The Book of Acts ends in a surprising way, without a clear ending. But that unfinished conclusion reveals something powerful: the mission of Jesus didn’t stop with the apostles. In this episode of My Ministry Mission, Jason explores how the story that began in Acts continues today through the work of the Holy Spirit and the lives of everyday believers. Anchored in Acts 1:8 (NIV) and Matthew 28:18–20 (NIV), we look at the mission Jesus gave His Church and how the Gospel has continued to move across the world for nearly two thousand years.

What does that mission look like for us today? This episode connects the story of the early Church to our modern lives, reminding us that every believer is called to be a witness for Christ in their everyday world. If you’ve ever wondered how your faith fits into God’s bigger plan, this conversation will encourage and challenge you. Tune in and discover how you are part of the next chapter of Acts.

References to Bible Verses:

Acts 28:30–31; Acts 1:8; Acts 8:4; Matthew 28:18–20; Isaiah 49:6; Acts 4:31; Acts 13:2; Galatians 5:16; Revelation 7:9; 1 Peter 3:15; Colossians 4:5–6; Matthew 5:14; Hebrews 13:8; 2 Corinthians 3:2

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Jason: Thank you for listening, and welcome to the podcast. I'm your host, Jason McConnell. We're wrapping up our journey through one of the most exciting books in the Bible, the Book of Acts. Over the past several episodes, we've walked alongside the apostles. As the early church exploded onto the scene, we've seen the Holy Spirit descend at Pentecost.

Watch. Peter boldly preach to thousands and followed Paul across the Roman world as he carried the message of Jesus through cities, synagogues, prisons, storms, and courtrooms. Acts is filled with incredible moments, miracles, conversions, persecutions, courage. It's a story of ordinary people empowered by extraordinary God.

But here's something truly fascinating about the Book of Acts. When you reach the end, it doesn't feel like the end. Luke, the author of Acts, concludes the story with the Apostle Paul under house arrest in Rome. Paul has appealed to Caesar, and while he waits for his trial, he continues doing what he has done all along, sharing the gospel.

The book closes with these words in Acts 28 verses 30 and 31. For two whole years, Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came in to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. And then the story stops.

No final verdict. No record of Paul's trial. No dramatic closing scene. Luke simply leaves us with Paul preaching about Jesus in the heart of the Roman Empire. For centuries, readers have noticed how unusual this is. Most historical accounts wrap up the story neatly, but the book facts doesn't do that. It ends almost as if the author put down his pen, mid-sentence.

Many biblical scholars believe this was intentional. New Testament scholar, ff Bruce explains that Luke's leaves the narrative open because the mission of the church was never meant to end with the apostles in his commentary, the Book of Acts, Bruce writes that the story continues in the life and witness of the church throughout the ages.

In other words, the Book of Act isn't just history. It's the beginning of a story that is still unfolding today. From the very start of the book, Jesus made it clear that his mission would continue through his followers. Just before ascending into heaven, he gave the disciples this promise and command in Acts one verse eight, but you'll receive the power of the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

That verse really serves as a roadmap for the entire book of Acts. The gust will begins in Jerusalem, spreads through Judea and Samaria, and eventually reaches the center of the Roman world, Rome itself. Here's the incredible part. The mission didn't stop there. The same Holy Spirit who empowered the early believers was still at work today.

The same gospel that traveled dusty Roman roads now travels across continents through technology and into homes and communities all around the world. So today's episode will be a little different. We're not just looking back at the story of Acts. We're looking at what it means for us today. Because if the Book of Acts is still unfolding, then you and I are a part of that story.

The gospel is still on the move. God is still calling his people to carry the message of Jesus out into the world. So let's talk about that mission and what it looks like today and what it means for each of us to live as modern day witnesses of Christ.

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Jason: I think one of the most fascinating things about the Book of Acts is the way it ends.

If you read it like a modern story, it almost feels incomplete. We follow this dramatic journey of the Apostles Paul, of the Apostle Paul. We've watched him. Preach to crowds. Stand before governors and kings survive. Imprisonment endure. Beatings, even survive a shipwreck on the way to Rome. Naturally, we expect a final scene where everything wraps up right, but that moment never really comes.

Instead, Luke closes the book with Paul living under house arrest in Rome. He's waiting for his case to be heard by Caesar. Yet during the time he continues welcoming people into his home and preaching the gospel. And that's it. No trial outcome, no epilogue about Paul's life. No dramatic final chapter.

The story simply stops for many res. This raises an obvious question, why would Luke end the book this way?

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Jason: But to understand that we have to look at Luke's larger purpose in writing acts. Luke actually wrote two connected books. First is the Gospel of Luke, which tells the story of Jesus' life, ministry, death, and resurrection.

And second is Acts. Which shows what happened after Jesus ascended into heaven when Luke begins acts with these words. In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach. Now notice that word began. The gospel of Luke describes what Jesus began to do during his earthly ministry.

The Book of Acts shows how Jesus continues his work through the church. Jesus may have ascended into heaven, but his mission didn't stop. Instead, it expanded through his followers, empowered by the Holy Spirit New Testament scholar. Ff Bruce explains this idea kind of beautifully in his commentary. He writes that Luke's narrative ends abruptly because the story of the gospel spreading into the world is still unfolding.

It continues to unfold through through the church. In other words, Luke's story doesn't have a traditional ending because the mission itself doesn't end.

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Jason: The book concludes with the gospel reaching Rome, the center of the Roman Empire. In, in the ancient world, least Rome was the political and cultural hub of the Mediterranean.

Now, from message reach Rome, it had access to the entire empire. His, historically speaking, that's exactly what happened. Christianity began as a small movement of a f few followers in Jerusalem then. Within just a few centuries, it spread across the Roman world. Sociologists and historian Rodney Stark, in his book, the Rise of Christianity, he estimates that the Christian movement grew roughly from roughly a thousand believers, around 80 40 to more than 6 million by the end of 8,300.

That explosive growth happens despite persecution from Roman authorities. So how did it spread so quickly? It wasn't through massive church buildings. It wasn't through political power. It certainly wasn't through comfortable conditions. It spread because ordinary believers shared their faith wherever they went.

We actually see this pattern pretty clearly inside of the Book of Acts itself. After persecution broke out in Jerusalem, many of the believers were forced to flee the city, but instead of silencing the gospel, the persecution actually spread it out. Luke tells us in Acts eight, verse four, those who had been scattered, preached the word wherever they went.

Luke doesn't say that the apostles or the ones spreading the gospel in this moment, it was everyday believers, people who had simply encountered Jesus and couldn't help keep the good news to themselves. This is part of the brilliance of how Luke structures acts. The story moves outward geographically just as Jesus had predicted.

And Acts one verse eight, first Jerusalem, then Judea and Samaria, then the wider Gentile world, and finally Rome. By the time the book ends, the gospel has reached the capital city of the empire. The message Jesus of Jesus is now positioned to travel anywhere the Roman roads can go. So New Testament theologian, John Stott, explains that ending of Acts highlights the unstoppable nature of the gospels.

He points out that Luke's final phrase without hindrance is incredibly significant. Despite opposition, imprisonment, political pressures, all those things, the message continues moving forward, nothing can stop it. And that brings us to something important today. The Book of Acts may have ended on on the page, but the mission is, it describes is still continuing.

The real question is this, how are we going to continue the story today?

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Jason: So if the Book of Acts shows us the church in motion, then we need to ask ourselves another important question. What exactly was the mission? Jesus gave his followers because the apostles were not simply inventing a new religious movement, right?

They weren't building an organization for the sake of influencer power. They were carrying out a mission that Jesus himself had clearly given them. We can find that mission in one of the most well-known passages in the entire Bible, the great commission after his resurrection and just before his ascension into heaven, Jesus gathered his disciples and said, we'll find this in Matthew 28, verses 18 through 20.

Then Jesus came to them and said, 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. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.

This moment is incredibly important when we think about the story of Acts, because everything, the early church does flows out of this commandment. Let's, I mean, let's pause there and understand the setting here. Jesus is speaking to his disciples after the resurrection. These are the same men who had walked with him for three years.

They had seen his miracles, heard his teachings, and witnessed his crucifixion, and now they're standing face to face with the risen Christ. In Jewish culture at that time, disciples were expected to carry on the teachings of their rabbi after the rabbi's death. But what Jesus is commissioning them to do goes far beyond what anyone would have expected first, Jesus began with a declaration of authority.

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Matthew 28 18. This is not just authority of a teacher or a prophet. This is universal authority. The risen Christ declares that all authority, both heavenly and earthly, belongs to him. And that authority forms the foundation of the church's mission because because of that authority, Jesus gives a command, go and make disciples of all nations.

