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A look at the appointed gospel from the Revised Common Lectionary for May 31, 2020.
“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And 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.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
Peter Addresses the Crowd
But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “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.’”
My Two Cents….
I love the way that the walls just disappear in this story. It starts inside the house where the disciples had been gathering for worship since Jesus told them to wait for the Spirit to empower them for ministry. Inside, they worshiped, prayed, and broke bread together. They shared in fellowship and common purpose. And they waited….
And then it happened…. In a way that rivals any Old Testament theophany (those moments when God acted in a decisive way to save the people), the Spirit whooshes in. Fire and wind - basic elements - anoint and mark the disciples in a way that forever changes not only their lives but also the church. At that moment, the church (which had already been gathering) is gifted with the very same Spirit that embolden Jesus’s ministry.
And the walls disappeared!
Suddenly, the scene shifts to a large crowd that gathers around the disciples. This group is much bigger than could ever fit in the tiny place wherein they previously gathered. The people are from all over the world. They are the scattered people of God that are known as the Jewish Diaspora. A history filled with many painful moments has separated them. They yearn for God’s redemption and restoration.
As we continue to live through this pandemic, there are connections for us to make with this crowd. Covid-19 has been a painful experience world-wide. It has separated families and communities. There has been hardship - deep and personal in the isolation. And there has been grief that touches the core of our being. We mourn the loss of life and the patterns that have brought meaning to our lives.
Less we get caught up in the fear, anxiety, and grief of this moment, the Pentecost story reminds us that the Spirit of God remains alive and active. It is calling us, as it called those early disciples, out into the world. God empowers us for ministry that bears the Risen Christ into all the broken and hurting places.
There are some that are calling for the re-opening of churches. This is misleading and presupposes that churches have closed during the pandemic. It is not true. Yes - we have chosen to stop meeting in-person so that we can do our part in stemming the tide of the virus. But, we have not closed down. Ministry has continued in new and exciting ways outside the doors of designated sanctuaries.
The Spirit continues to empower us in Word and service. By the grace of God, we continue to build and deepen loving relationships with God, with one another, and with our neighbors. Thanks be to God!
In Christ's Light,
Walt
Permission granted to share today's content with family and friends. Copyrighted 2020. Walt Lichtenberger
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