5/30/04

Filled With the Spirit

Acts 2:1-21
Romans 8:14-17
John 14:8-17, 25-27

"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] divided tongues, as of fire ... All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages ... All [who heard them] were amazed, [astonished], and perplexed, saying to one another, 'What does this mean?' The first Christian Pentecost was indeed a day of amazement, astonishment, and perplexity.

Ever since Easter, the disciples have been like lifeless leaves, gathered together in their quarters in Jerusalem. It's been a quiet time for them, like being in limbo, a time of spiritual hibernation. The spring and summer times with their Master are gone; now it feels like the dead of winter. When Jesus was still with them, he had promised that the "Spirit of truth," the Advocate, the Counselor, would come among them after he had gone. But it's almost two months now - and they are still alone!

Then it happens. Like an explosion, like fireworks, the Holy Spirit comes upon them, lighting up the image of Jesus for all to see - through them. Before they had discussed him only in secret; now, they boldly talk of nothing else on the streets of Jerusalem. The exploding Holy Spirit of wind and flames sends a tremor through them. Peter, hesitant before, now speaks with authority. The disciples go out and perform miracles of healing. The Spirit's embrace, like a spiral of love, draws them closer to one another and to God. (i)

Some observers sneeringly insinuate that the disciples have become drunkards. "They are filled with new wine," they say. They're drunk all right, not with wine, but with the dizzying possibility of God's love breaking out all over the place, smashing down barriers between people and opening eyes and ears. (ii)

The truly astonishing part about Pentecost isn't so much the sound of the rushing wind or spectacle of the tongues of fire, though these are pretty amazing, but rather, the sudden and irreversible change in the disciples. These people come alive! They are awakened to a new truth about their faith, and they are finding a new freedom, courage, and wisdom to follow this truth. They are filled with an irrepressible desire to recreate in the hearts of others, what the Holy Spirit has created in their own hearts. (iii)

Sometimes we present-day Christians are something like the disciples before their Pentecost experience, lifeless, tired, anxious, without much passion. Sometimes in the church, we just don't seem to be on the same page, don't seem to be understanding one another, or hearing each other very well. Sometimes we're like the man who was driving along, minding his own business, when suddenly - no, not rushing winds or tongues of fire - but suddenly he comes across a big pig walking along by the side of the road. He stops, hops out of his car, struggles to pick up the pig, and dumps it into the back seat. Not quite knowing what to do with the animal, he sees a police officer, pulls over, and asks, "What do you think I should do with this big pig I just picked up off the side of the road?" The police officer says, "Take it to the zoo." "Good idea," says the man, and drives off.

The next day the police officer is surprised to see the same man driving by in his car with the same pig sitting on the passenger seat beside him. To satisfy her curiosity the police officer pulls the man over and says, "I thought I told you to take that pig to the zoo." The man replies, "I did. We went there yesterday. Today we're going to the circus!" (iv)

We also sometimes misunderstand one another. Miscommunication can be very confusing or destructive between a couple, among friends, within a church. One spouse says to another: "I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you understand that what you heard is not what I meant."

A Lieutenant asks a Private if he has change for a dollar. The Private cheerfully responds, "I think so, let me see." The Lieutenant says, "Soldier! That's no way to address your superior officer! Start again! Do you have change for a dollar?!" The Private snaps to attention, salutes the Lieutenant, and says, "No, sir!" (v) Misunderstandings at the least can be counterproductive. But by the power of the Holy Spirit, when we are filled with that Spirit, we are guided through the confusions of life, and are brought to clearer understandings.

When we are not filled with the Spirit, when we're like the disciples before Pentecost, we may be like Little Jack Horner. You remember him: "Little Jack Horner sat in a corner eating his Christmas pie. He stuck in his thumb, and pulled out a plum, and said, 'What a good boy am I.'" It's been suggested that Jack could have used a good therapist. He must have been some kind of recluse or extreme introvert who didn't like interacting with others, sitting off in a corner all by himself. He also had grandiose ideas. He didn't plant the plum seeds or bake the pie. He didn't even turn on the oven or take the pie out when it was done. All Jack did was wait until it cooled off, and stuck in his unwashed thumb, speared a plum, and congratulated himself, "What a good boy am I!" Some people deal with life like this, especially those who may not be filled with the Spirit. They're interested only in themselves, they don't want to contribute to the well-being of others, and they're apt to be off by themselves, telling themselves how great they are. (vi)

Ironically, we so-called religious folks sometimes come across to others as being completely devoid of the Spirit. We pastors are often stereotyped this way. A woman was to greet a visiting minister at the airport. She scans the faces of the incoming passengers, and finally spots someone she is certain is the person she's supposed to meet. Walking up to him she says, "Excuse me, aren't you the Reverend Smith, the minister I'm to meet?" The man responds, "No, sorry, I'm not a minister. I just look this way because I was sick to my stomach on the flight." (vii) When we're truly filled with the Spirit, we don't come across that way - even pastors.

