We know that Advent is a time of preparation ahead of Christmas, as Lent is for Easter. But have you ever considered the connection between Ascension Day and Pentecost? Christ’s ascension was a fulfillment of his Easter resurrection, but it also looks forward. Before Christ ascended he gave the promise to send his Holy Spirit—a promise fulfilled on Pentecost. But while the disciples waited for the coming Spirit they were to spend time in prayer—a time of preparation.
One reason why so few churches mark Christ’s ascension, I believe, is that we fail to understand not only the theological and salvific significance of the event, but also its connection to Pentecost. Through the message, the worship elements, and the occasional repetition of words, the following two services try to strengthen that connection and reflect on both Christ’s ascension and the Spirit’s coming at Pentecost.
To further help congregants see the connection between these two occasions and see the time between Ascension Day and Pentecost as a time of preparation, we have provided a series of devotional activities focused on the fruit of the Spirit. These are downloadable and may be reproduced as long as they include the provided copyright and are not sold. Those devotions are at tinyurl.com/RW147devotional.
Ascension Day
Call to Worship:
A Litany Based on Psalm 47
The following litany is divided into four voices with a child asking the questions. You could also re-arrange the litany for more or fewer voices and give the child’s part to the whole congregation. However you decide to break up the psalm, make sure it is spoken with appropriate emphasis and reflection to communicate the message as well as the words.
1: Clap your hands, all you nations!
Shout to God with cries of joy!
Child: Why should we clap our hands?
What reason do we have to shout with joy?
1. Well, because the LORD Most High is awesome
and is the great King over all the earth.
2: The LORD subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
3: The LORD chose our inheritance for us:
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
4: But even more than all of that,
our God has ascended from earth to heaven!
3: Indeed, God has ascended amid shouts of joy
— the LORD ascended amid the sounding of trumpets!
Child: How should we respond to this ascended God?
2: Sing praises to God! Sing praises, of course!
3: Sing praises to our King! Sing lots of praises!
4: Yes, sing praises!
1: Because God is the King of all the earth,
sing to him a psalm of praise.
2: God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
3: The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.
Child: Indeed, God is to be greatly exalted!
Let’s clap our hands and sing for joy!
Opening Songs of Praise
“Clap Your Hands” Owens, PH 166, SWM 2
“Come, Thou Almighty King” Anonymous, LUYH 492, GtG 2
“Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” Lyte, LUYH 571, GtG 620
“Nations, Clap Your Hands” Psalm 47, LUYH 216, PfAS 47E
“Great Are You, Lord” Ingram, Jordan, Leonard
“You Have Made Me Glad” Gayle, Perez, Musso, Gentiles
Greeting: Revelation 1:4–5
Songs of Adoration to the Ascended Christ
Medley Option 1
“Jesus Is Lord” Chua, LUYH 226
"He Is Lord” Anonymous, LUYH 227
Medley Option 2
“Worthy of It All” Brymer, Hall
“O Come, Let Us Adore Him” (refrain only) LUYH 76
Additional verses:
For Christ alone is worthy, . . .
We’ll give him all the glory, . . .
Call to Confession
While we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord,
the way we live proclaims our lack of faith
in Christ’s power to rule the world.
While we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord,
the way we live proclaims our lack of faith
that Christ, having known what it is to be human,
is seated at God’s right hand and is interceding on our behalf.
While we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord,
the way we live proclaims our lack of faith
that in our baptisms we are united with Christ
in his death and resurrection
and thus will one day stand before the throne of God
and meet God face to face.
While we claim to celebrate the ascension of our Lord,
the way we live proclaims our lack of faith
that, just as Christ promised, the Holy Spirit has come
and lives in and among us as our advocate and comforter.
Let us confess the incongruity between our faith and practice.
Let us pray.
—From Reformed Worship 11 © 1989 Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church. Used by permission. Additional text by Joyce Borger, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike.
Prayer of Confession and Lament
We come, O Lord, on this day of glory to confess our lack of trust.
While we sing of your lordship over all creation,
we have too often acted as if you are powerless
against all the challenges we face
in our world, our community, our church, and our personal relationships.
