Pentecost Again
Sermon by: Rev. Mary Alice Mulligan, Ph.D.
Scripture: John 14:8-17, 25-27, Acts 2:1-21
Today is Pentecost. The day we celebrate the breaking in of the Holy Spirit, bringing the Church to life. Scripture reports that after the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and the time Jesus then spent with the earliest disciples, the resurrected Christ ascends. He vanishes into the reality of God. The disciples, not quite sure what to do next, wait. The scripture we are about to hear tells of over 100 of them gathering in Jerusalem, waiting and worshipping, for some days, until finally, the promised Advocate arrives, coming upon them as if the very breath of God explodes among them. The eruption of the Spirit is exciting and promising, but even richer when heard in light of what Roger read from John. You might want to stop here and read John 14: 8-17, 25-27. The Advocate comes from God for a specific purpose, namely to shape the community of faith by remembering Jesus. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus remains present within the community. Stop here and read Acts 2:1-21.
They were a little faith gathering surrounded by people oblivious to them. Pentecost in Jerusalem bears a striking resemblance to churches all over the world today, where followers of Jesus gather together while outside, all around them, people go on with their regular lives. Think how outside of St. Andrew, people are drinking coffee and reading the New York Times on the lanai, or getting dressed for brunch someplace, or checking the weather to see if it’s safe to take out the boat. Meanwhile here we are, listening to ancient scriptures and wondering what Pentecost means to the 21st century world. Especially we are wondering what Pentecost says to us; which is good preparation, because we should ask, “What would we do if the power of God should happen to break out around us? The reports claim the Holy Spirit comes like a mighty wind – where we have to hang onto something nailed down to keep from being swept off our feet. It was so long ago, yet not so different from today. They were a little gathering unnoticed by the surrounding crowd. And the power of God explodes among them.
Pentecost means God is among us. In fact, the story claims God comes exploding right within us. As difficult as it is to wrap our brains around it, the Pentecost narratives claim the Holy Spirit now dwells within humanity. The presence of God comes, to be with us and within us.
We know the birth stories of Jesus (stories of the Incarnation), claim God’s presence is with people. Emmanuel is God with us, but [1] the Pentecost narratives indicate God has moved into us. Before Jesus is arrested, he tries to prepare his straggly little band of followers for a dramatic change. He warns them he will leave, but he will not leave them as orphans. He promises another companion – the Advocate, whom we call the Holy Spirit. And after the resurrection, Jesus’ promise comes true. Luke depicts the house is filled with holy wind and tongues as of fire. Then the Spirit, like a mighty wind, the very breath of God, fills the disciples. They inhale God. Although the neighborhood busy-bodies suspect the followers are filled with alcohol, we know that they are filled with God. In addition, we hear Peter’s quoting from the First Testament prophet Joel: the promise of God’s pouring out the Spirit (the promised Advocate) on all human flesh. In the diverse and luscious world God created, the Spirit comes onto each person, even today. One biblical scholar bluntly explains the theological meaning: “God does not declare here that only some flesh – straight flesh…or celibate flesh or ‘decent’, acceptable flesh – will receive the Spirit. God says all flesh…” So, no matter who we are, or how unworthy we suspect we are, we too are the recipients of this tremendous gift.
Friends of Jesus Christ, the shockingly wonderful news is, we get to breathe in the Holy Spirit. God within us. Not only is the Holy Spirit moving among the community of faith – but more gloriously, the spirit is moving within us, St Andrew. We have breathed her in. So, an important message of Pentecost is that if we feel separated from God’s Spirit, all we have to do is take a breath. Breathe in the Spirit: remember Jesus’ promise of providing an Advocate for us. We have received the Holy Spirit. God is within us.
Then together, we are the community of Jesus. The Holy Spirit makes us into a faith community where Jesus Christ is present among us. By the Spirit, the teachings of Jesus make sense among us. Although Jesus is not here in the flesh, the truth of Christ is real among us. The Spirit of Christ lives among us; in fact within us, creating us into a community shaped according to the teachings of Jesus, empowered by the presence of the Spirit of Christ.
In the section of the Farewell Discourse in John 14, Jesus says followers will do greater works than he did. So, how is that possible? Will we be popping bread into existence to feed more than the 5000 people Jesus fed? Certainly not. But we have more hands in more places around the world to carry on his ministry. Thousands of faith communities carrying on the work of Jesus. So by the power of the Spirit of Christ present within us, we are more than the sum of our parts, more than the sum of our individual gifts. Think of the hospitals started by communities of Jesus; and the schools teaching girls and boys to read around the world; and the colleges; and the wells dug; and the connections made with people struggling to find a market for their handicrafts.
Some years ago, our Global Ministries partners reported on a project to dig a well in a rural village. Women and girls no longer had to travel miles every day, transporting every drop of water they would use for drinking, cooking, bathing, watering crops or animals. A well changed their lives. Out of gratitude, the women placed a container by the well and each day each time someone came to draw water, they would place a small coin in the container out of gratitude. Eventually, they had enough to fund a well for another village. Gratitude and joy, changing more and more lives, by the power of the Spirit of Christ.
So, what might erupt among us if we let the Spirit have her way with us? Jesus Christ is among us, within us, in Spirit. We can change the world.
(1) Bohache, Goss, Guest, and West, “Acts of the Apostles,” in The Queer Bible Commentary, Deryn Guest, et al (SCM Press, 2006), 568f.