Pentecost Story—Acts 2: 1 – 21

            I could not forget that today is Pentecost Sunday, for I had reminders during the week.  On Wednesday afternoon walking with a strong wind at my back, I practically sailed into Wilma Plummer’s apartment complex.  Thursday morning, at home, reading and researching the background for today’s scripture, I heard the wind blowing through the cracks between the front door and the doorframe, and I watched as top branches from trees in my yard and at the Veterans’ Memorial across the street bowed in the wind.  This week the Kansas weather conspired to help me write a Pentecost sermon.

            I could not forget that today is Pentecost Sunday, for I had reminders during the week.  Friday afternoon, traveling from Olathe Medical Center home to Paola, I lost count of the number of red cars, pickup trucks, and vans I saw on the road.  Traveling in the opposite direction or passing me, red was flashing by me left and right.  Jason, they were passing me—I was within the speed limit.  Even the holiday traffic conspired to help me prepare a Pentecost sermon. 

            As I told our children earlier, part of our celebration of Pentecost is retelling the story.  A school librarian for 11 years, I hosted many authors and storytellers at Old Town Elementary.  One of my favorites—Joe Hayes, from Santa Fe, New Mexico—is a teller of Native American folktales.  In every story, sometimes at the beginning and sometimes at the end—but in every story, Joe says, “I don’t know if it happened exactly this way, but I do know it’s true.”  These words remind me that the stories of our faith tell us truths about God even if they did not “happen exactly this way.” 

            Whatever may have happened on that day of Pentecost, it was important for Luke—the author of Acts—to frame it within a physical, sensory encounter.  On the day of Pentecost, Jesus’ followers did not experience the Holy Spirit in a dream or meditative state.  Nor did they experience the Holy Spirit intellectually—by reading or through academic study.  On the day of Pentecost, they experienced the Holy Spirit physically.  Hearing a loud rushing sound and seeing something totally unexpected, they were startled—startled out of their inward focus of missing Jesus and waiting.  They were startled—startled into speech and action. Enthusiastically talking, they left the closed room and went out into the city of Jerusalem.  So, the 1^st miracle of Pentecost is the Holy Spirit blowing Jesus’ disciples out of their house where things were safe and comfortable and into the world where there are risks.            

            Hearing a loud rushing sound and seeing something totally unexpected—Luke uses the image of flaming tongues alighting on each person—Jesus’ followers were startled—startled into impassioned speech and bold action. The 2^nd miracle of Pentecost is the Holy Spirit empowering Jesus’ disciples to boldly proclaim the good news. 

            Whatever happened that day of Pentecost, the many pious Jews from every nation under heaven who heard and saw the commotion understood what was being said.  Luke presents their comprehension from 2 perspectives—native language and language of faith.  1^st the passersby are drawn into conversations with Jesus’ followers perhaps because they understand the vernacular spoken or the references made.   Then again, perhaps the native language the listeners hear and comprehend is the language of hospitality, of patience, and compassion.  As Peter stands and addresses the crowd, the many pious Jews from every nation under heaven understand his testimony because he frames what they are seeing and hearing in the context of shared religious writing.  In other words, the crowd knew their Bible—their faith stories—and Peter connects what is happening among them to a familiar prophecy.  Reading to the end of Acts, chapter 2, we are reminded of the rest of the Pentecost story.  Many of the people gathered there receive and believe the good news of God’s love, and they choose to join Jesus’ followers.  The 3^rd miracle of Pentecost is that the people hear and receive the good news. 

            Whatever happened that day, Luke chooses to use the Greek word for spirit that conjures images of both wind and breath.  Luke chooses to use the Greek word which reminds his readers of the 1^st creation story in Genesis where God’s spirit breathes life into the world as God is creating the heavens and the earth.  In the Pentecost story, the Holy Spirit makes dynamic this previously static group of Jesus’ followers.  The Holy Spirit breathes life into their community of faith.  The 4^th miracle of Pentecost is the birth of the church. 

            Whatever happened that day, Luke uses the image of fire to describe the experience. Dispelling both darkness and cold, fire is a powerful metaphor connecting the light of Christ and the warmth of God’s love to the gift of the Holy Spirit.

            Whatever happened that day, Luke describes the Holy Spirit as a universal gift.  Men and women, those who had been with Jesus throughout his ministry as well as those who had joined the group in the last few months—each of Jesus’ followers receive the Holy Spirit.  Addressing the crowd and recalling Joel’s prophecy, Peter suggests the Spirit is even more inclusive. God’s spirit will be poured out on men and women; young and old; slave and free.  The list expands, for as his disciples carry the good news of Jesus into the world, they will see both Jew and Gentile filled with the Holy Spirit.  I would suggest the list expands even more . . . the Holy Spirit is poured out on those who are married as well as those who are divorced or widowed; on those who are living in a committed, loving relationship as well as those who are single.  Hmmm, KU, Mizzou, KState, and even UT fans can receive the Holy Spirit.  Like God’s love and the grace of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is non-discriminatory.

            Speaking of fans, earlier this year, a few of you told me about attending basketball games in the KU fieldhouse.  You said the sound inside is deafening.  When you go to a game there, you don’t expect to sit, but to stand and not to stand still.  You said you may lose your voice or have a sore throat afterwards—from chanting the cheers, I hope and not from yelling at the players, coaches, or referees.  What you described to me is what I call “getting all fired up.” Whatever happened on that day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit “fired up” Jesus’ followers.  The ultimate result was the spread of the good news of God’s amazing love as experienced through the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ.  On that day of Pentecost, Jesus’ followers became “all fired up.”  The ultimate result was the spread of the good news from Jerusalem, into Judea, and out into the far reaches of the known world.

            Today, Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit—the one who turns us—the church—changing our inward focus to a view of the world beyond ourselves and our desires.  Today, we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit—the one who lights a fire under us—filling us with impassioned speech and moving us into bold action.  Today we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit—the one who fans the coals of love in our hearts to respond to the needs of the world.  Today we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit—the one who helps us to understand God’s Word, to discern God’s call, and to respond faithfully.  Today, we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit—the one who breathes new life into our church. May we open our sails, and receiving this gift, allow the Holy Spirit to blows us where God wants us to go.