By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
SABBATH
THEME: WAIT FOR THE PROMISE: POWER FOR SERVICE
SCRIPTURE: Acts 1:4,8
“[4]And being assembled 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; [8]But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
REFLECTIONS
This week, we have considered the unique role of the Holy Spirit in our lives in various ways. As Christ’s representative and a gift from the Father to us, as was Jesus, we demonstrate our appreciation by allowing Him to make our bodies His temple. Once He occupies His temple, we shall be sanctified, consecrated, energized, empowered, inspired, and filled with faith to testify of our Lord Jesus Christ. If the Holy Spirit dwells with us, our daily desire will be to remain holy, zealous, obedient, loyal, and faithful witnesses.
The evidence of our salvation is the work the Holy Spirit performs in our lives after surrendering to our Savior and Lord. If we claim to be Christians and the work and power of the Holy Spirit are not manifested and evident in our lives, we are joking and deceiving ourselves. Christ came to rescue the human race and has made provision that we shall attain eternal life. However, this will become a reality only as the Holy Spirit transforms our lives and fashions us to be like the Savior in thought and deed daily. The path to eternal hope and bliss begins with surrendering to Jesus as the Holy Spirit convicts us. This is followed by our growing relationship with Him – feeding on and rooted in His word, accessing heaven through prayer, experiencing the power of God as an answer to prayer and fasting, and witnessing to the world about our loving Savior. This is the path to eternal life.
Salvation without power for service may not come from God. Even our very lives will be a witness and service to those being saved if the Holy Spirit abides with us. The faith to persevere and the power to witness for Him and save others come directly from God. Acts 1:4,8 records, [4]And being assembled 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; [8]But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” No Christian has power independent of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, they won souls for the kingdom – the hearts of die-hard sinners were turned to Christ (Acts 2; 4).
Witnessing for Christ about our salvation is a command—a requirement that God provides the necessary support to accomplish. It is never done in our strength, lest we boast—it is performed in the company of the Holy Spirit. When Saul encountered the Lord Jesus on the way to Damascus, he was told what he would do, but in the strength of the Holy Spirit. Luke writes in Acts 9:15-17, [15]But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. [16]For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” [17]And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit led in the witnessing (Acts 13). No witnessing, no eternal life. Even the thief on the cross witnessed about who Jesus was. The Holy Spirit must lead every Christian, and if He is leading, you will undoubtedly have the power to do God’s will and witness for the salvation of others. Who have you brought to Christ?
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 269 – “Come, Holy Spirit”
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for giving us the Holy Spirit; thank God for the privilege of hosting the Holy Spirit to be your guest; pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to serve God and humanity;
– Pray for all evangelists, ministers of the gospel, missionaries, young people who are working to save other young people, faithful gospel singers, and business people who use their business to reach out;
– Pray for individual members of your church to seek the Holy Spirit and be filled by Him; pray for church members who fight, struggle for position and recognition, gossip, and create confusion;
– Pray for believers in the country to be under the influence of the Holy Spirit to ensure love, kindness, care, and empathy for our citizens; pray for the Spirit’s power to heal the sick; and provide physically and spiritually for the needy in society.
