Staying in the Room

Opening Prayer

Note to leader: this prayer invites the congregation to settle into the practice of presence — give space for silence after naming the places we’ve come from.

Holy God,
we come from many places this morning—
from crowded rooms and quiet houses,
from worries that follow us through the door.

You meet us here,
not demanding we arrive perfect,
but asking only that we stay—
that we gather, that we wait, that we listen.

Teach us the courage of your first disciples,
who returned to an upper room
and did not scatter,
who prayed when they could not yet see the path.

Settle our restless hearts.
Quiet the voices that tell us
faithful presence is not enough.

Draw us into this hour,
into this community,
into your presence that never leaves us.

Through Jesus Christ, who prays for us still.
Amen.

Call to Worship

Based on Psalm 68
selected verses

Sing to God, sing praises to the holy name—
lift up a song to the One who rides upon the clouds.

God gives the desolate a home to dwell in,
leads out the prisoners to prosperity.

Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad—
you restore your weary inheritance.

In your goodness, O God, you provide for the needy,
your people find a dwelling in your presence.

Awesome is God in the sanctuary,
the God of Israel gives power and strength to the people.

Blessed be God!
Blessed be God!

Come, let us worship the God who makes room for us.

Hymn of Praise

Come, Thou Almighty King, GTG #2

Grace Spoken

Hear the good news:
Before we confess,
before we even know what to say,
God’s Spirit draws us near.

Christ does not leave us orphaned.
The risen One sends us the Advocate,
the Spirit who prays within us
when we have no words of our own.

Even now, God is making a way:

Leader: When we are scattered and afraid,
God gathers us in love.

Leader: When we cannot find the words,
the Spirit intercedes for us.

Leader: When we lose our way,
Christ prays for us still.

Leader: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and freed.
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and freed.

Trusting in God’s grace and mercy, let us confess our sins and brokenness together.

Responding to God’s Grace

God who waits with us,
we confess that we have abandoned the room
where you called us to gather.
We have scattered when you asked us to stay,
pursued our own agendas when you asked us to pray.

We confess that we mistake motion for faithfulness,
productivity for obedience.
We grow restless in your presence,
impatient with your timing,
afraid of what might happen if we truly wait.

We confess that we have left one another
to face trials alone.
We have withdrawn when others needed our presence,
abandoned community when it felt too costly,
chosen our comfort over costly love.

We confess that we demand certainty
when you offer trust,
answers when you offer companionship,
control when you offer surrender.

(A time of silent prayer)

Through Jesus Christ, who stayed faithful to the end,
forgive us and restore us to the room where your Spirit dwells.
Amen.

Sharing the Peace of Christ

An Embodied Sign of God’s Grace in Christ Jesus

Friends, we have been reminded that God’s grace extends to all. We have confessed our sins, knowing that we have been forgiven and called to faithful presence with one another.

In this spirit, let us share the peace of Christ.

The peace of Christ be with you.

And also with you.

(Share Christ’s peace in ways fitting to your community.)

The Written Word

A Reading from the Early Church

Acts 1:6–14

The Ascension

6So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority.
8But 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.”
9And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
10And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,
11and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

The Gathering of the Disciples

12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
13And 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.
14All these were devoting themselves with one accord to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

The Promise of the Spirit

1In the first account, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach,
2until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
3To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them over forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
4And while staying with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, “which,” he said, “you heard from me;
5for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

The Ascension

6So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority.
8But 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.”
9And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
10And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,
11and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

The Gathering of the Disciples

12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
13And 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.
14All these were devoting themselves with one accord to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

15In those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers (the number of names together was about one hundred twenty) and said,
16“Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.
17For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.”
18(Now this man acquired a field with the wages of unrighteousness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels spilled out.
19And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20“For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his dwelling become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and, ‘Let another take his office.’
21So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”
23And they put forward two: Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.
24And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen
25to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”
26And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Notes

v06The question reflects expectation of restoration to Israel. The concern is not dismissed but redirected.
v07–08Knowledge of timing is withheld, but mission is given. Power and witness define the community’s role.
v08The geographic movement (Jerusalem → Judea → Samaria → ends of the earth) provides a structural horizon for the narrative that follows.
v09–11The ascension is narrated without elaboration. The focus rests on departure and promised return rather than description of heaven.
v11“In the same way” preserves continuity without specifying detail. The mode of return remains open.
v12–14The community is named and gathered. Prayer and shared presence precede action.
v14The inclusion of women and Jesus’ family situates the group beyond the eleven. The community is broader than apostolic leadership.

Notes

v01–02“Began to do and to teach” implies continuation. The present account does not replace the former but extends it.
v03The resurrection is presented through “many proofs,” yet these are not detailed. The emphasis falls on presence and instruction.
v04–05Waiting is commanded. The promise is not seized but received, and it is tied explicitly to the Father’s action.
v06The question reflects expectation of restoration to Israel. The concern is not dismissed but redirected.
v07–08Knowledge of timing is withheld, but mission is given. Power and witness define the community’s role.
v08The geographic movement (Jerusalem → Judea → Samaria → ends of the earth) provides a structural horizon for the narrative that follows.
v09–11The ascension is narrated without elaboration. The focus rests on departure and promised return rather than description of heaven.
v11“In the same way” preserves continuity without specifying detail. The mode of return remains open.
v12–14The community is named and gathered. Prayer and shared presence precede action.
v14The inclusion of women and Jesus’ family situates the group beyond the eleven. The community is broader than apostolic leadership.
v16–17Scripture is interpreted as fulfilled within events. Judas’ role is neither erased nor excused.
v18–19The account of Judas’ death is presented without harmonization with other traditions. The narrative stands as given.
v20The use of Psalms frames replacement as continuity rather than innovation.
v21–22Apostolic qualification is tied to sustained witness—from John’s baptism to the ascension—and specifically to the resurrection.
v24–26The selection process combines prayer and lot. Divine choice is sought rather than assumed, and communal discernment remains limited.

Vocabulary

v07καιρός (kairos)
“Season” or “appointed time.” Distinct from chronological time, emphasizing significance rather than sequence.
v08δύναμις (dynamis)
“Power.” Often denotes divine enablement for action.
v08μάρτυς (martys)
“Witness.” One who testifies, grounded in direct experience.
v09ἐπαίρω (epairō)
“To lift up.” Used here for the ascension without metaphysical elaboration.
v14ὁμοθυμαδόν (homothymadon)
“With one accord.” Expresses shared intention and unity.

Vocabulary

v01ἄρχομαι (archomai)
“To begin.” The verb suggests that Jesus’ work is ongoing beyond the first account.
v03τεκμήριον (tekmērion)
“Proof.” Indicates convincing evidence, though not itemized here.
v04ἐπαγγελία (epangelia)
“Promise.” Refers to what is given by God and awaited rather than achieved.
v05βαπτίζω (baptizō)
“To baptize.” The contrast between water and Spirit marks differing modes of initiation.
v07καιρός (kairos)
“Season” or “appointed time.” Distinct from chronological time, emphasizing significance rather than sequence.
v08δύναμις (dynamis)
“Power.” Often denotes divine enablement for action.
v08μάρτυς (martys)
“Witness.” One who testifies, grounded in direct experience.
v09ἐπαίρω (epairō)
“To lift up.” Used here for the ascension without metaphysical elaboration.
v14ὁμοθυμαδόν (homothymadon)
“With one accord.” Expresses shared intention and unity.
v16πληρόω (plēroō)
“To fulfill.” Carries the sense of bringing to completion what was spoken.
v20ἐπισκοπή (episkopē)
“Office” or “oversight.” A role of responsibility within the community.
v24καρδιογνώστης (kardiognōstēs)
“Knower of hearts.” A divine attribute emphasizing inward knowledge.
v26κλῆρος (klēros)
“Lot.” A means of discerning divine will beyond human calculation.

Gospel Reading

John 17:1–11

Jesus Prays for Himself

1When Jesus had spoken these things, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you,
2since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
3And this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
4I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
5And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

Jesus Prays for His Disciples

6I have made your name known to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
7Now they know that everything you have given me is from you.
8For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
9I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
10All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I have been glorified in them.
11And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.

