THE DAY OF PENTECOST The True Water of Life – Sunday Church at Home Service

THE DAY OF PENTECOST

THE DAY OF PENTECOST The True Water of Life – Sunday Church at Home Service

May 31, 2020

+ AS WE GATHER +

Today we recall the Feast of Pentecost, fifty days after our Lord’s resurrection. In God’s wisdom, this is one of the feasts all were required to attend in Jerusalem. In this way God provided for the largest gathering from the farthest reaches where His people lived in order to discover what Pentecost was really all about. Today with the lavish outpouring of God Himself, the Holy Spirit, “the Lord and giver of life,” would proclaim the glory of salvation and eternal life through Jesus, the Son of God.

So today we hear the Word of God spoken to us in our own language, that powerful, mighty Word through which the Holy Spirit creates and strengthens the gift of saving faith in us. This faith is like living water flowing through our entire being bringing the refreshment of the forgiveness of all of our sins and a new and godly purpose for the living of our days. The water Jesus gives is the true water of life.

+ PREPARATION +

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OPENING HYMN: #913 – O Holy Spirit, Enter In
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HYMN: #913 – O Holy Spirit, Enter In

1    O Holy Spirit, enter in,
And in our hearts Your work begin,
    Your dwelling place now make us.
Sun of the soul, O Light divine,
Around and in us brightly shine,
    To joy and gladness wake us
        That we may be
    Truly living,
    To You giving
        Prayer unceasing
And in love be still increasing.

2    Give to Your Word impressive pow’r,
That in our hearts from this good hour
    As fire it may be glowing,
That in true Christian unity
We faithful witnesses may be,
    Your glory ever showing.
        Hear us, cheer us
    By Your teaching;
    Let our preaching
        And our labor
Praise You, Lord, and serve our neighbor.

3    O mighty Rock, O Source of life,
Let Your dear Word, in doubt and strife,
    In us be strongly burning
That we be faithful unto death
And live in love and holy faith,
    From You true wisdom learning.
        Your grace and peace
    On us shower;
    By Your power
        Christ confessing,
Let us see our Savior’s blessing.

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INVOCATION

Pastor:            In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People:          Amen.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

Pastor:            This joyful Eastertide
    Away with sin and sorrow!
My love, the Crucified,
    Has sprung to life this morrow. (LSB 482)

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

People:          He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Pastor:            Even as we glory in the gift of eternal life, in that hope we spend our days in joyful repentance and faith. Let us confess our sin, the sin that still so easily besets us, and receive the full forgiveness our Lord daily provides for us.

People:          Had Christ, who once was slain,
    Not burst His three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain:
    But now has Christ arisen,
    arisen, arisen;
    But now has Christ arisen!
(LSB 482 refrain)

We are Your baptized people. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us into our Easter joy.

Pastor:            Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God to all of you. And in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People:          Amen.

+ WORD +

HYMN OF PRAISE: Gloria in Excelsis

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HYMN OF PRAISE: Gloria in Excelsis LSB 154
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father:
We worship You, we give You thanks, we praise You for Your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God:
You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
You are seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer.
For You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord,
You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

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PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor:            Let us pray.

O Lord God, heavenly Father, we give You thanks that of Your great goodness and mercy Your only-begotten Son became incarnate to redeem us from sin and everlasting death. Enlighten our hearts by Your Holy Spirit that we may forever give You thanks for Your grace and be strengthened in all times of tribulation and temptation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People:          Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT READING         Numbers 11:24–30 

(Moses prays for the Spirit upon all.)

24Moses 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.

            26Now 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.

PSALM       Psalm 25:1–15

1To you, O Lord,
            I lift up my soul.
2O my God, in you I trust;
            let me not be put to shame;
            let not my enemies exult over me.
3Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
            they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

4Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
            teach me your paths.
5Lead me in your truth and teach me,
            for you are the God of my salvation;
            for you I wait all the day long.

6Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
            for they have been from of old.
7Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
            according to your steadfast love remember me,
            for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

8Good and upright is the Lord;
            therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9He leads the humble in what is right,
            and teaches the humble his way.
10All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
            for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

11For your name’s sake, O Lord,
            pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12Who is the man who fears the Lord?
            Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
13His soul shall abide in well-being,
            and his offspring shall inherit the land.
14The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
            and he makes known to them his covenant.
15My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
            for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

SECOND READING     Acts 2:1–21  

(The coming of the Holy Spirit)

1When 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.

            5Now 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.”

            14But 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 men 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;
18even on my male servants and female servants
     in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19And I will show wonders in the heavens above
     and signs on the earth below,
     blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20the sun shall be turned to darkness
     and the moon to blood,
     before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”

VERSE       

Alleluia. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Alleluia.

