1. The Birth of Christianity
Introduction to
Acts

2. The Birth of Christianity
In 1955 Billy Graham gave a sermon
using the story of
“The Chess Master and the Painting”

3. The Birth of Christianity

4. The Birth of Christianity
The move is toward
Jesus Christ

5. The Birth of Christianity
Jesus set an amazing movement into motion during His lifetime
He envisioned and formed the local church
That church and the churches birthed from her efforts have been handed down to our own church today

6. The Birth of Christianity
Through the churches He built, Jesus is beating the Devil
Today, we are starting to go through the Book of Acts and watch the events unfold as Christ builds His church and the disciples of Christ plant new churches around the world

7. The Birth of Christianity
Who is author of Acts?

8. The Birth of Christianity
Who is author of Acts?
From early church tradition, all generally agree that the author of Acts is the same as the author of the gospel of Luke – Luke
By comparing the vocabulary, main themes, and style of both books, experts have concluded that the authors of the two books were the same

9. The Birth of Christianity
Who is author of Acts?
These two accounts – Luke and Acts – are widely regarded as the most cultured writings of the New Testament
Literary speaking, the Greek is very good
The writer of these two books is very well educated and widely read

10. The Birth of Christianity
Who is author of Acts?
For the trivia buffs, the author of Luke and Acts uses 266 words which are not used elsewhere in the New Testament – incredible when you think that what he is writing about was the same things as Mark and Matthew wrote about

11. The Birth of Christianity
We want to look at 60 years
that changed the world
through the eyes of Luke

12. The Birth of Christianity
Who was Luke?
Luke was most likely a Greek speaking Gentile by birth – the only non-Jewish author of the books of the New Testament
He was a traveling companion of Paul for many years and was a fellow worker in the gospel (Philemon 24)

13. The Birth of Christianity
Who was Luke?
He was a physician by profession (Colossians 4:14) and gave medical care for Paul
His writings indicate that he was interested in medical facts. Luke dwells on more details relating to people’s state of mind and health than do Mark and Matthew
He went with Paul from Troas to Macedonia and became the pastor of the Philippian church

14. The Birth of Christianity
Who was Luke?
When Paul returned to Philippi on his third journey, Luke went back to Jerusalem with Paul
When Paul was imprisoned there and when he was transported to Rome, Luke accompanied him
He stayed with Paul while Paul was in prison in Rome and was the only one who remained as Paul faced death (2 Timothy 4:11)

15. The Birth of Christianity
Luke’s Approach to writing
Luke was not just a spectator, studying Christian life from the outside
He was an active preacher and missionary himself
He was closely associated with Paul
His whole purpose of life, everything he held dear, depended on getting the facts straight

16. The Birth of Christianity
Luke’s Approach to writing
Luke shows us this approach in Luke 1:1-2:
“Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.”

17. The Birth of Christianity
Luke’s Approach to writing
Luke sets out to show his sources are credible by showing that many have gone before him
There was likely quite a bit of interest in Jesus’ life by this time and there were likely many accounts of Jesus’ life, one of which was Mark’s gospel account which Luke draws on heavily
These were truthful, authentic, genuine accounts

18. The Birth of Christianity
Luke’s Approach to writing
They had been written in such a way that they were orderly and gave an account of the things that had happened
But, in this case, they were not considered sufficient by Luke and so he is setting out to write his own account

19. The Birth of Christianity
Luke’s Approach to writing
Note this in Luke’s approach
Many of these other account writers were like Luke, they were not eyewitnesses
The information that Luke gleaned however, in his writings was directly obtained from eyewitnesses to the events

20. The Birth of Christianity
Luke’s Approach to writing
Eyewitnesses are incredibly important when it comes to determining the truth of something
Do our courts rely on second or third hand information?
No – they call that hearsay and it is not admissible in our courts
Only eyewitness accounts are credible, because that minimizes the risk that the truth will be distorted

