09 Pentecost Sunday

PRAYER FROM LUTHER’S PRAYERS:

THE DAY OF PENTECOST

Lord God, dear Father, through your Holy Spirit you have taught and enlightened the hearts of your believers. Through the same Spirit give us a right understanding, to be glad at all times in his comfort and power, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

From Luther’s Small Catechism: The Third Article of The Apostles’ Creed: On Being Made Holy I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. What is this? I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy, and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true faith. Daily in this Christian church the Holy Spirit abundantly forgives all sins-mine and those of all believers. On the last day the Holy Spirit will raise me and all the dead and will give to me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true.

God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as you sent upon the disciples the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, look upon your Church and open our hearts to the power of the Spirit. Kindle in us the fire of your love, and strengthen our lives for service in your kingdom; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Gospel: John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 [Jesus said:] 26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. 27 You are also to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.” “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement: 9 about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11 about judgement, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. 16:4b

12:”I

still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN ? They were all filled with the Holy Ghost. Acts ii. 1-13

On this holy and joyful feast of Pentecost we give thanks to our Lord God as we celebrate the great unending mercy which He made manifest on earth in that He revealed from heaven to us poor men His holy Word, which is not a plain and common word, but a special and a different Word, compared with the Law of Moses. For this day the Kingdom of Christ began through the Apostles, and was manifested through the Gospel for all the world. Of course, in His Person, Christ possessed His Kingdom from eternity, but today, on Whitsunday, it was made manifest by the Holy Ghost through the Apostles to all the world, and this revelation was accompanied by the great courage, daring, and joy of those wretched fisherman, the Apostles, who had previously denied Christ and deserted Him because their minds were stupid and afraid and in despair. Today, on this Whitsunday, we celebrate the joyous, blessed, and precious Kingdom of Christ, which is full of joy, and confidence and courage. Sermon for Whitsunday, 1534.

W.A 37. 399 f.

Taken from the book: Day by Day

We Magnify Thee Page 220

by Martin Luther