RESCUE THE PERISHING Rescue the perishing care for

RESCUE THE PERISHING Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave; Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen, Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save. Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.

ACTS: AN OVERVIEW Witnesses to the World (Growing, Glowing, Going)

INTRODUCTION • Acts has it all – supernatural intervention, astounding miracles, powerful preaching, breathtaking escapes, harrowing journeys, life-anddeath decisions, courtroom dramas, thrilling rescues, action, mystery and adventure. • Underlying all of these is God working in individuals through the Holy Spirit.

THE AUTHOR: Luke • Doctor, Gentile Christian, traveling companion of Paul and writer of the Gospel. • Acts 16: 10 • Colossians 4: 14; 2 Timothy 4: 11; Philemon 1: 24

DATE AND SETTING • Between A. D. 63 and 65 • Antioch? • Rome? • Ephesus?

AUDIENCE • Theophilus (“one who loves God”) - a Roman officer? - a new believer who was having some difficulty with the Christian faith? • Gentiles (Luke 7: 1 -10; 8: 26 -39; Acts 10) • People everywhere

OCCASION AND PURPOSE • To give an accurate account of the birth and growth of the Christian church. • Historic – Luke 1: 3; Acts 11: 28 • Kerygmatic (“that which is preached”) – the core of the gospel message (Acts 1: 8) • Apologetic (“rational defense of the faith”)- Acts 4: 8 -12; 25: 8 -11 • Conciliatory – Acts 15

MESSAGE • Church beginnings • Holy Spirit • Church growth • Witnessing • Opposition

BRIDGING THE GAP The Gospels The Epistles

OBSERVATIONS ON ACTS • Acts is a book of victory • Acts is essentially about the ministries of Peter and Paul - Mistakes and successes - Discouragement and great courage • Narratives are not necessarily normative • Preaching • Prayer

LUKE ACTS Begins with an address to most excellent Theophilus Begins with an address to Theophilus Announcement made by angel Gabriel Announcement made by two angels Begins in Jerusalem Birth of Jesus as the Spirit comes on Mary Birth of the Church as the Spirit comes on believers There is a movement toward Jerusalem There is a movement away from Jerusalem

1 2 Preparation Primarily Church Established Peter 3 Church Dispersed 6 7 9 Peter & Others 13 15 Church Born Church Witnessing Church Organized Church Expanding Church Scattered 10 Church Foretold Church Dispersed Gentiles in the Church Primarily Church Extended Paul First Missionary Journey Church in Conference 16 Second Missionary Journey 19 Third Missionary Journey 21 Paul Imprisoned 24 27 -28 Paul in Jerusalem Paul in Caesarea Paul in Rome

WITNESS TO THE RESURRECTION • This Jesus has God raised up, of which we all are witnesses (Acts 2: 32). • But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the dead; of which we are witnesses (3: 1415). • And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all (4: 33). • And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to them that obey him (5: 32).

Tarsus Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to Salamis pass, that for a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught many people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. (Acts 11: 25 -26) Antioch Seleucia

ACTS 15 Must Christians be circumcised in order to be saved?

ACTS 17: 10 -12 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming there went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women who were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

In the Synagogue Bible Studies In the house of Titius Justus

ACTS 28: 30 -31 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.