As we get to the end of the book of Acts, it is helpful to recall the main themes in the book. The first is that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Savior of men. If any soul will have peace and fellowship with the living God, it will be through Christ. Christ is the light of the world, and the Holy Spirit enlightens the minds of men to the knowledge of Christ. The Spirit convicts men of their need of Christ and validates the Word of God with power. The work of the Holy Spirit is a major theme in Acts.
Acts depicts the spread of the church during the apostolic time as the Lord promised in Acts 1:8. We aren’t given all the details we might have wanted, but we have what God wanted us to have, and the emphasis on promise and fulfillment is manifested in the spread of the church and in the proclamation of the gospel. It unfolded just as the Lord Jesus said.
All these details are given to us that we may believe in Christ. The benefits of salvation are repeated throughout the book: being turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to the power of God, receiving forgiveness of sins, having eternal life, being delivered from the judgment of the world, knowing the love of God, and much more. Nevertheless, sadly, many disbelieve these truths.
In the last chapter of Acts, Paul is in confinement in Rome, awaiting trial. He is in his own rented home along with a soldier who guarded him (Acts 28:16), and he has the freedom to invite people. So Paul sends messages to local Jewish leaders to come to him. He explains the reason for his confinement and asks for an audience with them to explain the Christian faith.
When they return, Paul’s message to them emphasizes that what Jesus had done was written of in Moses and the prophets (Acts 28:23). He also spoke about the kingdom of God, another theme in the book of Acts.
Wherever the gospel of Christ is proclaimed, there is the kingdom of God. It is through the gospel that Christ comes to rule in the hearts of men. The Jews looked for an earthly kingdom and needed to be taught the nature of Christ’s kingdom and how needy their souls were. Men tend to seek remedies for everything but their souls.
In Colossians chapter one Paul writes, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” The kingdom of God is where sinners find peace with God and come under his Lordship.
Jesus taught primarily about the nature of His kingdom. Those who enter it are those who have convictions that Christ is the one thing necessary. It is analogous to the leper knowing Jesus alone could heal, or the Syro-Phoenician woman believing that even a crumb off the table of Christ would be sufficient. It matters not what sins you have if Christ is the Savior.
Jesus emphasized that repentance was necessary to enter the kingdom. Those who come to Him are those who know their need of mercy. They are the poor in spirit, and they hear the voice of the Good Shepherd who came to lay down His life for His sheep, and they follow Him. Repentance is evidenced by sorrow for sin, turning from sin to Christ, and seeking to honor Him.
Therefore, when Paul taught about the kingdom of God to the Jews, he would have taught them about Jesus being the sacrificial, atoning offering to God for sinners, written of throughout the Old Testament. We read that some of the Jews were convinced and some were unbelieving (verse 24).
Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah in verses 26-27 to show how unreasonable the sin of unbelief is. They shut down their eyes, ears, and understanding, lest they should turn and Christ heal them (verse 27). The truth of Christ is plain, and the wonders of salvation offered freely, but sin has such a hold on men they would rather perish than humble themselves.
Men who reject Christ act like they don’t care about their own ruin. God is against them and they will certainly perish. Christ is prepared to apply the only remedy to bring them peace, yet they undo themselves. This teaches us to cling closely to Christ, being thankful for all He gives us, especially the salvation of our souls.
