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Woship Resources 2008-2009 — Year B: Be a Sanctuary of Christ's Peace
Return to Year B: 2008-2009
Resource Index
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Come, Holy Spirit, Come
Pentecost/Endowment Day
Scriptures: Ezekial 37:1–14; Acts 2:1–21;
Psalm 104:24–34, 35b; Romans 8:22–27; John 15:26–27, 16:4b–15; Alma
10:27–29;
Doctrine and Covenants 162:2e, 3, 4a, and 163:6c
To prepare for the worship center today, bring items from each of the
previous services this month: the house/church sanctuary, the vine with the
items clipped to it, the jar labeled “God’s Love,” and the paper chain from last
week. For this week prepare a paper windmill on a stick or pencil. Provide a
lump of clay or other support for the windmill to be displayed in the worship
center.
For the closing of the worship, have a children’s class prepare enough
windmills for each worship participant, marked with the words “Let the Spirit
Breathe.”
Prelude
Hymns:
“The Spirit of God Like a Fire Is Burning” R-18 or HS 33
“Holy Spirit, Come with Power” HS 287
OR “Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord” written by Paul Baloche, Integrity’s
Hosanna! Music Worship and Rejoice 656
This hymnal is available from Hope Publishing Company. Call
1-800-323-1049, toll free.
Welcome and “We Open Ourselves to the Spirit” see page 27
Praise Scripture Reading
Have two or three people with strong voices read alternate verses from
Psalm 104:24–34, 35b. If possible, ask someone to share the scripture in
different languages.
Call to Worship: Creation of the Worship Center
See Call to Worship—Drama Presentation
*Hymn: “Come, Holy Spirit, Come” NS 6
OR “Breathe on Me, Breath of God” HS 179
*Invocation
Read the prayer from Let the Spirit Breathe: Personal Psalms,
Prayers, and Pieces by Danny Belrose, Herald Publishing House, page 22.
Invite the congregation to close their eyes and share in a few deep
breaths together at the close of the prayer.
*Response: “Breathe” written by Marie Burnett, Mercy/Vineyard Publishing
OR “Santo, Santo, Santo NS 43
Message: “The Pentecost Promise and Story”
Based on John 15:26–27, 16:4b–15 and Acts 2:1–21
Hymn: “Like the Murmur of the Dove’s Song” SP 11
OR “Holy Spirit, Come with Power” if not used earlier HS 287
Prayer for Peace see
page 27
Scripture Reading: Alma 10:27–29
Disciples’ Generous Response
Each Sunday, as part of the Disciples’ Generous Response, we ask you to
integrate the message of “share equally” between Local and World Ministries
Mission Tithes. Generosity stories are provided to keep the church in touch
with how contributions to Mission Tithes spread the peace of Jesus Christ.
Please use the stories, testimonies, and up-to-date contribution information
as part of your offertory ministry. Visit
www.CofChrist.org/generositystories to print a copy, or contact your
pastor, congregational financial officer, or worship coordinator for a copy.
Historically, Pentecost is associated with the harvest—the end of the
barley and start of the wheat harvest. An offering of “two loaves of finest
wheat”—first fruits—was part of the processional celebration. Suggest that
the congregation bring offerings for a food bank, often forgotten at mid
year. You can also share by reading from Romans 8:22–27.
Offertory Hymn: “Lord, Whose Love Through Humble Service” HS 17
OR “As Saints of Old Their Firstfruits Brought” HS 405
Blessing and Receiving of Mission Tithes
Ask a person who knows another language to share the prayer.
*Hymn: “Shine, Jesus, Shine” NS 45
OR “Touch Me, Lord, with Thy Spirit Eternal” HS 409
*Congregation Prayer
Ask everyone to join in a circle. Read Doctrine and Covenants 162:2e, 3,
4a (or a chosen portion of it). Invite each participant to share in a
sentence prayer, moving around the circle.
*Response: “Sanctuary”
Have a song leader and/or a guitar player lead this popular song. For
words and chords, go to
www.higherpraise.com/Lyrics3/LordPrepareMe.htm. Go to
www.kaneva.com/asset/assetDetails.aspx?assetOd=105441&communityId=0
to hear the melody.
OR “You Shall Go Out with Joy” SP 45
Children pass out windmills for each person to take home.
Call to Worship—Drama Presentation
Drama Parts: Mime (silent, carries most of the drama)
Second Silent Character (holds the windmill)
Narrator
Instrumental music plays softly. (Use tunes from different cultures of the
world.)
Narrator: How does God’s Spirit come to us?
Mime blows on the windmill, then passes it to someone in the front row to
hold. Mime pretends the wind is blowing it. Scratches head, then does the “a-ha”
with finger pointing up, and brings out the house/church and sets it on the
worship center table.
