Monday 6th February - Acts 2

Today’s chapter is Acts 2

Tom writes:

They honoured Jesus as Lord. They re-interpreted the Old Testament as speaking about Jesus. They made space for the Spirit. It is what they had been told to do. It was good religion. But did they - even the ministry-seasoned apostles - expect it to lead to that?! The blowing of the violent wind. The tongues of fire. The jubilant jibber jabber in the Phrygian parlance. The rending of the hearts of the three thousand. The birth of the church was a totally sovereign act; the bequeathing of the Spirit was done at the whim of the Almighty. God took their good religion and made it Heavenly. Oh I want our religion to become heavenly again. A serial frustration in my life is that the Spirit is everything I need and yet I can’t control him. He is a Sovereign Act. Being all together in one place to honour Jesus and make space for the Spirit (v1) is good religion. We can replicate that. Peter’s sermon reinterpreting the Old Testament being about Jesus pouring out his Spirit (v16-36) is good religion. We can replicate that as well. But what we can’t replicate is verses 2-4. We can’t replicate the visitation from heaven.

That is a Sovereign Act. And the visitation from heaven is the whole deal. Heaven brings the power. Heaven brings the purity. Heaven brings the staggering wonder that is incomprehensibly wonderful. Even as I write this I feel my tear glands swelling with yearning for Holy Spirit to come as he came to them. And I feel my throat going dry with the agony that He comes only if Jesus wants Him to come. I’ve been in church long enough to know that good religion is indeed good. It has its dodgy moments but on the whole it is good. But I’ve also been in church long enough to know that nothing really happens without Jesus choosing to pour out Holy Spirit. Luke is telling us that Jesus is willing. Luke is showing us that Jesus’ willingness arrived when he was exalted to the Father. So we call on you Jesus; please give us Holy Spirit. Pour out on us a Sovereign Act that sets our good religion on fire. We want to be heavenly like they were.

Question for reflection

How much do you want the Holy Spirit?