It is intended to help you better understand some of the background and issues in lukes second volume. Outline studies in the book of the acts of the apostles. Study 1 going through the book of acts words of life. How does luke summarize the activities of jesus during the lords 40 days on earth between his resurrection and ascension.
It tells of the founding of the church, the spread of the gospel, the beginnings of congregations, and. Doughty southside christian church january 2014 introduction. Without this historical record, little would be known about the expansion of the church. Sermon outlines from acts sermon outline series pentz, croft m on. In what acts did the early church continue steadfastly in. The book of acts is the only historical record of the birth and early days following christs establishing his church. You can learn more about the book of acts in the bible dictionary, acts of the apostles pp. Book of acts versebyverse bible study and indepth commentary of the acts of the apostles in plain english for everyone to understand. One of the earliest manuscripts, the codex sinaiticus, gives as the title the simple word acts, with no mention of the apostles. Acts free bible commentary on the book of acts in easy. The preaching of the gospel of jesus and his kingdom b. Sir william ramsay, after making a critical study of lukes writings, declared that luke was the greatest historian, ancient or modern.
Content includes book studies on luke, ephesians, thessalonians, james, 1 samuel, john, and acts. This is a geographical outline of the book based largely on what appears to be the organizing verse in acts. The acts of the apostles connects the life, ministry, death and resurrection of jesus with the faith communities that came after jesus. See what its about from the first verse to the last. Each place is located on a map and then we note the people and events associated with that place. What can we learn and apply from the book of acts today. The book of acts contains important information for all today. This is an interactive, versebyverse bible study and commentary of the acts of the apostles the book of acts or simply acts, which is the fifth book in the new testament of the bible.
Salmon, hist introduction to the study of the books of the new testament 7th edition. A major figure in the book of acts and the new testament is the apostle paul. Perhaps luke was using it to mean any christian reader. What do you know about luke, the author of this book. The bible book of acts with full chapters, footnotes and bible commentary to aid your bible search, reading, and study. Bible study lesson sheets these are lessons designed for either a class or personal study. Introduction to the book of acts acts study guide medium. 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. Paragraphbyparagraph outline for the book of acts josh. Acts free bible commentary on the book of acts in easy english. However, this book does not record the acts of men but of the risen lord, who by the holy spirit filled and used men as his instruments.
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. Acts is a bridge between the gospels and the epistles. Bobdeffinbaugh graduated from dallas theological seminary with his th. In the first book, o theophilus, i have dealt with all that jesus began to do and teach until the day when he was taken up from us. Two lines of argument lead to the conclusion that luke, the friend, fellow missionary, and physician of. Book of acts overview insight for living ministries. Although the author does not name himself, evidence outside the scriptures and inferences from the book itself lead to the conclusion that the author was luke. 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. But he did not start off as a hero to the church of god, but rather a villain. In addition, there are topical studies on issues such as spiritual leadership, gods redemptive plan, and old testament character studies. The significance of acts as a historical account of christian origins cannot be overestimated. Timeline of the book of acts dates reference events books written historical events roman emperors c. Peter is not mentioned in acts after the account of the council.
Acts is the book that reveals the power of the church. The book has been called the acts of the apostles, really a misnomer because acts has very little to say concerning most of the original twelve apostles. Acts explains what happened after the great commission matt 28 and provides the background to the different letters that were written to various faith communities. Includes lessons about the kingdom of christ, church organization and worship, examples of conversion, the nature and purpose of miracles, and the work of the holy spirit. This study is indepth but uses easytounderstand english and a question and answer format that will engage you. Luke is the writer, as he states in his introduction v.
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. The lord jesus christ at work by the holy spirit through the apostles. The book is called acts or the acts of the apostles because it contains an account of some of the apostles. Both the books of luke and acts are addressed to the most excellent theophilus. This is, in effect, an outline of the book of acts see plan and outline below. Standing between the gospels and the epistles, the book of acts is a bridge between the life of jesus and the ministry of the apostle paul. By carefully noting the use of we and they in the book of acts, we glean that luke joined paul at troas act 16. Provides an overview of acts and two outlines for the book of acts as well as an index for bff acts articles, powerpoints. The main issues revolve around whether he is a man perhaps a greek official for whom lukeacts is an apologetic for the gospel or a kind of generic everyman since the name means lover of god.
This is the third in a series of three smallgroup bible study discussion guides luke 19, luke 1024 and selected portions of acts which explore the meaning of witness. If the book was just before or after pauls release, then it was likely written around 63 a. And, when the book of acts begins, he carefully outlines what he has written in the book of luke, as i read already. Acts furnishes a ladder on which to place the epistles. Commentary on the book of acts bible study lessons. Therefore, when a church begins to dwindle, lose its power, and turn dull and drab in its witness, it needs desperately to get back into the spirit, expectation, knowledge and teaching of the book of acts.
As such, it provides us with a valuable account of how the church was able to grow and spread out from jerusalem into the rest of the roman empire. A commentary on the acts of the apostles by pastor galen l. How did the residents of jerusalem react to the church. Outline of the book of acts outline of acts 1 outline of acts 2 outline of acts 3 outline of acts 4 outline of acts 5 outline of acts 6 outline of acts 7 outline of acts 8 outline of acts 9. Outline of acts free bible outlines bible study start. Acts intro to acts biblica the international bible society. The outline is based on the theme verse of the book of acts. Today begins a study of the book of acts in this daily bible study series.
