Description
” John 15: 26-27; 16: 4b-15
A box of Miracle-Gro says it all: “Gets tender, young plants and transplants off to a quick start. Allows water to penetrate the soil. Grows stronger and more spectacular fruit.” Sounds just like the fertilizer our Vinedresser uses! Without the Holy Spirit we would be fruitless, shriveled and withered.
We Lift Our Hearts In Worship
[Pre-service options include videos (countdowns, worship music, welcomes), worship music CD, or live music by worship band.]
Time of Praise and Worship
Consuming Fire
Tim Hughes, ©2002 Thankyou Music (Admin by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
Famous One
Chris Tomlin & Jesse Reeves, ©2002 worshiptogether.com songs/sixsteps music
Here Is Our King
David Crowder, ©2005 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Sixsteps Music (EMI Christian Music Publishing)
Marvelous Light
Charlie Hall, © 2005 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
[Traditional Options]
Come Down O Love Divine
ELW 804; LBW 508; LSB 501; LW 162; NCH 289; PH 313; RS 617; UMH 475; WC 304
O Holy Spirit, Enter In
ELW 786; LBW 459; LSB 913; LW 160
Blessed Jesus, At Your Word
EH 440; ELW 520; LBW 248; LSB 904; NCH 74; PH 454; UMH 596
Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme
Pastor: We, being grafted to the Vine, with the work of the Vinedresser, come to worship the source of our life, our love and our purpose:
ALL: We come into the presence of our Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And it is in His Name we make our beginning. AMEN.
OPENING PRAYER: [This prayer is offered as an idea] — Our Dear Father, God, inhabit the praises of Your people, as You promised in days gone by, that we may bring honor and glory to Your Name this day. We implore You to work miraculous growth in our lives, starting today, as branches bearing abundant fruit for You. In the power of the Holy Spirit, may it be so. AMEN.
Time of Greeting: Please greet someone that you have not yet spoken to this morning. Select somebody on the other side of the aisle; OR, if you are in the back, please greet someone in the front, or in the front in the back, etc. Ask them, “Are you ready for full SON?”.
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor: [Ask the people to kneel, if possible, or sit, if not, and to spend quiet time listening to the music and focusing on their personal need of some miracle-gro in their spiritual lives…]
Then say, “Hear our confession, Dear Lord,
ALL: As I ponder the reality of how short I come to Your standard of perfection, Dear Lord, I realize that left to my own efforts, I would be eternally cut off for the Vine.
Pastor: But, thanks be to God for sending us the Holy Spirit that convicts us and shows us our sinful ways. And for accepting our repentant hearts because of the sacrifice Jesus Himself made on our behalf.
ALL: Yes, we are so thankful for the redemptive work on the cross and the quickening of our hearts to faith in You. Come, Oh Holy Spirit, fill my life anew today…and help my unbelief. AMEN.
Pastor: Forgiven, redeemed, renewed, and growing more like Jesus daily, we are relieved from the burden of past sins, free to live in the grace and mercy of our loving Father. AMEN.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
FIRST READING: Ezekiel 37:1-14
As those early believers in the days of Peter, may we continually be filled with the Holy Spirit as we look for the wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below.
Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
