The Acts of the Apostles is a record of the impact and influence of Holy Spirit in the lives of the disciples and other believers who were witness to the events surrounding the life of Christ. Acts 1:8 is a key verse that is considered an outline for the rest of the book. It describes the empowerment of the disciples, their witness, and the spread of the gospel throughout the earth.
When Christ declared, “You will receive power," he was speaking about the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord told his disciples that the Holy Spirit would be sent to teach them all things and remind them of everything that Jesus told them (John 14:26), so that the gospel wouldn’t be merely words, but a message which comes in power directly from the Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 1:5). Thus, the Holy Spirit’s role was to bring into remembrance and to help them understand that which Jesus taught them. Moreover, the Holy Spirit was to indwell the disciples. In the Gospel of John, the Lord proclaims to his disciples that the Holy Spirit “abides with you and will be in you” (Jn. 14:17). These words provided comfort and assurance that the Holy Spirit would indwell them, and that they would not be alone. There is record of the Holy Spirit influencing and indwelling his people throughout the Old Testament. Pharaoh believed that Joseph had the Spirit of God in him because of the wisdom he possessed (Gen. 41:38). Likewise, the Bible records the Spirit of the Lord taking hold of the Judges of Israel. Men, such as Samson (Judg. 14:6) and Othniel (Judg. 3:10) were filled with the Holy Spirit and raised up to deliver Israel. The Lord was telling his disciples that he was about to impart the same Spirit upon them as he did on the heroes and prophets of old. ...
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...o out into the world to spread the gospel, we will never be alone in our commission. The Lord called us to be his witnesses and has given the assurance that we will always have the Holy Spirit to lead, empower and sustain us for service.
Works Cited
Blue Letter Bible. November 9, 2011. http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/Dictionary/viewEntries.cfm (accessed November 9, 2011).
Gill, Clinton R. Bible Study Textbook Series Minor Prophets A Study of Micah Through Malachi. Joplin, Missouri: College Press, 1971.
Lea, Thomas D. Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999.
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Carson, D. A., and Douglas J. Moo. 2005. An introduction to the new testament. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan.
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The book of Acts was written by Luke around AD 60 and spans thirty years of Christianity’s growth throughout both the Jewish and Gentile communities and the early beginning of Christ’s church. Luke picks up where the Gospels ended and deals with what happened to Christ’s followers after His ascension and ends with Paul’s imprisonment. The book details how the apostles carried out Christ’s work empowered by the Holy Spirit. Because it records how the Holy Spirit acted through believers to spread the Word of God, Acts is commonly known as “The Acts of the Holy Spirit” (Elwell and Yarbrough 195).
The Book of Acts was written to provide a history of the early church. Acts emphasis the importance of the day of Pentecost and being empowered to be effective witnesses for Jesus Christ. Acts sheds light on the ministry gift of the Holy Spirit, which empowers, guides, teaches, and serves as our Counselor. When reading the Book of Acts many of the readers will be enlightened and encouraged by the many miracles that were being performed during this time by the disciples Peter, John, and Paul. The Book of Acts emphasizes the importance of obedience to God’s Word and the transformation that occurs as a result of knowing Christ. There are also many references to those that rejected the truth that the disciples preached about in Jesus Christ. Power, greed, and many other vices of the devil or evidenced in the book of Acts. Acts 1:8 serves as a good summary of the Book of Acts. Acts records the apostles being Christ's witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the rest of the surrounding world.
New Testament. Vol. 2. Edited by Gerhard Kittel. Translated by Geoffrey W. Bromiley. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1964.
Lane, William. The Gospel According to Mark: The English Text With Introduction, Exposition, and Notes (New International Commentary on the New Testament). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974.
Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version. New York: American Bible Society, 1995. Print. (BS195 .C66 1995)
Wenham, G.J., Moyter, J.A., Carson, D.A. and France, R.T., eds. New Bible Commentary. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1998.