Acts Bible Study

Acts

Bible Study

Lesson 2

SYNOPSIS

• Acts can be summarized in three steps:

1. God’s offer of the Messianic Kingdom to Israel. (to the Jews only)

2. Israel’s rejection of God’s offer and the subsequent formation of the Church the Body of Christ. (To the Jews first and then to the Gentiles)

3. The setting aside of national Israel and the full maturity of the Church, the Body of Christ. (To the Gentiles only)

A SUMMARY OF THE GOSPELS

• To understand Acts, you must have an understanding of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).

• The Kingdom is portrayed as being “at hand” in the gospels. Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 10:7

• This message was preached only to the Israel. The Gentiles would then be blessed through Israel

Matthew 10:6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (see Matthew 15:22—24)

- This blessing was in fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant.

Genesis 22:17 ¹⁷indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. ¹⁸"In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."

• The Kingdom could not be legitimately offered until after Christ’s resurrection.

- Christ needed to be first rejected by the rulers of Israel Luke 18:31—34

- He also needed to enter heaven and receive His Kingdom then return to earth to establish it.

Luke 24:26 "Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?"

- Notice this is wrapped up on one verse. First Christ’s suffering then the glory of the Kingdom.

1 Peter 1:10—11 ¹⁰Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: ¹¹Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

• After Christ’s resurrection, He gave His second commission.

- The first commission was to Israel only and proclaimed the coming Kingdom

Matthew 10:5—7 ⁵These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: "Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; ⁶but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷"And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

- The second commission was to Israel first and then the nations offering the Kingdom.

Matthew 28:19—20 ¹⁹"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Acts 1:8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

- The third commission was to the world through the Body of Christ. The Kingdom is postponed.

2 Corinthians 5:18—20 ¹⁸Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, …

GOD’S ORIGINAL PLAN

• Acts continues with God’s original plan at least up through chapter 8.

• Where the Gospels end, Acts begins and is the logical continuation of the Kingdom gospel to Israel.

• Up to this time, the Kingdom has not yet been offered, it has only been “at hand” because the King has been in their midst.

• This Kingdom is physical. not spiritual.

- Some use the following verse a proof of a spiritual kingdom. However, the Greek for “within you” is more accurately interpreted “in your midst” or at hand.

Luke 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

• Israel has rejected the Kingdom two times.

1. With John the Baptizer they allowed him to be killed.

- He preached the coming of the kingdom and repentance and baptism for the remission of sin.

Matthew 3:1, 2, 6¹Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, ²"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." ⁶and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

- He also announced the coming of their Messiah who would baptize with the Holy Spirit instead of with water.

Matthew 3:11 "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

2. With Jesus Christ they demanded that he be put to death.

- He preached the coming of the kingdom and repentance and baptism for the remission of sin.

Matthew 3:11 Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matthew 4:17, 23 ¹⁷From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." ²³Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.

Mark 16:16" He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.

- It was with ignorance that Israel crucified Jesus and Jesus asked the Father to forgive them.

Luke 23:34 But Jesus was saying, " Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing "

• Because Israel was forgiven, Peter could give her a third chance to follow their Messiah.

- We see this in Acts 2 and 3.

• If they (national Israel) repented of killing Him and accepted Him as Messiah, there would be no need for the Body of Christ to be formed.

• Even if National Israel believed (the leadership), individual Israelites still need to decide to believe.

• The Tribulation will purge Israel of all unbelievers, leaving only the believers at the end of the Tribulation.

Romans 11:26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written," THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB."

See also Zechariah 13:8—9; Isaiah 10:20—22