Waiting on the Spirit: Empowered to Make Disciples

Devotional

Day 1: Waiting on the Holy Spirit, Not Going Back

Waiting is not passive and it is not a plan to return to what once was. The disciples wanted restoration on their terms, but Jesus redirected them from managing calendars and reading seasons to receiving the Spirit. You are invited to wait in a new way: not by stalling, but by surrender, trusting God to shape you rather than chasing old patterns. Waiting becomes holy when Scripture and prayer are the posture, not nostalgia and prediction. As you begin the year, resist the pull to “restore,” and instead make space for the Spirit to remake. [43:39]

Acts 1:6–8 — They asked if this was the moment for Israel to be restored. Jesus told them the timing belongs to the Father. Instead, he promised that the Holy Spirit would empower them to speak of him nearby and far away—beginning in Jerusalem, then in Judea and Samaria, and on to the ends of the earth.

Reflection: What specific, protected block of time this week will you set aside to sit with the Spirit in the Word without an agenda, simply to listen and receive?

Day 2: Shaped by Scripture and Prayer on God’s Anvil

Time in the Word and time in prayer are not wasted; they are where the Spirit places you on the anvil to form you. Scripture is Spirit-breathed and useful, and prayer becomes less about lists and more about listening—“What do you want to do in me, Lord?” If you give God this blank check in 2026, he will change who you are by 2027. Guard this time like your most valuable asset, because it is. Ask the Spirit to expose, correct, encourage, and direct as you linger with an open heart. [45:33]

2 Timothy 3:16–17 — Every part of Scripture comes from God’s breath and teaches, exposes, corrects, and trains so that God’s people are fully prepared for every good work he calls them to.

Reflection: Which passage will you linger over this week, and how will you invite the Spirit to press one phrase into a hidden place of your life for real change?

Day 3: Deny Yourself, Take Up Your Cross, Follow

Witness is more than words; it is the willingness to pay a price, even the price of time, convenience, and preference. In a culture where time is currency, offering your time to Jesus is a profound act of worship. As you learn to deny yourself and die to yourself, following becomes clear—where he goes, you go. Make space daily for this kind of surrender, and you will find that obedience grows simpler and sturdier. Give him your schedule and your steps, not just your intentions. [52:03]

Luke 9:23–24 — Jesus said that whoever wants to come after him must say no to self, take up the cross each day, and follow him. Those who cling to their own life will lose it, but those who let go for his sake will truly find life.

Reflection: Where is your schedule most resistant to interruption, and what one concrete hour can you reallocate this week as an act of denying yourself to be with Jesus?

Day 4: From Home to Nations: Ready for Open Doors

The Spirit sends in widening rings—home, neighborhood, region, and far beyond. Start with the closest circle: equip the home as a center of discipleship, especially by helping parents nurture their children in Christ. Step onto the digital streets with grace and truth, using online spaces as platforms for the gospel. Pray boldly about planting a new church, preparing now so that when God opens a door, you can step through. Readiness is formed in hidden faithfulness long before public opportunities appear. [58:34]

Matthew 28:18–20 — Jesus announced that all authority belongs to him. Therefore his followers must go and help people from every nation become disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to live out all he commanded—assured that he is with them always.

Reflection: What is one simple practice you can begin at home this week (for example, ten minutes of Scripture and prayer at dinner), and when will you try it?

Day 5: No Spectators: Step Into Samaria and Beyond

The Spirit will lead into uncomfortable places—your “Samaria”—such as prison ministry, cross-cultural friendships, online witness, or faraway partnerships like Japan. The nations are at our doorstep through language communities, and the harvest is near if we will move toward people in love. Do not stand staring at the sky, waiting for someone else to go; there are no bleachers in this calling. Jesus will return, but until then, be found doing what he said: word, prayer, witness, obedience. Ask for courage to cross a boundary this week for the sake of the gospel. [01:04:46]

Acts 1:9–11 — After Jesus finished speaking, he was lifted up and a cloud hid him from sight. While they stood staring into the sky, two messengers asked why they remained there looking upward, reminding them that this same Jesus will come back just as he went.

Reflection: Name one “Samaria” for you—a place or people you usually avoid. What is one respectful, practical step you can take this week to move toward them in Jesus’ name?

Sermon Summary

Rooted in Acts 1:6-11, the focus is clear: Jesus builds the church; disciples make disciples. The temptation to “go back” to a pre-COVID model is rejected; both chronos (sequences) and kairos (moments) are in the Father’s hands. The call is to wait—not passively—but by seeking the Holy Spirit through Scripture and prayer, allowing Him to shape desire, direction, and courage. Waiting is not a detour; it is the place where God forms a people sturdy enough for the work He intends.

