Would all the children please join me at
the front?
Today
is Pentecost—a special church holiday/holy day. We decorate our church with the colors and symbols of
Pentecost. What color do you think
is the color of Pentecost? (red)
What symbols do you think represent Pentecost? (dove—At the beginning of his ministry, when Jesus was
baptized, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven like a dove and landed on
him. So the dove represents the
Holy Spirit.) Flames of fire—(our
scripture today gives us a clue about why fire or flames might represent the
Holy Spirit.) So red—the color of
power and fire—is the color of Pentecost, and symbols that represent the Holy
Spirit are the symbols of Pentecost.
What
is Pentecost? I’m asking for your help (and adults’ help) in retelling the
story of Pentecost. Jesus’
followers had stayed in Jerusalem after his death and resurrection. Each morning, before going about their
regular, daily activities, they met for prayer and worship. This day—the day of Pentecost—was a
special day. For during their morning worship, a sound like rushing wind filled
the room they were meeting in. Can
you make a sound—like rushing wind—that will fill this room we’re meeting in?
Let’s invite the grownups to do this with us. On the count of 3, let’s all make a sound—like rushing wind—that
fills this room. 1, 2, 3: whoosh! On this morning, Jesus’
followers heard a sound—so loud that it filled the room. I’ll bet they were startled. Then, what looked like individual
flames of fire started to rest on each one of them. (Take the red dowel things
and flicker on each child.) It was
almost as if fire was licking each person there. Will you take these—each of
you go to different rows and flicker these fiery licking tongues on the adults
until each one has been touched by a flaming flaps? I’ll bet Jesus’ followers were a little afraid at this
point. Do you remember what
happened next? They began to speak—talking
with one another about Jesus and their experiences with him. Frankly, that was a pretty big deal
because ever since Jesus’ death—even during his resurrection appearances—these
followers had been timid and shy about revealing their relationship with
him. But not on this day. On this day, they spill out of the
house where they are meeting and into the busy Jerusalem street outside—talking
about Jesus.
Now
Jerusalem was a big city—a place where people from all over the world had come
to live. They had come from Egypt
and Rome, Spain and France and many other places. Many of them could get by using the common language—here the
common language is English—but they were more comfortable speaking and
listening in their own languages—Arabic, Latin, Spanish, French. When Jesus’ followers spilled out of
their meeting room and onto the streets of Jerusalem—talking about Jesus, they
were speaking in Arabic, Latin, Spanish, and French. And on this day, Jesus’ followers are proclaiming, “Jesus is
Lord. He is risen from the
dead. Alleluia!” Let’s all say “Jesus
is Lord. He is risen from the
dead. Alleluia.”
On
this day, Jesus’ followers are proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ—not
just in one common language, but in all the different languages of the people
living in Jerusalem. It was a miracle!
They were speaking up about Jesus and they were speaking in languages
they had not studied.
A
huge crowd gathered there in the street—a crowd drawn by all the noise and
commotion. Peter stands and speaks
to the crowd—like Martin Luther King, Jr. standing in front of the Lincoln
Memorial, speaking to the crowds in August 1963 or like Katie Perry addressing
a crowd at her concerts—well, not that flashy. Peter stands up and tells the crowd “You are seeing God’s
Holy Spirit pouring out on all peoples.” Addressing the crowd, Peter shares the
mighty works of God through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. He proclaims Jesus is Lord. Not Caesar—Jesus is Lord. Not money, not power, not security—Jesus
is Lord. Not popularity or beauty—Jesus
is Lord. And the people in the
crowd respond, “What must we do?”
Moved by the same Holy Spirit who empowers Peter and Jesus’ other
followers to speak, the crowd listens and responds. Moved by the Holy Spirit, the crowd responds with a
willingness to change their hearts and lives. The crowd responds—ready to be baptized and to join the
community of Jesus’ followers. The
crowd responds—ready to begin the life-long journey of becoming Jesus’
disciples.
Who
are the characters in this Pentecost story? Peter and the other Jesus followers; the crowd who listens and responds; and
the Holy Spirit—who is the main character. It was the Holy Spirit filling that room with sound. It was the Holy Spirit alighting on
each person like an individual flame of fire. When we were flickering our flames of fiery crepe paper on
each person, I noticed some folks shrinking back. Were you afraid of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is God, and we know God
wants only the best for us. God
provides for us and protects us.
Surely we need not fear the Holy Spirit. In the beginning, through the
Holy Spirit, God breathed form and life into creation. The Holy Spirit is the one
whom Jesus promised would walk beside his disciples in his absence. Surely we need not fear the Holy
Spirit.
But
. . . the Holy Spirit is associated with animation, rejuvenation, and
transformation. So, if you’re one
who prefers to stand still, to plant your feet in one place, to plop your
bottom down on one seat, to put your mind and emotions on hold—then maybe you
should be a little afraid. Because
the Holy Spirit will blow you where she chooses to blow you. We do not control the Holy Spirit. Letting go, being flexible, making room
for change—these are the strategies for enjoying the presence and power of the
Holy Spirit.
Today
is Pentecost, a special church holiday/holy day—when we celebrate the Holy
Spirit filling the community of Christ’s followers with the courage to speak
up, to proclaim Jesus the Christ.
Today is Pentecost—when we celebrate the Holy Spirit filling the
community of faith with new followers.
Today is Pentecost—the church’s birthday—the day the Holy Spirit
breathed life into the church—giving voice to proclaim the good news of Jesus
the Christ.
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