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PENTECOST SUNDAY

Our old and familiar friends introduce Pentecost Sunday this week. Acts 2 never ceases to amaze and startle us with the messy and unpredictable interruption of a God who compels us to speak divine love through a vast rainbow of languages. Now connected into a community, the Spirit continues to work through the handing out of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12), predicated upon the life and ministry of Jesus who predicted this special season of the Spirit (John 20:19-23 and 7:37-39).

Acts 2:1-21-Amazed, Astonished, and Perplexed

Strategy in hand (Acts 1:8) and leadership shuffled (1:15-26), a small band of Jesus’ followers have gathered for power. The Spirit will provide the energy and imagination that will drive the Church’s mission-mobile to heretofore unheard of uncommon lands to share the story about Jesus. This passage falls neatly into event, reactions, and explanation. First is the event itself: the Spirit comes as wind, flame, and language to the gathered community (vs 1-4); then, come the reactions of bewilderment, confusion, and guesswork (vs 5-13). Peter, who has experienced the event and listened to the reactions, takes matters into his own hands and proclaims boldly the meaning behind the events (vs 14-21). “No, we’re not tipsy,” sober Peter declares. Joel’s ‘that’ is our ‘this’ . . . Peter instructs the crowd in a well-crafted homily that results in many conversions.

1 Corinthians 12:3b-13-Doing Church God’s Way

Though similar to Acts 2, (where glossolalia and a form of prophecy occur), a close reading of the two passages suggests that Paul’s teaching here is less event-centered and more process oriented. At Corinth, spiritual gifts appear to be connected directly to a worshiping community. In context with what follows (1 Corinthians 12:12-31), it would seem that Paul here teaches on how ministry is carried on within and through Christians. Many are the gifts and many are the varieties of expression within the church; when working together, amazing ministry happens.

John 20:19-23 or John 7:37-39-Spirit-breathed / Spirit-splashed

John 20 is a post-resurrection story with some intriguing and puzzling innuendos attached to it. For instance, here Jesus offers the greeting that many of our ministers to this day off their congregations: “Peace be with you.” Jesus follows this with a demonstration of his corporeal body of Christ, followed by the same greeting of peace. The story closes with a commissioning service that includes the conveyance of authority to forgive and retain sins. In the John 7 passage, Jesus prophesies concerning the Spirit who will come to community as thirst-quenching water (John 7:38) and overflowing / out flowing water from the believer’s heart (7:38-39).