The book of acts sheds light on the gift of the holy spirit, who empowers, guides, teaches, and serves as. In the book of acts three areas pertain to the promises given to david. The emphasis of the book is the fulfillment of the great commission. And we will begin in the synoptic gospels, matthew, mark, and luke, and in acts. This transition is seen in several key events in acts. Right here are the very heart of the gospel presentation, as revealed in the gospel of luke and in the book of acts, we see, gods covenant. Matthew henry 18 october 1662 22 june 1714 was an english commentator on the bible, who published his works in 1706, sixvolume exposition of the old and new testaments 17081710 or complete commentary, provides an exhaustive verse by verse study of the bible.
Continuing the narrative of classical academic press gods great covenant new testament volume 1, this curriculum focuses on the spread of the gospel in the early church as shown through the gospels and acts. Paul wrote the entire book of galatians to make this point. Purposes of the book of acts reformed bible studies. Before acts was written, philo said this about the sinai experience. The title in the greek, latin, and english versions means a going out, referring to the seminal event of the liberation of israel from egyptian bondage through the wondrous acts and power of god. The purpose of the book of acts is governed by the jews response to peter and paul. The new testament, which is gods new covenant with mankind, actually starts in the book of acts, not matthew.
Ordinarily the book of the covenant is held to be earlier than the decalogue, and is indeed the oldest body of hebrew legislation. To download, right click and save to your hard drive. Acts shows what the early church believed and practiced united. The literal fulfillment of the davidic covenant is, then, in harmony with the larger covenant purpose of god. The main issues revolve around whether he is a man perhaps a greek official for whom lukeacts is an apologetic for the gospel or a kind of generic everyman since the name means lover of god. Commentary on the book of acts of the apostles by matthew. Recently i completed the skeletal structure of a paper that i am writing on the use of the book of psalms on the evangelistic speeches of the.
The book of acts is an exciting one, detailing the spread of the gospel after jesus returned to heaven. Acts records the apostles being christs witnesses in jerusalem, judea, samaria, and the surrounding world. Miracles, healings, imprisonment, torture the early christians experienced all the highs and lows. For example, in the book of acts, after the holy spirit was poured out in acts 2, there are a number of individuals who say they had received only, johns baptism. Viewing the gospel of luke and acts as if it were part one and part two of a thematically unified work by dr. He gave him, abraham, of whom he was speaking, the convenant of circumcision. The acts of the apostles was written by a physician named lucian in english luke. He said to abraham, through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed. When the holy spirit comes on them in the appearance of tongues of fire this is a sinai experience. As part of his covenant with abraham, god has the obligation to keep abrahams descendants as gods chosen people and be their god. Acts 29 is a diverse, global family of churchplanting churches. It provides an interpretation fully honoring to god and his word. A covenant theology is very much woven into the fabric of the new testament and all its dimensions.
The first volume was vintage michener, but the second one dragged. This overview demonstrates that, throughout the book of acts, the hope of israel and the restoration of israel are shown to be fulfilled in christ. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to egypt. And they sung a new song, saying, thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof. In this sermon, peter continued the message of repentance john the baptist and jesus preached matthew 3.
While they have relocated back to the states at least. The book of acts ends just as it begins, emphasizing the apostles role as those who expanded gods kingdom on earth, through their proclamation. Once a lead planter has gone through assessment, it is the church that becomes a member of acts 29, not just the lead planter. Up to the present, we have only considered the covenants as they relate to israel, but that the gentiles find a place in these covenant blessings is now our special interest. Thirtytwo weekly chapters are divided into five units that present establishing the church as an adventure the mission, guided by the holy spirit our guide and directed by gods. Paul to the romans in the new testament of the bible. Micheners take on south africa and its history is an honest attempt to give some perspective on one of the more complex histories that this history teacher has encountered.
Acts 7, new international version niv the bible app. The covenant follows the pattern of the general rule of discipleship. Covenant, book of the definition and meaning bible. New international version and you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant god made with your fathers. The abrahamic covenant, the abrahamic covenant is mentioned explicitly three times in lukes acts.
