Preparing our Hearts to Worship
In an effort to help you prepare for the June 4th, 2017, Sunday morning corporate worship gathering and to aid you in your own reflections on Pentecost. I wanted to pose a few questions and provide a few resources to prayerfully consider over the coming days. Our sermon is entitled, “Pentecost is about the harvest of the lost”. The main Scripture for the day is Acts 2. The other passages are either referenced in the message or provide additional insight for reflection.
(Pick and choose from the many resources and options, which I have tried to make available for your devotional life.)
From the Scriptures
Read and prayerfully reflect upon some or all of these Scriptures. Ask God to shape your life and your church’s life to match the heart of God:
Read or listen to Acts 2:1-41, Lev 23:15-22; Romans 10:14, Exodus 19.
(You can read or listen to all of these passages in a variety of translations at Bible.is.)
From the Creeds and Confessions
Heidelberg Catechism 53
Q53. What dost thou believe concerning the Holy Ghost?
Answer: First, that he is true and coeternal God with the Father and the Son; (a) secondly, that he is also given me, (b) to make me by a true faith, partaker of Christ and all his benefits, (c) that he may comfort me (d) and abide with me for ever. (e)
(a) 1 John 5:7, Gen.1:2, Isa.48:16, 1 Cor.3:16, 6:19, Acts 5:3-4
(b) Gal.4:6, Matt 28:19-20, 2Cor 1:21-22, Eph 1:13
(c) Gal.3:14, 1Pet 1:2, 1Cor. 6:17
(d) Acts 9:31, John 15:26
(e) John 14:16, 1 Pet. 4:14
Belgic Confession Article 11
Article 11: The Deity of the Holy Spirit
We believe and confess also that the Holy Spirit proceeds eternally from the Father and the Son– neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but only proceeding from the two of them. In regard to order, he is the third person of the Trinity– of one and the same essence, and majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son.
He is true and eternal God, as the Holy Scriptures teach us.
Catholic Catechism
While I do not normally include references to the Catholic Catechism, for obvious reasons being a reformed Christian Pastor, I did find this section of their catechism helpful after I removed the obviously Catholic parts. I hope it helps.
737 …The Spirit prepares men and goes out to them with his grace, in order to draw them to Christ. The Spirit manifests the risen Lord to them, recalls his word to them and opens their minds to the understanding of his Death and Resurrection. He makes present the mystery of Christ…to bring them into communion with God, that they may “bear much fruit.”132
738 Thus the Church’s mission is not an addition to that of Christ and the Holy Spirit, but…in her whole being and in all her members, the Church is sent to announce, bear witness, make present, and spread the mystery of the communion of the Holy Trinity…:
739 Because the Holy Spirit is the anointing of Christ, it is Christ who, as the head of the Body, pours out the Spirit among his members to nourish, heal, and organize them in their mutual functions, to give them life, send them to bear witness, and associate them to his self-offering to the Father and to his intercession for the whole world.
Taken from http://www.vatican.va/
From the songs, hymns and spiritual songs of the Church
Due to a computer crash this week, I ran out of time to get this section completed.
For Thoughtful Reflection, Prayer, or further Study
What is the relationship between a feast celebrating a harvest of wheat and the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost?
How does gospel proclamation help to bring in the harvest?
Who is gifted to proclaim the gospel message?
The Sermon will be available online on June 4, 2017 at 12:30 pm.
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