In reviewing the first chapter of Acts we see the disciples still had not fully understood the significance of the resurrection. I hope since their time we have gained an understanding and respect for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we survey these first 11 verses I hope to relate to you the importance of this preface to the Acts account as Luke wrote it. Some say this is "The Acts of the apostles," some say this is "The acts of the Holy Spirit," I have now come to understand this to be, more than anything else, the acts of Jesus Christ. We shouldn't find this surprising since the whole Bible is written about Jesus Christ and His salvation.

Vs. 1 First (former) account, Luke 1:1-4

Luke must not have been an actual eyewitness to the events he recorded in his gospel but used eyewitness testimony from reliable sources. He says in Luke he investigated the matter or had a thorough knowledge of these things. In defense of this; we see that what Luke wrote in his first book, compared with the other synoptic Gospels, is accurate and reliable. It fills in some of the detail left out in the other Gospels.

Theophilus could be us or at least all those who study the word of God, thus Theo-Philus. We know that Luke could not possibly have told every thing that Jesus did and said in the two short letters he has written. We are given enough information to allow us to believe that Jesus is the promised one of God He died and rose again. In Luke he tells us about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Acts he relates how He is still working through the Spirit in the apostles and other disciples. In Luke 24 he briefly covers some appearances and the ascension. Here in Acts he apparently wanted to continue the story backing up to the ascension and adding a little more detail to what was written in Luke before moving on.
Vs. 2-3 Jesus gave His apostles commandments that are not only recorded in Matt. 28:18-20; but also throughout the gospels. John tells of how the apostles were given instructions about the Holy Spirit in John 15 and 16. No preacher today can claim to have been given commands by Jesus Christ directly unless it is through the written word.  Jesus proved Himself to be alive unmistakably. All of the gospel writers were either witnesses to His resurrection or wrote from the testimony of witnesses. He appeared to many after His resurrection from the dead. He convinced many that He had indeed risen from the dead. There are enough witnesses to convince the willing of these facts. Those who are unwilling to believe wouldn't believe in the face of profound miracles. God doesn't force people to believe. They believe because they are willing. Down through the ages it has been the same. The Israelites coming out of Egypt did not believe in the face of all the miracles God did for them. The guards at Jesus tomb didn't believe along with the priests and elders from the temple, even though they had witnessed it and reported directly to the officials about it. Let us not be like them in unbelief. We don't need those miracles to believe. All we need is the word from the witnesses written in the Bible.