Faith & Reason Nexus

• Acts 1:8
  “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
  This verse is a key thematic statement in the Book of Acts, outlining the spread of the Gospel in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:1 – 8:4

• The Early Church in Jerusalem
• The Apostles are filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).
• Peter preaches, and thousands are converted (Acts 2:14-41).
• The early church grows rapidly, facing opposition and persecution (Acts 3-4).
• The first martyr, Stephen, is stoned (Acts 7).
• Key Themes: The birth of the church, the empowerment of believers by the Holy Spirit, and the early persecution.

Acts 8:5 – 12:25

• The Spread of the Gospel Beyond Jerusalem
• Philip’s ministry in Samaria and the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:5-40).
• Saul’s conversion (Acts 9:1-19) and his early ministry.
• Peter’s ministry to the Gentiles, including the conversion of Cornelius (Acts 10-11).
• The church in Antioch is established (Acts 11:19-30).
• The death of James and the imprisonment of Peter (Acts 12).
• Key Themes: The Gospel spreading to Samaria and the Gentiles, the conversion of Saul, the church’s expansion beyond Jerusalem, and the persecution of believers.

Acts 13:1 – 28:31

• Paul’s Missionary Journeys and the Global Spread of the Gospel
• Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 13-14), including the establishment of churches in Asia Minor.
• The Council at Jerusalem, where the church leaders debate the requirements for Gentile believers (Acts 15).
• Paul’s second and third missionary journeys (Acts 16-21), where he travels through Asia Minor and Greece, establishing churches and facing persecution.
• Paul’s arrest and journey to Rome (Acts 21-28), where he preaches the Gospel and witnesses to leaders in Rome.
• Key Themes: Paul’s missionary work, the spread of the Gospel to the Gentiles, the challenges of spreading the message, and the continued work of the Holy Spirit in empowering believers.