Jesus Prays for Himself

1When Jesus had spoken these things, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you,
2since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
3And this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
4I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
5And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

Jesus Prays for His Disciples

6I have made your name known to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
7Now they know that everything you have given me is from you.
8For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
9I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
10All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I have been glorified in them.
11And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.
12While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
13But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, so that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
16They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
17Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
18As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
19And for their sake I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.

Jesus Prays for All Believers

20I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
21that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
22The glory that you have given me I have given to them, so that they may be one even as we are one,
23I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
24Father, I desire that those also whom you have given me may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
25Righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me.
26I made known to them your name, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.

Notes

v01“The hour has come” gathers the passion, glorification, and return to the Father into a single moment.
v02Authority is described in relation to gift: the Son gives life to those given to him.
v03Eternal life is defined relationally as knowing God and the sent one, not merely as unending duration.
v04–05Glory moves between earth and divine presence. Jesus speaks of completed work before the passion, anticipating its fulfillment.
v06–08The disciples’ faith is framed as reception: they have received the words, known their source, and believed the sending.
v09–10Jesus distinguishes his prayer for the disciples from prayer for the world, while still holding the disciples within God’s ownership.
v11Unity is grounded in the relation of Father and Son. The prayer is not for sameness but for shared belonging.

Notes

v01“The hour has come” gathers the passion, glorification, and return to the Father into a single moment.
v02Authority is described in relation to gift: the Son gives life to those given to him.
v03Eternal life is defined relationally as knowing God and the sent one, not merely as unending duration.
v04–05Glory moves between earth and divine presence. Jesus speaks of completed work before the passion, anticipating its fulfillment.
v06–08The disciples’ faith is framed as reception: they have received the words, known their source, and believed the sending.
v09–10Jesus distinguishes his prayer for the disciples from prayer for the world, while still holding the disciples within God’s ownership.
v11Unity is grounded in the relation of Father and Son. The prayer is not for sameness but for shared belonging.
v12“Son of destruction” marks Judas by outcome and scriptural fulfillment without reducing his role to explanation.
v13Jesus speaks “in the world” so that joy may be fulfilled within the disciples, not postponed beyond their present life.
v14–16The disciples remain in the world while not belonging to it. Separation is vocational rather than spatial.
v17Sanctification is located “in the truth,” and truth is identified with God’s word.
v18–19The sending of the disciples mirrors the sending of Jesus. His self-sanctification is for their consecration.
v20–21The prayer widens beyond the immediate disciples to future believers who come through apostolic witness.
v21–23Unity is missional: the world is to know the Father’s sending and love through the visible communion of believers.
v24The desire of Jesus is that those given to him should be with him and behold his glory. Presence and vision are held together.
v25“Righteous Father” names God’s faithfulness in contrast to the world’s ignorance.
v26The chapter closes with continuing revelation of the Father’s name, so that divine love may dwell in the disciples.

Vocabulary

v01ὥρα (hōra)
“Hour.” In John, the term often refers to the decisive moment of Jesus’ death, glorification, and return.
v01δοξάζω (doxazō)
“To glorify.” To reveal or honor the weight and splendor of divine identity and action.
v02ἐξουσία (exousia)
“Authority.” Delegated power or right, here given by the Father to the Son.
v02σάρξ (sarx)
“Flesh.” Human life in its creaturely condition.
v03αἰώνιος ζωή (aiōnios zōē)
“Eternal life.” Life of the age, defined here by knowing God and Jesus Christ.
v03γινώσκω (ginōskō)
“To know.” Relational knowledge, not mere information.
v06φανερόω (phaneroō)
“To make known” or “to reveal.” The verb emphasizes manifestation.
v06τηρέω (tēreō)
“To keep.” To guard, observe, or hold faithfully.
v11ἅγιος (hagios)
“Holy.” Set apart as belonging to God.

