Acts of the Apostles: As the Father Sent Me, So I Send You (May 31, Pentecost, 2020)

Perplexing, Pentecostal God,
you infuse us with your Spirit,
urging us to reconcile, vision and dream.
May the gift of your presence
find voice in our lives,
that our babbling may be transformed into discernment
and the flickering of many tongues
light an unquenchable fire of compassion and justice.

Pour out your Spirit to the ends of the earth,
that your children may return home,
and our divisions may be healed.
Amen.

Prayers of the People

Empowering God,
You gave the Church
the abiding presence of your Holy Spirit.
Look upon us today and hear our petitions.

So we lift up our prayers for your children and your creation,
for the wider community around us,
and those we love and call family, friends, and neighbors:

Offer a spontaneous prayer for the welfare of the world and those in our community
(unmute your microphone and speak for all to hear)

Lord in Your mercy,
Hear our Prayer.

Holy Spirit,
we experience your fruit and your gifts when we listen.
Lead us – those listening for your voice –
into the world with love and justice,
Bringing honor and glory to the name of Christ Jesus.

So we lift the Church around the world into your care and into your will,
as we pray now for your people:

Offer a spontaneous prayer for the Church around the world
(unmute your microphone and speak for all to hear)

Lord in Your mercy,
Hear our Prayer.

Grant that, gathered and directed by your Spirit,
we may confess Christ as Lord
and combine our diverse gifts with a singular passion
to continue his mission in this world
until we join in your eternal praise.
Amen.

Song: Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble?

Did you feel the mountains tremble?
Did you hear the oceans roar?
When the people rose to sing of
Jesus Christ, the Risen One

Did you feel the people tremble?
Did you hear the singers roar?
When the lost began to sing of
Jesus Christ, the Saving One

We can see that, God, You’re moving
A mighty river through the nations
When young and old will turn to Jesus
Fling wide you heavenly gates
Prepare the way of the risen Lord

And open up the doors
And let the music play
Let the streets resound with singing
Songs that bring Your hope
Songs that bring Your joy
Dancers who dance upon injustice

And do you feel the darkness tremble?
When all the saints join in one song
When all the streams flow as one river
To wash away our brokenness

We can see that, God, You’re moving
A time of jubilee is coming
When young and old will turn to Jesus
Fling wide you heavenly gates
Prepare the way of the Risen Lord

And open up the doors
And let the music play
Let the streets resound with singing
Songs that bring Your hope
Songs that bring Your joy
Dancers who dance upon injustice

I put off all my heaviness
And I put on a garment of praise
You turn my mourning into dancing
You turn my night into day

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-17

The Coming of the Holy Spirit

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.’

All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

“In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.”

The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God

As the Father Sent Me, So I Send You

Song: Holy Spirit

There’s nothing worth more
That could ever come close
No thing can compare
You’re our living hope
Your presence, Lord
I’ve tasted and seen
Of the sweetest of loves
Where my heart becomes free
And my shame is undone

Holy Spirit, You are welcome here
Come flood our homes and fill the atmosphere
Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for
To be overcome by Your presence, Lord

Let us become more aware of Your presence
Let us experience the glory of Your goodness

Holy Spirit, You are welcome here
Come flood our homes and fill the atmosphere
Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for
To be overcome by Your presence, Lord

Practice: Perplexing, Pentecostal God

Confession & Assurance

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor:

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in Your will,
and walk in Your ways, to the glory of Your Name.
Amen.

Silent confession (space to confess our sins and wait in God’s presence).

The Lord has already shown you mercy.
The Lord has already had compassion on you.
Jesus strengthens our weak knees
When we still have a long way to go.

Be free!
We are forgiven.
Laugh out loud!
We are forgiven.
Love God with everything!
We are loved.

Silent assurance (space to receive God’s merciful love and say “thank you” in response)

The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts!
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Is the Father with us?
He is.
Is Christ among us?
He is.
Is the Spirit here?
He is.

This is our God.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We are his people.
We are redeemed.

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Sacrament of Desire

Now, in union, O Lord with the faithful at every altar of Your Church,
I present to You my soul and body
with the earnest prayer that I will remain united to you.
And since I cannot now receive You sacramentally,
I pray that you would come to me spiritually.
I unite myself to you, and embrace you with my soul’s affection.
Let nothing separate me from you,
that I may live and die in Your love.
Amen.

Scripture Reading: John 7:37-39

Rivers of Living Water

On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.” ’ Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Song: All Who are Thirsty

Come, Lord Jesus, come
Abba Father, come
Holy Spirit, come

All who are thirsty
All who are weak
Come to the fountain
Dip your heart in the stream of life
Let the pain and the sorrow
Be washed away
In the waves of His mercy
As deep cries out to deep

Community Life

The Cross of Christ

All our problems,
We send to the cross of Christ!
All our difficulties,
We send to the cross of Christ!
All the devil’s works,
We send to the cross of Christ!
And all our hopes,
We set on the Risen Christ!

Blessing & Sending

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever he may send you.
May he guide you in the wilderness,
protect you in the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing,
at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing,
once again into our doors.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Amen.

3 Good Minutes

What fruit of the Spirit do you need a taste of this week?

May 26, 2020
Jordan Warner
Blog, Easter, Justice, Pentecost, Podcast