Description
John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
Jesus promised His disciples before He left that the Advocate was coming from the Father, and He would guide them into all truth. As heirs of Pentecost, we too, have indeed received the promise and presence of the Holy Spirit just as those first disciples did many years ago, and we can breathe in the comfort, encouragement, truth, and joy as we abide in Him.
We Lift Our Hearts in Worship
[Preservice options include video countdowns, worship song videos, welcomes), CDs, or live music.]
Welcome & Time of Greeting
Time of Praise and Worship
Here I Am To Worship
Tim Hughes, ©2001 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music
Open The Eyes Of My Heart
Paul Baloche, ©1997 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music
Lord, I Lift Your Name On High
Rick Founds, ©1989 Maranatha! Music (Admin. by Maranatha! Music)
[Traditional Options]
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest
LSB 498, 499
Come Thou Almighty King
BH 75 2; BH 91 247; CH 8; CHH 27; EH 365; ELW 408; HWC 26; HPW 3; HFG 341; HLC 4; HGP 53; HSP 11; LBW 522; LSB 905; LW 169; NCH 275; PH 139; RH 212; STTL 3; WC 5; UMH 61; WAR 148; WHM 3; WIS 21
Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord
ELW 395; LBW 163; LSB 497; LW 154
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
We are here today by the Spirit of the Living God. He has set us here, though our bones and bodies are weary. Can these dry bones be revived? Can these dry bones live?
Worshipers
Yes! But only by the breath of God! He will awaken us, revive us, and cause us to come together. Let us give thanks to the wild, life giving Spirit of the Living God!
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Holy Spirit, You dwell in our hearts and sealed us. Fall up upon us now.
Worshipers
Like wild tongues of fire, renew us and restore us.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Fill the empty, empower the weary, bring together the divided, and reassure the afraid.
Worshipers
Work in us by the power of Your Holy Spirit, we pray, Amen.
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
On this Pentecost Sunday, we are compelled to confess to You, Lord, our sin.
Worshipers
We are divided by silly conflicts. We fear Your Holy Spirit rather than welcome Him to do the beautiful transforming work in our lives. We confess and we are sorry. Forgive us, Lord, we plead.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Lord, would you break down the barriers in our hearts that we have set up against Your Holy Spirit? Guide us to live with abandonment of the things that don’t matter to You. Lead us into Your peace, joy, love, and faithfulness. Create in us clean hearts, oh God.
Worshipers
And renew a right spirit within us. We ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Ezekiel 37:1-14
The Spirit of the Lord took the prophet Ezekiel to a valley of dry bones and told him to prophesy that the bones would come to life. Ezekiel prophesied and it was so. This vast army of once dry bones represented hopeless Israel, who would be returned, restored, and revived by the Lord.
1 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army. 11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”
