The book of The Acts of the Apostles is the sequel to the Gospel of Luke.  Most likely, after they were written, the two stories circulated together in the late 1st Century until early in the 2nd Century when the four Canonical Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) were pulled together into one collection.  Both Acts and the Gospel of Luke are addressed to an individual or group that the author names as Theophilus, which literally means “one who loves God” (1:1).  In this book, the author addresses what God was doing in Jesus, in the actions of the disciples, and in the life of the early faith communities.  The focus here is on how the early church grew and highlights the work of the earliest missionaries.  In this story, the author attempted to show how Christians (the Church) could be faithful to God and still be loyal Roman citizens. 

The focus of Acts is on the birth of the Church, and it specifically highlights the acts of two individuals, Peter and Paul.  Some scholars argue that the author of this story was a traveling companion of Paul’s; however, this is only speculation based on several accounts in the story where the author uses the term “we” when writing about Paul’s missions (see Chapters 10, 20-21, and 27-28).  The real main character in this story, however, is the Holy Spirit.  Throughout the story you will come to see how may believers came to faith because of the Holy Spirit.

The story begins with the disciples being taught by Jesus during the forty days after his Resurrection and prior to his ascension.  Very early in the story, Jesus promises the gift of the Holy Spirit (1:4-5) and provides them with his instructions as to what they are to do next.  Following the receiving of the Holy Spirit, they are to be his “witnesses in Jerusalem, all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (1:6-8).  The rest of the book explains how the first apostles were empowered by the Spirit to witness to this command, witnessing to those in Jerusalem (2:4-8:3), witnessing to Judea and Samaria (8:4-9:43), witnessing to gentiles (10:1-15:35) and witnessing to the “ends of the earth” (Rome and other known places in the Roman Empire, 15:36-28:31).

As you read further into the New Testament, you will discover that Acts also provides a good overview and support for Paul’s letters, conversion, and the mission that he undertook during his ministry.  Paul’s story as told in Acts and his story as told in is own letters are not always exactly the same, but there is consistency and support that helps validate the author’s claim that one could be a faithful child of God as a follower of Jesus and be a faithful Jew and Roman citizen. 

As you read this story, notice the chaos and uncertainty that always comes when the Holy Spirit empowers the believers:  The stoning of Steven (7:54-60), the breaking of the religious barriers (8:27-39), the conversion of Paul (9:1-31), and the conversion of Cornelius (10:1-48), just to name a few of the stories.  In each situation, the Holy Spirit turns the world upside down so God’s Church can continue to grow. 

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