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Acts: The Pattern Church
It is exciting to study the book of acts. Although we have four biographies of the life of Jesus, we have only one account giving the history of the early church. The Spirit of God wisely inspired and preserved this record. Acts covers the first thirty-two years of church history, concluding with Paul’s Roman imprisonment. Without this record little would be known of the progress of the gospel under the leadership of the apostles. Acts then is priceless as a record of this period of history. Without it we would know little of Peter’s and Paul’s missionary labors. But it is more than an interesting document recording as section of ancient history. It is inspirational in character, motivating the current church to do exploits for God. If God could work then in power saving souls can He not do the same today? Is not eh church indwelt by the same, might Holy Spirit? It is the author’s prayer that this study will help illuminate the text for the reader. Understanding must precede action. May it also inspire the one reading to greater love and devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ. And may churches be gripped by the simplicity of structure and the power of the early church. It is still possible today to emulate that pattern. “Mimic me” is the plea of Paul (1Cor. 11:1). The power and structure of the apostolic church are available to God’s people today. ————— Donald L. Norbie is a Bible teacher and author now living in Colorado. While attending high school in Tucson,Arizona, he was led to Christ by T.B. Gilbert in 1938 and began to fellowship with the Bible Chapel there. After spending several years in the Navy during World War II he returned to college. Since 1949, when he received a Master of Arts degree from Wheaton College, he and his wife Marie have been active in Bible teaching and evangelism. A special interest of his has been the New Testament church. Other books are 1 Timothy: Timeless Truths, 2 Timothy and Titus, New Testament Church Organization, The Early Church, Divorce and the Bible, Baptism, The Lord’s Supper, He Loved to Plant: A Biography of T. B. Gilbert, and Danny, A Life Cut Short. |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Prologue
Chapter 3 Prayer in the Upper Room
Chapter 4 Pentecost
Chapter 5 Healing at the Temple
Chapter 6 Threatening and Prayer
Chapter 7 Discipline and Deliverance
Chapter 8 Deacons (Servants) Chosen; Stephen’s Arrest
Chapter 9 Stephen’s Defense and Stoning
Chapter 10 Philip-Samaria and Gaza
Chapter 11 Saul’s Conversion and Peter’s Miracles
Chapter 12 Cornelius’s Conversion
Chapter 13 Peter’s Defense of Cornelius; The Antioch Church
Chapter 14 Peter Released fro Prison; Herod Dies
Chapter 15 Paul’s First Missionary Journey
Chapter 16 Paul’s First Missionary Journey (cont)
Chapter 17 The Jerusalem Council
Chapter 18 Paul’s Second Journey
Chapter 19 Thessalonica, Berea and Athens
Chapter 20 Corinth
Chapter 21 Paul’s Third Journey
Chapter 22 Toward Jerusalem
Chapter 23 Jerusalem Arrest
Chapter 24 Jerusalem Arrest (cont)
Chapter 25 Caesarean Imprisonment
Chapter 26 Trial Before Agrippa
Chapter 27 Voyage to Rome
Chapter 28 Malta and Rome
Chapter 29 Model or Relic?
