City Life Starter

Written by Stefan Johnsson

For the next two years, our church (City Life Houston), will be going through the book of Acts. This is a continuation of how Jesus began His ministry on earth and how He is continuing this mission through the power of the Holy Spirit in order to reach every tribe, tongue, and nation with the gospel message. Luke, the physician and historian, wanted to write these books in two distinct volumes so as to separate the life of Jesus on this earth and then how the good news of salvation was spread far and wide throughout the Roman Empire.

Is Acts more than just a history book? How should we view this in light of the gospels and Pauline letters? What can we learn from this book as we study it together?

These are are all valid questions and will be addressed as we proceed through Acts in our weekly studies. The Starter blog will help dissect each section of scripture thoroughly through our devoted writing team, giving their own perspectives and thoughts on what Luke wrote through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Here are some themes that are important to study as you read through the book of Acts.

Martyrdom

We see the first Christians killed in preaching the word of God. Stephen is stoned in Acts chapter 7, the first Christian after Jesus’ accension to suffer a gruesome death. Then we also read of the first death of an Apostle. In Acts 12:2 in says that, James, the brother of John, was put to death with the sword. But in that same chapter, Peter was rescued by God from his place in prison. So why was James not rescued, but Peter was? That is a difficult question to ask. Also, why did Jesus tell Paul that he would be suffering much for His names sake (9:16)? Didn’t Jesus say that He came to give us life and to have it to the fullest (John 10:10)? We may never know all the answers, but it shows us that there is a need to trust in God’s sovereignty in our lives. Our time on this earth is short and it is not a guarantee. Christians are killed even today for professing their faith in God.

Community

As the Christians first gathered together, there was a huge need. At the beginning, it was because the people who had come on pilgrimage for Passover to Jerusalem had heard the gospel message spoken in their native tongues and stayed much longer in order to learn from the apostles. There became a great need to feed everyone, so their fellow Christians who lived there, began selling their possessions in order for everyone’s needs to be met.

As Christianity grew throughout the Roman Empire, people began meeting in house churches to gather and worship. They had to rely on each other for their needs as rejecting the Roman gods meant to be an outcast in the society. Christians had to band together. This shows how great a need it is for communities of Christians to take care of each others needs before helping the greater community. How would this look like in a congregation such as ours? Or for churches in general? We no longer live in a society where the struggles are exactly the same as it was in the 1st century A.D., so how do we build community now?

Holy Spirit

In Acts chapter 2, we read how the Holy Spirit filled the apostles and believers at Pentecost. Then as we progress through the book of Acts, we begin to notice how the Holy Spirit acts in the lives of believers and where the Holy Spirit comes both “upon” others as well as “in” others. What does this mean and how do we understand how the Holy Spirit works today? Did the majority of spiritual gifts of healing and resurrection stop after the apostles died or are these gifts continually being given to believers today?

Missions

Jesus told the apostles that the gospel message needs to be spread to Jerusalem, Judea and then to the ends of the earth before the end would come. Acts shows us how this began to take shape. First the gospel was preached in Jerusalem, and then to Judea and Samaria, followed by Paul’s missionary journeys throughout the Roman Empire. Paul was given the task specifically to spread the gospel message to the Gentiles and to incorporate them into the kingdom of God. Now we have both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus and the Holy Spirit began working in both sets of believers. What does this mean for us today? How should we view the Jews in relation to God’s kingdom and kingdom promises? Also, how should we view missions as a church who serves under the broader umbrella of Every Nation?

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These are just some themes that are interesting to understand and follow when studying the book of Acts. Each theme are like minor threads in a bigger story that shows us why God uses the book of Acts even today to guide believers. I urge you, as a reader, to really dig deep into this book with us, so that your own spiritual life and walk with Jesus will grow and be nourished.