Now in the original Greek, the central command of this passage is actually, is actually make disciples, the words go baptizing and teaching support that central mission. So the church's call calling is not simply to spread information about Jesus. The mission is to make disciples, people who follow Jesus, who learn from him, who live according to his teachings.

Again, John Stot in his book, the Contemporary Christian, wrote something pretty astounding about this. The church exists by mission as fire exists by burning. In other words, the mission is not a side activity. It's not a side quest of the church. It is a very reason the church exists. Now, this command would've sounded shocking to Jesus's original audience.

For centuries, the Jewish people understood themselves as God's chosen nation, but the idea of intentionally bringing God's message to all nations, well, that was revolutionary. Yet this was always part of God's plan. Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedly promises that his salvation would reach the entire world.

The prophet Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 49, 6, I will also make you a light for the Gentiles. My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. Same thing Jesus said. He's now fulfilling that promise through his followers, and this is exactly what we see happening in the Book of Acts. The gospel begins in little old Jerusalem, right, spreads into Judea and Samaria, and eventually reaches the gentile world.

By the time Paul arrives in Rome, the message of Jesus has moved far beyond its Jewish roots and is transforming people from every background and culture. New Testament scholar Craig s Keener. In his extensive work in Acts, an evangelist, uh, Evangel evangelical commentary, he explains the expansion of the gospel to the Gentiles was one of the most radical developments in the early church.

The apostles came to understand that the message of Jesus was not limited to one ethnic group or culture. It was intended for all of humanity, and that truth remains just as powerful today. When Jesus said all nations, he meant every tribe, every language, every culture, every generation. The mission of the church was never meant to stop with the apostles, and Jesus adds one final promise.

That is, for me is incredibly comforting, but it's something for believers to carry out his mission. He, he says, surely I'm with you always to the very end of the age, Matthew 28 20. Think about that for a moment. The disciples who first heard this word, these words would face enormous challenges. They're gonna see persecution, they're gonna be imprison, they're gonna be exiled, even killed.

It was about a mission that would continue generation after generation, after generation, through believers, and now that includes us.

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Jason: So as we talk about the mission Jesus gave the church, it's really important to understand something that's foundational to it. The early believers did not accomplish their mission through human strength, uh, or intelligence, or even strategy.

If you read the book of Acts carefully, you'll notice something over and over and over again. The real driving force behind the mission is the Holy Spirit. Before the disciples ever began preaching or traveling or planting churches, they, Jesus gave them a very specific instruction. After his resurrection, he told them to wait.

In Jerusalem, right? That must have seemed kinda strange at first. These men had just been given the mission to take the gospel into the world. Yet Jesus tells them, don't start moving yet. Not yet. Why? Because they needed power. That did not come from themselves. Jesus told them, but you'll receive the power of the Holy Spirit, right?

In Acts one, verse eight, that word power in this verse comes from the Greek word. Uh, dynamo. It, it refers to a divine ability or supernatural strength. The mission Jesus gave his followers was way too big for humans to do by themselves. They would face incredible opposition, persecution, cultural barriers, barriers, spiritual resistance.

Without the Holy Spirit, the mission would've failed before it even got started. And we see the fulfillment of the promise of in Acts chapter two at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit descends on the believers, and suddenly the fearful disciples who once hid behind locked doors are now boldly proclaiming the gospel in the streets of Jerusalem.

The spirit empowers believers to speak boldly. The spirit guides missionaries where to go. The spirit strengthens believers in times of persecution. For example, in Acts chapter four, after facing threats from the authorities, the early believers gathered together and prayed, and Luke recorded, recorded What happens next in Acts four, verse 31.

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken and they were feel all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. That response to opposition wasn't fear. It was renewed boldness through the spirit. Later in the Book of Acts, we see the Holy Spirit guiding the church's mission in very practical ways.

In Acts chapter 13, the Spirit directs the church in Antioch to send Paul and Barnabas as the missionaries. Acts 13 verse two, while they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, set apart for me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them and this moment launches what we now call the first missionary journey.

And it began not with human planning, but with direction from the Holy Spirit. Again, Craig Keener, I'm gonna go back to him. He points out that Luke consistently portrays the Holy Spirit as the primary agent driving the mission of the church. He keener also explains that the expansion of the of Christianity throughout the Roman world was not simply a human movement, it was the act of work of God through his spirit and, and that is such an important truth that we need to remember.

Sometimes when we read the book of Acts, we can feel like we're reading about a completely different era of Christianity, right? Miracles, bold preaching, explosive church growth. It can seem so distant from our everyday lives, but the key thing to remember here is that the Holy Spirit hasn't changed. The Apostle Paul later reminds believers of this in his letter of the Galatians.

So I say to you, so I say, walk by the spirit and you'll not gratify the desires of the flesh flesh. Galatians five, verse 16. The Christian life was never meant to be lived through human willpower alone. It was meant to be lived through the, the transforming presence of the Holy Spirit working within us.

John Stot wants to describe the book of access, not just. The acts of the Apostle, but more accurately the acts of the Holy Spirit. Because when you read the book carefully, you see that the Spirit is the one directing, empowering and sustaining the mission at every step. And that means something very encouraging for us today.

The mission Jesus gave the church, it's still the same. The world still needs the gospel, and believers are still called to be witnesses. The good news is that we are not carrying this burden, this mission alone. The spirit is still present with God's people today guiding us, strengthening us, empowering us to live out the mission of Christ in every moment of our lives.

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Jason: Alright, so at this point in the conversation, I wanna step back so we can see the bigger picture. When we read the book of Acts, we're watching the gospel move from a small group of believers in Jerusalem to the center of the Roman Empire. And I know I keep repeating myself there, but it begins with a handful of believers in the upper room, and by the end of the book, the message is of Jesus is being proclaimed in Rome itself.

And that phrase to the ends of the earth and Acts one, verse eight, wasn't just some poetic language, it was a promise that the message of of Christ would reach every corner of the world. And today we're, we're seeing that promise unfold in ways the early church could never have imagined. According to the Center for a Study of Global Christianity at at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, there are now more than 2.6 billion Christians worldwide making Christianity the largest religious movement on the planet.

What's even more fascinating is where the church is growing the fastest In the early centuries of Christianity, the face spread primarily across Europe and the Mediterranean world. Over the past a hundred years or so, the center of Christianity has shifted dramatically towards what scholars are now calling the global south regions like Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia.

It crosses cultures, linguistics, and geographical boundaries. Mission just David B. Barrett, who spent decades researching global Christianity. Once observed that one of the most remarkable features of the Christian faith is its ability to take root in every culture while still proclaiming the same gospel message.

Churches are growing rapidly in places where Christianity was once barely present. In countries like Iran and China, places where Christians often face significant persecution, reports from mission organizations suggest that the church is expanding faster than almost anywhere else in the world.

Organizations like Open Doors and International Report that despite intense pressure in many parts of the world, believers continue to gather, worship and share the gospel. In fact, the courage of persecuted Christians often becomes a powerful testimony that draws others to the faith. And this should not surprise us because Jesus himself told his followers that the gospel would reach every nation.

The Apostle John gives us a glimpse of this future in the Book of Revelation. He writes in Revelation seven verse nine. After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count from every nation, tribe, people, and language standing before the throne and before the lamb. I mean, this imagery is breathtaking.

It's a little out of context here, but it's the point sticks. It shows the ultimate fulfillment of the mission. Jesus gave the church a global family of believers worshiping Christ together. Theologian Christopher Jh Wright in his book, the Mission of God explains that the entire story of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation reveals a God who is actively working to bring people from every nation into relationship with him.

The church exists as part of that mission, but here's something I think is important for us to remember. The gospel doesn't only move through famous missionaries or well-known church leaders. Most of the gospel spread of Christianity throughout history has happened through ordinary believers sharing their faith with people around them, neighbors telling neighbors about Jesus, families passing faith from one generation to the next coworkers, sharing hope in everyday conversations.

In many ways, that's exactly what we saw in the book of Acts. The apostles certainly played a major role, but the gospel spread most rapidly through everyday followers of Christ living out their faith in the world around them. And the same thing is still happening today. The gospel is still moving across continents, cultures, communities, and this means something I think is kind of powerful for believers.

The story that began in acts is not ancient history. It's a living mission that continues right now in churches, in homes, and workplaces, in communities all around the world. The gospel is still on the move.

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Jason: Okay, so at this point in the episode, some of you might be thinking this mission sounds pretty incredible, but isn't that something for pastors or missionaries or church leaders, if you do think that you're probably not paying attention?

