FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

Sermon for May 23, 2010

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21.

Traditionally, Pentecost is a time to celebrate the birthday of the church, that day when Jesus' followers were transformed from a small, fearful group to bold apostles, ready to share the good news of God in Christ with any who would listen.   Hearing the excitement of that day, the wind and the loud noise and the tongues of fire, it almost sounds like this was the first appearance of the Holy Spirit.  Christian triumphalists would prefer to think that way no doubt.   But we can see throughout the Hebrew Scriptures that God's Spirit has acted in history and individual lives since the very beginning of time.

God's Spirit swept across the face of the waters, and the world was created: light and darkness, land and water; sun, moon and stars. 

The Spirit is the source of all life and being: plants and trees, birds, fish, animals and people.  When the Lord God shaped humanity, the Spirit breathed life into them, creating man and woman in the image of God.  It is in God's Spirit that we live and move and have our being. 

In a mystical experience, the prophet Ezekiel was carried away by the Spirit to a valley full of dry bones that had no life in the.  You may remember that Ezekiel prophesied to a community in exile in Babylon , captives who had no hope.  But Ezekiel spoke the Word of God to the bones; and whoosh! God's Spirit-breath filled them.  Suddenly, what was dry and dead was transformed to living flesh.  And Ezekiel's people took hope and confidence from that vision of the Spirit.

The prophet Elijah was on the run, threatened by Jezebel's soldiers.  When he took refuge in a cave, he thought the Holy Spirit would come in a rush of powerful wind and noise to save him.  Instead, God spoke in the sheer silence; or in a still, small voice. 

God's Holy Spirit has always been at work in the world.  Sometimes the Spirit comes in fire and wind; sometimes in stillness and quiet.  However the Spirit comes, transformation and change is the result.  As Barbara Brown Taylor describes the first Pentecost,

“In the book of Acts, we learn the good news of what God did through the Holy Spirit, by performing artificial resuscitation on a room full of well-intentioned bumblers and turning them into a force that changed the history of the world.”  

 She goes on to ask, “The question for me is whether we still believe in a God who acts like that.  Do we still believe in a God who blows through closed doors and sets our heads on fire?  Do we still believe in a God with power to transform us, both as individuals and as a people, or have we come to an unspoken agreement that our God is pretty old and tired by now, someone to whom we may address our prayer requests but not anyone we really expect to change our lives?” [1]

Transformation is the name of the game.  God's Spirit can enter our lives briefly, for just a second, and help us accomplish something amazing, or even change us for a lifetime.  Sophy Burnam, who often writes about angels, described her travels in Europe .  While walking, she came upon a woman in great distress, who only spoke French.  As Sophy struggled to remember her few words of High School language study, she suddenly found herself speaking fluent French.  She spoke words she never knew; words this woman needed to hear.  The Spirit gave her a gift of communication much like the disciples on the first day of Pentecost. 

Some of you no doubt have stories like that to share, of times when God gave you the knowledge you needed at just the time you needed it.

God's spirit pops up in new church starts—New Vision, started by an Ohio woman on her back porch because she couldn't find a spiritual home—celebrates radical inclusion of all, including conservatives!   Open House UCC, in Portland , Maine , is “the church for people who don't like church.”  It is the only progressive church in the state with a regular alternative worship experience using contemporary music, interactive discussions, and video.

I know that God's Spirit is still transforming older churches—you can see in your bulletin insert about Plymouth Congregational UCC, which was established in 1854 in what was then Kansas Territory .  Now, it is the first mainline church in Kansas to offer worship services en Espanol.

Let me also tell you about First Congregational UCC in Montgomery, Alabama, a small church whose building was struck by lightening and burned to ground about fifteen years ago.  Twenty-three members prayed to discern God's will, and believed they were called to form a new church with a new vision; their vision was to “walk in the Spirit” and build strong families in the surrounding African American community.  With their new vision and mission came a new name: Community Congregational Church.  With no budget or staff, and only 23 members, somehow they were able to buy a church building with a 500 seat sanctuary and an education building.  Reminds me of another church I know that raised $30,000 in three weeks to buy a building!

Interestingly, the building that Community Congregational bought used to belong to former Governor George Wallace's congregation!  Community Congregational began to live into their new identity, getting standing from the Association, establishing food and tutoring programs, and a ministry to women in prison.  But then disaster struck again!  Vandals broke in and covered the pastors and choir robes in dirt.  Curtains were pulled down in the sanctuary and cut up!  Fire extinguishers were sprayed in the fellowship hall and library, and the gas turned on.  Windows were broken and files ripped up.  But instead of abandoning their vision, they asked God to let them continue to “walk in the spirit.”  And now the church has grown to almost 200 members.  The facility has been repaired, and ministries rebuilt.  And they are still being led by the Spirit into new challenges and new graces.

How is Sojourners being called into new challenges and new graces? What new mission are we called to offer to the neighborhood and the world?  Where will the Spirit lead us during this time of study and transition?

Perhaps The Holy Spirit can move inside each one of us, too, transforming anything that is dry or dead; bringing new vitality and growth wherever there is stagnation or fear.  As the saying goes, the winds of the Spirit are always blowing; we just have to set our sails.

I pray that we will let ourselves be led by the Spirit, and not just guided, but filled completely with God's mighty power, letting God's Holy Spirit fill us to the brim.  For it's only when the Holy Spirit has free reign in our lives and hearts and relationships, that we are truly God's church on earth.  Thanks be to God.

Please stand in body or in spirit and join in the Sojourner covenant found on the front of your bulletin:

"We are a community of faith called and empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in the way of Jesus, by embracing all persons in all walks and ways of life in our worship and celebration, nurture and growth, love and service."

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Rev. Patricia Barth

May 23, 2010

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