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“Fired Up”
Acts 2:1-21 or Genesis 11:1-9; Psalm 104:24-34, 35b; Acts 2:1-13;
Romans 8:2-5, 14-17; John 14:8-17 (25-27)
Rev. Sandy Nuernberg
Oakland-Cambridge Presbyterian Church, Cambridge, WI
Day of Pentecost
May 27, 2007
Please pray with me: Our
God, be with us as we ponder and receive your Word into our minds and hearts
in order to seek meaning in our lives. Bring your Spirit among us and help
us recognize your presence in our lives. AMEN.
The story of the first Pentecost,
just read by Nancy in our text from the Acts of the Apostles, is, some say, the
birth of the Christian church. For it all happened just as was promised by the
prophet in the O.T., Joel (Joel 2:28-32),
and also here by Jesus’ disciple Peter (Acts
2:17-21). The disciples were faithful to Jesus’ commandment to them;
remember last Sunday when Garret, one of our newest confirmands, read what Jesus
said, “I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city
until you are clothed with power from on high”
(Luke 24: 49). It was also quoted
by the apostle Paul later in Romans (10:11-13),
as he was telling of God’s salvation for all people.
On this Pentecost morning, the
Greek word for 50th , and a great celebration of so long ago, we are
waiting to be clothed with power from on high too. And as we wait for God’s
presence in the Spirit, like they did in the city then, all gathered together,
we might ask the same question, “But what does this mean?”
(Acts 2:12). How do we articulate ‘being
clothed with’ the Holy Spirit as the ‘birth of the Christian church?’
Pentecost is also called the
‘Jewish Festival of Weeks’ (Exod.23:14-17);
in Europe it is called Whitsunday with red roses and trumpet music fanfare, but
it all began when the fruits of the grain harvest were presented to God fifty
days after the Passover, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There was much
celebration, a gala affair and festival of the first fruits. And as we know,
since the early 20th century, there began a modern-day Pentecostal
movement of recapturing this 1st-century experience of receiving the
Holy Spirit, God’s presence; today Pentecostalism includes experiencing the
gifts of the Holy Spirit, or glossolalia, or speaking in tongues, really,
a kind of ‘gibberish’ stressing a very special baptism by the Holy Spirit after
conversion, all taken from our text readings today.
Today our children saw and heard
the tongues of the Spirit of the birds, capturing and hearing them speak
their own language. Next Sunday we’ll hear and see the rushing winds of
the Spirit of kite ministry by a friend of mine who flies different kinds of
kites all over the world; they are breath taking in flight. In being ‘fired up’
in the flames of the Holy Spirit, I would recommend visiting a
Pentecostal church to any of you who desire an experience of worship quite
different than what we sometimes as Presbyterians are described by others as
‘the frozen chosen.’ And don’t be in a hurry as you make your visit; two and a
half hours (2 ½) is not unusual at all!
Yes, something ‘fired up’ these
people in Jerusalem–they were really and truly filled with God’s Holy Spirit.
When I was part of our Presbytery’s pulpit supply I experienced an amazing event
that helped explain to me what some of this meant, but of course I didn’t
realize it at the time. It was similar to God’s people long ago and being
energized with the Holy Spirit. In January-March of ‘05 there were four retired
and male PC(USA) pastors along with myself who were guest preachers at the
Korean Presbyterian Church in Madison. It was a time when they were searching
for a new pastor–we know all about this process in our denomination, don’t we?
I was there early one Sunday in
February and did so to listen to the ‘youth band’ of perhaps 12-14 young people.
Incidentally, they were here at our church to sing at my ordination last fall,
but this time they were playing their guitars, percussion, key boards, you name
it; and they each had a floor microphone; there was a large screen above us with
the words in Korean and English for each hymn or anthem. I felt like I was at a
festival or concert; they played soft, beautiful music and I recognized some of
the contemporary songs.
