The Importance of Acts: Jesus Works Through Ordinary People

At Emory we are currently discussing the book of Acts – one of the most exciting books in the New Testament. Aptly named, Acts is preeminently the book of action. It is the story of how the Christian faith grew and changed the course of world history through the Great Commission and acts of discipleship.

The importance of Acts can be summed up in three simple statements:

• Acts explains how the Christian movement began – historically linking the life of Christ with the growth of the Christian church.

• Acts shows us how the church is to respond to the world. First, with a bold witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. Second, with visible love for each other. It was said of the early Christians, “Behold, how they love one another.” These two things — bold witness and visible love — have been the hallmark of the church in every age of persecution and hostility. They still hold true today.

• Acts teaches us about the great mission of the Christian church. “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). What started in Jerusalem will one day reach to the farthest corners of the globe. That was Jesus’ plan from the beginning. He always intended that his followers would take his message and go in every direction with the good news.

Jesus has called us to join him in the great adventure of sharing the good news

Let the adventure begin.