I wonder what you think about the holy spirit. Or should that be the Holy Spirit? Or holy Ghost, or the 3rd person of the Trinity? Perhaps you think about miracles, perhaps about worship songs, perhaps even about creation and ecology. Or perhaps you feel slightly non-plussed and that the holy spirit is either an irrelevance or even a delusion.

I ask because as we take the plunge back into the world of Dr Luke, the Holy Spirit takes centre stage. While we have come to know Acts as the Acts of the Apostles, Acts is really all about the Acts of the Holy Spirit. Luke more than any other New Testament writer emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit. We didn’t have much time to look at this in Luke but just have a look back at Luke 1 – 2 and you will see the Holy Spirit everywhere. And as we move into Acts and its story which roves all over modern day Turkey and eventually into Europe and Rome, behind everything and everyone stands the Holy Spirit. So before getting going on Luke’s part travelogue, part history, part commentary, we would do well to spend a little time reflecting on the Holy Spirit.

As we travelled through Luke’s gospel, I encouraged us to try to take another look at some of our inherited ideas. But as we launch into the first couple of chapters of Acts, I want to take a slightly different tack, stepping back slightly from the text itself and offer a couple of larger ideas. This is because while many of us have been furnished with a neat package of ideas about the gospels, the ascension and Pentecost receive less attention and the links between Jesus’ death and resurrection are often less than clear. Why for instance does Jesus ascend into heaven? Why does he not stick around a bit longer convincing people of his resurrection? And why does the Holy Spirit (he? she? it?) make an entrance now? And what has this got to do with Jesus – his death, resurrection and ascension?

So here goes my attempt to understand what is happening….

I think that Luke is continuing not just Jesus’ story but Israel’s story. Acts 1-3 is best understood in the wider context of covenant. As we saw in Luke’s passion narratives, Jesus has instituted a new covenant, replacing and superseding the covenant with Moses. The events of Holy Week constitute a new way and a new foundation for relating to the God of Israel.

And if we look at every significant covenant in the Bible, what happens? God’s presence comes down and dwells with the people. So after the pyrotechnics of Moses up on Sinai, we get Exodus 40 and the glory of the Lord filling the tabernacle. After the covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7, we get the 2 Chronicles 7 and the glory of the Lord filling the Temple. And what happens before every Exile or breaking of the covenant? The presence of the Lord departs – see 2 Kings 24.20 and Jer 52.3 and 2 Kings 14.

God’s presence is at the heart of the whole Bible. From being expelled from the presence of the Lord in Eden, the rest of Israel’s – and so the world’s – story is about God trying once again to dwell with his people. God in search of humans; it is in this light that we understand Pentecost and, in this light, it becomes a central and stunning event. God comes to dwell with his people, not hidden away in the Holy of Holies but in the midst of ordinary people. The Holy Spirit follows Yahweh’s final covenant with his people that at last allows his presence to be with them. The curse of Eden is reversed and once again people are able to walk with God as Adam did. Of course we must wait until Revelation 22 for the final consummation of this hope, but it is Pentecost which marks the beginning.

So Pentecost is about much more than the disciples being empowered to speak strange languages. It is about God coming down to dwell with his people. And at this moment the disciples finally fulfil Israel’s purpose – that is, to be a blessing to all nations. The curse of Babel is reversed and the true Israel becomes a blessing to all people.

Hopefully this understanding ties Pentecost to the events of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. But what about the ascension? What significance does this have?

The significance is that there is now a human in heaven. One thing that Luke makes very clear is that Jesus is still a man after his resurrection. He eats broiled fish, he walks side by side with disciples, he still has holes in his hands and feet. This man now ascends to heaven; and here heaven does not denote another space in the universe but the transcendent reality of God. The ascension is about bringing together the reality of God with the physical reality. Where before heaven met earth in the Temple, heaven and earth are now joined through the crucified, risen and ascended Christ.

This just leaves us with one last question: who or what is the Holy Spirit? Luke’s answer to this is very clear. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of Jesus himself. The Holy Spirit is not a free floating spirit, but the Spirit of Jesus, the Messiah of Israel, the Son of God. So when the Spirit comes down at Pentecost, the disciples meet not an independent spirit but the presence of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is sent to bear witness to Jesus and to empower the disciples to bear witness to this same Jesus. And it is the witness of the community of disciples and followers – the church – which we will follow throughout the rest of Acts.

Reflection:

A Pentecost poem from a community in South Africa

On this day, Pentecost, I believe:
That God changed his address
He relocated
He decentralized
He chose me as a dwelling place
He chose you as a dwelling place.

The Spirit moved into us
It's a pity that we so often segregate Him to our hearts!
The Inhabitant is the Great Interior Designer
And yes He is interested in your heart
But he would love to redesign your head, your arms and legs
He will extend you hands to touch the others
Your mouth to bless the others

Our Great Interior Designer will upset you,
And afterwards you will know that he has blessed you.