Time in the Word - Pentecost

Time in the Word

May 17-22, 2021

Preparation for next week, the Feast of Pentecost 

This coming Sunday is the Festival of Pentecost. It is obvious that the theme is on the Spirit. In the Gospel lesson, the Spirit causes living water to flow from the heart. The dead are made alive by the Spirit in the preaching of the Word (Old Testament lesson).  The disciples are emboldened by the Spirit to speak in languages which foreigners could understand (Epistle lesson). In the Psalm there are references to the Spirit who creates and renews creation. The hymn of the Day is a prayer for the Spirit to come upon the church. 

Prayer for the Seventh Sunday in Easter: O King of glory, Lord of hosts, uplifted in triumph far above all heavens, leave us not without consolation but send us the Spirit of truth whom You promised from the Father, for You live and reigns with Him and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Collect for Pentecost: O God, on this day You once taught the hearts of Your faithful people by sending them the light of Your Holy Spirit. Grant us in our day by the same Spirit to have a right understanding in all things and evermore to rejoice in His holy consolation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 

A Prayer for Agriculture: Almighty God, You blessed the earth to make it fruitful, bringing forth in abundance whatever is needed for the support of our lives. Prosper, we implore You, the work of farmers, grant them seasonable weather that we may gather in the fruit of the earth and thus proclaim Your goodness with thanksgiving. May we see by this noble vocation that with Your help they feed the world. And cause all those who give thanks over their food to treat those who produce it with both honor and respect; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  

A Prayer for the coming of the Spirit: Almighty and ever-living God, You fulfilled Your promise by sending the gift of the Holy Spirit to unite disciples of all nations in the cross and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ. By the preaching of the Gospel spread this gift to the ends of the earth; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

For blessing on the Word: Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You send it; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Monday, 17 May 2021—Psalm 104:24, 27-28, 30—The antiphon is a liturgical text, “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Alleluia.” The Psalmist refers back to the week of creation. When He had finished all that He had made, not only was the Lord satisfied but it was very good indeed. All that the Lord commands, creates, and sustains is very good indeed. On the Feast Day of Pentecost we see that the Lord is serious concerning His Word going out throughout the whole creation. Persons are converted; believers are sustained and strengthened in the faith as the Lord uses His Word for these purposes. 

Tuesday, 18 May 2021—Psalm 139:1-16; key verse, verse 17—“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!” This psalm verse reminds us that God’s words, thoughts, and actions are all connected and closely related. The Lord made a promise to send His Son and acted in time. He made a promise to redeem and save the world and so He did. He promises to send the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. The events of Pentecost affirm that the Lord is serious about the promises He makes and keeps. Everything concerning your salvation, witness, and walk is linked to the Lord’s promises and the fulfillment of them. The Psalmist affirms what the Lord has done.  

Wednesday, 19 May 2021—Ezekiel 37:1-14—The Spirit through the preached Word raises the dead. Ezekiel preaches the Word to the dry bones of Israel and they come to life.  Ezekiel is a prophet to the exiles in Babylon. This lesson comes from the section of the book that predicts a restoration of Jerusalem and its temple. He sees the Hebrews in exile as dead in hope because they are separated from the holy city and temple. God commands Ezekiel to preach to the dead bones and the Spirit brings life to the bodies and then the Spirit to the bodies. Through the preached Word, the Spirit of God brings new life and hope to a defeated, exiled people.

Thursday, 20 May 2021—Acts 2:1-21—The Spirit gives power to witness in foreign languages.  On Pentecost the disciples receive the Holy Spirit and Peter explains the happening. Luke gives an account of the Spirit’s coming upon the gathered disciples in Jerusalem on Pentecost accompanied by a mighty wind and tongues of fire. Then the reaction of the crowd is given – the disciples are accused of being drunk.  Peter responds by explaining the experience as fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy that at the end of the era the Spirit would come to all. The overall purpose of the event is salvation for all who call upon God. The Spirit gave the disciples power to speak in the languages of the people assembled in Jerusalem, that all peoples might hear the Gospel. The prophecy of Acts 1:8 is beginning to be fulfilled.

Friday, 21 May 2021—John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15—The Spirit produces living water in believers in Christ.  Believers in Christ are given the Spirit.  On the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus is in Jerusalem disputing with religious leaders as He taught in the temple.  At the end of the Feast, Jesus invited the thirsty to come to Him and drink. Out of the hearts of believers in Christ will come the living water of the Spirit.

Saturday, 22- May 2021— Luke 11:13;1 Corinthians 12:13; John 16:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:14—The hymn of the Day is “Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord” {LSB 497}.  In this much loved hymn, we pray that the blessings of the Spirit would sustain the Christian in his walk and life. 

Morning Prayer Reading Schedule

May  17 Monday 139 Ephesians 2:1-10

May  18 Tuesday 140 Philippians 2:1-11

May  19 Wednesday Open

May  20 Thursday Open 

May 21 Friday Closing Chapel 

Catechism Review:  Office of the Keys & Sacrament of the Altar

Sources:

Prayers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series B John Brokhoff © 1981 CSS Publishing Lima, OH

Illustration "The Day of Pentecost." from a woodcut by Baron Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, © WELS Permission to use this copyrighted item is limited to personal and congregational use.