The Author of the Book of Acts

The Author of the Book of Acts

The Book of Acts does not directly name its author, but we can identify him from the introduction of the letter, where he addresses a person named Theophilus. This same person is mentioned at the beginning of the Gospel that tells the story of Jesus from His birth until His ascension. This Gospel is none other than the Gospel of Luke (see Luke 1:1-3).

Therefore, it is widely accepted that Luke is the author of the Book of Acts.

Acts 1:1-3 (ESV)
1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,
2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

The Book of Acts precisely describes how the Lord’s apostles began to carry out the great commission that Jesus gave them: to preach the gospel to every creature, starting from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

It teaches us how the Holy Spirit guided the early church to successfully fulfill the mission of spreading the gospel worldwide.

From the early church, we learn the following important lessons:

Unity:
They had no divisions but were united in Christ. They agreed to remain steadfast in the apostles’ teaching without doubt or dispute. They worked cooperatively, sharing everything according to each person’s needs.

Acts 4:32 (ESV)
And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

Collective Counsel:
Even in times of confusion or disagreement, the apostles and elders met in council to seek the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and decide together what was right (Acts 15:1-21). This is why there were no sects or factions in the early church.

Joy of the Spirit:
The church rejoiced in worship and faith in Christ. They were not reluctantly fulfilling duties but gladly followed Christ with pure hearts.

Acts 2:46 (ESV)
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts.

Prayer:
They devoted themselves often to prayer both in the temple and in their homes (Acts 1:14).

Love:
They loved one another deeply. They shared possessions, without discrimination or selfishness, so that no one in the church was in need.

Acts 2:44-45 (ESV)
44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

Perseverance:
They endured hardships: some were stoned, others imprisoned or persecuted. Yet they did not abandon their faith. Instead, the gospel continued to spread rapidly.

Acts 8:1,4 (ESV)
1 And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

These are some of the lessons we can learn from the early church.

Have you been saved?

If not, what are you waiting for? Remember, these are the last days. Repent of your sins today, believe in Jesus, be baptized, and your sins will be forgiven.

If you want help to receive Christ, open this guide >>>> GUIDANCE TO THE PRAYER OF REPENTANCE

Shalom.


Share this good news with others!

If you want free help to receive Jesus into your life, contact us at the numbers below.

Also, to receive daily teachings via WhatsApp, join our channel here:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaBVhuA3WHTbKoz8jx10

Contact: +255789001312 or +255693036618

God bless you.


I

 
 

Print this post

About the author

Neema Joshua editor

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments