Pentecost, the birthday of the Christian church, the day we hear this weird story about wind, fire and tongues. Like many of our Biblical, stories it is so bazaar that we tend to miss some of what the author is trying to tell us. Today we hear how the Holy Spirit comes upon the followers of Jesus, all of the followers ! You heard Gary read the names of many places and people. If you think about it the church starts out as a Global Movement. The author makes a point to let us know that these followers are from all over the 1st century world.
We recognize some of the places that still exist today Asia, Egypt, Lybia. We may remember a few others from ancient history classes. But, most of these people and places no longer exist in the 21st century world and are long forgotten. Here's what we miss! The writer of Acts includes a people that did not exist in the 1st Century. Five hundred years before Jesus was born, the culture of Medes ceased to exist. This is one of those facts that a reader in the 1st century would notice. But unless you are a historical scholar we, in the 21st century, miss it.
So why would the writer include, in the list of was there, a culture that no longer existed? Could it be to remind us that the Holy Spirit is for everyone in all times and all places? To let us know that the church includes everyone no matter who you are or where you come from? All of the names of these people, all of the different cultures, languages and ethnicity, are included for a reason! The Holy Spirit comes to everyone! The church from the very beginning is global. Even though each ethnic group, each geographic area, each culture has different traditions, the Holy Spirit is there. Our faith practices are routed locally. We at Maidencreek Church are not doing the same thing as a church in China, Mexico, India, France, Africa or even the church down the street. But, we have the common Spirit that empowers all of us. And therefore, we can still understand each other - or at least we should. Isn’t that what this text is telling us? Even though people came from places all over the 1st century world and were speaking in their own languages, through the Holy Spirit this diverse group of people could understand each other. Today’s text reminds us the Holy Spirit calls people from far and wide, across the globe and from just down the street into the church. The Holy Spirit calls people of all traditions and the empowers us as a church to keep growing and changing into new traditions.
Today, just as in this text, we continue to be a diverse people gathered together from different places and from all walks of life. Over half of the people sitting here did not grow up in Maidencreek Church. But, because of the Spirit were drawn to this faith community. We have grown not only in numbers but in the gifts each person brings to the community. When we gather together we share new traditions and new ways of following Jesus. Because when these gifts are shared we become more and more the Body of Christ. And more and more open to where the Spirit is moving us.
The text also reminds us when the Spirit moves, things are rarely calm. I am not sure if I am ready to have the Holy Spirit come down upon us in flames of fire. Truthfully, I think that is pretty scary! But when we think about it, some of the changes that occurred at Maidencreek in the past years were pretty scary too. The Holy Spirit carries the church through change and empowered this faith community to be stronger because of it.
Today is the birthday of the church and we were given a gift - the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a gift to people for all times and all places. It is the gift that keeps on giving, pulling us, moving us, changing us and challenging us. The Holy Spirit renews and empowers us. And thanks be to God the Holy Spirit reminds us who we are!
We are the Christian Church - a people from every tradition, culture, and ethnic group. A diverse people who together proclaim and live the Jesus Message.
Today, let us open our mind, open our heart, and open ourselves to the Holy Spirit as it falls upon us, empowers us, and leads us to new places, new traditions and new actions. Let us say Happy Birthday - not to the church as an institution or a building but to each other because together we are the church! As the church may we continue to follow the Holy Spirit as we are led to do things we never thought we would do! But the things we are called to do to live the Gospel. May it be so!