Narrator: Through “Abide,” we live in it. (pause) How does God’s
Spirit come to us?
Mime blows on the windmill again, searches, then brings out the vine and
places it in the worship center.
Narrator: Through staying attached to God. (pause) How does God’s
Spirit come to us?
Mime blows on the windmill again, searches, then brings out “God’s Love” jar
and places it in the worship center.
Narrator: God’s love colors everything that we do. (pause) How does
God’s Spirit come to us?
Mime blows on the windmill again, searches, then brings out the chain, breaks
it apart further, and, with a great sigh of relief, places it in the worship
center.
Narrator: The witness we share brings God’s Spirit to others. (pause)
How does God’s Spirit come to us?
Mime blows on the windmill, and places it in the clay in the worship center.
(music fades)
Sermon Helps
Scriptures: Ezekial 37:1–14; Acts 2:1–21;
Psalm 104:24–34, 35b; Romans 8:22–27;
John 15:26–27, 16:4b–15
Exploring the Scriptures
The book of Acts is a continuation of the Gospel of Luke, which began with
the birth of John the Baptist and ended with Jesus’ death, resurrection, and
ascension. This second book attributed to Luke began with Jesus’ ascension and
described the church’s beginning and expansion into other lands and the gentile
world.
Acts 2:1–21 affirms that after Jesus’ death his followers were empowered by
the Holy Spirit to continue his ministry. This event occurred on “the day of
Pentecost,” a Jewish festival that originated as an agricultural festival but
evolved into a celebration of God giving the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai. While
Luke does not explicitly make the connection, the readers of that time would
have understood that the church began with the coming of the Holy Spirit on the
day they celebrated the coming of the law.
The Twelve and 120 men and women were together when the Spirit came “like the
rush of a violent wind…tongues, as of fire” (Acts 2:2–3). Throughout Hebrew
scripture, wind and fire represent God’s presence and power. Those gathered were
“filled with the Holy Spirit,” a common biblical expression for being empowered
by God. They “began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them
ability.” In early Christianity, speaking in tongues—inspired but unintelligible
words—was a common and honored expression of deeply religious experience. This
Pentecost is the only scriptural reference to the unique experience of speaking,
hearing, and understanding a language that one had not known previously. Acts 2
points to the church as a community becoming universal and inclusive that
transcended languages and cultures, rather than being primarily a Jewish sect.
At the Tower of Babel, God’s judgment confused human language so people could
not understand each other. The Pentecostal experience was a reconciling act and
a reversal of God’s judgment. Through Christ, God began to form a community that
transcended language, race, gender, and culture.
“Jews from every nation under heaven” and people from a list of fifteen
nations presented a glimpse of what the church was ideally called to be—an
international, diverse body of Christ’s disciples.
This diverse body heard the spoken word in their own languages “speaking
about God’s deeds of power.” Biblical references to the world’s creation, the
deliverance of Israel from Egypt, and God’s covenant with them had reached the
pinnacle in Christ’s life, ministry, death, and resurrection, and now the coming
of the church through the Spirit’s uniting power.
Peter addressed the crowd, delivered the first recorded Christian sermon, and
became the spokesperson for the apostolic witness. The sermon wasn’t preached to
the believers but to the seekers. It modeled witness and was missionary and
evangelistic in nature, proclaiming Christ and calling the people to faith.
Peter quoted Joel 2:28–32, which predicted the coming of the Holy Spirit in
the last days. However, this sermon didn’t signal the end times but proclaimed
the church’s mission to all nations and to “all flesh.” All flesh in the Hebrew
scripture limits the Holy Spirit to prophets and religious leaders. However,
Peter extended all flesh to include the entire community and affirmed that
“everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Christ came to seek
out and to save the lost. In this Pentecostal experience God’s grace was for
everyone, a central theme in Luke’s theology.
Central Ideas
- The Holy Spirit continues to bring Pentecostal experiences to people who
faithfully trust in God’s promises.
- The Holy Spirit unites people who are different, making them a
Christ-centered community.
- Through the Spirit’s power our sermons should witness of the Living
Christ and proclaim God’s mission in the world.
Questions for the Speaker
- As you get ready for this sermon, how can you spiritually prepare to
have the Spirit speak through you?
- Is your sermon for the believer or the seeker? Can it be for both?
- How can the language you use be inclusive and call all ages into
relationship with God and each other?
- How will this sermon inspire the congregation to go deeper in their
relationship with God, discern God’s direction for their lives, and empower
them to witness and invite their friends who are seeking a spiritual home?
Return to Year B: 2008-2009
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