It’s Pentecost! WOOHOO!
We’re 50 days after the celebration of the resurrection; we’re 10 days after the Ascension, and we delight in the gift of the Holy Spirit! That beauteous third person of the Trinity, who knew how to make an entrance to a party.
God knows that sometimes we humans miss subtlety, so the coming of the Spirit to the Apostles, as we hear about today, is not just about people hearing the word in their own language. It is about having a life-changing moment that will live in their hearts and minds forever.
The sound of a rushing, violent, house-shaking wind. Not an earthquake, not a hurricane gale – nothing gets destroyed here, please note. But the sound of that wind – gusting against their fear and doubt, blowing away their complacency and confusion. They knew what this noise meant, as the sound of air-clearing wind has a long history as a precursor to God’s word being shared!
Divided tongues, as of fire! Coming at them. Holy fireballs, friends. Literally. And a tongue of this fire resting on each of them. Resting on them – but not burning them. The fire does not consume them – or anything they are with. They know their scriptures, they know that a fire that burns but does not consume – well, last time it was talked about it was in a bush… with Moses… yeah. Tongues of fire – no doubt what THIS means!
And they all start speaking. Different languages, at the same time. The different languages piece is important here. Because this is the direct word of God, coming to them, in their own language. This is not like Babel, where the ego-driven folks were given different languages to prevent their collusion and greed; this gift of different languages is so that they can very clearly and effectively communicate this good news. The Apostles are discerning how to best BE the community of faithful, and the use of multiple languages is important for them.
Because the word of God transcends time and place, that it is bigger and better than any one language or nationality or preference.
And the Apostles are receiving this gift – the gift that is directly connected to faith in the Gospels, the gift that has been breathed onto them by the resurrected Christ, the gift that Jesus promised was coming. They are receiving this extraordinary gift in the midst of their ordinary lives – they were having breakfast, after all. Doing their best to figure out how they were in the world, but not of the world.
And the Spirit Comes! And conveys – without doubt – that they are not to worry about being of the world, because they are, without a doubt, of God. The Spirit comes to all people to remind them – us – that we are of God. It’s a powerful presence!
And they receive it FULLY. It’s not that they got a bit of the Holy Spirit, or for a small time. They were FILLED with the Holy Spirit.
And all of this happens – with witnesses.
The crowd gathers, we’re told. Not as spectators, but as hears of the word. They have been brought there, by God, to hear. To learn. To be amazed. These are folks “from every nation under heaven” who happen to be right there. Not by accident – God knew what all was happening.
And so, they hear. They understand. They are blessed with the truth of God’s deeds of power. They believe.
And… they’re still overwhelmed. Amazed. Stunned, even.
“What can this mean?”
Indeed – what a great question for us all.
What *does* Pentecost mean? What does it mean to be people dwelling in the power of the Spirit? What does it mean to be a community of the faithful? Well, we consider the roles of the Spirit that are infused throughout the Scriptures:
Creator: who finds new ways to bring beauty and life throughout the cosmos
Breath of Life: who fills all things with life and meaning
Advocate: who pleads for us and strengthens our voices when we speak for righteousness
Comforter: who soothes the dis-ease we bear by accompanying us in our distress
Helper: who accompanies us as we discern where and what God is directing us to – especially when it’s not what we think it should be!
Truth-teller: who reveals to us the glory of God!
Teacher: who helps us to learn grace and patience and right ways for the sake of God’s kingdom
Counsellor: who directs and supports our hearts and minds into our ministry
Wisdom-bearer: who speaks knowledge and eternal guidance into our souls
Companion: who encourages us in our journey with the source of love and light
Freedom-giver: who brings release to those who are oppressed and peace to those who are afflicted
Hope Provider: who is a constant reminder that we are not alone; we are part of the family of God.
Gifter: who is called upon, especially at baptism, to bestow and reveal gifts for every individual.
The Spirit is with us. The Spirit was called upon to be present in our lives. The Spirit is the constant reminder that God is HERE. God is NOW. God is eternal and everlasting!
When we are having good days, and the praise flows from us, the Spirit is here.
When we are having ambivalent days, and feel just blah, the Spirit is here.
When we are having bad days, and we just.can’t.anymore, the Spirit is here.
The Spirit is with us. Always with us: speaking for us, when words fail. Dancing with us, when our bodies cannot stay still! Sharing blessing among us, when we recognise the abundant grace. And interceding for us, when our hearts are searched by God. (even, as Paul says, with sighs too deep for words – what a great description!)
The Spirit is here!
So again: that question from the crowded breakfast table.
What Does This Mean?
It means, people of God, that every year we dedicate a festival day to remind ourselves that faith is not a spectator sport. That being the people of God is not a label, but a lifestyle. That the question doesn’t actually end where the crowd ended it in the scriptures.
Pentecost is not an academic pursuit for understanding. The crowds didn‘t want just a book or a lecture series or a thought exercise.
So the real question of Pentecost is:
What does this mean for me?
What does this mean for us?
How are we being called into action by the room-shaking, fire-lighting, dove-descending, prayer-offering, Holy Spirit of the Living God?
And rest assured: we are being called to act!
We are not called to be the body of Christ to stay still.
So what do we do? What will YOU do?
Each of us can ponder and pray – and then participate in the glorification of God.
And just as the Spirit has gifted us all differently, we respond to those gifts in unique ways. Every one of us has a ministry – every person, at every age and stage, has an opportunity (and a responsibility!) to live out the Good News.
So what will you do?
What fire rests on you to enflame your passion?
What message will you share in clarity to further the reign of God?
What unbelievable things is God doing in your life, and how are you sharing those with the broader community?
Discerning what we are called to can take time, and prayer, and connection with community. Whether we’re trying to live into faithful witness in our personal lives, with our families, with our community – the Spirit is inviting us to action. And the great thing – though we have given Pentecost but one day on the calendar, the Spirit of God is not limited. The discernment goes on; the celebration goes on; our call to action goes on. Let’s dwell in the Spirit… all-encompassed in the gift and the privilege of being sharers of God’s truth.
I leave you with the words of William Blake, his poem “Pentecost”
Unless the eye catch fire,
The God will not be seen.
Unless the ear catch fire,
The God will not be heard.
Unless the tongue catch fire,
The God will not be named.
Unless the heart catch fire,
The God will not be loved.
Unless the mind catch fire,
The God will not be known.
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