SermonStudio

Call To Worship
If you are celebrating Pentecost and the joyous birth of the church, the following two Calls To Worship might work for you. The first one is from the perspective of the disciples as they wait for the Holy Spirit to arrive as promised. These two take their cues from Acts 2:1-21.
Leader:
Quietly we sat together and prayed,
People:
Waiting;
Leader:
Not sure of what we were waiting for,
People:
But waiting still.
Leader:
Until there came a strange sound.
People:
What is that?
Leader:
A wind. Getting louder and louder, and then ...
People:
Fire, dropping from the ceiling
Leader:
And resting above our heads, and we began to speak in languages
People:
That weren't our own.
Leader:
And out into the streets of Jerusalem we went,
People:
Speaking, and laughing, and filled with joy
Leader:
So that the people thought we were drunk,
People:
But it was only nine in the morning.
Leader:
We were not drunk, we were filled with the Spirit Jesus had promised us,
People:
Clothed with power from on high.
Leader:
It was exhilarating.
People:
We were more alive than ever.
Leader:
We were new creations --
People:
Truly new; remade from the inside out.
Leader:
Today that same Holy Spirit continues to make new those who wait upon him.
People:
Let us celebrate our newness in the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Leader:
Amen.

The four stanzas of this Call To Worship each take up one aspect of the disciples' Pentecost experience. The leader should pause briefly between stanzas.
Leader:
Empty; airless; breathless; dead.
People:
And then,
Leader:
From out of nowhere,
People:
A sound,
Leader:
Rushing like a wind,
People:
Filling up the room
Leader:
With the breath of God,
People:
The breath of life.

Leader:
Cold; bone-chilling cold.
People:
Will we ever be warm again?
Leader:
And then
People:
The wind gives way to fire,
Leader:
Falling on our heads,
People:
Warming us,
Leader:
Raging through our hearts,
People:
Bringing warmth to all those around us.

Leader:
Silent lips; misunderstanding,
People:
Fear and mistrust.
Leader:
Until
People:
An explosion of words,
Leader:
A chaos of language,
People:
Understood by everyone in the Spirit.

Leader:
And the party ensued,
People:
Wind, fire, words.
Leader:
Dancing, singing, laughing,
People:
As the family of faith was born,
Leader:
Is born among us,
People:
Wherever and whenever the Spirit comes.
Leader:
Let's party.

Pentecost marked a new day in the life of the people of God -- the beginning of a marriage between God's people and Jesus Christ; the bride and the bridegroom. This Call To Worship celebrates the wedding feast and also references the prodigal son.
Leader:
The kingdom of God is like a great wedding banquet,
People:
Where they make merry when the prodigal son returns home,
Leader:
Where they toast the little lost lamb who is found,
People:
Where a celebration is thrown when one sinner is saved,
Leader:
Where the most undeserving are invited to feast with the Lord of love,
People:
And dance with the saints;
Leader:
Where there is no more lying,
People:
No more crying,
Leader:
No more dying,
People:
Ever;
Leader:
Where peace passes understanding,
People:
And life is so abundant we won't recognize it.
Leader:
The kingdom of God is a banquet,
People:
A feast,
Leader:
A celebration,
People:
A party.
Leader:
Let's make merry with our God.

Finally, a Call To Worship based on our Psalm for this morning.
Leader:
How many are your works, O Lord!
People:
In wisdom you made them all;
Leader:
There is the sea, vast and spacious,
People:
Teeming with creatures beyond number.
Leader:
There the ships go to and fro,
People:
And the great creatures of the sea, which you formed to frolic there.
Leader:
These all look to you
People:
To give them their food at the proper time.
Leader:
When you send your Spirit,
People:
They come to life, and you renew the face of the earth.
Leader:
May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
People:
May the Lord rejoice in his works.
Leader:
I will sing to the Lord all my life;
People:
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Leader:
Praise the Lord, O my soul.
People:
Praise the Lord.


Prayer Of Confession
Pentecost is, in part, about abundance of life; this prayer confesses that we often miss it.
Leader:
Lord, forgive us when we forget the abundant life you have given us,
People:
And live the life of the miser.
Leader:
Forgive us when we turn your kingdom from a life of enjoying the riches of grace and love
People:
Into a life so solemn and somber that others think life has been taken from us rather than given to us.
Leader:
Forgive us when we take the joy
People:
And turn it sour;
Leader:
When we transform the freedom
People:
Into a straitjacket;
Leader:
When we take forgiveness and mercy,
People:
But don't extend them to others.
Leader:
Lord, forgive us when we make your kingdom into something you never intended it to be,
People:
And help us to witness to a kingdom where love reigns;
Leader:
Life is abundant;
People:
And joy is everywhere. Amen.

