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.
Praying the Psalms
Psalm 105
[1] Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
[2] Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
[3] Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
[4] Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually!
[5] Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
[6] O offspring of Abraham, his servant,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones!
[7] He is the LORD our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
[8] He remembers his covenant forever,
the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
[9] the covenant that he made with Abraham,
his sworn promise to Isaac,
[10] which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
[11] saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as your portion for an inheritance.”
[12] When they were few in number,
of little account, and sojourners in it,
[13] wandering from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another people,
[14] he allowed no one to oppress them;
he rebuked kings on their account,
[15] saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,
do my prophets no harm!”
[16] When he summoned a famine on the land
and broke all supply of bread,
[17] he had sent a man ahead of them,
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
[18] His feet were hurt with fetters;
his neck was put in a collar of iron;
[19] until what he had said came to pass,
the word of the LORD tested him.
[20] The king sent and released him;
the ruler of the peoples set him free;
[21] he made him lord of his house
and ruler of all his possessions,
[22] to bind his princes at his pleasure
and to teach his elders wisdom.
[23] Then Israel came to Egypt;
Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
[24] And the LORD made his people very fruitful
and made them stronger than their foes.
[25] He turned their hearts to hate his people,
to deal craftily with his servants.
[26] He sent Moses, his servant,
and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
[27] They performed his signs among them
and miracles in the land of Ham.
[28] He sent darkness, and made the land dark;
they did not rebel against his words.
[29] He turned their waters into blood
and caused their fish to die.
[30] Their land swarmed with frogs,
even in the chambers of their kings.
[31] He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,
and gnats throughout their country.
[32] He gave them hail for rain,
and fiery lightning bolts through their land.
[33] He struck down their vines and fig trees,
and shattered the trees of their country.
[34] He spoke, and the locusts came,
young locusts without number,
[35] which devoured all the vegetation in their land
and ate up the fruit of their ground.
[36] He struck down all the firstborn in their land,
the firstfruits of all their strength.
[37] Then he brought out Israel with silver and gold,
and there was none among his tribes who stumbled.
[38] Egypt was glad when they departed,
for dread of them had fallen upon it.
[39] He spread a cloud for a covering,
and fire to give light by night.
[40] They asked, and he brought quail,
and gave them bread from heaven in abundance.
[41] He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
it flowed through the desert like a river.
[42] For he remembered his holy promise,
and Abraham, his servant.
[43] So he brought his people out with joy,
his chosen ones with singing.
[44] And he gave them the lands of the nations,
and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples’ toil,
[45] that they might keep his statutes
and observe his laws.
Praise the LORD!
Psalm 106
[1] Praise the LORD!
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
[2] Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,
or declare all his praise?
[3] Blessed are they who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times!
[4] Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people;
help me when you save them,
[5] that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
that I may glory with your inheritance.
[6] Both we and our fathers have sinned;
we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.
[7] Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
did not consider your wondrous works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
[8] Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
that he might make known his mighty power.
[9] He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,
and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
[10] So he saved them from the hand of the foe
and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.
[11] And the waters covered their adversaries;
not one of them was left.
[12] Then they believed his words;
they sang his praise.
[13] But they soon forgot his works;
they did not wait for his counsel.
[14] But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,
and put God to the test in the desert;
[15] he gave them what they asked,
but sent a wasting disease among them.
[16] When men in the camp were jealous of Moses
and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,
[17] the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
and covered the company of Abiram.
[18] Fire also broke out in their company;
the flame burned up the wicked.
[19] They made a calf in Horeb
and worshiped a metal image.
[20] They exchanged the glory of God
for the image of an ox that eats grass.
[21] They forgot God, their Savior,
who had done great things in Egypt,
[22] wondrous works in the land of Ham,
and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
[23] Therefore he said he would destroy them—
had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach before him,
to turn away his wrath from destroying them.
[24] Then they despised the pleasant land,
having no faith in his promise.
[25] They murmured in their tents,
and did not obey the voice of the LORD.
[26] Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them
that he would make them fall in the wilderness,
[27] and would make their offspring fall among the nations,
scattering them among the lands.
[28] Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,
and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;
[29] they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,
and a plague broke out among them.
[30] Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and the plague was stayed.
[31] And that was counted to him as righteousness
from generation to generation forever.
[32] They angered him at the waters of Meribah,
and it went ill with Moses on their account,
[33] for they made his spirit bitter,
and he spoke rashly with his lips.
[34] They did not destroy the peoples,
as the LORD commanded them,
[35] but they mixed with the nations
and learned to do as they did.
[36] They served their idols,
which became a snare to them.
[37] They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to the demons;
[38] they poured out innocent blood,
the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
and the land was polluted with blood.
[39] Thus they became unclean by their acts,
and played the whore in their deeds.
[40] Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people,
and he abhorred his heritage;
[41] he gave them into the hand of the nations,
so that those who hated them ruled over them.
[42] Their enemies oppressed them,
and they were brought into subjection under their power.
[43] Many times he delivered them,
but they were rebellious in their purposes
and were brought low through their iniquity.
[44] Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,
when he heard their cry.
[45] For their sake he remembered his covenant,
and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
[46] He caused them to be pitied
by all those who held them captive.
[47] Save us, O LORD our God,
and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.
[48] Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”
Praise the LORD!
Old Testament Reading
Jeremiah 1
[1] The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, [2] to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. [3] It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
[4] Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
[5] “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
[6] Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” [7] But the LORD said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’;
for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and whatever I command you, you shall speak.
[8] Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
declares the LORD.”
[9] Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me,
“Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.
[10] See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to break down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.”
[11] And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond branch.” [12] Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”
[13] The word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.” [14] Then the LORD said to me, “Out of the north disaster shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. [15] For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the LORD, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah. [16] And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands. [17] But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. [18] And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. [19] They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you.”
New Testament Reading
Matthew 15
[1] Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, [2] “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” [3] He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? [4] For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ [5] But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” [6] he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. [7] You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
[8] “‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
[9] in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
[10] And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: [11] it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” [12] Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” [13] He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. [14] Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” [15] But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” [16] And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? [17] Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? [18] But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. [19] For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. [20] These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”
[21] And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. [22] And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” [23] But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” [24] He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” [25] But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” [26] And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” [27] She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” [28] Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
[29] Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. [30] And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, [31] so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.
[32] Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” [33] And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” [34] And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” [35] And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, [36] he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. [37] And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. [38] Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. [39] And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.
- 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...
Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; 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.