1. Prayer
Creator Spirit and Giver of life,
make the dry, bleached bones
of our lives live and breathe
and grow again as you did of old.
Pour out your Spirit upon the whole creation.
Come in rushing wind and flashing fire
to turn the sin and sorrow within us
into faith, power, and delight.
Amen.
6. “Pentecost, also known as the
Feast of Weeks, was a celebration
of thanksgiving for the barley
harvest to be held fifty days after
Passover. It was an acknowledgment
that God is not only the one who
saves and delivers, but also the one
who provides food and daily life.”
8. THE UPPER ROOM
Where Jesus met w/his disciples
on the night he was betrayed;
where Jesus walked through
the wall post-resurrection;
where the Spirit was poured out
on the 120; where the first church
prayed for Peter’s release from prison,
and where Peter returned after
his angelic release…
9. When the day of Pentecost had come,
they were all together in one place.
And suddenly from heaven there came
a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and
it filled the entire house where they were
sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire,
appeared among them, and a tongue
rested on each of them. All of them were
filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in other languages,
ACTS 2:1-4
10. Now there were devout Jews from every
nation under heaven living in Jerusalem…
And at this sound the crowd gathered and
was bewildered, because each one heard
them speaking in the native language
of each. Amazed and astonished, they
asked, “Are not all these who are speaking
Galileans? And how is it that we hear,
each of us, in our own native language?”
ACTS 2:5-8
11. All were amazed and perplexed, saying
to one another, “What does this mean?”
But others sneered and said, “They are
filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing with
the eleven, raised his voice and addressed
them, “Men of Judea and all who live in
Jerusalem,
let this be known to you, and listen to what I
say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you
suppose,
for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No,
ACTS 2:12-16
12. In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, and your young men shall see
visions, and your old men shall dream
dreams.
Even upon my slaves, both men and
women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and they shall prophesy.
ACTS 2:17-18 (Joel 2)
13. “The emphatic inclusion of women
on equal terms with men is especially
instructive. For prophecy was less
to do with prediction of the future
and more to do with acting as a
mouthpiece of God. Prophecy was
a teaching ministry in which the
prophet declared the word of
the Lord. Women, equally with men,
are equipped by the Spirit in this
new phase of the kingdom
for prophetic teaching ministry.”
14. “And here at least, there is no hint
that this ministry must be exercised
only among women, any more than
men only among men.”
21. When the Spirit of truth comes,
he will guide you into all the truth;
for he will not speak on his own,
but will speak whatever he hears,
and he will declare to you the things
that are to come. He will glorify me,
because he will take what is mine
and declare it to you.
JOHN 16:13-14
22. - God is our DELIVERER
- God is our FORGIVER
- God is our PROVIDER
- God is our RESTORER
- God is our GUIDE
WHAT this MEANS for US
23. - WE testify to AND live God’s DELIVERANCE
- WE testify to AND live God’s FORGIVENESS
- WE testify to AND live God’s PROVISION
- WE testify to AND live God’s RESTORATION
- WE testify to AND live God’s GUIDANCE
…in JESUS, through the POWER of the SPIRIT
BECAUSE this is TRUE for US…
24. Holy God,
you spoke the world into being.
Pour your Spirit to the ends of the earth,
that your children may return from exile
as citizens of your commonwealth,
and our divisions may be healed
by your word of love and righteousness.
Amen.
Benediction