The Transition The Biblical Bridge: Examining the Great Commission Strategy

The Transition: The Biblical Bridge

The Book of Acts does not begin a new story; it continues the one recorded in the Gospels. While the Gospels document everything Jesus "began to do and teach," Acts documents His continued work from His position at the right hand of the Father. This "Biblical Bridge" reveals the shift from Christ’s physical presence to His leading through the Church.

Anchored in the teaching of Dr. John MacArthur, this transition is revealed through Lens 1: God’s Plan (The Great Commission Strategy). It shows that the mission was never intended to be a local movement but a global rollout of the Gospel.

As we move across this bridge, we examine the forty-day interval where Jesus "opened the minds" of the disciples as they prepared for Lens 2: The Holy Spirit’s Role. This transition identifies the “Active Administrator” (The Holy Spirit) who provides the promised power that transforms timid followers into bold witnesses. The Resurrection was not an ending, but the ignition for the Great Commission—the world’s most important and exciting story.

The Transition: From the Gospels to the Book of Acts

This section explores the bridge between what Jesus began to do in His earthly ministry and what He continues to do through the Church. Please use these queries to start your own investigation in our Research Hub.

  1. Lens 1 - God's Sovereign Plan

    • Query: "In the transition from the Gospels to Acts, how does Jesus' role change from being physically present on earth to leading the mission from heaven? Use the MacArthur sermons to explain God's plan for this shift."

  2. Lens 2 - The Holy Spirit's Role

    • Query: "Jesus spoke about a 'Promise from the Father' regarding the Holy Spirit. Based on the sermons, how does this promise become the power for the Church in the Book of Acts?"

  3. Lens 3 - The Message About Jesus

    • Query: "What specific evidence is highlighted in the transition between these two books that proved to the disciples—and should prove to us—that Jesus truly rose from the dead?"

  4. Lens 4 - Biblical Roots

    • Query: "How do the events at the very beginning of Acts show that the Old Testament promises about the Messiah and the Spirit are finally coming true?"

  5. Lens 5 - The Response to the Gospel

    • Query: "The disciples were told to wait in Jerusalem before starting their mission. How did this time of waiting prepare them for the challenges and the growth they would soon face?"

  6. Lens 6 - The New Testament Bridge

    • Query: "How does the author connect the ending of the Gospel of Luke to the beginning of Acts? Explain why it is important to see these two books as one continuous story of the Church."

  7. Lens 7 - The Global Witness

    • Query: "The disciples asked about the kingdom of Israel. How does the transition to Acts show that God’s plan was actually much larger than just one nation, reaching to the ends of the earth?"

Enter the Interactive Research Hub

We utilize NotebookLM to help you navigate the depths of the MacArthur archive (our “Primary Source”). We encourage you to actively query this interactive Research Hub; it is designed to respond with the same clinical accuracy found in the original documents but in a unique 21st century approach and technology allowing for real-time cross-examination of the biblical text.