Broadway Christian Church · Columbia, Missouri

The Worship of God · May 23, 2010

Pentecost Sunday

Baptism Sunday

Litany of Pentecost

Based on Acts 2:1-4

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.

       And suddenly from heaven there came a sound

                   like the rush of a mighty wind,

       and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.

Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them,

       and a tongue rested on each of them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit

and began to speak in other languages,

as the Spirit gave them ability.

Melt me, mold me,

       Fill me, use me!

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.

The Pentecost Prayer

Spirit of God, we have gathered together in this place, to pray, and to make ourselves ready for your coming.

Give us faith,

            That when you come like the wind, though we do not see you, yet we may

            hear what you are saying to us and discern your movement.

Give us courage, that we may not fear the tongues of flame:

            Let all that is unworthy, impure, and sinful be burned from our lives.

            May we know that it is love that burns so brightly

            and love that strips away our sin.

Give us an open mind, Lord, that the truth you bring may make its home with us:

            Truth to set us free, truth to guide us and inform us,

            truth to lead us in the way of your will.

Give us an open heart, Lord

            That we may seek all people for your realm,

            And set no limits to the proclaiming of your word.

Holy Spirit, with the whole church we wait for you

in every place and in every generation.

            Come, wind. Come, fire. Come, truth. Come, love.

            In Jesus’ name. Amen.

And now, let us say together the prayer that Jesus taught us.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, the power, and glory, forever. Amen.

The Meditation

Be Baptized, Every One Of You

Tim Carson

The disciples waited in Jerusalem following the resurrection appearance, waiting for the Spirit that would come – that would come like winds and like fire. The Breath and the Word of God. The one Spirit that speaks to every heart, the one Spirit that is understood by all, came to each and came to them as though in their own language.

In the midst of all the commotion, Peter stood and told all those present that these gathered are not drunk with new wine, but rather they are inebriated with the Spirit. In fact, he said, “This same Spirit brought Jesus of Nazareth into the world, doing wonders and signs and proclaiming the kingdom of God. God reached out to you in love, but you crucified the Lord of life. And in this same Spirit of God, he was freed from death, because it was impossible for death to hold him. We, he said, are witnesses to this truth. God has made him both Lord and Messiah, the one whom you have crucified.” 

Let us hear the reading of the Word.

New Testament Lesson

Acts 2:32-35; 37-38

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. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,

            ‘The Lord is my Lord,

            “Sit at my right hand,

                        until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter said to them, “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.”

The Meditation Continues

When the people heard his words, they asked one question, “What shall we do when the earth is shaking, when the pillars are removed from their places, when the event happens?” The word is asked, “What shall we do?”

I remember one time when 9/11 took place. I was at the church that day. One of our church members didn’t know what else to do but to come to the church. I walked out onto the parking lot, and there he was. He came up to me, and he asked me one question, “What should we do?”

When the pillars are shaking, when the foundations are shaking, when the heavens part, when it all comes out onto the table, we ask the one question, “What shall we do?”

And Peter said, “After you have made the public confession that Christ is Lord, you should be baptized, every one, and then receive forgiveness, and then experience the Holy Spirit.”

Today, we do the same. One of our early founders in the faith, Walter Scott, would preach. When he would go out to preach, he would go during the daytime and find a group of children and say, “If you would like to see a preacher do a sermon on one hand, come back tonight and bring your parents with you.”

But the sermon he had on one hand was a five-finger exercise. It was 1) Confess Christ; 2) Repent (that is, turn around); 3) Be baptized; 4) Receive forgiveness; 5) Receive the Holy Spirit.

Today, we gather as a community of young people and adults who are entering the waters of baptism. They have been engaged in spiritual preparation for this moment. They have examined the Christian life and their own with it, surrendering themselves to the grace of God. They have already made the good confession in Christ. Now, they enter the waters of baptism, following the pattern of Jesus, dying to their old self to rise unto a new one. Becoming part of the Church in the world, making disciples, teaching, and baptizing. They will arise from these waters as new creatures in Christ, baptized into the body of the Church, and then going to the table of the Lord for the first time as the baptized. 

We, the Church, Christ’s body in the world, always re-experience our own baptisms through every new baptism. In fact, the Church is constantly renewed through the remembrance of our baptisms. And so, as we come forward for communion this morning, you are invited to remember your baptism by touching the waters of baptism in the basins found at all of our communion stations. The water in the basins will be drawn from this baptistry where we have just baptized these baptismal candidates. If you were baptized as an adult, you are invited to touch the waters and remember. If you were baptized as a child, you are invited to touch the waters and reaffirm your baptism and the faith the Church carried for you until your confirmation. We bless all those who will be baptized. We seek renewal for the whole Church through the remembrance of our baptisms. 

And on this Pentecost Sunday, we pray for deep measures of the Spirit that is pours upon the whole Church like wind and fire, so that whatever language we share, whatever life we live, whatever past we carry, whatever hope we nurture, it will all seem as close to us as our own language. 

“Be baptized, every one, in the name of Jesus Christ.” 

And now, let us affirm our faith together. The affirmation our baptismal class has recited every time we met from the very beginning of our journey, Our Disciples Affirmation.

As members of the Christian Church,

We confess that Jesus is the Christ,

   the Son of the living God,

   and proclaim him Lord and Savior of the world.

In Christ’s name and by his grace

   we accept our mission of witness

   and service to all people.

We rejoice in God,

   maker of heaven and earth,

   and in the covenant of love

   which binds us to God and one another.

Through baptism into Christ

   we enter into newness of life

   and are made one with the whole people of God.

In the communion of the Holy Spirit

   we are joined together in discipleship

   and in obedience to Christ.

At the table of the Lord

   we celebrate with thanksgiving

   the saving acts and presence of Christ.

Within the universal church,

   we receive the gift of ministry

   and the light of scripture.

In the bonds of Christian faith

   we yield ourselves to God

   that we may serve the One

   whose kingdom has no end.

Blessing, glory and honor

   be to God forever. Amen.

Benediction

And now, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, the fellowship and communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.