Day of Pentecost - Year A

Welcome Statement

Good morning Church,

Today I bring great news, today is the birth of what we know as the Church, when the tongues of fire were over the apostles, and they prophecies and spoke in tongues to all of those around them.

One thing i think is great about our Church Calendar is it promotes reflection, and a way to mirror our life with God’s, when this calendar was established in the ancient church traditions, it was with this purpose that people found a way to liturgically follow the Life of God through his people and his Son. I say this to make the bold proclamation today of revival of Heart and Spirit. We think of revival as a one time event, but it is not, the highs and lows of the Church are a very real thing you see throughout history. We can feel like we are always at a low point, but today I declare, that is no more, in fact, it has never been, the highs and lows are of the world, God is the constant, so today, we prophecy that God is in fact here in this place, and we declare that his Spirit is among all of you my brothers and sisters in Christ. For those of us like myself who are more skeptical of the more Charismatic approach to Church, I think it is important that we remember God has a place for both the laid back, the structured, and the emotional, in the church. Church is not a one size fits all day, note how Pentecost applied to all of the Apostles, where only two of which were called the sons of thunder, so I imagine, God can work with even the most timid among us. What I was going to get at is that Pentecost isn’t just some random happening of the Spirit, it is passing on of a tradition in the early life of the Israelites, and is historically rooted in God’s Chosen People.

Old Testament Reading - Numbers 11:24-30

Numbers 11:24–30 NRSV

So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again. Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!” And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

Spirit Brought Upon a Broken/Grumpy People

God’s Fire was with the people, it was present with them via a pillar as they roamed the desert. This hints to a new thing.

This text comes off the outset of many complaints by the Israelites, first meat, Then the foods of Egypt, even Eventually Mose complained to God about the people following him for being hopeless to work with.

Yet despite all of this, and God’s anger being shown, we must be reminded, we don’t end at his anger, we end with his love and blessing. Recall The following verse:

Psalm 145:8 NRSV

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

So now, the spirit is brought upon 70 people, but only for a moment. But what is strange here is two people who were registered but not in the tent, still had the fire upon them, so they were prophesying around camp. God clearly won’t let anyone called be left out, simply because they are late or unaware or lazy or anything.

God in fact makes them do what breaks the liturgical rule of that day, doing things in God’s presence outside of the tent, outside of the equivalent of the holy of holies. This violated understandings of purification, and God’s presence. Yet here they were, telling the good news.

Moses expresses a hope that all people might prophecy some day. A hope we will see, is truly fulfilled

New Testament Reading - Acts 2:1-21

Acts 2:1–21 NRSV

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? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” But 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. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘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. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Filled With New Wine or Spirit?

New Wine can only be held with new wine skins, not old

The Wesleyan understanding of speaking in tongues is that of the ability to speak in other languages, not necessarily speak in some sort of unknown heavenly language.

Here we see that all people are hearing the Good News, that it transcends place, background, even time itself.

Church Never Dies

Church is never a dying thing.

Our eyes deceive us of the reality of the Kingdom of God.

Where we see death, we also see renewal.

New Testament Point #3

Closing Statement

Let Today be a reclamation of the fiery spirit we have let sit to the side for too long. Let today be a reclamation of our child-like awe, love, and wonder of God’s Kingdom. Today is a declaration that the Spirit is very much alive. Do not leave here looking at the numbers on the board

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, We thank you for the Good News of Jesus Christ, that has been inscribed onto our hearts by the Spirit coming down onto us like a Dove. Lord, as we go out these doors today, Keep these tongues of fire lit over our heads, so that we can show neighbor and enemy, your true spirit, what your Kingdom has declared over the Heavens and Earth. A Kingdom of Glory, a Kingdom of Perfect Love, a Kingdom where all who call upon you can and shall be saved.

Amen.

Doxology / Benediction / Closing

In Paul in his Letter to the Church of Rome, he bids farewell with the following:

Romans 15:13 NRSV

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Go out knowing, this tongue of fire has been renewed today, in fact it has never left you, like a pilot light, it can feel like it has been snuffed out, but the reality is Jesus has kept this light aflame since the day of your Baptism when he first called you to the Kingdom. Know this fire is cleansing, it is purifying, and it will help you all of your days as the Holy Spirit residing in your heart. With the birth of the Church now unfolding, let us now go to preach the Good News and Make Disciples of all nations in Christ’s Name.

May you Have a Blessed Sunday, and Memorial Weekend! Amen!