Week 2: The Power of the Spirit: Jesus' Ascension and The Holy Spirit

Day 1

Acts 1:4-14 (New International Version)

⁴On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. ⁵For John baptized with^a]">[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

⁶So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

⁷He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

⁹After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

¹⁰They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ¹¹"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

¹²Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk^b]">[b] from the city. ¹³When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. ¹⁴They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

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I don't like to wait, and I'm sure the disciples didn't either. Can you imagine waiting for this promise to be fulfilled? I wonder what they expected. Whatever they thought was coming, one thing they knew for sure: It would be powerful.

When the Holy Spirit came upon them, the disciples had power to accomplish whatever God asked of them. This is important for us to remember, too. God isn't asking us to just give him our best shot at ministering to others. God sends his Spirit to help us accomplish every task God assigns. Our job is to rely on God for all of our needs and stop trying to accomplish life on our own. It's hard to give up control, but the results will prove that it's well worth it.


Do you truly believe God will empower you through the Spirit to accomplish anything?

How are you relying on God's Spirit to live the Christian life today?