Category: Receive the Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 2:14-17 (NRSVUE)
14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing: 16 to the one group a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is qualified for these things? 17 For we are not peddlers of God’s word like so many, but as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God, we are speaking in Christ before God.

“They are to pronounce, in God’s name and by his spirit, the message of forgiveness to all who believe in Jesus…to warn the world that sin is a serious, deadly disease, and that to remain in it will bring death. They are to rebuke and warn…because this is God’s message to a muddled, confused and still rebellious world. Paul, twenty years later, asked, ‘Who is sufficient for such things?’ (2 Corinthians 2:16). He, like John, gave the right answer: none of us, but God enables us to do it by his spirit.” (Tom Wright, John for Everyone)

Prayer: Father, thank you for the Spirit’s enabling to spread the fragrance of Christ. We embrace our sent-ness to go and preach the message of forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship to the song “All Because of You” by Elijah Oyelade (click here).

-MR

Psalm 90:1-4, 12, 17 (NIV)
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You turn people back to dust,
saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”
4 A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,

12 Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.

He is the everlasting God, sovereign over all he has made. By grace, the Lord has been, is, and will be the dwelling place for God’s people. From his perspective, a thousand years are like a day. May we be encouraged, for the events in our lives are but a moment in his sight. In humble dependence, may we pray for our churches, that he would establish the work of our hands.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you are our dwelling place. You alone hold all our days. Thank you for your Holy Spirit living in us, leading and guiding us. Would you establish the work of our hands in each of our churches as we live out the calling as servants. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship to the song “From Everlasting” by Sovereign Grace Worship (click here).

-MR

 

Psalm 121 (NIV)
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

In this psalm, there is imagery of a journey: “lift up my eyes to the mountains” (v1); “He will not let your foot slip” (v3);  “sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night” (v6); and “coming and going” (v8). On this journey, as Christ followers, we may go through challenging circumstances. The promise is that the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth, is watching over us. He will sustain us. His watchful care is upon his children.

Prayer: Lord, in this life journey, thank you for your watchful care over me. Once again like never before, we place the whole of our lives into your hands. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship to the song “He Will Keep You” by Sovereign Grace Worship (click here).

-MR

 

John 20:19-23 (NRSVUE)
19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

”Jesus’ followers not only experience God’s shalom; they also give it away. Jesus’ second bestowal of peace introduces his commission to participate in his own sending mission (Jn 20:21). What’s more, Jesus promises that, by the Spirit, they will extend the shalom of forgiveness to others (Jn 20:23). In other words, Jesus calls them to live as both a reconciled and a reconciling community, to share the peace and restoration they have received.” (Michael Gorman, Abide and Go)

Prayer: Lord, thank you that we receive peace through the Spirit. As Jesus followers, would you fill us with joy and boldness to share the peace we have received with others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship to the song “Songs in the Night” by Matt Redman (click here).

-MR

Let’s read aloud together the following passages, confession, and prayer:

Genesis 2:7 (NRSVUE)
7 then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV)
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Capetown Commitment: We love God the Holy Spirit
We love the Holy Spirit within the unity of the Trinity, along with God the Father and God the Son. He is the missionary Spirit sent by the missionary Father and the missionary Son, breathing life and power into God’s missionary Church. We love and pray for the presence of the Holy Spirit because without the witness of the Spirit to Christ, our own witness is futile. Without the convicting work of the Spirit, our preaching is in vain. Without the gifts, guidance and power of the Spirit, our mission is mere human effort. And without the fruit of the Spirit, our unattractive lives cannot reflect the beauty of the gospel.

Prayer: Father, thank you that the Holy Spirit lives in us. Would you stir in us a passion for your name and empower us to reflect the beauty of the gospel to those around us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship to the song “Fall Like Rain” by Passion (click here).

-MR