The Acts of the Holy Spirit

Press the play button to watch the video above or press 'more' to read the transcript of the daily devotion below. Please read Acts 1:1-5 (use your own Bible or use the link above to access the in-App Bible).

Like many people I am both amazed and terrified by the growing power of AI. The risks are plain to see. But recently, when confronted with an especially dull and long paper for General Synod, I entered it into AI and said, ‘Can you summarise this in five sentences?’ And it did. What’s not to like about that?

But who needs AI when you have that master writer St Luke? In the first five verses of the Acts of the Apostles he summarises his whole Gospel with absolute mastery and precision. The teaching of Jesus, the choice of the apostles, the cross, the resurrection appearances – it’s all there in fewer than 150 words!

Any good summary will focus on the main theme, and here that theme is obvious. It’s the Holy Spirit. It is through the Spirit’s power that Jesus taught the disciples. Then his final instruction is for them to wait in the dangerous city of Jerusalem for the Father’s promise to be fulfilled. And what is that promise? It is baptism in the Holy Spirit. It is the gift of Pentecost.

With Luke, we now set off on the most extraordinary journey through the Acts of the Apostles. Many have wondered if a better title might not have been the Acts of the Holy Spirit, for the Spirit’s work brings fire to every page of this wonderful book. In the Spirit the Church will be formed and, equipped with the Spirit’s gifts, its members will heal, teach, change lives, and proclaim Jesus with such irresistible and subversive power that it will carry many of them to martyrdom.

And concurrent with our journey through Acts will be the journey of Lent. In this holy season, a precious time of repentance and of simple living, we will wait in prayer with the Apostles. And as we wait expectantly, the Father’s promise is fulfilled in us. At Easter, the Spirit will be stirred up in our hearts so that we too can proclaim the saving work of Jesus and be witnesses to his resurrection.

So let the journey begin!

Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit of God and inspire us as we set off on the journey of Lent. Set our hearts on fire with love and inspire us afresh to proclaim the saving work of Jesus. Amen.