1. At the beginning of his mission on earth, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary according to God the Father’s Plan.
2. At his Baptism, Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit. He was given Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord (Find and read Isaiah 11:2 in your Bible.)
3. Fifty (50) days after Jesus’ death and Resurrection, God sent the powerful Holy Spirit to Mary, his Mother and His small faithful group of followers and then to ALL who believed. They are the first seed of God’s Family, the Church on earth who continues Jesus’ mission as his own BODY.
4. It is so important to remember that All who believe in Jesus as the Son of God receive the same gifts of the Holy Spirit that He received in his human nature. We have NEW life and power to be God’s Family in the world and to share His life-giving Spirit with others as we learn and grow in our faith.
5. We will be celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday, May 31 in our own homes! Remember from our Liturgical Colors song that the Liturgical color RED is for Pentecost…Cover a prayer table with something red for your Bible.
6. Find Acts 2:1-11 in your Bible to read about the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Imagine being there with the power of the rushing wind and the warm tongues of fire. (Read verses 1-4 for younger children)
7. To Ponder: We, who believe, also receive the same gifts of the Holy Spirit. We have NEW life and power to be God’s family in the world.
8. Think about these special gifts that God has placed in your heart. Look at the definitions for each gift below. Which one do you want God to make stronger as you grow and mature as His child?
a. Wisdom:
b. Understanding
c. Counsel
d. Strength
e. Knowledge
f. Fear of the Lord
g. Godliness (Piety)
9. Sit quietly for a moment with God and ponder on the gift from the Holy Spirit you want to have become more and more a part of your life.
10. What do you want to say to God in a prayer or in a work of art?
Let us pray together:
Almighty God, we thank you for sending your wonderful Holy Spirit to live in us to help us learn and grow in your image together as your Family. Help us to listen to your voice and make right choices that honor you every day. In the Name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, AMEN.
DEFINITIONS
WISDOM: being able to know what God is saying to us
UNDERSTANDING: knowing the meaning of what God says to us
COUNSEL: knowing God’s right choices and plans for us
STRENGTH: having the courage to choose God’s right choices and follow through with his plans for us. (Jeremiah 29:11)
KNOWLEDGE: to know God so well that you can think and love like Jesus does.
FEAR of the LORD: or HOLY FEAR: to have an awesome, holy respect for God.
GODLINESS (Piety): Holy Character: to worship and honor God all the time as His image in the world.
Explanation of the Pentecost Icon
An ICON is a form of art, a window that points us to God. Children can focus on an icon to ponder deeply on who God is and the things of God. They are not staring at the work itself but through the work of art to God’s heavenly kingdom.
FOR PARENTS: Listen to: The PENTECOST Teaching Video
OTHER RESOURCES https://www.northcountyoutreach.org/other-resources
PENTECOST Lessons:
