The immediate consequence of this Spirit-baptism is a holy boldness that enables the once fearful Peter to preach with power and great effectiveness. The arrival of the Spirit is marked by miraculous signs-the sound of wind, tongues of fire, the ability to understand unknown languages-and by altered behavior of Jesus disciples-spiritual joy that appears to skeptics as drunkenness, and by prophecy, inspired speech in other languages (“tongues”) telling “the mighty works of God” (Acts 2:11). ![]() That baptism with the Spirit occurs on Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descends on the apostles, Mary, the mother of Jesus, his brothers, and other disciples-about 120 people all together (Acts 1:14-15). Peter explains why Ascension precedes Pentecost: “Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, has poured out this which you see and hear” (Acts 2:33).Īcts begins with the Risen Lord foretelling the imminent fulfillment of “the promise of the Father” that Jesus had spoken about to his disciples: “John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5). The bestowal of the Spirit could not take place until Jesus had been “glorified” (John 7:39). ![]() ![]() This year I got a late start!Īll four Gospels record that John the Baptist prophesied that in contrast with his own baptism in water for repentance, the one coming after him would baptize “with the Holy Spirit and fire,” as Matthew and Luke say! Interestingly, this prophecy is not fulfilled in the Gospels themselves. I do so to remind myself of the power unleashed by Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension and bestowed on the Church at Pentecost, a power that is fully available to us. Every year I make a point of reading through Acts of the Apostles between Easter and Pentecost.
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