The Full GospelSample

How the Gospel Advances // The Gospel According to Acts

Immediately following the four gospels, we arrive at the Book of Acts, written by Luke. He wrote this book as a follow up to his first one. It starts off like this:

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. Acts 1:1-3 NIV

Luke picks up right where he left off—with the resurrection of Jesus and the message of God’s kingdom. The Book of Acts has six major “movements” all marked by some version of these words: The word of God continued to spread and flourish. This book teaches us how the gospel advances through the people of God, empowered by the Spirit of God, by means of resistance.

First, we see the gospel advances through the people of God:

“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 NIV

Among other things, the gospel makes us empowered witnesses. A witness is a legal term for someone who testifies, or provides evidence or proof about something.

For us, this means God picked us, His people, to be His witnesses with purpose—and to provide evidence of His goodness to a watching world. We are to bring forth a testimony for the world to consider, and tell of what we have seen and heard from our God. He has given us this role, and He gives us the power to do it.

The gospel doesn’t just make us witnesses, but it also makes us recipients of God’s Spirit.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4 NIV

Simply put, when we give our lives to Christ, He gives us His Spirit. And with the Spirit comes power, love, and self-discipline from God—displacing the timidity, fear, and self-doubt in us.

Filled with the Spirit of God, Luke writes how Peter went from denying Jesus repeatedly to declaring His gospel boldly.

“‘And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” Acts 2:21-24 NIV

This is the gospel: God had a rescue plan. It was deliberate, conscious, and intentional every step of the way. Jesus of Nazareth proved to be the Messiah, the chosen One sent by God. Yet at the height of His ministry, He was handed over to the Jewish authorities. And with the help of the Roman empire, He was put to death on a cross. But it wasn’t possible for death to keep a hold on Him. And now everyone who calls on Him can be saved.

Peter, empowered by the Spirit of God, testified to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and extended the invitation to call on the name of the Lord.

Another thing Peter makes clear is that resistance was part of the plan. God’s deliberate plan was for Jesus to be handed over and put to death by being nailed to a cross. That’s resistance in the extreme! And yet, that resistance—that setback and suffering—is the means of our salvation. And it’s still how the gospel advances!

When Paul, another key player in the Book of Acts and the early church, encountered Jesus and embraced the gospel, God said this about him:

“... This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Acts 9:15-16 NIV

This proved true. Later, Paul recounted the resistance he faced throughout his missionary journeys.

Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11:24-28 NIV

In the midst of this resistance, churches were planted all over the known world. Thousands and thousands of people were baptised, and the good news was proclaimed to those who were near to God—and those who were a long way off.

The Book of Acts ends with these words:

For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance! Acts 28:30-31 NIV

Even though Paul was under house arrest, the good news of God’s kingdom spread and flourished. And it has continued to spread throughout generations all the way to today—all the way to you. Resistance was always part of the plan; it’s how the gospel advances.