Pentecost
Straight Talking
Acts 2.1-21 (37-39); John 7.37-39
Years ago a conscientious homeowner wrote to a manufacturer of cast iron pipes, telling them that he had found that by pouring pure hydrochloric acid down the drain, he immediately cleared grease-clogged pipes. He asked if there was any way in which the acid might be harmful to the pipes.
The pipe manufacturer wrote back to him, ‘Thank you for your letter. The consequence of such acid upon ferrous-constructed materials is certain to be deleterious. We therefore strongly urge you to terminate such activity for the welfare of your plumbing.’
The homeowner read the letter and responded, thanking the manufacturer for the letter, and saying that he was relieved that he was doing the right thing in using acid in the pipes.
Another letter came from the manufacturer, ‘We fear that there may have been some miscommunication in our correspondence. Acid, of that density, applied to cast iron piping, is certain to have pernicious results. Therefore, please desist from your prevailing practices.’
The homeowner again wrote back, thanking the company for the reassurance that he was doing nothing which might harm the pipes.
Finally, an exasperated manufacturer sent a telegram (remember those!): ‘Don’t use acid. It rusts the hell out of pipes!’
The difficulties of effective communication are obvious to us all. How often do we hear that some dispute or problem all comes down to a communication issue! The ancient Celtic church used a noisy wild goose as a symbol of the Holy Spirit but most of us are more familiar with the cooing gentleness of a white dove. Is the Holy Spirit a noisy and somewhat aggressive wild goose or an altogether more domesticated and timid dove? Perhaps we need some plain talking about Pentecost. We sing ‘Breathe on me, breath of God, Fill me with life anew;’ but what do we expect of that sung prayer?
The disciples were doing as Jesus had commanded them; they were waiting in Jerusalem. This is an expectant waiting. They are waiting to be energized, and their standing-by was not in vain. Suddenly from heaven there came a sound like a mighty rushing wind and it filled the room. Looking around they could see as it were tongues of fire dancing on each other’s heads. Filled with the Holy Spirit they began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. As so often in scripture, the story is rich in symbolism and meaning. Unpacking those things will help our plain talking that we too may be grasped by the Spirit. A God who communicates is at the heart of this story.
First, notice from where the Spirit comes. It comes from outside of the room in which they were waiting – it is not something that wells up from within them. It is completely ‘other’ to them as individuals or as a group. The Holy Spirit comes from the outside – from God. If we are looking for the Holy Spirit to be active in our lives we are looking for something that beyond us. We must look outside of ourselves; we must look to God the Creator and to Jesus.
Second, notice what the Spirit coming to them achieved first – through the Spirit’s action they were empowered to witness to Jesus Christ. Because of the festival there were pilgrims in Jerusalem from all kinds of foreign places, and each one heard these uneducated peasants from Galilee speak in their own language about God’s deeds of power. What a shock; how could this lot speak these languages? But they did.
Enabled by the Spirit the disciples proclaim the name of Jesus to all who were in Jerusalem on that long ago day – a unique and unrepeatable event. Never again in the New Testament will it be recorded that Christian believers inspired by the Spirit speak in the languages of other people. Yes, speaking in tongues will be mentioned, but that is vocalizing in an unintelligible, ecstatic language. Here the disciples witness in intelligible languages. In Acts the unintelligible languages are a sign of God’s Spirit in people’s lives; as in many churches today. But that isn’t what happened at Pentecost. What was going on here was so remarkable that some scoffed: ‘Oh, they’re drunk,’ they said. This can’t be real. But it was.
Third, cut by the scoffing and ridicule, Peter speaks up, ‘It’s too early in the day to be drunk! Know for sure that what you see and hear is the amazing fulfilment of a prophecy made long ago by God’s servant Joel.’ Joel had said that in the last days God would pour out his Spirit on all humankind: ‘Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit and they shall prophesy.’ (Joel 3.1+2)
Joel’s prophecy has come true. In the ancient scriptures the Spirit of God rested on special people and for a limited period of time, but it’s not like that in the days after Jesus. No, in this new day the Spirit of God will be poured out on everyone. This is what living in the light of Jesus does. Jesus is the source of what is going on here.