It's easy to look at the stories and acts and assume that the mission of the gospel belongs primarily to people like Peter Paul or the Apostles. I mean, after all, those are the names we see most often in the book, right? But when we look closely at the book of Acts, we discover something that's kind of important.

The gospel didn't spread. Primarily through famous leaders, it spread through ordinary believers. One of the clearest examples of this comes after persecution broke out in Jerusalem when opposition intensified, many believers were forced to leave the city and scattered throughout the surrounding regions.

You might think that persecution would slow the spread of Christianity. Instead, it did the opposite. Again, I go back to Acts eight, verse four. Those who had been scattered, preach the word wherever they went. Notice who is doing the preaching, Luke. Isn't talking about the apostles. These were everyday followers of Jesus, men and women whose lives have been transformed by the gospel.

And as they traveled to new towns and villages, they simply shared the good news of Christ with the people around them. And that pattern has repeated itself throughout the entirety of Christian history. The early church didn't have massive buildings, professional media teams, global communication networks.

What they had were believers who carried the message of Jesus into everyday relationships, neighbors talking to neighbors, merchants, sharing their faith with customers, parents teaching their children about Christ. Faith spreading naturally through rhythms of daily lives. Pastor and theologian, Timothy Keller often pointed out that in the early centuries of Christianity, most evangelism happened through ordinary social connections.

Uh, in his book, church Center, Keller explains that the gospel spread through friendships, households, and workplaces as believers lived out their faith visibly in the world around them. And that brings the mission of Acts very close to home for you and me because most of us will never stand before a Roman governor like Paul did.

We may never travel on missionary journeys across continents, but that doesn't mean we're not part of the mission. It doesn't mean we can't walk across the street and preach to our neighbor. In fact, the places where we spend our everyday lives are often the exact places where God calls us to be.

Witnesses. The Apostle Peter encourages believers with these words in one Peter three 15, but in your hearts, revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. Peter's instructions, assume something important. People will notice the difference Christ makes in our lives when they see hope, peace, and love.

In a world that often feels chaotic and divided, they may begin to ask questions and those questions open doors for conversations about Jesus. The Apostle Paul also reminds believers that our everyday interactions matter. Writing to the church in Colossae. He says in Colossians four verses five and six, be wise in the way you act towards outsiders.

Make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversations always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. In other words, our mission is not just formal preaching or organized ministry or even talking. It's about living in a way that reflects Christ wherever we go.

Jesus used a powerful metaphor for this in the Sermon on the Mount. He told the followers in Matthew five 14, you are the light of the world. A town built on a hill, it cannot be hidden. Light naturally shines. It doesn't have to force itself to be visible. It's simply illuminates the darkness around it.

That's the picture Jesus gives us for believers living in the world. Our mission might look like encouraging a coworker who is going through a difficult time. You don't have to speak a word of scripture to do that. It might look like praying with a friend who is struggling. It might look like showing kindness, forgiveness, and humility in a culture that often values the opposite, and sometimes it means having the courage to speak openly about the hope we find in Christ.

Theologian Christopher JH Wright writes in the mission of God that every believer participates in God's mission simply by living faithfully in the places where God has placed them. It's that simple. Guys. The church's mission is not limited to a few individuals. It belongs to everyone in the community, every believer.

Which means something incredibly encouraging. The mission of Acts is not something that's happening far away from us. It's happening in the places where we already live. You don't have to go far for it. You really don't. Every act of love, every conversation about faith, every movement of grace and truth becomes part of that same mission that began with the early church.

And when we begin to see our everyday lives through that lens, we realize something powerful. We are not just reading the story of Acts, we are now living it.

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Jason: And that brings me to my next point. There's a powerful realization that comes when we step back and look at the entire book of Acts. The story doesn't truly end.

Luke leaves us with Paul and Rome preaching the gospel and the narrative simply stops right? But in many ways, that unfinished ending is one of the most brilliant features of the book. It quietly reminds us that the mission of Jesus doesn't stop with the apostles. The gospel did not stop spreading. Once the New Testament was written.

The work of the Holy Spirit did not end when the early church era closed. The story just simply continued. New Testament scholar and t Wright once described the Book of Acts as a drama that ends with an open stage. The curtain never fully falls because the story moves forward into the lives of the believers throughout history.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us that the character and power of Christ have has never changed. Hebrews 13, eight, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The same Jesus who called fisherman in Galilee, the same Jesus who restored Peter after failure, the same Jesus who met Paul on the road to Damascus.

