Pentecost People

The following is a devotion I wrote for our Annual Conference devotional ministry.  It will be distributed on May 18, the day before Pentecost.

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³ Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. (Acts 2:1-3)

 

How many times have you read this passage about Pentecost? Probably enough times that the idea of a violent wind rushing through the house and tongues of fire dancing among the people just feels interesting, but expected.  Take a moment and imagine what it was like for the people who were gathered together. I think they would have been afraid – they might not have understood what was going on.  Wind and fire in the house? Sounds like the stuff of nightmares. Who knew what would happen next?

 

I think we are living through a time in our church when it is easy to be afraid – when we don’t know what is going to happen next. As I write this at the end of February, General Conference approaches. The delegation has been and will continue to be praying using the words return, rebuild, restore. If you think about it, those are words full of fire and wind – power and unpredictability.  But read the next verse in our passage from Acts: All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. (Acts 2:4)

 

The wind that rushed through the house and the fire that touched them were of God. The Holy Spirit filled them, and while that can be frightening, it is a sure sign of the presence of God.

 

As I write this in February, I don’t know what the next few weeks, months, or years will hold, but I know God is present. As the new church gathered 2000 years ago, amid wind and fire, they spoke in other languages and understood each other. It was unity. It was a restoration of what community could be, and it was packed full of possibility.

 

Instead of focusing on the fear, consider the possibilities. What hope are we offered? What hope can we bring to others? Even amid our disagreements, we can be filled with the Holy Spirit; we can understand each other, and we can offer the possibilities the world needs.

 

Are you willing to be Pentecost people?

 

Prayer: God of wind and fire, send your Holy Spirit among us so that we can give up the fear of losing what we know, be the Church you call us to be, and offer every possibility of new life to the world. In your son’s name, Amen.

 

Pentecost Unity

Last Sunday in Sunday school, we had a debate about the nature of Pentecost.  One person thought it was a time when everyone spoke in tongues, and understood each other.  Another disagreed.  

Let's look:

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.  Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem.   And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.  Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?   And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?  (Acts 2:1-8)

Have you ever noticed or compared this passage to one in Genesis?

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words.   And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.  And they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar.   Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth."  The LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built.  And the LORD said, "Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.  Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another's speech."  So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.  Therefore it was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.  (Genesis 11:1-9)

I don't think the Pentecost passage is about speaking in tongues at all.  For one thing, speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift, given to a few.  it was not something that could be understood by anyone - it required (requires) interpretation.  In the Pentecost story, everyone can understand everyone else, and not only that, they are filled with the Holy Spirit - the spirit giving them this ability.  God heard and understood among them.

Think about the story of the Tower of Babel.  The people - scattered and unable to understand each other.  In this story, it seems the opposite has happened.  Everyone is understood, and there is a unity among them.

The church is born.

Spirit of God

Fire.  Wind.  Forces that can be destructive.

We compare the Spirit of God to fire.  To wind.  Spirit of God, descend upon my heart.  I was reading a sermon at Reflectionary.  Martha talked about how we think that is a gentle vision -- God coming.

But fire can be violent.  Wind can be disturbing.  Do we really think God will always be calm and gentle.  Do we realize when we pray for the Spirit to come into our lives that our plans might be changed?  That our peaceful existence could be blown apart?

Spirit of God, Descend upon my heart.

Do we really mean it?

Clip art from Hermanoleon Clipart.

Ten Things I like about Pentecost

Ten things I like about Pentecost:

1. We always do something special in worship that involves the congregation.  We've passed out bells to ring when someone says, "spirit."  We've had streamers waved above the heads of the congregation, baking bread (bread machines positioned along the edges of the room, set up by volunteers, baking bread during the service to be used for communion). 
2. It is a day that worship feels more alive. 
3. Great music -- hymns that are enjoyable to sing (Spirit of Gentleness, Spirit of God)
4. Communion
5. Red -- the liturgical color is energetic
6. Decorating the altar for Pentecost. Our pastor has asked me to do this for several years in a row, and he calls it "lighting the altar on fire." 
7. Worship that involves a focus on the Holy Spirit
8. Many members of the congregation wear red -- What other Sunday involves people wearing a color?  I like it.
9. The quote from Acts -- "They are not drunk; it's only 9am" (paraphrasing, but doesn't it make you laugh?)
10. Wake up!  God is alive and he is with you -- right now, this very minute!  Isn't that something to celebrate?
    

Pentecost Altar

I decorated the altar for Pentecost yesterday evening. Early, you say? Yes, it is. We're leaving soon for a cruise to Alaska.

I haven't found someone to Guest SandBlog, and I don't know about internet access in Alaska. I've arranged a photo to appear each day -- my practice shots with the SLR camera after reading and studying more about photography. Hopefully, it will pay off!

Enjoy the week. "See" you soon.

Logos -- Acts 2:1-4

This Sunday is Pentecost, and one of the lectionary readings is from Acts 2:

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

We talked about this passage as the basis of our office meeting devotional today. What aspects of the passage jump out at you?

1. "They were all together in one place" -- This event happened in community. Those who experienced this event were not at home alone; they were together in one place. We need community. While we can experience God anywhere -- when we are alone or when we are together -- there is something necessary about gathering together.
2. "Suddenly from the heaven" -- This event wasn't expected. It arrived as a surprise. No one planned it; no one had prepared programming to enhance it. Do we rely on the Holy Spirit to work among us? Do we recognize it when it does?
3. "like the rush of a violent wind" -- It sounds like something that could not be ignored. It sounds like something huge and undeniable. Do we experience the Holy Spirit in that way? Do we allow ourselves to?
4. "A tongue rested on each of them" -- No one was excluded; everyone experienced the presence of God. Do we sometimes assume that is not the case? Are we inclusive enough to expect it?
5. "as the spirit gave them ability" -- Equipped by God to be his witness. Do we allow God to do that? Do we expect to be equipped? Do we realize that God gives us abilities? Do we use them to their capacity? Sometimes I think that if we really did, we would have to give up control. Are we willing to let go?