Acts Daily Devotional Podcast

Jesus rose into the sky until a cloud received him out of their sight. And the disciples just stood there, staring upward, until two angels essentially told them to get moving. In this episode, we sit with the stunning reality of the ascension -- not as an exit, but as an enthronement. Jesus didn't leave. He was crowned. And two angels asked the question we still need to hear: why are you standing here looking at the sky?

The disciples had a burning question for the risen Jesus: "Are you restoring the kingdom to Israel now?" It was an understandable question. And Jesus redirected it entirely. Today we unpack one of the most mission-shaping verses in the entire Bible -- Acts 1:8 -- and why the Spirit's power isn't given for our comfort or our curiosity. It's given for witness. Jerusalem. Judea. Samaria. The ends of the earth. That's not just a geographic outline. It's a calling.

Jesus had just spent forty days appearing alive to his disciples. They were ready to go. And he told them to wait. In a culture wired for action, "wait" feels like the worst possible command. But in today's episode, we dig into why Jesus gave it -- and why activity without the Spirit's power is just noise. The disciples didn't need more information. They needed to be filled. And the same Spirit promised to them is available to you right now.

The book of Acts opens not with a dramatic new beginning but with a deliberate continuation. Luke tells his patron Theophilus that his Gospel covered everything Jesus began to do and teach. That word "began" is everything. The resurrection wasn't the finish line -- it was the starting gun. In this first episode of our 141-day journey through Acts, we explore why this ancient letter written to one man was always meant for all of us, and why the story of Jesus is still being written today -- through ordinary people like you. 

What if the story of the early church isn’t just history, but a blueprint for following Jesus today? The Acts Daily Devotional Podcast is a 141-day journey through the book of Acts in the Bible, hosted by Pastor Derek. Each short episode combines Scripture and practical teaching to help inspire your daily chair time with God, whether at home or on your drive to work. Starting April 26, discover how the Holy Spirit empowers ordinary people to advance the mission of Jesus from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.