Vocabulary

v01ὥρα (hōra)
“Hour.” In John, the term often refers to the decisive moment of Jesus’ death, glorification, and return.
v01δοξάζω (doxazō)
“To glorify.” To reveal or honor the weight and splendor of divine identity and action.
v02ἐξουσία (exousia)
“Authority.” Delegated power or right, here given by the Father to the Son.
v02σάρξ (sarx)
“Flesh.” Human life in its creaturely condition.
v03αἰώνιος ζωή (aiōnios zōē)
“Eternal life.” Life of the age, defined here by knowing God and Jesus Christ.
v03γινώσκω (ginōskō)
“To know.” Relational knowledge, not mere information.
v06φανερόω (phaneroō)
“To make known” or “to reveal.” The verb emphasizes manifestation.
v06τηρέω (tēreō)
“To keep.” To guard, observe, or hold faithfully.
v11ἅγιος (hagios)
“Holy.” Set apart as belonging to God.
v12φυλάσσω (phylassō)
“To guard.” Protective keeping, used here of Jesus’ care for those given to him.
v17ἁγιάζω (hagiazō)
“To sanctify.” To consecrate or set apart for God’s purpose.
v17ἀλήθεια (alētheia)
“Truth.” In John, truth is bound to divine revelation rather than abstract correctness.
v18ἀποστέλλω (apostellō)
“To send.” Commissioning language central to the relation between Father, Son, and disciples.
v21πιστεύω (pisteuō)
“To believe.” Trusting reception of the Father’s sending of the Son.
v23τελειόω (teleioō)
“To complete” or “to make perfect.” Here used of unity brought to its intended fullness.
v24θεωρέω (theōreō)
“To see” or “to behold.” More than casual sight; attentive perception.
v25δίκαιος (dikaios)
“Righteous.” Faithful, just, and true in relation to covenant and judgment.
v26ἀγάπη (agapē)
“Love.” The love of the Father for the Son, shared with and dwelling in the disciples.

A Reading from the Psalms

Psalm 68

God Arises and Scatters His Enemies

1God arises, his enemies are scattered;
those who hate him flee before him.
2As smoke is driven away, so you drive them away;
as wax melts before fire,
so the wicked perish before God.
3But the righteous are glad;
they exult before God;
they rejoice with gladness.
4Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the LORD—
exult before him.
5Father of the fatherless and judge of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
6God settles the solitary in a home;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

God Leads His People

7O God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,
8the earth quaked,
the heavens also poured down rain at the presence of God,
this Sinai at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9Rain in abundance, O God, you poured out;
you restored your inheritance when it languished;
10your flock found a dwelling in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.

The Lord Gives the Word

11The Lord gives the word;
great is the company of those who proclaim it:
12“Kings of armies—they flee, they flee!”
The women at home divide the spoil—
13though you lie among the sheepfolds,
the wings of a dove are covered with silver,
and its pinions with shimmering gold.
14When the Almighty scatters kings there,
it was like snow falling on Zalmon.

The Mountain of God

15A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan;
a mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
16Why do you look with envy, O mountains of many peaks,
at the mountain that God desired for his dwelling—
yes, where the LORD will dwell forever?
17The chariots of God are tens of thousands,
thousands upon thousands;
the Lord is among them;
Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
18You ascended on high,
leading captivity captive;
you received gifts among men,
even among the rebellious,
that the LORD God might dwell there.

Blessed Be the Lord

19Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation.
20Our God is a God of salvation,
and to God, the Lord, belong escapes from death.
21But God will strike the head of his enemies,
the hairy crown of the one who walks in his guilt.
22The Lord said,
“I will bring them back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23that you may strike your feet in blood,
that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the enemies.”

Procession into the Sanctuary

24Your procession is seen, O God,
the procession of my God, my king, into the sanctuary—
25the singers in front,
the musicians after,
in the midst, young women playing tambourines.
26Bless God in the congregations,
the LORD, from the fountain of Israel.
27There is Benjamin, the youngest, leading them,
the princes of Judah in their throng,
the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

God’s Power over the Nations

28Summon your strength, O God;
confirm, O God, what you have worked for us.
29Because of your temple at Jerusalem,
kings shall bring gifts to you.
30Rebuke the beast among the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples,
trampling underfoot those who lust after tribute;
scatter the peoples who delight in war.
31Nobles shall come from Egypt;
Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.
32O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
sing praises to the Lord—
33to him who rides in the ancient heavens,
behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34Ascribe power to God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
and whose power is in the skies.
35Fearsome is God from his sanctuary;
the God of Israel—he gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God.