21. The Birth of Christianity
Luke’s Approach to writing
Luke in his travels with Paul had many opportunities to meet and talk to the apostles and those who had been followers of Christ while He was on earth
It is likely that Luke’s Gospel and Acts were written in A.D., just 30 years after Christ’s death
His research was taking place for several years before this, thus it is likely many eyewitnesses to the facts were still alive

22. The Birth of Christianity
Luke’s Approach to writing
Writing while the witnesses were still alive is important for two reasons
First, Luke could go to them for information
Second, publishing his work while many of his sources were still living enables them to validate his investigation and his account

23. The Birth of Christianity
Luke’s Approach to writing
Luke declares to us that he himself investigated the information
He gathered the information, spoke to the eyewitnesses, arranged the accounts, filled any holes, and sorted out contradictions
And, he did it carefully

24. The Birth of Christianity
Luke’s Approach to writing
What was left was enough information to set down an ordered account of Jesus’ life in Volume 1 (Luke) and the history of the early church in Volume 2 (Acts)
Luke introduces ninety-five people in his writings, sixty-two of whom are not mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament

25. The Birth of Christianity
Luke’s Approach to writing
And note this point – Luke has written more in the New Testament than any other writer – 28% of the New Testament comes from Luke - and it is all carefully researched material which God inspired him to write

26. The Birth of Christianity
Luke’s Approach to writing
William Ramsay was a British chemist who discovered the inert gaseous elements in the air
He was not convinced of the historical actuality of Luke’s writings in the Book of Acts, especially as they pertained to the missionary journeys of Paul
He spent years of investigation into the matter
His work was so scholarly and commendable that the Queen of England knighted him for his labor

27. The Birth of Christianity
Luke’s Approach to writing
Instead of finding Luke in error, he discovered that the writing was completely accurate
He described Acts as the most perfect historical document of all time

28. The Birth of Christianity
Acts
Is not about the dreams, theories, or speculations
It is about the “Acts” of the Apostles
Pivotal book of the New Testament

29. The Birth of Christianity
Acts
Is an account of the birth
and growth of the Church

30. The Birth of Christianity
Acts
Themes
The Church’s beginning
The work of the Holy Spirit
Church Growth
Witnessing
Opposition to the Church

31. The Birth of Christianity
Note The Gospels’ Last Chapters
Matthew 28 – refers to the resurrection
Mark 16 – refers to the Ascension
Luke 24 – refers to the Promise of the Holy Spirit
John 21 – refers to the 2nd Coming

32. The Birth of Christianity
Note The Gospels Last Chapters
Matthew 28 – refers to the resurrection
Mark 16 – refers to the Ascension
Luke 24 – refers to the Promise of the Holy Spirit
John 21 – refers to the 2nd Coming
All four of these facts are found in Acts 1:1-11

33. The Birth of Christianity
Beginning of Acts
Like all stories, Acts has a beginning
It begins with 3 verses, but they say a lot
We see that Luke’s story is continued
“In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach” (Acts 1:1)

34. The Birth of Christianity
Beginning of Acts
Luke wants to continue the story of Jesus
Jesus’ work is not done
And neither is Luke’s job of recording it

35. The Birth of Christianity
Beginning of Acts
The most important part of this passage is what Luke says about Jesus’ activity
Luke tells us that he wrote all about “that Jesus began to do and teach”
Jesus began something and it is ongoing
The work of Jesus is unfinished and ongoing

36. The Birth of Christianity
Beginning of Acts
Before Jesus was taken up into heaven, he gave instructions to His disciples
Those instructions were about continuing the work Jesus began to do
Those instructions came through the Holy Spirit

37. The Birth of Christianity
Beginning of Acts
Twelve men continued the work that Jesus started
They were average men
They changed the world

38. The Birth of Christianity
Beginning of Acts
You are here today because they continued the work Jesus started
They continued the work Jesus started because Jesus taught them and gave them the Holy Spirit
They knew their purpose

39. The Birth of Christianity
Do we know our
purpose today?

40. The Birth of Christianity
As we work our way through this book,
we will discover the purpose
Jesus has for us in Pinehurst

41. The Birth of Christianity
Welcome to our study of
Acts of the Apostles