Peter appealed to the jews to repent and accept jesus as the messiah acts 3. Young adults ages 1824 gather together from across the globe for three months to share life and faith together, living by the principles of the early church as we find in the book of acts. The book of acts tells how the multiethnic, international. As covenant people of the book, we are going to take 25 days to engage with the stories of how the holy spirit moved among the first followers of jesus. We see in the old testament, especially in the book of genesis, two different. Covenant in the synoptics, acts and pauline writings first. Commentary on the book of acts of the apostles by matthew henry.
Acts shows what the early church believed and practiced. The first usage of the term covenant in acts is in peters second sermon to the jewish nation. Luke was the only gentile writer of the new testament colossians 4. The four gospels reveal that jesus is the messiah and king, god s servant, the son of god, and the son of man. Luke recorded three rejections by the jews to peter and the apostles associated with him to the message of repentance and proclamation of the kingdom. Actus apostolorum, often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament.
I believe that the christmas covenant and the protocol complement each other, and i am glad that both are endorsed by pac cavite, said bishop rodolfo a. The book of acts is a key historical record of what the early church believed and practiced. When the old covenant was made with israel, the promise was that if the covenant was kept they should be a kingdom of prists in the earth. The covenant is another michener tale that, like history, goes on and on and on. Green argues in this book that works are necessary for salvation because part of the newness of the new covenant is actual, graceinduced and grace elicited obedience by true members of the new covenant 17. The book celebrates and memorializes this great saving event in song and story and also the awesome revelation and covenant at mt. To witness to jesus christ in the world and to follow his teachings through acts of compassion, justice, worship, and devotion under the guidance of the holy spirit. Prestons commentary is part of the fulfilled covenant bible project, and. Acts is a book about the church trying to discover what it means to be the church.
The next few posts will present an excellent overview of the book of acts, written by don k. But because of their faithfulness, we now have access to the word of god and the knowledge of jesus. Regions would be allowed to adapt the book of discipline to their contexts, with the hope that differences over doctrine and social issues could be reduced. The following passages from the book of acts will show that even though believing israel was zealous of the law, god had not put the law in their hearts and minds. Paul and the early church were not at odds with the laws of the old testament. Exposition of the book of acts mp3 series monergism. He was a companion of paul and reflected paul, who saw the risen christ. The book starts out strong my edition was the twovolume hardback. Purposes of the book of acts in my former book, theophilus, i wrote about all that jesus began to do and to teach v. And they sung a new song, saying, thou art worthy to take the book, and to. However, it could not have been given at one time, nor in the wilderness, since the laws are given for those in agricultural life, and seem to be decisions made at various times and finally gathered together. Like most of micheners books, however, the covenant gives us. In the book of acts, we discover how gods multiethnic, international church grew through persecution and missionary journeys throughout the world. They were written by pastor buddy martin, founder and senior pastor of christian challenge international.
The acts of the apostles is the second book written by st. As for this fellow moses who led us out of egyptwe dont know what has happened to him. God acts as the suzerain power and is the party of the covenant accompanied by the required action that comes with the oath whether it. The book of acts, which highlights the powerful and exponential work of god through the church, ends with chapter 28. In these speeches these psalms are used to 1 connect jesus with david as the davidic heir. The eldership team of the church is therefore required to sign the following covenant, which outlines what i. This study on acts was originally part of a series on the book of acts given to members of hebraic foundations from july 10, 2002 through january 19, 2003. Using the reading bible format of the immerse series, this devo presents the book of acts without any chapters or verses. Neither the third gospel nor the acts provide an explicit statement of authorship, but the testimony of the early. Reading scripture with the fathers has long been a feature of the christian tradition, and i have often found that their comments both personally and challenging.
Recently i completed the skeletal structure of a paper that i am writing on the use of the book of psalms on the evangelistic speeches of the book of acts. As we approach the book of acts, we must always keep in mind that luke wrote out of his background in the old testament and first century beliefs about the kingdom of god in christ. In fact, its plain intent and the nature of the promises are another confirmation of the premillennial interpretation of scripture. By evangelistic speeches i mean narratives where a speech is being delivered by a christian. The disciples usually pray for them, lay hands upon them, and they receive the holy spirit. You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant god. The covenant will serve as the agenda for the weekly meetings. In the latter portion of acts, luke recorded three rejections of the jews to pauls overtures of salvation.