If you had to consider who the main character in the book of Acts is, what would you say? Maybe if you do not know the book, then you will not have an answer—but if you are more familiar with the Bible, then you might say that it is Peter in the beginning and then Paul from the middle toward the end. The work of these two apostles features prominently and we are given a lot of detail about their sermons and travels. Maybe, if you are more theologically inclined, you could say that it is the Holy Spirit. He has already been mentioned three times in these first eleven verses and in the rest of the book he will have an active role in guiding the church and helping God’s people. With Christ ascending into heaven, the work of the Spirit becomes prominent.

Both of those answers convey something of the truth but not the whole picture. From Acts 1:1 we are told that the Gospel of Luke focused on what Jesus began to do and teach with the implication that Acts will tell the rest of the story. The Gospel focused on Jesus’ humiliation and initial glorification. His conception in the womb of Mary, his birth, and flight to Egypt, his life of suffering and service, death on the cross, burial in a tomb, resurrection, and ascension. That is what we learned from the Gospel but that is not the end of Jesus' work. In Acts the story will continue. Even though Jesus has been taken up into heaven, even though he is no longer physically present here on earth, he is still involved in this world. By his Spirt and through his apostles, he is working and teaching.

Where the title of this book in your Bible might be the Acts of the Apostles, it should rather be labelled, The continuing work of Jesus by his Spirit in the ministry of the apostles and the life of his church. All that is to say, Jesus is the main character in Acts. Ruling from heaven, this is a book about his work—specifically, his work to establish God’s kingdom.

During his life on earth Jesus served the purposes of God’s kingdom by living the perfect life in the place of sinners, and dying the death that sinners deserve. As the Servant King, he came to make life in the kingdom possible for those who deserve nothing but exile and judgment. He came to bring blessing to the nations. Now, having won the victory over sin, having defeated death, and opening the way back into the Father’s presence, he is continuing the work of establishing the kingdom. The focus is moving from accomplishing redemption to applying redemption. Those who belong to God must now be gathered into his church. They must be told of what Christ has done so that all God’s elect can repent and believe.