After His resurrection, Jesus Christ gave the eleven surviving Galilean apostles the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Stated simply, the Commission is to go into all the world and make disciples of Christ from all nations.
Moments before His Ascension to heaven, Jesus privately gave a second command: wait in Jerusalem for the 'promise of the Father.' What was it? The baptism and fulness of the Holy Spirit. Why? To embolden and empower the apostles to be global prophetic witnesses. This power would enable them to fulfil the Commission. Then He was taken up into heaven.
Ten days later and faithful to His Word, Christ sent the Holy Spirit to Earth. What happened next was the miraculous birth and growth of the Christian Church. When you consider the immense human limitations of the apostles of Christ - no large bank accounts, no higher education degrees, no career professionals, no military muscle, no connections with high and mighty people, - the narrative you are about to read has all the hallmarks of divine intervention. The Book of Acts wonderfully chronicles this amazing story of how a small group of Galilean fishermen, and a room full of one hundred and twenty disciples, were used by God to start history's greatest single mass movement.
In Welcome Holy Spirit: Understanding the Book of Acts, you will learn about:
1. The powerful birth of the Church in Chapter 2;
2. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost;
3. The miraculous growth of the Church;
4. The ministry and martyrdom of Stephen;
5. How salvation and the Holy Spirit baptism came to the Samaritans and Gentiles;
6. Repentance and salvation coming to Saul of Tarsus.
7. Details of the world-changing ministry of Saul of Tarsus, also known as the Apostle Paul.
8. Insights on Spirit-filled living for today.
Welcome Holy Spirit tells the story, in everyday language, about the Spirit-birthed Church with an eye for practical application.
The Book of Acts will change your life. And this book can help.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part One: Introduction
Preface
Introduction: The Holy Spirit
Introduction: The Book of Acts
Part Two: Holy Spirit Power in Jerusalem
Chapter One: Waiting for the Holy Spirit
Chapter Two: Pentecost - Birthday of the Church
Chapter Three: Great Healing - Great Sermon
Chapter Four: Facing Opposition
Chapter Five: Judgment Within, Trouble Without
Chapter Six: Stephen, Service and Strife
Chapter Seven: Stephen's Anointed Speech
Part Three: Holy Spirit Power in Judaea and Samaria
Chapter Eight: Time of Transition
Chapter Nine: Saul of Tarsus Repents
Chapter Ten: Gentile Pentecost
Chapter Eleven: Revival at Antioch
Chapter Twelve: Growing Persecution, Growing Church
Part Four: Holy Spirit Power to the Ends of the Earth
Chapter Thirteen: From Saul to Paul
Chapter Fourteen: Triumph and Trouble
Chapter Fifteen: The Council of Jerusalem
Chapter Sixteen: The Gate of Europe
Chapter Seventeen: The Road to Athens
Chapter Eighteen: Revival in Corinth
Chapter Nineteen: Ephesus at Last
Chapter Twenty: The Long Farewell
Chapter Twenty-One: Appointment in Jerusalem
Chapter Twenty-Two: Paul's Defense in Jerusalem
Chapter Twenty-Three: From Jerusalem to Caesarea
Chapter Twenty-Four: Paul's Defense Before Felix
Chapter Twenty-Five: 'I Appeal to Caesar'
Chapter Twenty-Six: Paul With King Agrippa II
Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Stormy Voyage to Rome
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Paul in Malta and Rome
