Embracing the Active Discipline of Waiting on God

Summary

Today’s gathering centers on the profound spiritual discipline of waiting on God, especially in the context of the days between Jesus’ resurrection and Pentecost. The early disciples, after witnessing the risen Christ, were commanded to wait in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit. This waiting was not passive or idle; it was a season marked by unity, prayer, and expectation. The disciples, though uncertain and perhaps anxious about the future, chose to trust Jesus’ word, gathering together in one accord, seeking God’s direction, and preparing their hearts for what was to come.

Waiting, as seen in the biblical narrative, is not simply about the passage of time but about preparation, trust, and alignment with God’s timing. The culture around us often despises waiting, favoring instant results and immediate gratification. Yet, God’s ways are different. He uses seasons of waiting to renew our strength, to shape our character, and to prepare us for the fulfillment of His promises. The story of Joseph, who waited years for his God-given dream to come to pass, and the example of the disciples in the upper room, remind us that God’s timing is perfect, even when it does not align with our own.

During the waiting, God calls us to active faith—praying, seeking, and sometimes stepping into new roles or responsibilities, as Peter did when he stood up to lead. The waiting room of God is a place of transformation, where our trust is deepened and our vision clarified. It is also a place where God’s promises are reaffirmed, and where we are reminded that His covenant with us is sure, sealed by the blood of Christ.

As we approach Pentecost, we are invited to wait on God with expectancy, to pray for our families and communities, and to believe that God will move in power. The Holy Spirit, promised to those who wait, is still at work today—healing, delivering, and empowering the church to be a light in the world. Let us embrace the discipline of waiting, trusting that God will make all things beautiful in His time.

Key Takeaways

- Waiting on God is Active, Not Passive
The disciples’ waiting in Jerusalem was filled with prayer, unity, and supplication. True waiting on God involves seeking Him, bringing our needs before Him, and preparing our hearts for His move. It is not idle time, but a season of spiritual engagement and expectation. [01:03:53]

- God’s Timing Surpasses Our Own
God operates on an eternal timeline, seeing the end from the beginning. Our impatience often stems from a limited perspective, but God’s timing is always perfect, even when it requires us to endure seasons of uncertainty. Aligning our hearts with His timing brings peace and assurance that He will fulfill His promises. [01:25:27]

- Preparation Precedes Outpouring
The period between resurrection and Pentecost was a time of preparation for the disciples. God often uses waiting seasons to equip us, refine our character, and ready us for greater responsibility or blessing. Like pre-deployment training, these times are essential for spiritual growth and effectiveness. [01:08:12]

- Leadership Emerges in the Waiting
Peter’s decision to stand up and lead during the waiting period illustrates that God calls us to step into our roles, even before everything is clear or complete. Leadership in God’s kingdom often requires courage to act in faith, trusting that God will supply what is needed as we obey. [01:15:55]

- God Waits for Us to Act in Faith
Just as we wait on God, He also waits for us to respond in faith—to pray, to step out, to share the gospel, and to claim His promises. The fulfillment of God’s purposes often involves our participation; He is patient, not willing that any should perish, and invites us to partner with Him in His work. [01:33:24]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Resurrection Sunday and Introductions
[03:30] - Remembering the Church’s Beginnings
[07:10] - The Journey from Resurrection to Pentecost
[10:55] - Jesus’ Command to Wait in Jerusalem
[15:20] - The Nature of Waiting: Not Passive
[20:05] - The Psychology and Challenge of Waiting
[27:30] - The Value and Reward of Waiting on God
[33:40] - Isaiah’s Promise: Renewed Strength
[39:00] - Preparation in the Waiting Season
[45:10] - Joseph’s Dream and God’s Timing
[50:30] - Peter’s Emergence as Leader
[56:00] - Prayer and Action: Choosing Matthias
[01:01:00] - Understanding God’s Timing
[01:08:12] - Preparation for Pentecost
[01:15:55] - Leadership and Stepping Up
[01:21:56] - Prayer, Action, and God’s Promises
[01:31:16] - Pentecost: The Fulfillment of Waiting
[01:33:24] - God Waits for Us: Responding in Faith
[01:41:55] - Communion and Healing
[01:43:16] - Closing Announcements and Blessing

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Waiting on God (Acts 1:12-26 and Related Passages)

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### Bible Reading

- Acts 1:12-26 (The disciples wait in Jerusalem, pray together, and choose Matthias)
- Isaiah 40:28-31 (“Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength…”)
- Ecclesiastes 3:11 (“He has made everything beautiful in its time.”)

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### Observation Questions

1. What specific actions did the disciples take while they were waiting in Jerusalem, according to Acts 1:12-26?
2. In Isaiah 40:31, what are the promised results for those who wait on the Lord?
3. According to the sermon, what was the reason Jesus commanded the disciples to wait in Jerusalem instead of leaving? [[00:10:55]]
4. What process did the disciples use to choose a replacement for Judas, and how did prayer play a role in that decision? [[01:21:56]]

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### Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon says waiting on God is not passive, but active. What does it mean for waiting to be “active” in the context of the disciples’ experience? [[01:03:53]]
2. How does the story of Joseph, as mentioned in the sermon, help us understand God’s timing and the purpose of waiting? [[01:12:49]]
3. Why do you think God often asks His people to wait, even when it feels uncomfortable or uncertain? [[01:27:54]]
4. What does it look like for leadership to emerge during a season of waiting, as seen with Peter? [[01:15:55]]