We have forgotten that you sit at God’s right hand
interceding on our behalf,
and that you sent us the Holy Spirit as our comforter and advocate.
Help us to live with confidence in your presence today
and in hope for life with you forever. Amen.
—From Reformed Worship 11 © 1989 Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church. Used by permission. Additional text by Joyce Borger, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike.
Sung Prayer of Confession
“O Christ, the Lamb of God” John 1:29, LUYH 630
Assurance of Pardon
Let us together proclaim these words of faith that offer us an assurance of our pardon:
God whose glory fills our world
God whose life is closer than breath
God whose love is stronger than death
God, this God of life and love,
Has sent an advocate to save us:
Jesus Christ the righteous, now at the right hand of God
Not to condemn but to bring full life
Not to accuse but to redeem
Not to reject but to draw close
God, this God of life and love,
Has sent an advocate to save us:
Jesus Christ the righteous, now at the right hand of God
God who hears the cry of our seeking souls
God who sees the pain of our suffering bodies
God who feels the loss of our grieving spirits
God, this God of life and love,
Has sent an advocate to be with us forever:
The Spirit of truth abides with us eternally
Before us to teach and lead,
Within us to comfort and heal,
Around us to shield and protect,
God, this God of life and love,
Has sent an advocate to be with us forever:
The Spirit of truth abides with us eternally
God whose dream brings hope and wholeness
God whose ways bring abundance and peace
God whose new world is breaking into ours
God, this God of life and love,
Has made his dwelling place with men and women.
God the Almighty welcomes us into a resurrection created world
Together with sisters and brothers of every nation
Together with saints from every age
Together with those who follow in our footsteps
God, this God of life and love,
Has made his dwelling place with men and women.
God the Almighty welcomes us into a resurrection created world.
—Christine Sine, “Another Prayer for Ascension & Pentecost,” GodSpaceLight.com.
Passing of the Peace
As we have received peace from Christ assuring us of our forgiveness, let us also pass that peace to each other.
Thanksgiving
“Crown Him with Many Crowns” Bridge, Thring, LUYH 223, GtG 268
Prayer for Illumination
Blessed are you, Lord God,
King of all creation:
You have taught us by your Word.
Open our hearts to your Spirit
and lead us on the paths of Christ, your Son.
All praise and glory be yours forever. Amen.
—From Reformed Worship 39 © 1996 Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church. Used by permission.
Scripture Readings
Luke 24:50–52; Acts 1:1–14; Ephesians 1:15–23
Sermon: “The Power of Prayer”
Sermon Notes
We don’t often think about or preach on what happened immediately after Christ’s ascension, but there is something very powerful going on between Ascension Day and Pentecost that shouldn’t be overlooked. The disciples, including the women who were with them, spent those nine days in prayer. While the Lectionary Year A text ends with Acts 1:11, you may want to continue to verse 14, where we read, “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”
What did they pray about? The texts give us a few clues. Their prayers included praise to God for what God has done and also what God was going to do through the power of the promised Holy Spirit. That prayer for the Holy Spirit is not a “one and done” prayer but something that believers ought to pray continually. Paul provides an example of that ongoing prayer in Ephesians 1:17: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” This wasn’t a prayer for unbelievers, but for believers who are known for their faith and love.
If the disciples and faithful believers needed to pray continually for the gifting and ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, comfort, and advocate for them, then how much more should we?
Ultimately, this sermon should link Ascension Day and Pentecost and explain that, just like Advent and Christmas or Lent and Easter, the first speaks to the promise and the later to its fulfillment. It may also be an invitation to spend the nine days between Ascension Day and Pentecost as Christians around the world throughout history have: praying for the Holy Spirit’s outpouring in our lives and world and particularly for the fruit of the Spirit to grow in our lives. (See the introduction for a link to the devotional on the fruit of the Spirit.)
Profession of the Church’s Faith
In his divinity, majesty, grace, and Spirit,
Christ is not absent from us for a moment.
By the Spirit’s power
we make the goal of our lives not earthly things,
but the things above where Christ is,
sitting at God’s right hand.
Through the Holy Spirit
Christ pours out his gifts from heaven upon us, his members.
The Spirit, as well as the Father and the Son, is eternal God.
