Formed in God’s Story: Acts

Interested in a 7-week journey through Acts?

Notes and podcasts will appear here each week. If you’re in Perth (Western Australia) you can join us live at Riverview Church 7–9 pm if you register (no charge).

Each Wednesday evening we’ll cover 2 chapters, take a coffee break, and then the next 2 chapters. At four chapters each week, we cover the 28 chapters in seven weeks:

• 8 May 2024: Acts 1–4. Notes, Podcast A and Podcast B.
• 15 May: Acts 5–8. Notes, Podcast A and Podcast B.
• 22 May: Acts 9–12. Notes, Podcast A and Podcast B.
• 29 May: Acts 13–16. Notes, Podcast A and Podcast B.
• 5 June: Acts 17–20. Notes, Podcast A and Podcast B.
• 12 June: Acts 21–24. Notes, Podcast A and Podcast B.
• 19 June: Acts 25–28. Notes, Podcast A and Podcast B.

Notes are available prior to each week. Podcasts are added after each event.

What’s so significant about Acts? This is the living reality of what it looks like to do life together with the Holy Spirit anointing given to us by the Anointed one (the Christ).

Here’s a taste from the first chapter.

With less than six weeks to complete the disciples’ training before ascending the heavenly throne, Jesus focused them on the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). They wanted to know if this was the time when Jesus would restore the fallen kingdom of Israel (verse 6). Here’s a paraphrase of Jesus’ answer:

“You’re asking, ‘When?’ That’s the wrong question. The kingdom is my Father’s authority. The kingdom arrives with the Holy Spirit in you [plural]. With the Spirit in you, just like my Father promised, you will be the living evidence of my kingship. The kingdom arrives progressively: starting in the capital, incorporating both parts of the fallen kingdom (Judah and Samaria), and extending to the extremities of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8 paraphrased)

The community under Jesus’ leadership is not merely presenting evidence about the resurrected king; we’re the living evidence of his kingship in his earthly realm.

All Jesus began to do and teach (Acts 1:1) has become our identity and mission as the Spirit implements the Christ’s reign in us, on the ground in his earthly realm.

How does that sit with you? How does it shape us? We’ll be asking lots of questions like these in this journey through the Book of Acts together.

Related posts

• Formed in God’s Story: Old Testament Prophets
• Formed in God’s Story: Matthew 15–28
• Formed in God’s Story: Matthew 1–14
• Formed in God’s story: Genesis – Esther