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 Word was made flesh and dwelt among us:
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 19
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
[1] The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
[2] Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
[3] There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
[4] Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
[5] which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
[6] Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
[7] The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
[8] the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
[9] the fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
[10] More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
[11] Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
[12] Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
[13] Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
[14] Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 20
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
[1] May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
[2] May he send you help from the sanctuary
and give you support from Zion!
[3] May he remember all your offerings
and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah
[4] May he grant you your heart’s desire
and fulfill all your plans!
[5] May we shout for joy over your salvation,
and in the name of our God set up our banners!
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!
[6] Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with the saving might of his right hand.
[7] Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
[8] They collapse and fall,
but we rise and stand upright.
[9] O LORD, save the king!
May he answer us when we call.
Psalm 21
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
[1] O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices,
and in your salvation how greatly he exults!
[2] You have given him his heart’s desire
and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
[3] For you meet him with rich blessings;
you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.
[4] He asked life of you; you gave it to him,
length of days forever and ever.
[5] His glory is great through your salvation;
splendor and majesty you bestow on him.
[6] For you make him most blessed forever;
you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
[7] For the king trusts in the LORD,
and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.
[8] Your hand will find out all your enemies;
your right hand will find out those who hate you.
[9] You will make them as a blazing oven
when you appear.
The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath,
and fire will consume them.
[10] You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
and their offspring from among the children of man.
[11] Though they plan evil against you,
though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.
[12] For you will put them to flight;
you will aim at their faces with your bows.
[13] Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength!
We will sing and praise your power.
Old Testament Reading
Ezekiel 48
[1] “These are the names of the tribes: Beginning at the northern extreme, beside the way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, as far as Hazar-enan (which is on the northern border of Damascus over against Hamath), and extending from the east side to the west, Dan, one portion. [2] Adjoining the territory of Dan, from the east side to the west, Asher, one portion. [3] Adjoining the territory of Asher, from the east side to the west, Naphtali, one portion. [4] Adjoining the territory of Naphtali, from the east side to the west, Manasseh, one portion. [5] Adjoining the territory of Manasseh, from the east side to the west, Ephraim, one portion. [6] Adjoining the territory of Ephraim, from the east side to the west, Reuben, one portion. [7] Adjoining the territory of Reuben, from the east side to the west, Judah, one portion.
[8] “Adjoining the territory of Judah, from the east side to the west, shall be the portion which you shall set apart, 25,000 cubits in breadth, and in length equal to one of the tribal portions, from the east side to the west, with the sanctuary in the midst of it. [9] The portion that you shall set apart for the LORD shall be 25,000 cubits in length, and 20,000 in breadth. [10] These shall be the allotments of the holy portion: the priests shall have an allotment measuring 25,000 cubits on the northern side, 10,000 cubits in breadth on the western side, 10,000 in breadth on the eastern side, and 25,000 in length on the southern side, with the sanctuary of the LORD in the midst of it. [11] This shall be for the consecrated priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept my charge, who did not go astray when the people of Israel went astray, as the Levites did. [12] And it shall belong to them as a special portion from the holy portion of the land, a most holy place, adjoining the territory of the Levites. [13] And alongside the territory of the priests, the Levites shall have an allotment 25,000 cubits in length and 10,000 in breadth. The whole length shall be 25,000 cubits and the breadth 20,000. [14] They shall not sell or exchange any of it. They shall not alienate this choice portion of the land, for it is holy to the LORD.
[15] “The remainder, 5,000 cubits in breadth and 25,000 in length, shall be for common use for the city, for dwellings and for open country. In the midst of it shall be the city, [16] and these shall be its measurements: the north side 4,500 cubits, the south side 4,500, the east side 4,500, and the west side 4,500. [17] And the city shall have open land: on the north 250 cubits, on the south 250, on the east 250, and on the west 250. [18] The remainder of the length alongside the holy portion shall be 10,000 cubits to the east, and 10,000 to the west, and it shall be alongside the holy portion. Its produce shall be food for the workers of the city. [19] And the workers of the city, from all the tribes of Israel, shall till it. [20] The whole portion that you shall set apart shall be 25,000 cubits square, that is, the holy portion together with the property of the city.
[21] “What remains on both sides of the holy portion and of the property of the city shall belong to the prince. Extending from the 25,000 cubits of the holy portion to the east border, and westward from the 25,000 cubits to the west border, parallel to the tribal portions, it shall belong to the prince. The holy portion with the sanctuary of the temple shall be in its midst. [22] It shall be separate from the property of the Levites and the property of the city, which are in the midst of that which belongs to the prince. The portion of the prince shall lie between the territory of Judah and the territory of Benjamin.
[23] “As for the rest of the tribes: from the east side to the west, Benjamin, one portion. [24] Adjoining the territory of Benjamin, from the east side to the west, Simeon, one portion. [25] Adjoining the territory of Simeon, from the east side to the west, Issachar, one portion. [26] Adjoining the territory of Issachar, from the east side to the west, Zebulun, one portion. [27] Adjoining the territory of Zebulun, from the east side to the west, Gad, one portion. [28] And adjoining the territory of Gad to the south, the boundary shall run from Tamar to the waters of Meribah-kadesh, from there along the Brook of Egypt to the Great Sea. [29] This is the land that you shall allot as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions, declares the Lord GOD.
[30] “These shall be the exits of the city: On the north side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, [31] three gates, the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi, the gates of the city being named after the tribes of Israel. [32] On the east side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, and the gate of Dan. [33] On the south side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, three gates, the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun. [34] On the west side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali. [35] The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD Is There.”
- 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...
Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
- Commission -
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever.
(Jude 1:24-25)
Let us go forth in the name of Christ.