|
||||||
|
Serving God and Sharing Good News |
Weekly Bible Notes
Pentecost (Whit Sunday) - Year B
Liturgical Colour - Red
Introduction
Opening Verses of Scripture Acts 2:17-18
In the last days, God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit
on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will
see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men
and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
Collect Prayer for the Day
God, who as at this time taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending them the light of your Holy Spirit: grant us by that same Spirit to have a right judgement in all things and evermore to rejoice in His holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
First Bible Reading Acts 2:1-21
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
“ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
Second Reading Romans 8:22-27
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
John 15:26-27 & 16:4b-15
When the Counsellor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
I did not tell you this at first because I was with you. “Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgement: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgement, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
Post Communion Sentence
Faithful God, who fulfilled the promises of Easter by sending us your
Holy Spirit and opening to every race and nation the way of life eternal:
open our lips by your Spirit, that every tongue may tell of your glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Commentary
The Red Feast
Those of you who are not very interested in Biblical scholarship might
like to skip over this first paragraph (“the science bit”, like they say in
the adverts!). Pentecost was a key date in the Jewish year and so many
people would have gathered in the Holy city of Jerusalem to celebrate. The
feast had to meanings. Originally the date was one of the three Jewish
harvest festivals, or the feast of weeks, because it was seven weeks of
fifty days after the Passover (pentekostos meaning fiftieth). The
anniversary was also thought to be the date of the giving of the Jewish
commandments on Mount Sinai. Pentecost had a doubled significance as the
date of the harvest and the date of the giving of the law. Early church
fathers such as Chrysotom pointed put that the coming of the Holy Spirit on
that day reminds us of the Harvest of believers and the coming in of a new
Law of love.
The coming of the Holy Spirit was violent and dramatic and, for sheer
spectacular energy, witnessed by many, cannot be compared to any event in
the New Testament. It began with a great sound like the blowing of a violent
wind, those present saw tongues of fire, the fire then separated into
individual tongues of flame. The flame would later unlock the gift of
languages in the recipients. We should notice the detail of the flame being
received individually. The giving of the Spirit then is a personalised gift,
not a group gift. God chooses to come to each person, as a person, not as a
job lot. An event of such significance for all Christians cannot be summed
up in just a few paragraphs. In the sermon today I shall be focussing on the
fact that the many foreigners in Jerusalem that day heard the followers of
Jesus speaking each in their own language. This seems to me to have an
important lesson about God’s desire to break down barriers.
We must also notice how Peter, not a learned Rabbi by any means, suddenly
became magnificently erudite and eloquent. He related the events of the day
to Jewish prophecy and became the Rock that Jesus had called him. The coming
of the Holy Spirit can make giants and heroes out of ordinary women and men.
It can transform us into better, braver people than we ever dreamed we could
be. This is a power which is alive, active, energising people in our time.
We just need to let it work in us. Joan Crossley
Meditation
I don’t know about you, but I am inundated by begging letters from charities, always accompanied by pictures of starving children or battered animals. Each week I get the Methodist Recorder and the Church Times. Both excellent publications carry numerous articles about all the misery and need in the world. To be honest I feel helpless and overwhelmed by the sheer hugeness of the world’s problems. As Christians we are called upon to care and care deeply. We are also called upon to do what we can to alleviate the suffering of all God’s creation. But we can’t any of us do all of it. My suggestion to deal with this heavy guilt load is to choose certain causes or organizations to support financially or by volunteering, and to put the other good causes onto your prayer list. If you pray for these problems, you are doing something to help.
Hymns
- When morning gilds the skies 276
- You shall go out with joy (Partnership news)
- Come down o love Divine 281
- Breathe on me breath of God 280
- O Breathe of Life, come sweeping through us 777
Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead
-
Prayer is a plant, the seed of which is sown in the heart of every Christian,
-
if it is well cultivated and nourished it will produce fruit, but if it is neglected, it will wither and die
O God, send forth your Holy Spirit into my heart that I may perceive,
into my mind that I may remember, and into my soul that I may meditate.
Inspire me to speak with piety, holiness, tenderness and mercy. Teach, guide
and direct my thoughts and senses from beginning to end. May your grace ever
help and correct me, and may I be strengthened now with wisdom from on high,
for the sake of your infinite mercy. Amen. Saint Anthony of Padua
Breathe into me, Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Move in me,
Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Attract my heart, Holy Spirit,
that I may love only what is holy. Strengthen me, Holy Spirit, that I may
defend all that is holy. Protect me, Holy Spirit, that I may always be holy.
Saint Augustine
Breathe in me, Holy Spirit, that all my thoughts may be holy. Act in me
Holy Spirit, that all I do may be holy. Draw my heart Holy Spirit, that I
may love that which is holy. Give me strength Holy Spirit, to defend all
that is holy. Guide me than Holy Spirit, that I may always be holy.
“…may I show thy Spirit within/ Which purges me from every stain;/ Unspotted
from the world and sin, /The truth mf my religion prove/ by perfect purity
and love. (Charles Wesley)
Almighty God, we your children pray: let your glory come down. Let the
Fire fall as on that first Day of Pentecost. Revive our spirits, fill us
with new excitement, with joy unspeakable and faith for a dying world.
Empower us to speak your Word; to utter the words of Life; using a variety
of languages to bring the good news to all people. Let your fire fall once
again on this church, on this community, on this country, and to the ends of
the earth. In Jesus name and in the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
O God, your eye is over all your people, and you have called them to a
kingdom not of this world; send forth your Holy Spirit into every corner of
our lives, to still and calm the noise of our daily toil; help us to carry
faith to the doubting, hope to the fearful, strength to the weak, light to
the mourners; and increase and empower the pure in heart who see, and
reveal, more and more of God. Amen
Almighty and Everlasting God look with favour upon your people. As on this
day you sent upon the first disciples the gift of your Holy Spirit, so pour
that Spirit out upon us this day. Open our hearts to your living power.
Cleanse us from every impurity and forgive our sin as you have promised.
Lead us and teach us and grace us with your presence. Grant us the dreams
and visions you have promised and make us messengers of the good news of
Christ Jesus our Lord. Indeed, unite us through the power of your Spirit so
that all people may be moved by the witness we make and so that songs of
praise may rise to you here and everywhere, both now and for ever more.
May Christ’s Holy, healing and enabling Spirit be with us every step of the
way, and be our guide as the road of life changes and turns, and the
blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us and remain
with us now, in the week ahead, and for ever. Amen
Additional Material
Verse of scripture
You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you
shall be my witnesses (Alleluia!) Acts Chapter 1 Verse 8
What is Pentecost ?
Pentecost is regarded as the birthday of the Christian church, and the start of the church's mission to the world.
The Holy Spirit is the third part of the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that is the way Christians understand God.
Celebrating Pentecost
Pentecost is a happy festival. Ministers in church often wear robes with red in the design as a symbol of the flames in which the Holy Spirit came to earth.
Hymns sung at Pentecost take the Holy Spirit as their theme, and include: Come down O Love Divine, Come Holy Ghost our souls inspire, Breathe on me breath of God, O Breath of Life, come sweeping through us, There's a spirit in the air and Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.
Pentecost Symbols
The symbols of Pentecost are those of the Holy Spirit and include: flames, wind, the breath of God and a Dove.
The first Pentecost
Pentecost comes from a Jewish harvest festival called Shavuot.
The apostles were celebrating this festival when the Holy Spirit descended on them.
It sounded like a very strong wind, and it looked like tongues of fire.
The apostles then found themselves speaking in foreign languages, inspired by the Holy Spirit.
People passing by at first thought that they must be drunk, but the apostle Peter told the crowd that the apostles were full of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit gives life to the people of God. This is
challenging for us. The life to animate us as Christians and as churches is
a power which is beyond our controlling. The picture of the tongues of fire,
leaping around, is a good way of stressing that the Spirit is
uncontrollable. The fire was not constrained within a grate, it was a fire
which rendered the disciples powerless to control it. We do not like loosing
control, we like to manage and legislate but the Holy Spirit is not to be
controlled but to fill us and take us over.
At Pentecost we remind ourselves that we must not be too busy, too tired,
too poor, too spiritually apathetic —to face up to the task which God has
called us to do. We must open ourselves to the Spirit of God to move us.
-
What gifts do I have?
-
With whom do I share them?
-
What are the gifts that I don't share as freely as I could or should?
-
Why am I reluctant to get involved in sharing those gifts?
-
How can God help take away any fear that might hold me back?
Charles Royden
Commentary
As I walked into the Garden of Remembrance at St Mark’s this week I
suddenly became aware of new colour. Quite suddenly, just this week the
Cistus and Roses and Clematis and many other plants had started to flower.
This is appropriate because Pentecost is the great colourful festival of the
church celebrated when scents and colours really start to make an impact in
nature around us. Pentecost is a time when we can begin to feel good about
the possibilities around us. Remember Ascension Day left the disciples as a
corpse. Jesus had left the disciples, but he had told them that they were to
be still until the day when God breathed power and life into his church.
Pentecost was the day when the dead corpse was given mouth to mouth
resuscitation by Jesus. That is why this is the birthday of the church,
because on this day the church was born. In an instant they have the life
which they need to live and grow.
