Pentecost
The word ‘Pentecost’ comes from the Greek meaning simply ‘fiftieth.’ Pentecost Sunday ends the season of Easter and symbolizes a new beginning. It celebrates the unleashing of the Holy Spirit on the world and the empowering of the church to reach the world with the gospel. In remembering Pentecost and living in light of this powerful turning point the church expresses gratitude to Christ for sending “another counselor” (John 14:16), celebrates the work of the Spirit in the renewal of all creation, and professes its confidence and security in knowing the Spirit’s power is available for its mission.
- Calling -
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim Your praise.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God:
O come, let us adore him.
- Constitution -
Read/Listen, Meditate, Pray, and Contemplate on God’s Word, remembering that God is with you and ready to speak to you because he loves you.
Isaiah 38
[1] In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Thus says the LORD: Set your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not recover.” [2] Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, [3] and said, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
[4] Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: [5] “Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. [6] I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will defend this city.
[7] “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he has promised: [8] Behold, I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps.” So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had declined.
[9] A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, after he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:
[10] I said, In the middle of my days
I must depart;
I am consigned to the gates of Sheol
for the rest of my years.
[11] I said, I shall not see the LORD,
the LORD in the land of the living;
I shall look on man no more
among the inhabitants of the world.
[12] My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me
like a shepherd’s tent;
like a weaver I have rolled up my life;
he cuts me off from the loom;
from day to night you bring me to an end;
[13] I calmed myself until morning;
like a lion he breaks all my bones;
from day to night you bring me to an end.
[14] Like a swallow or a crane I chirp;
I moan like a dove.
My eyes are weary with looking upward.
O Lord, I am oppressed; be my pledge of safety!
[15] What shall I say? For he has spoken to me,
and he himself has done it.
I walk slowly all my years
because of the bitterness of my soul.
[16] O Lord, by these things men live,
and in all these is the life of my spirit.
Oh restore me to health and make me live!
[17] Behold, it was for my welfare
that I had great bitterness;
but in love you have delivered my life
from the pit of destruction,
for you have cast all my sins
behind your back.
[18] For Sheol does not thank you;
death does not praise you;
those who go down to the pit do not hope
for your faithfulness.
[19] The living, the living, he thanks you,
as I do this day;
the father makes known to the children
your faithfulness.
[20] The LORD will save me,
and we will play my music on stringed instruments
all the days of our lives,
at the house of the LORD.
[21] Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.” [22] Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?”
Isaiah 39
[1] At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. [2] And Hezekiah welcomed them gladly. And he showed them his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. [3] Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” Hezekiah said, “They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon.” [4] He said, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.”
[5] Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: [6] Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD. [7] And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” [8] Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.”
Psalm 132
A Song of Ascents.
[1] Remember, O LORD, in David’s favor,
all the hardships he endured,
[2] how he swore to the LORD
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
[3] “I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
[4] I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
[5] until I find a place for the LORD,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
[6] Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
[7] “Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us worship at his footstool!”
[8] Arise, O LORD, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
[9] Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.
[10] For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one.
[11] The LORD swore to David a sure oath
from which he will not turn back:
“One of the sons of your body
I will set on your throne.
[12] If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall sit on your throne.”
[13] For the LORD has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling place:
[14] “This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
[15] I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
[16] Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her saints will shout for joy.
[17] There I will make a horn to sprout for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
[18] His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but on him his crown will shine.”
Proverbs 26
[1] Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
so honor is not fitting for a fool.
[2] Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
a curse that is causeless does not alight.
[3] A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and a rod for the back of fools.
[4] Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
[5] Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own eyes.
[6] Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
[7] Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless,
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
[8] Like one who binds the stone in the sling
is one who gives honor to a fool.
[9] Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
[10] Like an archer who wounds everyone
is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.
[11] Like a dog that returns to his vomit
is a fool who repeats his folly.
[12] Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
[13] The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
There is a lion in the streets!”
[14] As a door turns on its hinges,
so does a sluggard on his bed.
[15] The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
[16] The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven men who can answer sensibly.
[17] Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own
is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
[18] Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death
[19] is the man who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I am only joking!”
[20] For lack of wood the fire goes out,
and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.
[21] As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
[22] The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.
[23] Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel
are fervent lips with an evil heart.
[24] Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips
and harbors deceit in his heart;
[25] when he speaks graciously, believe him not,
for there are seven abominations in his heart;
[26] though his hatred be covered with deception,
his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
[27] Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
[28] A lying tongue hates its victims,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.
- Communion -
Pray for yourself, others, our church, our neighbors, and the world.
Pray the Lord’s Prayer & the collect of the week:
Our Father who art in heaven...
O God, your never-failing providence sets in order all things both in heaven and earth: Put away from us, we entreat you, all hurtful things, and give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
- Commission -
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14)
Let us go forth in the name of Christ.