“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8 NIV)
A Spirit-led Expansion of the Church
Carefully researched by the apostle Paul’s traveling companion Luke, the Book of Acts documents the gradual decline of the early Jewish Church and the rise of Gentile Christianity.
The Church’s inception is outlined in the Gospels via the life of Christ, and occurred between 6 B.C. and A.D. 30. The Book of Acts chronicles the “birthday of the Church” on the Day of Pentecost, and its subsequent growth beyond Jerusalem to Samaria between A.D. 30 and A.D. 60. Acts also describes how the Church expanded to include Gentile converts, a startling development that was debated at the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15).
Kingdom of God is “at Hand”
Scholars hold that the Pentateuch (first five book of Moses) is to the Old Testament what the four Gospels (plus Acts) are to the New Testament. Recall that Jesus lived and preached under the Old Covenant of the Law. Therefore, the central message of his preaching was that the kingdom of God was “at hand.”
With the endowing of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost following Christ’s ascension, came the inauguration of the long-awaited Messianic kingdom. Occurring in A.D. 30, this dramatic supernatural event gave birth to the Church of Jesus Christ and signaled the arrival the New Covenant of Grace (Gal 4:4-7).
Birthday of the Church
Approximately one-hundred-and-twenty praying Jewish believers received the Holy Spirit on that momentous day. They were immediately united as one corpus and were emboldened for witness (Acts 2:1-4). Many of these Jewish believers remained in Jerusalem, and under the Apostle Peter’s guidance they began to thrive. This new group called “the Way” and was composed of Hebraists of Palestine and Hellenists from the Dispersion.
Stephen Preaches in Jerusalem
The apologetic preaching of a convert named Stephen brought violent persecution from the ruling Jewish priesthood and resulted in his martyrdom. Thus, the leaders of the infant church were compelled to seek other mission fields beyond the city of Jerusalem.
Philip Preaches to Samaria
In A.D. 33, Philip, a Jewish-Christian evangelist with tremendous foresight, was successful in taking the Gospel north to the territory of the Samaritans, an area despised by the Jews. The Samaritans were a population of mixed ancestry composed of Gentiles and Jews from the ancient northern kingdom. Under Philip’s ministry the Samaritans forsook their heathen superstitions, were baptized, and received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17).
Peter Preaches to Cornelius’ Household
The events that took place at the house of a Gentile but God-fearing Roman centurion named Cornelius in A.D. 45 were equally significant. Summoned to Caesarea after a vision of purified previously unclean animals, Peter preached salvation to Cornelius’ entire household. Immediately believing, the Gentile assembly were filled with the Holy Spirit, and later were baptized in water (Acts 10:44-46).
When they first heard this news, the circumcised Jewish believers were angry that Peter had dined with non-Jews—strictly prohibited by Jewish Law. However, the Jewish Christians later welcomed Cornelius’ Gentile household into the fellowship, for they agreed that God had granted “even Gentiles repentance unto eternal life” (Acts 11:18 NIV).
Paul Preaches to the Gentile World
In summary then, we can see how the Book of Acts documents the Church’s progressive understanding of her mission. Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, it began with its birth in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. The Church slowly broadened her reach to include the hated Samaritans and the Gentile household of Cornelius.
Later, the apostle Paul launched the message of justification by faith from the “mother of all Gentile churches,” in Syrian Antioch. From there he took the good news to other parts of the un-evangelized Gentile Roman world.
The Book of Acts is testimony to the miraculous growth of the Church, and fulfills Christ’s command that she bear witness “…both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth”
(Acts 1:8 NIV).
Related
Carefully researched by the apostle Paul’s traveling companion Luke, the Book of Acts documents the gradual decline of the early Jewish Church and the rise of Gentile Christianity.
The Church’s inception is outlined in the Gospels via the life of Christ, and occurred between 6 B.C. and A.D. 30. The Book of Acts chronicles the “birthday of the Church” on the Day of Pentecost, and its subsequent growth beyond Jerusalem to Samaria between A.D. 30 and A.D. 60. Acts also describes how the Church expanded to include Gentile converts, a startling development that was debated at the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15).
