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 earth is the Lord's for he made it:
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 140
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
[1] Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men;
preserve me from violent men,
[2] who plan evil things in their heart
and stir up wars continually.
[3] They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s,
and under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah
[4] Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked;
preserve me from violent men,
who have planned to trip up my feet.
[5] The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
and with cords they have spread a net;
beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah
[6] I say to the LORD, You are my God;
give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O LORD!
[7] O LORD, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
you have covered my head in the day of battle.
[8] Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked;
do not further their evil plot, or they will be exalted! Selah
[9] As for the head of those who surround me,
let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
[10] Let burning coals fall upon them!
Let them be cast into fire,
into miry pits, no more to rise!
[11] Let not the slanderer be established in the land;
let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!
[12] I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and will execute justice for the needy.
[13] Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
the upright shall dwell in your presence.
Psalm 141
A Psalm of David.
[1] O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me!
Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
[2] Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
[3] Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips!
[4] Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity,
and let me not eat of their delicacies!
[5] Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
let my head not refuse it.
Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
[6] When their judges are thrown over the cliff,
then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
[7] As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
[8] But my eyes are toward you, O GOD, my Lord;
in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!
[9] Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me
and from the snares of evildoers!
[10] Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by safely.
Old Testament Reading
Joshua 9
[1] As soon as all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard of this, [2] they gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel.
[3] But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, [4] they on their part acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended, [5] with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly. [6] And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us.” [7] But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a covenant with you?” [8] They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?” [9] They said to him, “From a very distant country your servants have come, because of the name of the LORD your God. For we have heard a report of him, and all that he did in Egypt, [10] and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth. [11] So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. Come now, make a covenant with us.”’ [12] Here is our bread. It was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey on the day we set out to come to you, but now, behold, it is dry and crumbly. [13] These wineskins were new when we filled them, and behold, they have burst. And these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.” [14] So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD. [15] And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.
[16] At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and that they lived among them. [17] And the people of Israel set out and reached their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. [18] But the people of Israel did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders. [19] But all the leaders said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them. [20] This we will do to them: let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them.” [21] And the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became cutters of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, just as the leaders had said of them.
[22] Joshua summoned them, and he said to them, “Why did you deceive us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell among us? [23] Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you shall never be anything but servants, cutters of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.” [24] They answered Joshua, “Because it was told to your servants for a certainty that the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you—so we feared greatly for our lives because of you and did this thing. [25] And now, behold, we are in your hand. Whatever seems good and right in your sight to do to us, do it.” [26] So he did this to them and delivered them out of the hand of the people of Israel, and they did not kill them. [27] But Joshua made them that day cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to this day, in the place that he should choose.
- 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...
Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for 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.