The book of Acts in the Bible is one of 27 books of the New Testament, and the author was the Apostle Luke, the same one who wrote the Gospel of Luke. The book’s title is “Acts,” or the “Acts of the Apostles,” in particular, the acts of the apostles’ Peter and then Paul. I would suggest that it is also the acts of the Holy Spirit.
How one looks at Acts, in large part, determines how one sees the church in apostolic times and how one will see the church in the present time. Show More
If you view the book of Acts as strictly a historical book chronicling the beginning of the Christian church, you would be correct, but it is more than that, and it also gives us a pattern of what the church should look like today.
Some take the view that what happened in Acts was simply an event. In other words, what was described in Acts was something that happened then, and we shouldn’t expect those kinds of things to happen today. That thinking goes against the scripture because in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” In other words, God does not change; what was true then is true today, if only we would believe!
You must see that if you believe that the book of Acts simply describes what happened 2000 years ago, then there will be no expectation that it could happen again. Expectation is the basis of faith. Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” And without faith, there is no pleasing God. Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” The key to understanding the book of Acts is to see that from chapter one to chapter twenty-eight, the book of Acts is filled with the acts of the Holy Spirit!
What do we believe about God, and why do we believe it?
When it comes to the Bible and the things of God, it is so important to answer the following question: What do we believe about God, and why do we believe it? So many believe the “truths” about God because they were told by someone. They never took the time to confirm the truth by searching the scriptures for themselves. Sometimes we are taught things about God and the Bible by well-intentioned people, but what we are taught is error! Let me give you a personal example.
My testimony regarding the Bible
When I was a new Christian, I was hungry and eager to learn about the Bible and who the Bible said God was. I was looking for a shortcut to reading the Bible, so I read books written by Christians about the Bible and God. To be truthful, my wife would tell me that the only way to learn about the Bible was to read the Bible myself. I don’t like to admit it, but she was absolutely correct. When I read books by Christian authors instead of the Bible itself, all I got were opinions, the opinions and the traditions of men and women. There is no substitute for reading the Bible or listening to the Bible because the Bible is not the opinion of men but the opinion of God! What God says is always true, even when it conflicts with what we have been taught. The apostle Paul says in Colossians 2:8. “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”
Now, I don’t want to discourage you from reading or listening to Christian teachers and authors, however, compare everything to the Word of God, the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” You can always trust God’s word.
The Apostle Paul liked to keep his faith in God simple, which is good advice for us. Paul testified to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 2:1, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”
Notice in Paul’s statement that he did not depend upon his wisdom or fancy speech. He was not pretending to be a theologian, but he was a lover of God. Whatever he had to say or do was a demonstration of the Holy Spirit and power. This simplicity of faith means our faith should not be in impressive words or wisdom but in the Power of God.
Why is the church today so different from the early church found in the book of Acts?
While the focus of the book of Acts is the acts of the apostles, in particular Peter and Paul, we often pass over the fact that the Holy Spirit is central in everything the apostles said and did. In the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit is mentioned 69 times! The early church understood something critical to the church; Jesus ascended to heaven in Acts chapter one, and the Holy Spirit descended from heaven upon the Believers in Acts chapter two.
Jesus’ ascension to heaven in Acts 1: 9, “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” When Jesus ascended into heaven the onlookers stood gawking upward, and then the two angels basically say, let’s move on there is work to do! Then the angels said that Jesus would return. This returning of Jesus can mean one of two things, the second coming of Jesus Christ at the end of the age, or Jesus will send someone just like Himself, the Holy Spirit of God.
I lean towards the latter because in the very next chapter, chapter two on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit falls on the Believers in the upper room. Acts 2:1. “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
All of this is in fulfillment of the promise found in Luke 24:46 “Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
The Need for Supernatural Power
You see, Jesus knew they would need supernatural power to accomplish two things. One, they needed the Holy Spirit to become the person whom Jesus died for, a person who would walk in righteousness. Two, they would need the Holy Spirit to accomplish the plans and purposes God established for them to do, in particular, to fulfill the Great Commission, “To win the lost, to train them up, and to send them out!”
What was true then is true today; we need the Helper, the Comforter, and the Advocate to become more like Jesus and to be able to do what Jesus did. Jesus said in John 14:12 & 16, 12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” How can we do “greater works than Jesus” without Jesus or the Spirit of God working through us?
Now look at verses 16-17, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” What does Jesus mean when He says, “He will give you another Helper?” Who was the first Helper? Of course, it was Jesus, Himself. While Jesus walked the earth, His followers moved in the authority and power of Jesus. However, when Jesus ascended into heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to work in us. Now as Believers, we have the authority and the power of the Holy Spirit working through us.
Solid Christian doctrine teaches that God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are co-equal, so how can we treat the Holy Spirit as a thing or a power when the Holy Spirit is God in us? The Holy Spirit is not some energy source or thing; He is the person of the Holy Spirit! As we recognize the Holy Spirit in us, as we develop that relationship with Him, we will see growth and boldness to be all we can be for our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Every Believer had a moment in time when they experienced making Jesus their Lord and Savior. They repented, believed, and the Holy Spirit came to live in them; thus, they were saved. We could put all of this in one phrase, they surrendered to Jesus and received all the benefits of becoming an adopted child of the God most high.
To move in the fullness of the power of God, promised to us by Jesus, we must surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This particular experience of surrender to the Holy Spirit is called the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
I will talk more about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in my next post.