Witness is not a marketing role but a martyr’s posture. The risen Lord gives power, then defines the path: deny self, take up the cross daily, and follow. In a culture that treasures time above money, the most radical offering is availability—unhurried time before God in His Word and in prayer, and readiness to go where He leads. That life is not reserved for “professional Christians”; it is ordinary discipleship.

The missional map stretches in concentric circles from near to far. For 2026, the near circle emphasizes discipling the home: equipping parents to make the kitchen table a center of formation. Another near circle is digital presence: leveraging online spaces as today’s street corner for gospel witness. A third near circle is prayerful preparation to plant a church—addressing space constraints, multiplying language ministries, and stepping through doors God will open in His timing. Further out lies “Samaria” in the form of prison ministry—evangelism, discipleship, and reentry support—an assignment that may stretch comfort but matches the heart of Jesus. The far circle includes Japan and ongoing partnerships with the nations among us—six language congregations, ESL ministries, and the growing Asian community in Dublin. Through all of this runs one conviction: there are no spectators in the kingdom. Angels rebuked gawking disciples; the Spirit sends obedient ones.

The invitation for the year is simple and costly: give 2026 to Scripture and prayer with an expectant, Spirit-led posture. When He says “go,” go—whatever the price, wherever the place. That kind of obedience could remake lives, families, and an entire church in ways that only Jesus can.

Key Takeaways

1. Waiting means Spirit-led readiness Waiting is not retreating to the past or gaming the timing; it is submitting to the Spirit’s timing and shaping. Jesus forbids chasing chronologies or reading tea leaves, and instead calls for dependence. Such waiting reforms our instincts and aligns us with God’s agenda rather than our nostalgia. Obedience becomes sustainable when formation precedes action. [43:39]
2. Be formed by Word and prayer Scripture is Spirit-breathed; prayer is Spirit-dependent. Together they move us from handing God a to-do list to asking Him to remake us. This year-long posture—listening, repenting, receiving courage—creates depth that programs can’t produce. Give God time, and He will give you transformation. [44:14]
3. Witnesses deny self and follow “Witness” is martyr—identity before strategy. Denying self and taking up the cross reorders loves, and converts time from a possession into an offering. Following becomes simple when self-rule dies; where Jesus leads, we go. This is the power-filled life the Spirit animates. [50:17]
4. Build concentric circles of mission From home to the nations, the call is layered: disciple families, engage digitally, prepare to plant, lean into prison ministry, and deepen ties with Japan and local language communities. These circles honor both proximity and calling, stretching comfort without abandoning place. Multiplication flows from formation, not hurry. [53:42]
5. No spectators—everyone participates Heaven’s question still stands: why keep staring when you’ve been sent? The church moves when ordinary disciples own the call: Word, prayer, obedience. Resolve now to follow wherever He points. God delights to use available people more than impressive plans. [64:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[32:08] - Post-COVID identity: Gospel and mission
[37:41] - Acts 1:8 and the church’s mandate
[39:45] - Waiting without going back
[44:14] - Formed by Scripture and prayer
[48:52] - Witnesses who deny and follow
[53:42] - Concentric mission: near to far
[54:49] - Equip parents; disciple at home
[55:48] - Evangelize in the digital sphere
[56:41] - Pray toward planting a church
[59:26] - Samaria for us: prison ministry
[61:32] - Japan and the nations among us
[63:39] - No spectators—everyone participates
[65:23] - Commit to Word, prayer, obedience
[73:18] - Closing prayer and sending

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading

- Acts 1:6-11

Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 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.”

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Observation questions

In Acts 1:6-7, what exactly did the disciples ask Jesus, and how did He redirect their focus?
In Acts 1:8, what two things are promised and commanded, and what is the geographic pattern Jesus lays out?
In Acts 1:9-11, what are the disciples doing as Jesus ascends, and what do the two men in white say to them?
Two kinds of “time” were explained. What are kronos and kairos, and why are both “in the Father’s hands”? [42:22]

Interpretation questions

If “times and seasons” are not for disciples to manage, how does that protect a church from trying to “go back” to a preferred past or from forcing outcomes in the present? [41:37]
“You will be my witnesses” carries the weight of “martyr.” How does that identity shift the goal from clever strategies to surrendered lives? [48:52]
Why is waiting on the Holy Spirit through the Word and prayer not wasted time, but shaping time? What kind of inner changes are envisioned? [45:14]
The men in white ask, “Why do you stand here looking?” What dangers come when followers stay as spectators instead of stepping into obedience? [01:03:56]

