Matthew

Acts

LeRoy Eims

The coming of Christ signifies the coming of a new revelation, the new covenant, the greatest self-revelation of God. The law is now superceded by the grace and truth of Christ Himself. Christ came at the precise time when all that was set forth in the Old Testament was accomplished. As the message of Christ in the gospels is the fulfillment of all that has gone before, so the truth of the gospels is the foundation of all that is to follow.

It is now the time to send His disciples into the world to spread the good news. This is a brand new thing. It could not have happened before. A new day has dawned for the human race. The gospel of life and light is to be proclaimed to the Jew and gentile alike.

The great doctrines of redemption, regeneration, justification, and sanctification can now be set forth because of the teachings and atoning work of the Lamb of God. The Messiah, the central theme of the Old Testament, is now the central figure of the New, and in His triumph on the cross, the central fact of all human history.

The Book of Acts is a continuation of the book of Luke. In his gospel Luke sets forth the work of our Lord in redemption. In the Acts we see what the risen Christ continues to do through the work of the Holy Spirit. Thus his second book takes up the history from the resurrection of Christ and His ascension into heaven, and describes the way that Christianity began to spread to the uttermost parts of the earth.

The Old Testament is the story of the founding and nourishing of the Hebrew nation, that through it God might bless the whole world. In the book of Acts, the great and glorious work among the nations begins. The Messiah, long foretold by the prophets, had come at last. Through him the household of God takes on a world‑wide, international flavor.

In addition to the human instruments in Acts, we are confronted by the continual ministry of Christ in Heaven. The Holy Spirit on earth, and Satan working day and night to hinder and thwart the work of God.

In the divine purpose of God, two cities, Jerusalem and Antioch, take the forefront. It was at Jerusalem, the city of David, that Jesus offered Himself for all mankind. It was at Jerusalem that the prophecies concerning the death, burial and resurrection of Christ were fulfilled. It was at Jerusalem, on the day of Pentecost, that the Holy Spirit descended. It was at Jerusalem that the Christian church was born.

It is possible that the disciples would have remained longer in Jerusalem had they not been driven out by persecution. Thus the message extended beyond the Jewish bonds. It was Antioch of Syria that became the great center of evangelism. From this city the great Apostle to the gentiles carried the message to the non‑Jewish world. As the companion of Paul, Luke, the gentile author of the book of Acts, is at home in these surroundings.

With all the facts viewed, the greatest human instrument in the early Christian church was the Apostle Paul. His special training was in the Jewish scriptures. His conversion on the road to Damascus involved a miracle. Nothing less than the voice of Christ Himself would have convinced this zealous persecutor of the faith that Jesus was the Christ and hope of the world.

He served his Lord faithfully and died a martyr's death. How difficult it should be for anyone to disbelieve the claims of Jesus when such a man found Him to be the Son of God and sealed his faith with his blood.