“IS THIS PENTECOST?”
JOHN 15:26-27, 16:4b-15
PENTECOST COMMUNION JUNE 4, 2006
“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.”
ACTS 2:1-4
“THEN HE SAID TO ME, ‘PROPHESY TO THE BREATH, PROPHESY, MORTAL, AND SAY TO THE BREATH: THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD: COME FROM THE FOUR WINDS, O BREATH, AND BREATHE UPON THESE SLAIN. THAT THEY MAY LIVE.’ I PROPHESIED AS HE COMMANDED, AND
THE BREATH CAME INTO THEM, AND THEY LIVED,
AND STOOD ON THEIR FEET, A VAST MULITITUDE.”
EZEKIAL 37:9-10
What an eerie – and yet tremendously exciting – description of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
What an eerie — and yet tremendously exciting — description of the Spirit of God bringing life to lifeless, dry bones.
Eerie – yes – even scary –
and yet intriguing – and indeed exciting.
But still scary.
A few years ago Sally and I were at Myrtle Beach, SC with her brother John and his girls. One day we went to the Aquarium – and one of the features there was what appeared to be a clear underwater tube you could walk through and have the fish all around you – even swimming over the tube – and therefore over your head. That was very interesting and fun – you got to see the fish up close. But sometimes – like when the sharks would swim over the tube – and therefore over your head – or when the sharks would chase other fish and they would get close to the tube – it could be unnerving.
It was fun to watch the sharks and other fish – as long as they did not get too close.
I’m afraid that the coming of the Holy Spirit — the coming at Pentecost — the giving of life to the dry bones — is something we may want to admire and look at – but keep at a safe distance – like a lion or tiger in the zoo or a shark at the Aquarium — whose strength and beauty we may admire – as long as we know it’s a safe distance from us.
We are not too comfortable if lions or tigers or sharks get up close and personal.
Is that the way we feel about Pentecost?
Is that the way we fell about the coming of the Holy Spirit?
Is that the way we feel about the renewing and life-giving work of the Spirit?
I’m afraid it is.
At least that’s what our actions show.
Today is Pentecost.
One of the three most important days in the church year – along with Christmas and Easter. This is the day we celebrate the coming and power of the Holy Spirit – and yet we seem to be uncomfortable with it. We don’t quite know what to do with it. It’s hard to generate enthusiasm for Pentecost.
It’s hard to generate excitement for Pentecost.
Easter and Christmas draw large crowds to church.
But Pentecost?
Apparently not – huh?
Why do we not celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit in the same way we celebrate the coming of Christ – or the resurrection of Christ?
I’m not sure – - but I’m afraid it has something to do with the fact that we are scared.
We are comfortable with looking back at the Bible and saying -
“Yes – how wonderful the coming to the Holy Spirit was ” – -
or “Yes – how wonderful it was that the Spirit of God brought life the dry bones” —
but yet – - what we would do if it happened here and now?
The very thought of the Spirit coming into our lives and this Church right now scares us to — – doesn’t it?
We want to be able to look back and admire the coming of the Spirit – while keeping it at a safe distance from us. Like a lion or tiger in the zoo or a shark at an aquarium. It’s great to look at – but don’t let it get up close and personal.
The coming of the Holy Spirit is scary.
It’s risky business!
We don’t know what might happen if the Holy Spirit were to suddenly come upon us – do we?
We don’t know what might happen if we were to experience the renewing — life giving work of God’s Spirit — here and now – do we?
We don’t know what might happen if we were to experience a Pentecost of sorts here and now – do we?
And that can be scary!
We just might get excited.
We just might see God as who He really is — and ourselves as the helpless and hopeless sinners we really are.
We just might see that it is only through the death of Christ that we are saved.
We just might really accept Christ as our Lord and Savior and start living as God calls us to live.
We just might start worshipping like we really mean it.
We just might start really loving each other.
We just might become excited about doing God’s will.
We just might start really wanting to do something – to really make a difference for God’s glory and for the good of others in the world.
We just might start wanting our faith to really mean something to us – and make a difference in how we live.
Yea – scary – risky business.
We wouldn’t want any of this to happen – would we?
It is indeed scary stuff.
We don’t really want to celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit – - the new life offered by the Spirit of God — because we are scared of what might happen if we do.
Let Pentecost just be something that happened “back then” – let’s just observe it as a historical event – but let’s not get carried away with it. Let’s not act like it could happen here – and now.
Let the vision of the dry bones receiving life be just that — a vision — don’t let it be reality — especially not reality for us!
So – we simply nod at Pentecost – at the exciting renewal of the Holy Spirit – at the renewal the Spirit offers – - the new life offered by the power of God’s Spirit — as we go about our unexcited and unexciting lives – with our lifeless, unexcited and unexciting faith – and our unexcited and lifeless, unexciting church.