Fourth, Peter is bold in what he says: Jesus of Nazareth was attested before you by God with power, wonders and signs, yet you crucified and killed him. But God raised him from the dead – ‘This Jesus God raised up and of that we are all witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear.’ The language is complex but the essential idea is simple: Jesus is the one who pours out the Spirit.
Jesus is the source of the Spirit by the action of God the Father in him. The story of Jesus – the way we tell it, inhabit it, pray on it, live it – is all we need to receive the Spirit.
Fifth, this story of the first Pentecost ends with the response of the crowd to Peter’s sermon. That’s where we should particularly focus our attention because we are with the crowd. What happened to the disciples is unrepeatable. What happened to the crowd is not unique – it happened, it happens, and it will happen. The crowd was deeply affected when they heard Peter tell them they were responsible for Jesus’ death. They hadn’t thought of it in that direct way before – and neither do we, for we too are responsible for Jesus’ death. What else can the ‘He died for us’ that falls so easily from our lips mean? The crowd demanded of Peter and the others (Acts 2.37), ‘What shall we do?’ The crowd’s cry, and our cry too!
Peter response is direct, ‘Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ Peter answers the cry of people in every age who are confronted with the reality of human sinfulness, hurt and harm. In face of the urge to death and corruption – the fickleness and evil that caused Jesus’ death and the countless corruptions that emulate it – Peter urges repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ so that the Holy Spirit can be received to make lives new. As a people united, wait on God; repent; live a baptized life; and receive the Spirit’s gracing.
We the church are always a Pentecost church – we are a fellowship from every known corner of the earth that encompasses all who sincerely cry with that Pentecost crowd, ‘What shall we do?’ We the church are called and enabled by the Spirit to proclaim God’s deeds of power and grace in the life and death of Jesus. We the church are given the Spirit of Pentecost to overcome all obstacles and divisions and create life anew by the power of the Spirit working amongst us.
‘Breathe on me, breath of God, Fill me with life anew.’
Life anew – God’s Pentecost promise to us. That’s straight talking.
The pipe manufacturer wrote back to him, ‘Thank you for your letter. The consequence of such acid upon ferrous-constructed materials is certain to be deleterious. We therefore strongly urge you to terminate such activity for the welfare of your plumbing.’
The homeowner read the letter and responded, thanking the manufacturer for the letter, and saying that he was relieved that he was doing the right thing in using acid in the pipes.
Another letter came from the manufacturer, ‘We fear that there may have been some miscommunication in our correspondence. Acid, of that density, applied to cast iron piping, is certain to have pernicious results. Therefore, please desist from your prevailing practices.’
The homeowner again wrote back, thanking the company for the reassurance that he was doing nothing which might harm the pipes.
Finally, an exasperated manufacturer sent a telegram (remember those!): ‘Don’t use acid. It rusts the hell out of pipes!’
The difficulties of effective communication are obvious to us all. How often do we hear that some dispute or problem all comes down to a communication issue! The ancient Celtic church used a noisy wild goose as a symbol of the Holy Spirit but most of us are more familiar with the cooing gentleness of a white dove. Is the Holy Spirit a noisy and somewhat aggressive wild goose or an altogether more domesticated and timid dove? Perhaps we need some plain talking about Pentecost. We sing ‘Breathe on me, breath of God, Fill me with life anew;’ but what do we expect of that sung prayer?
The disciples were doing as Jesus had commanded them; they were waiting in Jerusalem. This is an expectant waiting. They are waiting to be energized, and their standing-by was not in vain. Suddenly from heaven there came a sound like a mighty rushing wind and it filled the room. Looking around they could see as it were tongues of fire dancing on each other’s heads. Filled with the Holy Spirit they began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. As so often in scripture, the story is rich in symbolism and meaning. Unpacking those things will help our plain talking that we too may be grasped by the Spirit. A God who communicates is at the heart of this story.
