Pentecost Sunday

Pentecost

Readings: Acts 2v1-21; Psalm 104v26-36&37b; Romans 8v14-17; John 14v8-17& 25-27.

Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.

A Word: In the gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples that those who love him will keep his commandments. Jesus also tells them that everyone who believes in him will do the same kind of work that he was doing. Jesus also promises them that he will ask his father to send the holy spirit to them to remind and guide them. Finally, Jesus says that we may ask him to do things that are in accordance with his will and he will be able to do these things for us.

In the Book of Acts, we hear that the Father sent the Holy Spirit into the disciples as they gathered together for the Feast of Pentecost. The sight and sound of the Holy Spirit was so overwhelming and powerful that it gave them the ability to speak and be heard by people in many different languages. This loud and extraordinary occurrence was heard by others who came from all over to find out what was going on. They were surprised to hear the disciples speaking about God’s deeds of power in their own native languages. However, not everyone was convinced by what they witnessed, so in response to this negativity, Peter spoke up. Peter reminded the crowd that God had promised long ago, through the prophet Joel, that one day God’s spirit would be poured out on all people before the coming of the Lord’s day. The day when everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

In the letter to the Romans, Paul tells us that all of God’s children are led by the spirit of God. The spirit that adopts us as God’s children, the spirit that makes us joint heirs with Jesus, the spirit that will one day glorify us.

This is the same Holy Spirit promised by God through the prophet Joel. The same Holy Spirit poured out on the disciples on the Feast of Pentecost. The same Holy Spirit that indwells all who follow Jesus. The Holy Spirit that is sent to guide us, whether we are aware of the Spirit’s presence within us or not. The same Holy Spirit that down the ages has prompted visions, prophecies, poems, hymns and prayers. Prayers like the psalms. Psalms that speak out of the depth of the human condition to the one true and faithful God who reaches out in love to us.

Let us Pray: Loving and faithful God, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit. Teach us so we can be faithful servants. Guide us so we have right judgement in all things. Call us to rejoice in worship and open our lips to tell of your glory and to point the way to eternal life, to every race and nation. Amen

Thanks for joining us today.