Kingdom of God is “at Hand”
Scholars hold that the Pentateuch (first five book of Moses) is to the Old Testament what the four Gospels (plus Acts) are to the New Testament. Recall that Jesus lived and preached under the Old Covenant of the Law. Therefore, the central message of his preaching was that the kingdom of God was “at hand.”
With the endowing of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost following Christ’s ascension, came the inauguration of the long-awaited Messianic kingdom. Occurring in A.D. 30, this dramatic supernatural event gave birth to the Church of Jesus Christ and signaled the arrival the New Covenant of Grace (Gal 4:4-7).
Birthday of the Church
Approximately one-hundred-and-twenty praying Jewish believers received the Holy Spirit on that momentous day. They were immediately united as one corpus and were emboldened for witness (Acts 2:1-4). Many of these Jewish believers remained in Jerusalem, and under the Apostle Peter’s guidance they began to thrive. This new group called “the Way” and was composed of Hebraists of Palestine and Hellenists from the Dispersion.Stephen Preaches in Jerusalem
The apologetic preaching of a convert named Stephen brought violent persecution from the ruling Jewish priesthood and resulted in his martyrdom. Thus, the leaders of the infant church were compelled to seek other mission fields beyond the city of Jerusalem.
Philip Preaches to Samaria
In A.D. 33, Philip, a Jewish-Christian evangelist with tremendous foresight, was successful in taking the Gospel north to the territory of the Samaritans, an area despised by the Jews. The Samaritans were a population of mixed ancestry composed of Gentiles and Jews from the ancient northern kingdom. Under Philip’s ministry the Samaritans forsook their heathen superstitions, were baptized, and received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17).
Peter Preaches to Cornelius’ Household
The events that took place at the house of a Gentile but God-fearing Roman centurion named Cornelius in A.D. 45 were equally significant. Summoned to Caesarea after a vision of purified previously unclean animals, Peter preached salvation to Cornelius’ entire household. Immediately believing, the Gentile assembly were filled with the Holy Spirit, and later were baptized in water (Acts 10:44-46).
When they first heard this news, the circumcised Jewish believers were angry that Peter had dined with non-Jews—strictly prohibited by Jewish Law. However, the Jewish Christians later welcomed Cornelius’ Gentile household into the fellowship, for they agreed that God had granted “even Gentiles repentance unto eternal life” (Acts 11:18 NIV).
Paul Preaches to the Gentile World
In summary then, we can see how the Book of Acts documents the Church’s progressive understanding of her mission. Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, it began with its birth in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. The Church slowly broadened her reach to include the hated Samaritans and the Gentile household of Cornelius.Later, the apostle Paul launched the message of justification by faith from the “mother of all Gentile churches,” in Syrian Antioch. From there he took the good news to other parts of the un-evangelized Gentile Roman world.
The Book of Acts is testimony to the miraculous growth of the Church, and fulfills Christ’s command that she bear witness “…both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth”
(Acts 1:8 NIV).
Related
1. Bible Study: Romans Road to Salvation. 7 Powerful Verses for Witnessing
2. Bible Study: The Apostle Paul. Ultimate Family Man
3. Most of the information above comes from New Testament Survey by Merril C. Tenney. For further study, I highly recommend this book.
Find More Fellowship
Enjoy the fellowship and inspiration found on Women in the Word Wednesdays at
Good Morning Girls and iFellowship at
Seeds of Faith (Wednesdays). Also, discover a celebration of Christian creativity on Word-Filled-Wednesdays at The Internet Cafe.
Map & Photos of First Century sandals, lamp, coins: Google Images
Enjoy the fellowship and inspiration found on Women in the Word Wednesdays at Good Morning Girls and iFellowship at
Seeds of Faith (Wednesdays). Also, discover a celebration of Christian creativity on Word-Filled-Wednesdays at The Internet Cafe.
Map & Photos of First Century sandals, lamp, coins: Google Images
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