Notes

v01–03The opening echoes traditional battle language. Divine arising results immediately in scattering, without narrative delay.
v02The paired images (smoke, wax) emphasize transience and inevitability rather than struggle.
v04“Rides through the deserts” preserves imagery of divine mobility, not confinement to cultivated space.
v05–06God’s kingship is expressed through social reversal—care for the vulnerable and relocation of the isolated.
v06Prosperity and desolation are held together without explanation. The rebellious are not integrated into the blessing.
v07–08The wilderness tradition is recalled with cosmic effects—earthquake and storm—linking history and creation imagery.
v08“This Sinai” is abrupt and compressed, preserving the density of the Hebrew.
v09–10Provision is described as restoration of what had languished. Divine care is both sustaining and renewing.
v11–12The “word” produces proclamation. Military defeat is announced in language that collapses battle and report.
v12Women dividing spoil reflects traditional victory scenes, without commentary.
v13The imagery shifts abruptly (sheepfolds, dove), retaining poetic compression rather than clarifying transitions.
v14The comparison to snow at Zalmon is left uninterpreted, preserving its evocative but uncertain force.
v15–16Bashan’s mountains are personified as envious. The chosen dwelling is defined by divine decision, not natural grandeur.
v17Sinai is transposed into the sanctuary, collapsing past revelation into present worship.
v18The ascent combines victory and reception. “Even among the rebellious” preserves tension within the gathering.
v19–20Salvation is described both as daily sustaining and as deliverance from death.
v21–23Violent imagery is retained without mitigation. Judgment is presented in stark, embodied terms.
v24–27The procession enacts communal worship. Named tribes situate praise within Israel’s corporate identity.
v28–31Petition turns outward toward the nations. Power is both requested and recognized.
v30Animal imagery (“beast,” “bulls”) functions metaphorically for political powers.
v31Egypt and Cush represent distant nations drawn into acknowledgment of God.
v32–35The closing summons returns to universal praise. God’s transcendence (“ancient heavens”) and immediacy (“gives power”) are held together.

Vocabulary

v01קוּם (qum)
“To arise.” Often signals divine action in judgment or deliverance.
v02נָדַף (nadaph)
“To drive away.” Used for dispersing or scattering.
v04רָכַב (rakhav)
“To ride.” Frequently used of divine movement across heavens or wilderness.
v05אָב (ʾav)
“Father.” Here extended metaphorically to protector of the vulnerable.
v06יָשַׁב (yashav)
“To settle” or “to cause to dwell.” Indicates establishment in a place.
v07יָצָא (yatsaʾ)
“To go out.” Often used for divine leading in exodus contexts.
v08רָעַשׁ (raʿash)
“To quake.” Describes trembling of the earth.
v11דָּבָר (davar)
“Word.” Can denote speech, command, or event.
v14פָּרַשׂ (paras)
“To scatter.” Used for dispersal in battle contexts.
v17רֶכֶב (rekhev)
“Chariot.” Symbol of power and divine or royal presence.
v18שָׁבָה (shavah)
“To take captive.” Here in the phrase “leading captivity captive.”
v20מוֹצָאָה (motsaʾah)
“Escape” or “exit.” Used for deliverance from danger or death.
v30גַּעַר (gaʿar)
“To rebuke.” Often denotes authoritative command over chaos or enemies.
v33נָתַן קוֹל (natan qol)
“To give voice.” Expression of powerful speech or thunder.
v35עֹז (ʿoz)
“Strength.” A recurring term for divine power given to the people.

Staying in the Room

  1. The disciples ask Jesus, “Is this the time…?” What does their question reveal about their expectations, and how does Jesus redirect them?
  1. Jesus tells them they are not to know the timing, but to be witnesses. How do you respond when clarity is withheld but purpose is still given?
  1. After the ascension, the disciples return to Jerusalem and go upstairs to stay together. What stands out to you about their decision to remain in that place rather than immediately act?
  1. The passage emphasizes that they were “constantly devoting themselves to prayer.” What do you think sustained their ability to stay in that uncertain space?
  1. The group is named—men, women, and Jesus’ family—all together. What does this suggest about who is included in the waiting, and why that matters?
  1. Nothing “happens” yet in this passage—no Spirit, no movement—just waiting. Where in your life are you being asked to stay before the next thing unfolds?