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### Application Questions

1. The disciples waited together in unity and prayer. Is there a situation in your life right now where you are waiting on God? How could you make your waiting more “active” by engaging in prayer, unity, or service? [[01:03:53]]
2. Our culture often pushes for instant results. Can you think of a recent time when impatience led you to make a decision too quickly? What would it look like to trust God’s timing instead? [[01:27:54]]
3. The sermon mentioned that God uses waiting seasons to prepare us for what’s next. Is there an area in your life where you sense God is preparing you for something? What steps can you take to be ready? [[01:08:12]]
4. Peter stepped up to lead even before everything was clear. Is there a place in your family, work, or church where you feel God might be calling you to step up, even if you don’t feel fully ready? What’s holding you back? [[01:15:55]]
5. The sermon said God sometimes waits for us to act in faith. Is there a step of faith—like sharing your faith, praying for someone, or serving—that you sense God is waiting for you to take? [[01:33:24]]
6. Think about a promise or dream you believe God has given you. How can you hold onto that promise during a long season of waiting, like Joseph did? [[01:12:49]]
7. The early church prayed for their families and communities as they waited for Pentecost. Who is one person or group you can commit to pray for this week, believing God will move in their life? [[01:31:16]]

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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray for patience, unity, and faith as they wait on God’s promises, and to ask for the courage to step out in faith when God calls.

Devotional

Day 1: Waiting on God Is Active, Not Passive
Waiting on God is not about sitting idly or being passive; it is an act of faith that involves prayer, unity, and expectation. The early disciples, though commanded by Jesus to wait in Jerusalem, did not simply sit around—they gathered together in one accord, praying and seeking God’s direction, trusting that His promise would be fulfilled. In our own lives, waiting on God means engaging our hearts in prayer, bringing our needs before Him, and remaining alert and expectant for His move, knowing that our waiting is never wasted when it is rooted in faith. [01:03:53]

Acts 1:12-14 (ESV)
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to shift from passive waiting to active, prayerful expectation, trusting that God is working even as you wait?


Day 2: God Renews Our Strength When We Wait on Him
There is a divine strength and renewal that comes to those who wait on the Lord, even when life feels uncertain or difficult. Waiting on God is not wasted time; it is a season where He restores our energy, lifts us up, and gives us the ability to soar above our challenges like eagles. As we trust Him in the waiting, He promises to refresh us, empower us to run without growing weary, and walk without fainting, reminding us that His timing and provision are always perfect. [01:05:14]

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Reflection: Where do you feel weary or worn out today, and how can you intentionally bring that to God in prayer, asking Him to renew your strength as you wait on Him?


Day 3: Trusting God’s Timing Over Our Own
God’s timing is often different from ours, but it is always perfect and purposeful. While we may feel impatient or anxious when things don’t happen as quickly as we hope, Scripture reminds us that God sees the end from the beginning and makes everything beautiful in His time. Trusting in the Lord with all our heart means surrendering our own understanding and aligning our expectations with His eternal perspective, knowing that He is orchestrating every detail for our good and His glory. [01:25:27]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Reflection: What is one area where you are struggling to trust God’s timing, and how can you surrender your expectations to Him today?


Day 4: Preparation Happens in the Waiting
Seasons of waiting are not just about delay—they are times of preparation, training, and shaping for what God has next. Just as the disciples underwent a period of pre-deployment training before Pentecost, God uses our waiting to equip us, refine our character, and ready us for the assignments He has prepared. Embracing the waiting as a time of growth allows us to be fully prepared when God’s promise is fulfilled, knowing that He is working in us even when we cannot see the outcome. [01:08:12]

James 1:2-4 (ESV)
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Reflection: How might God be using your current season of waiting to prepare you for something greater, and what steps can you take to cooperate with His work in you?


Day 5: Stand Up and Step Into God’s Calling
There comes a time when, after waiting and preparation, we must stand up and step into the leadership or calling God has placed on our lives. Like Peter, who rose to lead the early church, and Gideon, who was called a mighty man of valor despite his doubts, God calls each of us to recognize His purpose and act in faith. It is not enough to pray and wait; we must also be willing to move forward when God prompts us, trusting that He will empower us for the task ahead. [01:15:55]

Joshua 1:9 (ESV)
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Reflection: What is one step of faith or leadership God is prompting you to take, and how can you courageously respond to His call this week?

Quotes

So you'll find later on as we go through the sermon that waiting is not passive. It's not like you're just waiting and you're just twiddling your thumbs or let's see what's going to happen and so on. They're actually waiting but they're doing something. And it says they continued with one accord in prayer and in supplication. [00:40:58] (00:00:16 seconds) Edit Clip

But Jesus is saying and God has promised there's going to come a time when we're not going to follow the law written on stone but you're going to follow the law of God that is embedded on your hearts. You see that's the power of the Holy Spirit and that's what it's all about. That's what Pentecost is all about. [00:48:12] (00:00:16 seconds) Edit Clip

I think what God wants us to know and to understand here today is that if you trust him, it circumvents that level of anxiety that you're going to have. In the book of Proverbs chapter 3, it says, trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him and he will direct your path. [01:05:14] (00:00:20 seconds) Edit Clip

So waiting isn't just about passing time. It's about knowing that God has something in store for you. And you're saying, God, I'm going to get what you have for me. How many of you are willing to wait for that today? You're willing to say, God, I know that you have something in store for me. Whatever it might be. [01:11:21] (00:00:17 seconds) Edit Clip

Because God sees something in you that you may not see for yourself. You may have it in your heart and you feel it in your heart, but you may not totally see because I don't want to be that way. That's not what I'm called to do. But you have to listen to the voice of God speaking to you. [01:18:13] (00:00:15 seconds) Edit Clip