HOLY GOSPEL  John 7:37–39               

(Rivers of living water)

Pastor:            The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the seventh chapter.37On 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.

HYMN OF THE DAY: #497 – Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord
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HYMN OF THE DAY: #497 – Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord

1    Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord,
With all Your graces now outpoured
    On each believer’s mind and heart;
    Your fervent love to them impart.
Lord, by the brightness of Your light
In holy faith Your Church unite;
    From ev’ry land and ev’ry tongue
    This to Your praise, O Lord, our God, be sung:
        Alleluia, alleluia!

2    Come, holy Light, guide divine,
Now cause the Word of life to shine.
    Teach us to know our God aright
    And call Him Father with delight.
From ev’ry error keep us free;
Let none but Christ our master be
    That we in living faith abide,
    In Him, our Lord, with all our might confide.
        Alleluia, alleluia!

3    Come, holy Fire, comfort true,
Grant us the will Your work to do
    And in Your service to abide;
    Let trials turn us not aside.
Lord, by Your pow’r prepare each heart,
And to our weakness strength impart
    That bravely here we may contend,
    Through life and death to You, our Lord, ascend.
        Alleluia, alleluia!

Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110004170

SERMON

SERMON – Pentecost A, 2020 – We Are Fountains of Living Water!

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SERMON – Pentecost A, 2020 – We Are Fountains of Living Water!

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APOSTLES’ CREED

Pastor:      God has made us His people through our Baptism into Christ. Living together in trust and hope, we confess our faith.

All:            I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.


And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
     who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
     born of the virgin Mary,
     suffered under Pontius Pilate,
     was crucified, died, and was buried.
     He descended into hell.
     The third day He rose again from the dead.
     He ascended into heaven
     and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
     From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
     the holy Christian Church,
     the communion of saints.
     the forgiveness of sins,
     the resurrection of the body,
     and the life everlasting. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Pastor:            Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.

Lord God, heavenly Father, we offer before You our prayers for the well-being of Your Church throughout the world. Guide and govern it by Your Holy Spirit, that all who profess the Name of Christ would be led into the way of truth, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Lord, in Your mercy,

People:          hear our prayer.

Pastor:            Send down upon all ministers of the Gospel and upon the congregations committed to their care the healthful spirit of Your grace, that they please You in all things. Lord, in Your mercy,

People:          hear our prayer.

Pastor:            Behold in mercy all who are in authority over us. Supply them with Your wisdom as they seek not only to restore our country gripped by the pandemic but also restore peace and unity to a nation divided. That they be inclined to Your will and walk according to Your Commandments. Lord, in Your mercy,

People:          hear our prayer.

Pastor:            We humbly ask Your abiding presence in every situation that You would make Your ways known to us. Preserve all of those affected in any way by the coronavirus or its aftermath and help those who call upon You in any need especially those listed on our prayer list, that they have patience in the midst of suffering and, according to Your will, be released from their afflictions. Be with the family of George Floyd as they mourn his death, and with all those affected by the violence now gripping our cities, Lord, in Your mercy,

People:          hear our prayer.

Pastor:            Merciful Father, Your dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, rose victorious over death and the grave. We remember with thanksgiving all Your servants who trusted in Christ and now stand in Your nearer presence, where all sorrows are turned to joy. Strengthen us in the confident hope of the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come, that we await with joy our reunion in Your heavenly kingdom. Lord, in Your mercy,

People:          hear our prayer.

Pastor:            Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

People:          Amen.

OFFERING

LORD’S PRAYER Matthew 6:9–13

All: Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.

CLOSING PRAYER

Almighty God, as Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ascended into the heavens, so may we also ascend in heart and mind and continually dwell there with Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

BENEDICTION

Pastor:            The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.People:          Amen.

HYMN: #501 – Come Down, O Love Divine
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HYMN: #501 – Come Down, O Love Divine

1    Come down, O Love divine;
    Seek Thou this soul of mine,
And visit it with Thine own ardor glowing;
    O Comforter, draw near;
    Within my heart appear,
And kindle it, Thy holy flame bestowing.

2    O let it freely burn,
    Till worldly passions turn
To dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
    And let Thy glorious light
    Shine ever on my sight,
And clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

3    Let holy charity
    Mine outward vesture be
And lowliness become mine inner clothing—
    True lowliness of heart,
    Which takes the humbler part,
And o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.

4    And so the yearning strong,
    With which the soul will long,
Shall far outpass the pow’r of human telling;
    No soul can guess His grace