The history of the Christian
church is a fascinating chronicle. From
its beginnings in the first century, various ways were used to tell the unique
story of God’s love through Jesus Christ.
The central message is referred to as the gospel, meaning good news, and
it has been told in many ways. At first,
it was by oral tradition -- word of mouth -- one believer tells someone else; then
through preaching by the Apostles and others, and later by writings, especially
through the accounts written by the gospel writers Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
and the Apostle Paul through his letters to the first century churches.
Creedal statements were written
at different periods, the first of which was the historic Apostle’s Creed based
on the theological understanding of the gospels. As the church gained momentum, great cathedrals
were built, most of which included stained glass windows that depicted
significant parts of the faith story. As
time passed, other art forms were used: hymns and poems, paintings and other works
of art.
Eventually the seasons of the church were identified
and formed the liturgical calendar with each season representing a significant
event to remember and celebrate. I can’t
imagine a year without Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter, can you? So we
celebrate the holy seasons which brings to mind God’s mighty acts on our behalf
trough Jesus Christ. We proclaim Jesus
Christ as the foundation and cornerstone of the church. And we affirm our faith
in the resurrected Lord, and claim the promise of the resurrection offered to
the faithful. And that we did seven weeks ago on Easter Sunday.
Following Jesus’ resurrection on that
first Easter Sunday, there was a time of waiting. It was time of reflection on the events that had
transpired and what would happen next. It
was also a time to prepare for yet another of God’s gifts: the coming of the
Holy Spirit. That leads us to today’s observance of Pentecost and an
examination of the Pentecost faith that has keep the church alive and moving forward
for twenty plus centuries. Pentecost is
referred to as the “birthday of the Church” and refers to the fact that on that
Pentecost day long ago, people “came alive in the faith.” But that occasion is more than a historical
event recorded in scriptures that happened long ago. There was a new birth in faith and a renewed
spirit in the lives of believers.
So, what does Pentecost have to do with us
today? Pentecost, like the other
seasons, calls us to remember and claim the unique message that has been
proclaimed for centuries and continues to be offered today. Pentecost faith means
that God offers the gift of the Holy Spirit to believers for faith living.
The New Testament Acts of the Apostles
provides a picture of the formation of the first century church. In Acts 1:8 we are told about Jesus’ ascension.
His final message to his disciples was a
promise. “You shall receive power when the
Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in
all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” These words laid the foundation for what
happened at Pentecost described in Chapter 2 of Acts.
Pentecost was originally a Jewish holiday
– a festival of the spring harvest. People had come to Jerusalem to celebrate
this annual event. The Apostles sensed that it was a great time
and opportunity to proclaim what God had done in Jesus Christ. So, that is precisely what they did. The Acts scripture
records Peter’s marvelous sermon that not only proclaimed what God had done in
Jesus Christ, but also how God was pouring
out his Spirit upon the lives of the believers.
As Peter talked, people began to surrender themselves to this power beyond
themselves. According to scriptures, on that day some three thousand welcomed
the message and were baptized into the faith. (Acts 2:37-42) And this is how scriptures recorded what
happened next: “they devoted themselves
to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and
prayers.” (v.42)
We are so far removed from that first
Pentecost experience that we have a hard time comprehending what actually
happened. But we can realize its impact upon history. The scripture describes that
first Pentecost in symbolic language: “a rush like a mighty wind”…“divided
tongues, as of fire”… We hear these
words and can imagine what seems to have been happening in people’s lives. But we
still might wonder, what was the meaning of such an experience? Perhaps it can be stated more simply without image
language: When God’s Spirit works in the
lives of people, their lives are transformed
and unexpected and sometimes extraordinary things become possible. Such
is the work of the Holy Spirit. The words of a Modern Affirmation speak of the
Holy Spirit this way: “We believe in the Holy Spirit as the divine presence in our
lives, whereby by we are kept in perpetual remembrance of the truth of Christ,
and find strength and help in times of need.”
When we allow God’s Spirit into our lives, even today, we can be
transformed and empowered to do the unexpected and extraordinary thing that is
needed to the glory of God.
Pentecost may be called the “birthday
of church.” The awareness of the Holy Spirit is an
on-going miracle in individual lives that brings new birth and renewed faith in
people’s lives. The Apostle Paul had his Pentecost experience on the Damascus
Road. Two other disciples had theirs on the Emmaus Road. John Wesley experienced his Pentecost at a prayer
meeting on Aldersgate Street in London.
A young preacher fresh out of seminary had his Pentecost experience at
his grandmother’s funeral when he experienced the power of the Holy Spirit at
work in his life. Countless others have also discovered the transforming power
of the Pentecost faith and have had their faith renewed and their lives
enriched.
Several years ago I discovered a song
recorded by a ministerial colleague that I consider to be a Pentecost prayer
about what can happen in a person’s life when the gift of the spirit that Pentecost
offers is accepted. It’s called, “Fully
Alive.” Here are the words of that song: The chorus goes
like this: “Fully alive in Your Spirit, Lord, make me fully alive. Fully aware
of Your presence, Lord, totally, fully alive.”
“Don't let me miss all the glory around me, waiting for heaven someday to come. Open my eyes to miraculous Monday and make my feet march to eternity's drum.”
“Don't let me wait for some far off forever, to say what I feel to the ones I hold dear. Risking the pain and the joy of loving, keep me awake and alive while I'm here.”
“Fully alive in
Your Spirit, Lord, make me fully
alive. Fully aware of Your presence, Lord, totally, fully alive.”
I love this song's melody and its message, for it
reminds me that Pentecost is not only a historical happening, but it can be a
present reality. With the Spirit at work
in our lives, we can become “fully alive” and live in the present moment of
each day. Life has meaning and purpose.
Every day is viewed as a gift and an opportunity to witness to God’s love and
share it with others. We become fully alive when we put our Pentecost faith
into practice. That
should be our hope on this Pentecost Sunday!
We need the presence of the
Holy Spirit filling us, inspiring us, guiding us, strengthening us, and
equipping us to be faithful follows of Christ. Pentecost is a promise that reminds us that we
are not alone, and that power is available to face the challenges of each day
through the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Bishop Ralph Edward Dodge was
the first Methodist bishop elected by the Africa Central Conference. In his later years as he approached 80, he
wrote in his autobiography these words:
“We anticipate creative years ahead under the guidance of the Holy
Spirit. Undaunted we face the future with the assurance that our lives are on
God’s hands.” That’s the promise of
Pentecost faith.
