Thursday, June 5, 2014

Worship Notes for Pentecost Sunday, 2014




The Commemoration of Boniface of Mainz, Missionary to the Germans
Thursday after Easter 7
June 5, 2014

He is Risen and Ascended. He is Risen and Ascended Indeed! Alleluia!

The Easter season is almost over. This coming Sunday is Pentecost, the eighth Sunday after Easter. The number eight often appears in the Bible and is often associated with renewal and new beginnings. That is why a traditional baptismal font has eight sides.

On Pentecost we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit with “tongues” of fire, the sound of a mighty rushing wind and the gift of human languages to aid in the spreading of the Gospel. The Spirit continues to come today through the word and sacraments. This Sunday we will celebrate that coming with the baptisms of Kearse William and Victor Stefanini McAllister. So, an already special service will be made even more special.

The liturgical color for Pentecost is red, which reminds us of the fiery flames the Spirit used. Red is also the color for martyrs and Reformation. For martyrs it is though as representing their blood. In reference to the Reformation it is both blood (many gave their lives for the Gospel) and the work of the Spirit through the Reformation.

We will have a special liturgy for Sunday and it will be printed out in the bulletin. It will be a communion service. The appointed lessons are: Numbers 11:24–30; Acts 2:1–21; John 7:37–39. The sermon text is Numbers 11:29. The sermon title is “The Dream of Moses.” Our opening hymn will be “Holy Spirit, Light Divine" (LSB 496). Our baptismal hymn will be “Dearest Jesus, We Are Here” (LSB 592). Our sermon hymn will be “Baptized into Your Name Most Holy” (LSB 599). Our Sanctus hymn will be “Holy, Holy, Holy” (LSB 507:1-2). Our distribution hymns will be Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord”  (LSB 497), "Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord" (LSB 637), and "Creator Spirit, by Whose Aid" (LSB 500). Our closing hymn will be “Stay with Us” (LSB 879).

Below is a video of our opening hymn, “Holy Spirit, Light Divine.” The words are provided, and the music, and even some nice pictures, but no singing.


Our Sunday morning Bible hour begins at 9:00 am. We will start the Old Testament book of Ruth. This is a great story that I’m sure most everyone knows. But is there more? How does it point to Jesus? How does honor and shame factor into the drama? There are many other questions (and answers) we will address.

What now follows is a summary of Sunday’s lessons provided by the LCMS, and then the lessons themselves.

The Risen Lord Jesus Pours Out the Holy Spirit
The Lord took “some of the Spirit” that was on Moses “and put it on the seventy elders” of Israel (Num. 11:25), and they “prophesied in the camp” (Num. 11:26). In the same way, our risen Lord Jesus poured out His Holy Spirit at the Feast of Pentecost — the 50th day and the “Eighth Sunday” of Easter. When “a sound like a mighty rushing wind” and “tongues as of fire appeared” and rested on each of the 12 apostles, “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” and proclaimed “the mighty works of God” (Acts 2:2–4, 11). The Lord Jesus grants this same Spirit to His Church on earth to proclaim Him glorified on the cross and risen victorious from the grave for us sinners. From His open heart, our crucified and risen Lord pours out His Holy Spirit in “rivers of living water” (John 7:38) and invites everyone who thirsts to come to Him and drink freely (John 7:37). Through this life-giving work of the Holy Spirit, we hear our pastors “telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God” (Acts 2:11) and “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21).

Numbers 11:24–30
24        So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. 25Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.
26        Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” 29But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” 30And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

Acts 2:1–21
2:1       When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5         Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
14        But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

17        “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
          that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
          and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
                   and your young men shall see visions,
                   and your old men shall dream dreams;
18        even on my male servants and female servants
                   in those days I will pour out my Spirit,
                             and they shall prophesy.
19        And I will show wonders in the heavens above
                   and signs on the earth below,
                             blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20        the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood,
                   before the day of the Lord comes,
                             the great and magnificent day.
21        And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

John 7:37–39
37        On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.


Two Quick Notes:

  • Don’t forget, you can listen to Easter music throughout the Easter season through live streaming on your internet on Lutheran Public Radio. Also, CLASSIC99.com, which is part of the KUFO family, is playing mostly Easter music.

  • Don’t forget to sign-up for  our Summer Series, “Resolving Everyday Conflict.” It will begin Wednesday, June 25, at 7:00 pm

  • Today is the Commemoration of Boniface of Mainz, Missionary to the Germans. If you would like to know a bit about this man you can read the post from June, 2012.

Well, I pray we will see you Sunday morning.

Easter Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

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