Living God’s Embrace

Pentecost/Communion

May 31, 2009
David Brubacher

 

TEXT: Acts 2:1-21

John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

 

 

Two women were sitting at a table in an eating establishment when a couple of mixed race sat at a table some distance away. The two women began to discuss their disapproval of mixed race relationships in rather loud, embarrassing and disgusting terms. Their waiter challenged them suggesting that their comments were not only impolite but racist. To this the women replied, “We know.”  Today’s sermon concludes our series on Living God’s Embrace: Who can measure? The preachers in this series have sought to consider how we relate to those who we in various ways see as different from our selves. The attitudes and views we hold towards those we see as different or “other” are learned, perhaps in much the same way we learn language. At the same time, the Bible, from beginning to end, shows that God’s love embraces all people equally. The call of God’s people is to live out that embrace to others with outstretched arms of welcome and hospitality.  So often our actions as people of faith betray the beliefs we profess. Like the two women, we may “know” that our actions are inappropriate. What does it take for us to begin to live in the direction of the faith we profess?

 

Today is Pentecost Sunday. The text read from Acts 2 reminds us of a powerful out pouring of God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, as a sign of the new things God was doing among God’s people. It came as an “aha” moment. Today we might say, “It hit them like a ton of bricks.” It was impossible to miss that God was doing something new. How do we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit to embrace the new things God is doing and to which God is calling us? What is Pentecost? Literally Pentecost means fiftieth and signifies a Jewish celebration on the fiftieth day after Passover. It came just after the early barley harvest and before the wheat harvest. Devoted Jews gathered from all over the world for this one of three major annual feasts. The Feast of Pentecost, or Weeks, as it is also known, gave praise to God for God’s grace and bounty. Historically Pentecost was a celebration of fruitfulness.  As recorded in Acts 2 Pentecost is also about new things God is doing. The text dramatically depicts the coming of the Holy Spirit as an event that breaks down barriers. Through new speech enabling the gospel to be heard people were empowered to embrace what God is doing. The gospel text at John 15 speaks of the Holy Spirit coming to testify on behalf of Jesus. It goes on to say, “You also are to testify because you have been with me….” Clearly we are not only to embrace what God is doing, but also to embrace others with what God is doing.

 

During the feast of Pentecost, people gathered in Jerusalem from all corners of the world. The disciples of Jesus were gathered for their celebration. Many others spilled out of the room and around the meeting place just to see what these followers of Jesus – who had recently ascended to heaven – were up to. Suddenly the Holy Spirit fell upon them in a mighty display of power. The visual and audible signs were obvious. They could not be missed.  This outpouring and display of God’s power is generally believed to be the beginning of the Christian church. Later in Acts 2 thousands joined the disciples to dramatically increase the followers of Jesus around the world. Inspired and empowered these believers went back to their homes and started churches. Perhaps the Ethiopian man we encountered a few weeks ago was one of these people.

 

It is fair to say that the Christian Church began with a display of power that continues to fuel the mission of the church. Power can be displayed in at least two ways: it can be unleashed, or it can be harnessed. The energy in ten gallons of gasoline can be unleashed explosively by dropping a lighted match into the can. (I don’t recommend you try this.) Or it can be channeled through the engine of a car in a controlled burn to transport people over great distance. Explosions are spectacular, but controlled burns have lasting effect.  The Holy Spirit works both ways. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit exploded on the scene with a presence like “tongues of fire.” Thousands were impacted by one burst. But the Holy Spirit also works through the church to inspire us in living God’s embrace.

           

Pentecost, then and now, is a pregnant moment in the life of God’s people. As recorded in Acts 2, Pentecost was not primarily an inner mystical exper
ience. It was a dynamic outpouring of God’s Spirit that touched every one present. One manifestation was speaking in other languages. Certainly that is a miracle. An even greater miracle in my opinion, is that, “each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.”  The interplay between hearing and listening is a crucial in living God’s embrace. Being genuinely heard and appreciated by those with whom we may differ is life giving. On the day of Pentecost people were present from some of the hot spots in the world today: Iraq, Iran, Israel, Palestine, and Africa. The ability to hear and be heard bridged the differences of language and culture that existed. What could happen in these places today if more emphasis was placed on listening to the other than making sure “my” voice is heard above the others? Listening and appreciating others, I believe, is the only sure way to be heard and appreciated.

           

A dynamic outpouring of the Holy Spirit often shatters old paradigms. Up until 1980 the Swiss were noted as the best producers of watches in the world. They had perfected the fine art of intricately balanced mechanical movements to the point they had captured about 60% of the global market share. The Swiss themselves estimated it to be closer to 90%. In 1980 another Swiss came up with a new innovation that represented a radical paradigm shift for the manufacture of watches. The innovation was so radical that the opportunity to invest in the new digital quartz technology was rejected. The Japanese replaced the Swiss as the global leader in the manufacture of watches.

 

God’s embrace of us and our embrace of others is further articulated in the gospel text from John 15 and 16. We are both called and empowered to live God’s embrace.  Without an active living out of God’s embrace today, the church becomes a voiceless, irrelevant institution. The church is entrusted with two great treasures. One is the tradition of faith as reflected in the Bible and church history. The other is the dynamic of God’s spirit present in the world today. As one commentator suggests, where these two, tradition and spirit, intersect, that is where we see the good news being lived.           Even though we are empowered by the work of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is not given to assure the success of what we do. We are to be servants of God’s Spirit. God’s Spirit is not at our service. The church needs to constantly discern and live in line with both tradition and spirit.

           

Living into new things is not easy. It is often more natural to fall back into old habits using old language as the two women mentioned earlier. In so doing the church often becomes protective and defensive of its tradition. It has been suggested that preachers stop being preachers when they seek to protect and defend, and become mere curators.  Our Gospel text assures us, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth…” This is extravagant language that should be handled carefully and with humility. It does not mean that God’s Spirit guarantees our success. But promises is that the Holy Spirit will make available again and again the transforming reality known in Jesus. Here we experience God’s embrace of us and are empowered in our embrace of others. In a few moments we will celebrate this mutual embrace in Communion.

 

Conclusion:  I invite you to prepare for the service of Communion by considering how you are experiencing God’s embrace in Jesus. How are you seeking to live out God’s embrace to others?  We come to the Communion table with a confidence that God is present among us. Let us come with openness to the dynamic outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit, today as some two thousand years ago. Let us prepare to come to the Lord’s Table as we sing, Fire of God, undying flame – SS #103. AMEN!