Happy Birthday!
Notes
Transcript
Happy birthday to you! Right now, birthdays look a lot different than they ever have. Before this pandemic, we would gather at a house, a restaurant, a park, or some other venue with family and friends. There would be presents, decorations, singing, candles, games, and more. In fact we would all huddle closely together as we sang happy birthday to the person we were celebrating. It seems like ages ago that birthdays were this way but now they look a lot different.
Since the pandemic there have not been many, if any, birthday gatherings like we are used to. If you follow Facebook then you have probably seen the drive by celebration, where a line of cars parade by the house of the person celebrating their birthday. The people in the cars make signs, sing, and yell Happy birthday, but no one gets out of the car. Or there is the Zoom and Facebook Live celebrations. This gives people the opportunity to at least talk with each other and see each other’s faces. Gatherings are not really acceptable right now and singing happy birthday in person is definitely a no-no.
Whoever thought we would celebrate birthdays this way? Who would’ve thought we would be worshipping fully online instead of in person? But, what better way to talk about the birth of the church universal than to talk about it while the church is not gathering in a building. Why do I say what better way, well let’s hear the scripture for this morning found in the books of Acts. This is the story of Pentecost found in Acts 2:1-4. This morning’s reading comes from the N. GA conference resources.
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.
You may be asking what is happening here and why is this the birth of the church when it doesn’t even talk about the church? Let’s start with the first, what’s happening? What is happening is the disciples are huddle in a house out of fear. They are still be searched for by the Roman Empire for their allegiance with Jesus. They just saw Jesus ascend into heaven to be with God and are trying to figure out what’s next. They know Jesus said he would send a helper but they had no clue what that helper would look like. I mean, these mean were expecting Jesus to be a warrior to free the Jewish people from oppression and to bring all of humanity to worship the One True God. I am sure they are confused as to what the helper will look like and if they would even know if it arrives.
Then out of no where a rush of wind breaks into the house they are in. Reminiscent of when Jesus appeared to them after his resurrection. They were probably very shocked, frightened, and confused about what was happening. This wind is followed by what appears to be fire appearing among them and a tongue of fire resting on each of them. I know in there shoes I would have been scared to a point of running and screaming in fear. I mean think about that, you are sitting in your house, already afraid, and out of no where the windows bust open from a violent wind and a fire appears above your head and everyone in the house. Crazy to imagine, isn’t it?
Then this is followed by being empowered by the Holy Spirit in a way that they leave the protection of their house and go out into the crowded streets to speak to the people. This empowerment by the Holy Spirit not only pushes them out of the house but also allows them to speak in a way that all people understand. The disciples spoke in many different languages. It probably sounded something like the end of the reading of our scripture for the day. I have to point out that the disciples did not know how to speak these languages prior to the Holy Spirit empowering them.
But, why were all these people in Judea? All these people were gathered for the annual celebration of the Feast of Weeks or Feast of 50 Days also known as Pentecost. This is a celebration of harvest that the Jewish community gathered to thank God for their bounty. It goes to show how perfect God’s timing is. God sends the Helper to the disciples during a gathering of Jewish people in Judea. This gave the disciples the largest possible crowd on their first venture out without Jesus.
But, why is this considered the birth of the church? All that is happening is the disciples talking in different languages. Well, I turn to The United Methodist Church Book of Discipline. The United Methodist Book of Discipline defines the Church as the main location for disciple-making. Following the lead of Christ, the Church is a community of believers gathered to hear the Word of God preached. The Holy Spirit directs the church in worship and for believers to take the Gospel message into the world. (The Book of Discipline, Kindle Locations 3313-3316.) Based on this definition, we have the disciples preaching the Gospel message into the world directed by the Holy Spirit. It is the first church.
Whoah, wait a minute here. There is no building involved with this church. It goes back to the Discipline’s definition that the church is a community of believers. The church is not a building, the building is a place for believers to gather with protection from the elements outside. The church is those who gather, it is the hands and feet of Christ. We the people are the church but what does that mean. Well, in order to be the church we have gather to hear the Gospel message and go.
What I mean by go is to follow the mission of the church given by Jesus in Matthew 28, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.” Just like the disciples did in our scripture today. They went out into the world to spread the Gospel. It is an example that we should follow. I know it is not easy but just like the disciples, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit too. The Holy Spirit is with us just as he was with the disciples at the birth of the church. The Holy Spirit guides us and directs us as we go into the world to spread the Gospel.
Not only are we empowered to take the Gospel message into the world, we are empowered to make disciples of Jesus. That is also part of the church’s call. We cannot just tell someone about the Gospel message and then they accept and move on. No, we need to help them to grow in their relationship with Christ. We must be willing to walk with them on their journey. We must tell them of how the Holy Spirit has empowered them to do as we have done. The cycle should never end. We should be constantly going into the world and training up those that we introduce to the Gospel message.
The mission of the church falls in line with the primary tasks of the church. The primary tasks of the Church today are “reaching out and receiving with joy all who will respond; encouraging people in their relationship with God and inviting them to commitment to God’s love in Jesus Christ; providing opportunities for them to seek strengthening and growth in spiritual formation; and supporting them to live lovingly and justly in the power of the Holy Spirit as faithful disciples.” (The Book of Discipline, Kindle Location 3786-3788) These are the things that the church should be doing in order to make disciples of Christ. We cannot just sit and say that it is not our job. We cannot sit and say that we do not feel called to do this.
Think about these disciples in Acts. They had no choice but to go into the street to spread the Gospel and they did with joy. They wanted to tell everyone that they knew about their resurrected Savior. Why is it that we don’t want to do the same thing? Why is it we are so afraid to tell others? These disciples faced death, we don’t face that. We do not face death for telling others of Christ but we aren’t willing to even say we are a Christian. Friends, this has to be a face to face conversation, it cannot be done over social media.
We can use social media to begin the discussion. For example, our daily devotions and Sunday services are an easy way to begin discussions with your friends, all you have to do is share it on your timeline. Then they may ask you questions. But, if you think posting a meme or making a statement on social media is going to bring someone to know Christ, let me tell you that you are wrong! I have to be blunt about it. Most people when they see a meme about Christianity, Jesus, God, Holy Spirit, or church, they either scroll right past or they hide the post. You will never change a persons mind on social media. But, if you have a one-on-one conversation with them your chances dramatically increase.
Friends, it is time for us to follow the example of the disciples at the birth of the church. It is time for us to realize that we have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to be the hands and feet of Christ. We have been given a mission to go and spread the Gospel. We have been given the task to make disciples and help them to grow in their relationship Christ. Let me change that a little, it is time for you to realize you have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to be the hands and feet of Christ. You have been given a mission to go and spread the Gospel. You have been given the task to make disciples and help them to grow in their relationship with Christ. This is how we should be celebrating the birth of the church by imitating those first disciples. Will you join me in the birthday celebration today, tomorrow, and everyday after?