What could be a more dramatic end to a Christian life story than martyrdom for our Lord Jesus Christ? If you had such a ending to tell after a life of dramatic conversion, passionate faith and unstoppable mission would you not relish the opportunity? Why then does the author of Acts stop short of the end in the life story of Paul? Alana Weins offers her thoughts: who'd more important, the messenger or the message...
The Guildford Boiler Room is currently studying the God Story together as a community on Sunday afternoons. A recent Sunday covered Acts and some of Paul’s letters. At the end of Acts, the final verses read:
For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house 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)
Acts is the end of the narrative piece of the Bible and the last we hear of Paul (other than in letters). No final shot in the movie with writing over the screen explaining what happened next in his life. No happily ever after. No narrative of his martyrdom. Just those two sentences to close out the story of the growth of the church and the ministry of Paul.
As we studied this passage, Dan, who was teaching, asked us why we thought that was.
Here’s my hypothesis.
The reason Acts ends there is because Acts isn’t really about Paul. Paul is a player in what’s happening, but it’s really about that last line of boldly preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. In a sense, it’s the same ending as Matthew - go out and make disciples. Acts was the story of how they started to do that and it concludes by stating that Paul continued the task.
As this first came to me it really challenged me about my life story. If I’m asked my life story, how many personal detail will I put in about myself? How much of my story is about me and not about the message? The real question is whether my story will end with me boldly preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ? Will it end with stories of a rich retirement (I doubt it), fun tourist trips around the world (again, doubt it) and having fun with the grandkids? Will it end with how I have been blessed, or:
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Col 1:27)
I think Acts ends the way it does because it is about the outworking of the Great Commission. It is about average people used by God to do amazing things. It is about what happens when the Church is full of truth and Spirit led. Acts isn’t really over. We are still a part of the story and we still have that same opportunity as Paul to go and boldly preach the kingdom of God and teach about the Lord Jesus Christ. That will take different forms in different places and generations, but it is still our calling.
Acts is about the message, not the messenger. The messenger might be coming to an end, but the message was just getting started. Making the message about us is to miss the mark. We can learn a lot from Paul, who always put the message first and will always be remembered for the way God used his humility and obedience to further the God Story.