Then, they suddenly stopped and
all came together in a circle and bowed their heads in prayer. They all spoke
their native tongue at once and as I listened, I was overcome with
emotion–chills were up my spine, ‘was this the presence of God in our midst?’ In
seminary I had heard, read, and knew enough Hebrew, Greek, and Korean to
recognize their speaking separately, but I had never heard a language spoken by
many all at once. For me it was breath-taking; I truly loved what I heard, and
saw and observed, and as I prayed with them. For me, this quick Presence,
unknowingly in words, but in a rush of rhythm, in a kind of ever-deepening
unity, made me feel comfortable and safe and warm (in February!) with all of
these people of a different culture than mine, but similar faith.
If we try to imagine the followers
of Jesus as they gathered from many places around Jerusalem to celebrate these
Jewish holidays, they had to wonder what all was happening. At this time in the
early infant Christian church, there still were practicing patterns of Jewish
worship, prayers in the temple at 9am and 3pm and at sunset
(Acts 3:1);
yet also developing change, that word despised by many, where
‘house-hold’ churches were bringing fellowship
(Acts 2:42) and sharing among believers.
Importantly, though, these Jewish
Christians were in awe of who this Son of God, Jesus Christ was, and heaven
forbid, the promise that the Holy Spirit, from God through Christ, would be with
them. As Acts tells us again and again, the disciples began acting as
though they had seen and been given undeniable proof, they were witnesses of a
most astounding event in all of their faith and life history. They and others
were lit up, they were fired up with confidence, not fear, and wanted anyone
around to know of this power of the Holy Spirit that was like a flame inside of
them. The flame of O.T. times represented the presence of God.
As we read further in Acts next
chapters, we know that Peter spoke much about the prophets of the O.T. to these
Jews; Moses, Samuel, David, Joel, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as they were
gathered, but he also described Jesus’ human and divine characteristics. So much
so that as Jesus’ prophets Peter, along with John were arrested as thousands
were converted this very first day of celebration at Pentecost; this day marked
the conversion of many in believing Jesus’ resurrection and in the power of the
presence of the Holy Spirit .
Later, as Paul traveled throughout
the region in his mission for preaching new life in Christ, and to fire up
others, there was no secret as to what was at work in the early church; it was
the power of God through the Holy Spirit, with decisions made by those early
Christian’s through the guidance of the Spirit. Our text in Romans, for me, has
a theme of the Spirit that works alongside us as we relate to God. At least
eight familiar passages in this chapter alone of the life of the Spirit in life
and in death are my favorites; a Spirit that ‘walks not according to the flesh,
but according to the Spirit’ (v. 4), and
‘all things work together for good for those who love God’
(v. 28), and God, ‘ who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the
Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of
God.’ (v. 27), to mention a few.
Mostly, though, the Holy Spirit, I
believe, teaches us the benefits of being ‘a child of God’(8:14).
The currents, the vibes, the presence of God is among us at all times. In our
OCPC church community I marvel at all that gets done in so short a time; the
Spirit in your sensitivity to property needs, kitchen fellowship preparations,
committee responsibilities, and communication to the area in publicity are
indeed works of the Holy Spirit. These are timely, tested, and treasured by many
in your individual time, talents, and treasures shared with each other and with
the town’s people..
The good news of the gospel for us
is that the Holy Spirit that clothed those early Christians long ago was
remarkable and is ever present in our own Pentecostal moments this day; whether
read literally in the text as it happened, or whether in images of God’s
presence as a rushing wind, speaking in tongues in gathering, a flame that
smolders or fires us up, or a dove coming from heaven. They all represent a
Spirit in us in different ways and in different amounts and at different times;
we need only to be aware of the work of the Holy Spirit in us. We are worshipers
of God’s Will for us, we are listeners and learners of the Word of
Jesus Christ to us, and we are witnesses to Jesus’ acts of preaching and healing
in the Work of the Spirit in us as the Spirit moves in and through us,
lifts us up and renews and unites our spirits.
Yes, we know there are many ways
to preach the Gospel, but in the works of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we can
be sure of the fire in our hearts and souls for our Christ-like lives. And yes,
we must take risks as the prophets have in being ‘fired up’ by the Spirit to
proclaim the good news to others. We must bring our faith from that personal,
powerful place in our hearts to share it with others, as we speak in tongues of
fire and understanding in bringing that power, love and confidence from God to
ourselves and then to others.
Thanks be
to God. AMEN.
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