Some 56 times out of a total of 259 times you find the holy spirit in the new testament, you find him in this book. The holy spirit in the book of acts about spirit of. Later, the apostle paul said that he spoke in tongues more than others 1 cor. The book of acts tells how the multiethnic, international. The book of acts begins with the ascension of jesus and the coming of the. The baptism in the holy spirit means that one is immersed in the holy spirit and that one may be filled with the holy spirit. The book of acts shows how god fulfilled his ancient promises to restore his blessing to all the nations through the offspring of abraham. He regenerates sinners, and in him they are baptized into union with christ and adopted as heirs in the family of god.
This power and witness begins on the day of pentecost where the holy spirit will fill one hundred and twenty believers gathered in one place. The book of acts is the first history of the christian church. Since my earliest days in christ i have been fascinated by the holy spirit. Preparations for worldwide witnessing, jesus ascension, outpouring of holy spirit, persecution of disciples, sauls conversion, paul and barnabas, missionary tours.
The lord jesus christ at work by the holy spirit through the apostles in jerusalem, chapters 1 7. An overview of the book of acts the life of the early church is recorded and preserved for us in the book of acts and the epistles. A summary of the doctrine of the holy spirit christopher. The holy spirit in the books of acts research paper. Actus apostolorum, often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament. Tonight were moving into the book of the acts of the apostles, but which more appropriately could be called, the acts of the holy spirit.
A pivotal point in the book of acts is when saul of tarsus the apostle paul meets jesus on the road to damascus and is converted. The book of acts is a vital link between the gospels and the epistles. We believe that the holy spirit, in all that he does, glorifies the lord jesus christ. Paul shared the message of the ministry of the holy spirit with these christians acts 19. This lesson will summarize the teaching of acts on the holy spirit, emphasizing the spirit s baptism, the spirit s filling, and the spirits power. The book begins with the ascension of jesus and goes on through pauls jail time in rome, which opens his ministry to the church at rome. They were born again, baptised in water, but still hadnt received the holy spirit. There are more references to the holy spirit in this one book than in all four of the gospels put together 54 times. Reading the book of acts, we are enlightened and encouraged by the power of the gospel as it spread throughout the world and transformed lives. Some have insisted that the book might be better entitled the acts of the holy spirit rather than the acts of the apostles. The holy spirit in the book of acts preaching source. There are eleven chapters in acts that contain no reference to the spirit. The miracles in the book of acts lists the miracle, where it happened, and where it is recorded in scripture. The same logic that had persuaded the jews earlier persuaded them now.
Acts is a showcase of what god designed his spirit to accomplish in his kingdom. It will help to keep the whole of the book before you as you work your way through each section. The holy spirit plays a key role in the acts of the apostles, leading to the use of the titles book of the holy spirit or the acts of the holy spirit for that book of the new testament. The following outline is intended to be used while studying the book. The scriptures in acts 9 only tell us that the holy spirit came upon saul. The book of acts sheds light on the gift of the holy spirit, who empowers, guides, teaches, and serves as our counselor. The ministry of the holy spirit in the apostles and the early church.
The holy spirit speaks, leads, and guides in the book of acts. What the holy spirit brought new was first of all a new organism. In acts, jesus sends the holy spirit to empower his disciples as they carry the good news of his kingdom to the nations of the world. Acts continues from there on starting with christs resurrection. Download file to see previous pages pauls missionary journey in rome. The holy spirit plays a key role in the acts of the apostles, leading to the use of the titles book of the holy spirit or the acts of the holy spirit for that book of the. It traces christianity from its beginnings in jerusalem, following jesus resurrection, to the arrest of the apostle paul in rome, the heart of the empire. Acts sets the tone on the question of what is meant by baptism of the spirit. Today it is equally important that believers understand the ministry of the holy spirit. Of the about seventy occurrences of the word pneuma in acts, fifty five refer to the holy spirit. Given the contents of the book of acts, theophilus appears to have had questions about the coming and activity of the holy spirit, the ministry of. The holy spirit in the book of acts essay 2476 words bartleby. The holy spirit in acts, not only breaks down ethnic barriers, he also breaks down social barriers.
