As we all know, the book of the Acts of the Apostles forms the second volume, as it were, of Luke's writing. In the Gospel, he has told the account of Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrection. Now he begins the account of the growth of the early church by the power of the Holy Spirit.

To begin his second volume, however, Luke repeats some of the things he has said at the end of the Gospel story. Once again, the command to the disciples to remain in Jerusalem until they receive God's promised "power from on high" in the form of the Holy Spirit is given (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4). Once again the apostles are told that they are to be Christ's witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Luke 24:48; Acts 1:8). Once again Christ's resurrection appearances are told, alth…