The colour of Pentecost could have been white. In English Pentecost is
Whitsunday, the word coming from the baptisms which were once held around
this time at which they wore white, and so it was called White Sunday.
However the colour for Pentecost is red, which the church choose to make a
bold statement about the power of God, the presence of Christ himself in its
midst. The red symbolised the experience described in our Acts reading when
something like tongues of fire came down upon the Apostles. In many parts of
Europe it is called the ‘Red Feast.’ The peony often flowers around this
time and is know as the ‘Rose of Pentecost’.
With the coming of the Holy Spirit, Pentecost changed the church for ever.
The Christian Church found peace when the Spirit came. It was not that the
coming of the Holy Spirit made the danger go away, indeed the Apostles went
on to give their lives. Instead the Holy Spirit gave the presence of Jesus
to the church and with that came renewed strength and courage. Charles
Royden
Commentary Acts and John
There’s a brilliant word for describing the Spirit in Greek, its ‘parakletos’.
It has a range of meanings which includes counsellor (as in the passage in
John), advocate, encourager, comforter, and helper. All of these images can
be helpful in our Christian journey. As we live in the world, so God comes
along side us through the Holy Spirit. He helps us understand and make sense
of our society and culture, helps us speak out in His name, guides us in all
truth, and encourages, comforts and helps us in our times of need.
The passage in Acts also tells us that the Holy Spirit is available to
all, and empowers and equips us for the tasks God has planned for each of
us. This is still as true today as it was in the time of the apostles. The
tongues of fire rest as much on each one of us as it did on them. For those
gathered together in Acts 2 it resulted in them speaking in tongues. Much
has been written and said about this phenomenon and it is important not to
take things out of context. Paul tells us that there are many and varied
gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit and just as each one of us is different,
each one of us has different gifts and ministries to bring to the church.
They may even vary over time. God can and does act in ways that we might
describe as supernatural, such as in the gift of tongues or perhaps words of
knowledge or prophecy. When He does so it’s sometimes difficult to
understand what’s happening, as it was in Acts. Sometimes it seems as if the
supernatural gifts get over emphasised and are given a lot of publicity or
their authenticity is questioned. And sometimes it seems that just the
reverse is true. Some might say that we don’t emphasis or use God’s
supernatural gifts to us enough. The true test should always be whether or
not God is at work, and our own experience tells us that it’s not always
easy to recognise when and where He’s active! Perhaps sometimes we’ll never
even know. What we do know is that God acts through the everyday, the normal
and the mundane as well as the supernatural. God is God and we shouldn’t try
to predict or limit the way in which he might want to operate. Our role is
to stay close to Him so that we can be open to be used by the Holy Spirit in
the way that He knows is best for all, using whatever power, gifts and
ministries He equips us with.
Whatever way He operates, it’s for the extension of His Kingdom here on
earth, as it was in Acts. The inauguration of the new era of the Spirit
which Acts 2 describes tells us that all who call on the name of the Lord
can and will be saved. As the Holy Spirit comes on us as Christians we are
called to be witnesses to this awesome truth. God uses each one of us in His
work on earth. To Him no gifts, ministries or individuals are more valuable
than others. All are equally valuable, precious and important. As God
continues to break through into our world He uses the power of the Holy
Spirit to do so, however unlikely the resources or methods. He even uses a
body of fallible believers, with all their shortcomings, and an often
imperfect church.
The
letters IHS (the first three letters of "Jesus" in Greek) are an ancient
Christian symbol.
Here they are joined with a butterfly—a symbol of the
resurrection. For fifty days we have contemplated the death and resurrection
of Jesus, today the church is called to be born in the Holy Spirit and to go
out to proclaim the name of Jesus.
Prayers for Sunday
O God, send forth your Holy Spirit into my heart
that I may perceive, into my mind that I may remember, and into my soul that
I may meditate. Inspire me to speak with piety, holiness, tenderness and
mercy. Teach, guide and direct my thoughts and senses from beginning to end.
May your grace ever help and correct me, and may I be strengthened now with
wisdom from on high, for the sake of your infinite mercy. Amen. Saint
Anthony of Padua
Breathe into me, Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Move in me,
Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Attract my heart, Holy Spirit,
that I may love only what is holy. Strengthen me, Holy Spirit, that I may
defend all that is holy. Protect me, Holy Spirit, that I may always be holy.
