Sunday Morning First Service | The Friend You've Been Missing | Pastor Rob Thomas

Jun 14, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: From Drawing to Empowerment: The Spirit’s Dual Work

The Holy Spirit first draws hearts to Jesus, then empowers believers to live boldly. Just as the disciples moved from fear to preaching with fire, the same Spirit transforms ordinary followers into bold witnesses. This shift isn’t about self-improvement but divine enablement—receiving power to fulfill God’s mission. The Spirit who whispers “come” in conviction also shouts “go” in commissioning. His work begins at salvation but doesn’t stop there. [59:04]

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you sensed the Spirit’s gentle drawing in your life recently? How might His empowerment look different from relying on your own strength?

Day 2: Gifts for Today: The Spirit’s Toolkit in Normal Hands

The Holy Spirit distributes gifts not just to spiritual elites but to everyday believers. Ananias—an ordinary disciple—healed Saul through the Spirit’s power. These gifts aren’t trophies but tools for building up others, like Philip’s miracles in Samaria or Stephen’s wisdom. They remain vital because the Church’s story is still being written, needing every member’s contribution. [14:36]

"To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit..." (1 Corinthians 12:7–9, ESV)

Reflection: Which spiritual gift feels most unfamiliar to you? How could surrendering that discomfort to the Spirit open new ways to serve others?

Day 3: Fruit First: Love as the Root of Power

Miraculous gifts without Christlike character become dangerous. The nine-fold fruit in Galatians 5 grows from love’s root—not willpower but abiding in the Vine. Like Paul’s transformation from persecutor to patient mentor, the Spirit prioritizes who we become over what we do. Authentic fruit outlasts flashy signs, proving our grafting into Christ. [20:01]

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22–23, ESV)

Reflection: Which fruit feels most underdeveloped in your life? What practical step could help you abide in the Vine this week?

Day 4: Peculiar Love: The World’s Attention-Grabber

The first fruit—love—isn’t sentimental but sacrificial, making believers stand out like a healthy tree in a thorn patch. This love compelled Ananias to call Saul “brother” despite his reputation. When the Spirit’s love flows through ordinary actions—a kind word at work, patience with a child—it becomes our loudest witness. [35:59]

"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5, ESV)

Reflection: When has someone’s Christlike love surprised you? How could your ordinary interactions this week display peculiar love?

Day 5: From Glory to Glory: The Spirit’s Sculpting Work

The Spirit transforms believers gradually, like a sculptor refining clay. Peter’s journey from denying Christ to leading the church shows this process. Our part isn’t perfection but surrender—allowing the Potter to shape fruit through both mountain-top moments and mundane obedience. True revival starts here, in hidden character shifts. [36:58]

"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)

Reflection: What area of your life feels like “unfinished clay” today? How might the Spirit be inviting you to trust His shaping hands?

Sermon Summary

The Holy Spirit moves from drawing to empowering. The Spirit first pursues and convicts, bringing people to the Father through Jesus, then clothes believers with power to live out the Father’s plan. Acts 1:8 and Luke 24:49 frame this promise as necessary for witness. Pentecost demonstrates the shift. Fearful disciples become bold proclaimers. Peter steps into the street and three thousand are added. Saul the persecutor meets Jesus, receives the laying on of hands, is filled with the Spirit, and then lives marked by the Spirit’s fruit and tireless mission. The text shows that the same Spirit who draws also emboldens, sustains, and sends.

The gifts of the Spirit belong to the whole church in this New Covenant age. The promise God breathed into Scripture is not time-locked to one generation. Joel’s word, echoed in Acts 2, announces an outpouring on all flesh, sons and daughters, young and old, servants and leaders. First Corinthians 12 teaches that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each for the common good. Mark 16 speaks of signs that follow those who believe. Scripture itself gives examples beyond the Twelve. Stephen, Philip, and Ananias are ordinary disciples working in extraordinary grace. The doctrine in view is clear. The Spirit still apportions gifts, not for show but for mission, edification, and love.

The fruit of the Spirit must be the foundation. Galatians 5 lists love first, and many note that the “fruit” is singular, with joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control flowing out of love as the root. John 15’s vine and branches reveals the source. Abiding produces fruit that looks like Jesus in words, reactions, and relationships. Matthew 7 sets the test. By their fruit they will be recognized. Where the root is love, the fruit grows naturally and consistently.

Power without character is a hazard to souls. A charismatic platform can swell while a private life collapses, and the fallout wounds many. Miraculous manifestations are never the test. Fidelity to God’s word is. When love leads and fruit matures, the gifts become safe, beautiful, and life-giving, pointing hearts to Jesus instead of to a personality. The fruit is who a believer is in Christ. The gifts are what a believer does by the Spirit. Both matter, but fruit comes first and keeps growing as the Spirit forms Christlike character and then releases Spirit-empowered ministry.

