Acts 29: The Unfinished Mission
Turn in your Bible to Acts chapter 29. I’ll wait… It’s not there. We finished Acts last week, yet it doesn’t seem finished. For all the details Luke has included throughout the books of Luke and Acts, it seems strange that Acts would end so abruptly. I believe it’s by God’s design though. It’s because the mission continues through us.
The mission of the church is to make disciples of all nations.
Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
This verse, and its counterpart in Matthew 28, is the foundational directive for the Church. The Great Commission is our mission. When Jesus said this, the disciples weren’t just receiving a task; they were being commissioned by Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to spread the gospel so that all peoples might be reconciled to the Father.
The early Church took this mission seriously. That’s why we have the book of Acts. They came to understand that the gospel of Jesus Christ transcended cultural, ethnic, and geographical boundaries. Acts 1:8 serves as a summary statement for the entire book, setting the stage for the narrative that follows. This verse outlines the journey of the gospel from Jerusalem, the center of Jewish religious life, to Judea and Samaria, regions with historical and cultural tensions with Jews, and finally to the ends of the earth, symbolized by Paul’s mission to Rome, which we concluded last week.
What we see in Acts is the unfolding of God’s plan through the Holy Spirit’s power, overcoming every barrier, both religious and cultural. This expansion of the Church wasn’t just about adding numbers; it was about fulfilling God’s long-ago promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his offspring (Genesis 12:3, Galatians 3:8).
Genesis 12:3 – I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
Galatians 3:8 – And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.
God has always been a God of all nations. And He fulfills His promise to Abraham through the mission of the Church.
The command to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and beyond was not limited to the first-century Church. This mission continues today as the Church, empowered by the same Holy Spirit, reaches out to a world still in need of the gospel. The book of Acts ends abruptly, almost as if to say, “The story isn’t over.” The narrative of Acts invites every generation to pick up where it leaves off, to continue witnessing to the ends of the earth. This is not just a historical record; it’s a living call to action for us today.
This ongoing mission is our responsibility. We are the modern-day Church, commissioned to carry the good news of Jesus Christ to our neighborhoods, workplaces, and beyond. The Holy Spirit that empowered the first disciples is the same Spirit that empowers us today, empowering us to continue writing the story of Acts—our own chapter in God’s great redemptive narrative.
I love what William Carey, the father of modern-day missions famously said: “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.” We often expect God to do far less than He is willing and capable to do.
The mission of the early church is the same mission for the church today.
We are to continue the work that Paul started, as Erasmus said, Acts provides “the foundations of the newborn church…through [which] we hope that the church in ruins will be reborn.”[1] We continue where Acts left off, and Acts functions as a guide for us to live by.
Acts 28:30-31 – “He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.”
In Acts 28:30-31, we find Paul under house arrest in Rome, where he continued to proclaim the kingdom of God and teach about the Lord Jesus Christ “with all boldness and without hindrance.” Despite being confined, Paul’s ministry didn’t stop; in fact, it flourished. The mission of the early church is the same mission for the church today, regardless of circumstances.
The book of Acts ends abruptly with Paul still in Rome, leaving us with a sense of unfinished business. This ending is intentional. The book concludes with Paul continuing to spread the gospel, indicating that the story of the Church’s mission is ongoing. The narrative invites us to continue the work that Paul and the early apostles started, spreading the gospel “to the ends of the earth.”
While in Rome, Paul wrote several of his epistles. During his first imprisonment, he wrote letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.[2] These letters are rich in theological content and practical advice, providing guidance on how to live out the Christian faith in a challenging world. They reflect Paul’s undeterred commitment to his apostolic mission, even as he faced possible execution. His letters from this period emphasize the supremacy of Christ, the unity of the Church, and the need for perseverance in faith (Ephesians 1:15-23, Philippians 1:27-30, Colossians 1:15-20).
Either in-between his first imprisonment and his death, or during his second Roman imprisonment, he writes the pastoral epistles (1 & 2 Timothy and Titus), where we get the clearest picture of how the church should be structured and function.[3] Paul’s ministry in Rome ensured that the church would stay faithful to God and His Word throughout all generations. Don’t you thank God for that? We can know God more fully and know His will more clearly because of Paul’s imprisonment in Rome.
If the mission of the church is to make disciples of all nations, and the mission of the early church is the same mission for the church today, that means this church exists to make disciples of all nations.
When we lose sight of the mission for which we were formed, we struggle. Think about marriage. When you forget your vows, the marriage struggles. When you forget you are married not for your sake, but for love for your spouse, the marriage struggles. When we become in-focused and make the church about ourselves, the church struggles, and so does our relationship with Christ. When we are pursuing making disciples of all nations, that is when we are functioning as God intended. And that is when we are thriving.
