“He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!” – Acts 28:31
As we conclude the Acts of the Apostles, it is obvious that it is a book of action from beginning to end. Every chapter, and indeed every page, is filled with stories of a passionate group of apostles who were willing to go to any length to spread the Good News of our Lord Jesus to their generation.
Luke, the author of the book, begins by recounting all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the time He was taken up to heaven (Acts 1:1–2).
“In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven…” (Acts 1:1–2)
Then the apostles picked up the mantle on the Day of Pentecost and “filled Jerusalem” with their teaching (Acts 5:28).
“‘We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,’ he said. ‘Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching…’” (Acts 5:28)
The apostle Paul was then co-opted by the Lord Jesus in Acts 9. From then on, there seemed to be no stopping these people.
They entered city after city, town after town, village after village—and even palaces—preaching, teaching and defending the gospel, with many signs and wonders following them.
Yet it appears the Acts of the Apostles ends rather abruptly, with the apostle Paul preaching and teaching about the kingdom for two years in his own rented apartment (Acts 28:30–31).
“For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!” (Acts 28:30–31)
This, I believe, is a deliberate work of the Holy Spirit to show that the business of the ministry did not end with the apostles. It is our turn to take up the mantle and fill every nook and cranny of our world with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is an unfinished business, and it is about time we do our part with a sense of urgency and in all confidence. God is counting on you!
– Rev. Simon Ampofo
