ACTS 2:1-21
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1When
the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2And
suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it
filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3Divided tongues,
as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4All
of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages,
as the Spirit gave them ability.
5Now
there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6And
at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard
them speaking in the native language of each. 7Amazed and
astonished, they asked,
“Are not all these
who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us,
in our own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and
residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia
and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors
from Rome, both Jews and proselytes 11Cretans and Arabs — in our own
languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.”
12All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one
another, “What does this mean?” 13But others sneered and said, “They
are filled with new wine.” 14But Peter, standing with the eleven,
raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in
Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15Indeed,
these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the
morning. 16No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days it will be, God
declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit
upon all flesh,
and
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see
visions,
and
your old men shall dream dreams.
18 Even upon my slaves, both men and
women,
in
those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and
they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show portents in the
heaven above
and
signs on the earth below,
blood,
and fire, and smoky mist.
20 The sun shall be turned to darkness
and
the moon to blood,
before
the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
21 Then everyone who calls on the name
of the Lord shall be saved.’”
***
Have you seen tongues of fire?
Have you heard the rush of a violent wind? Have you witnessed the Holy Spirit
filling all the people together in one house? Have you? It is right in front of
you. This sanctuary is aflame with the fire of Pentecost, this town’s community
is pursued with the rush of a violent wind, and the Holy Spirit is filling the
whole world by all of us being the Church together in this one house. Have you
seen the tongues of fire? They are right in front of you, but perhaps they’re
not in a language you understand.
Have you
seen Mark Ferns dedication to teach Sunday School for years on end? Have you
seen Sharon Defrees wrangle preschoolers for a Bible story? Have you seen Bob
McKim fixing something around the church? Have you seen LaVonne do quick
calculations for the budget? Have you seen Silas and Sydney race up to the
choir to shake hands? Have you seen Annie and Melissa planning Vacation Bible School?
Have you seen a handwritten a card from Marcia or Martha? If so, you have seen
tongues of fire.
Have you
heard the rush of a violent wind? Have you heard the sound of middle students
filling the basement at breakfast time for the Open Door program? Have you
heard the laughter of the Presbyterian Peanut Butter Packers for the Backpack
program? Have you heard our choir members sing in the Community Choir? Have you
heard the prayers for Eli, or the Bighman’s lifted up from these pews? Have you
heard our voices in letters to the editor, on city council, and the school
board? Have you heard the voices of our teachers, our lawyers, our doctors, our
librarians, teaching, helping, healing our community? Have you heard the sound
of cattle, of the plow, and of the quiet forest, as our ranchers, our farmers,
and our forest service congregants care for creation? If so, you have heard the
rush of a violent wind.
Have you
witnessed the Holy Spirit filling all the people together in one house? Have
you witnessed Rick and Ginger traversing the country building homes for
Habitat? Have you witnessed Deb and Lynn’s
repeated missions to the Dominican
Republic? Have you witnessed Kourtney Lehman
in the Leadership Class lending loans across the world through Kiva? Have you
witnessed the Presbyterian Women taking on human trafficking in this and many
other countries? Have you witnessed our
continued prayers for peace for people all over the world? If so, you have
witnessed the Holy Spirit filling all the people together in one house.
Now that
I’ve translated it for you, are you burned by the tongues of fire around you,
are blown over by the violent wind beside you, are you bursting to witness to
the Holy Spirit who has filled all these people together in one place. Are you
amazed at this little Church, and its Pentecost? Are you still counting the
uncountable Acts of service and love that imbue this house and exude from it to
reaches far beyond measure? Are you in
awe of the Spirit?
Are you in
awe of the Spirit, because that’s who it is? We have awesome people in this congregation,
but I wonder if it is because the Spirit is aflame in this congregation. Our
congregation does a lot in the community, but I wonder if it is because the
Spirit is working through us in the community. Our congregation is changing the
world, but I’d wonder if it is because the Spirit is alive in the world through
the actions of our congregation. I am in awe of this congregation, yet, even
more, I am awe of the Spirit. I am in awe of the Spirit as God’s gift at
Pentecost.
In Acts,
“God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” It has been
poured out graciously and abundantly, and we can see it, hear it, and witness
it in our midst. Pentecost is here at 1995
Fourth Street; the church is aflame with the
Spirit, and yet, I wonder if we have named it. I wonder if anyone is calling
out, “Fire, rushing wind, Holy Spirit.” In our humility we shy from naming the
Spirit’s acts in us and around us. It’s a hard thing to do, but it isn’t about
us. Its about recognizing and praising the Spirit. Its about living out the
Spirit’s gift, one of which is prophesy, which does not simply mean predicting
the future, as we understand it now. It means bringing the Good News to the
people, in Word and in deed.
Acts reads,
“and
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and
your young men shall see visions,
and
your old men shall dream dreams.
18 Even
upon my slaves, both men and women,
in
those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and
they shall prophesy.
19 And
I will show portents in the heaven above
and
signs on the earth below,
blood,
and fire, and smoky mist.”
One of the
gifts of Pentecost is prophesy. So I ask you again, have you seen tongues of
fire? Have you heard the rush of a violent wind? Have you witnessed the Holy
Spirit filling all the people together in one house? Have you? It is right in
front of you. You can see
it. Prophesy, speak, and name the Spirit in our midst. Let others hear and
understand in their own tongue. Let us prophesy that we might praise, and give
thanks for the gifts of Pentecost. Let us praise and give thanks for the Spirit
poured out, and the language of the prophets, who declare the coming of the
Lord’s great and glorious day, this great and glorious Pentecost day.