But — guess what –
all the while we bemoan the fact that we just can’t get anything going – our church is too small – our finances too tight –
all the while a vast majority of us are are content to sit back and let a vast minority do all the work —
we are glad to take advantage of the fruits of their labors — if it doesn’t inconvenience us too much or if we can fit it into our busy schedules —
but we don’t really get in there and do the work and help glorify God through the programs of our Church — do we?
Maybe we should re–think Pentecost.
Maybe we should re-think our attitudes about the life changing – Church changing power of the Holy Spirit.
Do you think that maybe we should take another look at Pentecost – and what the Holy Spirit can do for us – here – and now?
Do you think we should take another look at the life-giving power of God’s Spirit?
Should we take another look at the excitement and enthusiasm of the disciples – the new life of the dead bones – and maybe take the coming of the Holy Spirit more seriously – and see if there is a chance it could happen again – now?
I say this is the Day of Pentecost.
I know it is — because my Presbyterian Planning Calendar tells me so.
But there is nothing about this Church to let me or anybody else know that it is truly Pentecost — truly the day of experiencing the life-giving, life-changing, Church changing, world changing Spirit.
Can Pentecost happen again?
Can Pentecost happen now?
Can Pentecost happen – - – to us?
Can we be given new life?
Indeed —
IS THIS PENTECOST?
IS THIS PENTECOST?
Can this be Pentecost?
Can it be — for us?
Can we experience the life-giving, life-changing, Church changing, world changing holy Spirit?
Of course it can be.
Of course we can.
God’s Spirit is active – it is moving – it is just as powerful now as it was then.
We can be renewed.
The Spirit can touch us.
When the Spirit of God swept over the valley of dry bones, they were given new life.
When the first disciples were touched by the Holy Spirit they were so excited they began to spill out into the streets with the message of God’s great deeds in to world.
It can happen.
It’s up to God to make it happen – but it is also up to us.
God wants it to happen — and will make it happen – - when we are ready.
When we are ready, that life-giving, life-changing, Church changing, world changing Holy Spirit can – and will come upon us and do God’s work in our lives – in our Church – and in our world.
But we have to be ready.
The old addege that “You can lead a horse to water — but you can’t make it drink” — is indeed true.
We have opportunities for ministry before us – opportunities to be renewed by God’s Holy Spirit and become the excited Christians God’s Spirit can make us — sharing our faith and the love of God.
But many times we don’t take advantage of the opportunities.
The “water” is there — but we dont’ drink it.
God’s Holy Spirit is ready to renew — but we don’t let it.
Why is that?
Could it be that we are not “thirsty” enough?
Could it be that we don’t care enough being renewed by the Holy Spirit?
Could it be we are not “thirsty” enough for a renewing from God’s Spirit?
How thirsty are you for God?
How much do you want to be renewed?
How much do you want us to experience the life-giving, life-changing, Church changing, world changing Spirit?
That’s the question you have to answer.
IS THIS PENTECOST?
IS THIS PENTECOST?
Only if you want it to be.
Only if you are ready.
God wants it to be.
God is ready.
Are you?
The Spirit of God can give us new life.
It can happen.
It does happen.
Let it happen.
Just as it happened to the disciples — just as it happened to the dry bones — it can happen — here — and now.
Celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit among us.
Open yourself up for the leading of the Holy Spirit.
You have heard me tell my story of one Pentecost several years ago.
It was May 19, 1991. Sally and I and our families were at a Holiday Inn in Decatur, GA for my graduation with my Doctor of Ministry degree from Columbia Theological Seminary. I was excited and could not sleep (a rarity for me!) – so I was reading from Acts 2 as Saturday night turned to Sunday morning. A few minutes after 12 on that Pentecost day there was a voice alarm in the building:
“There is a report of a fire in the building.
Please exit the building.”
“There is a report of a fire in the building.
Please exit the building.”
“There is a report of a fire in the building.
Please exit the building.”
On and on it droned as people got up and obeyed the voice – exiting the building.
We made sure all our families were safe as we gathered outside.
A few minutes later we learned that it was a false alarm – and returned to our rooms.
Friends – there may be a report of a fire – a report of excitement and enthusiasm spreading among us.
The Holy Spirit can kindle a fire within us.
Let’s not let the report be a false alarm!
The coming of the Holy Spirit should not be contained to the Bible stories.
It can continue now –
it can continue here –
it can continue today.
Renewal can be just as real today as it was then.
The Holy Spirit is just as powerful now as it was then.
So – the question is —
IS THIS PENTECOST?
IS THIS PENTECOST?
What better way to celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit than around the Lord’s table?
Come.
Celebrate.
Recommit to being the Christian — the Church — God calls and renews us to be.
Recommit to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Experience the renewing work of the God’s Holy Spirit in your life – and we will experience it in our Church – in our community – and in our world.
IS THIS PENTECOST?
IS THIS PENTECOST?
God wants it to be.
Do you?
AMEN.
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