This Confessional Prayer incorporates an Assurance Of Pardon. You could use this prayer as an Assurance if you wish, or just use the second half, which is adapted below as an Assurance.
Leader:
Frowning faces, sorry spirits;


blank stares, desperate days;

Lives lived under the tyranny of guilt,


and the fear of having fun;

Solemn Sunday morning assemblies,


without smiles, or laughter, or love;

Heavy hearts passing hugless through our midst,


while we fulfill religious requirements;

Joy hijacked by self-righteousness


that wounds the tender soul;
People:
These, Lord, are our sins.
Leader:
What ever happened to "praise the Lord,"


and "mourning into dancing"?

What ever happened to "abundant life,"


and "love never ends,"


and "rejoice in the Lord always,"


and "you are the salt of the earth"?
People:
Yeah! And what ever happened to "joy to the world,"


and "he is risen,"


and "let the little children come unto me,"


and "kill the fatted calf and make merry,"


and "the wedding feast of the lamb"?
Leader:
What has happened to the good news?


You are loved, you are forgiven,


You are saved, you are free,


You have been invited into the glory of the kingdom of God.
People:
Yes, the news is good! Let us rejoice!


Assurance Of Pardon
Leader:
What ever happened to "praise the Lord,"


and "mourning into dancing"?
People:
What ever happened to "abundant life,"
Leader:
And "love never ends,"


and "rejoice in the Lord always,"


and "you are the salt of the earth"?
People:
Yeah!

And what ever happened to "joy to the world,"
Leader:
And "he is risen,"


and "let the little children come unto me,"
People:
And "kill the fatted calf and make merry,"


and "the wedding feast of the Lamb"?
Leader:
What has happened to the good news?


You are loved, you are forgiven,


You are saved, you are free,


You have been invited in to the glory of the kingdom of God.
People:
Yes, the news is good! Let us rejoice!


Prayer Of Dedication
Alludes to Ezekiel 37.
Let us pray: Can these old bones live? It is a question we ask in the church all the time, Lord. Too often there is a deadness about us; no life; no spirit; no joy. We come before you this morning to lay ourselves and all we have down before you, asking that you would do for us what Ezekiel saw in his vision, asking that you would breathe your breath of life into our old bones and make us alive again. We ask so that we can be effective in touching our families, and friends, and workplaces, and schools, and neighborhoods, and indeed even our world, with your life and love. Amen.


Prayer For Illumination
This morning why not just sing the simple chorus below as a prayer for illumination?
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.


Pastoral Prayer
Based on Romans 8:26-27
Dear Lord, there are times when we just cannot pray. We have no words. Our spirit is weak. We are uninspired. Or maybe we are so wounded that we cannot find the strength to pray. We thank you that it is at these times of deep need that your Spirit intercedes for us. Even when all we have to offer you is a groan or a cry, your Spirit searches our hearts, knows our needs, and brings them before you. Help us when we find ourselves in such times, help us to come to you anyway and lay our brokenness and pain at your feet, for you will respond.

And now we lay at your feet the needs of our brothers and sisters who are in pain this morning as we worship ...


Benediction
Ezekiel 37:12-14
God said, prophesy to my tired people and say to them: "The Lord says, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

"I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and will take possession of the promises I have made to you."


Hymns

Breathe On Me

Breathe On Me, Breath Of God

Come, Holy Spirit, Dove Divine

Comforter Has Come, The

Fill Me Now

Fill My Cup

Heavenly Spirit, Gentle Spirit

Jesus, Stand Among Us

Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee

Make A Joyful Noise

O Breath Of Life

Spirit Of God, Descend Upon My Heart

Spirit Of The Living God

Sweet, Sweet Spirit

Welcome, Welcome

Where The Spirit Of The Lord Is


Contemporary Choruses

All Hail King Jesus, Dave Moody

Glorify Thy Name, Donna Adkins

He Has Made Me Glad, Leona Von Brethorst

Shine, Jesus, Shine, Graham Kendrick

Shout To The North, Martin Smith

We Will Glorify, Twila Paris


Other Music

Joy Of The Lord, The, Twila Paris


Creative Ideas
If you preach on the Ezekiel passage you might want to display a full size skeleton in a conspicuous place. You can probably get one from the biology teacher at your local high school. That skeleton is what the church is like without the Spirit of the Living God.