Worship

May 11, 2008

Pentecost

Come, Holy Spirit!
The Spirit is given on the first Christian Pentecost in fulfillment of promise and prophecy,
and he continues to come to his faithful through Word and sacrament.
Thus the Church never ceases to be renewed and to grow.

ORDER OF WORSHIP: Service of the Word Page 38:

Opening Hymn: 183 “Holy Spirit, Light Divine”

Confession of Sins:

Prayer and Praise:

Prayer of the Day: Holy Spirit, God and Lord, come to us this joyful day with your sevenfold gift of grace.
Rekindle in our hearts the holy fire of your love that in a true and living faith we may tell abroad the glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Father, one God, now and forever.

First Lesson: Joel 2:28,29
Joel prophesies the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost heralding the dawn of the New Testament church. This outpouring will show itself in visions and dreams granted by God, but especially in the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ by young and old, men and women, and all to whom the Spirit is given.

The Day of the LORD

28 "And afterward,
       I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
       Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
       your old men will dream dreams,
       your young men will see visions.

29 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 51b

Second Lesson: Acts 2:1-21
In fulfillment of Jesus' promise and Joel's prophecy the Holy Spirit comes upon the apostles and disciples in Jerusalem on Pentecost. Boldly and with a miraculous gift of language the apostles preach the wonderful works of God in Christ Jesus to the crowd that assembles to hear and see what is happening. Peter, speaking for all the apostles, preaches a bold sermon of repentance and faith in Jesus.

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.
6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?
8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?
9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome
11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!"
12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."

Peter Addresses the Crowd

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 " 'In the last days, God says,
      I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
   Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
      your young men will see visions,
      your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
      I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
      and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heaven above
      and signs on the earth below,
      blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
      and the moon to blood
      before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
      on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

Verse of the Day: Alleluia. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful people, and kindle in them the fire of your love. Alleluia.

The Gospel: John 16:5-11
On the night of his betrayal the Lord Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to his disciples. The Spirit will come for their consolation and empowerment, and to the judgment of unbelief that rejects the Son.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

5 "Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?'
6 Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief.
7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:
9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me;
10 in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer;
11 and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

Children’s Lesson

Hymn of the Day: 176 “Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord”

Sermon

Apostles’ Creed:

Offering

Prayer of The Church:

Lord’s Prayer

Hymn: 184 “O Holy Spirit, Enter In”

Prayer and Blessing:

Closing Hymn: “Blessed Gift of Motherhood”