Pentecost C
Grace Lutheran Church, Lakeland, FL May 31, 2020
Psalm 104 John 20:19-23 I Cor 12:3b-13 Acts 2:1-21
Grace to you and peace from God and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen
Oh the Holy Comforter – come to us. Wrap us in your warmth. Be a soft cocoon in which we can rest from the weariness of our days. Whisper into our ears sweet swoonings as we fall asleep at the end of the day. One of the hymns for Pentecost is “Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness, blow through the wilderness calling and free…”
How calming. How quieting. How relaxing. How comforting.
But let’s really see what happened on that day – that day when thousands were gathered in Jerusalem for the Festival of the Pentecost, an annual Jewish Harvest festival. Folks came from miles around, from distant places in the Roman Empire, traveled to Jerusalem for this pilgrimage festival – a holy day of obligation, if you will. It was fifty days after the Passover and we know that at the time described in today’s account in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, it was fifty days after the resurrection, ten days after the ascension and the followers of Jesus were still figuring out what the events of the those 50 days meant and how drastically and dramatically their lives were changing. Sand shifting beneath their feet.
And, then on that Day of Pentecost we hear of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon them – not a gentle blowing, not a quiet whispering. No, the Holy Spirit came in with the sound of a mighty rushing wind that filled the house where they were. The Holy Spirit came in tongues of fire. The Holy Spirit came and the followers were changed – each began speaking in a language they didn’t know but was known by the many who had come from distant places – from Mesopotamia, Egypt, Libya, Rome, Asia Minor – each hearing the Gospel in their own native language. Can you imagine the amazement and the bewilderment and the confusion at what the Holy Spirit was doing!
No, no gentle blowing and no quiet whispers. The Spirit moved in that place and mighty things were done. Thank you Jesus! And in the days that followed, Peter preached powerful sermons, thousands were baptized, the followers created a new way of living together in community, the lame were healed, the possessed restored to health, and signs and wonders were in no short supply.
The Holy Spirit moved and changed things. Forever. This was the day that God made the Church.
The text for our consideration today is Romans 8:15b – 17a: When we cry “Abba! Father!” the Spirit herself bears witness that we are children of God and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.
The Holy Spirit testifies that we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. What does this mean?
In Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome, written probably in the late 50’s, Paul describes what it's like to live the baptized life. A life into which the Spirit enters. A life changed because of the movement of the Spirit. A life shaped because of Spirit’s continuing persistent action day upon day, year upon year. Our baptisms mark us with a permanent indelible sign that says “we are children of God and followers of Jesus Christ.” Our baptisms make us one with Jesus Christ and co-heirs of God's kingdom.
Back in Roman times, property belonged to men and could be passed down only to a man's sons. But a man had the ability to adopt a son, if he had none who were naturally born. In fact, the word for adoption was actually something close to “son-making.” And the idea is that that son would continue doing the work of the father. He would be the father's heir of the land, the household, the money – but also, perhaps more importantly, he would continue the father's business. And this is why we call Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus not only inherits God's kingdom, but also continues in the family business of redeeming the world and all of creation.
This is what it means to live a life following Jesus – it means living a life that is life-changing. And it may mean that we suffer as a result – because we are co-heirs with Jesus – the one who lived and died and rose again. The one who told us that we would also.
Holy Spirit – wind and fire and action. Holy Spirit, Holy Breath, love outpoured – love into which we are drawn together as co-heirs with Christ. What if that wind is a blowing in each of us? And in us together as a community of faith? What if the great fire is a burning flame in each of us? What does the Spirit’s presence in and among us mean for us and for those whom we touch, those for whom we pray, those we read about in the newspaper?
What does the Spirit’s presence mean for us as we consider the death of Ahmaud Arbery, a black man out for a run as he had many times before. A black man chased by three white men for no crime whatsoever. A black man shot and killed with no repercussions until months later when the video of the assault went viral. What does the Spirit’s presence mean for us as we consider the death of a handcuffed George Floyd caused by an officer pinning him to the ground with a knee on his neck for five minutes while three other officers watched and also heard Mr. Floyd’s words – I can’t breathe. The same words uttered by Eric Garner in 2014 before he died while in a chokehold. I can’t breathe.
Pentecost -- the coming of the Holy Spirit – is an ongoing activity of the whole Christian Church.
What does this mean for us?
What if the Holy Spirit comes in great and mighty ways even now??
And what if she comes in challenging and stretching ways?
And, what does it mean when we see things we don’t understand, that don’t fit into our scheme of things, that perplex us and worry us? That may make us a little nervous or anxious.
What does this mean?
It means that the Holy Spirit of God is present and working and moving – now as then.
Holy Spirit fire -- Fire changed everything in our human life – fire gave warmth, fire cooked food, fire offers light. Fire changed everything.
“The day will come when, after harnessing space, the winds, the tides, and gravitation, humankind shall harness for God the energies of love. And on that day, for the second time in the history of the world, we shall have discovered fire.” Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
Holy Spirit fire! Born of the Love of the Father. Gather ‘round! And go forth!
Thanks be to God. Amen
