The book of Acts is where we get God’s model for the church. By the end of the first century we know that the church had already degenerated and drifted from God’s idea of the church because when we look at the letters of Jesus to the seven churches of Revelation (received from Jesus toward the end of the first century through the apostle John) we see that five of the seven churches were corrupted. This means we certainly cannot go to human tradition associated with the church for an accurate portrayal of what the church should be. Unfortunately, history reveals a great deal of corruption and unChristlike behavior in and by the church (e.g. the crusades, the inquisitions, political vice, immoralities by church leadership, monument building, monetary avarice, indulgences, and false extra and unbiblical doctrines to name a few areas where the church strayed into sin). No, Acts is where we have to go if we are going to get God’s picture or model of what the church was first meant to be by Him.

The book of Acts also speaks to us on an individual basis as it reveals the work of the Holy Spirit in and through the individual believer. We see the Holy Spirit bringing conviction to the unbeliever and leading them to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. We see the Holy Spirit empowering believers to serve the Lord. And we see the Holy Spirit refilling believers as they advance in their walk with the Lord.

The book of Acts depicts Christianity as it was meant to be, an active and abundantly full, exciting world-changing work of the Holy Spirit in and through believers. Christianity is not the dull boring walk through so often seen in religious presentations. Christianity is what we find in Acts, the abundant life promised to us by Jesus (John 10:10). What Acts gives us proves to be “many infallible proofs” of the reality of Jesus and how God can and will change the lives of those who receive His gracious gift of eternal life through faith in Christ. The book of Acts and what God reveals in it can change your life, if you surrender to the Spirit for Him to apply it to your life. The well known sports program Monday Night Football begins with a call to the watchers asking, “Are you ready for some football?” As we study the book of Acts we need to ask, “Are you ready for some Action? Some Holy Spirit empowered advancing of the Great Commission of Jesus action?” Are you ready? I hope so because God can change your life through the book of Acts.

In Acts we will see the Spirit of God using the word of God to make people of God and change the people of God into Spirit empowered effective edifying disciples of Jesus Christ. Are you ready for that kind of action? Let’s get into Acts.