God’s Kingdom is continually
The book of the Acts of the Apostles opens where Luke left off in his Gospel account, with Jesus giving parting instructions to His disciples and then ascending to Heaven.
Acts 1:6–8
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
In the introduction Luke accomplished two things.
He
He provides a
As we see God’s sovereign hand through Acts, we will grow to understand how He has likewise continued this expansion to and through us today!
Background
Before we consider the message of the book, some brief comments on its background. Luke, the companion of Paul, wrote both the Gospel of Luke and Acts.
It’s likely that they came as a
The book was likely written in the early
Why did Luke write this book?
The book of Acts was written to
Luke [edifies us] by describing the historical foundation for Christian faith and by showing, through this historical survey, that the church of his, and Theophilus’s, day is the culmination of biblical history. God’s salvation was revealed in, and made available through, his Son, Jesus Christ. The message of that salvation was entrusted by Christ himself to his apostles, and through the empowering and directing of the Holy Spirit, they have now brought that message, and the salvation it mediates, to ‘the ends of the earth.
The Power of Kingdom Expansion—the
Acts 2:1–4
1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 8:17
17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 10:44–45
44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles.
We need to listen to Luke – in Acts, he labors to prove to us that Jesus really did deliver on His promise to send His Holy Spirit to the Church – not just the early church, but all of us who believe in him.
The filling of the Holy Spirit isn’t a
A good question for us to ponder this evening is, are you aware of and thankful for the
In Acts, the Spirit provides the power that Christ promised before his ascension.
The Message of Kingdom Expansion—
God has chosen to always work his divine power of conversion through human beings
Acts 2:38–39
38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
The gospel is the good news that declares to us that even though God is absolutely perfect – the Holy Spirit is utterly holy, set apart from us – and even though we have rebelled against this perfect God and broken his law in our sin, so that none of us is fit for his holy presence but instead deserve his judgment – in spite of all that, because of his mercy the Son of God came in the flesh to save us.
Jesus of Nazareth, through the willing sacrifice of his own life on the cross, reconciled us to God, so that we could be forgiven of our sins and by grace enjoy the presence of God’s Holy Spirit – if we would only repent of our sin and believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Acts 3:13–15
13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
As we see people all around us who do not trust in Jesus, we are to
The
We can see the
Acts 10:27–29
27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”
Luke 13:18–19
18 He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”
Acts 11:2–3
2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
Acts 11:18
18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
We should consider no one beyond God’s
We can see the
Acts 15:11
11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
We see the continued expansion of the church in the
Paul’s second missionary trip took him to modern-day
Acts 18:9–10
9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”
When Paul returned to Ephesus sometime later, he was able to encourage the Ephesian elders in what is perhaps the tenderest scene in the book of Acts.
Riots and opposition may come, but these men had the weightiest responsibility:
Acts 20:28
28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
You need to continually pray for the
It is not wrong to use the gifts, opportunities, advantages, relationships that the Lord has given us for the purpose of expanding his Kingdom.
It is a misinterpretation of the New Testament to think that Christians are called to “sit back” and wait for God. Certainly, patience and trust are part of the Christian life, but so is
After a long and dangerous journey, that included a shipwreck, Paul arrived in Rome and that is where Luke ended his story.
Acts 28:28
28 Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”
The Providence of Kingdom Expansion—The
Acts 5:34–39
34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice,
The book of Acts, in a phrase, is one long validation that this was indeed of God.
We continually observe that God does the work in the book of Acts.
• God
• God
• God
God told to go to Corinth because “I
Acts 4:24–29
24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— 27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
The certain hope of the book of Acts is that God