Come, Holy Spirit
Scripture Reading — Acts 1:1-8
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.”
Acts 1:8
The book of Acts features the Holy Spirit as the main player in bringing the church to life: Jesus gave instructions to his followers through the Spirit, saying that the Spirit will be given as a gift and that they will be “baptized with the Holy Spirit.” That happened at Pentecost.
The Holy Spirit is so prominent in the book of Acts that, as scholars have noted, Luke’s record of the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome could well be titled “The Acts of the Holy Spirit.”
The sending of the Spirit by the Father and the Son is another breathtaking result and blessing of the risen Jesus (see Luke 24:49). The word for “power” in the original Greek language of our Scripture verse today has come into English in our words “dynamo” and “dynamic.” In other words, the Holy Spirit comes into our lives with the dynamic power of God.
Thinking about the astonishing effects of Good Friday and Easter, we might ask, “How does all this become real to me?” The Spirit is God’s gracious answer. Jesus said, “The Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me” (John 15:26). So if you know the Lord, it’s because of the Spirit! If you’ve given your heart and life to Jesus, it’s because of the Spirit! If Christian worship and prayer build you up spiritually, if God speaks to you in the Bible, credit the Spirit!
“Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly dove, with all your quickening powers. Kindle a flame of sacred love” in my cold heart, and teach me to live like Jesus. In his name, Amen.
About the author — John Rozeboom
Rev. John Rozeboom is a retired pastor of the Christian Reformed Church and a former director of Christian Reformed Home Missions. Currently he is coaching and supporting elders, ministers, and a congregation in mission. John and Linda Rozeboom live in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and they have two married children and five grandchildren.
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