Sunday School Lessons: Introduction to Acts

Lesson One:
Intro to the Book of Acts

Written by Dr. Luke
    Luke was a physician and historian:
As a doctor, he was used to paying close attention to details.  The same skills that made him a great doctor made him a great historian.

The Book of Acts is a bridge between the Gospels and the letters (epistles)

Each Gospel ends in a different fact about Jesus:

Matthew ended in His resurrection
Matthew 28:18

Mark ended with His ascension (going back to heaven)
Mark 16:16

Luke ended with the Promise of the Holy Spirit
Luke 24:49

John ended with the Promise of the Second Coming of Christ
John 21:22

Each one of these facts about Jesus is mentioned in the first chapter of Acts.

The Great Commission appears in all 4 Gospels and is confirmed in Acts 1.
(Matt 28:18, Mark 13:10 and 16:15, Luke 24:47, and John 17:18 and 20:21)

Acts is the history of the church; its birth and early development.

The Key verse is Acts 1:8:

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The book divides into sections according to this verse:

Chapter One—the Holy Spirit comes upon the church
Chapters 1-7—the church in Jerusalem
Chapters 8-12—the church in Judea and Samaria
Chapters 12-end—the church in “the ends of the earth”

Acts has no proper ending.  Why?  Because the story continues!

*These lessons are written for use with elementary aged students.  You can find lessons for subsequent chapters here.