First, notice from where the Spirit comes. It comes from outside of the room in which they were waiting – it is not something that wells up from within them. It is completely ‘other’ to them as individuals or as a group. The Holy Spirit comes from the outside – from God. If we are looking for the Holy Spirit to be active in our lives we are looking for something that beyond us. We must look outside of ourselves; we must look to God the Creator and to Jesus.
Second, notice what the Spirit coming to them achieved first – through the Spirit’s action they were empowered to witness to Jesus Christ. Because of the festival there were pilgrims in Jerusalem from all kinds of foreign places, and each one heard these uneducated peasants from Galilee speak in their own language about God’s deeds of power. What a shock; how could this lot speak these languages? But they did.
Enabled by the Spirit the disciples proclaim the name of Jesus to all who were in Jerusalem on that long ago day – a unique and unrepeatable event. Never again in the New Testament will it be recorded that Christian believers inspired by the Spirit speak in the languages of other people. Yes, speaking in tongues will be mentioned, but that is vocalizing in an unintelligible, ecstatic language. Here the disciples witness in intelligible languages. In Acts the unintelligible languages are a sign of God’s Spirit in people’s lives; as in many churches today. But that isn’t what happened at Pentecost. What was going on here was so remarkable that some scoffed: ‘Oh, they’re drunk,’ they said. This can’t be real. But it was.
Third, cut by the scoffing and ridicule, Peter speaks up, ‘It’s too early in the day to be drunk! Know for sure that what you see and hear is the amazing fulfilment of a prophecy made long ago by God’s servant Joel.’ Joel had said that in the last days God would pour out his Spirit on all humankind: ‘Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit and they shall prophesy.’ (Joel 3.1+2)
Joel’s prophecy has come true. In the ancient scriptures the Spirit of God rested on special people and for a limited period of time, but it’s not like that in the days after Jesus. No, in this new day the Spirit of God will be poured out on everyone. This is what living in the light of Jesus does. Jesus is the source of what is going on here.
Fourth, Peter is bold in what he says: Jesus of Nazareth was attested before you by God with power, wonders and signs, yet you crucified and killed him. But God raised him from the dead – ‘This Jesus God raised up and of that we are all witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear.’ The language is complex but the essential idea is simple: Jesus is the one who pours out the Spirit.
Jesus is the source of the Spirit by the action of God the Father in him. The story of Jesus – the way we tell it, inhabit it, pray on it, live it – is all we need to receive the Spirit.
Fifth, this story of the first Pentecost ends with the response of the crowd to Peter’s sermon. That’s where we should particularly focus our attention because we are with the crowd. What happened to the disciples is unrepeatable. What happened to the crowd is not unique – it happened, it happens, and it will happen. The crowd was deeply affected when they heard Peter tell them they were responsible for Jesus’ death. They hadn’t thought of it in that direct way before – and neither do we, for we too are responsible for Jesus’ death. What else can the ‘He died for us’ that falls so easily from our lips mean? The crowd demanded of Peter and the others (Acts 2.37), ‘What shall we do?’ The crowd’s cry, and our cry too!
Peter response is direct, ‘Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ Peter answers the cry of people in every age who are confronted with the reality of human sinfulness, hurt and harm. In face of the urge to death and corruption – the fickleness and evil that caused Jesus’ death and the countless corruptions that emulate it – Peter urges repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ so that the Holy Spirit can be received to make lives new. As a people united, wait on God; repent; live a baptized life; and receive the Spirit’s gracing.
We the church are always a Pentecost church – we are a fellowship from every known corner of the earth that encompasses all who sincerely cry with that Pentecost crowd, ‘What shall we do?’ We the church are called and enabled by the Spirit to proclaim God’s deeds of power and grace in the life and death of Jesus. We the church are given the Spirit of Pentecost to overcome all obstacles and divisions and create life anew by the power of the Spirit working amongst us.
‘Breathe on me, breath of God, Fill me with life anew.’
Life anew – God’s Pentecost promise to us. That’s straight talking.