Recovery Worship
Virtual Recovery – May 31, 2020 – Pentecost 

Acts 2 (David Bentley Hart translation) 
And, when the day arrived that completed the fifty after Passover, they were all gathered together in one place; And suddenly there came a noise like a turbulent wind borne out of the sky, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting, And there appeared before them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest, one each upon each of them, And they were all filled with a Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them to utter. Now dwelling in Jerusalem were devout Judaeans from every nation under the sky; And on the advent of this noise the multitude gathered, and were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and astounded, saying, “Look, are not all of these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that each of us hears his own language, the languages in which we were raised – Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and those living in Mesopotamia, both Judaea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia; Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya abutting Cyrene, and visitors from Rome; Both Judaeans and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians – we hear them declaring the great deeds of God in our own tongues?” And all were amazed and entirely at a loss, saying to one another, “What does this portend?” But others, ridiculing them, said: “They are full of sweet new wine.” But Peter, standing up along with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them:
“Judaean men, and all of you staying in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and lend your ears to my words, For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, as it is the third hour of the day; Rather, this is what was declared through the prophet Joel: ‘And in the last days it shall happen, says God, that I will pour forth from my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall dream dreams; Yes, in those days, I will pour forth from my Spirit even upon my male slaves and upon my female slaves, and they shall prophesy, And I will send prodigies in the sky above and signs in the earth below, blood and fire and clouds of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and resplendent day of the Lord arrives. And it shall happen that everyone, whosoever it is, who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ Israelite men, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazorean, a man validated by God among you by feats of power and prodigies and signs that God performed in your midst through them, as you yourself know – This man – delivered up by the determined counsel and with the foreknowledge of God – you killed affixing him with nails, employing the hands of men without the Law: Him whom God raised up, releasing him from the torments of death, because it was not possible for him to be restrained by it. For David says of him, “I saw this Lord always before me, because he is on my right, so that I might not be shaken. Therefore my heart was gladdened and my tongue rejoiced, and now my flesh will also raise its tent upon hope, Because you will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will you allow your hallowed one to see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life, with your face you will fill me with delight.’ Men, brothers, it is permissible to speak openly to you about the patriarch David: that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this day; So, being a prophet and knowing that God swore him a pledge that one from the fruit of his loins would sit on the throne, He saw it in advance and spoke about the resurrection of the Anointed: that neither was he abandoned to Hades nor did his flesh see decay. God raised this Jesus up, of which we are all witnesses: Having therefore been exalted to God’s right side, and receiving from the Father the promise of the Spirit, the Holy one, this he poured out – which you both see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, yet he says, ‘The Lord said to my lord, sit down at my right side, Until I set your enemies as a footstool for your feet.’ Therefore let the whole house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Anointed – this Jesus whom you crucified.”
And, hearing this, they were pierced in heart and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, “What may we do, men, brothers?” And Peter said to them, “Change your hearts, and let each of you be baptized upon the name of Jesus the Anointed, for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to those far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” And with many words more he testified to them and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” So those who accepted his word were baptized, and that day about three thousand souls were added, And they devoted themselves steadfastly to the Apostles’ teachings and communal life, in the breaking of bread and in prayers. And reverence came to every soul; and through the Apostles came many wonders and signs. And all those who had faith were at the same place and owned all things communally, And they sold their properties and possessions, and distributed to everyone, according as anyone had need. And from day to day they steadfastly remained in the Temple in concord of spirit and, breaking bread in one house after another, they shared their food in gladness and simplicity of heart, Praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And day by day the Lord added those who were being saved to their company. 

Prayer/Blessing
Holy Spirit, open us to receive the Word 
in the many languages in which it may come.
Open our hearts to seek out evidence of the Spirit at work 
within us, within our neighbors, within our communities, and within the world.
Stir the Fire in our hearts, 
that we may find ways to enact the Divine vision 
of ending oppression 
and promoting love and justice for all
to make the Kingdom of God a reality here and now.
Amen.