Acts: An Unfinished Affair

The Gospels leave us on a cliffhanger: Jesus was crucified, raised from the dead, and then taken up into heaven, leaving His disciples behind. What happened next?

That's where Acts comes in. The Gospels reveal the origin of the Christian faith, but Acts shows the development of it through the apostles and the early church. The gospel, the Jewish hope that was centered in Jerusalem, moved out of that local setting to the heart of the Roman Empire itself, and from there to the entire world.

How was this possible? Through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is so prominent in this book that it would be better titled the Acts of the Holy Spirit. He is the main character, and though He used human instruments—men and women from different walks of life—He was still clearly doing the work.

Here's the point: When Jesus ascended into heaven, He didn't stop working on earth. He passed the baton to His apostles, and what He "began both to do and teach" (Acts 1:1) He now continues through men and women who are yielded to His will and filled with the Holy Spirit. That includes you.

Think It Through

Read Acts 1:8. How does this final command from Jesus tie into His parables in Matthew 25:1-30, as well as the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20?

What were the activities of the early church (see Acts 2:42, 44-47)? What was number one on their list?

Read the conversion story of Paul the apostle in Acts 9:1-22, then read it in his own words in Philippians 3:4-11. Why must you set aside religion to come to Christ?

What's one thing you can do to take part in God's work today, whether it's serving His people, supporting His work, evangelizing, or something else?

A Word of Encouragement

There's a finished and an unfinished work of Jesus Christ. The finished work of Jesus is redemption—what He did on the cross. But in Acts we see the unfinished work of Jesus—spreading the gospel, proclaiming truth, and changing lives. The work Jesus began to do when He was on earth, He now continues through you.

Prayer

Lord, I praise You for the finished work of Jesus on the cross, and I thank You that I have the privilege of being part of His unfinished work here on earth. I ask that Your Holy Spirit would give me strength, helping me stand for You and share the gospel with this lost world.

Land and Explore 

Acts introduces one of the most important men in the New Testament: Paul the apostle. To learn more about his life, check out this series from Pastor Skip titled Paul's Long Road to Rome.