The Spirit has been given to us personally
so that by true faith
the Spirit makes us share in Christ and all his blessings,
comforts us, and remains with us forever.
—based on the Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 47, 49, 51, and 53
Prayers of the People
The following is a guide for extemporaneous prayers. The pattern provides a suggested text for the opening and closing of each part of the prayer and calls for extemporaneous prayers of thanksgiving, petition, and intercession.
—Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, second edition © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources (TWS O.4.4.1).
Jesus Christ, mediator and high priest,
we thank you for becoming human and for experiencing
the joys and sorrows of life, which assures us that you are able
to sympathize and rejoice with us. We praise you for the many joys of life:
for the beauty of creation, especially . . .
for your work in this world . . .
for the growth of your kingdom . . .
for the greatest source of our happiness, the gift of eternal life . . .
As our mediator, you stand before God, petitioning him on our behalf,
so we boldly bring before you our prayers for
creation and its care . . .
the nations of the world . . .
our nation and its leaders . . .
this community and those in authority . . .
the church universal as it works on your behalf . . .
this local church in its ministry . . .
persons with particular needs . . .
We pray this in your strong name, O Christ,
our mediator and high priest. Amen.
—Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, second edition © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources (TWS O.4.4.1).
Offering
If it isn’t your normal practice to have communion each week or with Ascension Day worship, you may want to consider celebrating it this Ascension Day, highlighting the theological themes the Lord’s Supper and Christ’s ascension hold in common, such as Christ as King of the universe and our union with Christ in his death and resurrection.
Call to Service or Discipleship
As you leave here today, do so knowing that, just as the disciples received the power of the Holy Spirit and then were sent to proclaim the gospel throughout the world, you too should pray for the Spirit’s ongoing work and presence in your life so you may join the work the Spirit is doing in the world. In these next nine days, spend time reflecting on the fruit of the Spirit and for its increased presence in your life. [Include any additional instructions related to the fruit of the Spirit devotional resource linked in the introduction to these services.]
Blessing/Benediction
In the week ahead,
may God the Holy Spirit
move within and among us,
giving us spiritual
eyes to see the world as Christ sees it,
ears to hear the world as Christ hears it,
feet that go wherever the Spirit may direct,
and hands to join the Spirit’s work in this world,
so that Christ, our ascended Lord,
may receive all glory, honor, and praise.
Amen.
—Joyce Borger, 2023 © Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Used by permission.
Get Outside!
In some communities Ascension Day is marked by getting outside, since that is where the ascension happened. If the weather is nice enough where you live, go for a hike! Try to find a hill or mountain to hike up, and when at the top, read the Ascension Day passage (Acts 1:1–11) and reflect on what the disciples must have been thinking and feeling at that time. What do you think Christ was thinking and feeling knowing that those were to be his last moments on earth? If a hike isn’t possible, go for a walk and think about how Christ is Lord over all you see.
Pentecost
Call to Worship
A Litany of Psalm 104:24, 27–34 for Three Voices
1: How many are your works, Lord!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
All: All creatures look to you
to give them their food at the proper time.
2: When you give it to them,
they gather it up;
3: when you open your hand,
they are satisfied with good things.
2: When you hide your face,
they are terrified;
3: when you take away their breath,
they die and return to the dust.
1: When you send your Spirit,
they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.
3: May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in his works—
2: he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains, and they smoke.
All: I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.
