SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE, 5 October 2025
Sermon Series: “The Acts of the Apostles” (#1)
Sermon Text: Acts 1:1-5
Main Points:
Introduction
I. The first volume: The Gospel’s journey to Jerusalem
II. The second volume: The Gospel’s journey from Jerusalem
Conclusion: The ongoing story of Christ’s Gospel
What I want to share with you this morning is, in a sense, ‘rocket science.’ Not rocket science in the literal sense, of course, but in the way it must feel for rocket scientists or space enthusiasts to witness a rocket launch – thrilling, awe-inspiring, and full of wonder.
The same kind of excitement applies to what we’re about to explore: the redeeming work of Christ recorded in two books of the Bible, that is, the Gospel according to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. I said two books, but in truth, they’re really one story in two volumes. Yes, you heard me right – Luke and Acts are not two separate accounts – they’re one continuous narrative written by Luke under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Now, understanding this two-volume work might seem complex to those whose minds are fixed on the worldly things. But to those whose eyes are fixed on Christ and His kingdom, it’s breathtaking – full of power, purpose and wonder!
Together, Luke and Acts reveal a sequence of works carefully planned and carried out by Jesus Christ, alongside God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Together, they give us a panoramic view of the Triune God’s redemption of humanity.
If I were to compare Luke and Acts to a rocket launch, Luke’s opening chapters are like the control centre preparing for launch, with everything ready, systems checked, and signals aligned. Even before the countdown begins, all that has come before – like the promises and prophecies of the OT – form the groundwork.
Then, as the story unfolds, the engine ignites. The countdown begins. Smoke rises, pressure builds, and finally, the rocket takes off – that’s the Gospel of Luke! It’s the story of Christ’s coming, His redeeming work, and His ascent to the cross – the very centre of God’s saving plan.
Once the rocket is airborne, its light spreads across the sky for all to see. People across vast regions notice it. Eyes are drawn upward as it rises higher and higher. That’s the book of Acts. The gospel is no longer contained; it moves outward, changing lives, transforming hearts, and reshaping history. A new era has begun.
It reminds me of Neil Armstrong’s words when he first stepped on the moon: ‘That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.’ Indeed, Acts is a lot like that – a small beginning with an enormous impact! The story of the world is forever changed – from B.C. (‘Before Christ’) to A.D. (‘Anno Domini,’ meaning ‘in the year of our Lord’).
I’m introducing our new sermon series on Acts this way because, as we study it together, I want us to keep our eyes on the bigger picture. It’s easy to get caught up in small details, but every detail is part of a grand, unfolding story – the story of Christ’s redeeming work.
So, this morning, we’ll start by looking at each volume – Luke and Acts – to see that grand design, and then reflect on what it means for us today. My brothers and sisters in Christ, get ready to be amazed – not at human achievement, but at the glory and wisdom of our God, whose work in Christ continues to unfold before our eyes.
I. The First Volume – The Gospel’s Journey to Jerusalem
Now, we look at the first volume – Luke’s Gospel. It begins with a story of a priest in Jerusalem – Zechariah – and the angel’s message to him about the birth of John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah.
Then, the focus shifts to Nazareth in Galilee, where the angel appears to Mary, announcing that she will bear the Christ. Soon after, Jesus is born in Bethlehem in Judea, about 8 kms south of Jerusalem, fulfilling God’s promise that the Messiah would come from David’s line. After His birth, the story returns to Nazareth in Galilee, where Jesus grows up. In Lk. 4, His public ministry begins in Galilee.
This starting point was no accident. It had been foretold in Isa. 9:1-2, and we read this: “… in the latter time He has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations [or ‘of the Gentiles’]. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.”
Isaiah called it ‘Galilee of the Gentiles,’ meaning a place on the margins – distant from the centre of blessing, looked down on by many as spiritually second-class. Yet, that’s where Jesus began. From Galilee, He called the twelve disciples and began His journey toward Jerusalem – the spiritual and national centre of Israel. Lk. 9:51 tells us this: “When the days drew near for Him to be taken up, He [Jesus] set His face to go to Jerusalem.”
From that point, Jesus moves intentionally through Samaria and Judea (Lk. 17), teaching, healing, confronting the proud, and preparing His followers for His death and resurrection. In Lk. 19, He enters Jerusalem amid the cheers of the crowds. The following chapters lead us to Calvary where Jesus is crucified, and finally to the empty tomb where the risen Lord appears in glory.
Through this geographical movement, Luke shows more than a travel route – he shows the pattern of God’s saving plan. Jesus began His redeeming work not from the centre of human strength, but from the edges of human weakness. Galilee – a place of outsiders – was the launch pad of God’s grace. That’s the gospel – salvation comes not through human power or wisdom, but through God’s grace alone.
