Acts 1:12 – 5:42

When reading the gospel of Luke, the inspired writer promises us he has carefully researched the matters to which he was not an eyewitness. The finished product, we are told, is an orderly account (either an orderly presentation or a presentation of events in chronological order). The physician Luke gives us just that; precision, as you would expect from well-educated doctor.

In one of history’s finest documents, Luke also is the inspired human author of the book of Acts. Many understand the title and the emphasis to be the ‘acts of the Apostles”. Some of this narrative contains a record of events to which Luke is an eyewitness, and other portions he is not. These are generally referred to as the “I/we” and “they” passages. In sum, the accuracy of Luke on even the minutest details is impressive and convincing. Note carefully, however, what Luke claims about the narrative…

The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Act 1:1-5

Luke does not present for us the acts of the Apostles, rather the continuing acts of Jesus. To fully appreciate the narrative itself and the spiritual significance we must appreciate this point. The book of Acts is the story of the early church. The church is the body of Christ, with Jesus as the head of the body.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 1:18-23

Whether it is the acts of Peter, John, Saul/Paul or any of the Apostles, it is ultimately the acts of Jesus through His body. The church is His hands, His feet, His mouth and His heart. His body is also indwelled by His Spirit. Remember what He taught on the night He was betrayed?

Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

John 14:9-18

Jesus is God. God is spirit. The Holy Spirit is God. Jesus and the Father are one. The unmistakable truth is that when the Holy Spirit comes, He is the Spirit of Christ. As Paul taught in Ephesians 4:4, there is “one Spirit”.

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

John 14:23

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:9-11

Some prefer to consider the book of Acts as the “acts of the Holy Spirit”. One simply cannot miss the powerful role of the Holy Spirit in the narrative, but this book that is inspired by the Holy Spirit says it is a record of the continuing work of Jesus through His body the church. Jesus – not the Holy Spirit – must have preeminence an all things. Far too many who profess Christ miss this point.

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

Colossians 1:13-20

Give thanks to the Father for all He has accomplished through His beloved son SO THAT Jesus would have first place in EVERYTHING. As amazingly precise the record penned by Luke is, it is a partial record of what Jesus continues to do. His body, the church, is alive and well and in quickened by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ. All who have been added to the body of Christ by the Lord are His body; His hands, His feet, His mouth and His heart.

So it will be until He comes back.

Consider His nature.  Consider His ways.  Strive to love Him more!