FIRST WORDS

PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS

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Today we begin a series of devotionals that are taken from the book of Acts. Before we dive too deep into the message of this chronicle of the early church, we should stop and consider what we are reading. 

The Book of Acts opens with the following:

1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions  through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.

(Acts 1:1-2 NIV11)

Author

While the book of Acts does not explicitly claim that it was written by Luke, the early church never questioned the authorship of Luke. Luke was a physician and a traveling companion of the Apostle Paul as can be read in Colossians 4:14, “Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings.”

Recipient

In the passage above we hear that the book was written to someone named Theophilus, which is a Greek term meaning, “friend of God.” This is most likely a pseudonym for the person or group that funded the writing of both the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. 

Why would Luke use a false name as the recipient? It was deadly dangerous to be known as a supporter of the Christian church during the time that this document was to be distributed across the Roman Empire, therefore, it makes sense that the person’s name be left off the page to protect their identity.  

Occasion

We can learn a lot about the reason for the writing of both Luke and Acts based on the opening of the Gospel of Luke:

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

(Luke 1:1-4 NIV11)

Luke wanted to provide an orderly account of the life, events, teachings, and impact of the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Luke was aware of other attempts at such a record but he did not find them to be sufficient for his purposes. 

Luke wanted to base his Gospel and his record of the early church on eye-witness accounts. Therefore, what was not included based on the first-hand knowledge of Luke, was developed based on interviews with those who were eye-witnesses. 

This meant that Luke started this project while he was traveling with Paul and would have had access to the earliest of the disciples and even to the mother of Jesus. Because of the need to capture these accounts before a great wave of persecution overtook the early church in 64-70 AD, and because there is nothing in the book of Acts about the rebellion of the Jews or the destruction of the Temple in 65AD, it can be rightly assumed that this work was completed prior to the death of Paul in 64 AD.

Purpose

As we heard in Acts 1:1-2, Luke picked up on the life and times of Jesus Christ as he opened up the book. Luke wanted to capture the last days of ministry and the last set of instructions given to the church prior to the accension of Jesus to the right hand of the Father. 

Application

What can we take away from the first two verses of Acts?

1.   Jesus of Nazareth was alive, even though he was killed on a Roman cross and buried in a borrowed tomb.
2.   Jesus Christ wanted his followers to continue on in their shared mission to welcome all whom God would send into the Kingdom of Heaven. 
3.   Jesus Christ gave instructions to the church, but not a step-by-step manual. Jesus left the Holy Spirit in charge of communicating the will and plans of God. 
4.   Those who received the instructions of Jesus, went on to be used by God to build the Body of Christ as directed by the work of the Spirit. 

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for not leaving us as orphans upon your ascension to the throne of heaven. We are not left alone but instead we have the gift of the Spirit in us as believers and in the church at large as your Body on earth. Thank you for loving us enough to give us direction and to provide us with the power to do as you instruct. 

PASTOR RYAN LADEN

Senior Pastor at PARK HILL BAPTIST CHURCH

Worked at MTN. CHURCH

Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church

Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at Baylor University

Studied at Texas Tech University

Went to Castle Hills First Baptist

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