Pentecost Sunday or Holy Pentecost 2023

Ambon Prayer 42

Dismissal: “May Christ our true God, who for our salvation, sent down the all-Holy Spirit from heaven in tongues of fire upon his holy disciples and apostles . . .”

Title

Understanding Pentecost

Outline

There is a lot of misunderstanding around Pentecost

For some it is an experience, a lot of sound and fury, and the experience is the essence

For some it is confusing, for John has a reception of the Spirit right after the resurrection and Luke - Acts places it 49 days later.

For some it just does not make sense.

Let us try to sort it all out - or at least make a start

Jesus declares that he is the source of the Spirit

There was a Jewish feast, the Feast of Tabernacles, in which two events happened: first, a golden pitcher of water was brought up from the Pool of Siloam and poured out on the great altar, triggering prayers for rain (and a water-throwing event in the Temple). Second, on the last day a giant menorah was set up in the Temple high enough to need a ladder to fill the bowls on top, which had wicks made of the worn out drawers of the priests - this was the biggest light that the people had ever seen.

First, Jesus stands up and calls out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me. And let him drink who believes in me. As the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his center (heart or belly) shall flow rivers of living water.’” In other words, he was presenting himself as Ezekiel’s Temple (also in Revelation) from which running water of life would flow. This water was free for all whose thirst brought them to Jesus in trust. And, says John, this water is the Spirit, which would be given once Jesus had died and risen (was glorified). This the Spirit that would transform one from within, giving them true life.

Second, Jesus compares himself to the great menorah in the Temple and says, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” The light that gives life comes from me, and this is not just the light of Jerusalem, but of the whole world. Here is another reference to the Spirit.

In John this life-giving Spirit was first given on Easter in the upper room to the up-to-then terrified apostles and the women with them. It is given to everyone committed to Jesus as Lord.

Luke - Acts presents the Spirit as launching the Church into mission

Luke and Acts had both instructed the disciples to be witnesses to the world, but also to wait in Jerusalem until the Spirit came on them and sent them out.

So they waited, but not inactively. They prayed, celebrated Eucharist as part of living together, and apparently gathered in other scattered disciples. They also re-established the Church organization.

Then on Pentecost, the Feast of Weeks, when God knew that Jews from the whole Mediterranean and Near Eastern area were gathered to Jerusalem to celebrate, the Spirit came. It was symbolized by fire (so they would know what was happening) and it filled all with praise, but in differing languages, and they spilled out onto the street and discovered that people speaking those languages were already there, people who heard and understood the praises of God clearly. There was a great evangelistic harvest that would return to “the whole world,” at least the world they knew about. [cf. Blessed Stanley Rother]

So there you have it

The Spirit is given in baptism and chrismation to all believers, connecting them to Jesus, giving them the life of God, and fulfilling their deepest desires, although it takes time to work this out.

The Church made up of these believers is sent out into the world on Pentecost and is spontaneously equipped with the gifts needed to proclaim the good news and build up the church, gifts which differ from individual to individual and from time to time in each individual so that we function together as the body of Christ with the proper gifts for each place and situation.

Out part is to allow the Spirit to do his life-giving work in us by following Jesus more faithfully and to be open to the Spirit’s sending us out to others, whether it be down the block or around the world, knowing he will equip us for what he calls us to do.

Praise be to you, Lord Jesus Christ, who have sent your Holy Spirit upon us. Come, Holy Spirit, fill us with your life-giving water and let Jesus shine through us as the light of the world.

Readings

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 6-4-2023: Holy Pentecost

EPISTLE

Acts 2:1–11

2 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and wondered, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 6-4-2023: Holy Pentecost

GOSPEL

John 7:37–52, 8:12

37  On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. 38  He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ ” 39  Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

40  When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This is really the prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42  Has not the Scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people over him. 44  Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

45 The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46  The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!” 47 The Pharisees answered them, “Are you led astray, you also? 48 Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed.” 50  Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51  “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” 52  They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee.”

12  Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) (5-28-2023: Holy Pentecost)

SUNDAY, May 28, 2023 | PENTECOSTARION

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 6-4-2023: Holy Pentecost

HOLY PENTECOST

Bright Vestments

Matins Gospel John 20:19–23

Epistle Acts 2:1–11

Gospel John 7:37–52, 8:12

GREEN