Sermon: That pesky Holy Spirit (May 15, 2016)

Pentecost

May 15, 2016

Acts 2:1-21

            Jesus’ poor disciples have really been through the wringer. First this teacher comes into their lives and calls them to follow him, and they drop everything dear to them and follow this stranger. Their lives are turned upside down by all the strange but life-giving teachings he offers, the miracles, the healings, and the parables. Even though they find this Jesus fellow to be confusing, they can’t help but be compelled, and they follow him. They get to be pretty good friends with the guy. But then, turns out, Jesus is condemned as a criminal! He is tried and convicted and sentenced to death, and… well, even though the love the guy, this is all a bit much. They watch from afar as their friend and teacher is crucified, and they think they’ve lost him forever.

They are preparing to go back to their ordinary lives when, lo and behold, this continually surprising man actually comes back from the dead! All is hunky dory again. They have their friend back, they believe even more adamantly that he is indeed something special. For 40 days they enjoy his company once again, as he continues to enlighten them about who he is, and how he has fulfilled the scripture. They think this is pretty cool.

            Then once again, they are thrown for a loop – as unexpectedly as he had come back, Jesus ascended into heaven! He was just standing there, blessing them and telling them how they would be witnesses to the world about all these things that had taken place, and while he did he just floated right on up to heaven, right into the clouds. It was the most incredible experience, as joyful as it was confusing. They truly believed.

            Ten days have passed since the ascension. They have spent a lot of time trying to figure out what happens next, wondering how, exactly, Jesus was expecting them to fulfill this call to be

The Holy Spirit, window at Taize monastery, France

witnesses to all the ends of the earth. Today, they are gathered all together in one place, celebrating the festival of Pentecost, the Jewish festival that celebrates the giving of the 10 Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai. There were lots of Jews from lots of different places, all gathered there, when suddenly, this violent rushing wind comes, once again shocking them. Every time they try to settle into a new reality, it seems, something else crazy happens! The wind was unlike any other wind they had experienced – this one brought a sort of fire with it, fire that seemed to rest on each person’s head.

And then the weirdest part of all – all those people from all those different places, suddenly, were able to understand one another, though they all spoke different languages. What at first seemed chaotic beyond measure was now becoming a strange experience of God bringing order to the divisions of the world. Quickly, Peter jumped up and began to preach. As Jesus had opened the scriptures to them so many times before, now Peter, in the presence of this large assembly, and empowered by this rushing, fire-wielding Spirit among them now, was opening up the scriptures to all those gathered, assuring them that God was doing an amazing thing in their lives right before their very eyes. Following his impassioned proclamation, 3000 people were so moved, they were baptized. And the Church was born.

            What a whirlwind those disciples have experienced! The stories we can hear in the rest of the book of Acts tell of the bravery with which those apostles carry out their mission, healing people, converting people, bringing people to Christ and baptizing them. From the fearful cowards we saw at the crucifixion, unable to stand by their friend and teacher as he was accused, convicted, and hung on a cross to die, these fellows have evolved into brave, empowered witnesses, carrying out the mission Jesus gave them right before he ascended into heaven.

            What made the difference? Why is their response to Jesus’ preaching so dramatically different this time around than it ever was before? Well, it’s the very thing we celebrate today: Pentecost, the

day the Christian Church celebrates the Holy Spirit coming into and among us, empowering us for Christ’s ministry in the world. It’s only the Holy Spirit who can take a bunch of confused cowards, and turn them into people inspired to mission, and on fire for the gospel. It’s the very same Holy Spirit we celebrate coming upon us in baptism, that we celebrate coming into us in Holy Communion. It’s the very same Spirit we experience when we hear God’s voice profoundly speak to us in a certain hymn, or when we don’t have the right words to say in a difficult situation but the right words come out anyway, or when we find we don’t know how to pray, but nonetheless feel that God has heard our prayer. It is the same Spirit we experience in so many and various ways in our day-to-day life, and even though it is so familiar and comforting, it also feels mysterious, wonderful, and divine each and every time it happens.

            All of these are images I love about the Holy Spirit, and images that I know, as I have talked to some of you throughout the week, are meaningful to you as well. But when I hear this story about that first Christian Pentecost, the image of the Holy Spirit that we encounter by is a little different. The Spirit that I see here sweeps into lives that were getting on with day-to-day duties, lives that were broken, yes, and stressed out by the demands of life, but getting along nonetheless. The Spirit sweeps in, knocking the wind out of everyone there and replacing their doubtful, human breath with the very breath of God, warming their hearts with the divine fire, and inspiring them toward a sort of faith and ministry that they had not previously thought possible.

            If I’m being honest, it is one of the more terrifying images of the Holy Spirit. Personally, I prefer the Spirit that intercedes in prayer for me, the one who comforts me when I’m distressed, the

one that makes me feel connected to my sisters and brothers around the world. The Spirit we encounter on Pentecost is one that pushes us into something scary and unknown. It whispers in my ear, “You can do that, Johanna. I know it is scary. I know you think someone else can probably do it better than you. I know you are doubting your own abilities, but this is the ministry I am calling you to now. And because I am calling you to it, I will also empower you with the gifts to carry it out. Trust me, and I will show you the way. I’ll give you what you need to do this.”

            Don’t you hate it when God pushes you toward something you don’t think you can do, or maybe even something you think you probably can do, but don’t particularly want to? God is always doing that to me, pointing to my carefully made list of Life Plans, then lighting my list on fire, and taking my hand to lead me toward something else.

            But you know what? Every time God has done to me, no matter how reluctant I may have been at first, that pesky, invasive Spirit has also shown me something marvelous – perhaps teaching me something about myself I needed to know, or showing me a deeper way to love, or guiding me toward a person or event that would change my life. That nagging voice of the Spirit, still whispering in our ears, the ears of the Church, and urging us toward newness, is always right, and always will guide us toward a new and amazing way to know and to love God. Our job – is to listen to it.

            Let us pray… Holy Spirit, as you rushed into your Church that Pentecost morning, rush now into our hearts and our minds, bringing your power, your comfort, and your inspiration. Give us confidence to do something new in your name, trusting that you will also give us the gifts to fulfill whatever mission you call us to. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.