Acts of the apostles a study guide executable outlines. Since the book of acts is the continuation of the gospel account of all jesus began to do and teach, it catalogs what jesus continued to do and teach through the holy spirit. The book of acts tells mainly about the ministry of paul, beginning just after the resurrection of jesus christ and ending about a. Stephen said some words from the book by the prophet isaiah isaiah 66. The preparation of the leaders of the jerusalem church for the gentile mission 11. We look at the places mentioned in acts, taking them in alphabetical order. Purpose of the book as indicated previously, the original purpose of both the gospel and acts may have been to assist. Blue letter bible study tools make reading, searching and studying the bible easy. If you want to know what the book of acts is about, it is acts 1. The book of acts, sometimes called the fifth gospel, is a continuation of the gospel of luke. The life of the early church is recorded and preserved for us in the book of acts and the epistles. The authorship of acts is ascribed to luke for these reasons.
We hope this outline of acts will help you as you seek to find gods truth in the pages of his letter to you. When we come to the book of acts, the first question we may ask is why was it written. We read of the evangelistic methods and message of the early apostles and preachers 3. Acts of the apostles executable outline study resources. Before beginning the heart of his lesson, what did peter have to explain first. The gospel spreads to the uttermost parts of the world. Instead, it repeatedly calls us to reflect upon the work of god, fulfilled in jesus christ, establishing the church by the power of the holy spirit. Jul 10, 2014 the book of acts does not primarily provide us with human patterns to emulate or avoid. The introduction of acts and the book of luke help us to determine the author of acts. If the purpose of the book is to show the spread of christianity, it fails.
Bible study of acts join us for an inspiring study on. Acts 1 niv bible in my former book, theophilus, i wrote. The new testament without acts leaves a great, yawning gap. The following outline is intended to be used while studying the book. The book of acts was written within the lifetime of most of the eyewitnesses of the life, death and resurrection of jesus christ. 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.
The life and travels of the apostle paul are followed. My prayer is that as you meet the conditions of gods promise to joshua, and you do not let this book. Intro to acts biblica the international bible society. Rapid evangelism resulting in the establishment of local churches. Acts records the beginnings of the church and reveals the steps one must obey to become a christian. A bible study lesson series about the beginning of christianity as revealed in the book of the acts of the apostles.
Bob is a pastorteacher and elder at community bible chapel in richardson, texas, and has contributed many of his bible study series for use by the foundation. Well try to put the book of acts in context to prepare us to take on the text. It will help to keep the whole of the book before you as you work your way through each section. It is an appropriate starting point for the book of acts, since the book records the work of preaching which the apostles did in response to the great commission. Includes lessons about the kingdom of christ, church organization and worship, examples of conversion, the nature. Acts facts people, places, and verse by verse study. 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.
Each paragraph in the esv translation of acts has been evaluated and a factual statement about its content was recorded in one sentence. Book of acts bible study lessons course a free online bible study lessons about the history of the early church. Copeland hundreds of free sermon outlines and bible study materials available for online browsing and downloading. Acts of the apostles, outline international standard. But it is more likely that theophilus was a real person. It is the greatest sequel ever written, the sequel of sequelsthe sequel to. The book ends with luke accompanying paul to his imprisonment in rome.
Acts is the only biblical book that chronicles the history of the church immediately after jesuss ascension. The book of acts is a vital link between the gospels and the epistles. The waiting period introduction the gospel story has a sequel. But stephen reminded the jews that god was bigger than any temple. 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. For assurance of our own salvation, we can compare our own conversion experience with those in acts. Carefully, paragraph by paragraph, the book of acts has been evaluated in the following pages. Peters activities are described at some length, and john and philip are mentioned, but more than half of the book is about paul and his connection with the christian movement. Luke records many examples of conversion in the book of acts e. In fact, the work is given in detail of only two of the apostles, peter and paul. If the purpose of the book is to show the spread of christianity, it fails in a great part.
Acts bible book with full chapters king james version. This commentary is based upon my personal devotional notes and reflections on the book of acts. The power of the holy spirit to perform signs and wonders to confirm the preaching of the word c. Acts of the apostles 4 imprisonment in rome are 6062 a.
Here is a summary and overview of the book of acts. Acts is the second book in the history that luke wrote. Outline of the book of acts outline of acts 1 outline of acts 2 outline of acts 3 outline of acts 4. The book of acts demonstrates jesus christs promise and his commission to the church being fulfilled. One is simply to strengthen believers as witnesses to the work and life of jesus, both in history and in their lives. We use your linkedin profile and activity data to personalize ads and to show you more relevant ads. The acts of peter and philip the evangelist are recorded here as well. Acts of the apostles, a study guide from the executable outlines series by mark a. The mission and who did the sending depends on the context. There is a conjunction between three elements as the gospel goes forth. The temple in this book called acts was the third temple. In only three decades, a small group of frightened believers in jerusalem transformed. If the book of acts were gone, there would be nothing to replace it howson.