Worshiping Through Acts - Acts 1:4-8

4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be [c]witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

In this passage Jesus commands the disciples to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Promise of the Father. We as believers have been given the Holy Spirit, who has equipped us for the work that God has given us. As we lead into worship we should remember that it is by that Spirit that we do what we do. Even if we are perfect in the way we execute worship we need the Holy Spirit to do the work. We are vessels that God will use through the power of His Spirit to guide the church into worship.

Beyond that the Spirit equips each believer for the work God has given them. Here are some verses to reflect on this week in addition to the sermon text.

John 14:26: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."

1 Corinthians 12:7: "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."

Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Romans 8:26: "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."

Ephesians 1:13-14: "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."

Luke 12:12: "For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

Below are the songs for this coming week. As we prepare our hearts and minds for worship remember to Pray for one another and for the church.

This song, with its focus on the holiness and sovereignty of God, sets a tone of reverence and awe, which is appropriate for starting the worship. It aligns well with the reverence and obedience the disciples showed towards Jesus' instructions in Acts 1:4-5.

The song's focus on building one's life upon Jesus Christ complements the message of discipleship and commitment in Acts 1. As the disciples are preparing to embark on their mission after receiving the Holy Spirit, this song echoes the sentiment of building their ministry and witness on the foundation of Christ.

This song emphasizes the greatness and power of God, reflecting the empowerment theme in Acts 1:8 where the disciples are told they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them. It's a great choice to inspire and remind the congregation of God's greatness and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.

This hymn connects well with the latter part of Acts 1:8, which speaks about being witnesses to the ends of the earth. The song speaks to the unity and mission of the Church, tying in the idea of the global mission of the disciples and the foundational role of the Church in spreading the Gospel.