The kingdom of God is one of the most central themes of the Bible. If you find yourself perusing through the Old Testament (OT) historical accounts of Israel’s kings, it won’t take you too long to come to this conclusion: as the king goes, so goes the kingdom. Let’s consider this reality in the book of Acts.

Luke has the distinction of being the most prolific of the New Testament (NT) authors, if you measure production by the amount of pages written. As the author of most of our NT, we may find it surprising that Luke only refers to the kingdom of God eight times in Acts, when it is such a prominent theme in the Bible. The specific phrase “kingdom of God” occurs six of those times. Here are the relevant verses:

Acts 1:3—He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

Acts 1:6—So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Acts 8:12—But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Acts 14:21–22—When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

Acts 19:8—And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.

Acts 20:25–And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 

Acts 28:23—When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.

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.

While Luke only refers to the kingdom of God these eight times, it would be a mistake to think it isn’t a major theme in his book. For starters, notice the strategic, fairly even distribution throughout the book. Luke places references to the kingdom at the beginning, middle, and end, with a few one-offs in between for good measure. You can’t go more than a few pages in Luke’s twenty-eight chapter work of theological history without finding yourself confronted by a “kingdom of God” statement that Luke uses to summarize the early church’s work. Let’s zoom in on a couple of those statements

Notice that Luke frames his book with this all important theme. That is, he begins and ends his book with the kingdom of God.

Luke begins Acts with the kingdom of God—He (Jesus) presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). Jesus spent forty days moving in and out among his disciples after his resurrection. That’s a good chunk of time. Notice how Jesus used it. Luke tells us Jesus did two things: (1) Jesus repeatedly proved that he was alive, and (2) Jesus spoke to the disciples about the kingdom of God. Luke doesn’t want us to miss this: Jesus’ resurrected life ties directly to the kingdom of God. That’s how he starts Acts. The right question to ask is, “What exactly did Jesus speak to his disciples about regarding the kingdom, and how does that relate to his resurrection?” To answer that question, to the end of Acts we go.

Luke ends Acts with the kingdom of God where he gives us one final account of Paul’s ministry in Rome, writing, He (Paul) 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 (Acts 28:30–31). The last sentence in Acts that Luke carefully selects and writes tells us that Paul continued to proclaim two things (1) the kingdom of God and (2) Jesus. Acts 28:23 fills this out a little more by telling us that Paul aimed to convince [those who visited him] about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. This is precisely what Jesus did for his disciples in his forty days.

In Luke 24:25–27, we see Jesus appear to two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus. This is what how Luke captures the moment: [Jesus says to them] “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he [Jesus] interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Likewise, when Jesus appears to his disciples later he offers the same message:

Then he [Jesus] said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things (Luke 24:44–48).

What exactly did Jesus speak to his disciples about regarding the kingdom, and how does that relate to his resurrection? Jesus’ message to his disciples is essentially this: the kingdom of God is inaugurated and here because the king of God’s kingdom lives and reigns. Peter proves this conclusion for us in his very first public proclamation of the gospel in Acts 2:14–41.

In his Pentecost sermon, Peter climactically heralds that when David wrote Psalm 16:27 he was prophesying about Jesus’ resurrection as the true king of God’s kingdom,

he (David) foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses (Acts 2:31–32).

And for the final touch, Peter exclaims,

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified (Acts 2:36).

Jesus’ resurrection proves he is the rightful king of God’s kingdom. And if the king is here, the kingdom of God is here. King Jesus conquered death and lives forever. And because he lives forever, he reigns forever. And because he reigns forever, his kingdom, God’s kingdom, will never end. As the king goes, so goes the kingdom.

The book of Acts from beginning to end is all about King Jesus reigning over the kingdom of God. This is the story Luke tells. This is the story Jesus’ people, citizens of his kingdom, in Acts tell. And, it’s a story that did not end at Acts 28:31. It continues. If you are in Christ today, this is your story. Go and tell it.