This article shows that these references are integral elements in the narrative of acts, presenting the holy spirit as an active character or participant in the events it reports. He asked if they had received the holy spirit since they believed. Indeed, the book chronicles the work of some of the apostles as the holy spirit demonstrated his power and ministry through them. Examples of conversions to the gospel of christ the ministry of the holy spirit in the apostles and the early church the value of acts is also seen in that it provides the historical.
Luke described to theophilus in his first letter about jesus life up to the resurrection. Luke wrote the book of acts acts of the apostles to record how believers were empowered by the holy spirit, worked to spread the gospel of christ, and are a model for the future church. Before jesus was taken into heaven where he was enthroned to share gods rule over the world, he instructed his followers to be a witness for him. The holy spirit in the book of acts sermon by john gaston. The book of acts is also the history of the birth, the founding, and the spread of the church from jerusalem to rome. The book of acts begins with the outpouring of gods promised holy spirit on the day of pentecost. In the many bibles that i have read and worn out, i have marked with a red pen countless references to the holy spirit in both the old and new testaments. We may now come back to the five cases of receiving the spirit outwardly in the book of acts. The holy spirit is the presence of the living lord jesus in spiritual power in the lives of men. The instances when water baptism andor the laying on. The holy spirit in the book of acts essay 1715 words. They are in jerusalem in acts 17, the focus shifts to judea and samaria in acts chapter 812, then to the uttermost parts of the earth in acts to the end of the book. Outline studies in the book of the acts of the apostles. Acts record the establishment and activities of the firstcentury church.
The book of acts establishes the pattern that the holy spirit is imparted to genuine believers at the time of their conversion. According to lee, the book of acts refers to the formative history of the early church, while establishing luke as a charismatic theologian who demonstrates that baptism in the holy spirit is an experience of empowering to facilitate the mission of the church. In the book of acts christ himself continues his work through the lives of his disciples. In the first case, all the disciples were powerful on the day of. The value of acts is also seen in that it provides. Wenk argues that the point of the story about philip and the ethiopian eunuch is to demonstrate how the cultically unclean cf. The holy spirit in the book of acts thesis statement the mighty acts of the holy spirit advancing the gospel moving upon and through the church is amazing in its detail throughout this book. In summary, most converts in acts were baptized with the spirit at the moment they came to faith in christ. The kingdom of israel was a shadow of what god desires to accomplish through the h.
Only once in the book of acts was anyone filled with the holy spirit at the same time as they were born again cornelius and his household. Here is a summary and overview of the book of acts. Liberty university the holy spirit in the book of acts a research paper submitted to professor p. As a result, the preaching of the gospel and the witness of the newly formed church sparks a flame that spreads across the roman empire.
It describes the power that was given to a preferred number of men by the holy spirit at pentecost to advance the gospel. Jesus sends the holy spirit to empower his disciples as they carry the good news of his kingdom to the nations of the world. We believe that it is by the grace of our lord jesus that we are saved. The books of acts is often called the book of the holy spirit or the book of the apostles. Baptism in the spirit and the book of acts baptismus flaminis the baptism of the spirit is a different type of baptism that, while connected to water baptism, occurs in a few unique instances in acts and the apostolic churches as seen in the epistles, etc. This sermon outline on the power of the holy spirit encourages christians to live spirit filled lives so that they can be witnesses to their faith in christ. For better interpretation of the acts of apostles, it is important to note that the acts of apostles is the manifestation of the fulfilment of jesus promise to his disciples that he wouldnt leave them as orphans, but that he would send them the holy spirit who would act as their guide in their mandate to preach the. The holy spirit, however, ignored him, for he never is mentioned again in the scriptures. This is the 6th installment on a series on the holy spirit. From the cloven tongues of fire and speaking in everyones language. Harmony of the gospels encyclopedias dictionaries introductions to the bible topical indexes charts and outlines timelines maps images hebrew greek. The gospel spreads among the jews ac 19 the church spreads to gentiles ac 1012 paul spreads the gospel and plants churches in asia and greece ac. The 6th installment of a series on the holy spirit.
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