The Book of Acts: The End Is A New Beginning

This week’s devotional was written by J.D. Walt and is entitled, On Ending A Story That Never Ends. J. D Walt is the Executive Director of seedbed.com. We hope this devotion encourages you this week.

ACTS 28:29-31 (NIV)

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!

CONSIDER THIS

And just like that, the book ends.

My favorite thing about the Acts of the Apostles is the way it ends without ending. There’s no closing summary or conclusion; no credit reel, no salutations or prayer requests. It’s like Luke couldn’t land the plane so he just jumped off.

At the same time it’s probably the most fitting ending in the history of endings, because it’s a story that never ends. I mean, how do you end a story that never ends? You don’t end it. You join it.

Think about it. Every story will one day come to an end but one. The story of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the story of salvation, the story of the Church, God’s own people, never ends.

This is what makes the gospel the gospel. By the sheer mercy of God we get to join the story that never ends. This is why, like Paul, we proclaim the Kingdom of God and teach about the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only way into the never ending story, for Jew and Gentile alike.

The point of ending this way is to get us to turn the page and live the one life we have been given into the next chapter. This is our chance. Let us not waste our lives on any other story.

THE PRAYER

COME HOLY SPIRIT!

THE QUESTION

How is your Acts 29 story coming along?