Pentecost season
[ three voices ]
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The day of Pentecost, following Jesus’ ascension, is one of the most dramatic events recounted in the New Testament. It is like an explosion that initiates the life of Christ’s Church. The apostles were waiting in Jerusalem “for the promise of the Father.” They were assembled together for the festival of Shavuot, the yearly celebration of the first fruits of the wheat harvest. This festival also celebrated the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai, in many respects the most decisive event for the people of Israel.
Luke describes the Coming of the Holy Spirit using imagery borrowed from the Giving of the Law at Sinai: fire and a violent wind that overwhelms the people. The events at Pentecost also have a basic affinity to the events at Sinai: God descends in his power and might to make his ways known to his people. But there are also differences: at Pentecost God gives out his Word and his Power for living — not just for the people of Israel, but for all peoples. The mission of God and the newly formed Church is for all the peoples of the earth.
This reading recognizes the universal comprehension of words spoken in many divers languages as reversal of the story of Babel in Genesis 11. The separation and dispersal of the peoples of the world is reversed. The Spirit of God at Pentecost brings about a common communication and understanding among those gathered from many widespread locations.
The wind, the flames of fire, the overflow of languages, Peter understands to be the fulfillment of prophecy in Scripture. It is the signs spoken of by the prophet Joel of fire and misty smoke in the last days, of the outpouring of God’s Spirit and salvation to all who confess the name of Jesus. This is “the clothing of power from on high” that Jesus said would come upon them.
Not as evident as the wind and fire, but equally present, is a third primary element: water. As well as one of the basic necessities of life, water is also a powerful agent and image of cleansing. It is water that vanquished the armies of Egypt in the Exodus. It is water that marked the entry into the Promised Land at the Jordan. And it is water that washes over with its saving power in baptism.
Water is also figured in “the spirit of compassion and supplication” and “the gift of the Holy Spirit” which God “pours out.” The water of baptism ties all these events together.
The reading may replace the usual New Testament Scripture reading for Pentecost. A shortened sermon or meditation should follow. The three readers should be dressed all in black and address the congregation from the script held in thin black binders. Because memorization is not required and movement is minimal, only three one-hour rehearsals should be required. Strong dramatic expression is not necessary; however, it is important to make sure each of the three “voices” is distinct.
Presentation time: 12 minutes
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The Reading
| A | The fire | |
| B | the wind | |
| C | the water | |
| A | The liberation of God’s people began with | |
| C | the burning of a flame | |
| B | The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire | Psalm 29.7 |
| A | Moses led his flock beyond the wilderness and came to Horeb the mountain of God There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush | Exodus 3.1,2 |
| B | Is not my word like fire and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? | Jeremiah 23.29 |
| A | He looked, and the bush was blazing yet it was not consumed | Exodus 3.2 |
| C | The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness | Psalm 28.9 |
| [ | ||
| A | The liberation of God’s people began with fire | |
| C | and with wind | |
| A | On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning as well as a thick cloud on the mountain | |
| B | and a blast of a trumpet so loud that all the people who were in the camp trembled | |
| A | Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God They took their stand at the foot of the mountain | Exodus 19.16,17 |
| C | The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire | Psalm 29.7 |
| A | Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended upon it in fire | |
| B | the smoke went up like the smoke of a kiln while the whole mountain shook violently | |
| C | As the blast of the trumpet grew louder and louder Moses would speak and God would answer him in thunder | Exodus 19.18,19 |
| [ | ||
| A | God’s people remembered their liberation out of Egypt in the celebration of three festivals | |
| B | Passover, or the Feast of Unleavened Bread | |
| A | Shavuot, or Pentecost | |
| C | and the Feast of Tabernacles | |
| A | For God had said | |
| C | “Three times in the year you shall hold a festival for me | |
| B | You shall observe the feast of Passover which marks the first spring harvest | |
| C | You shall observe Pentecost when you give thanks for the harvest of wheat | |
| B | and remember the giving of the Law | |
| C | You shall observe the feast of Tabernacles at the end of the harvest | |
| B | when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labour and remember the years of wandering in the wilderness | |
| A | These are the three times in the year when all your males shall appear before the Lord God” | Exodus 23.14-17 |
| [ | ||
| C | The fire, the wind | |
| B | The water | |
| C | The book of the Acts of the Apostles opens with these words | |
| A | After his suffering Jesus presented himself alive to the apostles by many convincing proofs appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God While staying with them he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait there for the promise of the Father | Acts 1.2,3 |
| A | to stay in the city until they have been clothed with power from on high | Luke 24.49 |
| B | “This is what you have heard from me for John baptized with water but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” | Acts 1.4,5 |
| A | When the day of Pentecost had come they were all together in one place | Acts 2.1 |
| C | You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the heavens with black clouds and deep darkness | Deuteronomy 4.11 |
| B | The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire | Psalm 29.7 |
| A | And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind | Acts 2.2 |
| C | He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants | Psalm 104.4 |
| A | and it filled the entire house where they were sitting | Acts 2.2 |
| B | And anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the fire, and then it will be clean | |
| C | But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing | Numbers 31.23 |
| A | Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them and a tongue rested on each of them | Acts 2.3 |
| B | Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire as you have and lived? | Deuteronomy 4.23 |
| A | All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them ability | Acts 2.4 |
| [ | ||
| C | The fire | |
| B | the wind | |
| A | the water | |
| [ C takes first step forward ] | ||
| A | And the events of Pentecost were like a reversal of the events of the Tower of Babel | |
| C | Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. | Acts 2.5 |
| B | Now the whole earth had one language and the same words And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there | genesis 11.1,2 |
| C | And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each | Acts 2.6 |
| B | And they said to one another, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens and let us make a name for ourselves Otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth” | genesis 11.3,4 |
| C | Amazed and astonished, they asked “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear each of us, in our own native language? Germans, Swedes, Palestinians, and residents of Moscow Geneva and Beijing, Pretoria and Cairo, France and Indonesia Egypt and Libya, visitors from ... | Acts 2.7-10 |
| [ B interrupts ] | ||
| B | The LORD came down to see the city and the tower which mortals had built And the LORD said “Let us go down, and confuse their language there so that they will not understand one another’s speech” | genesis 11.5,7 |
| C | “In our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power” | genesis 2.11 |
| B | So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth and they left off building the city | genesis 11.8 |
| [ B and C return to original positions ] | ||
| A | All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another | |
| C | “What does this mean?” | |
| A | But others sneered and said | |
| C | “They are filled with new wine” | |
| A | But Peter, standing with the eleven raised his voice and addressed them | |
| [ A and B exchange positions ] | ||
| B | “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem let this be known to you, and listen to what I say Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose for it is only nine o’clock in the morning | Acts 2.12-15 |
| C | The fire | |
| A | the wind, the water | |
| B | This is what was spoken through the prophet Joel ‘In the last days it will be, God declares that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh’ | Joel 2.28 |
| C | With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation | isaiah 12.3 |
| A | Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water | john 7.38 |
| B | ‘And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams Even upon my slaves, both men and women in those days I will pour out my Spirit’ | Joel 2.28,29 |
| C | Those who drink of the water that I will give them
will never be thirsty | |
| A | The water that I give will become a spring of water
gushing up to eternal life | john 4.14 |
| B | ‘And they shall prophesy And I will show signs in the heaven above and signs on the earth below blood, and fire and smoky mist | |
| C | The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ | Joel 2.30-32 |
| B | “You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say Jesus of Nazareth a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you — this man handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law” | Acts 2.22,23 |
| C | And I will pour out a spirit of compassion and supplication on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem | |
| A | so that, when they look on the one whom they have pierced they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly over him as one weeps over a firstborn | zecharaiah 12.10 |
| C | On that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity | |
| B | “This Jesus God raised up and of that all of us are witnesses Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit he has poured out this that you both see and hear” | Acts 2.32,33 |
| C | And I will pour out a spirit of compassion and supplication on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem | zecharaiah 12.10 |
| B | “Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah this Jesus whom you crucified” | Acts 2.36 |
| A | Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles | |
| C | “Brothers, what should we do?” | |
| A | Peter said to them | |
| B | “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit For the promise is for you for your children and for all who are far away everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him” | acts 2.37-39 |
| C | I will give them one heart and put a new spirit within them I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh | ezekiel 11.19 |
| A | And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying | |
| B | “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation” | Acts 2.37-40 |
| C | Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees and every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire | luke 3.9 |
| A | The fire, the wind, the water | |
| [ A and B return to original positions ] | ||
| A | So those who welcomed his message were baptized and that day about three thousand persons were added They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship to the breaking of bread and the prayers | |
| B | Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles | |
| A | All who believed were together and had all things in common they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need | acts 2.41-45 |
| C | Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm | |
| B | like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land | isaiah 32.2 |
| A | Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple | |
| C | they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts | |
| B | praising God and having the goodwill of all the people | acts 2.46,47a |
| C | With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation | isaiah 12.3 |
| B | And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved | acts 2.47b |