The Big Read – Acts

Powerpoint Pictures: Tsunami; Tornado; Volcano; Heatwave; Avalanche; Earthquake

Look at the following pictures? *[Tsunami, Tornado, Volcano, Heatwave, Avalanche, Earthquake].*  What do each of these things have in common?

They are unstoppable.  They can’t be stopped – you have to wait for each of them to run its course.

The book of Acts is also about something or rather someone who is unstoppable.

The book of Acts tells us that the Risen Lord Jesus is building His church from all the nations of the world and nobody and nothing cannot stop Him from doing this.

At the start of Acts, Jesus gives His followers the mission of being witnesses for Him, by telling people the good news about Him in the power of the Spirit, and they were to do this in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, to the ends of the earth.

*“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)*

And that’s what happens in the book of Acts.

In the first part of Acts, Jesus’ followers are in Jerusalem, preaching the good news about Him, and people are saved – on one day 3000 were.

Then when a persecution breaks out, Jesus’ followers are scattered throughout Judea and Samaria, and there they preach the gospel and people are saved.

After the conversion of Saul, an enemy of Jesus, he becomes a missionary to the Gentiles, and Acts records how he preaches the message of salvation through Jesus in Asia and Europe, and how new churches appear all over these continents.

Along the way problems and difficulties arise (such as persecution, imprisonment, shipwrecks and so on), but none of these are able to stop Jesus from building His church as His followers preach the good news about Him in the power of the Spirit.

Luke in the book of Acts wants to excite and encourage us that Jesus is building His church and nothing can stop Him from doing so.