Application questions

Give 2026 to Scripture and prayer: when, where, and how will you meet with God this week? What plan will you follow, and how will you make space to listen instead of just talk? [01:07:00]
In a culture that treats time as the most valuable possession, what is one concrete way you will offer God your time this month (for example, 30 unhurried minutes daily in the Word and prayer, an hour of intercession weekly, or serving a neighbor instead of guarding “me-time”)? [51:25]
Make the home a center of formation: what is one step you can take at your kitchen table—this week—to disciple those in your household (for example, one simple Bible reading, one question, one prayer)? [54:49]
Engage the digital street corner: what platform will you use, and what will “one faithful post or conversation a week” look like? How will you keep your tone gracious and clear about Jesus? [56:12]
Prepare for a church plant: would you pray weekly for open doors, and consider your role (prayer team, launch team, kids ministry, tech, logistics, giving)? What next step could you take to explore readiness? [58:34]
Stretch into “Samaria” and “the ends of the earth”: which step feels most like obedience for you—learning about prison ministry, supporting reentry discipleship, joining ESL, or engaging the Japan partnership? What first action will you take? [01:01:32]
No spectators: what is one specific act of obedience the Spirit seems to be highlighting right now? Share it with the group and ask for prayer to follow through, “whatever the price.” [01:04:46]

Sermon Clips

We had to look at a lot of what we had done over the years and quite honestly, a lot that I was trained to do. I grew up through the whole church growth movement. We really thought it was our job to build the church, and so we figured out ways to make that happen. But what Jesus clearly says is he will build the church. He didn't ask the disciples to do it. [00:35:08] (18 seconds) #HeBuildsTheChurch

Now there's not much I can guarantee you, but I can guarantee you this. If you would take 2026 and say, I will take God's word, and I will read it with a mind for the Holy Spirit to shape me. I will enter prayer, spending time letting the Holy Spirit speak to me and direct me and guide me. By the time you get to 2027, he will change who you are. He will begin to go to work. That is a blank check God is looking for. I want you to make me who you want me to be, And that's what waiting is. [00:47:39] (37 seconds) #BlankCheckForGod

So he's not talking about, can you just say a few nice things about me? Hey, could you learn a way to present the gospel and and just kinda do that? He's really asking a much deeper question. How far will you go to say you know me? How much are you willing to give to be my witness? What price will you pay? Will you go all the way? Would you lay down your life? [00:49:01] (27 seconds) #GoAllInForJesus

We're not good at denying. I'm not good at denying. Here's what my prayer life has taught me. I'm far more selfish than I thought. I like things my way. I like things to go the way I want. And it seems like a lot of things seem to be about me and what I want. And part of this prayer life of sitting in front of a Holy Spirit is to realize I build too much around me. Denying myself is about me saying it's not about me. It's about you. [00:49:40] (34 seconds) #NotAboutMe

Because all following means is this, Jesus goes out front as a leader. And wherever he goes, you go. Whatever he does, you do. Wherever he sends you, you go. And so you follow him. He gets to build the church. He gets to set the direction. He gets to do all that. You as a disciple say, I am here. And when you're ready to move, you you just say move and and we'll go. But I'm not going unless you're leading, but I will follow. [00:52:16] (31 seconds) #FollowHisLead

And quite frankly, the disciples do what I would do. They just stand there gawking. They just look up and go, he he was gone. Could you what? And then he said and and these two guys in white, it didn't say angels, but what else could they be? They're angels. They show up, and and they asked him, why do you stand here looking? Let me translate it for you. Didn't he tell you to do something? And it wasn't look. Didn't he tell us to do something? And it wasn't look. [01:03:33] (44 seconds) #DontJustStand

This is a call for every one of us to be the church God calls us to be. And it is made up of each of us being the disciple he's called us to be. We are each called to this. It is not about us saying, well, you do that, pastor, and I'll watch. You spiritual people, you take the lead, you do that, and I'll watch. There's really not a room for spectators in this. It's supposed to be all of us participating together. [01:04:17] (31 seconds) #AllInForChurch

God, teach me to die to myself more so that I can follow you. Less holds me back, and I'm more sensitive to where you're leading so I can follow you. It would be amazing to look at what God does with Dublin Baptist Church if that was our commitment for the year. He would so revolutionize your life and a whole church that in three hundred and sixty five days, I don't know we'd recognize this place, but it would be exciting to see. [01:05:42] (36 seconds) #DieToSelf

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Waiting on the Spirit: Empowered to Make Disciples

Devotional

Day 1: Waiting on the Holy Spirit, Not Going Back

Day 2: Shaped by Scripture and Prayer on God’s Anvil

Day 3: Deny Yourself, Take Up Your Cross, Follow

Day 4: From Home to Nations: Ready for Open Doors

Day 5: No Spectators: Step Into Samaria and Beyond

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Waiting on the Spirit: Empowered to Make Disciples

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