Pentecost – when the spirit moved and blew the church into existence. The Spirit moves where he wants to move. We can’t make the spirit move. He moves in different places at different times. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you can make the spirit move if you just do the right things or say the right things or feel the right things or sing the right music. Those things can help put us into a receptive frame to receive the Spirit, but they are no magic formula guarantying the coming of the Spirit.
There is an old movie called “Leap of faith.” The story is about a charlatan, Jonas Nightingale (played by Steve Martin), who goes around the country putting on “healing revivals.” It’s interesting to see the shams they pull to make people think healings are happening – and the miracles that are not quite miracles.
So when a local young crippled boy comes up to be healed, Jonas begins to hedge his bets – he sees the local sheriff – and he tells the ‘congregation’ that if even one person doubts, there can be no healing – and he points to the sheriff and claims he is the reason there is no healing – but then the boy begins to walk – and Jonas – after initial shock – comes through, as the showman he is, praising God.
But the personal effect on Jonas is that it undoes him. As long as he is in control making the false miracles happen, Jonas can do anything, but when the true Spirit breaks into his life – he can’t handle it.
Our first lesson from Numbers – is an interesting study. Moses is overwhelmed by the responsibility of being the sole judge to the thousands of people he is leading through the desert. So he calls together 70 of the elders of the tribes to receive the spirit to help him in his duties. Apparent only 68 show up and God comes down and takes some of the spirit that rests on Moses, and divides it between the 70 identified elders. And they begin to prophesy. They prophesied one time, and then it didn’t happen again. A gift of the Spirit can be given for a one time use. Here the gift is the manifestation of the giving – it wasn’t the end result. These 70 people were empowered to help Moses to administer justice to the people.
Now I said that only 68 showed up. Eldad and Medad missed the bus – so to speak – they forgot to come.
But the interesting thing is that they didn’t miss out on the blessing. God still placed some of the spirit on them also and they started prophesying right where they were.
Joshua doesn’t have a good reaction to Eldad and Medad. Because they were not with the rest, because they were not in that space where the show of power was – Joshua wants to inhibit them from using that power. (There are some people who would love to dictate when and where God's power is made manifest.) Moses tells him, “Don’t be jealous for my sake. I wish everyone were prophets and had God’s spirit.”
I heard one story, a Hasidic tale – these are stories, tales, and myths told by the Hasidic Jews to teach or to make a point – not unlike Jesus’ parables. In this one, the rabbi asks his student, “Where is the Spirit of God?” The student answers with the biblical phrase, “…the whole universe resounds with his glory.” The rabbi says, “No.” The student, puzzled, asks, “What do you mean, no?” The teacher replied, “God is where you let God come in.” The Holy Spirit is the power that ushers God into our lives - when and where we allow that to happen.
Last week, we read about Jesus telling the disciples to go back into the city and wait for the Holy Spirit. In today’s lesson from Acts, we find them waiting in the upper room – about 120 of them. Matthias had already been chosen to replace Judas and they don’t know what is going to happen, but they are faithfully waiting. And the Holy Spirit comes and fills the whole house – and tongues of fire kiss each person there.
A friend of mine, who made this stole I’m wearing, was so inspired by this passage, she made a quilt of Pentecost called "9 O'Clock in the Morning." In it you see all the people with flames dancing over their heads, and they are falling out the windows, and rushing out the door and tumbling off of the roof - all in a hurry to get out of the building to spread the word of God’s presence and his power.
When filled with the Holy Spirit, they can’t stay hidden away in that upper room. They rush out – drunk in the power of the Spirit – and Peter preaches his first sermon to those who have stopped to witness this phenomena.
There were many people in Jerusalem because it was the Pentecost – the celebration of the giving of the law to Moses in the desert. And once again God gives on Pentecost – first the law to Moses – now the Spirit to all believers.
This world we live in is in desperate need of the Spirit of God – many people are searching for a spiritual base – through new age revelation – through the ancient eastern religions – through earth worship. We visited Sedona Arizona on one vacation – this is a city where they say there are 7 vortexes of spiritual energy. We went up to watch the sunset and there was a great crowd gathered – a man played a didgeridoo to impart spiritual aura to anyone wanting to experience this spiritual power. People are hungry.
The world is hungry for spirituality – the world is hungry for God – whether it knows it or not. It is our commission to go out in the name of God. Broken and wounded we may be, but we are also touched by God. And as a people touched by God, we go out – even in our woundedness - and share that which has given us life - and hope - and power.
In our Gospel reading this morning, we tried to give you a little taste, a little flavor, of what happened on that Pentecost Sunday. There was some confusion, and it may have seemed a little chaotic, but there was great joy as the disciples were given the power of that Holy Spirit.
I invite you to open up your hearts and minds to receive the power of the Lord at this time and make a renewed commitment to God’s presence in your life. Invite Him in and allow him to fill you to overflowing. Share the stories of his place in your life and let others know that they, too, can experience God's grace; his forgiveness and healing power.
Amen.
I love this sermon, Mother Nan.
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