From Resurrection to Empowerment: Waiting for the Spirit

The congregation is led to a sobering reading of 1 Corinthians 11 that exposes how the Lord's Supper was being treated as routine or ritual rather than a moment of solemn remembrance. The text confronts selfishness and division at the table and calls for self-examination before partaking—an examination of attitude, behavior, and comprehension. Communion is reframed as reflective remembrance: a time to let the Holy Spirit probe the heart, not a box to check. Practical guidance is given in three simple moves—attitude (repentant humility), behavior (evidence of repentance), and comprehension (knowing what the elements signify)—so that participation honors the body and blood of Christ rather than bringing judgment.

The address moves from the table to the transition of the early church. The resurrection appearances over forty days demonstrate that Jesus’ victory was tangible: his body bore wounds, ate with the disciples, entered locked rooms, and appeared and disappeared—signs that the resurrection transformed how he related to the world while preserving authentic physicality. That transitional period prepared the followers for a change in role: disciples who learned became apostles who were sent. Luke’s Acts is presented as the bridge that shows Jesus’ work did not end at ascension but continues through the Spirit-empowered witness of the church.

Central to that transition is the promised inauguration of the Holy Spirit. Jesus commands patience—to remain in Jerusalem and wait for empowerment. The Spirit is both the breath of new life and the source of power for witness and holy behavior; evidence may include extraordinary signs but is most importantly seen in transformed responses and the fruit of the Spirit. The congregation is urged to embrace a personal transition from doing ministry in their own strength to living and serving by Spirit-empowerment. The service also includes pastoral moments of thanksgiving for staff and practical invitations to worship, giving, and altar response, closing with a prayerful appeal for renewed dependence on the Holy Spirit for every aspect of life and mission.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Communion calls for reflective self-examination Communion is not a routine ritual but a deliberate act of remembrance that requires honest appraisal of personal sin and communal fidelity. The table exposes whether love and sharing characterize the body of Christ or whether self-centeredness and division have intruded. Taking time to listen to the Spirit during communion prevents eating and drinking in a way that invites judgment. [28:21]
• 2. Examine attitude, behavior, comprehension Self-examination in communion has three interlocking dimensions: a repentant attitude that acknowledges failure, behaviors that demonstrate repentance, and comprehension of what the elements signify about Christ’s atoning work. True repentance reshapes decisions and relationships, and right comprehension keeps the ordinance tethered to gospel truth rather than superstition. Together these disciplines cultivate worthy participation that honors Christ and builds the church. [32:37]
• 3. Disciples transition from learners to apostles The post-resurrection era reframes followers from apprentices into sent representatives—no longer merely students of Jesus but delegates charged to proclaim him to the world. This shift means authority is no longer based on physical proximity to the rabbi but on the commission given and the presence of the Spirit accompanying the witness. The movement of the church is continuity of Jesus’ work, not a sequel that starts anew. [84:57]
• 4. Wait for the Spirit's empowering presence Jesus’ command to wait for the promised Spirit underscores that mission must be fueled by divine empowerment, not human grit. The Spirit supplies life, conviction, wisdom, and power so that responses—especially countercultural ones like loving enemies—become possible and credible. Patience in waiting demonstrates trust that the Father will provide the enabling presence needed for faithful witness. [87:35]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [28:21] - 1 Corinthians 11: Communion Reading
• [30:06] - Mishandling the Lord’s Supper
• [31:13] - “Do This in Remembrance of Me”
• [32:37] - ABCs of Self-Examination
• [47:38] - Appreciation for Worship Leader
• [60:46] - Offering and Testimony
• [63:45] - Built to Last: Series Recap
• [67:36] - Reading Acts 1: Preparing the Church
• [84:57] - From Disciples to Apostles
• [87:35] - Wait for the Holy Spirit’s Power
• [93:23] - Altar Call, Prayer, and Response

Bible reading
1 Corinthians 11:23–29 (ESV)
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

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Observation questions

1. According to 1 Corinthians 11, what specific behaviors and attitudes were the Corinthians displaying that dishonored the Lord’s Supper?
2. What three aspects of self-examination are highlighted as essential for worthy participation in communion? [32:37]
3. How did Jesus’ resurrected body demonstrate both continuity and transformation in His interactions with the disciples? [12:09]
4. What shift in identity and mission did the disciples undergo after Jesus’ ascension? [24:57]

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Interpretation questions

1. Why does Paul emphasize that taking communion in an unworthy manner makes one “guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord”? What does this imply about the significance of the elements?
2. Jesus commanded the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit before beginning their mission. What does this reveal about the relationship between divine empowerment and human effort in fulfilling God’s purposes? [27:35]
3. How does the transition from “disciple” (learner) to “apostle” (sent one) redefine the purpose and authority of believers in continuing Jesus’ work? [23:46]
4. In what ways does the Holy Spirit’s empowerment enable behaviors and responses that are not naturally possible? [32:21]

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Application questions

1. Reflect on your last experience taking communion. Were you more focused on ritual or genuine remembrance? What would help you approach the Lord’s Supper with a more reflective and repentant heart? [31:13]
2. The Holy Spirit empowers us to love our enemies and respond with grace instead of retaliation. Is there a relationship in your life where you’ve been relying on your own strength rather than the Spirit’s power to respond in a Christlike way? [32:21]
3. How would your daily priorities and decisions change if you fully embraced your identity as a “sent one” (apostle) rather than just a “learner” (disciple)? [24:57]
4. In what practical ways can you create space to “wait” on the Holy Spirit’s guidance this week instead of rushing ahead in your own plans? [27:35]
5. Are there areas in your life where you’ve been treating faith like a routine rather than a relationship? What step can you take to move from ritual to reflection? [30:49]
6. How can you tangibly demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit—especially in situations where you’re tempted to respond in the flesh? [30:41]
7. Who in your life needs to hear the message of Christ’s love, and how can you rely on the Holy Spirit’s power rather than your own ability to share it? [28:22]