Acts 2.1-21 Family Service St Lukes PENTECOST 28th May 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMQKy1Mx49M
Has anyone been doing the TKC and praying for your 5? Praying for 5 people in family or friends to come to know the love of Jesus.
I was asked by an RE teacher – a few years back – what is Pentecost? I’ve taught it for years and I just don’t get it. ? What would you say?
I said: 1. It means you’re not alone. It isn’t Jesus is gone and now over to you, be nice, make the world a nicer place, I tried, and good luck to you. No. Jesus ascends and promises the Holy Spirit and here it comes with wind and fire – and it comes to each of us.
(wind gun) – you can feel its effect but you can’t see where its come from or where its going.
- FRUITS – can we name them – Love Joy Peace Patience, Kindness Goodness Faithfulness Gentleness and Self-Control. 9.
You’re not alone – the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, comes to us to live inside of us and the aim is to TRANSFORM us – we see this in every Jesus encounter in the Chosen – a person goes away different from their encounter with Jesus – so we have this encounter with Jesus going on inside of us- through prayer and worship.
BUT – How do we grow in patience? If we live in a world where everything we want is instantly there, then we will not grow in patience! So this is difficult.
But God’s Holy Spirit is at work inside of us bringing the best out of us, transforming us into the person that He has made us to be.
- GIFTS of the Spirit – How many gifts can you name:
Wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, speaking in tongues, interpreting those tongues, (what’s the greatest of the gifts? – Love!) it’s a gift and a fruit!
We need it inside of us transforming us – We also need it as a gift because the Gifts are about us helping others – to encounter Jesus, to find that transformation.
In the Chosen we see Jesus use knowledge when he says to the woman at the well – yes I know you’ve had 5 husbands – and we see it when He challenges the Pharisees and says Go and learn what this means ‘I desire mercy not sacrifice’
And we see miraculous powers and healing and prophecy – do we see speaking in, and interpreting tongues?
The point is that the Fruit is there inside of you to help you grow in to who God is calling you to be – so we pray Help me Jesus.
And the Gifts are there for us to help others have that encounter with Jesus.
- (Palm flame) Jesus promised – we will come and make our home in you – St Paul said – God’s love is being poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
?What’s the one Fruit that is also a Gift? Love.
So what we find is that the Gift at Pentecost – the Gift is the Giver. The Gift is the Giver.
PRAYER –
Its not listed as a gift or a fruit – it’s a given something that all people have – its as much a gift as the air we breathe – which is yes a gift – but not in that sense
So if you can breathe, you can pray.
So in between each prayer we will pause to breathe in and breath out
We will end our prayer by praying for our 5 – family, friends to come to know the love of Jesus.
Start with praying for the Church
Come Holy Spirit and breathe your life, your gifts through your church – revive us Lord with the gifts of prophecy, wisdom, healing, above all Lord your gift of Love
breathe in and breath out
Pray for ourselves for the fruit to grow in our lives – think of one of the Holy Spirit fruits – and ask God to help you grow in this way – Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control.
breathe in and breath out
Holy Spirit brought Light to each of the disciples
Pray for those we know who are struggling in the darkness, who need your life and light in their lives – pray for those we know in Hospital, in the Hospice, at Home, in our care homes,
breathe in and breath out
Pray for those who are struggling with their businesses at the moment, their finances, in need of a break, of the food bank, of some kindness.
breathe in and breath out
Pray for our five. So we will pause for 5 breaths and in the quiet whisper their names to God