Opening Song Suggestions
“Creator Spirit, by Whose Aid” Veni Creator Spiritus, Dryden, LUYH 523
“Come, Holy Ghost” Veni Creator Spiritus, Benedict, Mills, LUYH 232
“O Holy Spirit, by Whose Breath” Veni Creator Spiritus, Grant, LUYH 900
“Spirit, Working in Creation” Richards, LUYH 235
“Praise the Spirit in Creation” Hewlett, LUYH 236
“Holy Spirit” Torwalt
“Holy Spirit, Come” Walker
Greeting: Revelation 1:4–5
Song/Prayer of Adoration to the Holy Spirit
“Spirit of God, Unleashed on Earth” Arthur, LUYH 237
Confession and Assurance of Pardon
See the Ascension Day service
Passing of the Peace
See the Ascension Day service
Thanksgiving
“For Your Gift of God the Spirit” Clarkson, LUYH 525
Prayer for Illumination
See the Ascension Day service
Sung Prayer for Illumination
“We Need the Power of the Holy Spirit” Smallwood, LUYH 321
Scripture Readings
Numbers 11:24–30; John 20:19–23; Acts 2:1–21; 1 Corinthians 12:3b–13
Sermon: “Living Breath of God”
Sermon Notes
Prior to Pentecost the Holy Spirit, though always present in the world, made itself known on rare occasions like the ones we read about in Numbers 11 or John 20. In both those cases the Spirit was given through another mediator. When Pentecost came, the Spirit was unleashed. It fell upon many people and continues to do so today, working in and through believers. The beautiful gift of Pentecost is that the Holy Spirit no longer needs a mediator. Now the Spirit is the mediator. The Holy Spirit also bestows gifts upon believers to be used for building God’s kingdom. If your congregants have spent the last week praying for and reflecting on the fruit of the Spirit (see link in the introduction), it may be helpful to talk about the difference between the fruit of the Spirit (the natural character that all who are connected to the Holy Spirit are to exhibit) and the gifts of the Spirit (tools to be used for the kingdom of God). Though different, the two are intricately intertwined, and both are dependent on a continually growing relationship with the triune God. The real question is whether one’s spiritual fruit and spiritual gifts reflect our oneness in Christ and are evident through our actions as we work together with all believers for the glory of God and the promotion of the gospel. The Spirit has come and breathed life into our souls; how are we now to live?
Sung Response
“Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God” Getty, Townend, LUYH 746
Profession of the Church’s Faith
See the Ascension Day service
Prayers of the People
The following is a guide for extemporaneous prayers. The pattern provides a suggested text for the opening and closing of each part of the prayer and calls for extemporaneous prayers of thanksgiving, petition, and intercession.
—Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, second edition © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources (TWS Q.4.4.1).
Spirit of fire,
who came as a rushing wind breathing life and hope
into dead bones and cold hearts,
we praise you for the comfort and guidance
you have given the church throughout the ages:
for your presence in creation, especially . . .
for changing hearts and guiding decisions as evidenced in . . .
for your work through the church universal . . .
for your presence in our worship . . .
for your sanctifying work in our lives . . .
Holy Spirit, we pray for your comfort and guidance
as we care for creation . . .
for the nations of the world . . .
for this community and those who are in authority . . .
for the church universal as it works on your behalf . . .
for this local church in its ministry . . .
for persons with particular needs . . .
We pray in the name of the Father and the Son,
who live and reign together with you,
one God forever and ever. Amen.
—Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, second edition © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources (TWS Q.4.4.1).
Offering
Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy.
Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy.
Amen.
—St. Augustine
If it isn’t your normal practice to have communion each week or with Pentecost worship, consider celebrating it this Pentecost, highlighting how the Holy Spirit unites us with Christ and each other as we partake in communion.
Call to Service or Discipleship
As we leave here today, let us pray for the Spirit’s presence and leading in our lives using a prayer by Anthony of Padua, who lived in the thirteenth century. St. Anthony, as he is now called, not only had the gift of preaching but also exuded the fruit of the Spirit through his love and care for the poor. Let us pray.
O God, as we leave here, send us forth with your Holy Spirit.
Send your Holy Spirit
into my heart that I may perceive,
into my mind that I may remember,
and into my soul that I may meditate.
Inspire me to speak with piety, holiness, tenderness, and mercy.
Teach, guide, and direct my thoughts and senses from beginning to end.
May your grace ever help and correct me,
and may I be strengthened now with wisdom from on high,
for the sake of your infinite mercy. Amen.
—adapted from St. Anthony of Padua (1195–1231), P.D.
Closing Song Suggestions
“Gracious Spirit, Heed Our Pleading” Niwaglia, LUYH 320, GTG 287, SSS 245
“Lord, Speak to Me, That I May Speak” Havergal, LUYH 754, GTG 722, SSS 557
“Holy Spirit, Truth Divine” Longfellow, LUYH 864
Blessing/Benediction
See the Ascension Day service