Key Takeaways

1. The Spirit draws, then empowers [01:00:26] The Holy Spirit pursues people to Jesus and then clothes believers with power for witness and obedience. Pentecost is the pattern, not the exception. Empowerment is not optional gear for elite disciples but God’s provision for ordinary mission. Where the Spirit fills, courage rises and the Father’s plan advances. [60:26]
2. The gifts are for today’s church [01:08:35] New Covenant promises are not expired notices. Acts 2 announces an all-flesh outpouring and 1 Corinthians 12 assigns manifestations to each for the common good. Scripture showcases non-apostles used mightily, signaling that availability, not pedigree, is the key. The Spirit still equips the body to build, heal, and proclaim. [68:35]
3. Love is the root of the fruit [01:20:39] Galatians 5 places love first because love sources every other grace. Abiding in the vine yields a recognizable harvest in speech, reactions, and relationships. Character that looks like Jesus is not a weekend project but a rooted life, quietly steady in storms and kind under pressure. [80:39]
4. Character must ground power and gifts [01:28:54] Power without fruit breeds pride, spectacle, and collateral damage. Fidelity to the word, not fireworks, proves the work of God. When love leads and fruit matures, the gifts become safe conduits that point to Jesus, not to a personality. The Spirit forms who a believer is before amplifying what a believer does. [88:54]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[51:10] - Summer greetings and recap aim
[52:14] - Father, Son, Spirit at creation
[53:23] - The Spirit is a person
[54:11] - Three immersions in view
[55:55] - Receiving the Spirit by laying on hands
[57:14] - Walking in fruit and power
[59:04] - From drawing to empowerment
[60:26] - Acts 1:8 and Jesus’ promise
[62:59] - Pentecost boldness and 3,000 added
[65:47] - Saul’s encounter and filling
[67:12] - Paul’s life marked by fruit
[68:35] - The gifts are for today
[72:11] - All flesh outpouring in the last days
[74:09] - Gifts for the common good
[76:24] - Signs follow those who believe
[78:55] - Fruit must be the foundation
[81:30] - Abiding in the vine
[82:39] - Known by their fruit
[86:42] - Cautionary tale of charisma without character
[88:22] - Fidelity to the word over fireworks
[90:29] - Fruit is who, gifts are what
[93:26] - Dual aim: grow fruit and receive power
[94:42] - Ministry time and prayer invitations

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- Acts 1:8 (ESV): "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
- Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV): "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Observation Questions

In Acts 1:8, what two things does Jesus connect to the Holy Spirit’s power?
How does Galatians 5:22-23 structure the "fruit of the Spirit," and why might love be listed first?
What specific examples from the sermon show the transformation of fearful disciples into bold witnesses after receiving the Spirit’s empowerment? [01:03:58]
According to the sermon, what is the danger of pursuing spiritual gifts without the foundation of the fruit of the Spirit? [01:28:54]

Interpretation Questions

Why is the Holy Spirit’s empowerment described as necessary for all believers, not just leaders or apostles?
How does the phrase "for the common good" (1 Corinthians 12:7) redefine the purpose of spiritual gifts in everyday relationships?
Jesus says, "Apart from me, you can do nothing" (John 15:5). How does this relate to the idea that fruit grows "naturally" from abiding in Him?
Why might a lack of spiritual fruit make even genuine spiritual gifts harmful to others? [01:26:42]

Application Questions

In what area of your life do you feel hesitant to step into the Holy Spirit’s power for boldness (e.g., sharing faith, serving others)? What practical step could you take this week to rely on His strength there?
Love is called the "root" of all other fruit. How could intentionally cultivating love (e.g., through prayer, acts of kindness, or forgiveness) change your interactions with someone difficult in your life?
The gifts of the Spirit are meant for the "common good." What spiritual gift(s) do you sense God has given you, and how could you use them to encourage or build up someone in your community?
Reflect on a time when you prioritized visible spiritual activity (e.g., serving, leading) over character growth. What adjustments could help you prioritize fruit like patience or gentleness in that area?
The sermon warns against ministries that focus on "fireworks" over fidelity to God’s Word. How can you discern whether a teaching or practice aligns with Scripture, even if it seems impressive? [01:28:22]
What daily habit (e.g., prayer, Scripture meditation, accountability) could help you "abide in the vine" (John 15:5) to sustain consistent spiritual fruit?
How can your small group create a culture where both the fruit and gifts of the Spirit are valued and practiced in healthy ways?

Sermon Clips

34s

#PentecostBoldness

“But we know in this moment, something clicked and something changed. In Acts chapter two, when suddenly they're filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, everything changed. These men and these women, they stepped out of this room with supernatural boldness beyond their own human ability. As a matter of fact, we're told that Peter steps out of that building and he steps in front of a crowd and he preaches one of the boldest sermons that we see in the Bible.”

39s

#FruitMustBeFoundation

“The gifts of the spirit were not meant to be temporary. They were meant to be part of the normal, empowered Christian life as described in the New Testament. So, we talked about the gifts of the spirit are for today. Last thing I wanna talk about here for a minute is the fruit of the spirit must be the foundation. I talked about this briefly last week but the fruit of the spirit must be the foundation and this is kind of the heart of what I'm wanting to communicate today before we go more into the gifts next week but this is something I believe is in immensely important”

42s

#LifeShowsTheFruit

“So guys, how do you know that god's desire is that each and everyone of us would bear, the Bible tells us, much good fruit. What does that mean? Well, fruit is what people see in our everyday life. It's our actions. It's our words. It's our reactions. It's our attitude. It's it's how we treat our spouse. It's how we respond to difficult people. It's how we handle it's how we handle pressure. It's how we love those around us. That is the fruit of our lives, and it's what we should become known for.”

42s

#NTPromisesForAll

“The promises of the New Testament weren't for just the church in Corinth or the church in Ephesus, whoever Paul was specifically writing to in a moment. We read those things today because they're written to us. They're written to us personally. they're written to everyone of everyone of us everywhere for the last two thousand years. So, why would god inspire things to be written? Why would he inspire promises to be written if they were only meant for a very small group of people or even just one generation in the early church, in the first century?”

41s

#OngoingSpiritWork

“So the Holy Spirit is at the at work in the heart of every human being. He is convicting. He is drawing. He is inviting them to come to Jesus. for those of us who have already responded his call, for those of us who have said yes to Jesus and we have made him lord of our life, we've allowed him to make us a new creation, the holy spirit how do you know his work continues in our life? It's not over just because he drew us and we said yes. His Holy Spirit now goes to another level and he continues to work in us and through us.”

37s

#SaulToPaul

“this man who had once he was trying to wipe out followers of Jesus goes on to become one of the greatest missionaries and greatest writers of the news of the New Testament. He planted churches. He he endured tremendous persecution, didn't he? He he he he went after people who were considered unreachable and became one of the greatest proclaimers of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the earth. And he did all this empowered by the Holy Spirit, right?”

35s

#EmpoweredToFulfill

“And kindness and goodness and faithfulness and gentleness and self control. These are the things that we know of of when we think of the apostle Paul. Right? This is what came forth from him after his conversion and as he received the Holy Spirit. And this is the kind of change that happens when we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit who draws all of mankind now empowers believers to walk and live in in boldness and encourage and in effectiveness to fulfill the Father's plan.”

27s

#NTNotFinished

“Many sincere believers have been taught that the miraculous gifts of the spirit such as prophecy and healing and tongues and words of knowledge and and miracles, all these things. They they you and some of you may have been taught that it stopped when the apostles died or some have been taught that it stopped when the New Testament was was complete like when the New Testament was finished. Let me tell you, first and foremost, let me address that. The reality is the New Testament is not finished, guys. It's not complete.”

31s

#RecognizeByFruit

“Jesus is very clear about this. He said this in the sermon on the mount in Matthew chapter seven. He said, he's talking about his followers. He said, by their fruit, you will recognize them. I told you guys this week, people love to say, man, Christians aren't supposed to judge. Well, actually, he told us to judge fruit. You're gonna know somebody's my follower by the fruit of their life. You should he's saying, you should be able to recognize them. You're gonna see them out and about. You're gonna be that's gotta be a follower of Jesus”

33s

#EnduedWithPower

“And they had relationship with him and they had seen the miracles. But here's the thing, Jesus is telling them that they still need something more. They needed to be, as it said there, endued with power on high. They needed the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. So I want you to think for a moment. I'm not gonna go back. I'm not gonna read the story right now from Acts chapter two, but most of you know the story of of of the day of Pentecost, what happened on that day.”

34s

#UpperRoomWaiting

“before the Holy Spirit had come, guys, the the up until this moment, the disciples, I believe they're still processing what's happened in the last several weeks. Literally, like forty some days had gone by since Jesus had been resurrected, and they just saw him ascend into heaven and they're processing this whole thing and everything that Jesus had ever told them and they're in this upper room like Jesus told them to be and so, remember that just weeks earlier, many of them had, they had run when Jesus was arrested, right?”

30s

#GodStillWriting

“We we we we you may read the end of the manuscript that we call the Bible, the word of god but we are still living under the new covenant and and we are the new covenant. We are the New Testament church. As a matter of fact, the Bible tells us that god is still writing and taking account of everything that his that his children do, that the church does. Guys, the New Testament is a lot longer than what you're seeing in your Bible today. There's a lot more stories that we're gonna not read until eternity.”

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Sunday Morning First Service | The Friend You've Been Missing | Pastor Rob Thomas

Devotional

Day 1: From Drawing to Empowerment: The Spirit’s Dual Work

Day 2: Gifts for Today: The Spirit’s Toolkit in Normal Hands

Day 3: Fruit First: Love as the Root of Power

Day 4: Peculiar Love: The World’s Attention-Grabber

Day 5: From Glory to Glory: The Spirit’s Sculpting Work

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Sunday Morning First Service | The Friend You've Been Missing | Pastor Rob Thomas

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