Feast of Pentecost
The Feast of Pentecost is a festival of joy. Fifty days before, we celebrated Jesus’ resurrection from the dead and the life that He gives us as heirs. Today we rejoice with the whole earth as we thank God for sending the Holy Spirit into the world to call people to believe in Jesus and to keep them in that faith.
The Introit: At Pentecost we rejoice that the Holy Spirit fills the world with the truth of His Word. While sin confused languages, the Holy Spirit has caused His Word to be heard in many tongues, as the righteous believers rejoice in the Lord Jesus. Psalm 68 sings of the Church’s march throughout the ages as the Gospel about Jesus defeats and scatters the enemies of the truth.
The Collect: This prayer looks backward as the Holy Spirit of truth taught the faithful people through the apostles. We ask the Holy Spirit to teach us God’s Word so that we have a “right judgment in all things” that God has revealed. Through faith in the Gospel, the Spirit gives us peace and comfort about our future in heaven.
The Lesson: Moses teaches us the origin of our many languages. Pride, sin, and disobedience by the descendants of Noah led God to confuse their language so they scattered over the earth. At Pentecost, the Spirit gave the apostles to speak in many languages so the people could know Jesus as their savior.
The Epistle: presents to us the results of the Holy Spirit’s work on Pentecost. Through Peter’s sermon, He moved 3,000 men, women, and children to believe that Jesus was their Messiah and Savior and to be baptized into His name.
The Gradual: The first verse is from Psalm 104. The Holy Spirit helped create the universe, and He also creates faith and spiritual life in us through the power of the divine Word. Today we ask the Holy Spirit to continue the Pentecost miracle as He fills the hearts of believers with love for Jesus and His salvation.
The Communion: The Lord’s Supper is a union of Christ’s body and blood with the consecrated bread and wine. The Holy Spirit dwells in us and makes us His holy temple. We also are “one body” with all believers who partake of this Sacrament. This union with Jesus and the Holy Spirit breaks down all barriers that separate Christ’s people. He who loved us and gave His life for us now asks us to love one another.
The Paraments are red as we are reminded of the red tongues of fire above the apostles on that first Pentecost Sunday. Red also symbolizes the fire of our devotion for Jesus that the Holy Spirit kindles in us through faith in the salvation of Jesus.