Pentecost Uncovered (Assembly Version)

Pentecost Uncovered: 

Each time I say the word HOLY SPIRIT a  child will be briefed to get up and dance etc.,)

(Blow out a candle on top of a birthday cake, and close eyes to make a wish.)

ALL THE CHILDREN~

If you had one birthday wish, what would it be that you would wish for? (MICROPHONE)

And if someone you really trusted said, ‘Your wish will come true any day now, how would you feel?

Who would be ....Excited? Overjoyed? Emotional?  Impatient? Shocked? Nervous?

These are probably the same feelings Jesus disciples had when one day, just before he went back to heaven, he said to them:-

‘ I want you to wait in Jerusalem for a very special gift, a gift I’ve been telling you about for a long time now, and soon it will be yours!’

It was a gift that God himself wished them to have!

And so they waited and waited and prayed and prayed.

Very soon afterwards, when they were all together praying it happened.

They heard a really strong wind (sound effect)

They looked around at each other and saw strange flames on everyone’s heads, and when they opened their mouths they began speaking foreign languages that they had never ever learned.

The gift that they had been given was the same gift that had been given to Jesus; a gift that had helped Jesus to listen carefully to God, and follow his instructions, but also do wonderful things for God...healings and miracles.

It was a gift that no-one would be able to take from them.

A gift that would set them free. 

The Holy Spirit was that gift. The day was called Pentecost!

(Holy Spirit in the form of a dancer with cheerleader sticks begins to dance around freely with enthusiasm and grace. The speaker asks her to sit down and listen)

The disciples had all been hiding inside a room with locked doors, in case the same people that had crucified Jesus, came for them too.)

Now they were filled with power and courage.

They flung the doors wide open and went outside, and began to tell the people all about Jesus, how they had been wrong to call for his death; that God had raised him from the dead, and that he above all others was Lord.

Three thousand people said they were sorry and ashamed that day, they came to believe in Jesus and they too were filled with the same Holy Spirit. Like some forest fire spreading....

 (Holy Spirit begins to dance around again freely waving her sticks like fire spreading. The speaker asks her name. She says I am the Holy Spirit’ to which the speaker replies, ‘Yes and I’m Alan Shearer* (or some other well known personality)!’ She is told to sit down again, this time beside a teacher and listen)

Many many more people came to believe from that moment as the disciples began to heal the sick using the name of Jesus; they fed and cared for poor people, they spoke out fearlessly about the need to come to God and believe.

Now it was as though Jesus himself lived on in them.

Just like the wind that blows freely and comes and goes where it pleases, so too the Holy Spirit blew them where to go and give their message, and what to do when they got there.

 (Dancer blows around like the wind so the speaker asks the head teacher to remove the dancer from the hall)

When the disciples were put into prison for what they were doing, the Holy Spirit set them free, so too the Holy Spirit cannot be locked away for long!

   (Dancer runs into the hall again, and gives gifts out, which the speaker collects in again as she talks)

Down through the years the Holy Spirit has given special gifts to help people serve God.

 And yet through history we have not always been free to put them to use. People would sometimes say, you can’t do that because you’re the wrong colour, or you’re a woman, or just a child!

But the gifts are still given freely.

God gives gifts and talents to all people, but when we use our gift for God’s good purposes, or try to let others know of his goodness through them, we call those gifts ‘Spiritual Gifts’. (hold up a couple of beautifully decorated gifts )

(Holy Spirit dancer brings the fruit bowl over to me)

What is it that we can offer today, what are the talents and gifts that we’ve been given?

Let us share them without being afraid.

Gifts like the one, this little dancer has been given today, to help us all to understand more about God.

Finally how do we know if the Holy Spirit lives inside us?

(dancer brings a basket of fruit to me containing apples and pears and conkers)

The bible says ...by their fruit you shall know them.

An apple tree grows apples...a pear tree grows pears.

A horse Chestnut tree gives us conkers...

So too if the Holy Spirit fills us we will see the fruit that grows in us

LOVE, JOY, PEACE,

PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS,

FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF CONTROL.

What is the opposite of all these?

Listen to them: