God Builds His Kingdom

The Holy Spirit, the Word, and the Church

Main Point of Acts

God builds his Kingdom through the Word and Spirit by the agency of witnesses for the establishment of the church to the great amazement of the people.

Major Themes

Church: the manifestation of the Kingdom.

• Created and unified by the HS
• The New Covenant and the Kingdom of God
• The worldwide extending (“all nations”) of the kingdom of God in form of local NC communities
• The inaugurating fulfillment of Temple Theology—restored communion
• The unity of Jews/Gentiles—new humanity
• The model of discipleship activity

Word of God: the seed and feed of the Kingdom. 

• Empowered by Holy Spirit
• Foundation of all Kingdom growth and ministry in Acts
• Its growth into the world through the covenant community
• Gospel: the message of the Kingdom. 
  • Content: mega-narrative of Redemption, centered on work of Christ
  • Response: Discipleship (faith and repentance) and witness (preaching, evangelizing, COSTS)

“Bearing Witness”/Testimony: the heralds of the Kingdom.

• Indwelled by HS—specifically the "Spirit of Christ” (Acts 2ff) to continue His ministry,
• Led by providence of God, i.e., Acts 4:5–22.
• Unity with Christ in mission (Acts 1:8, carrying his mission onward from Luke 24).
• (kyruso) Proclamation-sermons of Paul, Peter, Stephen, (authority, ambassadors) etc.
• (martureo) Persecution/suffering, proclamation, and martyrdom (spreading of Word)
• (euangellizo) Lay-preaching
• Response is urged by speaker

Lessons