Have you ever noticed that when you end something it is usually followed with something new? Graduations mark the end of schooling followed by starting a new career. Weddings mark the end of single life and the beginning of a united life. Spring marks the end of Winter and the beginning of Summer.
In the church year, Good Friday marks the end of Christ’s earthly life and Easter marks the beginning of His resurrected life. For the past 29 weeks our Men’s Bible Study class, which meets on Friday mornings, has been studying the Book of Acts. It begins with the ascension of Jesus into heaven, followed by the disciples receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and ending with the Apostle Paul under house arrest in Rome.
As I prepared to teach the last lesson in the last chapter of Acts, I asked myself this question- Why did Luke end this book with these words: “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 28: 30-31)? This does not sound like an ending, but rather the beginning of something new.
For Luke never mentions the death of Paul at the hands of the Roman emperor Nero. Nor does he mention anything about the church in Rome or the people who were with Paul like Barnabas or himself. Why? Because endings bring new beginnings. Luke wanted his readers to know that the end of Acts is just the beginning of something new, the church age- our time. The story of the acts of the followers Jesus is still being written today.
For example, here at Emma Anderson Memorial Chapel the end of our summer 8 o’clock service in the chapel marks the beginning of our summer 8 o’clock service on the beach. Endings bring new beginnings. Starting June 14, come join us for worship on the beach. Come be a part of sharing God’s love with our beach neighbors and vacationers. Endings bring new beginnings.