Luke wrote this letter to Theophilus in 60 AD to account the Acts of the Apostles during the early church. The account describes Jesus' instructions to wait in Jerusalem until receiving the Holy Spirit, who would empower the apostles to spread the gospel message outwards. The new program God was trying to introduce would be fully realized at Pentecost, where believers would be indwelt permanently by the Holy Spirit, who would become the focus of how to serve God outwardly through sharing Jesus with others.

The day of Pentecost comes and as all the believers are there, the Holy Spirit comes and fills them, giving them spiritual utterances. The Holy Spirit permanently indwells people that place their faith in Christ at the moment of conversion, not like some that believe the Holy Spirit is correlated with speaking with tongues. The day of Pentecost was a description of an extraordinary event orchestrated by God, not a prescription of what Christian conversion looks like. The Holy Spirit allows for unprecedented intimacy with God through the mystical union that binds us together with Him and is a key in learning how to mature in our faith. After the miracle at Pentecost, Peter teaches to the crowds about the need for forgiveness through Jesus Christ and 3,000 people came to faith.

Following the day of Pentecost and arrival of the Holy Spirit, the period where God uses the church or the Body of Christ, the culmination of all believers in Jesus, begins. This was the most dynamic and spiritual period in the history of the followers of Jesus. From the beginning of this new period in God's plan, we see many vital qualities in the Body of Christ: 1) contentment, as Christian community is grounded in truth; 2) relational, as there is now a basis for real closeness with one another; 3) reflective, being quick to remember God's work and purposes; 4) God-centered, taking part in corporate prayer; and 5) amazement, as they were in awe of what God was doing in their midst. A healthy Christian community that reflects these qualities is a supernatural act of God.

Following Pentecost and the arrival of the Holy Spirit's permanent indwelling of believers, we see the dynamic Body of Christ at work. The early church was dynamic for several reasons, including: 1) generosity and sacrificing for others needs; 2) having a corporate unity of heart and mind; 3) interacting in both small and large groups, where large groups were dynamic and exciting and small groups allowed for deep intimacy and relational involvement; 4) authentic community that was sincere about the time spent with one another; 5) active gratitude, praising God regularly; 6) integrated with the culture around them; and 7) outreaching to others with the message of Jesus' forgiveness. These qualities have disappeared throughout the majority of the Western Church because of materialism and different priorities. This type of ethos within the church is powerful in demonstrating God's power and love to others.

Peter and John heal a lame man, giving Peter an opportunity to speak to the crowds concerning God's plan of salvation, revealed through the Old Testament prophets and culminating with the revelation and message of Jesus Christ and the eternal life he offers to everyone. As a result, Peter and John encounter persecution from the Saducees as they have to defend this miraculous healing through the power of the Holy Spirit. This miracle was used by God to authenticate Jesus, along with the use of fulfilled prophecy. In light of the persecution of Peter and John, we should view persecution for the sake of Christ as good and worth pleasing God for, as we rely on the boldness from the Holy Spirit to be spokespeople for God.

Ananias and Sapphira fall guilty of hypocrisy when they hold back money and place the rest at the apostles feet, and God strikes both of them dead. This account is particularly important concerning the damaging effects hypocrisy can have on the church if left unchecked. When not corrected, self-righteous hypocrisy can: quench the power of the Holy Spirit, inhibit spiritual growth and interpersonal closeness with others, and become more about self-improvement and quick fixes rather than telling others about Jesus. The key to avoiding hypocrisy is having a grace-oriented attitude, where we rest on God's security and are freed up to admit our faults before others.

Despite many miracles and signs of God, the apostles encounter more persecution from the Sanhedrin and are thrown into jail. The high priest confronts Peter about preaching about the message of Jesus Christ. Some encounter flogging for their faith, only to continue to spread the message of Christ. However, they start encountering division because of cultural differences that threatens the dynamic Christian community. As a result of a dispute on how to assist widows, the Apostles ask the disciples to choose seven spiritual leaders to solve the problem, those of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit, and who are wise. These instances show that Satan will use persecution and division to try and minimize the effectiveness of God's work, but that preservation of unity within the Body of Christ can be sustained by quality leaders.

