Introduction to Acts

ByJim Stephens

Scripture: Acts 1:1-5

1 In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. 4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:1-5 NLT)

Like his Gospel, Luke addresses this book to Theophilus. The name Theophilus means “God-Lover” and may refer to all God-loving readers. Or Theophilus may have been a friend of Luke’s who helped finance his missionary travels with Paul as we’ll read about later. But here among the GraceNotes readers, we’re all “Theophiluses”!

In a couple of days, we’ll be at Pentecost, where the Holy Spirit is poured out upon the believers just as Jesus promised. The feast of Pentecost began 50 days after Passover. However, Because Easter Sunday and the Passover Firstfruits Sunday are the exact same day on the calendar of the Crucifixion, Pentecost is simultaneously 50 days after both. During the week Jesus was crucified, the timeline aligned perfectly with this count:

  • Friday: Jesus is crucified (Passover preparation/Passover).
  • Saturday: Jesus is in the tomb (The Sabbath).
  • Sunday (Day 1): Jesus rises from the dead. In the Jewish calendar, this was the Feast of Firstfruits (the Sunday after Passover).
  • Thursday (Day 40): Jesus ascends to heaven after 40 days. (Acts 1:3).
  • Sunday (Day 50): The Holy Spirit is poured out on the Feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:1).

There was a lot of interest in Jesus in Luke’s day. Many people had written accounts of his life and work already and Luke had used all the sources he could find to write a complete account of Jesus’ life, ministry, and teachings. He brought the same concern for detail and accuracy to his writing of Acts. Luke has a unique perspective among authors of Scripture as a Gentile and a physician. He was not a direct observer of Jesus’ ministry, but part way through Acts he joins Paul, Silas, and Timothy (Acts 16:10) and is an eyewitness and participant during the remainder of the book of Acts.

Prayer:

Father, Thank you so much for Luke! Thanks for his passion for the truth, his concern for accuracy, his courage to join Paul and the others and live the story of Acts. May we learn much, not only from his words, but from his character and his actions. Amen.