The Spirit With The Word

In this morning’s sermon text from Acts, we return to the story of Cornelius which Pastor Jamie began walking through two weeks ago. Here we find Peter breaking Jewish custom by visiting the house of a gentile and the Holy Spirit falling on those who heard his preaching. You’ll notice many references to these themes throughout the service. Readings from Ezekiel prophesy the coming of the Holy Spirit, bringing life to dry bones (Ezekiel 37:6) and making them into a people for Himself (Ezekiel 36:28). We’ll sing hymns that look forward to the day when “people and realms of every tongue dwell on His love” (Jesus Shall Reign) and “strangers … join the sacred song” (To Our Redeemer’s Glorious Name). We’ll also sing Scripture songs from both the Old and New Testaments that call “all the nations” to worship before God’s throne (Great and Marvelous, based on Revelation 15) and “all peoples” to place their trust in Him (My Soul Waits In Expectation, based on Psalm 62). Finally, we’ll pray in song that the work of bringing the gentiles into the covenant that we see in Acts 10 would continue in our day, asking the Lord to “send Thy victorious Word abroad and bring the strangers home” (How Sweet And Awful Is The Place). —Henry C. Haffner