The message of Jesus Christ is continuing to spread in the early church, as God uses Philip to bring a sorcerer named Simon to faith in Jesus. However, there is a delay in Simon receiving the Holy Spirit until the arrival of Peter and John, in order that the issues of racism and prejudice would be silenced. Later, Philip meets an Ethiopian eunuch and tells him about the good news of Jesus Christ. Both of these stories show the miraculous reality of Christ's love as the Gospel penetrates and breaks through cross-cultural barriers. As Christians, we should reject racism and look to see how the loving message of the Gospel can be reached to all types of people, which accurately reflects God's deep heart for all people.

While on the road to Damascus, the Pharisee Saul encounters Jesus Christ. Saul was a very zealous and wealthy citizen that studied under Gamaliel and was a member of the Sanhedrin. Jesus asks Paul why he continues to persecute his church and tells him to go to Damascus to await further instructions. From Damascus, it's revealed that God has selected Paul to be His witness to the Gentiles with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. From this encounter with Jesus, Paul realized his own belief system had been wrong, and that real purpose came through Jesus Christ, along with personal salvation. As a result, Paul wasn't afraid to lose everything for the sake of God's work progressing.

Cornelius, a centurion and God-fearing man, has a vision from God telling him to find Peter. Peter himself falls into a trance, as God shows him the new way of relating to those previously seen as "unclean" now that Christ has come. Through the conversation between Peter and Cornelius, it becomes clear that the vision and trance were meant to communicate that all people are able to access God now through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. The principle of this encounter is that God has orchestrated His new plan, that through the church, the gospel of Jesus Christ can break through prejudices, traditions, and arbitrary absolutes.

Peter's defense of his ministry to the Gentiles with the Gospel highlights the importance of understanding God's Will. When trying to understand God's Will, it's important to distinguish moral versus non-moral decisions, the spiritual significance in our choices and the need for special guidance with an attitude to follow God regardless of the revelation. As Peter recalls his account to the people, several factors are revealed that are important when discerning God's Will: 1) direct divine revelation; 2) providential circumstances; 3) inner spiritual prompting; 4) correlated leading; 5) spiritual fruit borne; and 6) Scripture. Looking to mature counsel is another important factor when trying to figure out what God's Will is, along with our own personal desires.

Peter is thrown into jail by King Herod, where he encounters the Angel of the Lord. The Angel of the Lord aids Peter in his escape from prison, allows Peter to return the house of Mary, where many had gathered and were praying earnestly to God about Peter's situation. From this miraculous event, there are five key lessons that can be learned about prayer: 1) there is no promise to answer any and all prayers; 2) it's important to be persistent in prayer; 3) corporate prayer is vital; 4) It's not the quantity of their faith that is important to God; and 5) remembering when God answers prayers.

Paul begins his first missionary journey, starting with the church at Antioch. Led by the Holy Spirit, Paul and Barnabas set out to tell others areas about Jesus, including locations such as Cyprus, Salamis, Paphos, Perga and more. This is the first recorded missionary journey, and flies in the face of the postmodern thought that the account of the history and truth are arbitrary as God divinely orchestrated His plan to send broken people to tell others about the love of Jesus Christ. Throughout all of Paul and Barnabas' journey, they were led by the Holy Spirit and encountered much resistance and even flagrant persecution. The same principles for Christians today should stand. As we go and tell others about the love of Christ, we should depend on the Holy Spirit for guidance and expect resistance in a world that is resistant to God's revealed truth through His Word.

Paul and Barnabas continue to speak out about the message of Jesus Christ, while encountering hostility from Jews in the area. Paul preaches at Lystra, sharing that God has made Himself known through external general revelation. The world around us reflects the presence of an original designer, as God has made Himself, His power, and intellect clear through construction of our present universe and the complexity of life. Internally, God has also provided people with internal general revelation, such as moral choices, freedom, creativity, and love. The internal and external evidence points to God's hand in creating and sustaining everything and His deep care for those to know Him personally through Jesus. This teaching includes an interview on the evidence for intelligent design and a movie clip about molecular design.

The early church has to settle the critical issue about circumcision. Paul and Barnabas were sharply disputing that circumcision isn't needed for salvation, something men of Judea were preaching. Peter declares that people are saved by faith in Jesus Christ. The conclusion from this dispute was to not have heavy burdens on the Gentiles and to reject legalism and circumcision, but to abstain from sexual immorality, food polluted by idols, and meat of strangled animals. This would allow for contextualization and not put further barriers for the gospel between Jews and Gentiles. The focus of Christianity should be on the life-transforming power of God's grace, as opposed to man-made legalism. Radical grace should continue to be the focus of our lives as Christians.

