Your Sons & Daughters Shall Prophesy - Prophetic Gifts Today In The New Testament Church

12

PROPHETS

AND PROPHECY

IN THE BOOK OF ACTS

"Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. . . . "

Acts 2:17

SOME OF OUR MOST significant documentation about prophecy, a vital part of the early Church, comes from The Acts of the Apos tles. The evidence presented is convincing proof that the early Church was operational in prophecy and that the early leaders expected this ministry to continue throughout the Church age. Our expert witness is Luke, the inspired scribe of the gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. The written testimony of the "beloved physi cian" (Colossians 4:14) is most reliable. Luke accompanied Paul on many of his journeys (Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1-28:16) and was with him during his imprisonment in Rome (2 Timothy 4:11). Luke obvi ously made the study of Jesus' ministry and early Church history a major research project. 1 In this chapter I will present Acts passages (in chronological order) related to prophecy, with brief commentary and some personal testimonies added for contemporary flavor. 195 ■