Isn’t that how Christ’s work began in your life too? When you first heard the name Jesus and sensed there was something special about it – that moment didn’t start with you. It started with Him, the Christ. It began in a place you hardly noticed – a corner of your life that seemed insignificant. Suddenly, without fully understanding why, your ears caught the name Jesus, and your heart began to wonder about His message. That was the moment Jesus began His saving work in the spiritual ‘Galilee’ of your life.
From there, the gospel advanced toward the centre of your life, didn’t it? The very core of your values, your ambitions, your purpose, your worldview. Bit by bit, Christ’s message drew nearer, until it reached the innermost part of your being. And there, the work of salvation was completed, nailing sin to the cross at the heart of who you are!
Jesus Christ walked that path – from Galilee to Jerusalem, and then to Calvary – to save the world. He did it two thousand years ago, but He’s still doing it today – in you! Moving from the spiritual ‘Galilee’ of your life to the very core of your being, and there He nailed your sins to the cross!
That’s not the end – by rising from the dead, He has given you the power of new life! In a very real sense, Luke’s Gospel is His story written into yours. That’s exactly what Rom. 1:16 expresses in these words, “… the gospel … is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”
II. The Second Volume – The Gospel’s Journey from Jerusalem
Now, here’s the amazing part – the story doesn’t end at Calvary or even in Jerusalem. Just as the risen Christ did not stay confined to one city, the gospel continues to expand outward. That’s the message of Acts – beginning in Jerusalem, moving through Judea and Samaria, and finally reaching the ends of the earth, represented by Rome. Like a rocket lifting off, the work of salvation that began quietly at the margins now bursts forth, touching lives far and wide.
This is why studying Acts alongside Luke’s Gospel is so thrilling. It’s like watching a carefully planned mission unfold, from ignition to lift-off and now to reaching far in altitude, revealing the grand design of God’s redeeming work in Christ. Luke’s Gospel moves toward Jerusalem – centripetal, drawing everything onto Jerusalem, then, the cross. Acts reverses that flow. It moves from Jerusalem – centrifugal, spreading outward with unstoppable force to every corner of the world.
I won’t go into all the details of that force today because we’ll explore that together every Sunday in this series – but let me highlight a couple of key points. First, before His crucifixion, Jesus commanded His disciples to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit. He repeated this command after His resurrection, as we read from Acts 1:4-5. This waiting was for the unique baptism of the Holy Spirit.
It’s important to understand that this baptism was something specific to the apostles, serving as the last preparation for them to go out into the world and testify to Christ and His salvation. Think of it like this: at the very beginning of His earthly ministry, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness for forty days of fasting and testing – that was the inauguration of His saving ministry on earth. In the same way, the apostles were led to a similar experience – a preparation and empowerment by the Spirit – so they could carry on the work of Christ in the world.
This shows us something vital, that is, Luke is not just about the works of Jesus alone. It is about the works of the Son and the Holy Spirit, all carried out according to the will of God the Father. Likewise, Acts is not simply a record of the apostles’ deeds, nor of Peter or Paul in particular, but of the works of the Triune God through His messengers.
Second, this reveals the unity of Christ and His Church. What the Lord Jesus began in His own body on earth, He now continues through His ‘body,’ that is, His Church, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus has not stepped away from His mission – instead, He remains continually and personally involved in it, working through the Spirit and through His Spirit-filled servants. That’s why the Book of Acts 28 ends so powerfully with these words, “He [that is, Paul] lived there [in Rome, the centre of the world] … and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.”
Conclusion: The Ongoing Story of Christ’s Gospel
This means a great deal for you and for me, as members of Christ’s body – His Church. Our calling isn’t simply to secure peace of mind about heaven after this life, nor to chase blessings on earth in terms of material or physical well-being. No, not at all. Our calling, in Jesus’ name, is to join what He is already doing in this world, namely, to take part in the gospel’s outward movement.
In other words, we’re called to continue the very work the apostles began, the work that earlier generations of believers – even those who came before us here at St Columba’s – carried forward in their time. And now, it’s our turn to carry it on here and now.
Think about your own journey of faith. When you first came to trust in the Lord Jesus, you may have thought faith was something to keep personal – just between you and God. But it doesn’t stay that way for long, does it? Soon, you discover that true faith can’t be contained. It naturally overflows – into your family, your friendships, your workplace. Faith wants to go public, to cross boundaries, and to shine light into dark places where many – including some we dearly love – still walk and struggle daily!
When Christ nailed our sins to the cross – right at the centre of our being – we might’ve felt content to stay there, safe and still in our own ‘Jerusalem.’ But before long, we realise that His call always pushes us outward – first to our ‘Judea,’ then to ‘Samaria,’ and ultimately to the ends of the earth. Truth is, for many of us, the place where we already are is that ‘end of the earth’ God has entrusted to us!
So, let me put all in one sentence – Each Christian lives on a page in the second volume of Christ’s grace – the first volume tells how Christ came to and died for us; the second reveals how He continues His work through us! ***
St Columba's Presbyterian Church 