An Entirely New Way of Life

Even though the book of Acts records the story of the early church, its author says that the book is all about what Jesus is continuing to do and teach. So instead of thinking of the book as "The Acts of the Apostles" or "The Acts of the Church", we should think of it as "The Acts of Jesus – Part II", since he is the main focus and principal actor.

When we come to the end of the book, we find it's not much of an ending at all. The story continues, and we're part of it! In this way the book is also like a play in which we are invited to become "actors" ourselves, people with specific roles and speaking parts. Like the rest of Jesus' followers throughout the book, we are called to proclaim Jesus as Lord—not as a distant memory of a fallen ruler-but as a living and powerful King, a person who continues to act within the real world. The resurrection was real. Jesus really is alive. And his risen body marks the beginning of God's new creation, a renewal that restores what God has made through the powerful working of the Spirit who liberates us from our slavery to sin and death, and calls us to proclaim Jesus' redeeming reign in all we say and do.