Luke shows how the gospel spread rapidly from Jerusalem to the whole Roman Empire, and from its Jewish roots to the Gentile world.

Overview

Luke wrote this book as a historian to tell what happened after the resurrection of Jesus. It’s the second volume of the good news—the sequel to the Gospels. In it Luke explained Christianity’s amazing growth—perhaps to legitimize the church to civil authorities or to confirm the faith of believers. The NIV Quest Study Bible  says Luke seems to have wanted congregations to understand the source of conflict between Jewish and Gentile Christians who were brought together through Jesus the Messiah as members of God’s family. These difficulties faced by the early church can serve as an encouragement to us in the present-day church. The disciples’ zeal that took the gospel across ethnic and national boundaries can also inspire us today. The Spirit so active in Acts is the same Holy Spirit that is currently at work today in the church.