Hymn of Reflection

Spirit of the Living God, GTG #288

Affirmation of Faith

Spoken together.

We believe in God,
who gathers us into rooms where we are known,
who calls us to wait when we would rather run,
who teaches us that presence is the first work of faith.

We believe in Jesus Christ,
who ascended to the Father and did not leave us alone,
who prays for us even now,
who trusts us to stay together when the way forward is unclear.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,
who meets us in our waiting,
who turns our anxious questions into steady prayer,
who makes us bold to remain when others scatter.

We believe the room we are in matters—
that faithful presence is not passivity,
that staying together prepares us for what is coming.

We trust that God is at work in our staying,
in our praying,
in our showing up for one another.

Amen.

Prayers of the People

Holy God,
you call us to stay in the room and wait with expectant hearts.

For the earth and all its creatures,
for forests breathing in and out,
for oceans rolling with tides of mercy,
for small spaces where hope takes root—
we ask for courage to stay present,
to remain when despair tempts us to flee.
Hear us as we pray together:
In the waiting, gather us close.
(pause)

For nations torn by violence,
for cities where children cannot sleep,
for borders that divide families,
for streets where fear walks freely—
we ask for peacemakers who will not leave,
who will stay in the hard places.
Hear us as we pray together:
In the waiting, gather us close.
(pause)

For leaders who shape our common life,
for teachers who plant seeds in young minds,
for those who govern with trembling hands,
for prophets who speak when silence seems safer—
we ask for wisdom to stay faithful,
to resist the pull of easy answers.
Hear us as we pray together:
In the waiting, gather us close.
(pause)

For our own restless hearts,
for the rooms we want to escape,
for the prayers we are too tired to pray,
for the disciplines we have abandoned—
we ask for strength to remain,
to trust that you are at work in the silence.
Hear us as we pray together:
In the waiting, gather us close.
(pause)

For those crushed by suffering,
for bodies racked with pain,
for minds clouded by illness,
for souls holding vigil at bedsides—
we ask for endurance to stay present,
to companion one another through the darkness.
Hear us as we pray together:
In the waiting, gather us close.
(pause)

For those the world does not see,
for refugees stuck in camps,
for workers whose labor goes unnoticed,
for elders sitting in empty rooms—
we ask that you show us who needs our presence,
who waits for us to simply stay.
Hear us as we pray together:
In the waiting, gather us close.
(pause)

For this community of faith,
for the upper room we make together,
for prayers we offer when words fail,
for the waiting that shapes us—
we ask for grace to remain as one body,
to trust the promise you will not abandon us.
Hear us as we pray together:
In the waiting, gather us close.
(pause)

(A time of silent prayer)

God of the upper room,
you have heard our prayers
offered in faith and uncertainty.
Keep us in the room.
Keep us at prayer.
Keep us together
until your Spirit comes with power.
Amen.

We pray together, saying:
(The Lord’s Prayer is prayed in the words familiar to the community.)

Hymn of Sending

O God in Whom All Life Begins, GTG #308

Sending

Go now into the rooms where you are needed—
the upper rooms of prayer,
the waiting rooms of grief,
the living rooms where truth must be spoken.

Stay present when it would be easier to leave.
Keep showing up for the people who need you.
Practice the discipline of remaining—
not rushing, not abandoning, not disappearing.

Pray in the midst of uncertainty.
Trust that the Spirit moves even when you cannot see it.
Tend the community gathered around you,
for Christ has placed you there together.

Let your presence be a form of witness.
Let your faithfulness outlast your doubt.
You are not alone in the waiting—
God is already in the room with you.

And may the God who draws near in every season,
the Christ who prays for you even now,
and the Spirit who gathers us into one body
go with you now and always.
Amen.

Reflections for Later

Sharing God’s Word Together

For Newcomers

If you’re new here, you might have noticed something unusual today. We spent a lot of time with a story about waiting — about the disciples going back to a room after Jesus left them, gathering together with nothing to do but pray and wonder what came next. It’s not exactly the kind of dramatic moment we expect from scripture. No miracles. No clear answers. Just people staying put when everything felt uncertain.

