Setting the Stage A. An approximate chronology of Acts: The Ascension (Acts 1) 30 AD - Matthias chosen by Lot (Acts 1:12) 30 AD - The Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost (Acts 2) 30 AD - Peter heals and preaches (Acts 3) 30 AD - Peter and John arrested and released (Acts 4) 30 AD - Believers share all (Acts 4:32) 31 AD - Deaths of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) 30 AD - Apostles preach and heal (Acts 5:11) 31 AD - Stephen’s speech, stoning, and death (Acts 6, 7) 31 AD - Saul persecutes the Church (Acts 8) 31 AD - Philip in Samaria (Acts 8:3) 31 AD - Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8:9) 31 AD - Philip and the Ethiopian (Acts 8:26) 34 AD - Saul’s conversion (Acts 9) 37 AD - Peter preaches to the Gentiles (Acts 10, 11) 42 AD - Barnabas sent to Antioch (Acts 11:22) 42 AD - Peter led from prison by the Angel (Acts 12) 44 AD - Herod Agrippa dies (Acts 12:20) 48 AD - Paul’s First Missionary Journey (Acts 13) 48 AD - Paul preaches in Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:14) 48 AD - Paul and Barnabas in Iconium (Acts 14) 48 AD - Paul and Barnabas in Lystra and Derbe (Acts 14:8) 48 AD - Paul and Barnabas return to Syrian Antioch (Acts 14:21) 48 AD - Return to Syrian Antioch (Acts 14:24) 48 AD - The Council at Jerusalem (Acts
Jesus’ ministry was public so many people saw what he did and what he was about. The Gospel of Luke really highlights Jesus’ compassion towards the “outcast” of Israel, and forgiveness towards those who did not deserve it. I love that the Gospel of Luke shows that Jesus did not care about money or the “class” of people, but that he just cared for people for who they were, it was kind of his focus in his ministry. It is reassuring to know that when Jesus was physically on earth, it was a class-conscious society, like the world now so the Gospel of Luke is very insightful and inspiring in that aspect. Luke also talks about the discipleship Jesus taught, His death on the cross, and
Some scholars think the book of Acts was written to Theophilus which means lover of God in Greek. However, because the tone of the book is apologetic, some think the book could also have been intended to present the Christian faith and church in a positive manner towards the Roman authorities (Laymon). Therefore, identification of who the book was written for is based on speculation because scholars cannot determine for certain the individuals or individual the book was addressed to (Laymon). Nevertheless, scholars do know that the work is read as an account of the life of the Christian movement (Laymon). The date of Acts is uncertain, but the remorseful tone gives clues that it could possibly be during a time when the church was under attack and enduring a lot of stress, plus, it provides encouragement for those going through stressful times as well
What it happens around him is not the right way for humans to be
b) Pentecost through the conversion of Cornelius the Centurion In the second section of Acts, the message of the gospel spreads beyond Jerusalem and reaches the Gentile population, including Cornelius the Centurion. This challenges the traditional boundaries of Judaism and demonstrates the extent of God's love and salvation. c) Paul's ministry around the Roman Empire In the third section, Paul embarks on multiple missionary journeys, facing opposition and persecution as he spreads the message of the gospel throughout the Roman Empire.
Salvation is an important theme. Jesus is born a Savior (Luke 2:11; cf. 2:30). Also in Luke, the work of the Holy Spirit is emphasized a lot. Jesus is conceived by the Spirit (Luke 1:35), People are filled with the Spirit (Luke 1:15, 41, 67) and inspired by the Spirit (Luke
In the book of Acts, the author prepares his readers for a historic transformation of Christianity. The author successfully does this by incorporating the recruitment of two different men. Between the two men, the most dramatic recruit was that of Saul. Saul was a zealous Pharisee who was devoted to chastising Christians and destroying the up and coming movement (Harris, 2014). While traveling to persecute Jewish believers on the Damascus Road, Saul was blinded and had an encounter with the Lord.
He could have you by His side for all eternity. What beautiful love. The King of the world now hung on a cross. His blood dripped from the cross onto our sins. As He gave His last breath, He remembered what great things He would do in your life.
Luke was responsible for writing both books. It is debatable if Acts was written prior to the annihilation of Jerusalem by Roman’s General Titus. Some evidence is that Stephen fails to include the ruined temple in his sermon in Acts 7. Had this sermon been written after destruction of the temple, the author would’ve included the incdent to emphasize the judgment of God on Judaism. Besides, St. Luke used the books of Luke and Acts of Apostles to end the tension between the administrative and religious frameworks in the region.
In Acts chapter six, we get introduced to a man of God named Stephen. He was full of so much faith and the Holy Spirit. Although we don't know much about his personal life we know that Stephen was a man of God that was faithful to His King even when things were hard and he faced death. In Acts seven, we see Stephen's testimony.
He created the world and gave life to mankind, expressing thereby his love and righteousness. However, the reality of the human world is a denial of
The Acts of the Apostles is the second part of Luke. The Greek word for Acts is praxis, which means practice or deeds. “Church writers in a later period titled this portion of this account, thus comparing it to the Hellenistic writings of the same name describing the accomplishments of famous men.” There is a prologue in the beginning of Acts similar to Luke, which is very deliberate. He addresses the reader, Theophilus and assures him that this is a trustworthy account.
Because of his attribution to the New Testament as writing 13 books in the total of 27 books, Paul even considered himself “as little more than an ambassador or emissary for Jesus” (Powell, 231). Paul is the person who had oppressed the church. After that, on the road to Damascus, when he experienced a rendezvous with Jesus, he became a Christian missionary. Discussing particular theological issues, Paul’s epistles are written to a specific person or a specific group of people. Paul’s epistles are to Romans, two to Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, two to Thessalonians, two to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.
I was in the active duty Air Force for six and a half years. Five of those years were spent away from my family in Germany. When I got to Germany I was 19 years old, and I had never been that far away from my family. If you haven’t guess already, I am going to be talking about the time that I spent in Germany. I will be focusing on how being in Germany helped me become a woman, exposed me to a different culture, and helped to me understand the true definition of family.
The author is referenced several times in the New Testament starting in the book of Acts and finally in the book of Mark was probably written in Italy, and perhaps even Rome. This book has 16 chapters and is the shortest book of the four gospels. However, the details of the events and miracles of Jesus in this book are
