Daily Dose of Hope

November 17, 2025

Scripture – Acts 1

Prayer: Holy God, Almighty Father, the Great I AM, Throughout all time, You are good. Your ways are perfect. Teach us your ways, Lord. Help us to know you better, to know you more. Lord, on our own, we are powerless. We are desperate for your wisdom, love, and mercy. More of you and less of me, Jesus. Amen.

Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.

Today, we are starting the book of Acts, one of my favorite books of the Bible. This is the second volume of the two-part work of Luke-Acts, written by Luke, a co-worker of Paul. The original title of the book was The Acts of the Apostles. Certainly, different apostles appear throughout the stories, but the only single character who unifies the book is Jesus, appearing in the beginning of the book in human form and then acting through the Holy Spirit throughout the book.

As we work our way through the text, it's going to be incredible to see how the Holy Spirit transforms, leads, directs, and shapes the new Christians and the young church. Chapter 1 opens with Jesus ready to ascend into heaven. Even though this is post-resurrection, the disciples still didn't understand everything. We find them asking Jesus when he is going to restore the kingdom to Israel. Their understanding of God's Kingdom is still a bit misguided, but Jesus redirects them. He says only God knows the time and place for that.

But there is something even better ahead. And Jesus tells them that the Holy Spirit is coming. The Spirit of the living God is coming and when it does, they will receive a power like no other. This is the same truth for us: When God's Spirit comes upon us, we have the ability to witness, to bear testimony, to all the things of Jesus. It really isn't about us but about God's Spirit in us!

And then, Jesus ascends into heaven. They don't quite get it yet, but now it's a waiting game. The Holy Spirit is coming and they have no idea what they are in for. Tomorrow, we get to talk about Pentecost and the birthday of the church.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki