Revised Common Lectionary: Day of Pentecost

Year A

Acts 2:1-21; Numbers 11:24-30; Psalm 104:24-35b; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13; John 20:19-23 (or John 7:37-39)

Speaking the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit.

‘No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit’(1 Corinthians 12:3).

‘In Jerusalem’, on ‘the day of Pentecost’, there are ‘Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven’ (Acts 2:1, 5). They are ‘amazed’ at what they hear – ‘we hear them telling in our own tongue the mighty works of God’ (Acts 2:7-11).

The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ (John 16:14). ‘To God be the glory! Great things He hath done!’(Church Hymnary, 374).

Speaking ‘as the Spirit gave them utterance’, the apostles pave the way for Peter’s bold proclamation: ‘God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified’ (Acts 2:36).

Empowered ‘by the Holy Spirit’, this message – ‘Jesus is Lord’ – is still God’s way of bringing people to Himself.

When the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied (Numbers 11:25): Preaching Christ and praying for the Spirit’s power, let us look to God for His blessing.

The Holy Spirit leads us to worship the Lord.

‘I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live’ (Psalm 104:33).

Do you feel like giving up? Other things are becoming more important to you. Worshipping the Lord is being pushed out to the edge of your life. Wrong attitudes are creeping in.

It starts with the idea, ‘Worship’s just an hour on a Sunday’. Then, it becomes, ‘I’ll worship the Lord when I feel like it’. It soon becomes, ‘I’ll worship the Lord when I’ve nothing better to do’. Before long, all desire for worshipping the Lord has gone! Little-by-little, you are drifting away from the Lord.

It’s time to start thinking about what’s happening. It’s time for a new beginning. It’s time for an ‘all my life’ commitment to worshipping the Lord – not just on a Sunday, not only when I feel like it, not only ‘when there’s nothing better to do’!

The Holy Spirit leads us to serve the Lord.

Paul speaks about ‘gifts of the Spirit.’ They are ‘given for the common good’ (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).

We’re not ‘to show off’: ‘Look at me. The Church can’t do without me’.

When we draw attention to ourselves rather than Christ, we are not living ‘by the Spirit of God.’

He moves us to say, with our whole heart, ‘Jesus is Lord’ (1 Corinthians 12:3). We live in fellowship with one another: ‘the body does not consist of one member but of many’ (1 Corinthians 12:14).

‘I’m happy – as long as I’m getting my own way’: We can do without this kind of attitude! What about ‘the common good’?

Sometimes, things don’t go according to my plan. Perhaps, my plan needs revising – to take account of ‘the common good.’

When self raises its ugly head – ‘It’s my way or no way at all’ – let’s not forget the ‘still more excellent way’ (1 Corinthians 12:3).

It is the way of love – Christ’s love!

The Holy Spirit leads us to Jesus.

 * In Jesus, we see the presence of the Spirit.

‘Rivers of living water’ were flowing out of Jesus’ heart. ‘No man ever spoke like this man’! ‘The Spirit’ was speaking through Him with power (John 7:37-39).

* From Jesus, we receive the gift of the Spirit.

The disciples are filled with ‘fear.’ Jesus comes to them. He gives them His ‘peace’ and ‘joy.’ From Jesus, they receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:19-20, 23).

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Year B

Acts 2:1-21 (or Ezekiel 37:1-14); Psalm 104:24-34, 35b; Romans 8:22-27 (or Acts 2:1-21); John 15:26-27; John 16:4b-15

The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ.

‘No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit’ (1 Corinthians 12:3). ‘In Jerusalem’, on ‘the day of Pentecost’ there are ‘Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven’ (Acts 2:1, 5). They are ‘amazed’at what they hear - ‘we hear them telling in our own tongue the mighty works of God’ (Acts 2:7-11). The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ (John 16:14). ‘To God be the glory! Great things He hath done!’ (Church Hymnary, 374). Speaking ‘as the Spirit gave them utterance’, the apostles pave the way for Peter’s bold proclamation: ‘God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified’ (Acts 2:36). Empowered ‘by the Holy Spirit’, this message - ‘Jesus is Lord’- is still God’s way of bringing people to Himself. Preach Christ. Pray for the Spirit’s power. Look to God for His blessing (Acts 2:41-47).

The Holy Spirit breathes new life into the Church of God.

It was ‘a valley of dry bones’ (Ezekiel 37:1-2). Then, the Lord changed everything - ‘I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live’ (Ezekiel 37:5). What a difference the Lord makes! ‘Breathe on me, Breath of God. Fill me with life anew’ (Church Hymnary, 103). What happens when the Spirit of the Lord breathes new life into the Church of God? - ‘The Church that seemed in slumber has now risen from its knees and dry bones are responding with the fruits of new birth’. ‘Holy Spirit, we welcome You. Let the breeze of Your presence flow that Your children here might truly know how to move in the Spirit’s flow... Holy Spirit, we welcome You. Please accomplish in us today some new work of loving grace, we pray. Unreservedly, have Your way. Holy Spirit, we welcome You’ (Mission Praise, 274, 241).

The Holy Spirit leads us into a life of worship.

‘I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live’ (Psalm 104:33). Do you feel like giving up? Other things are becoming more important to you. Worshipping the Lord is being pushed out to the edge of your life. Wrong attitudes are creeping in. It starts with the idea, ‘Worship’s just an hour on a Sunday’. Then, it becomes, ‘I’ll worship the Lord when I feel like it’. It soon becomes, ‘I’ll worship the Lord when I’ve nothing better to do’. Before long, all desire for worshipping the Lord has gone! Little-by-little, you are drifting away from the Lord. It’s time to start thinking about what’s happening. It’s time for a new beginning. It’s time for an ‘all my life’commitment to worshipping the Lord - not just on a Sunday, not only when I feel like it, not only ‘when there’s nothing better to do’!

The Holy Spirit leads us on to heavenly and eternal glory.

Each of us must choose. We can ‘live according to the flesh’or we can ‘live according to the Spirit’. We can ‘set the mind on the flesh’or we can ‘set the mind on the Spirit’ (Romans 8:5-6). The new life in the Spirit is just the beginning. God is preparing us for the greater ‘glory that will be revealed in us’ (Romans 8:18). We have ‘the first fruits of the Spirit’. The Holy Spirit is ‘the guarantee of our inheritance’. He is the starter which whets our appetite for the main course! With Him in our hearts, we long for more - ‘an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you’, ‘the redemption of our bodies’, ‘the glorious liberty of the children of God’ (Romans 8:21-23; Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 Peter 1:3-5). Led by the Spirit, strong in the Spirit, we press on to glory (Romans 8:14, 26, 17).

The Holy Spirit leads us in the way of victory.

Jesus was ‘persecuted’. We will be ‘persecuted’ - ‘all who desire to live a godly life will be persecuted’ (John 15:20; 2 Timothy 3:12). We have no guarantee that life will be easy. In all our difficulties, ‘the Spirit of truth’ directs our attention to Jesus our Saviour (John 15:26; 16:13-15). Whatever our problems, we draw encouragement from Jesus’words: ‘In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33). Here, we have realism and faith. The world is trying to squeeze us into its own mould (Romans 12:2). Sometimes, we feel like faith is slipping away. Sometimes, we feel like giving up. What are we to say to all this? ‘Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?’ - This is our faith’ (1 John 5:4-5).
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Year C

Acts 2:1-21 (or Genesis 11:1-9); Psalm 104:24-34, 35b; Romans 8:14-17 (or Acts 2:1-21); John 14:8-17, 25-27

The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ.

‘No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit’(1 Corinthians 12:3). ‘In Jerusalem’, on ‘the day of Pentecost’there are ‘Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven’(Acts 2:1,5). They are ‘amazed’ at what they hear - ‘we hear them telling in our own tongue the mighty works of God’(Acts 2:7-11). The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ (John 16:14). ‘To God be the glory! Great things He hath done!’(Church Hymnary, 374). Speaking ‘as the Spirit gave them utterance’, the apostles pave the way for Peter’s bold proclamation: ‘God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified’(Acts 2:36). Empowered ‘by the Holy Spirit’, this message - ‘Jesus is Lord’ - is still God’s way of bringing people to Himself. Preach Christ. Pray for the Spirit’s power. Look to God for His blessing (Acts 2:41-47).

In Christ, there is safety and strength.

Human pride sets itself up against the authority of God. This is the oft-repeated story of the ‘Tower of Babel.’ The end of godless men is sure - ‘Tower and temple, fall to dust’(Church Hymnary, 405). Sin can be analysed psychologically in terms of the human attitude of proud independence - ‘let us make a name for ourselves’(Genesis 11:5), sociologically in terms of sin’s pervasive influence on a whole society (this was the sin of a whole society), and theologically in terms of the divine judgment which human sin brings upon itself (Genesis 11:5-9). What a contrast there is between the Tower of Babel and the great declaration of Proverbs 18:10 - ‘The Name of the Lord is a strong tower’. In Babel there is scattering (Genesis 11:9). In the Lord, there is safety - ‘A righteous man runs to it and is safe.’ Do not imagine yourself to be strong (Proverbs 18:11). True strength is in Christ alone (1 Corinthians 1:27).

Worshipping the Lord – it’s an “all my life” commitment!

‘I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live’(Psalm 104:33). Do you feel like giving up? Other things are becoming more important to you. Worshipping the Lord is being pushed out to the edge of your life. Wrong attitudes are creeping in. It starts with the idea, ‘Worship’s just an hour on a Sunday’. Then, it becomes, ‘I’ll worship the Lord when I feel like it’. It soon becomes, ‘I’ll worship the Lord when I’ve nothing better to do’. Before long, all desire for worshipping the Lord has gone! Little-by-little, you are drifting away from the Lord. It’s time to start thinking about what’s happening. It’s time for a new beginning. It’s time for an ‘all my life’ commitment to worshipping the Lord - not just on a Sunday, not only when I feel like it, not only ‘when there’s nothing better to do’!

Led by the Spirit, strong in the Spirit, we press on to glory.

Each of us must choose. We can ‘live according to the flesh’ or we can ‘live according to the Spirit’. We can ‘set the mind on the flesh’ or we can ‘set the mind on the Spirit’(Romans 8:5-6). The new life in the Spirit is just the beginning. God is preparing us for the greater ‘glory that will be revealed in us’(Romans 8:18). We have ‘the first fruits of the Spirit.’ The Holy Spirit is ‘the guarantee of our inheritance.’ He is the starter which whets our appetite for the main course! With Him in our hearts, we long for more - ‘an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you’, ‘the redemption of our bodies’, ‘the glorious liberty of the children of God’(Romans 8:21-23; Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 Peter 1:3-5). Led by the Spirit, strong in the Spirit, we press on to glory (Romans 8:14,26,17).

Looking forward to heavenly glory, let us learn to give glory to the Lord here-and-now.

Jesus speaks of His glorious future. He assures His disciples that the best is yet to be. He is preparing a place in His ‘Father’s House’ for us. He will come again to take us to Himself (John 14:1-3). He is the Way to this place, the true and living way (John 14:6). Now, He reveals the Father to us (John 14:9). Now, He is working in and through us (John 14:12-14). He is preparing us for His place: ‘Lord Jesus... fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there’(Church Hymnary, 195).

Those who love the Lord are called to a life of obedience - keeping His ‘commandments’, keeping His ‘Word’(John 14:21,23). We cannot live this life in our own strength. Christ must make His home in us (John 14:23).

‘The Holy Spirit teaches us all things’(26). ‘The fruit of the Spirit’ is ‘love, joy, peace...’(Galatians 5:22-23). Jesus loves us (John 14:21). He gives us His peace (John 14:27). He gives us His joy (John 14:11). Love, Joy, Peace: Let this ‘fruit’ be seen in us. Let it be shared with others. ‘Love one another... Go and bear fruit... love one another’(John 15:12,16-17).