What's not the mission in Acts?
O Jerusalem!
In the book of Acts the mission is clear—the good news about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection proclaimed to every people and every place resulting in communities of disciples from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth (1:8).
Yet throughout the 20th Century the concept of mission in the West was expanded to include God’s plan to renew the whole creation. Our mission is to apply the power of the cross to all the effects of sin and evil in the world. Salvation involves political and economic justice, creation care, racial and gender equality. We are on a mission to transform the world.
How does that stack up against unfolding of God’s mission in the book of Acts?
Without a doubt in Acts we see lives transformed by the gospel and communities of disciples learning to follow Jesus’ example and teaching. They pray, they preach, they worship, they share with each other so everyone has enough. In Jerusalem, the city is filled with the teaching about Jesus and thousands turn to God, have their sins forgiven and are added to the community (2:36-47). Many are in awe of what God has done through miracles of healing and judgment.
If any city could be transformed, Jerusalem would be that city. Yet Jerusalem is divided. At first it’s the wealthy elites who control the Temple and the priesthood who persecute the movement, but soon the people join in and seeing his opportunity, King Herod executes the James and plots Peter’s demise (12:1-4). Once again, Jerusalem has rejected the messengers God sends.
Jesus condemned Jerusalem for rejecting the prophets, and rejecting the Messiah. He warned of God’s judgment (Lk 21:20-24). His prophecy was fulfilled in 70 AD when at the end of the Jewish uprising the Romans flattened the Temple and sacked the city. Once again the people went into exile.
Everywhere the gospel goes in Acts, the outcome is the same—division and persecution. Paul stood before Nero in chains, the Empire was not transformed.
God will renew his creation. There will be justice and peace—on the other side of his judgment. Until then he commands everyone to repent. Salvation is found in no one else but Jesus. His disciples will experience the life of the kingdom as they take the gospel to the ends of the earth. They are also promised suffering, hardship and persecution (14:22).
Acts ends with Paul awaiting trial, chained to a Praetorian guard. He is bound, but the word still goes out, “with all boldness and without hindrance!” (28:31). God’s mission is unstoppable. Read Acts and make sure you know what it is.
