1. THE GOOD NEWS (GOSPEL) OF JESUS CHRIST… God’s reign (kingdom) is arriving Chaos, brokenness, evil is being overthrown God’s reign is among us/in us—it is his will carried out on earth just like it is carried out in heaven God’s reign is seen in weakness, suffering, death The citizens of God’s reign are the most unlikely persons—religious outsiders and social outcasts

2. HOW DOES THIS GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CONTINUE BEYOND JESUS…AND HOW DOES IT MOVE OUTSIDE OF JUDAISM? BOOK OF ACTS: The Church is the embodiment of Jesus as he is seen in Luke Volume 2 of Luke’s Gospel: What Jesus began to do…continues!

3. THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK OF ACTS KEY VERSE – Acts 1:8 POWER (look at Peter) HOLY SPIRIT WITNESSES (MARTYRS) Jerusalem (1:12-8:3) Judea/Samaria (8:4-12:25) Ends of the earth (13-28)

4. THE LAST WORD OF THE BOOK OF ACTS UNHINDERED The Book of Acts is the story of the gospel breaking through every possible human barrier! Language Barriers (2) Geographical Barriers (1:8) Ethnic Barriers (10)

5. THE KEY TO THE EXPANSION OF THE CHURCH IN ACTS The coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost = POWER Tongues = Dialects Peter’s Preaching 3,000 converts

6. THE KEY TO THE EXPANSION OF THE CHURCH IN ACTS The life of the church in the world (Acts 2:42-47) Prayer, disciple’s teaching, breaking bread, fellowship Their shared life was so radically counter-cultural, others took notice (17:6)

7. HOW DO MEMBERS OF “THE WAY” BECOME A RELIGION THAT IS MORE THAN A JEWISH SECT? Turning points: Stoning of Stephen… persecution forces the apostles to go into new territories (8:4) Saul (Paul), after the death of Stephen, is called by God (9)

8. BACKGROUND OF SAUL Highly trained in the Torah by the widely-respected rabbi Gamaliel An ardent Jew—circumcised when 8 days old, roots in the tribe of Benjamin, Pharisee, “blameless” in obedience to law (Philippians 3.5-6) At the stoning of Stephen, the people lay coats at his feet with his approval of the stoning (Acts 7.58) Saul ravages the church by entering house after house, dragging men and women off to prison (Acts 8.1, 3)

9. THE CALL and MISSION OF SAUL On his way to Damascus to persecute people belonging to “the Way” The resurrected Jesus appears and says: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” Name change to Paul (from Hebrew to Greek) Three Journeys throughout the Mediterranean focusing on major, large metropolitan cities, such as Thessaloniki, Athens, Rome, Philippi, Ephesus, and Corinth

10. THE DILEMMA FACED BY THE CHURCH Must one first become a Jew through circumcision in order to become a follower of Jesus? Peter’s experience in Acts 10 The house of Cornelius and the Gentile Pentecost

11. THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL—Paul meets with Peter, James, and John Acts 15: “After there had been much debate Peter stood up and said: “We believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” THE INCLUSION OF THE GENTILES OPENS THE DOOR FOR THE EXPANSION OF CHRISTIANITY TO THE “ENDS OF THE EARTH.”

12. THE GOSPEL REACHES ROME As the book of Acts closes, we find Paul, in house prison and awaiting trial, preaching freely the gospel of Jesus Christ. Truly, the work of Jesus has spread out from Jerusalem and reached to the very end of the world – unhindered – unbound – loose! ACTS 29 – the story of Jesus and his work continues on in the life of the church – and we get to be a part of that story!

13. KEY THEMES OF THE BOOK OF ACTS What Jesus began, the church continues! Holy Spirit is the key to the church’s life & growth! Every barrier to the gospel is knocked down! The church is a people of fervent prayer, deep love, and passionate mission. Their life together (Acts 2:42-46) is so radically counter-cultural, it turns the world upside down (Acts 17:6)! Witness (testimony) is the heart of the church’s proclamation…eyewitness experience shared!