Holy people.

A call to worship.

Themes

Holiness • Relationship with God • Identity in Christ • The Holy Spirit • Boldness in witness • Prayer • Joy • Unity • Generosity • Suffering and risk for the gospel • Communal life • Fellowship • Transformation • Witness • Obedience • Gladness • Hospitality • Becoming like Christ • Mission • The Holy and Righteous One

We are now called “His holy people”… not because of what we have done, but because we are closely associated with Him.

We are closely associated with Jesus Christ — and with all those who are called His holy people.

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Scripture reading

Acts 3:14
Acts 4:30
Acts 9:13

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This call to worship¹ is about ordinary people who were called holy not because they were flawless, but because they belonged to the Holy One. And in belonging, they lived as God’s holy people — bold, joyful, united, and devoted to Jesus Christ.

Early in the Book of Acts, Peter heals a lame man. It gets a lot of attention and a huge crowd of Jews gathers, and Peter starts preaching to them. And here’s one of the things that he says to them: 

You disowned 
the Holy and Righteous One 
and asked that a murderer 
be released to you.
You disowned 
the Holy and Righteous One…


Peter and John, after being released from a night in prison and after a life-threatening inquiry before the rulers, elders, and teachers of the law, after these things, here’s what they prayed: 

Lord, 
consider their threats 
and enable Your servants 
to speak Your word with great boldness. 
Stretch out Your hand to heal 
and perform signs and wonders 
through the name 
of Your holy servant Jesus.
…through the name 
of your holy servant Jesus.


When the Lord spoke to Ananias in a vision to meet up with the infamous murderous Saul, here’s how he responded: 

Lord, I have heard many reports about this man 
and about all the harm he has done 
to your holy people.
…to your holy people. 

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Prayer

Father in heaven, 
it is You 
who is holy. 

That word 
expresses 
Your very nature. 
As God, 
You 
are 
holy. 

And Jesus also. 
He, too, is described 
as the “Holy and Righteous One” 
and as “Your holy servant.”

His holiness 
wasn’t simply 
about His moral character. 
It was about a close 
and a special 
relationship 
with You — 
he was Your servant; 
he was Your holy servant. 

And now 
You have applied this same word 
— holy — 
to us as well. 

We, too, 
have become 
closely associated 
with You — 
closely associated 
with Jesus Christ. 
And we 
are now called 
“His holy people.” 
We are now 
“the people 
of the Lord.”

We’re called this, 
not because of our moral character 
but only because 
of one decisive factor, 
and that is: 
we believe in Him; 
we are associated 
with Him. 
We have a special relationship 
with Him, 
and with all those 
who are called 
the people 
of the Lord — 
His holy people. 

And it is this reality 
that leads to another. 
As people 
with such a close association 
to Jesus Christ, 
we are being changed — 
we are becoming more and more 
like what You want us to be. 
We 
are becoming 
holy. 

In fact, Father,
You’ve given us 
Your 
Holy Spirit. 
And such a mighty power in our lives 
has a sanctifying influence 
on us. 
He equips us 
for witness. 
He gives us 
courage. 
He gives us 
wisdom when we speak. 
Like the start-up church 
across the pages of Acts, 
Your Spirit has come upon us 
and has given to us 
boldness. 
And has given to us 
joy. 

And just like Your holy people then, 
we, too, 
want to be committed 
to Jesus Christ our Lord, 
accepting His will for us 
even though 
it may mean risk 
and even though 
it may mean suffering. 

We, too, Father,
want to be united 
with one another, 
having an attitude 
of generosity 
and hospitality, 
mutually caring for each other, 
and sharing our resources 
to benefit others. 

And we, too, 
want this unity 
to be demonstrated 
in an uncommon and remarkable communal life 
where together 
we are devoted 
to learning 
and to obedience, 
where together 
we are devoted 
to brotherly fellowship, 
where together 
we are devoted 
to breaking bread 
and eating 
at each other’s tables, 
where together 
we are devoted 
to prayer, 
and devoted 
to praising You, 
rejoicing in response to Your goodness 
and rejoicing 
at being called 
to suffer 
for the gospel. 

Father, 
we want to be characterized 
by devotion 
to Jesus Christ, 
expressed in joyfulness,
expressed in gladness, 
and expressed in a bond 
that we have with each other — 
a bond so thick 
and so strong 
that it explodes outward
in the form of extraordinary communal life. 

We want to be 
so graphically characterized 
by the hope of glory 
and by the dynamic power of holiness 
that many 
are brought to faith. 

In the name of Jesus, 
the Holy and Righteous One — 
Your holy servant — 
who has made us 
Your holy people,
Amen

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Inspiring resources

A call to worship creates wonderment, amazement, curiosity, yearning, captivation, provocation, hopefulness, thankfulness, affection, rapture, delight. As these mix together, the response is worship.

If this call to worship leaves you wondering or curious or provoked or hopeful, consider diving into this awesome book that inspired me.

1. This call to worship was given to the small assembly of Christians who gathered at Pathway Church in Beaverdam, Michigan, on Sunday, August 25, 2024.