Description
Genesis 11:1-9
In Genesis, we see the start of the confusion of languages. It might be difficult for us to understand this concept since we have the ability to use Google Translate or learn multiple languages. The reason for the confusion is to combat the sin of pride. God sends a wonderful reversal of this curse on the Day of Pentecost when believers could understand each other completely through His spirit. Today, we remember that in Christ, we speak a common language of love and forgiveness through the merits of Christ and not through our own sinful pride.
We Lift Our Hearts in Worship
[Preservice options include videos (countdowns, worship music, welcomes), worship music CD, or live music by worship band.]
Time of Praise and Worship
Majestic
Lincoln Brewster, ©2005 Integrity’s Praise! Music
Spirit of the Living God
Daniel Iverson, ©1935 Renewed 1963 Birdwing Music (a div. of EMI Christian Music Publishing)
Let God Arise
Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Ed Cash, © 2006 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
[Traditional Options]
God of Grace and God of Glory
BH 75 265; BH 91 395; CH 435; CHH 464; EH 594,595; ELW 705; HWC 292; WFG 528; HLC 466; LBW 415; LSB 850; LW 398; NCH 436; PH 420; STTL 720;; WC 669; UMH 577; WAR 569; WHM 332
Speak, O Lord, Your Servant Listens
LSB 589; LW 339
Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling
ELW 582; LBW 523; LSB 650; LW 164; NCH 59; WC 289
Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme
Pastor: O Heavenly Father, we begin this service in love and devotion to you.
ALL: Praise to you, O God.
Pastor: You have brought love and forgiveness to a world ravaged by pride and arrogance. You provide a path of righteousness that we can walk amongst chaos and confusion.
ALL: Praise to you O God.
Pastor: Where man’s conceit caused us to scatter, your unwavering compassion unites us through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
ALL: Praise to you O God.
Pastor: On this Pentecost Sunday, we give you praise and adoration for restoring order through your word, and for restoring our souls through the death and resurrection of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ.
ALL: Praise to you O God.
Opening Prayer
Pastor All glory, laud, and honor goes to you, O Heavenly Father, for you are good and your mercy endures forever! From the moment you sent your tongues of fire to the apostles at Pentecost, you have worked within us, preparing our lips and filling our mouths with the proclamation of your sacred message of Christ’s death and glorious resurrection. You compel us to share the foundation of the faith with others, so that the hope of salvation that we know to be true can be imparted to others. We praise you for your infinite majesty and your endless love. May all of the glory be given to you for all time.
ALL AMEN!
Time of Greeting
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor: Lord, we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed.
ALL: Have mercy on us, O Lord.
Pastor: We have grown boastful and arrogant. We act as if our ways rival your ways. We take credit for the good in our lives, and blame you for our hardships.
ALL: Have mercy on us, O Lord.
Pastor: We have constantly wandered off your path of righteousness, allowing chaos and confusion to rule our lives morally and ethically.
ALL: Have mercy on us, O Lord.
Pastor: We deserve your temporal and eternal punishment. Yet we are heartily sorry for our sins, and we sincerely repent of them. We pause to reflect on our own unrighteousness, and we plead for mercy and forgiveness for all of our iniquities.
(pause for silent reflection)
Pastor: “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity” (Joel 2:13) God has heard your cries for repentance, and has sent his only begotten Son to die for your sins so that you may live with him eternally. It is because of that sacrifice that I, by virtue of my office and by the command of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, announce the grace of God to all of you, and proclaim forgiveness for all of your sins. May this wondrous gift of forgiveness be and abide with you all!
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading: Genesis 11:1-9
Man’s pride is as tall as the Tower they built in Babel. God comes down and confuses the languages so that we might be reminded of who is ultimately the greatest.
Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. 3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” 5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” 8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
