PRAYER FROM LUTHER’S PRAYERS: THE DAY OF PENTECOST

Lord God, dear Father, through your Holy Spirit you have
taught and enlightened the hearts of your believers.
Through the same Spirit give us a right understanding, to
be glad at all times in his comfort and power, through your
Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

From Luther’s Small Catechism:

The Third Article of The Apostles’ Creed:
On Being Made Holy
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

What is this?
I believe that by my own understanding or strength I
cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him,
but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the
gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy, and
kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers,
enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church
on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one
common, true faith. Daily in this Christian church the
Holy Spirit abundantly forgives all sins-mine and those
of all believers. On the last day the Holy Spirit will raise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as you sent upon
me and all the dead and will give to me and all believers the disciples the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, look upon
in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true. your Church and open our hearts to the power of the Spirit.
Kindle in us the fire of your love, and strengthen our lives for
service in your kingdom; through your Son, Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Gospel: John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 WHAT DOES THIS MEAN ?
[Jesus said:] 26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will They were all filled with the Holy Ghost.
send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes Acts ii. 1-13
from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. 27 You are
On this holy and joyful feast of Pentecost we give thanks
also to testify because you have been with me from the
to our Lord God as we celebrate the great unending mercy
beginning.”
which He made manifest on earth in that He revealed from
heaven to us poor men His holy Word, which is not a plain
16:4b“I did not say these things to you from the beginning,
and common word, but a special and a different Word,
because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who
compared with the Law of Moses. For this day the Kingdom
sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
of Christ began through the Apostles, and was manifested
6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has
through the Gospel for all the world. Of course, in His
filled your hearts. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to
Person, Christ possessed His Kingdom from eternity, but
your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the
today, on Whitsunday, it was made manifest by the Holy
Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him
Ghost through the Apostles to all the world, and this
to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove the world
revelation was accompanied by the great courage, daring, and
wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement: 9 about
joy of those wretched fisherman, the Apostles, who had
sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about
previously denied Christ and deserted Him because their
righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you
minds were stupid and afraid and in despair.
will see me no longer; 11 about judgement, because the ruler
Today, on this Whitsunday, we celebrate the joyous,
of this world has been condemned.
blessed, and precious Kingdom of Christ, which is full of joy,
and confidence and courage.
12:”Istill have many things to say to you, but you cannot
bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will Sermon for Whitsunday, 1534. W.A 37. 399 f.
guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own,
but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you Taken from the book:
the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, because
he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that Day by Day We Magnify Thee by Martin Luther
the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will
take what is mine and declare it to you.” Page 220