The Book of Acts

Central Presbyterian Church • July 26, 2025

The Gospel Goes Forth

The Gospel of Luke ends with an empty tomb. The Book of Acts begins with a commission and a promise: the risen Jesus sends His followers into the world, filled with His Spirit, to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth.

Acts is the story of the early church—a story of power, persecution, bold preaching, and global mission. It is not a tale of human ingenuity or institutional strategy, but of the unstoppable work of the Holy Spirit as Jesus builds His church.

Author & Setting

The Book of Acts was written by Luke, the beloved physician and author of the Gospel that bears his name. Acts is volume two of his two-part work (Luke–Acts), and it picks up exactly where the Gospel left off—with the resurrection of Christ and His ascension into heaven.

Acts was likely written between A.D. 60–65, and it covers roughly 30 years of church history, from the ascension of Jesus to Paul’s imprisonment in Rome.

Big Picture Theme

Jesus is risen, reigning, and building His church through the power of the Holy Spirit. Acts tells the story of the gospel advancing from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria, and ultimately to the ends of the earth—just as Jesus promised.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…”
— Acts 1:8

Key Verses

Acts 1:8

“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.”

Acts 2:38-39

“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins… For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off...”

Acts 4:12

“There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Major Themes

The Power of the Holy Spirit
From Pentecost onward, the Spirit empowers the church for witness, gives boldness in persecution, and transforms ordinary men and women into courageous ambassadors for Christ.
The Mission of the Church
Acts is the blueprint for gospel expansion: from Jerusalem outward, across geographic, ethnic, and cultural lines. The church’s mission is global, urgent, and Spirit-empowered.
Bold Proclamation of the Gospel
Acts contains over 20 speeches—many of them sermons from Peter and Paul. These messages proclaim Jesus’ death, resurrection, and exclusive role as Savior and Lord.
Persecution and Suffering
The gospel spreads not despite persecution but often through it. Imprisonments, beatings, and martyrdom do not stop the church—they amplify its witness.
Jew and Gentile Unity in Christ
Acts shows the gospel breaking down long-standing walls of division. Gentiles are grafted into the people of God by grace alone, not by keeping the Mosaic Law.

Acts’ Structure

The outline of Acts is built around Acts 1:8, which serves as both thesis and map:

“You will be my witnesses in:

Jerusalem (Chapters 1–7)
Judea and Samaria (Chapters 8–12)
The ends of the earth (Chapters 13–28)”

Key moments include:

The ascension of Jesus (Acts 1)
The day of Pentecost (Acts 2)
The conversion of Saul/Paul (Acts 9)
The inclusion of Gentiles (Acts 10–11)
The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)
Paul's missionary journeys and final journey to Rome (Acts 13–28)

Why Acts Matters Today

Acts is not just church history—it is our family story. It reminds us that the church is not a building, denomination, or institution. It is a Spirit-filled movement, centered on the risen Christ, advancing the gospel with boldness.

In a post-Christian, secular world, Acts offers a compelling vision: ordinary believers, empowered by the Spirit, proclaiming an extraordinary Savior. That same Spirit is alive today, and the mission hasn’t changed.

Acts also equips us to expect both boldness and opposition. The early church was not comfortable—but it was courageous. And it turned the world upside down.

How Acts Points Us to Jesus

Though Jesus ascends in chapter 1, He is still the central character of Acts:

He sends the Spirit.
He appears to Paul.
He directs the mission.
He builds His church.

Jesus is not absent—He is ascended, exalted, and active. From heaven, He governs the advance of the gospel. As Paul later says, “Christ must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25).

Reflection Question

Are you living as a witness?
Jesus doesn’t ask us to be spectators, but witnesses. What might it look like for you to bear bold, Spirit-empowered witness to Christ where you live, work, and serve?