Spirited

Spirited Pentecost 2021 Manuscript

You might remember this jingle on television from 1971:

“I’d like to buy the world a home and furnish it with love,

Grow apple trees and honey bees and snow white turtle doves.

I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony.

I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company. That’s the real thing!”

Later that year, it was rewritten to be sung by the English group, the New Seekers:

“I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony.

I’d like to hold it in my arms and keep it company.

I’d like to see the world for once all standing hand in hand. And hear

them echo through the hills for peace throughout the land. That’s the song I hear!”

That song expresses the age old hope of humanity to dream of peace, love, hope and justice;

The dream of every generation in the face of war, hatred, poverty and despair. During these dark days

of COVID-19, this could well be our worldwide anthem. BUT God has a better idea!

Today we celebrate Pentecost 2021! Pentecost 2020 was observed virtually as the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning; this year so many of us are meeting in person either in sanctuaries, outdoors or continuing online. In those days, Pentecost celebrated the grain harvest 50 days after Passover. That day meant rest from hard labor, the consecration of bread, other foods and special offerings for the Temple and regional synagogues. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 A. D., this observance was transformed to commemorate the giving of the Law on Sinai by Moses. This ratification of the covenant would be annually celebrated as Shavuos or Shavuot. Down through the centuries, this feast becomes the time for Jewish teens to be confirmed at thirteen years of age; this is known as Bar Mitzvah for boys and Bat Mitzvah for girls. For most Christian communities that practice infant baptism, the confirmation of a young person’s confession and profession of faith, generally occurs on Pentecost Sunday. Down through the centuries, Pentecost Sunday has been deemed the Birthday of the Church. All who confess and profess Jesus Christ as Lord are known as the New Covenant People of God; the Body of Christ made up of Jews and Gentiles whomever and wherever throughout all generations.

NOW, we look back fifty days to that Thursday evening known as the Last Supper with selections from John’s Gospel chapter 15 (NRSV):

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. My late father, Joe Macari, had quite a “green thumb” growing vegetables and fruit. His son has NO thumb at it. Now we all know that plants, fruits and vegetables require great care: the right mix of sun and water, space to grow and lots of nutrients. So do we to grow in our daily life with Christ and His Church

Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

Present day North American English rarely uses the word “abide.” It is defined as “to linger, stay, wait, persist” Maybe we could say it means to “hang around” or “hang out.” Too often the phrase “abiding in Christ” brings to mind gritting our teeth in discipleship. We wind up discouraged and frustrated in our shallow walk of faith and obedience. Enter stage right Andrew Murray. He was a Scottish pastor emigrated to what would become the Union of South Africa. Murray wrote many books on the “Deeper Christian Life.” One was titled Abiding in Christ; here are some excerpts: As surely as the Vine Grower made the Vine what it was to be, will He make each branch what it is to be. Our Father is the Husbandman, the Guarantee and Assurance of our growth and fruit…Abiding is to be an act of the will and the whole heart…You are the branch. You need be nothing more. You need not for one single moment take upon yourself the responsibility of the Vine. You need not leave the place of entire dependence and unbounded confidence. You are just a branch—but a beloved one! (

We now turn to the Apostle Paul who answers the question “How does that happen?” NOT “how” BUT “Who?” The Holy Spirit—that’s Who! The Holy Spirit unites us to Christ, transforms us by Christ and energizes us for Christ. This is taking place in what Paul reimagines to be the “fruit of the Spirit”:

Galatians chapter 5: 22-23 (NIV):

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Notice the phrase is NOT “fruits”; RATHER it is describes “fruit!” Grapes, olives, pumpkins and other fruit are all grown on a vine or stem. Paul” visual image is that the fruit of the Spirit all are connected to the Vine, who is Christ Himself as mediated to believers by the Holy Spirit. Today’s message will not deal with all of the fruit of the Spirit; we will only look at several this morning. The next message will conclude this summary.

First up is Patience (so called in nearly all modern translations). Yet, the venerable King James Version renders this word as Longsuffering; that IS the accurate translation of the Greek word “makrothumia.” In these past fifteen months of COVID-19, the Holy Spirit has increased our courage, endurance, resilience and compassion. Folks have truly become hometown heroes: shopping for and transporting the homebound and isolated. COVID-19 has sensitized so many to open up their lives to those grieving the loss of loved ones, friends and neighbors. We have rediscovered the words of Jesus: Blessed are they who mourn for they will be comforted.

Next up is Kindness. This implies welcoming the stranger. For my wife and me as occasional pulpit supply,

you have welcomed us here at Linden. In our broader context, it seems that folks from all over the world are now our neighbors here in New Jersey. Here in Linden, there are folks from Eastern Europe, the western nations of Africa and the Middle East. Where we live in Edison and throughout Middlesex County, our new neighbors are from all over Asia: the Indian subcontinent, China, Korea, Indonesia, the Middle East as well as those African nations where folks speak English as well as their own ancestral languages. We, as those in whom the Trinity abides, are commissioned to meet, greet and break bread with them

Another fruit with a double meaning is sometimes translated Goodness and/or Generosity. This word from Greek signifies that those who are good will be generous with all that God has given them. It also signifies that true generosity will be noticed as the hallmark of goodness in word and deed.

Our final word for today’s message is Gentleness. This fruit is manifested in humility and not returning evil with evil. Three times a year we have a maintenance checkup on our central air unit. The regular technician is an American citizen born in Taiwan. He is a strong Christian and recently shared with us how occasionally he has to endure anti-Asian snide remarks from some customers. He shared with us that he takes it in his stride and prays for these folks. His gentle spirit speaks louder than words to us and to his other clients.

That concludes our “fruit inspection” for this morning. Between now and the next time I finish up this survey, here is your homework assignment. Review Galatians 5: 22 and 23 and meditate on what fruit you exhibit and what fruit you would like to “ripen” in your daily life. Even take the risk and ask someone who knows you well to give you feedback on this!