He is still calling people today. Pick up the phone. And if we were to imagine Luke writing a modern con uh, continuation of Acts, the story might look a little different. The mission would be the same. Instead of Roman Rhodes. The gospel now travels through airplane, social media, and global networks.

Instead of letters carried by messengers. Believers now share a script through technology that can reach millions of people instantly. But even with all those advancements, the heart of the mission has never changed. It still moves through people, through believers who choose to live faithfully through everyday conversations, through acts of love, compassion, and courage.

Apostle Paul once reminded the church in Corinth that believers themselves are living testimonies of God's work in the world. He wrote in Second Corinthians three verse two, you yourselves are our letter written on our hearts known and read by everyone. In other words, the lives of believers become a visible message of the gospel.

When people see Christ reflected in how we live, how we love, and how we serve others, they they encounter the ongoing work of God. John Stott described the church as the primary instrument God uses to continue his mission in the world, not through perfect people, but through redeemed people who are learning to follow Jesus day by day.

Look, the Book of Acts was never meant to be a closed story that we simply admire from a distance. It was meant to show us. What it looks like when ordinary people are filled with the Holy Spirit and step into the mission of God, which means the question is no longer just what did the early church do?

The real question becomes, what will we do with the mission Christ has given us today? Because the story of Acts did not end in Rome. It has continued through centuries. It has continued through missionaries and churches.

It has continued through families passing along faith to the next generation, and now it continues through you and me.

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Jason: As we close today's episode, and really as we close our journey through the Book of Acts, it's worth pausing for just a moment to reflect on what we've seen throughout this series.

Acts began with a small group of followers gathered together in Jerusalem. They were uncertain about the future, unsure of what could come next. Jesus gave them a promise and a mission that would change the course of history. He told them, but you will receive the power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you'll be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Juda and Samaria to the ends of the earth.

Acts one verse eight, and that's exactly what happened. The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost empowering ordinary believers to boldly proclaim the message of Christ. The gospel spread through cities and villages across cultural and linguistic barriers. And even into the heart of the Roman Empire, Peter preached to crowds in Jerusalem.

Philip shared the gospel in Samaria. Paul carried the message across the Mediterranean world, and along the way, we saw something remarkable. The mission of God moved forward despite persecution, imprisonment, shipwrecks, snake bites, and opposition. Nothing, not a political power, not cultural pressure, not even death, could stop the message of Jesus from spreading.

Which brings us back to where the Book of Acts leaves us. Paul is in Rome, preaching about Christ. He proclaimed the Kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. Acts 28 31. The gospel had reached. Center of the Roman world, which was the center of the world for them.

But the story didn't end there from Rome, the message of Jesus continued to spread across continents, cultures, and generations. Over centuries, the gospel has traveled through Europe, Africa, Asia, and eventually to every corner of the globe. And at some point along the way, it reached you and me. I want you to think about that for a moment.

Someone shared the gospel, someone opened the scripture, someone spoke about hope. They found in Christ, and through that chain of faithful witnesses stretching back thousands of years, the message of Jesus arrived in our lives. If you grew up in a Christian household, that may not seem significant, but for someone like me who came to Christ much later in life, that is astounding.

Christopher Wright in the mission of God explains that the church exists because God is on a mission to redeem the world, and believers are invited to participate not as spectators, but as active witnesses. That's what makes the ending of acts so amazing. The book closes without a final chapter because the mission continues.

The same spirit that empowered the early church is working today. The same gospel that transformed lives in the first century is still changing hearts around the world. And now the mission continues through us. Jesus also gave his followers another command that echoes the same calling, therefore go and make disciples of all nations.

That mission was never limited to the apostles. It belongs to every believer. It happens when we live our life faithfully. Every day when we love others, well, when we share the hope we found in Christ and when we allow the Holy Spirit to work through us in ways we may never fully see or understand. So as we close this series on the Book of Acts, remember this, the story didn't end in the pages of scripture.

The gospel is still moving. The Holy Spirit is still working, and the mission of Jesus is still unfolding in our world today. The question for each of us is very simple. How will we live as witnesses for Christ in the chapter of Acts that God has entrusted to us? Because the story is still being written in by God's grace.

We are all a part of it.

Until next time, keep loving your neighbors. Dive into God's word daily and may the Lord bless you and keep you and fill you with his peace. Take care of God bless, and I'll see you in the next episode.