Paul's second missionary journey reflects several key New Testament principles of serving God through ministry: 1) timing; 2) contextualization; 3) centering ministry around discipleship; and 4) being led and empowered in the work by the Holy Spirit. From Paul's example, we see someone who, from the moment he received Jesus Christ into his heart, began immediately serving God. Paul made extensive efforts to ensure there weren't barriers for communicating with people from different cultures. He also centered his work around training and equipping others in discipleship to go and do God's work and wasn't human-centered, but depended on God's guidance through the Holy Spirit in the work God had placed before him.

Paul continues his pioneering efforts to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, illuminating more principles of ministry. His interaction with the woman Lydia in Thyatira shows the importance of finding a person of peace, someone who is responsive to God and eager to reach their friends. Paul also interacts with a slave girl who was being overcome with a demonic spirit and casts the spirit out, highlighting the fierce spiritual struggle that Christian ministry really is. Paul and Silas are severely beaten and flogged and thrown in prison and yet sing praises to God in prayer. When encountering suffering, the attitude we adopt matters because we're serving God and shows a lot about God. Lastly, the experience with the jailer Paul encounters emphasizes that Christian ministry is based around grace and that God is capable of using any circumstance for His purpose.

Paul reasons through the scriptures in Thessalonica, only to be driven out by some Jews and end up in the cultural hub of Athens. This city had idol worship of various kinds and was a spot for pluralistic thinking. Today, pluralism is such a potent belief - the idea that all beliefs are equally valid. Paul spoke to this pluralistic culture by finding common ground with them without compromising on God's Truth and showing how God is so distinct and true as opposed to the false idols they were worshiping. It's important to realize God's claims through scripture stand in total contrast to pluralistic thinking, and that people must make a decision about the truth and validity revealed through Jesus Christ. This teaching includes two separate interviews, on the topic of worshiping false idols and if all religions are valid.

Paul visited the city of Corinth, a massive hub of immorality, occult practices, and materialism. Despite these rampant moral problems, there was a large responsiveness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul's time in Corinth was characterized by equipping spiritual leaders like Priscilla and Aquila, modeling integrity by working for his wages rather than asking for money, and continuing to speak and plant the gospel throughout the known world. The Corinthian church is similar to the world we live in currently, as the empty way of life leads to a receptivity of the better life in Jesus Christ. This teaching includes a short TV clip from a televangelist.

Paul makes his way to the city of Ephesus, spending three years ministering to Jews and Gentiles throughout Asia through house church movements. These movements were relational by nature, and have become the New Testament model for how God would spread His word throughout large areas. This movement stands in contrast to the religious model of worship, where a holy place and a holy person are needed to worship a deity. The local church being outward focused through house church movements was used powerfully by God to spread His message of forgiveness through Jesus Christ. This teaching includes multiple testimonies of people sharing their experience with high-quality fellowship.

Paul's third missionary journey present four narratives, all which communicate about truths about God: 1) Apollos; 2) the twelve men; 3) spiritual warfare; and 4) the riot of Ephesus. These four narratives, while seemingly not related, demonstrate the power of God at work. These four narratives communicate the power of God's Word, the power behind the Gospel, the power of God over the demonic and occult powers of Satan, and the power over troubling circumstances as seen in the riot of Ephesus. It's important to recognize when God is at work and to appreciate His power behind spiritual movements. This testimony includes audience members sharing personal experiences about God's work and how to notice when God is moving.

Paul makes his way back to Jerusalem, despite the warnings of those closest to him. Convinced that this is the Holy Spirit's leading, Paul comes to Jerusalem, meets with James to hear about God's work among the Gentiles, and foolishly nearly performs a ritual purification before he gets arrested. During his defense, Paul preaches boldly about God's work in his life, before presenting himself to go before trial to argue his innocence. This narrative of Paul's journey reflects the importance of drawing strength from the Body of Christ, and how the leading of the Holy Spirit could draw us into intense trouble.

Over the course of nearly two years, Paul undergoes different trials while in Rome. He encounters the Sanhedrin, the Governor Felix, Festus, and King Agrippa. In each trial, Paul takes the opportunity to share the gospel in his defense. Ultimately, he is set free from jail after two years of frustration and little to no visible fruit borne. However, it looks different today as it stands as a reminder to endure for the sake of the Gospel. The responses from the Sanhedrin, Felix, and Agrippa are very common still today: not considering the truth claims of the gospel, waiting to make a decision until later, or nearly being persuaded but never making a decision.