Pentecost - Do Something New In My Life!

Pentecost 2021 Do Something New In My Life!

Before returning to his Father’s house of eternal love and peace, Jesus prays for an advocate to be with his community, which at the time numbered some 120 men and women. This Advocate, he said, would be the Spirit of Truth “who comes from the Father, and when he comes, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.”

 

That is, the Spirit will prepare them to become evangelists – those who tell the story of Jesus and proclaim the Good News: God forgives you and loves you, no matter what. You cannot earn this news, there is nothing can do to deserve it, you need only accept it. When you do, your life will take a turn, and you will turn, turn until you come down right!

 

Note that although he is the one about to be executed, Jesus is comforting them and giving them assurance that as he returns to that place from whence we all come, this Advocate, this Spirit of Truth will be with them in such a way that they will know he is still with them. He is not leaving them alone. And they are no longer to be disciples, but rather apostles – those who are sent to the four corners of the world to proclaim God’s truth and his Good News.

 

As assuring as this prayer in his announcement is at the Last Supper in chapters 15 and 16 of the Gospel of John, it is safe to say that these newly minted Apostles had no idea what the day the Spirit of Truth arrives would be like. As Luke tells the story in the Acts of the Apostles chapter 2, it is the day of the Jewish Feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem. This time of year marked the start of the wheat harvest and the end of the barley harvest. Called Shavuot, it also marks the time that the Jews were given the Torah on Mount Sinai. Therefore, Shavuot is sometimes called Pentecost which refers to the count of fifty days after Passover. And for that company of 120 companions of Jesus, it the fiftieth day after the Resurrection.

 

“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.” This recalls the mighty ruach, the spirit, breath and wind of the Lord God YHWH that swept across the face of the waters in creation! Also, it reminds us of the bush that burns but is not consumed declaring all the earth is holy ground!

 

Just as suddenly, they did in fact all become Apostles and Evangelists declaring the mighty works of God in Christ Jesus! And because of the harvest festival underway, there were Jews and gentile proselytes from all over the ancient world. In this crowd, we are told, they could all hear and understand in their own languages about God’s deeds of power! And you might think that this festival crowd would be mightily impressed and excited. But instead, they ask, “What does this mean?” While others sneered, “They must be drunk, they surely are filled with new wine!”

 

Above the din, Peter raises his voice and says, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

 

`In the last days it will be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

and your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams.

Even upon my slaves, both men and women,

in those days I will pour out my Spirit;

and they shall prophesy.

And I will show portents in the heaven above

and signs on the earth below,

blood, and fire, and smoky mist.

The sun shall be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood,

before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day.

Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' "

 

Like the crowd, it is reasonable for us to ask the same question, “What does this mean?”

For one thing, it is expected that the Lord will save all who want to be saved. And the Spirit will enable young and old, men and women, slaves and free to experience the Spirit of Truth and live to tell about it to all who will listen.

 

But most of all, despite the suffering and the tragedy of crucifixion  that had come upon this little band of 120 companions of Jesus, they are now witnesses to the very Good News that their God forgives everyone and loves everyone no matter what! That it is God’s will to save us all. One needs to simply sign on, accept the news, welcome the Spirit of Truth, and bear witness in new and wonderful and marvelous and beautiful and heavenly with their lives. Life as they knew it had changed!

 

That is, Pentecost is not meant just for the 120, and not just for the crowd on the streets that morning in Jerusalem, but all people, everywhere, all the time. It is time to do something new with our lives. Which also suggests that as we return from this Pandemic, God will likely be urging us not to return to the way things were, but rather will urge us to find new ways to be apostles, storytellers, proclaimers of the news, stewards of God’s love for all people.

 

Later the Apostle Paul in his letter to the churches in Rome puts it this way: “We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 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. [Romans 8:22-27]

 

We don’t yet know what it will look like as we move out of the Pandemic, but is very likely to be new, and even as exciting as that 50^th Day in Jerusalem. God is already at work preparing us for new things in our lives, if only we will listen to the Spirit of Truth and tell the stories of God’s deeds of power to others. All others. Amen. It is truth. It is so!