The top section of this post will include the scriptures and the main sermon and Spirit Scribbles. The liturgy for the full service is included at the end.
Scripture Unison Reading Psalm 139:7-10 The Voice
Can I go anywhere apart from Your Spirit? Is there anywhere I can go to escape Your watchful presence? If I go up into heaven, You are there. If I make my bed in the realm of the dead, You are there. If I ride on the wings of morning, if I make my home in the most isolated part of the ocean,Even then You will be there to guide me; Your right hand will embrace me, for You are always there.
Prayer of Illumination:
Eternal God, Your Spirit inspired those who wrote the Bible, and enlightens us to hear your Word fresh each day, sometimes in new and unusual ways. Amen.
Today we celebrate the day of Pentecost – the moment when the Holy Spirit descended upon the people of God like tongues of fire, a rushing wind, and the speaking in unknown languages. It is considered the birthday of the Church, a celebration when the people of God became intimate with the Spirit of the Trinity. Several years ago I did a series of Spirit Scribbles based on the devotional website Passport.Com. This morning I wish to share a dozen of those drawings along with the scripture and my written thoughts from each day.
John
14:16-17 MSG
I
will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so
that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit
of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t
have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know
him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in
you!
Advocate,
Helper.
Companion Friend.
The Holy Spirit has many names.
Truth is another. God's truth.
God in our hip pocket.
Always with us.
Always loving us.
Always providing guidance.
A cheer when we succeed.
Encouragement when we struggle.
We struggle often.
We make mistakes.
We may forget our Spirit is there.
But Truth never leaves us.
Check your pocket,
Find the Spirit of Truth,
Maybe today is a great day
For a little chat
With God's Truth.
Companion Friend.
The Holy Spirit has many names.
Truth is another. God's truth.
God in our hip pocket.
Always with us.
Always loving us.
Always providing guidance.
A cheer when we succeed.
Encouragement when we struggle.
We struggle often.
We make mistakes.
We may forget our Spirit is there.
But Truth never leaves us.
Check your pocket,
Find the Spirit of Truth,
Maybe today is a great day
For a little chat
With God's Truth.
John
14:25-26
“I
have spoken these things to you while I am with you. The
Companion, the
Holy Spirit [or The Advocate], whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I told
you.”
Helpers or friends are nice, but an Advocate is a legal term…. Like having an attorney always present to go to bat for you, to explain the complexities of life, to help you through relationships and difficult situations. We all have such people in our life, whether it has been a close friend, a pastor, a teacher, or mentor. But we all also have the comfort of knowing we have THE Advocate, the Holy Spirit, ever present. Now… if we would just LISTEN to what our Advocate has to say!
John
15:26-27 MSG
"When the Friend I plan to send you from the Father comes - the Spirit of Truth issuing from the Father - he will confirm everything about me. You, too, from your side must give your confirming evidence since you are in this with me from the start."
"When the Friend I plan to send you from the Father comes - the Spirit of Truth issuing from the Father - he will confirm everything about me. You, too, from your side must give your confirming evidence since you are in this with me from the start."
Jesus
is still in the middle of his long prayer with the disciples in this
passage, preparing them for a Jesusless future. He speaks of
the Spirit to come as The Advocate (NRSV), the Friend (Message),
Helper (TEV), Comforter (KJ), Counselor, Intercessor, and
Strengthener (Amplified) as per various translations. Advocate
is most commonly used in many modern translations.
By definition an advocate is One who has the power to speak on behalf of and ensure the best possible resources and blessings are granted to an individual or group. Advocacy is publicy used term, an obvious and public demonstration of support. As the Spirit speaks with the power of God on our behalf, it empowers us to speak on behalf of all God's children in need of a friend and comforter. Verse 27 emphasizes our responsibility in sharing the truth of God's love for as children of God, we must testify and be advocates for justice and truth because we ourselves are given the ultimate Advocate."
Who needs me to be their advocate/friend or comforter today? Who might need you? How can we, through the strength of the Spirit, intercede on behalf of another? Are we giving confirming evidence of the presence of Love in our lives?
By definition an advocate is One who has the power to speak on behalf of and ensure the best possible resources and blessings are granted to an individual or group. Advocacy is publicy used term, an obvious and public demonstration of support. As the Spirit speaks with the power of God on our behalf, it empowers us to speak on behalf of all God's children in need of a friend and comforter. Verse 27 emphasizes our responsibility in sharing the truth of God's love for as children of God, we must testify and be advocates for justice and truth because we ourselves are given the ultimate Advocate."
Who needs me to be their advocate/friend or comforter today? Who might need you? How can we, through the strength of the Spirit, intercede on behalf of another? Are we giving confirming evidence of the presence of Love in our lives?
John
14:8-10 MSG
“You’ve
been with me all this time, Philip, and you still don’t understand?
To see me is to see the Father. So how can you ask, ‘Where is the
Father?’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father
is in me? ...
John 14:27 MSG
Peace
I leave with you. My peace I give you. ... Don’t be troubled or
afraid.
When
we are reborn in the Spirit, we are not handed a guarantee as well to
a life without trial. All will not suddenly become easy. In
fact, much will be harder. It needs to be that way for us to
grow both spiritually and physically. (History has proven that
our race thrives under distress and grows complacent under
prosperity.) Yet, we are better able to cope with
difficulty because we have the assistance and
comfort, the PEACE, that comes through the presence of God's Spirit.
It is always easier to face a challenge with a friend by your
side! This peaceful state of being is our heaven in this time
and world. In my mind our heaven is the peace that results
from our relationship with God. Here and now. Through thick and
thin, poverty and prosperity. Trials only make the relationship
stronger.
"I didn't tell you this earlier because I was with you every day. But now I am on my way to the One who sent me. Not one of you has asked, 'Where are you going?' Instead, the longer I've talked, the sadder you've become. So let me say it again, this truth: It's better for you that I leave. If I don't leave, the Friend won't come. but if I go, I'll send him to you."
This
passage has the classic sound of parents telling their children,
"This is for your own good!" or "This will hurt me
more than you" or "Father knows best!" But....
the Father DOES know what is best for us! We cannot fathom the
plan of God anymore than we can comprehend the depth of God. We
have to trust in faith the untimely events, the strange requests, the
good and the bad of life, can all ultimately be 'for our own good'
because it is with unfathomable love that God operates. We pray
our prayers and then complain that God didn't answer them as we
requested. No, because God answered in the way that was best
for us! Our Father does know best!
Jesus is reminding the disciples he will be leaving....for their own good. But he also reiterates that when he leaves, the Advocate/Friend in the form of the Holy Spirit will come! He will not be gone except in a physical sense. What wonderful reassurance to have! God is taking care of us!
Jesus is reminding the disciples he will be leaving....for their own good. But he also reiterates that when he leaves, the Advocate/Friend in the form of the Holy Spirit will come! He will not be gone except in a physical sense. What wonderful reassurance to have! God is taking care of us!
John
16:12-13 MSG
"I still have many things to tell you, but you can't handle them now. But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you in all the truth there is."
"I still have many things to tell you, but you can't handle them now. But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you in all the truth there is."
We have all heard the phrase, "God won't give you more than you
can handle." Jesus seems to be telling the disciples the
same. Step by step the Spirit will guide us. We may never
see the Big Picture of God for it is more than we
can comprehend! But piece by piece our part in the overall plan
will be revealed.
Perhaps the question we should ask of ourselves is "Are we ready to receive, ready to hear, ready to act upon, what the Spirit's revelation may mean in our lives?" That revelation may be confusing or unsettling. It may be 'out of our comfort zone'! It may not be what it on 'our agenda'. But it will never be more than we can handle.The Holy Spirit will be holding our hand!
Perhaps the question we should ask of ourselves is "Are we ready to receive, ready to hear, ready to act upon, what the Spirit's revelation may mean in our lives?" That revelation may be confusing or unsettling. It may be 'out of our comfort zone'! It may not be what it on 'our agenda'. But it will never be more than we can handle.The Holy Spirit will be holding our hand!
John
16:14-15 (CEB)
He
will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and proclaim it to
you. Everything that the Father has is mine. That’s why
I said that the Spirit takes what is mine and will proclaim it to
you.
God,
Christ, and the Spirit are One.
Glorified
as One.
Proclaimed
as One.
What
belongs to the One, belongs to each;
To
be announced.
To
be shared.
To
be delivered to all who seek it.
When
we take what the Spirit offers
We
glorify the One.
When
we act and serve in the name of the One,
We
glorify God.
We
glorify Christ.
We
glorify the Spirit.
WHEN
we act.
WHEN
we serve.
Reach
out and grasp the Spirit power.
Reach
up and grasp the power of Father and Son.
Be
a part of the Glory.
Acts
8:26 MSG
Later
God’s angel spoke to Philip: “At noon today I want you to walk
over to that desolate road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza.”
He got up and went.
It takes practice to hear and respond to Spirit directions. It takes time spent listening, time spent learning the ways and communication methods the Spirit uses with us personally. When the message is understood, we are empowered to act, and the results can be an amazing interaction with God's glory. How does the Spirit speak to you? Are you prepared to listen? To respond? Am I?
Romans 8:26-27 MSG
"Meanwhile,
the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right
alongside us helping us along. If we don't know how or what to
pray, it doesn't matter. He does our prayer in and for us,
making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He
knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant
condition; and keeps us present before God."
"I'm
too upset to pray!" "I don't even know what to pray
for!" Sometimes we are so distraught and empty,
physically, emotionally, and spiritually, that the words just don't
come. The hole is too big. Our despair too deep. We
don't even know where to start.
On our knees. In prayer. The Spirit, once again, is our Advocate and Friend. The Spirit can handle the prayer from there. The Spirit can put words to our inexpressible thoughts. God knows our despair. God is listening.
This made me think of the rote Catholic prayers. The rosary is a way to pray without having to find the words. Sometimes I believe we Protestants get too hung up on praying a 'well-delivered' or 'well-written' prayer, a prayer that sounds good in public but might have lost its personal touch. God wants prayers from the heart and soul. If we can't come up with the words, let the Spirit do so. Even a favorite hymn can be a prayer.
On our knees. In prayer. The Spirit, once again, is our Advocate and Friend. The Spirit can handle the prayer from there. The Spirit can put words to our inexpressible thoughts. God knows our despair. God is listening.
This made me think of the rote Catholic prayers. The rosary is a way to pray without having to find the words. Sometimes I believe we Protestants get too hung up on praying a 'well-delivered' or 'well-written' prayer, a prayer that sounds good in public but might have lost its personal touch. God wants prayers from the heart and soul. If we can't come up with the words, let the Spirit do so. Even a favorite hymn can be a prayer.
"God
of words I do not yet know how to speak, send your Spirit to
intercede on my behalf, that my words might be your words."
Keep in touch with God the Spirit. Even wordless
prayers will work.
Romans 5:2 MSG
We
throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he
has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing
where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of
God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.
Throw
wide open the doors of faith!
Discover
God's loving grace waiting on the other side.
Love
that overcomes guilt and pain.
Grace
that declares us worthy of such love.
Love
that frees us to fully live.
Grace
to enter a life of glorious adventure.
God
keeps the door open...always.
Believe
and fling open the door to your soul.
Stand
on the threshold of the
Power
of the Holy Spirit,
The
Power of LOVE.
Throw
wide open the door to GOD.
To
God, the Father, God, the Son,
And
God, the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Liturgy
for Pentecost Sunday
June
9, 2019
WE
GATHER TOGETHER
Announcements
and Passing of the Peace
Call
to Worship (Responsive)
Waiting,
Waited,
Flame
Breather, Life Teaser,
Sweet
Essence, Hard Presence,
Pulsing
Blood, Sweeing Flood
Storm
Force, Water Source,
Deepest
Kiss, Draining Bliss,
Motivator,
Love Creator,
Hearts
Gripped, Conventions Ripped,
Fire
Poured, Winds Roar,
Whisper,
Whisper,
Blown
Upon, Blown Away,
Burning
Up, Burning Out,
Baraka,
Ruach, Shanti, Shalom,
Life
Spirit, Holy Spirit, Spirit. Come!
Opening
Hymn: #2236 STF Gather Us In
Call
to Confession (adapted from
Romans 8:26-27)
When
we don’t know how or what to pray, the Spirit knows. When all we
can muster are sighs and groans, the Spirit knows those also. When
we feel that we aren’t even worthy to approach God, the Spirit goes
before us and with us and God welcomes us with arms open. Let us
confess our sings together, saying...
Prayer
of Confession
Come,
Holy Spirit! Rain upon our dry and dusty lives. Wash away our sin
and heal our wounded spirits. Kindle in us a love for the wild
beauty of the creation of God. Fan the flame of passion for
community. Heat us to white hot with yearning for our culture to be
transformed. Spark in us a fire which rages with all consuming heat
against injustice, oppression, and evil. Set alight in us the love
of the Christ who walks in the world, and blow on us with the wind to
spread the Gospel Message of love throughout the world. Amen.
Assurance
of Pardon (from Ezekiel
36)
I
will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the
countries; I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. And I will
put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees. You will be
my people, and I will be your forgiving God.
Choral
Response: #322 Spirit of the Living God vs 1
WE
HEAR THE WORD OF GOD
Children’s
Message: Happy Birthday!
Scripture
Unison
Reading Psalm
139 7-10 The
Voice
Can
I go anywhere apart from Your Spirit? Is there anywhere I can go to
escape Your
watchful
presence?
If
I go up into heaven, You are there. If I make my bed in the realm of
the dead, You are there.
If
I ride on the wings of morning, if I make my home in the most
isolated part of the ocean,
Even
then You will be there to guide me; Your right hand will embrace me,
for
You are always there.
Sermon:
Spirit Scribbles Ginger Rembold
Sermon
Hymn: #319 Spirit
WE
RESPOND TO THE WORD
Prayers
of the People
Call
to Prayer:#2193 STF Lord Listen to Your Children Praying
Sharing
Joys and Concerns
Lord’s
Prayer
Offering
Call
to Offering
We
give thanks for all we have received, O God: gifts of love and time,
money, and abilities. Together in this place, we return a portion of
your abundance.
Offertory
Hymn: All That I Am
Doxology
Prayer
of Dedication
With
the help of the Holy Spirit working in and through us, God, we
dedicate our offerings to you, that your Love may be shown throughout
the world. Amen.
WE
GO OUT IN GOD’S NAME
Closing
Hymn: #315 Every Time I Feel the Spirit
Blessing
With
the Spirit, all things can be created anew.
Today
is a day of rebirth,
A
BIRTHING day for the Spirit within us.
A
BIRTHDAY for the community we call church.
A
day to 'spring to life' and blossom in God.
A
day for the Spirit to come alive within us.
Happy
BIRTHday, First Presbyterian Church!
Choral
Benediction: May the Roads Rise Up to Meet You
