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!
The mercy of the Lord is everlasting:
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 66
To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm.
[1] Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
[2] sing the glory of his name;
give to him glorious praise!
[3] Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
[4] All the earth worships you
and sings praises to you;
they sing praises to your name.” Selah
[5] Come and see what God has done:
he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
[6] He turned the sea into dry land;
they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
[7] who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah
[8] Bless our God, O peoples;
let the sound of his praise be heard,
[9] who has kept our soul among the living
and has not let our feet slip.
[10] For you, O God, have tested us;
you have tried us as silver is tried.
[11] You brought us into the net;
you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
[12] you let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.
[13] I will come into your house with burnt offerings;
I will perform my vows to you,
[14] that which my lips uttered
and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
[15] I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals,
with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah
[16] Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
[17] I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on my tongue.
[18] If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
[19] But truly God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
[20] Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me!
Psalm 67
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.
[1] May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
[2] that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
[3] Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
[4] Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
[5] Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
[6] The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
[7] God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!
Psalm 68
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song.
[1] God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered;
and those who hate him shall flee before him!
[2] As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
as wax melts before fire,
so the wicked shall perish before God!
[3] But the righteous shall be glad;
they shall exult before God;
they shall be jubilant with joy!
[4] Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the LORD;
exult before him!
[5] Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
[6] God settles the solitary in a home;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
[7] O God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness, Selah
[8] the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
[9] Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;
you restored your inheritance as it languished;
[10] your flock found a dwelling in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.
[11] The Lord gives the word;
the women who announce the news are a great host:
[12] “The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!”
The women at home divide the spoil—
[13] though you men lie among the sheepfolds—
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
its pinions with shimmering gold.
[14] When the Almighty scatters kings there,
let snow fall on Zalmon.
[15] O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;
O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
[16] Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,
at the mount that God desired for his abode,
yes, where the LORD will dwell forever?
[17] The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
thousands upon thousands;
the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
[18] You ascended on high,
leading a host of captives in your train
and receiving gifts among men,
even among the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there.
[19] Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation. Selah
[20] Our God is a God of salvation,
and to GOD, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.
[21] But God will strike the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
[22] The Lord said,
“I will bring them back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
[23] that you may strike your feet in their blood,
that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”
[24] Your procession is seen, O God,
the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—
[25] the singers in front, the musicians last,
between them virgins playing tambourines:
[26] “Bless God in the great congregation,
the LORD, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”
[27] There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
the princes of Judah in their throng,
the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
[28] Summon your power, O God,
the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.
[29] Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings shall bear gifts to you.
[30] Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute;
scatter the peoples who delight in war.
[31] Nobles shall come from Egypt;
Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.
[32] O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
sing praises to the Lord, Selah
[33] to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
[34] Ascribe power to God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
and whose power is in the skies.
[35] Awesome is God from his sanctuary;
the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!
Old Testament Reading
1 Kings 8
[1] Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion. [2] And all the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. [3] And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. [4] And they brought up the ark of the LORD, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. [5] And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. [6] Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. [7] For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. [8] And the poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the Holy Place before the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. [9] There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. [10] And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD, [11] so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.
[12] Then Solomon said, “The LORD has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. [13] I have indeed built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever.” [14] Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. [15] And he said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying, [16] ‘Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there. But I chose David to be over my people Israel.’ [17] Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. [18] But the LORD said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. [19] Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’ [20] Now the LORD has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and I have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. [21] And there I have provided a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
[22] Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven, [23] and said, “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart; [24] you have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. [25] Now therefore, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ [26] Now therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David my father.
[27] “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! [28] Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O LORD my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, [29] that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. [30] And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
[31] “If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house, [32] then hear in heaven and act and judge your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
[33] “When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and if they turn again to you and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, [34] then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to their fathers.
[35] “When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, [36] then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.
[37] “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, [38] whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house, [39] then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind), [40] that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.
[41] “Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name’s sake [42] (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, [43] hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.
[44] “If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to the LORD toward the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, [45] then hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause.
[46] “If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near, [47] yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ [48] if they repent with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, [49] then hear in heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause [50] and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you, and grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them [51] (for they are your people, and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace). [52] Let your eyes be open to the plea of your servant and to the plea of your people Israel, giving ear to them whenever they call to you. [53] For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be your heritage, as you declared through Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD.”
[54] Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. [55] And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, [56] “Blessed be the LORD who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. [57] The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, [58] that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. [59] Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, [60] that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other. [61] Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the LORD our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”
[62] Then the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD. [63] Solomon offered as peace offerings to the LORD 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD. [64] The same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD, for there he offered the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before the LORD was too small to receive the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings.
[65] So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days. [66] On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king and went to their homes joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had shown to David his servant and to Israel his people.
New Testament Reading
Ephesians 5
[1] Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. [2] And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
[3] But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. [4] Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. [5] For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. [6] Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. [7] Therefore do not become partners with them; [8] for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light [9] (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), [10] and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. [11] Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. [12] For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. [13] But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, [14] for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
[15] Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, [16] making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. [17] Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. [18] And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, [19] addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, [20] giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, [21] submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
[22] Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. [23] For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. [24] Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
[25] Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, [26] that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, [27] so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. [28] In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. [29] For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, [30] because we are members of his body. [31] “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” [32] This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. [33] However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
- 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...
Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
- Commission -
The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.
(Numbers 6:24-26)
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord and our neighbors.