Pentecost Sunday

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening Prayer:

Send down, O God, upon your people the flame of your Holy Spirit: Bestow on us his gifts, and fill us over and over again with his power – that your life-giving Spirit may lend fire to our words and strength to our witness. Send us forth to the nations of the world to proclaim with boldness “Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!” We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
__________

“O for a Thousand Tongues” – St Michael’s Singers

__________

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles: Acts 1:1-5 (NLT)

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles: Acts 2:1-11 (NLT)

The Holy Spirit Comes

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!”
__________

Intercession:

Gracious God: Pour out your Spirit on us, that we might approach your throne of grace with confidence through your Son, Jesus Christ. We pray especially –

+ that your Spirit will breathe new life into every church leader around the world…..
+ that your Spirit will enable every believer to grow in grace, peace, and love….
+ that your Spirit will fill and strengthen believers who are persecuted for their faith….
+ that your Spirit will bring healing to all who suffer spiritually, physically, and mentally….
+ that your Spirit will guide and inspire young believers in planning for their future….
+ that your Spirit will refresh and renew all who labor in the name of Jesus….

Gracious God: Send forth your Spirit and renew the earth, and give us the words and boldness to proclaim your mighty works to the whole world, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
__________

“Come Holy Spirit” – Annabel Soh, City Harvest Church, Singapore

__________

Closing: – Romans 8:15-16

You received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs.
__________

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen