Pentecost

Key Takeaways

• Pentecost teaches that God pursues us to fill us with His Spirit.

• God crosses all barriers (language, cultural, racial) to reach people.

• Being filled with the Holy Spirit results in a new identity, new community, and new mission.

Study Questions

• Question 1

  The sermon mentions that Pentecost is often misunderstood. How has your understanding of Pentecost changed after hearing this sermon?

• Question 2

  Pastor John used the analogy of The Runaway Bunny to describe God's pursuit of us. How does this image resonate with your own experience of God?

• Question 3

  In what ways have you experienced God pursuing you in your life?

• Question 4

  The sermon describes being filled with the Holy Spirit as receiving a new identity, new community, and new mission. Which of these aspects stands out to you most, and why?

• Question 5

  What barriers (language, cultural, personal) might God be calling you to cross in order to share His love with others?

5-Day Devotional

DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5

Day 1 : The God Who Pursues

READING :

Luke 15:1-10

DEVOTIONAL :

Just as Jesus describes the shepherd who leaves the 99 to find the one lost sheep, our God is a God who pursues us relentlessly. He doesn't wait for us to find our way back to Him; instead, He actively seeks us out. Reflect on times in your life when you've felt lost or distant from God. How has He pursued you in those moments? Consider how this understanding of God's character changes your perspective on His love for you.

APPLICATION :

Today, rest in the assurance that no matter where you are or how far you've strayed, God is always coming after you with open arms.

Day 2 : Speaking Our Language

READING :

Acts 2:1-13

DEVOTIONAL :

At Pentecost, God demonstrated His desire to communicate with all people in their own languages. This miraculous event shows us that God meets us where we are, speaking to us in ways we can understand. How has God spoken to you in your "language" - through nature, relationships, or personal experiences? Take time to listen for God's voice today, recognizing that He may be communicating in ways uniquely tailored to you. Consider how you might be more attentive to His presence and messages in your daily life.

APPLICATION :

Choose a specific way to "speak in someone's language" this week - find a way to connect with someone different from you.

Day 3 : Filled with the Spirit

READING :

Ephesians 5:15-21

DEVOTIONAL :

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is not about ecstatic experiences, but about allowing God's presence to permeate every aspect of our lives. Paul encourages us to be filled with the Spirit, which results in worship, thanksgiving, and mutual submission. Reflect on areas of your life where you need more of God's Spirit. How might your relationships, work, or personal habits change if you were more consistently filled with the Spirit?

APPLICATION :

Ask God to fill you anew today, and be open to how He might guide and empower you. Commit to praying for the Holy Spirit to fill you anew each day this week.

Day 4 : A New Identity in Christ

READING :

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

DEVOTIONAL :

In Christ, we are given a new identity as God's children and ambassadors. This new identity doesn't erase our cultural or personal uniqueness but gives us a new primary allegiance and purpose. Consider how your identity in Christ impacts your daily life. Are there areas where you struggle to live out this new identity? Reflect on what it means to be an "ambassador for Christ" in your specific context.

APPLICATION :

Ask God to help you embrace and live out your identity as His beloved child and representative in the world. Identify one way you can contribute to building a more diverse and accepting community within our church or small group.

Day 5 : Witnesses to God's Mighty Works

READING :

Acts 1:6-8

DEVOTIONAL :

Jesus calls us to be His witnesses, sharing the story of God's mighty works in our lives and in the world. This doesn't require eloquence or theological expertise, but a willingness to speak about what God has done. Reflect on the "mighty works" God has done in your life. How has He shown His love, grace, or power to you? Consider how you might share these experiences with others.

APPLICATION :

Ask God for opportunities to be His witness today, and for the courage to speak about His goodness when those opportunities arise. Journal about these opportunities and the ways God reveals His goodness to you and those around you.

This Week’s Liturgy & Playlist

CALL TO WORSHIP

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Psalm 9:1-2

Confession of Faith

From The Heidelberg Catechism

Q. What is your only comfort in life and death?

A. That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him.

Confession of Sin

Merciful God, we confess that we seek to fill our emptiness with fleeting comforts instead of waiting for the fullness of Your Spirit. We resist Your call, seeking satisfaction in relationships, possessions, addictions, and distractions. We suppress our need for You, chasing meaning in things that cannot satisfy. Cleanse us and fill us anew with Your Spirit, that we may boldly proclaim the grace of Jesus Christ to all people. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:8-10

Looking Ahead

Next week’s scripture: Acts 2:14-41