Saint Augustine
“…may I show thy Spirit within/ Which purges me from every stain;/ Unspotted
from the world and sin, /The truth mf my religion prove/ by perfect purity
and love. (Charles Wesley)
God of power, may the boldness of your Spirit transform us, may the
gentleness of your Spirit lead us, and may the gifts of your Spirit be our
goal and our strength, now and always. Amen
O God, your eye is over all your people, and you have called them to a kingdom not of this world; send forth your Holy Spirit into every corner of our lives, to still and calm the noise of our daily toil; help us to carry faith to the doubting, hope to the fearful, strength to the weak, light to the mourners; and increase and empower the pure in heart who see, and reveal, more and more of God. Amen
May Christ’s Holy, healing and enabling Spirit be with us every step of the way, and be our guide as the road of life changes and turns, and the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us and remain with us now, in the week ahead, and for ever. Amen
Christ has no other hands but your hands to do his work today; no other
feet to guide folk on their way,
no other lips but your lips to tell them why he died, no other love but your
love to win them to his side.
Lord Jesus, thank you that we are a part of your body the church.
May we work together always to do your will and in unity always be obedient
to you,
that the world may see your love in us and be drawn to you.
Almighty and Everlasting God look with favour upon your people. As on
this day you sent upon the first disciples the gift of your Holy Spirit,
so pour that Spirit out upon us this day. Open our hearts to your living
power. Cleanse us from every impurity and forgive our sin as you have
promised. Lead us and teach us and grace us with your presence. Grant us
the dreams and visions you have promised and make us messengers of the
good news of Christ Jesus our Lord. Indeed, unite us through the power of
your Spirit so that all people may be moved by the witness we make and so
that songs of praise may rise to you here and everywhere, both now and for
ever more.
Lord, lead us to be peace-makers, building connections between
individuals, focusing on what unites people rather than on what separates
us and highlights our differences. Lord, it's easy to harm relationships;
forgive us the divisions and bitterness which we have created in our homes
and families with friends and colleagues at work. Enable us to seek for a
fresh start and give us the power of your Spirit to use opportunities to
build up and make new the bonds between people.
Gracious God, Spirit of Life, surging freely, loving generously, seeking
endlessly, move upon the face of our world and embrace all its creatures
with grace. Startle the powerful and the humble with your power and
tenderness, your purpose and determination, your patience and mercy. Hear
our prayers of thankfulness and our requests for your intercession.
O living God, come and make our souls temples of thy Spirit.
Sanctify us, O Lord.
Baptise thy whole Church with fire, that the divisions soon may cease,
and that it may stand before the world as a pillar and buttress of thy
truth.
Sanctify us, O Lord.
Grant us all the fruits of thy Holy Spirit: brotherly love, joy, peace,
patience, goodwill and faithfulness.
Sanctify us, O Lord.
May the Holy Spirit speak by the voice of thy servants, here and
everywhere, as they preach thy word.
Sanctify us, O Lord.
Send thy Holy Spirit, the comforter, to all who face adversity, or who are
the victims of men's wickedness.
Sanctify us, O Lord.
Preserve all nations and their leaders from hatred and war, and build up a
> community among nations, through the power of thy Spirit.
Sanctify us, O Lord.
Holy Spirit, Lord and source of life, giver of the seven gifts,
Sanctify us, O Comforter.
Spirit of wisdom and understanding, Spirit of counsel and strength,
Sanctify us, O Comforter.
Spirit of knowledge and devotion, Spirit of obedience to the Lord.
Sanctify us, O Comforter.
Prayer of Taize Community
May Christ inflame the desires of all people to break through the
barriers which divide them, to strengthen the bonds of mutual love, to learn
to understand one another, and to pardon those who have done them wrong.
Through Christ’s power and inspiration may all peoples welcome each other to
their hearts as brothers and sisters, and may the peace they long for ever
flower and ever reign among them."
Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris, #171
God, who as at this time taught the hearts of your faithful people by
sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: grant us by the same Spirit
to have a right judgement in all things and evermore to rejoice in his holy
comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who is alive and
reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Faithful God, you fulfilled the promise of Easter by sending your Holy
Spirit and opening the way of eternal life to all the human race. Keep us in
the unity of your Spirit, that every tongue may tell of your glory; through
Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Almighty God, we your children pray: let your glory come down.
Let the Fire fall as on that first Day of Pentecost.
Revive our spirits, fill us with new excitement,
with joy unspeakable and faith for a dying world.
Empower us to speak your Word; to utter the words of Life;
using a variety of languages to bring the good news to the poor.
LORD, let your fire fall once again on this church, on this community,
on this country, and to the ends of the earth.
In Jesus name and in the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hymns for this Sunday (Mission Praise)
-
We are one in the Spirit (on service sheet),
-
The spirit lives to set us free, walk in the light,
-
Come Holy ghost 283
-
Spirit of holiness 611 Mission Praise
-
O thou who camest from above 745
-
Breathe on me breath of God 67,
-
Sing a new song (on service sheet tune: Lord for the Years no 428)
-
God forgave my sin 181,
-
For I’m building a people of power 151,