We have come through the inspired record of the early post-resurrection, post-ascension Christian movement. This has been a continuation of his first writing, the Gospel According to Luke. While the first volume details the life of Christ, this second covers the propagation of God’s message of Christ, primarily through the ministry of the apostles Peter (chapters 1–12) and Paul (chapters 13–28).

The movement begins within the Jewish community. The apostles presented Jesus as the long-hoped-for Messiah, with Peter offering repentance and salvation to the Jews, and Paul continuing to preach the kingdom of God to the very end. The movement came to be called “the Way” and the followers came to be called “Christians,” though others sometimes called the movement “a sect.” Despite the initial great response on the Day of Pentecost and shortly after, the tide turned against this growing network of believers, with persecution first from the Jews, but later from the Gentiles.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the story was how God used the greatest human antagonist to the gospel to bring about the expansion of the message beyond Jerusalem and its Jewish boundaries. Saul, the arch-enemy of the Christian movement, became one of its greatest catalysts, both before and after his conversion. The persecution he headed drove the Christians out of their holy huddle in Jerusalem and scattered them out to the world. Then later, after becoming a disciple of Christ (and becoming more well-known by his Roman name, Paul), he personally led the expansion of the movement—first around the northeastern Mediterranean basin, then to Greece, and finally to Rome. He intended to continue as far as Spain. In the process, he planted many churches and penned many letters to the churches he planted and individuals he discipled.

Yet the book of Acts is not primarily a biography about Peter and Paul, nor is it simply a history of the Christian expansion. This is the Holy Spirit’s story of testifying to the Lord Jesus Christ and the grace of God that is found in Him, His death and resurrection. This is the Hope of Israel. It brings salvation to the Jews first and then to the Gentiles. It is the genesis of the fulfillment of Jesus’ final words to His disciples just before He ascended into heaven:

It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. (Acts 1:7–8)

Lord, I commit to keeping the story going, as a disciple of my Lord Jesus Christ, in the power of Your Holy Spirit.