Previous Service
Welcome
“We stopped at the petrol station and filled the tank with petrol. This was necessary to supply the power for the car to run. Likewise we need to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit so that we, the Church, the body of Christ, can accomplish all that He has for us to do, and that all this will be to the glory and praise of His name in Jesus Christ, Amen.”
Stella
Worship
Word
“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Luke 24:49
The vital importance of the Great Commission is well established and can also be seen in that these were Jesus’ last words to His disciples before He ascended to heaven,
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 28:18-20
But there was something even more important than this, for Jesus told them to wait before they started. Wait until they had been clothed with power from on high.
Last week in my study time I had a break from studying Romans and was led to read a couple of other books, one of which was entitled, “Speak to these bones.” Without going into too much detail I was reading chapter 6, entitled, “Be filled with the Spirit” and these words:
“All the good ideas, new forms of worship, new songs or hymns, house groups, Christian Stewardship, lay ministry – none of it was any use without the power of the Holy Spirit. To try and run a church without the power from on high, was like trying to run a car without petrol.”
Shortly afterwards Stella phoned me up to tell me she really believed the Lord had given her these words to put into the next ‘Service at Home’ (see above). It was God confirming that we all need to ‘fill up our petrol tanks’, we all need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, we all need power from on high!
How do we fill our petrol tanks up? We drive to the supply station and fill up. Likewise Jesus told us to go to our Father in heaven and ask Him,
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.
Luke 11:13
Those disciples would have spent the next few years asking their Father in Heaven for the Holy Spirit. This prayer was gloriously answered on the Day of Pentecost – and then the Great Commission began. “Power from on high” had turned these timid, fearful, disciples who were praying behind locked doors for fear of the Jews, into bold, powerful, eloquent preachers of the Good-News of Jesus, and of whom it was eventually said,
They have turned the world upside down with their teaching.
Acts 17:6
So let us persist in asking for that same “Power from on High” for ‘NOW’, in Jesus Name, Amen!
Quote of the week
“Since the days of Pentecost, has the whole church ever put aside every other work and waited upon Him for ten days, that the Spirit’s power might be manifested? We give too much attention to method and machinery and resources, and too little to the source of power.”
Hudson Taylor
Verse of the week
Not by [your] might nor by [your] power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.
Zech. 4:6
Let’s Pray
Heavenly Father, if there is one thing we lack at this time, it is Your power to see Your Church flourish: by seeing people repent and putting their faith in Your Son Jesus Christ; and being baptised; and joining Your Church; and being healed. So we ask again, Lord, send Your power from on High, pour out Your Holy Spirit upon Your Church, for Your glory, in and through Jesus Christ, Amen.