Acts 28- The End?

After nine months we have finally come to the final chapter of the book of Acts.  It is a great chapter so take time to read it.

In this chapter there is a great story about Paul and a poisonous snake, the story of when Paul finally met the church at Rome, the mixed reception Paul received and more.  However, I want to write about something else.

"For two whole years Paul stayed in his own rented house (in Rome) and welcomed all who came to see him.  Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 28:30-31

Those are the final two verses of the book of Acts.

Are you asking any questions?  I am.  Like, "When did Paul get out of prison?" "What happened during Paul's next missionary journey?" "How did Paul die?" "How did Peter die?" "What's next?"

But Acts just ends.  It ends rather abruptly.

Why?

I think to figure out why Acts ends abruptly we have to look at how Acts began.  Dr. Luke was a very educated man and knew how to write.  If you are someone who has been to college you probably have written more than a few papers.  In the papers I had to write my professors demanded that I had a good and clear thesis statement.  Dr. Luke does this in Acts.

(Jesus speaking) "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

This verse is the thesis statement of Acts.  This is the purpose of Acts.

The Gospel went to Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.  In fact, Rome was the recognized center of the known world.  When Paul took the Gospel to Rome (although it had already been there although not through an Apostle) the thesis statement was complete.

Acts is not about Paul.  It is not about Peter.  It isn't even about the acts of the early Church.  Acts is about God's Sovereign Will advancing the Gospel to complete His command that He gave to the Apostles.  Acts is about what God did.

So what?

I think the so what is that God completed His own command.  He told the Apostles that they would be His witnesses to all of those places and He ensured that it happened.

Remember this command?

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Matthew 28:18-20

If God completed His own command in Acts you can be certain that He will do the same with The Great Commission.  He will cause us to complete His task.  He will do it and He will use us to do it.  Isn't that awesome!  We are guaranteed to succeed.  We are going to complete the task because He always does.  So join Him in completing the task today.