When we are filled with the Spirit, two things are likely to happen. First, God becomes present in us. When we celebrate the birth of Jesus we talk of incarnation, that God is with us, becomes one with us, in Christ. When we celebrate Pentecost we talk of indwelling, not just that God is present with us, but that God's Spirit is present in us. Through the Holy Spirit we are able to stay connected with God, with Christ. The Spirit is the relational link between us and Christ. (viii)

The second thing likely to happen if we are filled with the Spirit is that we'll become more fully alive. People who are fully alive sometimes enjoy doing things others may find drudgery or duty. They do them not because they have to but because they want to. They focus more on the roses than on the thorns. They look to each new day with expectation, knowing that it is a gift from God, unlike any that has ever come before. Fully alive people are open to new insights that help renew them and their visions of reality. (ix)

Fully alive people are something like the rock cabin that an early Colorado pioneer built. After completing the cabin he lit a fire in the fireplace. Unfortunately for him, the whole cabin immediately caught fire and became a raging inferno. The rocks that he used for construction were shale, impregnated with oil that had been locked within them for centuries. When touched by the fire the oil's energy was released. So also we have within us light and energy just waiting to be released and to break forth in brilliance when we're set on fire by God's Holy Spirit. (x)

So, when individuals are filled with the Spirit, God becomes present in them and they in turn become fully alive. What about churches? What happens when a church is filled with the Spirit? We can understand what happens when we compare the story of the tower of Babel with the story we heard today about the first Christian Pentecost. In the tower of Babel story, because the people try to act too much like God, because of their sinfulness, God confuses their language, and they are unable to understand each other. They are then forced to scatter over the face of the earth. There's more to the story than this, but you get the idea.

In contrast on Pentecost, through the Holy Spirit, the disciples begin speaking in other languages, but all the people in the crowd understand them, each in the languages from where they came! The miracle of Pentecost is that they are able to hear and understand each other. When a church is filled with the Spirit, its members hear one another; they may not always agree, but they hear one another, and appreciate and try to understand the other's point of view.

The philosopher Kierkegaard, told a story about a circus. The big top catches on fire, but no one in the audience is aware of the pending disaster. The owner of the circus calls on a clown to go out and stand before the people and tell them to leave. So this little clown goes into the center ring and tries to tell them the tent is on fire. But the people are too focused on the clown and not on what he is saying, and they sit there, slapping their legs and laughing like crazy, unable to understand the message. Oh, if they would but listen to him. But they don't. What is ironic, and funny in a way, is that God has chosen us clowns, us fools for Christ, to speak God's word to the world. (xi) People don't always listen to us either, and at times we don't listen very well to each other.

On this day of Pentecost, 2004, I pray that God might become more alive, more real to each of us through the indwelling of the Spirit; that we might recognize the Christ within us and within one another; that we might become more fully alive with the Spirit; that we might listen better to one another, trying to understand one another, seeking unity even with our diversity; and that we might begin to find our true selves in this fellowship of the Spirit, this Body of Christ, this gathering of clowns that we call the church. May each of us, and together as our church, be filled to overflowing with that Spirit. So may it be. Amen.

The Pilgrim Church of Duxbury
Rev. Kenneth C. Landall

i James W. Jones, Word & Witness, 6/7/81.
ii Edmund Steimle, Ibid.
iii Joseph Tetlow, Pulpit Resource, 6/7/81.
iv Emphasis, 5/82, p. 19.
v Aha!, 5/30/04.
vi Joe Harding, Pulpit Resource, op. cit.
vii Pulpit Resource, 5/20/82.
viii John Shea, Word & Witness, 5/30/82.
ix Joseph Powell, Pulpit Resource, 5/30/82.
x Pulpit Resource, 6/7/81.
xi Carl Michalson, Word & Witness, 6/7/81.