This week we begin a new six-week worship series on practicing Christian disciplines to stay in love with God. We’ll celebrate Pentecost this coming Sunday and turn to Acts 2.1-21 as we consider Public Worship as a practice for staying in love with God.
Matt settled into his study leave last week and began writing on our church’s story and Grace. He’ll continue working on those themes this coming week and we’re grateful for your continued support as he continues working on what we hope will become an important resource for our community of faith in the future.
Outline for Staying in Love with God.
- May 15: Acts 2.1-21 (Public Worship)
- May 22: Acts 2:37-42 (Witness/Testimony)
- May 29: Psalm 92.1-4,12-15 (Prayer)
- June 5: 2 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (Searching Scripture)
- June 12: Matthew 26:26-28 (Communion)
- June 19: Matthew 16:16-18 (Fasting)
Michael Jinkins writes, “Pentecost represents the inbreaking of God’s purposes for all humanity, bringing humanity together in understanding, despite their differences…..The day of Pentecost occurred just seven weeks after those who were opposed to Jesus had ended this “nonsense” with crucifixion; but now, for some, their worst nightmare was coming true. This broadening understanding of God’s love would grow, as it did ‘that day [by] about three thousand persons’ (v. 41) as the ‘divided tongues’ (v. 3) spoke with one voice about ‘God’s deeds of power’ (v. 11) in the languages of ‘every nation under heaven,’ (v. 5) of ‘all the families of the earth’” (Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 3 Kindle Locations 744-862).
This week read the story of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2.1-21. One of the ways we celebrate the inbreaking of God’s purposes for all humanity is through Public Worship. How has your faith been deepened through worship? What parts of worship do you find most transformative each week?