Paul’s example teaches us that the mission of the Church doesn’t depend on advantageous circumstances. Whether in freedom or chains, in comfort or hardship, the call to witness remains. Paul’s determination to preach “with all boldness and without hindrance” serves as a model for us today. It challenges us to be faithful in our witness, regardless of the obstacles we face. The power of the gospel transcends all barriers, and we, like Paul, are called to be its ambassadors.
As we reflect on Paul’s ministry in Rome, we are reminded that the narrative of Acts is not just a historical account but a living narrative that we are part of. We are still in the book of Acts. The narrative is still being written. The Church’s mission continues, and we are commissioned to carry the message of Christ to our world. The same Holy Spirit that empowered Paul empowers us today, urging us to continue this great mission with courage and conviction.
Paul was ministering in Rome. It was a decadent, immoral culture. There was a Christian presence, but there was lostness all around. It was a dark place in need to the light of the gospel. That’s the same world we live in. There was a trend on social media that went viral last year where women would ask their men, “How often do you think about the Roman empire?” The hashtag #romanempire had 1.3 billion views. The trend went viral because men would say they think of it often, from multiple times a week to daily. And women couldn’t understand why. It’s more than the macho gladiator culture. It’s not because of the architecture or scientific advancements or literature. It’s because Rome fell.
Rome seemed much like the Titanic, unsinkable. But when you look at the reasons why Rome fell, there are many parallels with the nation we live in. There was government corruption, military overspending, inflation, enemies attacking, and a hedonistic culture. Just as Paul dwelt amidst that Roman empire and remained faithful to proclaim the gospel, so must we amidst ours.
A Gallup poll reveals that 68% of Americans identify as Christian, with 45% considering religion "very important" in their lives. However, church attendance and formal membership are declining, with only 32% attending services weekly and 45% belonging to a church. This reflects a broader trend of decreasing religious affiliation and engagement, particularly among younger generations. Additionally, 22% of Americans report having no religious preference, highlighting a shift towards secularism that only continues to grow.[4] That’s just in our own Jerusalem and Judea.
The ends of the earth is even more lost. There are 7,215 unreached people groups in the world. That is 3.43 billion people.[5] That means that 3.43 billion people in the world have little to no access to the gospel. A group is considered unreached if lit has less than or equal to 5% Christian Adherent AND less than or equal to 2% Evangelical. Unreached people groups are people groups among which there is no indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize the people group without outside assistance.
If that doesn’t reveal the desperate need for fulfilling the Acts 1:8 commission that Jesus gave the Church, I don’t know what will.
Paul ended up giving his life for the sake of the gospel while in Rome. He was beheaded in AD 68 under Nero’s rule. And you know what? I don’t think he would have it any other way. He was there giving approval to the first martyr for Christ, and he ended up giving his life for Christ. And I guarantee you that Stephen welcomed him into heaven with a giant hug.
I love what the renown missionary to China, Hudson Taylor, said. “If I had 1,000 lives, I'd give them all for China.” May that be said of all of us for the lost around us.
The book of Acts continues through you.
This open ending of Acts serves as a powerful metaphor for the Church’s ongoing mission. It’s as if Luke hands the baton to us, saying, “Now it’s your turn to continue the work.”
It’s time for us to “write our own chapter” in this redemptive narrative. Just as the early Church was charged with spreading the gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, we are commissioned with bringing the message of Christ into our own spheres of influence—our communities, workplaces, Portland, and beyond. The mission field is not confined to distant lands; it exists wherever people have not yet believed the gospel.
As Carl F. H. Henry said, “The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time."
We see throughout Acts that the spread of the gospel wasn’t smooth or easy. The early believers faced persecution, imprisonment, and even martyrdom. Yet, despite these challenges, the gospel advanced. This teaches us that the mission of the Church is not dependent on favorable conditions or lack of opposition. Rather, it often thrives in the face of adversity.
As Paul wrote while in that Roman prison, “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained” (2 Timothy 2:8-9).
The final words of Acts tell us that, while even there imprisoned, Paul was “proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.” (Acts 28:31) And that’s it. It’s now your turn and my turn to do the same.
Take up the mantle left by Paul and the early Church. We are part of an ongoing story that God is writing through His Church. Our mission is clear: to be His witnesses, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ “to the ends of the earth.” Let’s embrace this call with boldness and conviction, knowing that the Holy Spirit is empowering us, and we are continuing a legacy that will last for eternity.
[1] Desiderius Erasmus, Paraphrase on Acts, trans. Robert D. Sider, vol. 50 of Collected Works of Erasmus (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1995), 4.
[2] https://www.gotquestions.org/prison-epistles.html
[3] https://www.cru.org/us/en/train-and-grow/10-basic-steps/10-the-new-testament.7.html
[4] https://news.gallup.com/poll/358364/religious-americans.aspx
