Acts 1:1-11
Today's Passage: Acts 1:1-11
The book of Acts was written by Luke, and is meant to be a kind of sequel to the Gospel of Luke. You should watch this Bible Project about the book of Acts below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGbNw855ksw
It’s interesting to me that many believe that this book should be called “The Acts of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles” as opposed to “The Acts of the Apostles”. It’s clear that the Holy Spirit’s empowerment of the early church is a continual thread throughout this entire book. Acts 1:8, the final words of Jesus before His ascension, is the thesis statement for the entire thing:
“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.”
We see this pattern of Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth as Christians are persecuted and forced to scatter. This ends up causing the early church to grow at an exponential rate!
We are still called to be witnesses for Jesus to our Jerusalem (Lexington or our surrounding community), our Judea (Kentucky), our Samaria (the United States), and to the ends of the earth. Whatever access we have to each of these fields, God wants us to have a kingdom influence in the hearts and lives of all people. Each of us should embrace this assignment if we are to be used by God effectively to spread the Gospel and glorify Him!
What ways are you reaching those four different focus areas in your giving, praying, learning, etc? If you’re in a relationship with God through Jesus, the same Holy Spirit that worked through the apostles is in you! How should that impact your daily walk with the Lord?
Written By: Kaitlin White
The book of Acts was written by Luke, and is meant to be a kind of sequel to the Gospel of Luke. You should watch this Bible Project about the book of Acts below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGbNw855ksw
It’s interesting to me that many believe that this book should be called “The Acts of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles” as opposed to “The Acts of the Apostles”. It’s clear that the Holy Spirit’s empowerment of the early church is a continual thread throughout this entire book. Acts 1:8, the final words of Jesus before His ascension, is the thesis statement for the entire thing:
“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.”
We see this pattern of Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth as Christians are persecuted and forced to scatter. This ends up causing the early church to grow at an exponential rate!
We are still called to be witnesses for Jesus to our Jerusalem (Lexington or our surrounding community), our Judea (Kentucky), our Samaria (the United States), and to the ends of the earth. Whatever access we have to each of these fields, God wants us to have a kingdom influence in the hearts and lives of all people. Each of us should embrace this assignment if we are to be used by God effectively to spread the Gospel and glorify Him!
What ways are you reaching those four different focus areas in your giving, praying, learning, etc? If you’re in a relationship with God through Jesus, the same Holy Spirit that worked through the apostles is in you! How should that impact your daily walk with the Lord?
Written By: Kaitlin White
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