Page 57 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

The Gospel Comes to Africa

2 Timothy 4:11 and Philemon 24 reveals that Luke was Paul’s companion
during Paul’s imprisonment. Finally, Acts 1:1 indicates that there is a close
connection between Acts and Luke’s “former book,” the Gospel of Luke.

The Kingdom Comes in the Power of the Holy Spirit

Acts must be understood as the second volume or the continuation of the
Gospel of Luke, in which the author “wrote about all that Jesus began to do
and teach” (Acts 1:1, italics mine). The focus in the Gospel of Luke is on the
coming of the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ. In Acts, the focus is on
the church as the means to carry the news of the Kingdom throughout the
world through the power of the Holy Spirit. Both books reveal the guidance of
the Holy Spirit in spreading the Kingdom message to everyone—His disciples
going everywhere doing and teaching after the model of Jesus Christ.

Kealy and Shank share the following thoughts concerning the
book of Acts:

There were many forms of literature which Luke could have used,
and to understand his choice, it is perhaps best to say that Acts is
not a theological treatise, nor a letter, nor a biography of Peter and
Paul. Neither is it a “History of the Early Church” such as Eusebius
or a modern historian would write. It is far too incomplete for that,
as it tells us nothing about the foundation of the Church in Rome,
whose faith Paul tells us was renowned throughout the world
(Romans 1:8). It tells us nothing about Peter’s life after his release
from prison (Acts 12:17), nor about the final period of Paul’s life
after his first captivity in Rome. Rather, Luke chose a form called
“acts” from Greek literature, which was composed about famous
men (e.g., Acts of Alexander the Great, Acts of Hannibal.) But Luke’s
work is a unique and personal work; it is an Acts of the Spirit. He is
interested in the development of the Gentile mission, but his theme
is the spread of the Christian gospel, under inspiration and power
of the Spirit, all over the world, Acts 1:8. (47)

Pastor Tony Evans adds the following about the need for power to
carry the good news of the Kingdom throughout the world:

When God intervenes, it’s to make sure we have the power we
need to accomplish His purposes. There’s probably no greater

::: 47 :::