SUNDAY, MAY 24TH, 2026
DAY OF PENTECOST
INTRODUCTION
Pentecost derives its name from the Jewish festival celebrating the harvest and
the giving of the law on Mount Sinai fifty days after Passover. Fifty days after
Easter, we celebrate the Holy Spirit as God’s presence within and among us. In
Acts the Spirit arrives in rushing wind and flame, bringing God’s presence to all
people. Paul reminds us that though we each have different capacities, we are
unified in the Spirit that equips us with these gifts. Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit
on his disciples, empowering them to forgive sin. We celebrate that we too are
given the breath of the Holy Spirit and sent out to proclaim God’s redeeming love
to all the world.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
O God, on this day you open the hearts of your faithful people by sending into us
your Holy Spirit. Direct us by the light of that Spirit, that we may have a right
judgment in all things and rejoice at all times in your peace, through Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, now and forever. Amen.
FIRST READING
ACTS 1:1-21
Pentecost was a Jewish harvest festival that marked the fiftieth day after
Passover. Luke portrays the Holy Spirit being poured out upon the disciples
before the gathered and astonished people assembled in Jerusalem for the
festival. Filled with the Spirit, the disciples were able to witness to the power of
Christ’s resurrection.
1 When the day of Pentecost had come, [the apostles] were all together in one
place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent
wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as
of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them
were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the
Spirit gave them ability.
5 Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in
Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because
each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and
astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And
how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians,
Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus
and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to
Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and
Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of
power.” 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does
this mean?” 13 But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them,
“Fellow Jews and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to
what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine
o’clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit,
and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
20 The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ ”
PSALM
PSALM 104:24-34, 35b
(Response) Send forth your Spirit and renew the face of the earth. (Ps. 104:30)
24 How manifold are your works, O Lord!
In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
25 Yonder is the sea, great and wide, with its swarms too many to number,
living things both small and great.
26 There go the ships to and fro,
and Leviathan, which you made for the sport of it.
27 All of them look to you
to give them their food in due season.
(Response) Send forth your Spirit and renew the face of the earth. (Ps. 104:30)
28 You give it to them; they gather it;
you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.
29 When you hide your face, they are terrified;
when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
30 You send forth your Spirit, and they are created;
and so you renew the face of the earth.
31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
O Lord, rejoice in all your works.
Send forth your Spirit and renew the face of the earth. (Ps. 104:30)
32 You look at the earth and it trembles;
you touch the mountains and they smoke.
33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will praise my God while I have my being.
34 May these words of mine please God.
I will rejoice in the Lord.
35b Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Hallelujah!
(Response) Send forth your Spirit and renew the face of the earth. (Ps. 104:30)
SECOND READING
1ST CORINTHIANS 12:3b-13
Paul is helping the Corinthians understand the relationship between our God-
given unity and Spirit-created diversity. The Spirit creates the unity of faith and
gives all Christians diverse gifts for the common benefit of all. We need one
another’s diverse spiritual gifts because the same Spirit has given them to each
person for the common good.
3b No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit, 5 and there are varieties of
services but the same Lord, 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the
same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7 To each is given the
manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 To one is given through the
Spirit the utterance of wisdom and to another the utterance of knowledge
according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts
of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of powerful deeds, to
another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds
of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are activated by
one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of
the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit
we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we
were all made to drink of one Spirit.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Alleluia. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in us the fire of your love. Alleluia.
GOSPEL READING
JOHN 20:19-23
The risen Jesus appears to his disciples, offering them a benediction, a
commission, and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were
locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood
among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed
them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I
send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them;
if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
LICENSES & EXPIRATION DATES
Worship Service Content is used via permission through Augsburg Fortress Liturgies
Annual License #SB144368. The next Subscription Renewal Date is 2/28/2027.
Our Hymns and Worship Music are used via permission through CCLI One
License #11327166. The next Subscription Renewal Date is 1/31/2027.
SERMONS
(AVAILABILITY VARIES PENDING ON THE MINISTER)
DID YOU MISS SERVICE ON SUNDAY?
GET WHAT YOU NEED RIGHT HERE!
BULLETIN FOR SUNDAY, MAY 31ST, 2026