The End

           In most cases in my life, I have not read the last chapter of a book before it was time to read it. If it was a novel, it would be read at the end and not before. I have heard of some who look at the last chapter of a mystery to find out in advance who did it. That, to me, would spoil the book and everything that would lead up to the end. I have always loved reading although I am not what you would call and “avid reader.” Reading was a new wonder to me when I was in kindergarten and first grade. As I began to read about Dick and Jane and all of their family members including the dog, “Spot,” I would find myself going ahead in the book as I could not wait until next week to find out what was happening. The teacher learned about my desire to read further than was expected, so she decided to tape my book shut and I could only read as far as she allowed. I would not get to the ending of the book until the rest of the class was ready. Acts 28:30-31 says, “And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” 

            The Apostle Paul wrote a considerable amount of the New Testament from Romans to Philemon. The Pauline Epistles are arranged neatly in most Bibles from the largest to the smallest. It is always clear when you get to the end of an epistle that has been written by Paul. It is just like he is on the front porch waving good bye as he walks down the path and into the sunset. The endings of the epistles is quite evident. There is one book however, that really has no ending and it is the Book of Acts. While the scene in chapter 28 describes some events in the life of the Apostle Paul, there is no ending. He is not standing there waving good bye with his trust secretary next to him. There is no one assigned to carry the book to its destination and no long prayers included in the ending because there is no ending. There have been some variations on the title of the book, some referring to it as the “Acts of the Apostles” or the “Acts of the Holy Spirit.” Most of the time, it simply says, “Acts.” Reasons have been given for the structure with the simple explanation that, the book is not finished yet. Since “Acts” is the history of the church, the church is still in the process of being assembled as the Gospel message is still going out to before unreached groups of people who have never heard the message before. This means that you and I are still involved in the completing of this book of the New Testament. The main characters of the Book of Acts are both Peter and Paul and their ministries in various parts of the world. Paul's ministries are divided up into four trips, three mission trips to both Asia Minor and Europe and a final trip to Rome. The book could continue, however, with the ministries of people who are founding groups of believers in Germany, Honduras, and Papua New Guinea. The church has been compared to a building under construction and also rightly called the Bride of Christ. Thee will come a time when it will be complete but that time has not yet occurred. The fact that there is no ending to the book, should spur you and I on to sharing the Gospel message to all those who come into our presence. Only God knows when the church will be complete and it will be up to God to write, “The End” at the close of book. Praise God today that He is still bringing people into the fold.