Maybe that’s where you are right now. You’re not sure what brought you here today, or whether any of this is real, or what you’re supposed to believe. That’s okay. The disciples didn’t have it figured out either. What they had was each other, a promise they weren’t sure how to understand, and a willingness to stay in the room even when they didn’t know what was coming. Sometimes faith begins not with certainty, but with showing up — with being present to the questions, to the community, to the possibility that God might be closer than we think.

The good news we heard today is this: God doesn’t wait for us to have it all sorted out before drawing near. The Spirit Jesus promised wasn’t given because the disciples had passed some test or achieved perfect understanding. It came while they were still confused, still wondering, still learning how to pray. If you’re here exploring, uncertain, or just curious, you’re in exactly the right place.

You’re welcome to keep coming back. To keep asking questions. To stay in the room with us as we all figure out what it means to follow Jesus. There’s no pressure to decide anything today. Just an invitation to return, to wonder, to see what happens when we wait together.

For Those Rooted in This Community

You know the rhythm of this story. You know what comes next. Pentecost is around the corner — fifty days from Easter, ten days from the ascension — and you’ve watched this liturgical calendar turn year after year. The disciples wait in the upper room, and you know what they’re waiting for because you’ve already read ahead. But that knowledge can make you impatient with the waiting itself. We treat Ascension Sunday like a transitional scene, a holding pattern before the real action begins. The danger of knowing the story so well is that you stop entering it.

What would it mean for you to actually stay in the room this week? Not metaphorically. Not spiritually. What if you resisted the impulse to hurry through, to move on, to fill the space with productivity or noise? The disciples didn’t gather in that upper room because they had a program to plan or a strategy to implement. They gathered because they had nowhere else to go and nothing else to do but wait together and pray. For those of us who have been at this a long time, that feels wasteful. We know how to lead, how to serve, how to make things happen. But do we still know how to simply stay?

The temptation of long faithfulness is to mistake familiarity for formation. You can recite the creeds, sing the hymns, serve on the committees, and never once be inconvenienced by the actual presence of God. Staying in the room requires something else — the willingness to be uncertain again, to not know what comes next, to let your well-practiced faith be interrupted by an encounter you can’t control.

Where have you stopped waiting because you already know what’s supposed to happen?

For Churches Without a Pastor

The disciples gathered in that upper room without Jesus physically present. They didn’t have a clear plan or a designated leader to direct their every move. What they had was each other, a shared memory of Christ’s promises, and the discipline of showing up together. Your congregation knows something of this waiting. The absence of a settled pastor can feel like disruption, like something crucial is missing. But look around the room. The Spirit who filled that Jerusalem gathering doesn’t require a single voice at the front to be present among you. You have the Word read aloud. You have prayers spoken by people who know this community’s joys and sorrows firsthand. You have the faithfulness of those who unlock the doors, prepare the table, teach the children, and stay in the room week after week.

This text reminds you that waiting isn’t passive. The disciples devoted themselves to prayer—not alone in their homes, but together. They brought their questions, their grief over what had ended, their uncertainty about what came next. Your community can do the same. Let this season teach you what many congregations with pastors forget: that ministry belongs to all of God’s people, that the Spirit moves through the whole body, that Christ is present where two or three gather in his name. You already have what you need to worship, to pray, to care for one another, to proclaim the gospel in this place. A pastor, when the time comes, will join what the Spirit is already doing among you—not create it from nothing.

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Rights and Use

© Church Commons. 2026

Written by Rev. Matthew J. Skolnik unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

These materials may be used and adapted for worship and educational purposes within Christian communities. They may not be sold or redistributed for commercial purposes without permission.

Resource Details

Date: May 17, 2026

Scripture: Acts 1:6-14

Theme: Staying in the Room (Psalm 68, Acts 1:6-14, 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11, John 17:1-11)

Lectionary: RCL Year A

Scripture on this page is from The Shared Word Translation (SWT), an ongoing translation project within ChurchCommons.org.

Scripture on this page is from The Shared Word Translation (SWT), an ongoing translation project within ChurchCommons.org.

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