts reformed answers to bible. The genre of the book of acts is narrative history with several sermons. However, two significant factors point to the identification of john as. Oct 04, 2016 watch our overview video on the book of acts, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Book of acts overview insight for living ministries. Acts tells us how the holy spirit came upon the church, and how the gospel spreads from jerusalem to rome. Gods kingdom will advance and grow despite any and all opposition. The first four books of the nt are gospels, followed then by the book of acts. The book of acts was written by luke, a greek physician.
This series contains opening games with each week and a biblical youth group lesson to tie it all together. Jesus sends the holy spirit to empower his disciples as they carry the good news of his kingdom to the nations of the world. Here are some of the themes that we will see and explore over the course of this sermon series. Acts summary we have detailed a brief summary of the book of acts for bible study or sunday school lessons. The two parts, or books, were written by luke as a narrative that is an orderly account of the story of jesus and his first followers. Acts of the apostles executable outline study resources. Acts date and purpose the book of acts is simply called. Luke was from antioch but traveled with paul all over southern europe and the middle east.
Watch our overview video on the book of acts, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. This page will be updated as the posts are published. Book of acts read, study bible verses online bible study tools. Acts is the only biblical book that chronicles the history of the church immediately after jesuss ascension.
It is titled acts to emphasize that this book records the acts of. The presence and working of the holy spirit is the dominating mark of the book of acts. The life of the early church is recorded and preserved for us in the book of acts and the epistles. The book of acts tells about the beginning of the church. Actus apostolorum, often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament. Rather, the focus is clearly on some of the acts or deeds of mostly peter the key figure in the first half and paul the key figure in the second. In the latter portion of acts, luke recorded three rejections of the jews to pauls overtures of salvation. The book of the acts of the apostles forms the fifth, and last, of the historical books of the new testament. Not surprisingly, the gospel of john never provides the name of its author.
The title of the book of acts comes from the greek word praxis, a word often used in early christian literature to describe the great deeds of the apostles or other significant believers. Jesus instructs the apostles to stay in jerusalem and wait for the promised holy spirit. This is an 8week preteen bible series that takes students on a journey through the book of acts. A journey through the book of acts overview lesson. Introduction and overview plan of the book of acts four pivotal events timeline for acts and epistles pauls missionary journeys map.
To record the establishment and early growth of the church based on content, what else does the book appear designed to reveal. Two dates are possible for the writing of the book of acts. The book of acts tells how the multiethnic, international. For information about the writer, occasion and purpose, date and place, of the book of acts, see an overview of the gospel of luke, which is located at the beginning of the gospel according to luke. It is titled acts to emphasize that this book records the acts of the apostles through the work of the holy spirit. A new perspective of earth hardcover october 25, 2016. Provides an overview of acts and two outlines for the book of acts as well as an index for bff acts articles, powerpoints and audiovideo podcasts. The book of acts is the only historical book found in the nt with the exception of the gospels. Overview of the book of acts third millennium ministries. Before jesus was taken into heaven where he was enthroned to share gods rule over the world, he instructed his followers to be a witness for him.
Luke wrote the book of acts acts of the apostles to record how believers were empowered by the holy spirit, worked to spread the gospel of christ, and are a. Luke, the author of the gospel of luke, was a doctor and gentile. Luke had written to him before and had told him about the things that jesus did and taught. And on this account it has been generally placed at the end of the four gospels. By carefully noting the use of we and they in the book of acts, we glean that luke joined paul at troas act 16. In this book we see the first mention of the dispensation of the holy spirit and jesus command to take his gospel to all the world. Although the author does not name himself, evidence outside the scriptures and inferences from the book itself lead to the conclusion that the.
The book begins with the ascension of jesus and goes on through pauls jail time in rome, which opens his ministry to the church at rome. In this video i share the outline to acts, the overall message, key lessons learned and the key events, people and places in the book of acts. It might also be called the acts of the holy spirit, as that person of the godhead is very much an active participant throughout the book. Through the book of acts, youll notice that both apostles perform miracles through the power of the spirit, see visions, suffer, preach powerfully, and were imprisoned and later miraculously set free. Jul 16, 20 acts tells us how the holy spirit came upon the church, and how the gospel spreads from jerusalem to rome. Synopsis of the book of acts from the bible jack wellman. Pauls epistles, as many circumstances in them are referred to by the narrative contained.
The emphasis of the book is the fulfillment of the great commission. The book of acts picks up where the gospels drop off, by describing the activities of jesus disciples after he is raised from the dead and then ascended into heaven. Introduction to the book of acts acts study guide medium. Acts shows us that the triune god will be successful in drawing his people to himself.
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